Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 47, Number 85, Decatur, Adams County, 11 April 1949 — Page 1

XLVH. No- 85.

DEPLORES WASTE IN MILITARY SPENDING

■use Group Ils Budget I Veterans |Sensions And Gl -Benefits Reduced, glpprove Hospitals April 11 — (UP) — wKiinne appropriations commitcut budget estimates for BKn's'by $598.759,t(6». but reoo.n■K.,; full speed ahead on the vetPE hospital construction proBE, of the cuts were made in pensions and GI readjust#E benefits. Pensions were re|El !,'■ *--- ant ' bene ’ eß'1 t $244,167,000. *, tl redut uveterans' spendEK . , tile lamest recommended 'BBlie committee in approving M for 2S independent governK agencies for fiscal 1950 beEEn : ,lllly 1 • Vltogether ' the co ‘"' e vote.! J 7.576.556.231 to run gE- !; k '' a! ' 0111 10 > )crcent le:,s asked by the budget burj^Es (tgnre includes cash of $7,G^E<-« anii I'Ot'traet authority *■<■’,314.628. .gE* md-P'-nd-nt offices apropri- ]■■!< tiie last «f the regular big ■Ky hills to be acted on by the '■Kt.">-e It is second in size only ■K:- armed services appropria'KA us almost J16.00(1,000,000 i||Kf. tile liiiiimittee approved Sat|HKr .etria:.- administration was ilKted 55,145.431,940. ■Ke committee said r sluctions :|Kb made after VA officials tesliifflßthat they could be off from 5 ■■s per Hit <m pension payments ■■ls to 25 percent on estimates ■Kci benefits. ) ;^K-. ignored President suggestion to ease off on ral construction and Kb ivt-d in contract for the program. HKe prupi.s d elimination of cerHH hospitals lias been under fire HH: - past several weeks from men and various local ofareas that would be affect- ■■>- '‘iidaet bur, an, responsible SKi'inm- Mr Truman's sp.-ndi';-' ■Kt;• i.cmi.s to congress, came a heavy slash itself. «■» biirmc.i recommended $3,314. ■^V' r Its operations. The commit|Koit the (mure to $2,983,050. And the bureau had too many m administrative and stawork. cish and contract an-1 |Ktv of $1,090,120,397 W as pro-. 1 for the atomic energy cotn-i |Kom This was $76,879 603 less |K budget estimates, but some above what the comhad this year. selective service, the coinProposed $9.1100,000. This is |Kj' w - l 'oO less than the present and $7,709,000 less than the ■ 'Turn T" I’nirf Three) |B r| l Court Term gEens This Morning term of Adams circuit court BE 1811 ll)iiay wi,h proceedings in ■■ rases listed for this week on ■9'] Myles I’. Parrish's docket. |K will last 7,1 days, closing Mueller Funeral Is B'd This Afternoon B“ neral service, and buria) wefe Ml!., ii , ' Ier ’ 1 " ~n ,or Mrs. AugusMat, ‘I 19 a native of Adans ■E ", Wh ° Sa, «rday at the °' a daughter. Mrs. Herbert IT*' in Fort Wayne. besides Mrs. Boseker Me u " rtaurhter - Mrs. ClarML' ,ew F O rt Wayne; a son. ■ »rd*M« sl r s ' Mrs suMn Du ’ Mr u-. Anna Brand ‘- al > °' Msfti ? ne: two bro,her »- WilMOf F<r ls « °' Preble and Daa ' M*r«).cd? &yne: Ml r '‘ s’ra’-=randthild 5 ’ ra ’-=randthild II de,, 2‘ A ™ ER *"* C!>Ole '' ro,,h and c ’ r,i «"« and partly K’s,.., tr * m * Mulh w,,h K*-.’ ,rtMin « ,em P* ra - Met bi. Mr "’ **«■ KZ F, ' r ‘"O worm* Tuea-

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Methodist Pastor Graduate Speaker Dr. Gerald Jongs, minister of the First Methodist church of this city will be the commencement speaker at the eighth-grade rural schools graduation exercises, to be held at the Berne auditorium May 21. Six Killed In South Dakota Church Blast Gas From Leaking Furnace Is Blamed x In Fatal Explosion Marion, S. D., April 11—(UP)— Butane gas from a leaking furnace was blamed today for an explosion which destroyed St. Mary's Catholic church, killing six Palm Sunday worshippers and injuring more than 40. State fire marshal Arch O'Dell said an investigation showed that the gas seeped through the small brick church from a basement furnace leak. Butane gas is colorless and odorless, and its presence was unsuspected. The blast occurred just, before] the 9 a.m. mass yesterday when: two altar boys struck matches to i light the candles. O'Dell said even a spark could have touched off the explosion. The shingle roof of the church was blQwn into the air and fell on the pews, buckling in the center. The walls collapsed crazily in a shower of bricks and mortar. Only the steeple and arched doorway still stood. . Jjfighbors, spurred by the anguished cries of trapped worshippers. dug frantically through the debris to rescue the injured. Some of those less seriously hurt fought their way through the rubble and staggered from the doorway, blackened from the explosion. Bulldozers quickly dragged away the roof and a crew of 50 rescue workers searched the debris for bodies. After hours of digging they called off the search and announced a death toll of six. taken to hospitals in Sioux Falls. About 30 of the victims were Yantton and Mitchell, Si D. At least 10 of them were in serious condition. In addition, Dr. W. E. Heib said a dozen of the less seriously Injured were treated at their homes. The blast apparently exerted its greatest force at the open door- , way, where most of the dead were: | found. Some of the parishioners had I taken their places in the pews while others were strolling dnto the church when the blast broke the quiet of Palm Sunday morn (Turn To M»» Catholic Church To Observe Three Hours Holy Week Services Planned At Church The Three Hours, commemorat-, ing the period that Christ hunc | and died on the Cross, will be observed at St. Mary s Catholic church on Good Friday afternoon from 12 to 3 o'clock. The period will be observed In prayer and meditation, and public ( Way of the Cross. The station'| wil be said at 12:45 an 1 o'clock. At 2:30 o'clock blessing I of the faithful with a relic of the 1 true cross will begin. On Holy Thursday, the church will celebra'e th’ institution us, the Holy Eucharist with a high mass at 7: JO o'clock. The church will be open throughout the day for private devo'ions. followed by a prayer hour ftom 7 to 8 oclock: in the evening. The mass of the presanctified will be said on Good Fridav morn ing a‘ 7:20 o’clock. A sermon on the Crucifixion will be given atj 7:10 o'clock in the evening. Services on Holy Saturday wf 1 begin at 6 o’clock with the lighting of the Easter fire, the blessing of the water and the pa’cal candle A high mass will follow. On Easter Sunday morning, the mass of the Resurrection will be said at S:3O o'clock. Thre« other masses wi l be said at 7:30, J and M:ll o'clock, followed by benedlc tion of the Blessed Sacrament. |

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WILLIAM YANCY, hard-rock miner, is shown above being lowered into black depths to guide the last five leng hs of steel tubing into place in the emergency shaft as part of the attempt to rescue the three-year-old girl at San Marino, Cal., from an abandoned well- casing into which she fell Friday evening. Kathy’s dead body was later brought to the surface.

County Council To Meet April 21-22 Special Session To Consider Requests The county council has b ( een called to meet in extra session on: April 21 and 22, to consider re-1 quests for more than $22,300 in spe-1 cial appropriations, including near-i ly $6,000 in per diem 1949 salary al-1 lowances for county officials. By legislative act the per diem] allowances were renewed, but the amounts were not included for the whole year* in the budget last fall. The cost of-living allowances were figured in the salaries up to April 1, 1949. With renewal of the law by the 1949 general assembly, the per diem was increased to $2, for the balance of the year, Thurman I. Drew, county auditor, explained. In the case of the county asses'sor, the legislature voted an additional boost in salary of $420 a year, which amount is requested in the appropriations. The largest request is for $lO.000 for repair and construction of open drains in the county, listed under the county surveyor’s department. The surveyor’s office also is asking for $2,578.54 to pay un paid 1948 claims and $2,000 for ex i penses in repairing equipment. The per diem allowances for the i county officials are, $457.25 each for the clerk and auditor: $456] each for the treasurer, recorder, sutveyor, prosecuting attorney and assessor. The sheriff's per diem as adjusted by law, is $962 and $275 for his deputy. The three county commissioners each will receive an additional sllO per year and the county attorney’s ) iurn i®

Dramatic Attempt To Rescue Little Kathv Fiscus Ends; Find Girl Dead

San Marino. Cal.. Apr. 11—(UP), —Little Kathy Fiscus, whose body was recovered from an abandoned, well las' night, "undoubtedly”, was drowned a few hours after she tumbled into the 120-foot shaft; last Friday. Dr. Paul Hanson said today. Th* dramatic. 54-hour search for the golden-haired, three-year ] o'd little girl ended at 8:58 p. n; PST (11:58 p. m. EST), when, Hanson announced to the more than 5,000 persons watching res-1 cue operations that the child was dead. "Kathy is dead and apparently has been dead since she »as last he.rd speaking on Friday.” he sail over the public addre a ays-] tem. “The family has been notified and we are now notifying you. "Dr. (Robert) McCullock ba', pronomced Ka by dead and is assisting in rmoval of the body." he said. He then appealed to the crowd to lexre “as a courtesy” to the family. “If this had been your child, we ; are sure you would not want a |

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Monday, April 11, 1949

Kathy Fiscus Found Dead In Well

North Judson Fire Loss Is $40,000 North Judson. Ind., April 11 — (UP)— Damage was estimated as high as $40,000 today in a fire that I destroyed part of a business block here Saturday night. Firemen from three towns fought the flames in a grocery, dry cleaning shop, depart- ] ment store and apartment building. Woman Is Killed As Tractor Overturns Tragic Mishap Near Bryant On Saturday Mrs. Edith Mae Shultz, 27, of two miles northwest of Bryant, was killed instantly Saturday afternoon when the tractor she was operating overturned and crushed her. Death was caused by a broken neck. Mrs. Shultz had been working in the field with her husband, Paul, and when his truck became mired, she attached a two line and attempted to pull it out with the tractor, which toppled over on her. The farm victim is survived by her husband; three children, Darlene, Phyllis and Ray, all at home; I her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Walter j Whipple, near Pennville; a sister, i Miss Emma Jane Whipple, near | Pennville; a brother, Basil Whip pie. near Pennville, and her grand mother, Mrs. Amanda Whipple of Indianapolis. • Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Union Chapel church, the Rev. Paul Logan officiating. Burial will be in Gravel Hill cemetery, west of Bryant.

i crowd remaining at the scene of the iragedy,” he said. Most of the people trooped silently away and only a handful remained when the body was I brought to the surface an hour Inter. Hanson said at one time the ch id apparently was submerged in I three fee: of water. The pink party dress she wore when she fell into the well was water-soaked when rescuers reached the body. Ranson said an autopsy would ; be performed today to determine the exact cause of death. But, he added, it "undoub'edly" will prove tha* she was drowned. Phv Icians and rescue workers : declined to speculate on how Ka- | thy came to b* under water after having l>een able to talk with her : mother and aunt for two hours Friday af'ernoon. She speculated that when water came seeping into the rescue shaft i early Sunday, the water level in I the old well casing also was raised enough to cover Kathy's body ] Others believed ehe may have I struggled to reach a rope dropped (

Strike Suspends Washington Papers Stereotypers And Pressmen On Strike Washingion, Apr. 11 — (UP) — A strike of pressmen and' stereotypers today halted publication of Washington dai'y newspapers. Immediately hit by the strike were the afternoon newspapers, the News and Star, and the round-the-clock paper, the Times-Herald. The Post, a morning paper, Is not expected to print tonight. The strike was called at 7 a. m., CST.. but pickets from both the pressmen and aterotypers unions ' appeared outside the newspapers offices before the deadline. The . newspapers have a combined cifi culation of 780,000. The strike was called over a contract dispu'e. The unions want more money than offered by the publishers and fewer working hours. The newspapers affected are the Washington Post, the Times-Her-ald, the News and the Star. The Post is a morning newspaper; the Times-Herald publishes around the clock. Inside <lhe Times-Herald, the News and the Star other newspaper employes went about their tasks of collectmg copy which was not destined to see print. Federal mediators met throughout the early morning hours with representatives of the publisher? and the union-, but failed to resolve the dispute. Clyde M. Mills, district director | for the federal mediation and con | (Turn T« Paa® Five) |

! to her early in the rescue attempt end, slipped farther down the • shaft until the water covered her Kathy tumbled into the aband i oned 14-inch wide casing at 4:3C p. m. PST Friday while running a footrace with her rister and e ■ cousin. i Her plight touched off one of thr | biggest rescue op’ rations in lh< i hi -tory of the country. I Heavy digging equipment wa? rnshed immediately to the scene 1 And hundreds of volunteers, spur ■ r?d by the faint cries coming from ) the we'l, worked feverishly to get I her out. For two hours, she could be i heard crying, and even answered ■ que Cons shouted down the pipe ■ by her mother. Then her crie* • ceased and nothing more was : heard. Rescner? using powerful cranes ' dug on one side of the shaft while - an oil well digger sank a 24 inch i shaft on the other ride. But It was not until yesterday morning, after numerous cave-ins ] and floodings, that rescuers reachI (T»ra T® P«<» Tin)

Hoover Declares Waste “Startling, ” Nation's Economy Is Imperiled

Five Former Nazi Leaders Convicted Guilty Os Aiding Hitler Plan Wars Nuernlierg, Apr. 11 — (UP) — Baron Ernest Von Weizsaecker, wartime ambassador to the Vatican, and four other former Nazi government leaders, were convicted today of helping Adolf Hitler plan and wage his wars of aggression. An American court acquitted nine other defendants on similar charges. It held that none of the 21 ranking members of the Nazi hierarchy on trial for more than a year was guilty of conspiring to launch wnr. A split court voting 2 to 1 handed down its convictions on an aggressive war charge which was the first of its kind since Hermann Goering and 11 other top Nazis were sentenced to the gallows in 1946. Weizsaecker. 66, was found guilty of respon-ibill'y for the Invasion of Czechoslovakia. Wilhelm Keppler, 66, former state secretary in the foreign office, was cmivicted for his part in the invasions of Austria and Czechoslovakia. Ernst Woermann. 61, chief of the political division of the foreign office, German ambassador in China, and consul in Ixrndon, was convicted of assisting in the invasion of Po'and. Hans Heinrich Lammers. 69. bald chief of the relehschancellery i and one of the ranking members I of Hitler’s cabinet, was found guilty of assisting, in the invasions of Czechoslovakia, Poland, Norway, Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg and Russia. Paul Koerner, 55, deputy and ] clo-e personal friend of Goering, was convicted of direct responsibility in the invasion of Russia j and of full knowledge and consent 1 to the conquest of Austria. Poland i and Czechoslovakia, They will be sentenced Thurs-j day after the court completes the ] reading of an 890-page verdict in l (Turn To I'okv Five) Pfc. Fred Harden ' 1 Funeral Thursday Final Rites Here For War Veteran Final tribute will be paid Thursday to another Adams county war hero when tuneral services are j held tor Pte. Fred R. Harden, son ] of Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Harden of’ Decatur route 5. Pfc. Harden was killed in action] with American troops in France July 15, 1944. Harden entered the army in February. 1943, and was sent overseas in December of 1943 He was stationed in North Ireland anil Scotland and was sent to France shortly after the invasion was launched. The war victim was born in Adams county April 30, 1923. a son of Clyde and Edna Welty-Har-, den. He attended the Decatur high | school and was an employe of the Decatur Casting Co. at the time he enteied service. He was a member cf the Pleasant Grove U. B church. Surviving in addition to his parents are two brothers, Warren, at home, and Paul of Decatur route 5, and a grandfather, Ross Harden, of Decatur. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the Black funeral home and at 2 o'clock at the Piemnt Grove U. B. church, the Rev. L. A. Middaugh and the Rev. L T. Norris officiatinc. Burial. will be in the Decatur cemetery.; with the American Legion and Vet ] erans of Foreign Wars posts of this city conducting military rites. The body will arrive In Decatur late Tuesday nleht and will be taken to the Black funeral home, where friends may all after 10 am. Wednesday

Seek To Trim Ten Percent Off Aid Bill House Leaders Hope For Marshall Plan Vote Late Today Washington, Apr. 11 — (UP) — House members of both parties teamed up today in a fight to trim second-round Marshall plan spending by 10 percent. Pveps. Prince H. Preston, Jr., D„ Ga„ and Lawrence H. Smith, R„ Wia., claimed strong bipartisan support for amendments to lop some $500,000,000 off a $5,380,000,000 bill for recovery of western Europe. Rep. John Taber, N. Y., ranking Republican on the house appropriations committee, said even that much of a cut wouldn’t be enough. He said the economic cooperation administration, which runs the aid program, has enough money left from last year’s appropriation “to carry them through Sept. 1." Taber said the cut ought to be $1,000,000,000 or more. House leaders of both parties agreed the foreign aid. bill, extruding the recovery program another 15 months, would pass the house easily. Its sponsors hoped to bring it to a vote late today. They ciaimed enough sure votes | to beat down efforts to trim the I bill. Many house members, who would like to see less money spent, pointed out (hat the cut could come later when congress, in another bill, actually approprii at eg the money. All but 50 minutes of general debate on the aid bill was used up Saturday. The house was called :' into session today at 19 a. in., ! CST., an hour earlier than usual, ;to finish debate and consider i amendments. Ri p. Altin E. O’Konskl, R„ , Wig., wlo forced an ald-to-Spaln < amendment into the house foreign l aid bill last year, was ready with I a similar proposal this tjme. One key member of the foreign affairs I committee, who preferred not to I be quoted by name, said the O' ' Konski amendment would pass. The Spanish clause was scuttled : last year by a joint conference; committee which resolved differences between the house and sen-' | ate bills. If adopted by the house again this year, it probably would (Turn To Foor Five) Willshire Elevator I Destroyed By Fire $30,000 Fire Loss On Saturday Night Loss estimated at between $20,000 to $30,000 was caused Saturday night by a tire which completely destroyed the Farmers Grain Co elevator at Willshire. O. I The fire, of undetermined origin. ; was first noticed about 9 o'clock. The Willshire and Decatur fire de-1 partments were called but the] flames had gained such headway that the firemen were unable to save any of the structure. 1 The elevator was purchased about six months ago by Earl! Sheets, of Wren. O. Heber Bowen, of Willshire, was tha former own er. The elevator was built about 2o years ago. The flames were believed to have started in the main machinery: room. All machinery, equipment and grain, feed and fertilizer were . consumed in the blaze. The elevator was closed for the I day about 4 o'clock. and| workmen . stated everything apparently wu in order at closing time. Grain lost in the flr» Included approximately 3.000 bushels of oats, 1.000 bushels of corn, 350 buabels of wheat and 300 bushels •Tara T« PM* Sial

Price Four Cents

Ex-President Tells Senate Committee Solons Heedlessly Approve Billions Washington, April 11.—(UP)— Former president Herbert Hoover declared today that waste in military spending is "startling," and defense expenditures are "seriously Imperiling" the nation’s economy. Mr. Hoover told the senate armed services committee that congress allocates billions of dollars without accurate knowledge as to why the money is needed and what it * is being used for. 1 He urged reorganization of the ■ military establishment along the Hues recommended by his govern- , ment "streamlining” commission. , Major emphasis, he said, must be i aimed at eliminating "staggering ) waste.” Mr. Hoover's statement was 1 ! made even as chairman Tom Connally of the senate foreign relations , committee said that the cost of rearming Europe must be kept “as t small as possible.” Mr. Hoover, in his statement. ’ | said: ’ “The military burden today add- ' ed to our other expenditures, is * seriously imperiling the economy 3 of the country. There are great savings to be made in the (niili8 tary) department." Mr. Hoover appeared before the s' committee amidst growing de-I-1 mands in congress that military r spending at home be trimmed to s 1 balance cost of the forthcoming 3 1 arms-for-Europe program. The. White House said today j President Truman probably Mill ? ] send the north Atlantic treaty to ] the senate tomorrow along with a special message. At first Mr. Tiu- ' man planned only a brief letter of 1 i transmittal. •I The former president told the ' | committee that estimates of sav- | ings possible ran to $1,590,000,004 H annually, aud he said "by saving I > ] I mean the same ends for less exI penditures." A heretofore secret review of , military spending by a Hoover ■ commission task force was made public. it said that army and navy budget practices are "antiquated" and that congress "allocates billions without accurate knowledge as to why they are necessary aud what they are being used for." At the same time the former president disagreed strongly with an administration proposal to set up a chairman of the military joint ; chiefs of staff. He said It would place "to much power in a military man," lessen '’civilian control of the armed services and threaten the identy of the army, navy and air force. "The arms program." said Connally, "must be coordinated with ECA (the Marshall plan), the defense program and other expenditures. It's all one big picture and * it ought to be arranged so that we will not have one program conflicting or hampering the other." Connally promised about a month of "full and open" hearings on the Atlantic pact, beginning a week from today. Senate approval by the required twothirds vote is regarded likely. But Connally's words on the com<T<tre T® F»c» Mat Thomas Bosse Essay Awarded First In District Contest Thomas Bosse, a freshman In the Decatur Catholic high school, has been awarded first place in the fourth district Americanism essay contest, it has been learned here. Word of Bosse's district triumph | was received today by Mrs. Charles Lose. Americanism chairman for the ladies auxiliary of Adams : Post 43. American Legion, sponsors of the local contest, from Mrs. Teresa Reed, of Churubusco, district chairman. The Decatur student's »innin; essay, adjudged first In ths junior division, will now be sent to the , stat* department of the Legion aux- ] iliary to compete for state honors The winner is the son of Mr. »nd iMn. Ed A. Bosse of this city.