Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 47, Number 75, Decatur, Adams County, 30 March 1949 — Page 1

oBdVII. No. 75.

SYRIAN ARMY OVERTHROWS GOVERNMENT

■s Congress Ast Budget ■Defense Borgia Democrat Barges Threat To Ktional Security March 30.—(UP)— Carl Vinson of the house committee today President Truman of enL national security. Democrat charged steßsident with cutting the defar below the "rock set by army, air ' congress to overrule '9|Bnsi<i<'nt and add $1,599,600,OW 1 the $14.765.000, mui (which v Buman asked for the armed the fiscal year starting Jußsta:>m-nt breaking sharply , ; :;B>e President's defense pol- ,, said "it looks to me thaMe are already returning to practice of failing to evpn adequate force in peace." proposed that $590,000..gdHhi- recommended boost in total go to the air help it (xpand toward ,‘BBI of "o combat groups. in congress: Alexander Wiley. R, wHßedieted that congress would war if any country comagainst a north treaty nation. He said pact would put a an(i lp K al obligation” on States to fight against - Southern Democratic mB fort east that a majority of support their -drive outright of one of them. Smith. D., Va. said should have clear-cut t 0 vute on straight repeal CoMmtnists-Chairman Joint S Woodlot the house unAmerii an committee introduced a drive Reds off the fedetal .* la "' " ■ President Truman a bill authorizing the air forcßo start work on a radar 'JBB P ?rreen "bich eventually will ■tend around most of North aid—Republican memMs llle bouse foreign affairs committee protested against the way’ 4jhe administration has pre4NM its foreign aid program Thowcalled it "piece-meal” and BBB d that it left China out in Health—Sen. Lister Hill, D.. Ala., proposed that the governmoney to encourage J9Mun hospital insurance proJRaSt instead of financing the wMblsoiv health insurance plan President Truman. In the controversy over the Taft ■Mtey ,aw - <>nr influential south »rn puse member said supporters act could defeat efforts ti repaid: it "by about 20 votes.” T® administration’s labor bill w ould repeal the present law and re-enact a "modified” act. is now before the hoaw rules committee. Labor contfetee chairman John Lesin tki,B.. Mich., has a’ked the com ■ ryWp to bar amendments to the B^B rp °h tbe house floor. But there appeared little chance thatgb, rules group would grant isßßki's request. fIK southern bloc reportedly it behind a substitu’e meas B , ’l»rn To I'nKe Eiubli Robert Mitchum Is jßosed From Jail Hbftyvood..March 30 — (UP)Aetoßßobert Mitchum was releasthe county jail and was Wtiiad by a cheering crowd. The husky actor, v ho has spent «®Be: 50 days behind bars on a oMß®ana conviction, dashed past to a county car and his wife and two vouns WBSBrho were waiting 'or him at ■BfetHe was tanned and had shavM a moustache he grew while **“4o.; his term.. WEATHER cloudy, showers and thunderstorms toSBht, with showers continuing and extreme north into TWsday forenoon. Warmer becoming colder south BBon Thursday. Windy

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

BULLETIN ■ Reykjavik, Iceland, March 30 —(UP) —Rioting Communists hurled stones through the windows of parliament today during a session at which it voted 37 to 13 for Iceland to join the Atlantic pact. , Predict Rent Control Bit! To Be Signed Predict President To Sign Measure Before Deadline • I Washington, Mar. 30 — (UP) — ’ Administration leaders predicted • today that President Truman I would sign the compromise rent ' control bill, even though it falls ’ far short of his original request. They pointed out that with the present rent law expiring at mid- , night tomorrow, it is unlikely Mr. ’ Truman would be willing to let , controls lapse-even temporarily i —on the chance that congress might pass a stronger law. The new bill, approved yesteri j day by the house and senate, ’ would extend federal controls for II 15 months. Hut it would give : states and municipalities a chance I to get out from under rent ceil- • | Ings. and wpuld guarantee land- - 1; lords a "fair net operating in- ’ i come." [ The new measure was worked ' out by a joint conference commit- ! tee as a compromise between earlier senate and house rent bills. Mr. Truman on Feb. 7 asked for . the enactment of a strong rent ’ law that would extend controls i .Xui 24 months and provide crim- ■ Inal penalties for landlords who . ■ violated it. 11 Both the senate and house balked at such leg! lation. Instead ofI criminal penalties against violators, congress wrote into the final 1 bill a provision authorizing hous--1 ing expediter Tigh? E. Woods to 1 sue overcharging landlords for treble damages. ' Despite its departures from the . | original Truman proposal, the final compromise measure was described by administration leadI ers as a distinct improvement . I over the present rent control law. They said that even the two tea- ■ i tures most bitterly assailed by : rent control supporters — the "local op'ion" and the "fair return” provisions — are workable and should not be considered a (Turn To Pegr Seven) Funeral Sunday For Pfc. Bob Holloway Wor Veteran Killed In Battle Os Bulge Funeral services will be held at 2 p. m. Sunday at the Pleasant Mills Methodist church for Pfc. Robert L. Holloway, only child of Mr. and Mrs. Murray C. Holloway, of Pleasant Mills, who was killed in action Dec. 26, 1944. The veteran was killed during the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium while s rving with the 333rd infantry, 84th division. The body will arrive in Decatur late Friday night and will be tak en to the Zwick funeral home, and then will be removed to the Hollowav residence, where friends may i ca l after 2 p. m. Saturday until time of the services. The Rev. S. J. Kleis and the Rev. Ralph Johnson will officiate at the service’. Burial will be in the Decatur cemetery, with Adams Post 43. American Legion, conducting military rites. Pfc. Hollowav was born in Fort Wayne Oct. 28. 1923. a son of Murray and Zula Steele Hollowav. the faml'y moving to Pleasant Mills two and one-half years later. The veterin graduated in 1941 at Pleasant Mills, where he starred in basketball, and also attended Ball State Teachers college at Muncie be'ore entering service! March 3. 1942. He wa« sent overseas October of 1944. He was a member of the Pleasant Mills Methodist church. Surviving in addition »o his parents are a grandmother. Mr’ Jesse Steele, of Pleasant Mills, and several aunts and uncles. *

Flies Coast To Coast In Record Time 1 / JL . 1 4 if t U . ■' to .u'twut MB' ui - • - wdfeu j -1 ji® - m smBBBBbBMB®. a wfl EBIBB&- <BI JOE DE BONA, steps from Actor Jimmy Stewart’s souped up P-51 Mustang after flying from Burbank. Cal., to LaGuardia Field, New York in a record time of five hours and five seconds. The former record sos the 2,477-mile flight was 6 hours and 7 minutes for non-jet planes.

Acheson Will Meet European Leaders Plan Consultations On Peace Os World Washington, March 30 — (UP)— Secretary of state Dean Acheson today announced plans tor a week of consultations with western European foreign ministers which he said will cover the peace of the world. The discussions specifically will be on the North Atlantic treaty and European recovery. Acheson told a news conference that he has arranged meetings for tomorrow with British foreign secretary Ernest Beviu who arrived in New York today as did foreign ministers of France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Netherlands. He said there would be “probably a considerable number of other meetings" both before and after the North Atlantic pact signing on April 4 and the opening of the United Nations general assemiJy Tuesday. Acheson made it clear that special attention would be focused on German problems. He said the broad purpose is to prevent Germany from becoming a menace to world peace again and to reintegrate Germany into the European community as a constructive and peaceful member. While Acheson was telling his news conference that 10 nations so far had indicated their intentions of signing the Atlantic treaty, the state department was informed by the Portuguese embassy that Portugal will sign. That brings the number to 11. Iceland's parliament also is debating the question ot whether to sign. He said the foreign ministers of the signatory nations will meet in executive session Saturday to give final approval to the treaty text and consider the organization of ad <Turti T<» I'mce 'lhrrrj Union Township To Discuss Problems School Problems To Be Aired At Meeting A meeting for Union township residents only has been called to discuss the school problems of tha( township, it was announced today by Charles Burdg. trustee. Th« meeting will be held at the Im manuel Lutheran school Frida; night at 7:30 o’clock. » . Mr. Brudg pointed out that only residents of the township were in vited so that all who attended could feel free to discuss the school nroblems without any outside pres sure. Another reason given for a closed meeting was because of the size of the meeting place. Mr. Burdg is anxious that all residents of the township attend and he stated that he wanted to make sure there would be room for all. School merger problems have been discussed in all part* of Adams county recently and the Union township trustee said that an effort would be made at tbe Fri day meeting to Inform his people as to the outcome of other meet ings. *

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday, March 30, 1949

Railroads Recall Some 2,000 Men Indianapolis, March 30 — (UP) — Railroads will recall about 2,000 employes furloughed when the coal mines began their two-week memorial holiday, officials said today. The New York Central already recalled about 1500 for work in the i Beech Grove car and locomotive : repair shops, and the Pensylvania • railroad will recall some 500 work- : i ers between April 1 and April 7. '! ‘ Committee Cites School Merger Plan Explains Stand On School Consolidation The Monroe township school ■ building Investigating committee, i ' today issued the following stateI ment in explanation of its stand . ! on the school merger proposition. “In order to relieve the acute I situation existing in the Monroe i! township schools, over 500 legal ■ | voters have taken the initiative . and petitioned their trustee to con- . solidate the Monroe school townII ship with the Washington and . i Kirkland school townships, respec- . lively. This course of action was found to be necessary after pre- . j vious attempts by interested pat- , 'rons and public spirited citizens had failed to awaken the interest , of school officials, to the fact that Monroe township children have a right to the same school advanti ages given elsewhere in the couni ty. The trustees ot Washington ’ and Kirkland townships, aware of the fact tfiat the time is here when 1 of necessity, better and more adequate school facilities "must be, 1 granted the children under their ' jurisdiction, accepted the petitions submitted to them and are ready to, I march forward in the Interest of better school facilities for their students. However, it is regretted the Monroe township trustee decided not to agree to this needed school merger, when such an over-whelm-ing majority of the voters requested his positive action in accordance with their wishes. "There have ueea fantastic rum ors circulated. However, when we weigh these rumors in the balance, they are found to be wanting. “It has been reported that a new ' school building would cost the tax 1 payers of Monroe township sl2 an acre. A little examination of this exaggerated statement will show just how inaccurate it is. Calculations on assessments are not made on acreage alone but upon all evaluations of the combined three townships; public utilities, railroads. personal property, real estate, etc. must all be included in any calculation. Therefore. sl2 per acre assessment is entirely a presumpticn on the part of someone. "Monroe township voters have been repeatedly approached with the statement, 'consolidate with Berne add build the new console dated school in the Berne vicinity.' The people have again spoken their decision on that proposal, by over 500 legal voters requesting to be consolidated with the rural areas of Washington and Kirkland townships, ft is obvious the petitioners are not interested in any I proposal to merge with the Berne (Tara Ta rag* Sceea)

See Russian Peace Drive In Germany Change In Military Governor Announced 1 ! Berlin, March 30 — (UP) — i! Russia’s appointment of a new mil--1 itary governor and commander for ■ Germany touched off renewed speculation today that the Soviets are preparing a "peace offensive" in Germany, perhaps including the lifting of the Berlin blockade. Radio Moscow announced short:ly after midnight that Marshall j Vassily D. Sokolovsky had been re- ■ lieved of .his duties as governor and j commander in Germany to become I first deputy minister of the Soviet I armed forces. .Succeeding Sokolovsky in GerI many, Moscow said, will be Geu. I j Vassily I. Cuikov, veteran of tne .: Russian civil war and one of the ■ [ heroes of the battle of Stalingrad. II Chulkov at present is Soviet inili •itary administrator in the German ‘ \ state of Thuringia. ‘j (.A Moscow dispatch to the Unit11 ed Press said Moscow newspapers ''carried the announcement with out J comment on their back pages.) i American occupation officials de--1 \ dined immediate comment on the ‘ I transfer to Moscow of Sokolovsky. 'I the man who has enforced the Sov- ' I let blockade of Berlin and relentlessly prosecuted the cold war in Ger- ' many. Brig. Gen. Frank L. Howley. American commandant in Berlin. 1 expressed, surprise when told of the shift. But he declined commeut I on grounds that such a change wa. , "above my level.” ! An aide said Gen. Lucius D. Clay. American military governor ami , commander in Germany, might . comment later today. The immediate reaction in allieU , (Tura To Pour Seveol Heller Speaks On I General Assembly Explains New Laws ' Passed By Assembly Robert Heller, speaker of the Indiana hou?e of representatives, and Adams-Wells county representative, outlined the contents of several new laws passed by the 1949 Indiana general assembly, at the regular meeting ot the Decatur Lions club Tuesday sight at the K. of P. home. Os the 267 new laws. Rep. Heller picked out 17. which he said were more apt to affect Adams county people, and explained their workings. He stated that more money would be forthcoming to schools and also to counties and cities for road maintenance. Salary increase law? also were briefed by the local legislator, and several interesting sidelight* concerning the compromises necessary to b( ing about passage of a soldiers’ bonus law were related. Robert Anderson, local attor. ney. introduced the speaker, and Robert Holthouse, president ot the local club, introduced several guests who were present. Following the address, several members asked Rep. Heller que» tions pertaining to certain laws.

Bloodless Revolution In Syria, Early Election For New Regime Is Promised

Spending And Tax Plans Challenged New Trouble Looms Over Tax Program Washington, Mar. 30 — (UP) — New trouble between President Truman and congress developed today in charges that his higher tax program might bring a sizeable 1949 business depression. This was accompanied by congressional demands fbr economy and a Republican • Democratic drive to cut Marshall plan appropriations by 10 percent or thereabouts. Republican and Democratic forces were forming to reject Mr. Truman's tax program and to force the administration toward economy. These developments followed federal reserve board | warnings that the big inflation ! boom was over. Chairman Walter F. George, D., Ga., of the senate finance committee challenged Mr. Tru- ’ ■ man’s spending and tax plans i yesterday. He said the administration tax program would threat- ’ en the country with a "sizeable 1 depression." Chairman Robert L. Doughton, D„ N. C., of the house ways and I means committee refused to comment on depression possibilities I but said the time has come for congress to cut expenses or hike taxes. Rep. Daniel A. Reed, N. Y., I senior Republican ways and means member, said it was up to congress to reduce the spending pro- ’ gram because a tax increase would , bring depression. George called for economy shortly alter Sen. Robert A. Taft, R., 0., moved to clip $543,000,000 from ; the administration's $5,580,000,000 .'Mar hall plan appropriation. Taft said the only way to avoid a June tax increase would be to cut expenses now. George argued that I j congress must economize or. I choose in June between a deficit I i and a tax hike. He thinks taxes I i should be rased a bit. . i "In my opinion," George said, "there is but one thing which will bring us a sizeable depression in 1949. After that, of course, no (Turn To Pngr Seven) — Former Decatur Man ils Suicide Victim Melvin Abbott Dies At Home In Scott, 0. i l Funeral services will be held Friday for Melvin Abbott. 48, former Decatur resident, who shot | and killed himself at his home in \ \ Scott. 0., Tuesday. Services will be held at 2 p. m. (EST) Friday j at the Methodist church in Scott. | with burial at Scott. Abbott's body was found in the garage at their home by his wife. Elsie. The only note found was scrawled on a board tn the garage. It said: "Am sorry. Mom." Mr. Abbott had been to a hardware store at Scott early Tuesday morning and purchased a .22 caliber rifle and shells, which he used to kill himself/ The bullet pierced his temple. Dr. G. L. Doster. Paulding county cOTOner. returned a vet diet of suicide. Relatives could advance no mo'ive for Abbott's act. Surviving besides the wife are two daughters. Linda. 7. and Elea nor. 11. and a son. Robert. 14. all at home; another son. Richard, of Decatur; the father. Nelson Abbott of 333 North Tenth street, this city; a sister. Miss Florence Abbott, also of Decatur, and two brother’. Clark of near Decatur and Clarence of Convoy. O. The family, which formerly resided on South Fifth street left Decatur 10 months ago. The body was removed from the funeral home at Grover Hill |to tbe residence at Scott this morning.

Tornado Kills Two Persons In Oklahoma Three Towns Hard Hit; 25 Injured In Tornado Area Canton, Okla., Mar. 30— (UP)— A tornado ripped through three . Oklahoma towns today, killing at . least two persons and injuring at least 25 others. Hardest hit were Canton and the nearby community of Longdale in , Blaine county. The funnel tore’ i across the northern half of Canton ; about 12:3(1 a. in., skipped six [ miles northeastward and roared i through Longdale and then hit Into the southern edge of Blackwell, 70 miles northeast, at 3:20 a. m. One person was killed in Canton . and another died at Longdale, i Eight persons were hurt at Can- . ton and one at Longdale. The storm brought to 31 the . number killed in windstorms in the south and southwest during the past week. I The highway patrol, which pent . j eight men to Blackwell, said seven ; or eight were injured enough to • require medical treatment there > but no fatalities were reported. Property damage at Canton was . estimated by highway patrolmen . at from $200,000 to $300,000. Damage at Longda'e, a city of 100 residents apparently was not j very heavy. Lt. Joe Boyce of the highway | patrol estimated damage at Blackwell would he above $200,00(1. Hardest hit there was the South Main grade school, which Boyce described as "pretty well torn up.' The Red Cross midwestern area headquarters at St. Ixyiis reported : that 100 homes were damaged or | destroyed at Canton, 40 at BlackI well. The report said 120 persons were made homeless in the three towns. Telephone lines between Canton and Longdale were torn from their poles. All electrical service was out of commission and Phillips and ' , Schultz made their inspection at ■ Longdale by searchlight. Canton is only about 50 miles from Woodward, Okla., where lO't persons died in a similar storm on April 9, 1947. Today's was the ' hied tornado to strike in southern ’ and southwestern states within a j week. Two bodies, found in wreckage, w-re identified as those of Char{Turn Tu I’ngr Eli;ht) Greater Valuation Os Goods Reported County Assessor Releases Figures A comparison of figures released today by county assessor Albert Harlow reveals thaS Adamcounty residents owned a greater valuation of household goods, cars and trucks, and farm implements and tractors in the four-week period ending Mam 26 than they did in the same period a vear ago. Holdings of livestock in the coun- ; :y during the 1949 four-week period. however, have generally de- ■ creased, the figures show. The county assessor's figure’ were compiled from averages re- > porte-d to him by the K deputy assessors throughout the county and will be the basis upon which per<onal property taxes will be levied A run-down of the figures for the four weeks ending March 26 ■ 19i9 follows: household goods. 15’9131. an increase of $33,032 over 1946: cars and trucks. 11.059I f'l9. an Increase of 1193.807; farm implements. 8483 372. an Increase of $40,482: farm tractors. $338 962. , an increase of $5,166; number of | milk cows. 4.675, a decrease of <Tara Ta Page Klabt)

Price Four Cents

Indicate Revolt Aimed At Blocking Peace Agreement By Syria, Israel Amman, March 30 — (UP) Col. Husni Al-Zaim. Syrian army commander, announced by radio from Damascus today that the army had overthrown the government in a bloodless revolution, and promised early elections to select a new regime. A new government under Faris Al-Khoury, former premier and Syrian delegate to the United Nations, is being formed, Za:m said. It would replace the regime of president Shukri Al-Kouwatly. which was toppled by a coup last night. Radio Damascus broadcast a series of communiques, one of which ’ said the government offices had ■ been ordered reopened under military supervision. A spate of reports on the revol- ■ j ution from mideast listening posts . indicated that it was aimed at j blocking a Syrian peace agreement i j in Israel. The overthrown govern- . I ment was planning to negotiate an ■ armistice. Damascus broadcasts and the > first lirief dispatch from the Syrian j! capital said the coup was carried - out without violence. Zaim told reporters in Damascus this a/ternoon I that the entire country was calm. ! One communique broadcast from j I Syria said all the di posed cabinet . ministers had been arrested It ! said all unauthorized persons . caught carrying arms would be con- ! detuned to death without trial. The first dispatch from Syrll ! I said only that a few top personnal : ities were detained. But other rej ports said premier Khaled El Azam, his cabinet, tho president, and other leaders were jailed. A late broadcast from Damascus said a curfew imposed on the entire |>opii!ation this morning ‘ would continue with only a slight change. Persons will be permitted ' on the streets .for two hours daily, I between 7 and 8 a.m.. and 4 and 5 p.m. Radio Damascus quoted Zaim us saying the revolution was ordered ■ because of ill treatment and slander directed at the army and supported by the courts. In reply to a question, hi said | Maj. Fuad Mardam would remain ! under arrest on charges of selling a shipload of arms to Israel. The arms were reported salvaged from the Harbor in Bari. Italy, after being sunk by the Italians. The Syrian army was reported providing food and necessities for the people. f One report from other mideast ' sources said Emir Adil Arslan, also a UN delegate, was forming a new govern ment. Syria has been restive for some time, particularly over the Palestine situation. Growing dissatisfaction also has been reported in Syria over a pip ’line agreement with the United States and a monetary pact with France. Several demonstrations were held recently protesting "the -e- --; turn of foreign influences” in Syria. Two weeks ago one such demonstration by students was fired on by police. The Junta warned it would subdue "without mere/” any attempt to interfere with the revolution and ordered "death without trial” for unauthorized persons found carrying arms. Syrian army leaders were known to oppose the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine. 3be Junta told tlie people of Syria that army leaders would he “most loyal in on: ardor to the nation and to the Arab cause.” The coup came as I’. S. marine Gen. William Riley, chief of staff to acting United Nations Palestine mediator Dr. Ralph Bunehe. arrived in Damascus to confer with Syrian authorities in an attempt to arrange Syrian-Israeli armistice talks. The Junta clamped a curfew on Damascus at 6 a in. to prevent any demonstrations or eisturbances. Three roTmuni'ines •‘v-'.ed b» "general headquarters of tbe armed forces" and broadeas* by radio Damas us disclosed th? overthrow of (Tara Ta Tag* E(ght)