Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 45, Number 239, Decatur, Adams County, 10 October 1947 — Page 1

JSlv. No ’ 239,

S. TO BARE pALESTifit STAND SATURDAY

■War Dead jUgrned from (Me Graves Ship Honda Arrives Today | | |S|an Francisco 1 I <&s . I lm.T3t>n's flag flew at ' !lalf staff America paused to pay | tribute to the first of her . returning from battlevl field^l ves ' Igßunmn l ship Honda Knot, army transport, was b.for.- noon. (PST) ■M| bm k lil " lirst of " the .lidti • < onto home." St fiw WPie Mul “ e Kg, '■ 'iios'lv bearing of those who were I Z ■ to fall at Pearl Harbor f^^K s lit months ago. ’ ■ fSßlonda Knot's arrival markled theTtangible beginning of the | army’s Taps’’—the vast ■ reburial program under which | more Than 250.000 known war ■ dead Win be returned to home soil | from overseas graves in the Paci|fic and Jin Europe. U Thifeuropean phase of the operation go s underway on Oct. 2G | when an identical transport ar|rivesf|n New York harbor bringlingtte first bodies from the U. S. ■ military cemetery. Henri Chapelle, B The great grey transport will ■ drop Ini lior and pause for a time ■ off San Francisco's Marina Green ■ where the city’s bereaved gather- ■ edtojjay a simple, heartfelt tribute . ■to the vessel's silent passengers. K A®tioimi memorial service will ■be M by Mayor Roger Laphatn, ■ aided by civic, religious, veterans ■ and military leaders, including | sectary of navy John L. Sulli■van, End Gen. Mark Clark, sixth ■armylcoinmandant. The religious ■ service will be conducted jointly |&by jae Protestant, Catholic and Jewish churches. They will be represent 1 by the Rev. Hughbert H. Landrum, Archbishop John J. Mitty and Rabbi Moris Goldstein. Fron. the shoreside service, the Honda Knot will proceed to the Sawraneisco port of embarkation dock Fort Mason, Oakland, where the first of the caskets will be Uploaded. Six us the flag-draped caskets wflmyntbolize the heroes of the city hall to lie in throughout tomorrow. They wKympolize the heroes of the and the civilian casuMMb of the war. ■high it is by far the largest, i| is not the first of its II nation's history. Simifollowed the Civil t ' le Spanish-American War andSVorld War I. T|e first World War took 77,901 American lives overseas. Os this ’>"»er. 46.310 bodies ere returned to the United States during the Vats of 1920 and 1921. Jje task this time is nearly four times greater. The latest count F orl( i War II casualties showrecorded burials. And than 70 percent of these ■ms are to be returned home. in the United States, the will be transported in spetrains (converted hostrains) to 15 distribution cen- ■ strategically located throughthe nation. ■“om those points they will be wF' 11 '" Tn Pasp 7 r nll)nin K , •jtte Prevention Week Observed By Rotary Decatur Rotary club observire prevention week at the ly club meeting Thursday a * ’h® K. of P. home. A movie showing the deetrucand waste of fire, largely refrom carelessness, was preD. Suttles, chairman of the proalso spoke briefly, citing ♦L the common causes of r' (1 urging Preventive meaW n ( ’ aest,i at th ® meeting includi ■>> ® eUer ’ Walter Bockman, . e Runyon and I. Bernstein, 98 . jl° rs th® Adams county innce agents association. WEATHER

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DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

10 Negroes Killed In Tenement Fire Arson Suspected In Chicago Fire Today Chicago, Oct. 10—(UP)—Ten negroes were killed early today when a fire, suspected as the work of an arsonist, swept through their crowded tenement in the Blight area just northwest of Chicago’s loop. Thirteen others were injured. The Red Cross announced immediately after the fire than 15 persons had been killed but police and fire officials said a careful check at the morgue and in the building showed only 10 bodies. The fire was discovered about midnight by William C. Corruthers, the building janitor, who said he was awakened by the odor of smoke. The first alarm was turned in at 12:08 a.m. (CST). It swept through the four-story building in a matter of minutes, blocking all stairways and other means of escape. More than 100 persons were believed to have lived in the building’s 16 apartments. As the flames shot upward, three small children were tossed from windows into nets stretched out below by firemen. Most of the dead and injured were trapped in the upper floors. The dead included five adults and five children. Four of the adults affd all of the children burned to death in the building. A woman, Mrs. Bessie Hector, was killed when she missed a life net in leaping from the fourth floor. Fire commissioner Michael J. Corrigan said a can which smelled of kerosene was found in the basement of the building, leading him to suspect that the fire was set by an incendiarist. Damage to the building was estimated at SIO,OOO. Corrigan said the fire itself "was a small one but the speed with which it swept through (he building prevented us from saving thesf people.” The building is located in a heavily-populated negro and for-eign-born Most of Turn Tn Pasrp 2. Column «) 0 Charge Against Local Resident Dismissed Charges against Warren Wilkinson, of this city, brought as the result of a young Indianapolis youth’s death in a truck-bicycle accident in the capital several weeks ago, were dismissed yesterday. The local man, who pleaded innocent to the counts, had been charged with vagrancy and reckless driving. He contended that the youth's bicycle struck a box in the narrow capital alleyway and that the boyfell under the rear dual wheels of .he fruit truck he was driving. o Henrietta Wilder Is Taken By Death Funeral Services Monday Afternoon Mrs. Henrietta Wilder, 77, lifelong resident of Adams county, died at 3 o’clock Thursday afternoon at her home three miles southwest of Decatur. Death was attributed to cerebral apoplexy. She was born in Root tow-nship Dec. 21, 1869, a daughter of Fred and Wilhelmina Bohnke. She was married March 2, 1901, to Emil W. Wilder. Her husband died Aug. 1, 1933. She was a member of the Zion Lutheran church. Surviving are one son, Arthur Wilder of Washington township; one brother, August Bohnke of Niles, Mich.; five sisters, Mrs. Emma Krueckeberg and Mrs. Anna Railing, both of Union township. Mrs. Sophie Moeller, Mrs. Carrie Peoples and Miss Alvena Bohnke, all of Fort Wayne, and eight grandchildren. Three brothers and two sisters preceded her in death. Funeral services will be held at 2 o’clock Monday afternoon at the Zion Lutheran church, with the Rev. E. B. Allwardt officiating. Burial will be in the Decatur cemetery. Friends may call at the Zwick funeraf home after 7 p.m. Saturday until time of the services.

Anderson Says Food Drive Os Vital Import Agriculture Head Declares Support For Food Program BULLETIN Washington, Oct. 10.—(UP) —The nation’s food-saving and grain-conserving drive for Europe got a big boost today when the agriculture department estimated the critical corn crop at 2,458,674,000 bushels, an increase of about 54,000,000 over last month. Washington, Oct. 10 —(UP) — Secretary of agriculture Clinton P. Anderson today declared allout support, for the food-saving campaign and said any remarks of his seeming to indicate otherwise were quoted “out of context." Anderson told reporters after a White House cabinet meeting he agreed “completely” with President Truman and Charles Luckman, director of the grain-for-Europe drive, that meatless and poultryless days are of “vital importance." At a pres? conference in Chicago yesterday Anderson said meatless Tuesdays and poultryless and eggless Thursdays were of "little importance” in themselves but were of value because they served as reminders to the people of Europe’s need. Today he did not deny that he said these and other words of similar import. But he insisted that the wrong interpretation had been put upon them and that, “taken out of context.” they distorted the theme of the press conference. “Somebody must have taken one word here and another word there to put together some of the stories I've heat’d about, and they really did a job.” Anderson said. He added that he was “vigorously behind the food conservation program” and was “confident it will work out.” He said he was “awfully sorry” if there had been any other impression. He did not like to deny a news story, (Turn Tn Page R. Column 6) O Hemmer Jury, Unable To Agree, Dismissed No Indication Os New Trial Motion Greencastle, Ind., Oct. 10 —(UP) —The jury in the trial of Floyd J. Hemmer, former superintendent of the state penal farm at Putnamville was dismissed today when it was unable to reach a verdict. After deliberating all night, jury foreman Ernest Browning told special judge Robert Stewart at 8:10 a.m. today that the jury of 11 men and one woman was in his opinion, unable to reach a verdict. Judge Stewart immediately dismissed the panel. The state made no indication that it would file a motion for a new trial. In that case, judge Stewart said. Hemmer will go free. Hemmer was charged with embezzlement of state funds while serving as superintendent of the state farm. Conviction on the charges he faced would have carried a maximum penalty of twoto--21 years in prison and a fine not to exceed twice the amount the defendant was accused of embezzling. The jury of 11 men and one woman retired at 5:45 p.m. yesterday after listening to final arguments by attorneys concluding the two-week trial. The panel remained in session all night and filed back into the courtroom at the Putnam county court house at 8:00 o’clock this morning. Hemmer, graying at the temples, was in a cheerful mood as he waited at the courthouse all night, chatting with friends and, now and then, confering in private with his attorneys. All but two counts against Hem(Turn To Page 2, Column 5) (O'

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Friday, October 10, 1947

Reports European Scene ‘Grim’

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RECENTLY RETURNED from a European tour, Treasury Secretary John Snyder (left) tells Washington press conference that the overall European picture is pretty grim,” but that “real” problem is in Fiance, Italy and Germany.

First PTA Meeting Held Last Evening Big Crowd Attends, Prize Awarded Room ♦The largest crowd ever to attend a local P. T. A. meeting — nearly 150 parents and teachers — gathered at the Lincoln school last evening for the opening of this season’s program. The radio-phonograph combination, awarded to the room signing up the most members, was won by grade 5-B, taught by Miss Grace Coffee. The pupils of Miss Coffee’s room turned in a 100 percent enrollment and the total membership in the organization is now 659. All rooms did splendidly in the drive, but none could quite equal the 100 percent mark reached by Mi>ss Coffee’s youngesters. Miss Florence Haney's 2-A grade was a close second. The principal address of the meeting was made by the Rev. O. D. Wissler of Fort Wayne, who chose a<? his subject, “Foundations for the Future." In an inspiring talk, interspersed with much humor, Rev. Wissler compared the three principal phases of a child’s jife, the home, the school and the church, with the Holy Trinity. Rev. Wissler stressed the fact that correct home training is the basic foundation of child's character, and this is amplified by proper teaching and a firm belief in God. Reports were given by the following committees: Membership, Mrs. Herman Krueckeberg; program, Mrs. Herptan Lankenau; budget. Edward Ja(Turn To Page 7. Column 6>

Bodies Os Two Decatur Veterans Returned To States For Burial

The first of Adams county’s World War hero dead, being returned here for burial, arrived in San Francisco today aboard the funeral ship Honda Knot. The bodies of Tech-Sgt. Richard J. Teeple, son of Mr. and Mrs. David H. Teeple, and HAI/c Milo C. Stalter, son of Mr. and Mrs. ■jUorus StaJlter, all of- Decatur, were among those in 3,000 brown steel caskets in the hold of the ship, which steamed through the Golden Gate this afternoon. After the great grey transport dropped anchor, the city of San Francisco was to pause for a time to pay simple, heartfelt tribute to the vessel’s silent passengers. From San Francisco, the bodies are to be transported in special funeral trains to 15 distribution points in the United States and then to the homes of the respective hero dead—each body accompanied by a guard of honor. Killed In China Tech-Sgt. Teeple, then 22, was killed in China in a plane crash May 28, 1944, while serving as a chief engineer in a bomber attached to Gen. Chenault’s China

Seek Bandit After Fort Wayne Holdup Fort Wayne, Ind.. Oct. 10 —(UP) -— A “very, very good looking" young man today brandished a Run at a girl clerk at the household finance Co. and took S3O. Police began searching for the bandit described by the girl as very well dressed, between 28 and 30. slender and “very, very good looking." 0 Sen. Langer Speaks At AFL Convention Criticizes Taft's Failure On Laws San. Francisco, Oct. 10.—(UP) — Sen. William E. Langer. R.. N. D., told the AFL convention today that a small group of Republican senators are determined that their party shall be a true friend of labor and laboring man. In a surprise appearance. Langer criticized Sen. Robert A. Taft, R., 0., as “that senator here recently who is not sure whether he is go- 1 ing to be a presidential candidate" for failure to obtain enactment in the last session of congress of improved social security, minimum w-age, health and housing legislation. “He told us up in Washington (state) that he now favors these laws, but which the Republican party has failed to put on the statute books in the past six months when it had a chance,” Langer said. “There is a small group of Re(Turn Tn Pag-A 2. Column

Liberators. He had been a member of the army air forces since August 21, 1942, and went overseas in June, 1943, after graduated from Harlingen, Texas gunnery school. It was reported that Sgt. Teeple had about 50 missions to his credit before the fatal crash. Previous to the fatal crash he escaped death when he parachuted to safety in the Himalaya mountains. The youth was a graduate of the Decatur Catholic high school and before entering the army was employed by the Security Cartage company of Fort Wayne. Details of burial rites here are expected to be learned from the family in a day or two. War department regulations prohibited contacting relatives until after the body arrived in the country. Killed In Hawaii Hospital apprentice, first class Milo Stalter. then 18, was killed in Hawaii in a fall from a truclj. His body had been interred at the Halawa naval cemetery. Pearl Harbor. Turn To Page 2. Column 6) , s

Will Declare Stand On Partition; Arab Armies Mobilizing On Borders

25,000 Syrian And Lebanese Soldiers Reported Massed On Palestine Borders Beirut, Oct. 10.—(UP) —Government sources said tonight that 25,000’ Syrian and Lebanese troops were massed along the Palestine border, and would go into action if the Jews tried to seize Palestine by force after the British withdraw. A Lebanese government spokesman emphasized that the troop massing in the border area fronting Palestine was not prompted by “aggressive” intentions. The 10,000 Syrian and 15,000 Lebanese soldiers will strike only if the Jews move to take over Palestine, the official source said. The statement clarified a • maze of reports that troops of five Arab countries were marching on Palestine, ready to invade in case of friction between Arabs and Jews in that country. The British government of Palestine denied that anything was known of Arab troops movements along the northern border. The denial was one of many refuting the flood of rumors about converging armies. Abdul Rahman Assam Pasha, the secretary general of the Arab league, who earlier said Egypt had ordered troops to the frontier of south Palestine, said tonight there would be no major developments within the foreseeable future. Assam said the next step depended on the British, the Zionists and the United Nations. The flurry of reports and.rumors was said in Palestine to have prompted the moderate Jewish underground army Hagana to dispatch troops to five points along the northern border. Underground sources said in Jerusalem that reinforcements were being sent to Nahariya, Hanita, Kefar, Giladi and Metula after a hasty reorganization of the Hagana force. Reports reached Beirut that Saudi Arabian cavalrymen already were well across the Sinai peninsula of Egypt en route to the southern border. These reports said the peninsula had been closed for four days. It had been thought at first that it was because of the cholera epidemic, but it was said now that it was to allow the Saudi Arabians to cross. (Turn T'n Pqc" 7. Cnbtnin 6) Place Containers For Waste Paper Citizens Urged To Use New Receptacles City street department workers, under the direction of commissioner Phil Sauer, today placed several metal waste paper containers in downtown Decatur. The containers were purchased by the city about a year ago. Mayor John B. Stults said, but shipment was not made until yesterday. The arrival was considered timely, however, since the city is now observing city-wide cleanup and fire prevention week. Citizens are urged to use the containers for paper and other waste material in cooperating with the cleanup campaign. Mayor Stults said that the city is also awaiting arrival of playground equipment for the South Ward recreation lot, purchased last spring. Commissioner Sauer and Robert Ostermann, a representative of the Moose lodge, one of the organizations advocating purchase of the new equipment, made the purchase at Anderson at that time. The city has been informed, however, that inability to secure a few minor parts for the equipment has held up delivery for several mouths. The equipment likely will not be erected anymore this year, the mayor stated, but will be ready for next spring.

Super-Selling Job Needed To Save Food Restaurants Rebel At Stripping Menus By United Press A super-selling job appeared necessary today to sell the American public on the idea of meatless Tuesdays and eggless Thursdays. Reports from across the nation uhowed the plan had not caught hold. Many restaurants rebelled at the idea of stripping their menus. They claimed customers wanted meat on Tuesdays and eggs and poultry on Thursday. Many restaurants said the customer would be “right." Even the purpose of the food plan seemed to be a doubtful matter ariiong top administration leaders. It took President Truman, himself, to re affirm his earlier elatements that the plan was of “vital importance.” The big boost for the aid-Europe food plan appeared to be in the making in a closely-guarded section of the agriculture department. The department's crop statisticians were scheduled to release their latest corn crop report late today. All indications were that the report would be highly encouraging, with autumn frosts holding oft, it was expected that the. latest crop prediction would range above the pessimistic report issued last month. That report said the 1947’ crop would total only 2,404.000.000 bushels. Every b'uuhel above that figure would be good news for the world food situation. Wheat has .been picked as the grain needed io fulfill the administration’s food program. But, each bushel of corn available to feed livestock would mean one more bushel of. wheat saved for other purposes. Secretary of agriculture Clinton; P. Anderson said at Chicago that. meatless and eggless days were of “little importance" in themselves. He eaid they were just “symbols of sacrifice" intended to remind the public to save food. But his statement drew a denial from President Truman. The president said the two days of denial each week were of “vital importance." He said they were the most economical way to eave grain. o No One Injured As Train Is Derailed Philadelphia. Oct. 10 —(UP) — Two coaches and the dining car of a Pennsylvania railroad passenger train, en route from Washington to New York, were derailed while crossing a switch in southwest Philadelphia today. Railroad officials said no one wao injured. —. — o Drive Is Continued Against Vandalism Six Juveniles Are Seized Last Night Six more pre-Halloween celebrants were apprehended last night—this time by sheriff Herman Bowman—as police authorities continued their drive agginst vandalism. The six are all Decatur boys, aged 16 and 17 and subject to juvenile jurisdiction only. Sheriff Bowman nabbed the group several hours after he had received a complaint from Phil Strahm, of near Decatur. Mr. Strahm reported that the boys carried two shocks of corn from one of his fields onto the highway and then set fire to the shocks. He was able to describe the auto to sheriff Bowman, who located the boys in this manner. They were taken in for questioning and later admitted the incident. The boys have been released ■pending further investigation

Price Four Cents

United States Will Break Long Silence On Nation's Policy Toward Partition Lake Success. N. Y„ Oct. 10 — (UP) — The United States announced today amid reports of the mobilization of Arab armies that it would break its long silence and declare its stand tomorrow on the question of partitioning Palestine into Arab and Jewish states. The long-awaited American policy statement — probably the key to whether there will be a Jewish stat# in the Holy Land — will be delivered to the United Nations general assembly's Palestine committee by Herschel V. Johnson, one of the chief U. S. delegates. Secretary of state George C. Marshall, who has hesitated for weeks about the stand this country will take, will not appear before the 57-nation committee to deliver his decision in person. The American policy has been kept highly secret but there have been several reliable signs Marshall has decided to give mild support to the proposed partition of the land into Arab and Jewish states. It was likely, however, that the United States would hedge at this time on the most important single aspect of partition—how to enforce it in the face of threats by the Arabs to light to the death against a Jewish homeland in the middle east. The United States decision to, speak up ended the days-old attempt by American and Russian delegates to outsit each other in the Palestine debate. Soviet officials were considered likely to show their hand in the 57-nation committee soon after Johnson revea's this country’s stand. The announcement that Johnson would address the Palestine committee followed the disclosure that a group which represents the Jewish underground on this side of the Atlantic bad asked the security council to block the massing of Arab troops along Palestine frontier. The Palestine resistance committee said UN action was imperative to put down an “impending Arab invasion" of Palestine. The committee, an. American group which raises funds and materials for the Jewish underground of Palestine. asked the security council to charge Syria and Lebanon with "openly planning a war of aggression" against the Jews of the Holy Land. The group appealed directlv to secretary of state George C. Marshall to “tak« the initiative” in throwing the weight of the UN acainst the announced massing of Arab troops along the Holy Land fTnvr. Tn C O Letter Received By School Classmate Os Private Hindenlana Skies brightened for Mr. and Mrs. John Hindenlang of near Monroe todav. as thev learned that .Robert Luginbill of Blue Creek townshit), received a letter dated October 2 from their son. Pvt. Ernest Hindenlang. stationed with ithe U. S. army in Tokyo. Japan. Early thia morning. Mr. Hfndenlang visited the local Red Cross home service office and informed Mrs. Rutlfc Hollingsworth, executive secretary, that the Luginbill hoy bad received a letter from their son. The boys were high school classmates. The parents have not received a letter from their son for over five weeks and fear was expressed that he might have been a victim of the tidal wave which sw’ept the Japanese coast. The army does not have the soldier’s name on the casualty list. The letter to the Luginbill youth was written several weeks after the storm. The parents believe they will hear from thetr son tn a matter of days