Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 54, Number 86, Decatur, Adams County, 11 April 1956 — Page 1

Vol. LIV. No. 86.

A REAL LITTLE LADY I I *.«> ' '•« « 4wBbMS •. Ik ♦ wj- ■ < Wwi» * HHV . '*<. CAROL BELTZ, 5, is a real little lady as she shakes hands with Chief Justice Earl Warren in Washington after swearing in ceremonies for her grandfather. Homer Ferugson, former Michigan senator, who looks on. Ferguson was sw»m as a member of the three-judge military court of appeals.

Deadly Marine I March Probed i By Military Military Court Os Inquiry To Hear Details Os March PARRIS ISLANp, S. C. (INS) —A military court of inquiry will hear more details today of how six marine trainees drowned In a treacherous tidal stream during a forced night march. Staff Sgt. Matthew C. McKeon, 81, of Worcester, Mass., admitted in a statement he issued through his counsel that he led the- fllfated maneuver “to teach the platoon discipline.” J He said he ordered a platoon of 75 men out of their barracks suddenly Sunday night at the huge Parris Island basic training center. -X Six members of the platoon drowned when they were led into the icy river in pitch darkness. Five of their bodies were found Monday. The body of the sixth victim was recovered by skin divers Tuesday. McKeon will remain in custody until the investigation is completed by the court of inquiry, a factfinding board empowered only to make recommendations as To whether the sergeant should be allowed to go free or whether there is enough evidence to wgr rant a court martial. The board’s report goes to Maj. Gen. Joseph C, Burger, commander of the Parris Island base, and then to Gen. Randolph Pate, Mar ine corps commander who flew to Parris Island from Washington to take personal charge of the Investigation. Gen. Pate can order a court martial if the facts warrant. Secret testimony before the o board is being given by the survivors and may be completed by the end of the week. : Only one of the survivors would comment for publication. Asking that his name not be used, the survivor said: "No particular punishment was involved. It was just general disciplinary action, and notforany particular offense on the part of - Gen. Pate, jvho returned to Washington late Tuesday, said the sergeant did not have authority for disciplinary matters or for scheduling such a march. (Continue on ’'*»’« Six) INDIANA WEATHER Fair north, paddy cloudy -south tonight. Thursday fair and mild. Low tonight 28-25 north, and 34-39 south. High' Thursday 54-60. .Annual High School Revue Here Friday The annual musical revue of the Decatur high school, “Flying High," will be presented at the school auditorium Friday afternoon and evening, at 1 and 8 p. -m. Admission prices are 50 cents for gjlplts and 25 cents for children. Faculty members in charge of the production are: music, Helen Haubold and Clint E. Reed: dia , l&gue, Charlotte Vera: stage sets. Kathryn Kauffman and Amos Ketchum: dances. Rebecca Worthman; costumes. Catherine Weldler; lighting, Lowell J. Smith. _

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

j Brief Officials On Sewage Treatment New City Officials Briefed By Engineer Jonh Ward, engineer representative of Consor. Townsend and Associates, Chicago firm and longtime consulting engineer for the city of Decatur on the sewage tieatment plant proposal, Tuesday night, briefed members of the council, Mayor Robert Cole, city attorney John DeVoss and city eng ineer Ralph Roop on events of the last-41 years in connection with the plan. Ward, whose firm was employed 11 years ago by the city to make a survey and draw plans for a proposed treatment plant, first related .the overall plan for such an operation here. He said that the plans, approved in 1854 by the stream pollution board and the board ot health, call for a northsouth interceptor sewer starting in the south part of the city some 300 feet south of Locust street and running north along the river bank to a location where the treatment plant would be erected. The treatment plant and sludge beds would be located in an area about 300 by 600 feet, just across the river bridge on the Monmouth road. Ward said that prior to Tuesday night’s Informal conference he had re-checked the route of the proposed interceptor sewer, which would pick up the dry flow from all Decatur sewers, both public and private, and found that the 1954 plans would still be operative Each sewer, with the exception of private sewers, would have a separate catch basin near the end ot its run and the sewage would be taken from this basin into the interceptor and then to the treat mtn plant. Surface water would spill over the interceptor and continue to flow into the river. Private sewers would be picked up and routed directly into the interceptor. During heavy rains, however, a part of the raw sewage would be mixed with the surface water and would go directly into the river. The plans also provide for a by-pass at each main sewer, so that in case of a break down at the treatment plant or heavy reception of sewage, the by-pass could be opened to permit sewage to flow into -the river. —- The 1954 complete estimated cost figured $1,100,000. It is believed that because of price, rises in the construction field the complete cost would now be close to a million and a half dollars. A financing plan also was related whereby under the Indiana law. bondfi would be issued, without a ' referendum, in the total amount and the bonds would be retired 1 by adding a use fee to all water patrons. The fee, it was estimated on a 38 yoar bond retirement plan, would double the present total amount paid by each water patron. The added fee, to each month's water bill, is not regarded as a tax and is not deductible from federal tax computations. During Ward’s informal talk, he said that his firm had been authorized in 1947 tmproceed with plans and he believed that later the 1 stream pollution board ordered the 1 city, to construct the treatment ' plant. This order hgs been extend- 1 ed on several occasions, and it , as generally agreed that when the northwest sewer was completed several years ago. the next De- ] catur project would be erection of ' the treatment system. (OontHiusd on Page Six) | 1

Stevenson Is I Given Heavier Vote Than Ike Chances Os Winning Democratic Nod Are Enhanced By Voting CHICAGO (INS) — Adlai Stevenson’s chances of winning the Democratic presidential nomination were strengthened today by results of Tuesday's Illinois presidential preference primary. Stevenson outpolled President Eisenhower in what amounted to a personal popularity contest, but downstate returns drastically reduced a two-to-one margin the former Illinois governor rolled up in predominantly Democratic Chicago. 4 ■ - .. With more than 75 per cent of Illinois’ 9,511 precincts reported, Stevenson had 606.616 votes. He was unopposed on the Democratic ballot. President Eisenhower who made a runaway of the Republican eontest had 575,302 votes. Thus Mr. Eisenhower was running less than 32,000 behind the man he beat for the presidency in 1952. In the 1952 general election, Mr. Eisenhower received 55 per cent of the Illinois vote. Forecasts of a possible writein vote for Sen. Estes Kefauver of Tennessee in the Democratic contest failed to materialize. Kefauver collected 21,956 write-in votes. Gov. Frank Lausche of Ohio received 93 write-in votes. In the GOP voting, Sen. William F. Knowland picked up 26,5ff9 votes. The Californian wanted to withdraw after Mr. Elsenhower’s announcement for a second term but it was too late to remove the senator’s name from the ballot. The Stevenson and Kefauver camps had agreed before the election that the Tennessee senator might gt write-ins totaling about 10 per cent of the Democratic vote. Kefauver supporters said such a showing would lie considered “excellent.” while Stevenson declared he thought anybody could get a 10 per cent return, kefauver actually got about three per cent. In Daytona Beach, Fla., Stevenson issued a statement asserting that he waft “delighted” with the total vote. He said the vote indicated that “despite an organized write-in campaign” for Kefauver “I have been overwhelmingly endorsed by the voters of my home state.” “This primary meant a great deal to me,” he added, “And I am enormously grateful to my many, friends in Illinois.” Kefauver strategists denied carrying out an organized write-in campaign and charged that it had received many complaints of voting irregularities. A spokesman in Stevenson's Chicago office labelled Eben’s charges “fantastic” and said it probably was “sour grapes” brought on by (Continues on rage Six) Says Cabinet Should Have Full Authority View Is Expressed By Herbert Hoover WASH INGTON (INS) — Former President Herbert Hoover said today the cabinet rather than congress should have sole authority to determine when a president no longer is able to carry on his dutiM. ; iL.-.-,.-..--,-:... .■. ■■- -■ • - Hoover said such power in the hands of congress might result in "nullification of the will of the people” when one political party is not in control of both executive and legislative branches of government. In a telegram to a house judiciary subcommittee. Hoover maintained that the constitution gives congress authority to determine who shall take over the executive powers, but that it does not authorize congress to state when such action shall be taken. Meanwhile, the house group voted to renew its invitation to former President Harry S. Truman to testify. Truman wrote chairman Emanuel Celler (D NTY.), that he was unable to be on hand for the hearings. On a motion of Rep. Kenneth Keating (R N.Y.), the subcommittee decided to ask Truman once more to air his views on how he thinks a president’s inability to serve should be handled. Keating took note of reports that Trumaq decided against it because he felt Republican members might provoke him into saying publicly what he thought of the yay the Eisenhower administration was running the government.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday, April 11, 1956.

Hammarskjold Holds Long Conference With Egypt Premier Today

House Takes Up Controversial Farm Measure Republican Leaders —Doubtful Os Chancq jj To Revise Measure WASHINGTON (INS) — The house took up the controversial farm bill today with Democratic leaders confidently predicting defeat of administration efforts tri revise the measure. |GOP leaders conceded that they may lose ill today’s showdown vote. Republican whip Leslie. Arends, of 111., described bis party’s as “pretty tough-pretty tough.” Speaker Sam Rayburn (D Tex.,) forecast that the house would approve the bill drawn up by senatehouse conferees and defeat Republican attempts to send it back to the conference committee. The measure as reported by _th< senate-house conference Committee would restore rigid high pried supports on basic crops, boost sup| ports on others, set up the admire istration - requested billiondoUai soil bank and provide a two-prieg system for wheat and rice. Republican leaders were In a feverish, last-ditch fight to re< tarn the legislation to the c'Onfeience group with instructions for changes to make it more palatable to the White House. Indications were, however, that Democrats and a bloc of farm belt Republicans would muster enough votes to push the bill through the house. Senate majority leader Lyndon Johnson (D Tex.), promised ear Her this week to keep the senate in session late today, to take up the measure if it is approved by the house. GOP leaders evolved a four-point substitute plan which would make the bill more acceptable to President Eisenhower, who said earlier this week he disapproves of the measure in Its present form. Minority leader Joseph W. Martin (R Mass.), indicated to a GOP house conference Tuesday that the bill as now written would not be signed by Mr. Eisenhower. Martin declined, however, to predict a veto. Democratic leaders, including speaker Sara Rayburn of Texas, appeared confident they can win passage of the legislation. Many of them were just as confident that the President will sign it reluctantly. Jefferson School Graduation May 1 Muncie Principal Will Give Address Max E. Stanley, principal of the Jefferson township school, today announced plans for the high school commencement exercises Tuesday night. May 1. Dr. M. Curtis Howd, principal ot the Burris laboratory high school at Muncie, will deliver the commencement address. Theme of his address will be “The Spirit of the Times." Dr. Howd received his bachelor’s degree at Western Illinois State: .Colieg ea.nd his master's and doctor’s degrees at -the University of Illinois. He has taught at Piper City and Rockton, 111., and was formerly administrator of the Illinois University laboratory school and Urbana city schools. He has served as a Sunday echopl teacher, a director of the Muncie Exchange club, a director of the Chamber of Commerce. He te also president of the laboratory school administrators association and active in the secondary school principals organization of Indiana. , Stanley also announced the (UonunuM on rage aix)

Decatur Airport To Be Closed Saturday New Airport Made Ready For Flying MJss Josephine Ivetlch, owne.r and operator of the Decatur HiWay Airport, announced today that . the air field, which is the oldest iir - Indiana, will be abandoned Saturday. , ’ / — The new airfield located east of > Decatur on U. S. highway 224 and Estate highway 101 will be ready for . hying this week according to Miss Ivetlch. The official opening and ; field day for the new airport will be at a later date. The new field will feature four individual hangars to be constructed within the next three weeks. Two local student pilots have purchased Miss Ivetich’s Piper Cub J-3 and they plan to build a hapgar for it. Two Ohio men are also building a hangar for their plane. AU field markers have been placed on the strip. A wind tee, which is an essential requirement on airports approved by the civil air patrol, is being completed by Earl Mounsey. an aircraft owner a nd'pilot. A new flight school is planned for the airport to bring in revenue to make the airport self-support-ing. Two instructors with ground school ratings will be on hand to conduct flight courses.. : .William Brigham, flight instruct tor and examiner from Portlatitl, will be the head Instructor. Private ratings will be issued after qualification by Brigham on the new airfield. Wendal Houser, also of Portland, will be the second' instructor. He has haAover 3,000 hours of logged time. He was instructor at the Winchester airport for several years and also taught G.I. students at Steed field at Portland. The local field will be available to both local and outside pilots. Miss Ivetlch stated that no charge would be made for tie-down to transient ships or landing fees. She emphasized that all precautions will be taken toward safety and observance of C.A.A. rules and regu(Oonttnuwi on Kart Six) President Approves Colorado River Plan Says Water Most Valuable Resource AUGUSTA, Ga. (INS) — President Elsenhower approved the $760 million Upper Colorado River project today with a declaration that water is the nation’s most valuable natural resource. ■ He signed the bill passed after long delay in congress in his office above the golf shop at the Augusta National golf -club where he is spending a spring holiday. • IT~ .'♦ril/i . J'tJZZ’lzxaH . IX4 t/Y fix? Witt xiT?Yv tJiTttrii pmnvni rnCTT the tiny office for the signing: “This bill represents what I so believe in—-treating a whole river valley as a unit, from top to bottom.” The measure provides for four dams and 11 reclamation projects for the benefit of a four-state area including Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico. A chill rain kept Mr. Eisenhower off the golf course this morning and he planned to try his luck at fishing in a pond on the edge of the course unless the skies cleared this afternoon. Asked how his golf has been since his arrival in Georgia Monday, the President replied, “pretty well for me.’ He observed that, since his heart attack, he has to ride up every ccccccrcrldccce small rise on the course In an electric golf cart, adding rather ruefully: "You have to keep reminding yourself, ‘Now don’t walk up thia tee or don’t walk up this hill.’ “But I do ride in the cart—l’m very faithful about it.” The President was jauntily attired in blua sweater, grey sport shirt, yellow necktie arid green blazer worn by club member#.

United States Warns Israel, Arab Nations Any Aggression By Either May Be Met By Military Forces I WASHINGTON (INS) — The ’ United States warned the Arab nations and Israel today that any aggression by either side may be met by U. S. military forces. The red light was displayed in the form of leaks to newsmen that President Eisenhower is considering a request to congress for standby authority to use American 1 troops against any aggressor in tje middle Ea.lt if United Nations peace efforts fail. However, the highly authoritative source emphasized that the U. S. still hopes the peace mission of UN secretary general Dag Hammarskjold will prove successful. This official said the request to congress — if one is made — would follow the same lines as that which gave the President authority to order U.S. intervention if the Chinese Communists tried to invade Formosa. TL7 He said this action worked in regard to Formosa — after the adn»inistrftyom*requegted resolution won overwhelming support In congress — and it is thought It might work in the Middle East. The official emphasized, however, that it is highly unlikely that quested before the conclusion of the current UN effort to arrange peace in the strife-ridden Middle East. Secretary of state John Foster Dulles, In warning top congressional leaders Tuesday that intervention might be necessary, did not ask for such action now. Meanwhile, an Israeli diplomat charged today that the Egyptian government has admitted committing aggression against Israel. He cited reports from the Middle East that the Cairo radio praised the raids of the Fedayeen sutbide “commandos" who have struck into Israeli territory. The diplomat said that in the broadcast Cairo radio told the Egyptian people that the war had gone beyond the frontiers and “into thq heart ot Israel.” The possibility of Israeli retaliatory action was strong. It was pointed out that on Sunday Israeli foreign minister Da(Continued on Pago Five) John F. Meshberger Dies Last Evening Funeral Services Thursday As te rnoon John F. Meshberger, 79, retired farmer and lifelong rekident of the Genvea area, died at 6 o’clock Tuesday evening at the home of a nephew, Robert Schechner, two and one-half miles southwest bl Geneva, after suffering a heart attack a week ago. He was born in French township Nov. 5, 1876, a son of Christian and Mary Beeler - Moeschberger. His wife, the former Ida Speicher, died last Thursday. Mr. Meshberger, who resided one mile west of Geneva, was a member of the Cross Evangelical and Reformed church at’ Berue. Surviving are three brothers, Levi Moeschberger of near Berne, Albert Moeschberger of Berne and Nathan Moeschberger of near Geneva, ans five sisters, Mrs. Calvin Gerber and Mrs. Louise Bauman of Bluffton. Mrs. Goldie Gottschalk of route UGeiWva. Mrs. Raymond Bluhm arid Mrs. Glaytpn Holloway of near Monroe. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p. m. Thursday at the Yager funeral home in Berne, the Rev. C. A,. Schmid officiating. Burial will be in the MRE cemetery. Friends may cilll at the funeral home until time of the services.

Sparks To Announce : Governor Candidacy Former College Head To Enter G.O.P. Race INDIANAPOLIS (INS) — Frank H. Sparks will announce his candidacy for governor on the Republican ticket in a statement to be issued next week. The wealthy industrialist and former Wabash college president s had set April 18 as deadline milk- . ing his decision known. r Backers of the Sparks-for-gov- > nor campaign said today that Dr. Sparks would be in Indianapolis , April 21, available for interviews L and pictures. They said that a . news conference is not planned at . present. ! The Indianapolis stop will’mark > the close of pre-campaign tour j which will have taken Dr. Sparks 1 into all 11 Indiana congressional districts. s He already has talked to civic, 1 business and political leaders in the fourth and sixth districts. Next comes the “bloody eighth” where j the prospective candidate is to ! meet with party leaders at Evans- ( ville Thursday night after visiting with other advisors in the district during the day. His schedule calls for similar ’ meetings next week in Columbus (ninth district): Bloomington (seventh district); Lafayette (second district): Richmond and Muncie 1 (16th district) ; Marion--(■fifth-di* trict) and Lake county (first dts- ■ trict). The windup will be in Indianapt oils April 14. t Such strenuous action can only 5 be taken to mean that Dr. Sparks s aims to toss his hat into a ring already containing the headpieces of Frank Millls, state revenue _ commissioner; Harold W. Handley, lieutenant-governor; Dan M. Cravens, former alcoholic beverage commission member, and Francis T. McCarty, Brimfield L manufacturer. 1 Then, too, aides of Dr. Sparks disclosed he was in Chicago Tuesday winding up his business affairs * so he could devote full time to his J campaign. ’ And if that’s not proof enough 1 (Continued on Page Five) Two Young Drivers Nabbed For Racing Warning Issued By Justice Os Peace Two Adams county young men were arrested Tuesday night by state police officer Gene Rash and they were charged in justice of peace Floyd Hunter's court with lacing their automobiles at a 100 mile per hour speed abreast on I'. S. highway 224 west of Decatur. The young men, Don Menter of HVist of Dfeeatur and Roger Heller, Winchester road, pleaded guilty to the charge. Their fathers, Carl Menter and Roger Heller, were asked to appear in court by justice Hunter, which they did later Tuesday night. The youths were given a stern warning after the fathers had appeared and also were fined $25 and costs. Hunter then restricted Mentor’s driving for the next six months to cb o * - ® 8 f°r his family in direct connection with his father's business. Heller's license was restricted for six months to work in connection with his father in the farming business. Originally the Decatur justice of peace made the order to suspend both licenses, but th§ fathers asked that this be modified because both boys assisted them during the summer months. “I want tb warn all motorists in the future,” Hunter said. “That racing on highways and the use of excessive speeds will not be tolerated in Adams county.” There have been several complaints recently of motorists drivinv their cars abreast down highways at fast rates of speed. ” Both young men paid their fines and were released to their fathers following the hearing. — - ♦

Five Cents

UN Secretary Seeking Peace In Middle East Holy Land Enjoys Relatively Quiet Day Along Border CAIRO (INS) —Dag Hammarskjold emerged tight-lipped today from a one hour and IS-minute conference with, gyptian premier ; Gamal Abdel Nasser about the ! dangerous Arab-Israeli border I strife. The U_»; secretary general told newsmen who clustered around him as he left Nasser's office he • had "nothing to say to the press.” Asked whether he would see j Nasser again, he replied: “Cer- ' thinly, but we have! no appointI ment fixed.” The UN secretary general was accompanied at the meeting in ( Nasser's office by Maj- Gen. E.L.M. Burns,.. the Canadian who is UN truce chief. Foreign minister Mahmoud Fawzi of Egypt also took part (n the talks, which were arranged Tuesday evening when Hammarskjold made a sudden flight to I Cairo only a few hours after ar- , riving in the Middle East to begin ~Ms security council-sponsored . peace mission. Nasser and Fawzi had conferred together for an hour before the UN Officials arrived with a strong „ ■ , security escort. Subject of the talks was secree ’ but a source close to Nasser said he was prepared to listen “with a completely open mind” to any proposals Hammarskjold makes to ease Arab-Israeli tension. The source said, however, that Nasser was “not very optimistic” that much can be accomplished toward establishing an enduring tduce on the Israeli frontier. Following , his meeting with Nasser, Hammarskjold had a “business lunch” with Fawsi at the select Mohammed Aly club. The rest of his plans were uncertain but members of the “peace mission” expected him to remain in Cairo, until Friday,, then fly back to Beirut where he has established headquarters for his 30day fact-finding tour. "” I P r Minor Incidents JERUSALEM (INS) —The holy land enjoyed its first relatively peaceful day in a week today but three minor incidents attested to the dangerous situation on the Arab-Israeli frontiers. Someone fired at a watchman at a youth settlmement near Migdal Arhkelon several miles north of the Gaza strip. An official said the shots may have* been fired by one of the few Egyptian commandos still believed to be operating on Israeli soil. However, for the first time since Saturday there were no Fedayeen (suicide squad) night raids on Israeli settlements and water supply lines. Shots also were fired near Hoesen, seven miles from the border of Lebanon, and at Beisan calley two miles from Jordan. Tension began to slacken Tuesday with the arrival of the em(Continued ofl Page Five) Court House Offices To Close For Funeral All offices in the court house, including Adams circuit court and the clerk's office will close Thursday afternoon at 1 o’clock for the balance of the day so that all officials and employes may attend the funeral services of Ferd bitterer, Decatur attorney. A memorial service is scheduled for Thursday afternoon at 12:30 o'clock in the court room by the Adams county bar association, it was announced Today. The service will be open to the publiec. Members of the- bar. headed by judge Myles F. Parrish, also will attend the funeral services Thursday afternoon.