Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 38, Number 23, Decatur, Adams County, 26 January 1940 — Page 1

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

xxxviii-J^r 1 :

IfO PAPERS KENT TRADE BEATY ACTION I —" — . . lp a j M r. Demand Jap* Ef>tn Policy Toward II nited Stales ■ J} „ jt M NV * f *-; ■‘yilM h. !’»*•«J ““H wM* ’“ aU * 4 ln :ri J. ir»a I y demanded R*,government •tiffin toward 'hr <‘nll«4 I „S«l>Jj*ct* •>'“* ' h '' ■L.*. jtot !e|e*r»n.« to «»»** ‘ ■ nf:i . urged 'he strangest »*•■»'* H '"'l ■ r ~|Utlon -of m.■ from ihe •**<P-, Ktr \sama Maru Bp» n!lr*n.iil>*nali»l 'u*-j B| of :1m- ibrtMtallon R flutes' fallow ,o ‘i K fitter* Mr '» J *P an, |' Bturffrt! a 11-» treaty l Balmily iinft ietldly ait. Bit if in fii""*' 'here *• RfaMti mill not I-- tespon- ■ «4. ji. nil- ! Vomiuii >* »«!•*- Biaorr • • 1 «"»• B ttvsir expiration I* no' Bb«x o*l 11 '* * ma "* r tiui jnoih-M nation ■ v - «irlil pr.w.-rful Kfeo Japan • "ns■i- im«! ih** lulled Slates pa, i(n ii.iv.il iliall--IIV■ Hf JVpnury B fitted fltaie# and Great K r > r»<fv -i. take .idvant- j B ft* •tightest *h«» of ooft-j H-ysv-'fiil seapon' !<> which B rrtrrrnl »..• .i nad* cmR*t» h !h*‘ lulled Stale* B. -ha< the irmly tun el ■ top-** >’ will If H* dl» B* restlnne* vrr lapsn's M* nbia B nrial rum party a minor B't’i'f I roup of proletarB’ :| - disappolnlII 1- expirstion of th* B i uid Iha i Japan Intend- j ■ - ■ *:'.» in- r.„*«d B!» -rdf' •-:•.!!•(- It* J B It rbirt ■ - -I-- danger- Inhere*! In ( B kv * ,n »hl- h Japan**#--mrr-tr. ns rmr rtvsi | urn IS PREDICTED fchrr Bureaus Predict Rwk In Present I told Wave B '•? T»il*d Press) B* **•* IT. going in Iv a ■ *W*er' 'h« »a* th* r*pnrt of Pj* **»thn bureaus today ‘"d «'-*l*lll Hair. B*“d »»**r*<l Ihr worst < old Middle «rat am fate* ’*mp* aiiirr« above B*h»*l bat .tin Mow frees- ■ UUfortu r*porird normal ,!al J (*mp*ralnr# n*ar ■ »»" *lo* in arrlrBli hm->nd. Va.. ■ »*«y r*»orird that Ib* *mr ■ kTfc* !o tit h«h. ET J 11 *" 1 1,11 r -' "fd*d 44 ttev. ,ad N* w Orlnana. ■T T* 7 ’** »hovr i»ro C??- ** »hi»#r*d In 2« . F **”* **#lb*r Im 7J k A no * n,, ' " ( '^ K" *’ h ' '*#»*■ t*d lamp. »oodo*nhcs today l«h*, M It!' ,k * m ' r, «T to lilt. ' wn,, hl h* IfitT br ! W au * Th* Mlaaia rivrr. frotr Otar *•*» lUu. Th *‘ 'hrrmometer B 10 " M,ro , ’"»- F«* RkuiuJ W b * d J** 01 'h* $2.00*.. Ftr;. -* Bout,, ' r * potw r l#l *AToyi l 4t AOINO# I ** T ™*O“OM«TiH •» m I WlA^*o t **lr*m* j Hnw.ll, , ilf e*W

City School Board Will Meet Tonight A m-o-Uwe of fh* Dm-ntur m hooi Ixiard will lx- Hold iMa #-v«-nlnr »t Hi* hlah ar bonl tnuhllnv Am on* lb* aultj*rta lo mm* up in th* diapoaltion of th* W*»t Ward ] Dr Hll*y arhool huildinK prop*rty. «orn*r of Madl«o* and T*nlh i «ir**fa. Him* th* hull-line watt rnr*d two yrar. u*o th* qnarl*r aquar* lot Ik vacant and th* board Wilt dlarna* 11 th* *al* of lb* prop*rty —o l BANQUET SITE IS ANNOUNCED Short Courxe Banquet At Catholic School On February 15 Th* banquet which will lie thn cloalnit event of the Purdue uni veraltjr abort rourae and which will be held In conjunction with the annual Adam, county farmer , ban quet. la lo be held In the Decatur Catholic H- hool auditorium. February 15. at 6 SO o'clock The meal la lo b* prepared and nerved by the ladle* of the St. Mary'. Catholic church. Hale of banquet lt€'keta la to be limited to r.oo pernon. and arranyeinenta are hetnc perfected to aerve thi* numlrer of people within a very few mlnutea after they enter the auditorium. The ticket *ale I* to begin n*yt week thmuftboul th* county. J. Ward Calland and 14. P. Hrhntilt, i-o-chairmen of th* banquet committee announced today Member* of the banquet committee are: Mr. Calland and Mr Hchmitt, troth of Decatur Adolph Hchamerloh. Colon townnhio; Winfred Gerke. Root townahip. (>«aKarel Preble townahip. Homer Arnold. Kirkland townahip: K I. liarlac her Waahinßton townahip; Brk-e Daniela. HI Mary'a townahip. Inland Ripley. Illue Creek township; Harry Kaae*. Monroe township: Rd Neuhauaer. French town ahlp. Chria Richer. Hanford townahip. Harve Inelchen. Wahaah tunwahip. and Howard Caffee. Jefferaan townahip U U eSßaatad that all bauque* , ticket* wtU ha sold before the day of the affair bacaaae of the heavy advaace demand — w ■■ —— Reports British Plane Shot Down Rerlia. Jan. Bd- ft'Pl-The high command reported today that the German air force shot down a British reconnaissance plane near Do laberg yesterday while It was attempting to survey the vitally intportant Ruhr industrial district and that German planes mad* reconnaissance night* over various •ectora of the western front There were no noteworthy developments on the ground, the communique said. 1 " ■ -O" —" Three Sophomore Pupils Sentenced Corydon. lad. Jan. H-tCPI-Three Sophomore, at Mew Miudletown high school today were under ala months prison term* at White's manual labor laatitute al Wabash following their conviction of taking |ata hidden by George Hint her. their 74-year-old neighbor, The youths were Investigated when police found them spending large amounts of old fashioned curraaey STRANGE UNION j IS DISSOLVED Judge Formally Annuls Marriage Os Brother To Sister Indianapolis. Jan. 2« — <UJ9 - Th* It-day marriage of 1-eßoy and Virginia Williamson was definitely ended today. The union was annulled formally yesterday by Juvenile court Judge Wllfrau Bradshaw after hla study of tangled court record* and document* of IM2 and of testimony offered by relative* of ihe couple at a hearing Tueaday failed to overcome hla opinion that the couple were brother and slater Ueßoy. 20. was not present in court to hear th* decision, hut his bride. 11, was She broke Into tear* at the verdict and I taped through a have tnent courtroom window to avoid tha eyas of the curious Thera •he joined Mr and Mr* Wolfe and disappeared In the crowd of pedea- | Irian* outside Ihe courthouse 1-eßoy, who broke down when ! Judge Bradshaw Tueaday aald that • icojvTUft ffc og pao* rouiij i 1

CITY OF FLINT J ARRIVES HOME Ship lipid For Time By J (•erman Prize Crew To i Dock Tomorrow Baltimore, j»n iy py -j-h„ g « S f’lty at Flint, tiearing th» end 1 of a modern odyssey of the «»a. 1 •teamed pa*t the Virginia Cap** tee ' clay. The batter*d little American ' freighter had not been within sight of r. H. Shore* since iaat Oct. 3 1 when It sailed out of New York ' harbor cm what was to have been a routine cargo trip to Kuropean water* Tomorrow morning the Flint i* due to doc k* at Baltimore harbor Two official, of the Fnited Statea line* -charter operators of th* Flint Icoardecl the freighter aa It passed the Vlrglniu Capes They 1 brought with them a payroll for the American crew. The 40 sailors aboard the Flint have not been paid since their vessel left New - York City In the months since the 4.W13ton Flint went to sea It has become the central flgure of a sea epic. First It was intercepted Oct !t by the German pocket battleship. Dentarhland The ballleship placed a German prize crew In charge of the freighter. The prize crew. dcMlglng allied warships, directed the Flint llrst to Tromsoe. Norway, and then to the Russian Arctic pent of Murtnanak Ignoring the 4’. ft. protesta. the Huasian officials allowed the Flint to remain at Maimausk alz days and then sail again, still In charge of the prize c rew The Flint ns* salient down Ihe Norwegian coast, hugging the shoreline and Norwegian territorial water* In an effort to run the Britlah bloc kade This episode came to a sudden end. however, when the freighter was halted at the Haugesund Roadstecl by Norwegian offle iul* who Interned the German prize crew and allowed the American crew to take charge again A long delay followed while IT. H. line* official* worked out plan* for ihe Flint's return to the Cnlt-: -•d State* Finally, after taking aboard .1 cargo of iron wr* the Flint left the Norwegian port of Narvik for Baltimore The Iron ore is consigned to the Bethlehem Hteel Corp.. plant at conWTINCKD ON PAGE TIIKtCKI DECATUR MAN'S MOTHER DIES Mrs. Anna Frohnapfel Dies Thursday At Fort Wayne Mrs. Anna Frohnapfrl. 71. mother of Dr Henry Frohnapfel. Decatur chiropractor, died Thursday at the nurses' home on t'reigh ton avenue in Fort Wayne Death was caused by m stroke of apoplexy suffered last November She was horn In Fori Wayne December 23. I*(*. Ihe daughter of Mr. and Mr* Frederick Meyer and was a lifelong resident of that c-ltf She had * tailed in this cily wllh her son on numerous occasions Her husband, f'arl Fmhnapfel. died Jauuury 27. 11*27 Mr*. Frohnapfel was a member of the Kinmau. I.utherati church and the ladies' aid sen lety of the | church Surviving are two son*. Dr Henry Frohnapfrl of thia rlly. and ■ George, of Fort Wayne; one daugh ter. Mrs France# Doctor of Glendale, Cal; seven grandchildren, one great grandchild; three ala- • lera. Mr# William Hchwler, Mr* Herman Hchwaim and Mr# fharl** Haudehuah. all of Fort Wayne: I and one brother. Martin Meyer, of Huntertown Funeral aervlce# will he held at 2 p. m Saturday as the Hcheu matin funeral home In Fort Wayne, with Rev Krwtn Tepker officiating. Burial will lie In Linden wood cemetery The liodr may he view ed at Ihe funeral home Annual Krport To Be Given Sunday The annual report of the 8L Joseph Catholic cemetery aaaoclaHon will be distributed lo member* of Ihe pariah al the Sunday maaae* al HI. Mary'a church The report contain* a list of lot owners and those under perpetual care The association had 1447.21 ' cash on hand In addition lo other aaaota at tho cloao of the year. Rtlanalv* Improvemant* and baautlflcallon of ground*, including I the addition of a plot oast of tha mam drivaway. ware made daring i lilt Plan# for IMO follow aloof the line of boautlfymg the ceme- i tery. Ihe tnurtees state. I 1

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN A DAMS COUNTY

Dpratur, Indiana, Friday, January 2fi, 1940.

Downtown Thermometers Disagree; How Cold Is It?

What's In a thermomeler? We i mean how much '*u*rk' do you pul t In your thermometer? Ilow rninh are you affected by It? For Instanc-e. If you get up in i the morning, thinking It la not an cold and then after seeing your i thermometer register gero or two i below, you Immediately feel the i effects of the cold weather that I* rating the ''steak you put in your thermometer." If yon are one of the persons afforced |,y the themometer. tt Dense- < rat reporter has solved your prob l lem* If you feel only «* cold a* your thermometei says, then this reporter knows the answer. A hurried survey of the Second street downtown district Thursday afternoon at 4 o'clock disclosed that 14 tbermometera varied 117 degrees and only Iwo of them were alike. Thus If you are one of the persons mentioned above and want to gel warm In a hurry, go lo the corner of Second and Jefferaon streets and look at the thermometer on Ihe corner of the Kemp re* lattrsnl building The red-hued mere ury In lhai gadget says UP above— regardless of how cold It I* outside Os course — it doesn't work bat if you are one of thoac affected by thermometer readings you can disregard the latter statement If you want something 117 degrees colder. Icrok at the one on the front of the Peoplc-a’ restaurant —It said two above at the samehour Os course inches away, KOOSEVELT BUYS G. 0. P. TICKETS Fays 50 Cents For Lincoln Day “Two Bit*' Banquet in Illinois Washington. Jan ?A <\)fi President Roosevelt contributed j two 25 cent postage atamp* today 1 toward helping the Kepnhllcan j party determine "how to keep a slate from going haywire on the. presidential year" The president had received an i 1 Invitation and two tickets to attend a Republican Lincoln Day "two-bll" baoquel at Naperville. 111. on Keb 12 Rep Charlea j Plumley. H. Vi., will deliver anj address on "Ilow to keep a stale | I from going haywire on the preal 1 lent la I year.” t'pon receipt of the invitation. Mr Roosevelt said he was accept lug the two tickets, but would not It* able lo attend Today, through hi* secretary. Stephen T Karly. and postmaster general James A. Farley, he egtended hla regret* and sent to the Republicans two 25 cent portrait* of a good Republican, former pr--a-idem William McKinley, cm two .‘S-rent stamp*. Mr Rooaevelt retained the two ticket* to the (1 OP banquet and Intimated that he considered them a fair exchange for the Democratlc national committee'* invitation to four Republican congressional leader* to attend the ttoo-a-plale Jackacm Day dinner a* honor tfreel gueala earlier thi* month The Republican* refused the In- > i Vllation and Mr Rooaevelt accua- 1 ed them of fearing that ihe Itemo-. crals planned to fatten them up! •CONTINUED ON PAOE THRCkT PLAN MARCH OF DIMES IN CITY Event To Be Staffed Saturday ln Markinff Prerident'ff Birthday Plan* for the March of Dimes so he held here Saturday were announced aa completed today, according to Harry T. Gruhe, city chairman In charge of Ihe event. The March of Dimes la belnff staged la connection with the celebration of Ihe President's Birthday. Roy Scouts and Girl* Scouts of th# city troops will aid in staging the event. The March of Dimes buttons will be sold on Ihe streets by the Remits. Mr. Gruhe also reported additional donation* to the Infantile paralysis fund this morning He stated that Adams Post. American Legion, the Trl Kappa sorority and Ihe Delta Theta Tau sororities had each donated flO. In addition bo reported 114 M - from Ihe anle of Ihe March of Dint# buttons nt th* Chamber of Commerce banquet and meeting Any organisation wishing to contribute to the fund la naked to contact Mr. Grab* us son as possible

around the other side of the wail, another thermometer said in above, j Next In line cm the way up ws* the thermometer on the courthouacslep* a standby of thermometer readers a score of years ago it said eight above. The one In front of the Smith Drug store also one of the old faithful thermometer* registered nine above. The highest recording that hour was on a thremometrr in front of Staley's confectionery where‘the mercury stood at IS above. The two alike were located at the Green Kettle confectionery and the Family Case—both of these showed tfi above. Thermometers In front of other building* registered a* follows: ' Prickle's Place, la above; Saylors, 15 above; Rice hotel. 1.1 above; Goodyear Service. 17 above; Newberry'* dve and ten-rent store. 14 above and Hollhouse Drug store. II above. So, the next time your neighbor gives you that age-old argument, beginning. "Well, my thermometer says ” you'll know what you are up against. What about the Itatly Democrat thermometer* That Instrument, which Is rapidly becoming the accepted C-mperallire.ic-ller for lbcatur citizen*, registered In above at the hour in question 4 p. in.. Thursday And oflli ials of ihe Dally Democrat assert that the thermomeler Is accurate made by the same company which make* official bureau thermometer* and identical In the official one* |« ♦ SUNSHINE! | I | Tupelo. Mis* . Jan 2t> UP: ! A disconcerted southerner ran the fcdlowing c lassifled adver- | I tisement today tn the Tupelo j Journal: "Will sell, trade, swap, hart- | er -by gosh will give away | i one batch of snoe. and dam-yankc-e weather for some warm | sunshine Apply *R point* | south" !♦ ♦ PAGE BLACKBURN i TAKEN BY DEATH Retired Decatur Druffffist Dies Thursday Niffht At His Home Page Blackburn. 74. prominent retired Decalur druggist, died Friday night ii 7M o'clock at his home 512 Wesi Marshall street Death was attributed lo complication* following an Illness of Ihree years He had been bedfast ( for several d*ys Tice decc-ased was horn in Decatur August 31, IMS. the sou of William and Karhe! Duuher Itlai kburn. He was married to Olive R Husbton February », l*M Mr Blackburn first entered the drug business with the Dorwin * Hollhouse Drug company here In January. I**l He became a mem her of Ihe firm In l**». later becoming sole owner in l**t> In | I*l2 he sold III* Interest to the Kolerprlse Drug f’o lie was alj way* active In affair* of the ! community. He was a member of the Pres- ! hyterian chute h and a member of Ihe Knight* of Pythias lodge for over 50 year* Surviving, besides ihe widow are two son*. Karl, of the Homesteads and Paul, at home; two sister* ! Mrs. Marlin Gwinner of Dodge j City. lowa and Mr*. Dick Burrell, jof Decatur; and two grandchil ! dreti A daughter and a brother are deceased Funeral service* will he held ' Hunday afternoon at 2 o'clock al the home with Rev. George O Walton officiating Burial will he In tho Decatur cemetery. The body will he returned to the realdence from the Zwtck fu neral home Saturday morning at 10 o'clock and may be viewed there unlit time for the aervlce* Car l#oaded With Fun Ih Stolen Houtb Bend lad. Jan 2d-(CP) Police today sought an automobile which was stolen from Henry O Koch of Detroit, e salesmen, which contained 41 sample fur* valued at 14.000 Koch told polled that be had glvon the car to tb« doorman of a , South Bond hotel for aforag* and that when ho claimed It lb# machine was missing The doorman said that be doable perked tha ear and that when a driver from ih* storage garage arrived It bad disappeared. ,

Europe Speeds Preparations For War; Finns Repulse New Russ Attacks With High Loss

WHEELER URGES ANNOUNCEMENT BY ROOSEVELT Urffes Early Announcement Regarding Third Term Ambitions f'olumlms. Ohio. Jan. 2fi <U.R> Hen Burton K. Witc-c-lc-r. D*-m.. Montana, laid before the- United Mine Worker* union convention today Ills program for solviog America's national problem as evidence accumulated that John L. Lewis Is ready in back him for the presidency Wheeler s appearance before the miners convention was paeked wl<h political significance lb- is the only iMiiential presidential < andldate invited to *|«eak and la-fore he uppeared. he urged President Roosevelt to announce third term ambition* "within a comparatively short lime The Montanan declared that unemployment "unsolved and comparatively untouched stilt remains America's No I problem and he urged that a national conference of Industrial, agricultural and laltor leaders be called lo propose a solution to il Wheeler said Ihe president should speak out soon "because the longer the delay the more chaotic ihe situation will become wllh reference to the Democratic parly and the inure confusion there will he in the party " Wheeler said Ihe pr--aideui can have ihe nomination if he wants It und 'bat he would auppor; him for re-election, if Mr Roosevelt should . he renominated lie said that "hr-caitse of pre- ' cedent it would he very difficult for any president to !»• ie elected so a third term He would not say Mi Roosevelt would suffer defeat if he run* Two of the union's seven band* were sent to the railroad station lo meet Wheeler when he arrived this moruing to address the convention A committee of leading union Officials Were there to greet him. Lewi* already has criticized the availability of President Roosevelt. Vice President John N Garner, and federal security administrator Paul V McNutt for the nations highest office and hi* view* were expected to win convention endorsement despite 47 local union 1 resolution* demanding that Mr. Rooaevelt he drafted for a third term t'olnmhu* police seaiched for perpetrators of what la-wi* termed a most cowardly, represeusible and cowardly trick" The trick was to unfurl.a large ted flag emblazoned wllh the hammer and sickle over la-wl* bead while he waa delivering alt address on the union’s smh birthday over a national broadcasting company network yesterday afternoon Angry delegate* milled alroui, (CONTINUED ON PAGE FOUR)” STUDENTS GIVE > NOVEL PROGRAM “Amateur” Hour Is Presented At ('hapel Program This Morning The students of the Decatur junior-settlor high school p.eseuled s noval and entertaining progiam during chapel exercise* al the school this morning The entertainment was In the form of sn "amateur" hour, with Paul Holle acting as the announcer and master of ceremonies. Principal W Guy Brown Introduced the act and waa In charge. Following the program as It was presented Orchestra "Doe# Your Heart Still I Beat For Me?", "In The Mood " Don Lobslger—tap routine Pat Kdwards — xylophone solos. “Parade of the Wooden Soldier" "South of the Border ” Bob Moser -harmonica solo. Wishing Ronald Stuckey — accordion aolo. “Little Soldier " Donald I.#*#—electric guitar Belly Rosa and Betty Melchl — Jitterbug dance Orchestra -“My Prayer." Song ,of India ”

HOME TALENT ~ CONCERT PUN Home Talent Program To Be Given First Night Os Short Course One of the eight committees set up to develop and put on a short course al llecatnr Tuesday. Wednesday and Thursday. February 13. 14. 15, Is the home talent concert committee. This committee ts headed by t’arl Humphrey and T. * llahegger It ts the aim of the com- ' in it lee |o give the public on Tiles- ! day night. February 13. a program of odd and unusual, but clean and clever entertainment, secured from many widely scattered neighbor liiKids over Adams county This en tertainment will lw the equivalent * of a bilge clean vaudeville The 1 program will last approximately iwo hours or a little more und will come en lusively from Ihe realm 1 of Ihe popular. This will he a 1 great assembly and display of us much as can lw- used of the cream of the talent of ihe county, out- ' side of lb*- not Inconsiderable group who are so fori unate to he ’ appreciative of and gifted In the field of Ihe r lassicat This program will consist of 12 * to 15 different numbers and should interest and attract a large throng. ( as is usual wherever these concert* are presented The concert will commence at 7:15 p m and * is open to Ihe general public at a very nominal admission charge of ( Irt relit* whit h II Is felt will be necessary to covet pail of the ezpense that will Ih- Involved l , It should be noted that there is , no charge of any kind in courierI (ton with the Instruction sessions for m--n and women while in connection With the banquet there Will be ticket* sold during; the two weeks preceding the opening of * the short i nurse The banquet la 1 the only part of the short course 1 program lo Ire presented on Thursday. February 15 i ■— o — COMMENCEMENT : SPEAKER NAMED P Frank D. Slut/ Os Dayton To Speak To High School Graduate* i Frank D Sluiz nationally known lecturer and public speaker of DayI ton Ohio, will deliver the address at the SPth annual commencement r exerrtse-. of the Dmatur high * school, on Thursday. May 23. Wal- * ter J. Krlck, superintendent of ( *< bools, aunounrerl today. Superintendent hrrich heard Mr. * Slutz deliver the commencement address al the Van Wert high * sihool several year* ago and stat ed that lie was an able and interesting public spraker. There are 42 landidute* for high - sihool diplomas this year, Mr. Krlck stated This Is one of the largest classes, with the exception of I*3*. to Ire graduated from Decatur high school l-ast year the class numbered **. dm* to the ate 1 sorption of the previous four year mid-term students. Mid-year promotions and graduations were discontinued four years ago and las? year's class inrludrsl those who * would have completed their studies Ihe previous semester. The commencement exercise# will he held In the auditorium of the Junior-senior high school and ' und plans are being made for the 1 Important event. Mr. Krlck slated. , ♦; — Beekeeper* To Meet Here This Evening i _____ Beekeepers of the Vicinity will meet tonight at the council chain h hers of the city hall at 7:30 o'clock James Starkey, of the slate depart- ' meat, will ne In attendance A similar meeting for beekeepers of that 1 area was held In Berne litis afternoon O - -- • Gustav A. Berghoti Dies At Fort Wayne Fori Wayne. Ind. Jan. 24— Fuoe- . ral services will be held Monday for Otutav A. Bergboff, 74, president and chairman of tho board of tho Hoff Brau Brewing Corp.. aad prominent Fort Wayne Industrial : leader. Hr died mtertUr o( pneumonia

Price Two Cent*.

European Nations Expect Major Offensives To Be Launched In Spring On Two Fronts. KILL HUNDREDS By Joe Alex Morris. Iltp Foreign News Kdltor I Knrope speeded np war preparations today for major offensive* which may come when winter ends. Nobody knew when or whsr.- Gin widely-predicted springtime blow* would tall, bul there has been increasing confidence that Ihe western Knrope stalemate will be broken and that Ihe red army will throw it* best troops into a general offensive in Finland On the Finnish fronts, the Russians continued to pound al defense lines northeast of latke Ladoga the sixth day of aso far vain attempt to turn the left flank of the Mannerheim line. The Russian operations appeared to Ih- compar.(lively limited and they merely were holding their ground on other fronts lint a possible indication of plans for the ••xp< < ted spring campaign was reported by the Stockholm Newaj Aftotihladet which said that soviet war commissar K lenient I Voroshilov bad gone to Ihe Finnish front, accompanied by the general stall There have been persistent' indications that the Russian troops In ad ion on the Finnish fronts so far are untrained secondary forces and that ihe crack red army nnli* have been thrown into action on only two or three sectors Regardless of the aeciira( y ill indications that the spring wilt see a big-sc ole general attack by the soviet armies, ihe Fhms were hurriedly Increasing their defense* both along the Mannerheim line aud on the uorth central trotu, where a series of defense line* have been built in recent days between Salla, which the Russian* hold, and the Keml valley, which ts the chief Finnish barricade against a red army drive acros* mid Finland to the Gulf of Bothnia. Volunteer* from abroad also were arriving In larger numbers, another group from America and Australia having reached I'ieahoig. And while emphasizing that there i* no emergency at present. I'niD-d State* i Ittzens in Sweden were urged by consular authorities to return to their home* j| *ii> h actum was feasible because there always was (lunger that condition* later would make travel difficult. On the western front, several months of work by imi.btHi laborers ha* turto-d France's famous Magipof line Into the Maglnot de. sense system Whereas the line formerly was a series of underground concrete forts. It has now been deepened and enlarged fur (roNTIXt-Kp ON PA(Tk thrkkT Opening Os Store I* Well Attended An expression of appreciation to the crowd which attended the opening of ihe Steffen Hardware and Implement t'oinpany here Thursday was given today by Daniel Steffen, proprietor Approximately 450 persons beard the talk- and demonstrations wllh talking moving pictures at the film*' building located In Ihe former I’ A Kuhn fhevrolet garage building on Norta Third street. ASSESSORS AND TRUSTEES MEET County And Township Officials To Attend Meet At Muncie A meeting of all county and township assessors and towuatilff trustees will be held In Mum i# next Tuesday. January 20, County Assessor Krnest Wort hm to announced today. The meeting waa ordered by thn hoard of tax commlasloneru and all trustees aud assessors of Alans county are aspactad to attend. The points raorUtag tha work of tssasilng this sprinc are to ba discussed and decided upon nt Ih# l convention, Mr. Worthmsn stated. Word of the meeting wns eenl t# - Mr. Worthmnu by Wilbur Van ArpI dll. Delaware count y assessor Th* meeting will start at 10 O'clock Tuesday morning.