Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 45, Number 151, Decatur, Adams County, 27 June 1947 — Page 1

o |. XLV. No. 151.

[roops Rushed Io Aid Flood Stricken Area 800 Army Troops Ordered To Flood Threatened Areas By United Press Eight hundred U. S. army jopn were ordered into flood gritened along the Misswippi river today and the Des IgincH river sent Its fourth flood I a month downstream toward Iturnwa. la. The troopa. all from the corps f engineers. were called to work , levees In the Degognla Founuabluff district Bouth of Chear. HI They were ordered to entruck r the theatened arean by 7 a.m. ST and begin the back-breaking ock o f sandbagging the water dike* aa aoon aa they trtved. AtUioritiea appealed to every man in the arete to to the troops In bolstering and the leveea. About 500 iQOnded. gore than 50.000 acres of rich Itooia farmland waa threatened I the sudden riae In the Missisppi Engineers aaid the dlkea Hid break at any time. They are already fighting a had leak at had started at the bane of K levee near Cora. 111. Fifth army headquarters at kicago aent five truckloads of qaipment and alerted 15 C-47 import planes to fly emergent supplies to the area. The situation was so serious bit Lt. <len. W. 11. Walker. Ith army commander, said he paid fly over the Cheater area day to determine where the wy should send further aid. The flood crest that drove persons from their homes I Des Moines, la., yesterday, was •ring down the valley of the tsMoines today. It left untold Ulions of dollars in property image as It moved out of the nra state capital. In advance of the flood, thoumdx worked to minimize expect I damage. It was a heart retiring task. They knew they mid not stop the water from wding their homes. They could i!y hope to slow the swift curat to keep houses on their inda t ions. The crest was expected to hit day at Tracy, la., 15 me* be W Des. Moines, the towis is •inly on high ground and little •age waa expected. However, at Eddyville, farther iwnstream. relief workers were ncua’lng the bottoms as englMrs sandbagged the riverfront I divert some of the tremendous ■rrent pressures. It was the fourth time the Ulyvllle residents had left Hr homes during recent weeks, bey worked with practiced ■iclency today, carrying their ■Mt valuable possessions to up*r stories and then moving to bsrches and schoolhouses on *<h ground. Many took bedding *d food hut others depended on Mlef agencies to furnish the ■remittee. Ilie DesMolnea was expected • crest at Ottumwa Saturday “ruing. Engineers said it Mild reach a stage of 18.5 feet. *°re than a foot higher than the *ird June flood last week. Ouly a few families were beintf ’’•coated at Ottumwa since *Mt of the lowland residents did • move back when the last M receded. "We can’t hope to hold back bi« flood any more than we did b* others," Mayor Herman Ithaefer said. “We've kept up *r flood preparation work con**®tly. however, and It may be ’* ran minimize some of the ■mage." * •nick Badly Damaged Fire Here Today « Bremen made a run to the North ■•rd playground shortly after 1 fet <*k thia afternoon when a *Mhberger Bros, stone truck, carrock asphalt to be applied • the playground, caught fire, truck was reported badly damt* l - but the source of the blaze M »ot been definitely acertained. . — o WEATHER Considerable cloudiness to"!«M and Saturday, with wideseatfored local thunder,ltewera west and extreme **th portion. Continued warm •M humid.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

General Price Boost Since Death Os OPA Increases General Throughout Country Dv United Press Prices on some Items have risen more than 50 percent in the year slnbe price controls were abandoned. a survey showed today. Increases were general throughout the country on most Items checked but percentages varied sharply from section to section. Rome items cost less today than they did a year ago in some parts of the country. A poll of representative cities showed that meat prices led the Increases throughout the nation. New York reported that pork loin was selling for 63 cents a pound, «« percent higher than last year. In the farm region of the middle west pork loins were up from 49 percent at Minneapolis to 113 percent at Pierre. S. Dak. Butter also was considerably more expensive in the middle west. At Madison, Wls., the price was 74 cents a pound, a rise of 50 percent and at Omaha. Neb., it had risen 41 percent since last June 30. Butter was 12 cents cheaper, however, at Nan Francisco. Price controls lapsed last June 30 after President Truman vetoed a control bill which he said would be ineffectual. The office of price administration was i*vlved 25 days later after congress passed a set of weaker controls. Mr. Tru man abolished all price control on meat last Oct. 14. Although most startling in meat and other foods, prices were also higher on durable Items. Washing machine prices rose 420 at Portland. Ore., and 140 at Milwaukee. Electric stoves jump ed 819 at New York to 8»o at Indianapolis. Clothing prices seem to have remained steady. Nylon hosiery was selling generally at about ceiling prices of a year ago and there was no standing In line for hours in order to get them. The clty-by-clty survey Included: New York -4'hlldren’s shoes, up from 15.50 in 1946 to 88.50 today: white shirts, up from 82.55 to 83.25;nylons, no change: pork loins, up from 32 cents to 62 cents per pound; butter, from 857 In 1946 to 8.65 today; washing machines, from 8201.45 tc 8249; electric stoves, from 8200 to 8219.50; Scotch, from 86.00 to 86.50. Atlanta- butter up 3 cents a pound; bread, up 2 cents a loaf; milk, up 2 cents a quart; children's shoes, up 50 cents; electric Irons, up 50 cents; scotch, which sold at 88.50 or 89.00 a year ago was available for 87.00 a fifth today. Milwaukee— Children's shoes, up from 83.95 to 84.95; white, shirts, down 81 00; nylons, down 15 cents; pork loin, up from 834 a year ago to 8-49 today; butter, up from m 8 66 to 8-73; washing ma chines, up 840; electric stoves, up 885; scotch, up 10 cents a fifth. San Francisco — Shoes, noj (Turn Tn Par- J. Column 7> — Pastor Convicted Os Setting Church Fire Milwaukee Preacher Convicted By Jury Milwaukee, June 17.—(UP)—A jury today found Hr. John Lewis, pastor of the Calvary Presbyterian church, guilty of setting fire to the church building last Jan. 25. The jury of 10 men and two women deliberated more than eight hours before finding the 73-year-old minister guilty. The state had accused him of setting fire to the church with the hope that after It burned his parishioners would build him a bigger and more modern edifice. Lewis listened Intently to the verdict, but he showed no emotion as the verdict was read. He maintained throughout the trial that It was "fantastic" that he should be charged with arson in the fire which swept the church where he had been pastor for 12 years The prosecution had charged that the minister had purchased kerosene which he used to start the fire behind the church organ. Lewis said he used It only to clean clothes. Lewis' attorney announced after hearing the jury verdict that he would appeal. “This is a stunner." Lewis said, “but it Is not the last." He said he was confident that he would be vindicated by the higher court.

House Group Votes Flood Control Fund 11th Major Supply Bill Approved By House Committee Washington, June 27 — (UP)— I The house appropriations committed today voted 1132,041,800 for gen eral flood control and 894.659,700 for rivers and harbors projects. These sumr were the largest Item* in a bill carrying 8339,186.869 for civil functions of the war department in fiscal 1948. The total voted was 11.3 percent under budget requests. But tile cut was smaller than expected in view of the committees economy slashes In previous appropriations bills. The civil functions bill was the 11th major supply measure thus far approved by the committee. It brings to 832,000,000,000 the total recommended to date. The committee now haz proposed cuts of about 82,832.000,000 in President Truman's budget re quests. With other economy men sures reported by the committee, its overall eavings now add up to around 85,000,000,000. ’ Other developments: Presidential succession — The question before the senate was: should the house speaker or the senate speaker succeed to the white house when both the presidency and vice presidency become vacant? A bill under debate would put the speaker next to the vice president in the succession line. Under present law it is the secretary of state But Ren. Richard B. Ruesell, |)„ Ga. proposed senate p:esldent pro tempore lie named the No. 1 man after the vice president. If the senate accepts his amendment. the house is expected to balk. It s a matter of pride. a Minimum wage — A house labor subcommittee heard au appeal from Rep. Gerald W. latndis, R., Ind., for an increase in the federal minimum wage from 40 to 60 cents an hour. Because of the increased cost of living, he said, it is necessary to boost the minimum wage to give workers the same buying power they formerly hau under the 40-cent hourly wage. Wool — Chairman Clifford R. Hope, R„ Kans., predicted the house would follow the • senate's example in panting the substitute wool price support bill. But he said It probably would take longer to get the measure through the lower chamber. Greek-Turkish aid — A house appropriations subcommittee began hearings on President Truman's request for 8400,000,000 to carry out the Greek-Turkish aid program. o Attend Hearing On Removal Os Trains Pennsy Hearing Is Held At Winchester Several Decatur, Berne and Geneva business men and other Interested people from Adams county went to Winchester today to attend the hearing held by the public service commission of Indiana on the petition of the Pennsylvania railroad to abandon local passenger service on the G. R. and I. division of that railroad. The abandonment would be accomplished by the discontinuance of two trains, daily except Sunday, running from Richmond to Fort Wayne, and from Fort Wayne to Richmond. The railroad contends that by installing a truck service for mail, freight and express, the only service that would be discontinued would be passenger service. The company further contends that there is very little passenger patronage on the two trains. Only patrons of the railroad will be given the opportunity of testifying at today's hearing, accord Ing to information received at the local Chamber of Commerce office recently. Several local shippers attended the session. Richard W. Pruden. secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, also attended. It Is believed likely that the commission representative will take the matter under advisement and rule at a later date. It waa reported that Lewis L. Smith, local lawyer, appeared in behalf of Decatur and Berne Patrons; C. H. Muselman. Berne. In behalf of the Berne Chamber of Commerce, and Vincent Kelley, of Anderson, in behalf of Geneva patrons.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Friday, June 27, 1947

Gets ‘Little White Bouse’ Deed I GEORGIA'S GOVERNOR. M. E. Thompson (left), receives deed to the "little White House" at Warm Springs, Ga., from Basil O'Connor. president of the Georgia Warm Springs Foundation, as the Georgia home of the late President Roos eve it becomes a national shrine to be administered by the state.

Dangerous Criminal Is Nabbed By FBI Amiel Barker Held On Various Charges Chicago, June 27—(UP) —The federal bureau of investigation today announced the arrest or Amiel R. Barker. 40. descrilted as "one of the nation's mow dan gerotts criminals" and wanted on charges of bank robltery. Jail break. Jewelry theft and murder. Barker, who bad been sought for seven years, was overpowered last night by a detail of FBI agents chosen for their marksmanship. He was seized while seated in his parked ear. which FBI agents described aa a "rolling arsenal" George McSwain, special agent in charge of the Chicago FBI office, said Barker had no chance to use any of half dozen guns he kept In lhe car. "Our agents were on him before he could make a move." McSwain said. He sai<| Barker was wanted on various charges In Illinois. Missouri and Seattle, Wash. FBI agents said they found the following items in Barker's car, which they said was stolen: A loaded luger; a .45 caliber automatic; a .38 caliber revolver; two other .45'a; a French carbine; a sawed-off shotgun; several boxes of ammunition, ID sets of stolen license plates: a police siren and a red police spotlight; and a shortwave police radio. G-men swarmed around Barker's car seconds after he entered It and seated himself. They sail he was "completely off guard." ills wife, Vernonlca, had been arrested a short time before In their hotel room, and was held for questioning. Barker, atocky. well-dreazed (Turn To Pag- 7. Column 7) 0 — Receive Levee Bids On Monday Morning Separate Bids To Be Received Here Bids for the Fred Weidler levee in Wabash township will be received at the county clerk's office in the courthouse Monday morning at 10 o'clock. The report of the engineer. Walter H. Gllliom. along with plans and specifications, aje on file in the clerk's office. Separate blds will be received on two sections of work. One will consist of 23.000 yards of cut. haul and compacted fill. Part two Includes removal of old concrete ptructure, installation of metal ( culvert, piling, reinforced headwall and pump house. The levee has been sought by a number of farmers living south of Berne, who contend that it will protect their lands from Wabash river overflow*. The county will pay 8500 of the total coat, the balance to be borne by the owners of the affected land*.

One Youth Killed As Auto Hits Building Fort Wayne, Ind.. June 27 —(UP) — Funeral services will be held tomorrow for Richard Thomas, 16, who diet! yesterday from injuries received when the car In which he was riding crashed into a building. Robert Wright. .’I. who was driving. wae In the Methodist hospital with serious Injuries. ______o Winchester Woman Killed In Georgia Brutal Sex Slaying In East Atlanta Atlanta. Ga.. June Zi.— (UP)— The brutal sex slaying of an attractive 30 year old Indiana woman gave authorities their second mysterious murder case today less than seven weeks after the garroting of Mrs. Paul Refoule, socialite wife of a French art instructor. The battered body of Mrz. Rolla M. Reyman was found in her pickup truck In eastern Atlanta. She was raped and her face was smashed in by blows from a heavy instrument, possibly a lug wrench. Mrs. Reyman was reported missing by her husband when she failed to return to her Bogart. Ga., home from an Atlanta trip to pur chase equipment for their riding academy and tourist camp. , The Reymans and the slain woman's 11 year old son by a former marriage came here several months ago from Winchester. Ind. They purchased 500 acres of land on which they built a string of tourist cabins. Mrs. Reyman's body was wrap ped in a quilt underneath heavy packing cases and red leathertopped stools she had purchased. Blood dripping from the tailgate of the truck ted to the dis covery. Two salesmen at a plant near where the truck waa parked by a man described as “heavy set" had noticed the stains, peeked in the truck, lifted a corner of the quilt exposing Mrs. Reyman's bare foot. Mrs. Reyman's hands were bound behind her back with wire. Her feet were tied with rope. She was attired In a fashionable suit with a flowered shirtwaist. Her undergarments were missing. Fragments of dead leaves and (Turn To Pajr<- 7. Column 7) —O Presidential Pardon Is Sought By Curley Boston. Juno 27 —(UP) - Boston's 72-yearold moyor Jami* M. Curley sought a presidential pardon from the federal prison at Danbury. Conn., today a* hia supporters won a quick maneuver to keep control of the state Democrat-. Ic machine and the Boston city government. Swift action by the state legislature last night made city clerk John B Hynes "temporary" mayor In Curley’s absence. Gov. Robert F Bradford signed the law by passing city council president John B. Kelly who normally would be acting mayor and giving the job to Hynes until Curley is released from prison.

Mine Workers Urge Labor. Fight Taft-Hartley Bill Controlling Labor Unions

St. Louis Transit Strike Is Settled Reach Agteement To Re-Arbitrate Award St. Louis. June 27—(UP) Footsore St. Louisians used public transportation today for the first time In two weeks after settlement of a strike of 3.600 AFL street car and bus operators that cost an estimated 825.000,000 loss. Need for mass hitch-hiking came to an end early today when officials of the union and the St. Ixiuls Public Service company, subslriary of National City Lines. Inc., Chicago, signed an agreement to re-arbltrate a disputed wage award. The award. 14-’4 cents Increase In the hourly rate of 81 08, perclpltated the strike early June 13 when the union called it "phony" because it was returned by a rump arbitration board from which both union anti company representatives had resigned. The agreement, presented by mayor Laoys Kaufmann as an ultlratum two days ago. provided for a new arbitration board of three public representatives, ap pointed by Kaufmann. U. S. district judge George H. Moore and chief justice Ernest M. Tipton of the Missouri supreme court. In presenting his demand. Kaufmann threatened to seek reconvening of the state legislature to force resumption of transit service. Missouri's anti-public utility strike law. passed by the recent legislature is not operative until September and the Taft-Hartley labor law. which became effective during the strike, did not apply because the company Is not in Interstate commerce. The mayor's proposal, eleventh offered by him and federal conciliators. was accepted by the company and later was approved by the union membership In a vote of 1246 to 338. A private statistical body estimated a loss of 821,000.000 in retail business alone, to which observers added city tax losses and losses in company revenue and employes’ wages to arrive at thd total. Two Men Fined For Assault, Battery Fines Are Aftermath Os Tavern Beating Two men were fined late Thursday by Judge J Fred Fruchte several hours after they had entered pleas of guilty to charges of assault and battery. Herman Hoffman. 56, was fined 850 and costs and Kenneth Parrish. 24, was given a fine of 825 and costs. The two Decatur men were fined for allegedly "beating up" on a pair of railroad workers. James Bata and Edward Cline after the latter fled from a Mor roe street tavern, where they averredly knocked out a door glass. Judge Fruchte had remanded the local men to jail until this morning when he was to hear testimony of Officer* Roy Chilcote and Robert Hill. D. Burdette Custer appeared as defense counsel later Thursday and the two mon were brought back Into court for sentencing. Bata and Cline had previously paid fines of 81 and costs each, Im-pos<-d by Mayor John B. Stults after they pleaded guilty to die orderly charges. Prosecutor Myles F. Parrish represented the state at both arraignments. Two Men Killed In Private Plane Crash Monticello, 111.. Jute 27 —(UP) — Police today sougnt to learn the identity of one of two men killed when a private plane crashed into a pasture near Cisco, 111. The pilot of the plain- was Identified as William E. Carter. Decatur. 111. Witnesses told police the plane was flying 5« feet alwve the open pasture about 7 o’clock last night when It suddenly nosed over and plunged to the ground. Both men were killed instantly.

United States Lashes Balkan States Moves i Accuses Three Os Using Force Against Greece; Ask UN Act latke Success. N. Y., Juno 27. (UP) —The United States bluntly ai'Ciisod Albania. Bulgaria and Jugoslavia today of using force against Greece and demanded that the United Nations security council use "the full weight of Its authority" to halt them. American delegate Warren R Austin called for an early showdown with the three Balkan countries. claiming that they have been committing "the very kind of acts which the United Nations was designed to prevent." World peace will be even more seriously threatened. Austin said. If "the acts . . . against Greece's Independence should continue.” In the strongest speech yet delivered by an American in the council. Austin said the diplomatic and guerilla warfare In the Balkans had grown Into "one of the most serious" cases yet before the UN. Austin called on the council to adopt immediately all proposals made public this week by the UN Balkans investigating commission. Including an American originated proposal for a semi permanent UN border patrol In the perennially troubled southeastern corner of Europe. Austin made no mention of a surprise move in which Greece formally charged her three north ern neighbors with international aggression and confronted the council with its first complaint under the strongest chapter of the UN charter. Austin asserted, however, that "any intelligent person in possession of the facts caiAiot fall to recognize the use of force here, no matter how devious the subterfuge." The tension In the council's plush meeting room recalled the dark days of the Iraian case a little more than a year ago as Austin, leading the western diplomatic assault on the three Soviet satellites, expressed regret that the UN was beginning its third year with one of the most serious violations of the UN charter. 0 Dan Perry To Teach At Columbia City Ex-Decatur Coach Accepts New Post Dan Perry, who resigned thia spring as athletic director of the Decatur junior-senior high schoo', has accepted a position in the Columbia City school system, It has been revealed. Perry will be assistant in both football and basketball and will also be an instructor In shop in both the West Ward and high school at Columbia City. Perry, who came to Decatur in 1942, will report for his new duties at Columbia City August 15, but will not move his family until sometime after the opening of the school term In September. Perry's appointment completes a new athletic setup at ihe Columbia City school. Joe Toufel. graduate of Indiana university, will be the new football coach for the Eagles, and Leroy Kilby, also of Indiana, and a former Muncie of Burris star, will guide the Columbia City basketball squad. Decatur's new athletic director and head coach Is Robert Worthman. former Yellow Jacket star, who accepted the local position last month. A graduate of Ball State Teacher's college at Muncie. Worth man coached at Hoagland for two years and for the paac four yeans served as assistant coach at Fort Wayns Central.

Price Four Cents

Editorial In UMW Journal Asks For i Organized Labor To Fight Labor Measure Washington. June 27—11 P)— j Th<- United Mine Workers (AFL) today urged lalmr to fight the Taft-Hartley union control act wlih "courage and action.” The I'.MW did not call specifically for protest strikes against tne new law. Bui In a UMW journal editorial, the union urged defiance of the act at a time when some 250.000 of Ita members were engaged In wildcat walkouts which started the day after the measure was enacted over President Truman's veto. The journal defiantly published the list of senators and representatives wjio voted to override the veto an<l enact the law*. Editor K. (’ Adams said the list was published ilelibeftitely as a test of the act s provision forbidding unions to spend money on political campaigns involving federal officers. The journal also challenged < ffectlveness of the act's antistrike injunction provisions as far as the coal Industry is concerned. The publication appeared as i.orthi rn and wtwiern operators were reported preparing a new wage offer In an effort to assure resumption of coal production July 8. But the Journal, which reflects the views of UMW president John L. Lewis, ssaerted that the operators have made no efforts to get contract negotiations, stallel last month, going acaln. Il accused operators of "stal ling wage negotiations hoping f<s legislative help." The Taft Hartley act authorize* the government to seek federal court Injunctions to break strikes Jeopardizing public health and welfare. But the Journal doubted this provision would work in the coal crisis. Th<- Journal said operators had not tried to resume negotiations and predicted that the operators will not make any serious attempt to negotiate an agreement until congress decided whether to pass a federal mine safety code. "This Is a contract provision that the operators will only ac cept as a last resort." the Journal said "American working men." the Journal continued, "should get this fixed in their minds: the NAM Taft Hartley bill 1s an enslavement measure only to the degree that American workers are willing to sacrifice their mnnh<M>d and liberties. The journal said that organized labor Is now being asked to accept this law "supinely” although business, it ‘•aid. delayed functioning of the Wagner labor relations law for two years after Ils enactment In 1935. Bituminous production, already crippled by wildcat walkouts, will halt completely tonight when the miners begin a 10-day vneatlon. Whether they return to work after io days hinges on whether Lewis and the operators reach a private wage agreement to replace the govrnment contract expiring June 30. The coal situation thus became President Truman's No 1 headache under the new Taft-Hartley talior law. In a statement at his news conference yestenlay the president said the justice department was looking Into ways to halt wildcat protect strike* against the new law. "Industrial strife at this critical time can result only In economic dislocation injurious to all of us.” he said. "If it should reach serious proportions It would threaten the stability of our economy and endanger the peace of the world.” The new law gives Mr. Truman immediate authority to get nostrike injunctions In any labor dispute which threatens such dire consequences. "We cannot afford such a result," the pr-silent said, "ft is our solemn duty to make every effort industrial siomt 1