Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 37, Number 8, Decatur, Adams County, 10 January 1939 — Page 1

cn DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT \ tJ U ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

m ‘ — EIX-.CUU. ;1C WAR feSfETOLD I : MISTERS ■d., Sellemeyer introduc- . To France, K the subject, “'The HU- Before ■„.,. and Chinaware. ><-dr neiori ■ in part that since ■.pottery has been ...ade Wliee hut in the tH'Kinnmf t. J e articles made »• 10-(UP)-Am-■d> h. table When the ’» France and ■r" fell the making of lll a ■ (l ’*ion ,n fell but in later military atK. lu . monasteries begar today about the ■ ’ , ht . secret that hat'* Europe affecting ■ with thr fall of the «»eir testimony was ■ successful in lean- defense message vet will send connoted for its secrete <*eek. ■utitnl pottery and for i'tllitt. V. S ambastoyy -- ■ Joseph p. k..,i. o' io bunion. ics:i " ->efore the joint sesp But it was reviewed Ameri- ■ 011'10 affairs. W- — race *n Europe | to ?*** s ° f a general war ■> an hurried here from K“” 8$ Jw l1 * their virtually unißidßppearance before the jflßs committees. AuilkisJteH s ordinarily are preu committee on foreign with whom I h ■in mv study of <>f national defense GL r pm,. and President Roosevelt s ■ W i,h >'>■ public. ! f - rred wilh secretary >’ Woodring and Gen. ■old tne that thete ■^now"yet which and wi,h assistant secmentioned in adwy Chat les Edison. At wrung, but ig naval and military ISs* inhibitions seem . met secretary of state to another e w j lo rf »t u rne-d t o Wash- } - f roin the Pan-Ameri-funeral directaice at Lima. Peru. of their act.-p Early. White House S' l say. almost sa jd the military and Ho" IHaIK a ials gave Mr. Roosevelt she is ... as just asleep!’ 1 an,! suggestions for the B-jit Funeral Homefense message. Early m a high >osevelt his not yet draft-<■'-iti' ’o me 4 S;l ge put he indicated it to this I ■ ■t’’ " B|faBteMMMHHLI defense is expected t H- p congress probably WedThursday. That message 1 ain in detail Mr. Roose- ■ MB INUED ON PAGE SIX) II Joies after ■ fiIEF ILLNESS ■ ■ ' l> Zimmerman ■ his M° rn * n K At S M M 11 Hospital Zimmen. im B ‘"' l "” 3 s * '’ l IBWwWW* v; ■ - * . " o'i' ,( k >b - W '-""I il ni B Br f '•FW' 1 J been ill about four attended the Pleasant and was in the third oHMNwas an apt and bright *’|OgVell liked by his schoolWB^B* P parents, the child is a brother Glen and a !' ’ PB“‘ Wf' lHIB|B«"rV jl-es tie ' WBL"' W ? 1 ' HH 11 BBMbBI hi> y Bl fe re nce . iincie Thur-dav Wf'?' s® - : ißi MHBB ! ''i' .iss nia IB 'BB^s'vST l '' J’ 1 fSt i" ' 'i i ; " 11 " ' WSItO ’ I ■’ lti ’’ ' ' , ‘ i "‘"'i'' u al'.'i ■ ™ ‘ He'll. Het » IBtlß F anil ~r i* 1 i'" 1» iHIBI ■ mlian.i ion I IBwhe —° : w TURe READINGB BT >1 ’ W IWIIII thermometer *1 2:oopm ",'1 B I 3: o’* P t** 3'* fe. ir in south, mostwnorth portion toBl * day; colder B. 1 ' 1 east and n °rth B^* <5r esday

* No. Eight.

Free of Marital Bonds w, EBii® i*' Mi ■ < ft * 3 trfi| bEp Constance Talmadge Free of marital bonds. Constance Talmadge; once a glamorous screen player, is shown in NewYork Mias Talmadge won a divorce from Townsend Netcher. wealthy Chicagoan, in Chicago TAX AGENT TO BE IN DECATUR Gross Income Tax Division Agent To Assist In Returns G. C. Baumgartner, field agent of the Indiana gross income tax division, will be in Decatur Jan. 19. 20, 2fi, 27. 31 to assist taxpayers in filing annual gross Income tax returns, it was announced today by Nathan C. Nelson, auto license branch manager. Returns are due by January 31. The field agent will be station- , ed at the Decatur license bureau i and it was urged that persons who 1 have unusual problems in connection with their tax returns obtain his assistance. Service of regular employees is available daily at the ’ license branch throughout the year. Mr. Nelson pointed out that all those whose taxable gross income or taxable gross receipts are in excess of SI,OOO for the year 1938 are required to file an annual return and report thereon their entire income, both taxable and nont.axable. making the proper deduction of the'non-taxable income in the schedule provided on the return form for that purpose. “The gross income tax act as amended." Mr. Nelson said, "provides that every taxpayer shall, if his gross income for a taxable year exceeds SI,OOO, whether or (CONTINUED ON PAGE FOUR) O SCOUT BANQUET HERE FEB. 23 Annual Boy Scout Banquet To Be Held Here Next Month The annual Adams county Boy Scout banquet will be held Thursday, February 23, it was announced today by Scout Commissioner Sylvester Everhart, who is in cltarge of arrangements for the affair. The place where the banquet is to be held has not been definitely decided. Commissioner Everhart jstated. The three local service clubs, the Rotary, Lions and American Le» 1 gion will be represented at the banquet with members of all three attending in a body. The date was decided upon by a committee appointed by Mr. Everhart, following a meeting held last night. The complete program for the event will be announced at a later date. The court of hofior, formerly held in connection with the banquet, will be held at a later date j this year. I

MICHIGAN CITY JAILBREAK PLOT IS FRUSTRATED Five Prisoners In Solitary After Discovery Os Plot Michigan City, Ind., Jan. 10 — (U.R> ’Varden Alfred E. Dowd el the state prison revealed todiy that a plot of several convicts <0 tunnel out of the prison had Iku n frustrated and the plotters pl ie -d in solitary confinement. The plan was discovered Dec. 22. In;' was not revealed by Dowd until today during which a complete investigation was made. Ffre convicts were placed in solitary and are still there. Dowd said. All have refused to talk. Discovery of the attempted jail break was accomplished acciden*ally bv yard officer 11. L Burns. When he was patrolling the grounds lie stepped on a soft spot in the earth. Returning later to check his suspicions he jammed down hard on the ground and fell into a hole up to his waist. The investigation followed. The escape tunnel was expertly and irgeniously concealed Beginning under “D" cellhouse, it ran about 30 feet toward the east I wall. During the past several months work nas been progressing on a new service building just souih and west of “D" cellhouse. Beneath ’his new building are heat tunnes housing steam pipes. ( One of these tunnels runs from the service building to a point approximately under the center of . D cellhouse where it ends. At the end of this heat tunnel the convicts cut through the walls and started a tunned of their own, fashioned a clever false end for it sevi ral yards away to conceal the ml tunnel terminus. I In the intervening space they | piled dirt dug from the tunnel through which they planned to escape Because of this false • tunnel end the convicts were able to escape detection during the frequent occasions on which the new heat tunnel was inspected. The convicts had not succeeded (CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO) 0 APPROVE BOOST IN PWA GRANT Grant For Berne School Building Is Given Increase A telegram received late yesterday by Superintendent E. M. Webb of Berne from the Chicago office of the PWA, informed him that the PWA grant toward the construction of the new Berne school build- . 'ng will be increased from $50,727 . to $54,820. Since the first grant had been ap- ■ plied for. additional school funds bad been thown into the construction costs in an effort to bring a- , bout a larger grant and enhance the facilities of the building when completed. Pouring of the floors of the new school is expected to start soon, weather permitting, Paul N. Connolly. construction superintendent stated. , Pouring of the concrete footings was started December 7, Construction of the building is expected to 1 be temporarily delayed since the exterior brick haA not arrived. The new building is to be 215 feet in length, and 121 feet and seven inches in width. It is to be located on federal road 27 at the northwest corner of the traffic light in- , tersection in that town. —— Pleads Guilty To Speeding Charge Amos Pulver, a Berne salesman, 1 , was released by Justice of Peace C. H. Muselman when he plead guilty 1 to a charge of speeding, through Berne and stated he did not have, the money to pay his fine. He sign-1 «d an appearance bond. He waa arrested by Marshall Dave Dubach. 0- — Mercury Drops 11 Degrees Here Today The rapid decline of the mercury in the Democrat therometer today gave every evidence that another : cold wave might be on its way here. In one of the fastest declines of the season the mercury tumbled from 0 degrees above at 8 ■ this morning to 39 degrees at noon,. j a fall of 11 points.

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday, January 1(1, 1939.

> ♦ FRIDAY, THE 13th If you believe in the occult | mysteries of voodoo signs and | | "hexes" you'll be extra cautious ■ Friday of this week for that | | day will be Friday the 13th. | In accordance with custom, j Friday the Thirteenth has be- j come a day of bad luck to all | ' the superstitious and the year j 1939 will offer two such days, | I the first occurring Friday. The second Friday the Thir- | teenth will occur in October. : ♦ ♦ CHANGE POLICY OF CUB SCOUTS — Ministerial Association Sponsors Cub Scout Program Re-organization of the Cub; Scout movement in Decatur, under ' the sponsorship of the ministerial association, was announced today ' by Rev. C. M. Prugh. president of the association. The ministerial -association has taken over the re- ■ -ponsibility for this movement. which was formerly in charge of the Parent-Teachers association of the city. The Pack committee, which is the directing agency in charge of all (’lib activity. Is composed of ' Rev. C. M. Prugh. chairman; Rev. R. W. Graham. Rev. G. S. Lozier i and Rev. James A. Weber. Bryce Thomas has been selected Cubmaster. and David Wynn, assistant Cubmaster. Four dens have i been organized in various parts of the city, and it is expected that ’ others will be organized at a later time. The following are the dens I and their members: Den 1. spoil-! i sored ’>y the Evangelical church. . Mrs. Ivan Stucky. Den Mother; Dick Linn. Den Chief; Cubs — Karl Kolter, Ronald Stucky, Gene Myers, James Whitehurst, Richard Cottrell. Dale Sniitley and Ralph Schnitz. 1 Den 2, sponsored by the Zion ■ Reformed church Mrs. H. E Brrtmer. Den Mother; Richard ■ Goldne-. Den Chief; Cubs, Don Kirsch, Bill Bromer, Richard Knapp. Jim Cairns. Gene Moser. Kenneth Jennings. Billy Freeby. | Den 3, sponsored by the First M. E church; Mrs. J. E. Nelson. Den Mother; Norman Steury, Den Chief; Cubs. Leigh Nelson, Philip Thomas, Ray Mann. Richard Say-1 lors, Bob Boknecht. Den 4. sponsored by the First U. B. church; Mrs. Glen Hill, Den Mother; Jitn Cochran, Den Chief; Cubs. Ted Hill, Bill Porter. Don Light, Jerry Lichtensteiger, Bill Lichtensteiger. Jack Rayer. Russel Stanley. Den meetings are being held during the present week, and will (CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE) 0 Finds Dandelions In Bloom In January The spring-like weather has not only solved some of the heating problems, but it has started the dandelions growing. Yesterday, E. L. Harlacher, field-1 man for the Central Sugar coin- 1 pany. was visiting the August 'Busick farm in Root township and lo and behold, he found a number of dandelion blossoms. He brought a few into the Daily Democrat office : to prove it. The temperature has been in the fifties the past week.

Chamberlain Visit To Rome Os Great Import To World

— (Editor’s Note: Webb Miller, famous war correspondent and European expert, discloses in the following dispatch the real importance of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's visit to Rome.) By Webb Miller (Copyright 2939 by United Press) London. Jan. 10 — (U.R> —Prime i Minister Neville Chamberlain’s policy of appeasement of dictators in an effort to dissolve the dangers of war in Europe entered its crucial phase today as he left for Rome to visit Benito Mussolini. Chamberlain’s visit is the fourth he has made to the dictators in three months. Upon the results depends the future orientation of Chamberlain’s appeasement policy. If Chamberlain finds Mussolini obdurate upon the question of continued Spanish civil war intervention and effectivation of the Brit-ish-Italian friendship agreement, it is a foregone conclusion that Chamberlain's policy toward the dictators will swing sharply toward a stiffer attitude as regards continued concessions. Since the Munich conference at i which Czechoslovakia was disI membered, Chamberlain has grad-

BRITISH HEAD TO CONFERENCE WITH IL DUCE Unemployed Riot In London As Chamherlain Leaves London, Jan. 10. — (U.K) —Unemployed held a riotous demonstration at Victoria station today as Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain left for Rome to visit Premier Benito Mussolini and, in all probability. to learn the fate of his policy of European diplomatic appeasement. Unemployed demonstrators gath-1 ered at the station with their now famous slack coffin on which is painted "he died of hunger. 1938.” “Appease the unemployed, not Mussolini.” they shouted. Six-foot policemen, standing shoulder to shoulder, barred the demonstrators from the station platform, so the demonstrators in-; eluding women marched up and down, singing and shouting. They made a sudden attempt to rush the platform. They were repulsed, in a series of scuffles in which the coffin nearly slid over the policemen's heads. Defeated, the demonstrators contented themselves with booing and cat calling as Chamberlain departed. while a crowd of 500 other people cheered. Chamberlain, smiling and carrying his famous umbrella, seemed unaware of the demonstrators as he bade farewell to cabinet minist-; ers gathered to see him off. “It was reported that a number of unemployed demonstrators were beaten when police dispersed them from the station. As the demonstrators tried to ruAh the station platform, police reinforcements were called in. One policeman, on a gray horse, clattered through the station entrance hall, chasing “pall bearers.” The unemployed coffin was severely damaged. The prime minister awl Viscount Halifax, foreign secretary, will | hold a tea table conference at Paris this afternoon with French Premier Edouard Daladier and Foreign I Minister Georges Bonnet, to dis(CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE) o INSTALL ROOP AS PRESIDENT New Officers Os Holy Name Society Installed Monday A large crowd attended the meeting of the Decatur Holy Name society .held last night at the Knights of Columbus lodge rooms. The Rev. Joseph J. Seimetz, pastor of the iSt. Mary's Catholic church, delivered the principal address at the meeting and installed I newly-elected officers. Ralph J. Roop was installed as 1 the new president of the society. Other officers are: Ed Geimer, vice-president; William Lose, sec-retary-treasurer. A number of new prefects were also installed. Following the business meeting and installation, a social session was held by the members.

ually—rapidly in the last month — ' lost patience because of the dictators' lack of response to his appeasement policy. In public speeches and private conversations. he has pretty clearly shown that he thinks it is now the dictators’ turn to make some contribution to his appeasement policy. If this is not forthcoming from both Adolf Hitler and Mussolni soon, Chamberlain may be impelled to give up the policy which led to the resignation of Anthony Eden as foreign minister and to world wide criticism of the Munich accord. In private conversation with friends recently, Chamberlain jokingly indicated his present frame of mind by telling the story of an old lady with an umbrella who, pursued by a lion, suddenly turned, opened her umbrella and frightened the lion, which turned tail. Chamberlain concluded his story smilingly: "And I am taking my umbrella to Rome.” Thus the Chamberlain-Musso- [ lini conversations may mark the turning point in European diplomatic tension, which relaxed for (CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE)

State Wages And Hours Law Is Introduced In Legislature; Would Reduce Income Taxes

EXPANSION OF AAA PROPOSED Experts Recommend Billion Dollar Farm Program Expansion Washington, Jan. 10 (U.R) A conference of agriculture department officials, state farm experts and cotton producers today recommended a $1,000,000,000 expansion of the agricultural adjustment act and rejected all pro--1 gtatns offered as substitutes for I the pi «sent farm law. In a report to AAA administra- , tor R. M. Evans and to congress. I the gimp asked particularly $400,i 000,000 to $500,000,000 for addiI tional parity payments to cotton farmers. C. (’. Henry, Memphis. Tenn., was chairman of the conference, from 16 southern and western state’ when they met here for five days. Chief nroposal adopted by the group suggested an increase in parity payments to producers of ■ cotton, wheat, corn, tobacco and 1 rice. It asked that the government make up the difference between the actual market price I and the figure which would proI vide farmers a "parity income.” in addition to the outlay for cotton, it was estimated the recI ommendation would mean an in--1 crease of between $200,000,000 and > $250,000,000 for wheat farmers, and an undetermined amount estimated up to $250,000,000 for the j other three major crops, of which corn growers would take by far I the largest portion. Discuss Wheat London, Jan. 10 —<U.R>— The internat.onal wheat advisory comi mittee met today to consider a situat.on affecting farmers throughout the world. Wheat available for export far exceeds the demands of countries which | import wheat. The international institute of | agriculture in Rome recently estiI mated the exportable supply at i 1,135.000.000 bushels. 60 per cent i higher than for the 1937-1938 season, while the import requirements were 540,000,000 bushels, 1 only three per cent higher. The committee hoped to make recommendations to various governments to remedy the situation. In this respect, it was expected to consider governmental “interference” with the wheat trade. The United States decided last year tn subsidize the export ' of wheat on a large scale. Canada, Argentina, and Rumania also reICONTINUED ON PAGE SIX) o Monroe Post Office Receipts New High Adolph Hanni. Monroe postmaster, has announced that receipts at the Monroe post office during the past year set an all-time record. , The gross receipts amounted to $6,089.41. The former record was set in 1932 when the receipts totalled $5,664. o FORMER LOCAL RESIDENT DIES Fred B. Collier Dies Monday At Huntington Hospital Fred B. Collier, 60, former resident of Decatur, died Monday at the Huntington county hospital at-, ter an illness of six months. Mr. Collier and his family left Decatur three years ago operated the Collier Feed Mills'at Huntington. The deceased was a mem ! her of the official board of the Cen- ' tral Christian church of Huntington and president of the C. E. Byers Sunday school class. Surviving are the widow; a' daughter, Miss Nina Margaret Collier. and two sons. Melvin H. and Robert Lee Collier, all at home; a, brother, John S. Collier. Medicine Lake, Montana and two sisters, Miss Lydia Reader Collier and Mrs. Lillie Collier-Snyder, both of Pax- | tod, 111. Funeral services will be held at, 2 o’clock Thursday afternoon at the Central Christian church in Huntington, with Rev. John Paul Pack , officiating.

Test for Drunks I WWi J - ■ Driver blowing up balloon No longer will you have to walk a straight line or blow upon an official's countenance to prove you’re seber, for this balloon test for drunk drivers does the trick. The breath is released into a spe- ( cial device that registers any alcohol on the breath. In a test at I random at New Hyde Park. N. Y.. | state police found that 25 out of: 100 motorists had been drinking. | SCHOOL CLOSES HERE FRIDAY Auction School Graduation Exercises Thursday Noon The semi-annual three weeks term of the Fred Reppert School of Auctioneering will be brought, to a 1 close Friday, Col. Reppert stated today. • {( Graduation exercises will be held Thursday morning at 11 o’clock in the dining rooms of the Knights of | Pythias lodge on Third street. The exercises were moved back,! since Col. Reppert is scheduled to leave Thursday night for Kansas, where he is to conduct a sale. Forty-one students of the class will receive diplomas presented by Col. Reppert. The graduation address will be delivered by Col. Guy Petit. Other instructors of the school will appear on the speaking pro gram. W The nightly auction sales will continue through Wednesday in the Yager building. The crowd at Saturday’s sale was reported to be the largest of the year. Col. C. B. Drake of Joliet, Illinois, (CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE) O — Young Berne Man Is Seriously 111 Lewis Habegger. son of Mrs. W. O. Neuenschwander of Berne and a student at Manchester college, is seriously ill at the home of his i mother. Young Habegger became j I ill at school and had to be return- i ed home. His ailment has not been diagnosed. Specialists have been ] called. Escapes Injury As Auto Is Overturned Elmer Biberstine, son of Mr. and Mrs. Adam Biberstine, of west of ! Berne, is recovering from minor injuries sustained when his auto overturned in the west end of that town. Young Biberstine’s car went out of control at a traffic light crossing in Berne, slid across the intersection and then overturned several times. The machine came to j a stop in a residence lawn with all I four wheels in the air. The driver suffered only minor bruises. The car was badly damaged. o— —— BULLETIN Washington, Jan. 10. —(U.R)— The houetf deficiency subcommittee is said to have cut the president’s $875,000,000 relief fund to $725,200,000. The committee had a secret session on the matter but refused to confirm the cut.

Price Two Cents.

Flood Os Bills Broughl To Assembly; Wages Hours And Gross In come Changes Mosi Important. BATTLE PASSAGE ! 1 Indianapolis, Jan. 10 —• (U.R) A proposed state wages and hourt law a.'d two bills reducing Um state gross income tax were iw troduced into the legislature t» day, the most important in u showet of measures presented m the house and senate. Rep. Arnold Nahand. ludianai* lis Democrat, sponsored the state wage-hour bill. It would requia all purely intra-state industris. and businesses to comply with tin same 14 hour week and minimufl wage provisions of the federal act| Preliminary expressions fuA members of the legislature inds 1 rated that its passage will be c<*n tested vigorously. Rep Robert Hoover, Goshen 1 i Republican, proposed that th» a gross income tax rate for all pehfl sons now paying one percent i* 1 reducted to three-quarters of out percent. , Hoover asserted that the stats j treasury has a $20,000,000 surplur I and that there is “no necessitj :| ■ and no reason for carrying s« j great a balance.” Rep. Russell Gavit. HammoM 1 Democrat, sought to reduce i!ie 1 gross income tax rate on retail 1 merchants from one percent lo ! one-quarter of one percent. The senate session today lastsi j less than an hour during which a ' dozen bills and one resolutiat * were tiled. Three were fairly important. Senator John Webb, Indianapolis Democrat, introduced a m- ’ I sure to make- the office of ney general elective instead of ij- | pointive. This actually is a Raw ; publican governmental refornH measure, similar to one introduc-1 ed in the house yesterday by the G. O. P. high command. Senator Walter Beardsley, Elk-j ! hart Republican, sponsored a I | resolution for passage of a con- a j stitutional amendment making the | office of superintendent of publica ; instruction appointive instead of J elective. This measure passed thete ! 1937 legislature also and if it goeste ' through this one it will be vob-dtej upon in a referendum in the uuk* general election. Senator Walter derson Democrat, sought to f'xßi speed limit of 50 miles an himr ’ I on all state highways from sunset to sunrise. Vermillion explained that night driving is doubly dang- a erous and his proposal to set a speed limit is in the interest of public safety. Vermillion also proposed a law to forbid income tax collections after a lapse of 10 years. Other senate bills were of a minor character. Other bills introduced today in * the house included: A proposal also by Hoover that the state board of textbook com- ■ miSsioners be prohibited from changing more than one book per grade every year in the grade schools and not more than 20 per- i cent of the high school texts in (CONTINUED ON PAGE FOUR) BERNE REPORT J IS ANNOUNCED Annual Town Financial Report Released By Clerk The annual Berne town financial report, released Monday bv clerk* treasurer David D. Stauffer, shows a total balance, including all fu tds, . of $23,263.91. The balance on Januay 1 of last year was $21,760.12. Total receipts during the year amounted to $49,-1 516.98. The total receipts and first balance amounted to $71,277.10. Expenses during the year amounted to $48,013.19. The largest expense was the $26,000 for the sebbonds, followed by the $5,000.;, payment of the water works V The total bonded indetteiJa’ of the town is at present $36.005j this amount, $26,0'00 is for sui aid bonds and sl'o.ooo for the w . ; .works. The report also disc® that fire protection during the sfc coat $620.81.