Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 51, Number 88, Decatur, Adams County, 14 April 1953 — Page 1

Vol. LI. No. 88

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■ ■■ 1 him® «.,« u,i, ituw— n»n y* ROUTE OF PRISONERS from - the Commuhist starting point at to Pa'nmunjom release site is .traced on this map. Some 600, including 120 Americans. are being convbyed\ south a\long this route.*

UN Concerned On Health Os 111 Prisoners Warplanes Assure Prisoner Convoys Prom Any Attacks J " ' ' \"! PANMUNJOM, UP — Sick and wounded Allied war prisoners rolled dow’n bumpy “freedom road” today and United Nations officials ordered warplanes to as- - sure the convoy from attack.” ? . ', The frieudly planes attempted to scout the 200-mile long cratered highway from Chonma on the Yalu river to Paemunjom but could pot see the convoy of heavy cloud layers. The nearest marauding Allied planes came io ‘ freedom road” was at Sonchon. 15 miles away, where navy jets found holes in the clouds and bombed 10 buildings and a number of trucks. Altogether Allied aircraft destroyed 135 Red trucks in attacks along the Korean frdnt.' - U. N. commander Gen, Otto P. Weyland ordered all air attacks on the “freedom road’-’-area halted. He alerted pilots to watch for straying planes as well as Communist fighters. Allied officers assumed the first 20 trucks in the convoy of 68 Ooim munist vehicles left Chonma oft. the two-day. 200-mile . journey on v schedule at 6 a.m. Reconnaissance planes trying to track the convoy said they .could not see a single vehicle through the heavy cloud layer and predicted the line of trucks would npt be sighted until Wednesday. U. N? authorities were concern-. ed about the health of the return- \ ing prisoners because of the bad weather and’the condition of “freedom rohd.” ’ Communist authorities here did not have to worry about the comfort of Allied-held prisoners who wi|l be turned oyer to the Reds in next Monday’s exchange. They will ride in heated, clean hospital trains. The two-day trip to freedom was> expected to be a jolting ordeal because Allied bombers had pockmarked the highway during the past 33 months. But the U. N. base camp at MunSan and medical teams here yvere prepared to receive the prisoners and. provide them immediate care-, when they are exchanged next Monday. , ! • - , Helicopters and ambulances were waiting to take the released prisoners to the ! field hospital at Munsan and from there to the big modern hospitals in Japan. From Japan they vhll be flown to. the United States. * ' U. N) officers believed the Reds had stuck to their announced .schedule and dispatched the first convoy of 20 ambulances and trucks on its w’ay from Chonma at 4 p.m., e.s.t, Monday. Three additional , trucks were ScheduledUo join tjjem tonight in (Turn, T® Page Five) I' ' • , -i ' ' '

DECATUR DAH.Y DEMOCRAT

PTA Survey Cites Need Os Building First.PTA Survey ? Report fc Issued '■ ; ■; \ . , ) ! ' - A book of reports is being readied by the Lincoln P. T. A. on the seven surveys they have been working on for the past several months. At l the time the surveys were formulated the f Daily Democrat cooperated with' the P. T. A. by printing the surveys—in keeping with the previously stated policy of wide publicity for this particular project. Therefore, the findings of the'survey groups will likewise be published, ohe eaich day. . ' ■ II The first survey treated was “the building situation,” the committee on which includes: Dr. Jainefc M. Burk, chairman: Bryce Thomas, Charles Ehinger, Robert Andeyson and .Mrs, Chester Dalzell. ; ' !? ■'■ \. :d •?. Statistical data in the report is prefaced by a written statement of the committee’s estimate of the situation and maintains that: “The Lincoln schbol, which now houses the first six grades, wasI built in 1918 primarily as a high school building . . .to accomodate an estimated 250 students but now accomodates 60'1 grade plus 130 kindergarten “A ’survey of school facilities suggested 25 piipils per teacher as the desired average in order to gain the greatest amount of instruction and attention, for each student . . . Lincoln school now has a teach.er-pupil rat|o of 36, while the kindergarten has a ratio of 33J Kindergarten studens receive only one-half day Os instruction. ‘ J-'!!- t “Attached to the . I . report is a survey made by the Chamber of Commerce in 1951 of the average number of students per teacher in 14 cities of comparable site to Decatur in this’ state , . . With the building of an addition to school facilities in Portland, formerly the worst, Decatur 1 Has the dubious honor of- the worst teach-er-pupil ratio in the group. j Only , one other city, West\ Lafayette, occupied but one gifade school buijd-. ing as does Decatur. I (A graph of school registration) “show’s a 100 percent increase in the number of births, in Oecatijr since 1940. To 4his, number must be added the children of parents moving to this city during the past several" years." i\ The report goes on to show that of ’the 190 children enrolled in kindergarten, <SO will attend parochial schools next year—leaving 140 to enter the first grade of the city school. Also, there are approximately 10 children who have not gone to kindergarten who will go into the first grade, which brings the total entering the first grade to 150. The repdrt says there are three first 1 grade teachers. On the basis of the above, “each teacher will have the problem of attempting to teach an average of 50 first grade pupils?’ * The report recommends two additional first.... grade robms and teachers for the coming term. “This sarfie, overcrowded condifTnr® hf®. Page Klffkt) . v 1, 1 I ■ I

Sen. Tass Sees 10 Billion Cut In Defense Cost Senator Taft Calls for Investigation Os Military Cost SCHENECTADY, N. Y., Up — Sen. Robert A. Tgft said Moaday night he and President Eiseniower believe a complete reVamJp'ing of the! nation’s military program could lead to a! $10,000,Q00,00C reduction in defense spending by next year with a subsequent) tax cut. « | He called for a “complete impartial investigation" of military spending aimed at reducing t|ie defense bill from the present proposed $47,600,000,000 to “something like $37,0ff0,000,000.? A J President Eisenhower has avoided discission of actual figprefe in connection with plans to ttiml the military* budget. He has (spoken generally of getting rid of duplication and unnecessary expense without endangering national! security. ' ’ Taft outlined his long - range hopee for military economies! in an off-the-cuffj talk before a. “Fireedom Forum” meeting here. , He said he and Mr, Eisennohver agreed on a possible slo,o6\oj}oo,000 military spending cut during the election campaign last year. Taft told a press conference in Washington last Saturday the- administration hopes for a reduction of $4,000,00*0,000 in the present military budget.) Presumably \he feels a complete revamping of the military program could result in another $6,000,060,000 cut nfext year. I The present program Was “thbught up” by Gen. i Omar N. Bradley, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, and others, Taft said, and “maybe they’re right?’ “But I don’t think they are,”!he said, “tt a complete impartial investigation were to conclude that the present military program ( is necessary for our national security, then I would be willing [to change my mind.” He also charged that newspapers are contributing to dissension in the (Republican party that cojild *‘wre,ck the Eisenhower administration." Eastern newspapers,. !he said, .would like to ‘’throw out 50 percent of the Republican partly?’ “They condemned secretary lof state Dulles when he dismissed former ambassador to Russia George Kennan?’ he said.t “It Was simply a matter that Kennan believed in containment, and ifr. (Tar® To Seven) -. . i A- —) '• | INDIANA WEATHER Increasing cloudiness warmer tonight with showeri beginning late tonight or early • Wednesday. Wednesday and warmer with occasional showers. Low tonight 40-45 'north, 44-48 south. High Wednesday 55-60 north, 65-70 south. H J

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER Iff ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday, April 14, 1953.

Airliner Carrying 25 Persons Is Missing In Mountainous Area k ■. -. • ■■ —A i . _. . ■ L

G. 0. P. Tosses Cold Wafer On Tax Cut Move House Republican Leaders Oppose Reed Maneuver WASHINGTON UP — House Republican leaders threw cold water today on Rep. Daniel A. Reed’s latest maneuver to force a vote on his bill to cut hjcortie taxes. Rep. Charles A. Halleck, GOP floor leader, predicted. Reed will be unable to round up tjie 218 signatures he needs on his petition to . bring the measure to the floor right awajf. ? The House Republican policy committee scheduled a secret meetI Ing tlhis afternoon, Was expected to pass the wbro to GOP members to avoid signing Reed's petition. The bill w’ould reduce individual Income .taxes by almost 10 percent starting July 1. It has been bottled up in the house rules committed by the GOP leadership, because President Eisenhower insists that a tag. cut must w*it t iiutll a balanced budget is at.;least “inßighti’ chairmari ‘buttle 1 taxw.'tr-' ing ways & means jcompilttee. despaired of* getting a green light frorii the rules committee Monday and filed a formal “discharge petition.” If signed by 218 members —a majority of the full hotise membership — it Would enable Reed to by-pass the rules committed and brin\g tip his bill for a floor vote. TV . - He told the hou§6 in a one-miri-, ute speech ( that he; fiie<J the petition to give .all members who, lihe. himself) had “promised th£ voters, a tax cut” a chanrW to liVe up to" that pledge. ... ‘ ' i v? Lr - H , Mark Walker Guest Conductor Os Band Mark Walker composition teacher at ti e Jordan college of musid at BUtler wil> be guest conductor for the variety show of the Eecatur high school band and orchestra, to be presented at the high hcliool gym at 8 o’clock Frh day night. ' Walker will the local band in one of his own! compositions in the latter’s; first perform-; ance. Tie composition is later to be published. The Navy band in Wash ngtbn, D. C., hireently played; one cf his compositions. Walker served director of the sftth air force bt.nd during World War IT.;

— - ; L -— [Hospital Problems Are Discussed At Meeting

It was pointed out Mpnday, at meeting of the Adams county, memotfiap hospital board and the industrial division of the Chamber of (Commerce, that an additional six centk would have to be levied on the tax rate to pay off the $400,000 proposed addition to the hospital in £0 years. ' « This was one of the facts that came out during the two-hour meeting attended -by the three county commissioners, Harleyßeof, Lewis Worthman and Otto Hoffman; Dr. James M. .Burk, president of the Adams county medical society; and 32 tnehibers of the industrial: division of the.CC. ' \ 4, Present as the special guests of the group were Cal jE. Peterson, president of the hospital board, and thtee members, Dee ■Fryhack, Decatur,i Wilbert Nussbaum, Berne, and Leister Stucky, Geneva. Peterson opened his remarks immediately with regard to the recent announcement that the hospital board was seeking petitioners for the addition to the Adapts county hospital estimated to cost $400,000. | ; \ '■ ;■ Said Peterson: “People are more hospital-minded these days and are more aware of crowded condi-

Offer Cheap Butter For Armed Forces Report Offer Made By Ag Department WASHINGTON, UP —The agriculture department has offered to '•ell the armed forces 50,000.000 popnds of surplus butter at a price “competitive with” margarine, it was disclosed today. !E. M. Norton, director of the department’s dairy lunch, told a houke agriculture subcommittee the offer was submitted to ; the Pentagon earlier- this week. He said there has l>een no reply. He said the offer was calculated to provide the armed forces with additional butter. -Congressmen from dairy states have been insisting that some bf the surplus butter piling up under the department's price support program lie fed the armed forceri. The departinent is paying about G 5 cents a pound for the butter wholesale to prop prices. It has urchased\ more than 143,04)0.000 pounds of butter. ' The arnjy quartermaster has been 'buying margarine for' less than 20 cents a pound. As ai result of the price spread, the armed forces had been consuming as margarine as butter. ??WMon gave no Estimates of the proposed below cost sale price. However, if the department were to sell the butter to the armed for<es\ at margarine prices, it would mean a loss of mote than >20,000,000 to the Agriculture department. ) ix-fkibcommittee chaiymah August H. Andresen, R-Minn., said taxpayers would not complain if the department gave the butter to the army without charging any- ; thing for it so that American Gl’s can have butter. Agriculture secretary Ezra T. Benson told the subcommittee the administration should be given .sweeping powers to curb irpports ot dairy products and other farm products when their, prices are propped' above rural levels. Assistant secretary of state Harold F. Linder was called to testify later today. The subcommittee sought. to clarify the administration’s stand on farm trolsBoth departments have recommended dropping of controversial section 104 of ths expiring deTense production act —bnder which shipments of foreign dairy products and fats and oils are currently restricted. But they don’t seem to agree on the alternatives. vi ■ ' ■V ' ' • \ r !,.:

tions when they arise . . . formerly, when only one person would take treatment at the hospital, today 20 persons seek it.” \ He pointed oul that the state board of public health recommends for hospials four and half', beds per thousand population ana th-i local hospital is operating at approximately one-half that number its 50-bed capacity. He added that the planned 50-bed increase would bring the local institution up to the recoihmended number. The group was told that 71 are now employed at- the hospital and agreed that a number of additional employes would have to be taken on if the addition goes through. In' connection with this, the question was raised later about how well fitted the 'hospital was ip the matter of hiring new people. Peterson admitted that this was a weak point in the hospital organization and the new addition would be accompanied Iby a marked improvement in procedure, as far as augmenting the payroll is concerned. A category of discussion was devoted to finance and patients: Peterson denounced the crowded conditions at the hospital which H f Turn To pace El*ht)

Chinese Build Defense Line At Yalu River . - \ Powerful Defense Position Built At Manchuria Border TOKYO UP —The Chinese Communists have completed construction of powerful defense line at ttu» yalu River, borderline between Korea and Recording to in the bands of United Nations intelligence officers. , Some top United Nations command officials here believe the completion of tlje line may explain why the Communists now seem ready to resume peace talks. Intelligence officers point out the line could be used either for defense or as a springboard for futurri aggression if the Reds could get U. N. forces to pull out of Korea. Secret reports from Red China, now undef study at the- headquarters of Gen. Maik W. Clark, U. N. commander, give the details of the line as follows: \ 1— -The work was carried out under the direction of Kao Kaqg, a high ranking military and political 1 figure in northeast China. 2 — Plans for the project were prepated by Russian supervisors and ; technical experts. \ 3— More than 200,00 G semi- military and civilian workers were conscripted to furnish the than power. 4— The line extends along the Chinese side of the Yalu facing North Korea, and runs on d6w\i to Dairen at .the’end of the Kwantung Peninsula. ' \ | ‘ . 5 — It consists of dug-in positions, underground storage areas and headquarters including shelters designed to withstand atomic bomb attacks. officials; believe the Russian Communists prodded the Chiheise Reds to build the line during the long deadlock in truce talks, having convinced them the United (T.rn To p»ae Kt«ht) Monmouth Graduate Exercises May 20 38 Will Graduate At Monmouth High Monmouth high school will graduate 38 seniors at their commencement exercises May 20, a school spokesman announced. They are: Mary Andrews, Frederick Bienz, Jeanette Fuhrman, Eugene Blume, Darlene Bohnke, Janet Brinker, Willis Bulmahp, Shirley Butler. Thomas Buuckp, Ethel Cook, Tom Drew, Olive Davis, Richard Elzey, Marvin Fasf, Dorothy Fleming, Shirley Gerke’, Jerry Grandstaff, Mary Harkless. Gary Harvey, Ida Kiess, Nancy Kirsch. Melvin Krueckeberg, Betty Mary Lehman, William Ostermeyer, Caroline Owens,' Ila -Schaefer, Richard Schleferatein, Mary Ann, Sdlking. Norbert Selking. Faith Arin Settlage, George Sonner, Jr.', Lois Suman, Marilyn Thieme, Alice Werling and Dorothy Witte. The bacdalureate ceremony will be held li but the name of the speaker is| not yet available. The name of the commencement speaker has likewise not been announced. \ ' ■ Nine At Jefferson Nine seniors of Jefferson high school will graduate at the school May 7. it was announced today by k high school spokesman. They are? Glen Gerber, Patricia Kelly, Barbara Lehman, Imogene Miller, Dixie Swan, James Patch, Frank Wellmap, Robert Switzer and Donald Charleston. Dr. Tennyson Gpyer of Findlay, , 0., will speak at the commencement exercises while at the baccalaureate ceremonies, May 3, the Rev. L Pritchard Amstutz, a member of the Jefferson high faculty, will give the address. -v . ii. ■■

Delay Resolution To Confine Talks UN Resolution By West Is Delayed UNITED NATIONS, N. Y. UP —'the western powers today delayed introduction in the United Nations political committee of a resolution designed to confine the Korean armistice talks to Pamnunj°m. ' h , ■ ' The resolution, which had been expected to be presented 'this morning iby Brazil, ran into drafting corriplications -wheh some countries was understood to be th e chief one—objected that in its present form the measure., was too involved. I ißaokstage negotiations! continued ag ithe political committee pressed forward with its deibate on Poland’s propaganda-packed “peace” proposal—which the western measure had been designed largely to counteract. The Polish omnibus measure contains proposals repeatedly rejected >by west. ) ‘ Diplomats said there rwas a possibility that tlie original western measure would be' revised in >ime for it to Jbe presented formally at this afternoon’s committee session. The western resolution would ‘ permit the general assembly to recess late this week and be ready ou short notice to reconvene for con- ’ sideration of Korea’s political future if an armistice is negotiated at Pa&munjom. » Labor Trouble Slows Production Os Autos Ford And Chrysler Production Slowed DETROIT ’UP — jAuto and truck production at Ford Motor Co. was cut in half by a key supplier plant strike and Chrysler Corp, stopped assean bly of Plynu outhi, Dodge and DeSoto cars here because of labor trouble.. Inj all, more than 45,500 employes of the two giant auto firms werp idle, iwith 30.000 of the laid off workers employed by Ford. Moss layoffs at Chrysler appeared imminent. The Ford strike was the most serious. A 14-day walkout by workers at Ford's Monroe, Mich., parts plant may eventually idle more than 70,00 workers- because of part? shortages. Twenty truck drivers at, Chrys ler were responsible for laying off 15,500 workers at the company’s Detroit plants. The drivers set up picket lines protesting the company takiijg its Alies from „a strikebound supplier firm to prevent a shortage of 'body mouldings. This, stopped final assembly and some other operations at DeSoto. Dodge I and Plymouth. Chrysler division continued operating but it was doubtful production could continue ibeyond nightfall. I Negotiations between Ford and Local 723 of the CIO United Auto workers adjourned late Monday with no progress reported. The talks were to be resumed at Mop<Tnrn T. Pawe Flref Ex-Portland Mayor » Is Taken By Death PORTLAND, Ind. UP —j Cyrus 0. Mitchell, 78, Republican mayor of Portland from 1917 to 1922, will be buried Wednesday. Mitchell wag president of the Portland Silo Co. when he died Monday He was principal of Port-A land high school for nine years, starting in I BULLETIN Sylvester Smith, 80, of Plea» • ant Mills, died at 2 o’clock this afternoon at the Adame county memorial hospital. The body { 1 was removed to the Zwick funeral home. Funeral arrangements have not been complex

Price Five Cents

Charter Plane Was Carrying Military Men Airliner Presumed Down In Cascades East Os Seattle BULLETIN / SEATTLE, Wash. UP—The „ wreckage of a Miami Airlines plane missing in the towering Cascade Mountains with 25 persons aboard was found shortly before noon today near SeHeck, Wash., 50 miles east of here. The wreckage was spotted • by a Washington state board of aeronautics search plane. The message said simply: “Wreckage found near ' leek.” There was no indication of the fate of the 25 aboard SEATTLE. Wash. (UP) — A inilitary-cbartered Miami Airlines plane, believed to be carrying £."> persons, was missing and presumed down today in the rugged Cascade Mountains east of here. The civil aeronautics administration said the plane, en route to* Seattle from Spokane, . wag carrying 22 military passen- . gers and three crewmen I Two other crew members, L. L. Brannan and O. T. Thorson, home, towns unknown, debarked from the craft at Fargo, D.. Monday night. Brannan was a pilot and Thorsbn a co-piloL 1 Thel military passengers, according to airline officials, were picked, up in Washington and Scranton. Pa. Their destination was Seattle. The CAA said the craft “probab- ' ly was down nbar or west of Stampede Pass” in the Cascades almut. 5G miles east of here. Thirteen planes from air force, coast guard and, civilian fields were searching for the lost craft. Capt. A. J. Lerettet Jr.. Miami, pilot, told the Seattle control tower “one engine is gone, the wings are beginning to ice up arid we re losing altitude.” ,1 In addition to Captain Leretfe. crew members were W. E. Harshman, Miami, co-pilot, and Adra Long, stewardess. , Airline officials said the names of possengers would have to com© from “military authorities.” The CAA said the plane left Fargo. N. D„ Monday night and made subsequent stops at Billings, Mont., and Spokane. Wash. The plane arrived at Felts Field in Spokane at midnight for refueling. Frank Girimlt. who “gassed up” the craft, said there was, no indication that anything was wrong with the plane. He said it took off immediate# after refueling at 12:35 a. m. PST.. and that the pilot expected to arrive at Boeing Field at Seattle at 2:10. Chinese Prisoners In Pusan Wednesday 500 Sick, Wounded Arrive Wednesday PUSAN, Korea UP—Some 500 sick and wounded Chiense Communist prisoners of war arrive in Pusan Wednesday on the first leg of their return trip to the -bamboo Curtain. | A G. S. navy LST will dbek here with a load of prisoners from Cheju Island. They will be taken to prison camp No. 2 on the outskirts of Pusan. They will-stay .there until they board a hospital train later this week for the trip north of Mtinsart, the U. N. base camp, j Their trip will be sheer luxury, compared to the accommodations . provided for 600 Allied prisoners who started moving southward from the Yaju River today. •Seven hnildred Chinese will be returned to the Communists. Some already are receiving medical (Tara Te Fa** sight)