Harrisburg Telegraph from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania • Page 1

TEICEGR EARRISTORG FAIR VOL CXV No. 95 Asch, just inside the old Czech border, fell to Third Army units fighting to cut off the redoubt from Czechoslovak war factories Asch is 60 miles from Pilsen. Gen. George S. Patton's troops farther south in Grafenworh were 58 miles from Pilsen and 125 from Prague, Red army front dispatches said Russian and U.

S. patrols were as close as 25 miles south of Berlin, and a junction on the Elbe 75 miles south of the German capital was believed imminent. Could Meet at Will The best information at Allied headquarters was that 40 to 45 miles still separated Russians northeast of Dresden from U. First and Third Army forces along tne Mulde river east of Leipzig. But it was clear that the two forces now could meet almost at will, perhaps within the next 24 to 48 hours, Doughboys were 15 to 20 miles from the Elbe opposite the Rus sian wedge, and the Soviets were reported only 25 miles.

from the Elbe. A British correspondent with the U. S. 9th Army declared the muffled thunder of Russian guns could be heard. To 9th Army divisions opened a flank attack this morning west of 4 Wittenberge, about midway be tween Berlin and Hamburg, and thrust halfway through the Gar tower forest.

The 84th Infantry, in a seven mile gain, cleared Prezelle, 15 miles west of Witten berge, on the Elbe, and the 5th Armored gamed up to three miles Diesdorf and Abbendorf were re captured, and infiltrated enemy forces were mopped up General Eisenhower quickened his drives to crack open the areas where the Germans may make their last great stands the north' ern port belt and the southern re doubt. British armor plunged into the (Continued on Page 17, Col. 2) U.S. Rushes Work On Key Agreement With Czech Chiefs Washington, April 21, JP). American diplomats rushed today to work out a civil affairs agree ment with Czechslovakia.

Czechoslovakia is the first country entered by both Russian and western Allied liberating troops. The diplomats are confronted with the new problem of mapping a joint policy with the Red Army and the Czech government. Early last year, before Day, when the Czechs negotiated a civil affairs agreement with Rus sia, they offered to conclude similar pacts with the U. S. and Britain.

Nothing was done since Washington and London did not think they would play a direct part in liberating Czechoslovakia. By such agreements the Allies assume responsibility for the direction of civil affairs in areas of active military operations. Similar pacts were concluded with Belgium and The Netherlands before the invasion of Western Europe. i The Czech government already has moved from London, where it was in exile, to Koscice, in territory liberated by the Soviet Army. Front dispatches have noted the cool reception accorded U.

S. Third Army troops who entered the Sudetenland, the predomi nantly Lrerman fringe around Western Czechoslovakia. This province was ceded to Hitler at Munich in September, 1938, and incomorated into the Reich. A large part of the population tnere is uermanic. and reDort edly included a heavy proportion oi ianatic xvazis.

nowever, since tne u. s. never recognized the Munich award, the Sudetenland is considered Czech territory and therefore entitled to administration as a liberated ally rather than as enemy country. This poses an additional problem in working out a civil affairs policy for Czechoslovakia. 18 PAGES mm Badge.

Daily Except Sunday. Entered as Seoond Clan Hatter at the Post Office at Harrisburg mm Asch Captured In Patton Drive Toward Prague By James M. Long Paris, April 21, (P) U. S. Third Army troops, smashing into Czechoslovakia, captured Asch today in a drive toward the munitions cities of Pilsen and Prague.

At the same time Moscow dispatches declared Soviet and American outriders were but 25 miles apart south of Berlin. The latest word at Supreme Headquarters put the two forces within 40 to 45 miles of a linkup. Three Allied armies the French First and the U. S. Seventh and Third hammered southward toward the Nazis' Bavarian Austrian redoubt, and fought within 70 miles of Munich and 30 from Lake Constance.

Uptown Sergeant Gets Bronze Star For Battle Deed EDGAR H. ANDERSON First Sgt. Edgar H. Anderson, son of Mrs. Bessie V.

Anderson, 2553 Lexington street, was re' cently awarded the Bronze Star Medal for heroic achievement. The citation accompanying the award reads: "When the assistant ant radio operator nad become a casualty, First Sergeant Anderson, (then Sergeant) acting as com munications sergeant, crawled over several hundred yards of exposed terrain to reach the battalion op erational post where he establish' ed radio communications. Al though constantly exposed to in tense danger, he operated ra dio for twelve hours without re lief, thereby manitaining the only means of communication to higher headquarters. The courage and skill displayed by First Sergeant Anderson reflect credit upon himself and the military service." Sgt. Anderson, a graduate of John Harris High School, was employed as a guard at the White Hill Industrial School before en tenng the service in November, 1942.

He trained at Camp Maxey. Camp Swift and Fort Dix before going overseas last September. He has served with the Ninth Army and, in addition to the Bronze Star Medal, he has been awarded the Combat Infantry Phone Operators Settle For $3 Weekly Raise New York, April 21. (P) A $3 weekly wage increase and a re vision of the wage progression schedule were announced today as the main point of an agreement which has ended the threat of a strike among 18,000 New York City telephone operators. Operators had asked a $5 a week increase but settled for the smaller amount when offered a new pro Churchill Warns Victory in Europe Will Bring Britain Only Slight Pause Bristol, England, April 21, (iP) Prime Minister Church' ill said today that victory over Germany would be de cided by Allied military com manders, who will notify their governments "when their task is done." "I do not think it need be long delayed," he added.

He emphasized it would bring pause only for a moment a mo ment of rejoicing and for "the purpose of regathering strength" to carry on the war against Japan. earlier Churchill declared "a world organization which we must build and shall build will be free and open to all the na turns of the world." Speaking only a few days the opening of the World Security Conference at San Francisco, Britain's wartime leader asserted that "nations must live in peace and justice with one another," thus envisaging the ultimate inclusion of even present enemy nations in a world peace organization. He added significantly: "there must be always the necessary force to restrain aggression. Churohill said that as far as Europe is concerned "we are com' ing to the end of the long journey," but added that the defeat of Japan will require "a new leap forward a new lifting of soul and body." His views were expressed under i new roof in the great fire Continued on Page 17, Col. 5) Court Doubts Suspect 'Found9 Unbroken Eggs "I found a crate of eggs that dropped off a truck at the Broad street market at 4 a.

today" AlDhonso Kinsev, 56, alias "Coal Pile Shorty" 1004 Fox street, told Alderman Harry Bowman in police court today but the magistrate didn't believe the story. The reason Sgt. Russell Shott, who picked up Kmsey at Sixth and Cumberland streets, told the magistrate that not one egg was broken. Bowman sent Kinsey to jail in default of $500 bail, pending grand jury action. Police later found that the had been stolen from Mrs.

Mabel Pentz, Mechanicsburg R. D. 3, who has a stand in the market. Clothing Gathered In City, Area fori Needy Europeans Harrisburg and surrounding communities made a drive today for three hundred tons of clothing for the needy in battle scarred European countries and Joe Mar tin, chairman of the local clothing campaign committee said the figure may exceeded, despite the inclement weather during collec tion hours. More than a thousand Boy Scouts, assisted by some of their associates, not in the 33 local Scout troops, and more than 250 members of Harrisburg service clubs with automobiles, began Harrisburg's part in tie United National Clothing Collection at 8 a.

m. today. The cars were used to carry the clothing to city fire uses and before an hour had passed 1 undreds of pounds of wearing apparel reached the fire stations. Firemen helped unload the cars and assisted the crews hTTih en" load the clothing on trucks of the IJfi Cacl? the maximunj' Pennsylvania State Guard, loaned service, union spokesmen said. I (Continued on Page 17, Col.

8) Drunken General Leads 1000 Nazis In Night Raids Behind Yank Lines By Kenneth L. Dixon With the U. S. Ninth Army, April 21, Thirty to 50 miles behind the Ninth Army's Elbe front, a German general and more than 1000 troops are waging a spectacular "strike and fade away" raiding campaign. Villagers said the general, identified by official Army reports as Lt.

Unrein, some times is drunk in his sorties. But he apparently stays sober enough to map out efficient and consistent strategy for his night raids. His entire staff has surrender ed, but Unrein divided his forces into two combat commands, each charged with harassing American rear areas and supply lines. Last night a ring of Ninth Army guns closed slowly around one group hidden in a dense dark forest. Shells started fires which might drive the Nazis out.

The forays began several days ago when German troops struck southward, piercing the Ninth Army's northern flank, and then being swallowed up in the forests. Unrein's infantry units, augmented by about a score of tanks and perhaps 100 self propelled guns, halftracks, and other ar (Continued on Page 17, Col. 1) Ludwigslujt HARRISBURG, SATURDAY EVENING, APRIL 21, 1945 I CI. II 7 Luzon on the north, the com' munique said. Our losses in this campaign were extraordin.ryily light, due largely to the enemy continued inablility to diagnose our point of attack and to understand our local tactics of combat," MacArthur declared." He has seemed bewildered and confused and al though one of the most tena' cious of fighters, has permitted himself to be constc.ntly surprised, divided and destroyed in detail without being able to inflict more than a minor fraction of compen sating losses." Twenty fourth Division troops which landed on Mindanao Tues Continued on Page 17, Col.

5) Little Hope Held For Early End Of War in West Paris, April 21, UP). Lt. Gen. Walter Bedell Smith, Gen. Eisen hower's chief of staff, said to day he held no hope for an im mediate end to the war in Europe and added that there may be bitter fighting and heavy casual ties to come.

Addressing war correspondents at Supreme Headquarters, Smith said General Eisenhower would try to get the war over as soon as possible, but had no intention of throwing away the lives entrusted to him and would fight as economically as he could. With the Germans still resist ing and apparently determined to stand to the end in a national redoubt, rooting them out may take considerable time, Smith added. Smith spoke as American and Russian troops were moving toward a junction, but he made it clear this did not mean the end of the battle of Europe and reiterated Eisenhower's view that there would be no formal sur render of Germany. Smith has served as Eisen hower's chief of staff both in the Mediterranean and on the conti nent. He said that of all the big campaigns in history the Ger man campaign came closest to following the original pattern laid out by the commander who planned it.

In only one instance did it deviate from the planned atiick and that was because the Germans made a less determined defense of Cologne and the plain before it than Eisenhower had anticipated. JV GERMANY ti mi I I llii ill mil "''I aS 9ffc ARMY Waren JUMagdeburg hwhlr II in? I ha it ooree km im awesi i JS Spr.mb.rgV 1 wr ly VVsA rS Hall.fjWurzenltf Hoy.r$w.rda I STATUTE MllfS TWO FRONTS DRAW NEARER Arrows indicate Allied drives on the Western European front, with greatest gain in a U. S. move southeast of Bayreuth. On the eastern front Moscow officially reported fighting west of the Oder river and Berlin said the Red army (broken arrow) was attacking south of Stettin.

Central Philippines Drive dears End; Japs Hold Two Strong Points By Spencer Davis Manila, April 21, (JP) With the death of 5000 Japanese on Cebu Island, Gen. Douglas MacArthur announced today tne "virtual conclusion" of the Central Philippines cam paign. Liberated in this 33,000 square mile Visayan islands area are more than Filipinos, This leaves the "only remain ing enemy organized resistance in Mindanao on the south and Upper Rep. Kunkel Visits Nazi Horror Camp with Legislators Weimar, Germ ny, April (IP) Republican Reps. Clare Boothe Luce John Kunkel (Pa.) and Leonard Hall (N.

viewed the norrors of con centration camp today along with 10 members of Britain's Parlia ment The visits of the two parties of legislators coincided by accident. Mrs. Luce saw stacks of bodies of Buchenwald's victims and de clared: "The most important thing to remember is that this could hap pen to us in 20 years. uniy a lew years ago, some were talking about there being good German people. After seeing tnis, one wonders whether there is good in any Germany people." London.

April 21. (JP) First nand reports to the San Francisco Conference by British and Amer ican legislative delegations on the horror of Nazi concentration camps appeared in prospect today, Gen. Eisenhower issued an in vitation last night for 12 Congress men to visit the scenes. A British Parliamentary delegation set out from London yesterday. Diplomatic quarters contended that a joint report to the confer ence would provide a powerful argument for a strong peace.

Gen. Eisenhower also asked that 12 American editors come to Europe for personal inspection of tne camps. The Daily Mirror reported that throughout Britain movie goers, unable to look at pictures of the camps, had walked out of theatres. In many places there were soldiers to tell them to go back and face it," the paper stated. "It's the only way to break the namby pamby attitude toward Germans," the newspaper quoted one soldier as saying.

Mine Sinks Ship Malmoe, Sweden, April 21, (ff) the German East Africa lines, taAthe German East Africa lines, loaded with refugees and bound for Copenhagen, struck a mine south of Oresund and sank within a few minutes early today, re ports from Denmark said. The North German Lloyd Ship Potsdam was reported to have reached Copenhagen safely with other refugees. Of Italian Drive By Lynn Heinzerling Rome, April 21, (Bologna, first major objective of the all out Allied offensive in Northern Italy, fell today to troops of the Fifth and Eighth Armies, Polish troops of the British Lighth Army under Mai. Gen, Bohuszszyska and the U. S.

91st Division commanded by Maj. Cren. William G. Livesay and the 34th Division under Maj. Gen.

Charles Bolte all entered the historic Italian fortress city on the southern edge of the Po valley at the foot of the Apennines. With liologna captured the ma jor German defense position south of the Po river was eliminated and the Nazis once again moved northward. Field Marshal Sir Harold Alexander in a message of congratulations to the victorious troops said: "Let us keep driving forward until the last enemy soldier has been driven from Italy. Gen. Mark W.

Clark. Allied ground commander, said his 15th Army group now stands "inside the gateway to the Po plain poised to destroy the rmans who continue to enslave P'd exnloit Northern Italy." The fall of the city of 270,000, which has blocked 'Hied troops for months came quickly after Fifth Army troops had severed the important Bologna Modena highway northwest of the city yesterday. It was disclosed that the U. S. Tenth and 85th Division were the units who cut the highway after springing from mountain positions in a lightning seven mile advance.

There was no indication of any general withdrawal in the face of Lt. Gen. Lucian K. Truscott's (Continued on Page 17, Col. 7) Air Bombing Damages Churches in Japan Vatican City, April 21, (JP) The Vatican press service reported today that the air bombing of Tokio and Japanese occupied areas of China has caused "grave damage" to church properties.

"At Tokio the school of the sisters of San Mauro was destroyed and the Theological Seminary and University of the Jesuit Fathers partially destroyed by fire," the service said, adding that "nearly all religious communities had left the capital. "At Hongkong," the report continued, "the monastery of the sisters of St. Paul was destroyed. Fiftv nprsnn? uwrit lHllo1 amnnrf The Japanese lost 100 vessels, among them the prized 45.000 ton battleship Yamato. Added to thisj total in sea land air warfare were 2569 blasted Japanese planes.

American losses included five destroyers, a destroyer transport, two mincraf a gunboat, four landing craft and two ammunition vessels. Despite terrific casualties from tillery preparation for the southward push of the 27th, 96th and 7th Divisions, the enemy of Southern Okinawa was resisting stubbornly. The 27th past Ka kazu ridge, but was mopping up by passed pockets of Japanese. The 27th advanced 1000 yards in the first 24 hours and was only 800 yards from the Machinato airstrip, northeast of Naha. In the center of the three pronged drive (Continued on Pare 17, Col, 1) APE Only Evening Associated Press Newspaper in Harrisburg.

News Around the Clock SINGLE COPIES THREE CENTS mi mm 1st Kev Ohieefive WUhin 9 Mi7oc 1st Key Objective Within 32 Miles Of Yank Lines London, April 21, (P) The Germans declared today that 1,500,000 Russian troops laying siege to Berlin had battered into five suburbs, and flanked the shell pounded capital on the southwest with a sweep to within 32 miles of American lines. Even as Soviet guns pounded the Potsdamer Platz in the heart of Berlin, Moscow dispatches asserted the desperate defenders had fired forests and blown up a power dam, unleashing torrents of water on Soviet infantrymen who grabbed at trees, bushes, and barns. A German broadcast said 16 Armies, including four tank armies, were pounding at Berlin's gates in a battle "never surpassed in ferocity." Moscow reported the Germans were making suicide charges with fixed bayonets. Soviet forces, by enemy account, had fought their way into Berlin suburbs at five places Bernau, Strausberg, Fuerstenwalde, Koenigs Wusterhausen and Zossen. The Russian drive to Bernau, three miles from the city limits, was announced by the German high command.

This action constituted part of the northern envelopment move against Berlin. Berliners Duck Russian Shells; Fear Starvation As Siege Begins London, April 21, UP). The fear of starvation is gripping Berlin ers who already are ducking Rus sian shells falling into the heart of the Reich capital, Nazi propo gandists said today as they exhorted every man, woman and child to fight to the death. Field kitchens are being set up, and Transocean's correspondent Walter telchner said "Berlin is already preparing for public mass feeding when the city is encircled and all communications with the outside world cut." Felchner told of the first Rus sian shells to land in Potsdamer Platz the Times Square of Ber lin. "They landed at 2 o'clock this afternoon," he said.

"The hor ror stricken people stopped and then, having learned from ex periences during air raids, they. dashed to the nearest shelters. "The next hits were off and life became normal again. Groups of people gathered in the streets and eagerly discussed the dangers of artillery fire. At the present the opinion prevails that shells are better than bombs." Virtually the entire population is spending most of the time underground, he revealed, explain ing that "everybody hopes to be pretty safe in the cellars." While boasting that "Berliners whom were some Phinpsp sistprsido not shiver after six years of and a Fr nrh sUtpr war they expect even stronger Achtung, Adolf Topeka, April 21.

(JP) The Germans may be supermen but they apparently aren't very tall. Lt. Nels A. Anderson, Jr, six foot, one inch 1 i ant wrote his parents here that he looked all over Germany while with the First Army and still hadn't found a bed long enough for him. 3 Divisions Close On Island Capital; 15 U.S.

Ships Lost Gaum, April 21, (JP). Fight ing on Southern Okinawa raged fiercely today as Japanese troops fought a stubborn defense action against three American divisions driving toward Naha, the island's capital. Adm. Chester W. Nimitz' com munique yesterday said 15 Ameri can' ships of all types were lost during Okinawa operations between March 18 and April 18 DomDaraments, eicnner saia the Berliners are afraid of any thing just now it is hunger." All Nazi newspapers carried the same cry: "Berliners, the eyes of the world are trained on you.

The decisive hour has struck The battle is raging at our gates. Men and women keep your nerves." Moscow, April 21, (JP). The desperate Nazi defenders oi Ber lin, their suburban lines being ground to pieces by a mammoth steel wall of Russian tanks, have (Continued on Page 17, Col. 4) Nazi General Killed By American Patrol With the U. S.

Army in Ger many, April 21, tankmen shot a high ranking German general to death yester day in the Ruhr pocket when he and his men ran from a house and killed a. U. S. soldier with a machine pistol. The Americans were making a routine patrol south of Schmal lenberg when eight Germans burst out of the house and fired on them.

A tankman opened fire with a machinegun. Besides the American and the German gen eral, two of the general's tlee ing men were killed and two others wounded. Three escaped. Shooting Victim Gains, Gty Hospital Reports Mrs. Sarah Alice Jones, 67, of 435 Harris street, who suffered a bullet wound of the head when her husband shot her before end ing his own life in their home Friday, is in a satisfactory condition today, at the Harrisburg Hospital, attendants reported.

Her husband, Henry J. Jones 77, a retired ticket seller for the Illinois Central Railroad, killed himself, city police said, because his house was sold and he had to move. Jones' body was taken last night to Rockford, 111., for burial services. In a swift penetration of Nazi defenses below the capital, other Russian forces advanced to positions southwest of the capital, the German Transocean agency announced. In this sweep the Russians reached the vicinity of Bee litz and Truenbrietzen, respectively 12 and 22 miles southwest of Berlin's great southwestern suburb of Potsdam.

The German high command communique announced a 35 mile breakthrough scored by Marshal Ivan S. Konev's first Ukrainian Army had reached Jueterbog, 27 miles south of Berlin. Treuenbrietzen is 32 miles northeast of the last reported American positions in the vicinity of Dessau. Russian forces in a 35 mile breakthrough also reached the important rail junction town of Jueterbog, 10 miles southeast of Treunbrietzen and 27 miles below Berlin, the German high command said. With this sweep the Russians severed virtually all the southward avenues of retreat out of Berlin.

Broadcast Listed The Berlin radio announced that Nazi Propaganda Minister Paul Joseph Goebbels, in his capacity as Gauleiter and defense commissioner for Berlin, would address the residents of the besieged city later today. Marshal Ivan Konev's First Ukrainian Army was engaged in the drive south of Berlin. Farther south in Saxony where Konev's men also were driving toward a linkup with the Americans the Russians reached Ka menz, 19 miles northeast of Dresden and 59 miles from Chemnitz, the Germans said. To the north the 1st White Russian Army, making a frontal assault on Berlin, was locked in a bitter battle with Nazi defenderi of the capital along the Fuersten berg Strausberg Bernau line, th German high command said. Still farther north other Russian forces were declared to have forced two bridgeheads over th Oder between Schwedt and Stettin, guarding the northern approaches to Berlin.

"Great Russian encircling moves are drawing closer towards tht (Continued on Page 17, CoL 3) Gen. Dentz Condemned To Death as Traitor Paris, April 21, W. Gen. Henri Fernand Dentz, 63 year old commander of the French troops who resisted British oc cupation of Syria in 1941, has been condemned to death for trc3son. William C.

Bullitt, of Philadelphia, former U. S. Ambassador to France and now in the French army as a military governor at Baden Baden, said in a message that he received the summons late, but was leaving for Paris to testify for Dentz. The court asked Dentz whether he wanted a postponement, but the general declined with "thanks to Commander Bullitt." THE WEATHER (D. S.

Weather Bnreaa) Sunrise, 6.20; Sunset, 7.51. Harrisburg and Vicinity Cloudy with occasional rain showers and increasing winds this afternoon. Showers, will end this evening followed by clearing and continued cool weather tonight. Sunday partly cloudy and Diminishing winds late tonight and Sunday. High today, middle 50's; tomorrow, 56; yesterday, 58; low tonight, 40; last night, 39.

River stage tomorrow, 4.4; Monday, 4.3..