Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 47, Number 62, Decatur, Adams County, 15 March 1949 — Page 1

I. XLVII. No. 62.

WABASH RAILROAD PARALYZED BY STRIKE

bmination 01 lon Wallgren Rejected [Senate Committee [ln Stinging Slap [For Pres. Truman lashington, .'March 15 — (UP)— I senate armed services commitBoday handed President Truman Ringing slap by turning down his lination of Mon C. Wallgren to lliairman of the national securIresources hoard. I did it in the most thorough nos|e way— hy voting 7-6 to table I nomination. The committee Iht have voted merely to send [nomination to the senate with fcdverse report. Instead, it chose tocedure that will make it imLible for the senate even to vote [the nomination under normal ledtire. [o get the Wallgren appointment lore the senate at all, it will now necessary first for a majority of [ senate to vote to take it out of I committees hands. Considering I senate’s present makeup and ■per, such action seems unlikefbe committee vote was a victory I Sen. Harry P. Cain, R., Wash., |d has fought the Wallgren nomilion from the .first and last week' Led seven hours in the senate kinst it. bther congressional developBits: filibuster — Worried administraL leaders sought, in the face of L rebuffs, a negotiated peace in | senate filibuster fight. They ■d to bring the battle to an end [order to salvage stymied parts [president Truman’s legislative [gram. The most immediately Using legislative “must" is exision of rent controls. Rents — The administration raised another assault on its rent ■trol extension bill. The house led 121-86 against a Republican pposal to prevent restoration of ■trols in any area from which [y have once been removed. Communists — Chairman Fran- [ E. Walter, D., Pa., said he will II two Communist leaders before | house judiciary subcommittee to r in public whether they would | to sabotage the United States in far with Russia. fie said he wants Communist rty chairman William Z. Foster Id secretary Eugene Dennis to Iterate on their recent statement ft they would try to defeat U. S. ns if this country should engage |an "unjust, aggressive, imperal- [ war." ktomic — Chairman Brien McMafi. D„ Conn., of the joint conzresbnal atomic energy committee Id the government soon will emrk upon an atomic energy i*wer ■gram costing "hundreds of milins" of dollars. He said the nropm. to last for five or six years. >1 get under wav shortly after the kt fiscal year begins July 1. He Id the nroject would provide the ition with new atomic weapons Id further the development of the bcetime use of atomic energy. CIO — The CID news assailed the bnocratic 81st congress in an ntorial on the ground' that it psn't passed a single piece of mas legislation.” It called upon all fik and file members to prod the (Terp To I’liue t’ouri [diana Alumni To Reef Here On May 4 Rhe Adams countv alumni assoc [ion of Indiana University will |'d its annual meeting and banlet Wednesday night. May 4. at P Knights of Pythias home in Defur, it was announced todav by b "ft Anderson, president. More pn to members of the Adams Rnty groun are expected to atPd along with friends of the state [iversity. Mr. Anderson s >id that [program of interest was being honed and would be announced nn. for the dinner will go on |'e about a month before .the heduled meeting and all former [diana students will be contacted plowing the dinner and program. Poem for 1949-50 will be elected. F*»ldent Anderson said. WEATHER OMarally fair tonight and Wednesday, Warmer Wednesday.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Confirmed f - '■ i * 'fi Ik. * Sa pMBIIL 1 THE SENATE swung a hay maker at John L. Lewis in approving the nomination of Dr. James Boyd j (above! to head the Federal Bureau of Mines. Lewis had pulled an estimated 4)0,000 U. M. W. members from the pits in a two-week 1 walkout protesting Boyd’s appointment by President Truman. Series Os Robberies Under Investigation i Only One Home In County Victimized A series of systematic burglaries which swept a clear-cut path northeast from We is and Adams counties to nearby Ohio Sunday is being investigated by authorities in the affected areas. Apparently Adams county escaped the brunt of the criminal activity, with just one looting reported here. Wilson Weiland, of Decatur route 5, reported to the sheriffs ' department that his rural home was entered through an unlocked back door sometime Sunday. Stolen were a two pound box of cheese, five small banks containing some S2O. and a great dead of dress material. The unfinished cloth was lifer found by sheriff F. Roy Shaffer, of Van Wert county, O. It was strewn a ong the highway between the Weiland home and that of another theft victim. Sheriff Herman Bowman was asked to notify Adams county victims to be on the lookout fqr part of the loot stolen from the home of Hubert Schaadt. of near Middlebury, O. It was thought the burglars would try to "unload" the Royal portable typewriter they stole there. Its serial number is OT 349,722. | Activities of the travelling yeggs apparently followed this schedule. / (Turn To Four I Local Jail Approved By Slate Inspector Sole Recommendation Being Carried Out . Strength, security, safety and segregation in the Adams county jail were approved after an inspection by Maurice B. Ho’iand. of the Indiana department of public welfare. according to a report made public today. ’ , The inspection was made February 25. but the report was not released until today to allow time for objections or exceptions* to the findings. Only recommendation in Mr Holland’s report was that the interior of the jail and the sheriffs office be painted. Such a program has already been approved by the board of county commissioners, and the contract hai been let. The report concludes, “With bls condition (need of a new paint job) taken care of and a continuation of good jail administration, this county jail can very well • serve the needs of Adams county.’

West European Powers Close Confab Today Discuss Division Os Munitions And Arms From U. S. By United Press Western European powers debated today how to divide up the arms and munitions they expect to get from the United States under the North Atlantic security pact. This problem dominated discussions among the foreign, finance and defense ministers of the five western union powers — Britain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg — on the second and final day of their closed-doors conference in London. The njain question was whether the five countries should accept the arms as a group or individually: The western union already has a joint military committee under the chairmanship of field marshal Viscount Montgomery. A communique was expected after the conference ends tonight. Other foreign news includes: Rome — The executive committee of the Communist-controlled Italian labor confederation was reported split over whether to call a general strike in protest against Italy’s adhesion to the North Atlantic security pact. Expected violence so far has failed to materialize. Paris — Geh. Charles De Gaulle promised to work for a “just and strong state" if voters support jus French people’s rally in Sunday's cantonal elections in France. London — King George VI is recovering so rapidly from his leg operation that he may be permitted out of bed by this weekend. Tokyo — Some 100,000 workers, angered by the Japanese government’s projected 30 percent cut in government personnel, demonstrated outside the imperial palace and (Turn Tn Paar Five) initial Vishinsky Reception Tonight • Moscow, March 15 — (UP) — Foreign 1 minister Andrei Vishinsky will stage his first diplomatic reception tonight with the heads of the American. British and other western missions absent through lack of invitations. Vishinsky is giving the reception for a North Korean government delegation. The diplomatic corps and foreign correspondents were invited with the exception of the western envoys. Giant Collection For Relief Planned Churches Os Nation Join In Collection More than 76.000 churches of every denomination in the United States, including almost every church in Adams county, will take part in the "One Great Hour" program for a giant collection for world relief, it was announced |ie)e today. The drive for millions will open with a one-hour radio program Saturday night, March 26, from 9 to 10 o’clock, central standard time, and every broadcasting system In the nation, together with hundreds of independent stations will carry the program. President Truman will be among the half dozen prominent people on the broadcast. Sunday morning. March 27. will be the date on which all contributions will be received at the various churches. Protestant. Lutheran and Catholic. Blue envelopes, furnished by the “One Great Hour" organization throng - ! local churches. will be used for the cor.trihu tions. • Local churches are using various methods of distributing the en velopes. Some congregations are receiving their envelopes at church services' Other pastors are mailing the envelopes with letters urging everyone to listen to the radio program March 26. It ia the hope of the national organization sponsoring the movement to raise more than $10.000.000 tn the one morning collection from the more than 76.000 participating churches.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday, March 15, 1949

Attempts Gag-Rule Compromise Hr sSBaMHb $ ■ SEN. RICHARD B. RUSSELL (D), of Georgia, leader of Southern i Senators striving for a gag-rule compromise it/the Dixie filibuster I fight, tells interviewers just how far his group will go in a cornproi mise. Rusi.ell termed “nego iations ... so delicate 1 dare not discuss it.”

Oakland Army Base Devastated By Fire Oil Barrels Explode In Flaming Bursts Oakland, Cal., March 15 —(UP) . — A general alarm fire devastated . pier four of the Oakland army base ; early today, rocketing scores of oil . barrels skyward to explode in flam- > ing bursts. Flames, shooting 500 feet into ■ the air, were visible for miles I around San Francisco Bay as firei men fought-for three hours before i bringing them under control. Only three minor casualties were . reported but army and fire depart- > ment officials estimated the damage i at $1,000,000. Twenty-nine fire engines ana , nine fireboats fought the blaze. . pumping streams of water into the i 2,000-foot-long warehouse and into . the bay to keep the oil-slicked watI er from igniting. The building was loaded with army supplies destined for Okinawa and Yokohama. Officers said they would have to check manifests before determining the exact loss. Origin of the fire was a mystery. Two Stevedore gang bosses said they went through the warehouse ! two minutes before and found noth- . ing amiss. The alarm was sounded ! by third officer James Hughes who spotted the flames from the bridge , of the army transport Sgt. George t Kgathley. t The Keathley and another transi port, the Young. America, were eni dangered as the fire engulfed the . warehouse in a matter of minutes. Tugboats pulled them from their docks. Huge barrels of oil Jliot 600 feet over the heads of thousands of spectators attracted to the scene. They exploded in the air like rockets with a dull roar and vivid flash of flame. One barrel fell on a parked car. Some 50 army families fled their quarters just east of the pier. Gangs of soldiers moved automobiles parked nearby. ! Elks To Elect New Officers Thursday The annual election of officers of ' Decatur lodge No. 993 of the B. P. 1 0. Elks, will be held Thursday evening at 8 o'clock at the Elk’s i home. i • Nominations were made in Feb- ) ruary and installation of the new I officers will take place in April. The members are urged to attend 1 i the meeting. I ■ ” fc ' ■■ - ■■■

I (Rev. H. J. Welty, Decatur Missionary Church) DIRECTIONAL LIVING "Not wi.h eyerervice. as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the . start."—Eph. 6:6. The instructions given In these verses are directed to Christian servants or laborers. A servant is one who gives himself up wholly ! to another’s will, fulfilling his desires. This he does not because 1 of force but that the testimony of Christ may be unhindered. Paul - reminds us that we should do all things as unto Chri t. Our service should not be with an eye to public praise or applause but to , accomplishing the will of God. We should do as good a work when not being watched as when the foreman is wa'ching for this is I pleasing to God and expected of Christians Just as we are to be faithful to our earthly manors so we need to be faithful to Christ in living for Him Ths Christian has been * bought with a price, the precious blood of Christ, there'ore he owes 1 it to Christ to glorify Him in his txMy. As servants of Christ may - we give ourselves wholly unto Him to fulfill His desires and will in our lives. It is for us to say, "Not my will but Thine be done."

Three Young Women Killed In Accident Eldorado, II!., Mar. 15-(UP)-A car-truck collision took the lives of thfee young women and injured a fourth on state route 1 six miles south of Carmi. 111., at 6:30 a. m. today. Killed instantly were the driver of the car which skidded on tne icy pavement, Gladys Hale, 21. daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Hale, Herald, 111., and Maxine Renn, 21, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. I’.dgar Renn also of Herald. Miss Renn's sister, Iwilla, 19, died here in the Eldorado hospital just before 10 a. m. without regaining consciousness. Permanent Home Is Planned For Turtle Churubusco Plans To Care For Turtle Churubusco, Ind., March 15 — (UP) — The businessmen of Churubusco said today they will provide a permanent future home for the "fabulous turtle of Fulks lake" that has made their community u mecca for thousands of curiousity seekers in the past two weeks. Members of the businessmen’s “Community Club" unanimously approved the move at a special called meeting. “We've come to think a lot ot that old turtle." said James Kinley, president of the club and publisher of the Churubusco Weekly Truth. “He’s attracted so much attention that he’s a valuable piece of property. We don’t want some hotshot promoter taking him out o) town." Kirtley referred to the estimated 5,000 persons who janlmed the farm of Gale Harris last weekend to see the turtle that, according to rumor, had stolen cattle from farmers’ herds and dragged them off witii him to Fulks lake. The businessmen were conferring with naturalists about the propel environment for their reptile pro tege. "If he's 500 years old now, we don't want to cut short his life span. He can live to a ripe old age right here in his home town. That's the way Harris wants it. too." The turtle was still in the lake; Harris was sure of that. He was rowing his boat out every six hours 'to check his presence through the (Turn I'o Pnce Fl«r)

Four Powerful Railroad Unions Strike, Wabash System Is Paralyzed

Partial Settlement Os Railway Dispute 40-Hour Work Week Awarded Employes Chicago, March 15 — (UP) — Terms of a partial wage-hour settlement with almost 1,000.000 workers will cost the nation’s railroads about $640,000,000 a year, railroad officials said today. They said the increase comes at a time when a sharp decline in traffic is clamping an economic squeeze on the railroads. The roads already have asked for a 13 percent I boost in freight rates. The partial settlement of the long-standing dispute with non-op-erating workers was announced yesterday by a mediation panel, which awarded the workers their coveted 40-hour week with two consecutive days off and with no loss in pay from the 48 hours they new work. Previously, the railroads and 16 unions representing the workers | had agreed on a seven-cent hourly | pay raise. The mediation panel which affected the partial settlement consisted of the three former members of a fact-finding board appointed by President Truman to investigate the dispute last year. Unable to reach agreement on application of the 40 hour week, the railroads and the unions left it up to the mediators and agreed to accept their decision as binding. The pay raise would be retroactive to ■ last Oct. 1 and the 40-hour week! 1 I would become effective next Sept. 1. • Railroad spokesmen said cost of; the near-settleinent would tend to emphasize the need for further freight rate increases. The inter-; state commerce commission currently is holding hearings here on the application of the roads for a 13 percent boost. The IOC last November granted aj temporary increase of about six per-; cent pending a decision on the ap-I plication. The last permanent in-1 crease was granted last August. (Turn To Page Four) Truth Serum 'Shows' Dodson Nol Guilty | Attorney Claims Dodson Innocent Fort Wayne, Ind., March 15 —! (UP) — An attorney for Charles Dodson, accused of the 1945 murder of .Mrs. Dorothea Howard, said today that truth serum tests given the defendant showed “conclusively" that he was not guilty. Edwin Thomas, counsel for Dodson. said the tests indicated that ’he good looking former Memphis. Tenn., postal clerk, "did not rape or murder” Mrs. Howard. Dodson, one of three men accused of the crime, was granted permission by circuit judge William H. Schannen last to take the truth scrum test before his trial began. Thomas said he believed the truth I serum test results "should" be accepted as valid evidence by the court. Schannen yesterday granted a iccond defendant. Robert V. Christen. 38. a change of venue jus' a short time before the selection of a jury was scheduled to begin. The •rial will be held in Whitley coun-. ty under the jurisdiction of judge Lowell Pefley. The third man charged with the Howard murder. Ralph Lohauth. once confessed it and two other murders but has been granted a hearing to attempt to prove that he was drugged when he confessed slaving Mrs. Howard. Mrs. Howard was murdered in an alley here in 1945. Thomas said that Dodson admitted during the sod-ivm-pentothial test that he and a civilian were with Mrs. Howard in the alley where her body was later found. But he Mid he ran away and did not return when an automobile suddenly drove down the alley. He said he did not strike Mrs (Twra To Page Six)

Conference Is Called On U. S. Foreign Policy State Department Summons Business, Farm, Civic Heads Washington, Mar. 15 — (UP) — The state department has summoned a "national conference on American foreign policy" to meet here this week for discussion which will include the North Atlantic security pact. Signature of the North Atlantic treaty, whose terms have not yet been made public, is scheduled now to take place here during the first week of April. Director Francis H. Russell, of the department’s office of public affairs, told the United Press the policy conference will be similar to three or four held in the past two years. Approximately 200 persons will attend, representing business, farm, labor, religious, civic, foreign policy, scientific, i educational and veterans organizations. Russell said the department was not ready to name the organizations or individuals involved. It will do so when the con'erence convenes Thursday. Besides general conference busil ness planned for the next day, there will be a special discussion j of President Truman’s plan to furnish American technical and scientific know how for the economic Improvement of undeveloped j world areas. Those attending the two-day conference wi'l be invited to express their own views on foreign j policy as well as to listen to state i department experts tell what it is ; all about. Russell said the conferees will he given the same kind ■ of off-record explanations of for- | eign policy as are given from time to time to press and radio representatives. No copy of the program arranged for discussion of Mr. Truman's I p'an for development of backward I areas has been circulated yet ' among the persons invited to come I here this week. There will be ! considerable general interest in the department's discussions of* i that plan because so little basic (Turn To Pnite Five) I Christian C. Beer Dies Last Evening Former Trustee Os Monroe Township Christian C. Beer. 82, retired farmer and former trustee of Monroe township, died at 6:30 p. m. Monday at his home in Berne, i where he had resided since retir ing from the farm in 1933. He had served as Monroe township trustee for fix years. He was a member of the Cross Evangelical and Reformed church i at Berne. Surviving are his wife. Sarah: four sons. Ermin and Raymond, both of Berne. Elmer, near Berne ( and Merlin, near Geneva: six daughters, Mr’. Joe Sallot of Fort Wayne. Mrs. Ed Rich of Monroe. Mrs. Noah Roth of Decatur. Mrs. Edwin Spichiger of Linn Grove Mrs. Henry Nussbaum of near Berne, and Mrs. Edna Schindler of Berne; 34 grandchildren. 11 greatgrandchildren and one sister. Mrs. Wi Ham Fuchs of Berne. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p. m. Thursday at the Cross Evangelical and Reform'd church, the Rev C. A. Schmid off! elating. Burial will be in the MRE cemetery. The body will be removed from the Yager funeral home to the residence at 7 o'clock I this evening.

Price Four Cents

National Mediation Board Asks White House Intervene In Wabash Strike St. Louis, Mar. 15 — (UP) — Strike paralysis spread Joday over the Wabash railroad, a key connecting link in the nation's rail network. Freight and passenger trains ground to a halt in six states shortly after a 6 a. m„ strike deadline imposed by four powerful rail unions. Engineers swung down from their cabs and train crews alighted to begin the first major railroad walkout since the national emergency of 1946. Shortly after the strike began, however, the national mediation board asked the White House to intervene and end the walkout. A. K. Atkinson, Wabash president, said the company was placing an Immediate embargo on passengers and freight over its system and was preparing notices laying off all its nonoperating employes. Atkinson called the walkout "illegal" and said it came as a complete surprise. The strike involved about 3,500 members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Enginemen and Firemen, the Bro'herhood of Railroad Trainmen and the Order of Railway Conductors. Railroad officials said, however, that if the strike continues all 12,000 of the railroad's labor force would be thrown out of work. Union officials said no wage dispute was involved. They said the strike was precipitated by longstanding grievances over tints claims, diicip'inary actions and working conditions. Negotiations had been conducted for several months. Union officials said some of the grievances were of 15 years' standing. Members had authorized the strike call. No presidential fact-finding board had been appointed under the national railway labor act. and no cooling off period imposed. Trains enroute to their destinations when the strike deadline passed were allowed to continue, but were halted upon arrival. Crews left them standing in train sheds and freight yards. No picket lines were set up. The road hauls a comparatively h"avy volume of freight over its 2,500 miles of right of way in Missouri. Illinois, lowa. Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. A spot check of major cities along the struck road indicated that there would be no major loss of perishable shipments, however. At Chicago, all merchandise cars were sent to the freight house for unloading last night. At Kamas City, all perishables ,and livestock were diverted to other roads after midnigh' last night. Passengers who had planned trips on the Wabash today were forced to seek other accomodations At Kansas City, the Missouri Pacific said it was absorbing about 100 Wabash passengers who would have left for St. Louis this morning. The Gulf Mobi'e & Ohio said it (Turn To Pace Two) Breakin Reported At Decatur Lodge Two hotties of beer and 25 cent# in cash comprise! the loot of intruders who ransacked the Knights of Columbus dull rooms here sometime during the night. Entry was made by removing part of a hand -ail from the st.-firwav and using it as a lever to force wen th< double doors to the club rooms. No attempt was made to loot a. safe located in a small room near •he entrance. The burglars ignored about $1 in pennies and a quarter In the cash register, taking only 25 cents from the cash drawer. Police were informed that two bot'.los of beer rounded out the broak-in’s nroceeds A footprint in some spilled beer is one of several clues the local authorities are following.