Freeport Journal-Standard from Freeport, Illinois • Page 1

trtnlfhi. CoilAliterlM? Sunday not Mi 96th Year-8 Pages OURNAL.STANDARD 13. Temperature iiiij FREEPORT, ILLINOIS, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16,1944 MBMBBR AUDIT BtTRBAO OF CIRCULATION Prict Four Ctntr Jap Resistance In North-Central Burma Collapses BY HUGH dUJMPLER United Press War Correspondent Brmmo, Dec. last organized Japanese resistance In north-central Burma collapsed today as Chinese troops mopped up enemy stragglers in the captured Irrawaddy river stronghold of Bhnmo, ending a 28-day battle that reopened all but a 40 to 60-mile stretch of the Burma road lifeline to China. Bhamo fell to American trained veterans of the Chinese 38th division yesterday afternoon and a wild Banzai charge by the trapped Japanese garrison broke under a hall of gunfire, leaving the river beaches littered with enemy dead.

Hemmed Into "a series of narrow pockets along the river shore under nnirderous Chinese cross-fire and almost Incessant attacks by American dive-bombers, the Japanese hnd held out for four weeks In positions from which they could have been dislodged only by a costly frontal attack. Banzai Charge Before dawn Friday, however, the enemy gathered their forces unexpectedly and charged screaming down the river bank in an attempt to crack through the Chinese lines and escape to the south. The attack failed completely, and Gen. Li Hung's troops moved In immediately to wipe out the few remaining Japanese hiding In the network of trenches and log-covered bunkers on the river edge, A few Japanese still were believed concealed in cellars and trenchea dug in the center of Moslem graveyard, but when this correspondent entered the town with the Chinese the only sign of life was a floclc of vultures waddling through the piles of enemy dead. The fall of Bhamo eliminated the last important position north of Mandalay and augured an early resumption of Allied military traffic over the entire Burma road from India to Chungking.

Hanover Sailor Is Now Reported Dead Hanover, 111., Dec. to-a-message 'received from the navy department, Melvln A. Bainbridge, 22, of Hanover, who was previously reported as missing in action, Is now officially reported as dead. The message concerning, the young aviation ordnance mate has Just been received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs.

Wilfred Bainbridge, here. Melvin was reported to have lost his life while serving aboard the United States aircraft carrier Ldscombe Bay when it was torpedoed and sunk by the Japanese In the Gilbert Island campaign on Nov. 24, 1943. He enlisted in the navy on Oct. 16, 1942, and his principal training was received at Jacksonville, Fla.

He left this country sometime In September', 1943 and met disaster with the aircraft carrier about two months later. He was born in Hanover Feb. 19, 1D22, and graduated from the Hanover community high school In June, 1941. He was employed' at the Hanover Woolen Mill and later at the Savanna Ordnance depot before entering the armed services. Besides his parents he leaves his widow, the former Ida Root, of Bloomlngton, to whom he was married In February, 1942, and one son, Nicky Adalr.

He also is survived by one brother, Wilfred Bainbridge, who is now in the navy service somewhere in the south Pacific area. franco Succtttort Fllterlnc through Spain's tight censorship come of civil strife hi Spain, and a report that Mlfuel Maura (above), former Spanish mlnUter of the Interior, hut been asked by Spanish Republican to form a new government, succeeding thai of Generalissimo Francisco Franco, who, the report said, has left the country. Soviet Forces Drive Into West Slovakia London, Dec. into western Slovakia for the first time, Russian troops today pressed a bold offensive from captured Ipolysag (Sahy) junction, attempt- Ing to smash open the roads to Vienna, 115 miles to the west, and at the some time trap German divisions to the east. Ipolysag, on the Budapest- Bratlslava-Vlenna highway, was seized by Red army spearheads which bridged the Ipoly river frontier from Hungary 34 miles northwest of beleaguered Budapest, Danube-straddling capital already two thirds encircled by the Moscow announced that Ipolysag fell Thursday after a all- night fight, in which 800 Germans were killed.

It is a half-mile Inside Slovakia. In taking it the Russians skirted the Borzsony mountains between the town and the Big Danube river bend to the south. German troops reeled back Into Slovakia along a 125-mile front from Ipolysag eastward to Satoral- jaujhely In the face of the increased tempo of the Russian drive. Berlin reported the Russians also were attacking more heavily In the Debica-Tarnow area of southern Poland, and speculated these renewed thrusts may be the beginning of a northern envelopment movement agalast Slovakia as well a.s a winter offensive aimed at Krakow. Sale Of Bonds Is Far Below Quota Although the record for Individual sales of bonds in this county Is now 108.8 per cent, the war savings committee announced today that the sale of bonds has reached only 54 per cent of the quota assigned.

It said that considerable work yet remains to be done, especially In the rural districts throughout the county If this quota is to be met. Churchill Is Expected To Make World Radio Talk Over Week-End BY PHIL AULT United Press Staff Correspondent London, Dec. Minister Winston Churchill, under heavy fire from many quarters for his international policy, probably 'will broadcast to the world this week-end, perhaps Sunday night. No. 10 Downing street sources said Phurchlll was inclined favorably toward a broadcast, but had not yet decided definitely.

If he should broadcast, Churchill was expected to appeal for a Greek armistice, urge an immediate tri- power conference, and reiterate his Invitation to the United States to make public Its attitude on the Polish problem. Otherwise, Churchill probably will speak in commons Tuesday on his government's policy in Greece in answer to demands already on file. The gravity of the crisis in United Nations relations was reflected in a statement of the liberal Manchester Guardian today that Britain was confronted with a dilemma which might force her to abandon her alliance with either the United States or Russia, smashing the tri-power concept and opening the way for a third world war. The Guardian, joining In a 'concerted British press appeal for an Anglo-American Russian conference at the earliest possible moment, said the Allied crisis extends far beyond the Polish, crisis, the full import of which was bared by Churchill yesterday. Premier Tomasz Arciszewskl and his Polish government in exile stood silent today on Churchill's demand that it restore Stanlslaw jczyk to power and.

accept the zon line as the Polish-Russian frontier. "Is the price of Russian friendship a denial of the Atlantic charter, and will that in turn mean American isolation?" the Manchester Guardian asked. "On the one han'd we are bound to Soviet Russia by common interests in the peace of Europe; on the other we are 'bound to the United States by a common ideal we are loath to relinquish. Must we, theft, sacrifice one for the other? "The danger is so great that Mr. Churchill did not hesitate to warn the house of a third The Yorkshire Observer suggested that Premier Josef Stalin had refused to meet Churchill and President Roosevelt again until the Polish issue was settled in favor of the Soviets.

"The Russian leader apparently will not meet his other two major colleagues until this matter is settled, and consequently, as Mr. Churchill says, outstanding questions of economic, territorial, financial, and even military nature are left unsolved," the newspaper said. British newspapers generally evinced concern at the prospects of a mass migration of Germans and Poles as proposed by Churchill. The Times estimated that the number of persons to be transferred bodily in Europe after the war might reach 25,000,000. The Times said at least 10,000,000 persons would be involved if plans similar to the Soviet-British plan for Poland were adopted for other German frontiers, in addition to the movement of 8,000,000 to 15,000,000 already displaced in Europe.

Germans Rush Panzer Reserves Into Rhineland MY JAMES McOMNCT United Press War Correspondent Paris, Dec. Germans rushed crack panzer into battle In the upper Rhineland today in an effort to halt the latest American penetration of the "holy soil" of the relch, but the Seventh army hammered out new gains against almost polntblank fire from the Siegfried line. At least two and probably more of Lt. Oen. Alexander M.

Patch's Seventh army divisions already were acroM the German border at the Wissembourg gate near the eastern tip of France, and others rapidly were approaching the frontier along a IB-mile front. To the north, battles of attrition Lt, Gen. Omar N. Bradley, commander of the 12th' army group, said were costing the Germans four to five men for every American lost raged on in the other two American bridgeheads Inside Germany. Tighten Grip On Duren The American First army tightened its siege are around the Roer river stronghold of Duren on the Cologne plain by smashing the last enemy resistance in Gurzenlch, Blr- gel and Kufferath, all one half -to three and a half miles south of Duren, and won high ground In that area overlooking the Roer.

Other First army troops liquidated the last two German pockets along a 16-mile stretch of the Roer north of Duren, mdpplng up a factory area southeast of Mariaweller and capturing a castle near Schophoven. Lt. Oen. George 8. Patton's Third army, holding down the center of the western front, won another city block in Saarlautern in the face of stiff enemy resistance and ground out advances of up to a mile and a half along an 11-mile front -near Habkirchen, to the southeast.

Elements of Patton's 35th division entered the burning German village of Nieder-Gladbach, six miles northeast of Sarreguemines, and nearby Erchlngen. Fighter-bombers supported the ground forces In the Saar valley, striking defended positions and communications behind the enemy lines. Shift Pancer A supreme headquarters spokesman revealed that the German command had shifted of a crack panzer division from one of the northern sectors into line opposite Patch's Seventh army boring into the Palatinate, historic Invasion corridor to central and southern Germany. Colliding head-on 'with the advancing Americans, the Germans fought bitterly, but gradually were falling back into the Siegfried line defenses, at most points only a little more than a mile behind the Palatinate frontier. Patch's 103rd division made the Seventh army's Initial crosisng into Germany, pushing over the frontier four miles west of the border fortress of Wissembourg at 1:05 p.

m. yesterday. 1 Six-Mile Gain The 45th division slightly farther west cross the frontier 45 minutes later after gains of more than six miles in as many hours. Though there was no definite confirmation, it appeared that both columns were one to. two miles inside Germany at a point 35 to 36 miles south of the Rhineland industrial centers of Mannheim and Ludwigshafen.

Some 10 miles east of Wissembourg, the 79th division rolling down the west banjc of the Rhine sent a partrol consisting of an officer and several enlisted men across the frontier near Lauterbourg, nine miles west of Karlsruhe, but the group later returned to Alsatian soil. Numerous pillboxes, including a line of bunkers camouflaged to resemble houses, were overrun in the advances. Cllmbach, four miles west of Wissembourg, was captured, and one column was within a mile of Wissembourg itself. The Germans poured a vicious barrage from fixed guns in the Siegfried defense against the Americans, but failed to halt the advances. Doughboys doggedly punched ahead through red-roofed villages and forest patches.

Western Front By the Associated Press Canadian First and British second armies: Line unchanged. U. S. Ninth army: Held joint front with First, army of 21 miles on west bank of Roer river. U.

S. First army: Wiped out lait Nazi resistance west of Roer near Duren. U. S. Third army: Gained miles inside relch east of Sarra- guemlnes.

U. S. Seventh army: Three divisions invading Germany from Alsace met heavy resistance, Siegfried line artillery fire, in advance on 17-mile front. French First army: Battered back fierce counter attacks northwest of Colmar on Alsatian front. S.

45th infantry nth army): Engaged In heavy fighting in Palatinate. 79th infantry (7th army): Met stiff resistance insidf Germany beyond Lauterbourg. 103rd infantry (7th army); Pressed into Siegfried line, out- outposts. 6 ill dhrtetwms Yanks Land On Min 155 Miles From Manila oro, Yanks Advance Under North of Strasbourg Advance American troops move through Bisehwiller, northeast of Strasbourg, under heavy fire. Note how foot soldiers hug buildings, one of them lies on sidewalk after being hit.

(Signal corps radiotelephoto from NBA.) Bombers Strike 35 Miles Ahead Of Seventh Army London, Dec. 16, big fleet of British heavy bombers, striking barely 35 miles in front of the advancing American Seventh army, dropped hundreds of tons of blockbusters and, fire bombs on the Rhineland cKemicalcenter' of Ludwigshafen last night. The R. A. F.

night raiders, perhaps 500 strong, touched off scores of fires in Ludwigshafen, dumping the bulk of i their huge bomb load oa the I. G. Farben chemical works extending for three miles along the left bank of the Rhine. An air ministry communique said the attack was heavy and concentrated, and toward its end the smoke from large fire towered more than 10,000 feet Ludwigshafen. Ludwigshafen also has an important freight yard through which the Nazis had been moving supplies to their troops in the Karlsruhe sector.

The night attack followed a heavy double blow by American daylight raiders on Hannover and Kassel, two key points on the German railway routes to the central section of the western front. More than 650 American Flying Fortresses and Liberators and about 550 fighter escorts carried out the daylight strikes, attacking industrial and railroad targets in both cities through dense cloud formations. There was no enemy fighter opposition and anti-aircraft fire was described as "not intense," but four bombers and two fighters were lost in the raids. Seek Christmas Gifts For 18,000 Service Men, Women In Hospitals Chicago, Dec. gifts for 18,000 service men and women in Illinois hospitals will be collected at bureaus set up at 47 national guard armories In the state, the American Legion announced, Bloomlngton, Springfield and Kankakee already have shown generous response, the Legion said.

In Chicago 5,000 of the 9,000 gifts required for gathered. the area have been RFC Sues Illinois City Of Windsor Danville, 111., Dec. Reconstruction Finance corporation yesterday sued the city of Windsor, 111., in federal court'for $34,835.72, representing bonds, in default, Issued for construction of a water system in 1934, interest coupons and court costs. The total bond issue amounted to $52,000. The defendants named were J.

B. Horn, mayor; E. H. Ferguson, city clerk; George Tull, city treasurer; J. W.

superintendent of the water plant, and Elmer Bailed, Leo Cordes, K. R. Davis, Joseph Hudson and H. H. Schritchlow, aldermen.

The Road To Berlin By the Associated Press front, 301 miles (from near Duren), front: 304 miles (from north of Warsaw 3.Hurigarlan front: 400 miles (from north of front: 550 miles (from Mezza.no). Fighting Slows In Athens; Still Seeking Peace BY STEPHEN BARBER Athens, Dec. Fighting slackened" In Athew: today and British were reliably reported to be continuing negotiations with leftist E. A. M.

forces for a solution of the Greek crisis. British parachute troops blocked the subway between the suburbs and Omonia square by which E. L. A. armed forces of the E.

A. M. had been infiltrating at night. The E. A.

radio also was believed knocked out when R. A. F. Spitfires strafed the Leossia station just outside the city. The British broadcast over the same wave length last night.

(The Cairo radio said the station had been recaptured the British.) Pin Hopes on Regency Lt. Gen. R. M. Scobie, British commander irt Greece, Harold MacMillan, British minister of state in the middle' east, and Greek Premier George Papandreou, were understood to be pinning their hopes on the formation of a regency in their negotiations with the E.

A. S. Archbishop Damasklnos of Athens, Under Secretary of Foreign Affairs Philip Dracoumis and Nicholas Plastiras, who led the 1922 Greek revolution and was recalled from an 11-year exile by Papandreou, were the proposed members of the regency to rule for King George II until a plebiscite determines whether Greece will be a monarchy or a republic. Solution "Matter of Days" Damaskinos was understood to have accepted a place on the proposed regency, but Plastiras told reporters he considered military force was the only hope for peace and that he believed a military solution was only a "matter of days." There was a tendency among rightists of Papandreou's supporters to hope that endeavors to patch up a peace will fail. Police officers expressed alarm at the idea that the British might agree to a political amnesty for E.

A. M. leaders. Papandreou declared in an official news bulletin last night for just punishment of "those responsible for the present tragedy." Peter Rallis, merchant marine minister, said he had informed King George that the "Populist party repudiates the idea of setting up a regency." To Emphasize Sale Of Bonds In Remainder Of Drive Chicago, Dec. 16.

(ff) Renewed emphasis will be placed upon sale of individual and bonds in Illinois for the remainder of the sixth war loan drive which continues to Dec. 31 while the corporation phase of the drive ends today. Corporations already have oversubscribed $883,800,000 their goal. of individual and bonds lag behind. bond sales total 1102,500,000 or 58.9 per cent of the quota and individual sales stand Police Watch Picket Lines In Ward Strike Detroit, Dec.

police, Instructed by Gov. Harry F. Kelly to enforce order stood watch today over reinforced picket lines ringing Montgomery Ward retail store in near py aic where" a flareup' tri aT weeklong strike injured three company officials. The Royal Oak store, with three other struck outlets In Detroit and suburban Dearborn were, expected to reopen closed today after the them -to holiday company shoppers last night "unitl the air js cleared of trouble." Detroit police further violence, Enemy Reports Heavy Fighting In Progress By the Associated Press Japanese imperial headquarters in an unconfirmed broadcast today said American and Nipponese forces are engaged in "heavy fighting" on Mindoro island and that Japanese planes Inflicted heavy damage on the American convoy, sink- Ing four transports and damaging others. Recorded by the Federal Communications commission, the broadcast said between Wednesday and Friday Japanese planes In a series of "suicide" attacks on the American convoy approaching Mindoro had, in addition to sinking four transports, "heavily damaged and set ablaze, the following: Eight transports.

Two battleships. Three cruisers. Two cruisers or destroyers. Six ships of unidentified category. Sulu Sea Battle Unfolding The Japanese in an earlier broadcast said a "violent sea and air battle" was unfolding in the Sulu sea.

Acknowledging the landings on Mindoro, the Japanese said that their garrison troops "Intercepted the enemy forces and fighting is now in progress." (American reports said the initial landings were virtually bloodless.) The Japanese said about one division of American troops made the inital landings at San Jose, southwestern Mindoro. Despite Japanese Claims, American correspondents with the -reported- only meager Japanese air" ing the time the convoy was at sea and after it had reached its destination and was disgorging troops and supplies. Later the Japanese radio announced Maj. Gen. Shultsu Matsumura, chief of the Japanese army press section, met with cabinet advisers at the official resi- 300 Japanese Planes Smashed By U.S.

Pilots By the Associated Press General MacArthur's Headquarters, Philippines, Dec. huge, 20-mlle-long American warship convoy, moving 600 miles among enemy Islands of the central Philippines while carrier planes knocked out upwards of 300 Japanese aircraft, landed mechanized troops Fri- day on Mindoro within 155 miles of Manila, headquartors disclosed today. They swarmed ashore "with little loss." This boldest amphibious stroke of 'the Pacific war, unlocking the sea approaches to embattled China by crossing to the western side of the archipelago from Leyte, was completed with stunning ease but preparations were made for violent Nipponese reaction. Report Violent Sea Battle (Tokyo radio reported today, without Allied confirmation, that a violent sea and air battle already is raging off Mindoro). Three strong beachheads on southern Mindoro were overrun at dawn Friday by Sixth army troops of Lt.

Oen. Walter Krueger who were greeted excitedly by Filipinos, the Japanese having fled inland un- der'bombardment of destroyers and rocket ships. Between that beachhead and the big American base on nearly-conquered Leyte, Yank and Filipino guerrillas were disclosed today to have seized strategic airfields and ports on intervening Panay, Ne-' gros, Vebu and Bohol as well as a 125-mile stretch of coast on northern Mindanao. The guerrillas, some of whom -fought the losing-battle of Bataan, did their work so well that the huge convoy moving south and west from anticipated nojdence of Premier Kuniaki Koiso but were alerted their quota reaching or 129.1 per cent of for possible renewal of a clash between pickets and store executives at Royal Oak, which came as leaders of the United Retail, Wholesale and Department; Store Employes, C. I.

attended a War Labor board hearing in Washington. Strikers cheered the news yesterday of WLB's order to the company to comply by next Monday with the board's 1942 directive calling for the company to yield to workers demands for minimum weekly wages, back pay, maintenance of union membership, dues, check-off and grievance provisions. The WLB indicated that Ward's refusal to meet the Monday deadline on compliance would result in government seizure or sanctions. British And Polish Troops Renew Attack Southwest Of Faenza Rome, Dec. 3 and Polish troops renewed the attack southwest of Faenza today and gained a foothold on the ridge running between Celle and Pideura, Allied headquarters announced.

Celle is Jess than two miles west of Faenza and below the Bologna- Rimini highway. Canadian forces north of the highway tangled with the Nazis in fierce fighting and extended their newly won bridgehead across the Navigllo canal to 3,000 yards. In the Fifth army sector fierce fighting continued. British troops repulsed a number of enemy attempts to recapture Tosslguano, Immediately south of Bologna Americans of the Fifth repulsed a strong enemy attack. Heavies of the Italy-based U.

S. 15th air force yesterday bombed strategic targets at Innsbruck. Linz, Salzburg, Rosenheim and Amstetten. Ten aircraft were missing. Stores To Remain Open Dec, 23 Until 9 P.

M. A change in the closing time for Freeport retail stores on Saturday evening, Dec. 23, was announced for two hours to report on the war situation. Holiday Gift Purchases Swell This Week's Retail Trade Volume New York, Dec. gift purchases swelled this weeks retail trade volume for the country to levels 10 to 14 per cent ahead of the same period last year, Dun Bradstreet reported today.

Midwest gains were 6 to 9 per cent. "Stocks generally were holding up well, but supplies of some Items, such as lingeries and toys, are reported rapidly becoming depleted," said the mercantile agency. Leyte was able to steam within coastlines of sight of the rugged those islands. Philippines Cut In Two "The operation has driven a corridor from east to west through the Philippine archipelago, which is now definitely cut in two and will enable us to dominate the sea and air routes which reach to the China coast," some 900 miles away. Gen.

Douglas MacArthur said. "Conquests of Japan to the south are rapidly being isolated, destroying the legendary myth of the greater east Asia co-prosperity sphere and imperilling the so-called 'imperial lifeline'." Employing new tactics, rocket-firing planes of a fast aircraft carrier task force of Vice Adm. John S. McCain kept Luzon's 100 airfields, including the network around Manila, under attack night and day for more than 24 hours. More than 300 enemy planes were knocked out in raids which began See 300 JAPANESE on Page S.

WPB Freezes Civilian Production In Move To Meet Vital War Needs day by the chamber the stores, with the of commerce, exception of at $238,800,000 that quota. or 68 per cent of The overall figure for the state has been, surpassed by sales of $1,131,600,000 or 108.5 per cent, of the quota. two, to remain open until 9. During recent years, the closing hour on Christmas eve has been 6. Skating, Tobogganing At Krape Pork Today The shelter house at Krape park will be open; this afternoon and Sunday for skaters and tobogganers.

The ice for skating, however, is not very good, as yet, but as soon as conditions permit the surface wiu be Unproved. BY STERLING r. GREEN (Copyright, 1944, By the Associated Press) Washington, Dec. WPB, in a drastic new move to meet vital war needs, has ordered that all civilian production be, frozen indefinitely at present levels. The order, dated Dec.

7 and circulated within the War Production board but not announced, is designed to discourage the movement of labor from war plants into peacetime activity while heavy demand continues for some vital weapons and material. In effect a "hold-the-llne" order on production, the ruling instructs the WPB staff neither to increase civilian goods production above the level of this quarters nor to relax existing orders if increased output would result. The move was based on the theory that the volume of civilian goods now programmed is sufficient to meet "esentlal requirements" and avoid hardship on the home front. Some slight leeway for expansion was left, however, by two mechanisms provided in the order, which was signed by Anderson, WPB's program vice chairman: First, the Office of Civilian Requirements or other agency speak ing for a segment of the domestic economy, may seek an Increase in production by making a "positive demonstration" that a program is clearly below "essential requirements." Even so, rejection will result unless the increase can be made "without serious threat of terference with more essential production," the order states. Second, the "spot" plan for consumer goods production by indl vidual factories which are not needed for war work is continued in effect and made the sole method increasing output of any above the officially approved level.

This might mean an increase in 'spot" authorizations in areas which have relatively plentiful labor supply, but the government recently sanned new spot approvals for 90 days in some 120 cities of acute la- sor scarcity. (The latter action was taken jointly by WPB Manpower commission and the army and navy to channel labor into plants making trucks, tires, big guns and shells and other items for which the military has found need of larger quantities than it had anticipated. (So far, the effect of spot authorizations 'in boosting civilian supply has been slight, although some 2,000 plants have received to go- ahead, Low priority is given such production, and many manufacturers have complained that they could not get started even with WPB approval.) Where there is both military and civilian demand for the same product, a military cutback hitherto has usually been followed by a compensating Increase in civilian output. That practice is curbed by the new edict for a list of 17 products, even though the total resulting production may be lower than the sent rate. Before granting a civil- Ian increase in such a case, the area, production urgency committee in each community must make ft manpower check, WPB ruled, to ascertain that denial would not help the war effort by releasing any "appreciable number of workers pf the type and skill needed by nwjw urgent programs." This clause applies to the ing items: Trucks and truck cycles, bicycles cutlery, Diesel locomotives,.