Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 45, Number 257, Decatur, Adams County, 31 October 1947 — Page 1

|ial Phase jfHollywood Ibe Closed Kstifies Soviet Bied Purchase Os ■ S . Atom Secrets ! Oct. 31 — (UP) — LW Investigators digging into ■ ' soviet atomic bomb ese "already are at. work on R e P- J - Parnell Thom ’ N J., said today. Kgeut of the house of un■.an activities committee, Thomas heads, testified ■day that Soviet spies tried to buy U. S. atomic as early as Nov)>mber, months before ■L atomic bomb was exp(od- ■ ♦ pry? testimony climaxed and Ipjuded nine days of public on Communism in Hollywhich filmland glam Kmpeted with the committee’s E. for the public’s interest. K V. McNutt, counsel for the K motion picture producers, ®ireted what he called “the ■t termination” of the hear- ■ as “a complete vindication” Kmerican movies. K Thomas said the investiga■had proved there were Com- ■ B ts in Hollywood and that H)nld be resumed “as soon as here or in Los Angeles, ■ill look next, he said, at ■>agaiida in films." Ie committee," Thomas adds by no means through with spionage phase. Our investii already are at work on :eads.” terday's atomic testimony bv ittee investigator Louis J. 11, a former FBI agent, was in advance as a “surprise.” iitt.ee sources said it would that Hollywood Communists ed “in A-bomb espionage." sell did not, however, conthe alleged espionage atUits with any of the Hollywood ■rsonalities who figured in the ■rings. phi- committee said Russell’s Kings were turned over to the FBI more than a year ago. f A faesman said that as far as he few the FBI had done nothing feu- them. The FBI had no comKnt "now.” ♦ sn concluding “the first phase” ■ the Hollywood investigation, Benias said the next would be; ■ equally dangerous phase" ■ling with “Communist propa■da in various motion pictures i the techniques employed.” e committee staff was underad to be working on some 30 ns and scripts. •dies Os War Dead * rrive In Chicago Ihicago, Oct. 31 —(UP)— Lt. • Carrol V. Grinnel, commanding iwr here for the graves relation service, said today that ht mortuary cars carrying lllin- . Indiana, lowa, Michigan and sconsin war dead had arrived lay and that nine more were ex3ed by tonight. fhey were carrying the bodies of I veterans to the Chicago quarterster depot. He said that it would be from two four weeks before al! the bodies >uld be turned over to undertak--8 for burial because of the comrated record procedure involved. — o Is Set For Annual Halloween Parade Here Tonight Jj, 6 E ' losts an< l the goblins old its rtding brooms and black 8 Prance tonight in all their trd g ° ry ~ doesn’t rain too Jomght’s the annual Callithumpi in Decatur, scheduled r from the jail yard at 7:30 d m ° f prizss WIU be award- - it ~ a , lluge crowd is expected doesn't rain, or at least 7“ ‘ rain too much. iVorat,i Weatherrnan isn t any to ° tes a n e ? h,s ?orecas t, which id Min° 8S ‘ billty of 8h °wers. Chief tate’l” toda y issued a second »rk nn o aslting motorists not to an to T S «° nd Street from Jack ' ““lafterSr 0 ” after 6:30 pm ’ ler the event. WEATHER With 8 " 19 cloudine ss tonight west ° WerS south west and light r»iX P d r - HO r’' Saturday ’’’in , ou t h 0P dr '«'« "orth and In temn N ° change ’’Wperatum.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Credit Controls io End Saturday Night No Quick Return To 'Easy Terms' Seen Chicago, Oct. 31—(UP)— Government controls. over consumer credit will end tomorrow night, but a survey showed today that there will be no quick return to the I “easy credit terms” of prewar [years. For the last six years, the government has told merchants how much down payment they must charge customers for a long lisst of articles, from bedsprings to automobiles. The controls went into effect Sept. 1, 1941. Under regulation W. the government for the first time regulated direct consumer credit. Signs that used to read, “small down payment,” almost disappeared from The national scene. Now, with controls expiring, there is no stampede to hang them up again. For one thing, customers generally can afford higher down payments and stiffer terms. For another, merchants are leery of selling high priced goods on easy terms. If a crash came, they would find it hard to collect. But the most compelling reason for sticking to short term installment sales with high down payments is the far that the government controls will he slapped on again if credit runs away and accelerates inflation. President Truman has called a special session of congress, and If he does not ask for renewal of controls, Sen. C. Douglass Buck, R„ Del., says he will do it himself. Spokesmen for bankers, loan companies, automobile dealers and furniture retailers agreed that when the controls go off, they will be on their own, and that they must keep credit fairly tight. Under regulation W. consumers have had to pay 33-% percent down on new automobiles and home appliances, including stoves, refrigerators, deep freeze units, (Turn To Paarc 5. Column 6) o Creedon Resigns As Housing Expediter Washington. Oct. 31 —(UP) — President Truman today accepted the resignation of Frank R. Creedon as housing expediter and appointed Creedon’s deputy, Tighe E. Woods, as acting expediter. Creedon resigned effective today, to take charge of what he told the president would be "a huge construction program in connection with the development of atomic energy” by “a large industrial firm.” o- .... Fort Wayne Youth Dies Os Injuries Los Angeles, Oct. 31 —( UP) — James Leßoy Rupert, 20, Fort Wayne, Ind., died in a hospital today of injuries suffered Monday when a taxi-cab he was driving smashed into a concrete abutment at Monterey park. Police said the taxi had been stolen. 0 Preliminary Report On Community Fund A Report Excellent Response To Drive “The solicitors have been so busy making the rounds they have not had the time to report,” Herman Krueckeberg, treasurer of the Decatur Community Fund, Inc., stated today as he released the first partial report in the current drive for the JU,360 fund to be raised here for the city’s youth programs. So far, Mr. Krueckeberg has one report from the workers. It shows cash donations and payroll pledges totaling $2,888.18, or a little more than one-fourth of the goal. Drive chairman Harold Grant announced that the 60 volunteer workers were making their canvass and that response to the drive was good. Contributions from individuals and business firms are exceeding those of last year, the chairman stated. Several of the solicitors will complete their canvass this week, Mr. Grant stated. In the larger factories, the drive is being conducted along the lines suggested by employes. Some contribute their donation in cash and in other instances, the payroll deduction plan is being used. The workers were urged to complete their canvassing thi» week, so that the drive could be closed within the next few days.

Marshall Faces Dilemma Over Europe's Needs Faces Decision On Saving Europe From Economic Chaos Washington, Oct. 31 — (Ut 5 ) — Secretary of state George C. Marshall faced a familiar dilemma today — how much money to ask of congress to save Europe from economic chaos and to stop the spread of Communism? Marshall’s problem is this: Should he ask congress to appropriate what he and his experts finally decide is necessary to put Europe hack on its feet —a sum sufficient to increase the chances i ,of success of the Marshall plan? | Or should he ask congress for | an amount which, although maybe not as much as is considered necessary, will be approved by congress with minimum opposition? The dilemna is compounded by Marshall’s knowledge that: 1. Most of the 16 participating European countries are known to have “watered” their estimates of needs. One congressman returning from Europe reported that the Dutch foreign minister had frankly admitted the Netherlands figures were “unrealistic” because, he said, estimates of all other countries were inflated. 2. Congress also will suspect the administration of “watering" its estimates in anticipation of congressional cuts,. Sen. Robert A. Taft, R.. 0., in speeches and press conferences this week, stated emphatically that he did not think the amount should be in excess of $4,000,000,000 or $4. 500,000.000 for the first reasonable. It is well known that year and that he thinks the plan tn its present form is totally -m---the administration is thinking in terms of a first year figure between $6,000,000,000 and $7,000,000,000. Marshall has just returned to his desk and the final decisions on the Marshall plan are at the top of his work. His' figure? will ! be presented to the budget bureau ! (Turn To Paso 7. Column 1) • O Second Os War Dead Is Buried Thursday Services Are Held For Milo Stalter The second of Adams county’s war dead was placed in a final resting place Thursday afternoon in military ceremonies predominantly Navy. The hody of Milo Stalter, youthful Decatur sailor who died in the Hawaiian Islands during World War 11, was buried in the Decatur cemetery, after being returned here from a temporary cemetery in Oahu. Limberlost post. Veterans of Foreign Wars, was in charge of the military burial rites and the uniforms of its color guard and rifle squads contrasted sharply with the naval garb of the pallbearers and honorary pallbearers. Dr. M. O. Lester, pastor of the First Methodist church, conducted the religious burial rites. Chaplain Elmer Darwachter and post commander Harold V. DeVor were in charge of the VFW military rites. John Benson, a chief pharmacist’s mate in the U. S. navy —who, incidentally reqiembered the Stalter youth being brought to a hospital while he was on duty in the Hawaiians—served as military escort and accompanied the body here from Great Lakes, 111. Pallbearers, all ex-sallors, attired in their naval uniforms, were: Richard Girod, Marion Freidt, Glen and Harold McDonald, Maurice Teeple and Vernon Johnson. Honorary pallbearers were: Donald Lee, James Daniels and William Fisher. ‘ Sherman Gould served as bugler. Members of the rifle squad and color guard, many naval veterans from the VFW post in honor of the deceased, were: Chester and Joe Martz, Herman Hammond, Jack Allen, Donald Reidenbach. Robert Beery, Charles Chilcote, Lester Essex, Doyle Lee. Harry Martz, Arthur Franz. Kenneth Butcher and Lloyd Reef. Chief Benson presented to Mrs. Doras A. Stalter, the youth’s mother, the flag which had draped bis casket since its arrival here. Turn To Page 2, Column 6)

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Friday, October 31, 1947

Rains Abate Forest Fire Peril

As the rains came to blazing forests near Beverly, Mass., Lee Hughes, a public works employe who had been fighting the fires for 100 hours, dropped to his knees in gratitude. (International)

Junior Red Cross Campaign Planned Speech Pupils To Present Supplies Printed supplies needed to enroll pupils and schools in the Junior Red Cross will be distributed to the 34 schools jn the county next week by members of Deane Dorwin’s speech class, Miss Grace Coffee, chairman of the junior division, announced today. r The students will present the supplies to the teachers and make brief announcements to the pupils relative to the enrollment campaign. which opens November 1 and runs through November 15. The St. Joseph grade and Catholic high schools have already sent in their enrollment for the coming year, Miss Coffee announced. For the past several years every I school in the county has been enI rolled in the Junior Red Cross. I Pupils have been very helpful in preparing gift packages and fulfilling other assignments given them by the Red Cross in the aid of servicemen and veterans. Miss Coffee announced" that the gift box project would be extended this year to all the schools. Already the Berne school accepted an allotment for 30 boxes and the Catholic schools in this city agreed to prepare 50 of the gift packages. Program Announced Os S. S Convention Annual Convention Sunday And Monday The complete program for the aniiuai Adams county Sunday school convention, to be held Sunday and Monday, is as follows: The Sunday afternoon program will be held at the Monroe Methodist church, the Sunday evening service at the First Mennonite church in Berne, and the fellowship banquet and program Monday evening at the Geneva school gymnasium. Sunday 2 p.m. Praise service—Earl Chase. Prayer—Rev. W. L. Hall. Girl’s trio —Rose Merriman, Jane Drew, Marjorie Drew. Address— Rev. A. L. Brown, author and “Sunday school specialist.” Offertory—Miss Helen Haines. Special music. Departmental conferences: children’s workers —Mrs. Olin Krehbiel; young people and adults — Rev. A .L. Brown. Sunday 7:30 p.m. Praise service—Raymen Johnston. , Prayer—Rev. Olin Krehbiel. Children's choir under the direction of Dorothy Baker Owens. Recitation of I Corinthians 13— junior boys and girls. Visual demonstration, “The Good Samaritan”—Mrs. C. H. Wiederkehr. Music —Mennonite men’s chorus. Address —Rev. A. L. Brown. Offertory—Miss Sybilla Sprunger. Music—Mennonite men’s chorus. Closing prayer. Monday 6:15 p.m. Jpastmast^- —E. W. Baumgart(Turn To Page 7, Column 4)

BULLETIN Lake Success, N. Y., Oct. 31.—(UP)—The United States proposed today that the United Nations partition Palestine into two independent states on July 1, 1948 under supervision of a three-man UN commission. q Indianapolis Woman Is Stabbed To Death Motive Sought For Slaying Os Woman Indianapolis, Ind., Oct. 31 — (UP)—A motive was sought today for the slaying of Mrs. Mabel Merrifield, 68, socially-prominent wife of an Indianapolis attorney. Mrs. Merrifield was found stabbed to death in her home yesterday. Coroner Roy B. Storms said the woman's death looked “like homicide.” He said she apparently was stabbed in the throat and beaten as she arranged a bouquet of flowers in her dining room. The back door was smashed and had "been forced open, according to sheriff deputy Virgil Quinn. He said that a change purse “containing about $5” was missing, but doubted that robbery was a motive in the slaying. Quinn said that no weapon was found near the body. Mrs. Merrifield’s body was found by her husband, Hugh D. Merrifield, who returned home after their daughter, Mrs. Ruth Foster, phoned that her mother had not arrived for an expected visit. Mrs. Merrifield was a state club official and belonged to many local church and civic groups. “Her death was due to murder or homicide,” the coroner said. The principal clue was a long, black hair, clenched in Mrs. Merrifield's hand when police arriced at the scene. She was also holding a streetcar fare token and two pennies. The victim’s hair was gray. Investigators believe the single hair might be that of the slayer. Police immediately launched a search for a middle-aged black-hair-ed woman seen leaving the Merrifield home early yesterday afternoon. A neighbor said she was wearing a light-weight dark coat and was hurrying out of the west driveway of the home. Spots believed to be bloody fingerprints were found on the telephone directory and the telephone in the house. The husband, former assistant Indiana attorney general and Indianapolis attorney, said he found the body when he returned home from his office about 4:15 p.m. yesterday. 0 Keep Rent Control In Indiana Areas Washington. Oct. 31 —J UP) — Housing expediter Frank R. Creedon today approved continuation of rent controls in the following Indiana areas: Gary-Hammond. South Bend, and La Porte - Michigan City. 0 BULLETIN Monticello, Ind., Oct. 31— (UP) — Edward C. Burch, Democratic mayoralty candidate, died here today of a heart attack, four days before the municipal election. His death left Republican candidate Lloyd Sentz unop©posed for the election next Tuesday. e •

Central Government For West Germany Favored By U. S., British Heads

aciriiifte C AnliifiAn UIIIICJ UUIIIUJIUII Over City Election Joe Krick Certain Os Election Tuesday Harry Essex, Republican county chairman, received a letter today from Edwin Steers, Sr., member of the state election board, which clarifies the confusion concerning the forthcoming couneilmanic election. Mr. Steers points out that while all the voters of Decatur vote for each councilman, in the actual counting of the votes the candidate from each district who receives the higher number of votes is elected. 1 Therefore, it is not true, as was earlier stated, that the five highest candidates will be elected, regardless of their district. The Democratic councilman, Joseph A. Krick, is certain to be elected as he is unopposed in his district. Mr. Steers enclosed in his let- ' ter an attorney general’s opinion issued March 31, 1947. This opinion states in part: “They (the qouncilimen) are thus either a candidate for the office of councilman from a district or for the office of councilman at large and the candidate o any political party for a district receiving the highest number of votes from the electors of the entire city as a candidate for that district will be elected over the other candidate of the ’’ other political party for that district.” g The opinion continues “ . . . those candidates for councilman at .. large who were not elected as such, cannot be considered as elected, » simply because they have received . more votes than a particular candi- , date for councilman from a partic- , ular district.” Apparently it was assumed that j the votes would be counted as if I there were five councilmen at large , running. This was erroneous, and | , as pointed out in the recent ruling > . each councilman must receive only ■ [ more votes than his political op- , ponent in his own particular district in order to be elected. . Mr. Steers further points out in Turn To Page 2. Column 1) I 0 . Decatur Rotarians Entertain Ladies I I L. M. Busche Speaks On Work In Germany An interesting and instructive • picture of conditions in the Amerl- . ' can zone of Germany was present- ’ ed to Decatur Rotarians and their , wives Thursday night at the club's weekly meeting. L. M. Busche. of Purdue univer- I ’ sity, assistant state leader of county agricultural agents, relat- < ed conditions in that zone in a highly interesting discussion. Mr. Busche. son of Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Busche of Monroe, and a former Adams county agent, was a member of a seven-man committee named by the war department, to study agricultural conditions in the American occupation zone. i The committee spent 66 days in Germany last spring and summer, i The committee’s principal purpose 1 was to teach the best agricultural ' practices to the youth of Germany. I The American zone, Mr. Busche I emphasized, is in the industrialized i area of Germany, and the land is 1 not good crop soil. One-third of the food which is consumed in this i zone is shipped from the United 1 States, the speaker pointed out. 1 The Rotarians and ladies w’ere . also entertained by a brief concert i • by Frederick Sjobiarn, ex-service- 1 man, and noted pianist, who played several numbers, thoroughly en- ] joyed by those present. The con- < cert artist presented a concert earlier in the day at a joint as- i sembly of the students of the public and Catholic high schools. i J. Ward Calland. chairman of the i Rotary club’s interaational service j i committee, pfesided as toastmas-1 i ter. with the Rev. William C. Feller, club president, conducting the i meeting. Corsages of fall flowers were presented to each lady < guest.

Wreckage Os Missing Alaska Plane Sighted Pan-American Plane Sighted, Fate Os 18 Aboard Unknown Ketchikan. Alaska. Oct. 31. — (UP) —The wreckage of a PanAmerican Airways DC-4 transport, missing since Sunday with 18 persons aboard, was sighted today on the north side of Tongass mountain less than seven miles from a landing field near here. The wreckage was about 6% miles east of the Annette island landing field, which is 20'miles southwest of Ketchikan. Pan-American officials said it could not be determined immediately whether any of the 13 passengers and five crewmen had survived. The wreckage was found afier one of the most extensive aerial searches ever conducted in Alaska. The craft was piloted by Capt. A. N. Monsen. veteran PAA airman. Sunday at 1:45 p.in. (PST). it radioed the Annette island landing field that it was bucking galeforce winds and would have to forego an attempted landing at the base. The pilot requested an additional two-hour flight plan to continue on to Juneau because of stormy weather. It was the last message from (Turn To Page 3, Column S) — o Funeral Monday For Governor Os Oregon Salem, Ore.. Oct. 31 —(UP)— A state funeral will be held Monday for Oregon Gov. Carl Snell secretary of the state Robert S. Farrell. Jr. and senate president Marshall E. Cornett, who were killed in an airplane crash Tuesday night in Fremont national forest. The final services were set for 1:30 p.m. (PST) in the Oregon house of representatives after relatives of the three men had been consulted. —a, o Stolen Automobile Recovered Thursday A car. owned by Don Forrest, of a local auto accessories store, was reported stolen last evening from a parked position near the store on South Second street. It was recovered less than a hour after it was reported stolen. Sheriff Herman Bowman located the auto ,on Monroe street near the theater. * o Circuit Court Term To Close Saturday November Term Will Open In Two Weeks Judge Earl B. Adams and Adams circuit court attaches here today were busily engaged in making preparations for the closing of the September term of court. Saturday is the final day of the term and will be followed by a two weeks vacation, before the opening of the November term on November 17. Numerous cases which were not closed during the present term will he carried over for action in the November term. Several entries in estate and guardian.qhip cases were made late Thursday and today by Jodge Adams. The new cases were also placed on the civil docket of the court. In one, Mary E. Farlow’ seeks the appointment of a guardian for William R. Mann as an infirm person, and in the other the same plaintiff asks the appointment of a guardian for Carrie Mann for the | same reason. The grand jury likely will not meet during the next session, since it made the required inspection of the county Institution during a session in January of this year.

Price Four Cents %

Occupation Heads Favor Proposal it London Conference Fails Os Agreement (Editor’s note: —Virgil M. Pinkley, vice president and general European manager of the United Press, learned in a tour of Germany that U. S. and British authorities want to set up a central government for western Germany, if the Russians hold out against complete unification’of the Reich in the foreign ministers’ conference next month. The following dispatch on that subject follows an exclusive interview Pinkley obtained from Gen- Lucius D. Clay, ’ American military governor, on ! Sunday. Clay said the next six months would be vital.)) Frankfurt. Germany, Oct. 31. — (UP)—American and British ocj cupational authorities favor a cen- ( tral political government in the non-Soviet zones of Germany if the conference of foreign ministers in London next month fails to consolidate the Reich as a unit, at least economically. It is generally assumed that the French would agree, because the I drain on France’s economy to support its zone of Germany is growing. And American. British and French occupational authorities have not given up hope that Russia will agree to the unity of Germany and especially in the economic field, because it is costing the Rus- ; sians money to operate their zone separately. I But authorities in the western ! zones feel strongly that if the Rus- , sians stall at the foreign ministers' conference, as they have been ! doing for two-and-a-half years, then . the three non-Soviet zones must operate as a union. American occupational experts recommended such procedure as long ago as last March. British of ficials have adopted a similar »t titude and recommended it to theit government. Two days ago. Gen. Lucius D. Clay, American military governor in Germany, said: “I believe it is essential at an early date to have the greatest possible amalgamation of the occupation zones of Germany in political as well as economic union." This correspondent during the last two weeks has had manytalks with top-ranking French. British and American military and diplomatic representatives in Germany. To a man. they agrerd that the economic unity of Germany. (Turn To Page 7, Column it) Price Ceilings On Sugar End Tonight Declare Nation's Supplies Are Ample Washington. Oct. 31 —(UP) — Price ceilings on sugar die at midnight tonight, but government officials say there is so much sugar on hand now that price boosts by ; grocers would be plain and simple . “gouging.” “There is absolutely no excuse for higher prices on sugar.” said officials in the department of agriculture sugar branch. Sugar price ceilings vary with each community, but under controls the average today is about 10 cents a pound, department statistics showed. The end of sugar controls will also mark the end of an era. They were the first emergency food control to come and the last to go. The basic law which gave secrei tary of agriculture Clinton P. Anderson power both to set ceilings and to ration sugar expires at mid- ■ night. Consumer rationing at the i corner grocery was taken off last i June. Commercial rationing endi ed a month later. The approaching demise of all ■ control has sent some housewives ■ into “panic" buying in some sections. particularly the west. Government officials said such buying is silly: there is lots of sugar. : J. Frank Grimes, president of i the Independent Grocers Alliance, said in Chicago that prices may advance up to five cents a pound He indicated that housewife hoarding would be to blame, and said the advance would be temporary.