Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 53, Number 7, Decatur, Adams County, 10 January 1955 — Page 1

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JOEL KATZ, 16, son of a New York real estate man tells county prosecutor J. Victor Carton at Matawan. New Jersey of his kidnaping and escape from Anthony Staikos (at left, bottom), 31, who forced him to write a 31(H),00() ransom note at knife point. Young Katz (left, top) bound and gagged in the cellar of the home of Staikos' mother, freed himself and reported to police who later picked Staikos up.

No Agreement Apparent From Peiping Talks

UNITED NATIONS. N.Y. (INS) —UN secretary general Dag Hammarskjold and Communist Chinese Premier, Chou En-lai concluded their Peiping talks today apparently without reaching agreement on the fate of UN prisoners held' by Red China. =2. In a joint statement the two officials said however that their talks had been “useful" and they hoped their four meetings — the last of which was held today — would enable them to “continue the contact" they had established in their conferences. The Hammarskjold-Chou communique was vaguely worded and officials at UN declined to interpret it as meaning the talks bad failed. ” Prime purpose of the secretary general in going to Red China for the historic talks was to try to win release of 15 American flyers jailed by Red China —eleven of them after trial as “spies.” It seemed evident that no final determination on the fate of these ' mdrr. and other UN personnel still held by the Chinese Communists, had been agreed upon. The joint ocmnmnique after today’s 80-minute meeting, stated that in addition to the UN prisoner question. Hammarskjold and | Chou also discussed “questions pertinent to the relaxation of world tension." No mention was made specifically of the American airmen or any other of the more than 2,800 UN soldiers held captive by the Peiping regime since the Korean war. At no time since the talks started Jap, 6 have the. Chinese Reds acknowledked publicly that the conferences with Hammarskjold involved Red-held UN prisoners. The announcement stated: 1 (Continued on Page Five) BULLETIN WASHINGTON (INS) — Fifty-four senator* sponsored a resolution today calling on senate committees to continue “diligently and vigorously” their Investigation and exposure of Communist activities In the U. S. At the same time, Sen. Price Daniel (D Texas), who Introduced the measure, verbally slspped Pentagon authorities for what he called their “bungling and Inefficiency" In handling the case of ax-Army Maj. Irving Peresz.

DECATUR DA I I.Y DEMOCRAT

Sens. Barkley And Morse On Key Committee Given Prized Seats On Committee On Foreign Relations WASHINGTON (INS) — Sens. Alben W. Barkley (D-Ky.) former vice-president, and Wayne Morse I Ind-Ore 1 whose vote gives the Democrats control of the senate, , today won prised seats on the senate foreign relations committee. I Democratic leader Lyndon John- [ son. Tex., announced his party’s i new committee assignments, givling recognition to Barkley, Morse and Sen. Joseph C. O”Mahoney, Wyo. Barkley and O"Mahoney, who was named to both the interior and judiciary committees, re-en-tered the senate this week as "freshmen” but both have had long prior service. Johnson also announced that the 14 - member Democratic steering committee, which met this morning. unanimously approved a policy under which no Democrats should hold more than one committee chairmanship "at one time."' In addition to the seat on foreign relations. Barkley wae given a coveted place on the finance committee. He had requested both 1 seats. Morse, who has indicated he will become a Democrat in 1956 when he comes up for re-election, also was given places on the hanking and District of Columbia, committees. Johnson said the Democratic assignments will be submitted to the senate later this week after the Republicans have completed their committee lineup. The GOP committee on committees meets Tuesday morning, with a Republican conference following 'tuesday afternoon or Wednesday to ratify the elections. Johnson himself claimed a place on the senate finance committee, which had been sought by Sen. (Continued on Page Eight)

Senate Group V - ■ Says Reds In Defense Plants Favor Legislation To Prevent Reds In Defense Plants WASHINGTON (INS) — The yenate investigations subcommittee said today that Communists have "successfully infiltrated" defense industries where they can get at “vital” military information. In a report, the group headed by outgoing chairman Joseph R. McCarthy (R Wls.), recommended legislation to bar Reds from working in defense plants. McCarthy was "out of town” today on committee business. Sunday night he abruptly cancelled a subcommittee meeting scheduled for this morning at which he had planned to propose a full-scale renewal of the case of Dr. Irving Pereas. Peress is the ex-army major who received an honorable discharge from the service after McCarthy had labeled him a “Fifth Amendment Communist” 'and demanded that he be held tor possible court martial. In today's report, the subcommittee said: "The employment of Communists in defense facilities, even though they are not actually working on classified material, is a clear and present danger to our national security.” The subcommittee baaed its report on 1953-54-55 hearings at which 48 witnesses testified, 32 invoking the fifth amendment when asked questions about Communist party activity. Two others also were identified as Reds and flatly refused to affirm or deny the charges. The subcommittee said: “As a result of the subcommittee’s exposures, 34' emplbyees in vital defense plants were discharged, suspended. or resigned,” The senate group suggested reintroduction of the “defense facilities protection act” passed by the senate last year but pigeon-holed in the house. It would require banning of Reds from defense Installations. Nineteen of the discharged employes were in General Electric Co. plants. These included eight workers in Schenectady, N. Y.; eight In Lynn, Mass., and three in Fitchburg, Mass. (Continued on Page Five) Consider Decatur As Industry Site — Industry Division Meets Here At Noon Decatur is being considered as one of three possible sites for an industry which will employ between 250 and 500 persons, M. J. Pryor, vice-president of the Decatur Chamber of Commerce, told members of the industrial division of the Chamber of their monthly dinner meeting at the Moose home this noon. Pryor stated that the Chamber, under the direction of president Ron Parrish, has been working hard on bringing new industries into Decatur. Parrish, who will retire as president of the Chamber at tonight’s meeting, will head the chamber at tonight’s meeting, will head the Chamber’s search for new Industries next year. Programs for the first half of, the year were set up by the industrial board, and they tentatively included the following: February, discussion on bringing new industries to Decatur, by Ron Parrish; March, a debate on a guaranteed annual wage by two board members; April, Decatur's transportation problems, by the head of a local trucking company; May. report on the city, by Mayor John Doan; and June, a report on what tire stale legislature accomplished. The division decided to refer the question of a yearly project to its executive board. Tlfe projects were suggested, Including a clean-up. fix-up campaign to beautify the approaches to the city, and a committee to report monthly to the state Chamber and also to the people of Decatur on legislative problems. INDIANA WEATHER Cloudy, snow south and east portion tonight, with 3 to 6 inches of snow over most of south portion. Tuesday mostly cloudy, snow ending southeast and extreme east portions early Tuesday morning. Little change In temperature except colder extreme south tonight. Low tonight 27-32. High Tuesday 30-35.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Monday, January 10, 1955.

Eisenhower Asks For • ‘ ' ‘ : x ... . Authority To Reduce Tariffs As Peace Aid ’~.T ■ -——- r , __ —22252-, :...

—— ■ ' ' ■ Supreme Court Refuses To Hear Appeal By Reds High Court Refuses To Hear Appeal Os Second String Reds WASHINGTON (INS) —The supreme court today refused to head an appeal of 13 “second — strong” Communists convicted In New York of conspiracy to overthrow the government by force and violence. The court earlier upheld conviction of a group of top Communists. passing on questions that appeared generally to be duplicated in the appeal of the second-string Communists. Associate Justice Hugo Black dissented from the others of 5 the count and held that the case should be heardThree questions were raised in the appear: 1. Whwtner it was proper for the district judge to instruct the jury to consider third-party acts and declarations allegedly not shown to have been authorized personally by the-defendants or actually even known to them. 2. Did the evidence show a “clear and present danger” necessary for application of the Smith" Act, under which the 13 were convicted. 3. Should the trial judge have admitted testimony of John Lautner, former Communist suspected by party members of being a government informant, that he was subjected to violence by Commu" nists other than the defendants (in a Cleveland cellar. BULLETIN WASHINGTON (INS) — The atate department said today It will make new efforts “in a few days” to seek the release of an American army private held in a Russian prison for five years. The soldier is Private William A. Verdine, 28, of Starks, La., who was held with two other Americans freed by the' Soviets Saturday. Annual Elks Cancer Party February 12 All Proceeds Go To State Cancer Fund Oran Schultz, exalted ruler of the Decatur Elks lodge, has announced that the annual Elks cancer party has been scheduled for Saturday. Feb. 12. at the Elka. 1 home. The party is usually held during January but was set for February to avoid conflict with the current March of Dimes campaign. Proceeds from the event will augment the Indiana Elks cancer fund, helps finance research at the Indiana University medical center and the Purdue University medical center. George Laurent has been named general chairman for the party which will feature a smargaebord lunch, a dance and entertainment Jack Nelson is co-chairman. Elks members who will assist include Clarence Ziner. tickets; Bill Gass, prize solicitation; Bob Smith, entertainment; Hubbard Steiner, special entertainment; Wendell Macklin, facilities; Cliff Brewer, decorations; Pete Reynolds, publicity, and J. K. Eady, public address system. - The smorgasbord will be prepared by members of the Emblem club. The food committee is headed by Roman Raudenbush and George Alton will be in charge of the Tickets for the event will be available in the near future from Elks members. A donation of 31.50 per person will entitle the ticket holder to the smorgasbord, dance and special entertainment.

yi * .* „ f Tito, Red China To Establish Relations Representatives With Rank Os Ambassador HONG KONG, (INS) — The Communist New China News Agency said today that Yugoslavia and Communist China have agreed to establish normal diplomatic relations. The announcement said the Pel- • ping regime and Marshal Tito’s anti-Moscow Communist govern- - ment would exchange representai tives with the rank of ambassador. • The Ked news agency reported ’ the text of messages exchanged between Chou En-Lai, Communist ■ premier and foreign minister, and • Koca Popovic, Yugoslavian minis- ’ ter for foreign affairs. 1 The New China News Agency ' report said the agreement followed conferences in Moscow between • representatives of the two nations. ' Chou’s message to the Yugoslavian government declared that the establishment of diplomatic rela1 tions with Yugoslavia “to safeguard world peace and security." Popovic’s reply, sent to Peiping Jan. 2, declared that the agreement would be “beneficial to the favorable development of relations between our two nations as well as to the common cause of international cooperation and world peace.” The Tito government, long the ’ target of hitter attacks by Mos- ( Continued on Page Eigiht) Hearings Tuesday On Phone Purchase Citizens Seeks To Purchase Exchanges Charles Ehinger, president of Citizens Telephone Co., Arthur Voglewede, director and attorney, Robert Anderson, attorney, and W. H. Bell, director of the local company, will represent Citizens at three bearings before the public service commission at Indianapolis Tuesday morning. The first hearing set for 10 o’clock is on a petition to permit Citizens Co. to purchase the common stock of the Argos telephone Co.-in Marshall county and thereby become owners of that exchange. First step was taken locally some time ago when stockholders of Citizens voted to acquire both the /Argos and Nappanee exchanges. The second hearing set for 10:30 o’clock is on a petition for the purchase of the Nappanee concern. Nappanee is located in Elkhart county. The two exchanges operate about 2.700 telephones and Citizens at present has more than 5,500 telephones. Some of the operations will be combined here in Decatur, but each exchange will retain a home office. The third hearing set for 11 o’clock tomorrow morning is for the purpose of seeking permission to issue preferred stock. President Ehinger said today that a motion for continuance of this hearing would be filed. The purpose of asking' a continuance is on certain technical problems which will be brought before the annual stockholders meeting of Citizens Tues- , day, March 29. in Decatur, At that time stockholders will be asked for permission to recall the present preferred stock issue , of the company and either pay the , shareholders in full or exchange their 4to percent preferred stock , for the 5 percent stock, which the , new issue wilt be. , It is the desire, Ehinger said, of Citizens directors to take full , advantage of the underwriters , agreement and to do this it is . necessary to bring the matter before the stockholders at the an- • nual meetings. > I All of the matters which will , come before the state body at < the three hearings have been dis- ( cussed informally with the com- < mission and It is believed that < Tuesday’s course will be largely a < matter of making the decisions an t official record. 1

Costa Rican Cites Danger Os Invasion Immediate Danger Os Invasion From NicaraguaCh©>ged WASHINGTON (INS) — Costa Rica declared today it Is in "immediate danger” of being invaded by "adventurers” from Nicaragua and said only the collective action by the American republics can stave off threats to peace. » Calling for a special meeting of the 21 American foreign ministers to keep the peace in Central America, Costa Rican ambassador Antonio Facio told an emergency ses;, sion of the council of the organization of American states: “The government of Costa Rica states that it faces a grave situation created by the government of Nicaragua, which effects and puts in danger the integrity of the territory and the sovereignty and the political independence of Costa Rica ..." The council, by a vote of 11 of its members, can call the foreign ministers meeting under the Rio treaty for reciprocal assistance. However, it appears unlikely that a date for such a meeting will be set immediately. The probable course appeared to be the setting up of an investigating committee to go to Central America to make an on-the-spot study and report back to the coun* cil on the need for a full-fledged foreign ministers’ conference. The OAS was asked by Coeta Rica to consider calling a meeting of the foreign ministers of the .31 American republic to investigate a threat to peace in the central American area. The incident which caused Costa Rica’s foreign office to ask for the emergency meeting was the arrival in Nicaragua of ten C-47 transport planes from Venezuela on a so-called "goodwill mission.” Costa Rican Ambassador Antonio A. Facio said a long series of threatening gestures by Nicaragua, plus the arrival of Venezuelan planes, bad convinced his country that an attack was in the making. The council of the organization of American states meeting was (Con/tlniued on Pag* Six) Lutheran Pastor To Remain In Decatur Call By Kendallville Declined By Pastor The Rev. Edgar P. Schmidt, pastor of Zion Lutheran church, has decided to return his recent call to St. John’s Lutheran church at Kandallville'and to continue serving the local congregation. The Zion voters’ assembly at a special meeting after 10:30 a. m. services, had passed, without a dissenting vote, a resolution which urged him to remain here. The resolution had been presented to the voters by the church council. A letter which had been delivered to the pastor before Christmas and signed by every member of both the 1954 and 1955 councils Was read to the congregation. It pointed out the many advances which the congregation had made during Rev. Schmidt'S tenure here. It also mentioned the planned parochial school for 1956 and the debt reduction drive early this year, which a vacancy at this time might have handiWPPed. , Jj?Emil Blenz and Roger' Schuster were appointed to Zion’s "Building for Christ” committee. This committee Will direct the local congregation's participation in the coming synod-wide 6 million dollar effort favoring Valparaiso University. Mill Neck school for the deaf, Bethesda home, the Lutheran deaconess association, and Lutheran world relief.

' — - ' . Red Chinese Planes Hit Tachen Islands Heaviest Raid In * Formosa History TAIPEI (INS) —At least 100 Red Chinese planes took control of the skies over the Nationalistheld Tachen Islands today, attacking five separate waves on what a communique caVVed the in" the history of j, the Formosa government. The communique said two Red I planes were downed and others i damaged by anti-aircraft fire, but i Nationalist aircraft remaini ed grounded while Russian-made planes thundered ovpr the islands t on more than 100 flights. ’ A score of civilian houses were ■ reportedly burned and many civil- - ians killed or wounded in the day- - long raids that dumped more than - 300 bombs on the islands and the town of Tachen, some 200 miles t north of Formosa. The communique said "military 1 Houses are being investigated/.'’ 1 Target of the attacks apparently ’ was a concentration of Nationalist 1 naval units in Tachen harbor. ißussian-built MIG fighter planes patrolled the skies while fighter f bombers strafed and bombed the i islands. 1 The Nationalists said the Communist planes came from fainland air bases at Shanghai, Hangchow and Ningpo. Forty TU-2 bombers struck 1 Tachen In four formations hate in the afternoon In the heaviest aln--1 gle attack of the day. l Mary Lichtensteiger : Dies Sunday Night Funeral Services To Be Wednesday Mrs. Mary J. Lichtensteiger, 52, prominent farm lady of Harrison : township. Van Wert county, 0., died at 8:30 o'clock Sunday night at the Van Wert county hospital. Mrs. Lichtensteiger suffered a cerebral hemorrhage while attending church services Sunday morning. She resided on U. S. highway 224, a short distance east of the Indiana-Ohio state line. Born Im Harrison township May 25, 1902, she was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Pancake and was married to Paul E. Lichtensteiger Oct, 25. 1926. -CI.. Mrs. Lichtensteiger was a member of the Pleasant View Baptist church, north of Wren, the Wren garden club, the Wren school mother's club, and the women's committee of the Farm Bureau and was a 4-H club leader. She had also sewed for a number of years as Sunday school teacher at the Pleasant View Baptist church. “Surviving are her husband; three sons. Frederick and Karl, both of Harrison township, and Dean, at home: three daughters, Martha, Pauline and Joann, all at home; five grandchildren; one brother, A. J. Pancake of South Charleston, W. Va„ and three Bls- • ters, Mrs. Roy Gaby of Wawaka, Mrs. Cary H. Miller of Fort Wayne end Mrs. John Steinmetz of Van Wert. One daughter preceded in death. s "’ Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Pleasant View Baptist church, the Rev. O. B. Turner officiating. Burial will be in Woodlaud cemetery at Van Wert. The body will be removed from the Cowan & Son funeral home to the residence, where friends may call after 1 p.m. Tuesday. * BULLETIN WASHINGTON (INS) — President Elsenhower reported today that the U.S. will sell or give other countries close to 600 million dollars worth of government-owned food surpluses during the current fiscal year.

Five Cents

Asks Congress For Extension Os Trade Act I Recommendation Is Expected To Touch * Off Major Battle WASHINGTON (INS) — PreslI dent Eisenhower asked congress i today for powt# to reduce tariffs t to strengthen the free world’s eco- - noiulc bulwarks against the threat * of Communist aggression. j Mr. Elsenhower renewed his request of last year for a three-year ? extension of the reciprocal trade - act with authority to cut tariffs - as much as 15 percent. t" His recommendations, outlined j in a special message to Capitol s Hill, are expected to touch off the first major hassle of the new cons gress, where battle lines already are drawn over the tariff issue. Strongest oppositionfo the Prest ident’s plan comes from the protectionist bloc of the Republican s party, which succeeded in post- * poning the overhauling of the tars iff act during the last session of congress. Most Democrats are expected to . support the President’s tariff proposal, which carries forward the reciprocal trade program launched : by the lata President Franklin D. i Roosevelt. In his message, Mr. Eisenhower also asked for new legislation giving special tax advantages to American firms investing abroad to stimulate the flow of private , capital to other free world nations. He proposed that business income from foreign investments be taxed at a rate of 14 percent lower than the corporate rate on domestic income. The special message, the first of seven the President will send to congress this month following up hie state of the union address, also recommended customs simplification and continuation of this country's technical assistance programs. The President asked congress to approve U. S. membership in the proposed international finance corporation, which would increase private investment in underdeveloped countries through loan activities. The message dealt with'the general field of foreign economic policy, with the accent on the foreign trade program. The foreign aid recommendations will be outlined in the budget Mr. Eisenhower declared the administration's tariff program is ‘moderate, gradual and reciprocal.” Such a program, he said, “can add immeasurably to .the security and well-being of the United States and the rest of the free world.” Thee President said that greater economic strength among the free nations will both lessen the threat of Communist aggression and help insure increasing standards of living in this country. The recommended program would give the President authority Jp reduce tariffs on selected commodities by five percent a year during the three-year period. It also would permit reduction of any tariff rates now greater than 50 percent to that level. Mr. Eisenhower also proposed an increase in the present duty-free purchase allowance for American tourists traveling abroad from the present >SOO to >I,OOO. He noted (Continued on Page Five) Band Booster Fund Previously reported >426.47 .Butler Garage ... 25.00 A Friend . 3.00 TOTAL >454.47 Contributions can be made by sending any amount to Band Booster fund, care of Hugh J. Andrews, principal of Decatur high school. All money received will go toward the purchase of new uniforms for the Decatur high school band.