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VOL. LIV No. 31-S
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN WEDNESDAY, AUG. 16, 1944
PRICE FIVE CENTS
Invaders Drive North from French C
Roast
Three
Dismissed
Coaches
.7. .7. - .
Given
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Releases
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Mentors Are
'Surprised'
Courtright, Lowrey,
Stackhouse Ousted
A widespread shakeup of the Mi-
chigan coaching staff, resulting in
the dismissal of Coaches Ray Court-
right, Eddie Lowrey, and Chester
Stackhouse, taking effect before the
coming sports season was disclosed
yesterdayby the men involved.
Courtright, whose wrestling and
golf teams both brought Western
Conference championships to Ann
Arbor this past year, said that he
understood the shakeup was made
in the interests of economy, and
Lowreynand Stackhouse confirmed
the opinion. A move to cut athletic
operating expenses by 10 percent was
inaugurated at the spring meeting
of the Athletic Board, even though
Michigan is the only school in the
Big Ten whose sports program is car-
ried on at a profit.
"It was a complete surprise to me
and is hard to take after 17 years of
service," said Courtright. "When I
came to Michigan, it was my under-
standing that things like this would-
n't happen, particularly when one is
doing a good job."
He added that his release is ef-
fective Nov. 1.
Lowrey, veteran of 17 years as
Wolverine hockey coach and also
manager of the Coliseum, comment-
ed, "I knew it was coming, but I
didn'tknow-exactly when. It won't
be easy to leave after all these years."
Stackhouse, hired originally as
freshman track coach and now as-
sistant to head track coach Ken
Doherty, remarked that the news
was also a surprise to him. "I've given
loyal and faithful service for five
years at Michigan, but apparently
they don't want it anymore," he said.
Courtright cairie to Michigan in
1927 from the Colorado School of
Mines and has at one time or anoth-
er been coach or assistant coach of
six sports, football, basketball, base-
ball, tennis, track, and golf. He took
over the wrestling team when former
coach, Cliff Keen, entered the Navy
and piloted the Wolverine grapplers
to their second Big Ten crown last
winter. He has won eight golf titles
in the past 13 seasons.
Lowrey also became a member of
the staff in 1927, after many years
as a player and coach on several
Canadian hockey teams. In his early
years here he turned out many fine
squads, but has lately been plagued
by lack of opposition and material.
His last outfit, howe sr, was the
best in several seasons, giving rise
to hope that the Wolverines were
due for a hockey revival.
Stackhouse comes from Saginaw
High School, where he turned out
many championship teams and de-
veloped such Michigan stars as Bill
See COACHES, Page 4
Detroit Unaided
By WPB Order
Production Expedition
Plan Is Inapplicable
DETROIT, Aug. 15.-(AP)-Manu-
facturers in the Detroit area will not
be affected to any extent by the
"spot authorization plan" to expedite
a return to civilian production an-
nouced today by Donald M. Nelson,
War Production Board chairman, ac-
cording to Carsten Tiedeman, direc-
tor of the regional office for Michi-
gan and northern Ohio.
Tiedeman- said that the WPB
regional office intended to set up the
necessary machinery for the receipt
and review of applications from
plants employing less than 250 per-
sons, not engaged in war work and
desiring to re-enter civilian produc-
tion. But until sufficient workers are
available fortheessential plants, it
is "extremely unlikely that such ap-
RAY C ------- -..--EDDIE------- ,
RAY COUUTRIGHT' . .. EDDIE LOWREY .. .
CHESTER STACKHOtJSE.. .
Players Give
Last Production
For Summer
"The Chocolate Soldier," final pro-
duction of the summer season by the
Michigan Repertory Players of the
Department of Speech, will be pres-
ented at 8:30 p. m. today through
Saturday with an extra performance
Monday at the Lydia Mendelssohn
Theatre.
The players will be assisted by the
University Orchestra under the direc-
tion of Prof. William Revelli of the
School of Music.
Dorothy Feldman will play the
leading role of Nadina Popoff, and
Jack Secrist,=the malelead, L4Bum-
erli.
Others in the cast include Lucille
Genuit as Mascha, Worth Mallory
as Capt. Massakroff, Charles Ben-
jamin as Col. Popoff, and Albert
Richards as Maj. Alexius Spirdoff.
Also is the cast are Mary Craigm-
iles, Eileen Blum, Byron Mitchell and
a large chorus of men and women.
Prof. Valentine Windt is director
of the production.
Adapted from George Bernard
Shaw's amusing satire, "Arms and
the Man," the operetta shows how
lovely Nadina Popoff saves Lt. Bum-
erli from the Bulgarians by hiding
him in her boudoir until he can safe-
ly escape. After the war is over,
Bumerli returns to visit Col. Popoff
and wins the hand of Nadina.
Italian Front
Activity Slight
ROME, Aug. 15-(R)-A brisk en,
gagement developed when Fifth Ar-
my patrols made contact with Ger-
man patrols three miles southeast
of Pontedera yesterday but in all
other sectors the Italian land front
was quiet except .for -artillery duels,
Allied Headquarters said today.
German shelling of Florence al-
most ceased and the Allied position
there "continues to improve stead-
ily," headquarters added. Although
there was some interference from
snipers, food, water and medical sup-
plies continued moving into the city
in great volume for the civil popula-
tion.
Allied tanks and mortars engaged
the enemy on both sides of the Arno
bend west of Signa. Eighth Army
troops mopping up pockets of re-
sistance in the Empoli area killedrat
least 25 Germans.
At Florence it was learned that five
of Florence's beautiful bridges were
blown up without any prior an-
nouncement to Florence citizens who
had been dealing with the Germans
seeking an understanding with the
Allies to save the city's historic and
artistic treasures. Citizens along the
river front were ordered out of their
homes about 72 hours before the
demolitions took place.
High Florentine sources said Field
Marshal Gen. Albert Kesselring or-
dered the bridges destroyed.
Mercury Above
90 for 27th Day
'SLAPPING' FORGIVEN:
Patton Promotion Approved
Because of Actions in Field
By The Associated Press
SHAEF, Aug. 15-Fiery Lt. Gen.
George S. Patton, Jr., is the tactical
genius who drove the rampant Third
U. S. Army across Brittany, through
Le Mans and then northward through
Alencon and Argentan, completing
the southern jaw of the trap on the
Nazi seventh army.
The controversial, gravel-voiced
Legion Leaders
Will Address
War Veterans
A trio of Ann Arbor men, leaders
in state American Legion activities
will discuss "How the Veteran Can
Be Helped" at a meeting of the Vet-
erans Organization to be held at 7
p. m. Friday in Room 318 Michigan
Union.
Barnes Is Head
Henry Barnes, long known for his
civic activity in this area and a for-
mer chairman of the American Le-
gion War Finance Committee will
head the group. He will be remem-
bered for his duties as executive
chairman of the WAC recruiting
drive here and the Hill Auditorium
show.
Carl Johnson, former second dis-
trict committeeman Department of
Michigan American Legion, and Wal-
ter Kindschy who now holds that
post will round out the program
which will present the programs of
the federal, state, and local govern-
ments and the American Legion to
"aid the returned servicman in get-
ting back into normal civilian life."
Hetenyi Speaks
"Our summer program is a rehear-
sal for a full scale schedule to pro-
vide complete aid for the discharged
veteran who comes to the University
campus," Laszlo Hetenyi, Grad., pres-
ident of the club, said yesterday.
He emphasized the necessity for
''every veteran on campus to attend
this meeting."
The Veterans Organization came
into existence six weeks ago when a
nucleus of 15 veterans found that
"we couldn't solve our common ec-
onomic and social adjustment prob-
lems alone."
Riots Follow
Transit StriKe
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 15-(.)-
Fresh violence preceded renewed
probing today into the causes and
aftermath of Philadelphia's war pro-
duction-crippling transit strike.
Two outbreaks of hoodlumism-the
first since 14 persons were injured
during the six-day strike-occurred
last night. A gang of Negro boys,
ejected from a bus in an argument
over payment of fares, attacked a
war plant worker. Cruising police
chad them away and arrested one
Patton, has been leading an Army
literally "born in battle" Aug. 1. It
has been on the offensive since the
day it was created and never has let
up a minute.
Living down the soldier-slapping
incident in Sicily which put him un-
der a cloud last fall, Patton justified
the conviction of Gen. Dwight D.
Eisenhower that "Old Blood and
Guts" was one of America's finest
field commanders. The Supreme
Commander, revealing today that
Patton was on the marching wing of
the Third Army, said it was "where
he belongs."
(In Washington the Senate Tues-
day confirmed Patton's promotion to
the permanent rank of Major Gen-
eral. The Senate Military Affairs
Committee had withheld approval of
the nomination since last October
over the soldier-slapping incident,
but indorsed it unanimously after
disclosure of his new role. Repri-
manded by Eisenhower, Patton pub-
licly apologized to his troops.
(Senator Chandler (D-Ky.) said
the committee agreed Patton was
"a great soldier" who had been "suf-
ficiently disciplined.")
Sienate Votes
To Modify Ban
On G.I.* News
WASHINGTON, Aug. 15.- ()-
Spurred by 4 widespread outcry, the
Senate voted to modify the "political
propaganda" ban and permit soldiers
and sailors to pick their own, news-
papers, magazines and books, so long
as they are generally circulated and
the services can deliver them.
It passed a Soldiers' Vote Law
amendment which also lowers the
bars affecting films and radio pro-
grams, including political speeches.
It sets up impartiality as the guide
in the selection of films and
broadcasts for the nation's fighting
men.
Under Army and Navy interpreta-
tions of the existing law, a list of
publications and movies had been
banned.
Yank Trap
Closes on
Germans
Normandy Battle
Reaching Climax
WAR AT A GLANCE
By The Associated Press
WESTERN FRONT-Second in-
vasion begins with new Allied land-
ings on Riviera coast. Strips of
coast captured. Aerial activity fu-
rious. Resistance light. Nazis in
trap in northwestern France.
RUSSIAN-Drive toward East
Prussia continues. Reds hurdle
river. Invasion of Germany immi-
nent.
PACIFIC-Raids on Halmahera.
Island set warehouses and other
installations afire. Eight Jap sail-
ing vessels sunk.
. ITALY-Some fighting around
Pondetera. German shelling of
Florence has almost ceased.
By The Associated Press
SHAEF, Aug. 16-The Germans
caught in the Normandy death trap
were being hammered mercilessly to-
day in the climactic battle for north-
western France and an American of-
ficer declared the enemy forces "have
ceased to exist as an army."
Rain, which fell in sheets across
the battlefield and sent the swarms
of warplanes back to bases, was the
only hope of Field Marshal Gen.
Guenther Von Kluge, trying to ex-
tricate his forces through a shell-
fraught gap below Falaise, now nar-
rowed to nine miles.
Eisenhower in Command
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower took
personal command of the' Allied field
armies in Normandy as a new inva-
sion on the southern coast of France
tore another breach in the crumbl-
ing walls of Hitler's European fort-
ress.
British and Canadians on the north
and Americans on the west and south
closed in on the pocket for the kill
which will mean the greatest victory
for Allied arms in the west in this
war.
Equipment Lost
Even should the bulk of the 50,000
or more Germans believed still in the
trap manage to elude the Allied ar-
mies, they will be in no condition to
stand and fight before Paris for an
officer declared the Seventh Army
had lost most of its equipment and
material.
Americans advancing four miles or
more were seizing great stores of am-
munition and equipment, and hun-
dreds of prisoners were streaming
back through the American lines.
Thus 400 miles south of where the
bulk of the Seventh German Army
was being ground to bits in Norman-
dy, the Germans appeared to have
left unguarded one of the most in-
viting routes to the heart of France.
Airmen mounting watch over the
beaches reported late in the day there
was no sign of consequential opposi-
tion and that vehicles bearing Am-
ericans and fighting Free Frenchmen
were "running all over the country-
side."
Islands Seized
Beforerdawnthedinvadersrseized
the Guardian Islands of Port Cros
and Levant, ten miles off the coast,
and captured Cap Negre on the main-
land due north and 28 miles east of
Toulon.
I
1
I
I
I
Nazi Resistance
inconsequential'
Thousands Swarm Ashore on Broad
Front Between Marseilles and Nice
By The Associated Press
ROME, Aug. 15-Thousands of Allied troops, mainly Americans and
French, swarmed onto the South coast of France on a broad front between
Marseille and Nice today, seized and extended firm beachheads against
inconsequential German opposition and drove northward with the avowed
intention of joining the Allies in northwestern France.
An Allied communique at 10:40 p. in., said American and French troops
before dawn took the Sentinel Islands of Port Cros and Levant, ten miles
off the coast and seized Cap Negre, on the mailand due north of the
islands and 28 miles east of Toulon.
Other specific locations were not given, the beaches being placed mere-
ly in the 125-mile strip of loast between Marseille and Nice.
4 The Germans said the focal point
of the Allied invasion was at St. Ra-
Reds Are on phael, 30 miles northeast up the
coast from Cap Negre, and also said
there were landings west of Toulon
Last Route to and at Bormes, 25 miles east of that
onetime naval base.
East Prussia No Concentrated Opposition
American airmen who flew over the
beaches late in the day said there was
Troops Cross Biebrza no sign of any concerted enemy op-
River in North Poland position and that American vehicles
were "running all over the country-
By The Associated Press side."
LONDON, Aug. 15-Red Army The official night statement said,
troops have crossed the Biebrza Rv- "On the beaches of the mainland,
er in northern Poland on the last 15- where landings were successful
mile route to German East Prussia, against light opposition, the opera-
covered by swarms of Russian arm- tion is proceeding satisfactorily," ad-
ored fighter-bombers which sprayed ding that, "substantial numbers of
German positions at Grajewo, only Allied troops, together with guns,
two miles from the frontier, Moscow munitions and supplies, had been
dispatches said tonight. landed across the beaches of South-
The Soviet high command bulletin ern France by dark this evening..
remained silent on this sector, where "The beachhead had been extend-
Associated Press Moscow correspond- ed and widened during the day's op-
ent Daniel De Luce said an invasion eration.
of Germany was likely in the next "Enemy opposition remains spor-
72 hours. adic, and no enemy air attacks have
One hundred miles to the south- yet been reported."
west another Red army, the first Casualties Light
White Russian under Marshal Kon- Word from the beaches indicated
stantin K. Rokossovsky, beat down that German prisoners taken in light
German counterattacks east of fighting showed almost total demor-
Praga, industrial suburb of Warsaw. alization, primarily as a result of the
The Russians last were reported with- American breakthrough in north-
in 11 miles of the Polish capital. western France, which they realized
Soviet troops fighting west of the meant that the Fatherland's down-
Vistula River, 100 miles south of fall was near.
Poland, captured several localities One dispatch from a correspond-
during the day in their steady battle ent in the field said that by afternoon
against reinforced German lines. the invaders were well into Southern
In Estonia Russian troops in a France and going ahead fast against
three-mile advance west of Antsla, Germans who were caught entirely by
seized the rail station of Anne, only surprise. Allied casualties were re-
14 miles from the key junction of ported to have been slight.
Valga, and within 11 miles of the Thousands of Allied parachutists
Tallinn-Riga railway which runs and airborne troopers landed well in-
through Valga. The Russians cap- land at 4:30 a. in., also against scanty
tured 80 localities in their drive opposition, following the important
toward the Baltic Sea. opening blow against the offshore
In the area of Raseiniai, Lithuan- islands. A picked force had neutral-
ian town 53 miles northeast of Til- ized the islands' big guns silently to
sit, German East Prussian rail city, pave the way for the tactical sur-
the Russians repulsed strong enemy See INVADERS, Page 4
infantry and tank attacks and in-
flicted heavy losses in men and ma- Ulanes
terial, the Soviet bulletin said. U i
Guam FlagHas Jap Islands
Only 12 Stars Halmahera, Ternate
Are Objects of Air Blow
AGANA, GUAM, Aug. 2-(Delayed) By The Associated Press
-(1P)-It mattered not that the tiny GENERAL HEADQUARTERS,
flag hoisted to a splintered staff in SOUTHWEST PACIFIC, Aug. 16.,
front of the governor's house today Low-flying Mitchell medium bombers
had only 12 stars instead of 48, and set afire Japanese warehouses and
nine stripes of 13. other installations in raids 'upon
It was an American flag just the Halmahera Island and Ternate Is-
same to American forces that paused land lying just off Halmahera, Head-
for the ceremony as they streamed quarters announced today.
past the Plaza de Espana on their Liberators also raided Halmahera
way to the front. Monday, smashing at installations
The flag was presented to Maj. along the shores of Wasile Bag and
Gen. Allen Hal Turnage, command- setting stores afire and exploding
ing the third Marine Division, by ammunition dumps.
Maria Guevara Arcea, former resi- Anti-aircraft fire was intense.
dent of Agana. She had fashioned it Headquarters also announced that
from strips of cotton cloth in a cave air patrols sank eight Japanese sail-
on Chonito Ridge during the pre-in- ing vessels off Ceram, south of Hal-
vasion bombardments. It had been mahera.
waved to signal American airmen The continuous raids in this area
that the cave dwellers of Guam were have threatened the Halmahera-
loyal American nationals. Philippine defense line, fall of which
When Miss Arcea, 25 years old Gen. Douglas MacArthur says would
and attractive, returned to her na- imperil Japan's conquests south of
tive Agana she brought the flag with China, placing them "in grave dan-
her. ger -of flank envelopment."
Among those who attended the A fortnight of devastating aerial
ceremony, besides General Turnage, blitz "practically neutralized" Hal-
was Maj. Gen. Roy E. Geiger, com- mahera, Mac Arthur announced
manding all troops on Guam. Tuesday, destroying the flexibility
of that great enemy base.
Chinese Losses Light Fake Paratroopers Fool
In Defense of Hengvan ,.m . .__ __,_,
CROWDS SING 'MARSEILLAISE':
Parisian Enthusiasm Soars at
News of New Allied Landings
LONDON, Aug. 16-(P)-Frontier
reports to the London press said this
morning that Paris went wild with
joy when news was received of Allied
landings in the south of France, and
that sporadic fighting between patri-
ots and collaborationists broke out in
the streets when crowds assembled
singing the "Marsellaise."
Congress Rounds Out Its
ninniernvthnn ommittee
German police patrols stood by
unable to control the demonstration,
the reports said, as Parisian enthusi-
asm soared with pride in the know-
ledge that French army units were
among the forces participating in
the landings.
A Madrid dispatch to the Daily
Mail said that when Paris was quiet
the sound of Allied gunfire from the
fighting in northern France could be