Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 24, 1944)
MONDAY, APRIL 24, 19441 TEE JOURNAL; PLATIS3OTJTH; ' 1TEBBASKA PAGE TEEEE The War In Review - - - TT - - '4' I1 "I" A .1, J J' 'i:::::::::::::::::'::':: Moscow, April 20. (UP) Rus sian armies have ripped into the in terior defenses of Sevastopol and today were reported battling on the same line where the soviet garrison r.tade its mighty stand in the 250 day seige of 1941-42. Front dispatches, referring to the "final hours" of the German and Romanian stand at Sevastopol said red air force planes pounding the Crimean basiion sank 12 good-sized ships in the harbor within 24 hours. Massed Russian assault planes were reported laying a "caipet of bombs" on Sevastopol and its Black sea approaches, ranging as far west ward as the Romanian coast to shat ter the axis evacuation fleet. Allied Southeast Asia Headquar ters. Candy( Ceylon. Apr. 20. (UP) A powerful allied force of air craft carriers, battleships and sup porting lleet units strucK witnin 700 miles of Singapore at dawn yesterday to bomb and shell the Japanese air and naval base at Sa bang, on the northern tip of Sumat ra, it was disclosed today. Striking across the Indian ocean for their first great counter blow against the western flank of Jap anese southern empire, the allied lattle? fleet caught the enemy def initely by surprise and blasted the base into a mass of wrecked planes and ruined fortifications. At least 22 Japanese planes were caught aground and destroyed at Sabang airdrome, and several others were wrecked in a supporting at tack on the nearby Lho Nga air field. Moscow, April 21. (UP) The German command hurled hordes of tanks and tens of thousands of in fantrymn today against soviet forces massing in Estonia and Old Poland for spring and summer offensives, but the Russians held firm and were reported officially to be "slaughter ing" the attackers. The increasingly heavy German "preventive" attacks indicated that red armies may be preparing to strike next in the Narva sector of Estonia in the Baltic states end on the Stanislawow front in the Car- pathians as soon as they complete ' the liberation of Sevastopol, last liazi tothola in the Crimea. The German stand in Sevastopol, Russia's biggft naval base, was be lieved in its final hours as two Rus sian armies slowly pressed the domed garrison back through the streets of the city Soviet planes blockading the approaches to the port in 24 hours alone sank an en emy destroyer and four transports totalling 1".,0;0 tons, some of them loaded to capacity with fleeing Her man and Romanian troops. He-idnuarters Nanles nr. . , - -. . VI. tLi') Allied oomoiug neeus, spearheaded by American Fortresses c-.ni Liberators Flyint carried out a heavy bridge busting assault on the network of German ope rated railway lines in central and north ern Italy, a communique announced today. Fighting on the maior ground fronts was again confined to patrol clashes and artillery and mortar ex changes, but reports of increasing German activity on tne Anzio beach head and in the Cassino sector sug gested that the long stalemate may be nearing -in end. NaU mortar and artillery fire was intensified in the Cassino area yes terday, and German engineers were reported working feverishly on the Anzio beachnead, sweeping ur their own and allied mines on the right flank of the allied line. The allied aerial offensive against the German railroad supply system mounted in fury as Lt. Gen. Ira C. Eaker switch ed his heavy bomber formations back from the Balkans to Italian targets. Allied Southeast Asia Headquar ters, Kandy, Ceylon, April 21. (UP) Allied armored forces, counter at tacking furiously in an effort to smash the seige of Imphal, have driven a Japanese invasion column into the hills 30 miles northeast of the city, a communique said today. A number of enemy strong points in the hill area were captured by the attacking British yesterday and "our advance continues," the com munique said. The allied units apparently were striking over a hill trail linking Imphal with Ukhrul and the com munique indicated they had pene trated to within about 10 miles of that tow n. - - - . - United Nations War Fleet Visits Japanese Holdings Fleet and Air Forces Slip in the Rim cf the Stolen Japanese Em pire to Elast Foe With Allied Fleet Off Sabang. April 22. (L'P) American. British, Fiench and Dutch warships moie than 25 strong, sliced into the rim of Japanese stolen empire today and devastated Sabang with a carrier bomber aerial strike that was like swatting a mosquito with a baseball bat. The United Nations forces, includ ing a U. 3. aircraft carrier, moved in under orders from Adm. Sir. James So nerville to "catch them with their ! Homines up" and from the air arm j wing commander to "go in and flat- j ten them." ! They carried out the assignment in a manner that caused Somerville to signal after it was all over: 'Congratulations on a successful day. As far as I am concerned, this occasion is the first in which Brit- I isb and American naval air craft formed a sinsle attacking force. May it prove the first of many." An American officer who cannot be identified replied: "Yours much appreciated. Also hope this is be ginning of similar joint operations." The attack on the Japanese out post at the tip of Sumatra on the read to Singapore oay have been aimed a tnticing the enemy fleet inio combat. But it did not stir. Two striking forces threw their aerial weight at Sabang and the Lho Nga base across the straits on the Sumatra mainland from two direc tions. Caught flatfootei. the Japanese opened their anti-aircraft barrage '.ate. The allied plates, meanwhile, v.ere swarming in to knock out the Sabang radio station, smash a pow er station, coaling wharf, barracks and radio fetation, rake its ships in the harbor with gunfire, and set fire to two destroyers. Fifteen parked planes were wreck ed, and three destroyers at another field. Bombed fuel tanks caught fire and smoke rose 7,000 feet. Discuss New Taxes Washington, April 22. (UP) A new schedule of withholding taxes. c"nuy nigner man present payron reductions and designed to cover the full tas liability of pome 30- 000,000 taxpayers earning up to $5,000 annually, was reported to be ready today for House Ways and Means con:mittee action. The committee previously r.n- juMineeu us juans vo uiiorporiiie au taxes for most taxpayers under the withholding principle, thus simplify- Ing present procedures and eliminat- ing the neeu lor tiling returns. I ne new schedule, druv n up by commit- tee tax experts, gave the specific amounts or the propeseu new wun - holding levy. I 'nHor i t o e ? ti er 1 nnnr n o': rn i n tr .t,.- i f..f, a week would have ?4.10 in i . withholding tax deducted from his i pay, whereas a married man with 'cue child would miss only 50 cents i "j v I i-aLiieiK m me sa-ne mi- ary level. A single person earning $f.O v.eek would have ?S.20 deducted, while a married man with one child earning the !-ame amount would have ?4.40 taken out of his check. Other proposed deductions are in proportion. A single person earning Si"0 a week would pay ib.yo or it in withholding taxes, while a mar- tied man wiih or without children wouia suiter no deduction it ue'a;rports t0 'stand-by" status. This earned $12 a week or less. 'brush-off and 'runaround' of con- The schedule, if adopted, would go gressional inquiries by misleading nto effect next Jan. 1 and apply to salaries received in 1945. Withhold- ing taxes now in force would re main effective throughout the re mainder of 1:)44. JENSEN LOSES TWO VOTES The Cass county canvassing board tl.is afternoon completed their re check of the vote cast at the demo cratic primary, the result being that Jensen, who had asked the recount, lost two votes. The vote here as checked Malle Cillespie, 426; Jen sen, 179, and Shallctoss, 125. In Otoe county there wag no change report ed and the vote remained as at the unofficial vote. Has War Souvenir Hollywood. April 21. (UP) Ann Sheridan had a souvenir from the Italian war front today. Capt. Rich ard McCauley, former screen writer sent the actress a pin-up picture of herself, punctured by several pieces of shrapnel, taken from an Italian ralacio converted to a barracks by Dog Gives Alarm The W. F. Evers family have a small pup, a household per, that' now has a very important place in the family circle, due to the alertness of the ittle dog. Wednesday evening, Mr. and Mrs. Evers were at Lincoln, their daugh ter, Mary, had iDVited Dorothy Warga and TJarlene White to spend the night at the Evers residence near the Masonic Home. The girls had reiired and were awakened a short time later by the barking of the pup and the light was turned on by Mary Evers, disclosing in the kitch en, a strange man, attired in a green sweater and rough clothing, while his face was not seen, his hands were dark and swarthy. The girls were badly frightened but were able to connect v, it.h the infirmary house phone and Mrs. Hansen, the head nurse came over to the Evers home and while she was entering the home the man escaped through the cellar. The only thing disturbed was a num ber of doughnuts that the girls had arranged for breakfast, these being eaten by the unwelcome caller. Last evening while Mrs. Evers and daughter were at home, they were again aroused by the pup and Mrs. Evers turning cn the light revealed a man standing in the yard. Mrs. Eers reached the telephone and called Sheriff Joe Mrasek, who, with Deputy Sheriff Doody were out on the scene of action in. a few mom ents. The officers patrolled in that part of town for several hours and final ly ran onto a stranger that was tioeping at the Missouri Pacific sta tion. The man resembled the des cription of the man seen at the Evers home, but the id en Li fi cation was not sufficient to hold him. Washington Report By Howard Buffett During war, members of congress l.tust make a choice. By declaring that war is purely military they can disclaim any responsibility for the conduct of the Army and Navy. They can say that Congress must give these departments unlimited power until the war is over. B The foregoing is the easy way cut. In my judgment, it is a danger-I cessful pattern of allied collabora c us mistake. The other choice is to I tion in Europe, following the defeat take the position that congress should study and review carefully the operation of the two military 3. The present Japanese drive in departmnts within the limits of to India is spectacular but of only security. Pioceeding along that line. towever, brings slurs and mud - t-linging at the law-makers. B The tricky maneuvering and and dis- skullduggery that the Army avy sometimes resort to is jousting in many instances. A few weeks ago the the Navy came before tue Naval Affairs Appropriations ; committee for their annual appro- U nation. During the past twelve . months this country has apprcpri- j.,,e(1 for jts .-avy akne slightly un- j j,er 28 billion dollars. This is some i -i - . unions more man i.reai ijinain is Upending on all phases of the war. i: Included in the new request w as large sum ior new airon iaeni- ties. Thinking of the taxpayers, , members of the committee thought a;tiiat the Army had airports which j could be turned over to the Navy. They asked for a list of abandoned ; airports. The Army replied that they had abandoned no airports. B Knowing that airports had beenl abandoned, the Committee pressed the inquiry. Then the Army admit - I ted tney nad shifted a number of (technical answers is a regular ad - bninistrative trick. Among the airports changed to 'stand-by status were those at Ains worth and Scribner, Nebr. The air ports were only recently completed, and how many mouths they were used is probably a military secret, But the taxpayer will be paying for them 50 years from now. B On the Ainsworth airport, I am told, the Army paid $114,271 for the land, $4,314,250 for the im provements, or a total of $5,028,521. At the Scribner airport the land cost reported to m was $221, S91, and the improvement cost $6,151,- 8C7. War is wasteful, and necessar ily so. But somewhere, somehow, and sometime, congress must put the brakes on. soldiers at Salerno. "It was the first thing I saw after we landed," McCauley wrote. "It made me plenty homesick." Pacific Warfare ' Just Getting Into Real Action Eastern Manager of the United Press Tell? cf the Situation in the Pacific Warfare Editor's Note: Military and poli tical leaders believe the United Na tions have just begun to fight the Pacific war and that it will, be a long, hard pull to victory, the far eastern manager of the United Press, who has just arrived in New York from China. Burma, and India re ports. He gives their views in the following dispatch: By John R. Morris The United Nations have net yet really begun to fight their war against Japan in the opinion of most allied leaders on the Asiatic fronts. The peoples of the United Nations, except the Chinese, still have no clear conception of what they are up against in Asia, most of thee leaders believe, and they see an urgent need that the whole far east ern situation be brought into focus so that Americans and Britons, par ticularly, may gird themselves fcr the struggle ahead. The follov. ing composite opin ions, obtained ny tnis corresponoent from military, political, and diplo matic figures on all the Asiatic fronts and from conversations with scores of persons who have long ex perience in the Far East, will give a general idea of the immediate out look : 3. The delcat of Japan will re quire trom tnree to live years more fighting after Germany has been crushed. There is no short cut to victory over the Japanese. The Jap anese people are utterly subservient L'j their military masters headed by Premier Gen. Hediki T030. They will surrender only after their military machine has been crushed, and that I will disintegrate only after the im- I perial army has been smashed on land. 2. The problem of establishing a stable peace, once Japan has been defeated, will tax allied statesman - ship to the utmost. There is no as- pett of this problem, however, so I far as allied leaders in Asia now can I be forsenn, that is insoluble. A suc- j cf Germans , should mean an equally I successful pattern in Asia. I limited importance. Should the Jap- janese succeed in capturing Imphal and in seizing the supply line from j India proper to British and Ameri- can forces m northern Burma, the result would be a local defeat, but it would not greatly affect the. final I outcome of the war. That outcome the defeat cf Japanese militarism is certain because of eventual allied superiority in everv category of warfare on laud, sea, and in the j air 4. The United States will be the j dominant power in the Pacific ocean I r , r- . t . i aiier japans aeieat. it is taKen ior giantod that the United States will j I retain permanent cuutr.H over so J called Japanese mandated island i wnicn i,. o. ampnioious iorces now- I are conquering. In addition, some I observers would not be surprised to see the United States take the Bonin inlands, which lie midway between the Marianas and Tokyo. 5. China will share leadership in Asia with Russia and Britain. A res toration of British rower in Burma, Malaya, Singapore and Hong Kong. and Dutch leadership in the Nether- hands East Indies, is considered cei tain. Russia probably will expect restoration cf at least some of her former rights in north Manchuria, including transit over the old 1 Chinese eastern railway, which furn lslies a short cut for rail traffic from Moscow to Vladivostok. Japan vHl be reduced to the status of a third class power. The prediction that the Japanese army can hold cut fcr three jears or more after Germany is defeated is based largely on information that the Japanese war lords have built up extensive war industries, and very powerful military bases, on tho Asiatic mainland. The Japanese army has been cany mg forward the industriaization ot Manchuria (Manchukuo) for more than 10 years. Virtually everything needed by a modern army now can be produced in Manchurian factor ies. In addition, there is consider able production in conquered areas Shanghai, Hong Kong, Manila, Soerabaya, and Singapore. Clear-cut allied naval and air btiperiority, most far eastern ob servers agree, will not be enough to j force a Japunse military t collapse, I Even if Japan's main island, Hon- shu, with the industrial .areas around Tokyo-Yc'-tchama. . Nagoya. and Osaka-Koke, could be bombed to rubble, the Japanese army still could held out for a long tin e from its j liases on the Asiatic mainland. j There is no tendency to minimize i the importance of American naval victories in the western Pacific, and i it is taken for granted that more of ot these victories will be forthcom ing in the near future. Manila, Singapore, and Soerabaya well may be recaptured within the next IS months. But the establishment of a strong allied base in China, v.hich is considered a prerequisite for the real opening of the war of annihila- tion against the Japanese army, is another matter one that will entail a head-on collision with the main body of the Japanese army rn army that already numbers millions cf seasoned veterans. Procf of the toughness of the Japanese lard forces is to 'no had from the present operations around Imphal. The Japanese probably are using not more than SO. 000 men ir this drive, and the allies have almost complete control of the air. The Japanese supply line, largely over jungle roads some of which are lit tle better than trails, is even more difficult than that of the British which includes a railway. Yet the Japanese were able to stage a power ful attr.ck and even to threaten the Manipur capital. Yet, when I left India a week ago to fly back to the United States, there was no fear that allied control cf any major part of the great sub continent was in danger. The belief was that the Japanese simply were attempting a strong thrust to count er operatioas of British and Ameri can forces in north Burma where forces under Lieut. Gen. Joseph Stil well were threatening the Japanese base at Myitkina. All thse opera lions are likely to stop within a fortnight or so when the monsoon rains will turn the whole country into a quagmire. La Platte School Notes DoraTrively and Neil Lancaster, Teachers During the eighth month of school which ended April 14, the following students had perfect attendance. Joan and Gail Iske, Gilbert Ed monds, Fred Hyda, John and Albert Taylor, Albert Burton, Johnny Lid dish, John Porter, Shirley and Don na Prangley and Donna Lou Skelton. The Seventh and Eighth graders were in Eellevue Friday, April 4, to take the state examinations. r. R.mrn ' " h c war. to tnok- whole- end ! your it loalon'- , 8n Woman. nJn" f JiVStSia, fell J m. cm w pi I O -ssr y 1 fv nri 0 Am lit A MU1 U Opens Elating House Ray F. Becker. of Union, was h; the city Friday "to look after sor.i"i matters of business for a short time and -idling on his friends in this citv. Mr. Becker has em barked in l toe restaurant b; i purchasing the I-ay ud Night ca! and i3 enjoying a rushing business. Mrs. Becker is assisting i:i the restaurant with Margaret Hunt, of Nebraska City, strvh.g as th" vait- ! less while Mrs. Decker alo assist. hl 'he kitchen a part of the t: .. witn Charlotte Shoemaker, tf N-j i''ka, serving as the cook, The Day and Night ha- been a , ;very busy place with a great many train crews on the Missouri Pacif ic to serve as well as ser b e men that pass through the railroad jmie tk n at Union. Mrs. Dasher III Mrs. William Dasher, residing the south part of the city, is "qu ill at her home and has l.e-n bed:'; (for the greater part of ti t rr, e Dasher the past two weeks. Mrs. 1 of one of the well known members the Decree of Honor lodsre. : v y mm Tcrvw vww?!; .1? -. 7-5". . . .. .. . cannon . - heovns, ;Terubo'hV;ceon- Yolowomo-on-h.onn, yoU must t,enchod in pan . up noT i,Vhand that tooths fAine U tho "or to rw- tt.x.v, sl.v PUTTSM0UTH 4 iM , A i IS . f:S MPS .li-S I i I g I Ely fi. iRIIiiSi ill s pv - "A. . ' I v, v inc.. ,-Arr. i. VJi ') o Lt. Cmdr. Ilaroln E. governor o? Mir.ne ; :r.i nres!(i'"it"ial pos- St ussen. forwr sot i and rivb; f'b'iity, f;-.-.N ; patiol brat in t"ie nnah today in a lei. u sMiiuia; iiii- : The inci.k'Ti' l-..u:i Borr. el . !K i!'i T fr m vji ilisciasiHl :i ailor aboard baser ; was pcite.l by Wil r;;'.'r.l me.'hanie set c-11 1 class, aboard th" sub- haer, ifi a letter to his ri. t r. Mrs. Harriet Hart lu.-loniew. Bennett, ho ha- be-n in the navv for tie !a-t two vi-ais, said his shin was or.i on or.;; ol when a .s Sfen Mall'-d mar an i.ail b it v i.-iand. "We pi'l.'i'd up the pa.s.n'-'.ers," he wrote, "and oi:c of l hem identi fied himself as Stan." "Maybe." l:c o-unMcnted. 'we j ; r-1 picked up the next president of the United su.u.;." The letter was received by Mrs. Bartholomew Feb. 17. Mrs. Stascn said at her l"ric in on; St. i'.u.i. Minn.. thai h- r "an -r of the inci- Hid had net told he nt. RAIN But what do I care. This fine raincoat will keep me clr3r regardless. Modern moistureproof coats Why take chances of getting wet? MEN'S KNIT BRIEFS MENS BLUE COVERALLS 5f v.:. ... . x. V-t4 a,' j. til. Madison The feseu; Wh.nMsoye.;. I am the nurse, . Stricken "'?r , the na'VJE: arowing need That oflo.nnot prevail. forranrso"wndho... rNaVion"honort . . - ', a n JOURNAL