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An Associated Press Newspaper
93d YEAR. No. 36,898. Phone NA. 5000.
WASHINGTON, D. C., SATURDAY, MAY 12, 1945—TWENTY-TWO PAGES. ★★
City Home Delivery, Daily and Sunday m rrpvrrC!
90c a Month. When 5 Sundays. $1.00. u ( / r, ,\ J. o
Radio Reports
Himmler in
Allied Hands
Gestapo Chief Said to
Have Been Turned
Over by Doenitz
BULLETIN.
NEW YORK (/Pi.—CBS re
ported from Paris today that
Heinrich Himmler “is now re
ported to be in our hands.”
“Himmler is understood to
have been held by Admiral
Doenitz in the Flensburg area
under house arrest, and Doe
nitz is now believed to have
turned him over to British
forces in that area,” the
broadcast said.
Ey the Associated Press.
LONDON, May 12.—Soviet ar
mored forces slashed today at
Nazi troops offering bitter re
sistance in Czechoslovakia as
they attempted to flee westward
through a rapidly narrowing
corridor toward the American
lines.
Other Russian troops had forced
the surrender of the major portion
of die-hard enemy units in North
ern Austria, and had effected three
new junctures with the Americans
In the holdout area.
Inside Berlin, the Russians were
meeting the same kind of futile
but savage resistance, as Soviet
soldiers extricated the bodies of
hundreds of civilians from subways
flooded in last-act Nazi terrorism.
rtazis Leaving Norway.
In Norway, approximately 400,000
Nazi troops, the entire German'
occupation force, were reported
completing their withdrawal and
waiting return to Germany.
The Soviet high command an
nounced that the Russians had
seized 560,000 prisoners along the
former eastern front Wednesday
through yesterday, including 45 Ger
man generals.
Linkup with the Americans in
Czechoslovakia was accomplished by
Marshal Ivan E. Konev's 1st Ukrain
ian Army near Rokycany, 9 miles
east of Piisen, and by Marshal
Rodion Y. Malinovsky’s 2d Ukrainian
Army below Prague in the area
northwest of Ceske Budejovice.
Malinovsky’s troops occupied Gem
uend and Zwettl in Austria near
the Austro-Bohemian frontier 45
miles northeast of Linz, and in this
same area made the third juncture;
with the Americans.
Nazis Forced to Surrender.
Malinovsky forced the major part
of Col. Gen. Woehler's army group
to surrender in Northern Austria.
This group was fighting under the
over-all command of Field Marshal
Ferdinand Schoerner's "middle army
group,” against which the Russians
threw powerful armored and storm
forces.
The corridor through which thou
sands of Nazi troops north and
northeast of Prague were trying to
withdraw toward the American lines
wras narrowed by Gen. Andrei I.
Yeremenko's 4th Ukrainian Army.
His troops closed the corridor to 32
miles with the capture of Kolin,
Kutnahora and Tabor.
Dispatches from Berlin reported
that Red Army authorities/ saddled
with the problem of saving the Ger
man caipital’s population from star
vation, were grappling with the
problem of flooded subways in which
lay hundreds of bodies, and waves
of fires started by the Werewolves
end diehard Nazis.
A dispatch to the newspaper Trud
(See RUSSIA, Page A-3.) <
Marshal Montgomery Flies
To Copenhagen for Visit
By the Associated Press.
COPENHAGEN. May 12.—Field
Marshal Sir Bernard L. Montgom
ery came to Copenhagen by plane
today for a few hours' visit in the
Danish capital and a reception by
King Christian X.
Britain resumed her diplomatic
representation in Denmark with the
appointment of Rodney Gallup as.
charge d’affaires in Copenhagen. Iti
was expected that Sheldon Thomas
would be appointed American
charge d’affaires. Both Gallup and1
Thomas are members of the Allied;
Control Commission in Denmark.
Re-establishment of diplomatic
relations not' only means that the
Allied governments recognize the
new Danish government but also,
it was felt in Copenhagen, fore
shadows the reception of Denmark
among the United Nations.
Churchill to Broadcast;
May Discuss Election
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, May 12.—Prime . Min
ister Churchill will give some hint
on the prospect of an early British
general election during his anni
versary broadcast at 9 p.m. tomor
row (3 pm. EWT), the diplomatic
correspondent of the Daily Mail said
today.
Other London morning papers
said Mr. Churchill had been holding
conferences with Socialist leaders in
relation to an impending end of the
wartime coalition.
Gen. Bor Arrives
In Britain From Paris
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, May 12—Lt. Gen. Tad
eusz Komorowski (Gen. Bor), who
commanded the unsuccessful Polish
uprising in Warsaw last summer
and later was captured by the Ger
mans, arrived in Britain today by
plane from Paris.
The general was flown here in an
American Liberator and was re
ceived at the airfield by high Polish
civil and military leader* including
Tomasz Arceszewski, Premier of the
London Polish regime.
7 D. C. Men Leave Army Today
At Fort Meade Under Point Plan
Other District Veterans Get Discharges
At Separation Centers in Various Sections
Today is demobilization day
for seven Washington men who
will leave Fort George G. Meade,
Md., this afternoon for civilian
life—the first District soldiers
discharged from Fort Meade
under the Army’s point system.
Meanwhile, additional District
men are being discharged from sep
aration centers in other sections of
the country. One Washingtonian
was among the 1,000 soldiers to be
discharged today from Fort Dix,
N. J. Fort Bragg (N. C.) also ex
pected to have some Washington
area men among the 300 eligible for
discharge at that center, but none
of them will be released until Mon
day.
In addition to the Washington j
men, five men from nearby Mary-<
land and Virginia are being dis-!
charged from Fort Meade today.
Announcement of the Army's de
mobilization program found these
Washington area men and 98 others
from neighboring States at Fort
Meade on their way home for a fur
lough or just back at camp after
furlough, awaiting reassignment
overseas.
All of them had accrued more
than the required points for dis
charge through long overseas serv
ice. Instead of getting a furlough
or another overseas assignment,
they will get discharge papers.
Ordinarily, the Washington area
men to be discharged would have
been sent to Fort Dix, since Fort
Meade has not yet formally started
as a separation center, but the Army
was anxious to get the men to their
homes for the week end. To fulfill
this promise. 200 enlisted men and
women of the station complement
personnel worked most of last night
getting the men’s papers in shape
for discharge.
The men from the District, Mary
land, Virginia, Pennsylvania, West
Virginia and North Carolina who
will be discharged from Port Meade
today are among the first 2,500 high
point soldiers to be released today
from separation centers throughout
the country.
Under the Army’s program, 85
points scored on the basis of length
of service, service overseas, combat
awards and parenthood are required
for discharge. One Washington man
had 100 points and only one was at
the exact score of 85 {joints.
D. C. Men Earning Discharges.
The “Washington men and the
number of points each has earned
for discharge follows:
Corpl. Jefferson Pack, 25, whose
aunt, Mrs. Lewis Butler, lives at
6912 Lenwood avenue, Pleasant Hills,
Md., 94 points.
S/Sergt. Robert E. Croce, jr., 26,
whose wife, Mrs. Mildred Croce, lives
at 1912 D street N.E., 93 points.
S'Sergt. James H. Bradley, 25,
whose uncle, D. C. James, lives at
200 New York avenue N.W., 89
points.
T/5 Allen P. Gately, 25, whose par
ents, Mr. and Mrs. James H. Gately,
live at 1115 Potomac avenue S.E., 99
points.
Pfc. James E. Mallory, 25, whose
wife, Mrs. Evelyn Mallory, lives at,
2647 Woodley road N.W., 100 points.
Corpl. Floyd Barnes, 2435 I street
N.W., 85 points.
Pfc Dillon A. Newcomb, 6401 E
street N.E., 93 points.
The only District man to be dis
charged today from Fort Dix is Pvt.
Fred E. Tarrier, 25, son of Philip
Tarrier, 3101 Thirteenth street N.W.
The following men from nearby
(See FORT MEADE, Page A-2.)
Demobilization Starts,
With Africa Veterans
Receiving Break
Even Soldiers Lacking
Points Won't Fight
In Third Campaign
By the Associated Press.
PARIS, May 12.—The United
States Army’s vast redeployment
plan to shift fighting men from
Europe to the Pacific began
operation today, following an
announcement by Gen. Eisen
hower that combat troops who
served both in North Africa and
Europe would not have to fight
in the Japanese theater.
“We must be sure,” Gen. Eisen
hower wrote to generals of his com
mand, “that no soldier is sent to
the Pacific who has fought in both
North Africa and Europe.
“It may be that some soldiers in
this category will not have suffi
cient points to be eligible for dis
charge. However, these men should
be retained in the European theater
for occupation, as they should not
be required to fight another cam
paign.”
War on Japan Uppermost.
Uppermost factor in the operation
of the redeployment plan, accord
ing to Lt. Gen. Lucius D. Clay, dep
uty military governor of the United
States Group Control Council, was
“the problem of applying over
whelming force to bring the war
against Japan to a quick end.”
Troops which have amassed suffi
cient points based on service, de
pendents and decorations, will be
discharged. When the scores are
tabulated they will be sent to the
War Department. Approximately
2,000,900 men are scheduled for dis
charge during the next 12 months,
with the Army retaining 6,968,000 to
fight Japan and occupy Germany.
Among the foremost factors in
volved are the immediate training of
troops now in Germany and France
in Japanese tactics, and the matter
of leave and accommodations for
troops awaiting reassignment or dis
charge.
Some American service troops al
ready _were moving toward French
Britain Will Begin
Releasing Men From
Service June 18
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, May 12.—News
papers announced today the
first release of men in the Brit
ish armed services would be
gin June 18, but that de
mobilization in full would not
begin until the end of the
Japanese war.
The Daily Mail said 500.080
men, most of them married,
would be in civilian clothing by
Christmas.
The question of demobilization
will be debated in the House of
Commons next Wednesday.
The first group to be released
will include all men over 41
who were in the Army before
the middle of 1941.
ports, for the beginning of the long
journey to the Pacific area. Combat
troops will begin moving in about
six months.
Urges Human Understanding.
It will be 45 days before the Army
knows the names of the men who
will be sent home under the point
system. Gen. Eisenhower’s letter
said “when the bell rings we must
be prepared to release the high'
point men in each combat division
who are eligible for discharge, even
though it results in an immediate
reduction of divisional strength be
low the authorized figures.”
He added that “we must not follow
blueprint designs rigidly, but must
apply the established policies with
human understanding.”
Gen. Clay said American troops
who will go to the Pacific will be
trained in Japanese tactics while
still in Prance and Germany, under
a senior experienced battle general,
(See DEMOBILIZATION, Page A-2J
Third U. S. Landing
On Mindanao Isolates
Japanese Garrisons
Troops Swarm Ashore
Unopposed on Thursday
On Island's North Shore
By the Associated Press.
MANILA, May 12.—Japanese
garrisons throughout Mindanao
were isolated from each' other
and cut off from outside aid,
Gen. MacArthur reported today,
as a result of a new American
landing on that island, second
largest in the Philippines.
Battle-seasoned Yanks of the 40th
Division swarmed agfiore unopposed
Thursday at Macajalar Bay, on the
island’s north coast, to surprise and
checkmate the enemy’s garrison in
Bukidnon Province, in the interior.
Rear Admiral A. D. Struble com
manded the amphioious force.
The Bukidnon Japanese had been
backing northward, trying to get ,
away from the 31st Division, coming
at them from the south. The 40th
Division operation constituted a
landing in the rear qI this enemy
unit. Gen. MacArthur said it left
the enemy “incapable of serious op
position.”
Resistance Is Fierce.
The Japanese at Davao continued
fierce resistance. Nevertheless, the
Yank 24th Division gained against
them.
Besieged Japanese on Tarakan,
Borneo, also fought with tigerisn
fury and prevented Australian and
Dutch assault units from capturing
Djoeata oil field, in the central part
of the island. However, the Aussies
moved 2 miles south to within 1%
miles of the southern tip.
In the central part of Luzon
Island, Philippines, a guerrilla force
won high ground 3,600 yards north
of Ipo dam, an important unit of
Manila’s water system which never
has been relinquished by the Japa
nese. The United States 43d Divi
sion was closing in slowly from two
directions on the entrenched enemy
there.
The chessboard aspect of the
Mindanao campaign was brought
out by the disclosure of heretofore
unmentioned activities of guerrilla
forces.
An Army spokesman said Col.
Wendell Fertig’s forces landed a
fortnight ago at Butuan Bay in the
first amphibious guerrilla operation
covered by American naval guns.
Butuan Bay is about 60 miles east
and north of Macajalar.
Guerrillas Active.
Stlil farther northeastward an
other guerrilla force has been
harassing Japanese in the extreme
northern arm of Mindanao, Gen/
MacArthur disclosed.
In the extreme southern part of
the island enemy forces are caught
(See PHILIPPINES, Page A-4.) “'
Bayonet Battle
Raging Along
Okinawa Front
Yanks Gain Slowly in
Major Drive Toward
Shuri and Naha
Ey the Associated Press.
GUAM, May 12.—Four attack
ing American divisions and bit
terly resisting Japanese were
locked in close-quarter combat
today along the entire Okinawa
Island front, where both sides
frequently charged with fixed
bayonets.
Perhaps 50,000 to 100,000 Japanese
and Americans were involved in
fighting over ridges and ravines
along the 4-mile battle line.
Flame throwers, tanks and blaz
ing gasoline seared interlocking cave
defenses as the Yanks’ first two
corps offensive hammered to within
a mile of the two major objectives
—Shuri, a medieval-type fortress in
the center, and Naha, shattered west
coast port and capital of the South
ern Ryukyus.
Spectacular Gains Not Expected.
“You won’t see spectacular ad
vances, because this isn’t that kind
of fighting,” said Lt. Gen. Simon
Bolivar Buckner, jr., as his 10th
Army opened its greatest assault
yesterday w'hile Japanese suicide
planes attached shipping offshore.
“But you will see many Japs killed
and you will see them gradually
rolled back.”
And that is the way it was, Asso
ciated Press Correspondent Vern
Haugland reported from the front—
bitter fighting all across the island.
Naval, land and aerial artillery
supported the attack by the 1st and
5th Marine Divisions and the
Army’s 77th and 96th Infantry Di
visions
1,302 Naval Casualties.
Testifying to the toughness of the
naval campaign, Admiral Chester
W. Nimitz announced that last
week's naval casualties were 1,302.
Total Navy casualties for the Ryu
kyus campaign, March 18 through
Wednesday, were 6,853—1,283 officers
and men killed; 3,498 wounded and
2,072 missing.
In Gen. Buckner's great offensive
both the 1st Marine Division on the
west and the 77th Infantry Division
in the center gained hilltops domi
nating Shuri.
The Americans have counted 39.
462 Japanese dead in the Okinawa
campaign—approaching double the
figure of I wo Jima.
Along the west coast, the 6th Ma
rine Division, which audaciously
bridged the Asa River Thursday,
advanced a half mile and is now
within 1,000 yards of Naha. The
city which once sheltered 66,000 is
today a shambles from terriffic daily
naval and artillery bombardment.
Infiltrating Japs Slain.
Most of the Infiltrating Japanese
—one even clutching a telephone
wire—were sprawled in death at
dawn as Gen. Buckner’s newly
launched southern assault jumped
off.
Three American vessels were dam-'
aged by suicide planes in an attack
linked with the ground assault. The
enemy lost 40 planes, Admiral Nim
itz announced.
Observing enemy movements in
the Yonabaru vicinity, the 77th
Division placed the area under
heavy fire.
On the east flank, the 96th Divi
sion gained about 200 yards under
heavy Japanese fire from the south
west slopes of Kuhazu area. In the
Kibara Village sector, assaulting
7th Division units were met with
white phosphorous grenades.
Ban on Flyers' 'Unfancy' Dress
Starts Brawl in Club in India
Two additional men from
the District area have bee* re
ported killed in this war. See
“On the Honor Roll,’’ Page A-2.
Hodgson Succeeds Pell
On War Crimes Body
Lt. Col. Joseph V. Hodgson, who
has been serving as deputy United
States commissioner on the United
Nations Commission for the Investi
gation of War Crimes, today wa£
appointed commissioner, it was an
nounced at the White House.
He has been functioning as the
American representative since Jan
uary 1 when Herbert Pell, whom he
succeds, resigned.
Mr. Pell’s resignation was report
edly due to the fact that Congress
had appropriated no funds for
American participation in the com
mission. Since then that omission
has been remedied.
Canada Lists Casualties
OTTAWA, May 12 UP).—Defense
headquarters said yesterday that
Canada suffered 102,875 casualties in
the Army, Navy and Air Force, in
cluding 37,206 dead and 3,769 miss
'ing, up to May 7.
By the Associated Press.
CALCUTTA, May 12.—Two vet
eran B-29 combat flyers have been
fined by an Army court-martial after
a brawl that arose when their reg
ulation uniforms were not consid
ered fancy enough to admit them to
the ballroom of the new American
Army Officers’ Club at the Kanami
Estates here.
A navigator paid $100 and a co
pilot $50.
The incident highlighted wide
spread dissatisfaction among India
Burma combat officers with the
swank demanded before they can
rub elbows with their rear area
brethren at the Kanarni Estates,
under noncombat officer manage
ment.
The “battle of the bush jacket’'
comes in the now-it-can-be-told
class, since steps have been taken
to remove the main causes of dis
satisfaction.
It began when the navigator and
co-pilot, each with more than 400
hours of combat flight and three
combat medals, arrived in town on
leave and appeared at the Kanarni
Club in regulation cotton shirts,
standard garb all over the theater
of action.
They were barred and informed
they must wear either tunics, which
are out of question in Calcutta's
Turkish bath climate, or bush
jackets, a nonregulation sort of
long-skirted Norfolk jacket for hot
weather borrowed from the British
and optional in this area. The
brawl followed.
Combat officers had long com
plained that the bush jacket ruling
virtually reserved the club, which
cost plenty of money, for typewriter
troopers who had a corner on avail
able bush jackets.
Brig. Gen. Robert Neyland, com
mander of Base Section 2, and other
authorities here have held that the
dress requirements contribute to
better behavior.
The Kanarni management still is
sticking to the bush jacket require
ment, but has come down to the ex
tent of putting in a stock of the
jackets which outposted officers can
rent for 1 rupee nightly. 1
Donald Nelson Leaves
U. S. Service May 15;
Aide Succeeds Him
Resignation Is Accepted
'Reluctantly' by Truman;
Edwin Locke Appointed
Donald M. Nelson, former head
of the War Production Board,
who has been engaged in estab
lishment of a Chinese WPB for
Chiang Kai-shek’s government,
is leaving the service of this Gov
ernment on May 15, it was dis
closed at the White House today.
His present duties will be assumed
by Edwin A. Locke, jr., who has
been associated with Mr. Nelson
throughout the course of the war.
An exchange of letters between
Mr. Nelson and President Truman
disclosed that Mr. Nelson had sub
mitted his resignation April 16,
and asked that it be effective May 1,
but President Truman asked him
to hold off a couple of weeks. In
his letter, Mr. Truman said he
accepted the resignation “reluct
antly.’’
Surveys Chinas Needs.
Mr. Nelson, who had undertaken
several missions for President
Roosevelt, went to China last sum
mer after leaving WPB as the result
of an internal war over policy.
He made a survey of China's needs
in company with Maj. Gen. Patrick
J. Hurley, present Ambassador, and
then created an organization for
increasing Chinese war production.
The program was reported later
to have worked out satisfactorily.
While Mr. Nelson carried the per
sonal rank of Ambassador, Mr. Locke
will not have this designation. A
letter from the President to Mr.
Locke carried the information that
the wwk in China is expected to be
completed in from three to six
months.
In his letter of resignation, Mr.
Nelson told the President that he
was ‘‘happy to see that you begin
your administration with the good
will and blessings of all Americans”
and pledged his suport to the new
Chief Executive.
Personal Representative.
“As you know, however," he said,
“my apointment by President Roose
velt was as his personal representa
tive to other governments and I
therefore tender my resignation, ef
fective May 1. By tl}at time I shall
be able to make recommendations to
you for the transfer of my assign
ments.”
He added, too, that after several
trips to Russia and China he had
long talks with Mr. Roosevelt about
economic relations with other coun
tries and said, "I shall be glad at
any time to tell you what wre dis
cussed in these conversations.”
In accepting the resignation, the
President told Mr. Nelson:
“Ever since May of 1940 you have
been in Washington, at great per
sonal sacrifice, rendering patriotic
and effective service in helping to
build the vast war machine which
has finally spelled victory in Europe
for the cause of decency. That same
armed might which you did so much
to help forge now will be concen
trated on the other side of the world
to bring the Japanese to uncondi
tional surrender*
“I am sure that it must be a
great source of pride to you, as it is
of gratitude to the American people,
to realize how much your continued
devotion and energy has contributed
to the victory that has been and to
the victory that will be. On behalf
of the American people I thank you
and wish you much happiness and
success in your future endeavors.”
There was nothing to indicate
what Mr. Nelson, former head of
Sears, Roebuck & Co., proposed
to do.
The appointment of Mr. Locke as
his successor was suggested by Mr.
Nelson.
There had been earlier indications
that Mr. Nelson had planned to re
turn to China.
Soviet Writer Demands
Hanging of Von Papen
By the Associated Press.
MOSCOW, May 12.—Commentator
Nikolai Polyanov declared in the
newspaper Komsomol Pravda today
that “justice demands” the hanging
of Franz von Papen, Nazi diplomat
captured by American forces.
He named Von Papen specifically
in an article saying “the time has
arrived to get busy with those crim
inals who started the war in Eu
rope.”
Gen. Dietrich, Leader
Of Panzer Army, Seized
By the Associated Press.
WITH U. S. 7th ARMY, May 12.—
Col. Gen. Sepp Dietrich, commander
of the 6th SS Panzer Army, and,
his wife were captured today by the
636th Tank Destroyer Battalion, 36th
Division.
Master Sergt. Herbert Kraus of
Cleveland recognized Gen. Dietrich
after military police placed him in a
prisoner cage.
“Dietrich doesn’t look anything
like an army commander—he's more
!like a neighborhood grocer," Kraus
said.
I Front dispatches to Moscow in
April said Gen. Dietrich had been
assassinated during the battle for
Vienna. A -British broadcast today
said he was captured by Americans
near Linz.
Still More Subsidies
For Meat Industry
Predicted by Wagner
Quick Action Predicted
I On Legislation to
Extend Price Control
Bj the Associated Press.
A Senate committee chairman
said today an OPA order giving
still more subsidies to the meat
industry probably will be issued
next week.
If it meets objections raised by
packers and cattle feeders to the
present OPA price subsidy schedules,
the ‘order may clear the way fori
quick Senate action on legislation’
to extend the Price Control Act un-’
changed for another year from the
June 30 expiration date.
Chairman Wagner of the Senate
Banking Committee said he under
stood OPA officials had about
worked out a formula designed to
settle the meat price controversy.
He has been holding the extension
measure in committee pending these
efforts.
Price Administrator Chester Bowles
has advised the Agriculture Com
mittee that he wants to appear be
fore it next week to discuss the
situation, Chairman Thomas of Ok
lahoma said.
The Agriculture Committee will
begin work Monday on a report on
its food investigations. Senator
Thomas said it will cover "findings
of facts and conclusions” and as
serted he was convinced that OPA
must:
1. Give additional subsidies to
feeders who fatten range cattle.
2. Give "additional relief” to meat
feeders.
Senator Thomas has just returned
from a visit to Oklahoma. He said
that in personal investigations there
he found no demand for an Increase
in the price of range cattle and saw
no cattle in feeder pens.
"The feeders claim the price they
have to pay for feed is so high that
they can’t afford to feed,” he said.
Senator Thomas said he saw no
necessity for amending the price
control law, believing changes de
manded by cattle and meat men
could be handled by administrative
action.
"But if OPA doesn’t do a better
job than it has done there will be
amendments,” he added.
13,000 OPA Overcharge
Settlements Reported
Br the Associated Press.
About 13,000 retailers have made
voluntary settlements exceeding
000,000 after overcharges to consitfA?
ers in the past seven months, fhe
OPA reported today.
The agency said these settlements
were negotiated by price panels com
posed of local citizens.
Price Administrator Chester
Bowles said local panels have saved
the Government “hundreds of thou
sands of dollars in litigation costs
and spared merchants the expense
and inconvenience of court action.”
Three Crewmen Killed
In Army Bomber Crash
Br the Associated Press.
FLORENCE, S. C., May 12.—An
Army bomber based at the Florence
Army Air base crashed 4 miles from
here late yesterday and the three
crewmen were killed.
They were:
First Lt. Alfred E. Singer, Chicago;
2nd Lt. William C. Wolcott, Flint,
Mich., and CorpL Robert E. Wallace,
Newark, N. J.
Major Powers Decide
To Oppose Increase
In Security Council
American Delegation
Reported Standing Firm
For 11 Members
By GOULD LINCOLN,
Star Staff Correspondent.
SAN FRANCISCO, May 12.—
The United States and other
“big” nation delegations at the
United Nations Conference have
decided against any increase in
the size of the projected World
Security Council from the 11
members proposed in the Dum
barton Oaks plan.
The only thing that could upset
this decision would be a real revolt
on the part of the medium and
smaller nations, which constitute a
majority in the conference. Any
amendment increasing the size of
the council could only be carried by
a two-thirds vote. It is unlikely the
lesser nations could muster such a
vote, although many of them have
offered amendments proposing that
the number of nonpermanent mem
bers be raised to 9 or 10. Dumbar
ton Oaks provides for five perma
nent and six nonpermanent mem
bers.
From a source close to the Amer
ican delegation it was learned this
country was sticking to a total of
11, and would so vote in any show
down on the matter, in committee
and later in the conference.
Compromise Formula.
A compromise formula on the re
lationship of regional security sys
tems to the proposed new world or
ganization, to which the United
States delegation was expected to
give its final approval today, was
said to care for three phases in pos
sible international disputes:
The first is the area of Pacific
settlement. In this area the region
al agency would have full scope of
action, either alone or in concert
with the Security Council of the
international organization.
The second is the area in which
enforcement action, economic sanc
tions or armed force, becomes
necessary. Here authority of the
Security Council will be sought.
The third is the area in which an
armed attack has actually been
made. Here national and hemi
spheric defense will be recognized
as a sovereign right, and the region
al agency will act on its own au
thority, though the international
agency may also take action.
One of the fears often expressed
is that if the matter of intervention
in a dispute involving the Western
Hemisphere were left entirely to the
decision of the Security Council, ac
tion might be blocked by the veto
of one of the permanent members
of the council. This may be taken
(See LINCOLN, Page A-4.)
Thousands of Prisoners
Moving Toward Russia
By the Associated Press.
MOSCOW, May 12.—Long lines of
German prisoners moved toward the
Soviet Union from every sector of
the front today, headed for recep
tion centers where they will be
classified according to occupations.
The total of prisoners taken be
tween Wednesday and Friday has
risen to around 600,000.
Fighting still is sharp in isolated
sectors of Czechoslovakia, but link
ups with American forces and the
onrushing tank groups of four
Soviet armies are hemming in the
holdout Nazis hourly and reducing
their salients materially.
German Prisoners Want
To Join War on Japs
By the Associated Press.
FORT SHERIDAN, HI., May 12.—
A number of German prisoners of
war at the base camp here have
asked to join the American Army in
the war against Japan and then re
turn to their prisoner status for five
years, in an effort to earn American
citizenship.
Lt. Col. Ernst .R. Schuelke, com
mander of the base camp, said the
request was made through the pris
oners’ camp spokesman, who gave
no indication of how many prisoners
bad joined in the request.
He did not indicate what official
action might be taken, but said it
was considered unlikely that the
offer would be granted.
U. S. Delegation
Reported Ending
Treaty Impasse
Tentative Plan Gives
Each Nation Right
To Regional Pacts
By JOHN M. HIGHTOWER,
Associated Press Staff Writer.
SAN FRANCISCO. May 12.—
The United States delegation to
the United Nations Conference
was reported today to have
broken its week-old deadlock
over how to fit regional security
systems into a world peace or
ganization.
The tentative solution is based
on recognizing in a United Nations
charter the right of all countries
to make treaties for their own de
fense. Under such treaties, nations
could give each other emergency
assistance against an aggressor, but
then the projected World Security
Council would be empowered to
take control of the situation.
Officials said this plan should
allay the fears of small nations
that the council might not give
them quick enough protection in an
emergency. And they felt it would
not weaken the over-all authority
of the world agency to handle
situations endangering peace.
Stettinius, Eden Discuss Plan.
Secretary of State Stettinius dis
cussed the compromise American
plan with British Foreign Sec
retary Anthony Eden last night in
an effort to begin obtaining a big
power agreement along the same
London, Washington
Refuse Comment on
Stalin Letter Story
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, May 12.—A For
eign Office spokesman today re
fused official comment on pub
lished reports that Premier
Stalin had written Prime Min
ister Churchill charging that
the Yalta pledges had been
broken, and that co-operation
had become impossible.
When the subject was brought
up at the White House, Acting
Press Secretary Eben Ayres said
President Truman’s attention
hfd been called to the reports
this morning but had no com
ment to make.
“Is the story true?” the sec
retary, was asked.
“I don't know,” he replied.
—
line. Mr. Stettinius reports back
| to a delegation meeting today at
which final United States accord
on the formula is slated.
The reaction of Latin American
leaders battling here for an inde
pendent security system in this
hemisphere remains to be deter
mined but United States leaders
were hopeful the self-defense theory
would meet their approval. This
would speed the conference toward
a successful conclusion.
The Eden-Stettinius talk also is
understood to have covered a gen
eral review of conference work to
date and problems ahead prelimi
nary to Mr. Eden's imminent de
parture for London. There were
reports he would fly by way of
Washington, stopping off there long
enough to call on President Truman.
One of the still unsolved problems
is that of providing international
supervision for trusteeship adminis
tration of lands taken from enemy
countries in the two World Wars.
Britain and the United States are
near agreement on the United States
contention that areas suitable for
military base development should
be given into exclusive control of
the governments which operate the
bases.
Soviet Sides With U. S.
On the same problem, Russia; In
an amendment submitted to the
Trusteeship Committee of the con
ference, sided entirely with the Unit
ed States. Russia also went along
with an American proposal that a
special council should be established
in the proposed new peace league
to head up the trusteeship system.
Russia said the council should in
clude the Big Five powers as per
manent members, which would give
it about 18 or 20 member nations in
comparison writh the 13 to 15 mem
bers previously contemplated.
A more powerful position seemed
to be in prospect for the league’s
proposed Economic and Social Coun
cil. A conference committee studying
plans for that agency voted unani
mously last night that it would rank
next to the powerful Security Coun
cil, in order to emphasize the im
portance of promoting economic, so
cial, educational and similar activi
ties on a world-wide scale as essen
tials of a lasting peace.
The Dumbarton Oaks plan, which
China, Russia, the United States
and Britain drew up at Washington
last fall, provided that the council
should be subordinate to the League
Assembly. Russia insisted then on
concentrating on peace-enforcing
arrangements, as in the Security
Council, but has since swung over
to the Anglo-American-Chinese ar
gument that weight must be given
to building a peace as well as to
being ready to fight for. it.
Debate Big-Power Veto.
A conference committee assigned
to study peaceful means by which
the Security Council might try to
settle future international disputes
spent the better part of a three-hour
session last night debating whether
the big powers in the council should
have a veto in such cases. Canada
proposed that an affirmative vote of
any seven of the 11 council mem
bers should be enough to have the
council take up a dispute and rec
ommend a settlement. There was
much argument reported but no de
cision.
Other committees made more
measurable progress. The group
studying membership in the new
league voted to let any Allied na
tions, whether or not represented at
this conference, become an initial
member merely by adhering to the
(See SECURITY, Page A-4.)