Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 49, Number 306, Decatur, Adams County, 29 December 1951 — Page 1

Vol. XLIX. No. 306. JL - - .- - -wr

RELATIONS WITH HUNGARY NEAR RREAK

UN In Final’ J Concessions To Reds On Truce N Warn Communists Final Decision Is Solely Up To Reds Panmunjom. Korea, Dec. 29—. (UP) —United Nations truce negotiators offered the reds five "final”: concessions today and warned if was solely up to them to deck!® whether there shall l»e Ipcac-c or more war. The Communists Indicated that they might decide to keep on fighting unless the allies backed down still further,j but promised a (full answer fvhert the armistice supervision subcommittee 'meets at 4 " il ta.m. fofilorrow (8 p.m. today CST). Maj. Gen. Howard Turner submitted the new U. N. six-point corn- 1 promise program. It yieded to cdm_munist pressure on these points:} 1. instead of unlimited troop rotation during an armistice, 2. instead of joint UN. Communist behind-the-Hnes truce observation teams. , 3. directing authorities instead of one for truce inspection—a neutral organ to investigate behind the front lines and a joint U.N. -Communist organ to watch for violations along the cease-fire Ht)e and buffer zone. 4. ,of allied de- , mands that the truce observation • teams be permitted to fly over all i Korea to watch for armistice violations. 5. of certain specified North Korean airfields for civilian use. \ \ But- the allies still held firm on their Remand for a complete ban on rehabilitation or construction of military airfields in North Korea. "We now have conceded to your unreasonable views all that we can concede.” Turner told the Reds as he handed over the new proposals. - "From' this moment, we shall have hothing further to propose. “If in truth you sincerely desire an armistice, I urge you to accept the U.N. command’s proposal. It is nowLclteariy and irrevocably up to you. The hopes of all who seek peace in Korea are in the balance. “The tSsue.is in your hands." Chinese Gen. Hsieh. Fang, indicated the program still was unacceptable, largely because it would ban Communist airfield constructions during a truce,; However, he delayed hjs final answer until Sunday. . s Jobless Pay Claims Increase In State Indianapolis, Dec, 29 —(UP)— Claims' for unemployment benefits ip Indiana rose as 195 L neared its end, the state employment -security division reported today. To£al c|aiini’ of 24,706-for t£e week ending Dec. 22 were six per cept higher than those for the previous week, and 42 percent over the, same week last year. -Jflitlhl claims rose from 4,227 to 5,125 from one week to the next. Higher unemployment was recorded despite the recall of workers by several automotive and refrigerator Jplants. The Indiana employment security division reported "little hiring" as the year rah-out. Dr. Niblick Rites 4 On Monday Morning Funeral services for Dr. J. Stewart Nib'gck, whose death occurred Thursday, will be held Monday morning at 10 o’clock In the Catholic church at Indiana Harbor. Burial will be city. Among those from this city who will attend the funeral rites are, J. Q. Niblick, Miss Serena Niblick. Mr. and Mrs. William Gass and Joe Weber. ’ r INDIANA WEATHER ( Cloudy and mild tonight and Bunday. Occasional r»n or drizzle over moat of state tonight and Sunday. Low tonight ’-I 32 extreme north to 48 extreme south. High Sunday 40 extremenorth to 55 extreme south. Noon Edition ;

DECATUR D AILV DEMOCRAT J f ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN AOAMB COUNTY ■■

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Lewis Blames Mine Company For Blast Charges Laxity To Operators Os Mine » WesT Frankfort, 111.. Pec. 29 — (TP) —John L. Lewis, president of the United Mine Workers' union, charged the Chicago Wilmington and FYankltn ’ Coal Co., with “laxity" in the Orient explosion that killed 119 miners last Friday. Lewis made the statement after a personal inspection of the disaster scene. He *id the blast was “preventable." The bushy-browed UMW executive' spoke steadily for 45 minutes at.a news conference last night and accused the mining company of knowing in advance that an “abnormal" gas situation existed in the mine. ’ • A fn Washington, Federal ‘ Bureau of Mines inspectors said the disaster was "most likely caused by electrical equipment operating in iair containing explosive gas.” Secretary of the Interior Oscar ,L. Chapman sa|d in releasing the report that “the source of the explosion has not yet been determined. ’ • - _l_\ Lewis said “great events cast their shadows before them and so do mine explosions.” He said the mining company knew three to five days before the, blast that “squeezings” —earth movements - above panels which operate to liberate more methane gas than coins from normal working peaces—in at four panels of the mine. r Lewis explained that panels are working rooms where the coal is mined. The general superintendent of Chicago, Wilmington and Franklin (Jo.. declined to comment on Lewis’ charges. - < Lewis said the liberation of methane gas added to an already “substantial” amount of gas in the mine aiul built up a concentration that spread into air currents of the shaft. _ *: The UMW chieif said “the advance explosion situation was sufficient- to warrant keeping men out of the area and steps should have been taken to keep miners out of the mine." , He said he was not placing responsibility on any individual connected with the mine. ' The miners knew- of .the “Squeezings.” Lewis said, but “depend on cganagement to declare a mine /unsafe and do not stop work of their own accord. ( \ “It was obvious,” said Lewis, "that ah abnormal situation prevailed Friday night because the squeezings addsd greatly to the threat."/ i ' , Safety men should have been placed at the squeezings, he said. Union Wafchnighf Service On Monday Special Services At Zion Reformed ■. j <7 4. ■■ ■ A union watchnight service, sponsored by the Decatur ministerial association. will be held at the Zion Evangelical and Reformed Monday night. New Years, eve. The service will open at 9 o’clock with a 50-minute period of group singing -and. recreation. The Rev. Marvin Taylor will lead the singing and Sylvester Everhart will direct the recreation. A film entitled. "One Wonderful Life," will be shown from 9:50 to 10:30 o’clock. This is a sequel to “A Second Chance,” which was shown at the service last year. Refreshments will be served by the host church from 10:30 until 11 o’clock. The Rev. William C. Feller, pastor of the Zion Evangelical and Reformed church, will be the celebrant of the Holy Communion service from 11 to 12 o’clock, and the choir of the Rost church will provide? the music. \ The public is invited to attend the watchnight service. NO PAPER TUESDAY In accordance with a custom of J many years' standing, the Decatur Datily Democrat will not /publish an edition Tuesday, Jan. 1, which is New Years day.

Atom Anergy Is Harnessed To Appliances Harnessed To Power Civilian Appliances For The First lime Chicago. Dec. 29. —(UP) —Atomic .energy—for the first time in history—has been harnessed to power civilian electrical appliances, the atomic 'energy conimission an bounced'-today. The iAEC said the 1 tremendous power of the atom had been tamed to a point where it was used to generate power for electric lights and to run machinery. In the actual experiment, about 100 kilowatts of electric power were produced for more than two days at the AEC’s 400,000-acrs national' '’reactor testing station near Arco, Ida. One kilowatt is about the newer required to heat up an ordinary electric flat iron. The amount of power produced in the experiment would be sufficient to supply power for two\or three ordinary homes with all their lights.turned on, plus radio, television and other appliances runnings The AEC emphasized that the man-on-the-street was not necessarily any closer now to an atomicpowered home, or automobile since the "primary goal of the United Stsh.es atomic research is to produce fissionable materials for use in weapons rather than atomic power for civilian use. The Idaho experiment was but an “Incidental" step toward thW ultimate goal, the AEC saidThe production of power in the experiment was indirect. The AEC explained it like this: An “experimental breeder reactor" was put in operation. Tremendous heat generated. The reactor was cooled by what the AEC called a “liquid metal." This heated methl in turn was pumped through pipes circulating in water. - " v . Steam was thereby produced which was put to work running generator turbines. > The power given off by the geherators was sufficient “to operate the pumps and other reactor equipment to provide light and electrical facilities for the building that houses it,’’ the AEC 'said The only snag in the experiment was in switching frijm the normal ,\ (Turn To Pace EUcht) 29 Local Merchants To Honor First Baby Valuable Awards To First Baby Os 1952 Twenty-nine Decatur merchants will participate in the annual baby contest, and all of them describe their gifts in a two-page advertisement iri this issue of the Decatur Daily Democrat. *■ Along with the announcement of the gifts, contest rules will be printed, the rules pointing out that for the parents to be eligible they must be residents of Preble, Root, Union,’ Kirkland, Washington or St. Mary’S township. The birth must be reported to the Democrat office ndt later than Thursday morning, January 3;i that the date, hour and minute of birth must also be reported,; confirmed by the attending physician or hospital officials. \ Those Decatur merchants sponsoring line-up of gifts to be awarded to? the first baby born in 1952 to parents living in the six northern townships of the county include: Adams and Cort theaters. Bower Jewelry store. Boardman’s sewing machine shop, Ehingers, First State Bank, Fairway Restaurant, Gerber’s market. Gamble store, Goodin’s food market, Holthouse Drug Co., Hafiich & Morrissey,— HolthouseSchulte & Co., Habegger hardware, Halterman’s, Kaye’s shoe store, Myers home ahd auto supply, Morris 5 & 10 store, Dick Mansfield motor sales. Niblick & Co., J. J. Newberry Co., Peterson ft Heller, Pumphrey Jewelfy stores, RiverView Gardens, Steffen motor sales, Smith Drug Co., Uhrick Bros., Wylie furniture store, Zwlck & Son, Decatur Daily Democrat

} ... —.— Decatur, Indiana, Saturday, Decembet 29,1951. -tx 4 / ’ ,-—4-

Fire, Water And Ice WINDOWLESS and coated with ice. this seven story gutted Chicago warehouse dabsed one of the worst traffic jams in years wlien fire raced through, the unoccupied structure at the height of the evening rush hour. With Chicago streets narrowed by heavy snows, five companies fought the blaze in near-zero weather.

Threatened Strike ? 1 ■ 1 Appears Averted ; ' ■ "'j \ ■*• i. ' East Chicago Plant Walkout Is Averted . • East Chicago, Ind., Dec. 29 —('PP) threatened walkout of 15,000 members of thb CIO United Steel Workers Local 1010 at Inland Steel Co., scheduled fpr Monday, appeared averted tpday after high officials t of the CIO intervened to stop the strike. Officials of the local indicated that the walkoiit would go “ahead as scheduled” but Joseph Gehmano, district director of the USW and John Doherty, personal representative of CIO-USW president Philip Murray, said “there would be no strike.” \ Germano said it has been pointed ou)t to the local that a walkout would ’be contrary to international union policy to heed President Truman’s request fdr unhampered ikoduction.« Doherty said (he local would be lacking official authorization if it tried' to strike. ; j. \ Local ‘lOlO president William Maihofer said there was “no alternative*’ except to strike. Maihofer said he based his position on a charge\that he tried to meet with company officials to discuss a strike delay but J was rebuffed. The. steel company declined discussion of a delay only because it wanted USW international representative Joseph Jeneske present at the to. an Inland spokesman. The spokesman said that a meeting was scheduled for today on the request of Jenesjce. The local has demanded a general wage hike of 37 cents an hour from Inland, and, in addition seeks a 15 cent hourly boost in some classifications of work plus welfare concessions! - L Local officials eaid, however, that they would be Inclined to go along with a national wage pattern, and that if a strike is called it would be mainly over Ideal “problems.” A three-day wajkout by the local in October was prompted by one of these local “problems,” an issue over incentive pay rates. Herbert Davis Dies ' Suddenly Last Night Davis, 35, funeral director at Wolcottville and trustee of Johnson towqship, died of a heart attack Friday night. He was well known to a number of Decatur residents, particularly those with summer homes at Clear Lake. Pedestrian Killed By Hit-Run Driver Muncie. Ind., Pec. 29 —(UP)— George W. Brass. 80, was killed last night when a hit-run vehicle stiuck him ne’er his home as he walked in a street because sidewalks were icy.

Winter Weather

Winter Weather Loosening Grip Indianapolis'* Dec. 29 — Winter weather loosened its grip on . IndFana today, but some' light snojw was expected tomorrow to .Make up Jor today’s melting. above freezing, from 35 to 48, were expected throughout the state today, with fog and drizzle in the northeast portion tonight and occasional rain south. But the weatherman said it will turn colder again tomorrow, and snow flurries were predicted up'state. | ' B k ——-. "" Kansas City Flash Fire Fatal To Four Tenement House Is Ravaged By Flames ' Kansas City, Mo., Dec. 29. —(UP) —A 10-month-old girl died in deneral hospital today, bringing to four the death toll in a flash fire that ravaged a i three-story tenement house here last night. The infant was Laiira Brown, whose three-year-old sister, Inez May Brown, was found burned to death under a pile of debris on the third floor. . Frank Morelli, 50, died when he jumped from his third floor room. The charred body of-Mrs. George Lewis, about 55, was Recovered* by fireman from her third floor apartment. The condition of two victims at first believed critically burned was reported as fair today. One of them was five-year-old Carolyn Brown, sister of the two children killed. . j They were the daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Brown, whose six other children escaped Injury. Five persons still were hospital ized. ’ I - - 7 More than 250 persons left homeless by the blaze moved in with friends or took xbfuge with the Red C r ° Bß - ’ Firemen estimated the damage at only $25,000, but they feared it might be necessary to condemn the balf-block-long brick aparthi(ent building. The entire top floor was burned out, and walls appeared to be cracked throughout the structure. The fire broke out in a hall bathroom, officials said, but they could give no cause for the blaze. Ralph L. Davis, manager of the building, said he was in his second floor apartment when he heard someosp yejll, “Flref” He ran to the top story. “People were screaming and carrying children through a dense fog of smoke," Davis said. “Flames were shooting from the bathroom at the end of the ball- It must have been a tremendous fire before anyone noticed it.”

Tension Between U. S., Hungary Hit New Peak After Fliers Released A t ey

American Travel To Hungary Is Banned, Two Consulates !n U.S. Ari Closed Washington, Dec. 29 — (UP) — United States relations with Communist Hungary teetered near the breaking point today. Chances of a Hnal break apparently depended on whether the Hungarian Reds mistreated the four American airmen held hostage for 40 dpys. Tension between the two countries hit a new peak shortly after the fliers were freed at the Hun-garian-Austrian border yesterday. Secretary of state Dean Acheson quickly banned Ameriorfh travel io Hungary and ordered Hungarian consulates shut in Nsw York and Cleveland. A note sent to the Hungarian legation last night ordered Hungary’s only consulates in this country closed by Jan. 1. Acheson left open the possibility of further action after U. S. authorities have interviewed the airmen about their treatment by the "Reds. Ttie state department hoped diplomatic relations could be maintained on at leafct a limited scale. This government wants listening posts behind the ,|ron curtain and a helping hand for any Americans who might be snared in the future. But some congressmen said the Reds had gone too far. “VJ r e should take every means of reprisal we can,” said Sen. Bourke B. Hickenlooper (R-la.). “In ad ; dition to closing the consulates wd should give full, consideration to sending their minister packing and to withdraw our peoples "In my judgment, we can’t hold full diplomatic relations with these outlaws. The time has long since past that we should keep turning the other cheek for these international insults from bandits." - Chairman Tom Connally (DTex.). of the senate foreign relations committee, was among other who called for breaking diplomatic relations with Hungary. Courses of action left open to (Tara To Pace Eisht) Spiritual Emphasis \ Week Opens Jan. 6 Annual Service To Be Held Each Night Plans have been completed for the annual union spiritual emphasis week services for the Protestant churches of Decatur. The services are scheduled to begin Sunday evening, January 6, and will continue through January 13. All services will be held in the Zion Evangelical and Reformed church. , In the opening service a special concert of sacred music will be giyen by the Taylor University choir of Upland. The\ director is Prof. Eugene'Rearson, formerly of the University of< Oregon and the University of Southern California. Prof. Pearson was associated with the national broadcast of the old fashioned revival hour for seven years«prior to joining the Taylor faculty. His choir will give the full evening program January 6. In the evening services during the rest! of the series the guest speaker will? be Dr. Clyde W. Meadows, pastor of the Ring Street Uhited Brethren church in Chambersburg, Pa„ one of the largest of that denomination. He is also chairman of the Pennsylvania council of churches department of evangelism. Since Decatur is her home town, Mrs. Meadows, will accompany her husband here for the services. Ministers of the city will assist in various ways in the of these special services. They will unite in their support and attendance in these services and will fill “preachers row,” a section to be reserved for them each night. The public Is invited to plan to clear the schedule of this important week eo that they can Attend these special services.

Troops Battling In Freezing Weather Attempt To Regain . Advanced Position Bth Army Headquarters, feorea, Dec. 29— (UP)— United Nations troops battled in freezing weather for hours tpday in an attempt to regain an advanced position on the western front which 1,000 Communist troops captured’ Friday. The scene of the fight Was the Korangpo sector. The allied Gl’s Jumped off at 1:30 a.m. in their first counter-at-tack. They forced back a Chinese platoon after a fierce 15-minute fight. r ' Other, allied infantrymen attacked the Reds in. three positions at 6:30 p.m. an Bth army communique said, and at last report at noon Saturday (9 p.m. Friday CST) the fighting was still raging. The Chinese had taken the allied position in’ a 40-minute battle In which they were supported by 10 tanks or self-propelled guns. During the battle, an Bth army briefing officer warned the Communists* are still capable of launching a'major offensive despite an estimated 1,515,688 casualties Suffered in the 18-month old Kbrean war. t An Bth army announcement said that since the Reds invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950, the Chinese Communists have suffered 823,331 casualties and the North Koreans 692,357. * Five Theater Fires Under Investigation Indianapolis, Dec. 29 — (UP) — Five fires at the downt >wn Circle tncater within a few hoars were, investigated today as the possible work of an arsonist. ' > Theater-goers were unaware' of series of blazes last night, four in the men’s waslft-oom and one in a stuffed chair in a clot-Qt. Firemen were called to extinguish the latter fire, and damage was minor. Given Four Years As Dyer Act Violator Indianapolis!, Dec. 29 — (UP) — Samuel De|aro, 23, Tampa, Fla., who has served five.sentences and who has'been arrested 17 :imes, was sentenced by federal judge William E. Steckler yesterday to serve four years for Dyer act violation. Degaro told Steckler he \just don’t seem to be able to get along anywhere" except behind bars. " i;? , I Anna Bieberich Dies Last Night Funeral Services t Monday Afternoon Miss Anna Bibberich, 70, a lifelong resident of ( Preble township, died at 10 o’clock Friday night at the Adams county hospital following an illness of two years. She was born in Preble township March 27, 1881, a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Ehlerding-Bieberich. For the past 29 years, ’she had 11 ed at the Adolph Schueler home. Miss Bieberich was a member of the St. Paul Lutheran churchy at Preble. Surviving are three brothers, Gustave and Henry Bieberich, both of Decatur, and Ernst Bieberich of Auburn. Three brothers preceded her in death. ' Funeral services will be conducted at 1:30 p.m. Monday at the ZwicK funeral home and at 2 o'clock at the St. Paul Lutheran church, the Rev. Otto C. Busse officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 2. o’clock Sunday afternoon. x ?

Price Five Cents -n -f~ H i - ■ j - - ■ "

Released Relate Story Os Imprisonment In Hungarian Jail • BULLETIN J ' Erding, Germany, Dec. 29 —(UF) —£ol. Park Holland, . commanding the Erding air base, announced at 3:55 p. m. \ (8:55 a. m. CST) that a press conference with the four freed airmen set tentatively for 3 p. m. (8 a. m. CST) had been postponed indefinitely pending - the arrival of a high state department official Washington. Holland said the conference probably would be held this evening. ’ ■ ' Erding, Germany, Dec. 29. —(UP) —Four American airmen, refreshed by their first night’s sleep outside a Cdmmunist jail in. 40 days, told investigators today- a story -which might lead to a U.S. diplomatic break with Hungary. ■' \ \ Teams of U.S. arrhy, air force and state department experts on iron curtain- countries took turns questionlng uhe four fliers, one. at a time, ofi their imprisonment and secret one-day trial ip Hungary. Hungary turned She men loose yesterday after the U S. paid $120,000 in fines imposed by a Hungarian military ctnirt because they flew by error over the Hungarian frontier. They had spent 39 prise n since Soviet fighter planes\ forced down their C-47 transport. All four airmen appeared rested today and free from some of the strain they showed on their arrival here last night. The questioning began at 8 a.m. (1 a.m. CST) apd yras top secret. However, the airmep will tell their story for the world at a press conference scheduled for 3 p.m. (8 a.m. CST). Washington reports said the U.S. government will decide win <r to severe diplomatic relations with 'Hungary after learning whether the fliers were mistreated during their imprisonment. ) Red Hungary released the four men from prison yesterday after the U.S. legation in Budapest handed over $120,000 'in Hungarian forint in payment df the fines imposed on the airmen. If the money had not been paid, the fliers faced the alternative sentence of three more months in prison. ’ The . airmen were driven the Hungarian-Austrian border to Vienna, whence they were flown to their home air base here last night for a joyful reunion with their families and friends. ' About a dozen state department and air force intelligence officers were assigned to question the four inen. They especially wanted to know details of their prison life and quickie trUl. The four men were forced down by Soviet fighter planes Nov. 19 after blundering across the Hungarian border on a routine flight in a U.S. air force C-47 transport from Erding to Belgrade, Yugoslavia, with gupolles for the U.S. embassy in Belgrade. ' The airmen are Capt. David H. Henderson, Shawnee, Okla., pilot; Caftt. John J. Swift, Glens Falls, N.Y., T/Sgt. Jess A> Duff, Spokand, Wash., and Sgt. James A. Elam. Kingsland, Ark. r The Communists seized the C-47 and claimed it contained evidence the airmen actually were flying to Yugoslavia to pick up “spies and dlversionlsts" for parachuting into Hungary. More than 3,000 other American airmen aligned to this air base and their families welcomed the airmen on their arrival here from Vienna last night aboard another C-47. Mrs. Cord Holland Funeral On Sunday Funeral services for Mrs. Obra Holland, daughter of Mrs. Mae Ketchum of this city, who died at Portland Thursday, will be held at 1:30 m. Sunday at the Baird funeral home in Portland. "’Burial will be in Riverside cemetery near Geneva. ’