FORECAST . _ - ^ . Served By Leased Wire* JS.,nd cooler today with m“ 1 ft fi&Ttti4 • associated press Yesterday’s temperatures: III ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ |/ 7/ I Al I and the „igh. 75-Lew. 4- *4 4 4 44 444 4~V44 UNITED PRESS — - With Complete Coverage of —T-7-q State and National News - --WILMINGTON. N. C, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1945. FINAL EDITION-ESTABLISHED 1MT Marines Inch forward On lwo; Lose 5,372; Patton Crosse f Saar River At Two Points; 7,000 ^Allied Planes Hammer Nazi Railheads Third Ripping Across Reich; 30 Towns Fall JVfoselle-Saar Triangle Con quered In Whirlwind Offensive PARIS, Feb. 22.—GT’i—The ram paging U, S. Third Army broi:e across the Saar river at two points 65 miles from the Rhine today and completed a whirlwind conquest of Germany's 80-square-mile Moselle Saar triangle as 7,000 Allied war planes struck simultaneously at enemy rail lifelines. A field dispatch said Third Ar my officers and men were in high spirits as they ripped across West ern Germany's ramparts with a speed reminiscent of their historic dash in France, seizing the fortress city of Saarburg and 29 other Reich towns on a 55-mile front. Saarburg, once a thriving city of 10,000, was deserted save for 100 aged civilians. This powerful thrust 18 miles deep into the Reich collapsed all enemy resistance in the triangle and rammed a steel spearhead to a point five miles from Trier, for tified city of 88,000 population on the mountainous route to- the Rhine. While Trier’s battlements came under Lt. Gen. George S. Patton's guns, artillery to the south tore at the fortified hills into which the Germans had been chased east of the Saar river. The attackers were confident the enemy soon would be driven from these new positions. To the fury of the Ailied air at tack—a new technique under which swarms of battle planes unload their cargoes of destruction on com munications centers—was added the shock of two other Allied ar mies hammering at Germany’s first line of defense. Forty miles southeast of the Third Army, the U. S. Seventh Ar my capturde two-thirds of the French gateway city of Forbach, two miles from the Saar basin’s steel city of Saarbruecken. The Canadian First Army on the north end of the front captured Moyland and fought nearly to the edge of Calcar, bitterly-defended highway center two miles south east and 15 miles from Wesel in the western Ruhr industrial basin. Scottish Infantry severed the Goch-Uedem railway and were locked in a furious milling struggle two miles west of the latter town, which is a vital feeder point for the enemy on that sector of the front. On this spring-like day, the best flying day in months, five Allied forces pooled their planes in a u nique operation designed to par *l>ze all rail traffic in Germany and set the stage for the final big push from the east and west to «ush Hitler’s Reich. Enemy territory between the Eastern and Western fronts was divided into five sectors. Against d0 ta>'gets there the great air JeClS unleashed their bombs as Jmg artillery. Many targets were small, hitherto unbombed rail centers, whose importance have grown since many major rail points "ere erased. It took Lt. Gen. Patton's hard itmfe veterans just three days to op-up the triangle with a total of (r,.m°:'’uS, after breaking through lion m'"'b ? Siegfded Lme fortifica an’ d’ lhe southern base. In all e 70 towns have been *k„ ,. a11 along the front since Wim8 attack beSan Tuesday, to rev c f!vil,lg the Germans time sault K ,Uon s troops manned as river b°a, fhan(i crossed the Saar Saariv,! hm of newly-captured holds a I* Tbe ^bird Army now bank it i>mde stretch of the west its irnlttne Saar southward from ' 0np ftl0n Wlth the Moselle, rig tulnrCe7ent across near Ser of and a miles south ed across th, and the °thers forg‘ half tar*h! slream a mile and a Rodt. “ Cr soutb near Thaben 53. 7'ik- "f,aS c1l,king all along a Viciniiv northward to the Pruerr ard^6 fallen f°rtress of tnilec d ln Sams up to throe the German* ?Korab!y squeezing studded Eifel m th° f.ort>«c®ti°u of hammering" a‘;'llad armi? w.ecc line n?nhiaensyapa^St Representatives Rankin And Hook Clash In Fist Fight On Congress Floor Mississippi Lawmaker Strides to Opponent in Exception to Being Called a ‘Dirty Liar’; Hair Pulling But Few Punches; a Draw BY HOWARD FGIEGER WASHINGTON, Feb. 22.— > — Shouts of “Communist” and “liar” exploded into a fist fight between two Democratic Congressmen on the floor of the House of Repre sentatives today. The contest- _ ants: smaii, white - thatch ed John Rankin o f Mississippi, who shouted “C o m m u n ist,” and strap ping Frank E. Hook, New Dealer from Michigan, who retorted “liar.” (The official reporter got Hook’s remark as “God damn ed liar” but in the press gal lery above the fight most re Dorters heard it as “dirty liar.” In any event, the ugly word was stricken from the record. There wasn’t one good, solid blow landed but Rankin managed to get in several short jabs at The Principals WASHINGTON, Feb. 22.—(JP) Here afe some statistics on principals in today’s fight in the House of Representatives: Rep. John E. Rankin: Age. 63; weight, about 140; height, about 5 feet 8 inches (he says that’s with his hair standing up); Dem ocrat, born in Itawamba coun ty. Miss.; lawyer by profession. Rep. Frank E. Hook: Age, 52; weight, 195 (and I’m solid); height, about 5 feet 10 inches; Democrat, born in L’Anse Mich.; former professional wrestler; lawyer. Hook’s flushed face before other startled members separated them. As soon as the fight was over, talk of disciplinary action started. Although leaders hurried the House into adjournment to ward off fur t h e r flare-up, some D e m o crats spoke o 1 introducing a resolution to ex pel Hook when the House meets tomorrow. Reps. Cox (D Ga) and Smith (D-Va) told re porters, howev er, that the res olution would simply ask that Hook be cen sured tor his re mark. They said there was much Demo cratic s e n t i m +r» •Yrw&l the Michigan man but that they would advise against it. Cox predicted a resolution of censure aimed at Hook would be (Continued on Page t, Col. S) HOUSE APPROVES HARBOR MEASURE $500,000,000 Bill Would Provide Work On Local Port WASHINGTON, Feb. 22 —(#)— A $500,000,000 postwar Rivers and Harbors bill sailed through the House today in the wake of a fist fight that smothered an interest in controversial projects. Already passed by the Senate, the measure goes now to Presi dent Roosevelt who is expected to approve it promptly. He signed a $1,000,000,000 postwar flood control bill last year. House passage of the rivers bill came on an apathetic voice vote that followed a physical encounter between Reps. Hook (DpMich) and Rankin (D-Missl. The fight, exciting climax of an argument over a subject other than the legislation, casued Rankin to change his mind about offering a controversial amendment. Previously, he had an amend ment to add the $66,000,000 Ten nessee-Tombigbee waterway and perhaps other projects that held ir passage of similar legislation last year. These projects probably will be put in a second bill to be con sidered by committees later in the year. Among them are the Tennes I see-Tombigbee, the $38,500,000 Bea j ver-Mahoning waterway, and the (Continued on Page 2, Col. 6) CHUR L TO ASK CONE CE VOTE Commons Members Believe Debate To Be Most Vital Of War LONDON, Feb. 22.— (U.R)—Prime Minister Churchill's government announced today that it will seek a direct vote of confidence endors ing the decisions of the Crimea Conference at the conclusion of next week’s Commons debate— which members said will be the most important of the war. Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden, government leader of the House, said the debate will be on this government motion: “This house approves the declaration of joint policy agreed to by the three great powers at the Crimea Conference and in particular wel comes the determination to main tain unity of action not only in achieving final defeat of the com mon enemy but thereafter in peace as in war.” The War Cabinet approved the motion, which is certain of re ceiving overwhelming approval though there will be sharp ex changes over Poland. After hear ing the motion, several members suggested that the debate, sched uled for Tuesday ar>d Wednesday, should be extended an extra day. Eden said he would make a state ment on that question tomorrow. Aneurin Bevan. Laborite and most vocal of the government’s critics, said the government “ob viously is entitled to seek a vote (Continued on Page 5, Col. 1) Stettinius Says America Aims A t Freedom For All MEXICO CITY. Feb. 22 —<-**)— Secretary of State Edward R. Stet tinius, Jr., said tonight that Amer ican foreign policy aims at an At lantic Charter peace of “freedom from fear and want” for all men. That, he told the Inter-American Conference here, is an essential facet in a five-point United tates program which he asserted had been “greatly advanced” by the results of the Crimea Conference. In probably the most important speech he has yet made as Secre tary of State, Stettinius reported that three days after the Crimea Conference he had reviewed the work done there with President Roosevelt and “it is the Presi dent’s firm conviction that the re sults of the Crimea Conference have greatly advanced the basic objectives of United States for eign policy.’’ These are the basic objectives which Stettinius then set forth. Ev idently basing some of them di rectly on decisions made by the President, Prime Minister Church ill, and Premier Stalin at Yalta: 1. The “earliest possible defeat of the aggressors. 2. Any steps necessary “to in sure that neither Germany nor Ja pan will ever again have the mili tary or industrial capacity to make war.” 3. Participation in guarantee ing to the liberated peoples of Eu rope their own government and sovereign rights. In this “the Unit (Continued on Page 2, Col. 3) < - 1 Aerial Attack Held Greatest InWarHistory —————— i Blows Designed To Com pletely Knock Out Enemy Transport LONDON, Friday, Feb, 23.—UP)— Allied air chiefs hurled an estimat ed 7,000 bombers and fighters at approximately 100 Nazi communi cations hubs yesterday in the greatest simultaneous air assault in history—a supreme coordinated blow to knock out Germany’s rail way system—and the attack con tinued into the night. The Berlin radio’ said 2,000 Rus sian planes also had battered tar gets along the Eastern Front, principally in East Prussia. Altogether nearly 10,000 sorties were flown from the west a r_ d south before dark, but the peak was reached at around noontime when through careful planning and timing explosives cascaded down at an estimated average of 100 tons a minute. On D-Day 13,000 sorties were flown, but these were spread over a period of 24 hours while in this historic new assault almost the maximum power of all Allied air farces in Europe was concentrat ed against the enemy within a feW hours. Some 30,000 airmen from seven Allied air commands participated in tne great obliteration raids, the intent of which was to break up the entire network of enemy rail transportation at one blow. The "buckshot blitz”—an entire ly new idea which Allied air chiefs had mapped and held in readiness for a break in the weather—was spearheaded by more than 1.400 Flying Fortresses and Liberators and 800 fighters of the U. S. Eighth Air Force. Two divisions of this gigantic fleet poured into Germany from the north and a third attacked from the south. Over the Reich they broke up into wolf packs of up to 100 bombers each and ham mered at least 24 freight yards and other rail targets in the heart ; of Germany during the noon hour. Eight bombers and 19 fighters were missing from this phase of the operation. In addition the RAF and U. S. 15th Air Forces sent out heavy : bombers and the attack was swell ed by four Tactical Air Forces based on the Continent, including the U. S. 12th in Italy. More than 4,500 sorties were flown by these (Continued or. Page 5, Col. Z) Increased Pension Benefit For Policemen Is Proposed A bill prepared by former Rep. R. M. Kermon for introduction in the State Legislature would alter the present laws relating to the pension benefits of policemen and firemen of the City of Wilmington, it was announced last night. The measure would provide Wil mington police and firemen, who have served 20 or more years with the City, an extra dollar for each year above the 20 year retirement minimum which would be in addi tion to the 50 per cent of salary retirement benefit now in effect, it was explained by Chief of Police Charles H. Casteen. Former Rep. R. M. Kermon, who originated the bill, forwarded it to Chief Casteen and City At torney W. B. Campbell last night for inspection before submission to Rep. J. Q. LeGrand in the low er House. If the measure meets with their approval, Mr L.eGrand is expected to introduce it during next week’s session. Chief Casteen pointed out that the present pension plan provides for an extra $5 payment for each five years worked over the 20 year minimum but that any interim benefits are not included. “In oth er words,” he said, “under the new bill a man will receive two dollars if he works two years over the 20 without having to wait until five years are reached.” The bill also would provide for the voluntary retirment of a police officer without 50 per cent disabil ity as the present plan stipulates. After 25 years service under the proposed plan, an officer could, on his own volition, request the pen sion board to retire him and his name would be placed upon the pension list. This also would ap ply to any policewomen in the ser vice, Chief Casteen explained. Also included in the new bill is a plan to provide retirement bene fits for all policemen who have worked a minimum of ten years and who are disabled. Under the present plan, 20 years, service is required despite disability. The complete bill follows: A bill to be entitled an act to amend cnapter so oi t n e private laws of 1915 entitled “an act to provide for the raising and man aging of pension funds for the po lice department of the City of Wil mington” as amended by chapter 228 of the private laws of 1923 and chapter 268 of the private laws of 1939. The general assembly of North Carolina do enact: Section 1. That subsection 3 of Section 12 of Chapter 55 of the Private Laws of 1915, as amend ed by Chapter 228 of the Private Laws of 1923, be amended by striking out all words of the said section after the word “follows” at the end of the first paragraph down to and including the word “retirement in line twenty-one (Continued on Page 2, Col. 4) Where Over 600,000 Japs‘Wither on the Vine* j ~1! hoUio Pacific Octon . « ifyMARCUS #FORMOSA* gg ' "yj,^ BONIN ISLANDS' W ■• :, < IMARIANASI 5000 ^luzon MARIANAS IS> MARSH AIL IS.^, ^ w^Manil>S^ SAIPAN,,* MARSHALL AND| * '(Sb. M,NOOR»_pH^«| ®UAM'»•* Hag* *L«.T,“, » X ^Cr.-.'.. . “”1 r v "y.fww« PAUU;~“ "*■•*_. , ,* * IN. IRELAND! I MOROTAIJ^R 10,000 suineaIW w,moINI \ l-ou^ia'i { Y?g. AMROIHA^jV-, .^*1Mf the Red Army, his troops reach id the Neisse river, the last nat jral barrier before Berlin, and aid seige to the capital’s outer iortress towns of Guben and Forst. Closing in on industrial Guben, >1 miles southeast of Berlin, Mar shal Konev's First Ukrainina Ar my drove to within two miles of it ( Continued on Rage 5, Col. 1) Yanks Invade Capul Isle; Secure Manila-U, S. Route MANILA, Friday, Feb. 23.—(A1)—Veteran Yanks of the Americal Division invaded tiny Capul Island in the San Bernardino Straits just off Luzon’s long southern tip Wednesday in a move to clear the Japa U. S. CASUALTIES BEYOND 800,000 Average Of 1.8 Men Lost every Minute Of Past Week WASHINGTON, Feb. 22—-OB—Re ported American casualties of World War 11 climbed past 800, 100 today. The compilations by the Army and Navy came out along with aints of impending big-scale action which indicated little if any dimin ution in the rate of losses. Representing a rise of approxi mately 100,COO in the past month, and up 18,182 for the week, the casualty figures were rising at a rate which would raise the total aast 1,000,000 within two months. (This figure of 18,182 casualties 'or one week represents an aver age of 1.8- men lost to combat jvery minute of the period. ) The Army’s total of dead, woun led, missing and prisoners since Pearl Harbor stood at 711,497, and the Navy’s at 89,665, for an ag gregate of 801,162. Secretary of War Stimson said :he Army’s figures covered indi vidual names compiled here up to February 14. The land force report came out it the Secretary’s news confer :nce in which he spoke of the Eu -opean battle situation in terms aken as a hint of impending of ’ensives on a big scale. Pacific I iction, too, has been rising in fury. from the United States to Manila. Opposition was light. The small oval island, five miles long and two wide at the middle, commands the strait through which the Japanese sent a war fleet to harass the American in vastion of Leyte last October. It lies directly between the ex tensive southeastern tip of Luzon and the northern end of Samar Is land, which Is practically in Amer ican hands. It is 260 airline miles southeast of Manila and about 325 by sea. Gen. Douglas MacArthur, an nouncing the invasion in a com munique today, said “this island is the key to the straits, through which passes the main navigation route to Manila Bay from the United States.” The landing was made by the veteran Americal Division of the Tenth Corps of the Eighth Army. MacArthur announced also that steady reduction of the remaining Japanese pocket in south Manila was continuing and said 11th Air borne Divison Yanks advancing along the west coast of Laguna de Bay, southeast of Manila, reached the town of Muntinulpa. MacArthur announced that in the 14th Corps sector of Luzon in the northern and central part of the great central Luzon plain— the Americans had captured vast quantities of enemy materiel and supplies. He said 712 artillery pieces of all calibers and 705 machinegurj had been seized or destroyed there. In the southern Caraballo moun- i tains north of Manila, Yanks of i the First Corps secured high i (Continued on Page 2, Col. 1) 1 Admiral Says Yanks* Hold On Iwo Once Seemed Gone ADMIRAL NIMITZ’ HEAD QUARTERS, Guam, Feb. 22.—