Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 47, Number 74, Decatur, Adams County, 29 March 1949 — Page 1

XVII. No. 74.

SENATE PASSES RENT CONTROL EXTENSION

Ke Slashes Kit To End Inflation Ktionwide Price ■ts Announced In Krious Articles .jijYork, - 9 ■" 1 1 ’l’l—- — excitement ran through Ufaßhreet today as nationwide and statements by banktgjWcials indicated that inflation its death bed. •fKtO'k market < pened with a buying that sent stocks l|||n< to three points higher. The Ritual ion at a glance a .few HK after the opening: .JKican Telephone and Telea fnll l )oin tStates Steel up 1-H Hral Motors up %. Oil of New Jersey up jßgornery Ward up 1-H-Ee, leading the rails, up Bic curb market. Kaiser-E'raz-last night announced it the prices on its vari q ;» SKoinoliile models from $l9B it BK advanced % of a point. bonds edged upward in the nuß flurry, and commodities Cotton futures were tinto two points higher. ■fßncreased buyers interest .attributed to the announceWashington by the federboard that effective toonly a 50 percent down ■l would he required of invetß and speculators in secur:ties. K margin of 75 percent had -ißquired since Feb. 1, 1947, 11 inotuhs preceding that B* 1 gainst inflation. Howiver. Marriner S. Eccles, of the reserve mJ told a television audience ;: -B|lation and not inflation was now facing the counTfcsprice cuts by Kais=er-Frazw. rtßanged from $195.37 on the Frasß to 133X57 on the Kaiser "ere the largest in the since before the war. ■itaneously, in Cambridge. Ford 11. president oi ‘‘‘"“l’any predicted a Har' 11 |n ' ( e ''eduction for autothis B price cuts Included a $7 slash by Westinghouse on Bdio models; $lO to S2O cuts W Gl,,s " ll Refrigerator Co., on •vlßrators and gas ranges; a price reduction by sevand carpet manuia tureis °f lower wool prices; an cut by the Electric ?I 'B Ratter - V Co - and a $1.50 "B the Willard Storage Bat- ‘ °n their batteries. the Jones and Steel Corp,, anaouin .u of $1 to $4 a ton on certaßpes of steel. ißew York and Philadelphia, te J companies announced cuts ( ’"Bk rauging fr,)ln 0!le t 0 ,hre * '”B:. quart and in Indiana, kero*"Bmi other fuel oils were reBO from to 4/sths. Kft ro 9 ress ' n 9 Kpidly On Razing Os Catholic Church U Jou're one of the curbstone ttSMers following the progress of ■Kziag °f St. Mary's Catholic at Fpurth and Madison here are a few figures to •how >ou what the real engineers of the .Martin company of For: *f'ici> is doing the wreckhad to contend with: 'HH and one quarter million went into the building of the ’ ; Bk whlcl > was IJS feet lonß- - and 60 feet high at ia |B> of the roof trusses. The walls of the church were 24 thick. The steeple measured square and 75 feet high 8; B wall thickness of 3a inchBn the rating will be finished ' argcl}r on whether skies clear. By this morning, only part of the front to be torn down, WEATHER and mild tonight and followed by showWednesday night or Thors-

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Slate Department Warns Delegates Opposes Attending Series Os Meetings Washington, March 29.—(UP)— The government today warned 18 Communist delegates to the recent "world peace” conference in New York that their visas do not authorize them to attend a proposed series of meetings in other cities. The state department sent notes to the ambassadors of Russia, Poland, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia. It 'told them the visas were granted only for the purpose of attending the “cultural and scientific conference for world peace" in New York. t’Thls government assumed that the intention of the visiting officials is to leave the United States within a reasonable period after the fulfillment of the purposes pf their visit,” a state department spokes-i-man said. He said the justice department has been requested to bring "these facts and considerations" to the attention of the visiting delegates, who include Soviet composer Dmitri Shostakovitch. The “world peace" conference I ended Sunday. The state department’s warning • apparently spiked plans of the I seven-man Russian delegation for | a nationwide tour to carry their message of “peace" to Americans. New York dispatches today said the delegation planned to go to 1 Newark, N. J., tonight and then visit Philadelphia. Baltimore, Detroit, St. Louis and Los Angeles. The state department spokesman emphasized that the delegates were admitted to this country as of I ficials of their governments—the only way Communists can qualify for entry under U. S. Immigration laws. He stressed that the visas were requested for the purpose of attending the New York conference. "Neither the officials nor their governments have asked that they be permitted to engage in any other activity,” he said. "The department noted press reports from New York this morning and has brought to the attention of the ambassadors of the U. S. S. R., Czechoslovakia, Poland and Yugoslavia that the purposes for which their representatives were granted official visas . . . have been fulfilled with the conclusion of the conference.” The spokesman said that if the delegates requested extension of their visas “their applications would be considered.” Department Called By Automobile Fire City firemen extinguished a minor fire in an automobile on High street Monday evening. The car was owned by Ralph Loshe. Decatur. William Straub, 93, Dies Monday Night Funeral Services Thursday Afternoon William A. Straub. 93, of Peterson, one of Adams county s oldest residents, died at 7:25 p. m. Monday at the Adams county memorial hospital after a syrious illness of one week. He was born in Schuylkill, Pa.. Aug. 15. 1855, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel S’raub, and had lived in Peterson for the past 71 yearHe was married Sept. 17, 1881, to Sarah M. Steele, his wife preceding him in death Aug. 9. 1945. He was for many years an em p’oye of the Indiana Pipe Line at the Preble station. Surviving are four sons. Anstin of Cambridge City. Earl of Willshire. 0.. and Glen A. and Ralph L Straub, bo h of Peterson: 11 grandchildren: 14 great-grandchil-dren, and a brother. O. H- Straub' of Montpelier. Two daughters, four brothers and three sisters preceded him in death. Funeral services will be held at 2:10 p. m. Thursday at the Zwtck funeral home, the Rev. C. C. Conn offlciaitng Burial will be in the Antioch cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 2 p m. Wednesday.

Two American Soldiers Given Spy Sentences Given Prison Terms After Secret Trial In Czechoslovakia BULLETIN Prague, March 29.—(UP)— The U. S. embassy today formally protested to the Czech government against the conviction of two American soldiers on charges of espionage. Prague. Mar. 29 — (UP) —Two American soldiers who went AWOL in Germany and wandered into Czechoslovakia have been sentenced to 10 and 12 years in prison as spies after a secret trial before a Czech state court. The official Czech news agency reported today that the senate of the state court in Prague last Saturday sentenced George R. Jones, 22, of Owensboro, Ky.< to 10 years at hard labor and Clarence R. Hill, 31, of Jackson, Miss., to 12 years at hard labor for espionage. The announcement referred to Jones as "Cpl. Alexander Hunter, alias Jones," but offered no explanation, and said Hill's rank was private. Both Jones and Hill actually held the U. S. army rank of recruit. "Hunter and Hill illegally crossed the Czech frontier in December 1948 with the intention of carrying out spying in Czechoslovakia, during which activities they were caught by Czech security organs," the news agency said. No further details were announced. The two soldiers disappeared) from their units in Germany early last December. Not until January was there any word of their I whereabouts. Then a letter sent 'by Hill through a Czech prison I censor reached the U. S. embassy here. if said: ‘ Myself and my friend are being held for crossing the boundary without authority papers. We have been que tioned. . . But nothing has been done about returning us to the U. S. zone of Germany. “We have been held since Dec. 9. I hope you can do something about it." Embassy authorities tried re(Turn To Puce Five)

Decatur Lady Named As Area Chairman Heads Five Counties For Cancer Society Mrs. Leonard Saylors of this city has been honored by the Indiana Cancer society by having been appointed area chairman of five northeastern counties consist ing of Allen, Adams, Wells, Hunt ington and Grant. This appointment was given to an Adamcounty resident because the local cancer society exceeded last year’s drive quota. Mrs. Saylors will serve under Sam Jaekson. Fort Wayne attorney, who was made regional chairman of the northeast region con slstlng of 14 counties. Mrs. Say tors, along with Roy L. Kalver. chairman of the Adams county lancer society, are attending a meeting of regional workers being held today in the Van Orman hotel in Fort Wayne. This "cancer workshop” is being held to organize volunteer workers for the 1949 drive for funds which will be conducted during April Presiding at the meeting will be Tony Hulman. 1949 campaign chairman. Mr. Hulman is a promi nent Terre Haute business man and also owner of the Indianapolispeedway. Mr. Jaekson will ad dress the gathering, and state, regional and area workers will be introduced. The Adams county quota for 1949 has been set at $1,700, it was announced today by Mr Kalver I This is an increase ot S2OO over last year. Mr. Kalver has also an ) nounced the appointment ot Thurman Drew, county auditor, as drive chairman Clifton Snrnnger. editor of the Berne Witness, and Harold Maddox, editor ot the Geneva Herald, have been selected to (Tara Ta P”’ *')«>

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday, March 29,1949

“Certainly” She’ll Stand By Him disk ' ■ SaWM? -wBBK lii-t' J-ix. .-■? •. i V f MjbßW “WHY, CERTAINLY" she'll stand by him, 17-year-old Kathleen Birmingham Babich (right) raid of her 19-year-old husband, Milton Babich (left), during a Jail conference of attorneys defending him in killing of her sister Patricia at Milwaukee, Wis.

River Threatening North Dakota City Volunteers Sought For Sandbag Duty Mandan, N. D„ March 29 —(UP) — Flood waters from the swollen Heart river broke through a sandbag wall southeast ot here today and poured into the “dogtown" lowlands residential sector. All residents of the section were warned to abandon their homes immediately. City engineers George Toman said the 'water was pouring across the dikes too fast to be halted by sandbags unless the rivet stage drops. Most residents of "dogtown" and the "syndicate" section in southwest Mandan left their homes last night. Many moved in with relatives or friends in higher sections of the city and at least 50 slept on cots in the World War Memorial building. Hundreds of persons carried sandbags to bolster threatened areas along the, dike system. High school boys worked all night piling sandbags as the river rose. Most of the residents of two low-lying residential sections already have evacuated their homes, although authorities said the final warning to get out has not been i issued. Officials said the situation looked “very bad.” Waters of the gorged river were piling behind a barrier ot ice near Its mouth. Federal meteorologist F. J. Bavendick said a bad flood probably would result front gorging where the river joins the Missouri river. . The Heart ran bankful from south of Richardton to south of New Salem, hut no flooding was reported, Bavendick said. The river j caused (1,000.000 damage in the ) Mandan area two years ago. — I Orders Services To Halt Wrangling Defense Secretary In Strong Warning Washington. March 29 — (UP)— Defense secretary Louis Johnson today warned ranking officials of the armed services to stop wrangling or get out. Talking to about 50 reporters at his first news conference since be succeeded James Forrestal yesterday, Johnson said that he hao made clear to the secretaries of the army, navy and air force that 1 "there will be no room around the pentagon" for those who are noi wholehearted for unification. He said that in the future there will be “no vying for headlines’ among the three services. Neither, be said, will there be any releasing of "things labeled secret." Johnson said there will be unification under the present law “as rapidly as the efficiency ot the services permit it” If congress approves President Truman’s request to <ive the defense secretary greater power. Johnson said, there will | (Tara Ta Pace Sevea)

Hearing Tests For High School Pupils Hearing tests for Decatur high school students were being completed today by visiting examiners from Purdue Fniversity. Decatur Catholic high school students 'will receive the tests Wednesday and then the examining staff will go to Berne., Drug Burglaries Are Cleared By Arrests Two Indianapolis Men Seized Monday Logansport, Ind., Mar. 29—(UP) Two Indianapolis men were held on open charges today in an investigation ot a slatewide series of drugstore narcotics burglaries. The men were Ruby Minton. 46, and Walter R. Cox. 38. Police chief Lonnie Hall announced that they were arrested yesterday while trying to break in a locked storeroom above the Porter Pharmacy, presumably in search of narcotics. Paul G. Brighan. federal narcotics agent with headquarters in Indianapolis, said the arrests cleared up drug burglaries in at least eight Indiana cities and possibly more. He said Minton and Cox both were narcotics addicts and that they used some of the drugs themselves and peddled the surplus in "underworld outlets." After the arrest, detectives searched a hotel room occupied by the men and found two guns, 28 watches, 11 razors and 23 pen sets. The merchandise was identified by an Anderson druggist as stolen from his place Marco 19 in a burglary in which narcotics also were taken. Authorities from cities where drug store burglaries occurred recently swarmed Into the Logansport police station in an effort to gain custody of the men. They were suspected of burglaries in Indianapolis, Princeton. Terre Haute, Fort Wayne. Muncie. Anderson, Evansville and Washington. Hall said Minton probably would be turned over to Terre Haute authorities hecauro he was Identified by a holdup victim in that city. Cox was described as a parole violator from Indiana state prison. Authorities were uncertain what disposition would be made of his case. Federal authorities said they had a warrant for his arrest. Police said Minton had been a (Turn Tn Pnve Two) Ossian Man Is Named Census Enumerator John L. Mulvane. Ossian, has been appointed business census enumerator for the Decatur area. It was announced Monday by the district supervisor of the bureau of the census. Louis Basheller. Mulvane will interview ownert and managers of all retail, wholesale, and service establishments here to obtain information on local credit practices as well as other facts about business operations.

15-Month Extension Bill Passed After Republican Re-Committal Move Loses

II Navy Men Saved From Downed Plane Bomber Is Ditched By Engine Failure « Honolulu, March 29—(UP) — Pilot Lt. Comdr. William C. Hartman ditched his navy Catalina patrol bomber in the Pacific because an oil leak caused bis port engine to fail, it was reported here today. Hartman and 10 others were rescued yesterday 650 miles southwest of Johnston Island. They spent nearly 12 hours in the crippled plane before they were rescued. They are now enroute to Kwajalein by ship. Word received here said that Hartman was not able to feather the propeller and maintain his altitude of 3,000 feet even though the crew jettisoned wing tanks and all excess gear. The report said that Hartman sent a distress message giving his position and then landed In a heavy sea, damaging the plane's hull. Survivors had to bail constantly to keep the plane afloat,) the report said. Owing to the darkness, the report said, the rescue was not completed until two hours after the rescue ship, an LSM, appeared on the scene. The LSM heard the distress signal, it was said, because its radio operator, Max Anderson of Paris, Ark., happened to be listening oft schedule. The 11 men snatched from the sinking Catalina were: Hartman, of Altadena, Cal.; ensign R. D. Osborn, Pana. Ill.: aviation radiomarf H. D. Williams, Littlerock, Cal: chief aviation machinist's mate Robert Brook, Rose Hill, N. C.; aviation machinist’s mate W. G. Baumann, Battle Creek, la.: aviation machinist's mate Leroy Way, Portland, Ore.; aviation radioman R. A. Haas. Seattle. Wash.; aviation radioman P. M. Conley, St. Louis, Mo.; aviation ordnance man W. V. Webb, Hugo, Okla.; seaman Henry O. Dakid (passenger) and boatswain’s mate Frank Diqguard (pas-) senger). Addresses of the passengers were not known. Monroe Board Turns « Down School Merger Necessitates Vote In Monroe Township The Monroe township trustee and advisory board have rejected a proposal to merge the schools' of that township with those of, Washington and Kirkland town ' ships, it has been revealed. In announcing their decision, i the township officials stated their' belief that thq proposed consoli • dation is too small and Involves. an awkward arrangement of town-1 ships. They announced that they favor consolidating on >4 countywide planning program. This action by the Monroe township officials automatically places the issue for referendum before the voters of the township. Washington and Kirkland town ship officials have accepted the proposed conso'idatlon and elections will be held in those two townships only if a remonstrance bearing the names of at least 50. taxpayers is filed. The Monroe township off deals; point out that the proposed merg-) er would result in taxation of ■ about sl2 per acre on all land in ’ the township, and that a large. consolidation could be effected for | less money If the townships or school corporations would be) grouped differently. The MonHte officials state that) the combined assessed valuation of Monroe school township, Washington school township, and Kirkland township Is slightly over I?.000,000. Monroe and Washington townships may be bonded for onlv two perc* nt. while Kirkland could, be bonded for four percent, where i (Tara T» Page Twa)

Slain Girl's Mother Urges Freedom Chance Declares Killer Os Daughter Good Boy, 'Forced' To Murder Milwaukee, Mar. 29 — (UP) — Mrs. Albert Birmingham said today that Milton Babich, the 19-year-old youth who brought double tragedy into her home, is a "good kid who deserves a chance at freedom." Bahleh has confessed that he killed Mrs. Birmingham's 16-year-old daughter, Patricia, weighted I her body with a concrete building block, and threw it into the Milwaukee river. He killed Patricia while attempting to silence her about the pregnancy of another daughter, Kathleen, 17, as result of an illicit love affair with him. He and Kathleen eloped and were married before Patricia’s body was found and Kathleen lived with him five days, not knowing he had killed her sister. Mrs. Birmingham withheld outright forglvenes* of her son-in-law but said: "Milton deserves • chance for freedom. He's a good kid." Mrs. Birmingham, a pleasantfaced woman whose hands are work-worn from cooking and sew- . ing for her large middle-class family, said she "supposed" Milton had been "tormented" into slaying Patricia because the girl taunted him about her sister’s pregnancy. I "He’s always been a good boy. very helpful and polite, whenever he was at our home,” she said. Mrs. Birmingham said she had received many letters and cards from persons throughout the country who offered their sympathy and help. But some of the letters come from people who side with Babich and think she should do everything possible to help him. Babich's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fabian Babich, said they also received telephone cal's and letters from perrons offering financial aid or advice on Babich’s defense during his trial, expected to start next month. Babich's bride has promised that she will stand by him even though he killed her sister. They had their last embrace yesterday. Henceforth they will face each other across a speaking panel. The youth was under 24-hour guard today In the Milwaukee (Turn To Psae Setesl Four U. 5. Airmen Are Killed In Japan Light Bomber Hits Side Os Mountain Tokyo. March 29 —(PU)— A tenman patrol will make a new as-, sault on snowcovered Mount Fuji tonight to remove the bodies or tour American airmen kilted when their light bomber crashed into! the mountainside Sunday. The patrol, led by Ist Lt. Mar) shall McClure of Chicago, will carry stretchers to the 9,500-foot; height along a trail broken by a rescue crew that reached the scene this morning. Air force headquarters here said the names of the victims would be withheld 48 hoars pending notifies tion of kin. Capt. Louis M. Johnston of RoysJston. Mass., commanding the rescue team, reported his crew was not equipped to haul the bodies down the mountainside and that another crew would have to be dispatched for that purpose. Johnston and his men spent two days scaling the frigid mountain side and had to be supplied b> a B-17 flying fortress which dropped food, snowshoes and clothes.

Price Four Cents

Senator Bricker's Attempt To Afford Landlords Better Break Is Defeated BULLETIN Washington March 29—(UP) t —Congress today approved and * sent to the White House a compromise bill to extend rent controls until June 30, 1950 with a "local option" clause. Only President Truman's signature is needed now to make the measure law. It would continue in modified form the present controls which expire Thursday midnight Washington, Mar. 29 — (UP) — I The senate today approved the ! final compromise rent control ex- ) tension hill after defeating a Republican move to send it back to I conference committee. The 15-month extension bill now requires approval by the house—pos ibly late today—and President Truman's signature to become efj fective. It would continue in modified form the present controls 1 ' which expire Thursday midnight. The senate action came after ; stormy debate on the recommittal , I motion by Sen. John W. Bricker, R„ O. Bricker was defeated, 53 ' to 33. After that move was beaten ' I down, Vice-president Alben W. j Barkley overruled a point of order raised by Sen. Harry P. Cain, R„ I Wash., that the conference report went beyond the senate's instruc- ') tlons. j With the Bricker and Cain motions out of the way, the final vote 1 ! was little more than a formality—;7B to 11 in favor of the bill. All ■ 11 opponents were Republicans. The day's principal debate was ) on Bricker's effort to send the bill back to conference and rewrite it to give landlords a better break. Sen. John J. Sparkman. D., Ala., said heatedly that "if this bill goes back to conference, I think you can write rent control off." Senate Republican leader Kenneth S. Wherry told reporters the GOP had reached "no policy decision" on hacking Bricker's motion. But he said that many Republican senators would support an effort to rewrite the "fair net operating income" provision for ) landlords. Wherry said the language is not clear and many GOP senators want it strengthened. Bricker charged that house-sen-ate conferees "violated the instructions of both houses" in the compromise bill. He was supported by Sen. Harry P. Cain. R.. Wash., who said some provisions of the conference hill "clearly went beyond” what either the senate or house voted. Caln criticized especially a pro--1 vision to decontrol "luxury" housing when the housing expediter is satisfied it will be converted to I smaller units. He said the compromise ’luxury’ section was "entirely different” . from the senate's action in okay- | ing decontrol of luxury units occupied by only one family and : renting for 1299 a month or more. Present rent controls expire at midnight Thursday. After thu senate acts, the house must approve the conference legislation and then ot must go to the White Honse for President Truman's ) signature. Senate Democratic whip Francis J. Myers. Pa., said any more to send It back to conference Would ‘show that some people just want to kill rent controls.” Meanwhile. Paul V. Betters, executive director of the United States conference of mayors. Issued a statement asserting that no major city wottld take advantage of the Mil’s "home rule” provision permitting rltiee to end controls wheenver their governor approves. Bette’s seld manv titles undoubtedly would strengthen the present controls if they had the (Tare Te Pag* Three)