Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 36, Number 48, Decatur, Adams County, 25 February 1938 — Page 1

Kwvi 1S - -

1, DEVOS S .MEN! OF ■[CATUR C. C. V Atlorno ■d<»<"" G 11 " 1 "' 1 ’"' 'wjnf Commerce 1 n., v „<s — , l( •!;. !•■■" ' M tiWI .|if past year Wwevr.- Ids. Ha Z: •'■■■■■ .HI--■■.--BH - K. >■■ s;L ' f VaFr. . at:'! Fur 1- K | ■■k ■b F:"< Stat- Baok UH'* l ' - M oj $. ■ Th- «iriv.- tor a ■ ' ' ■ ■■i-. ~..■: H' ■. i^v~' i ■, ■ITS THREATS aCLARK GABLE Mmployed Farm WorkSending ■ Extortion Note ■■ 'U.R-tm-mpioynl » o; k..| to federal asontu to|B<t he sen' a ?1 -■" .-xtor- : tal k i |B’y :■ «. B F <1 Gabi- two we. k> , u ,, s i L - n . ..am- of Mrs Alt. . s. 100 t ■ ■ ,j [ uWa He said he had n > plans anything more than the letter. |B< it for spite." he said. "I love with her. she pay any attention to me. wouidn t let me near n slipped into this little yes'-rdtiv st-d Fortransferred him to the Jail at Pocahontas before and even the town learned of the ease. |V* Chipman, thief of the Des office of the feneral bureau said Forsyth, who record, was traced his bandwriting. ■' Sch netter, he said, knew Wifabout the letter and little ■ Forsyth's activities. She lpinan 3h, -‘ had "one or two" ■ ‘■'h Forsyth a few years ago “ rnorp 'l him «<»ee then relu rned recently front 'there he had been etn■club ,h " kit Ch e“ ° f a Miaml ■“his return. Mrs. Sehnet- ! ■, ' Btran ? p r« have sent her ■ containing one dollar bills Ko , Baid denied ■ h ITT confronted Kb h a'’ bi " and Speti ’' ■v t handw riting. ■ his'ar < " lly concern was the K r t, ?' W ° Uld have 011 hl « ■ B-./ 1 a “ r neighbors. K ' he said, "what will they Smperature READINGS ■ crat thermometer a.IH 90 ■ a.m ,7 2:00 p. m 30 K ' 2 j 2:00 p.m 28 ■Much , WEAT HER not'"*” toni9ht and K north \T te 80 c ’' d ex■urtljy. on '9ht, warmer

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

C. C. President

John L. DeVosa, Decatur city attorney. Thursday night was elect ed president of the Decatur Chant- 1 her of Commerce, at the annual organization meeting of the board of directora.

CIVIL DOCKET CALENDAR SET Civil Cases Are Set For Trial During February Court Term Most of the civil cases to be heard during the remainder of the February term of the Adams circuit court were set for trial Thursday by Judge Huber M. De-. Voss. Criminal, estate and probate cases will be set for trial at a i later date. The cases to be heard are: March March B—Carl8 —Carl Archer and Albeit Roebuck vs Frederick A. and Helen Amos, foreclosure of me-. ehanic's lien. March 9 — Wolverine Portland Cement company vs Menefee Art ’ Stone company, suit on account. . venued here from Allen county March 10— Western Newspaper, Union, inc., vs Economy Printing company, Inc., collection of note. March 14—Helen Odle vs Rich-1 ard Odle, divorce. March 17 —Sophia Diefenbach vs Garfield H. Eshelman. as Warner' : College of Beauty College, Ferrell. Inc., damage, venued from Allen I county. March 22 Mary Bendet. vs Roy : and Cora Rickord. complaint for, possesion. March 24—John L. King vs David D. Habegger as trustee of Blue I Creek township, mandate. March 28 - Goodrich Silvertown . store vs Milo Alberson. Walter Hofstetter and the Universal Cred-1 it company, replevin. March 29 —First State Bank vs , Willis Dettinger and others, note j to set aside a conveyance. March 30 — Joseph Stiefel vs (CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO) Mrs. Faye Knapp To Address Berne Club Mrs. Faye Smith-Knapp, county welfare director and probation officer. wi'l be the speaker at the meeting of the Berne Mother's club next Monday night at the home of Mrs. M. R. Donnelly. Mrs. Knapp will speak on "Social Service Work.” o EUGENE RUNYON IS CANDIDATE Decatur Man Announces Candidacy For County Assessor The field of candidates for county , assessor was increased to three this morning, with the announcement by Eugene Runyon, well know local salesman, that he hart tossed his hat in the ring. He was a candidate for the nomination four years ago. Mr. Runyon is a native of the ' county. He was born in Hartford I township and received his eduction : 111 the local schools. He was en- : gaged in business in Linn Grove and at Berne and came here in 1908, operating a retail dry goods store : for years. He has been an ardent Democrat all his life as was his father. Mr. Runyon says that one of the thirlls of his life was when as a boy he led a parade of 1,500 horsemen, through Bluffton, during a rally in a presidential campaign. The only office he has held was that of town treassurer at Berne when he resided there. He has been active in churcn and civic affairs and is well known. He has been over the county the past few days and wiU open an ac- ; Itive campaign about March 1,

SLIGHT CHANCE HELD OUT FOR GEN. PERSHING War General Rallies From Coma, Doctors Hold Little Hope Tucson, Ark., Feb. 25. (U.R) : General John J. Pershing, wartime ; commander of tlje American Ex- 1 peditlonary Forces, rallied today from a coma and although his physicians gave him little chance to recover he jested with his aide. The 77-year-old commander of the American armies overseas ral lied after an intravenous injection of a stimulant and this morning his chauffeur and aide for the last 10 years. Sergeant S. C. Schaeffer, came into the sick room in a cot-1 tage on the fringe of the desert.. Sergeant Schaeffer leaned over the bed. "General, do you know who this ■ is," the sergeant asked. General Pershing looked up. smiled and relied: "I don’t know what you call 1 yourself now. but you used to be Sergeant Schaeffer." General Pershing is suffering from a heart ailment induced, his physicians said, by strenuous activity in recent years in connec- ' tion with his work with the battle monuments commission. Dr. Roland Davison reported at, 17:30 a. m. MST that General PerI shing’s condition was unchanged 1 since the early morning hours. The | patient's blood pressure was norI mat. Dr. Davison said. The General was given a stimulant injected intraveneously In the ! calves of his legs. A nurse said ; I the stimulant was a special preparation called hypdedolcyclsis. Grouped at his bedside, in a hos-,’ pital cottage on the fringe of the quiet western desert, far remov (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) MASDN BANQUET HERE TONIGHT Degree Work Given This Afternoon, Banquet This Evening (Arrangements have been completed to serve 150 persons at the chicken dinner to be held tonight at the Masonic home as the conclusion of a special program being given this afternoon and evening. This afternoon, approximately 75 persons attended the degree work ; given in the home. Headliner on the program tonight will be the Rev. Frank Rupnow, pastor of the Grace x Reformed church, in Fort Wayne, a 33rd dei gree Mason and well known here. He will de'iver the principal address. 1 The Scottish Rite choir from Fort Wayne which was here this afternoon, will also be on the program tonight. The Rev. George O. Walton, pas tor of the Presbyterian church and chaplain of the lodge, will be toastma’ster tonight and will introduce the speaker. A few tickets are still unsold for the banquet and may be obtained at the door. _ o Attempted Suicide Is Reported Here Mrs. Evelyn Spangler, 33, wife of Anthony Spangler, well known loI cal factory employe, is recovering ' from injuries self inflicted Thursday, when, despondent as a result of i'lness. she cut her throat with a butcher knife which she picked up from the kitchen table, according to reports. A physician was called and her injuries treated. She is recover ing. according to word from her bedside thfe afternoon. She is the mother of two children and is popular here and in Monmouth, where the family resides. ——o General Motors Heads To Receive Pay Cuts Detroit, Feb. 25 —(UP)— Geneial Motors corporation today announci ed salary reductions for al! executives and employee not covered by ; union contracts. The ;pay cut, which ranged upward from 10 per cent, was announced by Alfred P. Sloan, Jr., ■chairman of the board and attribu -; ed to “drastic reductions in bust-1 ness volume.” Sloan. William Knudsen, president of General Motors, and all othler executives will be affected by the I reduction, which begins March 1.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Friday, February 25, 1938.

Irvin Pontius Heads Men’s Brotherhood Irvin Pontius was elected presl- j dent of the Men's Brotherhood of the United Brethren church at ai meeting held in the church Thurs-1 day night. He succeeds Robert But- i jcher. Other new officers are Charles ; Robenold, vice-president; R. O. I Wynn, secretary, and George Hill, treasurer. Frank Hurst, retiring vi-e-presl- I dent, presided at the meeting. Harold Mitmma gave a talk on his ex- < perlneces at Indiana Cetnral college. Following the meeting a chili .: supper 'was served. CONCERT GIVEN BY GIRLS BAND DecaturHiirh School Girls Band Present Concert Today The Decatur high school Kiris' band made its first public appear- : ance of the year this morning in a concert before the students of the Decatuf high school. The band, under the direction of I Albert Sellemeyer, presented near-' )y an hour concert of band music, • featured by several speciality num- j bers. An instrument seldom found in many bands has been added to the ! locol group. The Instrument is an oboe and is played by Miss Betty Fuhrman. Miss Patricia Moser drum major, also led the band in several numbers. The organization is the only allgirls band in the state and is rapid- J liy establishing a wide reputation, , with its services being demanded ’ . for many summer events. In addition to the girls band. Mr. Sellemeyer also directs the boys’ l>and and the high school mixed band. Contend Dalhover Improperly Tried Chicago Feb. 185—'(UP)—Attor-, neys for James Dalhover, last of the ■ ,A| Brady gang, contended today tltat he was improperly tied in the U. S. district court at Hammond which convicted him of slaying ' state policeman Paul Minneman of ; Indiana and sentenced him to ele-, ctrocution. The plea was made in Lite U. S circuit court of appeats, which took under advisement their plea to set ■ aside the death penalty. Approves Fund For Dam In Kentucky Washington, Feb. 25 —(UP) —The senate today approved an appropriation of $2.700,000 for starting the Gilbertville. Kentucky, dam as a •key factor in the Tennessee valley flood control and power system. The project, a controversial item on the $1,412,000 independent offices appropriation bill, was anproved despite apposition of a coalition bloc, led by Sen. Arthur H. Vandenberg R., Mich., and Sen. John E. Miller. D., Arkansas. LDCALK.P.TO MARION MONDAY Two Members To Take Part In Gov. Townsend Class Monday James Cowan and Robert Ashbau- 1 cher are to be given third rank, work in the Knights of Pythias lodge with Governor M. Clifford Townsend's class at Marion, Monday evening, it was announced today. The class is to be led by the governor in his home town. The work will be given in the Armory at Mar ; ion at 8 o’clock Monday evening. It is p'anned to send a delegation from the Decatur K. of P. lodge to witness the initiatory work at Mar-1 ion. The initiatory team has not yet been selected but it will be chosen on the basis of competitions nowbeing held between crack teams in northern Indiana. More than 1,300 members have been taken into the lodge over the state in the class, which w>ll have ! Governor Townsend and other prominent state officials as its members. It is planned to organize this I class as a separate unit in order that it may have reunions in the ! future. Several other members wete tak- ! en into the lodge here as a part of the governor’s c’ass and they are to be represented at the initiatory work by Mr. Cowan and Mr. Ash- • baucher, the last two to enroll. The Decatur delegation is to meet at the K. of P. home here Monday evening at 5 o'clock and drive in a body to Marion.

DECATUR RATES AMONG LOWEST City Has One Os Lowest Minimum Electric Rates In Indiana - , —. I Decatur has one of the lowest minimum monthly charges for electric service and also one of the lowest residence light rates for the first 15, 25 and 40 kilowatts a month, according to the rate series survey made of Indiana cities by the federal power commission. In the group of cities of 5,000 to 10,000 population, Decatur is second low for the first 25 kilowatts used. Washington, Indiana, is low with a charge of $1.20 for 25 kilowatts. Decatur’s rate for 25 kilowatts is $1.25 Linton, Indiana, is high with a charge of $2.03 for the first 25 kiloi watts. in all the cities in Indiana, only , four have light rates for the first ■25 kilowatts under those enjoyed l in Decatur. Fort Wayne's rate is SI.OO for 25 kilowatts; Rensselaer’s rate is 90 cents; Washington’s $1.20 • and Winamac’s $1.13 for the same , number of kilowatts. Decatur is also low for its charge jon 40 and 5b kilowatts, the flat 5 cent rate per kilowatt, being under i the rates charged in a majority of [ the cities. With the exception of those towns that are under Decatur, the light rates start at six and seven cents per kilowatt. The 50 cent a month minimum charge in Decatur is one of the lowest in the state. Most cities have a $1.00,-per month minimum. Several cities have a 75 cent ;per month minimum. Only two cities, Logansport and Marian, which are in the ■ groups of cities of 10.000 to 25.000 population, have minimum rates unIder 50 cents. The rates in these two cities are 25 cents per month. Up to 40 kilowatts, which the survey tabulates, Decatur’s charge 1 1 is only $2.00. Very few tonws and ] cities in the state have a charge (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) PURCHASE AUTO PLATES MONDAY Next Monday Is Deadline To Purchase 1938 License Plates Dee Fryback Manager of the local auto license bureau, today called attention to the fact that next Monday. Febrary 28, will be the final day for the purchasing of 1938 auto license .plates. All auto owners will oc required by state law to display 1938 plates on the following day, Tuesday, March 1. Several hundred motorists have yet to purchase their new tags, i, was stated, and a concerted rush is expected at the local bureau during the next few days. No additional extension of time is expected to be granted. Governor Townsend ordered the first extension of 60 days. Application blanks for securing the plates were mailed to car owners at the first Qf the year. These are to be filled out when app’ying for the new tags. • January 1 had already been set ias the deadline for securing 1938 | operator’s licenses, but it is thought , that many waited until the deadline for securing the new plates to I get operator's licenses. _ -o— Labor Committee To Write Own Wage Bill — Washington, Feb. 25 —(UP) —The House labor committee agreed today to write its own wage-hour bill in disregard of objections of the i rules committee which has t efused to permit a strich labor standards bill to reach the house floor Rep. Robert Ramspeck. D., Ga., withdrew a motion he made yesterday to pledge the labor committee (to confer with the rules committee i in order to write a bill the latter would apiprove. “Ii reconsidered and thought public reaction might be we were jiust abdicating our .legislative authority to the rules committee," He explained. “We’ll write tour own bill and see what the house leadership can do to get it through.” Additional Deputy Registrars Named ■Three aditional deputy registration officers were announced today by County Clerk G. Remy Bierly. They are recommended by the county chairmen of the Democratic and Republican parties. The apipolntemnts are: Ed Jaberg, Decatur 3-A, Democrat; Floyd B. Aspy, Geneva-A, Republican, and . Ernest Reicheldeffer, Geneva-B, Rei publican.

HEAD OF NAVAL AIR DIVISION BACKS F.O.R. President Indicates He Views Battleships Supreme In Field Washington, Feb. 25 — (U.R) tPreaident Roosevelt indicated today that, he regards the battleship as supreme in its field. The president, asked about vulnerability of battleships to air attacks, pointed to his congressional recommendations to show he is convinced of superiority of the super-dreadnaughts. The president was questioned about the relative strength of the navy fighting machines while Rear Admiral Arthur B. Cook, chief of naval aeronautics, told the house naval affairs committee that the 950 airplanes contemplated in Mr. : Roosevelt’s naval expansion proj gram will cost $106,000,000. Added to the $1,000,000,000 which Admiral William Dubose, chief of naval construction, estimates the battleships and auxiliaries provided in the program will cost, the complete naval expansion program would be brought to about $1,100,000,000 by the fighting planes. Cook supported the president’s view with the declaration that it would take 6.750 airplanes to give the same volume of fire in one i hour as 15 battleships. Cook said that 15 battleships would cost approximately $1,000.000,000 and that 6,750 bombing planes capable of producing the same amount of fire in one hour would cost $2,362,500,000. Replace-. inent requirements of the planes. Ihe said, would make their total ' cost 7 times that of battleships. • "We cannot assume the helplessness of an enemy fleet before an air attack." Cook said Mr. Roosevelt expressed belief ! that with the development of every I i new weapon of warfare, some I other development usually is found : to combat it. While he recognizes : the airplane as a component part I of the fighting forces, he feels that f the antidote to offensive planes j already has been found in the form : of anti-aircraft guns and defensive ' planes. Japs Stage Raids Shanghai, Feb. 25-(U.R) -Japanese airmen, retaliating for the raid on Formosa, renewed their attacks against South China airdromes today in an attempt to cripple the Chinese bombing forces. Twenty Japanese planes raided Namyung, north of Canton, and shot down eight of 12 Chinese defending aircraft, the Japanese naval spokesman announced. Four lor five Chinese bombers on the ground also were destroyed and hangars set afire, he said. In addition, he said, attacks were carried out against the airdromes at Chihsien. Kwangtung Province, and Yushan, Kiangsi Province Aid the Canton-Hankow railway W- bombed at several (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) —o TEMPERATURES BELOW FREEZING ; Snow Flurries Accompany Below Freezing Temperatures Today Snow flurries accompanied the lowest temperature of several days this morning, as the mercury dropped to 10 degrees below the freezing point. This morning at 8 o’clock, a reading of 22 above zero was recorded on the Democrat thermometer. This 1 is the lowest since February 16 when the therihometer fed to 21 ■ above. Despite the continuance of fluries ! and brisk winds, the mercury start--1 ed a steady rise after 8 o’clock until two hours later it had reached 27 above and was still climbing. Snow frozen to city streets and ’ walks rapidly melted, as the wind ’ aided in whipping away the snow. Continued cloudy and unsettled L weather is forecast by the weather--1 man for Saturday, but he a’so promises warmer temperatures. The changing of precipitation from rain to snow is expected to re- [ lieve at least temporarily, the overflow menace of the St. Mary s river. —o c. W. R. Schwartz Trustee Candidate i C. W. R. Schwartz, prominent -1 Monroe township farmer, has an- ' - nounced that he will be a candidate 1 for the office of township trustoe -1 in the approaching May primary on. the Democratic ticket.

Viscount Halifax Chosen Successor To Anthony Eden

Naval Witness I i i ''' < k -

Rear Admiral Arthur B. Cook, . chief of the bureau of aeronautics of the U. S. navy, is pictured in Washington, where he was called as witness before the house'naval affairs committee. He put in his word for President Roosevelt's billion-dollar naval expansion program. McNUTT PLANS MORE MEETINGS Confers Today With Filipinos; Meets President Saturday Washington, Feb. 25. —(U.R) —Paul V. McNutt began a series of conferences today that may decide | when he will give up his post as I high commissioner of the Philippines and open a campaign for the 1940 Democratic presidential! I nomination. McNutt will study the progress of a joint preparatory committee of experts on Philippine affairs, i created to design a long-range pro- ! gram for the islands, to determine whether the major proposals require an extension of his service. McNutt will confer with Filipino members of the committee, including Quintin Paredes, chairman and resident commissioner; Jose Roni--1 ero, floor leader of the Philippine assembly; Manuel Roxas, influen- ! tial member of the assembly, and Benito Razon. He will meet the pres’ ent again Saturday to make an extensive report on the Sino-Japanese conflict. He may discuss his tenure in the Philippines then. The former Indiana governor, boomed for the presidency by his supporters at Washington's most | spectacular political reception two I days ago, declared that “it there is no change in policy, I have done what I wgs sent to do in the is- ,! lands." “It all depends on what the. Pres-i dent has in mind," he said, reiterating after a White House conference yesterday that “President Roosevelt is still my chief.” Friends of McNutt contend that he has never left a job unfinished, and if the situation in the Philippines requires his attention ' he will forsake his candidacy to carry out the president’s plans. That possiblity was considered re- ' mote, however. With “the big things out of the way" in the Philippines McNutt was expected to return to the United States before the end of the year, although Wayne Coy. his aide, cautioned against predicting I a date until the president has dei termined that McNutt has finished his job. The presidency of Indiana Uni- ■ I (CONTINUED ON PAGE SEVEN) . | —o t Educational Picture At M. E. Church Sunday “The Moslem World,” a three-reel j motion picture, will be shown in the ; .'ecture room of the M. E. church Sunday evening at 7 o’clock. This J is the second .picture in a series of missionary educational services, i The picture depicts the life and -! religious practices of the Moslem > people and their challenge to Chrisijtianity. The church orchestra will II provide special music for the eer|vice, to which the public is invited.

Price Two Cents.

Named British Foreign Secretary; Tension In Europe Eased By Speech By Schuschnigg DEFIES NAZIS London. Feb. 25-(U.R)— Viscount Halifax was appointed foreign secretary by Premier Neville Chamberlain today to succeed Anthony Eden. Appointment of R A. Butler as undersecretary for foreign affairs, to succeed Lord Cranbourne, who resigned with Eden, was announced simultaneously. Jlutler was parliamentary secretary to the ministry of labor. Leaders. who announced they would force a debate in the house of commons if a member of the house of lords received the foreign portfolio. Already indignant over the resignal idn of Eden, labor men demanded that a member of the house of commons be appointed so that he could face commons for questioning. As a result, it was announced that since the new foreign secretary will be a member of the house of lords, Chamberlain proposes himself to deal with all important aspects of foreign affairs which would be subject to debate or question in the house of commons. Cabinet In Danger By Louis F. Keemle (United Press Cable Editor) The French government, perturbed by the trend of events in Europe and especially the danger of a strain on the British-French alliance because of Britain’s overtures of Italy, went to parliament today to find out where it stood. The cabinet’s existence was in danger. Premier Camille Chautemps risked overthrow in a bid for a vote of confidence giving the cabinet a mandate to shape France’s foreign policy. The government was a bit uncertain as to what line it should pursue and apparently hoped to get a clue from the debate in the chamber of deputies. Anxiety over middle Europe was ! eased somewhat by Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg’s defiant speech last night, proclaiming Austria’s lasting independence. The reaction from Italy, Czechoslovakia and Hungary was so favorable that the French felt less uneasy over their European alliances—especially the military pact with Czechoslovakia, • which might lead to war if the latter is attacked. Chief concern was over Britain's future course, and the extent to which she would go to change the Mediterranean set-up. let alone her future dealings with Germany. Hail Schuschnigg Vienna, Feb. 25 —(U.R) —Austrian non-Nazis hailed Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg as a national hero today and pledged themselves to a finish fight against any efforts to violate their country’s independence. Nazis, restive, suspicious, resentful and somewhat bewildered, were expected to register this week-end. by means of demonstrations—in defiance of a ban of their own Nazi minister of interior — their protest against the chancellor’s vigorous speech to the federal (CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE) LOCAL WORKER HURTTHDRSDAY Reuben Habegger Suffers Brain Concussion Late Thursday Reuben Habegger, 28. of Berne, is confined in the Adams county memorial hospital suffering from a brain consussion sustained late yesterday. Hebegger, an employe of the Central Soiya company, was standing on a ladder repairing a screen grate when the accident occurred. It was reported that Habegger was etruck on the head by the grating. which threw him to the ground. He was brought to the hospital where he is confined today awaiting X-rays to determine whether he sustained a fractured skull. He was partly conscious following the accident, the attending physician reported. The accident occurred about 4 o’clock last evening. The physician stated that Halregger's condition was not serious.