Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 51, Number 108, Decatur, Adams County, 7 May 1953 — Page 1

Vol. LI. No. 108.

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* F ,T E . R SE fT °v N ?- 4190 ‘ ton British steamer. Duke of York, its bow sheared off in a preP l On *’ h the ?• S : tran€ P° Pt Haiti Victory in the North Sea, is towed toward Harwich. Engaml. lour passengers aboard the Duke of York are known dead, and scores were injured, but a major safely ashore rOUSh h€r ° lc rescue efforts of crews of both ships.

United States Speeding Aid For Thailand Congressmen Ask Bold Action Token To Stem Red Tide A WASHINGTON. UP—The United States sped arms aid to Com-munist-threatened Thailand today as aroused members of congress demanded bold action to stem the Red tide in Southeast Asia. Senators of both parties called on secretary of state John Foster Dulles for a public accounting of administration plans to meet the danger posed by Communist invasion of Laos, tiny Indo-China kingdom which is the gateway to Thailand, Burma and all the rich nat- ■ Ural resources of the Malay Peninsula. Reports of a Red withdrawal in Laos were received here with soms skepticism. Having already branded the Laos invasion “straight cut aggression.” U. S. officials were tn no mood to forget the whole incident just because of a tactical shift by Communist forces. ‘ 1 Mounting concern in both the legislative and executive branch brought these rapid fire developments: & Thailand Ambassador Pote Sarasin announced after a conference with Dulles that sniaH arms ammunition—“what we need most”— is being rushed to his country from U. S. bases in the Far East. Chairman William F. Knob'land, R-Calif., of the senate Republican policy said the administration should consider use of American air’ and naval power in Southeast Asia ‘‘if it is determined that our national interests require such action to deter further aggression." Sen. Mike Mansfield. Mont., a Democratic member of the senate foreign relations committee, demanded to know “what our policy is going to be if the Reds move into Thailand . . are we going to ‘let the dust settle’ or are we going to take action?" Under sharp questioning by members of the senate foreign relations committee Wednesday. Dulles declined to say specifically What the administration’s policy will be if the Communists resume their invasion of Laos and c/oss into Thailand. He said it would not be wise to discuss the matter publicly. ' i \ On the house side of Capitol Hill there also were expressions of -concern. Rep. James E. Van Zandt, RPa., called for direct military ac- (,’ tion against Communist China as the only way to settle both the Indo-Chinese and Korean wars. Rep. John M. Vorys, R-0., a ranking foreign affairs committee member, called for "prompt” U. N. action on Indo-China, adding that if the aggression was officially condemned by the U. N. “then participation of our air force would be a token of our resistance.’’ A four-man bouse foreign affairs subcommittee headed by Rep. Chester Merrow, R-N. H., (Tun To Pose Seven* Seven Persons Die In Chilean Quake SANTIAGO, Chile UP —Central Chile dug out today from the rubble left by an earthquake that - killed at least seven persons, injured more than 100 and inflicted heavy damage on two cities. In Concepcion alone, damage was estimated at $1,600,000.

DECATUR DA ILY DEMOCRAT ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY I ■ 1 '• - ■ -■— ■ ■ • I i ; :i. •' ....,? I .

Four Persons Dead In Sea Crash

No Indictment By Jury Against Helm No Indictment was returned by the Van Wert county grand jury against James Herbert Helm, 24, of this city, charged with involuntary manslaughter in the highway traffic death of Eldron Preston, Pleasant township farmer. Helm had been held for grand jury action after he had pleaded not guilty to the charge. The accident occurred three miles south of Convoy on April 17. Helm’s car struck a farm tractor on which Preston was riding. Charge Stassen Is Suppressing Critical Report Congressmen Claim Stassen Suppresses Reports On Survey | \ WASHINGTON ) UP — Republican congressmen today accused mutual security director Harold E. Stassen of suppressing a critical report by 55 business leaders who surveyed the U. S. foreign aid program at his request. They charged that the report is “embarrassing” to Stassen because it recommended sharp cuts in the aid program and called for abolishing Stassen’s mutual security agency. Stassen, who scheduled a closeddoor meeting with the business survey team today, admitted in testimony before the senate foreign relations committee Wednesday that some members of ; the group had called for shifting foreign aid functions to the state department. Both Stassen and secretary of state John Foster Dulles oppose this idea. But Stassen said that the $5,800,I OOO.OOd aid program which President Eisenhower submitted to congress this week was in line with the business leaders recommendations. The program represents a cut of $1,800,000,000 from former President Truman’s budget, j The dispute arose as the senate and house foreign relations committees continued separate closeddoor hearings on Mr. Eisenhower's aid program. Defense Charles E. Wilson was called, before the senate group and Gen. i Omar N. Bradley, chairman of the I joint chiefs of staff, before the house group. The administration earlier this year announced creation of 55-man ■ survey group to get ideas from I leading businessmen on how the ' foreign aid program should be han- , died. The group, headed by Clari ence Francis, chairman of the board of General Foods Corp., went overseas in February in 11 teams to 14 countries. I They reported back to President i Eisenhower March 24. But nothing : has been officially announced on , their findings. Rep. John M. Vorys R-O. charged that Stassen is deliberately withholding the report because it recommends that the mutual security agency be abolished and the foreign aid program be taken over by the state department. Vorys, a member of the housv foreign affairs committee, said the committee has 1 l^een,. able to 1 get reports of only three of the 11 survey teams and these are classified secret. Chairman Charles B. Brownson R-Ind. of a house government operations subcommittee called on Stassen to tell the subconnhittee about the businessmen’s recommendation! and what Stassen [intends to do with them.

Three Warships Are Damaged By Red Batteries t American Warships Continue To Pound At* East Coast Port 1 SEOUL, Korea UP — The navy disclosed today that Communist shore batteries have hit and damaged i three U. S. warships since Saturday (while the vesels were bombarding Wonsan on the Korean east coast. .“ Ships including the (battleship (Netw' Jersey blasted the port again today, using radar - controlled aiming devices to pump shell after shell into the battered cdty. j The navy said the cruiser Bremerton -was hit during the daylong attack on Wonsan Tuesday. Damage apparently (Was slight, as the -Bremerton was\.in the attacking force again today. Two destroyers were damaged Saturday. Radio Pyongyang, voice of North Korea, said coastal guns sank an American destroyer yesterday off Songjin on the northeast coast. The navy said it had no such report. The Bremerton and the destroyer Twining opened up shortly after dawn today and were Joined an hour later by the New Jersey. The Bremerton reported setting off at lekst one big secondary explosion in the target area. • Weather closed in shortly’before, noon, forcing the ship to fire at radar-selected targets. The -bombardment was halted shortly after noon. Air and ground action remained light. •Clouds hampered fifth air force dperatlons, although F-86 Sabrejets destroyed an estimated 26 buildingat a troop center at Singye. Other iSabres -patrolled the southern fringe of MIG alley without sighting an enemy plane. (Lt. Gen. Glenn O. Barcus, fifth air -force commander, linked the absence of Red jets in iMUG alley to Gen. Mark W. Clark's SIOO,OOO reward offered for delivery of one of the planes. ; Marine Corsairs set off five fires in a troop and supply area 10 miles northeast of Chunf&wa and four -Sabres dropped -bomibi on two railroad bridges southeast -of Samdoing without observing results. During the night B-29 Superforts bombed a 130-acre troop and supply area at Tokchan. 28 miles northeast ot Sinanju without meeting enemy opposition in the air or from the ground. # The "navy said planes from the carriers Princeton and Valley Forge flew 186 sorties against targets in North Korea Wednesday, most o-f them against an* 3 important mining area northwest of Songjin. Haley Funeral Rites Here Friday Morning Private funeral services Will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at the Gillig & Doan funeral home for Nate Haley, Decatur man who was killed Saturday night When struck by two cars while walking along U.S. highway 27 near Decatur. Burial will be in the Decatur cemetery. There will be no viewing of the body. O — o 12 PAGES

Decatur, Indiana, Thurs day. May 7, 1953.

Communist Proposal On War Prisoners To Be Carefully Studied

No Comment On Plan By White House American Officials Begin Close Study Os Reds' Proposal WASHINGTON UP — The White Houtee refused to say anything today about the Communists’ latest Korean truce proposals as AmerlcaQ officials began a “careful look” at them. Diplomatic officials were chary of comment pending full official study of the Reds’ eight-point plan. There was some disposition; however, to hope the Communists finally were swinging around to a position the United Nations could consider. White Houke press Secretary James C. Hagerty was asked about ths new Communist proposals shortly after Sen. Ralph E. Flanders R-Vt. coirferred with President Eisa Korean peace plan which Flanders suggested many months ago. 1 Flanders himself skid he thought the latest Red proposals might lead to a cease-fire. But be added that a genuine armistice is the least “we can accept." The White House "no comment" was typical of the cautious attitude of official Washington. Congressional* ■ leaders were inclined tq suspect the Reds’ intentions. Chairman Dewey Short RMo. of the house armed services committee and chairman W. Sterling Cole R-N.Y. of the house-sengte atomic energy committee were among the dubious ones. Cole said the Communists’ plan looks good enough on its face “If they mean it." nßut,” he added, “I know they don’t mean it,” Experts said the procedure now will be for U. JS. officials to study the Communist plan carefully, read the record of the Panmunjom truce meetings, and then draft a replypresumably after consulting with other Allied nations. U. N. negotiators previously had rejected this idea as being merely an indefinite postponement of the key problem blocking an armistice. • ’I ' 11 ’. '** • y . '-J ? ' Logansport Youth Is Killed in Accident LOGANSPORT, Ind. UP — Norman Mendenhall, 19. died Wednesday night after being Injured in an auto crash on Ind. 17. Mendenhall was riding with four other Logansport youths when their auto smashed into a teletphone pole two mile* north of here Tuesday night. The other four -were injured. ;- • i Four Persons Dead In Ship Collision Report Thtee Are Possibly Missing HARWICH, England UIP — The -bodies of a girl, a woman and a man were (brought ashore today from the stern half of the British steamship Duke of York, wrecked Wednesday in a collision With an American freighter. Tugs nudged the/ stern of the vessel into dock here. The bow had been torn away in the collision (with the Haiti Victory. X fourth victim, Mrs. Margo Ansdell of died in a hospital here after 'being pulled the wreckage, -j. At least 15 persons were injured, including Dowager Marchioness of Exmouth and U S air force Ist'Lt. Donald Barker, hometown unknown. Three ‘ others may be missis*, although the confusion Involved in getting rescued passengers ashore -made the exact count underlain. At least 4-87 persons were known safe. ■

Urge Extension Os Reciprocal Trade Farm Organizations Ask For Extension WASHINGTON. UP — The American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Grange today urged congress to extend the reciprocal trade act for one year ■without change. The present act will expire June 12. Spokesmen sor 4 the two big farm organizations told the house ways and means committee they share President Eisenhower’s view that the law' should be extended while a special commission surveys foreign economic pblicy. John C. Lynn, Farm Bureau legislative director, said the organization is “not satisfied with the language of the present act' or with its administration.” f He added, hpwever, “We believe that a one-year extension should be provided in order that a thorough study can be made not only of this program, but also the entire set of problems involved In pur foreign economic relations and policies.” National Grange master Herschel D. Newsom said his organization has long sought a broad study of foreign economic policy. “We must reverse our approach to trade among nations,’* he said. : “Instead of seeking to limit or prevent foreign goods from coming into America by raising tariff rates, imposing quotas, etc M let us start with the existing restrictions and work the other way. Let’s gradually modify these practices in the right direction and under a sound and constructive formula.” Amateurs Compete At Spring Festival Talent Hunt Nights May 18 To 23 the kmateur contest, sponsored, by Decatur’s retail merchants faring the spring festival May inclusive, have been revealed by the contest committee. Contests will be held each of the six nights. Opening night, Monday, May 18, will be band night, and all competing will form a parade, and Judging will take place as each band passes the judges’ stand. j Tuesday through Friday nights will be “talent hunt" nights, and the yinners on these four nights will compete for final awards Saturday night. Cash prizes will be given the winners of .first, second and third awards each night, with the grand prize to the final winner on Saturday night. Merchants have set aside $450 as cash prizes. \ All amateur groups* and individuals in the Decatur trading area are urged to participate in the band night and talent hunt, with the acts or performances for the talent hunt contest not to exceed 10 minutes in length. (Amateurs will be defined as those people who make a substantial part of their livelihood in other than the entertainment field). Acts may consist of pantomine, plays, dialogue, dances and/or music. Acts running over 12 minutes will be penalized. Performers must furnish alt costumes and special properties required for tlfeir acts. All properties should be planned for speedy staging. Dressing rooms and a piano will be provided by the sponsors. \ The judges’ decision in awarding prizes is final. No liability in any way is assumed tor accidents or /▼an* TW Pawe SImI Loses Control Os Truck, Man Killed MADISON, Ind. UP — iEverett J. Hedrick, 54, Holton, was killed Wednesday when he lost control over his corn-laden truck after his brakes failed on Ind. 7. Authorities said the truek skidded >3O feet after turning over. L

Gen. Twining Named Chief Os Air Force Nominated By Ike I As Successor To i General Vandenberg ’WASHINGTON UP — President Eisenhower today nominated Gen. N|than F. Twining to be chief of staff of the air force for a twoyear term, succeeding Gen. Hoyt S. VaMenberg. Jt - was Mr. Eisenhower’s first change in the joint chiefs of staff. Later this year, the army chief of; staff, Gen. Lawton Colins, and th£ chairman of the joint chiefs, Omar N. Bradley, also are to bet replaced. \ Earlier today, the air force announced that Vandenburg would be retired from service on June 30. i’wining is now the ain force’s vide chief of stgff. Gen. "Thomas D. White was nominated to succeed Twining as vicje chief of staff with the rank of general while serving in this poat. Twining was graduated from Point in I#lß and entered the arftiy. air corps in 1935. He commkndled the 13th air force in the Pacific during 1*42 «n 4 4a MM took over command of the 15th aiu force and the Mediterranean allied strategic air force, a position he held until July, 1945. Before becoming vice chief of staff. Twining also served as commander in chief of Alaskan defense forces. Twining’s appointment as head of the air force will be effective when Vandenberg’s term expires June 30. Xis force secretary Harold E. Talbott said in a letter to Vandenberg “We have discussed the circumstances that prompt your action, and with reluctance Lacquiesce (n your request.” Vandenberg gave no reason for requesting retirement in a letter to Talbott dated April 27. Vandenberg, who is 54, underwent a major abdominal operation last s year. Vandenberg said in his letter to Talbott that by June 30 he will hav£ had more than 34 years of military service and will have served more than five years as air forcb chief of staff and as a mem-, her »f the joint chiefs of staff. ) j ,-p — County Council In Special Session \ Meet On Per Diem Pay To Officials The-Adams county council met in special session at the county auditor’s office today to consider emergency appropriations for the per diem voted in iby this year’s session of the state legislature. The; total amount for the year will Jbd and will (be split up among almost every department in the county, moat Os which are already getting a per diem with the bounty auditor naw permitted .to draw his first per diem, at 50 cents a day. \ . iCdunty auditor Frank Kitson told the council that the maximum amount of salary permitted for deputies was $175 a month and the -salary now being paid them was Inadequate. He said that after taxes the money came out to about $T25.a month and it was difficult for |hfe county to compete with privae salaries on an open basis. Kitson said he wag bringing it up <because he expected his deputy, Mrs. Mary Drew, to be leaving soon; which was confirmed by her, and he would need another deputy to take her place. j Also, said the auditor, Mias Imogene? McFarland, the clerk’s deputy, (would. a>e leaving iChat capacity since she was expecting to get married.

U. S. Steel, Union Plan Negotiations To Meet May 14 On Wage Boost Demands PITTSBURGH t’P — Negotiations between U. S, Steel Coip. and <the CIO United Steelworkers on the union’s demand for a general wage increase will open ’3|hy 14, a week from today. ( The company was the first to notify the union that it was: ready to discuss the union's demand. A USW spokesman said similar*: meetings with the other IbasizH steel companies would be set up ‘‘within a few days.” k However, U. iS. Steel, which produces one third the nation's steel, is traditionally the union’s prime target and it! usually set th© pattern f&r the industry. John A.- Stephens. U. *S.$ Steel vice president-industrial reUitions, notified the union Wednesday that h© and 34 other company representatives were re’ady to meift the union next Thursday. USW President David J. McDonald quickly accepted. / Although official union confirmation on the size of the expected boost Is lacking, it was speculated ths USW will seek increases rang-! ing from 10 to 15 cents an hour. Already the industry has shown signa ctf \ stiff opposition to the union’s wage demands. A spokesman recently claimed the demand* were unjustified. He warned that if Wages were increased, the'boost (would be followed by increases in already high steel cost. \ Formal notification by the union April 28 that if intended seeking a general wage Increase fbr its 1.200,000 members automatically set June 30 as the date fpr ah industry-wide strike if agreement cannot (be reached. The <pay increase demand followed a meeting in A<tlantic City, N. J., of the union's wage-policy committee. \ The wage increase was a major point in a far-reaching (program <T»r« Ta Page Five) Forget-Me-Not Sale Friday And Saturday Disabled War Vets Sponsor Sale Here The annual sale of fbrget-me-nots by Adams county chapter number 91. Disabled American Veterans, will start Friday morning with members of the chapter and the auxiliary convassing all Decatur industries. On Saturday, the members, auxiliary members and Decatur [Gift Scouts, will sell the little |>lue flowers on the streets of Decgtur, Berne and Geneva. . , i $ James Halberstadt, first juhior vice-commander of the local chapter, made the following statement in regards to the annual drive; for funds: “The need for funds to aid in the rehabilitation of War Veterans is far greater today than at any time since World War 11. Korean veterans are being discharged with serious disabilities, without being permitted to file compensation claims or without disability retirement pay. ‘The DAV helps the disabled veteran adjust himself to civilian life and aids him in obtaining rights and privileges under existing laws. More than 250 veterans were aided by chapter 91 in the last year and requests are received from others every day. ‘This is why the local chapter is asking the wholehearted support and cooperation of the public during the flower sale this week." INDIANA WEATHER Partly cloudy tonight. A scattered Showers east agd south portions. Friday fair to partly cloudy. Not much change In tomperaturoo. LoW tonight 46-52. High Friday 6s- -

Price Five Cents

May Be Major Concession In Truce Parleys Propose Anti-Red Prisoners Turned To Neutral Group PANMUNJOM, Korea. UP — A Communist proposal that anti-Red wan prisoners be kept in Korea in custody of five neutral nations pending their final disposition was sent to Washington today for (high-level instructions. Communist truce team chief Gm. Nam 11, in what appeared to . I l>e- a major concession, proposed that Sweden, Switzerland, Toland. Czechoslovakia and India take I,! charge of those prisoners who re- * fuse to go back to their Red-ruled '/ homelands. ' > United Nations negotiators regarded, Nam’s eight-point proposal as so important that they asked for a recess until Saturday in the truce talks so they could refer it to Washington for a decision. Nam’s proposal bowed <6 two major United Nations demands on disposition of 46,060 anti-Commu-nist prisoners held by the Allies and practically accepted the old Indian plan adopted by the U. N. general assembly in New York last Dec. 8 and then rejected , byRussia and four of her satellites. Lt. Gen. William K. Harrison, chief U. N. negotiator, called a one-day recess until II a. m. Saturday. (10 p. m . E.D.T. Friday) in • order to forward the proposition to Washington through Gen. Mark W.\Clark. supreme United Nations commander in the Far East, j • Harrison said Nam’s proposal “merits consideration. careful thought.” Only one of Nam’s points. No. 6, might erect a stumbling block, a It would permit a political confer- » ence to determine the fate of prisoners who. after a specified length of time, still do not want to go . home. This could eventually lead • to forcing the prisoners to return to Nbrth Korea or Communist China, an Issue which the U.N. has refused: to accept and which led to the breakoff of truce talks last Oct. 8. Nam’s pew plan, which backed down on the prisoner transportation issue, included the following pointy: J 1. Prisoners insisting on repatriation must be returned to their own flags immediately after an armistice, with the remainder staying in Korea under e five-na-tion neutral commission for four months while “explanations” are made to assure them of “peace- • ful life’’ in their own country. 2. The armistice group would/ consist of Sweden, Switzerland, Poland. Czechoslovakia and India, the latter serving as neutral custodian of prisoners unwilling to return to Communism. 3. The commission shall take custody of prisoners “at the original places of detention" —Korea —with the member nations each providing an equal number of armed troops to take custody. ' 4. Within a limit of four months, the Reds will be allowed to send personnel to the “original places; of detention" to “explain” to- all prisoners in order to eliminate their fears and inform them . of all matters relating to their return. 6. Those prisoners desiring repatriation shall be returned by the repatriation commission to their countries within four months with the commission and both sides settling administrative dekails. 6. Prisoners stHl tn custody of the commission shall be disposed of through consultation by the political conference in accordance with paragraph €O, article TV of the armistice agreement. 7.. “Nations to which they belong” shell pay custody and traveling expenses of the prisoners. 8. The prisoners shall he told <Tera Ts Pace Five)