Altoona Tribune from Altoona, Pennsylvania • Page 1

to mm UJ UVI term' Hampers Tra 1 lltmir I liturno ffic; 8 Dead in 3 w. WEATHER: Snow Purries. Windy, Cold; Continued Cold Tomorrow 1 WJ Allies Thirty Tov Day A Eisenu. Last Barriers of Cc. MMkzm By At STIX BEALMK.AR SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED EXPEDI-TIONARY FORCE, Paris, Dec.

12 (AP) Fighting through the old Maginot defenses, the U. S. Seventh array stormed more than eight miles northward from liberated Haguenau today while the First American army drove within half a mile of Duren and virtually eliminated the Germans' Roer river salient blocking the route to Cologne. At the same time the Third army crossed the Blies river northeast of Sarreguemines, forcing a new edge across the German border, and the French First army 1 rolled up new gains in the Vosges foothills at the southern SUPERFORTRESS TAKES OFF FOR RAID ON JAPAN Arr.encan soldiers, stationed on Saipan island, in Marianas, watch a B-29 Supertortiess as it tale; off from the aiistrip tor an a'tack on tiic Japanese homeland. A inajorit of the B-29 raids have been made in the of Tokyo.

This phoio taltn Ly AP Phctogiapher Charles Gorty on assignment with the war time still pictuie pooi. (AF vVnephoto,) end of the long western front. The steady advances of the i i ground forces were strongly sup- I ported by Allied planes, which hammered Nazi targets in and be- i i hind the battle zone relentlesslv throughout the I More than 30 towns and vil- luges at least seven of them in-: side Germany fell during the day as Gen. Elsenhower's armies pounded at the last harriers' I guarding the reich's three main I industrial areas. DEFENSES COLLAPSE i Berlin Japs Start Mass Evacuation of Tokyo By ROMNEY WHEELER LONDON, Dec.

12 The Japanese, have started a mass evacuation of non-essential civilians from bombed and blacked out. Tokyo, the Berlin radio reported today. A broadcast from the Japanese capital declared American Superfortresses dropped incendiary bombs tonight (Japanese timer in the fourth appearance of the sky giants over Tokyo in one day. A German Transocean dispatch from Japan said 20,000 persons 1 In the north, Germun defenses sial St. Lawrence seaway project, west of tho Roer river had vir-1 Concurring in earlier house actually collapsed as Lt.

Gen. Court- I tion, the senate approved a con-ney H. Hodges' First army I ference report on a $1, pushed up to the river on a flood control authorization and 1 front east of Huitgen sent it to the White House. forest a $3,000,000,000 rivers and har- i As the enemy cracked under bora bill was passed and returned the relentless pressure of Gen. to the house for agreement on Hodges' men and armor, the changes.

I Yanks crashed through the i Among the biggest authoriza-I rubbled towns of Hoven, Scnop- of their kind on record, tha hoven. Pier, Slerken, Merode, Gey i call for postwar construction and Derichweiler. all within a of flood control, navigation, re- had been ordered to leave the capital today. i six mile arc from northwest to i southwest of Duren. Mariaweiler, only a half-mile northwest of Duren, was almost cleared of the enemy tonight after fierce fighting through its debris-piled streets.

It was expected i that by dawn American troopu would be installed on the Roer opposite Duren, a shattered city 1 te army engineers and the root. 39,000 whose civilian population i i clamution bureau as recommend- aiii-c cnv.unvcu, SPECTACULAR SURGE The First army's suectaculat Iter three days ot renewed surge alter three day assault appeared to have been 1 made mainly against German screening forces which had been left behind to stem the advance while the bulk of Nazi troops were withdrawn across the Roer i into elaborate defenses at and be-! hind Duren. i Cologne is 20 miles across an i almost level plain from Duren. I The first troops of Hodges' army to reach the Roer drove I almost due east from the town of Hurtgen and established a firm ges Fall During i'mies Pound At Industrial Areas Senate Rejects St. Lawrence'.

Seaway Project WASHINGTON. Dec. 12 The senate completed work on two big water-use programs to-! day hut rejected the controvert claniHtion. hydroelectric power and other works throughout the country. Carrying no appropriations, they are projected us part of the country job-creating program when peace comes.

The flood control bill embraces a giant program for development ed by President Roosevelt. A woposal to set. up a.jdministra- i tive authority like the Tennessee 1 valle" authority was left for tho next congress to consiuer. The rivers and harbors biil limped through the senate buttered by nearly two weeks of bit ter debate, mostly about the St. Lawrence seaway, estimated to cost from $200,000,000 to It was rejected by a vote of 56 'to 25.

A last minute boost for tho seaway from President Roosevelt failed to turn back the opposition. It came in the form of a telegram to Senator Aiken tR-Vt) vvlin l-pnri it tn tho spn.ito inst. i VVASH1NGTON, Dec. 12 (P) Pennsvlvania'x two senators. 1V 1 A Ueiiianf IS AXIS Peoples Share War Blame (See Editorial on Page 4) By JAMES F.

KING LONDON, Dec. 12 (P) Britain's powerful Labor party hedged today on taking any stand on possible dismemberment of Germany after the war, but demanded that the German and Japanese people as a whole share the responsibility for crimes of their war leaders. A motion to place the party on record against cutting up Germany was sidetracked after Hugh Dalton, member of the Churchill coalition government, reminded, the delegates that Marshal Stalin had "made it very clear that Russia was looking forward to certain readjustments in tha east" The tenseness turned to laughter when Dalton, who is president of the British board of trade, "All I ask this conference to do is not at this stage to linj up against the views of Stalin on mis point. Russia has suggested that Po land be given part of East Prussia and access to the Baltic under a compromise agreement whereby the Soviet boundary would carry to the Curzon line. Stalin has also indicated ha would support French hopes for neutralizing the industrial German Ruhr and Saar under inter- Jap Convoy Smashed Off Levte Island GENERAL MacARTHlR'S HEADQUARTERS.

PHILIPPINES. Wednesday, Dec. IS a Japanese convoy of four transports and three destroyers attempting to rush aid to Nippon's beleaguered troops on I-ete was smashed off the island Monda. headquarters announced today. Fifty enemy planes were shot down in the action which destroyed the convoy.

This was the eighth Japanese convoy to be intercepted and smashed by American air and naval forces since the Yank ground troops have pressed the battle un thr west coast of Leyte. In the seven previous convoys sent to the bottom more than enemy troops were estimated to have been lost. 8 V. S. PLANES LOST Eight American planes were lost in the running battle with the convoy, and in opposing spirited Japanese air attacks on Yank fhippinsr.

The attack on the convoy also left one Japanese destroyer and two medium transports burning and unable to make headway. Navy PT patrol boats 'also sank a 5.300-ton Nipponese transport Gtn. Douglas MacArthur's conv unique said. Japan's loss of four transports r.nd three destroyers from the rnemy's latent convoy blasted on the wav to Levte made a total of S9 transports and 28 escort mostly destroyers, sunk in the effort to reinforce Nippon' troops on the island. DESPERATE STRAITS The Japanese remaining on the island were in desperate straits with American troops pushing forward on three land sides, and the enemy's back to the sea.

Tn front of the enemy force, at its rear and on its eastern flank Yank spearheads were driving in for the kill. To the west was mountainous terrain. stretching for several miles to the coast. Thus hemmed in. the Ninponese fought desperately, their supply port of Ormoc in American hands its garrison wiped out.

and a force of severs! thousands of Japanese annihilated south of Ormoc. The remaining enemy force except for isolated units scattered In the mountainous central backbone of Leyte was jammed into the Ormoc corridor, the valley leading northward. In Ormoc and pressing northward to take the northern segment of the Tama-s'liti defense from the "ear (Continued on Page 7, Col. Drift Snow Over Roads Blanket 10 to 23 Inches Thick Covers Entire State Roads and streets In the city and county were still in bad condition last night as a result of the heavy snow. Manned by 77 men.

the highway yard had 17 trucks plowing and nine trucks last night. A IX ROADS OPEN The highway yard reported snow drifting in on some roads, due to high winds, but said that no roads were closed. However, they reported driving conditions as still very hazardous. The highway yard had six trucks ploughing snow last night and one truck grading. They reported that some streets in the hilly sections had drifted shut.

The railroad last night leport-ed west-bound trains less an hour late, but east-bound trains weie reported many hours late. tOO LOADS Many residents of the city saw the new snow loader in operation yesterday for the first time. Councilman C. L. McCartney stated that the snow loader began work at 11 o'clock yesterday morning and by late afternoon had collected about 300 loads or 1500 tons of snow.

The entire length ot Eleventh avenue was cleaned on the driving side and many other streets in the city, includii.g Broad and Union avenues and around the Lafferty and Laughlin funeral homes Operators of the new snow loader estimated that- the entire length of Eleventh avenue could be cleaned on both sides in 'our hours if enough trucks were available. They reported that the work was slowed down considerably because not enough trucks were available for use. Seven men including Dale Det-wiler and Russell Dodson from Roaring Spring were helping with the operation of the loader, since the department employes were not familiar with the handling ef the new After running off scheSule during the day on most lines, the Logan Valley and Electric Railway company reported last night that all buses and street cars were running on schedule, By The Associated Press Industry and transportation today (Wednesday) were resuminc; more norma' schedules with the subsidence of the winter's xorst storm which blanketed Pennsylvania with snow ranging in depth from 12 to 23 inches and left at least eight dead. Three more deaths attributable to the storm were reported in the war-b'isy Pittsburg district which hore the brunt of the crippliiip blizzard. sections of western Pennsylvania also were hit hard but the eastern srea of the state for tho most part escaped with an occasional flurry.

As the temperature fell into the lew twenties last night, i sharp wind which reached a velocity of 36 miles an hour turned slus-filled city streets into hard ridges of ice and whipped up drifts in suburban and rural regions. The thre? new deaths made the Pituburo district storm toll six. three persons having died of heart attacks induced by overexertion during the storm Monday nuht. Frank ftzetelny. 61-year-old farmer was found dead near his home in Elizabeth township, a snow shovel clasped in his hand.

T.oberf Farmington, 70, Coraopoi-is. and William Stewart, 65. Glassport, died while helping push cars out if snowdrifts. More snow was predicted by the weather bureau, but relief was expected by a "calm" belt 100 miles wide which moved eastward. Temperatures ranged from 22 to 36 degrees and additional snow or rain was predicated by the end of the week.

The state highway department first warning motorists to avoii unnecessary driving, intensifieJ efforts to keep open the main arteries of traffic. Extra cindering crews and scores of snow plows worked unceasingly, but rural roads remained hopelessly impassable. Heavy snow was reported covering roads leading to the western terminus of the Pennsylvania turnpike, but the superhighway itself was partially cleared and ashed. Many rural schools were closed because of the snow-clogeed roads. In Pittsburg school holiday will remain in effect until Thursday morninK.

All modes of transportation, ex-oept railroads, were badly crio-pled. Trolleys, some of which were derailed, ran from one io three hours behind schedule in Pittsburg, buses were delayed and ill nyir suspended Steel mills and other war plants in western Pennsylvania remained In operation for the most part, but ibsenteeisni up to 55 per cent severely cut productior Mines were also hit hard with vntinprd Pate 7, Tot. 4) THIS CHRISTMAS GIVE December 13. 1944 Four Cents CKNTEK OF SUIT Carol Ann Born- (above). 14-months-old.

casts an unconcerned glance- at the camera, as she waits for her mother, Joan Berry, to confer with her attorney, in Los Anreles, concerning the paternity suit ir. which Miss Berry seeks t.i have Actor Charlie Chaplin named as th father of Carol Ann. The suit is scheduled to go td triai December 13. AP Wirephcto.) Estep Confers With Blair Investigators No recommendations were made at the end of the conference among numbers of the district attorneys office. Lt.

A. F. Duhl-slrom. James Kane of the Pennsylvania State police and Deputy Attorney General Harry A. Estep, District Attorney J.

Calvin Iang am.ounced last night, adding thai the Pittsburg attorney would leturn to Blair county within the nest several days. Attorney Estep. who had been named recently by Attorney General Duff to assist in the prosecution of jury bribing and related cases at the January term of court, arrived in Hollidaysburg yesttrday at 2 o'clock. The district attorney said Lt. Dahlstrum.

Pvt. Assistant District Attorney Park H. Loose and Assistant District Attorney Frank Warfel attended the conference between himself and Attorney Estep. The afternoon was spent in the discussion of the findings of the investigation to date. Attorney Estep, who had difficulty in getting to Hollidaysbuig yesteitiav.

remained in conference until a late hour last evening, and planned to take back copies of Lie pleadings of the case. He will return to Hie county in several days. District Attorney Lang said, tat which time definite plans will be made. On November 24. the district attorney petitioned the court for a special grand jury investigation into the commonwealth cases of former Mayor Charles E.

Rhodes. Hirry Wolfberg and Bernard Wayne, the latter two having been charged with embracery and bribery in connection with the Rhodes trial wherein the former mayor was charged with misbehavior in offio. At that time District Attor- Ontiaurd Pige 7, Col. Youth Wounded As He Falls While Carrying Gun A 17-year-old youth, who had been out shooting; mark with a .12 rifle, slipped on the ice as he was walking through an illey p.n.l ac-1 ru'rntallv shot him-elf through the left ahotiMi-r, Lt. Paul Robin-ton announced ism cigut Robert Shafftr.

IT, of 1615 Sixtii avenue. was shot through 'He shoulder as he slipotd on the ice in Broad alley b3tween Twenty-I ninth and Thirtieth streets, yester-i dy afternoon at 3:30 o'cIock. He was taken to Mercy hospital 1 if Vol. 88 No. 296 Wednday.

I Fncniip TTiipt i t'k- lyrone lueii Escape Death A Tyrone engineer and fireman miraculously escaped deatn yesterday, when the hitter was thrown under 'tin' engine and the engineer jolted to the fireman's side, when their locomotive and tender of the Pennsylvania railroad's Tyrone-Grampian train derailed and oterturned at Clearfield yesterday about noon. Edwin H. Woodring. 63 of 1501 ixi.uan avenue. Tyrone, engineer, vas called at his home last night end said that he had slightly injured Lie back.

"I am a pretty big n.an 20G pounds and when that much is shifted suddenly from engineer's side of the train the fireman's, one is hound to ie a HUle stoved-up." He said the fireman. John Miller, also of Tyrone, would be on the job today. A report from Clearfield said joth engineer and fireman were lightly injured but word had been in the Middle division neadquarters that no injuries had sustained in the derailment. iVociring: said he hadn't bothered stop and get treatment bat directly to his home. DERAILED.

HITS SWITCH A railroad spokesman in Clearfield said he believed the pony of the locomotive left the now-packed rails at the Levy avenue crossing in he center of Clearfield and hit a switch five blocks farther on. throwing the engine over on its side against an tnibi.nkir.ent Two mail carg and a caboose remained on the tracks. I From the superintendent's headquarters of the Middle division, an official said last night that the cause of the accident was not definitely determined. Known as the AG-1 and GA-2 urn-around out of Altoona to Clearfield branch of the Middle division of the P. R.

the train carries r.o passengers and is only a fuight run. being pulled by the type engine, the H-9. as used on bianch lines. After it had tipped over, the Osceola v.reck force was sent to the scene to right the locomotive jnd tender. "It turned over so quick Wood-ring said that neither he nor the fireman had a chance to jump.

The fireman was tossed from his nlace and landed under the Engine, between the tank and the engine. Miller bad been firine at the time nf the accident. W'oodring said he Sust seewjd to be nicked up and hurled across to the fireman's former position. Five County Men Listed As Casualties Five casualties were reported for this area from the offensive 3r the Gemian front. Four Blair rounty men were listed as missing ini one was reported killed.

Sgt. Kins E. Bailey. 28 son 3f Mr. and Mrs.

John E. Bailey. a renorted killed in action November 18. Pvt D. G.

Nichols, son of Mr. Mrs. Piul R. Nichols. 1504 Fifteenth street, and husband of Mrs.

Mary Elizabeth Cassel Nich-o's. 1506 Fifteenth street, was listed as missing November 24. Pfr. Theodore E. Fry, of M-s.

Marjory Horton Fry, 7Sr Walnut street. Roaring Spring, listed as November 26. Pvt. George Young, son of Mr. and Mrs.

Wesley Toung. 802 First avenue, was listed missing November 23. Pfc. John A. Mullfn.

son of Mrs. Edith L. Mullen. 331 Orchard tret Lskemont. was reported nVysins November 28.

S'5rt. Bailey. 28. son of Mr. and Mr? John Bailey (Continued on Pice Col.

3 SHOPPING-DAYS UP YOU via 1 1 i grip on tho river bank along before the me jtue shore of the Ober Maubach Tw0 big pi.ojects were eUmin. i reservoir. The Roer in that sec- ated the Tennessee-tor south of Duren is susceptible Tom.Bigbee waterway and the to flooding by the opening oC S3S.3OO.OO0 Beaver Mahoning can-several dams ial, in Pennsylvania and Ohio. ine u. s.

army, nume- diately adjoining Hodges' forces on the left, reached the Roer I several weeks ago and since has eph Guffey (D) and Jumes i been held up by floods and by i Davi3 R)i voted in opposition to the necessity for resting and re- i the amendment proposed to grouping before continuing its of- I include tne st Lawrence seaway fensive. I aruj power project among the au- Langensoultzbach, 10 miles, thorizations of the $500,000,000 riv-north of Haguenau, was entered erg and bill. The dispatch adled that mea sures were "nrogrossing according to plan" for evacuation of Tokyo which is being rocked by Sainan-based Superfortresses. "No workers in war" industry transport and pres may leave Tokyo, however, as per-mits are required by the Transocean "Neither can workers in the essential industries i gas. water and electricity, doctors chemists and nurses).

The civil defense forces must also stay." The Japanese eapitnl. bombed first by Lt. Gen. James H. Doo-little's raiders.

April 18. 1942. had been umler almost incessant attack from Saipan since Nov. 23 when the Superfortresses onened "the battle of Japan." The Saipan base, in the Marianas was cleared of the Japanese only last July. U.

S. to Decide Jap Emperor's Fate After War WASHINGTON. Dec. 12 -Uncle Sam will wait and see what develops before deciding the post war fate of the Japanese emperor. This Arrerican policy toward the focus of the Japanese military spirit emperor worship today appeared to crystallize in testimony before the Senate foreign relet ions committee.

Joseph C. Grew, last American ambassador to Japan anil the choice of President Roosevelt and secretary of state Edwaid R. Stet-tinius for the job of under secretary of state, told senators considering his appointment that the United States had better put off until American troops get to Tokyo a decision on what to do with Emperor Hirohito. It wa assumed that, the spoke with the. approval if not the complete agreement of both the President anl Stettinius, and that therefore this aspect of American policy toward post war Japan is pretty well decided for the time being.

Grew had his statement all ready to read when Senator Guf-fey D-Pa.) asked about the emperor. He testified that no one can tell now whether, after Tokyo is taken, it would be wise to keep the emperor on because ttnre's no vi ay of knowing now what Japanese reaction to defeat is going (o be. The main job. Grew addad, will be to see that Japan never again can menace the pepce. Many quarteis hold that Japanese fanaticism and its resulting fighting spirit stems from emperor worship, and that therefor? the emperor must be teniovcd as i symbol of the Japanese superman complex.

Oneration Saved 'Nubbins' neturn Home DENVER. Dec. 12 Three-I year-old Forest 'Nubbins) Hoff-J man. who observed Christmas November when hi parents tli.uieht he might not live until December probably will be. i taken to his in Cheyenne.

this week from a Denver hospital. An operation to correct a congenital bladder ailment has been pronounced successful by doctors. Japs Report Another B-29 Attack Wednesday, Dec. 13.41A Tokyo home broadcast, recorded in Melbourne, said today that bombs had fallen recently in the imperial palace grounds. By The Associated Press Another incendiary bomb attack on Tokyo Tuesday night (Japanese time) by American Superfortresses was reported by the Nippon radio as other Axis sources said evacuation of nonessential workers from the city was proceeding.

The Tokyo broadcast, picked up by the Federal Communications Commission and lacking American confirmation, said 'one or two' B-29s from the Marianas islands (Saipan) roared over the city at 7:00 p. m. (5 a. Tuesday, EWT) unloaded inceniiaries "in two or three places" and then "fled toward the southeastern sea." 14.000 Servicemen Under 21 Have Wed Australians WASHINGTON, Dec. .12 iiPh-The house passed a bill today to safeguard the American citizenship of children born to servicemen of minor age as the result of marriage overseas.

The bill provides that children born of an American father, over 18 years old shall be United States citizens. The present legal minimum is 21 years. Rep. Dickstein (D-NY) told th house more than 14,000 servicemen under 21 have married Australian girls and declared: "This bill is to protect the citizenship of children born of those marriages." Submissions of the American proposals, which Winant was believed to have discussed with President Roosevelt and the state departmept during his recent visit to Washington marked the first time that any of the big powers formally had put forward any plans for future German economy. The inter-Allied committee, composed of ell the smaller United Nations, however, submitted proposals early this year for controlling and liquidating German economy.

In connection with the Ameri- Weshmgton today, asserted that one of America's major objectives was to take effective steps to prevent Germany and Japan from acquiring power to wage war. Meanwhile, there was a growing belief in diptTiatic ijiwrteis that P.ussis's proposals when presented to the European advisory GIVE THE FINEST. Abolishment of German War Industries Discussed by Allies against moderate resistance, just north of Haguenau forest the Americans seized Gunstett and cleared nearby Walbourg. At one I point faicn aavance unus were i but two and a half miles from I the reich frontier. I VIOLENT TANK BATTLE i (The German radio declare i that the Seventh army had open- i ed a big offensive between Hague-I nau and Sarreguemines with 13 infantry and several tank divi- sions and that a "violent tank battle" was raging in the sea of Woerth, seven miles from the German Palantinate border.

On the southern Alsatian plain i the French First army seized several more towns west of Mul-I house and cleared German pock-i ets on the west bank of the Rhine south of Kembs. i Lt. Gen. George S. Patton's Third army made gains in bitter fighting against Siegfried line defenses while its artillery, no.v moved up close behind the infantry, poured heavy Are into the Saar basin.

At Dillingen, two miles north (Continued on Pare 7, Cl. Mining Soldier I Reported a Prisoner A phone call to the home of Mrs. E. H. Hoover, 209 Bedford street, Hollidaysburg, at 10 clo.

last evening ended a pe- i riod of anxiety for the family i i a ri nn I of Mrs. Myrtle Hayes of the 1 same address 'ho was listed as missing sine Nov. 14 in Ger-: many in a telegram received by his mother, Nov. 30. A Mr.

Mns. Eef tof Altoo- na were lislTinst to a short i By JOHN A. PARRIS, JR. LONDON, Dec. 12 American proposals for "complete and ruthless" abolition of German war industries and strict control of the country's future economy were reliablv reported tonight to be un der discussion by the European advisory commission as a part of a tough Allied plan to suppress Germany's aggressive powers forever.

i V. S. Ambassador John G. Win- ant was understood to have pre-; senteb to the commission two or can proposals. U.

S. Secretary of state Edward Stettinius. appear-future before senate caucus in the and domestic trade, 4,1 1 Great Britain also was said to have presented her plans in the same field, but neither Russia nor France has submitted corresponding proposals. Moscow, however, was understood to have given much tudy to the subject, It was believed that France was waiting -intil Gen. de Gaulle had more memoranda containing the American proposals for controlling German industry, foreign v.ave broadcast direct from Ber- national control, lin ni heard the sergeant's name Earlier today, Britain's Labor-flrst in a Hn of five American Deputy Prime Minuter Cle-servicemeii recently interned as ment Attlee personally moved prisoners of war of the Nazi.

adoption of the resolution serving They immediately called the Hoi- notice to the German and Japan-lidaysburg family and impar edjese peoples that they would not i the good cews. (Continue race 1. M. ft) finished digesting his talks with commission would suggest that Marshal Stalin before submitting -everal million Germans be ent so that they could haimoniz to the Soviet to help in the re-wlth those of the Soviet union. contruction of the country.

PLEVENTH A7KME A SIMMS DIAMOND AND VOC dispensary..