Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 52, Number 76, Decatur, Adams County, 31 March 1954 — Page 1

Vol. Lil. No. 76.

Says H-Bomb Could Destroy All New York

Terrific Power ✓ Is Revealed By Atom Chairman Says United States Could Put Big City Out Os Commissiop WASHINGTON UP — Atomic energy commission chairman Lewis L. Strauss said today at President Eisenhower’s news conference that this country can now build a hydrogen bomb powerful enough to wipe out the entire metropolitan area of New York City. ; Later the White House said Strauss meant that an H-bomb ► put such a city out of commlsslon—not level it. Assistant press secretary Murray Snyder said Strauss made the explanation upon his return to the White House with Mr. Eisenhower. Snyder said that Strauss explained that ‘ in using the phrase—take out a city—Which Strauss had repeated as destroy a city—he meant to put a city out of commission—not level it." Strauss appeared at the chief executive’s weekly news conference to make the first public report in any' detail on recent hydrogen bomb tests in the Pacific. > . Strauss for the first time used, the phrase "hydrogen bomb", rather than the previously favored description of "thermonuclear weapons.” Strauss said the important result of the tests was that this country has made such progress in the development of hydrogen bombs that it soon will be “more free to increase our impetus on the peacez ful uses of atomic power/" Strauss said the March 1 hydrogen bomb shot at the Eniwetok proving grounds was in control, despite reports to the contrary. He described it as "a. stupendous blast in the megaton rftige." A megaton bomb is one’ of one million tons TNT equivalent. Rep. James E. Van Zandt R-Pa. of the house-senate atomic energy committee has said the March 1 explosion was between 12 and 14 metagons. Strauss' use of the destruction of New York as an example came after reporters beseeched him to describe the areas of the March 1 and March 26 shots and to give some picture of their effectiveness. As for effectiveness in general terms, he said a hydrogen bomb could be made "as large as the military requirement demands — large enough to take put_ cItJL. any city." “New York?” "The metropolitan area—yes,” he replied. • Strauss spoke from a long, prepared statement in which he emphasised several points: — 1. "One important result of these hydrogen bomb developments has been the enchancement of our military capability to the point where we would soon be more free to increase our emphasis on the peaceful uses of atomic power — at home and abroad.” Strauss, outside the language of ..his prepared text, added the recent hydrogen bomb tests had brought the United States “very much nearer to the satisfaction of military requirements." ' 21 Wtihout attempting to minimize the effects of the March 1 (Turn To Paste Elghtl Dr. Lester Funeral Thursday Afternoon Funeral services for Dr. -M. O. Lester, former pastor of the First Methodist church in Decatur, who died Sunday evening of a heart attack at Lake Como, Fla., will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday at Lake - Como. -. R. iE, Rutland, district superintendent, will officiate, assisted by Dr. W. B. Freeland, Dr. C. B. Croxell and Dr. 'Loring Chase. A memorial service will be held later at North Webster, but no definite date has been set

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Two Robbers Face Court In Denver Attempted Robbery And Stole Car Here Dexter John Meise, Sauk City, Wis., and Donald Allen Joy, Milton, N. H., arrested several days ago in Littleton, Colo., who admitted an attempted break-in in Decatur and the theft of an automobile last week belonging to Eugene iMitch, will be tried in federal court in the Denver district for interstate transportation of a stolen automobile. This decision was reached Tuesday afternoon in a telephone conversation between prosecuting attorney Lewis iL. Smith and F. 8.1. agent in charge of the Denver district, John Broughton. Prosecutor Smith said that he felt that since the federal agents were filing auto theft charges, it would be a tremendous expense to Adams county to -bring the men back here to face a similar charge. Agent Broughton agreed and told the prosecutor that federal charges already had been filed against the pair. No action has been taken by the army on the charge that both men are absent from an army training camp at Cherry Point, S.C. It also was reported that the insurance company which carried theft insurance on Mitch’s automobile would dispose of the recovered vehicle whicji is reported to be in good running condition, in Colorado, and make a cash settlement with the owner here. BULLETIN WASHINGTON, UP — The Soviet Union today proposed what American officials called the “astounding idea” that she be admitted to the 14-na-tlon anti-Cbmmunist North At- - lantic pact to insure European security. Moscow’s proposal was submitted in identical nptes given to the American, i British, and French ambassadors in the Soviet capital. Dewey Neidigh Dies Suddenly Tuesday Heart Attack Fatal To G. E. Employe Dewey Ernest Neidigh, 54, of Willshire, 0., a veteran employe of the Decatur General Electric plant, died suddenly of a heart attack at 5.: 15 o’clock EST Tuesday evening at a grocery store in Willshire. Mr. Neidigh had been employed at the local G. E. plant for the past 25 years. The family lived in Decatur for many years, moving to Willshire about 12 years ago. He was born in Bloomfield April 9, 1899, a son of Wesley and Annie AbramsiNeldigh, and Avas married to Miss Winifred Gilpen in 1917. (Mr. Neidigh was a member, of the Knights of Pythias lodge at Willshire. Surviving areJxis wife; five sons. Paul of San Antonio, Tex., Douglas of Tucson, Ariz., Merlin, Wesley and Dewey, Jr., all at home; three grandchildren, and four brothers, Don, Cletus. Gerald and Clifford Neidigh, all of Bloomfield. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. EST Saturday at the residence and at 2:30 p.m. at the Willshire Church of God, the Rev. Herb Schumm and the Rev. ®arl Thomas officiating. Burial will be in the Decatur cemetery. The body, Removed to the Black funeral home, will be returned to the residence. where friends may call after 7 o’clock this evening. INDIANAeWEATHER Mostly cloudy this afternoon and tonight, with some rain or snow likely in the extreme south and southeast, becoming partly cloudy Thursday. Not much change in temperature. Low tonight. 20-25 north, 25-30 south. High Thursday near 40. -

Dulles' Stand Is Supported By Eisenhower Gives Full Suppqrt To Dulles' Speech On United Action WASHINGTON. UP —President Eisenhower voiced full support to- ( day for secretary of state John Foster Dulles’ proposal that ths free world take united action against aggression in Southeast Asia. Mr. Eisenhower told a news conference he read every word in Dulles’ speech before the secretary of state dlivered it at an ’ Overseas Press Club meeting Mon--1 day. The President said he was in ; complete agreement. i Mr. Eisenhower was asked if i united action means the United . States would be ready to, dispatch I troops, if necessary. He said he • could not give any general answer. But he said he could not coni ceive of anything worse than the ; United States dispersing'its troop ■ strength to meet each little war ' throughout the world. Each case, , he added, would have to be deI cided on its own merits because . each has its own degree of interest and danger. j - He said that the best answer L that he could give was one attributed to the French. The French told the Germans in 1914, he said, that France will do what its best interests dictates. In other news conference highlights Mr. Eisenhower said: 1. He still is all-out for the European defense community. Asked if he has any alternative should the European nations not approve the plan. Mr. Eisenhower said he does not fight the second battle before he has lost the first. 2. Both the Arabs and Israelis should restrain their extremists | jgnd use judgment to ease the Middle Eastern situation. For the time being, he said, the matter should not be taken before the United Nations security council. 3. He will sign during the day the bill to reduce excise taxes a billion dollars, effective Thursday. 4. The administration will keep alert to see no unjustified damage will be done if his reciprocal trade program is approved. Some adjustments are inevitable, he said, but the administration will be guided , by a standard of best interest for , all Americans. 5. He is well satisfied congress (Tarn Tn Page Eight) Mrs. Noble Speaks To Decatur Lions Former Local Lady Is Speaker Tuesday Mrs. T. B. Noble, wife of a well known Indianapolis surgeon, Dr. T.. B. Noble, and formerly Miss “ Viola Schmitz of this city, gave an interesting talk on photography and art at the regular meeting of the Decatur Lions club at the K. of P. home Tuesday night. Dr. Noah Bixler of Decatur pre I sided as program chairman and I introduced 'Mrs. Noble. Her parents Mr. and Mrs. Frank Schmitz of DecatUr. attended as guests. Mrs. Noble told of one of her hobbies of taking photographs of her husband’s many operations, stating that she started several \ years ago. The speaker then told of her visits'to the Navaho Indian reservation in Arizona, where she and her husband have spent . their vacations for the last 17 years. L _._ (Mrs. Noble tpld of her plans to make tape recordings of the' history, songs uind customs of the Navaho tribe to use in ,her lectures on the Indian. The speaker also told of another of her hobbies, that of painting on metal. However, the principal part of her lecture was devoted to "her favorite hobby", the.Navaho Indian and customs of that tribe.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday, March 31, 1954.

Age 5, Eight Operations So Far ■nF z - THEDDORE WESCOAT, 5, Titusville, Pa., sits cheerfully in a Boston hotel room as his mother tidies him prior to leaving for hospital where he will be treated for a rare bladder ailment. Ted already has had eight operations. He and his mother were sent to Boston by the Titusville Junior Chamber of Commerce.' ,

Bitter Battle Is Underway In Indochina Pay-off Red Drive Stopped In Tracks By French Forces HANOI. Indochina, (UP)—The pay-off Communist attack of the Indochina war was stopped in its tracks today by the heroic defenders of the besieged French stronghold of Dien Bien Phu. The outcome of the fierce battle which both sides describe as "decisive.” still was in doubt as night fell on the scene of smoking guns, ripped and gaping earth and carnage. But the French command said the defenders had won back most of the ground, lost, in. the tiCkl, 24 hours of the fanatical Red "human sea" assaults by screaming hordes of Red Viet Minh troops. The ferocity of the attack by waves of swarming Reds against the eastern side of the cluster of French-held valley positions exceeded anything yet seen in Indochina. One post changed hands six times during the first 24 hours of bloody hand-to-hand fighting. “One side or the other won’t come out of this.” one French officer said. Hundreds of black and greenuniformed rebel bodies clogged the barbed-wire entanglements in front of' the French guns. The attackers still were pouring forward, disregarding casualties officially described as “appalling.” At least two positions were breached in the first hours of the savage assault. French artillery, firing as fast as sweating gunners could ram in the shells, brought down a curtain of protective fire within 56 yards of their own lines. Machine guns traced interlocking trails of death across the devastated earth. French pilots, flying U. S.-sup-plied planes, defied rebel flak to pound enemy concentrations searing napalm and shattering explosives. After a night and day of sustained fighting, military authorities said the main French positions (Turn To Pane Five)

(By Rev. Garl R. Shaw. Wesleyan Methodist Church) For Righteousness Sake Matthew 5:1012 Happy are they who suffer, seems a strange saying: aftd that the righteous should suffer because they are such, seems equally as strange. But such is the enmity of the human heart to everything of God and goodness, that all who live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution in one form or another. In this passage. Jesus comprehends the persecution that comes from all outward acts of violence, or that the hand can do, as well as all slander and evil speaking, or all that the tongue can affect. Now to the natural man such persecutions would be hard to bear. But to the spiritual man. Jesus said: “Happy are ye. when men shall revile you, and persecute you,, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake." Not only does Jesus say, "Rejoice’, but He says, ’Be exceeding glad. For gerat is your reward in heaven.” The followers of Christ are encouraged to suffer joyfully. 1. For thereby they are conformed to the prophets who went before. 2. Their reward in heaven is a great one. God gives the grace to suffer, and then crowns that grace with glory. v, « “Must Jesus bear the cross alone, 1 And all the world go free? No, there’s a cross for everyone, . And there’s a cross for me. The consecrated cross I’ll bear, Till Jesus sets me tree. , And then go home a crown to wear, For there’s a crown for me.” —- '

Tension Mounts On Israel-Arab Front Arab Legionnaires In Old Jerusalem JERUSALEM, Israel (UP) — Truckloads of Arab Legionnaires in full battle dress poured into old Jerusalem today and dug into fortifications along the tense armistice line that divides this uneasy Holy City. Foreign diplomats arriving in the Israeli sector through historic Mandelbaum Gate said residents were fleeing from their homes in villages scattered along the dividing armistice line. Israel was condemned Tuesday by the Israeli-boycotted mixed armistice commission for the slaying of nine Arabs in the Jordanian village of Nahalin. Both Israel [and Jordan were preparing to bring their charges and counter charges before the U. N. security KBut the tension rose to a boil with the arrival of the battledressed Arah commanded by the fabulous Gen. John Glubb. Trucks carrying the legionnaires moved toward the old cities of Ramallah and Jerusalem, where the Arab reinforcements were unloaded. But the Jordan government permitted a regular convoy to carry food to an Israeli hospital on Mount Scopus In Jordanian territory. The Jerusalem Post, an independent English-language newspaper, said Arab Legionnaires threw stones from positions on the old city wall at passersby near the former Fast Hotel at the Jaffa Road. No one was injured, th? Post said. The foreign diplomats said residents on Jerusalem’s old city were . “on edge”, with the arrival of the legionnaires. As Jordan prepared to protest last Monday’s pi;e-dawn attack on Nahalin to the security council in New York, Israel was reported finishing her own memorandum asking the U. N. organization to take up alleged Arab attacks at Kissalon and Scorpion’s Pass. Eleven Jews were killed last week at Scorpion's Pass in the Negev Desert. Observers believed security council intervention would be inevitable. Jordan-Israeli contact (Turn To I’axe Five)

At Least Njne Children Die In School Fire

Cut In Excise Taxes Slated For Thursday Eisenhower Signs Measure To Provide Excise Tax Cuts ' WASHINGTON UP — President Eisenhower today signed into law a bill cutting excise sales taxes a billion dollars a year and bringing lower prices on such items as household appliances and telephone bills. The cuts become effective Thursday. The bill at the same time continues present excise tax rates on liquor, beer, wines, gasoline, automobiles, and cigarets to yield an estimated $1,077,060,000 annually. Lower prices are expected almost immediately on most of these items: Household appliances, jewelry, furs, cosmetics, movie and theater tickets, telephone and telegraph charges, travel tickets, and luggage. The size of the cuts in dollars and cents will .depend on the price of the product and the extent of the tax cut. The present federal excise — or sales — tax on jewelry, furs, cosmetics, luggage and handbags will be cut from Iff to 10 percent. ’ Admission tickets costing more than 50 cents Will be taxed at 10 percent, instead of the present 20. Admission tickets costing 50 cents or less won’t be taxed at all. Long distance telephone charges will be taxed at 10 percent, instead of 25, and local charges at 10 percent instead of the present 15. Home appliances will be taxed at 5 percent instead of the present 10. But the taxes on liquor, beer, wines, gasoline, automobiles and cigarets will remain at their present rates. These also had been scheduled to be reduced Thursday but the legislation signed by the President will continue the existing rates on these items for another year. Mr. Eisenhower had asked for continuation of these rates, but he did not ask for the cuts. Congress approved over the President’s objections. Continuation of the present rates on liquor, beCT an dthe oth(Turn To Face El«ht) Mrs. Ruth Wittwer Is Taken By Death Funeral Services Friday Afternoon Ftiiibral services will be held Friday for Mrs. Ruth Wittwer, 59, who died Tuesday at her home in Monroe after a long Illness. Mrs. Wittwer was a member of the First Mennonite church at Berne, the Better Homes economics club, the Adams county home economics chorus and the Adams county roadside council. Surviving are her husband, Hiram Wittwer; two sons, T. Wayne Wittwer of Monroe and Donald R. Wittwer of Wapakoneta, O.i two foster, sons, Rene Brandt of near Monroe and Dale L. Brandt of near Decatur; two foster daughters, Sonja Sue and Linda Lou Schug, at home; .three grandchildren; seven foster grandchildren; five brothers, Thurman Schug of Berne route 1, Carl Schug pt Monroe route 1 1, John Schug of South Miami, Fla., Harry Schug, Avon Park, Fla., and Herman Schug of Berne, and three sisters, Miss Mildred Schug of Berne route 1, and the Misses Leona and Naomi Schug of Berne. Services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday at the First Mennonite church, the Rev. Olin A. Krehbiel and the Rev. John F. Sprunger officiating. Burial will be in the MRE cemetery. Th? body was removed to the Yager funeral home, where friends may call until time of the services.

Zone Appeals Board Closes Case Record Holds Order Should Emanate From Court The Decatur board of zoning appeals closed the records last night on the denial for a variance to thA city ordinance to permit cbtistrucjion of a kiflfcdom hall by Decatur company of Jehovah’s Witnesses at the "corner df Ninth and Monroe streets and the subsequent mqdfc fled order of Adams circuit which reversed in part the board's findings. “The board feels that its part in the case is closed by the court order,” Clarence Zlner, chairman, said. The modified order was made part of the record at the Tuesday night meeting of the. board and the following letter was approved by the board and sent today to Judge Myles F. Parrish under signature of the board’s attorney, Robert Anderson. “Dear Judge Parrish: The board of zoning appeals of the city of Decatur, Indiana, has received your letter and modified judgment of March 12, 1954. It Is the judgment of the board that they have no authority to grant a permit to the Decatur Indiana company of Jehovah's Witnesses inasmuch as Sec. 87 of chapter 174 of the acts of 1947 authorizes the court to ”, . . reverse or affirm, wholly or in part, or may fnodify the decision of the board of zoning appeals brought up for review . . .’’ The board has asked me to assure you that It is not their Intent to disregard any court order, but that inasmuch as the planning and zoning act as stated above gives the court, and not the board, the final issuing authority, the order should emanate from the court and not our board." Citizens Telephone Officers Reelected Directors, Officers Reelected Tuesday Directors and officers of Citizens Telephone Company were reelected in the 59th annual meeting of stockholders arid directors held last night in the company’s office. Os the 30,000 shares of common stock, 23,529 were voted in person or by proxy in favor of the present board members. The directors and officers are: Leo Yager, chairman. of the board. D. Ehinger, president. S. E. Hite, vice-president. C. E. Bell, treasurer. Arthur E. Voglewede, secretary. Operational and financial repoits were submitted to the stockholders. President Ehiriger announced that the new directory would be Issued May 1. This will be the annual issuing date for new directories, he explained; The number of telephones in use In the six company exchanges climbed to 5,728, a gain of 142 in 1953 over 1952. Stations and services of the telenhone system are listed as follows: Decatur, 3,391; Be.rne, 1,354; Mon roe 326; Bryant, 222; Pleasam Mills, 228 and Linn Grove,. 207... With the Bryant exchange the only circuit outside of the county, there are more than 550 patrons of the company in Adams county, Ehinger stated. The Citizens Telephone Co., was organized in August, 1894, and is one of the progressive privately owned telephone utilities in the state. Draft Call Issued Here For April 14 The Adams county selective service board today, announced receipt of an order for 10 Adams county young men to report Wednesday, April 14, for active induction Into the nation’s’ armed services. *

Price Five Cents

Boiler Blast Sets Fire To Buffalo School Score Os Others Injured; Firemen • Report 11 Killed BUFFALO, N. Y, (UP)—Fire set V if boiler explosion engulfed a siwurtV«n .elementary school just before noon recess today, killing at least nine and possible 11 children. A score of other children were Injured as flames swept through the Cleveland Hill elementary annex, a one-story eight-classroom structure in Cheektowaga, northeast of Buffalo. The children were grouped together in a music room when the boiler exploded almost directly underneath them. Firemen who extinguished the raging flames within an hour reported 11 had died but p United Press reporter counted only nine bodies. Sheets were placed over rubble in the building, indicating other bodies had been located. At least 17 children knd two adults were admitted to hospitals suffering from burns. Half the number suffered serious burns and sojme were on the danger list, hospital authorities said. Benson Ignores Pleas To Delay * Buffer Orders Ignores Congress Appeals To Put Off Scheduled Orders WASHINGTON, UP — Agriculture secretary Ezra T. Benson today ignored last-minute appeals from congress that he put off an order scheduled to take effect at midnight that will lower retail butter, priced. Benson refused to budge from his long-announced intention to slash government' dairy price supports for the marketing year that begins April 1. The department braced for an anticipated flood of butter, cheese and dried milk that processors and producers are expected to unload on the government today before the support level drops. Three senators — Hubert H. Humphrey. (D-Minn.), femes E. Murray (D-Mont.) and Wayne Morse (IlOre.) —fired telegram* to Benson Tuesday requesting a delay in the price prop slash. Rep. August H. Andresen (R-Minn.) paid a personal call on the secretary earlier this week to make the same plea. But Benson was said to be holding firm to his view that huge dairy surpluses piling up in government freezers makes the support cut necessary to comply with farm law and for the long-range welfare of dairy farmers. Benson’s order will drop the government’s support price on fairy products from 90 to 76 percent of parity beginning at midnight. Full or 100 percent parity is the government’s yardstick of a “fair” price for the things a farmer sells in terms of prices he pays for things he buys. The secretary expfects the action to lower the grocery store price of butter by at least 8 cents a pound. He has also predicted that an Intensive industry-wide dairy promotion campaign due to get underway Thursday will push retail butter prices as low as 59 cents a pound iq some area?. Farm- state lawmakers—particularly those from dairy producing areas — have bitterly protested Benson’s order. They claim it will (Tun To Page Eigkt)