Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 46, Number 292, Decatur, Adams County, 11 December 1948 — Page 1

I xLVI. No. 292.

10 MAKE SECRET PAPERS PUBLIC TONIGHT

Pigman (Slated To ily Today erol Grand Jury S n New York City □■Continues Spy Probe York. Dec. 11 ~~ Ward Pigman. 38, a foremploye of the national burof standards in Washington. « to testify today bee espionage and cornmunill ■ ap e^H;::lJ n now a chemist at Ap--0^B0’„ \vis„ i-s the third govern)n official accused by ex-com--3K,„ Whittaker Chambers of him secret government for transmission to a |Knunist spy ring.' , p Hiss, a former state deemploye also accused by of giving him important fl papers, was expected Pigman before the iflti i“ r ris the only witness nop by either the grand house committee. He ■■el n. the bureau of standards, new defense weapons were from IJCbt to 1938 and from to 1944. appearance before the jury a victory for that body house unAmerican activiwhich had ordered ■B to appear for questioning in yesterday. Instead he to New Yortf to appear begrand jury, arriving here ■ night. grand jury, which is feuding house committee over the now has under suball the principal witnesses case, including Chambers. Henry Julian Wadleigh. a former state department "■Dm e.| by Chambers, and his brother. Donald. the grand jury has schedK idly sessions, except Sunday, , Wednesday when its powers it presumably wi 1 not reanv of its witnesses until was under subpena to Wore the house committee Ib'whington today. But he igfl the subpena to testify here. * result, the house committee Wiled today's session and said Mid question both Hiss brothearly next week. be grand jury was racing tn l N*te its investigation before Wednesday deadline and it not known yet if it would I down any indictments. Rep. bni M. Nixon, R„ Cal., said let this week that the grand Probably would indict Cham-

pamhers. on whose Maryland P 'hf now famous pumpkin F s »ere found, quit his 130.00 H F r Post as senior editor of F maßa2in *‘ yesterday as a rer* the investigation. Mr. and Mrs. Alger P*"' 1 Wadleigh all testified Lnu. e * ran< * ury y eßter(,a y P ™ s| has been accused by P r ’ of typing important govr w ' foments which her husr elected for transmission to r oin niunist spy ring. z the grand jury’s powr ’Pre Wednesday, a new jury L * “npanelled immediately to the investigation. It P’Merstood that Mrs. ElisaL 1 ®entley, a confessed forF communist spy courier, will ’"Ponaed to testify before Jury. W Representative tre Next Thursday *"» .representative from the ofice of the area rent •** will he at the Decatur post .’ 1 ' a - T Thursdav. December interviews concerning p' 0 , * m * in Adams county. L <lWrtor ’ Jo,ln Wmiana. | > ° flt ,lut his representative fii<l 10 srranee for inter- ,, ~ k *i’her landlords or tenI * hours for next Thursday * from J; jo o’clock in the bZ o ’ plock ,h * . Weather J’’ 1 ' doudy and warmer ’ a "d toniqht Sunday inu cloudiness. High tn, |jQ *• *5 Low tonight 25

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Russia Claims Santa Claus As Her Own Seek Good Will Os Berlin In Carnival Berlin, Dec. 11—(UP)— Russia claimed Santa Claus for its own today. • After all. he does wear a red suit. The went into the business of spreading good cheer, if not good will to all men, by opening a monster carnival here in honor of St. Nikolaus. St. Nickolaus is what the towheaded German youngsters playing in the rubble of Berlin call Santa Claus. And tonight and every night until the holiday season ends, those of them in the western sectors of this divided city will be able to look through Brandenburg gate, with its great red flag flying, into the Soviet sector, and hear laughter and music at the Russian-spon-sored carnival. If some of them forget their parents’ stern warnings and wander into the Russian sector to join the crowds at the fun fair, can they be blamed? That’s just what the Russians hope they will do, of course. Because the monster carnival, biggest Berlin has had since forgotten pre-war days, is all part of the Russian propaganda campaign to put across their slogan, which freely stated is: “You can live a better and fuller life under Soviet control." They point, for example, to the fact that fresh meat and real potatoes are obtainable on the ration in the Russian sector. In the American, British and French sectors, which are supplied by the Anglo-American airlift, potatoes are dehydrated and meat is canned. Last week, the western Allies opened their big Christmas show, in this shattered city hungry for some of its old-time gaiety, the westerners offered what amounts to an industrial exhibition. Steel products, furniture, china, glassware, and other goods surrounded a replica of the biblical manger. The show can't be called a hit.

The Russians took one look and set out to do better. They announced their own Christmas carnival. and they set up close enough to the sector boundary so that you can stand in the British area and see and hear the folks in the Russian sector having fun. They brought in dozens o' carnival wagons. They set up a for(Tarn To Pane Fivei Hole Decrease In Wholesale Prices Decrease Is Paced By Farm Products Washington. Dec. 11.—(UP)— Wholesale prices dropped eighttenths of one percent last week with farm products showing the way, according to the labor department. It was the first big drop in five weeks. • The department said farm products and food declined about two percent with power prices reported for livestock and meat and “seasonally declining" egg prices. Heavy marketing of hogs caused a net price decrease of three percent. the department said, and steer prices also were down. The price drop was announced in the wake of a prediction by Clarence Francis, chairman of General Fiods Corp., that a further decline In food prices may be expected. Francis told a congressional subcommittee that the “trend of uih ward prices has stopped." Corn Exports Washington. Dec. 11. —(VP) The agriculture department predicts com exports from this year s record crop will total about 131.OOO.OM bushels. That is the amount exported in the 1946-47 season Mat years /poor harvest caused exports to drop off considerably The department said exports this season will be limited more by demand in foreign countries and by transportation than by It S. supplies The harvest has been estimated at 1630.000.000 bushels. The department has allocated 53.000.000 bushels for export in the October-December period But It said all of this probably will not actually be shipped out by the end of that time.

Students Demand Longer Christmas Vacation „ a- xw -♦ ■»< ■*►... -.■l ■ u, '• -*Ws! '» ' »9 ■ ' whA.IT -J™*PART OF THE CROWD of 2,000 University of Missouri students demanding that their Christmas vacations not be limited to two weeks, demonstrate before a famous campus land mark, "The Columns,” at Columbia, Mo. A student at the left holds a card bearing the numerals "18," the date on which they want their vacation to bkgin instead of December 22.

Schricker Appoints Board For Highways Same Commission As Served Before Indianapolis, Dec. 11—(UP) — Gov.-elect Henry F. Schricker today announced that the bi partisan state highway commission when hg takes office will be the same one serving at the time he left office in 1945.

The commission was composed of Samuel C. Hadden. Indianapolis, chairman; Albert J. Wedeking, Dale; Jap Jones. Fort Wayne, and Thomas D. McDonald, Knox. Wedeking and McDonald are Republicans. Schricker also announced that Frank J. Viehman of Indianapolis, who served as state insurance commissioner in the Schricker first term, wou.d be commissioner again. Sphricker said at a press conference, during which the appointments were announced, that some of his appointments might be delayed until after the 1949 legislature ends its biennial session next March. The new highway commission is a complete turnover of personnel from the present commission appointed by Governor Gates and headed by form r Republican state chairman John H. Lauer. The present insurance commissioner is John D. Pearson of Car mel. Said Schricker of his highway appoiutmcnts: "Tuese men render'”! an outstanding public service la the people of Indiana during my first administration. They accomplished it in the face of greatly reduced revenues and other restrictive measures growing out of the war. It should also be remembered that Uhey served the state at a much ower salary than is being paid today. "Honest, able and conscientious. (Turn T» I’nge Sill Mother, Two Sons Are Fire Victims Mother First Saves Two Young Daughters Terre Haute. Ind, Dec. II—(VP) —A 29year-old mother rescued her two young daughters from their flaming home today and was burned to death with her two little sons when she tried to save them. The victims were Mrs. Mildred Scarborough and her children. Larry. 7. and Leonard. 16 months. Mrs. Scarborough’s husband. Harold, told sheriff Ira Hall he returned from a night shift job in a Terre Haute chemical plant and (found his daughters. Katherine. 11. and Sharon Rose. 6. standing dated heside the smoking ruins of their two-room cabin along the Wabash river. Hall said the girls Jold him their mother awoke to find the house ablate. She ran outside with the girls and ran back into save the boys The roof fell In and trapped all three. The cabin was located west of Prairieivu. Ind., about 19 miles southwest of here.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Saturday, December 11,1948

Five Bids Received For New Police Car Five bids for a new police patrol ■ ear have been received by the city, ranging from $561 to S9OO net price [ The offers are for two Plymouths. a Hudson, a Pontiac and a Ford. The bids were submitted by Al Schmitt motor sales, Phil L. Macklin Co., Zintsmaster motor sales, Decatur Super Service and Bjandt motors. Delivery will not be until after the first of the year. 4 Lisi Office Hours On Social Security Representative Here Once Every Month Christian H. W. Luecke. manager of the Fort Wayne office ,of the social, security administration, has announced a new schedule of office hours for Decatur and the establishment of a new service for I residents of Berne and vicinity. After the first of the year the representative of the administration will be a - the Decatur postoffice on the third Tuesday of every month. The first visit is scheduled for January IS. from 110 to 11 a.m. Berne area residents will be I able to confer with a representstive on the four h Thursday of | every month at the Berne post- ; office, between 10 and 11 a.m.. starting January 27. The service in both Decatur and Berne will enable persons in the county to file applications for so- < ial security benefits, obtain new and duplicate social security cards and make inquiries concerning the old-age and survivors insurance program. Mr. Luecke stressed the fact that no benefits can be paid under old-age and survivors insurance iTurn To Prq* Flv*>

Barbed Wire And Mines Bar Christmas Pilgrims

Jerusalem. Dec. 11 — (UP) — Barbed wire and mines still block the way of Christmas pilgrims to Bethlehem, birthplace of Christ. But the United Nations and con sular representatives "t Jerusalem hope to arrange safe-conduct for Christmas through the lines in time for the Holy Day. Even so. only a few hundred of the faithful are expected to make the pilgrimage this year. And they will be mostly Christian Arabs from nearby villages. Before Arab-Jewish warfare began. hundreds of thousands of persons from all parts of the world used to converge on the little hillside town at Christmas to worship in the church of the na'ivity. which is said to lie on the exact site of the manger in which the Christ Chili was cradled. In those pre-war years, the pilgrims filled the hotel* hind Jerusalem early in Deceml>er. visiting the shrines of the Holy City, and remaining to attend the Christmas eve services in the church of the , nativpy. This year, only about 20 United i Nations staff mem be .t. consular

Roger Touhy Makes New Freedom Bid Charges Conviction On False Testimony Chicago, Dec. 11—(VP)— Gangster Roger (The Terrible) Touhy’s bid for freedom was strengthened today with the disclousure that the principal witness in his trial 15 years ago has recanted his testimony. Touhy, notorious prohibition era gangster, was convicted in 1933 on a charge of kidnaping John (Jake The Barber) Factor, reputed confidence man and swindler. Touhy last month filed another ■ in a long series of habeas corpus | petitions, charging that he was convicted on false testimony by Isaac Costner, who now is serving i'a term in Leavenworth federal I prison. Federal judge John P. Barnes ■ granted the petition pending a hearing next May, and ordered "all the facts" brought before him. Assistant state's attorney James 1 Cunningham, acting on the court's instructions, went to Leavenworth ! to take a deposition from Costner. ! Cunningham disclosed today that Costner, in his deposition, said he agreed to testify against Touhy at Factor’s request. Costner had testified during the trial that he aided Touhy in the • kidnaping. In his deposition, he denied having anything to do with J the kidnaping. Touhy charges that Factor bad j himself "kidnaped" by accomplices to avoid extradition to England. where he faced charges of swindling investors out of $3.0t)0,ODO in stock deals. Despite the fact his habeas corpus petition was granted .pending the hearing. Touhy still is confined to Stateville penitentiary on a sentence imposed after he escaped and was recaptured in 1941.

employes, and Christian clergy still remaining in Jerusalem will make the trip through the no man's land that now shuts off Bethlehem from ■he rest of the world. And even the safe-conducts they will he given by both the Israeli and the Arabs will not guarantee against sniper fire. Missing this year will be the thousands of British and allied sold iers who in recent years drove In trucks from Jerusalem to Bethlehem in organized pilgrimages on Christmas eve. Today, only one rutted, makeshift road is accessible which does not cross battle-fields It runs from Jericho to Bethlehem, and was hnilt for the Trans-Jordan Arab legion last July when the Israeli drove a wedge between Jerusalem and Bethlehem cutting the road along which Mary and Joseph trudged the first Christmas eve. Now this main road, ' the road of the prophets." is "pockmarked with shellholes. cut by tank-traps, and barricaded and mined where it cuts the Israeli Egyptian opposing lines near Mar Elias, halfway between (Tara.Ta Page Fl»e|

Government Documents Stolen By Communists Spy Ring To Be Aired

Employment Drops Below 60 Million Scattered Layoffs, Curtailments Shown By United Press Scattered industrial layoffs and production cur ailments were disclosed in a nationwide survey today. The census bureau reported that the nation’s total employment dropped below 60.000.000 persons last month for the first time since last May. Total employment in November was reported at 59,893,000, compar ed 'With 60,134.000 the month before.

A survey 'by United Press disclosed a sprinkling of loyoffs in some areas, hut most of them were ascribed to localized conditions. By contrast, many areas reported no curtailment, and some reported increased employment. The Pennsylvania unemployment compensation bureau reported that the men's clothing industry in Philadelphia was “shut down tight" because of over production for the Christmas season. About 2,000 workers were laid off. Industry sources said there is a normal slump at this time of year, but ordinarily only a couple of hundred workers 'would be idled. At Stanford. Conn., the manufacturers' council reported increasing unemployment in the Stanford-Greenwich industrial area. Extensive curtailment was reported in three watch-making industry at Waterbury. Conn. Business leaders attributed the curtailment to edmpetition from the Swiss wa'ch industry. The I'. S. Time Corp, laid off 2,000 of its 2.000 workers. Substantial curtailments also were reported by Seth Thomas. Bennis and Lux watch. The Shirk Co. at Stanford, announced it would dismiss ternporarily 210 workers on Dec. 17 and cut its work week from 40 to 32 hours. Company spokesmen said anticipated sales had fallen off. There 'Were some indications of a slackening in the manufacture of home appliances. At Cleveland. 0.. the Apex Electric Co., which makes washers, ironers and vacuum cleaners, had laid off 300 (Turn To Page I'onrl Sgt. Sheets Riles Here Next Thursday Pay Final Tribute To War Veteran Decatur will pay tribute to another war veteran Thursday when funeral services will be held for Staff Sgt. Raymond E Sheets, son of Mr. and Mrs. Noah T Sheets, of 915 Dierkes street. Funeral services will be held al 2 o'clock Thursday afternoon at the Zwick funeral home, the Rev. John E. Chambers officiating. Burial will be in the Decatur cemetery, with Adams Post 43. American legion conducting full military rites. The body will arrive in Decatur late Tuesday night and will be removed to the funeral home, where friends may call after 2 p m Wednesday. Sgt. Sheets, a lifelong resident of Adams county, was killed in action in the province of Ixtrraine Oct. 9. ,1944. while serving with Company G of the 319th infantry. He enter’d service July 15. 1912. and was sent overseas in June of 1944. He was bom In Adams county Oct. 13. 192 b. and graduated from the Decatur high school. He was employed at the (tecatur Floral Co. at the time he entered service. Surviving in addition to his parents are four brothers. Doyle and Robert, both of Fort Wayne, and Richard and David, hoth at home, and three sisters. Mrs. Clarence Morgan. Mrs. Don Harmon and Mrs. IJoyd Reef, all of Deca- ' tur.

United Nations Set To Adjourn Lase Tonight Western Powers In Late Warning Over Palestine Problem Paris, Dec. 11 — (UP) — The western powers warned the United Nations general assembly in the closing hours of its Paris meeting today that the only hope for peace in Palestine was ,a watered down Anglo-American plan for a new conciliation commission. The United States. Great Britain. France, Canada and China implored the assembly to do something to promote a lasting settlement of Arab-Jewish strife. John Foster Dulles of the United States told the assembly that the conciliation plan would provide the key for a settlement. He said there already had’been too much fighting in Palestine and "there must be no more." Hector McNeil of Great Britain, urging passage of the plan which tell far short of the original British goal, admitted that as now constituted it was "not a strong resolution. and in the eircurtistances cannot be."

French foreign minister Robert Schuman said it would be a "great failure" if the UN neglected to act on Palestine and "allow the conflict to continue." Lester Pearson of Canada warned the assembly that it must act now to bring peace to Palestine before new violence, disorder and disaster visits the middle east. Pearson pleaded desperately for enough votes to pass the weakened Anglo-American plan for a new UN conciliation commission in the Holy Land. The assembly opened the last day of its Paris meeting at 11 am. (I a.m. (’ST), faced with a struggle to finish debate on Palestine and set tie half dozen issues before dawn tomorrow. Delegates planned to adjourn late in the afternoon for a reception given by French president Vincent Auriol and then return to sit all night if necessary to meet the Sunday morning adjournment deadlin ■ The assembly will meet for the second half of this session April 1 in New York. Balked in all efforts to settle the east-west crisis. th* diplomats hoped at least to be aide to take some positive steps on Palestine, approve a $39,000,000 budget for next year and. if possible, vote on the western plan for nenewed 1 N action in Kor- j ea. Some delegates feared the Pale j stine debate would carry the assem-1 Idy far into the night. Nevertheless, the steering committee at an early ' (Taro Tn rnur Fl vet Two More Townships Finish CROP Drive Monroe And Union Reports Are Made The Christian Rural Overseas Program drive has been completed in two more townships. Union and Monroe. Homer W. Arnold, county CROP chairman, reported today Victor Bleeke reported the folt'nion township: lowing donations from farmers in $5<'7.75 eash. 175 bushels wheat 77 bushels soybeans In Monroe township. Everett Rice reported the following: s6o) 56 cash. 2”4 bushels wheat 86 bushels soybeans I<* bushels oats. 31 bushels com The drive has been completed in five townships and the results are “very satisfactory." Mr. Arnold stated

Price Four Cents

House Committee Spy Hearings Are In Recess; Papers To Be Published Washington. Dec. 11. —(UP) House investigators make public tonight the first of a series of government secret papers stolen by a communist spy ring. The documents, sWhie bearing the state department's "top secret” •label, have been cleared for publication 10 years after they were turned over to ex-spy Courier Whittaker Chambers for transmission to Russia. Twelve of the documents will be released for newspaper publication and radio broadcast at 6 p in. CST. ' The house unAmerican activities committee indicated it may release more of the papers later. Altogether. it has more than 100 of them surrendered by Chambers, but some still are regarded as confidential by the state department. The committee’s spy hearings were in recess until Monday when investigators hope to question some of the former government officials named by Chambers as "contacts." Acting chair, ,u Karl E. Mudt! R, S. D . said be will call Alger and Do.ml 1 Hiss to the witness stand next week in an effort to fix the blame for the thefts. In addition to the Hiss brothers, 1 chambers put the finger on an- ; other former state department I worker. Henry Julian Wadleigh. - He also named William Ward Pigman. one time chemist at the national bureau of standards. I The documents to be released to- - night came to light after Alger • Hiss filed a $75,001) slander suit i against Chambers. The confessed former Communist not only proI dticed a sheaf of papers, to substantiate his charges, but he also led congressional investigators to a pumpkin in the backyard of his Maryland farm where he had state secrets on microfilm. Mundt said that if the New York ' grand jury indicts someone for stealing the documents, then he

will, propose that the committee write a report and call off its investigation However. Rep. Richaril M Nixon. R.. Cal , said he w'oifcln't go that far. There are 100 many other angles of communist activity that should be looked into. Nixon feels. Meanwhile, the feud continued between the committee and the ..ttstice department over who is interfering with whom. Nixon got in the latest jab. charging that the department has been withholding information from the committee. The justice department says it's | been the other way around The California congressman also ( t urn To I'nae sl»> Plan Organization In Stratton Place . With a view toward a permanent ! organization if interest is sufficient. . residents of Stratton Place will ; meet Sunday afternoon at the Dr. Joe Morris home. 128 Harvester I Lane, it was announced today. All residents of the Stratton Place secj tion are invited to the meeting. Among the topics for discussion I before he group decides on a permanent organization are playground expansion in the addition, telephone cable installation and street lightj ins. Other problems of genera! interest also will be. discussed. Stratton Place is the area located east of the Monroe street bridge and is part of Decatur. All residents of the section have liecn invi’ed to the informal meeting and - in all probability a permanent organization will be started.

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