Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 47, Number 64, Decatur, Adams County, 17 March 1949 — Page 1

XLVII. No. 64.

LEAK IN ATOMIC SECURITY IS REVEALED

HP Demands Bowdown On Bril Rights democrat Leaders Seeking Action On ■ressing Matters March 17 - (UP) demanded today that fKleinocratic leadership force a in the senate on civil ■s legislation. leaders, whipped iKeir battle to get an anti-filibus-•■ule to their liking, have said -Knpromise supported by Repttband southern Democrats spel--9(11, ■ doom of President Truman s ''■B : rights program. Many event, the Democratic lead■wanted to get the rule change ■t out of the way today and work on other pressing matsuch as extension of rent Mrols and continuation of the recovery program. Sen. Arthur 11. Vandenberg. and -senate (1(,)P leader j&ineth S. Wherry. Neb., called for ®»arly test of the proposed de- ■ limitation compromise. congressional develop■aft — The army gave congress Kit it may ask extension of tile law beyond its scheduled ex&iion in June, 1950. But -Maj. ■ John E. Dahlquist, army perchief, told a house armed subcommittee the -draft needed later. When present run out in 1951, he said, again be up against a-ser-Mdar — Maj. Gen. Gordon t P. ■■■le of the air force said tne would be defenseless enemy air attack without a warning screen. Wkges - The house labor comsaid that the administration to increase minimum wagr°ni to cents an hour would improve the living conditions K, 41'0,01)0 Americans. — President Truman told the military position of fighting Communist gut n iliMln Greece is "more promising ■ It has been for some time.' Kncrior — The Hoover commisasked congress to turn all building construction Ml water development projects ■ lO interior department, loaders wanted to K rp the senate's debate limitttion wrangle today and get to work president's legislative pro ■ready conceding defeat on the <■ risrhts issue, they said they "■keep the senate in session all ■t. necessary, to clear away (■present discussion on writing (Mister curbs into senate rules, ; plan to bring up tomorrow aI ■extending rent controls for 1.K for elmost certa'n approval is sponsor'd l>v a coMi ’*■ of Republicans and southern w’’ich would authorize Menate to limit debate on all is ~~ except future rules changes H? a vote of 64 senators. ■ the administration's proposal Sfflate Democratic.leader Scott W. <Was said its adootidn would kill 'Bytpes of passing civil rights leg|MV on at this session. The present rent control law ex March 34. The senate hank I '■“nmittee prepared to act later '■X on legislation that would exuntil June 39. 1950. * subcommittee gave its approva' I (Tara Ta Pace Tlirrri gmlys-Overland leduces Prices gc -10, 0.. March 17 - (UP)-j Motors today anprice reductions ranging (■> $25 to S2?O on its jeeps, pascars and trucks. ■Bmes I) Mooney, president and chairman, said the price cuts based on the company's conin the business outlook and soundness of it* vehicles. WEATHER ■ Partly clo.idy north and Moudy south portion with rain ■t snow south portion tonight in extreme south portions Miday. Continued cold.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Fort Wayne Salesman Killed In Accident Kendallville, -In#., March 17 — (UP)— Leo Byrd, 28, salesman for a Fort Wayne bakery company, was killed today when the truck he was driving crashed into the rear of a tractor-trailer on U. S. six east of here. Authorities blamed fog and icy road conditions for the accident. Byrd was crushed in the cab of the truck and died instantly. Italian Reds Filibuster On. Atlantic Pact Seek To Stave Off Italian Approval Os Atlantic Pact By United Press -Italian Communists resorted today to the congressional tactics of capitalist United States in an attempt to stave off legislative approval of Italy’s adherence to the North Atlantic security pact. They stayed an all-night filibustI er in the chamber of deputies that still was going strong at noon today Rome time. They were trying to delay indefinitely the virtually certain vote of approval of the government’s decision to participate in the Atlantic pact. The filibuster stretched the continous debate on the pact to 20 hours, the longest session in Italian parliamentary history. The soth ' Cojnmuatet took the floor at noon and about 100 more Communists and their left-wing socialist allies were waiting their turn to speak. The Communists began their filibuster after the assembly refused to postpone a vote until after the ■pact has been published. It then limited each speaker to 10 minutes. Other foreign news included: Canberra, Austrialia — Acting at-torney-general Nicholas McKenna . was authorized by the government to prosecute Communist leader Lance Sharkey for sedition for saying Australian workers would welcome Soviet troops if they came to Australia “in pursuit of an aggressor.” New Delhi — Home minister Bardel Patel said in parliament that the Indian government would have no alternative than to suppress the ! - Communist party if it persists in “exploiting every situation in order to cause chaos." Tokyo — Gen. Douglas MacArthur issued a statement denying that he intends to retire next fall and saying he would continue 1< command the occupation forces in Japan unless the U. S. government I assigns him to duty elsewhere. Nanking — A Nationalist militarycommander said Chinese Comnfun ’ ist commanders are rushing 100. | I 000 Manchurian troops south to the Yangtze basin to reinforce 330.001 already deployed north of the riv ' er - ' Shanghai — Seven hundred U. S (Turn To Pare Fhri Merle C. Dick Body Enroute To Slates Local War Veteran Killed In Germany The department of the army' an , nounced today that the body cl Pfc. Merle C. Dick, Decatur soldier , killed in action in Germany Feb. 23. , 1945. is being returned to the states aboard the U. S. army transport , ' Haiti Victory. i Remains of 2.918 Americans are i being brought back on this trans- | port, 106 of them from Indiana. I Pfc Dick, son of Mr. and Mrs I Carl Dick of North Tenth street I entered the army in December 1942. and was sent overseas in July 1 of 1944. He was employed at the 1 Magna vox company In Fort Wayne j prior to entering service. The war veteran was born tn ! Lancaster township. Wells county. ( May 5. 1922. and graduated from ( Uncaster Central high shool. The , family moved to this city from Ge- < neva. < Surviving in addition to the parents are a brother. Clarence V. i Dick, and three sisters. Peggy Lou. I Patty Ann and Nina Jane. t

More Trouble Is Predicted In Coal Fields Lewis, Operators Are Embroiled In Contract Dispute Pittsburgh, March 17 — (UP)— A contract dispute between John L. Lewis and mine operators strengthened steel industry predictions today of more trouble in the nation's coal fields -by summer. Lewis and the operators were embroiled in a dispute over the legality of a two-week “memorial" walkout of 463.000 coal miners, which already has seriously whittled fuel supplies in homes, hospitals and schools in eastern Pennsylvania. The operators told Lewis the-four-day-old walkout was a “clear’ violation of their contract with the United Mine workers. Lewis retailed that the intimidation was "gratuitously offensive and untrue." Commenting on the walkout, Iron Age, authoritative steel industryweekly, took the view that “Lewis is laying the groundwork (or more surprises in July.” The UMW chief and the coal operators are schedul- ' ed to open negotiations for a new contract in May. The current agree ment expires in June. Although there was ample coal above the ground to protect dependent industries for the two-week mourning period. Iron Age said a one or two week extension of tne walkout would destroy “all self-con-fidence" over the huge 70,000,009 ton stockpile. This, the magazine added, would be followed by “anxiety" as to whether a second coal strike in July might deplete stocks to tne danger point. The bitter dispute over the clause in the present coal contract which requires miners to work only when they are “able and willing," almost certainly will be a major issue in the forthcoming negotiations. Ralph E. Taggert of Philadelphia spokesman for a group of anthra cite operators who protested the walkout to Lewis, said the provision did not give the union the right to “€ause a concerted stop page of work.” He said it was included in the contract merely to relieve the in ternational union of responsibility for wildcat strikes. Furthermore, he claimed, both operators and the UMW gave indications of intention.'to drop the "able and willing’ clause. To this. Lewis replied that tn< clause "was intended to make tlu mine workt r and bis organizatiot (Turn To Pngr Auxiliary Sponsors Poppy Club Contest Club Is Promoting Annual Poppy Sale The American Legion auxiliary is again sponsoring the distric. poppy club contest, it was announced today by Mrs. Nick 1 Braun, poppy chairman. The poppy club is organized by the auxiliary to promote the an I nual sale of poppies, whose pro 1 ceeds provide the funds to conduct t the auxiliary's chWd welfare and < rehabilitation programs. Solicitation for poppy club mem bers began February 16 and will continue until April 16. Each mem her receives a packet of poppy seeds .to plant. "Future generations of Ameri cans will be taught the meaning of two symbols," Mrs. Braun stat ed. “the flag that represents theli protection and privileges, and the memorial poppy which represents the price paid in blood and sacri fice for that protection." The United States government has seen fit to join the American Legion auxiliary in reminding the people of America that reverence and devotion are due the hero dead. Mrs. Braun observed. The memorial poppy and the person credited with the idea of the poppy as a memorial, Mrs. Moina Michael. were honored last November 9 with the issuance of a special postal stamp. Mrs. Braun and her committee are selling the poppy club card to members of the Legion and auxiliary.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday, March 17, 1949

Reach Filibuster Compromise I «1 \ i./ BMHk ■£ i TALLY OF VOTES that ended a two-week Dixie filibuster is scanned by three of the senators who played prominent roles in seeking to end the talkathon, (from left) Senator Wiliam F. Knowland (R), Cal., who sponsored the accepted compromise plan; Senator Kenneth S. Wherry (R), Neb., who introduced it, and Majority Leader scott Lucas (D), 111. Lucas declared the compromise “closes the door to any civil rights legislation."

Partial Report On County Assessment Over 1,000 Homes Visited To Date Slightly more than 1,000 Adams county homes have been vi. ited by township and deputy assessors during the first two weeks of the annual valuation of personal pro perty, county asses or Albert Harlow said today. Os the 1,006 homes covered, 353 were in Decatur. Household goods in all county residences canvassed thus far were valued at $244.-1 786, for a general average of $242| for each home. Almost 2,000 milk cows were counted in the preliminary survey, with a total value estimated at $239,389. Mr. Harlow a’so released three partial averages: Autos and trucks, $462; farm implements, $550; tractors, $435; hor.es, $45; milk cows, $123; heep, sl3; sows. SSG; and other hogs. sl4. The partial survey of Decatur and Berne ret’ail stores found the j average valuation at $2,626, and i 1 $855 for furnishings and fixtures i Some highs in valuation aver-1 ages: Autos and trucks, Kirkland township; farm implements, Blue Creek; tractors, St. .Mary’s; horses. Union; milk cows, Union: sows, Kirkland. Mr. Harlow called attention to two laws recen ly passed by the S6th Indiana general assembly pertaining to assessment. House bill 132 repeals the 1947 real estate reassessment law and sets up a new reassessment system based on equalizing assessments within counties ra her than on a state wide basis, it specifies that the assessment rate should not exceed one-third of March 1, 1919 values. House bill 306 requires persons building or making repairs in excess of SSOO to apply to the county assessor for building permits, levying a- 50-cent application fe<>. Violation involves a fine of $25 ( and/or impri onment up to 60 days.

"IHeclizatiM (Rev. William C. Feller, Zion Evangelical and Reformed Church) COURAGE FOR LIFE "If God be for us, who can be against us." Romans 8:31 « In the midst of life’s storms of adversities, when the waves of sorrow, tribulation and doubt seem to come upon us from all directions and we begin to feel that afl the great forces of the universe are conspiring against ns. it is good for us to know that there is One Who is greater than all the forces of evil. God and good are bound to meet with opposition. All of our efforts to live rightly may be opposed by the forces of evil. But w> need not despair. God has not withdrawn Himself from the world. He is ever ready to demonstrate His power, and He is on the side of the right. One with God is still a majority. What greater assurance do we need in our day’s work, or in our battle witir temptation and sin, then the assurance that God Is on our side* Temptations lose their power when He is near. God’s presence gives courage and enables us to press forward wi bout fear or dismay. All things are possible with Him. There is no power in all the world which can successfully resist the arm of God. Let us therefore he strong and of good courage. If God is for us, whom shall we fear?

Funeral Rites Held For Louis Beaver Funeral services and -burial were held at Danville Wednesday for Louis Beaver. 27, teacher in the Danville high school, who died suddenly of a heart attax-k Monday night, at his home. Survivors include his wife, formerly Marlowe Hoagland of tills city; three daughters. Leah, Melomy Joe and Cathy Eileen; his parents, of Noblesville, and eight brothers and sisters. Police Chief Asks Dodson Dismissal Declares Dodson Is Innocent Os Murder Fort Wayne, Ind., March 17—j (UP)—Police chief Lester H. Eisenhut today urged the dismissal of charges against Charles Dodson, who is scheduled to go on trial Monday for a sex murder. Eisenhut wrote Allen county prosecutor Alton Bloom that he believed Dodson, formerly of Memphis, Tenn., wal, innocent. "I had to see justice done," he ; wrote, "I Icouldn't face myself or ; God if I do less." Dodson and Robert Christen, fori mer Fort Wayne druggist, have been indicted for the 1945 slaying of Mrs. Dorthea Howard. Eisenhut asked that Dodson, a handsome ex postal clerk, be held as a ma terial witness at Christen's trial, which will be held at, Columbia City, Ind., on a change of venue. Dodson, Eisenhut said, has given - all possible help to police in their t investigations of the case and the I state’s principal witness against him has been "discredited." Also. ■ the police chief said, "truth serum” tests substantiate statements of his innocence. . A third man. Ralph Lobaugh. was sentenced to die for the murder. Lobaugh. who confessed two other slayings but later denied guilt in all three, has been grant ed a hearing to tell his story that; he was drugged when he confessed the Howard murder. Eisenhut's letter asked that Dod son be held as a material witness in Christen's trial. When Dodson took the truth i (Turn Fn Pairr

Reveal Refined Uranium Smuggled To Mexico As Investigation Underway

Decafur To Retain Daylight Time Here Council Indicates Fast Time Favored Decatur will retain fast time this summer despite the toothless standard time law passed by the Indiana general assembly, it became evident today. City councilman Donphus Drum told the Daily Democrat today that he and three other council members would vote against repeal of the 1940 daylight time ordinance, if such a vote ever initiated. ' Mayor John M. Doan has expressed similar sympathies. Failure to take any action on the 1940 ordinance would be the council's negative means of breaking the law as set down in senate bill 1. It was learned earlier that the county government would likely follow whichever path Decatur chose in order to avoid confusion. At Tuesday night's regular city council meeting no mention was made of repealing the daylignt time ordinance, which was put on the books through a referendum. If the city sticks with daylight time, as it appears today. Decatur j will not he alone in its observance. Fort Wayne’s citv council has openly favored daylight time, and In the shadow of the state house. Indications were that Indianapolis would I not abandon fast time. Three Youths Die In Auto-Train Accident . Winchester, Ind., March 17 — ! (UP) — Billy Reed. 21, Ridgeville, was in a serious condition today in Randolph county hospital following an auto-train crash that killed ht>[ three companions on an ice-covered j road last night. The dead were Max Huffman, 19, Ridgeville; Glenn Miller, 20, and Jack Harlos. 21, both of Farmland. Their car skidded on an icey street into the path of a New York Cent-; ral freight train. Police said the car broke down the crossing gates Winners Named In j Auxiliary Contest i Americanism Essay Winners Announced Winners in the Adams county j Americanism es ay cont-st, sponsored by the auxiliary of Adantr. Post 43. American Legion, were ' announced today by Mrs. Charles Lose, contest chairman. The snbject of all essays was. j 1 i "What Kind of an American am i l ’’ Tom Bosse, of the <Decatur ■ Catholic high school, was 'award ed first prize in the high school , division. Kenneth Schwaller, also of the Catholic school, wax second i place winner and Robert Prihble., i of Decatur high schoo'. was award- ■; ed third prize. < Marvena Krick, of the Decatur 'unior high school, was first place i winner in the junior high schoo! ■ division. Ruth Busse was award- i ed second place and Haro'd Nor 1 rls third place. Both are al o < from Decatur junior high. Cash prizes of $5 for first place, i $3 for second and $2 for third were presented by the auxiliary to I the winners in each division i Judges of the contest were Arthur I F. Byrnes, principal of the Mon- I roe high school; Clifford L. Prib . ble. principal of the Pleasant < ; Mi ls high school, and Severin H. • Schurger. prosecuting attorney of < , Adams county. The three winning essays in < each division will be entered in I’ the dis rtet contest. Mrs Lose ; also announced that the total winners vil) be guests of the aux!!- i isry at a special meeting the first i i week in April.

Wabash Strike Continues, To Bring Layoffs Strikers Postgone Any Decision For Calling Off Strike St. Louis, March 17—(UP) — Wabash railroad officials warned that they may be forced to start laying off 8.000 workers today unless 3,500 men who run the trains end their strike immediately. The striking Engineers, Firemen, Conductors jnd Trainmen put off a decision to end their walkout while the chiefs of the four unions met in Cleveland for a second day to discuss the issues. In Washington, the White House was expected to announce the names of members of a special factfinding board appointed by President Truman to investigate the dispute. The strike was beginning to affect industries which ship over the Wabash or rely on its facilities for supplies. A Ford Motor company spokesman here said that the Lincoln Mercury assembly plant in Robertson. a St. Louis suburb, may lay off some of ils 1.500 workers. The plant receives supplies over the j Wabash. I J. H. Rodgers of Louisville, Ky„ vice-president of the Order of Railtoad Conductors, said he expected no decision to end the strike at today's meeting of union hejds in Cleveland. "It has been the practice," Rodgers said, "for the leaders to follow the recommendations of the men on the scene." At present, he said, the repre- | sentatives of the strikers here have . no intention* of ordering the men bark to work until they have settled their dispute with the railroad. The strike began Tuesday as re- | suit of more than 100 grievances lodged against the company. Most lof the grievances resulted from displinaiy action and time disputes. Some dated back 10 years. The Wabash's general headquar | ters are located here. Rodgers said the men directly in , charge of the strike will not be influenced by President Truman’s j appointment of a fact-findlnf board. "The railroad cannot deal with ius through the federal govern ment," he said. “They must nego tiate with the Brotherhood repre ti'urn T« Pn«r Mill Industrial Payroll Lower In February 16.5 Percent Drop From January Rolls Decatur's industrial payroll slipped 16.5 percent in six major industries during February, although the decline in the number of employes was only one half of one percent The monthly business baromete: of the Chamber of Commerce re veals the payroll in six reporting in dustries stood at $306,226 las’ month, as compared with $366,977 In January, iuist month's paft-ol was 21.7 percent lower than February, 1948. Increases were noted In the number of city and rural electric meters. gas meters, water meters and telephones. The number of poor re lief cases was up 29.2 percent over January, but the cost was 43.3 per- i cent lower. There were 26 hirths and 14 deaths reported during February Three building permits were applied for during the month with a value of SI2BO. a decrease of S7 S percent from the Januarv valuation The number of earloadings in and out and railway express shipments registered small increase*. Postal i receipts were down 3.7 percent.

Price Four Cents

American, Mexican Secret Agents Are Probing Smuggling Os Uranium Slug Mexico City, Mar. 17 — (UP) — A leak in U. S. atomic security through which at least one piece of refined uranium was smuggled to Mexico is under investigation by American and Mexican secret agents, the United Press learned today. Mexican authorities found the uranium—a cylindrical slug about 2>A- inches long, an inch in diameter and weighing 220 grams — in the possession of a Mexican detained by a highway patrolman on a routine matter. It was not known whethet; any other atomic material has been smuggled out of the United States. It was learned that FBI agents in the United States are working on two leads which they hoped would disclose origin of the leak. Scientific analysis of the contraband uranium found here indicated that it probably was stolen from a laboratory somewhere in the chain of U. S. atomic energy production. The case of the smuggled uranium, one of the principle ingredients of the atomic bomb, included alleged “torture" of one would-be seller, an offer to procure more than $1,009,000 worth of the material and a cloak-and-dagger type investigation involving agents of the U. S. and Mexican governments. While authorities tried to tract (he origin of the slug of atomic material, another group offered a private operator 700 grams ol "uranium." The price was $2,000 a gram—sl,4oo 900. However, the sellers never were able to produce the .material they claimed they had, and investigators believed they probably never had any. Last fall, a Mexican approached an American living in Mexico who was lifvolved in sale and delivery of arms, and offered to sell him tome “uranium." The Mexican produced a written analysis of the material he said he had. The American consulted a physicist who to'd him the analysis might indicate the materia! was uranium, but the chances were that it was worthless since uranium must be highly refined and processed before it can be used in production of atomic energy or in atomic weapons. In January, however, a Mexican identified as Gustavo Mesa was picked up by a highway patrolman on a routine matter. The uranium | slug was found in his possession. Federal attorney general Francisco Gonzalez De iat Vega immediately took charge of the ease and clamped on the lightest possible secrecy. The little slug of atomic material was sent to the local laboratories of Dr. Francisco Sandoval Vallar’a, former member of the United Nation's atomic energy commDsion. It was learned that his tests showed the material was uranium of a purity not obtainable in Mexico. It apparently was "natural" uranium. I. e. a mixture of the kind of uranimum which explodes and the kind which does not. The uranium slug remained in De La Vega's possession. Mesa was re'eased for lack of evidence on which to base a charge, but Is (Turn Tn Pace Tkrvr) p atch Testing In Schools Completed Patch testing in Adams county schools, sponsored by the Adams county tuberculosis association in '-('operation with the county medi cal societv and the conntv health nurse, came to an end this morning st the Decatur hieh school. F’-est'r-en and sophomores at ,h e ’neal school underwent the TB •ns»s. did s’"d‘nts from tb® c»’h-n"-'|c birh school and the Lincoln school ls»t Thi’tsdav Todav's wind••n to th» camnalcn ♦oend all first, tinth and tenth trade students in Adams county already examined