Churchill May Retire, Or Be Retired, After Defeat Of Germany^
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ESTABLISHED 1S8I VOL LXm, NO. 92
WATERWJRY, CONNECTICUT, SATURDAY, APRIL 21, 1145
TEN rAbtt
rKIU 4 URI9
Reds Expected In Berlin Over Weekend '
Hedgehog Fortress
City, Muencheberg,
Seized By Soviets
BULLETIN
■ < London, April 21—(UP)—The Evening Standard said today under a
bannerline “only two miles to go” that the German radio had reported
Russian troops only two miles from Berlin boundary at the Ring Motor
road around the city.
! BY ROBERT MUSEL
London, April 21. — (UP) — Red armies stormed the
last defenses of Berlin today and a Moscow dispatch said
they were expected to break into the burning capital over
the weekend.
The Russians laid siege to Berlin from the northeast,
east and southeast. At two points 18 miles apart, they
were seven miles or less from the city limits.
A German broadcast Bald Soviet
tanks and Infantry had driven to
« "within the Immediate vicinity” of
Berlin. The hedgehod fortress town
of Muencheberg, 16 miles east of
Berlin, fell after the Soviets threw
a new tank corps Into the blazing
battle, the Nazis admitted.
Thousands of Soviet guns and
planes were pouring steel and ex
plosives into the devastated city in
a steady rain. RAP Mosquitos
joined in the bombardment with
six separate block-buster raids dur
ing the night.
Hie muffled thunder of the bom
bardment was audible to American
Ninth Army troops along the Elbe
river, 45 miles west of Berlin, a
front dispatch from that area said.
(A BBC braodcast said that
' American and Russian patrols were
only 25 miles apart In an unidenti
fied sector of Germany. The re
port was attributed to “messages
reaching Moscow." A United Press
dispatch -from Moscow yesterday
said patrols already may have met.)
Hie Nazi Transocean Agency said
the first Soviet shells were hitting
the "built-up area of Berlin." It
said Paul Joseph Goebbels as De
fense commissioner had ordered
Berliners unable to reach their nor
mal places of work through “lack of
transport” to report immediately
for war work.
Hie Germans freely admitted the
l, situation was deteriorating rapidly.
Both their primary and secondary
defense lines east of the capital had
been shattered. They said the Rus
I slans were "vastly superior in men
, and material.”
! Prom Moscow, United Press War
. Correspondent M. S. Handler
cabled:
“The final breakthrough is ex
| pected over the week-end.”
He said great aerial battles were
swirling over the eastern approach
es to Berlin as the Germans hurled
their last, hoarded aircraft into a
1 vain attempt to halt the onrushlng
Soviets.
Johannes Steel, an American radio
ki commentator broadcasting from
Paris, said an agreement had been
reached that the Red Army would
be the first to enter Berlin. He pre
dicted the Russians would by-pass
the city and enter it from the north
Other powerful Soviet armies
(Continued on Page 4)
Africans In
Casalecchio
I BULLETIN
,) Rome, April 21—(UP)—The
American Fifth and British
Annies entered Bologna today.
BY HERBERT KING
Rome, April 21. (UP)—South
African troops have smashed Into
Casalecchio , three miles south
west of Bologna, it was announced
today.
A communique from Allied force
headquarters also reported that the
Eighth Army had resumed its
drive toward Ferrara from the area
of Sa nNlcolo, only eight miles south
of the city.
The fall of Bologna, key to the
CilMkV VIVlHlHli MVtVMWV V* »»*V •
plain, was believed imminent as
' • Allied troops closed in on the city
from three sides.
American Fifth Army troops con
tinued their attack across the
Bologna-Modenam highway into the
Po valley, cutting off any German
escape from Bologna to the north
west.
South of Bologna, where the
nearest American forces were some
six miles from the city, good prog
ress was made against stilt opposi
tion, according to today’s com
munique.
Northeast of Bologna, British
troops across the Idlce river cleared
Budrlo.
Below Ferrara, the Eighth Army
I consolidated its gains east and
i south of San Nlcolo, which is 14
miles from the Po river bridge at
Pontelagoscuro, before resuming it!
push to the north. The communique
said the attack was resumed ’’or
a wide front.”
Early progress was reported along
the north bank of the River Rene
and the Village of Traghetto was
taken.
On the west coast, Brazilian
troops attached to the Fifth Armj
gained three miles on a wide front
and occupied Mortal to. Fifth Arm]
patrol also entered Barzana, ah
north of Carrara.
V-E Day Talk
Choked By
Churchill
BULLETIN
Bristol, England, April 21—(UP)
—Prime Minister Chnrchill said
in a brief speech at Bristol Uni
versity today that he did not think
an Allied proclamation of victory
in Europe “need be long delayed."
Bristol, Eng., April 21—(UP)
Prime Minister Churchill hinted to
day that he might retire—or be re
tired-after the defeat of Germany,
In a speech accepting the free
dom of this city, he said that he “oi
whoever stands in my place” would
have to ask war-weary Britain "foi
a new leap forward, for a new lift
ing of the soul and body” to defeat
Japan. \
Churchill said that In the event
there was a new Prime Mlnlstei
he would support him, "whoever ii
may be”, but did not elaborate fur
ther. However, a general electior
will be held after V-B day.
“We have the Japanese to finish,'
Churchill said, ‘and we have tc
stand absolutely with our great
American ally in paying off at th<
other end of the world debts a!
heavy as ever were Inflicted on us.’
He called on Britain to help pros
ecute “this second war ... to e
conclusion free from any doubt.”
Churchill again dampened talk ot
a premature V-E day.
“We have no intention of encour
aging any festivities or thanksgiv
ing until we are assured from oui
military commanders that the task
is so far complete that everyone maj
cheer,” he said.
The reference was taken as an in
dication that victory would be pro
claimed only after all pockets o:
German resistance had been erased
Churchill said Britain had beer
an "absolutely united nation” dur
ing his five years as prime mlnlstei
and praised his Labor Minister
Ernest Bevin, a laborite whose re
cent denunciation of conservativi
party policy had threatened to break
up the coalition.
"Now we are coming to the ending
of a long Journey, so far as Europ«
is concerned,” he said. 'All our arm
ies are in action and British armies
in Holland and Germany are march
ing against the enemy and are todaj
advancing sometimes in long stride*
Ull LIlC TjIUC.
“We will soon be on the Baltic anc
we shall soon be at the Zuider Zei
and we shall be able to bring reliei
to the gallant, starving people o:
Holland. This is no time to talk o:
celebrations.
“We might easily give vent b
well-founded rejoicings and thei
tomorrow or a few days later havi
to go into battie and find ourselve;
facing further losses of war."
British Columns
Beyond Meiktila
BY McQUOWN WRIGHT
Calcutta, April 21.—(UP)— Bri
tlsh armored columns have drivel
70 miles south from Meii(tlla, kill
lng thousands of Japanese and by
passing last remnants of four en
emy divisions and an armored forct
headquarters disclosed last night.
The dramatic race which begai
three weeks ago carried units u
the 14th Army to a point just nortl
of Pylnman, within 230 miles u
Rangoon.
The advance started April i witl
tanks and motorized Infantry strik
ing down the manl highway an
railway to Rangoon.
The 14th Army troops are not
100 miles south of the northern
most Japanese positions. As at th
beginning of the drive, their pres
ent positions and objectives ar
cloaked in a censorship blackout.
The whole drive was based o
armor with air supply. Water wa
the main problem with tempera
lures ranging above 100 degrees.
A communique announced todu
that other troops in west centr:
Burma had captured Seikpu oi
the west bank of the Irrawadd
river opposite recently-capture
Chauk, important oil field town
All enemy resistance was report
: ed overcome in tne Moun. Po^
area, 30 miles southeast of Pakokki
Beloved Monsignor Rests In State
Thousands of parishioners, friends and admirers visited the church of Our Lady of Lourdes yesterday after
noon and evening to pay their final respects to Monsignor Joseph M. Valdambrini, pastor, and outstanding
figure in the communal life of Waterbury for over 30 years. The casket containing the mortal remains of the
beloved prelate was placed before the main altar and near the steps leading to the grotto of the church
shortly after 4 o'clock yesterday. Priests from all sections of the diocese took part in the chanting of
the offices of the dead last evening. A pontifical high Mass with Most Rev. Henry J. O'Brien, bishop of Hart
ford officiating as celebrant was the church's tribute to day to a devoted son. Burial was in Calvary cemetery.
ToxWarnings
To Be Issued
By Policemen
A total of 150 delinquent tax
warnings were distributed among lo
cal policemen tocay that the latter
. might ‘serve’ the notices on the In
dividuals in whose name they have
been issued. Thomas P. O’Brien ad
ministrator of the city’s delinquent
tax program stated today that the
method adopted is in the nature of
a final warning, which if ignored
will mean a court summons. Back
taxes being collected in this in
stance are old-age taxes.
Mr. O’Brien stated that the in
1 dividuals concerned in today's cam
paign have received two warnings
and have had 60 to 90 days in which
1 to comply with these warnings. The
. policemen will personally contact
, each Individual on their respective
beats and by this method it is
planned that no one will be over
’ looked.
! The city for the past two years has
been increasing the activities-of its
UCUUVJUtttV tun Ml --
At one time a million dollars in
back taxes was on the city’s books.
Recently Mr. O’Brien was placed in
charge of the Intensified drive to
collect back-taxes where long over
due. The procedure adopted has
been based on a concerted drive by
■ various combined city departments
1 as the tax collector’s office, corpora
■ tion counsel and city sheriff. Re
' cently warrants were issued, by way
(Continued on Page 4)
I Truman Learning Fast About Vast Problems From
, Cabinet—Proves He’s a Man Who Means Business
BY MEKK1MAN BJIiin
Washington, April 21.—(UP)—
11 President Truman is finding out
- just what it means to be the top
e man of the biggest government in
- history.
s In his first business session with
his inherited cabinet yesterday he
l sat for an hour and 15 minutes and
s, canvassed the widely varying tasks
- and problems of government.
This cabinet may not be the same
y a month or two from now, but Mr.
1 Truman was taking advantage of
i their knowledge to study like an
V energetic scholar the vast expanse
i of the tremendous activities under
his control.
- He was putting his finger on
■a first one governmental problem,
i. then another. His aides thought he
Woo gening a itiiiiuiuuv guuu
grasp on the situations he (aces.
For one thing, he will be brought
under immediate pressure to relax
the "Little Steel” formula for wage
stabilization. In his private con
versations he has given no indica
tion of differing from the "hold
the-line” policies of the late Presi
dent Roosevelt, obviously fearful
that any deviation woulo result in
a damaging Inflationary spiral.
He is being peppered with recom
mendations for filling various fed
eral vacancies, primarily Judgeships,
and all Indications are that he Is
going along with what the congres
sional delegations think about these
matters.
According to some of his close
associates, he has not gotten around
detail basic changes in the cabinet. 2
This attiude was based on the I
theory that he has a good operating 1
team together for the time being 1
and changes he wants to maie
can come when the government lias ,
recovered from the Impact of los- ,
ing its • boss". >
One thing the new President was
determined to do: Stay at his desk <
and tackle his vast accumulation of :
official problems. He spurned re- 1
peated requests to open the ’Jnitto 1
Nations Conference at 8an Fran- i
cisco, banking instead on the wis- |
dom of the American delegation 1
headed by Secretary of State Ed- I
ward R. Stettinius, Jr.
Mr. Truman planned none of the 1
week-end rest trios which Mr.
tead the farm-bred chief execu
ive wanted to spend as much time
,s possible in actual contact with
its official tasks.
He was following a strenuous
[ally work schedule—14 appoint
nents where five or six were con
idered heavy for. his predecessor,
Mr. Truman showed something
if his attitude toward official life
■esterday at the Blair reception for
orcign ambassador and minister;
isslgned to Washington. He walked
n to his double drawing room, wa;
•resented to each diplomat, said a
ew words of greeting and ended
he reception by walking out—all
n the space of less than five min
ites.
He’s a man who means business
Prison Camp
In Hannover
A Hell Hole
By RICHARD D. McMILLAN
Belsen Camp near Hannover,
Germany, April 21—(UP)—Nazis SS
Elite Guardsmen were put to work
today gathering the bodies of the
hundreds of Inmates who died "in
this hell hole.
Guarded by British troops with
tommy guns ready- and bayonets
fixed, the once arrogant guardsmen
dragged the bodies from huts and
hoisted them into open trucks.
Hungarian prisoners of war also
were brought in to help with the
mass burial. British troops already
had entombed hundreds of bodies
from the mounds of dead the Nazis
left behind.
When I visited the camp today I
had to stand in line with 150 or
more of the Hungarians and like
them be fumigated before I could
pass down the lines of huts where
British doctors estimate more than
300 persons—men, women and chil
dren—died last night.
Bodies still were being piled in
heaps outside the huts in open
spaces beside burial pits. Heaps of
hundreds of bodies awaited burial.
Women among the Nazis who
ruled the camp were kept in cells.
I was told that “if we take them out,
the Inmates would try to kill them.”
A British medical officer said that
one of these women used to reserve
her torture of the inmates for Sun
(Continued on Page 4)
Wilson Heads
United Press
Parley Staff
New York, April 21 — (U.P.) —
Lyle C. Wilson, United Press Wash
ington manager, has been named
chief of staff for the United Na
tions conference at San Francisco,
Ea^ J. Johnson, vice-president and
general news manager, announced
today.
Key positions on Wilson’s staff
will be held by Merton T. Akers,
manager of the UP Day Service, and
Harrison Salisbury, Foreign News
Editor, both of New York; Carroll
Kenworthy, Washington Foreign
Editor;-Russell Turner, head of the
Washington day desk; William H.
Lander, Charles Degges, R. H.
Shackford, Sandor S. Klein, James
C. Austin, and Roger Tatarlan, all
of the Washington staff.
UP headquarters for the confer
ence will be a special newsroom in
the San Francisco Veterans’ Build
ing auditorium. Working arrange
ments there and facilities for trans
mitting the heavy volume of news
expected from the meeting were set
up in San Francisco this week by
L. B. Mickel, superintendent of
Bureaus.
Others on the UP conference
staff will Include Henri Gris, ex
pert on Russian affairs and director
of the UP listening post near Lon
don; Robert L. Frey, recently re
turned from London where he cov
ered war and diplomatic news;
Ralph E. Helnzen, former UP man
I
(Continued on Page 4)
3 Allied Armies Head
Toward Bavarian Alps
Along 200-Mile Front
Last Tribute
Paid Prelate
This Morning
The Most Rev. Henry J. O'Brien,
bishop of Hartford, was the prin
cipal celebrant here this morning at
the solemn Pontifical Mass for the
late Rt. Rev. Msgr. Joseph Valdam
brini. The solemn service was at
tended by thousands of local resi
dents and out of town priests,
friends and relatives of the late pre
late. The service was held at 10:30
ft. m. at the church of Our Lady of
Lourdes where Msgr. Valdambrini
served for the past 33 years.
City officials, representatives of
business, societies and various civic
organizations were represented
among the mourners paying final
tribute at today's services. The body
lay in state throughout the service.
The funeral procession was sched
uled to leave the church at 1 p. m.
with burial to be in Calvary ceme
tery.
The church was filled earlier this
morning with children of the parish
attending a solemn High Mass at 9
a. m. conducted especially for them.
The body of the late Monsignor
lay in state from 4 p. m. yesterday
afternoon throughout today’s serv
ices. A crucifix reposed in the hands
of the priest while his feet were en
cased In purple sandals ornamented
with silver buclcles made In Italy.
Thousands visited the church last
night to pay respect to the late pas
tor while 25 priests chanted the
office of the dead. The body was
escorted to the church yesterday
afternoon by local and state priests
as Rev. Felix Scogllo, who delivered
the eulogy at this morning's Mass,
intoned the "De Profundis". The
priests chanted the Miserere during
the course of the procession.
Members of the Fourth Degree,
Knights of Columbus formed an
honor guard of vigil during the
night.
Assisting Most Rev. Henry O’Brien
this morning were: Archpriest, Rt.
Rev. Msgr. William H. Flynn, chan
cellor of the diocese; deacon. Rev.
Leonard Quaglla, pastor of St.
Michael's church. New Haven: sub
deacon, Rev. William P. Botticelli,
pastor of St. Peter’s church, Tor
ring ion.
Thurifers, Rev. Donato Paolucci,
assistant pastor at the Church of
St. Raphael, Bridgeport, and Rev.
Thomas Rltucci, assistant pastor at
St. Ann’s church, Highwood; aco
lytes, Rev. Setttmio Crudele, pastor
(Continued on Page 4)
Superforts
Hit Kyushu
BY FRANK TREMAINE — —
Guam, April 21. — (UP) — Up
wards of 300 Superfortresses today
blasted the Kyushu bases of Japan
ese suicide planes blamed for the
sinking of some of the 15 American
war vessels lost in the battle of
Okinawa and Japan during the past
month.
On Oki'.awa itself, three American
divisions thrust deeper into the
enemy’s last-ditch defense line less
than three and a half miles north
of Naha, capital of the island, on
the third day of the greatest ground
offensive of the Pacific war.
Advances of up to a mile were
reported all along the four-mile line
extending across the southern end
of the island yesterday. Swarms of
planes and the big guns of warships
joined massed land artillery in an
unprecedented supporting bombard
ment.
(A Tokyo broadcast recorded by
the FCC said Japanese planes sank
(Continued on Page 4)
Truman Gives Break
To Bridgeport Youth
Washington, April 21—(UP)
—President Truman has di
rected a full and unconditional
pardon for an army lieutenant
who was court martialcd less
than a hour and a half after
he was notified of the charges
against him, the War Depart
ment said today.
The officer, Sidney Shapiro,
Bridgeport, Conn., was ordered
dismissed from the army be
cause he substituted another
soldier for a man he was de
fending at an army trial.
Mr. Truman acted on recom
mendation of the War Depart
ment. Undersecretary of War
Robert P. Patterson suggested
that Shapiro's full civil rights
be restored and the effect of
the court martial proceeding be
nullified as far as possible.
Peace Parley
Lithuanians'
Sunday Topic
Memoranda on the stand desired
of the United States delegation at
the United Nations conference in
San Francisco April 25 will be
signed by a large number of Lith
uanian organisations of the city at
a meeting of the Federation of
Societies of St. Joseph’s church to
morrow afternoon at 3 o'clock at
the old St. Joseph’s school.
Copies of the memorandum have
been distributed to Lithuanian
groups throughout the nation, for
signing and forwarding to the
delegation.
Stating that the United Nations
must set up a world organization
which will forestall and prevent
a third world war or "any future
global hostilities," the memorandum
sets forth three principles on which
this country’s stand should be es
tablished. The petition asks for:
'Reiteration and actual fulfillment
of the tenets of the Atlantic Char
ter.”
"Recognition that just as the
lives of men, the affairs of states
must be conducted according to the
eternal God-given natural and
moral laws, in' effect, an interna
tionalization of the Bill of Rights
as set forth in our own American
Declaration of Independence and
Constitution.”
The third principle deals with the
status of small nations. The peti
tion states, "As descendants of
Lithuanian people, we are especial
ly anxious that the peace-bringing
principle of respect for the rights
of small nations be embodied in the
world organization's charter."
“Our victorious armies are lib
erating conquered countries and our
hope is that this policy will be car
ried forward to its logical conclu
sion of restoring liberated coun
tries to the rightful peoples of each
land. We call to the attention of
the honorable United States dele
gation the statement of the Arch
bishops and Bishops of the Admin
istrative Board of the National
Catholic Welfare Conference, issued
April 14, 1945, concerning Lithuania,
Estonia, and Latvia, and we join
with them in the prayer that ‘it will
not be recorded that our country
condoned the enslavement of these
freedom-loving nations'."
Rev. Joseph J. Valantiejus, pastor
of St. Joseph’s church, is scheduled
to address the members of the Fed
eration in regard to the petition,
and also on other activities of the
Federation. Professor Alexander J.
Aleksis, president, will be in charge
of the session. Member organiza
tions in the federation have been
asked to send their presidents and
secretaries to tomorrow’s meeting,
so that signatures to the memoranda
may be affixed at once.
A special guest of the organiza
tion at the meeting will be Miss
Lucy Bowes, who will speak on the
current membership drive of the
Catholic Women's council.
Restrictions Loom
On Regional Fairs
Washington, April 21.—(UP)—De
fense Transportation Director J.
Monroe Johnson said today it may
be necessary to restrict state, re
gional and county fairs this sum
mer and fall.
He explained that the burden on
freight and passenger transportation
facilities will not be appreciably
reduced after the end of the Eu
ropean war. In some parts of the
oountry traffic will be even heavier,
He asked fair managers not to
make elaborate advance prepara
tions because they may find their
money has been wasted.
!
Paris, April 21. — (UP) —
Three Allied armies struck
for Nazidom’s last citadel in
the Bavarian Alps along a
front of more than 200 miles
today. In the north, British
armored divisions enveloped
Bremen and stormed into the
suburbs of Hamburg.
Striking in the war’s de
cisive hour to prevent the
Nazis from rallying their
broken armies for a pro
longed stand in the Bavarian
Alps, the American Third and
Seventh and the French First
armies wheeled against the
mountain citadel along a
twisting battle line extending
northeastward from the
Swiss to the Czechoslovak
borders. w ,
Lt Gen. George S. Patton s
American Third army rammed a
naif-dozen armored spearheads tip
to and across the Czechoslovak
border on a front looping in '
within 58 miles of Pilsen and 98
miles or less west of Prague, the
last main escape corridor between
northern and southern Germany.
The U. S. Seventh Army struck
south and southeastward from cap
tured Nuernberg within less than
70 miles of Munich, northern an
chor of the Nazi Bavarian line.
The French closed in from .the
west to a point barely 30 miles from
Lake Constance, Western snoiflatr
of the Bavarian Redoubt.
The French and the U. S. Sev
enth Army also sent converging
columns racing around Stuttgart
from the southwest and northeast
to envelop that stronghold, the
13tli city of the Reich.
At the top of the western front,
the British Second Army seized
control of a 20-mlle stretch of the
Tlbe river’s west bank southeast of
Hamburg and fought their way into
Harburg, west bank suburb of the
great port.
Armored Division battled through
the streets of Harburg within sight
of Hamburg, and their big guns be
(Continued on Page 4)
Japs Cleared
On Cebu Isle
By DON CASWELL
Manila April 21 — (U.P.) —
American troops shattered the last
Japanese organized resistance on
Cebu to complete the conquest of
the conquest of the Central Philip
pines today.
General Douglas MacArthur said
the sweep through the Central
Philippines liberated at least 6,
400.000 persons on more than a
score of islands.
He promised that the resources
of the freed area, measuring nearly
33.000 square miles, would be used
for the rehabilitation of the Philip
pines and “for prosecution of the
war against Japan Itself.”
Japanese losses on Cebu amount
ed to approximately 5,000 dead as
veterans of the American division
burst through the last defenses in
tvide enveloping moves to complete
the campaign. A few enemy strag
glers scattered through the hills to
become prey for Filipino guerrillas.
The conquest of the central is
lands in the Archipelago enabled
the Americans further to concen
trate on the offensives on Luzon
and Mindanao.
They were the last two large Is
lands on which Japanese organized
forces were active, although the
enemy garrisons slowly were being
compressed Into decreasing pockets
for final annihilation.
On Mindanao Eighth Army forces
were pushing out rapidly from the
new beachhead on the Moro Gulf
(Continued on Page 4)
SRCGtSTtRCD US.
mrtMroma
MY MEMORY IS £XC£U£N1
THERE ARE ONLY THREE
THINGS I CANT REMEMBER
* l CANT REMEMBER
NAMES, « CAN'T
REMEMBER FACES
AIM'D i FORGET lAJHAT
THE THlRT> THING
T