Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 46, Number 62, Decatur, Adams County, 13 March 1948 — Page 1

Mol. XLVI. No. 62.

BYRNES CALLS FOR REENACTMENT OF DRAFT

Ijaff Move To l(ul European lid Defeated I ! Senate Expected To I I Pass Marshall Aid I j Measure By Tonight ■ ■Washington. Mar. 13 —(UP) ■|en. Tom Connally, D„ Tex., said today that Marshall IHan supporters have “knocked props out” from under their He predicted senate of the plan by tonight. ißconnally led the victorious last night against a group Republican “revisionists” who IKanted to trim the appropriation $1,300,000,000. The opposition Has directed by Sen. Robert A. |^B a ft, R.. 0.. who charged that the Hdministration's figure of $5,300,;Hoo.OOn for the first year of the Kan was “ a com P lete g ueßS ” 1 ■ When Taft's amendment came Hip for a vote, it was defeated 56 K 31- Connally said he believes fewer senators will answer Ko" ° n ,he final p assa^e - ; I Republican whip Kenneth S. ißw’herry of Nebraska plans to hold :Hhe senate in session tonight until Hhe measure is passed and sent ■o the house for action. | I The house was not in session Moday but there were these develon Capitol Hill: I Rent Control — Democrats on ■he house banking committee Homplained that the GOP majority approved a bill that would ■shoot rent control full of holes iMfhe bill would, in effect, give lo■al rent boards the final say on ! ■whether areas should be decon- : ■trolled. I Housing—A joint congressional ■housing committee has decided to ■ask congress to try and re'ieve ■the housing shortage. Committee ■members are divided, however, on ■what form of help should be giv■en. The big question is whether ■to include public housing for low ■income groups. I Taxes — Senate Democratic ■leaders are rallying their mem- ■ bers behind a substitute tax cut ■bid. The measure would reduce ■taxes by $4,060,000,000 instead ot ■the $4,700,000,000 proposed by the ■ Republican-dominated senate fin■ance committee. I Atomic — Chairman Bourke B. ■Hickenlooper, R., la., said he ■hopes the house unAmerican ac- ■ tivities committee will discuss ■ any future atomic matters it runs ■across with his joint atomic ener■gy committee. 1 Oil The senate small business ■ committee will call on cabinet ■ members Wednesday to find out ■ whether this country is overlook- ■ ing the oil resources in Mexico. ■ Defense secretary James Forres- ■ tai and interior secretary J. A. I Krug have been summoned to ■ testify. They will be asked, ac- ■ cording to committee experts, ■ whether it wouldn’t be wiser to fTurn To Pnarp «, Column T> Of Township Assessors Meet This Morning ■ Township assessors and their de- ■ Puties from Adams county met this I mor ning in the offices of county as- ■ sessor Albert Harlow to report pro- ■ Kress in the assessing work and ■ discuss various problems. I o J far And Warmer Weather Forecast For Over Weekend By United Press ■ air weather and warmer temperK a ures were forecast for Saturday I an ® Sunday by the Indianapolis ■ father bureau. II warin a ’ r mass approaching H n * ana from the southwest was exI uuc’ed rea K UP a new cold wave I " ich struck Indiana earlier in the I th 66 ’' ' owefit temperature in I U’ 6 State was record ed at Fort I ayne Friday night with a readI f* Ve degrees above zero. The | • ercury dropped to six at Terre I t a , lse ' e *Bht at Indianapolis and I l yette - 10 at South Bend and 19 I a t Evansville. — o I Weather Fair and warmer today and tonight. Increasing cloudiness and slightly warmer Sunday.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

MacArthur Halts Press Censorship Orders Political Attacks Permitted Tokyo, Mar. 13 — (UP) —Gen. Douglas MacArthur has instructed his censorship division to permit the Japanese press to publish any American political attacks against him emanating from the United States, it was announced today. 1 • Col. M. P. Echols, MacArthur’s press aide, made public MacArthur's order after Kyodo news agency reported that Allied head--1 quarters censors had suppressed some incoming cable copy from 1 the United States reporting the 1 activities of anti-Mac’Arthur clubs. 1 Kyodo, one of the largest news 1 agencies in Japan, services Jap--1 anese papers throughout the ■ islands. ■ Echols said the MacArthur pro- ' nouncement in no way affected ! Pacific Stars and Stripes or army radio stations, where no censor- • ship is in effect “or ever has ’ been.” 1 His statement appeared to conflict with an earlier declaration that army newspapers and radio • stations would not use dispatches 1 on pro and anti-MacArthur clubs I because the controversy was not t “straight news.” Echols said MacArthur had not 1 learned of the censorship unti’ ■ Echols gave him the information. “He at once directed that this r should cease and the Japanese ! press be permitted to carry any ' American political attacks against 1 him,” Echols said. “It was the first time the matter had been ■ called to his attention.” > Echols said MacArthur ordered ■ thjt no form of censorship should be used to protect his name as a 1 political figure. ) However, the public relations s officer pointed out. removal of s censorship on political attacks did i not apply to criticism of the occu- ■ pation forces or any of the Allied f powers. MacArthur’s directive followed x request by the Tokyo bureau of : United Press for a clarification -of reasons why references to I “Veterans Against MacArthur 1 Clubs” were deleted from Japanl ose press and radio reports, > The controversy developed - when the army newspaper Stars and Stripes and the army radio . station W-V-T-R carried accounts s if newly-formed clubs opposed to - MacArthur’s candidacy. ! The dispatches dealt with anti--5 MacArthur c’.ubs at the Univer- • sity of California. Harvard University, the University of Califor- ! nia at Los Angeles and the University of Wisconsin. I Echols said someone might - criticize the newspaper and radio station for distributing news “to - favor one side or the other.” “This does not mean that army ) radio stations and papers cannot ITurn Tn Pa ere A. Column 71 O > Many Candidacies Filed With Clerk Most Os Candidates For Minor Positions 1 A long list of candidates, composed mainly of GOP aspirants for precinct committee and state convention delegate positions, filed their declarations late Friday and today in the office of county I clerk Edward Jaberg. The list included the following: Thurman I. Drew, Democrat, for county auditor. For Republican precinct comi mitteemen: Amos Burkhalter, Berne B; Eugene Farlow, North Wabash; Preston Pyle, North Hartford; Sylvan Sprunger, Middle Monroe; Walter Hilty, Berne C; Jesse O. Teeter, West Jefferson; Chester Adams, East Jefferson; Milton Fuhrman. West Root: Cal E. Peterson, Decatur 2-A; Ralph Snyder, Geneva A; J. O. R. Campbell, Geneva B. For delegate to the Republican state convention: district one, Cal F. Peterson: district two. Cal E. Peterson: district seven, Clifton H. Sprunger; district eight, Amos Burkhalter; district nine, Floyd Aspy.

Meal Packers Preparing For Packer Strike Strike Os 100,000 CIO Meat Packers Set Monday Night Chicago, March 13 —(UP) — The nation’s big meat packers began preparations today for a nationwide packinghouse strike which would shut down about one-third of the industry. Packers cut down on their livestock purchases and planned to complete slaughtering operations by tonight. Many of the big cornbelt stockyards notified farmers not to ship animals to market unless they contact the buyers first. The strike is scheduled to begin at 12:01 a.m., Tuesday. It would involve 100,000 members of the CIO United Packinghouse Workers at about 100 meat industry plants across the nation. As the strike deadline neared, federal labor conciliators continued their meetings with representatives of the union and the packers in a last-ditch attempt to head off the walkout. The union has asked for a 29-cent-an-hour pay increase, but indicated it would settle for a boost of 19 cents. The packers have offered to raise wages 9 cents an 1 hour. Conciliators here said they were keeping their Washington headquarters informed of developments. ! Under the Taft-Hartley law, there ■ still was a possibility that a strike could be averted by referring the 1 dispute to President Truman. ‘ The decision on whether to turn the dispute over to Mr. Truman would be made by the Washington i headquarters of the conciliation service. Mr. Truman then could ask the attorney general to get an injunction delaying the walkout for 80 days while a fact-finding board investigates the issues. The union’s 27-man national ' strike strategy committee met last night to draw up final plans for ’he walkout, which would be the first big strike of the year. If the strike were called, housewives would find less meat at the butcher counters, but enough to get by on. Some experts in the industry said there would be more meat available than there was during the wartime shortages. Many of the big plants and most of the smaller ones will not be affected, because their employes befTljrn Tn Pdifo fnhimn 7> Shanghai-New York Airliner Overdue 30 Persons Aboard Unreported Plane Minneapolis, Mar. 13 —(UP) — Northwest Airlines reported to day that one of its DC-4 passenger planes with 30 persons aboard is overdue at Edmonton, Alberta, on a non-schedule charter flight from Shanghai to New York. NMA said the plane left Shanghai at 10:10 p. m. (CST) Thursday and was due into Edmonton at 7 a. m. (CST) today. The plane last reported by radio to Anchorage, Alaska, between 1 a. m. and 2 a. m. It failed to make a similar report over Gulcana. Alaska, approximately 160 miles east of Anchorage. The plane was carrying 24 members of an American oil tanker crew and six crew members. Names of those aboard were not available immediately. The flight was one of a series Northwest Airlines has been making in the last several months on contract with a U. S. oil company. The crews deliver oil tankers to China and return to this country ty air. An NWA spokesman pointed out that although the terrain over which the plane is flying is mountainous, the route is dotted with army air fields at which the craft could have made an emergency landing. e He also said that the plane’s radio might have gone out of commission.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Saturday March 13, 1948

Meyers Guilty—May Get 30 Years

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FOUND GUILTY on three counts of subornation of perjury. ex-Maj. Gen. Bennett E. Meyers leaves court in Washington with his wife, 3 the former Ila Rhodes. Judge Alexander • Holtzoff will pass sent- ■ ence on Monday. Meyers, facing a maximum 30-year sentence, is | . free on bail until that time. s I

Government Resumes J : Purchase Os Wheat 1 1 ‘ Trial Basis Buying t Is Resumed Today Chicago, March 13 —(UP) — The 1 government began buying wheat : today for the first time in five ' weeks but agriculture department ' and market analysts agreed that it probably would not o.ause a ■ mark-up in food prices at the cor- > ner grocery store. ’ The production marketing administration said government buy- ' ing of wheat would be resumed ’ today, but strictly on a trial basis. It said the government would buy about 1,000,0(10 bushels of wheat a day for export. The government needs only 8,600,000 bushels to fill April commitments but is expected to continue buying for May. The PMA issued a stern warning to grain traders, however, that purchases would be suspended if agriculture department experts believe government buying is pushing prices out of line. However, all quarters seemed agreed that the government's return to the nation’s wheat pits would cause only a flutter in prices. The agriculture department disclosed that the commodity credit corporation has accepted 454,000,000 pounds of flour —the equivalent of 10,200,000 bushels of wheat —for shipment overseas. Those flour purchases filled not only the government’s requirements to meet April allocations of flour to foreign nations, but even part of the May requirements. The government ouys wheat (Turn To Patro 4 Column 6) 0 Denny Infant Dies At Kokomo Friday John Steven Denny, infant son of ,Mr. and Mrs. Chalmer Denny, 1226 Carter street, Kokomo, born Thursday by Caesarian operation, died Friday night at St. Joseph hospital in that city. The infant was a grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Dan Tyndall and a great-grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Joljn W. Tyndall of this city. Short funeral services will be held Monday morning at 10 o’clock at the Jacobs funeral home in Kokomo and burial will be in Memorial cemetery in that city. Mrs. Den,ny, formerly Marv Catherine Tyndall of this city, is recovering at St. Joseph hospital, Kokomo. Besides the parents, a sister survives.

Rent Representative ‘ Here Next Thursday A representative from the Fort Wayne area rent office will be at the Decatur post office on Thursday, March 18, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., to interview people in Adams county with problems in regard to ,1-ent control. Ii — o Aggression Issue Thrown Wide Open Chile Makes Charge On Russia In UN Lake Success, N. Y., March 13. ; — (UP) —United Nations officials admitted today that Chile's charges before the security council accusing Russia of engineering the Communist coup in Czechoslovakia could, if pressed by the United States, turn the UN into ’ an anti-Communist coalition led ■ by the western powers. I Chile threw the issue wide open yesterday when, on behalf of the anti-Communist Czech diplomat Jan Papanek, it formally accused Russia of threatening world peace by engineering the Czech coup Feb. 20. The accusation tossed another crisis at the UN, already plagued with the Palestine partition prob- ■ lem. Both issues will come to a head in the security council next week. The future of the UN as an international peace-keeping organization may hinge on the outcome. The council will begin on Monday a debate which will determine whether the UN backs down from its Palestine partition program. On Wednesday the same 11 men will turn to the move by Chile for a UN investigation of Russia's role in the Communist seizure of power in Czechoslovakia. Almost all responsible persons reserved final judgment on the seriousness of the Czech issue, however, until it became clear whether the United States and its adherents would back the Chilean move for a full-scale debate of Communist expansion. Officials of the United States delegation kept silent about whether the United States would support placing the matter on the security council's agenda or full debate w’hen the council meets on Wednesday. It already lies on the provisional agenda, but that must be adopted by a majority of seven council members before the actual issue Is supposed to be debated. The fight over the agenda would be enough, however, to bring a (Turn Tc p «ge 6, Column 5)

Former State Secretary Calls For Reenactment To Meet World Crisis r—

Miss Margene Bauer Wins Zone Contest Decatur Girl Wins Here Friday Night Miss Margene Bauer, Decatur junior-senior high school junior, added to her laurels Friday night by winning the zone 2 Legion oratorical contest, staged at the Legion home here. Miss Bauer, who had previously won school, county and district competitions, will now represent this zone in the state finals of the contest, to be held at a date to be announced later. Her victory last night was a decisive one over Carl Vernerder. of Huntington, by a four to one margin of votes from the five contest judges. The five judges, all attorneys and members of the Indiana state bar association, co-sponsors of the event along with the Indiana department of the American Legion, were: Edward H. Kruse. Glenn Smiley and J. R. Arnold. Fort I Wayne; Gene Lee, Warsaw, and | Walter Hamilton, Bluffton. I An estimated 100 persons witnessed the contest and heard the prepared and extemporaneous orations of the participants. Lewis L. Smith, local attorney, who serves as zone chairman of the events, was in charge of the contest. Adams post 43 Legion commander Charles Morgan opened the meeting and turned the contest over to the chairman. t>eane Dorwin and E. L. Milam, Decatur and Huntington high school speech instructors, and coaches of the two contestants, were in attendance. Miss Bauer is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Bauer, of this city. She is the second local contestant in as many years to be declared winner of the zone contest and participate in the state finals. Her topic last night, like those in previous eliminations, had as its basic theme the constitution of the United States. Judges and spectators lauded the ability of Miss Bauer in her orations on the subject. Action Taken Today In Several Cases Partition Suit Is Set For Trial Here Judge Earl B. Adams in circuit court late today took action in a number of cases brought before the court by local attorneys. The partition suit of Theodore Arnold against Vaughn Travis was set for trial on April 22 and Ferd L. Litterer entered an appearance for the plaintiff. The divorce case of Betty against Harold Gray w’as set for trial on March 23. An allowance hearing in the divorce action of Myrtle against William Jones was set for March 20. In the divorce action of Alvena against Fred E. King, the defendant was ordered to pay $lO per week support money and plaintiff's attorney fees. In the account suit of Himelstein Bros, against Cyril Dunlap, appearance for the defendant was entered by Severin H. Schurger. Carl V. GattschaU, doing business as Walter Plumbing & Heating, filed a suit to foreclose a mechanic’s lien against Tunis and Florine Hudson. The demand is $399.35. Nathan C. Nelson is plaintiff’s attorney. Late this morning. Judge Adams was still conducting an allowance hearing in the divorce action of Iva Lou against Orvai Dailey. Loma Foster filed a divorce suit against Fred Foster, charging he failed to support her. has un(Turn To Page 6, •Column 6)

Owners Fear Coal Miners Strike Near Walkout Is Feared Monday To Back Up Pension Demands Washington, March 13 —(UP) — Soft coal operators feared today that John L. Lewis’ miners might start walking out of the pits by Monday to back up their leader’s demand for a pension plan. Two responsible industry spokesmen agreed that a strike next week , is “certainly a possibility.” “Things could start popping any time,” said one spokesman. “It wouldn't take much to set off a i chain reaction.” Their fears were prompted by Lewis' announcement late yesterday that he has instructed all United Mine Workers locals to begin discussion of what he called the industry’s refusal to consider . pension demands. . What worried industry leader® . most was that Lewis (1) did not specpy whether this meant a strike, and (2) announced scorn- ■ fully that he would not give the . government any advance notice of a walkout by his 400,000 soft coal miners. Some . operators said the fact that Lewis did not set a strike date might be interpreted by the miners as a signal to quit any time. Very few mines are open today, so operators conjectured they would have to wait until Monday to find out what’s up. In his letter to the locals, Lewis said the "bituminous coal operators have dishonored the 1947 wage agreement and defaulted under its provisions affecting the welfare fund.” He charged that they “continue to violate the contract.” “This office proposes,” said' Lewis, “to go forward in requiring the coal operators to honor their agreement. Your ears will soon be assailed by their outcries and wails of anguish.” When newsmen asked whether this meant a strike, the mine chieftain picked up a copy of the coal wage agreement signed last July. With emphasis he read a clause to the effect that miners shall provide their labor as long as they are “able and willing to work.” He did not elaborate. Lewis said operators have balked for eight months on his request that the welfare and retirement (Turn To Page 6, Column 6) 0 Foreign War Vets To Name Officers Annual Election At Post Home Monday New officers of Limberlost post 6236, Veterans of Foreign Wars, will be named Monday night during the special meeting of the post, beginning at 8 o’clock. Nominations, opened for the first time at the last meeting, will be reopened for the various offices just previous to the election. Dr. H. V. DeVor, incumbent commander of the post, will be in charge of the meeting and the election. The proposed building program of the post will also be discussed during the meeting. The regular meeting of the Military Order of the Cootie, honor degree of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, was held Friday night at the post home with Donald Reidenbach, the ruling officer, in charge. Future activities' of the organization were planned durin.: the business session.

Price Four Cents

Predicts Russians May Act In Italy Before Elections; No Official Status Charleston, S. C„ Mar. 13 — (UP) —Former secretary of state James F. Byrnes —emphasizing he had no official information —today called for immediate reenactment ot selective service and a much larger air force to meet world crisis “that may exist four or five weeks from now.” He predieted that the Russians under the guise of the Italian communist party, might “act” in Italy before the April 18 elections. He marked Finland off the books already. “We have every reason to believe the Soviets covet control of Greece, Turkey, Italy and France," he said. He foresaw “no armed invasion” of any of these countries. But he said there was "no important difference in the direct methods of Hitler in 1938 and the indirect “methods of Stalin in 1948.” Byrnes spoke at the 105th anniversary of the famed Citdal Military college. It was his first speech in many weeks and camt on the heels of President Tru man’s and secretary of state George C. Marshall’s grave warnings of a “very, very serious” crisis. Byrnes said those words —from America’s top officials — are alarming words.” He reiterated '.heir appeals for "cool judgment,” but added: "When the president and the secretary of state so describe world conditions, it is time for those of us who are private citizens to think not only calmly, but seriously, about the situation. “It is time for us to ask —what are 'we doing about it? "Are we prepared to meet a world crisis? I say we are not. “Are we going to prepare? I hope so. I pray so.” Byrnes' words were perhaps the strongest that have been spoken during the mounting tension since the fall of Czechoslovakia. a’though they echoed similar demands in some quarters of congress for “action.” The former secretary emphasized he was expressing “only my views” and that he had not talked either with the president or Marshall. But his appeal for immediate steps to prepare for “any eventuality” were spoken against he background of his long government experience and his own efforts to negotiate with the Russians. "Mr. Molotov (Soviet foreign minister V. M. Molotov) does not understand English,” he said, “but to him actions speak louder than words in any language.” Byrnes’ address covered a wide range and proposed many specific steps. The highlights: Selective service —A necessary “first step” to bring the army up to authorized strength of 669,000 from its present “pitifully inadequate” 550,000. Air Corps—“ The atom bomb makes the air program one with highest priority.” As a “second step” he called for additional air forces appropriations. Universal military training — * Desirable” for long-term planning four or five years from now. but not for “the situation that may exist four or five weeks from now.” He hoped the U. S. wouldn’t need an army that quickly, but if so he wants “an army in uniform and not on paper.” Marshall plan— Action should come by next week, but it “will not stop the Soviets from further expansion this spring, if they have decided upon such expansion.” Byrnes said passage in no way would lessen the need for his preparedness measures. Italy—Warn Russia now that if the Soviets start “Indirect” ag(Turn To Page 6, Column 5)