Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 53, Number 35, Decatur, Adams County, 11 February 1955 — Page 1

Vol. bill. No. 35.

SNOW, FIRE, SNARL CHICAGO TRAFFIC I

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F,REMEN battle a stubborn blaze in the near loop area of Chicago's Skid Row and pelting snow combined to give work-bound people a good excuse for being late. The fire, believed to have been started by bonfires set by vagrants in the empty bui Iding, caused rerouting of traffic just at the morning rush hour. Five firemen were injured fighting the blaze.

19-Year-Old Vote Measure Appears Dead Measure Makes No Progress In Either House Os Assembly INDIANAPOLIS (INS) — Legislation to permit youngsters 19 years old or more to vote may be lost In the dying days of the Indiana general assembly, according to indications today. Republican Senator A. Burr Sheron, of Marion, chairman of the elections committee, is sitting on the bill in his committee and a similar measure has made no progress in the house. Governor George N. Craig applied pressure this week on Senator Sheron to dislodge the bill which the governor advocated in his opening message to the lawmakers. This legislation was passed by the 1953 general assembly. If it th adopted’ by this session, the voters next year will decide whether to amend the state constitution to authorize the early voting time. Senator Sheron said he had had few requests to push the bill and that its future results might be dangerous. He said it might be followed by legalization of teenage liquor drinking, permitting minors to wed without consent of the parents and other questionable authorizations. Sheron also said Russia is the only nation in which those 19 years old can vote and he also said that Hitler and Mussolini rose to power in questionable youth With only three weeks of the session remaining, the youth legislation may die, unless the Craigfaction Republican lawmakers leap into action on it soon. However, the $675 million record budget measure was ahead of past schedules. The house may pass this important measure before nightfall, but prospects are for substantial pruning in the senate following a smashing attack on high expenditures by Republican senator Charles Maddox, of Otterbein senate finance committee chairman, Thursday. Both houses took time out this morning to pay tribute to Abraham Lincoln at a joint session. A few minutes after Senators William E. Jenner of Indiana and George W. Malone of Nevada had spoken briefly to the Senate Thursday afternoon, that body, 38 to 8, passed the Anness-Bitz resolution urging members of congress to increase their own salaries and the pay of federal judges. It won’t be long until the state legislators will vote themselves a per diem of $lO or sls and a salary hike from $1,200 to SI,BOO, according to leaders. The senate, by voice vote, passed the Bontrage-Wilson resolution making it easier for states to obtain amendment of the federal constitution. The resolution memorializes congress to allow states to initiate amendments (Continued oh Page Eight) INDIANA WEATHER Fair to partly cloudy and quite cold tonight and Saturday. Snow flurries extreme north. Low tonight zero to 10 below. High Saturday 5-10 above.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Democrat Leaders Push Tariff Bill Ignore Opposition To Trade Measure WASHINGTON (INS) — Democratic leaders ignored growing opposition to President Eisenhower’s tariff-cutting proposals today and prepared to ram the legislation through the house under the socalled ’’gag” rule. I Speaker Sam Rayburn (D Tex.), , scheduled house debate on the ad- . ministration's foreign trade bill for , next Thursday and Friday with a vote to come late Friday. ; The measure extends for three f years Mr. Eisenhower’s authority • to negotiate reciprocal. trade treal ties and gives him added power to > cut tariffs on selected commodities up to five per cent a year. It is the keystone of the administration's program to increase inI ternational commerce among free i world nations. The reciprocal trade provisions were inherited from the Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman administrations. Last year, Mr. Eisenhower with- . drewproposals similar to those incorporated of a simple one-year extension of the existing law. Executive authority to work out trade agreements —under which the U. S. cuts tariffs up to 50 per cent of the 1945 level in return for similar trade concessions from the other nations concerned — expires June 12. The measure, as approved by the committee, also gives the president power to cut tariffs below the reciprocal trade minimum by an additional five per cent a year — or 15 per cent in the next three . years. Biggest floor fight will be on a move by Rep. Daniel A. Reed (R N. Y.), leader of the protectionist bill back to committee with inbloc in congress, to send the trade structions to adopt amendments restricting the President's power in lowering trade barriers. In the final ways and means committee vote, Reed was joined by Reps. Thomas A. Jenkins (R Ohio,) Richard M. Simpson (R Par), Noah Mason (R Ill.), and Aime Forand (D R. I.), in opposing the bill. The vote was 20-5. Arnold Stults Dies Al Toledo Hospital Brother Os Decatur Residents Is Dead Arnold Stults, 60, former Adams county resident, died at 1:15 o’clock Thursday afternoon at the Mercy hospital in Toledo, O. He had suffered a stroke 10 days ago at his home in Toledo. He was born in Wren, 0., July 30, 1894, the eldest son of Wesley H. and Elizabeth Hefptley-Stults. His wife died Jan. 5, 1954. Surviving are a brother, Orrin Stults of Decatur; a sister, Mrs. Elmer Lautenschleger, also of Decatur; a niece, a nephew and a number of cousins. He was a nephew of Mrs. Ferd Litterer of this city. The body was removed to the Foth funeral home in Toledo, . where services will be held Saturday afternoon. Burial will be in Toledo.

Six Members Os Red High Court Ousted Six Supreme Court Members Relieved Os Posts By Reds LONDON (INS) — The Moscow radio said today that sjx members of the Soviet supreme court had been relieved of their posts. The Moscow radio broadcast said the_ supreme court members were relieved by a decree issued by the Supreme Soviet, Russia's parliament. No reason was given immediately for the action. The report follows a sweeping shake-up tn the Soviet government which saw Marshal Nikolai Bulganin succeed Georgi Malenkov as premier. The uecree dated Feb. 7, the day before the announced resignation of Malenkov, said those discharged were: I. V. Detistov, Leonid Dimitrovich Dimitriev, Ivan Dimitrovich Zarianov, Pavel Tikhonovich Wlopov, Ivan Denisovich Matulevich, and Panteley Petrovich Pavlenko. The parliament appointed seven new members of the court in the decree approved during the sixday session which adjourned Wednesday after the resignation of Malenkov and his replacement by former defense minister Bulganin. The Soviet supreme court is comprised of more than 70 members and also 35 people’s assessors under its president The present court was elected to a five-year term by the Supreme Soviet, or parliament, in March, 1951. Russia’s top legal brains and most prominent jurists make up the court. Lavrenti r. Berla, the former Soviet secret police chief and deputy premier who was executed on treason chargea In. 1953, was put on trial before the court. Eight Below Zero At Indianapolis Moderating Period Predicted Sunday INDIANAPOLIS (INS) — Indiana's crazy-mixed-up weather was expected to strike a happy winter medium during the next five .days with below freezing at night and above freezing in the day. ‘ Temperatures Thursday ran as high as 53 at Evansville, 45 at Indianapolis, 46 at Fort Wayne and 39 at South Bend only to fall as low as eight degrees below zero at Indianapolis and Lafayette this morning. Other lows reported around the state which went from springtime to winter weather conditions in less than an hour were two above at Evansville, five at Fort Wayne and six at South Bend. Seven inches of snow were reported late Thursday at Valparaiso, four at South Bend, two at Lafayette, one at Fort Wayne and Indianapolis and only a trace in Evansville. .-L_—-— State highway workers said all secondary roads in Indiana are very slippery and main state roads are slippery in spots. Conditions are a little better in extreme (Continued on Page Eight)

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMB COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Friday, February 11, 1955.

Evacuation Os Chinese Nationalist Troops Is Progressing Rapidly

Light, Water Profits Shown In 1954 Report Profits Decrease In City Utilities During Past Year The Decatur light and power department showed a net profit for 1954 of $69,471.11 and the water department showed a net profit for the same period of $6,772.25, according to the annual report filed this week by Edwin Kauffman, auditor of both utilities. Both 1954 profits were smaller than the 1953 records. The light and power .department earnings declined 12.8 percent compared with the preceding year and the water 'department net earnings dropped 46.7 percent. Total assets of the electric light and power department on December 31, 1954 were $4,086,377.66, the report shows. A breakdown of the steam and diesel plant production reveals that 28,455,000 kilowatts were generated by steam and 7,569,000 kilowatts were generated at the diesel plant. Cost of each kilowatt delivered to the customer was .015870 cents. Steam' generated electricity showed a slightly less manufacturing cost ai .012634 compared with a diesel priee of .013886. Cost of manufacturing at the steam plant showed a 3.9 percent reduction in the 1953 cost. In operating revenues, commercial and industrial power proved to be the best customer, paying a total of $219,163.13. Rural sales were second with an income of $127,192.36. Commercial light sales totalled $97,221.99 -and residence sales were $86,837.01. Total l operating revenue was $632,863.85, showing an increase over 1953 of 6.2 percent. Water department revenue was $93,066.36, a fraction of one percent higher than 1953. Revenue from general customers totalled $81,207.73 and income from fire protection totalled $10,500. Total water pumped through the plant was 306,544,200 gallons. Water sold to customers totalled 166,491,431 gallons. It took 4,051,400 gallons of water for the mu(Contlnued on Page Eight) Annual Banquet Os C. Os C. Feb. 17 C. I. Finlayson To Be Toastmaster C. I. “Scotty" Finlayson, Decatur plant manager of Central Soya Co, will preside as toastmaster at the annual dinner meeting of the Decatur Chamber of Commerce to be held next Thursday night at 6:30 o’clock at the Moose home, it was announced today. • The Rev. Edgar P. Schmidt, pastor of Zion Lutheran chureh, will dellv®F”me invocation. The dinner and meeting will be open, as usual, ,to members and their wives, and the balance of the tickets will be sold to the general public. Reservations should be .made with Fred Kolter, executive secretary, not later than Monday, February 14. A complete schedule of entertainment to follow the dinner and installation of officers will be announced the first of the week, the committee in charge said today. . Ronald Parrish, trucking executive and retiring president, will give a resume of the Chamber's work during 1954 and then will officially turn the 1955 program over to M. J. “Mike" Pryor, mankger of the Northern Indiana Public Service company's Decatur office and newly elected president. Secretary Kolter said a few tickets were still available but he urged that anyone desiring tickets should arrange to get them immediately. . -

'Pay As See’ TV To Undergo Study To Study System Os Subscription WASHINGTON (INS) — The federal communications commission agreed today to consider a nationwide system of subscription, or "pay as you see," television but said it wants suggestions from the entire industry before arriving at . a final decision. The commission, after looking • into the matter for months, flatly rejected requests that it authorise subscription television operations immediately as outlined by several . proponents. The FCC declared: "The commission feels that before it would adopt such a signifii cant change as subscription tele- [ vision this matter should be coni sidered- in a general rule-making I proceeding in which all phases of the problem may be afforded detailed and careful consideration.” Subscription TV would be paid i for by the home viewer, either J through a coin-slot apparatus on. . his receiver or through a monthly . billing system for the programs j received. Proponents pt the plan say it would offer a nationwide “box of- ! fice” which would bring to the public such first-run motion pictures and Broadway opening nights which no single sponsor could afford. The plan would operate over existing television stations at certain designated hours. Viewers who do not sign up for the service would see only .a “jittered’'” or scrambled picture. Ordinary sets could be adapted to subscription TV at relatively low cost. The FCC said that it wants to hear from “any interested party” on whether subscription TV should be authorized, and how this should be done. Written comments will be received up until May 9. Written replies will be received to these original comments up until June 9. Some time after that, the FCC will decide whether hearings or demonstrations are necessary. Fewer Farm Workers Reported In January WASHINGTON (INS) — The government says there were 162,000 fewer workers on farms at the end of January than at the same time in 1954. The decline from December to January was nearly half a millton. January is historically the low point of the year for farm employment, but the decline this year was larger than usual. Elks Cancer Party Saturday Evening Annual Elks Party At Home Saturday Advance ticket sales for the annual Elks cancer party Saturday indicate a targe crowd will attend the event w'hich raises money to finance cancer research at Indiana and Purdue universities Oran Schult?, exalted ruler, and George Laurent, general chairman of the party, have announced that tickets will still be available at the door for those who. have not already purchased them. More than 100 merchants have contributed prizes which will be given away during the evening. Several other lodges in the city have curtailed activities for the evening in order that their members can attend the affair. The party will begin at 5:30 p.m. with the serving of a smorgasbord lunch. Entertainment will follow at 8 p.m. and dancing will begin at 10 p.m. The party is sponsored annually by the local Elks lodge. It is hn open house affair and the public is invited to attend. A donation of $1.50 entitles the donor to the smorgasbord, entertainment and dance.

Says Ike Will Order Quemoy, Matsu Defense Says Assurances Given Chiang On Defending Islands WASHINGTON (INS) —A leading Republican legislator said today President Eisenhower probably would order American forces to defend Quemoy arid "Matsu islands if they are attacked by the Chinese Reds, but he said there has been no U. S. “commitment" on them. This influential legislator stressed that the President certainly would consult with congress before authorizing the use of U. S. forces to defend the Nationalist- " held offshore islands. His statement came after a ' high American official in Taipei said Mr. Eisenhower gave “assur- ■ ance-s-” to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek concerning defense of 1 Matsu, Quemoy and other offshore islands. The U. S. official said that details are ‘top secret” but indicated ' the “assurances" were unilateral as far as the U. S. is concerned and were flexible, depending on circumstances involving any Red invasion attempt. He said the “assurances” had been given by the President but there is no formal written agreement. Mr. Eisenhower's pledge of support to Chiang, he said, resulted in the "go ahead” for evacua(Continued on Pare Eight) Less Than J ,000 Return Vote Cards County clerk Ed Jaberg announced today that only 967 of the 2,407 voters registration cards sent out have been returned. He pointed out that those who have received cards must return them on or before March 5 in order to avoid being purged from the voter list. State PTA Leader Will Speak Tuesday Mrs. Heuman Speaks To Monmouth PTA Mrs. Graydon Heuman, president ■of the Indiana congress of parents and teachers, will be. the guest speaker at the Monmouth PTA meeting Tuesday at 8 p.m. The program will follow the business meeting, which will be at 7:30 p.m. "These Things We Can Do For Our Children” jyill be the theme of Mrs. Heuman’s address. Mrs. Heuman has been a member of the PTA state board of managers since May, 1952, serving as state chairman of the program and Founders Day committee. Formerly a resident of Elkhart, she held various chairmanships in the Rice School PTA unit there. She jwaa.j'lce-Dresident of the Elkhart city PTA council and district director of region 4-A. She now belongs to the Longfellow PTA unit in Muncie. A special feature of the Monmouth meeting will be the celebration of Founders day, the 85th birthday of the national PTA. Monmouth’s past presidents will be honored. Mrs. Leo Kirsch was the first tp serve in 1947. Following her were Mrs. Lionel Brentllnger, Mrs. Omer Merriman, Mrs. George Sonner and Mrs. Herbert BraunMrs. Richard Harkless Is serving as general chairman for the Tuesday event. Her committee includes Mrs. Clifford Mann, devo-, tions; Mr. and Mrs. Ed Cook, hospitality, and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kolter, reception. Other state officials planning to attend are Mrs. George Grunewald of Fort Wayne, state vice-president of region four, and Mrs. Robert Meshberger of Berne, director of district 4-B.

First Donation For Community Center Schafer Brothers To Furnish Office Frederick Schafer, head of the Schafer Wholesale Co., and Daniel Schafer, proprietor of the Schafer store. Decatur, became the first special contributors to the Decatur Youth and Community center, J. Ward Calland, president, announced today. The Schafers have furnished the office of the new building completely with new desks, chairs, typewriters and all necessary requirements. Frederick Schafer is a member of the controlling board of the new building and he and his brother both were active in the early work of raising funds for construction. The plan of asking local people and local concerns to assist in ■ furnishing the various rooms received a big boost, Calland said, ■ in the voluntary lead taken by 1 the Schafers. Several similar announcements : are expected to be forthcoming ■ soon, Calland said. Orlo Mc- • Geath, director of the Community and Youth center, accompanied ■ the Schafers to Fort Wayne this I week and assisted in selecting the office equipment. McGeath soon will establish a permanent office in the new building. He also said that he hid secured a residence in Decatur and Mrs. McGeath and their, two daughters would come to their new home soon. Boy Scout Banquet Held Last Evening Annual Banquet Is Held Here Thursday Approximately 200 men and boys attended the annual banquet for Decatur Boy Scouts Thursday evening at the Moose home in this city. The banquet was part of the city’s observance of national Boy Scout week, part of the observance of the 45th anniversary of the organization. The meeting opened with invocation by the Rev. Virgil W. Sexton, pastor of the First Methodist church, followed by group singing led by Jack Gordon. The dinner was prepared and served by the Women of the Moose. J. Ward Calland, acting as toastmaster, introduced the troop committees and other Scout leaders and the groups of Scouts. Speaking briefly for the sponsoring organizations were Gene Rydell, president of Rotary, sponsor of troop 61; Frank Lybarger, vice president of Lions, sponsor of troop 62; Walter Koenemann, commander of Adams Post 43, American Legion, sponsor of troop 63; and Oran Schultz, exalted ruler of the Elks lodge, sponsor of Explorer post 2062. R. L. Van Horn, Fort Wayne, area executive for the Anthony J Wayne council. Boy Scouts, was in- ‘ troduced and also spoke briefly. Everett (Sonny,) Grandelius backfield coach at Michigan State, ' was the gtiest speaker. Grandelius was a backfield star at Michigan > State, chosen on several All-Ameri- < can teams, and played one season ' (Cbntlnued on Page Eight) ; i Jay W. Brown Dies In Omaha, Nebraska Word has been received here of . the death of Jay W. Brown, 82, I former Adams county resident, at I the home of a daughter, Mrs. Fred Hoffman,*' in St. Joe, Mo. He was the son of Abraham and ( Samantha Orr-Brown. His wife, , Jhe former Essie Kern, preceded ] him in death. Mr. Brown moved to Omaha, ( Neb., about 45 years ago. s Survivors include one son; two , daughters; a brother, Clifford < Brown of east of Decatur, and a sister, Mrs. Bessie Patterson of 1 Fort Wayne. Funeral services and l burial will be In Omaha. i

Evacuation Os Tachens Hear To Completion No Interference By Reds In Evacuation OFChinese Troops TAIPEI (INS) — Evacuation of Chinese Nationalist troops from the Tachen Islands moved toward a fast finish today and it was expected the entire American - protected operation will be completed within several hours. INS Far Eastern Director Marvin Stone reported from the amphibious command ship, USS Estes that the last group of Chiang KaiShek soldiers is expected to leave the Tachens before dawn Saturday (about 5 p.m., EST Friday). Word was passed to the fleet that the flagship USS Helena will leave the islands Saturday before noon (11 p.m. Friday, EST). The Helena will be the last ship out, abandoning the islands 200 miles north of Formosa to a Communist ‘bloodless’’ landing. Rear Adm. Lorenzo Sabin told correspondent Stone: “I expect it will all be wound up before nooirSaturday." " ; Sabin, remarking on the lack of Red interference with the redeployment operation for defense of Formosa, said: “I did not expect an attack because whatsoever else we think of the Communists — and heaven knows 1 hate them as much as any man alive — they are not stupid. "And it would have been stupid of them to pay in blood what they could get for free.” Despite stormy weather in the Tachens where East China sea waters were churned by gale-force winds. Vice Adm. Alfred M. Pride, seventh fleet commander, said the evacuation was ‘proceeding at a brisk pace.” Pride, directing the operation which is part of President Elsenhower’s “fight if we must” defense plan for the Chiang KaiShek government, maintained a 24-hour "general quarters" alert on the possibility of any communist interference. The Nationalists, meanwhile, announced they plan to defend Nanchi Island, 120 miles north of Formosa t— without American help—but will evacuate civilians. A Nationalist defense ministry spokesman announced the plan for* civilian evacuation of Nanchi, a three square mile island 23 miles off the dhina mainland. The spokesman pointed out that the islarid is exposed to air attacks from mainland-based Red planes and the 2,000-odd civilians living there are in a precarious position. The spokesman added, however, that Nanchi has never been attacked by Communist planes and there are no immediate indications of a Red assault. The spokesman at the same time said there are no plans for evacu- - ating civilians from Hatsu islands, 100 miles north of Formosa, or from the Quemoys, 100 miles west of the Chiang Kai-Shek bastion. The Nationalist spokesman said that Nanchi can be defended without American “air cover” but is exposed to a new threat. He reported that the Communists have completed building a new air base at Luchio on the mainland about 80 miles northwest of Nanchi. (Continues on Page Two) Half Os Huge Plant Destroyed By Fire OWOSSO. Mich. HNS) —A $2.000,000 blaze Thursday night destroyed half of the huge MitchellBentley Corp, plant in Owosso. More than 50 firemen battled for eight hours to control the flames shooting from the automotive trim plant, one of Owosso’s major industries. Firefightihg was hampered by a blizzard and 12-degree temperatures which froze the water from" fire hoses. \ : r

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