The Daily Alaska empire Newspaper, August 1, 1945, Page 1

THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE VOL. LXV., NO. 10,028 RECORD AERIAL AR " BIG3MEETIS DRAWINGTO (LOSETODAY Truman fo Fly—to England Tomorrow-Rendezvous at Sea with King Tl e BULLETIN—POTSDAM, Aug. 1. = Pry t Truman, Premier Stalin and Prime Minister Att- lee tonight concluded the chart- ing of their joint foreign policies for. the months and perhaps years- to come with special re- ference to the Far Eastern hos- tilities and reconstruction of Egqrope. There still was no announce- ment, however, that all confer- ence formalities had been ended. The three leaders held a long plenary session this afternoon. A fleet of transport planes wait- ed on a nearby airfield as they moved through the closing form- alities, A communique on the Berlin conference is not scheduled for release until Friday in Wash- ington, Moscow and London. POTSDAM, Aug. 1-An indication that the “Big Three” Conference at Potsdam was drawing: to a close came today with the announcement that President Truman will fly to England tomorrow to meet King QOeorge VI before returning to the Upited ' States. There was gpeculation that the meeting. today of Truman, Prime ter Attlee and Premier Stalin it be thelr last before the ad- fnment of the wanference,. Ros- - Truman, \accompanied by Secre- tary of State James F. Byrnes and Atm. Willlam D. Leahy, will ar- tive at an ufispecified British air- port and proceed to Plymouth where they will board the U. S. Cruiser Augusta, s British an- nouncement said. King George will embark on H. M. 8. Renown, and both ships will steam out for a réndezvous at sea. It was expected that the results of the “Big Three” Conference would be announced in a joint communtfue to be released simul- | taneously in London, Washington | and Moscow. The conference’s sur- | vival of the defeat of Winston Churchill’'s Government apparently demonstrated the ‘solid ' foundation for the decisions which had been reached. e ; - REQUEST BY NEWSMEN BERLIN, -Aug. 1 — 8Sixty-three Allied correspondents covering the “Big Three"* Conference voted last n’gm to serid letters to President Truman, Prime Minister Attlee and Premier Stalin requesting a press conference -with them or their Foreign Seeretaries. The Washington Merry - Go- Round * By DRFW PEARSON Lt. Col. Robert 8. Allen x-‘n active service with the ). WASHINGTON-This column has sometimes reported the weird ac- tfvities of the dilettante detectives from ‘Wall Street who warm chairs in, Gen.. Bill, Donovan's office of Strategic Seérvice (oh so secret). In contrast we have praised the heroic work of young offickrs who risked their lives abroad. Here is one example of OS8 bravery which now can be revealed. Shortly before the Nazis invaded Hungary more than a year ago, a peace feeler reached the . Allies from the Hungarian General Staff, It was evident that certain Hun- garian Army. leaders wan to make a deal with the Allies rather than be engulfed by the Nazis. So three American OBS officers parachuted into Hungary to talk peace. They were: Col. Florimond Duke, former advertising manager of Time Magazine, 50 years old, and who never before had made a parachute jump; Maj. Albert Suarez of Peoria, Ill, and Lt. Guy Nunn of Los Angeles. They contacted the Hungarian General Staff, but it was too late. The Nazis wefe just outside Buda- “ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME” JUNEAU, ALASKA, AY, AUGUST |, 1945 MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS FEAR FOR LIFE OFLAVAL WHEN REACHES PARIS Four Airfields and Fresnes Prison Are Under ; Special Guard BULLETIN—PARIS, Aug. 1. — Pierre Laval arrived by plane at Le Bourget Airficld from the Aus- trian city of Innsbruck late today and was taken immediately to Fresnes Prison, it was announced at the trial of Marshal Petain. The Former Chief of the Vichy Government, who surrendered to American authorities in Austria {after he was ousted from refuge in Spain yesterday, was accom- panied by his wife. PARIS, Aug. 1 — Fears that Frenchmen liberated from Nazi horror camps might break through police lines if they knew where they could lay hands on Pierre Laval were expressed by a French: ;pokeuman as Laval's arrival from| nnsbruck was awaited today. Mobile guards surrounded four |airfields .and Fresnes Prison here, to prevent any possible disorders. The spokesman said he himself had | not been told where Laval would be landed. | Laval was handed over to French | pffjcers last night by Americans; of the Sixty-Fifth Division. i “Laval gave me the impression he' was a tired old man,” said Capt. Robert C. Woodbury, Fort Worth, Texas, who talked with| Laval and his wife after they, landed. He sald they were shabbily jdressed and camera shy as Ameri- ¢an_ Signal Corps photographers $10,000 in ‘American bills. .The two Luftwaffe men who x.»uowd the plane were jailed over protests they had been assured be- | fore leaving that the Americans| would permit them to return to Spain. TAX COMMITTEE FINDING SURVEY 100 BIG A TASK James Larsen Is Chosen as Third Member of Group Making Survey John Reck, council appointee, spokesman for the Committee of Three that today began a check on property assessments, from which recommendations to the| Board of Equalization are to be | made, this afternoon gave. his opinion that the job confronting the committee is too big to be ac- complished in the short time before ithe board hearings. The third member of the com- mittee, selected by agreement of Mr. Reck and Walter Sharpe, Tax- payers’ representative, is James Larsen, local building cantractor, | - “It would take five or Six months jof work to straighten out this mess,” Mr. Reck stated, referring to the records of the new assessment. “We have only five days” He de- clared that the committee can hope only to study recommendations for correction’ of only the grossest in- equities. | It would be far simpler for the! council to entirely disregard the| new evaluation and work from thef 1 r assessment rolls in setting taxes, Mr. Reck concluded. SGT. ROBINSON 1S HOME ON FURLOUGH | | | i Sgt. Elliott Robertson of the Fourth Air Force, U. S. Army, ar- i Monday from his base at S Tf. for a week's visit wi s, Mr. and Mrs. R. E. *his is his first visit to e his entrance into th t three years ago. n _expects to return| Monday and to go| place in the Pacfic, arrival at the air- | by ey so | ba —————— 'of France in November, |turn to the essential facts of the | tion | glove with Laval, his No. 1 man/| {emmunition belts. ADM.LEAHY TO DEFENSE OF PETAIN Letter of U. . Chief of Staff Read at Marshal's Trial in Paris PARIS, Aug. 1—Adm. Willlam Leahy, Chief of Staff to Président Trumad, expressed the belief that Marshal Petain always acted in the best interests of France in a letter read. today at the treason trial of¥the old soldier. 3 As read in court, the letter of Leahy, who is attending the “Big Three” Conference at Potsdam, ex- pressed “high regard” for Petain and sald that he was unable to ap- pear as a witness because of his position. He had been U. 8. Am- bassador to the Vichy Regime of Marshal Petain until the Germans took over the unoccupied portions 1942, when North Africa was invaded. The old soldier’s counsel said also that Pierre Laval, described yes- terday as Petain's “evil genius,” would be summoned as a witness. As Gen. Maxime Weygand re- turned for further cross examina- tion, bearded Prosecutor _Andre Mornet demanded that ‘“we re- Petain trial” and avoided 2 repeti- of yesterday's session when ‘Weygand, Petain and Former Pre- mier Paul Reynaud engaged in bitter recriminations. Attorneys for Petain, chlrgmq vdth'wl;doemuem with Germany tended that Iaval Whs résponsible for the .Vichy Regime's policy of collaboration with the Germans ond hope that his testimony will save the aged marshal from a death sentence. The prosecution, on the other hand, has been maintaining throughout the eight days of the trial that Petain worked hand and and Chief of Government, in col- laboration with the Nazis. News that the swarthy, long- fugitive Laval had arrived in Aus- tria from Spain and- surrendered was communicated to: court offi- cials and attorneys yesterday after- noon by the Associated Press and | it sent most of them scurrying off for hurried consultations. 10 DISSOLVE TWELFTHUSS. ARMY GROUP ‘WIESBADEN, Germany, Aug. 1.— The Twelfth U. 8. Army Group— greatest war machine in the history of American arms—will be dissolved tonight. Under command of Gen. Omar N. Bradley, the Twelfth, numbering|* 1,233,000 men in the field, fought across France, the low countries,! Luxembourg and deep into Germany, aceupying 55,000 square miles—al- most-one-third.of the nucleus of the Greater Reich—when ‘he Germans surréndered. 3 % During ‘a year of f{ighting, the Twelfth suffered 416406 battle cas- ualties—74,237 dead, 609 woupd- ed and 44,660 listed as missing or taptured. e Bradley's troops durifig the same period captured 2,500,000 German troops and killed or wounded an es- timated half million. — TERRITORIAL GUARD MEET The regular weekly meeting of the Juneau Unit of the Territorial Guard will be held W even- ing at the Mendenhall Rifle Range. ‘The program for the evening will be rapid-fire practice on the 200 and 300-yard ranges. Members are requested to report in coveralls and be equipped with rifles and ‘Transportation will be arranged in the usual manner. All members eva nrged to be present at this meeting, PPN O CATHERINE GILCHRIST HERE ADA i “ERAGFCONMON _STATEHOOD G 0 .FOR ALASKA " 15 BIG ISSUE Chairman mabor Party| Congressional Committee, Talks Qut-First Task, Defeat of Japan ' Now Northbound, Out- lines Program LONDON, Aug. 1—Prof. Harold J. Laski, Chairman of the Labor Party’s National Executive Commit- ATTLE, Aug. 1.—The study of hood possibilities for Alaska and other matters concerning the Terri- tee,” proclaimed today “the era of the common man" in Britain. He sald in an interview that tory will be undertaken by a Con- sional Committee on Territor- which, with a Congressional labor's sweeping victory in the general election held as much eco- ds Committee, which left today Alaska, Rep. Peterson (D-Ga), nomic and social significance as the emergence of the middle class in England in the 1830's. “This is the arrival of the people in power,” Laski stated. irman of the Territories Commit- said. e Committee ‘on Roads will sty the Alaska Military Highway. . Ernest H. Gruening of Alaska “We are now prepared to give the little man—within the frame- the delegations here and will travel back with them. work of the British Constitution— America has “a big investment in all the progressive change that he that Alaska Highway,” sald Rep. Jen- requires.” Laski spoke with authority, for nings Randolph (D-W. Va.), “and we want to see that we make the he heads the policy-making com- mittee of the Labor Party. On foreign policy, he said: miost of it. % ¥There can be an extension of the Alaska Military Highway: south,” he “Our first great task is the utter defeat of the Japanese.” asserted. “This part of the country is the natural outlet.” — e 9 P-80s fo Hi i s 'o l' Rive members of the two commit- tces met here yesterday with mem- of Governor Wallgren's advis- ja S' New Je' ory commission to the Alaska High- [ m Committee, with' the . latter ip urging early. construction of plane Shown ;the exlafinrz" continental highway {oystem &t ince Rupert, B/\C, . "V irby Billihgsley of w-n&m . WASHINGTON, Aug. 1.—The Air chgirman,of the Advisory Commis- Torce 4 teady to show the' Japs 'siol, declared, “The Western route hew jet plane-~the P80—which .can is"335.miles shorter to Fairbenks via fly more than 550 miles an hour and 'gpokane, from any point east, of more than 45000 feet high. .|Great Falls, Mont., than the Alcan ‘The “Shooting Star” was unveiled road.” dor newspapermen yesterday. | “In addition,” he said, “the wes- . Makers say they have overcome tern route runs through a habitable the range limitations which narrow- |arca all the way, inviting settlement ed the usefulness of:German jet a5 soon as made accessiblé, ‘and « for Cl ted Highway, near Whitechorse, Y.T. and fighters by placing jettisonable tanks| that settlement will justify perman- | at the P80's wing tips and employ- 'ent maintenance of the road when ing a more economical gas turbine. | puilt.” The P80, armed with six 50-caliber| Donald MacDonald, Seattle, an- machine guns fn: the nose, has a other member of the commission, wing span of 38 feet, 10% inches,|said the western connection would and weighs 8,000 pounds or 14,000 ccst roughly $13,000,000, declaring a gonnecting link between the Alaska | HIT) 1,546 SHIPS OF JAPANESE - ARE WRECKS | Thirteen Hfired Planes ‘Wrecked or Damaged ~Just Beginning By Morrie Landsberg (Assoclated Press War Correspondent) GUAM, Aug. 1—Combined ca'n'ler and land-based plane . attacks cost Japan by conservative, official Japanese propaganda broadcasts,|accounts, at least 1,546 ships and becoming daily more tense as B-29 ' small craft sunk or damaged in and Navy attacks mount “In' fury. her home waters in July and more “We are enduring the impossible, than 1300 of her warplanes de- with grinding teeth and clenched stroyed or wrecked—but that is just fists, when wé see enemy planes a beginning. penetrating our homeland and' Adm. Halsey's Third Fleet carrier proudly flying over our heads” planes, including some 250 British cry the Nipponese propagandists. |aircraft, alone destroyed or dam- The horror that there must be aged 1035 Japanese ships and today in once - proud Tokyo is np-‘small craft in 21 days of almost parent in another broadcast which'ceaselpss assaults with torpedoes, described matter-of-factly how the|bombs, rockets and 50 caliber bul- great majority of remaining Tokyo lets. They accounted for 1,278 air- vesidents, living underground, “de- craft, most of which were caught sire to be provided with the mini-|on the ground. mum amount of goods and services| Halsey's force reduced remnants necessary for subsistence.” of the Japanese fleet to a shambles A picture of thousands of in-/—99 warships sunk or heavily dam- jured hovering in dark under-!eged, including three disclosed to- grount shelters doubtless prompted day. the broadcasters to all: “the Land-based alrcraft in Admiral goods of which they are in great Nimitz’ command sank another 85 need are medicines essential to the vessels, mostly freighters and cargo maintenance of life in air-faid ships, and damaged 176 and de- shelters.” | stroyed or damaged 53 Japanese Although Japan's propaganda planes, an Assoclated Press tabula- Situation Is Most Tense In Nip Land Propaganda Broadcasts Reveal Horror of Na- tionals as Bombs Fall (Associated Press Correspondent) GUAM, Aug. 1—The terror of life| in a land writhing and burning be- neath the greatest bombardment of all time is reflected fully in machine gives a Pollyanna ending tion of his communiques showed. to every story of persohal injury,' The Far East Air Forees im- tragedy glares through. There is mobilized °250 Japasese ships ' or |$’ux$.n:& m | his after they, beégat 'operating- home and all his possessions fn & Okinawa bases early in July, Gen: +B-20 raid, he got to see some raid- MacArthur's. communique said to- ers crash and that was worth' the day. p, A |price of admission. And, he added, The totals include "next time he saw a B-29 crash he of barges, luggers anfl other small |wouldn't have to pay any admis- Craft but exclude many com- sion price—because he had nothing munique repors of “several” or “a left to pay. number of” vessels sunk or dam- Another picture that shone aged. They also exclude the num- through the broadeasts: Once- ber of Japanese planes wrecked by wealthy officials of the Hanshin the FEAF, by B:20's of by B-20- Iron. and Steel Corporation in escorting -Mustangs, figures for Tokyo creeping. by night to the Which are not avallable. . charred ruins of their factory to July was just a pre-invasion be- many scores| with maximum fuel load. ‘Sittang River Bend Battle Nearing End CALCUTTA, Aug. 1.—The Battle la connection of the Alcan highway |at Dawson Creek, B. C., to the ex- |Isting continental system at Edmon- |ton, Alta., would “cost considerably imore.” | After . traveling to Juneau: by 1steam¢r. the Congressmen will fly to Anchorage, go either by air or highway to Fairbanks, and return salvage iron for the government ginning of the .devastation to be wrought on Japan, warned nearly every - comfmander in the Pacific, 'collection drive. The broadcast wasn't intended to depict the ruins and the furtive creeping about by Inight; it was Intended to urge (civilians to greater scrap-collecting efforts, Japan’s battlefront soldiers now are fighting . an easier war than of the Sittang River Bend in Bur-|along the Alaska highway to Edmon-|the homefolks, another broadcast ma, in which 6,000 Japanese have been killed, is approaching the clos- Ing stages, Southeast Asia Command Headquarters announced today. Aircraft joined in the attack yes- terday, scoring hits on mathine gun positions and destroying huts and buildings. Japs Screen Bomb Targefs with Allied Prisoners ‘WASHINGON, Aug. L-—Convln-! ced that Japan still screens bomb‘ targets with Allied prisoners, the ton, Alta. | Delegate E. L. Bartlett, of Alaska |accompanied the committees. The Territories Comimittee planned to spend a month in Alaska, while the | roads group will return after 10 days. | ! To Greet Party | Lew M. Williams, Secretary of | Alaska, and Lt. Warren M. Caro, | USCGR, Naval Aide to Gov. Ernest Gruening, were to leave Juneau {this forenoon aboard a Coast |Guard vessgl, bound ' for .Prince Rupert, B. C., where they are to greet members of two Congressional Committees now enroute to Alaska. Gov. Gruening flew to Seattle reveals: “It is soldiers in the front lines that are sending comfort bags ,to folks at home. ‘Hold that line, mother’ is the battle cry of every Japanese soldier.” | Another broadcast was intended to be funny—but the grim plight of Japan was clearly drawn. } ! “A night packed with burning (had ended,” it saild, “and groups, of ' war victims assembled on the| school grounds,” when a magician' attempted to lift their spirits by his tricks. He produced six egg” out of the air—but ‘the people began to beg for the eggs, and he Imchlnenxed by séa or air. and Radio Tokyo said Hnluy’t‘l Fleet still prowled off Honshu, where it already has spend 22 days, Lt. Gen, Barney M. Giles, Deputy Commander of the U. 8. Army Strategic Air Force, said today that B-29's would step up their tempo “until the war lords are forced into unconditional surrender.” He promised 8,000-ton bomb raids by forces of 1,200 Superforts. > NEW GOVERNOR GENERAL NAMED FOR CANADIANS LONDON, Aug. 1.—Field Marshal| had to explain that they woren'trslr Harold Alexander, who exmut-: real. ed Britain's overwhelmed forces: DRt o from Dunkerque and Burma and led 'State Department today awaited eon.flus'. week end to join the Con- firmation of a Tokyo radio repor“gressionnl groups there. He will re- that Americans died in the bombing | turn north with them. ; of Kawasaki July 26. | The combined party, which Is The Department” disclosed last accompanied by several other Fed- night that it had requested verifica- | eral officials, is to arrive at Prince tion by the Swiss government and Rupert by . Canadian - National International Red Cross. In an ac- | Steamer. It will there board a U, 8. companying statement, it dmounced‘Army vessel for transportation to “the persistent and methodical prac- Juneau, with stops scheduled at tice of the Japanese government in| Ketchikan, Metlakatla, Wrangell, locating prisoners of war in camps| Petersburg and Kake, enroute. in areas subject to bombardment.” | The party is to arrive at. Ket- chikan Priday evening. According ta - advices received Mla" ‘rms 'o k jhcre today, ‘Reép. '.Innés P! clan, | (D-Conn.), member of the House Released, Civilians | Territorles. ‘Committes, s not .to make the Alhska. trip, 88 previously WASHINGTON, Aug. 1—All| small arms, except 12-guage shot-! cnnounced. — e guns and revolvers using 38-caliber | guns wnd revalvers using 3-catver| STOCK QUOTATION for sale to. civilians immediately. e Announcing this today the war| NEW YORK, Aug. 1 — Closing Production Board said those to M}quomunn on Alaska-Juneau Mine released include 16-guage pump and stock today is 6%, American Oan automatic, shotguris, automatic pis- 98 Anaconda 33, Curtiss-Wright tols and rifles. €%, International Harvester 81%, —————— Kennecott 37%, New York Central KIRK FAMILY IN TOWN 26%, Northern Pacific 28, U. 8. "Perpefual’”’ Basis {For Fishing in Alaska Is Urged SEATTLE, Aug. 1~—~Vernon H. {Mund, University ol Washington professor who visl Alaska for the War Labor Boaf(l, says length- ening of the Aldska Salmon fishing ceason would bé. a boon to the Tesritory. He added that Alaska Fishermen desire better houseing fachities, higher Prices for eatches land increased hourly wages. tory, Mund said, 15 the seasonal character of work. A “perpetual” basis for fishing should be estab- lished, he said D e RANKIN HERE John Rankin, of Anchorage, 1s a guest at the Gastineau Hotel. B BURKE ARRIVES Main labor problemidn the Terri-! ithu epic comebacks from El Alamein, has been apflointed Canada's 17th QGovernor-General. ‘Thé 54-year-old Allied Comman- | der-insChief of the Mediterranean | theatre was chosen by King George | VI, Buckingham Palace announced, {to succeed the King's uncle, Lord Athlone, 71, whose normal term "\ Governor-General expired last June. | 1n ottawa, Prime Minister W. L.| Mackenzie King said the appoint-| ment of Field Marshal Alexander as Governor-General “will ‘be warmly| welcomed in all parts of our coun- jtry and by none more than by the‘ | members of Canada’s armed forces, many of whom served under his command.” - i JACKSON IN JUNEAU | | Roy Jackson, of Seattle, arrived, lon the Princess Louise yesterday |afternoon and is at the Baranof Hotel. i NEW BOARDERS | AR | Willlam Johnson, drunk and dis- {orderly, and Lola Deveney, dis- PRICE TEN CENTS JAP CITIES 6,000 TONS FIRE BOMBS ~ SENT DOWN Sentem‘eM“D;a?h Carried Out by Savage Attack of Gianf Bombers GUAM, Thursday, Aug. 2 — A record aerial armada of 800 forts carrying 6,000 tons of en- diary and high explosive 'bombs— probably the greatdst bomb load ever carried In a single mission— executed the sentence of death by fire’ on four Japanese citles early today. ot Taking off from their Marianas bases late on the thirty-eighth an- niversary of the American Alr Forces, the glant bombers struck savagely soon after midnight of Wednesday at the war centers of Mito, Hachioff, Nagaoka and To- vama, all on Honshu, and pe- troleum installations ‘at Kawasaki, near Tokyo. This greatest of all bombing mis- sions came barely 24 hours after more than 1,000,000 Japanese were warned to evacuate 12 cities or The highest firevious nmber Superforts engeging In a mission was Than Any in Hawail ' i%—A business sald here the . Territory of Alaska held far better SEATTLE, A man from Ha opportunities than' his+own isles. Frederick D. Lewers and Copke, ., Honolulu, came to u-m:'r*"&ue building materials for Yirm. * “Practically our fertile land is already oultivation,” he said, “whereas are virtually un- limited possibilifiés of expansion in Alaska if the _can adapt them- selves to the A < DEPI. LAST EVE AT Juneau Volunteer Piremen were last evening called to the assistance of a sinking scow, but on arrival found too ‘much Of the bay already in the barge to imake it worthwhile to man the pumps. ‘The covered barge, owned by J. V. Cole, was being logded at the Juneau Lumer Mills with box shooks to be transported to the Sebastian-Stuart Cannery at Tyee. When about half loaded it developed a leak and com- menced to submerge. A tug, which was standing by the barge during the loading, later tow- ed the swamped scow to the mouth of Gold Creek, where it was beach- cd for repair. None of the cargo was stowed within suniit ¢ pest; two days later they took over ARRIVES Catherine,. Gilehrist, of Prince| Mr. and Mrs. Van G. Kirk and|Steel 67%, Pound 4.03%. | William J. Burke, of Ketchikan,|orderly conduct, were meted out the city. The three OSS men were taken prisoner, — (Continued on Page Four) shlppedwflunearmm i Tenakee, is'in.Ju- Hc Rupert, B. C., boarded the Princess |daughter, Jacqueline, ‘of Highland, Louise at Ketchikan to arrive in' Park, IlL, arrived on ' the Princess the Baranof Hotel, guests at the Baranof Hotel. Sales today were 650,000 shares. Dow, Jones averages today are as st at the Gastineau'Juneau yesterday. She is a guest at Iouise yesterday afternoon and are’ follows: Industrials, 162.72; ratls, 57.22; utilities, 32.55. is a guest at the Baranof Hotel. ” — et here this morning. The latter re- C. D. Payne, of Ketchikan, is a' ceived 30 days, Johnson 10 days in guest at the Baranof Hotel. the City Jail. Y | jail senterces in City Police Court|.’ Calif,,