Evening star., 1945-08-15
Two Million Persons
Jam New York Streets
As j. ). Halls Peace
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, Aug. 15.-A couple
OF false starts didn't dim New York's
enthusiasm for celebrating victory
last night.
There were almost 500 900 persons
In Times Square when the an
nouncement came. The noise then
with no particular provocation ex-
cept the days mounting tension
was so great that the blare of the
news from a radio sound truck al
most was drowned out.
But the flashing lights OF the bull
1etin board on the. Times Annex
building told the story. More than
100000 persons soon jammed the
streets in the city.
AS in all celebrations in New York
paper cascaded from windows all
over town. 1t came in streamers, in
pieces, in packets, in rolls. It came
in Chinatown, and in Harlem, in
Little Italy and Hell's Kitchen, from
Broadway to the Battery, in a mid
summer snoWstorm that covered the
streets in an unmelting blanket.
More than 1850 tons Uttered the
street before the celebration was
over.
Names Day of Prayer.
The entire police department.
$4,000 men-was mobilized, as was
the fire department. Mayor La
Guardia was out in his radio patrol
car when the news broke and even
he promised himself "a couple of
hours relaxation and celebration" I"
Then he hurried to radio, pro-
claimed today and tomorrow as vic
tory holidays, and named Sunday as
World Peace Day" for giving
thanks to God "for the complete
victory"
One thousand WAVES poured
onto Broadway from their barracks
at Seventhy-six street for a mass
celebration. At Forty-third street,
a sailor "shinnied" up light pole.
At Times Square, Marine and
Brooklyn boy succeeded in raising
flag on the monument in reproduc-
ton of the Two Jima picture. 1t was
against regulations to raise a flag
after sundown but officers told the
two to go ahead.
Chicagos Loop, crowded and
noisy any night, really blew its top
welcoming the arrival Of peace.
More than million shouting, sing
ing and dancing Chicagoans
janmed the downtown district I'M
til midnight.
Crowds that packed State street
cut off vehicular traffic entirely.
On other streets cars crept through
the milling masses. Torn paper
and confetti rose to ankle depth.
False fire alarms kept equipment
scurrying, and five times the nor
NAL staff manned the police de-
partment switchboard to receive
complaints.
Warships Fire Rockets.
MISUNDERSTANDING two captured
German destroyers-hurtled rockets
skyward over Boston. Afraid
sirens banshee screaming gave
fantastic keynote to Milwaukee's
merriment.
The West Coast celebration gained
momentum as the night progressed.
Many persons were injured in San
Francisco's Uttered streets. Fire
crackers began exploding in China
town and spread to other sections.
Cars tore through Los Angeles,
and Coast Guard f1reboats shot
streams of water into gigantic VS..
At Fort Macarthur, hundreds OF
soldiers awaiting discharge, cele-
brated riotously, some firing their
guns.
One of the main streets in Spo-
kane, Wash, was blocked off and
turned into a giant promenade as
the celebration grew bigger and
noisier.
At Boise, Idaho, Mayor Austin A.
Walker set the pace when he rode
through town atop fire truck
sirens wide open.
Harrodsburg, KY, home of 66
heroes of Bataan, planned thanks
giving observance on the night fol-
lowing the VI day announcement.
New Mexico Is Thankful.
In New Mexico the attitude was
more of Thanksgiving than hilarity.
Churches planned special services.
Crowds in Dallas, Tex, were
showered with feathers sifted from
pillows shaken out of hotel windows
and in Kansas City citizens were
drenched by water thrown from
windows.
At Independence, Mo-, President
Truman's home town, gayety halted
half an hour for religious cere-
monies on the courthouse lawn.
Pistols were fired and dynamite
caps exploded in Denver, Helena
and Cheyenne.
In Atlanta, Ga, amputees from
nearby Lawson General Hospital
Joined the downtown throng and
were roundly cheered.
Mrs. Sullivan Weeps.
In Waterloo, Iowa, they asked
Mrs. Thomas E. Sullivan if she
wished to say anything about the
victory, but she was weeping too
hard to talk. A daughter said:
She told me today she's glad for
other boys coming back, but hers
won't be back"
The five Sullivan boys were killed
In November, 1912, when the jap
anese sent the cruiser Juneau to the
bottom.
Draft