Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 46, Number 53, Decatur, Adams County, 3 March 1948 — Page 1

XLVL No. 53.

MEAT PACKERS SET MARCH 16 STRIKE DATE

More Military |d Urged For Greece, Turkey Urge Bolstering ■Of Resistance To ■Communist Forces Byashington, March 3 — (UP)— Tgp administration spokesmen (dd congress today that Greece and must have more U. S. help Hfremain free. ■secretary of state George C. MarKn and defense secretary James urged an additional $275 Kiion military appropriation to Sister Greek-Turkish insistence to told the house foreign ■airs committee that the ComiSnists are intensifying pressure He said the SIOO million ■rth of military supplies voted ■rkey last year will not be enough. jjßreece. too, needs more than the ■)i) million in economic and military assistance already provided if gjp is to beat back guerrilla forces ■w plaguing that country, MarKdl said. ■'orrestal told the committee that “*e alone have it wjthin our power td help them (Greece and Tukey) ■eserve their freedom.” ■ts the senate debated European ■1 and the house discussed approp■tions, congressional develop■nts included: ■ERP — A number of Republicans supported a plan by Sen. Joseph H. ■ll. R., Minn., to set up a. vetoroof “supreme council” outside the ■nited Nations with power to use ■ree against “aggression and subSrsion" in western Europe. ■communism — The house will be Msked soon to vote an additional ■OO.OOO to finance unAmerican Activities committee investigations of Communism and disloyalty for the rest of the year. The sum has Been approved by the admintetra■on committee, which controls Bouse purse strings. ■ Women — A house armed services subcommittee approved a bill to ■take Wacs, Waves, and women marines permanent parts of the Brmed services. ■ “Poor bargains” — Chairman ■harles W. Tobey, R., N. H., said ■he senate ought to do some studying before it confirms Thomas B. BlcCabe’s nomination to the federal ■eserve board. Tobey said McCabe, Is foreign liquidation commissioner, inade “very poor bargains.” I Denial — Herbert K. Sorrell, leader of one of the union groups in Bollywood’s AFL jurisdictional feirike. told a house labor subcommittee he was not and never had keen a Communist. There have Keen chargee that the jurisdictional strike influenced. Sorrell said these ■barges were “cooked up” to cover I’P a “deal” between studios and iTurn To Pasre fi. Column 4) « 0 Income Tax Worries Cause Man's Suicide Hardin, 111., March 3 —(UP) — [George D. Johnson, 50-year-old farmer, committed suicide, apparen'ly over income tax worries, Hardin county coroner Ellis Inman said [today. Inman said Johnson left no note, [but that he had been going into Hardin every day for over a week to check his income taxes with Carl [Gordon, tax consultant. Johnson's body was found yesterday at his farm home five miles northwest of here. He had shot, himself with a shotgun. o Auto Is Damaged By Fire This Morning Firemen were called to 215 West Jefferson street about 7:30 o'clock this morning when an auto, owned by True Andrews, caught fire. The front of the vehicle was badly damaged. Fire chief Cedric Fisher said that the blaze apparently started from cigar ashes. It is believed that the owner dropped some ashes when he put the car away late last night and that the fire smouldered in the upholstery until this morning when he opened the garage doors and the air fanned the flames. 1 0 WEATHER Partly cloudy north and cloudy south tonight and Thursday with very light drizzle in extreme 0 south.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT © ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

On School Board tjk ■ iol Dr. Harry Hebble, above, Decatur optometrist, Tuesday night was elected by the city council as a member of the city school board, to fill the unexpired term of Gregg McFarland. Dr. Harry Hebble Is School Board Member Elected By Decatur Council Last Night Dr. Harry H. Hebble, local optometrist and former Democratic city councilman, is the new member of the Decatur school board. Dr. Hebble was elected to the post last night, succeeding the late Gregg McFarland, and will fill the unexpired term of the latter until August, 1949, under terms of his election. Dr. Hebble was awarded the majority vote of the council last night over two other candidates in a secret ballot vote. He was awarded three votes; Mrs. Gregg McFarland, widow of the former member, one, and C. 1. Finlayson, one. The new member and Gerald Cole are Democratic members of the board. The third member is Roy Mumma, Republican. Under the law not more than two members of the same political party may serve on the school board. Mr. Mumma’s term expires in August of this year. The annual election will be held by the council the preceding June. Mr. Cole’s term expires in August, 1950, with the election for that position being staged the preceding June, also. The new member of the board assumes his duties immediately. o ’ Apply For Permit For Police Radio Application Filed With Commission Application to the federal communications commission at Washington, D. C.. for a construction permit and license to operate a short wave police radio station here, has been made by the city of Decatur. Police chief James M. Borders informed the city council Tuesday night that in accordance with an authorization from the city board of public works and safety and the Adams county commissioners, the police department had made the application. Approval of the application is expected to require a few weeks and by that time the Motorola Mfg. Co., to whom the contract for construction and installing the station was awarded, is expected to be ready o begin work here. It is thought likely that the station will be in operation within 60 to 90 days. Permission for the city to make application and assume control of he station was granted since FCC regulations provide a license may ' (Turn To Page 7, Column 7) ,q Lenten Service At Reformed Church The fourth mid-week Lenten service will be held in the Zion (Evangelical and Reformed church this evening at 7:30 p.m. A Cathedral sound film, “The .Calling of Matthew” will be shown. Mrs. L. A. Holthouse and Miss Pauline Brintzenhofe will sing, “This Holy Hour.” The public ‘is invited to attend the service.

Ambassador Os Czechs Quifs As Coup Protest Czech Ambassador To United States Resigns Position Washington, March 3.—(UP) — Czechoslovak ambassador Juraj Slavik resigned today with the declaration that he will fight in exile to free his country from Communist rule. The Czech minister to Canada also resigned in protest in Ottawa today. Slavik announced his decision in an emotion-packed statement to reporters at a 10-minute press conference in his embassy study. U. S. secret service men attended the conference. Slavik, his wife, and their 18-year-old son moved out of the embassy immediately afterward. The ambassador asserted that as a result of the recent Communist coup “Czechoslovakia has become a fully totalitarian police state” under tight control of a political minority. His homeland's aging and ailing president, Eduard Benes, never would have given the new Czechoslovak government legal sanction, Slavik said, if he had not been “under terrible pressure and duress.” Slavik made his decision —“to fight for Czechoslovak democracy” —despite the fact that he has a son, 24, and a daughter, 26, still living in Czechoslovakia. They are children by a previous marriage. The diplomat was too burdened by emotion to answer questions. He said, however, that he and his family would move to a hotel, and Mrs. Slavik remarked: “We have no plans, no house, no (Turn T~ °aere 6. Column 5) 4) May Boost Charges For Sewer Flushing Commissioner Asks Increase In Rate The street and sewer committee of the city council is now studying a proposal to boost charges for sewer flushing, the matter having been referred to the committee by the city council Tuesday night. Floyd Acker, city and sewer commissioner, pointed out to the council last night that the city is “losing money” on most of the flushing jobs. A charge of $3.50 is made now, with $1.50 of this going to the water department for the water used—the balance for labor. He pointed out that the jobs require two men’s work from one to two or more hours. At the present labor wage rate, he pointed out that the cost of a majority of the jobs is greater then the charge made. Councilmen and other officials indicated they would approve a boost in the charge. The newly repaired Ford fire truck will receive its official test soon, Cedric Fisher, fire chief, reported to the council last night. The pumper on the truck, damaged months ago, was recently repaired and after a factory test must also be given an official pumping test by the state underwriters’ organization, he said. City engineer and water department superintendent Ralph E. Roop reported to the council that the motor for the water well pump has been received by the department. 0 Democratic Women To Meet March 11 * The first meeting in a series planned during the coming year by the Adams county Democratic woman’s club will be held at the circuit court room Thursday evening, March 11, at 8 o’clock, it was announced today. All ladies interested in the coming political campaign are urged to attend this initial meeting, at which local men will speak. The slogan adopted by the club this year is “Every woman a voter.” The program for the meeting will be announced later.

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday, March 3, 1948

Shift Registration Os Decatur's Voters Conform With New Precinct Setup County clerk Edward Jaberg stated today that the task of “shifting” approximately 2,00 ff voters’ registrations in the city of Decatur to conform with new precinct boundary lines will begin next week. The Adams county commissioners on Tuesday authorized the clerk to employ the necessary registration personnel to make the changes. It is estimated that about onehalf of the voters in the city will be affected by the new boundaries, thus their registrations cards must be changed from one book to another. The precinct designation on cards in the “master registration book” must also be noted. In the absence of county attorney Ed A. Bosse, who had been ill, the commissioners asked city attorney Robert S. Anderson to check the law concerning the change and his investigation disclosed that the commissioners must authorize the employment of necessary registration personnel in the clerk’s office to make the change before the registration deadline of April 5. It will not be necessary for any voter, otherwise qualified, to call at the clerk’s office or to personally ask for the transfer of registration. It will be the duty of each voter so affected, however, to ascertain his proper voting place and appear at the particular site on election day. All of the voting places have not been determined under the new nine-precinct city setup, but these will likely be fixed soon by the county commissioners. Mr. Jaberg today issued a renewed appeal for voters to register if they are not properly qualified to vote in the May primary, calling attention to the fact that by registering now they will avoid the customary rush of the last few days. Persons becoming of age, those failing to vote in the past two elections, women changing name by marriage, persons moving from one precinct 'to another, or into the county for the first time, will be required to register or transfer. 0 Schooner Is Missing In Gulf Os Mexico New Orleans, March 3 — (UP) — A two-masted 50-foot schooner has been missing for 15 days in the Gulf of Mexico, the coast guard said today. Howard V. Miller and Douglas J. Miller, of the New York city police department’s marine division, sailed the schooner from Belize, British Honduras, for Tampa, Fla., on Feb. 17. o— — Paul Kirchenbauer Dies This Morning Funeral Services Saturday Afternoon Paul Kirchenbauer, 45, of 521 South Thirteenth street, died at 7 o’clock this morning at the Irene Byron sanatorium, near Fort Wayne, where he had been a patient the past four weeks. He had been ill since Decmber 12. He was born near Wren, 0., April 19, 1902, a son of Gottlieb and Antoinette Kirchenbauer. He was employed by the Central Soya Co. until his illness. He was married to Vivian North April 27, 1929, and was a member of the Zion Evangelical and Reformed church. Surviving in addition to his wife are two daughters, Donna Jane and Marilyn Rose, both at home; three brothers, Lester of Van Wert, 0., Harold of Ohio City, 0., and John of Fort Wayne; and one sister, Mrs Anna Fegley of Magley. One brother an sister preceded him in death. Funmml services will be held at 1:30 jmi. Saturday at the Black funeral home and at 2 o’clock at the Zion Evangelical and Reformed church. The Rev. W. C. Feller will officiate, assisted by the Rev. Graper of Wren. Burial will be in St. Paul cemetery, two miles east of Wren. Friends may call at the funeral home after 7 p.m. Thursday.

Claim Unfair Labor Charge Never Probed Pre-Trial Hearing Is Held Today In Injunction Case Indianapolis, March 3 —(UP) — Attorneys for the International Typographical Union (AFL) said today that charges of unfair labor practices made by the nation’s newspaper publishers never were investigated by the government. The contention was made by Gerhard Van Arkel, general counsel for the ITU, during a pre-trial hearing by which federal judge Luther M. Swygert hoped to shorten injunction proceedings filed against the printers’ union by the national labor relations board. The hearing, on whether the ITU has committed unfair labor practices by striking against 14 newspapers, opened as Swygert ordered an informal discussion of sections of the NLRB’s injunction petition. He said the discussions might eliminate some of the side issues on which there were areas of common agreement. Van Arkel objected to an agreement on paragraph 10 which said that charges tpade by the American Newspaper Publishers’ Association were investigated by the NLRB. Winthrop Johns, trial examiner for the NLRB, said the government did not “at this time” -wish to introduce evidence in support of its claim that the charges were investigated. It appeared the issue would remain unsettled in the pretrial discussions. Earlier, the union and the government agreed on technical paragraphs relating to the jurisdiction of the court but disagreed momentarily on whether all newspapers were engaged in interstate commerce, as contended by the NLRB. Swygert agreed with the contention of Elisha Hanson, attorney for (Turn To Page 7. Column 6) 0 Says Vandenberg To Accept Nomination Year-Old Statement By Senator Quoted Washington, March 3—(UP) — Senate president Arthur H. ‘Vandenberg will accept the Republican presidential nomination if the convention tenders it next June. The senator said so himself one year ago this month in a statement to Life magazine. This is what he said: “I am not a candidate. I do not expect or wish to be a candidate. I shall seek no convention delegates nor approve the efforts of others in my behalf. Os course I would yield to a spontaheous draft.” Vandenberg said he would not connive in a draft and expressed doubt that a spontaneous draft ever could happen. Since making that statement last March Vandenberg has said nothing publicly to alter it. His associates are aware, however, that Vandenberg has given considerable thought to himself in relationship to the presidency. When Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower’s boom was riding high Vandenberg sometimes discussed the presidency with friends. He so emphatically denied interest in the nomination for himself on such occasions that few doubted the senator meant it. One of the questions Vandenberg frequently raised against himself was his age, 64 years this month. A man nominated at 64 would be 68 years old when his nomination for a second term came before his party. That is late in life for such heavy responsibilities. Since Eisenhower’s withdrawal from politics some persons believe they have noted a change in Vandenberg’s approach to presidential politics. None views him as an active candidate. But every time a group of Washingtonians discusses Republican politics and the possibility of a convention deadlock the name of Vandenberg now comes (Turn To Page 8. Column 8)

Packinghouse Workers Call Strike Involving Nation's Meat Supply

FBI Finds No Disloyally In Atom Scientist Reliable Sources Report Dr. Condon Given Clean Slate Washington. Mar. 3 — (UP) — The FBI. it was understood today, has found no evidence of personaal disloyalty against Dr. Edward U. Condon, noted atomic scientist accused by congressional investigators of associating with Russian spies. Usually reliable sources said FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover adviser Condon’s superiors in the commerce department last May that there was no indication of misconduct in his associations. Condon heads the national bureau of standards, an important government research agency. A spokesman for the house unAmerican activities subcommittee which investigated Condon declined to comment on reports that the group had withheld a portion of Hoover's letter favorable to the scientist. The subcommittee characterized Condon on Monday as “one of the weakest links” in atomic security, and demanded his removal as director of the bureau of standards. In its report, the subcommittee said it was quoting the FBI director’s letter on Condon only “in part.” Rep. John S. Wood, D., Ga., a member of the three-man group, told reporters the letter was made public just as it was received. A subcommittee investigator "managed to get hold of the letter,” Wood said, and copied it. Neither the FBI nor the commerce department would release a copy of the official text. The Hoover letter as contained in the subcommittee report said Condon had been in contact as late as last year “with an individual alleged, by a self-confessed ( Turn To Page 6. Column 0 Assessment Values Listed By Official Assess Household Goods 30 Percent A list of representative assessment values for the 1948 assessing period, which was begun this week, was listed today by county assessor Albert Harlow. All household goods are to be assessed at not less than 30 percent of the original cost, regardless of age. Mr. Harlow stated. Particular attention is to be paid to electrical and mechanical appliances. Additional improvements are to be assessed at 40 percent of their cost and automobiles are to be assessed at 30 percent of the “red book” price for the particular vehicle. Various other valuations have been set as follows: Good work horses, $100; common work horses, $75; drivers and saddlers, $250. First class mules, $100; common mules, $75. Registered cows and bulls. $350; good cows and bulls. $150; common cows and bulls, $125. Registered sheep, SSO, and common sheep, sls. Registered brood sows and pigs, $100; registered brood sows, SBS; common brood sows with pigs, $75; common brood sows, S6O. Light chickens, per dozen, $7; heavy chickens, per dozen, $9; geese, $1 each; turkeys, $5 each; (Turn To Page 7, Column 4)

Rotary Speaker ■ -afJI If t ** K ‘ V | L fiS • ' E. A. Gannon, head of the Purdue dairy extension service, will be the principal speaker at the meeting of the Rotary club here Thursday evening, when each Rotarian will have a farmer as his guest. This meeting is a tiein with the dairy day observance which is to be held in this city tomorrow. Three Scouts Given Eagle Scout Awards Lions Club Honors Boy Scouts Tuesday Three members of Lions troop 62, Boy Scouts, received Eagle Scout awards Tuesday night during the annual court of honor, held as a part of the regular meeting of the Decatur Lions club, sponsors of the troop. The three are Don and Byford Smith, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Lowell Smith, and Dan Mills, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Mills, all of Decatur. Members of the troop and their parents were guests of the Lions club at the dinner meeting. Other high ranking presentations during the court of honor: Life Scout: George Bair, Jr., Dan Mills and Don Smith. Star Scout: George Bair, Jr., Dan Mills and Don Smith. The following other awards were made: Jack Lawson, second class; David Blackburn. Bob Doan, Jerry Lobsiger, Luther Shrock, and Eddie Stocksdale, first class. Merit badges: George Bair, Jr., personal health, public health, athletics, swimming, safety, music, bugling, civics and pathfinding; Jim Bassett, farm layout and building arrangement, farm home and its planning; Burdette Custer, animal industry and scholarship; Bob Doan, home repairs, music and (Turn Page 8. Column 7) 0 Commissioners Take Action On Matters Plan Improvement Os Stretch Os Road Before closing their session Tuesday county commissioners took action on several matters brought to their attention. A petition by Tilman Affolder and others for the cleaning of the Byrd ditch in Wabash township was referred to the county surveyor. A petition by Virgil Gilbert and others for the cleaning of the William Hendricks ditch was also referred to the same official. Insurance renewals of the county, totalling some $84,000, were apportioned among about 10 insurance agents in the county. Highway supervisor Phil Sauer of Adams county and Leonard Warner of Wells county were given the job of working out a proposed improvement of a stretch of road on the AdamsWells county line in French township, two miles south from state (Turn To Page 8, Column 7) /

Price Four Cents

100,000 Workers Involved In Big Packing Plants Os United States Chicago, Mar. 3 — (UP) The CIO United Packinghouse Workers today set March 16 for a strike which would cut off much of the nation’s meat supply. The strike would involve 100,000 men at the nation’s big packing plants. It would be the first big indus-try-wide strike of 1948, and the first resulting from current union demands for third-round wage increases. President Ralph Helstein of the union said the strike date was being announced several days in advance “out of consideration for the public.” “We are willing to continue negotiating with the companies, although it is apparent from our previous meetings that they are unwilling to give any realisitc consideration to the serious economic needs of the packinghouse workers.” Helstein said. He said a survey had been conducted of the economic conditions of packinghouse workers' families and that a large proportion were going into debt. He said that “almost all are being deprived of basic necessities." “Correction of the low wage standards in the packing industry is essential.” he said. The union is asking for a 22cent hourly increase. Packers have .said it would be impossible to grant such an increase without raising the price of meat. A strike would affect about 100 packing plants across the nation. It could cut off fresh meat supplies within two weeks and force packers to dip into their reserves, most □f which are stored for sausage and soup products. The .strike would affect 22 large companies, including the “big four” —Armour, Swift, Cudahy and Wilson. It would shut down or disrupt operations at 29 Armour plants, 28 Swift packinghouses, 11 Cudahy plants, seven Wilson establishments and two John H. Morrell & Co. establishments. The union met the Taft-Hartley' law requirements by giving the) government 30 days’ notice of intention to strike last Jan. 16, and by giving the companies the requir(Turn To Paifp 6. Column 7) oLATE BULLETINS Washington, Mar. 3—(UP) — Sen. Joseph H. Ball, R., Minn., today introduced a resolution for a western nation mutual defense pact aimed at “meeting the problem of naked, power aggression” by Russia. Washington, Mar. 3—(UP) —Gen. Douglas MacArthur today cabled the house foreign affairs committee that a “free, independent peaceful and friendly China is of profound importance to the peace of the world.” Washington, Mar. 3—(UP) —The British government today withdrew the last SIOO.000,000 of its $3,750,000,000 loan from this country. The loan was granted July 16. 1946, to tide the British over the postwar reconstruction period. At the time it was expected it would be used over a period of three years. But Britain’s continued financial crisis, and the rapid rise in American prices, caused the British to use up all of the loan ahead of schedule. New Haven. Conn., Mar. 3 —(UP) —A federal grand jury today indicted Hartford local 481 of the AFL painters’ union, and its president, John R. O’Brien, on charges of violating the Taft-Hartley act for allegedly engaging in political activity.