ig . it I aitii Weather Thunde+ rwers VOL. LIV No. 146 ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, SUNDAY, MAY 28, 1944 PRICE FIVE CENTS Yanks Jump 200 Miles to Invade Biak Island Wolverines Win Seventh Track Title in Decade v K') Hume Boys Blaze Trail Miehigan Amasses 70 Points in Meet By The Associated Press CHAMPAIGN, Ill., May 27.-Mich-' igan's well balanced track team, led by the Hume twins, Bob and Ross, won its seventh Western Con- ference outdoor championship in the last decade, compiling 70 points to Illinois' 58 1/10. Purdue was third with 31. Finshing fourth behind Purdue in the team totals were Ohio State with 17 1/10 points, followed by North- western with 14 17/20; Minnesota, 7%; Indiana 4, Wisconsin 334, Iowa 3 and Chicago 17/20. Bob and Ross Hume made a fam- ily affair of the mile run by inter- locking their arms at the finish to break the tape in a dead heat at a slow 4:25.4 - putting on the same show as they did to win the indoor title. Bob ran a total of 31/2 miles during the day, finishing second in the 880 and third in the two-mile to grab 11/2 points to become runner- up to Young and his 15 points for individual honors. Ross, by capturing the two-mile crown, contributed a total of 9% points. Michigan cleaned up 14 points alone in the one-mile event as the T rack, Golf Teams Win Big Ten Titles Michigan sport teams captured their fifth and sixth Big Ten titles yesterday, as well as moving part way toward two more. At Champaign, the thinclads used their strong team balance to defeat Illinois and successfully de- fend their Western Conference title. The score was 70 to Illinois' 59 1/10. At Chicago, the golfers climaxed their season by winning the Big Ten title by 27 strokes over Pur- due, while Johnny Jenswold took individual honors. Also at Chicago, the tennis team is losing to Ohio State 13-11, going into the finals of the champion- ship matches. The baseball nine went to Bloomington and was victorious in a twin bill, 14-3 and 12-1. Daily sports writers and special reporters give you a complete cov- erage of these events on today's sports pages. See pages 6 and 7. twins tied for first and John Purdue and Richard Barnard took third and fourth. Claude "Buddy" Young of Illinois, trying for his fourth victory of the day-a feat which would have equal- ed Jesse Owens' Western Conference sweep in 1935-tripped over the list barrier in the 220-yard low hurdles race today and fell on a water-filled track to miss his goal in the meet. See THINCLADS, p. 6 Co . Rogers Will Take Four Month eave Prior to Fall Retirement Post Commandant of the 3651st S.U. To Relinquish Military Duties Wednesday 6,000 Planes Blast Europe PreInvasion Aerial Offensive Continues By The Associated Press LONDON, May 27-Pounding Hit- ler's transport system with one of the greatest coordinated blows ever struck from bases in Britain and Italy, nearly 6,000 Allied bombers and fighters attacked Fortress Eur- ope in wave after wave today to car- ry the pre-invasion aerial offensive through its ninth consecutive day. At lest 12 important railroad junctions, five airfields, two aircraft repair factories and several railroad bridges were among the targets blasted by well over 6,00 tons of ex- ploding steel, U. S. Loses 35 Planes Some of the attackers encountered fighter opposition while others made their raids unmolested, the U. S. Eighth Air Force said in announcing that 28 bombers and seven fighters were missing. At least 49 Nazi Jlanes were shot down in the main attacks by the fleet flying from Britain, bomber gunners claiming 13 and escorting fighters getting 36. Between 750 and 1,000 Liberators and Fortresses from Britain pounded German rail centers at Mannheim, Ludwigshafen, Saarbrucken and Karlsruhe, the Rhineland industrial city 150 miles north of Munich. They lumped some 2,50 tons of explosives on the Ludwigshafen rail yards, at yards in southwest Ger- many and on aircraft engine repair plants in the French cities of Metz and Strasbourg. Atlantic Wall Bombed While these heavy bomber arma- das closed in on the enemy from two sides, the Allied Expeditionary Air Force sen hundreds of lighter craft against Hitler's westwall defenses from British bases. The Italy-based bombers, with Lightning escore, smashed two rail- yards at Marseille, enemy airdromes at Salon, 20 miles northwest, and Montpellier-Frejorgues, 15 miles southwest of Nimes, where JU-88 are based; the Nimes railyards, 30 miles inland in the Rhone valley; and the Avignon yards, 40 miles from the Rhone's mouth. A few enemy interceptors were met, near imes, but the other bombers were bothered only by moderate flak. WMC To® Speed Up R ecritmret WASHINGTON, May 27-())- A new War Manpower Commission program intended to step up recruit- ment of workers for priority projects on a national basis has been pre- pared and probably wil be announced within the next ten days. Its principal features, which man- power officials hope will double the number of recruits for jobs wherever they exist, are understood to be: 1, Extension to the entire country and all male workers of the commis- sion's priority referral plan of re- cruiting workers through the U. S. Employment Service. The plan is in effect now in only about a dozen areas. 2. Establshment of manpower priority committees in all the 180 group one and two labor shortage areas. They exist at present in only about 35 of the areas. 3. Extension of the employment ceilings program to all gr'oup one and two areas. Only about 25 areas are now participating. 'Thomas Warns UA WAgainst Strikes Drivers' Union Def ies Orde r By The Associated Press DETROIT, May 27.- Labor dis- putes in Detroit brought volun- tary bread rationing for many fam- ilies today and a union leader's sternly-worded warning to war plant strikers of possible consequences of "public opinion." "Public opinion," said President R. J. Thomas of the big CIO's United Auto Workers Union, "has become inflamed against our union." The UAW-CIO chief, who heads one of the nation's most powerful labor unions, made the remark in an extraordinary statement to the gen- eral membership in connection with a second walkout at 'the Highland Park war plant of Chrysler Corp. The Auto Workers Union, Thomas warned, "cannot survive if the na- tion and our soldiers believe that we are obstructing the war effort." Dwindling bread supplies on the shelves of merchants meanwhile forces many to ration their sales as a result, of the three-day strike of 1,000 bakery drivers. Other mer- chants' shelves were bare of bread. The War Labor Board at Wash- ington today directed the strikers, members of bakery drivers local 51 of the AFL teamsters union, to re-' turn to their jobs immediately. WLB said no action would be taken on a wage adjustment request until de- liveries were resumed. Samuel Hurst, president of Local 51, said he and other AFL officials had been unable to persuade the strikers to end their walkout. They demand increased base pay and com- mission rates. President Thomas appealed to CIO members to obey our constitution and the no-strike pledges made at our conventions." P'roduction of Munitions Lags Behind in Ap ril WASHINGTON, May 27.- (P)- Munitions production in April drop- ped 3 per cent behind schedule and 2 per cent under March. The War Production Board, report- ing this today, described the slump as "a definite lag behind the rising schedule which was planned from March until November," and not a continuation of the planned decline in January and February. Chairman Donald M. Nelson re- vealed for the first tie that the pro- duction goal for 1944 has been cut to "somewhat less than $69,000,000,- 000" from the original objective of $82,000,000,000. Brightest aspect of the report was Nelson's announcement that most of the "must" items were well abreast of schedule. These include landing craft, heavy artillery ammunition, airborne signal equipment, heavy trucks, tractors and the urgent air- craft models. April's aircraft record of 8,343 war planes delivered was 4 per cent be- hind schedule in numbers and 5 per cent below March in weight. Nelson said the output was "the first month- to-month decline since January, 1943, and also the first time this year that planes missed schedule." In the major arms categories, Nel- son reported the following record for April, in relation to March output: Aircraft-Down 7 per cent, 4 per rent behind schedule. Ships-No change, 2 per cent below schedule. CELI5BRATES CAPTURE OF CASSINO-British Eighth Army veterans in smashed Cassino dance to a tune by a Tommy (right) with a har- monica in celebration of the capture of the long-besieged, rubble- strewn city. This is an official British photo. ENTER ARTENA: .Allies Near Casilina Highwray; S M N E ee S hell Main Nazi Esea eaRute ,0 4>. After 35 years of military service,1 Col. Frederick C. Rogers, Command- ant of the 3651st S. U. will relinquisht his military duties Wednesday whent he wil start a four months leave, it' was anonunced yesterday by army- headquarters. Retirement Will Come at 60 Col. Rogers is retiring from the Army in September when he will have reached the age of 60. He was head of the University ROTC unit from 1933 to 1937, and returned to Ann Arbor in May, 1943 to take over his present duties as post command- ant. During the last world war as a major in the infantry, he command- ed a machine gun training center at Fort Hancock, Ga. was assistant adjutant general of the Eastern De- partment, N. Y., then assistantto the port commander at Antwerp, Belgium and finally was raised to the position of supply officer of all American forces in Germany. Father Was Colonel His father, an old national guard officer, was also . a colonel in' the Army. Col. Rogers retired from the Army in March 1939, at the end of 30 years service, one year after he was pro- moted to the rank of colonel. He was recalled three years ago and served as commanding officer at Fort Sheridan, Ill., for two years be- fore coming to Ann Arbor. Col. Ro'gers took part in the Mexi- can Punitive Expedition- at which. time he was a second lieutenant in Roosevelt Holds 96 Delegates 90 , 1 t For Convenion By The Associated Press Connecticut and Utah Democrats joined 'the parade .of fourth term supporters yesterday to elevate President Roosevelt's convention delegate strength to a record-break- ing total of 906 as North Carolina party members chose nominees for senator, governor and other officials. The Connecticut Democratic con- ventions closed with the adoption of resolutions favoring a fourth term and with instructions to the state's delegation to cast its 18 votes for the President's renomination. the rear ranks. He also spent sev- eral years in Alaska. Included among the states in which he has been sta- tioned are New York, Arkansas, Texas, South Carolina, Nebraska, ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN NAPLES, May 27.-(/P)- Americanl armored forces fought their way into the town of Artena, only 21/Z miles from the strategic Casilina Highway, and tonight began pouring a heavy shellfire into this main escape route for eight German divisions compris- ing the bulk of the Nazi forces below Rome. Velletri Threatened While American tanks and field guns kept the enemy retreat line under fire, other American Fifth Army forces in their closest drive toward Rome threatened the town of Velletri, 18 miles from the out- skirts of the capital. Velletri already was shrouded in smoke from blazing fires. The Germans, apparently alarmed over the plight of their large forces to the southeast, threw reserves into the fight to keep the Americans from blocking the all-important Via Casil- ina-Highway Six-Associated Press Correspondent Daniel De Luce wrote from the front tonight. Fierce Battle Waged In the town of Artena American doughboys were waging a house-to- house battle with the Germans, De- Luce reported. Artena> itself an im- portant road junction behind the retreating Nazi Tenth Army, was reached after a spectacular drive of nine miles in one day. The Allied armies advanced stead= ily along the entire 80-mile active front today. American Fifth Army forces forg- ing a ring around the Pontine Marsh-* es stormed through the mountain town of Sezze> which has a popula- tion of 20000and is the largest town yet taken in the Allied offensive, de- veloping a second threat to the main German forces. New Line Encountered Capture of Sezze brought theI Americans squarely up against a new defense line which two German divi- sions have tried to establish in the Lepini Hills northeast of the marshes to protect the flank of the German troops in the Liri Valley and their principal route of retreat along the Via Casilina toward Rome.. The Germans, apparently growing desperate about the plight of their forces at the center of the front near the junction of the American Fifth and British Eighth Army sectors, began withdrawing them as best they could, meanwhile throwing powerful reinforcements into action to bolster the principal points protecting the escape route. Up OSMWar' Plans in London WASHINGTON, May 27. -(I') - President Roosevelt's expressed desire to get a closer look at the war, coupled with a possibility that United Na- tions leaders might start joint con- versations-soon on a post-war security organization, was believed tonight to underlie his casual remark that he expects to see Prime Minister Chur- chill soon. There are several factors that might impel the President to make a trip abroad in the not too distant future. Assuming that the battle for Europe will get under way some- time this spring or summer, many informed persons familiar with the President's deep preoccupation with military affairs, especially at this critical stage, believe he would like to get nearer to the scene of action. Another factor, although one that is viewed here as of secondary con- sideration, is the forthcoming visit to London of Gen. Charles De Gaulle, the French leader, for conferences with Churchill. Beyond these is another consider- ation which diplomats regard as of growing importance. That is the pos- sibility of starting work jointly among the leading United Nations on crea- tion of a post-war set-up. Firm H old Is Gained By Troop s Bases for Future Adva lie Secured By The Associated Press American infantrymen fought their way ashore on Biak island in the Schouten group yesterday in another 200 mile leapfrog advance toward the western tip of New Guinea, estab- lished a firm beachhead and began driving toward three Japanese air- dromes. "For strategic purposes this marks the end of the New Guinea cam- paign," Gen. Douglas MacArthur said in announcing the action today. "We have now secured bases of depart- ure for an advance to the vital areas of the Philippines 900 miles away, and the Netherlands East Indies." Artillery Duel Fought American and Australian cruisers and destroyers engaged in an artillery duel with shore guns before infantry- men landed in the face of Japanese mortar and automatic weapon fire. Some of the Allied naval craft were damaged in the exchange between the big guns, but infantry losses were reported light. From their beachhead a seven mile fight faced the landing forces before they could reach the nearest of Biak's three'airdromes, the center of an en- emy's aerial hornets nest. From Biak's airdromes MacArth- ur's bombers would be within easy bombing range of the Philippines, 900 miles to the northwest. Equipment Captured Two hundred miles back of the latest invasion, sharp fighting was reported around the Maffin airdrome, U.S. Sixth Army troops captured quantities of equipment. They count- ed 225 dead Japanese around the edges of the field. Japanese war lords have launched a new offensive in central China. The new series of attacks was re- ported yesterday by Chungking, Fighting broke out in three sectors of southern Hupeh Province below Tsunkyang, lying between two rail- roads extending south from Hanjow. Both are coveted by the Japanese as interior supply lines to relieve their dwindling cargo fleets. Major Offensive Seen It's possible this is the beginning of a major offensive to sweep down the rail lines to the Japanese-held port of Canton. Chinese have pre- dicted such a campaign would be the sequel to the recent Nipponese con- quest of the trackless railways north of Hankow in Honan Province. Chi- nese troops have recaptured part of the northern line. Blood Bank Ups Quota for June Three hundred civilian men are needed June 8 and 9 to fill the largest quota the blood bank has ever had it was announced yesterday by Bill Wood, who is in charge of the organ- ization. Only 120 civilians have tyirned out in the past, the Army and Navy hav- ing contributed the most. Wood said that it is hoped that every man on campus will do the most he can to make this the most successful drive that has been sponsored. Rober~t wens, a cooperative house, had been the only house on campus Iwhich has turned out 100 per cent. Registration for the drive will take place Monday in University Hall, at the Engine Arch and from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Student Office of the Union. 'U' Band To Present It Spring Concert The University Concert Band, un- der the direction of Prof Wtilliam . Revelli, will present its 31st annual COL. FREDERICK C. ROGERS l.E . .will retire California. Georgia, Kansas, Illinois, Maryland and Michigan. Born in Wisconsin Sept. 16, 1884, Col. Rogers attended prep school in Beloit, Wis., and was graduated from the University of Minnesota. tie was appointed to West Point and was commissioned a second lieuten- ant in 1908. He received his first lieutenant's commission in 1916 and was made a captain in 1917. All army personnel in the 3651st S. U. will honor Col. Rogers at a parade at 5:30 p. m. Wednesday at Ferry Field. His successor as com- mandant of this unit has not yet been announced. CAPTAIN WAS FORMERLY WITH BRITISH ARM Y: British Hinder Progress, Block Indian Freedom, Says l uehl "The British have no intention of ever giving the Indian people their independence," Capt. John Muehl, who returned to this countryMon- day after spending -ten months in India, said in an interview yester- day. Ca~pt. Mu ehl is a former Univer- that would have entailed relinquish- a wedge ing his citizenship and taking an between oath of alligance to the British gov- icans," l emnent. Acco' "While I was in India, I observed British how the British were putting every medan possible stumbling block in the way posed 1 of progress for the Indians," Capt. The M ,..__,_ _..:a ... a h in the growing friendship the Indians and the Amer- he said. rding to Capt. Muehl the are supporting the Moham- s because this group is op- to freedom for the Indians. nhammedans have this atti- aa-c tP ma r am]Inarity of old Indian culture are still pre- served. The people are born philo- sophers. They willingly sacrifice their lives for the things they be- lieve in," he stated. Capt. Muehl stated that the In- dians are ignorant because they have never had any training, but that thev still have their culture. their ing anarchy," he continued. He stated that the Communist party is about the only party that is really doing anything to help the In- dians advance. The Communists claim that the Indians have three major problems which are the same as those which the Russians had to face, mg anarchy," he continued.