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VOL. LiV No. 136 ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, TUESDAY, MAY 16, 1944
PRICE FIVE CENTS
French,
Yanks
Snash
Nazi
Gustav
Line
First Big Chinese Offensive in Seven Years IsOpened
4' - - ___ ___ ______~~~ ______ ______
Salween Is
Crossed at
Many Points
20,000 Troops Aim
At Burma Junction
By The Associated Press
CHUNGKING, May 15.-More than
20,000 Chinese troops have plunged
across the Saween River in Western
Yunnan Province at a dozen points,
the Chinese High Command announc-
ed today, opening China's first real
offensive in seven years of war with
the objective a junction with Lt.
Gen. Joseph W. Stilwell's troops about
150 miles away in northern Burma
Casualties on both sides were heavy
along the 131-mile front as. the Chi-
nese, achieving an extraordinary de-
gree of surprise, forced a wide enemy
deployment.
Chinese Aided by Americans
The Chinese were aided by a unique
Amnerican military organization, a
"Y Force," in the powerful drive or-
dered by Generalissimo Chiang Kai-
Shek to break Japan's blockade. Ul-
timate objective of the offensive is
to slash through upper Burma, join
with Stilwell's Chinese and connect
the Burma roads with the two-lane
Ledo Highway which Stilwell has
built to his front in Maguang Valley.
The Chinese used American-made
pneumatic rafts to cross the river at
strategic ferry points. Under Amer-
ican guidance, Chinese engineers had
rehearsed the crossings with the Y
.Force, organized a year ago on Stil-
well's orders.
The offensive had the strong sup-
port of Sky Dragons of Maj. Gen.
Claire L. Chennault's 14th Air Force,
which bombed and strafed enemy po-
sitions over a wide area'
Japs Break Through Loyang
At the same time, in Honan Prov-
ince to the north, the Chinese com-
munique said that Japanese troops
which had broken through into Loy-
ang at three points had been anni-
hilated, as defenders battled desper-
ately to save the key city from cap-
ture. In that sector also, Chennault's
air force was active in support of the
Chinese.
The communique indicated that
Chinese forces in southern Honan
still were astride the Peiping-Hankow
railway! At Suiping, 110 miles south
of Chenghsien, after reopening a gap
in the Japanese hold on the line.
Youths Admit
Stealing Bikes,
Cars Last Week
Probate Judge Jay G. Pray yester-
day waived jurisdiction in the ,ase
of two Ann Arbor juveniles who ad-
mittedly stole two automobiles, three
bicycles and committed six minor
burglaries within the last week.
Arraignment is expected today in
municipal court on charges of break-
ing and entering at night.
Stolen Car Crashes
The two youths, Daniel E. Basom,
1107 S. State St., and Donald Schady,
1447 Washington Hts., both 16 years
old, were arrested Sunday when a
stolen car they were driving crashed
near the city limits on South State.
The youths, both wards of the
Michigan Children's Institute, were
first apprehended after breaking and
entering a gasoline station at 1346 N.
Main last Tuesday, and were sched-
uled to go before Judge Pray for a
hearing May 17.
Their career of reported burglaries
began last Tuesday, according to po-
lice, when they broke into the Foster
School on Huron Drive. Thursday
they stole two bicycles, rode to the
Delhi School on South Maple Rd.,
and took about $50 in war stamps, Lt.
Erwin Klager of the Sheriff's office
said.
Rob Gas Station
They then rode to Dexter where
they discarded one bicycle for an-
other, broke into the Devine Gasoline
Station there, and stole small change
from the station's till.
Friday, enroute to Ypsilanti, they
rifled a barbershop in suburban Ann
Arbor. They stole a car in Ypsilanti
American Bombers,
Fighters Raid France
By The Associated Press
LONDON, May 15.-Unhampered
by the German Air Force, small for
mations of American heavy and med-
ium bombers blasted Hitler's sprawl-
ing coastal defense system today,
carrying the pre-invasion air offens-
ive into the 31st consecutive day.
A German raid on south England
last night killed a half dozen per-
sons. At least 15 of the attackers
were reported shot down.
Approximately 250 Flying Fortres-
ses and Liberators and an additional
force of Thunderbolts and fighter-
bombers bombarded objectives in
northern France while A-20 light
bombers drove clear to the Paris area
and hit an airfield near the badly
battered Creil railroad yards. Mar-
auders bombed a railroad yard also.
The Vichy radio said the Lille and
Valenciennes areas, much pounded
districts, were hit.
No Bombers Lost
Not a bomber was lost of those in-
volved in the operations-nor in the
far-flung RAF night bombing attacks
a few hours before. British Mosquito
bombers hit Cologne last night and
unspecified military objectives in
France, Belgium and Holland.
One escort plane was missing to-
day.
The Paris radio went off the air
Adult Education
Conference To
Convene Today
3,300 Foremen Now in
Third Week of Strike
President Alexander G. Ruthven's
address on "Adult Education" will be
one of the highlights of the 12th
annual convention of the Adult Edu-
cational Institute at 11 today in the
Rackham Building.
In conjunction with Dr. Ruthven's
talk will be a movie prepared by the
Army Bureau of CurrentdAffairs,
which will show the work of this
educational bureau of the British
Army in promoting a better under -
standing of Rall aspects of the war.
Also included, in the opening ses-
sion will be a panel discussion on
minority groups, led by Dr. Edward
W. Blakeman, University counselor
in religious education, and a talk by
Lt. James Griffith, a patient at the
Percy Jones Hospital of Battle Creek,
concerning "What the Man in Com-
bat Is Thinking."
The meetings Wednesday will be
featured by Gov. Harry F. Kelly, who
will talk at 11 on ."The Education of
the Returning Veteran." Dr. Eugene
B. Elliott, State Superintendent of
Public Instruction, will address the
session on the last day of the confer-
ence Thursday.
The Institute will also present a
film, written by Eric Knight shortly
before his death, dealing with the
problems of price, production and
distribution.
A panel discussion of the post-war
labor and employment situation will
be held Thursday. Another discus-
sion, led by Professor Preston W.
Slosson of the history department,
will concern "A-Foreign Policy for the
United States."
All meetings will be held in the
Rackham Building, and general ses-
sions will convene at 9 and 2 daily.
at 8.12p.m., indicating a possible late
daylight attack.
Outside that activity-with the
Mediterranean air force diverted to
close support of the new ground cam-
paign in Italy-the great north-south
Allied air offensive which started
April 7 was virtually at a standstill.
It was an ominous hiatus for the
Germans.
Lull Before Storm
The lull is similar to that which
hung over Russia's armies in the last
few weeks and which no one doubts
is merely a period of massing forces
for the next, and possibly greatest,
effort of the war
German airmen who raided south-
ern England last night, evidently
sought to smoke out invasion prep-'
arations as well as to bomb. Al-
though the German force may have
been several hundred planes, the
bombing was called disproportionate-
ly small, indicating a number of them
were on reconnaissance.
It was later announced that Thun-
derbolts had dive-bombed an airfield
at Gael, 25 miles west of Rennes.
Vitor yVariety
Tickets Are
Now on Sale
Headlining the farewell appear-
ance of Bill Sawyer and his orchestra,
the second Victory Varieties show
will get under way at 8 p.m. Satur-
day on the stage of Hill Auditorium
with six professional acts and the 50-
member University Women's Glee
Club.
Tickets for the sparkling .hour-
and-a-half of entertainment are now
on sale at the Union, League, "U"
Hall and East and West Quadrangles.
Sawyer is now in Chicago working
on a government music project and
will return to Ann Arborespecially
for the Victory Varieties program.
Leading the list of well-known pro-
fessional night club and theatre tal-
ent to appear before students, towns-
people and servicemen, is Len'g Gale
who does impressions of famous per-
sonages. Also appearing on a fast-
moving show are Ed Ford and his
performing dog Whitey, the Whirling
Spinners who are expert roller skat-
ing stars, Del Gosno billed as the
king of balance, The Rockets who are
boy and girl acrobats and the hand-
balaning Carltons.
Packard Plants
Remain Closed
DETROIT, May 15- (')- T e
plant of the big Packard Motor Car
Company remained closed today and
war production in a dozen otheGr fat-
tories in the Detroit area was affected
in varying degrees as approximately
s,30g foremen continued a strike
begun more than three weeks ago.
Tworminor disturbances marked
the strike today as the executive
board of the Independent Foreman's
Association of America met to con-
sider actionon a War Labor Board
order that the foremen be sent back
to work. The foremen's officials were
reported divided on a proposal that
a return to work be ordered and their
demands for recognition be left to the
WLB.
Marcantonio
Anti-Poll Tax
Bill Is Shelved
Cloture Petiton Meets
Defeat by 44 to 36
Senate Roll Cal Vote
By The Associated Press
WASHINGTON, May 15.- The
Senate shelved the controversial an-
tilpoll tax bill today after opponents
rolled up a 44 to 36 majority against
a cloture petition designed to fore-
stall a filibuster by southern Demo-
crats.
The roll call, taken before packed
galleries, ended prospects for a vote
on the bill itself, and many of its
Roll Call on Invoking Cloture
FOR THE PETITION (36):.
DEMOCRATS - Barkley, Clark (Mo.);
Downey, Green, Gauffey, Jackson, Johnson
(Colo.); Kilgore, Lucas, Maloney, Mead,
Murdock, Pepper, Thomas (Utah); Tunnell,
Wagner, Walsh (Mass.)
REPUBLICANS - Bal, Brooks, Burton,
Capper, Cordon, Danaher, Davis, Ferguson,
Gurny, Langer, Reed, Reveromb, Taft, Van-
denberg, Weeks,, Wherry, Wiley, Wilson.
PROGRESSIVE-LaFollette
AGAINST THE PETITION (44):
DEMOCRATS-Baily, Bankhead, Bilbo,
Byrd, Caraway, Chandler, Chavez, Con-
naiy, Eastland, Ellender, George, Gerry,
Gillette, Hatch, Hayden, Hill, Maybank,
McCarran, McClellan, McFarland, McKellar,
O'Daniel, O'Mahoney, Overton, Radcliffe,
Russell, Smith, Stewart, Tydings, Walsh
(N.J.); Wheeler.
REPUBLICANS--Aiken, Brewster, Bridges,
Buck, Bushfield, Hawkes, Millikin, Moore,
Nye, Robertson, Shipstead, Thomas (Ida.);
White.
supporters joined in a subsequent 41
to 35 decision to displace it with
another measure.
The second vote came on a motion
by Senator Clark (Dem., Mo.) to take
up a bill to provide artificial limbs
and other appliances for disabled
veterans.
Under the rules, the House-ap-
proved bill outlawing the poll tax as
a requirement for voting for federal
officers in eight southern states, may
be called up later in the session.
Berlin Warns
German People
Of D-Day Perils
By The Associated Press
LONDON, May 1.-The German
people were warned today by the
Berlin radio that not merely the
"Atlantic Wall" but points far inland
would fall under Allied attack in the
very first phase of invasion.
This was the gloomy prediction:
"Wh'n the battle starts, fighting
will not; be limited to divisions onl the
Atlantic Wall or to points under the
main attack, but small waves will
reach far beyond them. Then Ger-
many will be called upon to stand her
greatest and most dangerous test."
Nazi propagandists in occupied ter-
ritory took a similar tone as, for
example, this utterance from Philippe
Henriot of the French Propaganda
Ministry :
"The last breathing spaces before
the invasion has arrived. We cannot
give you any last minute instructions
on how to behave or where to seek
shelter, as we do not know where the
main Allied blow will fall."
ITALY
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ALLIES CONTINUE DRIVE IN ITALY-Allied troops (arrows) were
reported gaining at points indicated on map. German concentrations
at Itri were shelled by warships. Black line is approximate front.
'OVER THE HUMP':
Four States Assure Roosevelt
Of Enough Convention Votes
By The Associated Press
The drive to assure President
Roosevelt of more than enough con-
vention votes for a fourth term nomi-
nation rolls "over the hump" today
despite his silence on whether he will
accept.
Warren Has 50 Votes
Democrats in four states--Cali-
fornia, New Jersey, Delaware and
Montana-are expected to name del-
egations largely favoring the Presi-
dent's renomination. The four states
have a total convention vote of 104,
and Mr. Roosevelt needed only a few
of those for a first ballot nominating
majority of 589.
California's 50 "favorite son" votes
will put Gov. Earl Warren in third
place in the Republican convention
sweepstakes, which Gov. Thomas E.
Dewey is leading by a wide margin
with 268 pledged and claimed dele-
gates. In second place is Gov. John
W. Bricker of Ohio, with 56.
Primary Results Given
Here is the day's primary and con-
vention picture by states: California
--Democrats elect 52 delegates favor-
China Based Planes
In Range of Japan
NEW YORK, May 15.-()-Estab-
lishment of a powerful U.S. Army air
base at Suichwan, Kiangsi province,
China-from which heavy bombers
might attack Formosa, the Philip-
pines and parts of Japan's home is-
lands-was indicated by a Tokyo an-
nouncement tonight of a Japanese
raid on the field May 12.
The announcement, without con-
firmation from Allied quarters, took
the form of an imperial headquarters
communique broadcast by the Tokyo
radio. It said, "The main enemy force
in the base was wiped out."
ing a Roosevelt-Wallace ticket. They
also nominate candidates for the
Senate seat now held by Sheridan
Downey and for 23 House seats. Re-
publicans choose 50 delegates nom-
inally pledged to Governor Warren,
and also nominate for the Senate
and House posts.
New Jersey-Democrats name 34
delegates, with only four candidates
entered against a fourth term slate,
Republicans elect 35 delegates from
a field of 13 openly favoring Dewey
and a party-backed uninstructed
group that Gov. Walter E. Edge said
was "going to push" for Dewey's
nomination.
Montana-Democrats elect ten del-
egates, Republicans eight.
Delaware-Democrats name eight
delegates, the Republicans already
have chosen nine who favor Dewey.
Ceiling Placed
On Employment
DETROIT, May 15.-(AP)-Approx-
imately 1,000 firms and about 800,000
workers are affected by a War Man-
power Commission order, effective to-
day, placing a ceiling upon male em-
ployment in the Detroit area.
Affected immediately are all em-
ployers of 200 or more persons, on
July 1 the ceilings will apply to firms
employing 50 or more persons and
thus affect more than 1,200,000 work-
ers.
The ceilings will be set at the max-
imum number of workers employed in
the payroll period nearest to May 1.
It is stipulated, however, that re-
ductions where necessary, must be
made through normal losses, no
worker to be discharged, laid off or
graded down.
Breakthrough
Near Cassino
Is Imminent
Fifth, Eighth Army
Troops Push On
By The Associated Press
ALLIED. HEADQUARTERS IN
NAPLES, May 15.- French and
American troops shredded the lower
half of the Germans' Gustav Line
today and a breakthrough by the
British Eighth Army appeared immi-
nent in the heavily-defended sector
below Cassino.
Gustav Line Penetrated
Fanning out through 60 square
miles of rugged tableland and flat
river valleys 'which they controlled
after fierce fighting since the push
opened Thursday night, Fifth and
Eighth Army troops slugged doggedly
forward to new positions.
"Torn to shreds" was AP Corre-
spondent Edward Kennedy's descrip-
tion of the left flank of the Nazi line
in a dispatch from the field.
Penetration of the Gustav Line de-
veloped into what was reported offi-
cially as a "significant breach," but
beyond it and up the Liri Valley lead-
ing to the Hitler Line the way is
studded with anti-tank positions and
the Germans still hold commanding
ground north of this valley.
Germans Withdrawing
(Gen. Alphonse Juin announced in
a telegram to Gen. Charles DeGaulle
at Algiers that his French Epedi-
tionary Corps had entered San Geor-
gio in the Liri Valley, seized a domi-
nating ridge to the south and cap-
tured Corino in a general advance
against the Germans, who were re-
treating in, disorder. He said the
French had taken 1,000 prisoners, 30
of them officers, with the number of
captives mounted steadily.)
Heavy fighting progressed in the
Spigno area, with the French again
in the thick of it. The Americans,
after occupying Santa Maria Infante,
pressed toward the strong point at
Spigno, and at sundown the Germans
were reported withdrawing from sev-
eral areas.
Soviet Airmen
Attack German
Transportation
By The Associated Press
LONDON, May 16, Tuesday.-Pow-
erful aerial attacks on German land
and sea transportation by Soviet air-
men were announced last night by
the Russian High Command, which
said there were "four essential
changes" on the long eastern land
front.
The midnight communique, re-
corded by the Soviet monitor from a
broadcast, said an enemy convoy of
41 ships was caught in the Norwe-,
gian port of Kirkenes Sunday night
by Red airmen and that three trans-
ports totalling 19,000 tons, a self-
propelled barge, an auXiliary vessel
and a patrol cutter were sunk.
Three Transports Set Afire
In addition, the communique said,
three Nazi transports were set afire
and one was beached. Other trans-
ports and escort vessels were re-
ported damaged.
Attacking Nazi rail concentrations
in old Poland, in the vicinity of
Lwow, Soviet airmen started fires and
explosions among German military
trains and supply depots at Rava-
ruskaya, Stry, Dvinsk, Ukhno and
Dobrozin, the high command said.
19 Nazi Tanks Destroyed
The Russian communique said 19
German tanks were'destroyed and 33
enemy air planes brought down eith-
er in combat or by anti-aircraft fire
on all fronts yesterday.
A supplement issued early today
intimated the Germans were putting
up a dogged fight to two secondary
battle areas-southeast of Stanis-
lawow, in old Poland, and northwest
of Tirasqol on the lower Dnestr.
Dr. Han To Talk to
Lawyers in Detroit
The legal system of China in both
occupied and unoccupied China is
the topic of a talk by Dr. Wie Wen
Han of the Chinese Embassy to be
given today at a luncheon meeting
of the Detroit Chapter of the Nation-
al Lawyers Guild in the Book-Cadillac
NO PEACE IN WORLD WITHOUT JUSTICE:
Dr. Ojike Discusses Future of British Dependency, Nigeria
By BARBARA HERRINTON
Stating that there can be no peace
in the world until justice is done to
all, Dr. Mbonu Ojike of Nigeria dis-
cussed in an interview yesterday his
country's struggles for freedom.
He also mentioned the condi-
tions existing in the rest of the
Dark Continent and he predicted
that there will be a revolution in
South Africa within the next five
and a book which he is preparing, he
said, are attempts to interpret Afri-
can culture to the American people
and to cement understanding be-
tween these two countries.
"Before the British came into
Nigeria," he stated, "the people
there were harmonious, contented
and ruled themselves. As for tribal
warfare, isn't the war between Ger-
many and England tribal warfare?
I say there must be peace between
England and Germany before there
-- ..... n" ~. n 1
which he regarded as a constitution.
"So we really have no constitution,"
he added. And of the members of
the Legislative Council, he said, that
19 are British and 11 are Nigerian.
He stated that the many Niger-
ian labor unions becamt unified
and formed the Nigerian Congress
of Labor Unions after an outstand-
ing labor leader was imprisoned by
the government. This Congress,
he said, is seeking representation
on the Legislative Council.
T~ Pnlained that the West.African
tions. "We rely on three countries,"
he stated, "the Soviet Union, China
and the United States, to help us."
Dr. Ojike said that he believed they
would be granted dominion status,
but that for Nigeria, that is second
choice. "We want independence. As
long as the Nigerian government is
under any other dominion than Ni-
gerian, I'll have no part of it. We are
capable of ruling ourselves and want
to do so."
He stated that Nigeria is now
third in importance and pnopula-
nation of Britain and no one can say
whether or not we are just in fighting
by her side:"
"Britain," he said, "is not inter-
ested in the basic needs of our
people. They want to use the peo-
ple as laborers and at menial posts
and she even makes it difficult for
students to go abroad to study. For
the last 30 years," he continued,
"Britain has ruled the world. They
rule your country. And they can
keep Nigeria and India from pro-
gressing"