i ''- Irv, tr43an 4a11 WATHER Fair and a Little Warmer Today VOL. LIV No. 38-S ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN FRIDAY, AUG. 25, 1944 PRICE FIVE CENTS Allies Meet Heavy Nazi Artillery in Paris Reds Ask Romania To Attack Nazis Soviets Fix Armistice Price as War With Germany; Britain, U. S. Are Silent By The Associated Press LONDON, Aug. 25, Friday - Russia called upon Romania today to send her armies against the Germans "hand in hand with the Red Army for the liberation of Romania" and fixed this as the price of an armistice with the Allies. In the first official reply from an Allied government to Romania's announced decision to accept Allied peace terms, the Soviet Government said that if the Romanian troops stopped fighting the Russians and turned on the Germans, "or against the Hungarians for the liberation of Transyl- vania," then the Red Army "will not disarm them, will keep completely intact for them their entire equipment, and help them in this honorable Yanks Race TOCapture Seine River Toques River Line Broken By Allies By The Associated Press SHAEF, Friday, Aug. 25-American armor raced to cover the last 25 miles to the mouth of the Seine to- day and encircle the remaining Ger- man soldiers trying to hold back an Allied tide pouring through breaches n Yank Troops Speed North Of Grenoble Americans Reported Near Swiss Border By The Associated Press SOME, Aug. 24.-A highly mobile American task force of tanks, motor- ized infantry and artillery sped northward beyond Grenoble today along highways already largely clear- ed of the enemy by French patriots- racing to join forces with Gen. Eisen- hower's Allied armies in northern France. (An Associated Press dispatch from Geneva said American troops had driven into St. Julien on the Swiss border 70 miles north of Grenoble and little more than 120 miles from the Rhine border of Germany. The report, not immediately confirmed by Allied, sources, placed the lightning column some 210 miles inland from the beaches of soutern France and oj1ly 185 miles from a junction with American armor southeast of Paris.) Patriots in Control Patriots were reported in full con- trol of the area from Grenable north to the Swiss border, having cut off whatever German troops remain in southern and central France from communication with Nazi forces in northern Italy. Except in and near the naval base of Toulon, where a trapped German garrison fought from well prepared positions, the only enemy opposition to the swift movement of Lt.-Gen. Alexander M. Patch's Seventh Army columns was coming from small and motley assortments of Nazi troops scraped together in some localities. Thrown piecemeal into the hope- less task of trying to hold back the powerful American and French for- ces, these small units were being de- stroyed as fast as they appeared. See GRENOBLE, Page 4 TRAGEDY: Airmen Bury Children Killed In Plane Crash FRECKLETON, ENG., Aug. 24-W) -This is a town nearly without small children-a town of tears. With the help of American soldiers, the populace today arranged for the mass funeral of 95 youngsters, all but six of the village's total. They and 19 adults, including nine American servicemen, were killed yesterday when a flaming U. S. Liberator bomb- er plummeted into the quiet Lan- cashire town-Britain's worst trag- edy of the kind. The plane, carrying three of its crew to death, crashed into an in-' fants' school, its bursting gasoline tanks spraying it with flames, and caromed into a nearby snack bar. Soldiers helped dig a communal, grave for the children in the village churchyard where burial will take place Saturday. Meanwhile an American airforce; officer accompanied the Vicar of, Freckleton- from home to home of the grieving parents to offer the fly- ing men's sympathy. Townsfolk, their eyes swollen by tears and lack of sleep after a night; of searching for bodies, told of the > duty." Russia disavowed entirely any de-' sire to acquire Romanian territory in the statement, issued by the Peoples' Commissariat for Foreign Affairs and broadcast by the Moscow Radio. The statement, recorded by the Soviet Monitor, contained no direct reference to the proclamation by King Mihai of Romania on Wednes- lay, but it answered the youthful nonarch plainly by declaring: "The assistance of the Romanian troops to the Red Army troops in the ask of liquidating the German troops i the only means of speedy discon- inuation of military operations on -omanian territory, and of the con- :lusion of an armistice between Ro- rnania and the coalition of the Al- lies." State of War Continues In effect this meant .that, despite Cing Mihai's proclamation, a state f war continues to exist between Ro-' iania and Russia, Great Britain and ;he United States. ', i 1 7 t 1 l in their Touques River line. Highways converging on a pocket little more than 10 miles deep and 35 miles wide were loaded with troops, tanks and trucks hurrying Allied forces forward against what- ever the German Seventh Army has left between the Touques River and' the Seine, 25 miles farther east. Elbeuf Captured by Yanks Elbeuf, Seine River ferrying point 25 miles from the mouth, where the Germans shipped the bulk of their men and armor across, fell to a daz- zling 25-mile American advance, and the enemy's main port of Rouen, 10, miles north, was believed under the sights of U.S. artillerymen. Canadians streaming across the Touques swung on as much as 11 miles east and were nearing the mouth of the Seine for a junction with the Americans which will ex- plode one more battle of annihilation before the last German is wiped out west of the big river. Far to the south the Americans plugged the last hole in the Orleans gap south of Paris with the capture of Montargis, by-passed in the at- tack on Sens. Montargis lies about halfway between Orleans and Sens and controls most roads running through the gap. Drive Loses No Speed > The diversion of American and French troops to help hard-pressed patriots liberate Paris apparently did not rob the Allied drive of any of its steam, although it was felt at head- quarters that these forces could have been better employed elsewhere, since Paris' fall way a foregone conclusion anyway. ARC DE TRIOMPHE-A pre-war view of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Liberation of the city was announced by Gen. Charles de Gaulle's headquarters. French patriots struck at the city 50,000 strong, De Gaulle's headquarters said and seized all public buildings in the city. Resistance by the Germans is still reported and Allied Armies are now marching on the city. LID BLOWS OFF: Wilson Resigns from 'WPI In Row with Nelson's Aides v Russians Drive Towardast Romanian .Line By The Associated Press LONDON, Aug. 25, Friday-Sweep- ing through hundreds of towns and capturing thousands of Germans and Romanians in a 28-mile advance, two powerful Russian armies Yesterday plunged to within 58 miles of the Galati gap, last enemy defense line barring the way to the heart of capitulated Romania. Soviet front reports said the Axis was collapsing after the desertion of Romanian troops. Four Strongholds Captured Four major strongholds, Chisinau, Moldavian capital; Roman, Bacau, Husi and Barlad, fell in swift suc- cession to the Russians-and with the seizure of Barlad the Red Army was less than 60 miles from the Danube River and 135 miles from Bucharest, the capital. During yesterday alone the Rus- sian armies took 25,000 prisoners, Moscow's broadcast bulletin said, for a combined total of 47,000, in a whirlwind five-day offensive. Nazi Armies Face Trap Dispatches via Switzerland said the German Eighth Army between the Prut and Seret Rivers was in imminent danger of being engulfed by the defection of Romania. *, * * Germans Form Puppet Regime. LONDON, 'Aug. 24.- (4P)- The Germans, trying to salvage what they can from capitulated Romania, promptly announced today the vague formation of a puppet regime oppos- ing King Mihai's new pro-ally gov- ernment, appealed for Romanians to remain in the war on the Axis side and said that rioting had broken out in the Balkan nation. The Swiss radio broadcast a dis- patch dated Bucharest saying that Romanian troops "started a march into Transylvania last night," re- ferring to Mihai's announced inten- tion of recovering, with Allied help, that part of pre-war Romania awar- ded to Hungary by the Germans in the 1940 Vienna Conference. The new Romanian government, headed by Premier Gen. Constantin Sanatescu, and including Juliu Man- iu, peasant party head, Dinu Brat- 7 t 1 l Six Hopwood Prizes Given Maida Steinberg Wins Top Fiction Award The six winners for the 1944 Hop- wood summer contest in the fiction, poetry and drama divisions were an- nounced yesterday by the judges with no award made in the drama class. Maida Ruth Steinberg, graduate from Cleveland Heights, O., won the $75 award in the fiction division with Shirley Hamburg, Detroit senior, placing second with $50 and Kath- "een Highes, sophomorefrom Detroit, winning $25. Judges were Morris Greenhut, Norman E. Nelson and Carlton F. Wells. Two graduates, Bernic -- Slote, Nor-. folk, Neb., and Robert Richman, Ann Arbor, were named in the poetry divi- sion winning awards of $75 and - $50 respectively, Rosamond Haas, Rich- ard H. Fogle and Bennett Weaver, judged in this event. Paula Brower, sophomore from Holland, Mich., obtained the only award in the essay division, $50. Judges were Albert K. Stevens, Ed- ward T. Calver and Henry V. Ogden. WASHINGTON, Aug. 24-(A)-The lid blew off a bitter row in the War Production Board today when Char- les E. Wilson, executive vice chair- man, resigned and charged that he was the victim of "unfair attacks and criticisms" by." aides of Chairman Donald M. Nelson. Wilson, former president of Gen- eral Electric Company, accused Nel- son's personal assistants of inspiring stories that he was acting as spokes- man for big business and opposing plans for reconverting industry to a peacetime basis. "The dissension within the organ- ization does harm to the war produc- tion effort and, therefore, to the country," Wilson wrote President Roosevelt. "I am unwilling to be a party to such a controversy." The resignation was accepted with expressions of regret by the Presi- dent, who said he was "aware of some dissension" within WPB, key agency in charge of the country's mammoth output of war materials. The development confronted Nel- 156 Tons Fall On Halmahera SOUTHWEST PACIFIC, Aug. 25, Friday-()')-A record bomb load of 156 tons was dropped on Halmahera Island, southern guardian of the Philippines, by Allied bombers con- tinuing their blistering atacks, head- quarters announced today. This brings to more than 400 tons the explosives unloaded on Halma- hera in the last three raids to be reported. Gen. Douglas MacArthur's communique' Wednesday said 135 tons had been expended on the octo- pus-shaped island, and the previous day he announced a 110-ton raid. For the fourth straight day Sev- enth U.S. Army Air Force Liberators bombed Yap Island, cradle of Pacific typhoons 1,200 miles southeast of Manila. son with one of the most serious cri- ses in WPB history, just as he was preparing to depart on an economic mission to China at the behest of Mr. Roosev pit. He was believed tonight to be con- sidering the appointment of Lt. Com- mander J. A. Krug, to be acting chairman during his absence in Chungking. Krug recently left a WPB vice chairmanship to take a naval commission. Campus Groups Invited to Meet PAC Here Is Pledged To Defeat of Michener Harold Franklin, Local 600 (UAW- CIO), co-chairman of the Political Action Committee here, yesterday ex- tended an invitation to "all indi- viduals and groups interested in bet- ter government" to attend the PAC meeting at 8 p.m. Monday in Local 38 Hall, 208 W. Washington. "All individuals and campus or- ganizations in this area are invited to offer help as leaders or as workers in the wards and precincts," Frank- lin continued. "The program of the PAC," he said, "is not only one for organized labor, but for labor, farm- ers and small businessmen as well." The PAC is non-partisan, and sup- ports candidates whose records prove they are representing the people," he added. "The national PAC is pledged in the post-war period," Franklin stw- ed, "to full employment and pros- perity, instead of strikes and indus- trial strife. To achieve this end, the PAC is pledged to support the candi- dacy of President Roosevelt for Pres- ident. Locally, we are pledged to de- feat Rep. Earl C. Michener for Con- gress," he added. 100 More Blood Donors Needed To Fill Quota Army, Navy Respond Generously to Drive Three hundred and fifty blood donors have registered for the Sep- tember Blood Bank, which leaves the campus 100 short of the quota of 450. "In one hour at the West Quad, 130 donors registered, more than civilian registration for the entire week," Pam Watts, co-chairman of the drive, said. The Army registered 52 donors and RONAGs 53 this week. The commit- tee commended the servicemen for their response to the drive. Registration continues today and tomorrow. A special booth at the center of the diagonal will be open from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 2:15 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. to noon tomorrow. Donors may register at the social director's office in the League from 10 a.m. to noon and from 1:30 to 5 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. to noon tomorrow. Facilities for registration are also available from 3 to 5 p.m. today in the Union. British, Indians Advance i~n Italy ROME, Aug: 24.- (P)- Taking quick advantage of lessening enemy resistance in the upper Arno Valley southeast of Florence, British and Indian troops have advanced and captured several important points, including Mt. Foresto, it was an- nounced today. Polish and Italian troops in the Adriatic sector made limited gains and established firm positions on the south bank of the Metauro River 12 miles inland from the Adriatic coast. German losses were reported high in that sector, where 800 prisoners had been taken by the Poles in the past ten days. Field Guns Stage Duel In Suburbs Yanks Drive To Join Liberators WAR AT A GLANCE By The Associated Press ROMANIA-Russia asks Roman- ia to send armies against Germans as price for her armistice with Allies. FRANCE-Allies send help to patriot forces in Paris. Germans in Seine trap squeezed. Germans at- tempt to flee Le Havre by sea. Spearheads east of Paris roll to- ward Reich. GERMANY-Hungary reported trying to quit war. Germans try to talk Romanians into fighting on. AIR-Huge bomber fleets pound oil targets in Reich from both sides. RUSSIA-Reds fight on and plunge through disorganized en- emy forces in Romania. PACIFIC-Halmahera Island hit by record load of bombs. By The Associated Press SHAEF, Friday, Aug. 25-Ameri- can troops and a French armored di- vision, meeting heavy German artil- lery resistance, battled in and near the Paris suburbs early today in their drive to join patriots fighting the enemy in the streets for complete liberation of their capital. A dispatch from Edward D. Ball, Associated Press Correspondent with the Allies near Paris, said one column of Brig. Gen. Jacques Le Clerc's French armor had driven a wedge into German-held territory from the west and another from the south had advanced to within nine miles of NEW YORK, Aug. 24- ( Herbert Clark, Blue Network Cor- respondent, said in a broadast from "outside Paris" tonight that the Germans were reported moving strong new forces into the French capital and had entrenched them- selves throughout the city. French patriot forces, however; control most of the suburbs, he said. Paris. These columns met fierce German artillery fire. Allied field guns moved up to engage the enemy batteries. Paris Radio in Allied Hands (The Paris radio, now in the hands of the FFI, said in a broadcast re- corded by CBS that troops of Le Clerc, "passing through Pont De Sevres, have entered Paris." A Free French broadcast early to- day said German guns were violently bombarding sections of Paris. One section being shelled, the radio said, was the fifteenth district lying oppo- site suburban Clamart, where it plac- ed advancing French and American forces. French Appeal For Aid The French radio also broadcast an "urgent appeal for help," declar- Eng the townhall in the 11th district was being attacked by Germans an4 that patriots were running out of ammunition. This district lies in the -ast of Paris and includes the place De La Republique, where barracks of the republican guard were situat- ed. Supreme headquarters broke its si- lence today on the confused situa- tion inside Paris-whose "liberation" was celebrated in United Nations cap- itals throughout the world yesterday. Veteran s Group To Meet Today the newly-formed Veteran's Or- ganization will hold its weekly meet- ing at 7 p. m. today in Rm. 304, Michigan Union. A constitution will be submitted for the approval of members, and all veterans on campus are urged to at- tend, according to Bob Lynch, pub- licity chairman. At the last meeting of the organ- ization, Al Lomako was elected treas- urer and Arnold Jacobs, correspond- ing secretary. Daily Stops Publication With today's edition the Michigan Daily will suspend bublication for the NAZIS HOLD TO THE LAST DITCH: Eyewitness-.Describes Street Fighting in Marseille By SID FEDER MARSEILLE, FRANCE, Aug. 24- (P)-This greatest seaport of France may have been captured, as French forces officially announced last night, but you would never believe it by what is going on inside the city to- day. There was gun fighting in virtu- ally every street, not only from strong pockets of the enemy in various parts of the city of 800,000 but also among Frenchmen as patriots tried to clear places where collaborators were be- vard De La Madeleine joins the famous Canebeire. And at that point, too, action was still hot as small garrisons of Germans held out in Fort St. Jean and Fort San Nicolas at the waterfront point guarding Vieux Port. They fired light artillery down the Canebe Canebiere like pouring oil in a funnel. There were far fewer Germans in this second largest city of France tonight, however. Mopping up, street by street and house by house, French death in blazing gunfighting, the Germans finally were overrun and the city was ours. But it was a rio- ping,stearing slugging match while it lasted. The French had to root the enemy out of the Hotel Louvre on the Can- nebiere, where they had machinegun emplacements, and then go across the boulevard to do the same thing at the Hotel Nouailles. Many houses along the way were death traps, too, as snipers in upper stories tried to hold out until the final minute. At one point we saw Germans ap- pearing to be infiltrating up both sides of the Canebiere and figured it best to retreat. Right here I saw one of the coolest exhibitions of "guts" I ever hope to see. Our jeep driver, Chunky Henry (Tom) Smith, Chattanooga and Greenville, Tenn., got into the jeep and lit out up the street in reverse although he was under direct shell fire until he could round the corner. There I, Fred Painton of Reader's Digest, Winston Burdett of Columbia i . I I