29 Feb 1944
Page 1
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Newspaper
Athens Messenger
Location
Athens, Ohio, United States of America
Date
Feb 29, 1944
Page
1
Soviet artillery bombardment closes within six miles of Pskov as Red Army advances to the Baltic gateway city and within 12 miles of Latvia. Reports say Northwest Russia German positions face grave threat and Nazi transport behind lines shows signs of disruption.
Stalin tells Roosevelt wartime alliance will soon defeat Hitlerite Germany. Soviet gains include pushing through German lines near the Latvian frontier, desertion and mutiny reported in German ranks, and Nazi officials blamed for mass crimes. Allied actions in Italy and Yugoslavia include the Anzio breakout effort, Cassino bombardment, and air attacks on Rome and surrounding fields.
U S heavy bombers attacked Brunswick described as a major aircraft components and engines plant. The raid used escort by U S and British fighters and followed last week's daylight offensive. Allied medium bombers and fighters joined strikes on the same targets from dawn to noon.
Washington discussion on a three billion dollar postwar building program to create jobs and roads for America moves before the House Roads Committee. The bill would authorize one billion dollars per year for three years with distributions to states by population era and post road mileage. Ohio’s share would be thirty eight million eight hundred ten thousand.
The War Department ordered termination of training plane contracts, signaling higher bomber and fighter focus. Primary contractors affected are Consolidated Vultee in Nashville and Downey, Aeronca of Middletown Ohio, and Fairchild Aviation of Hagerstown Maryland.
The $10 million icebreaker Mackinaw, built for the Coast Guard and three times heavier than a destroyer, will be christened and launched at the Toledo ship building Co on Saturday. It will break ice for Great Lakes ore and grain carriers and serve salvage and cargo needs in open seasons. Navy air transport pilots who flew through bad North African weather helped deliver the heaviest airlift of shells, supporting efforts in Italy 34 hours from the United States.
Snow and ice covered most of Ohio making roads hazardous. Met George Mindling in Columbus forecast a low of 20 to 22 for central Ohio tonight and warmer by Wednesday evening as the storm largely bypassed the state.
The Office of Price Administration cut pork ration point values by one to three points affecting ribs and most pork cuts, lowering the average to 1.7 points per pound. Beef roasts, rib steaks, stews and many canned items also see reductions, while veal lamb mutton butter cheese lard and all other fats remain unchanged through March. Price Administrator Chester Bowles notes civilian meat supply will be pork heavy in March, with stamps worth ten points each reducing red point purchases.
Senators Johnson and Wheeler pressed a halt to drafting fathers amid a review of 5,000,000 occupational deferments. They criticized the medical standards and argued many 4-Fs could serve in the Army. State directors reported nine states missing quotas, while four met goals, with reasons including draft hesitancy and changes to induction exams.
London, Sir Archibald Sinclair, secretary of state for air, told the House of Commons Britain’s defenses are prepared for heavier German air raids before invasion time. He warned historians may view February to March as a decisive war period and that the enemy’s striking power is far from negligible.
A medium-sized United States merchantman was torpedoed and sunk in the Arabian Sea early this year. Survivors reached Boston and reported that everyone aboard escaped unharmed.
Michael Kotun aged 19 from Cuyahoga County killed Melvin Freeman 23 from Jefferson County at the Mansfield facility after being teased with a pack of cigarettes. Kotun used garden shears to strike Freeman during a confrontation reported by Supt. Arthur L. Glattke.
Mrs Ada Williams Acton aged 26 and her 14 month old son Jesse died in a blaze that destroyed their Xenia home. Three other family members were seriously burned in the fire.
Montevideo dispatch reports Argentina remains volatile after a political upheaval left Gen Edelmira Farrell as acting president. Uruguayan deputy Jose Pedro Cardozo warns of a warlike atmosphere between neighbors, while Paraguay notes a general strike with 1,500 workers leaving Campo Grande. Morinigo reportedly refuses to resign.
The U S Navy disclosed that Russian Army and Navy officers observed and participated in joint American coastal exercises in England. Two Soviet admirals a general and nine other mission members witnessed the operations aiding planned European invasion landings.
In Neon, 14 miles northwest of Whitesburg, a blaze in the Bentley theater and hotel killed one man and damaged an adjacent residence. The fire occurred early today, with residents reporting smoke and flames sweeping the building. Authorities are investigating the cause.
Probate Judge C P McCleland ruled the Office of Price Administration cannot set price ceilings on estate sale items unless their rules match state law He ordered a tractor at Robert D Rugg estate auction resold and said state law governs auctions to settle estates Rodney B Baldwin attorney for the estate noted bidders would have paid 1000 to 1500 dollars if the OPA ceiling of 70 percent of original value had not been imposed.
McArthur scene as Vinton County grand jury convenes with thirty one witnesses subpoenaed in the investigation of Mrs. Martha Victorson’s shotgun death on January 20. Grand jurors named include Ruth George Willard Peck Walter Swaim William Miller Cressie Blake and others from McArthur Hamden Wilkesville and New Plymouth.
Swedish cavalry officer Capt. Jan Wilhelm Kuylenstierna reported from Stockholm that Nazi industries in the Ruhr were operating at full capacity despite heavy Allied bombing. He said German plants could be back to working condition within two to three months.
Aboard off Truk Caroline Islands Feb 17 report details a carrier task force strike that destroyed 201 Japanese planes and left Truk lagoons littered with sunken ships. The attack highlighted the base’s lack of nearby supporting airfields and demonstrated the power of American carrier aviation.
American submarines destroyed 14 more Japanese ships, including 11 cargo vessels and a large tanker. Allied airmen dropped over 370 tons of explosives on Rabaul and other targets, with heavy damage reported at the harbor and airdromes. February losses totaled 189 vessels across all actions, with a large share of non combatant ships.
An Army intelligence spokesman says loose talk from Seattle Harbor tipped off Japan and allowed thousands of troops and large material to be moved from Kiska last August. He claims Japanese knew U S forces were coming and could have annihilated them, had they acted. He notes the Japanese failed to send a single interceptor into the air.
Allied air forces pounded Rabaul with 2 205 tons over 26 days marking the heaviest South Pacific assault on a Japanese fortress. Burkes destroyer squadron cites Japanese retreat hopes while other targets include Wewak Aitape and Admiralty Islands as Burma mop up continues and Berlin predicts American Pacific gains.
War time radio reports recount American task force attacks on the Mariana Islands on February 22. A Berlin broadcast cites Japanese eyes opening to the power of modern warfare and notes government orders to close nonessential entertainment March 5 with compensation for affected workers and tax relief. Government offices may not close Sundays and official travel is restricted.
Irla Hunter of Marietta was returned to the Ohio Penitentiary after about 12 years free, by an order from Gov. Bricker revoking his 1932 imminent danger of death parole. Hunter had been jailed for burglary in 1932 and released in September on health grounds. Bricker ordered revocation and reviewed other similar releases.
In Washington, Congress debated how to spend the evening while Jack and Ralph Heintz, Cleveland war contractors, planned a dinner at the Mayflower with every House member and Senator invited, even as some noted the clash with a War Production Board exhibit visit at the Commerce Building. At least 200 invitations had been accepted.
Cleveland Mayor Frank J. Lausche announced his bid for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. He said he will keep the campaign brief and will not accept speaking engagements until just before the May 9 primary. Lausche, 49, urged his past record to earn broad support.
The War Manpower Commission reclas sified Lima Ohio as an acute labor shortage area and moved it from Group Two to Group One.
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