Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 52, Number 30, Decatur, Adams County, 5 February 1954 — Page 1

Vol. LIL No. 30.

U. S. Charges Reds Seek To Extend Sphere Western Big Three To Reject Russian Plans For Germany BERLIN, UP — The United States today accused Russia of attempting, in the Big Four foreign ministers’ conference, to push the Soviet sphere frontier westward from the Elbe to the Rhine River. . That', Soviet foreign minister V. M. Molotov was told, was the west’s reaction to the Kremlin blueprint he presented Thursday for reuniting Germany. U. 8. secretary of state John Foster Dulles warned Molotov that "it is late, but not too late" to seriously try to reach an agreement on Germany. His remarks were viewed as a hint the west might be getting ready to pull out of the conference. Molotov, In Thursday’s discouraging conference session, rejected the west's piosposals for free allGerman elections as a first step toward reuniting the divided country. — ■ Instead, Molotov proposed formation of a provisional all-German government, before elections are , held and withdrawal of all occupation troops prior to the election. TJ>h, the west said,., would be the equivalent of an invitation to the Communists to gobble up all Germany. The western Big Three foreign ministers agreed, prior to the opening of today's formal conference session, to reject the Soviet "peace” and elections plan. The three Western foreign ministers held a noon meeting at the British high commissioner’s residence to prepare their replies to Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav M. Molotov’s German proposals They agreed that: 1. The five-point plan put forMild by Molotov acceptable In every way and must be rejected outright 2. The east-west deadlock on Germany is so complete that there no longer is any hope of reaching agreement in the present conference on German unity or a peace treaty. 3. The west will refuse any face-saving device such as turning over the Molotov plan to experts for further discussion, if the Russians should make such apropos- - al. . - —— Molotov’s impossible demands and the west's refusal to consider them meant that the Big Four foreign ministers’ conference was all but dead. z A high conference source said the time had come for finding a graceful way to tell Molotov that further debate on German unification was useless at this time. Galling off the conference, the source said, could not be done easily. "The most difficult part of (Continued on I’nare Five) 1 ' Rebel Troops Push Near Laos Capital Observers Indicate Capital Is Doomed HANOI. Indochina, UP — Com munist .troops pushed to within 4S miles of the royal Laotian capital of Luang Prabang today and mill tary observers indicated the city was doomed. The Reds swept southward in a three-pronged drive spread over a ragged 60-mile jungle front, taking four French Union strongpoints in four days. . / ’ ’ Theee were Muong Khoua and Muong Ngoi in the Namou Valley. Ban Nam Bac southwest of Muong Ngoi, and Muong Sai, a road junction tfU miles west of Muong Hgoi. Thus far. <the French Union forces have engaged the Reds only in rearguard actions. Military sources said Col. Jean de , Crevecoeur, commanding French units in Prabang. planned to wait until the enemy had extended himself before engaging in a full scale battle. News of bitter fighting between the French rearguards and advancing rebel patrols was received in Hanoi despite a strict French security blackout. Elsewhere, the fighting was quiet but reports now being correlated showed that there have been serious defections among native troops fighting with th# French. Observers said at least 40 Viet Nam outposts have been lost. to the Reds ’ through desertion or treason.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Rabid Dogs Peril Chicago Area ■ I . htaj?'-- | OT w i> - 43 . z ... "W' '• • z n* -. uTaiM.yn — nsu ■ liwhwaAiMl ONE OF 18 in the Chicago area known to have been bitten by rabid dogs in the last two days, little Peter O’Brien. 3, lies in a hospital cot undergoing treatment to ward off hydrophobia. Stray dogs in a wide area of the city are now subject to destruction by orders of .city authorities.

American Who Eluded Reds Enroute Home Fled Czech Prison, . Eluded Capture By Reds For 21 Months MUNICH, Germany “(UP )—John Hvasta. 26-year-old American who fled a Czechoslovak prison and eluded capture by the Communists for 21 months, left for his Hillside, N. J„ home today via Zurich. Switzerland and London. The hero of a fantastic adventure behind the Iron Curtain, left here at 12:45 p. m. in a Swiss air liner. Among those bidding him farewell was Jaroslav Bures, one of five other anti-Communists who escaped with him from the grim Leopoldov prison in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia. ,’Hvaata was due to fly from London ’SBEiJ p. -m. London time for New York, due at. Idlewild International Airport Saturday morning. Still nervous after his ordeal, Hvasta refused to talk to the 30 newsmen and photographers gathered to see him off,.despite a press conference which the American consulate had arranged. • Hvasta exchanged Ohly a few words with newsmen who attempted to interview him at Zurich. Smiling broadly, he said, -TH when- I get home, boys. Let me come to my senses first. I feel very well, and it goes without saying that I am glad to be going home.’’ The young Czech-born, naturalized American had served in the navy and/then gone back to Czechoslovakia to study under the GI bill of rights. The Reds had sentenced him to prison as a spy. With his companions, he had escaped through a hole in the prison wall. For 21 months he had eluded the Communist secret police. Last Oct; 2. he had managed to slip into the American embassy in Prague. There he had been sheltered until, by negotiation with the Red government, he was permitted to leave Thursday. ’Hvasta chatted in the airport lounge with his old cellmate Bures. The other passenger boarded the plane. The loud speaker announced the >lane was about to take off. Hvasta sprinted to the plane. A stewardess slammed the door, the plane took: off and Hvasta was homeward bound. V Hvasta came to Munich from Nuernberg this morning in a car with two state department officials. He was kept hidden here until plane time. The two U. S. officials who accompanied Hvasta were identified as Nat King. Laredo, Tex., counselor of the Prague embassy, and John I). lams, Tulsa. Okla., first secretary. King,and lams told United Press staff correspondent Harold Melahn in Nuernberg that Hvasta did not want to discuss his adventures yet. They quoted him as saying he (Turn To r»r« Two, Democrat Delivery Later On Saturday Delivery of Saturday’s Daily Democrat by carrier In the city may be delayed about an hour, because the carrier boys are going to attend the JShrine circus in ~Fort Wayne. The bus is expected to return to Decatur by 1:30 p.m. The boys will then pick up their papers at thia office and start bn their routes.

GOP Chairman Hits At Recession Talk Record Budget For Election Campaign WASHINGTON. UP — Republican national chairman Leonard W. Hall said today “the left wing in America regards a depression as Rs one-way ticket into power.” He chided CIO President Walter . Reuther, Adlat E. Stevenson, and Sens. Paul Douglas. D-111., and Wayne Morse. Ind.-Ore., for talks about an economic recession. "... this quartet rides like the four horsemen spreading gloom and doom across the land.” Hall told the GOP national committee. The GOP leader said “legitimate discussion of economic conditions is always valid and proper,” but Americans cannot “condone the reckless utterances of a mere handful of reckless - ffiiii* J, . ’ Hall wondered whose interests “these left wingers think t,hey are serving by their incessant talk of slump, recession and depression.” He said they were silent in 1949 and 1950 when there were 4,700,000 unemployed twice the number today. “And when they did talk they talked about full employment, emitting the scare words that they now employ,” Hall added. On party matters. Hall expressed keen disappointment at being unable to find more government jobjs for the GOP faithful. But he assured members of the Republican national committee, who are meeting here to lay the groundwork for the 1954 congressional campaign, that he would go on doing his best to* “replace Democrat holdovers with good Republicans.” He said President Eisenhower Is aware of the problem and "keenly wants more and more loyal Republicans in the policy - making posts of the federal service.” ‘"I am at liberty to give yod every assurance of his wholehearted cooperation ip this.” Hall said in a speech prepared for delivery at' a morning session of the committee. \ He urged committee members to shed “as little heat and as much light” as possible in explaining to Republican job-seekers that every effort is being exerted to rid the federal service of “New Deal politicians and zealots.” Except for speeches and pep talks, the committee had only routine business to transact today. Th» climaxT will come tonight when the Republicans will stage their $1.50 Lincoln Day box supper at Uline Arena with the President and Mrs. Eisenhower as guest of honor. Mr. Eisenhower will make a brief informal speech, as will several other Republican dignatarles. Vice President Richard M. Nixon was listed as the principal speaker at a luncheon meeting of the national committee. Thursday, the finance committee approved a record-breaking budget of $3,800,000 for the 1954 congressional campaign. This, compares with $1,950,000 budgeted in 1950, VTwre Tn Elks Cancer Party Saturday Evening The Decatur Elks cancer fund party will begin at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Elks home with a smorgasboard dinner, prepared by the Emblem club. • The program will continue through the evening, with a gift event at 8' and a dance at 10 p.m. Tickets may be obtained from the Elks home or members. Proceeds from the annual event are donated to the Indiana Elks cancer fund for cancer research.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Friday, February 5, 1954.

House Committee Votes Four-Cent Postage For All Non-Local Letters

Rules Against Showdown Now On Amendment Rival Factions On Bricker Bill Fail To End Differences WASHINGTON UP — Senate Republican leader William F. Knowland ruled today against any showdown votes on thrf Bricker amendment for rpore thah a week as the four rival factious failed to unsnarl their differences. ir The California Republican said there might be action in the Senate today da one or two less controversial proposals for amending Sen. John W. Bricker’s plan for curbing the President’s treaty-mak-ing powers. But he declared there will be no votes on the major proposals and counter proposals until the week after next when Republican senators return from their annual round of Lincoln Day speechmaking. Few if any senators were disappointed. After weeks of debate and negotiations on possible compremises, just about everybody was overjoyed at getting a break. £-1 Technically, the debate will >0 >on. but Under a gentlemen’s agreement that “no major business” will be transacted while the GOP lawmakers are making* the Lincoln Day rounds. Sen. Walter F. George D-Ga., author of the Democratic substitute for Bricker's amendment, said meanwhile that the controversy will bring some concrete results, regardless of the final outcome. “One unfortunate by-product," he said, “is that it will make it much more difficult to get treaties through the senate, which will be more suspicious.” As the debate droaed on without a decision, interest sagged sharpply. It was becoming apparent to everyone that, barring an unlikely compromise, none of the proposals could muster the two-thirds vote needed for final approval and that the whole controversy would probably be shipped back to committee. . . Bricker R-Ohio made his biggest concession to date Thursday when he submitted a, substitute plan for his own proposed amendment. But there seemed no chance of its being endorsed by either George or the GOP leadership. James Rowley Wins Oratorical Contest - Winner Os Legion Oratory At School James Rowley, Decatur high school senior and son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank L. Rowley of this city, will represent Decatur high school in the annual American Legion oratorical contest. The judges selected Rowley Thursday afternoon in the elimination contest held at the local school. There were eight contestants in the first contest. The second will be the Adams county contest and will be held later this month. This year is the 15th year that the project has been sponsored by the American Legion and each year the subject is “The Constitution.” Other contestants in yesterday’s elimination, in addition to Rowley were Carolyn McDougal, who was selected as first alternate; Anita Smith, Sara Gerber, Caroline Nelson, Marlene Snyder, Janet Hetrick and Carol Seitz. Larry Hutker served as chairman of the contest and Jim Engle acted, as timekeeper. Judges were Miss Catherine Weidler, Robert Herman, Harry Dailey and Hugh Cobb. All four judges are members of the Decatur high school faculty. i*. Announcement of the time and plac'e of the county contest will-be made soon, it was said today.

Acknowledge Pope Further Weakened Medical Bulletin Given To Reassure ! VATICAN CITY UP — A medias! bulletin acknowledged today that Pope Pius XH had been “further” weakened by a stomach ailment but reassured the anxious .faithful that all other tests had produced only "normal results.” Osservatore Romano, semi-offi-cial Vatican newspaper, published the bulletin which it said was issued only because of the anxiety and numerous inquiries about the Pope’s health from "every corner of the world.” ' —_ It obviously was designed to disrumors that the Pope, who in 25 more days will be .78 years old, suffered ftom an IttneßS more sertqus than gastritis. There had been rumors that he taight be suffering from cancer and that be had serious liver trouble. ' -T~. “There is absolutely no cause for new alarm,” high Vatican sources added. < The bulletin, issued by the Pope’s physician, disclosed that the hiccups which had plagued him from the start of his illness 12 days ggo. finally disappeared three days ago. The medical bulletin also acknowledged that he had,,had diftk ‘eufty taking nourishment but the authoritative sources said he now “is slowly beginning to take liquid nourishment.” Wild rumors started during the night that the Pope had taken a turn for the wor# and telephone calls flooded the Vatican switchboard from anxious church officials through the length and breadth of Italy. Later it was disclosed the rumors had started when an outside doctor was called to treat Sister Pasqualina Lehnert, the German nun who lias served the Pope his meals and tended his household through his 14 - year reign. She fell in the papal apartments Thursday night and broke her leg in the same place it was broken two years ago. National Boy Scout Week Open Saturday To Fill City Offices Saturday, Feb. 13 Boy Scouts of Decatur’s three troops ■will fill city offices Saturday, Feb. 13, in Observance of national Boy Stout wjpek, Jack Gordon. local program chairman, announced today. The Scouts will elect the city officials and Mayor John M. Doan has announced full cooperation in the plan to give the boys actual assignment in government offices Officials to be elected by the Scouts are mayor, clerk-treasurer, police chief, fire chief, superintendent of the electric plant, superintendent of the water plant, city engineer, engineer of electric plant and city street commissioner. All city officials with tfhe exception of the fire chief, plant engineer and street commissioner are to report at the city hall at 8 a.m. on the day they take over the city offices. The fire chief will report at the engine house on Seventh street at 7 a.m., tlhe plant engineer at the Third street- electric plant at 7 am. and the street commissioner at the city garage on Grant street, 7 a.m. Boy Scput week opens tomorrow and President Elsenhower will issue an official greeting to the Scouts on their 44th birthday anniversary. Gordon said that other events would be staged next week and that all probability church day would be observed Sunday, Feb. 14. Mayor Doan will greet the Scout officials at the city hall when they report for their day’s’experience in public office. ,'

Solons Differ Over Number Os Unemployed Party Heads Differ Over Total Number _ Os Jobless In U. S. By CNITED PRESS _ Republicans and Democrats argued today over whether 2,359,000 or 3,573.000 Americans are jobless. Government witnesses before the congressional economic committee gave the smaller figure for the first week of January. But Sen. Paul H, Douglas D--111. said another way of adding up ployed The larger figure. s The quarrel involves the numhor nor«nns who have left what the government calls “the labor iu«ae persons can’t be counted as unemployed because they are no longer looking for work. Douglas and Sen. John J. Sparkman D-Ala. questioned whether the government wasn't making this figure too high an dthe jobless figure too low. v Committee chairman Jesse P. Wolcott R-Mich. asked the government witnesses if they used the •ami way of flgurfng as was used in 1939 and 1950 when — under Democratic administrations — unemployment hit peaks of 9,480,000 and 4,600,000. All’ said they did. Meanwhile, director Robert C. Goodwin of the labor department's bureau of employment security testified that the government assumes unemployment will average 2,600,000 in the first half of This year. ; But he said indications are “that the present adjustment period is not likely to be aa severe as that ... for 1949-50.” The unemployment average for the year ended June 30, 1950, was 3,700,000. Other congressional news: Beeson: Albert C. Beeson offered to forfeit $4,424 in pension rights to win approval of his nomination to the national labor relations board. Beeson's boss, President Paul L. Davies of the Food Machinery & Chemical Corp, of San Jose, Calif., testified about the pension rights before the senate labir committee. Bpeson, rose in tbej back of the room while Davies* was on the stand to say he was “willing to make the sacrifice”' to appease Democrats who had raised the “conflict of interests" issue. That concluded the hearing. Committee chairman H. Alexander Smith R-N. J. said Beeson’s nomination would go before the Senate around Feb. 15. .. » ~ ‘ — — Sanmann Is Speaker Al Rotary Meeting Auctioneer Speaks On Classification “s- J. F. Sanmann ot the Midwest Reialty and Auction Co., gave a talk on his Rotary club clatssWieation, "Auctioneering”, before club mern. bers last evening. (Moving here from Nebraska in 1939, Sanmann has I>ecoime widely known in the real estate auction field. He related personal experiences in his auction career and explained how sales were conducted. n Sanmann’s advice to young men who want to become auctioneers ■was first to create, the-desire tosell, even it he had to start as a house-to-house salesman. “You have to be a salesman to be an auctioneer. An auctioneer must know values and make a study of the property to be sold,” he said. The prograim was in change of Robert Smith and A. R. HOlthousa presented the epeaker. 4 The Rotary club will meet heart Thursday in connection with the of Commerce banquet at the Moose home.

Monroe Township May Lose Voters Berne Precinct C Legally In Wabash Monroe township may lose close to 500 voters in township elections, Adams county political observers said today. Berne precinct C, which Is the south part of that city, iz legally in Wabash township, but these voter* have always cast their vote in Monroe township electlOUMP. - ~ .it County clerk Edward F. Jaberg has contacted state officials concerning the matter and information which he has gathered to date is' to the etffect that residents of Berne who also are residents of Wabash township, should vote in Wabash township and pay Wabash township civil taxes. This change would aflfect all of Berne precinct C, which is in Wabash. It was pointed out that school children residing in Berne C still would attend school at Berne-iFrench schools, because a statute provides that school cities have a precedent over school town, ships and residents of that part of Berne would pay the complete Berne city tax levy, plus the "Wabash township and levy, but not the Wabash school tbx. It is the general consensus of opinion that the iriatter will be brought before the county commis. stoners! In a tew ddys. It "would not necessitate a change in precinct Mnea and only would affect township election's, it Was pointed out. The same problem was brought up in DeCatur several! years ago, when it Was discovered that residents of the north part of Decatur were voting in Washington township elections, and actually resided in Root township. This was changed several years ago to conform with the township surveys and residents of the northpart of the city vote for Root township trustee and advisory (board 'members, and pay Root township civil” taxes and Decatur civil and school taxes, but they pay nothing in Washington shipINDIANA WEATHER Mostly cloudy, drizzle or snow flurries north and east portion tonight. Low tonight 24-33; high Saturday 30-38. Election Board Is Completed Today Macklin, Peterson Appointed To Board The 1&54 Adams county_ board of election commissioners is now official. The board is composed of David Macklin, Decatur attorney of the firm of DeVoss, Smith and Macklin, Democrat; Cal E. Peterson, local clothier, Republican, and Edward F. Jaberg, ams county clerk. The latter is a member by virtue of his office and the county chairman ot each major political party names one member. The board will hold its first meeting soon and then will meet at an early date with the Adams county board of commissioners. County clerk Jaberg yesterday made the official entry of appointments, in compliance with the statute. The ‘ election commissioners have complete supervision of the Democrat and Republican primary elections May 4 and the general election November 2. Thq first day a candidate can formally file his intention of being a candidate for any office is February 23 and the'final day is set as March 25., Candidates for county offices must file with the county clerk a,nd candidates for state offices must file with the secretary of state. . Jaberg said he would call a meeting of the election commissioners in the next few days.

Price Five Cents

One-Cenl Hike For Air Mail Also Approved Approves Bill To Increase Revenue 350 Million Dollars Bulletin WASHINGTON, UP — The houee poet office committee today approved a bill to boost postal revenues about 250 million dollars a year by providing for a four-cent stamp on all non-local letters and boosting air mail stamps one penny to seven cents. WASHINGTON. UP — House Democratic whip John R. McCormack, Mass., protested today that the Republican-sponsored four-cent stamp is "just another tax on the people.” He predicted that a “great majority” of Democrats will oppose it when it comes up for a vote in the house. Republican leaders concede that there is "considerable opposition” among their own members and are wary of any attempts to predict the outcome. The four-cent plan, a key provision of President Eisenhowers porequest for a ?50-niinTbn-dojlar boost in* postal rates, was approved by the house post office committee Thursday under intense administration pressure. The vote was 13 to 9. It provides for a penny increase —from three to four cents—on the first ounce of first class mall for out-of-town delivery. There would be no change in the three-cent Charge for "local mail.” The committee, considering an administration-sponsored bill behind closed doors, met again, today to act on other phases of the President’s request. These include a seven-cent airmail stamp, instead of six, to bring in an estimated $15,600,000 more a year. The President also asked tor hikes in second class publishers’ rates and third class circular mail to bring in another 76-million-dollars annually. Early Cut In Butter Prices Is Unlikely Reduction Likely Beginning In April WASHINGTON, UP — Hopes for an early cut in the high cost of butter faded today but house- , wives seemed assured of tower prices, possibly down to 68 cents a pound, beginning in April. Despite strong dairy state opposition. secretary of agriculture Ezra T. Benson was reported to have made up his mind to lower government butter price pegs for the dairy marketing year beginning April 1. This should mean an immediate cut in’ the price of butter at the grocery store. But agriculture department officials virtually ruled out a suggestion by Sen. Clinton P. Anderson (D-N. M.) for a cut in the government support level before April 1. They say farm law bars a change in the level during the marketing year for which it is set. Under the law, Benson may fix supports anywhere between 75 and 90 percent of the government’s “fair price” parity yardstock. Butter is now supported at maximum level and its Is retailing for about 80 cents a pound. It’Benson lowers supports to the legal minimum, butter would sell-in the stores for around 68 cents a pound. ' Some reports indicate Benson will choose a support level that will make butter available to the consumer at about 70 cents a pound. Ills decision is expected to be announced soon. The government now has about (Coattaaed on Page Eight)