Y 4fittan 4attv W EATHER Partly Cloudy with Scattere4 Thundershowers . .... ........ ............. 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 a. .+. .a. a M ,. .p. .. .. .,. .7 * (~) Releases .. t. .o. .. '. 7 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