Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 47, Number 94, Decatur, Adams County, 21 April 1949 — Page 1

•JTBTIVII. No. 94.

WO MORE BRITISH WARSHIPS SHELLED

In Acheson leek Arms I Nations I Iks Oyer Billion J BArms Shipments t I Europe, Korea I I;/'-. April 21 - g-■■ -ate Dean G. Acheson I | .'K v, | |,, ask for a $ I ' t.f American arms ) ■ I(1 non Communist Eur- £ dK Klir ' ”- ** " ,lS tl) ' ■ ’H,- - a last minute chan :e. the BftrKt" would call for $800,000.te.'LWr S. aims, tanks and airI tin nations participating : r!j atlantie defense Jlfcßc' - ,a:ii ' h rirst year nf 5? ■'There would be $600,000,001) I -Blitary assistance to Gree e, and southern Korea. £ K hate on-iya relations comscheduled a secret meeting I sßciieson this afternoon to displan. It may be made ■ the meeting. ■ ’■military supply program, I livhßdoes not involve American |. l .Bwr. s'ems from President | iHn's inaugural day promise to ¥. rearmament* of “free naeverywhere and from articl" I Bi- Atlantic pa t which pledges signatory powers to a mutual efi' >rt designed to bolster of the western world. I Hloiuli some committee memlira'll that Acheson make proposed American arms Mn was described as relu-'t-IK make public such informareluctance, it was said, <>n security grounds. I Hie s* moors are demanding I cost of the arms be met ■ ■ ■gh reduced European rccov- ■ ■ Ktnding iUI 'l appropriations ■ Bi-U. S. military establishment. II. Vandenberg, I!..! is understood to favor this ) Mu-h. and military establishit was said, currently such a move on grounds ||B : -' ! -'A and defense sp. tiding ■ ■a::.- represent a "minimum" not be reduced. It was K iln rn Tn Pime MM BhBB — .... | jjpoleon Grocery Is By Fire and Mrs. Ralph J. Roop re- ' word this morning from ■B son, William, that the large BBl* '■'■'f -'-r.i.-e grocery store ;.t ■ ().. was completely deby tire early this morning, ■■am 1t.,..-., a former clerk in the ■B A & p store, has been man-, ■Bm the Napoleon store for the I ■■details on the fire or estimatI B >SS were rei ' e l ve d h«re, al■■kh it was stated origin of tiie ■■has not been determined. ißstodian Is Killed | BElevator Shaft Indianapolis. April 21 - (UP)- j M. Bowman. 38, a custodian. ■ '■' i ‘lh‘d today whetl wedged m I shaft at the Exeter ■ ■lice said Bowman was working I Bhe elevator with another oust■B n the accident occurred, i ■■J** gone to one yf the lower | tn ittspect the elevator when , as carght and wedged between ■■elevator and its shaft ■ I •employment Claims j Bcrease In Indiana Indianapolis. April 21 -(UP) - I ■ ’s for unemployment insurance* IB ” x perce M last week, director g®? 1 ' L Gardner of the Indiana security division said. 81. '" cnn «*utive week that Job-1 demands have dropped. Wiring the week ending April | e !aid ' ,! >ere were 62.932 MT?* a ~ :OT ’Pared with 66.959 th * before. ■■jf" 511 " said the lowered number 1 indicated a leveling off' |®* J,ler unemployment. M le. r ,» WEAT HER cl **dineM t> KL‘. Cl r°*'' d by «»tt»red ! r ‘ Friday and west and ■t, r. M ? rt!On ‘ ,o " i 9 ht »X7X‘ #ni9^,, ’ ht

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

County Chairman Si EBBs ■* 4r MR 38 I it 1 L, % Roy Kalver wah reelected chairman of the Adams county cancer society at the annual meeting held in Decutur last night. Mr. Kalver will begin his third year as chairman of the organization, which is one of the most active in the state. .Kalver Is Reelected Cancer Society Head Annual Meeting Is Held Last Evening Roy Kalver, of this city, was reelected chairman of the Adams county cancer society at the annual meeting held Wednesday night. Other officers reelected included Dr. Harold F. Zwick, first vice-chairman; Mrs. James M. Durk, second vice-chairman; Mrs. C. I. Finlayson, secretary, and T. F. jGraliker, treasurer. Advisory board members nam- ■ ed included: i Dr. J. C. Carroll. Dr. Myron I Habegger, Dr. Ben Duke, Dr. H. I V. DeVor, Thurman Drew, L. L. Hann, Max Schafer, Robert J. HoltI house, Kenneth Hirschy, Clifton j Sprunger, Earl C. Fuhrman, Mrs. , Raymond Kohne, the Rev. William C. Feller, Mrs. Roy Kalver and Dick Heller. . The Adams county.society has received high commendation from the state organization for Jts activities. Delta Theta Tau soror-l i:y has Mslsted the county group) !in its educational program and members of that sorority have placed literature in all schools of the county. The society is supported in De--1 catur by the community fund and solicitations are made annually in. j other towns of the county and I i among county organizations. The I Adams county society has never. failed to meet i s quota and tliej ) annual treasurer's report shows a balance of about SI,OOO for local 1 use. . The county group owns a hospital bed and wheel chair which can be used by any cancer patient in the county. Arrangements also have been made with the Fort Wayne cancer clinic so that any Adams county person can receive a com ■ piete medical examination at that. clinic for a nominal fee. In needy cases, transportation fees will be I (Turn To Paar l.labll Temporary Approval For Appropriations i County Council To Meet Again Friday ' Temporary approval of approxiI mately $22,000 in additional approI priations was given by the Adams I county council, meeting iu special i session at the court house today. The counciimcn will return Friday to affirm their action and sign, i the appropriation ordinance. Included in the appropriations : were requests for about $6,000 in i per diem salary increases for coun- ' ty officials, as provided for by re- ) cent law and SIO,OOO for open ditch I work under the supervision of the i ccunty surveyor. The latter ■ amount Is a«se«*d the propertyowners as direct benefits and re- [ paid to the county treasury The members of the council are. I Henry Dehner. Jaliu« Schulta I Chris S-ahley. William Kruetnnin i Rufus Huser. Charles Jones and , Leon Ntuenschwander. None of the appropriation requests had been chanced when the j councilmep recessed In con'inued, session to 9 o’clock tomorrow: ' morning.

Southern Coal Operators End Mine Cons rad Beat John Lewis To Punch With Notice Terminating Pact Wasbingin. Apr. 21 — (UP) — ' Southern soft coal operators today beat John L. Lewis to the punch with a con ract termination notice in a strategic move under th t I Tass-Hartley law. Their action was taken in anticipation of possible repeal of the Taft-Hartley act later on and was designed to take advantage of its provisions requiring a union to bargain in good faith. The contract termination notice is effective June 30. It was served on the United Mine Workers' chief by Joseph E. Moody, president of the Southern Coal Producers association, who asked that arrangements for new contract negotiations “be made promptly.” Moody’s desire is to get negotiations under way while the Taft Hartley bargaining requirements I are still law. I The southerners’ action was tinI precedented. In the past the soft coal industry has waited for Lewis, toward the end of each | contract period, to serve notice of , termination in advance of nefcotia- ) tions for a new agreement. The southern association in- , I eludes more than 4M companies which produce 150.000,000 tons of coal a year. This is more than one-third of the total production of all the companies under contract with the UMW. Lewis already had summoned his 200-man wage policy commit-. II tee to meet here next Monday in . i order to frame new contract de- ; mands and draft a union contract ■ termination notice. 11 Moody, fn acting first, was und-1 ■ I erstood to be motivated by deterf.mination to force Lewis to recog-) 1 . nize him as the legal collective ) bargainer for the southern group. ; In the past Lewis has challenged | 1 ' Moody's right to speak for the j southerners. In 1937 the UMW chief ignored ■the southern association entirely 'until he had made a contract with I northern commercial and steel i company coal operators. He then * forced southern companies IndiI vidually to sign the same con I ■ tract. In 194$ Lewis broke up contract .negotiations at the start by refueling to permit Moody to sit as a | represen'ative of the southern pro 1 ducers. Moody filed unfair labor (Turn T« l*n>ee Defense Rests Case j In Christen Trial i Murder Case May Go. To Jurors Tonight I Columbia City, Ind.. April 21 - . ([ )•) _ The defense rested its case | today in the murder trial of Robert i V. Christen, accused slayer of Mrs. Dorothea Howard, and the case was expected to go to the jury by tonizht. The last witnesses were introduced as part of the defense lawyers' announced plan to try to prove that the “civilian in the alley" with Mrs. Howard the night i she was fatally beaten was Ralph ■ Lobaugh. a man already convictad ; of the killing. Former Fort Wayne detective (’apt. Chester Axt testified that’ Charles Dodson told him in an early Investigaiion that Christen I was not the man who helped him lure Mrs. Howard into a Fort Wayne alky the night she was fatally beaten. Dodson, formerly charged with the Howard murder himself. ha> testified for the state that Christen i was the "civilian" with whom he left Mrs. Howard in an alky the | right of March 5, 1945. Dodson at that time was stationed at Baer i army air field near Fort Wayne Axt toid the court that Dodson, not cnly said positively that Chris ) •tn was not the man. but later, identified the man as Ralph Lo-j baugh. now the convicted slayer ofi Mr*. Howard and two other Axt refuted testimony by Wib| [fort Tepin. Fort Wayne business. Iman who said he saw Christen 1 (Twrw Tw rase Tkreer

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday, April 21,1949

Condition ‘Excellent’ Now JO Ml st. X \ JBL ? L- Ji" B i 1’ - ‘ IN "EXCELLENT” condition after three years' treatment for heart ailment at Bethesda Naval hospital, Cordell Hull, 77-year-old ex-s-ecre’ary of State, sits with bis wife in th ir Washington hotel Ipaitment.

Rep. Robert Colley Dies In Air Crash Young Pennsylvania Congressman Killed Albuquerque, N. M., April 21 — (UP)—Rep. Robert L. Coffey, Jr., D., Pa., who rose from the job of coal miner to become a war hero and a congressman, was killed last night when his jet fighter plane crashed during a takeoff. Coffey, a dashing, 30-year-old colonel in the air force reserve, •was killed instantly when his speedy "Shooting Star” crashed at Kirtland air force base here. Public information officers said the plane rose from the field, climbed about 25 feet and nosed suddenly into the ground at terrific j speed. Officers said the crash apparent- ! ly was caused by a power failure, and began an immediate investigation. I Coffey, who flew 97 combat mis- ; sions and won numerous decoraI tions during World War 11, was 1 making a cross-country proficiency flight to keep up his air force re serve status. He took off from Andrews field at Washington, D. C„ at 9 a.m., EST, yesterday. After refueling at I Detroit he was cleared for RiverI side, Cal., but landed here to refuel again. His body was taken to a mor tuary and next of kin was notified Coffey, a resident of Johnstown. Pa., is survived by his wife, Ilene, and their two children. Robert Lewis, 111, four years old. and Eileen Maria, one-and-a half. Coffey had been one of the war's I’outstanding heroes, and was electI ed to his first term in congress last i November. Before turning to politics Coffey i was an air force officer by prosesI sion. But before that, he was a coal miner. A member of the United Mine Workers, he had worked at almost every job in the (Turn Tw«!

Decatur High School To Give Colorful Operetta

Tickets will go on sale Monday i for the Decatur high school production of "Golden Trail," a colorful operetta depicting the adventures of the gold rush pioneers of 1819. [which will be presented April 2S and 29 at the high school auditori lent. Chosen in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the California gold rush. ‘•Golden Trails" features music composed by Charles Wakefield Cadman, with book and lyrics by George Murray Brown. Miss Helen Haubold, music supervisor of the Decatur public schools.; will direct the production. Three performances of the operetta will be given, one each in the afternoon and evening of April 2S. i and the last in the evening of April 29. The cast of characters includes: ' Don Pedro Carranza — Neil ThoI mas. Mike D’Rourke - Gene Rennels. Montmorency Puddington — Dan Freeby. Don Carlos Alvarado — Marcus Foreman.

Settle Damage Suit Out Os Court Here Tiie two-day old Tressie Rager suit for $26,000 damages against the Indiana Service Corporation was dismissed on motion of the plaintiff in Adams, circuit court Wednesday, after the opposing lawyers reached an out-of-court settlement. The plaintiff had alleged iu her suit, venued here from Allen county, that site had been injured because of 'he defendent's negligence in operating one of its Fort Wayne ■ buses. Bendix Plant Strike Now In Second Day May Cause Closing Os Auto Factories Soutli Bend, Ind., April 21—(UP) j --Office and supervisory workers at the Bendix Aviation Corp, plant here passed through a peaceful) 50-man picket line today as a strike) by 7.500 numbers of the CIO Unit-, cd Auto workers union shut down production at the big brake plant for the second day. Three federal mediators, who were trying to avert the work stoppage when the UAW-CIO members walked out yesterday morning at| 10 a.m., remained in South Bend But they said no additional meetings between the company and union had been held or were scheduled. Maintenance men. members of the striking local No. 9 of the UAW, did not report for work. The strike threatened to close two Nash-Kelvinator automobile plants in Wisconsin and throw 12.000 men out of work for the second time within a week, Bendix supplies Nash plants at Kenosha. Wis., and Milwaukee with brakes. Spokesmen for Nash said they would be forced to close 1 the two Wisconsin plants for lack 1 (Tara To Pane Fight I

| Dona Karbarita Alvarado — Margene Bauer. Modeste — Alice Langston. Carmela — Kristine Striker. Charles Harrington — Kenneth Grant. Dick Garvin — Don Wefel. Joe Griinble — Norman 81 ingel y. Tad Jones — Don Smith. Martin Hurd — Sam Bogner. Maria Hurd — Barbara Lou Helm. Sylvia Hurd — Jane Brumley. Tom. Bill — John Thompson and Dan Mills. ; Spanish girls — Bonnie Bau.n- --; partner. Ann Gamer Rosemary Schwartz. Mezican Tango dancers — Sharon Hite. Barbara Anspaugh. Nornta Johnson, Ruth Fennig. Dora Brunnegraff. Ann Garner. Joan Llchtenstiger. Colleen McConnell. Rosemary Schwartz. Joan VonGunten. Barbara Beebier, Barbara Sauer. Emigrant square dancers — Phyllis Lough, William Hntkor. Jean j Mowery. Roger Borne. Nancy; Krick. Byford Smith. Sarah Krick., i Victor Porter. Barbara Sautter. (Tarn Ta Pact Twa)

Boosts British Sailor Dead To 42; Showdown Battle Is On In China

Communist Force Os Million, Half Launch Showdown Battle For China Nanking. Apr. 21—(UP)—Chinese communist armies 1,500,000 strong threw a striking force of 30,000 across the Yangtze river today and opened the showdown battle to crush nationalist China. The nationalist government met in emergency session under a swiftly developing threat to Nanking and decided to flee by air to Canton, 700 miles to the south. A Canton report said Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek might come out of retirement to lead the nationalist armies of some 500,000 men in their supreme test. He stepped down two months ago to make way for the now collapsed peace negotiations with the communists. Along with the government, the American missions in Nanking wore getting out. Most of a marine guard for the embassy was flown to Shanghai. The embassy was reported considering advising all Americans to get out of Nan king at once. The haste to flee the menaced capital was spurred by the fall of Kiangpu, seven miles northwest of Nanking on the north bank of the ’ Yangtze. The communist victory cleared the way for the massing lof hostile forces directly across ' from Nanking, and a possible ' crossing at a propitious time. I Unofficial reports said the | spearhead of the attack stormed ) the Yangtze last night and estabI lished a bridgehead on the south bank near Wuhu, 50 miles south west of Nanking. Five thousand communists cross- | ed the river in the initial assault.. 1 these reports said, and the entire attacking force was estimated at I j 30,000. I The Wuhu crossing southwest of i 1 Nanking was accompanied by a , furious and continuous artillery: (Turn To Pnar Flvr> Roundup 01 Juvenile Thieves Continued 1 Admitted Crimes Increased To 42 The eight juveniles who have so far confessed to 42 thefts and, breakins in and around Decatur over a five year period will appear in private hearings in Adams county juvenile court Friday. Meanwhile, sheriff Herman Howman Wednesday arrested two more juveniles, both 13 years old. who were implicated In other I J thefts by the eight boys now • under arrest. One of the 13-year olds has confessed stealing a valuable camera from a car parked on Sunset ave., an# both admitted breaking into other cars and committing various petty thefts throughout the city. The two boys have implicated other juveniles, whom the sheriff and deputy sbeii f Bob Shraluka expect to question soon. The list of total petty thefts admitted by the eight boys arrested! , Monday and Tue-day increased from 37 to 42 yesterday, when one of the lads admitted taking five billfolds from Lincoln school sev eral /ears ago. Tools stolen from Macklin's garage, First s’reet, will be dug up from tbeir hiding place today and re'urned to the owner, sheriff Bowman said. American Pilot Dies As Plane Hits Wire Nuernberg. April 21 —• (UP) — I An American pilot crashed to his death in an F-47 Thunderbolt fight-. |er today when it smashed Into a | high tension wire during war I cames near the Czechoslovak Ironj tier. The death was the first actual 1 casualty in four days of vast man*euvers involving TO.oAo American troops.

Truman Health Plan To Congress Friday National Program To Go To Congress Washington, April 21—(UP)— President Truman plans to send his long-awaited national health program to congress tomorrow. It will be one of the most controversial issues before the 81st ' congress. Sen. Robert A. Taft, 0.,i and two other Republican senators! already have introduced the GOP i “answer” to the President's proposals. And a group of Demoi crats have offered a plan far less ■ sweeping than the President will) i propose. President Truman has said; . enough about his health program so that tomorrow's message is not , expected to contain surprises. Other congressional develop- ) rnents: Veterans—The house veterans ) committee plans to consider legis-) lation soon.to increase veterans' compensation and pension checks) by 25 percent. Housing—Sen. Robert A. Taft, ) R„ 0., told the senate that congress I must finance hemps for people with low incomes until construe-1 ' tion costs come down. He urged passagq of the long-range public 1 housing and slum clearance bill) * which the senate has been debating t this week. Dilemma—The Christian Science, r church asked congress to let-its I members stay out of federal social i security programs if they wish. Repeal deferred— The senate finance committee deferred action ) on the oleomargarine tax repeal J bill until next week. Security council— The senate) 1 armed services committee tenta- | tiveiy voted to make the vice preaii dent a member of the national se-; j curity council. Arms—Secretary of state Dean) ) Acheson was scheduled to give the; I senate foreign relations committee) I a' private look at the adtninistra tions global military aid program today. Gas prices—Chairman Burnet R. j Maybank. D„ S. C., said his senate banking committee will Investigate) | recent "unwarranted and unjust!-1 1 fied” hikes in gasoline prices. ■ Malmedy--Chairman Raymon E. j Baldwin, R.. Conn., denied that his I armed services subcommittee is| 'trying to “whitewash" the army’s) prosecution of the Malmedy mas ) I sacre trials. — Budget Committee ) Votes Fund To Den I Operate Canteen To I End Os School Year The budget committee of the De-1 catur Community Fund. Inc., met! last evening with C. E. Bell at thi Hell residence, east of the city, and an appropriation of $199 24 for operation of the teen can . teen to June 1. No appropriation was made last | tall when the budge! was prepared I and the amount approved now will carry the canteen through the : school year. So far no plans have) been made for operating the Can teen, popularly called the “Den." next fall and winter. The committee also decided to recommend to the Decatur Community Fund directors that a city ! wide survey 1 of recreational facili-j ties be made by experts in this line i of work, including suggestions for combining local activities in a com i tnunity building or youth centey. I | -The canteen has been operated) | since 1942 for the high school youth 1 of 'he city and has been a popular ; place for afterschool gathering* and a social center for programs . following basketball and football The yvnth committee of the De ca’ut Woman’s club was the spon- ■ soring organization for the can sen and Dean* Derwin and Strve Ever hart, high school instructors, have supervised activities at the teen aye center.

Price Four Cents

Chinese Communist Gunners Shell Two More Vessels; 42 Killed, 83 Wounded Shanghai, April 21 — (UP) - Communist gunners shelled two more British warships in the Yangtze today, boosting the casualties in two days of river fighting to 42 j sailors killed and about S 3 wounded. The British admiralty ordered up reinforcements, including the | heavily armed and armored 10.009 iton cruiser Belfast from Hong Kong. The 10,000-ton cruiser London and the 1,470-ton sloop Black Swan ) were the latest British craft to come under the Communist artil- ) lery fire. ) The London arrived in Shanghai tonight after a river run under fire. Officials reported that 15 aboard were killed and about 60 were wounded. The previous casualty list had stood at 27 dead ami 23 wounded. The two warships, their sides ■scarred by the Communist shellfire, were ordered by the British admiralty In London to break off the i fight with the superior shore-based Communist artillery and return to ) Shanghai. Both berthed at Pootung, across the Whangpoo from Shang- ) hai. at 7 p.m. l) Reliable reports said there were ; additional British casualties on I both ships. I I These reports said the British ad iniralty in London had ordered the Amethyst not to attempt to rim the Communist gauntlet in daylight ) ‘Eyewitnesses accounts from wounded seamen said there were between ) G’t and 80 Communist field guns massed on the northern hank. ( ) The British destroyer Consort. ; which also ran into this nest of jguas while attempting to aid the i Amethyst yesterday, returned to ; Shanghai (his morniug with two i holes in her hull and her steering gear disabled. She was berthed for ) repairs. The Consort arrived in Shatfchal ) with nine dead and three seriously i wounded. One of the wounded from 1 the Consort died during sthe dav, ) I ringing the total dead to 27. ■ The admiralty in London order 'd the powerful cruiser Belfast and the 1,700-ton destroyer Constance Io rush to Shanghai “in case their ■ services may also be required." | The four British ships apparently ) were caught in the patli of a massive Communist drive across the ) Yangtze which exploded last night I when Communist troops stormed the river and established a beach* ) I>ctid on the south bank 50 miles I southwest of Nanking. Other crossings along a 400-mile stretch, including the Rose island area, were expected momentarily. I The American hospital ship Rei pose, rushed to Shanghai from .Tsingtao and placed at British disposal, was standing by off WooI sung tohight when the London returned. It was considered possible that some of the British wounded j were placed aboard the American ship. Among the wounded was the Consort's captain, commander I. G. Rob. I ertson. i Two wounded sailors from the ■Consort said they were fired upon ) hy 60 to Su Communist guns when ■ they tried to rescue the Amethyst I yesterday. Tiie Consort, carrying nine dead (Turn Tn I'nae FlabO Extra Daylight For Employes Os State Indianapolis. April 21 — (UP) — . Indiana statehouse employes and I workers in state agencies elsewhere were assured today that they'll get an extra hour of daylight tbit summer despite a new law keeping Hoosier government clocks on central standard time. Governor Schrlcker announced today that the clocks would remain on standard time in compliance • ith the ’949 legislature's law But he said workers would report for duty at 7:30 a.m. CST Instead of S:SO am. and get off at 3:30 pm 'CST instead of 4:30 p.m.