Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 49, Number 44, Decatur, Adams County, 21 February 1951 — Page 1

Vol. XLIX. No. 44.

REDS HURL BACK AMERICAN SPEARHEAD

— .... -—_ I'4 Strong Bomber Force Is Urged To Aid Europe * A||' Force Leader Urges Strong Air Foyer* Into Europe Washington. Feb. 21.-- (UP) — Lt. Curtis E Lftnay said t(\ day thty. county’s "major contribution’’ European defehse should he a iojjg-ranlge bombing force capable oHidestroying Russia's industrial power. is commanding general of the strategic air force whose inightit’Bt weapon Is the king-range atomic flionjber.. the B-36. L».-maj| and Other top aiy force gcnerftli were called before two senate onmmitiees to testify on the tydmlnls|i at lon's plans to send an .additional four ground divisions to Europe for Gt n Dwight I), fcisen iutwer'e Inorth Atlantic pact army. la inu p: te-tiimhby appeared to constilt e pt least partial endorsement o ? proposals that, the United Slates jus.- Its ti'efensti on power (fill uh Bud m'ii ftiiv s anther Ilian on gtowitl t loops sial ioiicd over stm; ('fife f proponents of thl* vie w tire f tiffi the r president Herbert Hoovci Bind Sen Robert A Tttft, 1(1 Pi 1 ■ ‘ ■ V <)ti tub oihci hand, th* V S. Joint < hie ts til stun’s concept of our roti' in til lP'||ik dl l. nd IJuiopc ttjWU) lias hetmthut wc should piovhle Ho (!'<■ air power, mini'll of the siii&tmw<'i. and (inly a small put .of ij|e liitld, powcl. la'htajfe emphiiAlsi d that he dors mil opiate iheMidmlnlsiiullon plan io hpi.hl|)ip I S ground forces In EtrroiU from two Io -i\ dlvjplohM. He lahldli later that tli*" Hlrate«ic air ebthmknd needs operating buses presuiipihly im-tspas that we . can go into at a moment's notice."'Lehthybtold .sebalois that the -it tail girl,bombardment arm Is the "greufestjldet' crept to Russian pg gri.s-lon jiat the pt esent time." Questioned by Sen. Kenneth 8. Wholly, dh. Neb.. who seeks a buildup in air si length futheP than ground. Jrop'ps, Lemaymade these points: | h- | ■. 1. U.K.[strategic bombing power is pot ytf fuTty developed. But it -wlfewA !t is -planned Mo build the air force Ito #95 'combat groups, a sizable number lof which will be new long, - range bomjun (ini'tit. ■glblßlS. '' f . y ■ . 2:' S'l'itegic bombing was) “decisive” in Lemay’s opinioti in both the : European and Pacific theaters it World War IL. \ Long range bombing is the '•■'only t'fMgdive weapon we have at . the pie-< tit lime.” ' ■I;. A strategic air force of "proper'size, properly supported" could de tiny t|)e industrial polrttfial of .any nation., and that includes Rus sia ’’ j 1Witt iiyj a-lpd Lemay\ whether its strategic air pojwer should be Ameriya’sM major contribution to the Atlanhc pact security force. “We kn|nw more about long-range bombing than any of the others; it seems icithbn.'.blo Hurt this should In our mA|or contribution." Lemay aid • : , * He Mahl long t ange boiiibartlmt lit t ould 'mil -only desttoy the wail iaptiflty titid potent ltd «u any nn Hon hut Jffoiild make "occuptltlnn ~i,d III'C im ■ Hit Ihb 1 II .mm h .. h . ,ji I .. UKkrd if Im ngi«< with a liv G« n .1 Lawton t'tdlln .f td’iiiv < hii f of stal'f, that “tho dbijT,|iilmv I* still the diclAlve fnethr." | Jamil' heplled "with reset vn (•riUi* t« ••**«* *i«» . . . 1| ——. \ Breakiij And Robbery; At Deeptu*' Grocery ! City pol|ire are Investig.'U Ing the break In ti;t) d entry iti the Mllkt Grocery; located at thb Junction pf Second and Fifth streets, .the breakin ’Occurring probably between 5 apd 6 a m. today. That is the time police dkscefned the bar glary mm#! have occurred, to their checks ofrithe place made during the night The breiakin was accomplished by breaking the front or north door glassy thtyij crawling through the opening, the glass in the west side door moa also broken. A first . cheek of thie prerhises revealed that : $25 was xtplen from the cash reg isteri 15 ojf 20 cartons of cigarettes, apd aj ptmcb board which, along i with priziui. is valued at $75 I ■ i _ ll 1 i i '''

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT ■ \ \ ONLY DAILY NeWBPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

little Hoover Bill Is Passed By House Other Measures Also v Passed This Morning Indianapolis. Fb. 21. (UP) • Hills establishing a “liftle Hoover',* commission, liberalizing and unemployment compensation benefits, banning communists in state departments and raising salaries of elected state officials passid the Indiana house doday and were sent to the senate. ' The senate passed a bill taking some state highway department jobs out (if politics. \ and turned down 'a bill banning capital punishment. ' V -■ a 1 The "little Hoover" commission bill, calling for, a long .detailed study of overlapping agencies in state government, passed st; to 6. It was among 21 bills passed hi the hou-e befpne noon .• Three bills broadening benefits in the jobless pay and workmen’s compensation and workmen’s occupational disease laws\ pushed the hou-e with, only 'two dissenting votes. . The house pas'sed, !H to 11, a bill prohibiting coinmunlsts and fejlow irawlera Troth w-orkpig for the stale. It also passud, 72 to IL a Bill raising the nbveiiioi’s anluify from \sn.jhio to sis,titm and his mansion (Xptu.v fund t-o $ I0"H The bill also raised salaries of’j»tli» r sfat<' turn -e (»fl Icl.l I ' Dvmoi rills, who balked I'atller a g < latHi* In the Jobltß* pay bill forcing workers to make u ’’l'rnsoiinblv • Holt" to find lobs While drawing stale ( hecks, H II In line H»(l pticeni wlib ill.- llepuhth in ' A poke. in.ui i.ijd’thny had ’’done tveiyihlng we iimhl" to remove lhi? < lauwe wlit n ihe bill was In euiilmltli’t andon second feuding Anyhow. Hu bill a* It sjanda I* I Iwltei fjiati the Jaw ttheudV on that books. ' he «nid - rhe jobh - - pay bill raises minimum bjtieflts from S2O a wyyk sot L’i! weckl Io $27 a Wf I k for gs) week -., Hep. .tame* S HiiutTr. U East Cb.ii ago. ( all* d It a ‘ bai\ bill hut voted for it. ‘ ! Meanwhile, the senate passed and sent to the house by a i:>-t<>2 vote a bill' authorizing the stnte highway department to set Up foil roads! in northern Indiana. The bill was aimed at peimitting Indiana to (•(Uitinue the' "Petinsylvanla Tiirnpikt" if Ohio extends a stiperhighway westward to the Hposi* r line. The senate also passed unani mously without debate a senate bill' authorizing Indiana to participate in mutual aid between states pro grams in connection’ with civiK deft list . ! \ . The house meets this a'fteriidon as a committee of the who|e\lo consider three biennial npproptlations, r’»’«rn T<» KluUl • ’ 441 Adult Leaders In Meeting Tuesday Training Meetings Here On March 8 Ervin Schuller, P/tjehle township. was elected co-fhnirnmn of the adult I II (hilt lenders |n hcm s|on Tuesday evening In the Deca itur high Hchotd Mrs, Arihnr Koenemun, I'teblg, wum [fleeted co vlrv chairman. .Mi s. Ib>h Mr Culhmgh. _Ht Mary’x ami. Harry Ij'lim.in Mom oi'. 11 t.njr | , Wilbur. PrfrtrU*. Jienitm llot\nv president, annonm <-d ~Xl»e Rcdat v adult I II leaden* training meetlUft that will bo held at the MfMhodlgt church, Fifth and Monroe istreets March H. lie urged atten<lnnco Os all I H adult leadert*. The leaders will he the dlnndr gueatj* i»f both the tlerne and Decatur Rotary cluhM-Un a joint noon lunch. The speaker will be .James I’. Hoel:zeme, editor of the Indiana Farm (r’s Guide The adult leaders got a supply of 4-H enrollment material. They set the deadline for enrbllmerit as April 1. June 1 was set for •date of clearing the rolls (ft deadwood. April 16 and 17 were the dates (hosen for 4-H officers tjraininjg schools in the county. Jerry Zimmerman will agaih conduct a 4-H club band. Arlenp Balsiger will train an accordiah band. Members of both bandls must be 4-H club members (n good standing. 4-H .dubs will also* be given aft opportunity to take part in |a. sowball league. ! ' J. ' - h n

Cracks Down On 'New-Used' Auto Racket Sets Retail Price Ceiling For All Automobile Prices l , Washington, Feb. 21.—(UP) — Price controller Michael V. Disalle cracked down tisday on a nationI wide "new-used” car racket with an order setting retail price ceilings on all automobiles. L -J'he order applies to (‘-ars sold by dealers or individuals and is effective March 2. Disalle said tne new ceilings are ' temporary and will be replaced as soo# as possible by a permanent eontlrol order. I Deal* is' celling prices for nt w cat A, will bV the manufacturers li*tt price, phis clnrrgeH for "legitimate extras.’’ ■ ( ' The calling for any need car still being iihitiufucjured will be the de livert <1 t t ilin'; price of the MHR* ‘< a# wbAn new If a 1!U»O Chevrolet, for example, sold originally for sl,iau no dealer or Individual can buy oi well I' ft# more than that piltt- after March 2 For all > other model-* of u*»-<l cm the ((llltl", will be th«* highest price lifted for that niuke and mod* I In the Junuaty lss| Iwaue of tin official rulde y*hlch the sdlvr custommlly ii*« d beiwt.n lie. i I fif.ii 1 uml Jun 27. 19.71 . Tin mth i piojmbly will meun n big rollback on thousumls of "new ii .ii 7gf miw Hinndlng on <!• ub iJois thiutiglmtit the country I'tlce control offlt luL Multi a large numhet of new itm<mmbih >«; were being driven a token distance jfiom the dcalei s showroom* «nd l the# put on sale ns u**-d cars at more than nil w car prlcea. The rxlstlliv. cvllinr- on mw tm prices t'iin thus be evaded. 7 . ; —-, • I Truck, Police Car Purchased By City Council Approves Contracts Tuesday Members of the common \eouncil. in their regular meeting Tuesday. approved-two ordinances, of them contracts between the city and auto sales firms. ' } One of.the ordinances approved the purchase of a 1951 Plymouth five-passenger cOupe to be used by the city police department as a ’patrol car. The contract was with the .I)i<k Mansfield Motor Sales company. The net price,, following deductions for tradein of the cur-rent-police car and taxes, is $621, net J price.' I The other ordinance approved tin pin-has. of a pick-up truck for the city light and power depurtment. obtained through the Butler Garage, of this city The net price tor th" GMC model truck was listed as $767.92. after proper deductions and allowances for trade-in, 'Tile deliveries of the two ve bleb s will Include sp* rifle' paint Jobs.! black for the police car. red foi iL- truck, fnAaJdailon of petti nett! ItrniM - ('ot|tncllm*n ahp approved the ac plant'"' of. a pjerfoHuance bond from the Intm tdiy Const ruction rompan*.-of Fmi Wayne, builders of th* Grunt Park uddllion The bond assures that If homes not along the regular. thoroiighTatcs, such us Grufit and Cleveland atm-hh-.pavement of the •treets within the addition will be completed. There had been some x (council* manic discussion concerning the mutter after cily engineer and zoning admlijistratof Ralph Roop questioned issuing a permit for the construction of a home In the center of’ithe addition. Ft was agreed then that the performance bond should be forpicom Ing, to> protect the city, before issuing further permits. The bond, for SIO,OOO, with the National Indemnity company of N*w ’Ybrk. was for permission to build homes in th< addition on agreement to build streets to and in front of each home. — WEATHER ! Clearing and somewhat cold* er tonight. fair and warmer. Low tonight 20-30. High Thuraday 40-50. . i'‘ d '

________ Decatyr, Indiana, Wednesday; February 21,1951

■uitii. II i . .4., , ... , Fortune Fails To Excite Me • ? . Jxi • ! ' MH - Wi * UlfinM ■tab- ' - II ' ■ ’J ‘ CW ’■ tfcßl I w j T.-<2 w s rX. : 1 MRS. SYLVIA H. GEIS, 75. of Buffalo, Ml»«ouri. calmly accepts congratulut|nns from neigh bora at nywa she will Inherit SIOO,OOO from the $ 12ft.0bo.oob estate of Hetty Hylvia Howland Green llV'llks who died lit4N«w York rrr"u(ly. Mr*. (Ulb is a done relative of Mrs Wilkkrwhnse mother wua the famed "world’s weullhleai woman," the famed iletty Green of Wall Rtreet;, Mrs? o*lh lives on a 200-ucr*' farm m|k miles from Buffalo, with h*)r huabund, John Phillip Gelb, SI, shown with' l*''i '' . i :<• j ‘ “D " - Uwssß'" IN 17, ~ul.. I i I ,

Draff Age Change Facing New Delay! BilTs Completion Faces Another Delay x Wushlitgton. Feb *2t ( (Ul’i Loklhlu!|onvto lo’wer the draft age. run Into what jnay prove U> be : another ilelftylng issue today i Me-mlieis of the house armed services conimittee ale ulmqst hut not quite -agreed on a plan to' drop th*l* draft age from 19 to is< 2 . | Bub completion -of committee ac-i Hon on the hill and its passage by the!,house were complicated l>y: ' . 1. The controversy over troops-for-Europe. There is some deihand that this issue be setped before house action - on the draft measure.' 2. An army decision to leave at most remaining national guard and reserve units. The a iny said yesterday it plans to release | about 214,000 guardsmen and reservists now on active duty after two years of service, i ‘lt said It hopes to avoid calling up many more Units' still at home. , I % Some hpuse committee members couldn't square tjiis wilh the defense department's request 'for a lower dijiU't age to raise more troops. L But chairman Carl Vinson, I). Ga., insisted it makes sense. His position jvas said to be that drafting addltiional men, while l<*aving trained jjcservlsts! at home. Is in liik- with H"i<- commßtee'a’ desire. to|hnv»* b'h many mpt as possible trained fik an emerg|"ti<y. Vlti'OttJisalil, however, that th" Issue will b»* taken) up with de tense seriTtury (ldor«e a (.'. Murshall wh(M+ lie uppeiirH before the eommlHm* <»ti Monday, K. M''i"i, Ytiung denied befm’e tl senate suhcommltiejl that he ap preached <the Tcxhitiss Polnvlkum Te l»i»We Pevew)

j(Rev. Vernon Riley. Monroe Friends Church) t'THE FOOTPRINTS OF GOD” “Come behold the work of the Lord.”—Psalms 46:8 ■ I [ ' Y-'/ f As Lire think of footprints we immediately say, “where some one else! hak trod.” ■ , . JYi Y I am sure we are safe following ; the i>atha our Lord Jesus hath trod before us. He opened away. o( eternal redemption for dl mankind*, and if’we folldw on, though stjirpetifnes the way be rugg|e<ji and weary, it leads to Heaven. ouir hotije. | . 1 Hei,became the first fruits of them that slept, rose victorious of deatbl hell and the grave, giving tis a blessed hope of t|>eX 1 resurrection of the dead. If lidre we should lose our way, and we see footprints, it c|ncourages' some one is near. So in the spiritual we see God’s fopt- i prints. 4le Ils neat. { } So the path of the lone Galilean with joy 1 will follow today and the tolls of the road will he nothiM. when we get Lo the eAd < of the Wdy. \ r/, | • 1

' > ■ ■ ' - ■ • Scouters Os County Meet Here Tonight U"tl!d -table and (|lwftlc com-' of nil Hc'iuti !<Ks nf Adams t*QUp|) will meet Mt 7:3" oclo(k th|s.>v«hln« at ihe Decatur high! u. y was unmount • d'iMay by HylVistei Eveiharl. <*oua(y a ßr*nrt Believe Russia To Agree To Conference Suggest Big Four - Deputies Confer \ Washington. Feb. 21. ! (UP-i Diplomatic officials believed today that Russia would agree to a big four meeting which include discussion of armaments in Europe. I Thon a turbulent debate on who's to. blame for the i earimament race will bilrfU.long and loud In Lohdon. it was repotted that the western powers would demand that the Balkan satellite nations cut back (heir armies to the level stipUla'ed by World Wai- II pe’ace treaties. ’ Romania. Hungary and Bulgaria now have an estimated 66f)jt< 1 " then under arms, while thei treaties ('u|l for only 273.0U(i-troops. It. was? unlikely, however, that a big '(>)ii foreign ministers parley wouk be h"ld before mid-April at jeasL S)cretary of state Dean Ache-ton-is committed to attend a fowij-ii miulstei-H n|t»*(lng of th" 21 American republics here beginning March . which might last two week-j . / , 1 Tin-' rjilted StiHc*. Britain and iTitncr. in notes to Russiu made pttblh last night, suggested to Mos* cow that biu four depuih*-- meet' March 5 |u P ols to draft an agenda) loi a iiitaiv big four meeting, .The vvestciti of,ft-i stipulated that amotig the iniillei M that would have to lie dpcuMscd are "causes of tetniloii (n Eu\upe. Int lading the (Tnra I’eire Mix) • ■ • f ’ b , t~ l — -4-.-’.

UN Patrols Across Han River Hurled Back; Reds Retreat On Central Front ' I' ~ .. ' c|t i , i ' 1 DU,!?*- — *- — — .... - \

— , .j,. , ~ ~ All County Roads Reported Passable 1 Heavy Rain Makes Roads More Solid Adams county secondary v roads were probably more passable today than Tuesday following the rain which fell steadily for several hours. Frank Singleton, ■ county highway superintendent, reported that to the department’s knowledge, all county roads "are passible.” At the same time, however, he cautioned jnotorhta'agalnstj driving on them any more than necessary A Mlivty by highway department employes estimated that Jlje roads were "20 percent more oolld than Tuesday" Nlngjeton said the hard, pelting rain packed the roads, ellmlnutltig s<>(ue but tioL all of the hazards which were evident the flt4t of the week . Welither observer ITI M »yer reported that during the 24>h«»ttr P' liod ending at K a in today. 1 I Inches of rain fell. The Hi Mary's river moved up to HI LI f»-' t, imoie than tbii ei fei ( above llnf flood level, and w IM still i Isljnu foda* . No serious damage ha* yet been reported, though, as the i suit of th.- flood Aside from the damage done to countv roads and Uta erup1 Hon of macadam roads in various place*, travel throughout th'- Couti iv was continuing slow, bit sure All county school buses reached their di *finatlons. aei-ordln t to In f(>rm itlon I'v'lved by rout ty sup • 11m» mb nt of . schools' Huisel L. Fob y. The transportation O!' school children has brcoine a majdr prob !♦ in in the county, and was rhe subject of a special meeting of town shi trustees and the board i f County commission'i s. The coupty highway department, in an effort to get the buses through. Tuesday issued a [)ie|a to county motorists to drive slqw and carefully if they must use cdjinty roads. It is the* wish of the department to limit as much travel as) possible to school buses to assure the delivery of students. Communications Jietween Decatur and Berne were eliminated to-1 (Turn To P,n«r JClcht* . ’. T I Urges Efficiency, ) Economy For U. S. Joint Meeting Is Held Here Tuesday ’ Advocating more economy and efficiency In government. D h . J. Dollinger, assistant manager of .the north • cntriil division of the I'. S Chamber of Commerce, approved the puy-Ma-we-go plan In flnitntilitr the nnt,ton's rearmament program, in * talk before a' JoitLt meeting of Itotarv. Lions and ' i Chamber oi. Commerce member* last evening The dinner, meeting was h-id h (lie K <>f I’, home Earl I**llhft*ngMit, (lialrinun of the local ('hamljer ot Cpinmerce’a committee on' go vein ment, waa prog rain chul'man, Simon Heemalrn introduced Hie speaker and Lawrence Ans|iaugh, Lions president, presided. Reading s from reports of the Hoover commleelon, the fddera’ budget and the U. S. Chamber oi Commerce, Ikrlllnger citetl inefficiencies and in government, Including the mi Barj divisions, He said that the U. 8. Chamber of Commerce believed the 71 billion dollar budget for the next fiscal year could be reduced by 6 tdj 7 billion. Thte chamber agree*} with the Hoover recommendation that at least 500,000 of the two nißlipn federal employes could removed from the payrolls, he said The speaker ’ stated that the United States must win the struggle against Communism apd the .there could be no appeasement with Russia. He said the cditn\cy - had to remain calm, avoid hysteria and acquire an uttderstandl|njg of (Turu To Pn<e Mevea)

Price Boosts May Be Asked For New Cars Increase In Other | Durable Goods May Follow Cutbacks Washington. Feb. 21 (Ul’) ,-r~ Industry sources indicated today price increases may be asked for automobiles and othfer (oiwimer durable goods such us• refrigerators, stoves ami radios The .move was under conalderulion bi-cHUse of the government’s ordered cutback hi steel and other metalM for, such goods. The rut ' \|ja.ck means less production, 1 Both goivritment mid industry sources iwere CautlougL in their , estimate of Hie government s a< Hull j S6m<’ eslimaleil ttm <at hacks would not resuit in wltje , spread ’unemployment, and puj»l> ably would mean only temporary lay-offs or reduced work weeks ! until employes ate absiirhed Into '[defense fwork, , Autom!oldle sources did liol ex pwt Pldducllnn cuts tn equal the , mt. til steel supplies. This might ttitwn, however, ’that about Lltthl. '""J I'Wi • •i s Will, he prodm rd 1 thlls year than last. Production alt "tidy was down |9 percent from the last three months of 1950. v Industry members said the low Cred production may result, however. In higher unit costs of production so that a price Increase tnay he needed. Such a move for higher prices on l!t51 automobiles has been held in abeyance by price stabilizer-Michael V. : DiSalle. Under the cutback order steel supplies for production of automobiles, Tv and radio sets, refrigerators and other such heavy durable goods will be cut 20 percent on April 1. A cut of 30 percent isi "anticipated" on July 1. and still further reductions may be required'later. > \ Automakers discounted I hopes j that substitutes could be found for steel. The industry has . been working on f alternate materials for several years, but have found no satisfactory substitute. Ward’s Automotive Reports, an industry 'statistical agency, said production of r Jhe first six weeks of 1951 was 765,000 cars. If productlbn was maintained at that rate, the total tor the first half (Twr* T« rate •!*» Brotherhood May Settle Separately May Act Independent From Other Unions .VVashlnkiim. Feb. 21 (Ul’t The Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen was r.-p.>ri<-d today to be considering settling Independently Its long wage dispute with the railroads. . W, Park Kennedy, brotherhood president, met wftli the national' mediation board last, night, l<?nd Ing emphasis to the report that' he would con'ie to terms independent ly of the three other unions, I ' It was considered likely that should the trainmen come to tjerrns, the Order of Railway Conductors mightj do so too. Both unions have been negotiating for contracts for almost two years. The other two unions, the firemen and Eriglnemen and the Brotherhood of (Locomotive Engihave nht all of the steps in the (railway labor act, ’however. They fould still ask for appointment of, a pre-'idential fact-finding board to consider their cases. The basis of the settlements. it was said, would be the Dec. 21 White House agreement, later rejected by all four unions, (Tara to Page Six)

Price Five Cents.

Chinese Reds Leave Dead And Supplies In Hasty Retreat On Central Front Tokyo, Feb. 21.—(UP) reds hurled an American tank spearhead back across the Hun river today in a bristling reply to 1 Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s call for a new offensive in Korea: The armored patrol withdrew to the south bank of the Han, seven, miles east of Seoul, un,der the heaviest and most accurate mortar barrage its commdnder ever hud seen. . The reds also drove off a South Korean patml attempting a crossing two miles closer to Beoul. Twe other American patrols met a similar reception yesterday Ou th" central froht, howeVri, \ UN Mpeurffeude probed north vir lually unopposed or) (h** heels' of i retreat Ing communist forces. The ,i»*<!-* t>ullt <| out <>f thcli po< kri 111 the eust-crntral mountains übovi Uhechon so fust that they abun d"in>d »heh il'H'i and suppittH The American tank and Infantry putnil which tiled to probe acros* the rain-swollen Hun euM of Seoul rati Into al least 150 rounds <>f "umazlngly accurate mottui flit, battalion rommaitdei Li Uol Jerry Allen of Hinttlehmti, Vi., reported Never before, Allen said, hud i>< • n<'•uiiif ted such a withering moi tar barrage A driving rain also lamged down his tanks In ankledeep mmi. *—* Communist guns and mortals wete servlug a blazing tiotl<e that the tedk intend to defend the Han river tm [the western fron'. against any allied attempt to force it ami J take Seoul on the iioith bank. 'I Fiojit dispa'che-4, reporting the American crossing did not specify how the tank 1 - crossed the river There are no serviceable bridgee across the Han left in tAe Sebul area but there are two folds. One ford, opposite the suburb of Yong dungpo. has been built up with sandbags. The other ford, in the .area where the armored patrol crossed, is a natural ford with some low spots built up by sand- . bags. - ■ I ' UN artillery and tanks \answered in kind. They neutralized two enemy mortar posSition4 and entrenched enemy troops at! one point east of Seoul and two communist self-pronelled guns and' an artillery piece in another. Air spotters reported the communisls also digging in around the UN bridgehead on the north bank of the Han- bend at Yangpyong. 27 miles east of Seoul Eiglit miles farther east, heavy communist mortar fire four miles northeast of forced another UN tank-infantry patrol to withdraw, The mortttr positions were taken under allied aitilb fire. The 'iii* communht reglatanca reffartedUm the central fiont today ' was from mi Isolated communis! • Tpw; l<» Elatet) Public Offices, Bank, Post Office 1 Closed On Thursday City and county governmental offlees, aa well U» (he First State Think, will be t losed In ohsrtvum■»» of George birthday anniversary Thuraday. The court house will remain closed for business. though painters will contlntio to redecorate the first floor offices and corridors The post office will be closed, with no deliveries, except Specials. Outgoing tpail will be dispatched as usual. The city hall, which is normally closed a half day on Thursdays, will be closed the entire day, as will the bank. Mrs. Elmer Chase, secretary of the-. Adams county selective service board, today announced that that office will be closed for the. day. The selective service offico is Hgularly. closed Saturdays, functioning on a five <jay week basis, Monday through Friday. The' Adams county selective service office is located above tl\e Holthons-* Drug store, on Nerth Second street in Decatur. . [