Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 47, Number 141, Decatur, Adams County, 16 June 1949 — Page 1

I XLVII. No. 141.

BIG FOUR CONFERENCE IS NEAR WINDUP

Biiuan Scores .lyblic Furor A Spy Hunts W Postwar Hysteria fl Blamed By Truman fl For Public Furor ■ ,un ‘' 1C (l*S*> Truman today blamed Bfl,\ hyMeria for much of the public furor over »py W... ~n 4 a.lrged espionage cases president talked at length reporters on the general sub„f current spy trials and In■^fl.iatiOll H He took the position '^fl. h r coun'ry is going through * ,f h ’""* r,u ,hat r,,||,,w ’' great crisis. aid he felt confident that ir - of hi* executive branch of |K,' government was hysterical he promised to dean out any who became a victim of fl ipy hunt hysteria. ||H p;, w jd. under questioning, that grew of Ho Intention on the „< J Edgar Hoover to resign :.r-tor of the federal bureau -r>m Hoover have your confl the president was asked JKm- Hoover has done a good job. |Kuthe president’s only reply his news conference last Mr Truman said that he .i-t much of the current hueover spies was caused by hunter*. |H|i. was asked today whether he |Hk,u.ied Hoover in this cat-gory |fltv:.tin: of headline hunters SB The president told the reporter A 111 '" hi* own (valuation He the reporter was as capable this as he was. |fl?he lengthy exchange of quo* Au and answers began when a asserted that a number |fll "fine people” are being brand Ku "reds” In the current spy ime.figatlons an.l hearings ■fl The president was asked if he noy word of advice for the on that topic K He said the best recommendshe could make was to re read history of the alien-sedition iif th.- Jefferson administraUte in the 18th century. ■■The president said the parallel that year and today was jflfbwer* then asked Mr. Tru|Atr. to apply the lesson he drew the alien sedition cases and fl present day situation. *’*li he said, the hysteria findied out and the country did <o to hell and It's not going |fl H * aid that such things happen every great national crisis every great war He cited MJ* rise <>f the Ku Klux Klan aft r |flj* first world war and recalled troulde the klan caused parr!? In Indiana. he was asked whether he any member of the eiecuHfl* branch of government was fl*”' 11 1,1 *hat he regarded as the spy hysteria. If such a ■*’»'ior. develops, he said, the of will be fired immediately. ■J reporter cut In with the ole that what many people fl** interested In and worried M 'Tsrs Te Paar Fives Cross To Aid in flonus Applications fl*** Red (rose home service of will assist veterans in fill- ■ <w ,be4r application* forth" fl/"’ bonus. It was announced t<e fl* The services of a notary will ■*'«rni, bw j fre< Mr , Max S( . !)af . ■* Wetutive secretary of the o'Mated. ■J*'* Schafer attended a district fl . ‘ ni! °f Red Cross secretaries ■p *«»<utlves In Albion vesterdsv fl * Um. fleld director of the ■, »t>» administration regional ot fl? »t the meeting The fl”**** of »H Red Cross offices fl o,, *red to the veterans Apfl’?' 1 "' 1 blanks will be sent to ■7* '-ffl'ev and processing of the wlil be available to the vet f .. K *®** dy, ocotionsl rain ■ J*" extreme east to ■ * M 1,1 "m’thwer* and ex ■ wa2* Fr4 **k ■ te. ** rm * r *•« Friday. Low I "•rW’woot. SOM I Mi ** **“ ■ H-n east peril**.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Babich Wife Weeps During Testimony Husband Pictured As Cold-Blooded Killer Milwaukee. June 16 (UP)— Kathleen Babich. IS. broke down and wept on cross-examination today when the state tried to picture her young husband as the cold blooded killer of Kathleen's 16 yearold sister. Kathleen, testifying in defense of her husband. Milton. 19, wept when district attorney William McCau ley tried to draw from her that the youth was cold and unemotional after the slaying of her sister. Pa tricia Birmingham, last Feb 10. McCauley was forced to pause and say, "Kathleen, compose yourself." Babich Is charged with killing Patricia to silence her about Kathleen's illicit pregnancy Kathleen and Babich were married two days before Patricia’s body was Recovered from the Milwaukee river last March 20. She expect* her baby next month. Kathleen revealed yesterday that her pregnancy resulted from one of several illicit Intimacies with Babich before their elopement. When she walked to the witness stand today, she turned and smiled at her husband, and he smiled back But her composure faded under McCauley’s relentless questioning about Babich'* emotional response to the killing Several time* the district attorney asked her if she ever had any suspicion that the youth was the slayer of h«r sister. "I thought of it." she said, “but it seemed so incredible." McCauley tried to bring out again that Babich visited the BirmIngham home a few hour* after shooting Patricia to death, and concealed from the family that he was the slayer. “Milton just sat there and didn't do anything, didn’t he?" McCauley asked. Kathleen said she noticed no emotional change in the youth because of her concern over Patricia's disappearance. McCauley tried to bring out that Babich offered neither her nor her family any consolation. Babich contend* Patricia was killed accidentally when he tried to "scare" her into silence about Kathleen* condition. Answering question* by defen»e attorney Arthur Richter. Kathleen testified that Patricia learned of her pregnancy last January and leased her about it. Frequently, she said. Patricia would giggle comments that Kathleen's "girdles were too tight and I shouldn't wear them.” Once, she said, she walked into a room where Patricia was show Inga friend a mannikin doll Patricia. she said, remarked pointed ly that "the mannikin i» a figure of a pregnant woman ” "Did your figure show any signs of pregnancy?” Richter asked "Why, certainly." Kathleen said. “I told Milton. 'Patricia must know ’ He »aid not to worry."

Charles N. Ehrman Funeral Saturday i Allen County Mon Dies At Hospital Funeral services will l>e held Faturday for Charles N Ehrman. 78. retired farmer of Madison township. Allen county, who died Wednesday afternoon at the Adam* county memorial hospital after a year's illness. yio was l>oro in Adams county Aug. 12. 1870. a son of Nathan and Elizabeth Fvhrman-Ehrman. and had lived in Allen county for the past 45 years He was married Oct. 6, 1898. to Llsetta Boknecht. whj died Jan. 22. 1937. He was a memlter of St. Peter J Lutheran church. Surviving are three children. An ton. Esther and Velma, all at home three brother*. George Ehrman of Decatur. WIIBam of Kirkland township and Ferdinand of Fort Wayne, •nd one sister. Mrs Katie Hampel of Fort Wayne One son preceded him in death Funeral services will be held al 1:60 pm. Saturday at tbe Zwlck funeral home and at 2 o'clock at St Peter's Lutheran church, the Rev E B Allwardt officiating Burial will be in the church cemetery Friend* may call at the funeral home after 7:60 o'clock this evenine

Girl Arraigned On Charge Os Shooting Star Expresses Remorse First Time; Bond is Set At $25,000 Chicago, June 16-(UP)— Ruth Steinhagen, 19, was arraigned today on a charge of attempting to kill Eddie Waitkus. Philadelphia Phillies first baseman. and for the first time expressed remorse and wept over her act. But a few minutes later she told a county psychiatrist. Dr. William H. Haines, that If she had not shot Waitkus. she would have killed somebody else. Waitkus. fighting for his life at the Illinois Masonic hospital, was reported at noon to be in "fair" condition. Miss Steinhagen said little in her brief appearance, before felony court judge Matthew T Hartlgan Bond was set at 625.000, but her at torney, George Bieber, said than her parents did not want her admitted to bond. The judge ordered that she be casmlned by the Cook county behavior clinic and continued her case until June 30. She wept a little before going to court and told newsmen "I realise for the first time what I've done." "This Is the first time I feel sorry for the whole thing," she said, "but the whole thing seems like a dream." "Was there any physical attrac tion between you and Eddie?" she was asked "None whatsoever." she said. "It was more a maternal Instinct, an admiration. I have more admira tion for him now than ever before. I hope he pull* through, but If he dies I'll not only die physically. I’ll also die mentally." She then was led into court, where her father, Walter; her mother, and her sister Rita, 11. were waiting State's attorney John Boyle told Hartlgan that he had just talked to doctors at Illinois Masonic hosiTsrs T« l'*«e Ms)

Slight Employment Decline Noted Here Decrease Os 31 In Employment In May Employment In the six industries reporting to the Chamber of Commerce dropped only 31 during May, the monthly business barometer show* May employment In these six Industrie* stood at 1209, compared t0'1,240 in April and 1,652 In May. 1948. The total payroll decreased slightly during May It was reported at 6280.850. compared to 8282,557 In April last year Increase* were noted in the number of electric, gas and water meter*. Births reported in May were four more than for the same month x year ago The number reported was 36, compared to 31 In April and 51 last year. Car loading. In and out of Decatur. dropped 100 compared with April, but only 27 under ths 1948 Msy total of 2.167. Postal receipts dropped from 65 - 506 In April to 84,461 in May and 83,929 last year increased building activity was reflected In number of permits issued In Msy Six permits for 638.200 of new construction were reported In April, only two permits were issued Unemployment Rises Again In Indiana Indlsnspolis. June 16—(UP) — The number of unemployed Hoosiers rose sgsin Isst week, the indisns employment security division reported todsy Col. Everett L Gardner, division director, said a total of 64.880 claims for unemployment compensation were received during the week ending June 11. compared with 62.667 claim* during th* pr* vloa* week ' Included In the claims received last week. Osrdner said, were 10.616 from newly unemployed person* Thl* •** • 1» percent is crease in Initial claim* for jobless r*r

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Thursday, June 16,1949.

Must Seem Like Home To Him

j|f flHßflß^flßK'flEHßflflTl a i THE WHITE HOUSE must seem like home to Franklin D. Roosevelt, Jr', as he sit* with President Truman after being sworn In as a congressman from New York. Well, he grew up there.

Coal Owners, Union Make Accusations Charge Bargaining Not In Good Faith Bluefield. W Va.. June 16 -(UP) —The United Mine worker* and the Southern Coal Producer* Association were reported today to have accused each other of refusing to bargain In good faith. John Owens, UMW International secretary treasurer, wa* said to have told association president Joseph E Moody at a closed session that the operators are guilty of bad faith bargaining for insist Ing that four management proposal* be included In the new contract. Moody reportedly replied that the association regards the union’s failure to make counter proposal* for a new contract a* evidence of bad faith bargaining One industry source hinted that unless (he union put* forth It* contract term* soon, the association may file formal charge* against it with the national labor relation* board. Under the Taft Hartley act, it i* an unfair labor practice for either management or labor to refuse to bargain In good faith. Moody recently told the miner* that any new agreement must eliminate present contract clause* that (1) provide that the miners shall work only when "willing and able"; (2) permit the union to Call "memorial" work stoppages: (3) guarantee a 30-minute paid lunch period, and (4) authorise 81U0-* month pensions for aged miner* under the union welfare fund The union and the Southern operators are attempting to negotiate a new contract to replace the old one scheduled to expire June 30. At present, the union’s 450.000 hard end soft coni miners are engaged in a one-week work stoppage to "stabilise" the Industry The stoppage wa* ordered by UMW president John L. l-ewls.

Reorganization Bill Passed By Congress Gives Truman Power Os Reorganization Washington, June 16. — (UP) — The house and senate suddenly stopped wrangling with each other today and passed a bill giving President Truman authority to reorganise the government. The president promised he would i begin using hla new powers almost right away. He said he would start a series of specific reorganisation plana on their way to Capitol Hill for congressional scrutiny as soon *a possible Both houses passed reorganization measure* weeks ago. But house and senate confereee became stalemated over “veto" provisions The senate plugged for a section giving either house power to kill any particular reorganisation plan submlttsd by the president. The house Insisted that It should take a veto by both chambers to kill a plan The hill a* approved contains th* elther-hoaae veto provision. The measure I* based largely on r ecommendation* drafted by a commission headed by former President Harber Hoover Ha aim is to (Tevu Te Fea*

End Rent Control In Marion, Grant County Washington. June J 6. — (UP)— Housing expediter Tighe E. Wood* today announced the Immediate end of rent control* in Tucson. Artz., Marion, Ind., and Moultrie, Ga. Since each city represents the major portion of its county. Wood* said the decontrol orders also cover Pima county. Ariz.. Grant county. Ind., and Colquitt, Ga. Wood* said governors of the three states approved decontrol resolutions passed by authorities of the three cities. In accordance with the new rent law. Schricker Strike Settlement Favored Bendix Plant Strike May Be Ended Soon Indianapolis. June 16 — (UP) — Settlement of the long Bendix Aviation Corp, strike at South Bend, now in Its 58th day, may come when representative* of the company and the CIO United Auto Workers union meet to ratify a truce proposed by Indiana Gov Henry F Schricker, a top state official said today. State labor commissioner Thoma* R. Hutson said he understood both company and union representative* had given "tentative approval" to the governor'* proposal. "I think we’ll get together In the next day or two." Hutson said He said no meeting was scheduled today because of cdhfusion which arose after reports circulated yes terday that the strike wa* settled Schricker'* twofold settlement included an Immediate end to the strike and a two week discussion period to iron out the dispute. "The company accept* the governor’s proposal without qualification. ’ said Millard E. Stone. Bendix industrial relation* director. District three UAW director Raymond Berndt said the union also would accept the governor's suggestion. Negotiations moved to the state capitoi after two months of fruitless talk* in South Bend, directed by federal mediators who gave up last Sunday and said the principal* were "hopelessly deadlocked " Schricker then invited both sides to Indianapolis to try to end the dispute which he said wa* bringing "economic chaos to hundred* of families and to the families of workers in many allied industries " The 7.500 CIO-UAW member* walked off the job April to In a dispute over charge* by the union of a production line »peed up and countercharges by the company of a "slow down ”

1.48 Inches Os Rain Are Reported Here If It Isn't one thing It's another. Adams county farmer* are saying today. The badly needed rainx came, and weatherman Herman "HI" Meyer reported 1 48 inches of rain sine* I a m yesterday However. many fanners were caught with their hay tn the fields, and are unahi* to get their heavy equipment into fields since the rain The rain was a blessing to many truck farmer* whose crops would have been badly damaged by another week of draught.

Possible Agreement Is Reported Dependent On Stand By Soviet Russia

Military Pay Raise Bill Passes House Lucas Says Senate Will Approve Bill Washington. June 16—(UP) — Democratic floor leader Scott W. Lucas predicted today that the senate will follow the lead of the house In approving the military pay raise bill at this session Despite opposition from the economy bloc, he believes there will be strong senate support for the measure which would increase salaries in the artned services by a total ot 6302.000,000 a year. "It anyone need* a raise.” Lucas said, “it's the armed forces." However, some members of the senate armed services committee Indicated they will turn a sharp eye on armed force* spending. The armed services committee begin* hearings on the pay bill today with defense secretary Johnson as the first witness. The bill passed the house by voice vote late yesterday. Under it* provisions, pay boost* would range from three percent for privates to 37 percent for brigadier generals Actual pay would run from 675 a month for recruit*, the same as now, to *1.096 for -major gec'-rals. In other congressional development*; Labor- The senate was set to renew and broaden anil communist provision* of the Taft-Hartley law. An amendment up for consideration would require employers and union official* both to file noncommunist and non fascist oaths before they could une the machinery of the national labor relation* board. Social security—The house way* and mean* committee is reported to have agreed on legislation to bring another 10.000.00 V worker* under coverage of social security. Informant* said the group has also decided tentatively to boost the present scale ot old age and survi(Tarn Ta !•■«» Twa*

Decatur Legion To Elect New Officers Annual Election To Be Held On June 27 Official ballot* are being printed for the annual election of officers for Adam* Post 43, American Legion. Voting will take place from 12 o'clock noon until 8 o'clock al night Monday. June 27. Leo Ehlnger, election commissioner, said. Chief interest center* in the elec(ion of a commander to succeed Lawrence Rash, retiring command er. Elmer Darwachter and Clint Hersh, both World War I veteran*, have been placed in nomination for the important post. There are no contest* for the four vice-commandership* Hugh Andrew*, instructor at Decatur high school, I* the nominee for first vice-commander; Robert Aabbaucher, second vice-commander: Don Cochran, third vice-commander and Kenneth Gaunt, fourth vice-com mender. William Linn ha* been renomi nated for the post of finance officer and T H Olllig is the candidate for adjutant. Two men have been placed In nomination for trustee and one will be named The candi date* are Sylvan I. Rupert and Robert Kies* Twenfy-three name* have been placed in nomination for the elec tion of eight delegate* and two alternates to the state convention The eight highest in the voting will be the delegates and the next two will be alternates. Candidates are: Lawrence Rash, commander elect. J K Staley. T H Gehrig. David Terveer, Robert Ashbaucher, () C. Bnaee, A. C. E Oillander. Hugh Andrew*. Charles Morgan Floyd Hunter. T r Smith. V J. Bormann. Al Rumschla*. Don Cochran. Art Schamerloh. Kenneth Gaunt. Anthony Murphy. Harry (Ters Te Fo*e Five)

FBI Documents o Expert Called In Hiss Case Says Rapers Typed On Same Machine Used By Mrs. Hiss New York June 16, —(UP)— An FBI documents expert testified tie day that 64 of the typed sheet* in evidence in the Alger His* perjury trial written with the same typewriter a* that used by Hiss's wife to type letters and reports in the 1930'*. The 64 typed sheets in evidence comprise document* which the government charge* were turned over by His* in the first three months of 1938 to Whittaker Chamber* for delivery to a soviet agent Chamber* charge* the documents were typed by Mr* Hiss. He said they contained secret stale department Information which Hiss was furnishing by agreement to the soviet underground The witness, Ramos S. Feehan. was the 30th person called to the stand by the government and tl>« 32nd witness In the 13-day old fed era) court trial. As assistant U. ». attorney Thomas F. Murphy began questioning Feehan. ‘defense attorney Lloyd Paul Stryker arose and said the defense did nut question that the handwriting on four handwritten documents in evidence was that of Hiss. The four document* are summaries ot state department secret cables w-hich Hiss allegedly gave to Chambers Feehan testified that he had been comparing document* sin e 1938 and had examined 20.000 specimens In 10,000 cases The known specimens typed by Mr*. Hiss which the expert* said he had used in the comparison with the copies of the slate department document* Included a report Mr* Hiss made when she retired as president of the Washington Bryn Mawr Alumnae club In 1937. Another was a letter written bv a sister of Mrs Ills* to the Philadelphia free library. A third was a description of Mrs. Hiss'* aoa. Timothy, written In an application (Turn To Page *l«|

Judith Copion To Take Stand Today Expects Acquittal On Charges As Spy Washington, June 16— (UP) — Sultry-eyed Judith Copion take* the witness stand in her own defense today, "completely confl dent” ot eventual acquittal of charge* that she spied for Russia Defense attorney Archibald Palmer said the 28-yearold former justice department analyst would tell her story to the federal court jury after the luncheon reces* Her direct testimony, he said, should take about two hour* "I am completely confident of my vindication," Mis* Copion told newsmen, "and when I take the stand my innocence will be proved" The defense ha* indicated Mis* Copion would maintain that her interest in Valentin A Gubitchev wa* purely romantic and had nothing to do with espionage The pair was arrested March 4 In New York The girl I* accused of stealing secret government paper* for Gubitchev. a Russian engineer and former United Nation* employe. Palmer said earlier that Ml** Copion wa* using the government paper* a* background material for a novel she was writing about the Washington scene In a surprise mamuver. the defense lawyer asked late yesterday for night session* to speed th* trial which is now in It* eighth week However, prosecutor John M Kel (Tars Ts Pe*« Five)

Price Four Cents

Western Observers Hope For Russian Guarantees Not To Reimpose Blockade Pari*. June 16 —(UP)—The big four foreign ministers conference was winding up today with what some western observer* hoped would be a Russian guarantee never to relmpose the Berlin blockade. The ministers were scheduled to meet again in secret session for what they expected to be their final discussion. it was understood that the whole question of a possible agreement was dependent upon word from Moscow. Soviet foreign minister Andrei Vishinsky expected to receive the word yesterday but It did not come, leading to a mixup in the ministers' scheduled conferences. After nearly four weeks of debate, however, only one certain fact appeared at this moment — that there will be two separate and distinct Germanies as far into the future as anyone can see. French source* were confident however tiiat this would end tonight with these accomplishments: 1. An agreement In principle on an Austrian peace treaty which might be signed as early as Sept. 1. 2. A formal Russian acknowlediMtment ot thH western nations' right to be (n Berlin and guarantees that the Berlin blockade never will be reimposed 3. Creation of a new deputy foreign minsters’ committee to study the German problem and prepare for another big four conference. probaldy this fall in New York Although these thing* may bo accomplished in this afternoon's meeting, the chief stumbling block to immediate adjournment Is considered to be the Berlin rail strike ami its consequent paralysis of transportation from the west. Western source* said they were not »o sure this Issue could be settled by tonight or even by tomorrow, the final deadline set by both French foreign minister Robert Hchuman and British foreign secretary Ernest Bevin for the conference to end. Other foreign new* included: , Budapest — The Hungarian Workers’ Party (Communist) expelled former foreign minister laisxlo Itajk and Cadre commission head Tibor Szonyi for "spying for imperialist powers." Political observers said the announcement confirmed that a purge is under way in Hungarian communist ranks Amsterdam— Unofficial return* indicated Dutch communists have lost half their strength on Dutch city councils In the first round of municipal elections. They captured onlv 38 seats compared to 79 In 1916. Pari* — French civil service worker* went back to their jobs after a 24 rnour strike which only partly crippled the nation's administrative life. The strike was (Tare Ta Face (MSI Youth Confesses To Robbing Farm Home Robert Huffman. 22. of Decatur wa* arrested In his home Wednesday evening by sheriff Herman lh»wman The sheriff stated that Huffman baa confessed to robbing the Eaton farm, one and onehalf miles south of town slay 6. An affidavit and warrant for hl* arrest were filed this morning by prosecutor Reverin Schurger. Huffman confessed to entering the Toni Eaton farm and taking 6125 while the Eaton* were in the barn milking their cows, tne sheriff said Sheriff Bowman followed up several leads In the case, and went to Huffman'* home last night to question him. Huffman broke down after a heavy barregs of questions and confessed. the sheriff stated Huffman laken to the Adam* county |jall by the sheriff He wa* to be Arraigned before Judge Myles Parrish this afternoon.