Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 45, Number 250, Decatur, Adams County, 23 October 1947 — Page 1

RES. TRUMAN CALLS SPECIAL SESSION

»ren Austin JBfends Free Bss Al UN aMnms UN Russia's WBnnnsal Lead To g||||B rec t Censorship Success. N V- Ol t - 23 -” filial Slates warned that Soviet proposals to allied warmongers would to the establishment and a police state.” -"^■ erl ,- an delegate Warren Austhe United Nations politithat the Russian was “ a direct attack on States," and should be in a P liwel ’ f " 1 defense ■X‘..v P press, called the Soviet of censorship an “outpraised former secretary ’ '^■ ate James F. Byrnes and delegate John Foster n W hom Soviet vice-foreign itipi '|B|Ster Andrei Y. Vishinsky has ■S e d as warmongers. i l .i 1 asked the committee to Soviet resolution so that ran "get on with our to suppress thought ' ran not. in the long Austin said. could be more cal--7 to outrage the sensibilities men than the attempt leaders to arrogate to the powers to deterwhat men think or say. hl EL road of restraint by edict directly to the establishment and a police state. United States does not into support any steps along road. There can- be no comgEm .■ with efforts to curtail of speech." soviet resolution which Aus--9b attacked would call on all UN to jail ''warmongers. - ' warmongering press redanger of investing magis9Mbs with autocratic power of dewhat is war propaganda is hy R. Vishinsky’s atflbd: on Mr. Justice Byrnes,” Aus■said called the book speaking Jpakly war propaganda,’ and Mr. Byrnes a 'warmonger.’ he had the power to jail |Br. Justice Byrnes, no doubt he do that. In any case, he !■'>- sag him and others like fundamental freedom —of speech— which is necessary maintenance of good govwould wither in the presof the power of men to put on the minds and tapes '■ lips of such great statesmen trees F. Byrnes. To p :i v- 7. Column 2). ■KI 0 80,000 Suit For Bmages Settled Trial gjHere Is Cancelled $50,000 damage suit, schedigKj, , t 0 be trie d before an Adams uit court jury next Tuesday n °t be heard, it was revealed today. ” ar ' Adams and court were informed that the , a ,)een settled out of court w °uld not be tried. ad I)een venued here from nr-county. The suit was one in ■tef/. nOoert Sh oner asked damot r person al injuries against « Standard Oil Company of Inof »[• he allp Kedly fell from trucks in Fort Wayne <lUiet Htle action of Wayne r w against Ulysses and j^Kc P f n .,?° s and others, appearp defenda nts, Giles and fr -C.°Son WaS entered by H»inst\m V ° rCe action of Dorothy ■so amm ' High ' the Plaintiff ni° n to Btrike out the dew 7 ca ln aba t«ment and a ■Lo.J S u set f °r Friday. jS J ' J age°Aa r entries were made t^6s a ® s in estate and

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Kick-off Dinner To Launch Fund Drive Solicitors Named By Community Fund i The kick-off dinner for the Decatur Community Fund drive will be held Friday evening at 6:15 o’clock at Swearingen’c on U. S. 27, Carl C. Pumphrey, president of the fund raising organization and chair,inan of the meeting, announced today. The Very Rev. Msgr. J. J. Seimetz, who assisted in the organization of the DCF in 1943, will give the pep talk at the dinner, which will be a fish fry. Chairman Pumphrey’will outline the plans for the current drive, which will be launched city-wide Monday morning in industrial, retail districts and various professional or employment groups. Fund Chairman Harold Grant today announced leaders for the classification groups, industrial concerns and general solicitors. A volunteer army of more than 60 workers has been named by Mr. Grant to complete the solicitation within a three day period. This year’s goal s is $11,360, compared to the 1946 quota of $11,461. Last year’s drive was oversubscribed. The Fund supports all youth activities in the city, including the Boy and Girl Scouts, the teen canteen, recreational programs, the Salvation Army and the Adams county cancer society. The budget lists the following allotments to the various divisions: Boy Scouts, $1,660; Girl Scouts. $1,000; recreational programs on playgrounds, $1,500; teen canteen. ,$2,200; Adams county cancer society, SI,OOO and Salvation Army, SI,OOO. By inclusion of the latter two agencies, separate drives for funds are eliminated in the city, the chairman explained. The group and industrial chairmen and general solicitors for the drive, named today by Mr. Grant, are: Group Chairmen Women's organizations, Mrs. Grace Weiland; lodges and service clubs, J. K. Staley; industrial payroll deductions, Ray Leitz; manui factoring concerns, H. H. Kruecke- ' berg; professional men, Earl Caston; retail, Kenneth Runyon; city employes, H. Vernon Aurand; county employes, hospital and post office, Thurman Drew; public schools, W. Guy Brown; Catholic schools, the Rev. Ignatius Vichuras; publicity, Julius Baker. Industrial Chairmen Ernest Karlen, Noah Steury, Robert Bradtiniller, Earl Fuhrman, Lowell Harper, Henry Bromer, C. I. Finlayson, George C. Laurent, Dan Tyndall, Walter Blalock, Dick ( Turn To Page 4 Column 2) O Cast Absent Voter Ballots Saturday First Day To Cast Absent Voter Ballot Saturday is the first day to cast an absent voter ballot at the county clerk’s office clerk Clyde O. Troutner announced today. This is the first day, under election law, that a Decaturite may cast his vote in the November 4 city election by his method. Attaches of the clerk’s office are now engaged in completing the compilation of the lists of registrations for precinct workers. Under the law, Saturday is the final day. Tuesday is the final day for the county chairmen to name precinct election workers. Meanwhile, workers in the clerk’s office are completing other final preparations for conducting the election, little mor,e than one week away. Today was the final day for naming the voting places, but this had been done earlier in the wqek in a special meeting of the county commissioners. The regular six precinct voting places in Decatur will be used. Sample ballots are available at the county clerk’s office. — o —— — Weather Fair and continued mild tonight except cooler north portion; mostly cloudy and cooler south, continued cool north portion Friday and Friday night,

Testifies Reds Very Active In Actors' Guild Robert Montgomery Gives Testimony At Hollywood Hearing Washington, Oct. 23.—(UP)— Actor Robert Montgomery said today that the screen actors guild has “had a very small minority” of Red members who were “well organized and very active.’ The gray-suited and handsome actor told the house unAmerican activities committee, however, that the guild in 1946 adopted a resolution designed to answer “charges” that it fostered “foreign ideologies.” Montgomery, portrayer of sophisticated and tense psychological roles on the screen, was the first “big name” witness on the fourth day of the committee’s public investigation of Hollywood Communists. Two movie writers—Fred Niblo, Jr., and Richard ceded him. They testified that movieland Reds “smeared” and “intimidated” anyone who opposoed them. They said the screen writers guild had been dominated by Communists. Montgomery, smiling confidently, testified that Hollywood has its “lunatic fringe.” “But I don't think any of them are crazy enough to try to inject any Communistic propaganda into any picture that I had anything to do with,” he said. Montgomery was applauded—and committee chairman J. Parnell Thomas, R., N. J., warned against further demonstrations —when he replied to a question as to what he thought of Communism. He said: “I gave up my job to fight the totalitarianism called Fascism. I am ready to do it again to fight totalitarianism called Communism.” Montgomery was a navy officer during the war. o Girl Scout Week To Open Here Sunday Decatur Girls Join In Week's Program Sunday will mark the opening of Girl Scout week, when the Girl Scouts of Decatur will join a million and a quarter of their organization throughout the nation to honor the memory of the founder of Girl Scouting, Juliette Gordon Low. According to Mrs. C. I. Finlayson, council chairman. Girl Scout Week this year will be celebrated as the climax of the Girl Scouts 35th anniversary being observed throughout 1947. In Decatur, the Girl Scouts will attend church services at 10 o’clock at the Trinity Evangelical United Brethren church, corner of Ninth and Madison streets. The Catholic Scouts will attend the 9 o’clock mass at St. Mary’s Catholic church. Satunday, November 1, there will be a Scout round-up at HannaNuttman park. The Scouts 'are to meet at 9 o’clock at one of the following places, library, Methodist church, Gay’s filling station and the IGA store on highway 27. A chili dinner will be served and each Scout is asked to bring her own table service. The week features the seven service days with special activities designed to highlight the various phases of Girl'Scout activities and ideals. Sunday is church day; Monday, homemaking day; Tuesday, citizenship day; Wednesday, health and safety day; Thursday, international friendship day; Friday, arts and crafts day; and Saturday, Scout roundup. Girl Scout week has been observed annually for more than two decades, Mrs. Finlayson explained. October 31 is the anniversary of Juliette Low’s birth and Girl Scout week always' encompasses this date. Mrs. Low, a close friend of Lord Robert Baden-Powell who originated the Scouting movement for both boys and girls, organized the first Girl Scout troop in the United States March 18, 1912. She (Turn To Page 3, Column 7)

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday, October 23, 1947

No Change Made In Decatur Tax Levy Several Changes In Other Tax Budgets The state tax board, before closing its session late Wednesday afternoon, approved the Decatur tax levy for 1948 as proposed, but made several changes in other budgets—including a 28-cent slash in the Geneva rate. The Decatur-Root rate stands unchanged at $3.17 per SIOO valuation and Decatur-Washington is $3.19. The Decatur library rate is unchanged at 9 cents, Decatur school at $1.30, Monroe civil at 40 cents, Geneva library at 19, Berne library at 20 and the Washington township rate at sl.Bl. In the Geneva civil rate, the commissioner slashed 25 cents from the general fund, making it $1.15 and 3 cents from the street fund, making it 37 cents. The total rate in Geneva is now below the proposed $5 mark at $4.82. Two residents of Geneva appeared to remonstrate against the proposed levy. They were the only remonstrators to appear during all the budget reviews. Berne Levy Cut The Berne civil levy was reduced to 67 cents, when the street department levy was cut from 16 to 12 cents. The Wabash township levy was cut a total of 4 cents as follows: special school cut 1 cent to 89 cents, tuition cut 2 cents to $1.06 and poor relief 1 cent to 6 cents. The rate now stands at $3.12. The Monroe township rate was cut to $2.92 when the tuition levy was reduced from 66 to 55 cents, a reduction of 11 cents. All other township budgets had been reviewed earlier yesterday and the final ratw published in Wednesday’s issue of the Daily Dmocrat. — 0 Services Friday For Sgt. Teeple Graveside services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at the Catholic cemetery for T/Sgt. Richard Teeple, Decatur's first war dead to be returned from overseas. The Very Rev. Msgr. J. J Seimetz will officiate, and military rites will be conducted by Adams Post 43, American Legion. The casket containing the remains will lie in state at the Zwick funeral home after 7:30 o’clock this evening until time of the services. The body arrived in Decatur by train this afternoon, accompanied by an army escort.

Decatur Community Fund Will Open Annual Drive October 27

(Editor’s note: The Decatur Community Fund, Uic., was organized in 1943 for the specific purpose of combining all drives for funds into one. Since its organization, the Fund has collected and disbursed some $65,000. It is estimated, conservatively, that double this amount would have had to be collected by separate drives to accomplish the same results; in addition, . contributors know their contribution is being used for the intended purpose and not some "vague charity.” This is the fourth of five articles concerning the Fund’s participating units. The fifth will appear tomorrow night.) Boy Scouts “There's a parade on, Mister, sc would you please drive on Third street instead of Second.” Yes, whether its a parade, a school party, bills to be passed—it really doesn’t matter —the Boy Scouts will “handle the deal.” Regardless of what the Community program is, where it is or when, you will find a Scout serving willingly and efficiently. The three Scout troops and the Cub pack already carry 201 active members for the 1947-48 season. During the winter months, most scouts are busy studying for merit badges, working on their own handicraft program, and participating in the many planned that keep them “alert at all times,” mentally and physically. During the summer there are camping trips, nature study and plenty of just plain old “outdoor adventure.” Last season two members attain-

Union Demands Against Liquor Ban Rejected Union Threatens To Take Legal Action Against Committee Washington, Oct. 23.—(UP)— President Truman’s food committee has been advised to reject pleas of three distillers for “hardship” exemptions from the 60-day w-hisky-making holiday, it was learned today. At the same time, the committee itself faced a threat of possible legal action by the distillery, rectifiers and wine workers union (AFL) which is seeding to delay the shutdown. The union wants the committee to call off the 60-day distillery holiday and substitute instead a partial cutback in operations extending over a longer period. It claimed this would save more grain and still not result in unemployment. There was a possibility this problem would be taken to President Truman for a decision. , The recommendation against the hardship claims was made by a special 13-member committee set up to handle any injustices which might result from the pending shutdown of the liquor industry Saturday midnight. An industry source said that if the three distillers decline to go along with the campaign to save an extra 100,00(1,000 bushels of grain for Europe, the distillers who are cooperating will refuse to deal with them. He predicted, however, that they would close down. They wer? the only ones of 39 distillers who said they were unable to cooperate in •the/ food drive. Their identities have not been disclosed. The food committee last night turned down the AFL union’s demand either to call off or postpone the liquor shutdown. Officials said the unions must present a "better /case” to warrant such action and asked it to bring in a new “fact sheet” today. “Plans for a shutdown of the liquor industry at Saturday midnight still stand unless the union can show us a better and fairer way to save grain,” a committee spokesman said. The committee also still faced the problem of- continuing or dropping poultryless Thursdays. SecCCurn Tn Pasre 7, Column ?'

ed the rating of Eagle Scout, the highest possible rank of the scouting world. Other advancements included two Life Scouts, six Star Scouts, 12 to first class and 10 to second class. In addition the boys earned 138 merit badges. We can be proud of our Scout record in their competition with other Scout troops in the area. Their enrollment and achievements at "Big Island,” the Scout summer camp on Sylvan Lake was the highest. In the county camporee they enrolled 57 and six of these patrols passed the tests to qualify as first aid units. Sixteen boys earned their trip to the Northern Michigan camp. The Decatur Community Fund board has awarded the Boy Scouts sl,66ff. It is expected that $250 will be used to cover the major costs of camping trips; $l5O for Cub activities; $2lO for training courses; S9OO for area council fees and jamborees; and $l5O for maintenance of camp grounds and cabins. Decatur Troop 61 is sponsored by the Rotary club, with John McConnell as Scoutmaster and Gray Paddock as assistant. Troop 62 is sponsored by the Lions club, with Lowell Smith as Scoutmaster, assisted by Marion Drum. Troop 63 is sponsored by the American Legion, with Richard Liechtenstelger as Scoutmaster. The Cub pack is sponsored by the ParentTeachers AssociatJfifi. with Bryce Thomas as Cubmaster. The Decatur Community Fund campaign starts October 17. Plan now to subscribe one day’s pay.

Calls Congress To Meet November 17 To Study Aid To Europe Crisis

Hundreds Os Forest Fires Rage In U. S. ** ___ Relief Is Promised For Dry Midwest By United Press Hundreds of forest fires raged in nine states today through timberlands scorched by a contipuing 22-day drouth. Meanwhile, rain clouds promised relief for parched mid-western wheatlands and pastures. More than 150 forest fires in New England have burned 50,000 acres, caused $3,250,000 in damage, taken two lives and left 1,000 homeless. Forestry officials in Wisconsin planned to combat northwoods fires with artificial rain made by dropping dry ice pellets into clouds. In the great plains area, farmers complained that pasture lands and range grasses were drying up and that lack of rain was preventing wheat from germinating. However, the weather bureau promised that a cold front from the north combining with moist air from the gulf would bring rain late today and tomorrow. In New York, where flties were clear, the dry weather brought additional forest fires and a curtailment of hydro-electric power to manufacturing plants. Only fivehundredths of an inch of.moisture has fallen this month. Gov.'Ernest W. Gibson of Vermont appealed to Washington for the use of army steam-powered mobile electric generating plants for the emergency caused in his state by the drying up of Appalachian mountain streams. The Buffalo Niagara Electric Corp, in New York curtailed the use of electricity in 70 large manufacturing plants. Forest fires in New England which yesterday destroyed onequarter of the summer resort city of Kennebunkport threatened today to sweep into the city of East Waterboro, Me. More than 2,000 volunteers worked through the night, setting a mile-long back fire to save the town National guardsmen patrolled the devastated areas to prevent looting. In Washington, J. L. Baldwin, weather bureau crop editor said that the entire nation, from the (Turn To Pase 2. Column 5) 0 Suit Is Filed Here For SIO,OOO Damage Suit Is Aftermath To Auto Accident Darrell Blowers has filed' suit in Adams circuit court against Fred and Roger Gerber and Paul Striker, asking $10,0(70 damages for injuries he allegedly sustained in an auto accident. The complaint, filed by attorney Nathan C. Nelson, avers that Blowers was riding with Striker in the latter’s auto on “old highway 27” south of Decatur on February 7, 1947, when the accident occurred. He charges that Striker was enroute south near the railroad crossing when the Fred Gerber auto, driven by Rober Gerber, approached fom the opposite direction. His suit contends that when the collision became apparent he asked Striker to stop his car, but that the latter refused and failed to do so. It avers the Gerber car was traveling at a rate of 60 miles per hour, and that it struck the Striker auto on the left side. He avers that because of the “wanton and willful misconduct" of the defendants he was hurt, in that his head and face were cut, the latter leavings permanent scar from his chin to his ear, four inches long: that his back and legs were cut and bruised. •

AFL Will Seek Third Round Os Wage Increases Says Unions Must Demand Boosts To Meet Higher Prices Washington, Oct. 23 —(UP) —I 1 The American Federation of Labor said today unions must seek a! third round of postwar increases to meet rising prices. The statement was made in the' AFL monthly economic survey. It! was the first time the AFL has! taken this position, although several CIO leaders have already said that a third round of pay boosts in 1948 would be necessary to meet the high cost of living. The AFL publication said higher prices and the food shortage in Europe must be met “by voluntary! measures.” It opposed revival of price controls, wage freezes and ■ rationing as “abhorrent and un-1 workable.” It also urged industry to explain to workers and the public, what it intends to do with 1947 profits estimated at $17,000,000,00(1. The AFL said that prices this' year “in most cases "have- been raised more than enough to offset wage increases, as shown by the high and rising level of profits." New Labor Measure Boston, Oct. 23. — (UPI— Rep. Fred A. Hartley, Jr.. R.. N. J., coauthor of the Taft-Hartley labor law. said today he Will introduce in the next congress a measure which would make it a federal offense “to interfere with anyone who wants to go to work." Addressing the 32nd annual meeting of the associated industries of Massachusetts, Hartley said: “The Taft-Hartley law attempts to prohibit mass picketing and the use of violence. I want to make it possible for anyone to go to work free from harm to himself or family. When we’re finished we’ll have law and order tn this country.! even from labor leaders.” Hartley said he himself was “rather touchy" on the subject of picketing because he had been picketed while making many speeches. He said that even his New Jersey home had been picketed “by experts.” It said that U. S. Steel Corp had raised prices $5 a ton average in July, 1947, after the coal and ; steel wage increases. The AFL , said that as a result of the price , boost and higher steel shipments, , the company’s wage costs decreased from $46.,’39 a ton in 1946 to | (Turn To Page 2. Column 3) 0 Attempted Assault At Monroe Reported Monroe Lady Fights Off Attacker Today County authorities today were searching for the assailant of a Monroe lady, whose name they declined to reveal pending further investigation. The lady told sheriff Herman Bowman that the man grabbed her from behind as she stepped out the rear door of her home in that village at an early morning hour. She said he attempted to place his hand over her mouth to stifle her screams, but that she bit his finger, forcing him to release her. and that he fled the scene. She exhibited a bruised arm to corroborate her story. Sheriff Bowman nabbed one suspect and held him for questioning. However, the Monroe lady failed to identify him and he was released. The search for her assailant is being continued.

Price Four Cents

Tells Congressional Leaders Session Os Congress To Meet On Giving Europe Aid Washington, Oct. 23 —(UP) — President Truman told congressional leaders today he was calling a special session of congress Nov. 17 on the European aid crisis. The announcement was made by house speaker Joseph W. Martin, Jr., after the leadership met with the President for an hour. Martin told reporters the President was acting on his constitutional authority to call congress back. Martin said the session would be called to take up the domestic price problems as well as foreign aid. He said he did not intend to call committees into session ahead of time. “They will come back in the normal way to consider these questions,” Martin said. President Truman had met for two hours and 35 minutes with his cabinet—-the longest cabinet session he has held since taking office. This conference broke up only two hours before the White House meeting of the President and a ! dozen key members of congress I from both parties. Members of the cabinet unanij inously refused to discuss the ; lengthy meeting with the Presi dent, which was a preview of Mr. Truman's afternoon discussion with congressional leaders. Secretary of labor Lewis R Schwellenbach told newsmen to “draw your own conclusions" when they asked him if the length of session meant that matters of unusual importance were discussed. Mr. Truman presumably told the cabinet —and will tell the legislative leaders — whether enough money can be found to meet the minimum European emergency needs for the rest of the year or whether a special session is necessary to appropriate more relief funds. The cabinet meeting began shortly after 10 a.m. The white house conerence came against a somber backdrop of world events. While American diplomats warned that western Europe was threatened with serious hunger and strife this winter. Moscow served notice that Russia regarded American aid as part of a “predatory' expansionist” and anti-Soviet policy. Congressional quarters saw these alternative courses of action before Mr. Truman: 1. A plea to the congressional foreign relations and spending committees to approve at least $580,000,000 and perhaps as much as $800,000,000 in emergency aid next month, and thus open the way for a special session in December 2. Request informal approval from the leadership for use of dollars now available at the exportimport bank. C ommodity Credit tion Corp., and possib'ily the Reconstruction Finance Corp. Funds from these sources might carry Europe until early spring, when, the administration hopes the longrange Marshall plan will be ready. There were argument® for hoth courses of action, both in congressional circles and among the president's top advisers. — 0 LATE BULLETINS Fairfield. Ilf., Oct. 23 —(UP) —Gunmen firing a machinegun from a black sedan today ambushed and killed Carl Shelton, a leader of the notorious Shelton gang which 20 years ago fought a rival band of bootleggers with army tanks and bombs dropped from an airplane. London, Oct. 23 —(UP) — Economics minister Stanfford Cripps announced tonight that Britain had halted all tobacco purchases in the United States and would cut food and raw materia! imports from dollar countries by $844,000,000 next year.