Evening star. [volume], August 07, 1945, Image 1

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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' An Associoted Press Newspaper
93d YEAE. No. 36,984. Phone NA. 5000.
v.
WASHINGTON, D. C., TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 1945-TWENTY-SIX PAGES. ★★★
.. ... ..—.. .. . — .I....1.1" . ... » M ... ■ .■■■■.... .
g5 CENTS
_ i __
JAPS ADMIT GREAT ATOMIC BOMB DAMAGE
Weapon Sent Down
By 'Chute, Exploded
In Air, Enemy Says
'Destructive Power
Cannot Be Slighted/
Broadcast Concedes
Er the Associated Press.
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 7.—
The new atomic bomb that
shook Hiroshima was dropped
from an American plane by par
achute and exploded before it
hit the ground, a Japanese
Domei news agency dispatch
broadcast by the Tokyo radio
said today.
“The destructive power of the new
weapon cannot be slighted,” the
enemy report, monitored by the Fed
eral Communications Commission,
admitted.
Domei quoted “informed quarters”
' in Tokyo as conceding that the new
bomb had "considerable destructive
power.” Earlier, a Japanese im
perial headquarters communique
used the same adjective in describ
ing damage to Hiroshima as “con
siderable.”
While President Truman's an
nouncement said one atomic bomb
was released, both the Tokyo com
munique and the later Domei dis
patch referred to the bomb in the
plural, indicating the Japanese could
not believe that only a single bomb
was used.
“A Few Dropped," Japs Say.
Domei said a “few” were dropped,
adding:
“As a result of this wanton at
tack, a considerable number of
houses in the city were demolished,
while fires were caused to start at
several points.”
The dispatch claimed Japanese
authorities already were busy on
countermeasures and declared that
“the history of war shows that the
new weapon, however effective, will
eventually lose its power” because
of discovery of ways to nullify its
effect.
Domei quoted its informed source
as branding the bomb tactics “a de
stroyer of justice and mankind * * •
and public enemy No. 1 of social
justice.”
First Acknowledgement.
The Tokyo communique was the
first Japanese acknowledgement
that Hiroshima had been subjected
to any special form of attack. Earlier
the Tokyo radio said a number of
Security Air Force
Equipped With New
Bombs Suggested
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, Aug. 7— Some dip
lomats in London suggested
today that Britain and America
might agree to furnish a spe
cial air force equipped with
atomic bombs to the United
Nations Security Council.
Such an air force would be
under control of the council for
use wherever aggression might
break out, but such use would
not mean giving away the secret
of the atomic bomb to the in
ternational organization.
B-29s had bombed the city at 8:20
a.m. and an Osaka broadcast made
a matter-of-fact announcement
that trains in Hiroshima prefec
ture had been canceled.
American reports said Hiroshima
was angulfed in an “impenetrable
cloud of dust and smoke" after the
incredible blast and the Japanese
may be unable to gauge the amount
of explosive used.
Following is the text of the im
perial communique, as transmitted
by Domei and recorded by the Fed
eral Communications Commission:
"First, considerable damage was
caused in Hiroshima City as a re
sult of an attack made by a small
number of enemy B-29s yesterday,
August 6.
“Second, the enemy appears to
have employed new-type bombs in
this attack. However, details are
now under investigation.”
» Text of Broadcast.
Following is the text of the Domei
broadcast as recorded in New York
by the Associated Press:
“New bomb: The main reason
which drove the enemy to the use of
a new-type bomb in a raid on
Hiroshima yesterday morning is his
impatience at the slow progress of
the projected invasion of Japan’s
mainland, informed quarters point
ed out here today.
"While admitting considerable
destructive power for the new weap
on, these quarters said the resort
to such inhuman tactics is sufficient
to brand the enemy for ages to
come as ‘a destroyer of Justice and
mankind’ and ‘public enemy No. 1
of social justice.'
"Describing how the enemy used
such a diabolic weapon for the first
time in raids on Japan’s homeland,
these quarters reported that a
small number of enemy planes
shortly after 8 o’clock yesterday
morning appeared over the city of
Hiroshima and dropped a few new
type bombs. As a result of this
wanton attack a considerable num
ber of houses in the city were de
molished while fires were caused to
start at several points.
"The new type bomb used by the
enemy yesterday morning has a par
achute attached to it and explodes
in the air before reaching the
(See HIROSHIMA, Page A-3!>
Three additional men from
the District area have been re
ported killed in this war. See
"On the Honor Roll ” Page AS.
Missiles on Hand
For New Attacks,
Spokesman Hints
By JOSEPH H. BAIRD.
The United States has enough
of the new atomic bombs on
hand to continue bombarding
war-vital targets in Japan with
them if the Tokyo government
refuses to surrender, a military
spokesman indicated today.
While awaiting reports from re
connaissance planes on the damage
done to Hiroshima, Japanese mili
tary base, in the first atomic bomb
attack yesterday, officials said it was
reasonable to assume that enough of
the deadly missiles were on hand to
continue the attacks.
The spokesman recalled that about
$2,000,000,000 had been expended on
the atomic bomb program, adding
that it was inconceivable, in view of
this, that enough bombs for the im
mediate future had not been pro
vided.
Probably Dropped by Chute.
Military sources, without making
a definite announcement a<; to the
| technique used in dropping the
! superbomb, were inclined to support
! Japanese reports that it was let down
by a parachute. Also, officials said,
! it was probable that the plane carry
ing the bomb flew at a tremendous
| height to avoid damage from the
, explosion.
Asked why the moderate-sized city
of Hiroshima rather than Tokyo
was selected as the first target, a
spokesman replied:
“Maybe we didn't want to risk
hitting the Tokyo government build
ings and destroying the very people
who may make the decision to sur
render.”
Meanwhile, little is known of the
physical characteristics or methods
; of using the bomb, and it is likely
I that these questions will remain
unanswered at least until after the
defeat of Japan. For the present
the public must remain satisfied with
President Truman’s statement that
it packs the wallop of 20,000 tons
of TNT—the most powerful ex
plosive until the harnessing of
atomic energy—and 2,000 times that
of the British “grand slam,” the
biggest bomb used in the war.
Weighs About 400 Pounds.
The most accurate index to the
actual size of the atomic bomb was
given in an Associated Press dis
patch from London which quoted an
official of the British Ministry of
Aircraft Production as saying that
it “is 10 times smaller than a
block buster, but many times as
powerful.” This may be taken to
mean that the new bomb weighs
about 400 pounds.
Blockbusters were the 2-ton bombs
that were the first giant aerial pro
' jectiles used by the RAF against
Germany. They were succeeded by
4-ton "factory busters,” 6-ton
“earthquakes,” 11-ton “grind slams.”
“Speaking in extremelV conserva
tive terms," the British commen
tator said, one of the new atomic
bombs "would be equivalent to a
severe earthquake and would utterly
remove the place."
Interest centers for the moment
on the effectiveness of the bomb in
ending the war with Japan. Soon
after the new weapon was revealed
by the White House yesterday, the
Office of War Information began
broadcasting to the Japanese the
news of the terror which awaits
them if they insist on continuing
the war.
Broadcasts Begun.
OWI transmitters in San Fran
cisco, Hawaii and Saipan broad
cast the White House announcement
in Japanese and other languages.
The Japanese may now determine
for themselves what the atomic
i bomb did to Hiroshima, a giant
Army staging area with a normal
population of 318,000, and determine
whether they want other areas so
devastated.
It is assumed here that if the
Japanese elect to continue the war,
their other primary military and
naval targets soon will feel the
blast of atomic bombs. Japanese air
power in recent weeks has proved in
capable of stopping attacks by B-29s
and fleet-based tcraft dropping con
ventional explosives, and there is
no reason to believe that they can
now halt American planes carrying
the newer and deadlier weapon.
It was recalled here that the joint
(See BOMB, Page A-6.)
Vatican Paper
Expresses Fears
Over Bomb's Use
By the Associated Press.
VATICAN CITY, Aug. 7.—The
Vatican City newspaper L’Osserva
tore Romano today called the new
atomic bomb dropped on Japan "a
catastrophic conclusion * * * to
the war’s apocalyptic surprises.”
It compared the invention of the
atomic bomb with the Invention of
a submarine by Leonardo da Vinci,
the 16th century Italian artist and1
inventor.
It expressed regret that the bomb’s
Inventors did riot, like Da Vinci, de
stroy their creation in the interest
of humanity.
“Da Vinci wanted to defeat death
by thought,” L'Osservatore said,
"but the road of men who have not
his Christian charity must defeat
death with death. This incredible
destructive instrument remains a
temptation, if not for horrified con
temporaries, then for posterity, to
whom little is taught by history.”
• _______
The Encyclopedia Britannica says
Da Vinci "knew of a method of re
maining a long time under water,
but he refused to tell of it because
of the 'evil nature of man.’ ”
Nomura Warns Japs
U. $. Will Not Accept
Compromise Terms
Former Envoy Declares
Countrymen Have No
Choice but to Fight On
By thr Associated Press.
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 7.—
Kichisaburo Nomura warned the
Japanese people today not to
expect compromise surrender
terms although the Americans
are frankly anxious to end the
war quickly.
The former Ambassador to Wash
ington, who yesterday characterised
the Potsdam surrender ultimatum
to Japan as the height of imperti
nence, today moved to further
stiffen the national backbone in an
interview characterising the Ameri
can people as “hot-tempered,"
The former envoy did not men
tion in his anti-surrender discussion
the new atomic bomb which first
was released against the Japanese
yesterday with a power threatening
extermination of the empire.
8ayt Japs Most Fight On.
After explaining American "hot
temperedness” and "nervousness” at
length, Nomura cautioned “we
should not take these weak points
of the American people at their face
value. Although they are looking
forward for a quick termination of
the war, they are not the kind of
people who will seek a compromise
because of this. • • *.
“Keeping this point in mind
clearly, the people of our country
must not be misled by their sugar
coated words, and must fight to our
hearts’ content with our own power
alone.”
Nomura’s comments were broad
cast’ by the Tokyo radio and re
corded by the Federal Communica
tions Commission, which likewise
heard a varied group of Japanese
broadcasts indicating to some extent
the curtailment of activities which
the war has caused in Japanese
national life.
Transportation is Problem.
In one report, the Bank of Japan
announced that because of com
munications damage, and lack of
labor, reports would be made but
once a month and limited to
scantiest details.
Another told of a cabinet meeting
in which the “transportation of
materials from the China conti
nent,” which have been almost
wholly cut off by air blockade, was
considered for the second straight
day without an indicated answer to
the problem.
The death last week of Katsubo
Kubo, counsellor to the puppet
Manchukuo government, was an
nounced.
Quoting dispatches from Malaysia,
Tokyo announced again that Singa
pore’s defenses had been completed
and the “majority of the resident
Japanese have already taken up
arms.”
With the entire Japanese-con
quered Southwest Pacific areas now
within range of Allied bombers and
hopelessly, cut off from their home
land, the Japanese Army announced
“formal approval” of a plan for the
"preparation” for liberation of the
East Indies.
New Ultimatum
Ba$ed on Atomic
Bomb Predicted
Question of Whether
All Allies Will Share
Secret Is Raised
Br tht Associated Press.
LONDON, Aug. 7.—A new sur
render ultimatum to Japan,
backed by the threat of the
atomic bomb, was forecast in
the British press today and the
question was raised whether the
United States and Britain would
see fit to share their secret with
other Allied nations.
(Military officials in Washing
ton also expressed confidence
that a new ultimatum would be
given Japan. One official said
it doesn’t seem possible that the
Japanese war lords would stand
by and watch their people an
nihilated.)
British experts on military, scien
tific and international affairs, busy
making calculations on the effects
of the awesome development, said
the bomb would influence all future
international relations and produce
the “alarming problem” of how to
control it.
"How far 1t will be possible or
wise to diffuse generally over the'
world the knowledge of how to make
these bombs poses a vitally import
ant problem,” said Prof. Gilbert
Murray, joint president of the
League of Nations Union since 1938.
“There are enormous difficulties in!
keeping it as a secret of one or two;
nations.’’
48-Hour Time Limit Seen.
The Daily Mail, in a Weshington
dispatch, quoted "reliable sources”
in the United States Capital as
saying the Allies would serve Japan
another ultimatum*threatening to;
bomb her into oblivion with the new
weapon unless she surrendered un
conditionally. The ultimatum would
carry a 48-hour time limit, the
Daily Mail said
There was no immediate con
firmation from official quarters.
However, Allied propagandists al
ready were at work bombarding
Japan with radio accounts of the!
new bomb and its potentialities.
Prof. Murray said that the League
Committee of Intellectual Co-opera
tion once considered a proposal
that all scientific inventions of mili
tary importance should be published
Immediately but that it was argued
that a nation, feeling its security
depended on some military secret,
would never be willing to give up
that secret.
Security Issue Vastly Expanded.
"One can see the argument on
both sides,” Prof. Murray said, “but
I feel the atomic bomb has pro
duced a very interesting problem—
and a very alarming one.”
The Manchester Guardian de
clared that “man is at last well on
the way to the mastery of the means
of destroying himself utterly.”
Military experts said that some of
the great strategic issues which have
been bones of contention among na
tions now take on an entirely new
aspect. Security, they said, can no
longer be defined by control of cer
tain ports or canals, and a frontier
on this or that river or mountain
will not add an iota of strategic ad
vantage in event of further conflict.
"Nothing less than international
peace will give security," one mili
tary commentator said.
Hopes tor Quick End of War.
Britain’s first gasp of amazement
at the power of the atomic bomb
and the hopes it spurred for a quick
end of the Japanese war sobered
into an awed realization of its vast
potentialities—In peace as well as in
war.
“It might produce something that
will revolutionize all industrial life,”
said Sir John Anderson, who as lord
president of the council in Britain’s
wartime cabinet shared responsbility
for the secret and costly research
which developed the destructive
weapon.
"There are great possibilities if
energy on a scale presented In the
bomb is made available to drive
machinery and provide sources of
power," he added.
Dr. E. Slade, research controller
of the imperial chemical industries,
one of the experts who developed
the bomb which was dropped on
Japan for the first time Monday,
said: "This invention probably will
have a revolutionary effect on our
future lives. We have solved the
problem how to release almost un
(See ULTIMATUM, Page A-6.)
Splitting of Atom, as Told in Star in 1939,
Big Step in Development of Great New Bomb
(In 1939 Thomas R. Henry,
science writer for The Star, wrote
a story of the splitting of the''
atom, the second step in scien
tific research from which .hat
emerged the atomic bomb, great
est force known to man. Three
months ago Mr, Henry, now a
war correspondent for The Star,
went into Norway with American
forces. He found evidence there
of experiments by the Germans,
who hoped to achieve the weapon
announced here yesterday, but
the censors held up his story.
The story of the experiments
here in 1939 is reprinted below
from The Star of February S,
1939.)
By THOMA8 R. HENRY.
Early last week occurred an almost
incredible event—the splitting of an
atom and the first release of atomic
energy.
By Implication it may be the most
significant happening of our times.
Man has got his hand on the throttle
of the stars. On the other hand, for
the present it is little more than, a
scientific curiosity of no practical use
to any body except workers in experi
mental physics laboratories. And for
all anybody knows, it may never be
of any use, although such a predic*
tlon would be flying In the face of
precedent.
If the accomplishment of breaking
an uranium atom in two, reported
simultaneously from Washington,
New York, Baltimore and Copen
hagen under the moat dramatic cir
cumstances, can be developed to its
full implications—the actual release
and control of any considerable part
of the energy that binds together
all things in creation—hardly any
predictions can be too fantastic. Very
likely the best guess would be the
wildest, and the day the pussled
Prof. G. Hahn at the Kaiser Wil
helm Institute in Berlin found a
minute amount of barium contam
inating a preparation of uranium
which he had bombarded with alow
neutron* may have constituted a
major turning point in the history
of the world.
Can man ever fly to the moon,
Venus or Mary? Last week the an
swer of any . sober scientists would
have been an unqualified no. To
day the answer may well be an op
timistic maybe—with the actual ac
complishment thrown far enough
into the future. He certainly could
if he had control of ktomlc energy.
Could a big gun be set up in Berlin
and bombard Washington? Maybe
so—if* this enegry can be tapped
and controlled fully. But it should
be kept clearly in mind that this is
not yet the case and may never be.
The difficulties in the way of tap
ping for practical purposes the bind
ing energy that holds creation to
gether are incalculably stupendous.
The significance of last week’s hap
pening was that it was a beginning
—the accomplishment on however
small a scale of what the world’s
most eminent physicists were con
(See HENRlf, £ags A-S.)
/there's nct ll
I ROOM FOR TiWi- 1
f|v..~AND YOU IN 1
f|L THE SAME M
Jap Naval Arsenal
At Toyokawa Blasted
In Super Fort Raid
Escort Mustangs Meet
No Air Opposition;
Results 'Excellent'
Er the Associated Press.
GUAM, Aug. 7.—Marianas-!
based B-29s today kept up the
continual pounding of the Japa
nese Empire with a noonday 126
plane strike at the big Toyokawa
naval arsenal, 37 miles south
east of Nagoya Castle. Return
ing air-men said they bombed
visually In good weather and re
sults were “excellent.”
Their missiles were “high ex
plosives,” the 20th Air Force said—
presumably not atomic bombs. Mus
tangs escorted the Super Forts, but
found no air opposition.
The 20th Air Force communique
today also reported a broad sweep
across the Tokyo area yesterday by
97 Iwo-based Mustangs which
smashed at nine enemy airfields,
rail yards, and shipping, and de
stroyed or damaged 25 grounded
aircraft.
The Tokyo-Yokohama district was
bombed and strafed about an hour
this morning by 40 Iwo-based Amer
ican Mustangs and "it is reported
that several British planes of un
specified category” participated,
Japan’s Domei agency reported.
If confirmed, that would be the
first attack on the Japanese home
land by land-based British aircraft.
British carrier planes attacked Ja
pan many times last month as part
of Admiral Halsey’s 3d Fleet.
More than 400 Far East air forces
fighters and bombers converted the
Kyushu port of Tarumi into a vast
swirl of flame Sunday with a two
hour hammering with fire bombs,
rockets and bullets, Gen. MacArthur
reported today. Pilots said the great
fires were visible 30 miles.
i — i
U.S. Navy Cites
Tokyo Rose for
Boosting Morale
Tokyo Rose, seductive-voiced Jap
anese £irl propogandist, won a cita
tion from the United States Navy
today for "meritorious service con
tributing greatly to the morale” of
American troops in the Pacific.
With the citation goes “permis
sion to broadcast soon to the United
States Army of Occupation in Japan
and to the ships of the United States
Fleet' at anchor in Yokohama Bay,
the history-making scene of Admiral
Halsey riding the Japanese Em
peror’s white horse through the
streets of Tokyo.”
The citation was broadcast today
by Capt. T. J. O’Brien, director ef
naval welfare, over the Navy Re
porter program, shortwaved to all
personnel beyond the continental
limits of the United States.
“While the United States armed
forces in the Pacific have been ex
tremely busy capturing enemy-held
islands, sinking Jap ships and
killing Japs, Tokyo Rose has per
sistently entertained them during
those long nights in fox-holes and
on board ship, by bringing them
excellent state-side music, laughter
and news about home,” the citation
said.
New Overseas Edition
Will Be Out Tomorrow
.A new issue of The Star’s
overseas Edition will be ready
tomorrow. Free copies, with
envelopes for mailitw, may be
obtained at The Star’s busi
ness counter and the Victory
Bond booth in Lansburgh’s
Department Store.
The edition is strictly lim
ited. Please don’t waste a
single copy.
Grabner, Nazi Prison
Commander, Arrested
Ez the Associated Press.
LONDON, Aug. 7.—The Exchange
Telegraph Agency said in a Vienna
dispatch today that Austrian police
had arrested Ernst Grabner, former
commander of the Nazi prison camp
at Oswiecim (Auschwitz) in Upper
Silesia.
Grabner, personally charged with
killing 2,000 persons, will be tried
by an Austrian People's Court.
Members of Congress
Believe Atomic Bomb
Will Shorten War
Legislators Are Ready
To Act on Truman's
Proposal for Controls
Ey the Associated Pres*.
Elated legislators today fore
cast that the atomic bomb would
shorten the Japanese war and
might mark the trail for revolu
tionary peacetime development
of cheap energy.
President Truman's announce
ment that the world's most de
structive missile has been dropped
on Japan found members of the
Senate Military Affairs and Appro
priations Committees ready to act
on White House bidding as soon as
Congress reconvenes in October.
Mr. Truman suggested congres
sional establishment of a commis
sion to control the production and
use of atomic energy which gives
the bomb its tremendous destructive
power.
The fact that the bomb was being
developed—one of the war's best
kept secrets—has been known to
some Senators for more than two
years.
Chairman Thomas of Utah told a
reporter the Military Affairs Com
mittee will expedite legislation set
ting up the control commission so
that it can be ready to make a swift
transition from war to peace activi
ties when the Pacific conflict ends.
While seeing the possibility that
the bomb might shorten the war
materially, Senator Thomas said he
could not guSss whether it would
eliminate the necessity for an inva
sion of Japan.
Senator Thomas and Senator
O’Mahoney, Democrat, of Wyoming,
a member of the Appropriations and
Military Affairs CommiMees, said
Congress is certain to provide all the
(See CONGRESS, Page A^t)
Pefain Approved Visit
Of Rougier to Britain,
Admiral Fernet Says
Secret Negotiations After
Fall of France Related
At Treason Trial
P.y the Associated Tress.
PARIS, Aug. 7.—Admiral Jean
Fernet told the court trying
Marshal Petain for his life today
that Petain approved secret ne
gotiations with Great Britain in
1M0, shortly after the French
German armistice.
He said the marshal approved the
visit to England of Louis Rougier,
and that he returned from confer
ences with former Prime Minister
Churchill and former Foreign Secre
tary Anthony Eden with a working
agreement.
The witness said Britain agreed to
take no aggressive action against
French colonies if the Vichy govern
ment would not attempt to regain
control of territory held by Gen. de
Gaulle’s Free French. Under the
proposed plan, Fernet said the Brit
ish would have relaxed the blockade
if Vichy agreed not to help Germany
in any way.
Peyrouton Testifies.
Rougier has written a book about
the negotiations, which official Brit
ish statements branded as a distorted
account.
Marcel Peyrouton, former Vicny
Minister and Governor of Algeria
told the court that Britain main
tained contact with Petain’s regime
throughout 1940 through Spain and
Switzerland.
He said Petain and Laval were at
loggerheads within six months after
the Vichy government was set up
and that Laval was arrested on
the night of December 13, 1940,
after Petain had consulted the cabi
net of which he was Interior Min
ister.
Concerned Aboyt Fleet.
A woman’s suicide leap before a
subway train delayed the trial for
an hour today because a juror was
caught in the ensuing traffic jam.
Peyrouton, who was transferred
from Ambassador to Argentina to
North Africa by Gen. Henri Giraud
after the Allied landings, said the
British established contacts with
Vichy because they were concerned
about the French fleet. He said
nothing came of the exchanges.
When a juror asked about Vichy’s
anti-Jewish law, Peyrouton asked:
“Is this my trial ,or Marshal
Petain’s?” But he asserted that
'(See’ PETAIN, Page A-6.)
Maj. Bong, Top American Ace,
Dies in Explosion of Jet Plane
..♦
Winner ot 26 Medals
Had Combat Score
Of 40 Jap Planes
By the Associated Press.
BURBANK, Calif., Aug. 7.—
Maj. Richard Ira Bong, 24, the
farm boy who became America’s
ace of . aces by downing 40 Japa
nese planes while emerging un
injured from over 500 combat
hours, is dead, the victim of a
jet P-80 Shooting Star explosion
which occurred four minutes
after a takeoff.
The explosion, which scattered
parts of the plane over an acre,
occurred yesterday afternoon just
after the pilot left Lockheed Air
Terminal on a test flight Maj.
Bong apparently tried to jump clear
of the disintegrating ship, but
flames caught him.
His body was found 100 feet
from the flaming jet turbine. His
parachute had partly opened.
Witnesses said the plane exploded
with a terrific roar.
Flames Visible 2 Miles.
"A piece fell from the plane,” said
Mrs. J. B. Villarino, whose atten
tion was attracted to the plane be
cause it seemed to be flying so tow.
"The plane started straight down
and crashed with a tremendous
MAJ. RICHARD I. BONG.
__—AP Photo.
bunt of smoke. Hug}', flames
swelled up, plainly visible from my
house, although it is about 2 miles
from the seene of the cntih."
One witness, Mrs. George H. Zane,
Jr., said she saw the pilot leap from
the cockpit with his hands over
(See BONG, Page A^ j
President Due
Here Tomorrow;
Report Awaited
Truman Gives News
Of First Atomic Bomb
To Crew of Augusta
By the Assoclued Press. •
ABOARD U. S. 8. AUGUSTA
WITH PRESIDENT TRUMAN,
Aug. 7. — President Truman,
confident the new atomic bomb
will shorten the war against Ja
pan, today neared the shore of
his own country, which he left
one month ago.
The President expects to be back
in Washington by tomorrow and
soon thereafter will fix a time for
his radio report on the Berlin Big
Three meeting.
Obviously eager to share his
elation over War Department ad
vices on the first use of the terrible
new aerial weapon, Mr. Truman
walked all around the ship yester
day telling crew members about it.
| . First he entered the officers’ ward
I room, and, directing them to keep
their seats, announced: “We have
just dropped a bomb on Japan
which has more power than 20,000
tons of TNT. It was an over
whelming success.”
He then hastened away to repeat
the announcement to seamen lunch
ing in messes elsewhere in the ship.
Jubilant cheers arose everywhere
he went.
Typical of the comment heard on
every hand was, “I guess I’ll get
home sooner now.”
Many Domestic Problems
Await President's Return
President Truman will find the
domestic pot boiling with problems
when he returns to Washington.
First off, Mr. Truman must com
plete his manuscript for the radio
report to the Nation he is expected
to make within the next day or two
on what happened when he sat down
with Premier Stalin, Prime Minister
Attlee and former Prime Minister
Churchill.
The Big Three Bp tad am com
munique left uaaswered such ques
tions as the use to which German
prisoners are to be put, how Euro
pean relief will be handled and
whether newsmen actually are going
to be permitted to report on what
happens inside Poland and the Bal
kan countries.
Other Problems.
Whether Mr. Truman answers
any of these queries, he apparently
is going to have to say something
about the size of the Army. Some
legislators lately have been bearing
down on the key that the Army is
keeping too many men in uniform.
Capitol Hill friends of the Presi
dent expect him to stand squarely
behind the high command if it
maintains that it still must have
7,000,000 men in the Army next
June 1.
Because most members of Con
gress have gone home, Mr. Truman
may not face any showdown with
them until October. But he may
have to tell the Army to release
more transportation workers and
coal miners.
Shakeup Impending.
Mr. Truman also has some unfin
ished business on appointments.
Secretary of State Byrnes wants to
shake up the State Department,
and Assistant Secretary Will L.
Clayton may be the only survivor
among present top-rank officials.
Dean Acheson, another Assistant
Secretary, reportedly wants to be
Solicitor General, and it is doubtful
that he would stay in the depart
ment even if Mr. Byrnes wanted
to retain him.
The President has yet to complete
the formalities for appointment of
Edward R. Stettinius, jr., former
Secretary of State, as American
delegate to the United Nations
World Security Council.
In this connection Mr. Truman
will have the final say on the form
in which legislation to set up the
office will be offered.
The four other American dele
gates to the United Nations still
are to be chosen and a representa
tive named for the organization’s
economic and social council. The
latter might be John G. Winant, now
Ambassador to Great Britain.
Reds Report Baltic Island
Shelled by U-Boat
By the Associat'd Press.
MOSCOW, Aug. 7.—Red Star
said today a German submarine
still at large had shelled a Red
Army outpost on Rugen Island In
the Baltic Sea, where “many small
German vessels still arp hiding.”
The army newspaper said the.
shelling occurred on a misty night
from a distance of 400 yards In
answer to a challenge by a sentry
who heard the U-boat engines.
(The date was not specified.)
Captured crewmen of other out
law German vessels said they were
based on deserted sector* of the
shore and uninhabited Islands, the
dispatch said.
It added that some of the c^ews
were trying to reach foreign ports
to be Interned while others wanted
to return to Germany to surrender,
but “hardened Pastets continue to
busy themselves with, piracy.”
King Carol in Lisbon
LONDON. Aug. 7 <*).—The Swiss
radio said today that former. King
Carpi of Romania had arrived la
Lisbon aboard a Spanish steamer.