Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 49, Number 273, Decatur, Adams County, 19 November 1951 — Page 1

Vol. XLIX. No. 273.

NORTH KOREA MAKES NEW PROPOSAL TO ON

-7* ; .y.' Revise Total Os Prisoners Slain By Reds General Ridgway's Staff is Revising Total Downward Tokyo, Nov. 19. —juP) — Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway's staff was re; , ported revising downward today an Sth army report that the Communists have murdered 13,400 United' Nations war prisoners, including <5,270 Americans, -1 . The revised Report was expected' tn be sent tb Washington for approval before being . released. Official sources said the original statement was based in part on ■‘unscientific’' evidence; ‘ - J “It has not been decided whether the new report will be released here or in Washington, or at both points simultaneously,” a spokes-, man for Ridgway's supreme headquarters said. The controversial Btij army state meat on mass Communist atrocities was released last Wednesday by Col. James M. Hanley, the Sth army’s chief war crimes investigator. without giving either his headquarters or that of Ridgway any advance hotice. Ridgway formally confirmed on. Saturday that the had committed mass atrocities against UN prisoners, but expressed regret , at the way in which Hanley had made his report public. Ridgway mentioned no figures. Hanley flew to Tokyo from his, office at Pusan, provisional capital: of South Korea, on Sunday. He said he came here on a “routine visit" and denied he had been "gagged” by supreme headquarters. He said he would return to Pusan in a few days. - I Although reluctant to discuss Communist atrocities further. Hanky said Red troops murdered UN prisoners only on , orders from higher authorities. "individuals in any army may commit an atrocity * under bittie conditions or because they are bad individuals, -but our enemy does it on order,” he said. He said Communist troops , were well disciplined. 1 He said he had no evidence of Communist atrocities ip prisoner of war Camps. The evidence showed -that the murdered prisoners had been slafn before they reached the camps, he said. < Missing Boy Scout Is Snug In Calvin Oregon. 111., Nov. 19. —(UP) — About 190 shivering Boy /Scouts spent a sleepless night tramping through the woods in search of a companion who was lost. But Walter Ford. 17. Joliet, Ill.; turned up safe and sound yesterday morning. While his friends hunted for him in sub-freezing weather he had spent Jhe night in a cabin-warm and snug. >’ j 11 Youths Leave For Armed Service Eleven Adams county youths today left for Indianapolis and induci, tion into the armed services, all of them departing from Decatur at 7 a.m. today by bus. From Indianapolis they will be transferred probably to Camp Custer. Mich., for their basic training before fur ther assignment. <. Those departing -wefe:- Roland Keith Foreman, Eugene M. Hill. Thomas Eugene Costello, Loren Affolder, Herbert Christ Marbach. Dwight Dailjr Moser, Donald Dwayne Schmitt, Robert Edwin Tumbleson. Doyle Eugene Strayer, Leonard J_. King and Ira William Kingsley. Highway Department . Receives $193,882 ' V - The Adams county highway department has received $193,882 from the state distribution of gas tax |nd auto fees, a table prepared from state auditors records shows. 7 The four distributions received during the year follow: January,, $33,096.92; April; $76,481,70; July, $47,859.70 and October. $36,463.68. The highway department had a balance of $7,693.63 at the beginning of the year, the report shows. The state distributed $21,139,645.31 to the 92 counties during 1951.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAIII COUNTY < > * . v .aiT zjSMavJ ' ! » a

12 Persons Killed I* Egypt Fighting i British Maintain f Order In Ismailia jCalro, Egypt, Nov. 19.—<(UP)4llrfiish troops maintained law and qifder today in the SueZj, Canal e- city of Ismailia in which 12 persons were killed in weekend gunfights between British troops and Egyptian police. A rauthorities in the Canal zone said the situation was "quiet bit tense." The British death toll 'wys put by a military spokesman a( four officers killed, one officer 'seriously wounded and two soldiers ;?a|d two civilians wounded in the weekend fighting. 'Two British officers’ bodies were dqsind in pools of blood today in iFiench Square, outside the Egypt;iaji police barracks, the scene of as savage three-hour gun fight last h|ght. 7 V ‘- jA third British officer was known been killed in last night’s . battle while the fourth officer was in Ismailia Saturday night. The Egyptian casualty figures for lagt night s fight were said by assistant gqyerhpr of the Suez Ali HHimy Bey to be five policemen dqjil three civilians killed, 16 policeman and eight civilians wounded. feting foreign minister Ibrahim said the weekend fighting constituted "a state of* was” which threatened not only the pedee In and the middle, east, but "ot th| whole world.” l - f'arag said Egypt willjjrend a no|e of protest over the Ismailia ih<|dents to the British embassy to m<yrow. -■ The Cairo newspaper Alzaroan ian seyen British soldier® were fctljed in last night’s clash, but did nofi give a source for the report. Interior minister Fuad Serag El Dltt said 25 Egyptians were known to have been taken to the hospital. * The newspaper Al Ahram said th.® Egyptian government had prepared a protest to Britain, "couched in gthe strongest terms” oyer the Saturday and Sunday incidents in Jsraailia. The newspaper said the British had proclaimed a curfew in Ismailia and British troops had been ordered io Shoot violators on sight. , ; 'the Cairo morning newspaper %li|ri published the most sensav linlaS and unconfirmed report of situation in the Canal zone. It Sail the Egyptian underground had| Collected a large number of poisot|ous snakes and them at Brtish camps at Fdnara aiid Fay id j (|From Ismailia, United Press correspondent Peter Webb reported British sources said last night’s fighting started when a British mißtary police patrol car was fired in downtown Ismailia. The patfol ear returned the fire andlithe fighting spread. (SVebb reported-that Lt. Gen. Sir George Erskine, commander! of the! Brljish troops in Egypt, said Egyptian! police their heads and fireil without any possible justification” Saturday night on a patrol. One British officer was killed.) Township Trustees ! Hided By Jurors Teachers Forced To • Aid Campaign Funds \ ' - ■ .- J 5 Bfpckport, Ind., Nov. 19 —(UP) — township trustees faced trial today on charges of allegedly fore ing|teachers to contribute to political campaign funds to keep their 4; Spencer county grand jury returned indictments against Frank of Hammond Twp... F. M. of Grass Twp., and C. A. FujJfr of Career Twp. GO nviction carries a sentence of y'ears in prison. Prosecutor Vollmer Franz said the trieH proably will not take place until J.ai|iary. \ ' /ijl three n ere free on S BOO bond baqi. All are Republicans. t tire indictments climaxed a sixbattle between teachers and th£ trustees. The teachers charged theO“ jo ba were threatened unlss tpy contributed to the trustees’ political campaigns. - Tfie grand jury took up the case in'iTfour-day session last w-Aek durinijjwhich more than 50 witnesses testified. One teacher, Mrs. Mar garft Thomas, said she paid Ayer SSO Bn 1948 and was fired when she refused to pay another SSO last year. jAyer and Yearby retorted they * (Tara To Pace Six)

New Series Os Atomic Blasts Started Today Series Designed To Test Effects 1 Os Atom Weapons j 1 Las;Vegas, Ney., Nov. 19<-r-(UP) 1 —-The firsl "shot” of a new series 1 of nuclear explosions designed to 1 test tfte effects ot atomic weapons on equipment and animals was 1 fired today at Frenchmans Flat ‘ proving grounds after a four-day dela.y because of adverse weather ! conditions. 1 The;.atomic energy commission ’ announced the exposion was detonated iat 9 a.m. (PST) (11 a.m. CST).j Five minutes after the explosioif no atomic cloud was visible 1 over t|te test site. In past explo--1 iions the huge, billowing atomic cloud Iwas visible within saponds after the blast. . » Nq shock, w-ave was felt in Las Vegas, 775 rtdles southwest of the test site. ' and no explosion was heard. The Explosion apparently was set off at ground level, rather than by air drop as were the last four | nuclear explosions of the first series Concluded two weeks ago today. *- | Tip-off that today’s explosion probably was ground detonated came in a warning issued to all airmen earlier by the atomic energy commission. The AEC warned airmen only to fly no closer than miles of the | test site between the hours ot | 7 a.nk and 8 p.m. (PST). There were \no restrictions on flying between the 150 mile radius and Albuquerque. N.Mr,r as there were in the four previous tests when a tourengine B-50 from Kirkland air force base, N.M. was believed to have \ dropped the bombs. The atomic energy commission announced last night, after the blast had been tentatively scheduled and postponed four times, that weather conditions were favorable for the blast. , \ . Scientists completed preparations iast Wednesday for the start ot the second phase of the AEt’s fall test program designed to determine the effects of atomic explosions on equipment and animals. North Webster Man Dies While Hunting Houghton, Mich., Nov. i9.-p(UP> —A heart attack was blamed today for the death late Saturday of Merton E. Hinesley.\ 70, North Webster, Ind., as he hunted deer in Ontonagon county near Lake Superior. -7' \ . | Criminal Docket Is Called By Court Grand Jury Slated To,(Convene Tuesday \ • Myles F. Parrish today called the criminal docket to open the November term of court and prosecutor Severin Schurger set several bases down for trial during this of court. Notable among the cases are a , couple o| holdovers from last year, especially the case by the state against fcalvin Sprunger, of Berne, who w-aj arrested by city police Jan. 27, ‘1950, and haled into city court on the charge of windowpeeping. The case was venued from there to the circuit court where action is scheduled this term. \ . Others Include the state against Reid LeFever, of Fort Wayne, for reckless homicide and involuntary manslaughter; set for later today; the state vs Kenqeth Roth on December 4 for jailbreak, to which during his preliminary hearing the . court entered a not guilty plea, and also December 10 when Roth faces the triple of larceny, , \ first degree burglary and entering to commit a felony. • , Judge Parrish said that the civil docket will be called Tuesday and . Wednesday. A special session of , the grand jury Is called for 9 a.m. tomorrow; apd the docket will be called after instructions have been , given to them. The docket should be completed Wednesday.

Decatur, Indiana, Mondavi Number 19, 1951.

Child Saved Frobl Fiery Death ■ - IM ' L iwwtfi. Z? 1 *4’’ -J 7 '' ! : I -- jUfrr jf .h AT A LOS ANCELES HOSPITAL, Heskin, 2, is treated by anurse ahd comforted by her mother clothes were accidently set afire in the backyard of her fl'he child owes her life to the fast thinking of two construction ‘Workers. On hearing Patricia’s screams, the her. fiery <®>thiiig and rtished her to the hospital. The entife right side of the s body was burned and doctors report that she is tn fair condign. Cause of accident is not known. ■ , | , —— : —■ —' —■

Couple Found Dead On Flaming Bed | Nearby Objects In Bedroom Unharmed Panama, 111., Nov. 19.—(UP) — Ab inquest was called today into the deaths of a man who waa cremated on a flaming bed where hi® w-ife Was burned to death. said they hoped to cleat up severil unanswered questions in connection with the muu >ders of John Cerkvenik, 70, and his wife. Johanna, 59. whose charred bodies were found in the bedroom of their cottage Saturday. State’s attorney Otto E. Funk said that the husband had been shot and killed and his body then dragged to the bed where it wa® cremated alongside that of his wife who “apparently had been burned alive.” , - Officer® said they Were curious to find out why the bodies and the bed were almost destroyed in the fire, but nearby objects in \the bedroom were barely scorched. They also wanted to learn how Mrs. Cerkvenik was wrapped in a blanket and set afire with no apparent struggle. A post mortem showed that she had not been struck on the head and that death was due to burning. Only her head and shoulders were not touched by the fire. Authorities found a single bullet which presumably passed through Cerkvenik’s body and killed hinj. Sheriff Jack Marley said it was fired from a foreign-made gun oq .32 caliber. The bodies of the elderly couple were found \yesterday by neighbors after the (jjerkveniks failed to come out, ot their cottage in this coalmining ghost town. The neighbors Investigated and saw the bedroom windows were smoke-blackened. Five men were brought in and given lie detector tests yesterday. None of them was identified and all were released after the examinations. Funk said the motive for the slayings appeared to be robbery. The cottage had been ransacked by someone who seemed to be looking for concealed wealth. The couple had operated a small dairy here for 20 years. They made their own deliveries.. The niks had lived alone here since their five children married and moved away. Panami once was a coal camp town until the deposits nearby tan out. Later it became a roaring bootlegging center during prohibition days. Many of the 300 residents now are aging pensioners. Police speculated that the couple had hoarded their income and con-i cealted it somewhere in the house. Funeral services for the couple were to be held today. INDIANA WEATHER Mostly fair tonight and Tuesday. Snow flurries extreme north ending by evening. Colder over moat of north portion i tonight, i Warmer Tuesday. Low tonight 10-15 nor 0», 14-15 south. High Tuesday 36-42. I

C|ild Is Burned To Death At Fort Wayne (Wayne, Ind., Nov. 19.-+- - Flveyear-old Emma Croied in a home fire yesterday r screams saved her mother. Mrs. Crowell said she was ned by Emma’s screams fire swept their home but and flames bared, her way le child’s bedroom. Democrat Chairmen Slipport Schr icker Chairmen Hopeful Governor Will Run ladianapolis, Nov. 19 —(UP) — Indfana’a 11 \ Democratic district chairmen today tagged governor Sclßfcker the man they’d most like to Support for U.S, senator in the L9s| elections. chairmen held a “private” CQiMerence here yesterday and publids agreed afterwards that Sehric"the strongest candidate the democratic party could offer” in thefsenate race. was still no indication Schticker will run. But the voicing of support was considered_to be an to "smoke out” the state’s Chi4t executive and see if he will revise his earlier declaration that he not wapt to be a candidate. Fftth district chairman T. J. Costell| of Anderson called the meeting gbut failed to invite the party’s state chairman or national commitCostello, said he believed disc&ssion Would be freer without theaiosses present. ' T|e conferees devoted most attention to possible party candidates nexi fall. They pledged an “open and| uncontrolled convention” next June to select the nominees. Stricker received nods from all the fhairmen for the senate seat to be facated by GO£ Sen. William E. Jenner. Most politicians expect Jen Her to try for the governorship nomination. Firmer Rep. Andrew Jacobs,' D., Indianapolis, was mentioned as a posmble senate nominee if Schricker js unavailable ®nd most of the talkfabqut the Democrat’s nominee for governor centered on Lt. Gov. Jphs A. Watkins, the district chairmen- reported. ■ ' j — Election Costs Are Approved By Board \ board of county commissionSs >oday Approved recent Decar and Berne city election claims in a| special l session, to total for the two amounting to $2,372.31. Accordingly, it averages out that it cc&t approximately 67 cents for each? vote cast in Decatur, and .37 cent| for eiach Berhe vote. Th|s is based on a Decatur election Expense of $1,948J2, with the total; of 3,157 votes cast in the mayor’s r#e«. The Berne average is baaed ob an election expense of $389.54 for that city while the largest \iumber of votes, 1,044, was cast jfor the office of clerk-treas-urer J i I -! ' ■

Four-Point Proposal Is Made To United Nations As Reds' Reply Awaited

— i—. - i—, UN Troops Capture Another Korean Hill \ UN Offensive Is Now In Third Day 8p Army Headquarters, Korea,. Noy. 19.—(UP)—A United Nations division captured another hill to day on the third day of ad offensive southeast of Kumsong on (he mountainous Korean central from. The UN troops struck north, at dawn against llghf to moderate enemy •> resistance after beating off threev successive Cpmmunist counterattacrw ranging in strength from a to a baUalion. ... I i The advance put the alites nearly four miles north off the • points where they- crossed the Pukhan river in assault boats on a ninemile front Saturday. • However, a Chinese battalion which hid been enveloped by the fast-driving allies ft their initial onslaught Saturday apparently escaped through a gap in the UN line. The UN drive threatened to flank . Kumsong, rubbled former Communi ist headquarters town 29 miles i north of the 38th parallel. Although . Kumsong was abandoned by the Reds, they still dominate part of it from hills to the northeast, north and northwest. The offensives also may serve as a spur to Communist truce negptiator* trying to decide whether to accept a UN offer tomake the present battleline a cease-fire line if agreement can be reached on the remaining armistice terms within 30 days. , v , On the western front, elements of the Ist British commonwealth division which had yielded and recaptured a hill west of Yonchon Sunday beat off another enemy at tempt to regalh the position, f ' L— \ ' I Sale Os Christinas ■ . I .~v i ■ f [v y Seals Opened Here Annual Fund Drive Opened In County Robert Zwick, president of ' the Adams dounty tuberculosis association. announced that letters containing Christmas Seals are beifffr mailed today to start the’ annual ' fund drive. Each envelope mailed to in- ! dlviduals —and there were 5,000 of them mailed today—contains $2 in seals. At the same time the organization is mailing bonds to clubs and organizations ranging in I tions from $5 to SIOO. | The preparation and mailing of the envelopes w r as under the i supervision of Mrs. W. Guy Brown, | secretary' of the organization, who was assisted by members of the; 1 Decatur high school commercial department, Girl Scouts and 'Other girls of the high school. The money derived from-the sale of these seals enables the local organization to sponsor the mobile X-ray unit, conduct health educa- ; tion and patch tests in the county’s schools as well as certain clinics, ; all of it to detect and fight tuberculosis. \ , Mrs. Brown stated that seals will i be on sale at the post office and all schools in the county; anyone i wishing additional seals, or possibly anyone who has been missed, , should call 3-3081, she said. < Three Are Killed In Chicago Hotel Fire \ Chicago, Nov. 19.—’(UP)-—Two investigations began today into the cause of a hotel fire in which three persons died and 10 others were injured yesterday morning on Chicago’s south side. Five of the id injured guests ■ jumped from fourth floor windows and 200 other guests fled in night- ( coltbes as the flames crackled i through the Norwood hotel. The dead were Bart Cronin, 60 ; Miss Edith Crocker, 71, and Owen h J. Benson. 61,. Damages were estk mated at 50,000. ' |i ■■’ ' , !

Acheson Warns World Tension Al Danger Point West Disarmament Program Offered As Step To Peace Paris, Nov. 19 — secretary of state Deaim Acheson warned the United Nations today that world tension has reached a ’ dangerous point” and offered the west'k step-by-step disarmament program as away back to peace. Jules Moch of -France, with Britain the U. S. a co-sponsor of the disarmament plan, also pleaded fo|r its adoption so that “the atom I bomb won’t boom anywhere —and I mean) anywhere — in the world.” : Soviet foreign minister Andrei Vishinsky ,-had been expected to reply to the western delegates in a speech later today. But neither he nor any other delegate was ■prepared to speak after Moch, and the debate was adjourned until tomorrow.' ' \ ’ Vishinsky is expected to reject the western disarmament plan categorically. When Acheson first outlined it last week, the Soviet minister said he could not “restrain my r laughter.” Acheson formally presented the three-power program to the UN political committee today as a challenge to the Russians to prove their propaganda statements that they realljt desire peace, t It calls fjor creation of a new 12nition disarmament’ commission to replace the present UN commissions on convention armament and atomic energy. Like the old commissions, it . would comprise the 11 members of security council plus Canada. The committee would work up plans fdr an arms and troops ceri- , eus, an inspection system, progressive disarmament and an ulti- j on atomic weapons. “The conflict in the world is rising to an alarming state.” | Acheson said. “Tension in the i world has already reached a dan- i gerbus point. There is actual j fighting in Malaya. Indo-China and j Korea, and this is certainly not a ( good prospect for peace.” i Acheson emphasized that no ac- , tual disarmament conference could (Tum To p»ce Slx> | ' ' pT — 1 ' Mrs. Frank Peterson ; Dies Early Sunday Funeral Services Tuesday Afternopn ■ Mrs. Frank Peterson. 71, a resident of Adams county most of her life, died at 2:30 o’clock Spnday . morning at her home, 515 Penn 1 street, following an illness of four > years of complications. She was born in Wells county 1 Feb. 24, 1880, a daughter of Durs I end Elizabeth Sowers-Leyse. and ’ v-as married to Frank Peferson * Oct. 19. 1901. She was a member of the Church 1 of God and the Royal' Neighbors J of America. Surviving in addition to her hus- 1 band are three sons. Merrill, Omar %nd Wayne Peterson, all of Deca- * tur; three daughters, Mrs. Laverne ! Bowman, Mrs. Albert Aurand and 1 Mrs. John Rowland, air of Deca- 1 jur;. 15 grandchildren; three greatgrandchildren; two sisters, Mrs. J. O. Shafer Os Ossian and Mrs. 1 Albert Geisel of Decatur, and one brother, Jacob Leyse of Petroleum. | Three children, are deceased., b Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p. m. Tuesday at the ‘ Gillig & Doan funeral home, th© t Rev. Dwight R. McCurdy officiate t Ing. Burial will be in the Decatur 1 cemetery. Friends may call at the 1 funeral home utyil time of the t Services. : 1 • ■ ! 1 |

Price Five Cents

Pak's Declaration On Radio Broadcast Appears Rejection Os UNVProposal Panmunjom. Korea, Tuesday, Nov. 20—(UP) —North Korean for : cign minister Pak Hon Yong made a foiir-point proposal to the United Nations today to 1 ' end the Korean war on the pjresent battleline. withdraw all “foreign troops" and punish “war criminals." His proposal was broadcast by » Pyongyang radio, tn the form of a message to the UN general bly and the security council. The Communist ceasefire negotiators pave promised , to give their answer Wednesday to the UN delegation’s proposal designed to end the war by Christmas, but Pak’s declaration appeared to be a rejection of the allied terms. Pak’s proposal, similar to earlier Communist suggestions for ending the war, was: 1. i Military action in Korea should halt at once as the first step toward peaceful settlement of thie Korean question. 2. Troops of both sides should withdraw two kilometers from the present. battle line gnd set up a demilitarized zone, as proposed t previously by the Red ceasefire negotiators. 3. All foreign troops should be withdrawn from Korea. 4. "U'hr criminals” responsible for extending the Korean war and those responsible for “barbaroils' deeds" against civilians should be punished. It was the first time that the Reds have made any formal referment to "war criminals." |Pak declared tjtiat Col. James Henley’s report on atrocities committed by the Communists was untrue land said I’N troops were the ones who committed "barbarous primes" gaainst Red prisoners of war and civilians. ■. L . I Pak said the report by the Bth army war crimes officer was “a threat” to back up the UN’s “un--reasonable” proposals at the truce talks I and charged that' it Was issued to hide the UN’s "own barbarism.” . , He ignored the present UN proposal which would grant the Communist demand that the ' present battleline become the cease-fire line — but only provided that an agreement is reached within 30 days on the rest of the armistice terms, including an exchange of was prisoners. Thd joint armistice .subcommit-W toe will meet again at 11 a. m. Wednesday (8 p. m. Tuesday CST) / when the Red delegation is to give. r its formal reply to the UN proposal. The Reds had indicated prior to Pak’s speech that they might accept the proposal. The Reds had asked more questions about the UN proposal during Monday’s subcommittee session. which lasted an hour and 15 minutes. , , ! - In reply, U. S. Maj. Gen. Henry I. Hodes re-emphasized: 1. That the W’ari would continue until a complete armistice has been agreed upon and signed. This would include arrangements for an exchange of w’ar prisoners end for appointment of a com-, mission to insure compliance with the 1 truce terms. 2. That the cease-fire demarca- _ tiop line and demilitarized buffer zo|ie would be tentative and provisional until thte complete armistice agreement has been signed. Hodes said the Communists asked tifeir questions with apparent snicerity “in contrast to some of the propaganda speeches we have Lt.d at earlier meetings.” Winchester Woman Is Killed While Hunting ... Winchester, Ind., Nov. 19. —(UP) —A hunting mishap which claimed the life of Mrs. Mabel Marie Sutton, 25, Ridgeville, was accidental, Randolph county coroner Lowell Painter said today. 'J’Mre. Sutton \ tripped and was hit by a shotgun blaet Saturday.