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VOL. LIV No. 3-S ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, FRIDAY, JULY 7, 1944
PRICE FIVE CENTS
200
Reported
Dead
in
Circus
Holocaust
New Red
Advances
Yanks Close in on La Haye Du Puits;
Threaten Wooded Heights Near City
Reported
Soviets Are Within
10 Miles of Wilno
By The Associated Press
LONDON, July 7, Friday-Soviet
troops were reported by the Berlin
radio early today to be within ten
miles of the Baltic gateway of Wilno
(Vilna) and the Russiansdthemselves
announced important advances all
along the central front now stretch-
ing 350 miles north from newly cap-
tured Kowel in southern Poland.
The Moscow radio said the Ger-
mans in Wilno, big rail center in the
northern neck of pre-war Poland,
were threatened with the same kind
of debacle they suffered in the White
Russian capital of Minsk.
All the reserves that the Nazi com-
mand could muster were being
thrown into the battle, Russian re-
ports said, but according to Moscow
the fall of the city was imminent and
the Germans were making prepara-
tions to evacuate even while waging
a desperate delaying fight.
In a dispatch from Moscow, Asso-
ciated Press Correspondent Eddy Gil-
more called the capture of Kowel the
commencement of "a great new Red
Army thrust in the direction of PinsiC
and Brest Litovsk" and the German
radio itself said a reason for the
withdrawal was to forestall a Russian
pincers movement.
More than 550 other places were
takenduring the day as Soviet troops
smashed westward all along thefront
and the Moscow communique said
more than 5,000 Germans were killed
as the Russians continued their me-
thodical-moppingup of the area east
of Minsk. An entire regiment with
its, commander surrendered, the war
bulletin stated.
Gen. Ivan Bagramian's drive north-
westward from Polotsk, already with-
in a few miles of the borders of both
Latvia and Lithuania, swept into
more than 150 inhabited localities,
including five railway stations. West
and northwest of Minsk Gen. Ivan
Cherniakhovsky's Third White Rus-
sian Army captured more than 300
places.
Both drives directly threatened the
city of Wilno (Vilna), disputed in
battle for centuries, and the com-
munique disclosed fresh bombings
there and at Bialystok by huge fleets
of Russian bombers during the night.
Better weather was helping the
Soviet Air Force, not only in thii
sector but also to the north where
fighters and light bombers were
sweeping back and forth over enemy
positions in the Wilno area clearing
the way for the advance of Red
infantry.
Ann Arbor,
County Exceed
War Bond Quota
Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County
.went more than $367,000 beyond
their Fifth War Loan Drive quota
yesterday as total sales reached
$9,472,966, Warren F. Cook, Wash-
tenaw county Chairman of the War
Finance Committee, said.
Although out-county purchasers
neared the quota for E-Bond pur-
chases, Ann Arbor still lagged far
behind in E-Bond sales, Cook said,
and the brunt of the bond buying
was carried by corporations and pur-
chasers of large denomination bonds.
4'
Heavy Fire Covers
Only Escape Route
By The Associated Press
SUPREME HEADQUARTERS AL-
LIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE,
Friday, June 7-U. S. troops closing a
ring about the enemy anchor of
La Haye Du Puits have stormed to
the edge of the Foret De Mont Cas-
tre-where strong enemy forces lie
in wait-and are threatening the last
wooded heights dominating the town,
supreme headquarters announced
last night.
Front line dispatches said the only
escape route out of the road and rail
junction on the south was under ar-
tillery fire, and reported savage fight-
ing toward the heights of the forest,
three miles east of La Haye, whose
capture would unhinge enemy de-
fenses resting, on La Haye on the
west and the Bog, Marais De Gorges,
on the east.
Yank Leave Railway
The Americans relinquished their
hold on the railway station in the
north part of La Haye.
In the brightest, hottest day in
Normandy since D-Day, another col-
umn coming around the great bog on,
the east fought down the road south-
west from Carentan, widening thisI
narrowest sector of the whole Nor-x
mandy front in an advance of moret
than a mile despite enemy counterat-
tacks.
Both British and Germans pouredr
armor and infantry into the battleI
raging for Carpiquet airfield, onlyt
three miles east of Caen on the roadt
to Paris, and the night communiquec
said a number of enemy tanks weree
destroyed.
Allies Throw Aerial PunchI
With the skies cleared at last, andI
the Allies free to throw their Sunday
aerial punch at the enemy, German1
communications took a severe maul-
ing as hundreds of warplanes went
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VIOLENT FIGHTING RAGES IN NORMANDY-Violent battles flared
across the Normandy battle front as Yanks battled their way into the
German anchor city of La Haye du Puits, and as the Germans tried in
vain to break through the Anglo-Canadian lines on the eastern end
of the front. The Canadians were forced back slightly in the fighting
for the Carpiquet Airfield.
bombing and strafing transport,
roads and rails all the way behind
the front and on back to the Paris
area.
Rail lines were cut by bombs at
many points, fuel dumps were left
blazing at Chartres, Argentan and
Cerences, and dive-bombers attacked
troops massing to oppose the Ameri-
can push southwestward from Car-
entan.
A dispatch from Gen. Dwight D.
Eisenhower's advanced command
post declared that more and more
Allied troops and vehicles-"an ,as-
tonishing total"-were piling up
along the beachhead for the decis-
ive battles ahead.
200 Injured
In Tennessee
Train Wreck
JELLICO, Tenn., July 6.-(P)-Ray
Ellison, mortician, said a 12-coach
Louisville and Nashville Railroad
train, carrying troops, cracked up to-,
night in the Clear River Gorge, kill-1
ing several persons and injuring a-
round 200.
He said three bodies had been
brought to his mortuary.
The engine, and two of the coach-
es, Ellison said, turned over into the
rocky Clear Fork River Gorge, and
two overturned on the brink of the
gorge and caught fire.
The river, he said, is shallow.
The remainder of the coaches
stayed upright.
The wreck occurred 11 miles south
of Jellico, which is near the Tennes-
see-Kentucky line.
Ellison said medical aid had been
summoned from Fort Oglethorpe,
near Chattanooga, and the Red Cross
at Knoxville. t
Earlier, Lloyd Baird told the Knox-
ville Journal:
"Everything is confusion and no
one knows how many are killed and
how many injured."
Baird said scores of injured were
being brought to Jellico Hospital and
the hospital itself was too busy for
any attache to give any details.
World News
at a Glance
Negotiations Stop ...
CAIRO, July 6.-Negotiations for
participation of Greek leftist leaders
in the British-endorsed government-
l in-exile of Premier George Papan-
dreou broke down 'today with the
announcement that the Communist-
controlled Liberation Front had in
effect refused to enter the cabinet by
presenting inacceptable demands.
* * *
Ends Seventh War Year
CHUNGKING, July 7, Friday-
(P)--China completed its seventh
year of, war with the Japanese to-
day, and despite sweeping advances
of the enemy in three battle-locked
provinces, Generalissimo Chiang
Kai-Shek predicted, "Liberation is
close at hand."
The anniversary found the Chi-
nese battling to stem a Japanese
tide in Kwangtung province from
Canton, which already had pierced
Chinese defenses along the last
Chinese-controlled strip of the
Canton-Hankow - Peiping railway,
and locked in a struggle to the
death in Hunan province, against
last Hunan stronghold of Heng-
strong enemy forces battering the
yang.
Bliska, Darrow
To Head Union
For Summer
President, Secretary
Announced by Bursley
Tom Bliska and George Darrow
have been appointed president and
secretary, respectively, of the Michi-
gan Union, for the summer term
Dean Joseph A. Bursley, chairman
ex officio of the Selections Commit-
tee of the Union, announced yester-
day.
Bliska, '46A, a member of Delta
Upsilon, was formerly administration
chairman of the Union. A resident
of Ann Arbor, Bliska is a member
of Tau Sigma Delta and the Ameri-
can Institute of Architects. He sucs-
ceeds Roy Boucher.
Darrow, '45, is a member of Phi
Gamma Delta and in the Naval
ROTC Unit on campus. A native of
New Rochelle, N. Y., Darrow succeeds
Rupert Straub. The new secretary
was co-chairman of the Union's ori-
entation program.
Dean Bursley made the announce-
ment after selection by a committee
of three faculty members and three
student members expressly appointed
by the Union board of directors to
choose Union administrators.
Bliska said the Union's activities
for the summer would be concentrat-
ed on service men. He said a pro-
gram to "keep the campus alive"
would be conducted through Hours-
of-Fun and GI Stomps.
Hour of Fun.,
New Progoramn
To Be Today
Inaugurating a new mode in en-
tertainment at the University, the
Hour of Fun to be given at 7:30 p. m.
today in front of the old Medical
Building will be highlighted by audi-
ence participation.
Sponsored by the Union, the pro-
gram will be supplemented by the
music of Billy Layton's orchestra.
"Let's all get behind this and
make it a huge success," Doc Field-
ing, MC, said. "Everyone is asked
to come prepared to do something.
If you can dance, dance; if you can
sing, sing. You can even take your
Gen.DeGaulle,
FDR Meet
For Pailey
Free French Chief
Gets Big Welcome
By The Associated Press
WASHINGTON, July 6-General
Charles De Gaulle and President
Roosevelt clasped hands at the White
House and exchanged warm greet-
ings today at a meeting preliminary
~o man-to-man conferences aimed
at smoothing out frictions in French-
American relations.
"My, I'm glad to see you," was
Mr. Roosevelt's welcome.
Arriving by airplane in mid-after-
noon, the tall leader of the French1
National Committee was accorded a
welcome such as has been given few
foreign dignitaries not classed as
heads of state.
The high command of the army
and navy greeted him when he step-
ped from his plane while a 17-gun
saluate-in accord with his military,
rank-boomed out from a battery
of cannon.
Then the French general was
whisked by automobile to the White
House where President Roosevelt and
members of the cabinet were waiting
in the diplomatic reception room.
When De Gaulle entered, the pres-
ident was seated before a huge fire-
place. Standing behind the chief
executive was his daughter, Mrs. An-
na Boettiger.
Their greeting over, the Gen-
eral was presented to Secretary of
State Hull who said, "Welcome-
glad to have you with us."
De Gaulle appeared only slightly
fatigued by his air journey.
Speaking powerfully in English,
which is difficult for him, he declar-
ed, on arrival, "I salute and I pay
my tribute to all those men and
women who are relentlessly work-
ing for the war and those brave
American boys, soldiers, sailors and
airmen, who are fighting abroad
against our common enemy.
"The whole French people are
thinking of you and salute you Am-
ericans, our friends.
"The war is going well and when
the Germans and Japanese are
downed, the world will have to be
organized for freedom and peace.
"Our ardent desire is that the
United States and France continue
working together in every way, as
today our fighting men are march-
ing together to the common vic-
tory."
Flying Bombs
Attack London,
Trap Workers
LONDON, July 7, Friday-(P)-
More flying bombs smashed into the
London area last night after a lull of
several hours and while rescuers still
dug for victims from Thursday morn-
ing's barrage-some of them mill
workers trapped under 50 tons of
debris.
The air ministry said there were
casualties but less damage from the
morning attack, and that defenders
had one of their best days by down-
ing "a large proportion" of the ro-
bots.
Grim Londoners are paying blood
to watch the birth of a new era in
air power-the flying bomb now and
perhaps later the giant rocket bomb
-in the opinion of many veteran
airmen.
The death and damage the flying
bombs now are doing are only a frac-
tion of the dreadful implications
they carry. From the time that wars
began, they have been won by killing
enough of the enemy to break his
will to fight, and robot weapons of
the future conceivably will be able to
accomplish this end.
Kelly Wants Brown
As Running Mate
LANSING, July 6-(AP)-Govern-
-or Kelly appealed tonight to the
the people of Michigan in a radio
broadcast to give him Auditor Gen-
Scores Burned As
Big Top Collapses
Governor Mobilizes Emergency Forces
To Dig Out Victims; Fire Is "Horrible"
By The Associated Press
HARTFORD, Conn., July 6.-A burst of flames in the
main tent of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey
Circus brought death to at least 120 persons, many of them
children, and horrible injury to many others in a disaster which
officials said might ultimately result in a death toll of 200.
State Police Commissioner Edward J. Hickey, one of the
6,000 spectators in the gay audience when the first tiny flame
was discovered minutes after the opening animal act, placed the number of
deaths at between 175 to 200, while Clifford fowler of the American Red
Cross said in New York City he had been advised that more than 200 had
perished.
Tonight police court prosecutor S. Burr Leikind announced he had
issued warrants charging manslaughter against four officers of the circus
and said other arrests might be made. The four charged were J. A. Haley,
vice-president of the circus company; John Brice, circus chief of police;
George W. Smith, general manager and Leonard Aylesworth, described as
chief canvass man.
By 5:15 p. m. (EWT) the Huge drill shed of the state armory, quickly
converted into a morgue, contained the bodies of 120 men, women and
children, many of whom were trapped under the fiery canvas as it col-
lapsed at 2:45 p. m.
The problem of identifying the dead was great. Many, if not most,
of the bodies were charred beyond recognition and the flimsy garments,
worn by women and children offered little immediate hope of establishing
identity only through a long and tra-<
gic process of elimination were many
expected to be given names.,
Mostly Children Hurt
One hospital reported an incom-
plete count showed 41 injured, while
another hospital said that at least 30
children had been admitted.
In the midst of the disaster, more
terrifying because of the sudden
panic it created than even the flood
of 1936 and the hurricane and flood
which struck this city in 1938, Gov-
ernor Raymond E. Baldwin made a
radio appeal for calmness as he di-
rected mobilization of all the state's
emergency facilities.
Above the roar of frightened ani-
mals could be heard the frantic calls
of mothers seeking their children and
the furious crackling of flames as
they first quickly enveloped the big
tent and then sent the canvas to the
ground in ruins.
Flaming Tent Smothers Kids
One eye witness, policeman Arthur
Barnard, who lives just across from
the circus grounds, said "So many
kids were hurt because the flaming
tent dropped right on them."
"They shinnied down the ropes
and poles," he said. "Some of them
were laughing and excited."
Clarence E. Wilson, a business of-
fice employe of the Hartford Times,
was about to quit the circus grounds
after leaving his wife and child at the
big tent when he saw the burst of
flames that signalled the start of
terrifying pandemonium.
The tent, he said, "went up in a
puff of smoke," and within ten min-
utes it lay "like burnt paper as far
as I could see."
"I saw rows of charred bodies ly-
ing between the burned bleachers,"
said Wilson, who did not learn until
some time later that his wife and
son had escaped safely. "They show-
ed no evidence of being trampled on,
but were scorched and burned. The
heat was intense and women and
children were running out of the
grounds. Men were crying for their
children. There was a terrible howl-
ing and screeching and panic."
Band Plays to Stem Panic
Many were killed and injured, eye-
witnesses said, in the rush for the
exits which came even as the band
began playing to allay the fears of
the thousands inside the big top. In
contrast, others said, circus employes
went quietly and swiftly to work sav-
ing the animals and trying to restore'.'
calm.
Scores of men, women and children
tried with varying success to jump
from high seats. Many children were
dropped bodily from elevated seats
to make their way as best they could
to safety.
"Their cries," said a reporter who
was himself almost caught in the
mass," were "awful to hear."
For many of these children, how-
ever, there was no escape as fire en-
veloped them.
The five members of the famous
Wallenda high wire trople, Herman,
Carl, Joe, Helen and Henrietta, were
about to start their act the high wire
above the center ring, when the fire
started.
"When the flames hit the roof, we
saw we had to get down fast," Her-
man said. "We slid down the ropes
and headed for the performers' exit,
but people were so crowded there
that we saw we didn't have a chance.
So we climbed over the cage that
lines the exit. That was easy for us
-we're performers. But the public
couldn't get out that way."
Fire Called Worst Circus Disaster
Felix Adler, internationally known
clown who has been with the circus
for 31 years, was putting on his
make-up in the dressing tent when
the fire began.
"We heard a roar, like the ap-
plause when one of the big acts
comes off, only we knew that the
animal act was over and there
shouldn't be applause," he said. "We
knew then that something was
wrong. Then we smelled smoke. We
moved everything out of the tent
and then went over to see what we
could do to help."
"I thought the menagerie fire in
Cleveland was the worst thing I
could ever see, but no one in the
circus business has ever seen any-
thing as horrible as this."
"We're out of business," Herbert
Duval, adjuster for the show, said
as he surveyed the ruins of the tent
tonight.
Asroustabouts and performers col-
lected the charred poles, ropes, wire
and equipment that littered the
arena, he said that everything that
remained, damaged or not, would be
packed back into the train and taken
straight to Sarasota, Fla., the cir-
cus's winter headquarters, as soon
as the authorities would permit what
is left of the show to be moved.
WASHINGTON, July 6-(AP)-
The $16,000,000,000 Fifth War Loan
Drive has moved to within 4 per
cent of its quota. The treasury an-
nunced today that sales through
yesterday were $15,364,000,000.
Figures on E-Bondhpurchases an-
nounced yesterday showed that Ann
Arborites bought more than $776,756
worth of bonds, 60 per cent of their
E-Bond $1,300,000 quota.
Outs-county E-Bond purchases
stood at approximately $1,393,000,
just short of the $1,490,000 objective.
Washtenaw County corporations and
banks bought more than $5,257,000
DEMOCRACY IN ACTION:
NLocal Candidates State Views
On Current Topics in Meeting
Eyewitness Tells of Horror as
Barrier Halts Escape in Fire
Foreseeing another world war un-
less "we have a clear cut foreign
policy, Donald Gay (Dem.), candi-
date for Congress, decried Republi-
can isolationism after the last war
last night in Circuit Court; ten other
candidates for public office aired
their stands in a candidates' meeting
sponsored by the Ann Arbor League
of Women Voters.
organization of the workings of
Congress.
He added his support to proposals
heard in some quarters that would
make technical training prerequisite
to committee appointment, would re-
organize Congressional technique on
a non-partisan basis.
Candidate for the state senate,
District 12, Rep. George N. Higgins
(Rep.) went on record against a
Students who have not yet re-
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titling them to pick up a free copy
of the paper from 7:45 to 10:10 a.m.
every morning except Tuesdays
and Sundays in fron tof the Main
Library.
writer on the Hartford Courant's staff,
was attending the circus with his five-
year-old son when the fire broke out
Here's his eye-witness story.)
HARTFORD, CONN., July 6-(AP)
-The Wallendas, aerial artists, had
just climbed up the rope ladder to
their perch above when behind me
All semblance of order was gone
now. Women screamed, children
cried. I saw one woman in the top
row take her flaxen haired little
girl in one arm, grab a rope in the
other and slide to the ground. Her
arm was raw and red. But there
was little time now for observation.
Preceding the Wallenda act, the