Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 44, Number 93, Decatur, Adams County, 19 April 1946 — Page 1

XLIV' tfo. 93-

IIIGE BLACK MARKET IN AUTOS SMASHED

Wes At pl Schools AIM Week /■fcjotes Listed Os Rural |X.| S In County a./,.!:' ■■ ru:..: high -'liool* of .. KV ..... Galinat'-' hold • th" ihr other »i* schools KA Sunday -"■B *" 1 ! "' li< ' l ' l ,l! I,ar,f '’ nl T Kirk Wedi "’" 1 T| “ : ’ ,k,y at (> , J. ffeISOII iii'l I'haaant Mill* .•• hi.it>- anil gradth- n IriolH are as Hartford I. SilithkiT. former govIndian s Tuesday . du;' - liool Kath |M At! .I.l' t will the i-iass 4tt Ruth G Leh«alutatorlan. F- i.;: Kathleen lli-hii 1. Brewster. > Elizabeth J W Heller, Charles Lehman, _jS|H Mi-hliirrei. Richard F .agbwl.'' W I’.xtrnian, Paul -I- Scbafft M Spi ll! er Delores E llolw: t W Steiner. Joan nSB 1.-.d.ind II Teenle Dor ■■(>:"'a:i4 Kathleen Zerkei Kirkland <n:nnetiieinent exer 11 '•> held Wednesday eveIn J I Baugher, head I'-iC::.•■ ■:< <4 edin ation at 'olli-ne as the speakTuh i will be the rltss |HB"'->" and Barbara And ■■ «.i'.t.ii'.ri.in, Bao-alaur-wdl be held Runwith the Rev W U MMH-lor id the Zion Evang " of < at speaker. M i'ii a > Andrews. ■ ■■- 1 H-b.r. lUiimgartnet. Bill K,,lt. r. |>ule Fruei h Vera Jane Sthcrty. ■B Monroe LuKoilette, head of hBR T r ">»» 2. Column S) ■ Ballots For pry Election |> II 'S Supervised ■lection Board H|V* ’if the ballots for the May primary has ln ,hp J’h printing ■M' !i, ‘ Daily Democrat. ■EB*” of the county board of ■&W" r hepubiican of Berne; ■gs ‘ hurtter. Democrat of ■Jf *’"> "unity clerk Clyde member. ■|B^ ! 'h" printing Itelng |Kf 0 K Baker of the shop. ■■’‘•'"Pl- ..ad official • balanj Republican. |,ri '"“‘ l Orh,ial ballots sE>Z fjll u»e next Monday, mail an absent voter's IjCW* h ?* n c “*»‘omary in the ■bF?! election* all of fleet, ""Ute f (ir congress <n 5. Column 1) f KL AT TH£ «MOMETER readings A 7 m ' 55 KW 57 WUTHER and warmer today |S§!g r ep W tight shower* exa ! *‘* thi * • ,t «' , ’’oon aturday partly cloudy R®.., .‘•"’•’•’••‘m-es except w H L,k *

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

12 Men Are Killed In Mine Explosion McCoy, Va., April IS-Ml'Pi Axentx of the Federal Bureau of Mine* Invest lasted today an explosion which killed 12 men In the iniae of the Great Valley Anthracite fVrrp. here yesteiday. Forty-six other miners were brouaht safely to the surfa e after the explosion, which was beltered caused by a yas picket. — 0 Senators From Farm Stales In Battle On OP A Price Chief Warns Senate House Bill Inflation Loaded Washington. Apr. 19—(UP) — Farm state senators massed today for an attempt to lynch the OPA. They rallied around Sen. Rimer Thomas. I).. Okla., who introduced an amendment to the price control extension bill which would let OPA control almost nothing but rents. Other farm-giinded senators prepared other restrictions, and there was an IncreaxltiK feeling that OPA would fare little better in the senate than it did in the house. The house voted to treat most of the life out of OPA before passing and sending to the senate an amendment-riddled trill yesterday to extend the agency for nine months beyond the present June 30 expiration date. The Mile was 355 to 42 for the final version of the measure, which price chief Paul Porter said could cause a 40 percent rise in the cost of living. The house bill would end farm subsidies at the end of 194 H. meat subsfdies June 30, and guarantee “reasonable'’ profits to producers, distributors ami retailers on every item. Passage of the bill had hardly been recorded In congressional records when the alarmed Por'er issued an anguished appeal foi the senate to avert the predicted multibillion dollar rise in living costs. He said the house version amounted to “repeal of price control." forcing the OPA to remove ceilings on commodities making up at least half the cost of living. He said these Included meal, milk. coal, shoes, many textiles and nearly all dairy products except butter He forecast soaring prices for automobiles, electric refrigerators, radios and most household appliances, with no restrictions on most farm products. Other OPA spokesmen feared widespread speculative buying and hoarding. CIO president Philip Murray telegraphed his unions throughout the country to "act at once" (Turn To Pa«» «- Column 4)

Youth Relumed As Parole Violator Charge Os Vehicle Theft Filed Here Joseph Allen Dague. IS. of this city, was returned late Thursday to the state reformatory at Pendleton following h'-j arrest here on a charge of vehicle taking. The lad. who was on probation from the institution after bk* conviction on a similar count sometime agJ. »'«•« aritestcd eatlle this week by police chief Ed Miller. , , Dague, in a signed confession, admitted that he stole an auto, owned by Jesse Fox. Monroe route one, from a parked portion in an alley—because he "wanted to take a ride and needed a car." His downfall tame when he drove the vehicle into a local garage for repairs after burning out two bearings during his "ride , which Included visits to Fort Wayne, Van Wert and Uma. OM® and a dance ball near here. A vehicle taking charge which ws», to have been pressed against him In circuit court here remains pending. He was returned to Peb’ dleton as a parole violator

UN Probe Os Franco Regime Is Seen Likely Proposal Made By Australian Given Favorable Response New York. Apr 19—(VP)— The Australian proposal for a formal United Nations Investigation of the Franco regime in Rpaln today had an excellent chance of adoption-unless Russia objects. Russian reaction to the proposal to determine—with facts rather than by speeches — whether Franco Spain menaces world peace was. as usual, unknown Like most of the other council members, Soviet delegate Andrei A. Gromyko must seek new instructions from his home government. But initial reaction of other delegations indicated that the Australian plan would find a majority with only the ever present Russian veto—ls the Soviets decide to oppose it —standing in the way of the first United Nations inquiry Even the Polish delegation thought the proposal an “interesting one." The council was in Easter recess until 2 p. m. (CST) Tuesday afternoon. But when it returns it will be prepared to do the following: 1. Hand the Russians another resounding defeat in the Iranian case by voting. K to 3. to keep the jurisdiction of the case until May g—the date by which the Russians have promised to have all their troops out of Iran. 2. Vote of the Australian resolution to set up a five-nation subcommittee to investigate the Spanish situation and re|>ort back by May 17. If accepted, this would defer action on the Polish resolution for immediate diplomatic quarantine of Spain —a proposal that five of the council members doomed by opposing during the last two days of council debate. The first month of the security council's deliberations in the United States ended last night after another long series of about Spain and receipt of a report from the council’s committee of experts which voted S to 3 that the council could keep a case on its agenda even if both parties to it requested its withdrawal The experts' report was no* a surprise. Hut their decision, subject to ratification by the council itself, was believed by the major- ' (Turn To t Column SI — o

Rev. J. M. Dawson Dies Last Evening Funeral Services Sunday Afternoon The Rev James M. Dawson, 76. retired Christian minister, died at 9:30 o'clock Thursday night at the Adams county memorial hospital after a six months Illness. The Rev. Dawson failed to rally following an operaikm performed Thursday morning. The Rev. Dawson wa* pastor of the First Christian church in this city 37 years ago and was called back to the pastorate in 1933 and 1934, following which he retired He was born in Shelby county November 27. 1869. the son of George and Liddy Holmes-Dawson. He was married October 17, 1891. to Mis* Sarah Humerlckhouse, who survives. The Rev. Dawwon was a member of the Christian church at Van Wert. O. Surviving In addition to the wife are three daughters. Mrs. Russel Acker and Mr*. Charles Magley. both of Decatur and Mrs. Harry F. Tribble of Brooklyn. N. Y.; one son. James M. Dawson of Indianapolis; and five grandchildren. One son. Paul, one brother and seven sisters preceded him in death. Funeral services will be held at 2 o'clock Sunday afternoon at the Zwick funeral home, with the Rev. Black of the Van Wert Christian church officiating. Burial will be in the Decatur cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 2 o'clock Saturday afternoon.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Friday, April 19, 1946.

Journey For Johnny—ln The Bajc Wte W 01 ' * I W M 1 I L f .. B DISCOVERED AWAY from his home in Boston by tiie route mailman. Gene SulUvan. 2t month-old Johnny Moore could do little, when he was scooped and sacked for special delivery to the arms of his mother. Mrs. Jacqueline Moore, left

30 Persons Die In Saigon Explosion Saigon. April 19 —(UP)—An official statement said today that 30 persons were killed and 6<i injured April 8 in an ammunition dump explosion here The headquarters of Gen. Jacques Inw-lerc and the Saigon radio station were wrecked. Government To Order Cut In Bread Diet Broodcast Gravity Os Food Emergency Washington. Apr. 19 — (UP)— The government was ready to Issue an order today which would cut this country'* bread and flour diet 25 percent for at least two months to beat off the spectre of famine oversea*. The order wax expected to lie coupled with an announcement that Canada Is prepared to dig deeper Into her domestic grain barrel to match America's contribution. Britain may Inbrought into the agreement later. President Truman will emphasize the gravity of the food emergency in a world wide broadcast at 6 p m, CST.. tonight. Fortner president Herbert Hoover. who has l>een touring hunger areas, will speak from Cairo on the same broadcast. It was revealed likely that Mr. Truman personally will announce ttie new bread and flour order on tonight's radio program. The president yesterday cabled Mr. Hoover a suggestion that he return to this country before going on to India, China and Japan to impress on Americans "the necessity of greater assistance" to famine victims in other countries. A decision also was expected today on a request by UNHRA director Fiorello H. LaGuardia to the combftied Anglo AmericanCanadian food lioard for 350.000 tons of cereals at once and a monthly quota of 700.060 tons a month beginlnng in May. The relief agency now gets 275,000 tons a month. Government food and farm experts worked on the flour restriction order until late last right in an effort to eliminate sections which have drawn the fire of millers and bakers. The original order merely called for a 25 percent reduction in the amount of flour use;! during (Turn To Palm 1. Column 4) 0 Decator Lions Club To Entertain Ladies The Decatur Lion* club will entertaln their wives and sweethearts with a dinner and program at the Zion Lutheran church Tuesday evening at 6:30 o’clock. An Interesting program is being arranged by Olenn Hill, chairman of the evening.

No Crime Wave Is Evident In Decatur Contrast To Other Cities In Country Decatur evidently is not like the majority of the cities in the rest of the nation, which a wire service story says were facing perhaps the biggest crime wave in history, according to Federal Bureau of Investigation report*. S(K-iologistH and police authorities. the FBI said, attribute the crime wave to unemployment and plant shutdowns along with "warbroken homes," rather than thrill lient returning servicemen. Although the lily has been besieged with one GU-od(f day strike in its largest industry and more divorces are being filed monthly than were ever recorded in the annals of the circuit court here—the city'., crime rate i* maintaining approximately the same pace ax last year A casual survey of the city police records today disclosed that in January of thia year there were 67 complaint* and calls answered by city police, compared to 72 last year, while in January of this year only on« arrest waa made, compared to two for the same peri >d last year. In February of this year police answered 74 calls and made four (Turn To Page 4. Column 4) o Hoosier Hop Here Next Friday Night High School Band Sponsoring Show The “WOWO Hoosier Hop." well known radio program heard over the Fort Wayne utatian, will make a personal appearance at the Decatur Junior-senior high school auditorium next Friday night, April 26 at X o'clock. The Decatur high school band, directed by Albert Sellemeyer, Is sponsoring the appearance of the program here. Featured performers include the Blackhawk Valley boys, Judy and Jen, Howard Itopa. Nancy Lee and the Hllltopperti. Kenny Roberts, the Hoosier Dudes and other members of the cant, who appear on the radio program Tickets, selling at 66 cents for adults and 36 cents for children, including tax. may lie secured at any of the drug stores In the city or from any member of the l>and. The program will embrace a two-hour show, similar to the one* heard over station WOWO each Saturday night at 10 o'clock and again on Tuesday night at 9:30 p m., when it Is broadcast over the ABC network.

Biggest Racket In OPA History Cracked As 31 Persons Are Indicted

Business Suspended During Three Hours Citv In Pause To Mark Good Friday A spirit of gratitude and revor cnee marked today in Decatur as hundreds attended church Mrvlces this afternoon to commemorate the Three Houm and the entiro populace paused In silent tribute. Expressions of thankfulness a« the termination of war and hope* for a lasting peace were Joined with tributes to Him who di«d on the Cross. At the Find Method’et church, the annual union Protestant services were attended by hundred* of citizen*, who heard pastors of the various,churches participating in the rites, deliver brief sermons. At the St. Mary’a Catholic church large crowd* attended the observance of the Three Hours in special service*. Downtown Decatur was stilled during the Threw Hours as every retail business closes! its door for that period and In some in*tancex offices and buildings were closed during the entire day. in conforming with the legal holiday proclaimed In the state. The citizenry this evening turned its attention to the approaching Eaeter observance. Little tots became especially anxious for the arrival of the Easter bunny, a custom signifying the Rebirth. Hpecial services, indudlng sunrise, afternoon and evening rites, will commemorate the Resume tion in the city's churche* on Ranter, In tho afternoon the annual 11. P. O. Elk* Easter egg hunt for children will feature the observance of the holiday While students of the public schools will return to their classes on Monday after the annual Easter holiday, thoae of tho Catholic schools will not lie back in their classrooms until Tuesday, after marking Easter Monday. o— — Auto Is Damaged In Crash With Trailer Driver Unhurt In z Crash Last Night Karl W. Meyer, 23. of Linn Grove, escaped injury about 7:30 o'clock last night when his car rammed Into the rear of an autotowed farm trailer. Sheriff Mo Glllig reported today Meyer told Sheriff Glllig that ns he was driving south on U. S. 27. about five miles south of this city, he suddenly approached the trailer enroute in the same direction. H« *ald that the trailer did not have a light and that he did not see it' in time to avoid striking it. He said the driver of the other car, towing the trailer, did not stop following the crash. Sheriff Gillig estimated the damage to the Meyer car at 3250 The front end was badly damaged. Meyer could offer no clue as to the Identity of the other driver or his car. oWoman Is Killed In Fall At Indianapolis Indianapolis, April 19 — (UP» — A 77-year-old Connersville woman died early today in lanig hospital from Injuries sustained in a fall down a flight of steps in the union station last night. She was Mr*. Margaret Johnson who had just returned from Florida where she visited her daughter. Mrs. Johnson was survived by two daughters, Mrs. Ethel Zell. In Florida and Mrs. Hasel Wright, Connersville. Ind. two grandaugbt--1 era, and a niece.

Nation Strike Idle Mounts To 664.000 Abandon Hope For Weekend Break In Soft Coal Strike By United Press New walkout* in Ohio, Minnesota and Indiana raised the number of strike-idle American workers to 664.000 today. CIO mine, mill and smelter workers in Butte. Mont . approved a wage settlement with the Anaconda Copper Co., however, and more than 3,000 striking miners were expected to return to work next week Nineteen hundred CIO electrical, radio and machine workers struck the Hoover Co. plant at Canton. O„ In a job reclasHiflcation dispute. Ohio Match Co. plants at Wadsworth and Barberton, O, were closed when 1.966 members of the AFL matchmaker* council walked out to support wage demand* Another wage di*pute prompted a strike at the William Bros, boiler and manufacturing co., Minneapolis, where 250 workers walked out. Three hundred CIO repairmen and maintenance workers struck at the Bendix Aviation Corp, plant at Month Bend. Ind., forcing 3,706 other workers into idleness. Neither the company not the union offered an explanation for the walkout. The annual movement of iron ore began on Lake .Superior, but mine* which provided 47 percent of the shipments last year were tied up tty strikes. Only three Minnesota companies have reached agreement* with the CIO united steelworkers union, which called a strike Feb. 7 to enforce demands for an 18*4 cent hourly wage increase. Negotiators for the nation's soft coal operators left Washington. They agreed to return, however, whenever secretary of labor Lewis 11. Schwellenbach thought a contract could be worked out with the AFL united mine workers union, which represents 400.006 striking mint rs. A presidential fact-finding board recommended a 16-cent hourly wage Increase and some rules change* for 200,600 engineers und trainmen represented by two brotherhoods which have threat--1 ened to strike Union represents!1 Ives were to meet at Cleveland to Vote on the board's findings I —III. ■ I — (Turn To Pa<o 5, Column ——— ~o Erie Freight Train Derailed At Tocsin Traffic Tied Up For A Few Hours Traffic was temporarily stalled on the Erie railroad In this vicinity this morning when a freight ' train was derailed near Tocslu. Attaches of the railroad said the accident occurred when a journal "burned up" on one of the cars. Four or five freight cars left the raiU and at least two of three were damaged consldeiably. The accident occurred about 7:30 o'clock when a westbound freight was pulling through that area. Officials here said that the wreckage wax expected to be cleared by about 10 a.in Contradictory to several reports circulated here, there was no one injured in the accident, according to Erie officials. I W. M. Bumgerdnor, local agent of the railroad, said that rerout- ’ ing of passenger traine through ’ the city was not expected to be necessary.

Price Four Cenh

5,000 Used Autos Sold As Much As S6OO Over Ceiling Prices In Racket Detroit, April It - <UP) - Thf<'deral government said today it had smashed the biggest racket In the history of the Ol’A—« 83,060.ono black market in which *om«s s.oth, used car* were sold for as much as 86"° above celling prices. Thirty-one persons In Michigan. Kentucky and Illinois wore named In federal indictments charging they arranged purchase of the car* in Detroit and Hold them throughout the southern part* of th«* 'country Presentation of evidence to th-v grand Jury by Joseph <’- Murphy, assistant U. S. district attorney, culminated an elght-months Investigation that covered eight state* and involved quretionlng of hundreds of person* Agents said Shat none of the de. fondants was in custody and that their attorneys hid promised their appearance in court. Time of their arraignment has not been set. U. 8. district attorney John C. Lehr quoted OPA officials as saying the extent of the ueed car black market and th»» amount of money involved “are the largest In the history of the Office of Pric-» Administration." He said that in addition to operations already uncovered, tho OPA currently is investigating suspected used car black markets in Washington. D (*.. Indianapolis, and Cincinnati. la»hr said the Miehigan-Kentuc-ky-lllinois operation,! were so extensive they involved house-to-house canvassing and employment of "spotters" who walked down residential streets looking for car* the ring might buy Home of the bolder spotters, hq said, even were known to liav,» jmnpi-d onto the running boardn of cars at street light* or In filling stations. The defendants were named on six c< unts charging purchase of cars at above-ceiling prices, sain of cars at above-ceiling price*, false certification on purchases, false certification on sales, forgery and so-called "by-paaa" sai<-s. In a "by pass" sale, the OPA explained. a car would pass through the hands of three petaons. but the name of the "middle man* would not appear on the title The Investigation was ordered last September by Charles O Brat • non, anistant chief of the divslon of investigation of the OPA'4 regional office at Cleveland, after receipt of complaints from repctable dealers here and eleewhern that hundreds of good tated car* were disappearing from the Dttroit market. • Lehr said his office had "abacfate proof" of deals Involving at least 2.500 cars and that the Offic i of Price Administration estimatO'l the total number of machines Involved at twice that figure. said evidence obtained b/ OPA investigators Indicated th t cars were brought at Detroit an I funneled through Cairn, 111., an I Murray, Ky.. focal points of th, gang's operation*, to Texas. Arkansas. MissMsippi, Tennessee ami LouiUona. He said it also had been discovered that residents of two other Kentucky communities — Paducali and Benton- had formed companies or operated as Individuals In handling the black market car*. The OPA estimated it was th-» largest black market In the ageu. cy's history. Those indicted included: (Turn To Page 4. Column if Rotary Entertained By School Pupils Members of the Decatur Rotary club were entertained fa thelweekly meeting Thursday evening with a clever Easter operetta "Peter Rabbit." by a group of pupils of the Lincoln school. Bryce ! Thomas was chairman of the pre- , gram and Cal E Petereon. clal» president, conducted the meeting