Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 46, Number 21, Decatur, Adams County, 26 January 1948 — Page 1

Vol- XLVL No. 21.

G. 0. P. TO CUT TAXES, BUDGET AND DEBT

rench Devalue Bic To Keep lafion Going Premier Schuman Says Devaluation Vital For Nation paJris. Jan. 26. — (UP) —Premier Hfrt Schuman told the national Übly today that devaluation 1 tjje franc was necessary to keep ■■ttion’s factories working and MMBt unemployment. iftftuman, facing a stiff test on s ■evaluation program, opened Mie in the national assembly, hich had to approve the plan store it became law. The government cut the value ' the export-import franc by about it at 214 to the dollar | Bjainst the former 119, and of•red a free money bill to give the |Kican tourist dollar three its former value in francs, ■gwering arguments that Hee should have tried a simple Mis-the-board devaluation, SchuH said that “in this period of Jpustment” any arbitrary value He franc would be “difficult and ■jcial, and would not convince Ene.” said France had the unique Klein of trying to coax hidden Hes from hoarders. Khuman said relations with BriHwould not be impaired by dlfHic*es over the .devaluation and Hee would continue to cooperHwith the international mone- ■ fund. Hhuman said the devaluation ■ necessary to speed up French Huction, much of which had Hed in recent weeks for lack of Hign markets willing to buy at Hold exchange rates. ■The dominant idea of the ■ernment’s policy is stabilizaH of French economy,” he said. Halt Trading Mew York, Jan. 26. —(UP) — Hding in French francs was Hed today pending clarification ■the devaluation move. Home nominal quotations were ■liable on the pound sterling B no transactions were made in bat currency. Three monhs ster|g was quoted at $3.99-% in dol- ■ terms, against $4.00 on Friday Bd $4.00-1,2 last Thursday. ■raders anticipated two or three ■s will be required to straighten ■t the technicalities involved in ■ devaluation procedure. At the ■sent time, tlfey said, they only Bow the official rate announced ■ Paris, and they have no knowlBge of offerings or demand for ■port francs. Safeguard Pound ■London, Jan. 26. —(UP) —Sir kfford Cripps, chancellor of the ■chequer, told commons today frt Britain would take all necesfry measures to safeguard the ■iue of the pound sterling against ■y repercussions from the deval■tion of the French franc. jCrepps addressed commons after ■tending a special session of the ■binet. The meeting was underjood to have been held to map a I 'Turn To Page 3. Column 6) — o lev. Elmer Voekel P Chapel Speaker I The Rev. Elmer E. Voekel, pastor [ the Plymouth Congregational [lurch of Fort Wayne, will be the piapel speaker at the Tuesday light session of the leadership gaining school at the Bethany ['angelical United Brethren Parch. The school, which is sponpred by the Decatur ministerial psociation, will close Thursday light. I The public is invited to attend she chapel service which precedes Pie regular classes of the school Ind anyone interested also is in[ited to any of the four classes held r connection with the event. I Dr. M. O. Lester, pastor of the First Methodist church and dean the school, said that the public *as especially invited to attend the Mdress by Rev. Voekel, which will •tart at 7:30 o’clock. Classes will i°iiow at 8 o'clock. WEATHER Mostly cloudy. Light snow •outh portion late thia afternoon and tonight and near Lake Michigan Tuesday. Continued cold but not quite so c ®ld extreme south tonight.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Heads C. of C. Robert Lane, shoe merchant, will officially assume office as president of the Decatur Chamber of Commerce at the annual dinner meeting of the organization this evening at the Masonic hall. Petit, Grand Jury Members Are Drawn February Term To Open Next Monday Names of members of the grand and petit jury panels for the February term of the Adams circuit court, which opens here next Monday, were drawn today. The drawing was made by jury commissioners Roy Mumma and Ed F. Berling and county clerk ’Edward F. Jaberg, the latter serving in an ex-officio capacity. Names of 24 were drawn for petit jury, 12 of whom will serve; 12 for grand jury, six of whom will serve if the services of the body are required. Names drawn for petit jury duty: Edward Auman, Preble township; Vilas Elzey, Root; Clarkson Landis, French; Clavin Nussbaum, Berne; Ida Nussbaum, Monroe; Anna Lonbenberger, St. Mary’s; Noah Rich, Monroe; Paul Burgess, Geneva; Ransom Brunworth, Jefferson; Pauline Thieme, Union; Walter Hoffman, Preble; Mary Thatcher, St. Mary’s; Anna Troutner, Decatur; William Johnson, St. Mary’s; Alma Bunner, St. MaryA; Orval Bayer, Washington; Albert Erxeleben, Preble; Sherman Zimmerman, Washington; Ralph W. Rice, Root; Herman Wulliman, Monroe; Ralph Egley, Blue Creek; Beatrice Schug, Berne; Katie Becker, Jefferson and Clinton Dubach, Hartford. Names of those drawn for grand jury service:

Lydia Liechty, Hartford; Linda Liechty, Monroe; Samuel Troyer, Jefferson; Christine Macke, Preble; Howard Bluhm, French; Orestus Dickason. Wabash; Harold Schindler, Berne; Thomas Flynn, Hartford; Lillie Stucky, Monroe; Dewey L. Plumley, Unuion; Olive Raudenbush, Root and August Gallmeyer, Preble. Motorist Fined For Passing School Bus Adams County Man Is Fined Saturday Another motorist who violated the state law against passing a school bus. while the latter vehicle was discharging passengers was fined late Saturday. Earl Landis, Monroe, route one, entered a p’ea of guilty to the charge before Monroe township justice of peace and was fined $5 and costs, totalling $18.35. He w’as arrested Saturday by sheriff Herman Bowman on the count, which charged him with passing the bus on U. S. 27, north of Berne. The driver of the school bus secured his license number and signed the affidavit against him, after sheriff Bowman requested the cooperation of the bus drivers in this matter. The sheriff today issued a statement, asking bus drivers to set up their stop sign arms, fastened on the bus, for a Mgsonable distance before coming to a stop. Cars approaching the bus from the front and the rear are required to stop, under the law. Carl Junior McClure, Wren, 0., arrested earlier in the week by (Turn To Page 2, Column 8)

15 Are Killed By Earthquakes In Philippines -— — • Eight Shattering Shocks Reported Worst In 50 Years Manila, Jan. 26— (UP)— The Philippine Islands counted 15 dead and 15 seriously injured today in the wake of eight shattering earthquake shocks which centered on the Panay Island capital of 110 110 and wrecked a four-centuries-old cathedral there. The shocks began shaking the islands at 1:44 a.m. Sunday when a. three-minute tremor toppled buildings and sent the poulace rushing into the streets. The tremors continued at intervals of an hour more or less, ranging in intensity from five to 80 seconds, until 5:52 a.m. The Philippines weather bureau said the earth’s crust suddenly caved in, causing vibrations. The earth’s equillibrium has not been fully restored, the weather bureau said, and further light tremors are possible. 110 110 City, some 300 miles south of Manila, felt the full brunt of the disaster with 17 shocks reported during the day. Thirteen persons were killed in 110 110, another in the province outside the city and one in Asturias, on Negros Island to the south. Most of the deaths were caused by the collapse of war damaged buildings which had been converted into dwellings. Although 15 persons were reported seriously injured, it was believed that many more were hurt but were unable to reach hospitals because of the widespread damage. Many residents on Panay Island were evacuated to the open country, fearing the shocks would continue. Reports to the Philippine constabulary said that 21 persons were killed in 110 110, but this could not be confirmed. The earthquakes toppled the tower of Arevalo church at Jaro on Panay, built in the 16th century. The walls, altar, roof and belfry of Molo Cathedral were shattered. The famous Quadrangle church at Oton, one of the most beautiful in the Philippines, was wrecked. Churches at Alimondian and Pavia were heavily damaged. At Capiz, the home town of president Manuel Roxas, stone blocks from the Catholic church crashed into (Turn To Page 3. Column 8) O Delay Tearing Down Os Catholic Church Move To Auditorium Delayed Until June Moving into the Catholic high school auditorium, where the St. Mary’s church services will be held during the period of razing the old edifice and the building of the new church, will not be done until next June, the Very Rev. Msgr. J. J. Seimetz, pastor, announced at the Sunday masses. An altar will be erected on the stage and several of the statutes from the church will be moved to the auditorium. Chairs will be fastened in rows, but there will not be kneelers in the improvised church. A Communion rail will also be installed. Msgr. Seimetz stated possibly construction on the new church would be begin in 1949. Removal of the old church, which was built in 1873, will begin next summer. A Cincinnati architect has been employed to prepare plans for the English Gothic type building, which will seat at least 750 persons. in addition to a balcony for 100. It was also announced that the St. Mary’s building fund totaled approximately $119,119. with about 3 percent of the $117,000 in pledges already paid. The church has a membership of 457 families and approximately 1820 souls, Msgr. Seimetz stated. The church census was taken last summer and fall. There were 93 baptisms, 37 marriages and 17 funerals in St. Mary's church during 1947, the annual report shows.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Monday, January 26, 1948

• Search Arab For Hidden Arms - ay* '■> ’ A • > * ® • " r '. ft ' wl OF ■ - WWt ill 1 U li 1 til . Ki • M ■Hr . .BJ - x w BECAUSE ARAB SNIPERS have been making their way into Tel Aviv, Palestine, a Haganah sentry, aided by Palestine policemen, looks for contraband in the wares of an itinerent trader. Officers have taken up positions in the No-Man’s-Land between Jewish Tel Aviv and Arab Jaffa and all Arab travelers are searched.

Local Youth Given Term At Van Wert Donald E. Affolder Is Sentenced Today Donald E. Affolder, 22, Decatur, was fined and given a jail sentence at Van Wert, 0., this morning when he pleaded guilty to a charge arising from a fatal auto accident. AMolder was fined $560 andr sentenced to serve five months in the Van Wert county jail, when he agreed through his attorney to plead guilty to a lesser charge of second degrele manslaughter under a misdemeanor penalty. Second degree manslaughter under the felony penalty provides for a sentence of 1-20 years. A first degree manslaughter charge, originaly filed against him, was dismissed upon his agreement to plead guilty to the lesser of the three charges. He was first arrested October 19, 1947, shortly after an auto accident on U. S. 224, 10 miles east of Decatur, and pleaded not guilty. Later, under Ohio law, he was indicted by the grand jury and his sentencing today followed. Robert Richter, 19, Fort Wayne, was killed when he was crushed between two cars as he was attempting to attach a tow line to ,pull his car from the ditch. Ohio officials claimed Affolder’s auto struck the rear of the two cars hooked together, crushing Richter to death. Affolder’s sentence was not suspended. Ed A. Bosse of this city was his attorney. 0 Four Berne Youlhs Injured Saturday High School Player Seriously Injured Four Berne high school youths were injured, one seriously, when their car struck an auto transport at Coppess Corners Saturday night about 11 o’clock, as they were returning to their homes from Decatur. Charles McCrory, 17, Berne high school student and member of the vansity basketball team, is in the Adams county memorial hospital here, suffering from severe head lacerations, chest and back injuries, He is believed recovering. Marjorie Rawley and Cynthia Kirchhofer, also Berne students, were treated at the hospital for shock and bruises and then released. Arthur Muselman, the faurth occupant of the car, escaped with a severe shaking up. McCrory was thrown from the auto when it struck the transport, being operated ’by Raymond Ogden, Coldwater, Mich. The latter was unhurt. The auto, driven by McCrory and owned by C. H. Muselman, Arthur’s father, was badly damaged. McCrory told state policeman Walter Schindler that he was blinded by the lights of the truck, which was preparing to pull back onto the (Turn To Page 2, Column 4)

Hunting Victim Is Taken From Hospital Ronald Dynes, Bryant, accidentally shot while hunting on January 10, last day of the open season on rabbits, was diemissed today from the Adams county memorial hospital, where he had been confined since the time of the shooting. o Stassen To Enter In Ohio Primary Stassen Decision Irks Senator Taft Washington, Jan. 26.—(UP) — Harold E. Stassen was pitted today against Sen. Robert A. Taft in a bruising Ohio test of Republican party policy sentiment and their own personal political sex appeal. Both men are avowed candidates for president. « Stassen jolted Taft yesterday by announcing he would enter Ohio’s May 4 presidential preference primary in opposition to the favorite son senator. The Taft-Stassen battle will give mid-west Ohio a chance to vote for or against free-handed spending to aid Europe. Taft is no free spender. Stassen goes along with the philosophy of the Marshall plan. Stassen’s own plan advanced last year would designate 10 percent of U. S. production of goods and food for the express purpose of building world-wide peace, plenty and freedom. The Ohio primary takes place May 4 under conditions which inevitably will rattle the Republican party windows and bend the rafters. And the primary also could damage Taft’s prospects disastrously if Stassen licked him right there at home. Stassen announced he would enter one delegate-at-targe candidate in Ohio and a scattering of district candidates. The delegate-at-large returns will tell the tale of Stassen and Taft’s relative popularity in Ohio. Stassen said he could not find Taft entered in other state primaries and wanted a showdown with the sanator for whom he said he had high regard and sincere respect. And he said his delegate candidates would make no personal attacks on the senator —just present the issues. “But,” Stassen explained, “the differences between us on both foreign and domestic policy represent the major issues within the Republican party and before the country.” Taft apparently is bristling with surprise and indignation. When he heard of Stassen’s move yester(Turn Tn Pqer#» R. Column R) • 0 Conducts Hearing On Appropriations A representative of the Indiana state board of tax commissioners conducted a hearing here today on additional appropriations of nearly SB,OOO asked by the county. There were no objectors. The appropriations included $2,872 for the county service officer’s office and $5,000 for a new truck and snowplow for the county highway department.

Republicans In Senate Agree To Reduce Taxes, Budget, National Debt

Chicago Mayor Steps Into Teachers' Row Offers To Mediate To Prevent Strike Chicago, Jan. 26. —(UP) —Mayor Martin H. Kennelly offered today to mediate a budget dispute between the Chicago city council and the school board to avert a strike tomorrow by the city’s school teachers for their back pay. Kennelly stepped into the picture as the 1,100 members of one teachers union, the Chicago men teachers’ club, threatened to stage their second “sitdown” strike in classrooms. “If both the city council and the board ask me to sit down with them, I’ll be very glad to try to help them work out a solution,” Kennelly said. He added that he would be happy to appear at a meeting of the council finance committee and school board members this morning. School superintendent Herold C. Hunt and board president Charles J. Whipple said they would ask the finance committee to approve the budget and recommend its adoption by the council. Members of the teacher’s club, plus 8,000 members of the Chicago teachers’ union (AFL) were poised to strike tomorrow unless the city came through with their pay checks immediately. Herschel Scott, president of the teachers’ club, told his members to be at their desks today but not to teach. (Turn To Page 2. Column 4) 0 Clyde C. Hitchcock Dies This Morning Funeral Services To Be Wednesday Clyde C. Hitchcock, 56, resident of Decatur or community practicaly his entire life, died at 2:30 o’clock this morning at the Adams county memorial hospital after an illness of several years of heart trouble and dropsy. He was born in Van Wert county, 0., March 5, 1891, d son of William and Mary E. Miller-Hitch-cock. He was a member of the First Methodist church and the Loyal Order of Moose. Surviving are his wife, Ida; three sons, Clarence of Detroit, Floyd and Eugene, both of Decatur; four daughters, Mrs. Joan Boring. Mrs. Juanita Carpenter and Mrs. Florence R. Huser, all of Decatur, and Miss Doris Hitchcock, at home; one brother, Wesley of Louisiana, and two sisters, Mrs. Margarite Harkless and Mrs. Nellie Sheets, both of Fort Wayne. Two children, one brother and one sister preceded him in death. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p. m. Wednesday at the home. 110 Jefferson street, and at 2 o'clock at the First Methodist church, with Dr. M. O. Lester officiating. Burial will be in Clark’s Chapel cemetery. The body will be removed from the Gillig & Doan funeral home to the residence at 2 p. m. Tuesday. 0 Congressman Thomas In Serious Condition Panama City, Panama, Jan. 26 — (UP) — Rep. J. Parnell Thomas, R„ N. J., was seriously ill with a gastric hemorrhage aboard the steamship Ancon today and a request was made by radio to have an ambulance and blood plasma waiting when the ship docked at Cristobal in the canal zone. Thomas, chairman of the unAmerican activities committee, was stricken while en route to the Panama canal zone to investigate 'Communist activities.

Continued Cold Forecast For Most Os U. S. I ““ New Cold Front Is Reported Pushing Down From Canada By United Press A new cold front pushing down from Canada brought with it today the prospect of continued cold weather for most of the nation east of the Rocky Mountains. The fresh mass of frigid air sweeping down across the northern plains was the fifth in 12 days. It brought a new threat to the nation’s dwindling fuel oil stocks, and further discomfort to hundreds of communities where the oil had all but run out. U. S. weather forecasters at Chicago said most of the nation east of the Rockies was due for another week of “sub-normal” temperatures. They said the new cold -front would moderate slightly as it moves southward and eastward later this week, but not enough to bring any relief. The coldest spot in the nation today was Watertown, S. D., with a temperature of 27 degrees be’low zero. New York City reported 16 above. Boston one above, Albany, N. Y„ six below, Washington, D. C. seven above, Raleigh, N. C., llj above, and Jacksonville, Fla., 36 above. Columbus, O„ reported six below and Huntington, W. Va„ one below. Temperatures along the Gulf of Mexico were slightly higher this morning but still below normal. It was 35 alv>v e a t Mobile, Ala., 38 at New Gi leans, and 36 at Houston, Texas. The number of deaths attributed directly or indirectly to the weather during the last two weeks rose to 156 today. The total included 107 dead from fires, mostly from overheated stoves; 22 dead from freezing, and 27 from miscellaneous causes. Two skiers were reported dead today in Colorado. At Detroit, 200,000 workers in automobile plants and other industries were laid off because a (Turn To Pace 2. Column 8) 0 Speech Contest Is Planned By Legion Preliminary Plans Announced Today Preliminary plans for the annual American Legion speech contest, to be started here soon, were announced today by Edward Jaberg, Adams county chairman. The event is sponsored locally by Adams post 43, American Legion. Mr. Jaberg stated today that under the contest rules, winners in each of the various participating schools in the county must be determined and certified with the state Legion department by February 3. Students of all schools in the county are eligible to participate. Winners in the various school contests will take part in the county-wide event, to be .open to the public at a date and place to be announced later, Mr. Jaberg said. The winner of this will have the opportunity of going to district, zone, -late and even national competition. The local Legion post offers S3O, S2O, $lO and $5 for winners of the first four prizes in the county contest, Last year Miss Karlann Striker, a junior at Decatur junior-senior high school, won her school event, then the county, district and zone contests and placed second in the state event.

Price Four Cents

Krug Asks Congress Get Nation Started On Synthetic Fuel Industry Program Washington, Jan. 26 —(UP) Senate Republicans agreed today to reduce income taxes, the budget and the national debt this year. The national debt would be cut by at least $2,600,000,000 this year, the senators agreed, but they declined to commit themselves now to the house Republican plan to cut income taxes by about $6,000,000,000. The more conservative senators decided that the amount of the income tax cut will depend on the ceiling placed on spending in President Truman’s fiscal 1949 budget and the surplus. The tax plans of the GOP-con-trolled congress made most of the news on Capitol Hill today. Chairman Harold Knutson, R., Mich., of the house ways and means committee said his bill to slash taxes about $6,000,000,000 will be approved formally by the group tomorrow. Debate is scheduled to begin Thursday and house passage is expected Monday. Both houses were in session. The senate met at noon to consider the St. Lawrence seaway proposal while the house considered minor bills. There were these other developments: Rents —Housing expediter Tighe E. Woods said he had comp’aints that some landlords are working a new dodge to get their apartments freed form rent control Woods told a senate banking sub committee the complainants saj the landlords are turning ii\ “phony leases on apartments where there are no tenants at all.” Woods asked the senators to extend rent control beyond the Feb. 29 expiration date. Marshall Plan — Proponents 01 the European recovery plan outnumbered opponents at senate hearings. Four out of five witnesses who went before the senate foreign relations committee were in favor of it, with some changes. The only opponent was Arthur Schutzer of the American lebor party’s New York committee. Foreign Relief—Sen. Arthur H. Vandenberg, R.. Mich., has asked the state department to look into charges of inefficient handling of .American relief supplies. The complaints were made by C. Wilson Harder, president of the National Federation of Small Business. Nomination, —President Truman sent to the senate his formal nomination of Gen. Omar N. Bradley to become army chief of staff. Synthetic Fuels —Interior secretary J. A. Krug urged congress to get the country started on a synthetic fuel industry development program to save dwindling oil resources. He said the program is necessary to the nation's military and economic future. Gray Market —House investigators of the gray market w r ere told that one monufacturer couldn’t operate without it. But he doesn’t like it. Arthur S. Lowell, a New York attorney, said his client, Philip J. Kurens, president of the Hillside Metal Products, Inc., Richmond, Hill, N. Y., operates “from hand to mouth” in getting steel. Whisky — The house banking committee isn't going to consider any curbs on whisky making after Feb. 29 unless the joint congressional economic committee (Turn rfo Page 3, Column 4) o— Eight Are Killed In French Plane Crash Paris, Jan. 26 — (UP) — A fourmotored Air France transport with a test crew aboard crashed Into a woodwork factory in suburban Romalnville late today, killing eight persons. Rescue workers took eight bodies from the wreckage eoon after the big transport of the governmentoperated air line crashed.