Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 46, Number 46, Decatur, Adams County, 24 February 1948 — Page 1

01. XLVI. No. 46.

REDS SEIZE CONTROL OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA

[House Extends Rent Control

Voles Month's Extension In Slop-Gap Bill Present Law Ends Sunday Midnight Unless Extended Washington, Feb. 24. — (UP)— [The house today approved a stopIgap bill to continue present rent [controls another month until April IF. Senate leaders expected- to push [the bill through later this week.I Approval was by voice vote. The rent law expires Sunday midnight unless extended by congress. Rep. Jesse Wolcott, R., Mich., said the extension is necessary to permit congress to draft an intelligent rent law. Rent control in some form, he said, should be continued. He said that because of the longstanding argument over rent controls, it is very doubtful whether could okay a longer ex- ' tension by the time the law expires. Wolcott is chairman of the house banking committee. Rep. John E. Rankin, D., Miss., led what little opposition there was to the bill. He said he objected not so much to rent controls as federal administration of the law. If there is to be rent control, he said, the states should handle it. Rep. Howard W. Smith, D., Va„ said doing away with rent controls now would “create a condition of chaos” in many of the nation’s overcrowded cities. Action by the house came as Republicans charged that President Truman’s 10-year housing program is aimed more at mending political fences than providing new homes. Chairman Ralph Gamble, R., N. Y., of the joint congressional housing committee said the message which Mr. Truman sent congress yesterday “looks like old stuff.” “He’s said it all before, but I guess he thinks it will sound good politically now that we’re getting close to convention time,” said Gamble. Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy, R„ Wis., vice chairman of the housing committee, indicated his belief that Mr. Truman was trying to beat Republicans to the punch in order to take credit for the legislation. He said’ several of the provisions in the administration's plan are featured in a bill which he himself announced several days ago. “One section of the president's message,” he said, *i‘s almost identical with 'my bill. That’s the one calling for an increase of $2,000,ff00,000 of insurance authorization. He just pull that figure out of a hat.” Mr. Truman’s program sets a goal of 10,000,000 new dwellings during the next 10 years, including 500,000 low-rent public housing units. It urges federal aid to help cities rebuild their slums and recommends stronger rent controls. Sen. Harry P. Cain, R., Wash., said his bills for a 14-month extension of rent control “fully answers” the president’s appeal. The senate resumed debate of the rent bill today and Cain was hopeful of getting a vote by nightfall. 0 Limestone Company Strike Spreading Bedford, Ind., Feb. 24 — (UP) — Nearly 1,000 stonecutters, stonecarvers, and planermen joined 500 quarry workers today in a strike against 24 limestone companies in the Bedford - Bloomington stone belt. The striking workers, members of the Bloomington • Bedford locals of The Journeymen Stonecutters of America, jteportedly are asking "’age increases ranging up to 57 cents an hour. 0 WEATHER Cloudy*with occasional light rain or drizzle tonight and Wednesday. Slightly warm-) er tonight.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Service Office To Be Closed Thursday The office of Dwight R. Arnold, county service officer, will be closed all day Thursday while he is attending a meeting in Indianapolis. Q _ House Makes New Slash In Truman Budget Republican Economy Leaders Whittle At Fiscal 1949 Budget Washington, Feb. 24 — (UP) — House Republican economy leaders today whittled a little more from President Truman’s fiscal 1949 budget. The house appropriations committee cut $131,042,889 from Mr. Truman's requested $737,601,655 for the army’s civil functions — flood control work, rivers and harbors improvement, the Panama Canal, army cemeteries and lesser activities. The reduction amounted to nearly 18 percent. But it still left the Republicans a long way from their goal of trimming at least $2,500,000,000 from the president’s $39,668,000,000 budget. The Republicans pointed out, however, that the army civil functions bill is only the second money measure of this cession. They said there will be bigger cuts in future bills. In recommending only $606,558,766 for the army’s civil functions beginning next July 1, the commitee cautioned against further new projects in the Panama Canal zone now. Most of the recommended appropriation — $539,100,300 — was earmarked for rivers and harbors improvement and flood control work. The bill also carries $46,178,153 for army cemeteries, sl,804,000 for Alaskan communications and $19,476,313 for the Panama Canal. The committee’s recommendations are subject to house approval. Then the measure goes to the sen(Turn To Page 7. Column 6) o Clinton Pontius Dies At Hospital Geneva Resident Is Taken By Death Clinton Pontius, 91-year-old Geneva resident, died at 5 o'clock Monday evening at the, Adams county memorial hospital. Death was attributed to senility. He wa.s born in Adams county Oct. 30, 1856, a son of George and Emily Shoemaker - Pontius, and was a lifelong resident of the county, retiring from the farm several years ago. His wife, the former Adelaide Shell, died 20 years ago. He was a member of the Geneva Methodist church. Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Edith Deitsch of Decatur and Miss Bess Pontius of Chicago; three sons, Ralph of Muncie, Wehrley of Waba.sh and Harold of Geneva; and one brother, Frank Pontius of Geneva. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the Geneva Methodist church, the Rev. Clayton Steele officiating. Burial will be in the Hartford cemetery, west of Geneva. The body will be removd from the Hardy & Hardy funeral home to the residence Wednesday afternoon. o — Lenten Service At Church Wednesday A Lenten .fellowship service will be held Wednesday at the Bethany Evangelical United Brethren church, the pastor, the Rev. F. H. Willard has announced. A carry-in dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m., followed by a film, “Go Forth,” which will be shown at the service beginning at 7:30 o’clock. The public is invited to attend. I

Flee In Terror In Holy Land Bombing ' HL* HORROR is written on the faces of these Jews, fleeing from the Jewish shopping district of Jerusalem following the bombing which wrecked the area and brought death to more than 50. Some 300 persons were injured in the tremendous blast set off by Arab commandos.

Saturday Deadline To Obtain Plates License Bureau To Be Open Two Nights The Adams county auto license bureau will remain open until 7 o’clock Thursday and Friday nights to accommodate motorists who have not yet purchased their 1948 auto license plates, Harry Essex, branch manager announced today, but on Saturday the branch will close at 4:3ff o’clock in the afternoon. Sunday, February 29, is the last day on which 1947 plates are good and those driving with the old plates starting next Monday will face a penalty, it was announced. Mr. Essex also announced that starting Monday, March 1, the bureau hours will be from 8:30 to 11:150 o’clock each morning and 1 to 5 o’clock each afternoon, with the exception of each Thursday afternoon when the bureau will be closed, along with other local stores. The cooperation of the motoring public was praised by Mr. Essex and he said that about 85 percent of county auto owners already had obtained their 1948 plates. A rush is expected for the balance of the week. S. 0 - Legion To Remove Honor Roll Boards To Preserve Names Listed On Boards Honor roll boards, bearing the names of more than 2.0(H) servicemen and women from Adams county in World War 11, now located in front of the Legion, are to be torn down. The local Adams post 43, of the American Legion, last night approved an executive committee action, directing that the boards be removed. Names on the rolls are to be preserved, however, and added to others secured by Legion officials. Post commander Charles Morgan stated last night that an extensive survey is now underway in an effort to learn the name of every Adams county man and woman who took part in the last war. Various pertinent information concerning each of these is also secured in the survey. All discharges recorded in the county recorder’s office are being transcribed, he said. It was pointed out that the honor roll boards were of wood and constructed in a temporary manner and were rapidly deteriorating. When they are removed, a neon sfgp is to be erected designating Turn To Page 2, Column 7)

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday, February 24, 1948

Teachers Walk Out On Strike In Minneapolis More Than 75,000 Students Are Given Enforced Vacation Minneapolis, Feb. 24 — (UP) — Union teachers struck throughout the city today, giving more than •75,000 students an enforced vacation. Approximately 1,100 teachers stayed away from their classes today to support their demands for higher pay and to force the board of education to abandon its plans to cut the school year by two weeks. The strike originally had been scheduled to start with 8 a. m. classes but was moved up an hour at the last minute before the teachers had appeared at their desks. An additional 1,300 non-union "teachers stayed away from classrooms on advice from the board of education that no attempt would be made to operate the city’s 92 public schools during the strike. Final orders for the walkout were issued last night after Mayor Hubert H. Humphrey failed in an 11th hour mediation attempt. Humphrey said there appeared to be “no spirit of conciliation" on the part of union and board of education officials. The strike began without fanfare. Some teachers arrived at school buildings a few minutes before 7, and as the deadline arrived took up picket-line posts assigned them five days ago when negotiations appeared deadlocked and the stoppage inevitable. Other teachers picketed the (Turn Th Pqerp 7. Column.

(Rev. H. J. Welty, Decatur Missionary Church) “THE UNFORGIVING SPIRIT” Matt. 18: 31-35 The lesson on forgiveness is brought to our attention because of Peter’s question, “How oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?” Peter fe’t there was a limit to forgiveness but Jesus pointed out that we should forgive as oft as one transgresses against us. He explains why we should rid ourselves of the unforgiving spirit. If we expect to be forgiven we must also forgive, for if we forgive not from the heart neither will our Heavenly Father forgive us our trespasses. The things we have done toward Him and need to have forgiveness for are much more in number and far worse than those things our brethren have done against us. If He is so gracious as to pardon us of the great debt we owe and forgive us should we not have compassion upon one who owes us a small debt and forgive? One of the great reasons »why we should rid ourselves of the spirit of unforgiveness is because we too stand in need of forgiveness. If we need forgiveness let's be forgiving and we shall have forpiveness.

Reassessment Need Cited By Speaker Need For Equality In Taxes Outlined Importance of modern and scientific methods which will treat all types of property equitably when the proposed reassessment of Indiana real estate is made in 1949 was stressed by John V. Barnett, assistant research director of the Indiana State Chamber of Commerce. in addressing members of the Decatur Chamber of Commerce Monday night in the court room. Mr. Barnett reported on the action of the 1947 general assembly which directed that the reassessment be made and described the present program as “simply an application of the principle of tax equality.” He pointed out that “equalization in assessments, not increase in valuation, is the announced objective of the present administration and the over-all state valuation should not go beyond its present 4% billion dollars except by the addition of omitted property.” In describing the need for a reassessment, Mr. Barnett reminded his audience that there has not been a state-wide reassessment since 1932. During the time many inequities have developed between counties and among taxing units within counties. It is estimated that the total of real property omitted from tax rolls in the state is over $500,000,000. The speaker explained that the State Chamber, the Indiana Farm Bureau, and a representative of the state board of tax commissioners afe participating in a statewide series of “town hall” meetings in which the reassessment is discussed. Mr. Barnett said that, “the result of the assessment should be equitable adjustment of valuations for taxing purposes in which those Turn To Pale 2. Column 7)

Communists Seize Power Os European Republic Born Os World War I

Wallace Calls For A 'New President' Urges Conference With Josef Stalin Washington, Feb. 24.—(UP) — Henry A. Wallace today called for election of a “new president” who would confer with Josef Stalin on world peace. The third party candidate for president told the house foreign affairs committee that "a* change of faces” is needed in the executive branch of the U. S. government. He did not mention President Truman by name, but clearly called for the defeat of Mr. Truman, with whom he broke last year. Wallace denounced the proposed European recovery program as a “blueprint for war.” He said the average European believes “American imperialism is on the march” and that the recovery plan is just another kind of “intervention.” Alternately smiling and frowning. the former vice president testified in a house caucus room packed with silent spectators. He got only a single handclap when he entered the room. Wallace said he was “not familiar with Communist objectives.” But he thought the American president should get together with Russia’s Stalin to seek out a new approach to peace. Wallace proposed that both European recovery and enforcement of world peace be turned over to the United Nations. He r'ecommendetT that the United Nations spend $50,000,000,000 over a Iff-year period to rehabilitate Europe. This would be “a plan for peace,” he said. But he also urged a policy of U. S. “military preparedness.” “I am in favor of it (preparedness) until we get an understanding to set up a United Nations police force stronger than the military force of any individual (Turn Tn Pas - #* 7. Column 5) Q Benjamin H. Kohne Dies Monday Night Funeral Services Thursday Morning Funeral services will be held Thursday morning for -Benjamin H. Kohne, 68, a native of Decatur, who died Monday night at 8:15 o’clock at his home in Fort Wayne. The services will be held at the St. Paul’s Catholic church in Fort Wayne and burial will be in that city. Mr. Kohne was born in Decatur and had resided in Fort Wayne for the past 14 years. His death followed an illness of two years. He was married Jan. 26, 1910, to Rebecca Meyer, who survives. Other survivors are: three sons, Lawrence, of Decatur, Rupert of Fort Wayne and Elmo of Waynedale; three daughters, Mrs. Vernon Fairchild of Decatur, Mrs. Robert Welsch of Fort Wayne and Mrs. Charles Kerns of Bellevue, O.; a brother, Julius of Decatur; two sisters, Mrs. Peter Hess and Mrs. Fred Baker, both of Decatur, and 10 grandchildren. The body was taken to the Mungovan and Sons funeral home from the residence, 1301 Jackson street in Fort Wayne. o Firemen Called To Decatur Residence Firemen were called to the Eugene Aeschliman residence, 917 Russell street, about 8": 40 o’clock last night when occupants of the home noticed smoke in the residence. No blaze was found, but firemen believed that a temporary electrical short circuit may have been the cause. No damage was reported.

Truman Orders Probe Made Os Steel Boosts Justice Department And Other Agencies To Investigate Hike Aboard Williamsburg in Caribbean, Feb. 24— (UP) —President Truman today ordered the justice department and other government agencies to investigate last week's increase in steel prices. Eben Ayers, presidential press secretary, told newsmen accompanying the president on his Caribbean tour that Mr. Truman is deeply concerned about the average $5 a ton price increase for semi-finished steel products. The price increase was revealed last week. The industry said it was an adjustment made necessary by increased costs. Some government economists believed it would add fuel to labor's demands for a third round of wage increases. Ayers said the president radioed orders to the justice department, to the commerce department and to the president’s council of economic advisers to make the investigation. The council of economic advisers is headed by Dr. Edwin G. Nourse, who said last week he was deeply disturbed by the possible inflationary effects on the nation's economy of a price increase in such a basic industry. (In Washington, the joint congressional economic committee headed by Seh. Robert A. Taft, R., O„ a GOP presidential aspirant. already is planning its own investigation. (The committee decided over the week end to call two or three representatives of the steel industry to testify Thursday on the price increase. It intends to decide after hearing them whether to embark on a full-dress inquiry into the price increase. (Several other senators have indicated their concern at the steel price increase. Sen. Joseph C. O’Mahoney, D., Wyo., last night said the concerted action of big steel, in boosting prices indicates that U. S. steel holds 8 “virtual monopoly" on the indus try. (Sen. Ralph E. Flanders, R.. Vt. said the steel industry must give the public a better break or prices or face the possibility of government supervision as a pub 'ic utility.) oAngeline Shierling Dies Monday Nighs Funeral Services Thursday Afternoon Mrs. Angeline Shierling, 77, of route six. died last night at 11:15 o’clock at her home, following an illness of only one day. Death was attributed to complications. She was born in Jay county Oct. 20, 1870, the daughter of Noal and Hannah Brooks-Shoe-maker, and had resided in Adams county 10 years. Surviving are a son, Jess Thorp of Portland, and a daughter, Mrs. Vada Grass. Portland; six grandchildren and eight great-grand-children. A daughter, two brothers and a sister are deceased. Funeral services will be held Thursday afternoon at 1 o'clock at the Gillig & Doan funeral home, with the Rev. G. A, Eddy officiating, assisted by the Rev. Rose Thorp of Portland. Burial will be at Deerfield. -

Price Four Cents

Seize Control Nine Years After Nation Formed As Republic In Central Europe Prague, Feb. 24— (UP) —The communists seized control of Czechoslovakia today, nine years less three weeks after the Nazis overran the central European republic born of the first world war. A decree of the communist interior ministry converted Czechoslovakia into a police state in fact and in name. The ministry clamped on the entire nation the iron hand of the police force it commands. Communist Minister Vaclav Nosek, striking suddenly after a whirlwind day of consolidating the communist bid for absolute power, stripped all local government organs of their authority. He turned the authority over to communist “action committees.” The former administrators were ordered in a national broadcast to report to the action committees for orders. The ’’iron curtain,” which Czechoslovakia under a coalition cabinet had sought to avoid, looking alike to the west and the east, dropped around the country. Border guards were reinforced summarily. They were alerted to block the flight of any dissenters from the new regime. A wave of arrests by the com-munist-commanded police force swept the country. Opposite parties. groggy from the beating they had taken at the hands of the communists, estimated that more than 200 of their officials were in custody. Quick to press their gains, the communists called a mass meeting in the old town square tonight —a victory rally. Ninety thousand persons jammed the sprawling square of Saint Wenceslaus for the demonstration bugled by the newly created Prague “action committee,” of which counterparts were springing up or already were in the saddle all over th© nation. Long after the rally was scheduled to begin, no speaker had been heard. The promotors of the spontaneous manifestation permitted the throng to generate its own unbounded enthusiasm. Milling through the square, the demonstrators shouted themselves hoarse on such crise as “long live Gottwald” —communist premier Klement Gotwald — and “long live Benes” — President Eduard Benes, who strove to wert the collapse of the coalition which had governed Czechoslovakia under an uneasy truce. The Communist interior minister broadcast on the Prague radio instructions to all national committees which function as mayors councils in Czechoslovak cities. The committees were told to “get in touch at once w’ith the action committee in your city and get your orders from it.” The degree extending Communist authority to every level of administration in the country camo at the end of a day in which a series of drastic actions had fastened the party’s grip firmly on the country. The Communists already had thrown oppositionist ministers out of cabinet posts and dealt telling blows against the various oppositionist parties. Opposition leaders conceded pri(Turn Tn Pasro 7. Column 6) O —— No Decatur Persons Injured In Accident Reports that Decatur people had been seriously hurt in an auto accident at the intersection of the Tilman and Hessen Caesel roads south of Fort Wayne last evening were unfounded, investigation disThe victims, all Fort Wayne anff' Allen county residents, were riding in a car bearing a license plate issued in Adams county — thus causing the belief that they were local people.