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About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 12, 1945)
Veto. State Hittoxfotl Society VOL. NO. LXI PLATTSMOUTH, NEBRASKA, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 1945 NO. 20 Maurice Erhart Awarded Bronze Star Medal Receives Star for Heroic Work gainst Enemy in the Siegfried Line Offensives WITH THE 95TH INFANTRY Division Technical Sergeant Maur ice Erhart, son of Mr. Frank Er hart of Wabash, Neb., has been awarded the Bronze Star medal for heroic achievement in connection with military operations against the enemy during the 5th (Victory) division's fierce fighting in the Sieg fried lir.e defenses bordering the Saar river. A member of Co. "I" 378th in fantry regiment, Sergeant Erhart for four straight nights organized and led large carrying parties to the Saar river to pick up supplies essential to the operations of his company in the east bank bridge head. The route was constantly menaced by enemy patrols, hostile machine gun and mortar fire, plus artillery shelling. ' Fearlessly braving these hazards, Sergeant Erhart kept in creasing control of his men, admin istered aid to the wounded and en couraged the exhausted, his award citation said. Sergeant Erhart attended Mur dock high school. He entered the Army July 7, 1942. Old Resident Has Birthday Celebration Monday was the birthday anni versary cf Edward Donat, Sr., one of the old residents of the city and the event was observed on Sunday at the family home in the west part of the city. Mr. Donat is passing his 77th natal anniversary and the event was very delightfully spent in the quiet family gathering. Mr. Donat came here in the early nineties and after a few years of work in the local Burlington shops has been egaged in business in the city. He has been a liberal donor to all civic enterprises in the years of his residence and well deserves the title ''Peerless Ed''. The guests at the dinner were Mr. and Mrs. Henry J. Dortat, Mr. and Mrs. Yern Hendricks and daughter, Marylin, and Mr. and Mrs. Edward Donat, Sr., Gov. Griswold Vetoes Vets Tax Measure R H to W jve Interest ;nl Prn al'ics en V rerty of Se.-'ce Men Held Up. " I incoln, Nebr.. Mar.-h 12 'J '3 Gov. Dwight f riswold todav vet cel. on the grounds that it was "unwork able" the bill to waive interest and penalties against the properties of servicemen. The measure was introduced by Sens. Cliff N. Ogden, Omaha; Fred Seaton, listings; tCnd Sidney J. Cullingham, Omaha. No provision is made, the gover nor pointed out, as to proof neces sary for the county treasurer to make the exemptions, nor as to what shall be deemed proper information on when a person enters service and when it is discharged. "It is a hard bill for me as gov ernor to veto," Griswold said. "The purpose is entirely laudable, and I trust no one will feel I am opposing ithis purpose. It is intended by the introducers as only a slight partial payment on the debt of gratitude we owe the men who are fighting for us today. I would be most happy to approve the bill if I thought it was workable." Griswold indicated the proposed legislation could be amended and the present status of being "entire ly unfair to the county treasurers" changed. NOlICc D. A. R. The Fontcnelle Chapter of the D. A. R. v.ill hold its next meeting at the home of Mrs, C. A. Rosen -crans, Wednesday evening at S:C0. Local 40 Et 8 At Council Bluffs Sunday a group of the members of Cass County voiture No. 1218 of La Societe I'es 40 Hommes et 8 Chevaux of this city were at Coin eil Bluffs where they attended a "wreck" cf candidates for admission to the Societe. The Cass County voiture had one candidate for the initation, Joseph John, former mayor of Weep;n?r. Wa ter and p.st commander of the Weeping Water legion post. Among those going to Council Blufis were W. R. Holly, chef de gr.re , Clyde Rosborough, I..iis Eaumgart, Fred Lugsch, Fred Horb ster, Ben A. Olive of Weeping Wa ter, Walter J. Wunderlich, Nehaw'ca, Elmer Uallttrom, Avoca. The v.oil: covered the grsiter ptrt of the ii toi noon and was conducted by the wrecking crew of Omaha veit-ro 00. Possible Allied Landing In French Indo-China Visit f Lord Montbatten to Chungking Seen as Possible Clue to New Attacks CHUNGKING, March 12. OJ.R) Admiral Lord Louis Montbatten's four-day visit to Chungking increas ed speculation today that the allies may be planning a landing in French Indo-China. The Chinese government an nounced yesterday that Montbatten, supreme allied commanded for southeast Asia, had conferred with Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, su preme commander in China, on mili tary matters last Thursday through Saturday. Their decisions were not disclosed for obvious reasons, but they almost certainly foreshadowed new, coord inated blows against the Japanese on the Asiatic continent by Chinese, British and American forces. Perhaps coincidentally, the Chi nese ministry of information said in a release Saturday as Montbatten ! and Chiang were concluding their conversations that both Frenchmen and natives in Indo-China were ex pecting allied landings there. "Once the allies are ready to land on Indo-China, Chinese forces in southern Yunnan will move south ward to effect a juncture with the allies," the statement said. It said the first objectives of such a landing probably would be Haip hong or Saigon, where there are good port facilities and shipyards. Indo-China presumably falls under Montbatten's southeast Asia com mand. (The Melbourne radio said Ad miral Sir Eruce Fraser, commander of the British Pacific fleet, had an nounced that his forces had complet ed tests of their supply lines and now were ready for action.) The Japanese seized control of key points in Indo-China Saturday on grounds that the French already were aiding American submarines and planes in addition to preparing to assist an allied landing. Traffic Cases Over Week End Sunday Harry Walters, state high way patrol, brought in Oliver Mar shall, of Omaha on the charge of op erating a motor vehicle without the proper license. Saturday evening Sheriff Joe Mrasek was called to highway 75. north of this city, where an auto accident was reported. The car be longing to Luther E. Adeck had been parked near the shoulder of the highway .while he was doing some repairs, on the car. The car of John Speck passed and sideswiped the Adeck car. Little damage was done to the cars and no one was injured. RETURNS HOME Irene Lalloda Smith returned home Friday evening: after spend ing a month in Clovis, New Mexico, where she was visiting her husband, Pfc. Dennis Smith. "Smitty"' is now crewing a P-63 fighter. It is quite a change for him to be grounded after spending so much time in the air. PARIS, Mar. 12. U.R) Tank led American troops drove steadily deeper into Germany's inner foit resses from the Remagen bridgehead today and Berlin said the 1st army had made two more crossings cf the Rhine nearby. Joint blows of the U. S. 1st and 3rd armies wiped out a German pocket northwest of Coblenz. Meager reports did not make clear wheth er the destroyed pocket was the big one formed by the American junc tion on the Rhine, in which some 23,000 Germans were trapped. Fighter bombers of the U. S. 9th air force raked the German lines before the swelling bridgehead, and maintained a constant patrol over the Ludendorf bridge . Nazi broadcasts acknowledged that the Americans were pouring reinforcements into the Rhine foot hold. They said shock troops pushed across the Rhine north of Remagen bridge in assault boats and two new crossings. The nazis estimated that upwards of 50,000 men were massed :n the bridgehead ready for a big push against the southern flank of the Ruhr. Supreme headquarters said Lt Gen. Courtney H. Hodges' iroops urmiy r.eia tne initiative in the Remagen bridgehead. The Ger mans still were shelling it, despite the acquisition cf high ground on which some enemy observation posts were situated. Because of the nature of the op erations and the precarious plight of the enemy, Sheaf reports were purposely vague. For security reas ons a time lag was imposed in many sectors. A bald announcement at Shaef said the German pocket arcund Laacher See, 13 miles northwest of Coblenz had been cleared. The rnits fighting there were r.ot identified and there was no indication of the size of the prisoner bag. Laacher See is a resort lake near Aldernach. The German DNB News Agency reported British troops were making preparations to cross the Rhine. Other enemy reports forecast bignocn visiting with his daughter, scale fighting in the Nijmegen-Em-I Marjorie, who is at the St Catherine merich sector, where the nazis had iospital, where she was operated on been expecting a new push against the Ruhr. The first army's reported powc drive into the Remagen breach came as the Canadian first and U. S. 9th armies to the north finished off the last German salient west of the Rhine in the Wesel area and moved into position for an assault on the river line. To the south. Lt. Gen. George S. Patton's American 3rd army cross ed to within a mile of Coblenz from the north and south west and cleared all except a 15-mile stretch of the Mosel rivers north bank between Coblenz and Trier. North of the Mosel Patton's men were rapidly mopping up the rem nants of an estimated 23,000 Ger mans pocketed in the Eifel moun tains. Scattered German army and in fantry groups still were reported escaping through the 15-mile gap between Cochem, 22 miles southwest of Coblenz and Erden, 23 miles northeast of Trier. But the bulk of the pocketed nazi divisions faced almost certain death or capture. Alarmed German military spokes men said Lt. Gen. Courtney H. Hodges was shifting the bulk of his U. S. 1st army into the breakthrough area to exploit the unexpected cap ture of Ludendorf bridge at Re magen last Wednesday. Censored dispatches from the partially blacked out Rhine front reported only that the Americans were pushing out steadily all along the perimeter of a beachhead that yesterday extended at least three miles inland and nine miles along the river bank. Radio Berlin, however, said the Yanks already had pushed two arm ored and two infantry divisions across the Rhine and held a salient more than 10 miles wide. American shock troops, Berlin said 'crossed the Rhine in assault boats this morning at two more points in side the northern flank of the bridgehead. They landed on either side of the captured river village of Rheinbreitbach, 3 miles north North A pHVtH. c' j i(NtWesef ' j 9th Arm attacks I ikvh', if cap-tarti JCo'c-3e, breach j P.h'trc; 3rd ov; 'Co?c3e, breaches I k Siortraecken FRANCE ft trvsst-vUf ! j Ho Ward FaVOrS And Wife Return Home Howard Favors, GM 2-C, who, with Mrs. Favors, has been visiting here with his parents, Mr. and Mr. Clarence Favors, Sr., are departing Monday evening for their home at Richmond, California, where they they have been making their home while Howard has been in the naval service." While here thev had thn nWm-e of visiting with the many friends in;thesf .f.ays. js hat "How are,the,Carl Stahmer, Omaha; brothers, Ro this city and vicinity. On their rt- 'turn to the coast H"vard 5 exPect ing to take examination for a new rating. CHILD SHOWS IMPROVEMENT Howard Kennell was in Omaha Sunday where he spent the after- the past week for an emergency appendicitis case. The little daughter came through the operation fine but later develop ed a case of pneumonia that has made her recoverv delayed. Purchases Farm West of City Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Schmidtmann of this city have purchased the 160 acre farm west of this city, belong ing to Mrs. Catherine Mayer, one of the heirs of the estate of the late Philip Becker, of Mason City, Illin ois. The farm is located seven miles west cf Plattsmouth and one of the choice unimproved farms of this section of the county. Shiber Family Return to Home Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Shiber of near Union are now home after sev eral weeks spent at the St. Mary's hospital at Nebraska City, as the result of injuries suffered in an auto wreck. The car of the Shibers was badly damaged when it was struck by a passing car and Mrs. Shiber was taken at once to the hospital at Ne braska City, while Mr. Shiber came onto this city but later was com pelled to go to the hospital and was found to have suffered severe injur ies to the vertebra. Weather Forecast High 44 ' Low 39 Nebraska forecast: Fair, with lit tle change in temperature today, to night and Tuesday; low tonight 35-30. of Ludendorf bridge, in a move ap parently aimed at covering the con struction of pontoon bridges. "EoUtz Sec kui$ni teach dcor Oder & mccth K ''.'Si. ji' Berlin J w Coftbui cr5tohe Roads Over The County Reported la Bad Condition Wet Winter Weather 1$ Showing Effects in the Roads in all Parts of County- One of the chief questions that 1S BiKeu Iesmenui u uie ! ! 1 J 1 :J 4.- t AT A I t : i l- ii nrit Erfurt V -CU V Prague VT ' rusen are"'tany-' , t I Iowa: Gus and Paul Sioux City, The wet weather that has Pre'!'iowa vailed for the past winter is bearing j Funeral services will oe held on it effect in the roads that are prac-, tically without bottom and will be probably for some time, until sun- shiny weather can dry them snffi-: ciently to be worked over and placed back in shape. TVio T- Ti a rl pnritmnc -worn -ro-Tlprf- ed in the number from the rural districts in the city Saturday. Where! there were hundreds in the more! pleasant weather, there were lew from a distance and these returned to their homes before darkness come , on them and added to the road troubles. The soft roads apply to the rock and gravel surfaced roads as well as the common dirt roads that con nect the various farm neighborhoods, all apparently being in a bad way. One of the worst roads is that of the Louisville-Plattsmouth road, one of the most heavily traveled in the county, as this highway has been in the process of change from a county to a state highway and was not in the best of condition even before the softening weather conditions. Benefit Game For Basketball Team On Wednesday evening a benefit basketball game will be held at the high school gym, the proceeds of the game bein used in the defray ing of the expenses of taking the Blue Devils to the state tournament. While not contenders in the tour nament, it is hoped that the funds raised will allow the boys to attend the state tourney, many of the play ers never having had the opportun ity of witnessing the state classic. It is expected that two of the girl's teams will play in one of the games while in the other the high school quintet will play an all star group headed by Lt. Wayne Galyer and Coach Merle Stewart. Bert Jameson Has Purchased New Home The deal has been concluded by which Bert Jameson, one of the prominent residents of the vicinity of Murray, purchased the residence property of E. A. Wurl at 6th and Vine streets. The residence is located in the budness district and will make a most pleasant home. ,. I ! I I III Ml I III WM : 1 ijit"r" . tig . Kjitmwi v(um5 hear w j POLAND CZECHO. Tcbor Death of Edward Kroll at Omaha The death of Edward Kroll, 52, 1903 South 27th street, Omaha, oc cured Saturday evening at 7:15 fol lowing an illness of some duration. Mr. Kroll was a son-in-law of Joseph Cook of this city and is known to many of the residents of this locality. He is survived by the widow, Juanita; daughter, Beth; sister, Mrs. T1 .,,- t ihp rrnsi,r.M. ,hnpi j in Omaha at 10:30 Tuesday morn i inc. The internment will be at the Young cemetery, south of Platts- mouth. Bills To Cover Barber Shops In State Considered Regulatios to Barber Prices and Sanitary Condition of Shops Heard Lincoln, Nebr., March 12 (UP) Bills establishing minimum barber prices, to protect barbers from "cut throat" competition and the public from unsanitary establishments, was held in the legislature's public health committee following hearing late yesterday. Kept with it was a companion bill authorizing revocation of license of any shop or school which failed to abide by rules and regulations set up by the board of barber examin ers. Introduced by Sens. James H. Anderson, Scottsbluff; Fred Sea- ton, Hastings, and Lloyd Kain, Lex ington, the proposed legislation was supported by the Nebraska Associa tion of Barbers. A price floor would assure bar bers of the "fair income to which they are entitled," Anderson told committee members. ''If we are to have fair prices, there is logic to our demands for sanitary conditions in the shops," Seaton said. "If I thought this bill would benefit barbers, solely I would not be so much interested in it. It also will benefit the general public." Minimum prices could be fixed in any locality by the examining board, after a hearing requested either by the board or by 65 per cent of the barbers in any locality. The board also would be authorized to extend prices to adjoining counties, if such action were considered necessary. FUNERAL OF ED SNODGRASS Funeral services for Benjamin Edward Snodgrass will be held at the Reves funeral home Tuesdry after noon at 2:30. The internment will be held at Sidney, Iowa. GUAM, March 12. (U.R) Fires visible nearly 100 miles at sea raced uncontrolled today through Nagoya, Japan's greatest aircraft manufac turing center, after 300 Superfort resses sowed 2,000 tons of incendi ary bombs through the center of the city. (A communique issued by the war department at Washington said re turning crew members reported "fires spreading widely over the city's main industrial areas." Fight er opposition was light to heavy and anti aircraft fire ranged from meag er to intense it said. It said reports indicated the attack was "equally as successful as the assault on Tokyo' two days earlier.) Swinging 165 miles west from still-burning Tokyo, the giant ar mada unloaded death and destruc tion on five square miles of war plants, business blocks, government buildings and flimsy dwellings in the tinder-box center of Nagoya for two hours under cover of darkness early today. Returning pilots said the rain of bombs, more concentrated even than the 2,300 tons which burned out 15 square miles of Tokyo Saturday, kindled "hellish fires" that threat ened to spread far beyond the origin al target area. A Japanese communique indicated that a number of fires still were out of control at 4:30 p. m. (Tokyo time), more than 16 hours after the start of the raid. It said a fire had ben started in the "precincts" of the Atsuta shrine, one of 10 large Shinto or; religious shrines in Japan, but added that the " main and detached shrines were safe." Radio Tokyo acknowledged that a number of fires still were out of control by 10 a .m. some 10 hours after the start of the attack. It was probable that some would burn for 48 hours or more. Maj. Gen. Curtis Le May, com mander of the 21st Bomber Com mand in the Marianas, reserved judgment until all reports were in, but said "so far the attack appears very successful." From Washington came word that B-29s of the 20th Bomber Command in India also were in action today. A medium force probably 50 strong bombed industrial targets in the Singapore area for the sixth time. The 20th command attacked Kuala Lumpur, 200 miles north of Singa pore Saturday. Superfortresses which struck at Nagoya, Japan's third largest city with 1,400,000 inhabitants, caught the defenders offguard by bombing from 5,000 instead of the customary 20,000 feet. Le May said the Japan ese lacked automatic weapons for use against low-altitude raiders. No fighter opposition was report ed. Anti-aircraft fhe was weak at first, but increased as the raid wore on. Losses were not announced im mediately. Tokyo claimed 17 of the big planes had been shot down and more than 50 damaged. Pfc Wayne Gorton In Louisiana Pft. Wayne Gorton, who has been stationed on the west coast as a member of the coast artillery, has been transferred to Camp Living ston, Louisiana, where he will un dergo a six weeks strenous training. Pfc. Gorton has been transferred to the infantry and after his course of study at camp will be probably sent to another station. Mrs. Gorton and infant daughter, who have been visiting in Omaha, have returned to the homo of her parents, Mr. and Mrs, Glenn VaL lery in tis city. VS1T3 AT PAPILLION Miss Ai.n Louise Herold, cf New York Ory, who is visiting here at the homo of her grandmother, Mrs. Henry Herold, was a guest cer the week enu at Pjpillion, of Miss Mar ion Brown. .