12 Dec 1944
Page 1
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Newspaper
Washington Evening Journal
Location
Washington, Iowa, United States of America
Date
Dec 12, 1944
Page
1
A Des Moines column notes Iowa sentiment favors state housing the governor with 54 of 158 lawmakers backing a plan. Some favored building or buying an executive mansion, with several suggesting construction on the capitol grounds.
Elderly resident Ben O Allgood suffered severe burns in a rooming house fire in Oskaloosa. Firefighters rescued resident Dick Walters from a second story window though he was partly overcome by smoke. The building, operated by William Silvers and owned by Leon Gregory, was virtually destroyed with no contents saved.
Fred R. White, chief engineer for the Iowa highway commission, tells the Economie club in Des Moines that a 15 per motor vehicle annual levy for 12 years could finance a 688 million dollar road program. He says the question is whether motorists will pay and stresses simplifying the figures. The plan uses gas tax refunds to farmers, higher gasoline tax, and a truck levy to raise 12 million yearly. About 354 million would go to secondary roads, 180 million to primary roads, and 96 million to municipal streets and roads.
Iowa City reports Sergi Ralph Tompkins on furlough from Camp Polk Iowa. He was sentenced Monday to 60 days in the county jail as an alternative to a 200 dollar fine for resisting arrest and disturbing the peace.
Two inmates from a state reform farm escaped Saturday and were captured without a fight in an abandoned house on Mason City eastern outskirts. Neal Keasey of Des Moines and Charles Bowers of Grundy Center, both unarmed, had stolen a car in Independence and abandoned it in Waterloo after a crash. Bowers was injured slightly. police traced them after a tip.
Rev. Thomas J. Piwiek, 77, died Monday at a West Union hospital from injuries from an auto accident Sunday morning two miles southwest of Decorah. He preached at Fayette, and lived in Decorah. Funeral services will be at 9 am Thursday at the Methodist church. He served the denomination for 40 years and retired in 1984.
The Goodfellows committee, backed by the Y's Men's Club and the Evening Journal, seeks donations for Christmas boxes of food and toys for needy families. Merle Turner chairs the effort with helpers Joe Picken and Clyde Bowden guiding collection via local banks, mail, or drop-offs at the Evening Journal. The first Goodfellows coupon appears today and will run through Christmas.
Mrs T A Michels will review Coleorton by Edith Pope Thursday at 7:45 p m in the Y W C A rooms Washington readers are invited with a social hour after the talk. The novel centers on Abbey Clangharnes rebuilding a southern estate amid pre Civil War themes and Florida’s Augustine area.
Britain announces a large new Pacific fleet to challenge Japan, to operate under Admiral Nimitz or General MacArthur. It marks Britain's first naval presence in Pacific waters since losses of Hong Kong and Singapore in 1942.
Washington residents must buy sixth war loan bonds to get a seat for the Friday afternoon premiere of An American Romance at the State theatre. Manager Clyde Pratt says most seats are taken by bond holders and admission is restricted to bond purchasers with theater tickets. Tickets are distributed with bond purchases at issuing agencies, banks, post office, or at the State theatre, with the film starring Brian Donlevy and returning to regular showings December 27 to 30.
Funeral services for Mrs Verne Lytle Shanafelt who died at the county hospital Saturday are announced for Wednesday at 10 30 am at the L A Jones funeral home. Burial will be at Elm Grove cemetery. Dr I W Eastwood will conduct the services. Mrs Shanafelt's navy son in San Francisco reached Washington today.
American first army assault forces pushed toward Duren near the Roer river and captured seven outpost towns Pier Merken Hoven Mariaweiler Kozendorf Dreichsweiler and Gey as they closed to within 300 to 600 yards of the Roer. The advance came on a 10 mile front with continued resistance and efforts to breach the Rhine barrier.
Mrs. Warren Lins received a letter from her husband Lieutenant Lins, a prisoner of war in Germany. Dated August 30, the message notes limited mail, mentions Kriegsgefangenenlager, and says a ball team from their room played a practice game the day before while awaiting a letter.
Corporal Robert McLaughlin is in Orland Bay base hospital with a skull fracture after being thrown from a horse Sunday near a ranch during weekend leaves. He is the son of Donald McLaughlin and stationed at Kissimmee Airfield Florida. Relatives say the condition remains serious as details were scarce.
More than 1250 American bombers with 900 fighters struck the Leuna oil plant at Merseburg and rail yards at Hanau Aschaffenburg and Darmstadt in daylight raids on central Germany. Lt James H Doolittle led Fortresses and Liberators with Mustang Thunderbolt and Lightning escorts joining the earlier Mosquito attacks on Hamburg and other western targets.
In Akron a WAC recruiting unit known as Wild and Savage faces scrutiny as PFC Judy Wilde and Cpl Carol Savage urge women to join the WACs. The two soldiers work to attract recruits despite the humorous nickname.
County reports show less than half of the 1 099 000 bond quota sold in the sixth war loan. Chairman G E Mace urges faster purchases, noting pledge cards exceeded expectations in towns but actual buys lag in the countryside. V mail gift certificates and state appeals urge timely purchases to support troops overseas despite heavy snow.
Washington city ordinance requires sidewalk snow removal within ten hours after a storm. If owners fail, city workers may clear it and charge the cost to the property owner. Street Commissioner Ralph Minick reports about 40 locations still with uncleared snow and urges immediate removal.
Dec 1 report from 1Lt. Gen. Ronald Scobie cites extensive rebel infiltration in Athens areas cleared recently. He notes snipers on all city routes, with no slackening in resistance and only limited improvement in Piraeus and central sectors.
London dispatch reports Russian shock troops break into Budapest as Soviet forces claim to have shattered the German front in Hungary. Moscow says a 185 mile breach opens toward Austria and Germany with Budapest nearly fallen and Vienna threatened.
Tokyo evacuated as Japan braces for large scale air raids while Leyte’s southern Yamashita line collapses under American pressure. Allied commands plan joint US Britain naval moves. Japanese and Chinese fronts show shifting advances and railway link claims amid intensive aerial and ground actions.
British and Greek government troops in central Athens lost a dozen or more city blocks amid battles described as very fierce in a military conference.
Last night brought the season's coldest reading at seven degrees with daylight rising to 17 as heavy December snowfall eased. Sunshine and rising temps followed with main roads improving and bus service resumed though rural routes remained rough for farm travel until later today or tomorrow.
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