The Pittsburgh Press (June 15, 1945)
JAP OFFICERS SLAY OWN MEN TO STOP OKINAWA SURRENDER
Yanks herd trapped foe toward sea
Many of enemy die in mass suicides
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JAP OFFICERS SLAY OWN MEN TO STOP OKINAWA SURRENDER
CARRIER USS SARATOGA BLASTED AT IWO
Flattop queen hit 7 times – back in action
Had 315 casualties in attack February 21
By Aline Mosby, United Press staff writer
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Firebombs rain on Osaka in 520-plane B-29 attack
Raid opens offensive to devastate Japan with 2 million tons of bombs in next year
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Zero crashes destroyer – 77 Yanks killed, missing
Jap bombs smash, set fire to bridge and superstructure of USS Hazelwood off Okinawa
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Long-awaited break –
White-collar pay minimums hiked by WLB
Average boost allowed is $3.56 a week
By Dale McFeatters, Press business editor
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Ribbentrop seized in Hamburg room
British take poison from Hitler aide
WITH BRITISH SECOND ARMY, Germany (UP) – Former Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop, one of the last of the Nazi leaders, was captured yesterday in a Hamburg boarding house where he had lived unrecognized for more than six weeks.
A British lieutenant and two sergeants discovered him lying naked in bed. Dressed and taken to British headquarters, he was found to be carrying a can of poison hidden in his crotch.
Ribbentrop registered at the boarding house under the name of Reise April 30, but admitted his identity of his captors. A sister arrested today confirmed the identification.
The Foreign Minister who engineered the diplomatic phases of Adolf Hitler’s European conquests told his captors that he had hoped to hide until British opinion against Germany had died down and he could surrender for a “fair trial.”
A British Foreign Office commentator said Robert H. Jackson, chief American prosecutor, would return to London soon, after which procedure for trial of leading war criminals should be decided upon quickly.
Ribbentrop had three letters in his possession, one addressed to “Vincent” – presumably for Prime Minister Winston – Churchill, another to British Marshal Sir Bernard L. Montgomery and the third to Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden.
Refused refuge
A British staff officer casually revealed the prize capture in answer to a routine question from newsmen about rumors that Ribbentrop had been captured in the American occupation zone.
The officer revealed that Ribbentrop had gone to Hamburg April 30 to seek refuge at the home of a wine merchant who was an old friend. Before his entry into diplomatic affairs, Ribbentrop was a champagne salesman.
The wine merchant refused him sanctuary, however. Ribbentrop went to the boarding house where he was captured and registered as an ordinary guest. He went unrecognized and unchallenged until arrested at 9:30 a.m. yesterday.
He walked to British headquarters in Hamburg with the arresting officers. A medical examination there revealed the can of poison. He was subsequently taken to Lueneburg and confined to the same house where Gestapo chief Heinrich Himmler committed suicide with poison last month.
Ends wide search
Ribbentrop left Lueneburg by plane today in custody of military authorities for an undisclosed destination, where he will be questioned by representatives of Supreme Allied headquarters.
The arrest ended a search that spread to all corners of Germany, Denmark and Austria and completed the roundup of top Nazis known definitely to be at large.
Of his cohorts, Reich Marshal Hermann Goering was an Allied prisoner, Himmler was a suicide, and Hitler, Propaganda chief Paul Joseph Goebbels and Nazi Party chief Martin Bormann were reported to have died in the battle of Berlin. Russian sources believed Hitler and Bormann still alive, however.
The three men who arrested Ribbentrop said he was passive, almost docile.
British to set up special courts
LONDON, England (UP) – A special royal warrant will probably be issued today authorizing military courts to try war criminals in the British sector of Germany, a British Press Association diplomatic representative said last night.
Trials were expected to start within three weeks.
Berlin selected for Big Three session
LONDON, England (UP) – A letter from Clement R. Attlee to Prime Minister Churchill revealed today that the forthcoming Big Three meeting will be held in Berlin.
Mr. Attlee, Labor Party leader, wrote Mr. Churchill to accept an invitation to the Big Three meeting, which he described as the “prospective conference in Berlin.”
Detroit union heads move for tie-up of auto industry
Vote to ask NLRB for strike ballot to enforce more-pay, shorter-hours demands
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Truman seizes Scranton trolleys
ODT to operate struck system
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Perkins: States to call for return of job services
Governors contend manpower peak past
By Fred W. Perkins, Pittsburgh Press staff writer
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Truman may ask Congress for raise in minimum pay
50-cents-an-hour proposal likely, rather than 65 cents which AFL and CIO ask
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CIO seeks annual wage through bargaining
By Allan L. Swim, Scripps-Howard staff writer
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Army accused of corruption in construction of highway
Senate investigators demand explanation – Justice Department also told to explain
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Poll: Public opposes giving stamps at restaurants
56% of people against proposal
By George Gallup, Director, American Institute of Public Opinion
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