Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 46, Number 191, Decatur, Adams County, 13 August 1948 — Page 1

Vol. XLVI. No. 191.

TEACHER PRISONER OF RUSSIANS SIX DAYS

Deny Giving War Secrets | To Spy Ring Denounce Testimony By Miss Bentley As Being Folse I Washington, Aug. 13 - 4l'P> I ■Two high-ranking former n<-w deal [■officials today denied they ever I I ga .e r. S. sex rets to a wartime SovI I let «py ring but testified they were I B friend* of an accused ring leader | <me of th* official* admitted helpj I ing the alleged spy keep a govern rnent job. I The witnesses, both of whom ap | ■ ;.aied voluntarily before the house | I ini American activities committee. I ■».•••<• former White House aide IB l.au iilin Currie and former assixtII ant secretary of treasury Harry II fl White. I Both denounced as false testiII niony bv Elizabeth T Bentley, ex |l < mirier for the ring, that they sup B| plied confidential war information || wlii, h was transmitted to llussia. | Hut ls»th said they were old of- || fix .al and social acquaintances of II Nathan Gregory Silvermaster, forI | nit-r employe of the Isiard of econ | | muic warfare. Miss Bentley said I | M-ciet C S, papers were micofilmed | in Silvermaster'* home for ill* | patch to the USSR. Silvermaster I has denied her charges Both Currie and White testified | | that on different occasions they | intervened when others in the govI eminent tried to get Silvermaster ( | filed At the conclusion of Curries : | test! Rep Karl E. Mundt, R . | S It. voiced the opinion that his i | •tori proved he was the unwitting ■ i tool of Communist spies. Previous testimony had disclosed i 1 that both naval intelligence and the I uvil service commission had Issued I wartime reports questioning t he I llussian born Silvermaster * loyal i I ty The reports accuse*! him of he I ing a Communist and said he was [ I oispei ted of being a member of the I NKVD - Soviet secret police. | Currie said he intervened only I I to the extent of referring the case | I m the war department He said that El was customary White House proI cedure. He asserted he did not | K-ad the charges against Silver I master and knew nothing alxout I them. Subsequently, the then unI dersecretary of war. Robert P PatI terson. cleared Silvermaster. White's intercession was more positive. He said Silvermaster told him he was asked to resign on . grounds of beig a Communist "I asked him if he was He said no." White testified After further checking convinced him Silvermaster was telling the truth. White said he asked assistant secretary of treasury Herbert Caston, who was on the government loyalty board, to intervene In committe questioning of White, who said Mi.is Bentleys charges were "unqualifiedly false.' it was brought out that five folders of confidential" material disappeared from the treasury during the war and were not recovered. committee counsel Robert Strip I ling brought up the incident, which | he said ocurred Mar It 24. 1943 j White said an official of the treas Ury's monetary research division which White then headed, left the folders on a desk when he went home for tbenigbt They were not lhere the next morning White did »ot name the official. Stripling did not pursue the sub(Tara To race Sts* Auctioneer Students Entertain Rotarians Col. Guy Petit, of Bloomfield. la.. »n Instructor, and six students of ihe Reppert school of auctioneer entertained the Decatur Rotary »lub at its weekly meeting Thurs <Uy evening Col. Petit spoke briefly on the •Ims and philosophy of the school, •nd a highly entertaining musical Ptogram was presented by the fol ’owing students Lawrence Kirk, ■•ecatar. lull., guitar; Andy Focht. Stillwater. Okla., violin, and the barber shop" quartet. John Ed ••rds, Pontiac. Mich.. Walter Reed Louisetown. Pa. Bob Amen. St. K organ, Cote , and Carman T. Pot Jacksonville, 111. Otto Beehler *M chairman of the program WBATHIR Pair north and partly •oath portion tonight and Sat “rday. No decided change in

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

I American Airplane I Crashes Al Berlin Transport Crashes But No One Injured Berlin. Aug 13- (I’P) — An American C-54 transport coming In i 'through dirty weather for a ground controlled landing at Templehofl , airdrome crashed and burned today. but the three crewmen ex- ! caped uninjured. I The crash of the four-engined • plane was the third of the vast aerial operation hurdling the Rus--1 sian blockade of Berlin. In addition to the two previous accidents in which American airmen were killed, two other U. S. transports had trouble with the weather today i but managed to land safely. Ground crews said that when ' the C-54 piled up today, one of the crewmen calmly stepped aside as he left it, whipped out a camera and snapped a picture just as It burst into flames. Those aboard were (’apt George Adams, the pilot; co-pilot Lineton T. Floyd and engineer Charles O'Hara. All came here from the Suisin. California air base. Two hour* after the crash, another plane lost two engines but landed safely at Gatow airdrome in the British sex-tor. The plane piled up against the fence at one end of the field Crash crews fought the flames for more than a half hour. At first it was feared the crew was lost in the flames, but later they were reported safe. Air force officers said the big plane wax making a ground controlled approach landing because of bad visibility. The pilot. Capt George Adam*, overshot hi* land Ing. they said, and hit the fence The fire wa»,put out after burning the left wing and part of the plane s nose. Another plane wax badly damaged a few minutes before the crash when it landed on the wrong run way and nosed into a heap of nibble. The situation in Berlin continued to disintegrate Significantly, the Russians failed to raise their flag this morning in front of the build ing housing the four-power Kommandatura and American officers said they have removed their guards. Mat night the Russians vacated the house in which the Kommandatura staff and guards were bil leted. Before they left, however they told German housekeepers "we may need this building again." The Russians announced on July 1 that they would no longer parti cipate in four-power meetings of the Kommandatura or its committees. The Russians, however, still have their guard* on duty in the building housing the allied control council for Germany and they raised their flag there this mom Ing. The Kommandatura was set up to govern Berlin alone. Plan Fleet Safely Contest In Decatur Safety Council To Hold Contests Here Glenn HUI. director of the Decatur safety council, has announced plana for a fleet safety contest to begin September 1. Awards will Im> given in five categories for spot less safety rex-ords at the end of a year. The contest is open to any firm operating one or more commercial vehixle* on the public streets of Decatur. The classifications Into which the x-ontes' will divide entries are those firms whose vehicles travel less than 500 milees (per vehicle) each month; 501 IMO miles; 1001-2000 miles; 200-5000 miles; and over 5.000 miles Report forms have been mailed to all truck operators in the city. Mr Hill *sid. but any firms which may have been left out accident ally may call at the safety council office. In the llbtary building, for pg r-f jeu l*rt. A monthly bulletin will be mailed to ee< h contestant, summarising the results of the contest and giving the standing of each member At the close of the contest. August 11. IH». awards will be given to the leading Beet or fleets in each group All no-acrldeet records will he honored. Mr Hill concluded

Negotiations Held Today On Kraft Dispute Union And Company Representatives In Conference Today A handful of pickets clustered around the Kraft Foods company on Winchester street this afternoon while union and management representative* conferred at the Keenan hotel. Fort Wayne, with federal conciliator Chester Ralston. Union sources held out little hope for a settlement today in the three day old strike. Kenneth Hirschy, international representative of the CIO Food, ToItacco, Agricultural and Allied Workers of America, lox-al 93, today refuted a stated by .Edward Kusch, company labor relations counsel in Chicago, that the Decatur workers were paid “the highest wage scale paid in any of its bulk cheese plants." Mr. Hirachy contended that Kraft was offering up to nine cent increases at other plants In this area. He said the offers were made not only to other unions but to another lox-al of the CIO FTAAWA as well. The most recent x-ontract expired July I. and negotiations had been gxdng on until Wexlnexday. when the union walkexl out, "to the complete surprise df the company," according to Mr. Kasch. The employes received their last paychecks u week ago. Checks have lieen sent to all farmers who supply the Kraft plant, Mr. Hirachy stated. “In fact, we went out of our way to. make special arrangements so that the checks could come out on time," lie emphasized. In describing the union's plight. Mr. Hirschy pointed out that Kraft company workers have only every .event h Sunday off. ami receive no premium pay for Sundays they work. The company's offer would have raised wages an average of six cents an hour, hut would have ellm.nated the paid lunch period. Today's meeting was scheduled Io -onsider the unsettled issues of the new contract, with the emphasis on the wage scale. Detail Program 01 Church Dedication Union Chapel Church Dedication Sunday The detailed program for the dedication services Sunday of the I nion chapel Evangelical United Brethren church, northeast of Decatur. was announced today by the Rev. D. H. Peilett. pastor The formal dedication ceremonies f will be held at 2 o'clock Sunday afternoon, with Bishop Frex! L Den nis. of Indianapolis, presiding, and Dr. Benjamin F. Smith, district superintendent, also taking part In the ceremonies. Services will also be held Sun day morning ami evening, with a basket dinner served at the noon hour. The complete program for thej day follows:, - Morning Services Bible School, Thurman . Drew, superintendent. 9:30 am. Divine worship. 10:15 a.m. Call to worship by the minister and people The Doxology. , Prayer of invxvcation followed by ( the Lord's Prayer. King." n i Hymn. "Come Thou Almighty ( Bible lesson Pastoral prayer. Vocal solo. “How Lovely Are Thy ( Dwellings." the Rev Gerald Brown Worship in tithes and offerings Anthem by th choir. Sermon. "The Church Triumph ant.” Bishop F. L. Dennis Hymn. "I Love Thy Kingdom Lord." , Benediction Poetlnde. Mrs. Coxie Chase Basket dinner 13:15 p m. Afternoon Services Plano prelude. Mrs Coals Chase Call to worship. Prayer of Invocation. Hymn. “All Hall the Power of Joons Name ” Bible lesson Pastoral prayer Vocal solo, the Rev. H. Austin (Tara To Pane Severn

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana Friday, August 13, 1948

Russ Teacher Falls I f i -u f I-a : ■ ■KiSfl i B-1 - E j' ' • *4- ■'■-'J *Tdfl| L EPS ICJbJII MMBk MRS. OSKANA STEPANOVA KOSENKINA, Russian xx-hool teacher who lias been the *torm center iff an International furore. I* Hhown after she fell or leaped from the thirxl flxstr of the Ruxsian consulate in midtown New York The woman, who hail been hehl Incommunicado in the consulate, wax severely injured in the piunge.

C. Os C. Tax Group Criticizes Budget Three Portions Are Hit By Committee The lax committee of the Decatur Chamber of Commerce has issued a “sidelines" criticism of the proponed 1949 Adam* x-otinty budget, finding several Items "un reasonable" and "an unfair taxload on the taxpayers of the county.” The committee — composed of Charles Ehlnger. for. N. A Bixler. Noah Steury and E. C. Fuhrman singled out the Adams county xerv ice officer, welfare department, and memorial hospital for x-ritl-cism. Following Is a partial text of the report: 1. Adams county service officer —A budget of 12.772 has been sub initted for this office. It Is our opinion that the need for this office no longer exists anil that this item should be entirely eliminated 2. Adams county welfare department -An Item of 3133.000 ha» been submitted by this department for old age assistance. We fully recognize the urgern y and need for assistame to the old-aged of the county who have no mean* to sup port themselves nor any children or relatives who can support them. We further recognize the possibility of serious abuse* in this particular dide of county funds and recommeml that a close scrutiny be made of this particular fund to insure that the rexipienta I Tara Ta I’aae Pevee*

Every Sixth Adult Now Receives Federal Money

< Editor'* note- Here I* the result of a research assignmet.t to find out how much the federal government I* coating the people of the United State* in the inflation year of 1948 compared with the inflation year of 1920. It preaenta the current government expenae picture In aimpie terma and givea tome of the reasons why federal expense* are now roughly 6-H time* as high as they were 28 years ago I ■V GRANT DILLMAN Washington. Aug 13—(UP)— One of every six adult Americans now la receiving money from the federal government, a United Pres* survey disclosed today. Regular payments go to some 15.830499 citsiens The largest single group are war veterans and their dependents Others are gov eminent employes, members of the armed foreea, federal pensioners, social eeurity beneficiaries, and ( farmers Federal expenditures during this fiscal year threaten to hit an all

To Resume Swimming Classes For Girls The swimming classes for the girls who did not complete their Iteginning or intermediate course In July will resume Monday morn ing at 9:30 o'clock. All those who wish to finish their lieginnlng ami . intermediate skills will have an op . portunity to do xo. The instructors , will be the Miaxe* Rut hie Holt- , house. Kate Kortenber. ami Dixie Hili. Some Meat Prices Zoom Still Higher Women Determined To Continue Fight By I'nitexl Pres* Meat prices have remainexl at • high levels — anti even zoomed higher* in many cases — despite i the price strikes wagexl by house wives this week, a survey of . more than 25 cities showexi today i But the women were detennin ; exl. They vowed to continue their fight until prices droppexl The , movement spreaxi today to Cam- , den, N. J., when- 2,500 housewives pledged to stop buying ! meat for 10 days beginning on , Monday. i The survey of stores across the I nation showed that the average • price of lamb chops rose from , M. 02 cents to 37.99 a pound. T . laMie from 9K.5 to 100.3 cents and ! i |xirk < hops from 80.3 to 33 4 • Tara Ta r«a» Five*

time peacetime peak of about |42.000. 000.000. That is some 6-H times as much as the government epent in 1920. when the budget called for only 16.403.342,841. Nineteen twenty Is a good year to compare with for two reasons Pricea were just about as inflated then as they are now and 1930 was a postwar year the same as 1948 is. Who gets this money under the current budget? Today 2.9W.000 veteran* or their dependent* are drawing federal pensions Another 542.560 veterans are getting Gl unemployment in surance. Another 2.538.000 are attending school or college under the Gl bill, and 545. 945 get on the-job training benefits The government also hand* out pay checks to 2.086.000 federal employes and meets a cash payroll for 1.412.000 members of the armed foreea Some 125,000 retired civil service employes draw federal checks. In addition 2.471.000 person* now draw federal benefits under I Tara Ta Pae» Twat

Woman Who Leaped From Consulate In Fear Os Life Accuses Russians

U. S. Ambassador To Russia Completely Denies Charges Os Soviet On 'Kidnap' Washington. Aug. 13 — (CPt Walter Bedell Bmith. American amba*sudor to Rusia, ha* cate- i gorlcaliy denied Soviet charge* ; that thia government wax involv- ■ e<l in the attempt* of two Soviet school teacher* to remain in th>I'nitexl State*. A state department xpx>ke*man *aixl Smith'* denial wax given orally to Soviet foreign minister V M Molotov yesterday. Il wa* niadx* after Motatov protextexl the "connivance" of American authorities in the case xxf the two NchxMil teachers—Mikhail Samar in. am! Mr*. Oksana S Kosenkina Smith, it was reported, xaixl he had not been officially Informed by his government regarding the incident. "But he categoricaUy denied the allegation that the Cnltexl States government or any of it* agencies were in any way involvext in illegal acts," the *px>ke*man - said. Other I'. S. diplomatic xxfficialx regarded Mr*. Kosenkina'x leap to frex-dom from the thirxl floor of the RuHxian consulate at New' York a* a drastic refutation of Soviet charge* that xhe and Sa . tnarin had been "kidnaped." f Thx- state department xpxxkesJ man sahi that Smith axsurexl Molotov that "full anxl public In- , vextigation wouhl be made folI lowed by criminal or legal proceudingx. if warranted. against , any violators of I’. S. law " Smith also was said to have . tolxl Mxdotov that Samarin ami hl* fami'y wouhl be returnexl to the Soviet I'nion if the Samarin* *o desired Smith axldexl that "their travel couhl be fax-ili*at-x-d." the spokesman xaixl Samarin textifiex! before the house unAmerican activities yesterday that if he was returnexl to Russia he wotilxl be shot or im prisonexl for life. The spokesman's statement «hxiwx-d that radio Moscow in its account of the Smith-Molotov con versation diil not include Smith'* denial. A ( Hansel Foley Named Monmouth Principal Other Changes Made For Rural Schools News of changes in the staff* of rural schxMdx in Adams county has I been released by Lyman L. Hann. | county schxMils superintendent. Hansel Foley, well known county educator, ha* been Homed principal of the Monmouth school, replacing Joseph 11. Haines. Mr. Foley wa* principal of the Kirklaml school for eight years, anil has Ireen prin clpal at l*lea*ant Mills for the past five years. Replax ing Mr. Foley at Pleasant Mills will be Clifford Fribble, whose home is in Warren. Mr Pribble was formerly principal at Bunker Hill Mr. Haines will be principal at Mt. Olympus, near Princeton. Following i» a partial list of the teaching staffs. Hartford and Wa trash townships will Ire released by , the respective township trustees at a later date Mrs. Chris lx>hman will teach at the Kimsey school in Blue Creek township, a* will Mrs. I.ele Cham nexs. formerly of the IJncoln si'bxM>l. Mrs Margare- Kuhn and Mrs Rhea Strayer will teach at the Lincoln school 1 I In the Pleasant Mill* elementary ’ anil high school, the staff will be Philip Dolby. Allrert Coppeea. John Hauman (cxvachi. Mrs. Frances Frey. Mrs Thelma Hendricks. Mrs Jesteenu Cole. Mrs Alma Braytxm. Mrs. Harriet Mills and Mrs Eloise Andrews. Two new teachers will take over 1 at Bobo. They are Miss Myrtle Clements and Miss Ruth P.igden Miss Rigden comes from Spencerville, O. At Monmouth the following teach ers will serve under Mr. Foley: xTere Ta Paar Klahtt

Russians Put Full 'Kidnap' Blame On U. S. Russian Officials Put Full Blame On State Department Moscow, Aug. 13 (I’Pi — Russian offix-lals made it plain toxlay that they were placing full re..pon*ibility on the I'nitexl States department of state for the "kid naping" of two Soviet teachers in New York. The official Soviet position was that an organizexl plot, with off! ciul connivance, produce*! the In cldent, to which the Russian* wen- attaching iiicrx-axitig im,4 portance. Some quarters saw a probabll ity of official reprisal* against Americans here If the case is not Hx-ttlexl amicably. Already it wa* serving to inflame public opinion against American authorities. The Soviet press gave promin ent ill play to foreign minister V. M. Molotov's protest to am bassador W Bedell Smith The press ami radio stuppexl up an Intense campaign of denunciation against American authorities, the New York pollx-e ami the federal bureau of investigation. The government organ Izvestia, in an article by Vladimir Kuxlrayuvtxev. said: “Molotov's statement to Smith is the voice of the whole Soviet land, which will not permit any offense against its people, no matter where they are "Soviet pub ic opinion demands 'he liberation of the abductexl Soviet citizens, anil a detailexl in realization of this outrageous crime, ami the proper punishment of the fiilpritx. "It demands that the dirty hands of political gangster* not dare touch the citizens of the great Soviet I'nion." All newspapers here published long articles of the same geenral tenor. The case may cause etnbar rassment to the statx- depart tnent, observers here believed, which for a long time has been ■-nzageil in a controversy with xTurx To Psae Klabtl Henry Fuhrman Dies Early This Morning Funeral Services Monday Afternoon Henry Fuhrman. K 2. a former Dex-atur resident, xlied early this morning at Oakwooxi park, laike Wawasee* where he hail been xtaying with liis daughter. Mrs Herman Baumgartner He had been in failing health for six month*. Mr Fuhrman was born in IHCfi in Adams county, where lie reaided un II recer I ’/. His present home wa* 914 Pasadena Drive Fori Wayne IL- wan a retired mail carrier, having handlexl the rural mail for 29 years. He was * member of the Dex-atur Modern Woodmen Ixxdge A member of the Bethany Evan gelical I'nitexl Brethren church, h* will be buried Monday at the Decatur cemetery. Funeral aerv-ix-es wil he held at 2 p m Monday it the Black funeral home Rev O. D Whia'ler presiding Friends mav call at the funeral home xfter 7 p. m. Saturday. Surviving are four children. Mrs Ethel Baumgartner, of Fort Wxvne. Mrs Ida Hoyt, of North Hollywoxxl. Cal.. Mrx. Marv Uv•rs. of Lonlaman. Mon». and Herbert Fuhrman. Fort Wavne Foor •l«ters are living. Mrs Radix Rchnltr. Mr* Ixvulaa Rchnitx. Mrs laiura Romnger and Mm I4x »sh*irv He h*« seven vrandchildren and one erent-gmndchfM •l|s wife, ’he former Margaret Rhlfferly. died in 1939

Price Four Cents

Refuses To Talk To Consul General Os Russia; Confined To Hospital After Leap New York. Aug. 13 — (I’Pi — A Russian sxhool teacher who jumpexl in fear of her life from the thinl story of the Soviet consulate accused tin- Ruxxlanx today of holding her as a prisoner for six days. "You kept me a prisoner." Mrs. Oksana Kosenllna. 52. told the Russian vice consul when he enterexl her hospital ro*>m this morning "You wouhl not let me go.” r She refuseil to see Soviet consul general Jacob lamiakin. who annoumexl last Saturday that ho hail "rescued'' her from the Txd- , xtoy foundation farm colony where he x'laimexi she wax held ax a ( prixoner after xhe hail been drugged and kldnapexl by "white Russians " i Mrx. Kosenkina. kept her eyes x losx*d moxt of the time Soviet vice consul Zot Chepurnykh was in her room. When she diil open them, xhe refrained from looking at Chepurnykh Mr*. Kosenkina hail asked po--1 lice, who kept a heavy guard around Roosevelt hospital to prevent possible attempts on her life, to keep Russian officials away from her room because "I fear • . .. them ‘ Although she told the vice con--1 xul she did not want to see “anyI one." Mrs. Kosenkina last night, a few hours after xhe leaped frotl a consulate window, was visited bj three persons One of them w; | Vladimir Zenainov. anti-Commun-t Ist Russian who hail driven her , to the farm near Nyack. N. Y. , from which the Soviet consul gen- , eral later "rescued" her. The others were Peter Hoguet, ! attorney for Common Cause, Inc, I anti-Communist organization which had obtalnexj a court order for , latmakin to produce Mrs. Kosenkina. anti Isaac Don lovine, publisher of Plain Talk magazine. Mrx Kosenkina, helxl in the consulate In defianx-e of the New York supreme court order to pn> duce her, was one of three Russian teacher* who did not take the July 31 ship which wax to have carried them back to their homeland The other two. Mikhail Samarin and his wife, Claudia, hid from Soviet authorities until they wen- placed under xubpena by the house unAmerican activities committee to tell about Soviet activities here. Chepurnyakh was permitted to enter Mrs Kosenkina * room shortly before noon Returning, th* 1 vice consul t*»l<l reporters: "I went to her room. I sa-~ her for one minute. Her eyes *rn closed She told me in Russian: 'I don't want to speak to anyone; I don't want to see anyone.' " Chepurnykh said that in view of Mrx. Kosenkina'x statement he ' doublet! that laimaktn would make any attempt to visit her later today. as he had planned to do. Mrx Kosenkina’x doctor said she was fully conscious and that her condition wax "serious but not necessarily critical" I The vice consul asked permission to place a Russian trained nurse in attendame at the teacher's bedside, but hospital autbori- , ties told hith they doubted it would , be possible because they were ! short on beds and had no place for the nurse to rest. "It is possible." Chepurnykh told . them, "that Mr lx>makin will wish > to have her movexi to another huApltal then, so that a Russian train- - ed nurse or observer can be on hand if nx*eded ” i The hospital officials did not * reply to that i BULLETIN i Guam, Aug. 13 — (UP) — The charred wreckage of a wavy privateer patrol bember was found today, halfway up an POGfoot cliff on Rota Island, M miles north of here. All of its crew members were presumed dead. The number aboard the wreck t plane was not known but such types usually carry a crew of 11.