The San Bernardino County Sun from San Bernardino, California • Page 1

1945 APRIL 1945 Su.t. Mm. Tun. WtA Thurs. Frl.

St. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1112 13 14 0 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Weather Forecast Southern California Clear and iomewhat warmer today; scattered oloudt tomorrow and somewhat cooler west portion. San Bernardino rangei 72-40. Central and Northern California Clear today and tomorrow; slightly warmer Inland. Lomtsr.

SUNDAY MORNING, APRIL 15, 1945 FIFTY-FIRST YEAR THIRTY-TWO PAGES Press (IP) United Press and rme pin.t lit 1 1 1 1 rii 1 1 i till fifi U-MA IE 1 Kill! II1F9 I i ll. It If Jtltlll U. S. Ninth, Reds Narrow Gap in Twin Drive; First, Third Race Past PARIS. April 15 (Sunday) bombers blasted Berlin and its support of American Ninth army troops approaching from th west, while the American First and Third armies, quickly Dy-passing Leipzig, swung out below the capital to within 85 mile of a junction with the Russians, thus threatening the bulk of the remnants of the once all-powerful German army with FALLEN LEADER LIES IN STATE The flag-covered casket of President Roosevelt lies at rest in front of a bank of flowers in the East room of the White House, where simple funeral services were conducted yesterday afternoon.

Representatives of four branches of Jhe armed services stand guard. (AP wirephoto.) Roosevelt's First Message of Great Faith in America Becomes His Last At Simple Funeral in White House The long-awaited double squeeze on Berlin was under way as the Germans admitted that giant Russian armies had begun to roll forward from their broad front which swings little more than 30 miles east of the capital at one point. An armored wedge of the First and Third, 75 miles wide, was being pushed steadily across the supply and communication area behind the German armies facing the Russians, threatening imminent disaster to the tottering Nazi reich. When the wedge reaches the Russian lines, the main German forces perhaps 1,000,000 men will be cut off in a pocket including Berlin and extending to the Baltic. The Paris radio said American Ninth army men to the north already were in Berlin's outskirts.

The Luxembourg radio said they were 13 miles away. The Germans themselves said they were only 21 miles away as of Friday. In London, newspapers expected their triumphal entry into the rubbled capital to be announced at any hour. ALLIED $NTRy INTO BERLIN 'IMMINENT The American broadcasting station in Europe told the German people that the entry into Berlin was "imminent," and asserted a "state of tension" existed in the capital. The Ninth army's Second "Hell on Wheels" Armored division was battering across the Berlin plains, still under a security blackout clamped on its movements ever since it leaped the Elbe river at Magdeburg on Thursday.

A second Ninth army armored task force forced the Elbe at an undisclosed point yesterday and joined the Berlin sweepstakes. German reports spoke vaguely of stiff opposition and bitter fighting reports so vague they evnaxi fAHOi rey V-E Day Will Not Mean End Of Europe War Fighting May Stretch Through Winter in Norway, Alpine Area By JAMES M. LONQ PARIS, April 14 (AP) Victory on the European front by allied proclamation whenever it comes probably will not mean an end of fighting on a military scale in Germany or its stolen outposts. The best information here is that if the fighting is not broken down to mere guerrilla warfare by late fall, it might conceivably stretch on through the winter in the pass-guarded hideaways of Norway and southern Germany's "national redoubt," where snow and ice would slow the cleanup. In such an event, weeks and months after proclaimed victory American divisions might still be in the line on European soil.

American boys still might be dy ing in a war whose end already nad heen celebrated, LINK-UP NOT V-E SIGNAL There is no reason to suppose that the link-up with the Russians, splitting Germany into two in the middle, would be the signal for General Eisenhower in conjunction with Premier-Marshal Stalin to proclaim victory. After the junction with the Russians, large German forces still will be in the field in the north or south or both, and it is believed here that V-E day will be proclaimed only after those forces are much more greatly broken down and boxed in. Already there is no cohesive front nor coherent German command in the west. The junction of the allies on the east and west seems near, but V-E day will come, according to best opinion here, somewhere between that junction and the end of the subsequent fighting. JOINT PROCLAMATION It is hardly likely that General Eisenhower would proclaim victory until the eastern front, too, has collapsed and a proclamation is issued jointly with Stalin.

A fortnight ago' Eisenhower predicted that the Germans would fight on as best they could for the last inch of reich soil; that there would be no jformal surrender; that victory probably would come by proclamation. Events since have borne out that prediction. Two fighting fronts now are shaping up. One is in the north guarding the great German ports and perhaps Berlin. The other is the "national redoubt" of mountainous southern (Continued on Page 2, Column 1) War Prisoner Hess Reported Moved at Frequent Intervals LONDON, April 14 UP) Rudolf Hess, once deputy-fuehrer of Germany and now wallowing in melancholia with the collapse of the German army near, is a here-to- day and gone-tomorrow war prisoner of Britain.

Closely guarded since he bailed out of a Messerschmitt on a Scottish moor May 10, 1941, on a reported peace-mission, bushy-eyed Hess now is being moved from one hideout to another, it was understood today. The objective is to prevent fanatical Nazi war prisoners who might escape from attempting to liberate him, kill him or give him an opportunity to kill himself. Hess followed the war's progress by radio at the beginning of his confinement but now is reported so depressed that he refuses to listen to broadcasts. mo fill 11 II I Lisbon Reports Hitler Decision To Surrender LONDON, April 14 (IP) Private advices from Lisbon said today that the papal nunciature there recently received a confidential note that Adolf Hitler had met with his high command and decided to ask Pope Pius XII to arrange details for the surrender of Germany. This dispatch said that Hitler discussed German capitulation with his generals and decided in favor of it and In favor of requesting the pope's intervention to arrange details.

There was no confirmation of this report. London Tensely Avaifs Victory Cabinet Gets 'News Of Major Importance' LONDON, April 15 (Sunday) (P) The London Sunday Express reported today that "news of major importance is known to have reached the cabinet ministers yesterday," and declared "the war may end literally at any moment." (While there are indications that an American-Russian junction or entry into Berlin may come at any time," the best information available to the Associated Press is that an actual end of the war in Europe will not come for some time.) Contributing to the wave of optimism in London, the Sunday Dispatch carried a headline saying "This Is the Victory Weekend." Throughout England the air of tense expectancy was tempered only by grief over the death of (Continued on Page 2, Column 4) Antiaircraft Job in England Seen Ended LONDON, April 14 UP) Relinquishing command of Britain's antiaircraft command, Gen. Sir F. A. Pile today told his gunners "I think I have seen you fire the last shot in defense, of this country." General Pile said no German aircraft or flying bombs had been seen over England in three weeks and that 15 days had passed without a rocket falling.

By MERRIMAN SMITH WASHINGTON, April 14 (UP) Franklin D. Roosevelt, through the lipS of another, told the nation again today that "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself." The dead president's first message to the nation thus became his last. It was a message of great faith in America, first voiced at Mr. Roosevelt's first inaugural in the depression days of 1933. It was given utterance again in his name at a 24-minute funeral service in the White House on this showery April afternoon.

In the presence of 200 persons a handful of the millions who loved Franklin D. Roosevelt the Right Rev. Angus Dun, Episcopal bishop of. Washington, recalled the stirring example of confidence set by the president on that dark day 12 years ago. Leipzig (UP) A huge fleet of R.A.F.

suburban defenses last night in Speculation on Entering Berlin Who Will Be First Intrigues Washington WASHINGTON, April 14 1ST The Army Navy Journal said today that the question of "which national force shall firstv enter Berlin, or whether contingents shall occupy the enemy capital simultaneously, is intriguing military minds in Washington." "There may be competition on this matter on the part of the commanders of several coordinated campaigns, but there is none between the governments," said the unofficial service publication. The latter are "anxious to finish the job as speedily as pos-, sible. Whichever army arrives at-the city will be hailed for its. achievement "It is acknowledged that it would be expressive of the unity which has existed between the big four, if France be included, should the commanders agree when Berlin is invested, for troops representing each of them to participate in the final assault." The Journal added that the city "will be districted between the four powers, and thus any clashes between its occupying troops will be avoided." Paris Honors Women Freed From Nazi Camp PARIS, April 14 UP) A ragged parade of 20 pitifully-thin women tottered or were carried through the streets of Paris today the first women political prisoners freed from Ravensbruck prison camp in Germany. Gen.

Charles DeGaullo 14 weeping and laughing thronn to meet the heroic women, many of whom were arrested for aiding allied fliers. A guard of honor stood at attention as DeGaulIe, hi eyes filled with tears, embraced each woman. Sometimes he bent over a stretcher to kU the fort-head of one. Departing from the text of the moving Episcopal service for the dead, the bishop quoted: only thing we have to fear is fear itself. "As that was his first word to us, I am sure he would wish it to be his last, and that we should go forward into the future as those who go forward without fear MILLIONS BOW HEADS The service started at 4 p.m.

(E.W.T.) as millions of Americans the world over, fighting men as well as civilians, paid silent tribute to the leader and friend who led them to the threshold of victory in war and peace. They were the last rites for Mr. Roosevelt in the capital. Tomor row at 10 a.m. (E.W.T.) he will be buried in a rose-bowered garden on his beloved Hudson river estate at Hyde Park, N.

Y. The special train bearing the president's body northward left Union station at 10:42 p.m. but 100 yards down the track it stopped while a bad coupling, which had already delayed the train's departure 45 minutes, was readjusted. It finally cleared the station yards at 11:01 p.m. Aboard it were nearly 140 per Mrs.

Roosevelt Suggested as S. F. Delegate DES MOINES, April 14 A suggestion that Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt be sent as a special representative to the united nations conference in San Francisco April 25 was made in a telegram sent today to President Harry S.

Truman by Jake More, chairman of the Iowa Democratic central committee. More said in his telegram that the selection of Mrs. Roosevelt "would give assurance to the people of every nation that the president's plans for a lasting peace would be forcefully brought to the attention of the delegates." Molotov Heads Soviet Mission Stalin Accedes to Truman's Request WASHINGTON, April 14 (IP) The White House announced tonight that Soviet Foreign Commissar V. M. Molotov will attend the San Francisco conference.

The White House revealed that Soviet Premier Stalin decided to send Molotov after President Truman had advised Stalin that such a move would be welcomed "as an expression of earnest cooperation in carrying forward plans for formulating the new international organization." President Truman directed Am bassador W. Averill Harriman in Moscow to deliver the message to Stalin yesterday, the White House said. Mr. Truman stated in that message that he would also look forward with pleasure to a visit by Molotov to Washington. "Today the president was advised by Marshal Stalin that For- Continued on Page 4, Column 3) Mother Said to Have Fatally Stabbed Son LOS ANGELES, April 14 UP) Deputy Sheriff J.

J. Dowd reported that Muriel Patricia Wilson, 29, killed her AV2 -year-old son by stabbing him in the heart early today and then swallowed poison. She was hospitalized in critical condition. Truman First Legionnaire to Take Presidency NEW YORK, April 14 (P Harry S. Truman is the first active member of the American Legion to become president of the United Statei, Edward N.

Scheiberling, national commander of the American Legion, said tonight. In an address at the fifty-second annual dinner of the Albany ociety of New York, he paid tribute to the memory of Franklin D. Roosevelt, and said: "Abraham Lincoln was called upon to knit together a nation. It falls to Harry Truman to knit together a world." World Tribute Paid Roosevelt Many Nations Decree Periods of Mourning (By Associated Press) One to three days of national mourning were decreed yesterday in a host of foreign countries where courts donned crepe and ordinary citizens prayed in an unprecedented worldwide tribute to President Roosevelt. American forces overseas also held special services everywhere.

Foreign newspapers and broadcasts were filled with tributes to ithe late president and descriptions introducing his successor, Harry S. Truman, to their, countries. In Britain, where many news-papers devoted approximately three pages of their four-page wartime editions to Roosevelt and Truman, the court went into mourning and the king and queen calied oil a scheduled week end trip to uttoiid a Glasgow event. The British public will honor Roosevelt also at Sunday church services today, and men and women of the American armed forces in the United Kingdom attended special Protestant, Catholic and Jewish services yesterday in Britain and Northern Ireland. General' Eisenhower and his chief of staff, Lt.Gen.

Walter B. Smith, Interrupted a conference yesterday afternoon and joined their troops In a five-minute period of silence. The Soviet Union decreed two days of mourning yesterday and (Continued on Page 4, Column 8) seemed to have little substance. As the hour of victory in Europe neared, Gen. Dwight D.

Eisen hower returned to supreme headquarters Saturday after a tour of the front during which he found all his allied troops eager to deliver the final stroke to crush German militarism. Six armored columns were rac ing along the dwindling supply highways and railroads from remaining Nazi arsenals in Czecho slovakia and Austria. DEEP WEDGE DRIVEN Lt. Gen. Courtney H.

Hodges' First army tanks and Lt. Gen. George S. Patton's Third teamed to hammer a deep wedge in the Nazi lines south of the capital from the Dessau area, 55 miles southwest of Berlin, to Chemnitz, near the Czechoslovak border, 75 miles southeast of Dessau. Patton's drive reached within 80 miles of Cottbus, already under Russian guns in the east, and the Nazis rapidly were facing the choice of retreating southward into their mountain redoubt or being sewed into the greatest pocket of the European war.

The First army had three spear-(Continued on Page 2, Column 3) and seven soldiers. They are: Sgts. Stephen A. Witchko of Mc- Kees Rocks, Hugh G. Frederick of Adamsville, Herbert A.

Steuben of Chicago; Waldo L. Elder of Burlington, Iowa; and Pfcs. Jessie H. Leonard of Lexington, N. Denver M.

Terrill of Bunker, and Anthony L. Giuinti of Chicago. Von Papen, famed for lighting on his feet on many a desperate situation, including the Nazi blood purge of 1934 in which he was marked for destruction, exclaimed upon his capture: "I wish this war were over." "So do eleven million other guys," replied Sgt. Frederick as he led away the man who has been named in countless unconfirmed rumors as a would-be peace sons the family, Mr. and Mrs.

Truman and their daughter, Margaret, many of Mr. Roosevelt's closest friends, and scores of top government officials. Fala, the president's Scottie, made the last trip home with his master. The train is scheduled to arAve at Hyde Park at 8:40 a. m.

tomorrow. The hearse bearing the president's body arrived at Union station at 9:44, and it was 9:49 when his flag-draped casket was lifted aboard the Conneaut, final car in the train. NAVY BAND PLAYS 4 U.S. Navy band stationed nearby but hidden in darkness played the "Star Spangled Banner" and then "Rock of Ages" one of the late president's favorite hymns. As the band played the national anthem, Mrs.

Roosevelt appeared on the rear platform of her car, and stood silently facing the (Continued on Page 4, Column 1) More picture of the Roosevelt funeral procession will be found on pages 4, 11, 16. Reports from the four states showed: Oklahoma 114 dead, 103 from tornadoes, seven from floods and four in a plane crash blamed on a storm. Arkansas 24 dead in tornadoes. Missouri Six dead in tornadoes. Texas One dead in a tornado.

Dozens of persons were still missing in Oklahoma tornado and flood areas. The total of injured approximated 1,000, many of whom were in critical condition. Von Papen, Gray Fox of German Diplomacy, Captured in Ruhr Floods Add to Tornadoes' Death Toll in Sweep Over Four States PARIS, April 14 UP) Franz von Papen, the gray fox of Nazi diplomacy and a notorious international figure since he was kicked out of the United States in 1915, was' captured in the Ruhr pocket by the U. S. Ninth army April 11, allied headquarters disclosed tonight.

The 65-year-old former chancellor of the German republic, vice-chancellor under Hitler and later ambassador to Austria and Turkey, was seized at a small hunting lodge near Stockhausen, 25 miles southeast of Hamm. Taken with him were his son, Capt. Friedrich-Franz, and his son-in-law, Baron Max von Stockhausen. The capture was made by Lt. Thomas McKinley of Lexington, (By United Press) Floods Saturday night added to death and destruction spread across Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri and-Texas during three days of violent weather.

At least 145 persons were dead in the four states, all but 11 of them victims of tornadoes. Seven deaths attributed to floods were reported in Oklahoma Saturday night. Many streams, swollen by rains ranging up to 12 inches, went out of their -banks threatening further destruction..