Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 46, Number 302, Decatur, Adams County, 23 December 1948 — Page 1

' KIVI. No. 302.

WARFARE BREAKS OUT ANEW IN PALESTINE

sea Urges Mio Condemn Mi Attack I Australian Leader Lakes Blistering I Attack On Dutch L Dec. 23 —(UP)—Russia L t he United Nations security E>|i today to condemn the “unLi D Indonesia as a breach of Lked aggression” by the [international peace. Lob Malik of Russia told the Ljl that the Dutch campaign Lnged the prestige of the UN [ was a threat to world peace u security. Lore the council was a resoL calling on the Dutch to fall L to the truce lines they held L the Sunday attack and for [immediate cease fire in Indo-L-orful support for the AmeriL stand was lining up in the; Lil. China unexpectedly apLa it earlier today. W. R. Lson of Australia told the Lil the Dutch should be oust[from the UN. Lis El Khouri backed up Lson. and said the fighting in taesia seemed to him to be no L action but an ordinary war. IJ. Desai of India supported L V. S. resolution. butch colonial authorities, Malik I the council, "do not underW it is no longer possible to Lose colonial servitude on penL who know what freedom is." lie said this was not the first te such aggression had been fmuntered. It is much like Japtee imperialism, he said, adTor three years the Indonesian Üblic has been -under a threat military aggression. First it I threatened by the troops of tet Britain and the Netherlands. h 1947 it has been under a Itiry threat som the Nether-

Slow Advance Mavia, Dec. 23 — (UP) — The H high command reported tothat resistance by Indonesian üblican forces on all four sides the roughly rectangular front central Java had slowed down Dutch advance. De slowdown enabled the ReBeans to Invoke the scorched •h policy, blowing up roads, hfes nd other installations in Ifcth of the Dutch, a war com•iflue reported. Dia was the first official Dutch •ft of any appreciable reslst- * by the Indonesians since the togn .opened Sunday. Only today the Dutch reported that dr forces were unable to make to with the Republicans who * falling back everywhere tot awaiting for the advancirailes. •kMhiledging relatively heavy tore in four sectors, the * command nevertheless said (T«r» Tn Paar Kit) Fellows Club distribution To Be Made This Evening * Decatur Good Fellows chib, by the generosity of the J* individuals, organizations Merchants, -will share their * *ith the city’s less fortunate 1 M «nlng when they -will make ’ tatribution of food, clothing •of* throughout the city, •tribution win start at 7 to The Delta Theta Tau sor- ’ *Ponsors of the Good Fellows •ior many years, will ibe assist- ® *be distribution by represent- “ of the Psi lota Xi sorority, r Chamber of Commerce. Ro ’ *nd Lions clubs, and other ! *«rs The bearers of Christcheer will meet at the Mansftose, where the gifts have more Decatur retail stores °>*de contributions of new ’‘-Uidise to the club. New Toys •touted by Lee Hardware and . ’ * Co., and new clothing J**' 1 clothing store. Ehingers. /tof -Shop and Holthouse*U€o. WEATHER .toy cloudy tonight and w, th intermittent light I* ’*<♦ tonight and Friday. ‘'"'•f north and central per- *• Unight.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Good Fellows Club Previously reported $68005 Mr. and Mrs. Frank c . R ° wle >' ' 10.00 A Friend 50|) I A Good Fellow j qq Women of Moose 10 00 A Friend lftn y™, 5.00 friends 2.40 Totals -—-$715.45 House Probers Embroiled In Angry Dispute Handling Os Secret Testimony Results In Bitter Dispute Washington, Dec. 23.—(UP)— House investigators were embroiled in an angry dispute today over the handling of secret testimony that brought the name of Laurence Duggan into their Communist spy hunt. The split among members, of the house unAmerican activities committee came amid these other developments: 1. Acting chairman Karl E. Mundt, It, S. D., called on the FBI to reveal the nature of its interview with Duggan a short time before the former state department official’s death plunge from a New York skyscraper. He added, however, that the information should be made public only if Duggan's family approves.

2. The committee locked its doors for a question-and-answer sesaiop with former assistant secretary of state Francis B. Sayre and -his secretary, Anna Belle Newcomb. Sayre at one time was the state department superior of Alger Hiss, who has been accused hy exCommunist Whittaker Chambers of stealing official secrets for a Red. spy ring. Duggan's name was linked with the inquiry shortly after his death Monday night. At that time Mundt revealed testimony in which anticommunist editor Isaac Don Levine said Duggan was one of six state department officials whom Chambers had accused in 1939 of pilfering secrets. Chambers subse(Turn Tn Page Three! Estimate Christmas Death Toll At 265 Chicago. Dec. 23—(UP)— The National Cafety council estimated today that Christmas holiday traffic accidents would kill 265 persons. The council's estimate covered the period between 6 p.m. next Friday and nfidnight Sunday. It included only immediate deaths. The council said the ultimate death total might be higher. Open Geneva Youth Center Friday Night Christmas Party To Launch New Center Wabash township teenagers will open the new Geneva youth center Fridav night with a Christmas partv the climax of two months of planning by youngsters and adults of the community. .- At a meeting of the advisory committee Wednesday night, the Rev. Clayton Steele was named chairman of the committee and dh rector of the center, his term of office being six months. President of the teenage committee is Sheridan Potter Wabash township youth had been utilizing the basement of Geneva s First Methodist church on Wednesday evenings, but the donation "the second floor facilities above the Briggs Hardware store made possible the expansion of activiThe brand new hangout, which h,s been furnished and decorated bv the youngsters themselves, has a juke box. ping pons '» ble! - 1 Boft drink vendor and many Other equipment will be added in the near future. Two adult supervisors will be in attendance whenever the center is open The committee set Monday. Wednesday and Saturday nights for activity. All Wabash township teenagers are eligible for membership.

Resumption Os Chinese Peace Talks Sought Contact Sought By Chinese Officials ‘With Communists Nanking, Dec. 23—(UP)—Chinese officials have approached one of the western power embassies in Nanking asking it to contact Chinese communists for a rAun%ption oi peace talks in the Chinese civi' war, unimpeachable sources said today. These sources said the Russian embassy also was reported to have suggested to the Chinese nationalist government that the big four be invited to mediate peace. The western diplomats were reported to have replied that they could be of no assistance in contacting the communists. The Russian embassy was reported to be awaiting an answer to its suggestion. , The informants said that the Chinese had taken the initiative in reaching Red leaders but were experiencing difficulty. At the same time, it was said, they wanted guarantees that, the communists would carry out the terms of a possible peace. News of possible new peace moves in the civil war came shortly after China’s new premier and "honorable peace" advocate Sun Fo met with his cabinet for the first time to decide whether, and under what circumstances, peace talks with the communists might be inaugurated. Reliable sources said decisions reached at a closed meeting in the cabinet room might force Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek to relinquish his leadership of. China. Questioned regarding the possibility of mediation by the U. S„ Britain, France and Russia, the American embassy replied "no comment." Russian, British and French diplomats were not available for comment. The American viewpoint toward big four mediation was almost certain to be negative, it was said, even if the suggestion reaches the point where it is referred to Washington for decision. Americans foresee a Russian veto of any proposal made inside or outside the United Nations which is not in line with Soviet foreign jolicy. The European cold war between (Tom To !•««<* Tw o I

; Would Take Judges Out Os Politics Judicial Council To Propose Bill Indianapolis. Dec. 23 — (UP) — I A proposed bill designed to re- | move Indiana judges from politics ! will be recommended to the 1949 I general assembly, the judicial 1 council of Indiana indicated today. I The council, in a report for subj mission to the Indiana legislature, J recommended that the state conj stitution be amended to provide ■' for appointment of Hoosier judges J' by the governor from candidate lists submitted by nonpartisan ' judicial commission. And. said the council, the sug- , gested amendment would provide I that the state's voters have the right to remove judges if they see i fit. . The report suggested creation of an 11 member nonpartisan state judicial commission to subt mit lists of candidates for judge--5 ships to the governor, who, in turn, would appoint judges from ( those nominated. Then, said the , council. Indiana voters should , have the choice, at each general . e ection. of either retaining incumbent judges or removing them i from office. 1 The council also recommended i that judgeship terms be fixed at t an eightyear minimum and that . judges' salaries be increased 1 "across the board.” And. said the council, all judges 1 would be forbidden to hold any i political party office, make any r ; campaign contributing or take ■ any active part In politics." r The recommended plan also • would provide that sub-eommis-(Tara Ta Pa« Three)

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday, December 23, 1948

President Home For Christmas glßl. » Ha isk j flKriv ■ lew MWw PRESIDENT TRUMAN chats wi h his sister. Miss Mary Jane Truman who, with Mrs. Truman, daughter Margaret, brother Vivian and dignitaries from Kansas and Missouri, met his presidential plane at Fairfax Airport, upon his arrival from Washington. Mr. Truman will spend the holiday with his family in Independence.

President Truman Home For Holiday Takes Early Morning Walk In Home Town Independence, Mo., Doc. 23—(UP) — President Truman swung into his family Christmas holiday at home today 'by sleeping later than usual and then taking his normal brisk early morning walk. But there was work on the president's schedule, too. He planned tentatively to spend part of the day in Kansas City at bis desk in the presidential suite at the Hotel iMuehlebach. iMr. Truman did not leave the spacious, two-story, white frame house untM a.m., when he left by the back door and began a spirited two-mile, 25-mintite walk through the uncrowded streets ot his home town.

He cheerily told.repor’ers as he started that the "fresh air would be good" for them. Ho walked steadily, not stopping, but waved occasionally to townspeople who passed on the street and called Christmas greetings. The temperature here was almost freezing and the sky overcast. The (weatherman predicted possible snow that would make it a real white Christmas. As the president swung onto the widewalk, two nftn in a small truck stopped to look at him. One of them, who gave the name of Glenn Wat(Turn To I’nae Four!

13 CIO Union Leaders Branded As Communists

Washington. Dec. 23—(UP) — The house unAmerican activities committee today listed 13 CIO union leaders as Communists and said 20 CIO affiliates are now or have been under Communist control. In a study on Communism in the labor movement, the committee said that in the event of war between the United States and Russia. Communists would “try to stall the (American) war machine in its tracks." Among the unions cited as Com-munist-dominated were the West iCoast International Longshoremen's union and the United Electrical workers. The report said that in wartime the Longshoremen's union would have an opportunity to “wreck the whole U. S. fighting power." And the Electrical Workers union, it said, would hare vital war plants "at Its mercy." Many of the union officials named as Communists by the com-

BULLETIN Madrid, Dec. 23. — (UP) — An Iberia airlines plane crashed in the mountains near Barcelona today, killing the 27 persons aboard. It was believed that all aboard were Spanish. There was no indication as to the cause of the crash. I Lower Food Prices Cui Living Costs Second Consecutive Month For Decrease Washington. Dec. 23 — (UP) — Lower food prices forced the cost of living down eight tenths of one percent last month, the labor department reported today. It was the second consecutive month in which living costs had fallen. Slight declines in prices of clothing and house furnishings and a “substan’ial" slump in food prices were “primarily responsible” for the overall drop in the cost of living. the department said. Only rents, fuel and a few miscellaneous items rose in price last month. They showed only slight increases. As of Nov. 15, the department said, living costs were 4.4 percent above mid-November, 1947. and 29.2 percept higher than June, 1946. when ' most price controls were scrapped. Food prices alone fbll nearly two (Turn To Pnae Flvrt

- mittee have been so described pre- ( viously by congressional investi- ) gators. Those on today's list inI eluded Harry Bridges, president of r the Longshoremen's union; Julius - Emspak and James Matles of the Electrical Workers: and Abram • Flaxen president of the United > Public Workers of America. The lists of unions and officials ■ were carried in a pamphlet entitled I "100 Things You Should Know i About Communism and Labor." It is one of a series of five committee pamphlets on Communism t in the United States. The committee lauded CIO presi- ■ dent Philip Murray for his denunc- ! iation of Communists at the recent ■ convention'of his organization. It ■ said the ouster of the greater New York CIO council was “the biggest single blow" the Communists have I suffered in the CIO. ■ Despite Murray's efforts, the committee said. Communists are •’“still In the saddle" in a number (Tara Ta Pane Twa)

Israeli Land, Sea And Air Forces Attacking Heavily On Egyptians

Moderate Amounts Os Snow Forecast Suspend Business Here For Holiday With a weather bureau promise of "at least moderate amounts” of snow for Christmas. Decatur residents were in the last throes of preChristmas activity. Public and private business will have ground to a halt by 6 p.m. Friday evening, when merchants close shop until Monday morning. County offices in the court house will close at 11:30 a.m. Friday to allow employes a half holiday. Decatur’s city offices, with the exception of the police department, will close at 5 p.m. Friday. At the post office, where an estimated 800,000 pieces of mail have been handled since December 10, carriers will probably be able to call it a day by mid-afternoon Friday. Special delivery service will continue over the weekend. Postmaster Keo Kirsch said a crew of volunteer workers will endeavor to "deliver everything that looks like a Christmas parcel, even if it comes in Christmas morning.” Taverns will be open. Friday night until the regular hour of midnight, but will remain closed Saturday and Sunday. Most confectioneries will close early Friday evening.' The Daily Democrat will publish at noon Friday to afford its employes a longer holiday. No paper will be published Christmas day. Theaters and some restaurants will be open Saturday. Cautious weather bureau communiques today tentatively promised a white Christmas for most of the middle west, New England and scatered areas in the western states. Also predicted for Saturday were snow for part bf southern California and the Great Lakes, and rain for the Ohio Valley and parts south.

Salary Boost For President Favored Subcommittee Os Senate For Boost Washington. Dec. 23 — (UP) — President Truman, who has been ignored through three rounds of general wage increases, finally seemed In line today for a $75,000 boost in his yearly income. A senate civil service subcommittee recommended that the chief executive’s salary be upped from the present $75,000 to $100,0()0-a---year. It also proposes that an additional $50,000 be tacked onto his ,tax free exipense account. 'Members of the three-man subI committee said they think it's a good bet congress will approve pay hikes for the president and some 200 other top government ofk-ials before Mr. Truman starts his new term Jan. 20. The president’s in come can't he increased during the term to which he has been elected. Mr. Truman told a recent news conference he had not asked for a pay boost for himself, but said he would not veto one if it conies ■ along. Since 1909. presidents have been drawing salaries of $75,000 a year. In addition. .Mr. Truman now is allowed $40,000 for travel and entertainment expenses, but experts claim it’s not enough to pay the bills. If the senate subcommittee's recommendations are adopted. Mr. Truman will get another $50,000 for expenses, making a total amount $90,000. The subcommittee also proposed salary increases for the following officials: Vice president and house speak- ■ er — sso,ooo Instead of $20,000 sal I aries. plus expense accounts of $lO.1000 a year each. Only the speaker gets an expense account now and it amounts to $2,500. ' Cabinet heads — $25,000 instead (Tara To Page Three!

Jap Warlords Died Cheering Japan Emperor Bodies Cremated, Ashes Scattered From Seven Jeeps Tokyo, Dec. 23—(UP)—Former Premier Hideki Tojo and the six warlords who were hanged with him “went to their deaths after giving lo'.OOO cheers for the emperor and the Japanese way of life." the Buddhist priest who accompanied them to the execution chamber said today. The seven Japanese warlords were executed beginning at one minute after midnight today. Their bodies were cremated and their ashes scattered to the wind! In different areas by U. S. soldiers in seven different jeeps. An eyewitness account of their last minutes before they entered the death chamber was furnished by Shinsho Hanayama, the Buddhist priest who was permitted to visit them for final services on the day preceding the hanging. The priest was not permitted to enter the execution chamber. The priest said Tojo and Hie others went "courageously" to their deaths, a report confirmed by the official description of the hanging issued by Gen. Douglas MacArthur's public relations office. Hantyama said he performed rites over the seven bodies in coffins outside the death chamber Immediately after the executions. The lids had not yet been closed, he said, and he saw the faces of all the executed men. Their faces were "serene, clear and clean," he said, and gave the impression they had suffered in the executions. The bodies of the seven war criminals were reduced to ashes at the Yokohama crematorium eight hours after the hangings were completed in Sugatno prison The ashes were placed in small black boxes and carried away from the crematorium in seven different jeeps. They were scattered secretly so that there could be no final resting place to provide a future nationalistic shrine for possible mili'arists. Bodies of the warlords were (Turn Tv I’nur Plvrt

Ask Suggestions On Highway Funds Bill Proposed To Raise Added Funds Indianapolis. Dec. 23 — (UP) — The Indiana joint committee on street, and highways today asked Hoosier farm groups, chambers of commerce and trucking firms for suggestions on a proposed hill to raise funds for improving Indiana’s highway system. The committee said the groups, among many interested in "a permanent building program" for the Hoosier highway network, were asked to support a plan for .a suggested bill providing for an addi tional two-cent tax on gasoline, to be introduced in the 1949 general -assembly. The committee said it already has received proposals for overhauling of the motor vehicle registration system, a more equitable truck license fee, partial allocation of the state cigaret tax. a tax on utilities' use of state rights-of-way. and allocation of state gross income tax and general funds to building new highways. But it said it still was open to suggestions on other possible hills for introduction in the Hoosier legt.latyre. The state highway commission said recently that the state would pay out $87,000,000 each year for (Tara Ta l*aae Faart

Price Four Cents

Eruption Os Major Hostilities Breaks United Nations' Orders For Peace Tel Aviv. Dec. 23 — (UP) — Hostilities broke out anew in south Palestine today, with Israeli land, sea and air forces reported attacking heavily, and Egypt asked the United Nations to act urgently on the alleged Jewish violation of the truce. Brig. Gen. William Riley, chirf UN truce observer in Palestine, received in Haifa a copy ot the Egyptian appeal to the security council. The Cairo government message sent the appeal, based on charges of truce violations, to Paris where the council is meeting. UN observe, reported from their field positions that the Jewish forces were pressing a full fledged campaign against the Egyptian positions throughout a broad reach of the Negev. Some hours after an Israeli military spoaesman reported big scale fighting in the Negev, Lt. Col. Moshe Perlman, himself an army spokesman, said the fighting generally was "on a small scale so far." He declined to predict how the situation might develop. Perlman said Israel informed the UN last night of Egyptian activity in the Nirhn sector of the Negev. He reported that both Israeli and Egyptian planes were in action two days before Christmas violated a United Nations security council order which brought a shaky peace to the Holy Land Nov. 16. It was accompanied by an Israeli warning to the UN that the Jews reserved the right to freedom of action because Egypt had fused to negotiate for an armis Ice as ordered by the security council. The first word of the new hostilities came from an Israeli military spokesman. He jeported bi.f scale fighting in a broad reach <1 the rainswept Negev, without saying who started it. Bui the spokesman said the Is raell forces had driven the Egyptians from the entire northern Negev, and had opened up lines to Jewish settlements cut off in the Faluja pocket 20-odd miles south of Tel Aviv. UN truce headquarters in Haifa received the first details from its truce teams in the field. They were skimpy on Israeli infantry action, but reported widespread action by Israeli planes and warships. One report said the Israeli fare!es struck at an air field in Egypt, I presumably in an air attack. Israeli naval units appeared off I Gaza, key Egyptian base near the I shore, and hurled shells into the town. O her Jewish vessels struck 11 urn Tv l'n*e Hit I Lease Office Space For County Nurse Space for the county heal.h nurse, who will begin her duties lon January 1. has been leased by the county commissioners in the D. Burdette Custer law office. 15914 N. Second street Miss Jean Shockley of Richmond, is the nurse employed by the coutfty. At present she is city health nurse in Richmond. The agreement with Mr. Custer provides for a private consultation room, use of the reception room, light and heat and office help in answering the telephone, when the | nurse is out on official calls. The - rental price was fixed at $520 a ' year, the agreement covering 1949.

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