Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 45, Number 120, Decatur, Adams County, 21 May 1947 — Page 1

XLV. No. 120.

EVEN MEN KILLED IN ARMY PLANE CRASH

Ford Company Foremen Strike

Blroit Area Id Plants To Ice Shutdown ■eek New Contract Concessions From ■ O rd Motor Company L.', .May 21-(UP)-For., ■ jn area plant* of the Motor company at ruck for <<»ncession* today ■ first union-authorized 3( ford since the end of Hubert II Key* of ■ foreman* Association of which call'd the strike, utoppage "f 3,800 super ■ worker* would shut down ■plant*. Idling f'tme 90.4H»4> ■ rll on worker*, in "three or at the moat." ■ company spokesman said M| that * probably a* good a it anyone can make. He however, that the union ■ have to achieve 1 <»0 per ■ tuneta I" «• strike to close ■plant* .aid foremen In other ■ had Iwen asked to on the job but that "B’s K, .. tome of them may walk Ks their own." HH company spokesman noted ■ niott foremen In smaller plants are not organized. salkout began promptly a' m Foremen cleared the Lincoln plant first, and ,lowly from the larger ■land Park truck plant and Hriatit River Rogue plant Hr workers, members ■he CIO United Auto Workon the job. Presi- ■ Tommy Thompson of UAW K Loezl <OO said the men Kibly would pas* through ■ picket lines hut that they will do no supervls were posted at al! en ■te> u*«d by supervisory emdespite a heavy rainfall ■ryi said the strike wus called ■r hresk down of negotla ■l seeking to avert the stop■t «aid he met with president Ford II and other to|f ■i oSisials yesterday but that refussd to move from their that a contract, term ■ed by ls»th parties five weeks ■ he reinstated without BH o ■ban H. Gage Dies ■Home In Albion services for Laban H. ". a former resident of who died Monday at ■J> c will he held Thursday ■ci'ien at 2 o'clock at the ■* M Hill church, east of ■>' Interment will he in the ■ tr Hill cemetery. Mr. Cage to Albion about 10 years He formerly resided near ■*■ Death was caused by a tody will remain at the ■“’' «nd Miser funeral home ■Albion, where friends may ■ a '' unbl Thursday noon. Sur■M are the widow; three Alfred <,f Canada. Herbert ■ fc “ae<> and Jacob of Munchmiher. Albert Cage and a Mrs. Ed Ellsworth, ‘"y. and two half broth ■ " f , >" ,l ®'« a l'O- ■ John Gage of near Mon ■ Mrvltp ■ ut bs Arraigned ■ Penile Court you,h *’ arrested by ■? * rman Bownum for dein the Berne ■ »tth "supercharged fire . *”* arraigned before K , Fred Fruchte in juvenile ■ *»• today. ‘H'davits signed by Berne Be UsL nie mbera and marshal Bhu iM proMcu,or M yie* F. Bib. .. malicious trespass B«f wh* BBt th * tr, °- A DUm ‘ ■tu e»*es were also sum-

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Senior Class Fund To Students Loans All fund* in the treasury of the 1946-47 senior class at the Decatur high school will he turned over to the school's student loan fund, principal W. Guy Brown announced today, upon a vote of the claw members. o Phone Service Back To Normal Across Nation Western Electric Company Workers Return To Jobs Washington. May 21 — (UP) — For the first time in 45 days, telephone service was back to nor mal today In virtually all IT. 8. communities. latbor department figures Indi rated that the nation wide strike cost telephone workers 190.000.000 in wages since they walked off their jobs April 7. Some 20.000 Western Electric company workers last major holdouts in the strike streamed back to their jobs in 42 states today after winning wage raises averaging <4.60 a week. Their picket lines had been disrupting service in many parts of the nation where local issues had been adjusted for some time. Only about 15,000 of the original 340.000 telephone strikers now remain out. The National Federation of Telephone Workers said they included 6.1H10 equipment workers at Point Breeze. Md . 8.000 sales employes of Western Electric throughout the country and 1.100 plant employes at Lincoln. Neb. Meanwhile, officials of the NFTW's 49 autonomous local affiliates said plans for forming the communications workers of America at Miami on June 8 still stand but are “open to reversal." A constitution already has been drawn up to authorize the union and officers have been elected, but whether the organization actually la set up will probably depend on how many NFTW affiliates still want to subordinate themselves to a national union. Despite the length of the strike, the seven-year old NFTW failed to win its demand for nationwide bargaining, union shop and the uniform <6 weekly wage increase established by big steel, automobile, meatpacking, rubber and electrical industries. Former Linn Grove Postmaster Dies Frank Neusbaum Dies Late Tuesday Night Frank Neusbaum. 71, lifelong resident of Linn Grove, died at 11:15 o’clock Tuesday night at bls home after a long illness of diabetes. He served as postmaster at Linn Grove for 14 years, retiring recently because of II! health. He was a member of the Calvary Evangelical church of Linn Grove. Surviving are the wife, formerly pUtla one Mr*. Leonard Ireland ot Hartford City; two sisters. Mrs Henry Gen tie of Fort Wayne and Mrs. Cliff West of Bluffton. O„ and two grandsons. A son. Roscoe, was drowned at Linn Grove in 1913 Funeral services will be held at 2 o’clock Friday afternoon at the church, with the Rev. George G. Holston, of Kokomo, former pastor at Linn Grove, officiating. Burial will *be in Greenwood cemetery, one mile southwest of Linn Grove. The body will be removed from the Yager funeral home to the residence at 10 •-’ n - Thursday. Friends are asked to omit Hoyters.

Propose Huge Slash In Funds To Agriculture I GOP Economy Forces Propose 37 Percent Cut To Department Washington. May 21—(UP)— GOP economy forces today proposed a 37 percent cut in agriculture department funds. A house appropriations subcommittee whacked <450.000,000 from the <1,200,000.000 requested for the agriculture department in fiscal 1948. The full committee is scheduled to act on the bill Friday, and the bouse will take up the measure next week. It would be one of the heaviest budget cuts by the house In this session. The record to date is the 45 percent slash in Interior department funds. Other congressional developments: Taxes — Chairman Eugene 1). Millikin of the senate finance committee predicted defeat for a Democratic move to delay action on legislation to reduce personal income tax cuts this year. Sen. Walter F. George, D., Ga.. planned to introduce a delaying motion later today with a senate vote on it likely tomorrow or Friday. Health—The American Medical Association approved the Taft health bill as a democratic way to keep the nation fit while keeping medicine independent. Committee hearings on the bill opened ax Sen. Robert A. Taft, R., 0., and Janies E. Murray, D.. Mont., took up a name-calling feud over health legislation where they left off a year ago. Taft argued that democratic health proposals meant socialized medicine. Murray called Taft's bill “another charity program.” Security—Top army and navy officials told a senate committee this country's future security depends (Turn To I'iki- s. Column C) Q

Boy Scout Camporee Saturday, Sunday Annual County Boy Scout Camporee Here Plans for the annual Adams County Boy Scout camporee, to be held Saturday and Sunday at Shroyer Park, northeast of De catur. were announced today by Steve Everhart, county Scout commissioner. . Approximately 75 boys from Scout troops in Decatur. Berne and Monroe are expected to attend the event this year. Mr. f verhart stated. George Bair of Decatur, outdoor und camping activities chairman of the county Scout group, is general chairman of the camporee. and Gerald Elzey ot Berne will act as campmasler. He will he assisted by troop committeemen. A carry in dinner will be served Sunday noon with families of the hoys invited to attend and a formal presentation of award* will be made Sunday afternoon with Clarence Ziner. county chairman, presiding. Following Is the complete program for the camporee: Saturday 9 a. m—Registration. 10:30 a m—Tent and camp site Inspection. 10:45 a. m.—Personal inspection. 12 Noon—Cookcraft. 1:15 p. m.—Cleanup inspection. 1:30 p. m —Rest parted. 2 p. m.—Patrol projects. 5 p. m.- Retreat. 5:30 p. m.-Cookcraft. 6:30 p. m —Cleanup Inspection. 8:30 p. m —Campfire. 9:45 p. m —Tap*. < Sunday 7 a. m — Reveille. Turn T» Column 7)

OHLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday, May 21, 1947

Stretching Things Far Enough ■KX MIRACULOUSLY ESCAPING death in this unique accident. Driver N. Baldini climbed to safety after automobile managed to bridge this culvert gap at Logansport. Ind.

City Schools Close Today For Vacation I Annual Graduation Exercises Thursday Punlic schools of the city closed their 1946-47 term* at noon today for the annual summer vacation Students will return Friday afternoon. however, to receive final report card*, according to Walter J. Krick, city school superintendent. Meanwhile, the reports will he finished by faculty members and other preparations made to conclude the present term. Graduation exercises for the 79 members of the senior class of the iM-catur Junior-senior high school will be held Thursday night at 8 o'clock at the school gymnasiumauditorium. Rodney H. Brandon, director of public welfare of the state of llinols. will deliver the commencement address. ■ Superintendent Krick, principal W. Guy Brown, members of the city school board and other faculty members and students will participate In the annual exercises, to he followed by the annual senior prom. 0 Magley Grocery Is Looted Last Night Authorities Probe Breakin At Magley A thief or thieves broke Into the Magley grocery, operated by John Rekeweg in the village of Magley last night, and escaped with a considerable amount of loot. Sheriff Herman Bowman, who began his investigation of the theft this morning, shortly after the breakin was discovered, said that the loot would amount to about <4O In merchandise. <8.04 in cash. Merchandise taken from the store included candy, cigarettes, gum. hair oil and other articles. Entrance was gained by forcing open a rear door, which was heavily barred. A heavy prying bar was presumably used to gain en trance into the store building. Mr. Rekeweg icld sherif Bowman that he closet! the store about 10:30 o'clock last night and first noticed the breakin this morning when he returned to open it for the day's business. I State police detective Truman Bierie was notified this morning (Turn Tu Column 1)

Rain Again Delays Work For Farmers Ix-ss than half an inch of rain fell during the 24 hours previous so 7 ain today according to Herman Meyer, local precipitation observer. The continued rain*, though slight further delayed farmers in tteeir attempts to get work done in the field«< o Council Studies Garbage Disposal Council Meets In Regular Session The matter of garbage disposal in Decatur under the new collection system with a special city truck has been referred to the board of public works and safety of the city council Phil Sauer, city street and sewer commissioner, who supervises the collection, brought the matter to the council's atteptlon Tuesday night during the regular session at the city hall. A petition for street lights from Meibers to Dayton streets on Twelfth street, signed by Mr*. Jay Osborne and others, was referred to the light committee of the council. The same committee was given a petition for a rural light line, asked by James and Doris Rice, another sought by Robert Baker and still another by Ivan and Laura Hakes. A preliminary resolution on the Clarence Bultemeier sewer was adopted and the hearing date set for June 3. An agreement on a rural light line extension to the residence of Herman and Margaret Braun was placed on record. In the absence of Mayor John B. Btults. who is attending a com munity planning institute, councilman Joseph Brennan presided over the council session. 0 Tax Board Hearing Held Here Today Charles H. Lanvell. ot Winchester representative of the state tax hoard, today conducted a hearing on additional appropriations. totalling <13.13050 from the general fund and <3OO from the highway department, as approved recently by the county council. The amount Included per diem appropriations for various ocunty officials and a <1.300 salary boost allowed for the county sdhool superintendent. County auditor Thurman I. Draw represented the county at the bearing.

B-25 Crashes In Illinois Cornfield Tuesday Night; All Aboard Plane Killed

Resume Parleys On New Coal Contract Government Hopes For Peace Raised Washington. May 21.—(UP) The steel Industry’s desire for an uninterrupted supply of soft coal today raised government hopes for a peaceful contract agreement be tween John L and 75 per cent of the nation’s bituminousj operators. Contract talk* between these producer* and Lewis' United Mine Worker* (AFL) entered their third day today with a possible strike deadline 41 days away. The UMW's current agreement with the government expires June 30 when the government must return the mines to private own , ers and the miners traditionally! have refused to work without a 1 contract. The steel Industry's hope* of getting by June 30 without a coal strike were carried Into the negotiations by Harry Moses, president of the H. (' Frick Coal company and spokesman for the "captive" mines of U. 8. Steel and other steel firms. The major steel companies recently negotiated two-year con-i tracts with the United Steelwork ers (CIO) and an agreement with Lewis would remove the last' I threat to steady production. Sonnes close to the dal negotla . tions said both sides are optlmis- | tic about achieving the objective. ' but emphasized that many hurdles I must bt overcome. | These Include settlement of union demands for a health and - welfare fund and unionization of supervisory employes. These two controversial issues precipitated the 59-day strike in 1946 which led to government seizure of the (Turn T<» Pag- ”, Column 7) o Employment Drops In Manufacturing i Nation's Economy Shows Soft Spots Washington, May 21 —(UP) The nation's economy is developing "soft spots" Which need 'careful watching." a top gov-1 ernment economist warned today In a report showing that manu-1 facturing em|doyment dropp'd by nearly 140.000 between March' and April. Ewan Clague, commissioner of labor statistics said two third* of the drop was in soft goods industries where some nulls shut down altogether There was al-1 so a 25.000 decline in employ ment In tobacco, leather ami other small industries, with to ' bacco the hardest hit Clague said heavy goods Indus tries were relatively stable latween Match and April but there were "Indications’’ of production cutbacks in lighting equipment, aluminum manufactures. radios and furniture “Employment continued on a fairly even keel in April.” he said in the first of a serie* of month ly job reports. “But lay-offs and curtailments in some manufac luring centers, together with a disappoii}tlng rise In contl|ructlon, point to soft spots in our economy which will need careful watching " Clague said the “most signlfi cant lag' In construction was in new houses. April was the third consecutive month In which the number of new starts was below the same month last year. , “Construction activity which had been counted upon to bolster employment later this year as weakness developed In soft goods lines, showed only a moderate seasonal Increase, rather (Turn A* Page 7, Cvluoin 4)

Mother Truman Continues Grim Fight For Life President Reveals Illness Steadily Sapping Strength BULLETIN Grsnview, Mo., May 21.— (9P)_ Brig. Gen. Wallace Graham, White House physician, reported today there had been a halt in the general decline of President Truman's 94-year-old mother and added he believed she had “a chance" to recover. — Grandview. Mo. May 21. (UP) President Truman said today that although Di* mother ws« “holding her own,” she did not have a very goml night. She was still very weak, he said The President made hln an nouncement to newsmen ns he left the Muehlebach hotel at 7:2'1 a m CST to resume the watch at the bedside of hl* 91 year-old mother The President arrived at hl* mother’s home here at 8 IP a m (ST He nodded at newsmen a« the presidential limousine swung into the driveway of his mother - cottage Mr Truman plainly was tired and worried He told newsmen, though he was always hopeful Earlier, after arising at 5 30 a m , the President had omitted his customary pre-breakfast walk Yesterday he had awakened to overcast skies that later loosed a chilling rain throughout most of the day This morning, however he greeted rapidly clearing skie and a rising temperature Meanwhile, in the yellow frame cottage that Is her home. Mrs Martha E Truman fought gamely against an illness which was I steadily sappinr her strength Her brief spurts of Improvement amazed the physicians who watched at her bedside around the clock. She had essentially a bad day yesterday, but made an unexpected rally during the early evening and ate a hearty supper of fried chicken and mushed potatoes, a fact which cheered the chief executive who Is spending virtually I all of his waking hours at her i side. He will be joined here late today by bls wife who traveled overnight by train from Washing(Turn T<> I'age «, t'olumn O C. Os C. Secretary Lions Club Speaker History Is Traced By Richard Pruden Richard W. Pruden. executive secretary of the Decatur Chain-la-r of Commerce, wax the speak er Tuesday evening at the week ly meeting of the Decatur Mons club, held In the Knights of Pythias home. Mr. Pruden. In hl* talk, traced the history of the Chamber ot Commerce through several hundred year* of activities since Its Inception In France before the time of Napoleon He also told nf its develop ment and growth in the United States from the time of Its j founding In New York until at present, when Individual organizations number In the thousands. Mr. Pruden also told of the local C. of C membership drive j end urged all professional and business men and women of the city to enroll and Insure the success of the organisation's projects for civic betterment.

Price Four Cents

Wreckage Found By Farmer; Plane On Routine Flight As Accident Occurred Rantoul. Ul. May 21—(UP)— A farmer found the wreckage of a 825 army plane and seven bodies in his cornfield 24 miles r.oSfliwest of Chanute Field today. The plane crashed sometime last night Army authorities said all persons alioard the plane, which was on a "routine administrative flight" from Cheyenne, Wyo . were killed. Ekke Flexner saw the wreckage when he looktul out the window of his farmhouse early t<e day He had just reo-lved a telephone call from his brother-in-law. Ralph Johnson, who lives on a farm a mile away ‘ What have you got In your field." Johnson askel. "Nothing but corn." Flexner replied. Then he looked and saw the wreckage. He weni out and found the bodies. Flexner said he heard a noixe test night, bu thought it wax just “rain and thunder " "I heard an awful thud." he said It sounded like a Imlt of lightning in a distant field. I rolled over, looked out the window and didn’t see anything I thought to myself. "It's raining: 1 wont have to be getting up early tomorrow'" The public information office at Chanute Field said the plan* v.as contacted by the field at B» 47 p m last night The army withheld name* of the victim* pending notification of next-of-kin. The information officer said the victim* Im liide'l either six officer* and one enlisted man or live officers and two eiifbted men He said their rank wa/ hard to determine because all were wearing flight coverals. He said Chanute Field officers had contacted army authorities at Cheyenne and learned that there definitely were seven men aboard the plane when it left Cheyenne He said he <tM not know the plane's time of departure from Cheyenne The officer said Flexner thought he heard the plan--crash between I" I" and II p in He said an ar-ddent laiard would investigate the crash Johnson said the plat two engines were thrown alsiut 1.000 feet from the wreck liy the impact of the crash. The luxlies ot the seven vh-tims were thrown <|.-ar of the wreckage, he said The plane wax "a total wreck, he said, but there was no indication that it burned. More Than Half Os County's Tax Bill Paid During Spring More than half of th- taxes due in tills county this year were collected during the May collection period. Roy Price, county treasurer, announced today Collections up to May 5 amount<nl to <382.243 92 The 1947 tax hill, is estimated at <734.486. the auditor’s office announced Treasurer Price said that collections in Decatur Washington township, which indudes the greater part of the dty. amountel to <99,214.62. In DecaturRoot, collections amounted to <13,720.12. All taxing units participate In the property taxes. These include the state, county, township. school and library luiard* and Incorporated towns and cities In the county. o— — WEATHER Clearing late thi* aftemoen oe early tonight. Thursday Increasing cloudiness with occasional showers most of north portion In afternoon. Cooler south and central portions tonight. Warmer Thursday.