Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 50, Number 38, Decatur, Adams County, 14 February 1952 — Page 1

Vol. L. No. 38.

REDS SEEK TO INSPECT SECRET EQUIPMENT

Truman Blasts Taft's Attack On Staff Chiefs Assails Sen. Taft For Making Chiefs A Political Issue Washington, Feb. 14 — (UP).— President Truman took a slap today at Sen. Robert A. Taft for making the U. S. joint chiefs of staff a political issue. To the Ohio Republican's assert tion that he had no confidence in ’he military leaders, Mr. Truman reported that he had the utmost confidence. And, Mr. Truman told a news conference, the make-up of the joint chiefs Os staff is not a proper subject for political issue. The members of the \ joint chiefs, he said, are not political appointees. Taft, a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, said in Seattle this week he had no confidence in the joint chiefs. It was a statement Taft had made previously. As for Mr. Truman’s own political plans, reporters were unable to smoke- them out. The president said he thought it was about time for reporters to inquire aboyi Something besides whether 'he will or will not run for re-election. Mr. Truman said he did not want to make the situation ridiculous. The president was asked about several “he is—he isn’t" state; meats made by some of his White House visitors in recent days. He was questioned particularly about a statement yesterday by Benjamin G Browdy. president of the Zionist' Organization of Amertea, who said Mr. Truman told him he would announce his decision whether to run again “within 10 to 15 days.” Mr. Truman said everybody who called on him was entitled' to have his own say. The president added that when he was ready to make an announcement, he would make it himself and not through a third person. ■Reporters tried several questions on a statement by Rep. Adolph J. Saba th (D-Ill.) that Mr. Truman expressed to him willingness to run again if it would help achieve peace. The president said he would have to answer these inquiries later. In gentle and sometimes beseeching tones, the president said he knew very well how much the • reporters were interested in his v plank. He said it was a difficult decision for him to make, however, \ and he would have to withhold further discussion of the matter until he is ready to make an announcement. Assessors Will Hold Meeting Next Tuesday Adams county assessors Albert Harlow, Washington township assessor Will Winnes and all Adams u county trustees who have the job of assessing personal property in their townships, will attend a meeting next Tuesday at Fort Wayne. The meeting Was called by the state board of tax commissioners and those attending will be assessing officials <rom northern Indiana. Representatives of the state tax board will explain the standard of assessing personal property, which will start March 1. The meeting will be held at the\ Fort Wayne city hall ia the council chamber and will start at 9:30 am. Ah instructional meeting of this nature id held each year prior to the start of the annual job of assessing? Motorist Is Killed As Auto Hits Train Birdseye, Ini.. Feb. 14—(UP) — John D. Kittemnan, 43. Birdseye, was killed last night wheri his auto was hit by a train near here, state* 4 police said. r- , -V. ' ■ INDIANA WEATHER Meetly cloudy tonight and Friday. Colder extreme south tonight. Low tonight 18-23 north, 23-28 south. High FrL day 28-31 north, 32-40 south.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Horsemeat Racket Profits Fantastic y Report Operations Extended To lowa Chicago, Feb. 14 —(Uyj-t-A. government price control official charged today that horsemeat racketeers operated in Ipwa, as well as Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin, and that they teaped '•fantastic’’ profits. John Ker Win, a price stabilization agent at Peoria, 18., slid he would give a federal grand juty here evidence on how the ring operated at Davenport, lai. At Davenport, where Kerwin made his statemeht, local officials .said they would launch an immediate investigation. . , i Kerwin said he had seen'canceled checks used in illicit borsembat transactions involving thousands of dollars, ’ -\ ! 1 I, f “The extent of this horsemeat ring is fantastic,” Kerwin said. men alone: deposited $250,000 in four months.’’ J ] I Officials at Rock Island,' 111., across the Mississippi. from Davenport, have waged an extensive campaign to stamp out horsemeat racketeering. if! Three state food inspectors are accused there of accepting bribes to let horsemeat pass as beef and fork and at least four meh are accused of paying them the bribe. Several have paid fines for selling horsemeat disguised as other, types of meat. . H At Springfield, 111., meanwhile, Illinois agriculture director Roy E. Yung announced that he hopes to have his food inspection iorce reorganized within 30 days. Twelve of the state's 34 inspectors. including those accused of bribe-taking,: have been fired or suspended? frorft'their JoU li) convection with tbie case. Several Wsiconsin meat packers have beep convicted ■of illegal horsemeat sales but no Official corruption has been disclosed. Four Illinois grand juries, in (Tam Te Page J —t a Oral Arguments On Motion Set March 27 Will Argue Motion In Circuit Court > L'i 1 \ . iH Oral arguments on the defendant’s motion to quash In the case of the state of Indiana Vs H. H. High, former Kirkland township trustee, indicted recently by a grand jury, charged a public official taking part in a public contract, has been set for Maiith 27. The motion will be argued before Judge Mfles F. Parrish in Adams circuit court, sitting as Adams crimihall court. Custer and Smith, Decatur law firm, and Parrish and Fort Wayge, are attorneys for the defendant and prosecutoy Severin IL Schurger represent* the state in the case. The mptlqn was filed about 10 days ago by defendant’s attorneys, and because bpth members of the Fort Wayne law firm are In Florida the late date for the argument was set. i■-' I , -J High is charged with receiving a commission for the sale of school busses to, the Adams Cen trai Consolidated school corporation,: while a member of that board by virtue of bein^Kirkland township trustee. When arraigned, the defendant did not eater a formal idea and according to attorneys this was done so that a motion to quash would be proper. The motion to quash was based on two allegation!: , That the offense did not constitute a public offense. That the indictment) - was not specific enough in its allegation. Youth's Murder Trial Goes Jo Jury Today ; Greenfield, Ind., Feb. 14.—(UP) —Closing arguments were made today in the murder trial of Jack Randolph, -21, Greenfield, and the jury of 11 men and a woman was expected to have the case by late afternoon. ' ? Randolph is the second person to go on trial for the June 9 rob-bery-slaying of Noah H. F*ry. 72, a wealthy Hancock| county firmer. Previously, George P. Miller, 24, Greenfteld, was convicted and sentenAd to Use Imprisonment, and two other men await trial. ' . : : ’■ ! L ■ : Is

' Commy Strikers Battle Par is Cops USING AN OVERTURNED TRUCK as a barricade, Paris police battle' Communist-led strikers »at the Renault Motor factory. Fifty persons were injured as the strikers pelted police lines with nuts, bolts and other missiles. i; ;• , i . f ' B'- VWal' i t- — - — -.4.. — ..4 ..—— ...... „i...

Taft Assails U.S. Policies On Korea L; ' ' - Unnecessary War \ Theme Is Stressed Portland, Ore., Feb. 14 —(UP) — Sen. Robert A. Taft says the "unnecessary war” in Korea : never would have started if the United States fortes had stayed in Korea as they did in Berlin after |worid War 11. L In an address at a Lincoln Day banquet here yesterday thA Ohio senator, candidate for the Republican nomination, said that he doubted there would have been a war if North Koreans had been given notice that the tTnited States Intended to return to Korea to meet any aggression against the South Korean republic. f Once ihe war began, he said, the policies advocated by Gen. Douglas MacArthur, deposed far eastern commander, should have been followed. !: MacArthur's plans — calling for a blockade of Ghina. the bombing of communications lines and airfields in China and the use pt Nationalist troops for diversionary raids In South China—would have defeated China, unified Korea and ‘ achieved a reasonable purpose,” Taft said. j In Seattle Tuesday night, Taft indicated that he would call on MacArthur to bp military deader of the United States if he were elected president next fall.: .He assailed the state department’s attitude on far eastern questions, saying that secretary of state Dean Acheson “in his determination tp make it clear that he would do nothing to defend Formosa against Communists made it equally clear that we would do nothing to defend Korea.” The Ohijo senator insisted that the state department must be reerganized if the United States is to meet successfully the spreading threat of (pommunisi world dpmlnr.tion. ’t “The state department must be jeorganized to put in charge men of ability and sound judgment to make the to dgy decisions — men believe in the principles of America and are consistently guided by those princpiles,?’ Taft said. k -4Income Tax Deadline Is Only Month Off L One month remains to file federal income tax. reports, ’ internal revenue Officers warned today. The local office in the Reppert building is open eves? day and two men are oq. hand to give in* formation to taxpayers. 0 Adams county pepple are urged to file their returns In the next two weeks to avoid the" last minute rush. Questions pertaining to exemptions, proper formal ana other pertinent tax problems will be handled at the local office. Many taxpayers wait until the final few days, it was pointaid out, and as a result many persons are unable to obtain theanswecs to their problems. Tfels results tn mostly errors.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Thursday, February 14,1952.

—7: . M I. ' I' 11l Terre Haute Mart Indicted By Terre Haute, Ind,, Feb. 144-fUP) —Carl Hickman, 49, waa indicted on a charge of manslaughter by the Vigo*county grand jury yesterday. Hickman is accused of fatally shooting his son-in-law, Lester R. Jan. 27. Cook, 26. in a family argument Launch Repair Work On County Highways Highway Employes / To Work Six Days Adams county highway employes started this week on the task of repairing county roads in all four districts. Frank Singleton, supeu intendent, has ordered his entire crew to work Saturdays until all roads are in good condition. Going on the theory that if small holes, made by winter freezes and thaws, are patched early, it will savq money and avoid the danger of roads becoming Impassable later in the spring. All county trucks have bebn ordered into action hauling stone, and several trucks have been borrowed from the Mesbberger Stone Co. in a.n effort to equalize the wprk in all districts and improve as many roads as possible the next! few weeks. . : Singleton said that he also had ordered several loads of patching material for the black-top roads and that if experiments proved satisfactory, repairing of this type road also would be started immediately. i AU county highway equipment is tn use every day and inspection i showed that all the rolling stock is Ln good mechanical condition. Singleton has instructed the four district superintendents to work aU ’ employes the full six days until further notice so that as mu6b itn- v provement as possible .can be attained in the next Tew weeks. ♦ It is believed that this is the earliest that repair work has been started in recent years and the superintendent hopes to have all in a good stAte of repair jby eariy spring. —r~ Many Motorists Still Without New Plates More than half of the motorists in the northern half of Adams county are still operating their motor vehicles with 1951 plates, a check- - up at the Decatur branch of the I auto license bureau revealed today. •MrsJ Dale Death, branch mana- ‘ ger, said that with more than 7.000 I motorists yet to get licenses and • only Ip more days tn which to secure the 1952 plate!, a problem I was developing because of the limit- : ed personnel in the local branch. It may be necessary for late ap- > plicants to refrain from using their I automobiles for a few days, after I February 29 if a last minute rush develops, because only a certain > number of applications can be pro- , cessed dally, even with additional s personnel. The local manager sug* » gests that thoee who do not ali ready have their platee file their applications at once. . !'• ’ \ ’ '■ > • ■ - ’ ■■ < . '

Federal Grand Jury To Assist In Probe To Aid In Solving Gang-Style Slaying Chicago. Feb. 14.—(UP)— Attorney General J. Howard McGrath today authorized the federal grand;jury to help Chicago officials solve the murdbr of GOP politician Charles Gross. 1 The J grand jury is a special panel S invesUgatirffc the Chicago underworld syndicate and its connectioh with kilties arid the . Widespread , midwest horsemeat if*—w U.S? district attorney Otto Kerner Jr; said McGrath telephoned him fro'frr Washington and told him to |(ve Chicago and Cook county authoritlbs all | possible help under federal law id solving the fang-style slaying pf Gross whichl excited high public indignation hsre. ' \ McGrath said he had received many (letters, telegrams and teleerriment has no direct jurisdiction, phone calls Insisting that the gov- !| Keeper said the federal government has ihd direct jurisdiction unless it is shown that Gross’ murder violated civil rights by preventing voters firom casting ballots for him as a candidate for 31st ward GOP Committeeman in the April primary. |1 > He Said federal law does not apply in the case of candidates for party office as distinguished from candidates for public office. Gross was acting committeeman for the northwest side Ward at the time of his; death. ,v Despite these prohibitions, Kernpr sa|d, McGrath instructed him to havw the grand jury try to elicit information from witnesses conP k«Wn» T» Paa* Klatt) | Rydell Is Director Os Civil Defense County Director 4 Named Wednesday Eugene E. Rydell, of Bag Service, Inc., has been named director of civil defense for Adams county, It was announced Wednesday aftemodn by Capt. Forest R. Shafer, of the United States air force, who spent, Tuesday and \ Wednesday checking this county’s plans for civil defense. Capt. Shafer also announced that Mrs. Al Gelmer has been earned supervisor of the Decatur civil defense post. Floyd Hunter, also; of Decatur, is deputy director of tie ground observation corps. The air force officer, assisted during his visit in Adams county by Sgt. Richard Johnston, also of the air force, stated Wednesday that three of the county’s four civil defense posts are now active. . Organizations and individuals who haye been active in pushing civil defense plans -here include the American Legion and its auxiliary, the. Veterans of Foreign Wars. Red Cross, city police and sheriff's departments,. Mayor John M. Doan and W. Guy Brown, sup* ,erintendent of the Decatur public schools. ’ . 1 ’ . \. 1 k. V

T_ ■ ■ rl . ■ ■■■' Allied Spokesmen Charge Reds' Truce Negotiators Seek Inspection Rights

-y First Air Battle In Three Days In Korea One Enemy Fighter Plane Is Damaged ,8 th Army Headquarter* Korea, Feb. 14.—(UP)— American SabreM pilots damaged one Communist Mig-15 fighter plane today in the first air battle in three days over North Korea. Thirty of the Russian-built jets attempted to break through a screening force of F-86 Sabre jets to attack United Nations fighterbombers hammering away at Red supply lines. Twenty-nine Sabres chased the Migs back to the Yalu river before they at the allied bombers. FBO Shooting Stars teamed with Meteor jets of the Royal-Australian air force to attack a Red convoy south of Sibyon. The American and Australian pilots rocketed and strafed 4he string of enemy trucks. Thirty per cent of the convoy was claimed reduced to charred wreckage in the attack. On the ground, a flurry of Chinese | Communist probing attacks exploded along the quiet! western front Thursday and ah allied offleer described the period as “one of our most active in two months.” The scattered Red assaults by units up to company size were made under cover of darkness accompanied in one sector by 75 flare* of various colors Set off by the Communists from a hillside. United Nations forces were forced to yield two advance hill positions northwest Os Yon chon to attacks by a reinforced Communist compOtay and a platoon. However, allied infantrymen reoccupied the positions without opposition shortly after daybreak. f ; ' j —-j- — ■ Commissioners To Meet Here Tonight Northeast Indiana Officials To Meet I ’ ' County commissioners from .20 northern Indiana counties composing the Northern Indiana county commissioners association will meet here at 6 o’clock tonight at the Moose home for their annual conclave. Frank Singleton, Adams county highway superintendent, in charge, of local arrangements, said that he expected 100 guests at the dinner which will precede the business session and will be served by the Women of the Moose. The dinner and meeting will be sponsored by three Adams county firms; Krick-Tyndall Co., Yost Construction Co. and Meshberger Stone Co., it was reported. Claude Hodson, Greensburg, secretary of the Indiana association of county commissioners, will attend the Decatur meeting and will give the principal address following the dinner. Hodson will give the details of the annual Purdue road school, which will be held Lafayette April 9, 10, and The Adams county commissioners, John Augs burger, Otto Hoffman and Lewis Worthman, will serve as hosts to the visiting members of the association. Also invited to attend the session tonight are county auditor Thurman Drew, Ed. A. Bosse, county attorney, Herman Moellering, surveyor, and all employes of the county highway department. Election of officers for the northern association for 1952 will be held at the elbse of the business session. The organization meets twice a year to discuss general problems arising in the counties and they always give special consideration to the highway problems.

sl__i Britons File Past Bier Os King George Tens Os Thousands Wait Patiently In Snow To View Body London, Feb. 14—(UP) —Britons filing by King George VTs coffin in Westminster Hall passed the 200.000 mark today and tens of thousands more waited patiently in snow, sleet and rain for their turn. • It was bib sorrowing subjects’! last chance to pay tribute to the king as he lay in state in the vast hall adjoining the houses of parliament. Tomorrow the coffin will be taken in a majestic funeral procession from Westminster Hall to Paddington station fori the train iourney to a final resting place U St. George’s chapel at Win«|so’r 'Castle. \ 1 ' Some 10,000 troops and 1.4?6 detectives will Hh!e the circuitous 3 % -mile route through central London’s streets to keep baek crowds expected to total 2.000,000 persons. - • \ ■■ Representatives of all the world’s remaining monarchies will take part in the funeral procession. They include at least six sovereigns—the greatest collection of royalty to assemble anywhere since before World War 11. \ An eerie daytime darkness hung over London when the mapslye wooden doors of Westminster Hall swung open at 8 a. m. (2 >. m CST) for the third and last day of King George Vi’s lying in state. Swathed in winter clothes against 32-degree temperatures and huddled beneath umbrellas, mourners stretching across« the misty Thames; river and along the south bank shuffled into the coldgray hall past the purple-draped coffin surmounted by the crown jewels and flanked by yeomen, gentlemen at arms and guardsmen in ancient dress. Like the 185.092 who preceded them during; the first two days the coffin was 'on view, the people who entered in ones and twos were the plain citizens of Britain who regarded the death of King George Feb. 6 as a personal loss. Weather officials predicted the dreary, discomforting mixture of (Tarn To Pa«e Eight) 1 “j— ~' Mrs. Bice Metzler Dies At Portland Funeral Services Friday Afternoon Mrs. Bfee Metzler, 84, a native and former resident of Monroe, died JJvednesday morning at the home*of a daughter, .Mrs. Harry Van Kirk, pf Portland. \ Mrs. Metzler, who h|ad made her home with her daughter for a number of years, had been seriously ill only a few days. She was born near Decatur Feb. 5, 1868, the daughter of Jeremiah end Sarah y Jane Andrews. Her husband, Max Metzler, has been deceased for several years. Shei was a member of the Methodist church. Surviving in addition to the daughter is a granddaughter, Mrs. Maxine Mitchell of Santa Monica, Calif. There are a number of relatives in Decatur and Adams counFuneral services will be conducted at 1 o’clock Friday afternoon at the, Baird funeral home in Portland, the Rev. Albert Hapgood officiating. Burial will be in the Decatur cemetery. At the request of the family, friends Are asked to omit flowers.

Price Five Cents J; : 1

' ”'1 Demand Inspection , Teams Given Right ToVieyr Equipment Arriving In Korea , Pahmunjom, Korea, Friday, Feb. 15, —(Xjp)4- The Communist trucO negotiators are trying itb get the right to inspect secret United Nations military equipment during an armistice, allied spokesmen charge ed today. The allies insist that neutral armistice inspection teams !be barred from conducting “inspections for examination of design or characteristics Os any aircraft, tank, vehicle or other munitions or implements of war.” i . - ’ r But the Communists, in a sudden shift of position, demanded yesterday that liispectjon teams have the inspect all equipment arriving in Korea. "At first the Communists agreed, that the teams should' not gather military intelligence,” allied spokesman Col. Dbn O. Darrovf said. “Now either they ,want to gather the military Intelligence qr they are . afraid we will use it ah an excuse to keep the neutral teams from looking at equipment.”! In another new development the Chinese Communist Peiping radio alleged two new violations of the Kaesong armistice negotiation zone. Peiping said two allied planes flew U over Panmunjorn village, where the truce Ulka are conducted, at S:3Q a.Wednesday and that a lone plane violated the zone it 9 pm. Tuesday. i [ At yesterday’s talks tjhe Communists presented a revised program for exchanging war prisoners and I promised to unveil tomorrow a new compromise proposal Ifor a postarmistice peace conference. i Col. George W. Hickman of th* United Nations said the Reds’ prisoner exchange plan moved closer to allied thinking on the workings of joint Red Cross teams to visit prisoners and on a joint committee J to supervise the exchange. But the Reds rejected the allied demand that prisoners be given the right to refuse repatriation. For this reason, U.N. staff officers may turn down the revised program. I Liaison officers arranged a meeting of the full truce delegations for 10 a.m. Saturday (7 p.m. Friday CST) to hear the promised Communist compromise proposal for a full-dress Korean peace conference. A— ; . Use Invisible Eye To Trap Speeders Indianapolis. Feb. 14-\(Ul*)— An invisible electronics eye Will be watching taotorists here today In a scientific attempt to trap speeders on city streets. A radar-equipped police car will be pressed into service with orders to arrest violators detected on the radar screen. Capt. Audry IE. Jacobs, head ot the police traffic division, said a second radar car" would be ready for duty within the next 10 days. ' Although traffic authorities are enthusiastic about the device, legal opinion is mixed as to whether arrests made on the basis of longdistance radar detection will stand up in court. Law enforcement; officials expect to have several feet cases ready for the courts soon. Indianapolis Gas { Price War Grows Indianapolis, Feb. I<—^UP)—This city’s gasoline price War, similar to ones reported in past months throughout central and southern Indiana, passed the skirmishing stage and neared all-out cpmpetition today as two major oil firms slashed prices. / The- Standard Oil Co. offered dealers a twocent per gallon tank wagon price reduction, and Sshell Oil Ob. announced a discount which officials said would allov) the cbmpany to share price buts with its retail dealers. i Sun Oil Co. opened the price-cut-ting with a 2.1 cents per gallon reduction at retall stations. In Muncie two months ago, similar action by the firm lad to a reduction at as much aa seven cents par gallon.