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CLEVELAND COUNTY’S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1894
TELEPHONES 1100
- State Theatre Today -
The Affairs Of Susan”
JOAN FONTAIN
GEORGE BRENT
VOL. XLIII—189
ASSOCIATED PRESS NEWS
SHELBY, N. C. WEDNESDAY, AUG, 8, 1945 TELEMAT PICTURES
SINGLE COPIES—«e
FOURTH ATTACK
OF DAY ON JAP
■ HOME ISLANDS
61st Enemy City Scorched
By 20th Air Force
Incendiaries
DAY-LONGASSAULTS
GUAM, Aug. 8.— (fP) —
American B-29s fire-bombed
another forewarned Japanese
city today, more than 100 of
the Superforts raiding Fuku
yama on Honshu island short
ly before midnight in the
fourth attack of the day on
homeland targets.
The raid of Fukuyama, bringing
to 61 the number of cities scorched
by 20th Air Force Incendiaries,
topped day-long Superfortress
flights. They started with an es
corted daylight bombing of Ya
wata, Pittsburgh of Japan, by 225
Superforts.
Yawata was also on the list of
cities warned by leaflets and ra
dio that they were marked for de
struction unless Japan surrendered.
More than 50 B-29’s, striking
In late afternoon, hit the Na
kajima Mushino-Tama aircraft
plant in Ihe Tokyo area while
a smaller force dropped heavy
demolition explosives on the
Tokyo arsenal.
Other Superforts mined waters
around four important port cities
| on Honshu Island and Korea.
ON INLAND SEA
Fukuyama, with a population of
B7.000, Is on the Sanyo main rail
road 42 miles northeast of Kure on
the inland sea. It is headquarters
for a military unit and the home
of many small industries produc
aircraft parts.
* The main urban are is about one
and one half square miles, with
the built up are measuring about
one square mile.
Industries at Fukuyama include
the Imperial dye works, Kawa
nishi aircraft company and the
Mitsubishi electric company.
The city was among those warn
ed of destruction by leaflets scat
tered from B-2!)s July 31.
Superforts of B>ig. Gen. Roger
M. Ramey's Tinian-based 58th
Bombardment Wing made the at
See FOURTH Page t
Four Nations
Agree On War
Criminal Trials
LONDON. Aug. 8.—!JF)—The key
plan for the trials of Germany’s
major war criminals was signed
today by the representatives of
the United States, Britain, Russia,
and France.
The document was signed as it
was disclosed that top-ranking
Nazis, held as prisoners of war at
Mondorf, Luxembourg, and else
where, could be moved soon to the
Nuernberg Jail, where they will
lose their status as prisoners of
war and be held as civil crimin
als.
Supreme Court Justice Robert
Jackson, chief United States war
crimes prosecutor, declines to di
vulge the identity of the Nazis to be
removed from Luxembourg pend
ing thfelr arrival in Nuernberg.
The total of those to be tried is
probably between 25 and 50, a
source close to Jackson reported.
Among those who have been held
in Luxembourg, and presumably
those who will figure in the trials,
are Hermann Goering, Joachim
von Ribbent'rop, Franz von Papen,
and Julius Streicher.
LT. BOWERS
BOWERS WINS
FLYINGCROSS
Son Of Mr. And Mrs. A. C.
Bowers Fighter Pilot,
Gets Medal
For "extraordinary achievement
in aerial combat” the Distinguish
ed Flying Cross has been awarded
to 1st Lt. James A. Bowers, son
of Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Bowers of
Shelby at an Eighth air force
fighter station in England where
he has been serving as a fighter
pilot.
A veteran of seven months com
bat against the enemy, Lt. Bowers
was cited for “courage and flying
skill exhibited in ground strafing,
dive bombing and bomber escort
missions over enemy territory.”
The citation read: "the vigor and
determination exhibited by Lt.
Bowers aided materially In the ef
fectiveness of bombardment at
tacks and contributed Immeasur
ably to the disruption of enemy
transportation facilities and In
stallations.”
Lt. Bowers had previously re
ceived the Air Medal and eight
oak leaf clusters to the medal.
The 23-year-old P-51 Mustang
pilot shot down three German
fighters as a member of the 356th
fighter group. The first time he
flew in combat he brought a Mes
serschmltt 109 down in flames. On
another mission he scored a dou
ble victory.
Lt. Bowers entered the army air
forces in September, 1942, and re
ceived his wings and commission
on April 15, 1944. He was promot
ed to the rank of first lieutenant
last February while overseas.
Charter Ratification
Fomally Completed
WASHINGTON, Aug. 8— (/PI —
Ratification of the United Nations
charter by this country was for
mally completed today with Presi
dent Truman’s signature on the
senate’s instrument of approval.
Mr. Truman and Secretary of
State James F. Byrnes, at a cere
mony In the executive offices, sign
ed the historic one-page senate
document, and also placed their
names on two copies of the full
text of the charter drawn by 50
nations at San Francisco.
One copy of the charter, ap
proved by the senate by an 89 to
2 vote, was bound In white leather,
the other in blue.
The Instruments then were plac
ed “on deposit in the archives of
the state department” which com
pleted the required steps.
Local Postoffice Flooded
With Soldiers* Souvenirs
As the war in Europe ended Shel
by post office employees saw their
jobs lighten considerably when a
50 per cent drop in packages and
letters going overseas was experi
enced hen but theirs was a short
rest as the incoming sacks doubled
In size ana number.
At the present rate of shipment,
Germany will have few if any army
rifles and pistols left in the father
land when . the American G. I.'s
move out, and Cleveland ' county
will have its share of them. There
hrve already been enough guns,
sabers and rifles shipped through
the local post oLlce to arm a small
army, not to mention German hel
mets, scrapbooks, and personal be
longings.
The local post office reported at
least a gun and saber a day In their
mall bags from overseas and on
last Sunday morning, 15 shotguns
arrived In one shipment, plus sev
eral sabers and a number of Ger
man helmets.
FREE SPENDER
The American G. I. Is a free
spender, especially when not on his
home soli, and the foreign markets
are, as the old saying goes, "mop
See LOCAL Page 2
TRUMAN WILL
MAKE REPORT
ON CONFERENCE
Will Speak To Nations On
Radio At 10 P. M., EWT,
Thursday
MAY MENTION BOMB
By Ernest B. Vaccaro
WASHINGTON, Aug. 8.—
(/P)—President Truman will
report to the nation on the
Potsdam conference over all
radio networks at 10 P. M.
Eastern War Time Thursday
in a 30-minute speech.
Presidential Secretary Charles
G. Ross said today the speech,
which probably also will be short
waved abroad, will go into great
er detail than the communique is
sued by the big three at the close
of the meeting July 26.
Mr. Truman worked on the
speech today as well as on a mass
of other paper work which accum
ulated during his month long ab
sence. He held his calling list to
a minimum, including brief con
ferences with Senators Hatch (D
NM) and Kilgore (D-WVa) and
Secretary of War Stimson.
The Stimson conference was de
voted to further discussion of the
atomic bomb.
Associates of the president Indi
cated that his report on the Pots
dam conference probably will men
tion the new and revolutionary
bomb used for the first time
against Japan.
These assistants said they did
not know however if the presiden
tial address would go into any
greater detail on the Pacific war,
a phase that was ignored in the
big three conference announcement
because of Russia’s neutrality.
CABINET MEETING
Mr. Truman scheduled a meeting
with his cabinet Friday and de
cided to withhold any news con
ferences until he has given his
public report on the big three
meeting.
As tentatively drafted aboard the
8m TRUMAN Page Z
CHINESE TAKE
KUKIANGISLE
Removes Only Obstacle
To Allied Landing In
Foochow Area
CHUNGKING, Aug. 8.—/#)—The
Chinese high command announced
today that Chinese troops had re
occupied Kukiang island at the
mouth of the Min river northeast
of Foochow, thus driving the Japa
nese from their last coastal foothold
in the vicinity of that Fukien pro
vince port.
Hie announcement said the Island
was held by only a small number
of Japanese and the operation ap
parently was carried out with only
slight opposition.
The capture of Kukiang Island
removed the only remaining ob
stacle to a possible allied landing
in the vicinity of Foochow, capture
of which was announced by the
Chinese last May 19.
The high command also announc
ed belatedly that Hlngan, in Kwang
si province on the Hunan-Kwagnsi
railroad 3 miles northwest of
Kweilin, had fallen to Chinese
troops July 30.
CHINESE THREAT
The development of a Chinese
threat from the west aimed at
Tungan in Hunan province was in
dicated by the high command.
Chinese troops striking out from
recently liberated Sinning in Hu
See CHINESE Page Z
NEGRO ESCAPES
PRISON SQUAD
Eugene Jones, negro, serving a
15-year term for robbery, made his
third escape from a State Prison
squad when he left the gang while
it was working in the' Cicero Falls
sand pit yesterday afternoon and
was the object of a widespread
search last night and today. So
far no trace of him has been
found.
When he escaped he was wearing
shackles and had on stripes.
In addition to his North Caro
lina sentence, he is also said to
be wanted in Ohio.
OAK. RIDGE WORKERS LEARN THE ‘BIG SECRET’—A group of workers in the atomic bomb plant at
Oak Ridge, Tenn., read newspaper accounts of the startling “secret” after the dramatic revelation that one
of the bombs had been used to blast Hiroshima, Japan. Until President Truman lifted the secrecy tram the
bomb, none of the Oak Ridge workers knew what they were making.—(AP Wirephoto).
Cotton Forecast Is
17 Per Cent Off
1945 Crop Of 10,134,000 Boles Would Be 2,096,000
Less Than 1944 Production
WASHINGTON, Aug. 8.—(fP)—The agriculture depart
ment today forecast a United States cotton crop for 1945
of 10,130,000 bales of 500 pounds gross weight based upon
miormation as or August 1.
This would be 17 per cent or
2,096,000 bales less than 1944 produc
tion and 2,159,000 bales less than
average production for the 10-year
(1934-43) period.
The indicated lint yield per acre
of 269.7 pounds is 39 pounds above
average and has been exceeded in
only three years—1944, 1942 and
1937.
Allowing for average abandonment
of acreage in cultivation as of July
1, the acreage for harvest this year
is computed at 18,034,000 acres—10
per cent below acreage harvested in
1944 and the smallest during any
of the past 60 years.
A report from the bureau of the
census shows 132,541 bales of cot
ton ginned from the crop of 1945
prior to August 1, compared with
48,182 bales for 1944 and 107,053
bales for 1943.
LATE CROP
This year’s crop generally is late
and there have been numerous
complaints of poor stands. Weather
during the last half of July, how
ever, has been beneficial in most
areas.
Per acre yields are expected to be
below those harvested last year in
all states except Florida, New Mexi
co and California. However, above
See COTTON Page 2
Max Washburn Is
Named To Board Of
Retirement System
RALEIGH, Aug. 8.—W—Governor
Cherry today appointed William
G. Pittman of Rockingham, Walker
Lyerly of Hickory and Max Wash
bum of Shelby to the board of
trustees of the teachers’ and state
employees’ retirement system.
The appointments are to be
confirmed by the senate.
Petain Financed
Secret Agents
Who Aided RAF
By LOUIS NEVIN
PARIS, Aug. 8.—(JP)—Gen. Jean
Bergeret, former Vichy air min
ister, testified today that French
secret agents furnished the RAF
with details of German air force
activities and were paid from a
budget set up by Marshal Petain,
now on trial for his life.
“Petain gave me the necessary
funds in secret,” said the defense
witness on this 15th day of the
marshal’s trial on charges of in
telligence with the enemy and
plotting against the security of
France.
Bergeret said the Germans
in 1941 demanded air bases in
Syria in the Middle East and
asked French fighters to de
fend Paris, but “Petain re
fused both demands and, be
See PETAIN Page 2
ARMY INQUIRES
INTO RAPE CASE
Army officials were here yester
day from Camp Croft investigating
the local end of the case in which
Pvt. Susuma. a Hawaiian-born
Japanese-American, is charged with
the statutory rape of a 13-year-old
Shelby girl. Statements were taken
from the girl and members of her
family.
Officials said that the private
would face court-martial within the
next 10 days.
PRESIDENT TAKES OVER;
To Direct Atomic Bomb
Campaign Against Japan
By JOHN M. HIGHTOWER
WASHINGTON, Aug. 8.—OP)—
President Truman today took over
from the White House personal
direction of the atomic bomb cam
paign he believes foreshadows
early victory over Japan.
The commander-in-chief voiced
his victory hopes to newsmen ac
companying him home from the
big three meeting in Berlin. He
termed the devastating weapon—
whieh wiped out 60 per cent of
its first target, a Japanese city ’
the size of Memphis—“the most1
powerful weapon for war and peace j
ever devised.”
Quoting scientists’ asserting that
the discovery may be the great
est “of any age for the benefit of
the people,” Mr. Truman added
that the atomic field “means a
wonderful peacetime release of
energy if its powers can be har
nessed for commercial use.”
Meanwhile, every device known
to psychological warfare experts
is being used to acquaint the Jap
anese people hour after hour with
the terrors of atomic destruction
which confront them, and leaflets
telling the same story have been
See TO DIRECT Page 2
BOMB SCIENTIST — Dr. J. R.
Oppenheimer (above), former Uni-j
versify of California theoretical
physicist, is director of the atomic 1
bpmb project laboratory at Los Ala- 1
mos, N. M. He is credited with
achieving the implementation of
atomic energy for military purposes.
—(AP Wirephoto).
LUZONGAINS
VERY SMALL
Intensified Mop-Up Cam
paign Meets Strong Jap
Resistance
By RUSSELL BRINES
BAGUIO, P. I., Aug. 8. — (TP)—
American and Filipino troops fought
an intensified mop-up battle with
the strong Japanese garrison de
fending the northwestern approach
to the Agno river valley of north
ern Luzon Island Monday—and for
the third day, gains were measured
in yards.
A sizable Japanese force is fight
ing with automatic weapons and
mortars along a ridge 55 miles north
of Baguio. Maj. Paul J. Pernish’s
F company, second battalion, and
a battalion of Filipinos made the
initial assault on this ridge August
4.
Since then, the attackers have
been slowly cleaning out strong pill
boxes, entrenchments and caves
against stiff opposition.
The ridge overlooks the village
of Buguias, a Japanese center near
the northern edge of the valley.
Some 250 of the enemy were sight
ed there a few days ago.
Meanwhile another force moving
rapidly against spotty resistance
northward alone the floor of the
valley occupied the village of Ka
bayan Sunday.
WHAT’S DOING.
TODAY
8:00 p. m.—- Midweek prayer
and praise service at First
Baptist church.
THURSDAY
7:00 p. m.—Regular meeting
of Kiwanis club.
7:30 p. m.—Baseball game at
high school park between Shel
by legion juniors and Moore
i general hospital
Long-Expected
Move To Speed
End Of War
WASHIGNTON, Aug.(AP)— President Tru
man announced today that Russia has declared war
on Japan. Truman made the momentous announce
ment to a hurriedly summoned news conference.
He said he had only a simple statement to make,
but it was so important he could not delay it. Then
with a broad grin he declared, "Russia has just de
clared war on Japan. That is all."
The disclosure that the Soviet Union had at Iasi
pitted its enormous might alongside Britain and th«
United State against the Pacific enemy had not been
unexpected. When it would some, however, had been
a matter of conjecture for months. Official Wash
ington at once took this development along with the
unleashing of atomic bombing against the Pacific
enemies as a sure sign that Japan cannot long con
tinue to resist.
BULLETIN
LONDON—The Moscow radio announced to
night that Russia was at war with Japan effective of
of August 9.
Hiroshima Scene Of
Complete Destruction
By MORRIE LANDSBERG
GUAM, Aug. 8.—(IP)—The obliterating blast of a sin
gle atomic bomb dropped by a lone Superfort destroyed 60
per cent of the important Japanese city of Hiroshima and
today Tokyo admitted that practically nothing escaped death
in its scorching path.
“Those outdoors burned to death, while those indoors
were killed by indescribable pressure and heat,” reported
Tokyo. It said the city was i.n “disastrous ruin’ and that
houses and buildings were “crushed.”
The newspaper Asahi Shimbun appealed to the people
to remain calm under the “inhuman” bombing and “pledge
to fight through until the last.” The editorial declared the
Japanese mind had been “trained for just such an occasion
as this.
General Spaatz warned the ene
my that more B-29’s are ready to
drop more of the world’s most de
structive explosives on the island
cities if resistance continues.
The Strategic Air Forces com
mander said that 4.1 square miles
of Hiroshima’s built-up area of 6.9
square miles were wiped out. Five
military targets were destroyed by
the one bomb.
Grim details of what hap
pened on the ground came only
from Tokyo. The enemy broad
cast revealed that the blast was
so terrible that the dead could
not be distinguished from the
injured. Neither could be iden
tified. Destruction was so great,
and need for relief so urgent,
that authorities had been un
able to establish the extent of
civilian casualties.
Spaatz based his communique on
photographs from the sky. , They
showed the heart of the city dev
astated with awful thoroughness—
as if a giant bulldozer had swept
up buildings and houses and
dumped them into a river.
HARBOR AREA
Reconnaissance disclosed that the
harbor area of Hiroshima—popula
tion of about 343,000—was barely
touched by the tremendous blast.
But the concussion, or fire effect
was so overpowering elsewhere
that several firebreaks and seven
streams—one stream was about
three city blocks wide—failed to stop
the flames.
The high-flying camera planes
circled Hiroshima hours after Mon
day's attack and found only twc
small fires still burning. The re
mainder of the city appeared turn
ed to ashes. The lens caught pho
tographic proof that one bomb,
small enough to be carried by any
American bomber or fighter plane
packs more death and destruction
than thousands of tons of ordinary
fire and demolition bombs.
American officers who tudied ti>
pictures said the destruction was
about the same as they would ex
pect from a force of about 150 Su
perforts, each carrying seven tons
of incendiary and demolition bombs.
DEFENSELESS
The city, which will go down in
history as the testing ground for
man’s most awful weapon, was un
prepared for such a swift, crushing
blow. The Japanese had prepared
their defense well against Super
forts and firebombs, but they were
as nothing against the atom.
Tightly congested Hiroshima had
a population roughly midway be
tween that of Denver and Seattle,
respectively 322.412 and 368,302 in
1940. Mut Denver covers 58.7 square,
miles and Seattle 80.7 square miles.
Physically the destroyed area ap
proximated that of Bayonne, N. J.,
an industrial seaport with a popu
lation of but 79,198 in 1940.
The high degree of concentration
See RECONNAISSANCE Page 3
Army Denies Bomb Leaves
Death - Dealing Radioactivity
W AoxiljN ijrTUN, AUg. o. .—(/P)—
The War Department today denied
published reports that areas devas
tated by the atomic bomb continue
for years to react with death
dealing radio activity.
In a statement, the department
quoted Dr. J. R. Oppenheimer, hea^
of this phase of the atom* research
as saying “there is every reason to
believe that there was no appreci
able radio-activity on the ground
at Hiroshima and what little there
was decayed very rapidly.”
Published reports ha* quoted
Dr. Harold Jacobson ol Colum
bia University, one of those who
participated in the atomic re
search work, as saying the bomb
ed area in Japan might cause
death for persons entering the
area for a period of 70 years.
One of the initial War Depart
ment announcements on the bomb's
discovering, however, describing an
experiment with the bomb in July
in New Mexico, said "to examine
the nature of the crater" caused
by the explosion “specially equip
ped tanks were wheeled into the
See ARMY Pi*~ *