Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 45, Number 272, Decatur, Adams County, 18 November 1947 — Page 1

[ No. 272

RYS SOVIET RUSSIA PREPARING FOR WAR

Headers On |||n Plans wmp Truman's JBWa For Wage Ceiling Nov. 18—(UP)— tongressiouai sll!it today against emergency ret; eeilingu and scare* 1 food and cloth[J^^^Kartiv dim with ■^oiiti 1 - in dis anti-infla-E EmessaI’*' 1 ’*' to congress. K K*rt A. Taft. R, 0., comOOP opposition. In a Sfaddress last night he said controls would choke and paralyze private He accused the resorting to police Under the Truman »e would have none or swpais for European aid, B t|nd at the crossroads toa free America and economy,'' Taft said, •iHgijg Mr. Truman with trying his PEatming program. E-Bfc «an s price controls against Taft continued. llHp «n:rols against the workman. rationing against the Hewife and the restaurant, of control over the K ee9 m:: This is OPA. This '■■Bepoli e state condemned by ■president himself only a month Klhis s the .-nd to economic iy, ’ phoosed to substitute for Kffnnnr anti inflation plan the ■■ government expenditaxes. ■ Limit exports. ■ jlubsimiiiali.'. reduce Marshall K jppr* inflations for European ■■Ktrol expansion of private Keipoi ■ and private credit con- ® Taft and Mr. Truman do not Kt far apart but on all other Kts the- hit head-on. CongresKal Republicans substantially -Rd up .with Taft although some Batman senators have been playidea of rationing withBother tntrols. Thus the presiKial campaign battle of 1948 ■ beg: on the cost of living Sr. Buman found little or no business spokesmen -■irtgL'i -inflation program. The jMfc J3baini»-r of Commerce said OUHe more production was the Mfto European aid and high home "ami we won't get ■» pijfluction if we tie our own Bps Bith a renewal of governHpt controls." The National Asof Manufacturers voiced gM Pa S« 2. Column 7) o ■■■Meeting Here MBday Evening Btfei of both the Rotary and •usd 1 :!) of this city, asked that of the two organizations attend the joint meeting ■Wsday night with the Chamber Wathen e. are asked to check K R 1 * 1 !lsl:a ‘ '■tanner with their secretaries. Unless this ■g* o**” 0 **” lie two (■lobs will order the of meals. BVB>int meeting will lie held at .BL 'T p - home Thursday night ■PI o'clock. |m§Efp o—■Ber Os Former ■p 8 ' Pastor Dies »■ ,la '> ljee " rece ’ ve d h er e of Sunday of Mrs. Druzilla KuR llam unc * e - Mrs. Gramother of the Rev. Graham, a former pastor Methodist church. ■ IT’ may . call at the Meeks BL J *y Onie ln Muncie until 11 « ednesday morning, when K * UI be tak en to the BoxB eg ist church. Funeral serK,. 1 be conducted at 2:30 |B o— St weather otca - ona « n 9 ht Bnow extreme east portion ■Wh\ ft and Wednesday, mixed iS e s ?' Bliflht ™in in ex-gEw-XZ' th ”"'

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

BULLETIN New Castle, Del., Nov. 18—(UP) —A Trans World Airlines Constellation plane crashed in flames at New Castle airport shortly alter 1 p. m. today. Ray M. Dunn, chief engineer at the base, said that live of the seven crewmen aboard were killed instantly. —o(— ( Negro Admits Killing Woman At Indianapolis City Truck Driver Confesses Shotgun Slaying At Capital Indianapolis, Nov. 18 —(UP) — A negro truck driver who admitted that he used a city-owned truck to roam the streets in search of lone women whom he raped, today confessed the shotgun murder of Mrs. Mary Lois Burney, 39. Robert A. Watts, 25, confessed early today to slaying the attractice Mrs. Burney as they grappled over the possession of her husband’s shotgun in the woman’s bedroom. Watts said he chased Mrs. Burney “all over the house” before she escaped to the bedroom, where she got her husband’s Winchester pump gun. “She was the fightenest woman I eveir seen,” Watts said. The driver of the Indianapolis street department truck said he gained entrance to tTie pretentious suburban Burney cottage on the pretense of wanting to use the telephone. The shotgun which Watts said was used in the slaying was recovered as police attempted to link the man with the recent murder of at least one other Indianapolis woman. State police superintendent Robert Rossow said Watts’ confession was made to detective Sgt. Robert Shields and Marion county deputy sheriff Robert Reasner at state police headquarters shortly before dawn, ending a continuous search for the killer of Mrs. Burney that started when her husband found her body at the Burney home last Wednesday. Police continued to question the city employe concerning the Halloween eve slaying of Mrs. Mabel Merrifield. 68-year-old prominent club woman, on the opposite side of Indianapolis, (Turn Tn Pasr<> ». Column fit — O —— —— Mrs. Siegrist Dies Early This Morning Funeral Services Thursday Morning Mrs. Stephen Siegrist, 79, of 726 N. Third street, died at 2:15 o’clock this morning at the Adams county memorial hospital, of qomplications following a hip fracture three weeks ago. Mrs. Siegrist was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Omlor. She was born in this county, August 13, 1868, and was the last surviving member of the family. She is survived by her husband, Stephen Siegrist, a retired farmer. One brother and one sister are deceased. Funeral services will be held Thursday morning at 9 o’clock at St. Mary’s Catholic church. The Rev. Urban Siegrist, a nephew, will be celebrant of the requiem mass. Mrs. Siegrist was a member of the St. Mary’s society and the Third Order of St. Francis. The body will be moved from the Gillig and Doan funeral home to the Lawrence Beckmeyer home, north of the city, and friends may call there after 11:30 o’clock Wednesday morning. Members of St. Mary’s society wiU recite the rosary at the Beckmeyer home Wednesday evening at Mr. Beckmeyer is a ffephew of the deceased.

Historical Special Session Hears Truman’s Plea K® Hil j||g IE I lEi » i Sb Sp £ sn.w- a -.I Bhi ' H i |g|| r » *• B

SPECIAL SESSION of the 80th Congress hears President Truman ask for unprecedented peacetime power to control inflation and furnish interim aid to western Europe. Seated behind the chief executive are Senator Arthur Vandenberg (left), Senate president pro tern, and Rep. Joseph W. Martin, House speaker. •

Explain Stand On Service Officer Decatur C. Os C. Gives Statement The Decatur Chamber of Commerce in its latest “Newsletter,” mailed to members today, explained its opposition to the reinstatement of the county service officer. R. W. Pruden, executive secretary of the Chamber, as a representative of the tax committee of the organization, recently appeared before the county council to protest the reinstatement of the. office, which was to have been discontinued January 1. The council, however, voted to reinstate the office after hearing the Chamber protests and appeals for its reinstatement by delegations from the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Loyal Order of Moose. The Chamber Newsletter states that: Considerable discussion has arisen over the Chamber’s opposition to the reinstatement of the service officer. The reason for our stand was the protection of our members from increased taxes. The veterans administration notified our office that they were discontinuing their service to Decatur because of the small number of veterans who desired the service. Further, the state taxpayers association informed us that 18 counties never had a service officer and 13 more were discontinuing this service as of December 31. In addition, the city of South Bend, which has more veterans than our entire county, has discontinued its service officer. In the face of these facts, we could (Turn To Page 2. Column 5) qZ No One Injured As Two Autos Collide Autos Involved In Wreck Monday Night No one was hurt at 10:10 p.m. Monday when cars driven by Mrs. A. R. Ashbaucher, 58, 626 North Third street, and Richard Swygart, 19. 722 Line street, collided at Jackson and Second streets, police chief Ed Miller reported today. The accident was investigated by officer Robert Hill, who said that the crash occurred as Mrs. Ashbaucher was making a left turn off Second street. Damage was estimated at $125. Mrs. Homer Lower and Mrs. Clyde Harris, occupants of the Ashbaucher car, and Edith Clark, riding with Swygart, all of Decatur, were unhurt, as were the drivers. The car operated by Swygart is owned by Clarence Uhrick. Another wreck one half-mile east ( ft Preble on V. S. 224 was reported (Turn To Page 2, Column 5)

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday, November 18, 1947

w Former Local Pastor Suffers Light Stroke The Rev. Paul Schultz, former Decatur pastor, now living in Glendale, Caiif., is reported recovering from a light stroke of paralysis, suffered several days ago. The former pastor of the Zion Lutheran church, now serving as Valparaiso . university representative in Cal- * ifornia, is confined to his home, ac- . cording to reports received here. ! VFW Disfricf Head f ' Speaks Here Monday Lists Activities ( Planned For Year s Fourth district commander Ed - Drew. Fort Wayne, spoke last night - to members of Limberlost post 6236, Veterans of Foreign Wars, s in the regular meeting at the post home. Commander Drew outlined ini dividual, district, state and nation- > al VFW activities and program 1 planned by the organization during ! the coming year, in his address, s [ Fourth district senior vice-com-i mander Ta'rry Martz, Decatur, rer ported on the district convention ‘ at Albion. • I In addition to Mr. Martz, the ’ local post was represented by 3 Donald Reidenbach, Earl Shoaf, ' Lester Essex, Edward Voglewede, ' Herman Hammond, and Charles ’ Chilcote as delegates. Those attending the district ' auxiliary meeting as delegates I Turn Tn Paern 2. Column'

1 Cat Stranded On Utility Pole In Maze Os High Tension Lines

“Here is my problem, Mr. Anthony" — my problem and that of a hundred or more persons, including the Sisters of St. Agnes, students of the Decatur Catholic school, a group of neighbors, the city light crew, and now the Decatur fire department: Perched high up on a 45-feet ■ utility pole amid a maze of high ■ tension lines, most of them carry--1 ing 2,300 volts of electricity, is > somebody's pet — an ordinary -siz- ■ ed tiger - striped cat. ■ Tabby’s been up there — at least —since before 6 o’clock Monday ’ morning. He was “meowing” for a '■ rescue when the Sisters went to • church at that hour, so they reasoned he must have been there for ■ some time previous. The Sisters and the students be- • came interested in the plight of the ■ tabby on that pole, located be- ■ tween the Sisters’ home and the > school building — but they were - powerless to help. • That was yesterday — and Tabby merely moved from one side • of the pole to the other. Then toI day someone thought of appealing to linemen of the city light depart-

State Halts Issue Os Liquor Permits Retail Stores Near 'Saturation Point' Indianapolis, Nov. 18—(UP) — The Indiana alcoholic beverage commission announced today it would accept no more license applications from by-the-drink liquor and beer dispensers, package liquor dealers and non-fraternal clubs for a period of six months beginning Thursday. The action was taken, according to Dr. Burrell E. Diefendorf, ABC chairman, because the commission felt that issuance of retail permits had “about reached the saturation point.” He said the retail beverage business in Indiana was “in a bad cofhpetitive condition.” The ABC made the announcement in a two-page prepared release. It said the ABC was "freezing issuance of various types of new retail licenses for six months in the public interest and as a step to stablize the industry.” No applications will be accepted after Wednesday, Nov. 19, for permits for clubs —except fraternal; all by-the-drink outlets, and liquor dealers, the announcement said. Exceptions from the moratorium are persons who wish to apply for permits to sell beer by the bottle, unopened on the permit holder's premises. now pending before the commission “will be processed Turn To Page 2. Column 6)

ment crew. Perhaps the 45-foot height didn’t bother them — but the thought of wending their way through that maze of high-tension feeder lines and then "fighting” a thoroughly frightened cat, while hanging on only with those "spurs", wasn’t exactly relished by any one. Late this afternoon, one or two more experienced and daring of the crew were toying with the thought of becoming a hero to all those ; kids and the Sisters — but it was still just a thought. The school kids, not to be outdone, also put in a plea to the fire department about noon today, “couldn't the firemen reach the cat with an extension ladder and keep aw’ay from those charged lines”? they asked. No decision had been announced from that source at.a late hour, either. A neighbor had suggestion: shoot the cat, rather than risk the life of a would-be rescuer. But that didn't meet with much approval. Now, late this afternoon as this is written, Tabby is still curled up on the cross-arm of that pole —j.ust meowing.

Rep. Everett M. Dirksen Tells House United States Dare Not Abandon Europe

Two Young Hoodlums Admit Rape-Slaying Young Ex-Convicts Held In Wisconsin Neillsville, Wis., Nov. 18 — (UP) — Two young hoodlums admitted to police today that they killed a man and raped his sister-in-law “for just about no reason at all.” The youths, both ex-convicts, were Buford Sennett, 22, and Robert Winslow. 23. They were held in the Clark county jail here today. Officials said they would be returned to Madison, Wis., where their crimes originated, to be served formally with murder and rape warrants. State Prosecutors were expected to demand life imprisonment for the pair. Wisconsin has no capital punishment. The men surrendered meekly yesterday at a farm where they had i stayed for 11 hours while police closed in upon them cautiously in anticipation of a deadly gun battle. As it was, the men gave themselves up without resisting as soon as authorities told them over a loudspeaker that they would be “burnt” unless they came out with their hands up. Sennett and Winslow had been sought since Saturday when Janet Ann Rosenblatt, 19- year-old University of Michigan student from Cleveland, 0., told police that the men bad shot and killed her broth-er-in-law, Carl L. Carlson, 25, and then raped her several times. Yesterday the two men sought refuge at the farm of Winslow’s brother-in-law, George Schultz, near Colby, Wis. Schultz refused to take them in and then notified authorities as soon as they had driven away. Authorities questioned Schultz and learned that Winslow was acquainted at the farm of Peter Pomputis, 66. near Longwood. Wis. The! officers built up an elaborate cordon of roadblocks around the Pomputis farm. The fugitives, meanwhile, drove to the Pomputis farm, arriving there at 5 a.m. as Pomputis’ two sons, Anthony, 23, and Alfred 21, were milking the cows. (Turn To Paffp ft. Column 7) o Five Army Airmen Die In Air Crash Army Plane Crashes Into Mountain Top Havana, Ark., Nov. 18 — (UP) — Authorities climbed high on Mt Magazine near here today to re-; move the bodies of five army air- : men who were killed when their | B-25, enroute from Chicago to its ■ base at Barksdale Field, La., crash- ■ ed into the mountain top and burn- ■ ed last night. Searchers who went to the scene ■ of the crash said they found five i bodies and reported that a sixth | passenger might have been aboard the plane. Driving sleet and a heavy fog — probably the cause of the crash — made it impossible to bring the bodies down the mountain or to resume the search until daylight. Logan county sheriff Earl Ladd, i who headed a search party, said the plane was “pretty badly burn-1 ed up” and that two of the five bodies were badly burned. The other three were identifiable, he said. Ladd reported that a copy <4 travel orders was found near the plane, bearing six names, but no trace of a sixth body had yet been found. I Searchers declined to reveal the names on the orders, in accord with army practice, and at Barksdale field army authorities withheld identification of the dead pending notification of next of kin® They said the ■bomber had taken off Srom Orqhard Place airport, an army field near Chicago, on a routine training flight.

Resume Probe Os General's Aviation Firm ' I I Wartime Firm Paid i Redecorating Bill; * $2,000 Each Month * t i Washington, Nov. 18 —(UP)- — i Senate investigators were told i today that a wartime subcontract- < ing firm promoted secretly by retired Maj. Gen. Bennett E. Mey- < ers footed a SIO,OOO bill for re- t decorating his swank Washington s apartment and paid him $2,000 a s month. 1 B. H. Lamarre, president of the Aviation Electric Corp., Vandalia, I i 0.. said the redecorating jo*b was 1 charged off first as a sales ex- t pense of the firm, which Meyers t secretly “owned” and promoted s as a subcontractor of airplane i equipment. 1 After accountants questioned the charge, Lamarre said, it was listed as part of his (Lamarre’s) “book” salary of $31,000 in 1941. ■ Lamarre testified yesterday that he made out an income tax return showing a $31,000 salary, but that he actually made only about $3,000 a year as president of the firm and that the rest i went to Meyers. » Meyers was a key procurement * officer in the army air forces during the war. 1 Lamarre also testified that the $2,000 a month he said was paid < to Meyers in 1941 never showed I on the firm's books as such. In- I stead, he said, half of it was list- 1 ed as Lamarre’s salary and the < other half as entertainment and ! ! travel expenses. 1 Besides the $2,000 a month, La- I marre said that in 1941 the firm . paid off its total indebtedness to ’ Meyers of $39,482. which included < $1,172 interest. 1 His tes‘imony about the expen- ‘ sive redecorating job was sub- ] stantiated by Miss Nita Davis, now a San Francisco decorator. She said Meyers requested the < expensive redecorating job be- i cause “important people would i ' be visiting the apartment and he i wanted it nice.” * Miss Davis said the bill was addressed to Meyers and the checks in payment — usually delivered personally by Meyers — came ] front Aviation Electric Corp. Lamarre and Miss Davis testi- i ■ ■■■ 1 I" ■ - ' I--.-.-. ( (Turn To PaK* 3. Column 8) 1 o _ Paul Barrel! Named Local C. C. Speaker Personnel Director Is Annual Speaker t Chamber of Commerce officials , today announced that Paul V. Bar- , rett. personnel director of the Ohio Oil company, will be the principal speaker at the annual meeting of the organization. The date of the meeting has been previously announced as January 26. Further details, including the dinner meeting site and the balance of the program, will be announced later. The quarterly meeting of the Chamber of Commerce will be held Thursday evening at 6:30 o’clock at the Knights of Pythias home in i a joint session with the Rotary and Lions club members. C. I. Finlayson has planned a panel discussion and Arth*ur R. Holthouse will act as moderator. The Chamber is also completing preparations for the election of six new directors on December 3. Ballots will be mailed to all members. Nominees for the positions were ' announcedjxpreviously.

Price Four Cents

Illinois Solon Says Czechoslovakia To Fall Under Russian Domination Shortly Washington. Nov. 18 —(UP) — Rep. Everett M. Dirksen. R , 111., told the house today Russia is “feverishly preparing” for war. He said we dare not abandon Europe to Russian communism because that would imperil western civilization. He predicted that Czechoslovakia would fall under complete communist domination within four months. Germany, he said, is the key to Europe and must not be abandoned lest Russia communize the entire continent. Dirksen reported to the house on his 22-country tour of Europe this summer as chairman of a special joint congressional armed services - appropriations committee. He also went before the house foreign affairs committee, where he told much of his story and urged quick action on emergency aid to Europe. The committee is speeding work on President Truman’s request for $597,000,000 in stop-gap aid. Dirksen said the “cold war” between the United States and Russia is “not very cold” and easily could lead to shooting in Germany unless we bolster that country against the spread of communism Congress generally appeared sympathetic to Mr. Truman’s plea for quick stop-gap aid. although Republican leaders indicated the long-range Marshall plan was headed for trouble if it meant “another OPA” at home. Dirksen outlined for members of the house committee his experiences on a trip through 2’ European countries this summer He p'eaded for speedy action on emergency aid. He was also scheduled to make a report on his trip to the entire house later today. “We have gotten to the point where the days of soft talk are over and we are playing for keeps.” he told tile committee. “We must act or be prepared to have the Kremlin take over” in Europe. The “cold war” is “not very cold.” he said and all of Europe is threatened by the Shadow of the Krpmlin—“a shadow which is aimed directly toward the western hemisphere." Dirksen said Czechoslovakia is under the communist “squeeze” —a squeeze which is intended to bring all Europe under control. He described that nation and Austria as prime objectives of the Soviet offensive. At present the Czechs have a coalition government which includes communists in key posts. The prime minister is a communist, as is the minister of interior, who controls the state police. Communist pressure in Czechoslovakia has increased in recent In Austria. Dirksen said, “all of our military telephones are tapped today.” He described the difficulties of Lt. Gen. Lucius Clay, military commander of the U. S. sec*or in Germany. “Gen. Clay is insulted every day, both orally and in writing, by Gen. Sokolovsky, his Russian counterpart?' Dirksen said. He accused the Russians of having established brutal techniques to obtain confessions for trials of their opponents in countries behind the iron curtain. Beating a man, he said, has been abandoned because “someone might take a picture and it will be known.” “They have developed a technique of ice water enemas.” he said. “Ask vour familv doctor what that means. It will make von foreswear your God. vour kin? and vonr country before thev are through.” There is less freedom in Europe today than there was on Turn To Page 2, Column 7)