July 14, 1945; Reluctant, Japanese Air force refused to oppose The

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, JULY 14, 1945:

 

 

HUTCHINSON, KANSAS, SATURDAY, JULY 14, 1945

 Fleet Closes In On North End

With All Air Opposition Gone

Guam (AP)—Battleships, cruisers and destroyers of the

U. S. Third fleet began shelling the north Honshu steel city of  Kamaishi Saturday in the first naval bombardment of the Japanese homeland. At the same time, more than 1,000 carrier planes of the same force attacked northern Honshu and Hokkaido.

Both actions still are in progress, Adm. Chester W. Nimitz announced. Kamaishi is 275 miles north of Tokyo. The warships steamed up and down well within 20 miles of the coast with complete disregard of the reluctant, Japanese air force which refused to oppose the carrier planes either at Tokyo on Tuesday or over Hokkaido and Honshu Saturday.

The big carrier-plane strikes began at dawn in the fog and mist which made observation of results difficult but which had covered the fleet's approach.

The naval bombardment began at 11:51 a. m. Saturday, (Japanese time), (10:51 p. m. Friday, central war time).

Nimitz named participating ships as including the big new fast battleships Massachusetts, Indiana, and South Dakota, the heavy Cruisers Chicago, and Quincy and the destroyers Southerland, Herman, Ergen and Black. The Massachusetts and Indiana were among Third licet ships disclosed to have been damaged in a terrific typhoon in the western Pacific June 5, but have since been repaired. 

Senate Group

Unanimously
For Charter

Washington (/P) — The United Nations charter designed to preserve peace won approval from the senate foreign relations committee Friday, without a dissenting vote, without reservation and without amendment.

The committee wound up five days of public hearings and voted 20 to 0 to recommend ratification.

The treaty will be formally reported to the senate next Monday just as it was signed by 50 nations at San Francisco.

Debate on the senate floor starts Monday, July 23, may last two weeks or more.

Three of the 23 committee members were absent when the vote was taken—Senators Johnson (R-Cal), 1910 foe of the League of Nations, Shipstead (R-Minn) and Murray (D-Mont).

They will have a chance to be recorded in the voting if they desire, Chairman Connelly (D-Tex) said. Neither Johnson nor Shipstead has disclosed his views definitelybut Murray has said he favors the charter. Johnson told reporters, however, that it is his present inclination "to go along with the crowd."

Majority Leader Barkley (D Ky) said the senate will consume all of next week dealing with the Bretton Woods world banking plan and other pieces of legislation "so we can clear the decks for the charter."

The week's layover, Connally said, probably will save time in the long run because it will give the senators "a chance to examine  the hearings and to prepare their remarks.