The Daily Alaska empire Newspaper, April 30, 1945, Page 1

HE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE “ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME” VOL. LXIV., NO. 9949 JUNEAU, ALASKA, MONDAY, APRIL 30, 1945 MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS PRICE TEN CENTS BATTLE FOR BERLIN NOW AT CLIMAX Former Italzan Duce Killed By Shot in Head MUSSOLINI EXECUTED BY FIRING SQUAD; 18 OTHERS DIE WITH HIM MUSSOLINI . . . DICTATOR | By George Palmer | (Associated Press Correspondent) | MILAN, TItaly, April 30 — Spat | upon and cursed, the body of | Benito Mussolini was the object to-| day of the vengeful wrath of the Italian people. The former Italian Dictator, his | heautiful Zs-yesr-old mism:ss- | “leaders . EX- DICTATOR MUSSOLINI . . the lifeless form. Another punched the once-famed jutting jaw. Mussolini was shot through the head by the Partisans after he was captured Friday by a Sergeant [appmaching the Swiss border. He| |and the other Fascist leaders were leeing in a truck convoy. Mussolini avas garbed in a G NEW CRISIS DEVELOPSAT CONFERENCE 'Relations Between Three Big Powers Teefer Again on Rim BULLETIN — SAN FRAN- CISCO, April 30—First reports of the closed meeting of the Executive Committee said invi- tations were approved for Ar- gentina, White Russia and the Ukraine to join the United Na- tions Conference. These reports did not specify what, if any, disposition had been made of the Russian ar- gument that the Warsaw Gov- ernment of Poland had fully as much right to an invitation as Argentina. Action of the Executive Com- mittee, composed of representa- tives of 14 countries, ameunts to recommendations to the Steering Committee, which went into session immediately after the executive group finished | work. One delegate reported Russia | did not raise the Polish ques- tion before the Executive Com- mittee, though this did not, of course, preclude renewing ol the | i i | Yanks and Russians Joinf at Iorgau 9) Russian and American soldiers, carrying their respective flags advance after their junciure at the Elbe River near Torgau, where the Yanks crossed the river in small beats. from right, commander of the 69th Infantry Di (AP “’ireph:)m from & unit invoived in the link-up. Maj. Gen. Emil F. Reinhardt, third on, talks with the commanding general of the Russian ;zn.ll (n|n~ r'\rlmphnlo from London) fBATTlE AT - MUNICHIS HARD ONE Five Divisions Engaged Against Nazis Under Murderous Fire PARIS, April 30—The American Ninth Army established another contact with Russian forces three miles west of Wittemberg, creating a small new pocket, untenable by the Germans, between their dim- inishing southern and northern re- | doubts. Meanwhile, a hard battle is in | progress in the south for Munich, birthplace of the Nazi Party and | the largest German city yet en- tered by Americans. | Five divisions of the American Seventh Army, probably 70,000 men in all, are engaged in a stiff battle on the fringes of Munich, where Hitler staged his abortive Putsch | in a beer hall, back in 1923. i Bore Inwo Capital Despite the murderous fire poured jon them from batteries of anti-| aircraft which were leveled for use as field artillery, the Forty-Second, Forty-Fifth, Third, Fourth and/ Twentieth Armored Diyisions bored from J {into the Bavarian capital no NAZIS ARE HEMMED IN SMALL AREA Marshals Mov, Konev Preparing for All-Out May Day Viclory PARIS—April 30 — American Ninth and First Armies joined the Russians in two new places, trapping an undisclosed number of Germans between Berlin and Leipzig, virtually surrounding all enemy troops between Berlin and the Elbe River in a pocket 85 miles long. Fourth Division and Ameri- can Seventh fought inside Mu- nich, within two miles of the heart of the city. By 7 p. m, German resistance had become “light to moderate.” The Sixth Army Group, in a statement, caid that the Ninth Army con- tacted the Russians at Appolen- dorf on the North Bank of the Elbe, just three miles west of Wittenberg. The First Army met the Russians at Witten- berg itself. Other Ninth Army troops on the Elbe River North of Magdeburg and 85 miles northwest of Wittenberg are only 10 -llu from the Russians \man officer’s coat and was dfivifg Amemans, Russlans Exlend Hands Across Elbe an pa- ] zzergere, | near Como, Saturday afternoon. | Also taken prisoner was Musso- | lini's War Minister, Rudolfo Gra- ziapi. Mussolini and his followers were attempting to flee to Swit-| zerland. Graziani declared he ! sought to give himself up. There was no formal trial, after the executions at 4:10 p. m. the bodies were piled into a truck | and ‘brought to Milan for public exhibitign. ¥ésterday, the corpse of the 61| year-old former dictator was hung by the heels in the Piazza Quindici Martiri in Milan. By his side was | the body of his rmistress, blood smared across her breast. Flanking them on both sides were the bodies | of five other Fascist leaders. Spit Upen Body Angry Milan citizens pushed and shoved against the Partisans guaxd— | ing the bodies. Some succeeded in | breaking through and spitting upon 11 Duce's body. One man emptied the chp or hls aubomauc plstol into The Washmgmn Merry - Go- Round By DREW PEARSCN k. cor. Rovers 8. Allcn now oa active service witn the Army.' and { SAN FRANCISCO—Despite jam- packed: hotels, Roosevelt was wise when he picked this city as the| meeting place for the United Na- tions Conference, for San Francisco is the symbol of the courage of the Aserican people. QGutted by one of the worst fires in puwry hopeless’ San Francisco bounced back to become one of our great American cities and host to a’ conference which seeks to re- store hope to a hopeless world—the world today, gutted and war-torn, is no worse off than San Francisco after the earthquake of 1906. Yet it . came back—Europe and Asia, if they take a lesson from the City of the Golden Gate, can do the s‘np—there is a zippy atmosphere | here which inspires diplomatic en- | ergy. None of the stodgy defeatism of Geneva, Versailles or Paris. Even Washington is getting too blase, too old ‘worldish for a successful inter- national conference. Delegates take on the spirit of the city which surrounds them. The pressure of newspapers, the radio, the local welcoming committees, even the taxi drivers and hotel people can help to spur success. When delegates know that an eager anxious city plus an eager anxious, nation is watching them, depending . on them, they think twice before going home empty-handed. mln -Americans have a word for e e e L (Continued on_Page ¥our) | north - when ‘the Sergeant spotted im. He spent Friday night in a cell | at San' Dimingo Prison in Como. | He was reported in a terrible state of agitation, and made ,attempts to strike up conversations with his guands Last Quotes “Why is no one here to defend | me?” he was quoted as saying. Later he was reported to have told the men | shot, “save my life and I will give you an empire.” He died shouting “No! no!” to the firing squad, eye-witnesses re- i counted. The bullet that killed him the | entered from the back in manner preseribed by Italian tradi- | tion for dishonored persons. PURGES START MILAN, April 30—The execution lof Mussolini has touched off a are being ferreted out and shot. EXECUTION OKEYED ROME, April 30 — The Italian government, through its Commis- sioner for the Punishment of War Crimes, today endorsed the action of Italian patriots in the execution of Benito Mussolini. Fathered Fascism The Italian peasant who was Be- nito Mussolini flashed to world fame as the father of a political system over which nations fought around the world. For nearly 20 years the founder of Fascism took the balcony spotlight which was taken away when a German house ;pamwr imitating the Fascist sys- 'tem. forged a mightier totalitarian machine and Mussolini took a back seat from. then on. Between 1922 and 1942, the plump man with the bull neck imposed his will on more than 40,000,000 | people, holding them in line with his army. His downfall began when he cast | his lot with Hitler in the birth of the Rome-Berlin Axis. Mussolini plunged Italy into the second world conflict by jumping on already- defeated France. From that time on, Italy knew what war could be like. Tremendous damaging air raids by the British, later by the Americans, contributed to the low- ering morale of the Italians, and ’the Italian Armies failed to measure jup to the boasts of their leader. Eventually came the Allied North African campaign, Sicily and Italy ernment. Mussolini was rescued by German paratroopers. Son Of Blacksmith Mussolini, son of a blacksmith, was born July 29, 1883. He is said to have had a hard boyhood and (Continued on Page Five) who ordered him | purge of Fascists, and other leaders | {his frequent balcony addresses and | and the collapse of the Italian gov- | SAN FRANCISCO, Cl]lL,(Aprll W — British-American-Russiah rela- tions teetered on the rim of another crisis with the Polish issue again building up behind the scenes of the | United Nations Conference. Efforts of the Latin American Na jto ‘Argentina to join the conference appeared to'be forcing a showdown |at this time. i Some conference leaders are pri- vately fearful of the deadlock with! Molotov. It is reported he told his' Big Power Colleagues that Stettin- ous, Eden and Soong will be willing to have Argentina invited if the also asked to send a'delegation here. | China is opposed to this plan. Latin- | American strategists propose that either Chile or Brazil, both of which | have members on the Executive | Committee, make the proposal (o add Argentina.to the membership | conference. The real production machinery of |the Conference will be thrown into | | high gear this week with the crgan- ization meeting of the four big com- missions designed to put the Dum- barton Oaks plan into final shape. These are Commissions on: ll) General Provicions--The main | (Cantlnued :m Punz Elym) 4 ! | | § 3 A. W. CORBUS PASSES ON INOAKLAND A. W. Corbun, Secretary of the | Alaska Electric 'Light and Power Company, died in Oakland, Cali- fornia, last Saturday and funeral services will be held tomorrow from the Albert Brown Mortuaty in that city. H leaves a "widow, Mrs. Peggy Corbus, in Oakland; a son, Capt. Johnson Corbus, a graduate of An- inapolis Naval Academy, and now located at Pear] Harbor, United States Submarine Base; another son, Bill Corbus, a former Captain of Stanford University football team an an All-American halfback for two years, now Assistant Manager of the Atlanti¢c and Pacific Tea Company in San Franeisco. At one time, Mr. Corbus was Superintendent of the Wild Goose {Mining Company in Nome, Alaska, and Assistant Superintendent of the Alaska Treadwell Gold Mining Com- pany. He was a Blue Lédge Mason, 32nd degree Mason and a Scottish Rite member of the Shrine Temple in Oakland. # tiops to have an invitation issued Warsaw Government of Poland is = f | at Dachau, near Munich, was cap- | Kl Infantrymen cf United States First Army (left) extended hands Yo Russians (right) on a broken bridlc over the Elbe River as soldiers of the two Allied nations met at Torgau, Germany, to cut the Reich in two. (AP Wirephom via sign:l Corps radio) ESKIMO BILL C(ONFESSESTO GIRLSLAYING SEATTLE, April 30.—King Coun- ty Prosecutor Lloyd Shorett will confer today: with police investigat- | ors to secure all possible evidence of | Joe Bill, whom he said had con-| fessed the slaying of five-year-old | Irma Irene McGough a week ago | yesterday. The Eskimo, sought for nearly a week on a Justice Court warrant charging first degree murder, gave | himself up Saturday. The prosecutor said Bill's Confes-‘ sion was ‘“complete” but that he wished to secure all available mater- ial before filing Superior CGourt | charges. NAVY BEATS HARVARD FIRST RACE OF SEASON BOSTON, April 30.—The Navy crew beat Haryard by two lengths | in_the first Eastern.college regatta of the season on the Charles River. 'EARTH SHAKESIN PAC. NORTHWEST SEATTLE, April 30—Ap earth- uake, described by the Unlverswy ‘oi Washington geologists as prob- ably “local” in origin, rocked the Pacific Northwest shortly after | 1:15 p. m. yesterday. No damage is reported. The temblor was probably felt physically for about a minute, al- | though the Uhiversity seismograph | continued fo register the vibrations for’ approximately eight minutes. Reports of the shock came from as far as Spokane, south to Port- |land and north to Victoria. > Jean Bunnell Is Boostedin WAVES BAN FRANCISCO, April 30 — A | University ‘President’s: daughter has | | become the second-ranking WAVE at the Treasure Island Naval Base. She is Lt. Jean Bunnell, daughter of President Charles E. Bunnell of | the University of Alaska. Promotion to Lieutenant boosted her into the second ranking position among | WAVEs at the base | _ DAVAOUNDER ATTACK FROM NAVY VESSELS 'Two Infantr;fivisions Are Close fo Port-Airfield Is Seized MANILA, April 30.—Light United | States Naval units, appearing for the first time on Davao Gulf, shelled Japanese shore installations at Davao on Saturday, as two Infantry Divisions drove toward the big Min- danao Island port by road. The aixfield on the western shore | of Davao Gulf;, south of Digos, was seized by the Twenty~fourth Division | quickly and put into operation. U. S. Infantrymen are within 25| miles from Davao by highway after| a sweep across southern Mind#nao from the Moro Gulf beachhead. —l e The green coloring matter of I plants is called chlorophyall. Brenner P‘u, and are now withi about 1256 miles of Allied Armies in Italy, while German reports say . another junction is imminert be- tween 'the American Third Army | (and Russian forces in Austria. Last-Minute Rush ‘The Joining of the Ninth Army ’nnd Russian forces, east of Dessau .yin the Dresden-Leipzig area, was| | accompanied by a last-minute rush | of terrorized Germans attempting | to flee across the Elbe River into ‘Amerlcan lines southeast of Barby, where patrols have been going back | and forth from the Elbe for 10 | days. Twice patrols have been| | halted by accepting too manyi German prisoners. | Indications from Supreme Head-! quarters were that hostilities in Europe would 'last at most, only a | matter of days, with high-ranking | Nazi survivors reportedly seeking | peace, while the western Allies | drove swiftly through the southern jand northern redoubts. Thousands Are Freed .The notorious concentration camp tured by Third Army forces, free- lng 32,000 political and religious prlsoners, as well as American pris- oners of war. | Gen, Patton’s Third Army crossed | | the Isar River and beat down the 1last 65 miles toward Salzburg and |70 miles toward Berchtesgaden, | Nazi ieadquarters in the Alpine| | hideawey, while in the north the| British troops breached the loweri Elbe River and advanced within 20 miles east of Hamburg. | The Oslo radio, one of the last remaining mouthpieces of the? Reich, said Gen. Patton’s forces | are approaching Linz on the ed an Nazi-controlled Oslo Moscow reports nm& fall o( the capital Is 'lmmmmt. with Pravda reporting the Russians are fighiing in the ruins of Unter den Linden, spacious avenue in the heart of Berlin which ends in the Tiergarten, which earlier Moscow reports claim- ed the Russians were approaching. The Hamburg radio, chief Nazi transmitter still broadcasting from Germany, proclaimed the ‘hard battle for Berlin reached its climax - {today.” Moscow dispatches said Bh# al Zhukov and Marshal Konev, A manding the Red Armies in Berlin, are going all out for a May Day vic- = tory, and have thrown in a maximum of artillery and air W to reduce Nazi strongholds in”the center of the city. . Soviet dispatches from Berlin said the Nazis are now hemmed into a very small area made up roughly of the Tiergarten, and the Reich- stag district, and just to its north ‘Wilhelmstrasse, administrative quar- ters in the most crowded commercial districts centered on Unter den Lin~ den, running east from the Tier- garten. CAMPAIGN IN ITALY NEARS END Danube from the west, while Mar- shal Talbukhin is driving on from | the east. | The two armies established radio | lcontact last ,week, but have been operating under partial security | blackouts. ,‘ "END IS NEAR,” SAYS| NAZI COMMENTATOR | LONDON, April 30—Commenta- tors at Hamburg radio staticn, the only remaining voice of Nazi-Ger- |many, declared tonight: “Everybody | knows this war is drawing to an end and this is an irrevocab'e fact.” The commentator added: “The Drone of Battle might last some weeks long- er but it may end tomorrow.” This is the closest the Nazis have yet come to admitting publicly that the war is near its end. No Nazi transmitter has yet men- |German Armies Virfually Eliminated as Milifary Force, Says Clark BULLETIN—ROME, April 30 —American Fifth Army forces have entered Turin. The Four Hundred and Forty-Second Regiment, composed of Ameri- can {roops of Japanese ancestry entered the great industrial city of 620,000, and found it com- trolled by Italian Patriots. The Ninety-First Division and the Sixth South American Are mored Divisifn captured Tre- viso, 16 miles north of Venice. The American First Armored Division eaptured four German Generals. b — ROME, April 30 — Gen. Mark Clark, Fifteenth Army Group Com- mander’ in Jtaly, announced the long, bloody campalgn in Italy is virtually at an end, declaring Ger- tioned Himmler's reported surren- der offer. (C')ntm on Page Eight)