Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 55, Number 49, Decatur, Adams County, 27 February 1957 — Page 1

Vol. IV. No. 49.

’2,000,000 FIRE AT GLIDDEN

—yvwyvvv * — ——— ■ h > '**'''/■'^ r '■ Hf ■| .. ~ ' ; w||| K . HOB**-' ■ "'LI MORE THAN $2,000,000 worth of the Glidden company, world-known paint manufacturer, goes up in flames as one of its plants burns ail night long in Cleveland.

Report Israel Ready To Quit Gulf Os Aqaba U.S. Formulating Resolution Today ' For U.N. Control BULLETIN • WASHINGTON (DP) — The United States again urged Israel point-blank today to make a "voluntary withdrawal” from Egyptian territory. By WALTER LOGAN United Press Staff Correspondent Israel was reported ready today to evacuate its positions along the Gulf of Aqaba, but a hitch developed in negotiations between Israeli Ambassador Abba Eban and U.N. Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold over the Gaza Strip. The~United States hoped to solve the new impasse today by introducing a resolution in the U.N. General Assembly calling for United Nations control of both the Gaza Strip and the Israeli-held Sharm El Sheikh area along the Aqaba Gulf. The resolution would omit any direct call for sanctions against Israel, but the draft of the resolution was understood to cgrry a carefully worded clause warning that the assembly would consider sanctions if Israel persisted in its refusal to quit Egyptian territory. Eban, who broke off his talks Tuesday with Hammarskjold and rushed to Washington for a 90minute conference with Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, was expected to see Hammarskjold again today in New York. Israel’s Gasa Position Israeli sources said in Jerusalem that Hammarskjold's "legal niceties" were blocking a Gaza settlement. They defined these "legal nice- ' ties” as Hammarskjold’s insistence that the 1949 armistice agreement ending the Palestine War provided for Egyptian occupation of the Gaza Strip and that he could do nothing about it. Israel's position was that it will not give Egypt control of the disputed territory because of the long series of Egyptian fedayeen raids launched on Israel from the strip in violation of the armistice agreement. Israel has insisted on guarantees against such attacks and guarantees of free passage in the Gulf of Aqaba before giving up control of the areas. Egypt used the Sharm El Sheikh area to blockade Israeli shipping in the Gulf of Aqaba. It was still not clear what guarantees of free passage had decided Israel to give up the Sharm El SheiKh area "shortly.” Israel has insisted that its own ships guarantee passage. Well-informed officials in Jerusalem said Israel since has received new guarantee ICeatinued »> Pn*e Fiv«> *7 Local Man's Brother Dies In California Owen K. Baker, foreman of the job printing department of the Decatur Daily Democrat, has received word of the death of his brother, James A. Baker, 73, Tuesday at his home in Southgate, a suburb of Los Angeles, Calif. He had been in failing health for the past two years. Surviving in addition to the brother here are the wife, Harriett; two daughters, both living in the west; three grandchildren and four greatgrandchildren.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Rash Os Industrial, Residential Fires At Least Four Dead In Series Os Fires By UNITED PRESS Damage estimates mounted toward the $8 million mark today in a rash of industrial and residential fires. At least four persons were killed and two others were missing in the blazes since Tuesday. One of the victims was an 18-month-old baby boy who was killed in a Cleveland, Ohio, tenement fire late Tuesday. Fifteen persons fled the flames and three of them were injured when they jumped from windows. Earlier, three-fourths of Cleveland’s fire-fighting farce battled a blaze at the Glidden Paint Co. plant. Company officials set damages at $2.5 million. Another industrial fire destroyed the four-story, two-block long Pequanoc Rubber Co. plant at Butler, N.J. Three firemen were injured, and damage was estimated at more than $3 million. A blaze Tuesday night in the business district at Parsons, W. Va., destroyed three stores and a house and damaged five other buildings. There were no reports of injuries and no immediate estimate of damages. Firemen said the flames may have been touched off by lightning during a thunderstorm. Firemen had to *dodge whizzing bullets in battling a blaze that destroyed a four - story business and apartment block in the center of Meriden, Conn., Tuesday. The flames touched off live ammunition in a sporting goods store and bullets flew dangerously close to the fire-fighters. Two persons were missing in the blaze which caused damage estimated in the millions of dollars. In other fires Tuesday, a 68-year-old woman was killed in a home fire at Milwaukee, Wis., and a man and woman were killed when fire swept a building in Montreal, Canada. Two buildings in the heart of Mason City, 111., were destroyed by flames. No damage estimate was immediately available.

Fort Wayne Market Robbed Os $4,000 Armed Gunman Robs A & P Supermarket FORT WAYNE (UP)—An armed gunman held up an A&P supermarket and escaped with $4,000 Tuesday night as about 25 customers continued their shopping, unaware of toe crime. The lone bandit entered toe store just before closing time and told toe cashier “this is a stickup.” He ordered the manager and assistant manager into toe office and forced them to open toe safe. He stuffed toe day’s receipts into a brown paper bag and left with a warning to toe two men to stay in the office until he was out of sight. The store manager told police toe only tinfe the bandit produced toe gun was when he ordered toe safe opened' a second time after toe manager hesitated at his first command. One witness told police toe gunman fled in a late model car with an accomplice. He was described as about 25-year-old with a pock-marked face. „ Fort Wayne police said the holdup appeared to be the work of a professional, unknown to them. (Coßtiaaee Pace Five)

Death Threats Disclosed At Racket Probe Star Witness And Brother Reported Receiving Threats WASHINGTON (UP) — Death threats against a star witness and his brother were reported today at a Senate Rackets Committee investigation of the Teamsters Union. James B. Elkins, a racketeer who said he had conspired with the Teamsters Union to help gamblers Ret entrenched in Portland, Ore., told the committee he was personally threatened with death by Frank Brewster, Teamsters vice president and chairman of the union’s Western Conference. And Committee Chairman John L. McClellan (D-Ark) said the FBI had disclosed James’ older brother Carl,* a businessman in Phoenix, Ariz., received a death threat by telephone Tuesday. The witness himself told the committee, “I know they’re going to do something to me.” The threat from Brewster, whose headquarters are in Seattle, came some time after September, 1955, the testimony indicated. James Elkins had become "disenchanted” with the situation in Portland. — “My Two Boys” —*- He told the committee that Brewster got red in the face and said: "If you embarrass my two boys you’ll find yourself wading across Lake Washington (in Seattle) with a pair of concrete boots.” Elkins idenified Brewster’s “two boys” as William M. Langley, district attorney of Multnomah County in which Portland is situated, and Clyde C. Crosby, international organizer for the Teamsters in Oregon. Elkins quoted Brewster as saying, “I make mayors and I break mayors. I make chiefs of police and I break chiefs of police. I’ve been in jail and I’ve been out... There’s nothing that scares me.” Brother Backs Brother Elkins had testififSsU to a team-sters-gamblers-district attorney tieup in Portland. After telling about toe Brewster threat, Elkins said: “I have a family—l know they’re going to do something to me." The effort to stop Elkins through his brother began about two weeks ago, Carl Elkins said in Phoenix. Tuesday’s calle, Carl said, advised him that, “Frank and Dave don’t want him (James) to talk any more.** Carl said he assumed the reference was to Frank Brewster and to Dave Beck, Teamsters president. , . The Phoenix Elkins, a business man and member of a Teamsters local, said he is “100 per cent for my brother if he helps weed out anything rotten.”

Last Minute Rush For Auto License Plate Purchase Personnel at toe Decatur License bureau took a deep breath this morning during a comparative lull and prepared for a day and a half of last minute rush as toe deadline for purchasing 1957 license plates approached. All vehicles must display 1957 plates on Friday, March 1. Mrs. Dale Death, manager of the local license bureau, stated that, as of noon today, toe plates being sold were in toe 4400’5. She estimated that the number will go up to the 4700’s so that means that close to 300 persons will wait in line on the last day and a half. Mrs. Death reported a heavy surge of license applications last Saturday and Monday. The office will remain open Thursday afterers. w noon for the last minute purchaseFind Body Os Boy In Patch Os Weeds Boy's Body Found Hear Philadelphia PHILADELPHIA (UP) - Police today investigated toe possibility that the bruised, nude body of a 4 to 6-year-old boy found in a patch of weeds may be that of little Stephen Damman, who disappeared Oct. 31, 1955, from in front of a Long Island supermarket. Capt. David Roberts of homicide said "We have looked at the Damman circulars and are going to communicate with Long Island authorities now.” Earlier, investigators said no child bearing th*e description of the dead boy had been reported missing and theorized toe body might have been transported here from another area • The Damman child was 3 years old when his mother, Mrs. Gerald (CaßtlsneO Pa*c Ftve)

ONLY DAILY NRWMAPRR IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday, February 27,1957

Handley Tax Program Moves For Showdown Jn State Legislature

House Passes Direct Primary Measure Today Measure Passed To j Halt Marriages By Justices Os Peace INDIANAPOLIS (UP)— The liW diana House passed and sent to the Senate today with plenty of votes to spare a bill calling for direct primaries to nominate candidates for governor, lieutenantgovernor and U.S. senator. The vote was 61-29. The House also passed a measure prohibiting justices of the peace from performing marriages and rejected a move to kill a bill outlawing the use of union dues for political purposes. And a Senate committee voted to recommend an increase in the minimum salaries for school teachers, from the present $2,727 for beginners to $3,000, and from the present $4,527 to $4,970 for those with top experience. Strong 2-Party System Rep. Richard Wright (R-Win-chester), co-sponsor of the diredt primary bill, told the House in floor debate that a change from the political party convention system of nominating candidates would "determine whether* the political parties are owned by Indiana’s millions of citizens” and “strengthen the two-p arty system.” "If we give the voters the right to choose between candidates," Wright said, “they should also have the right to say who should be selected as candidates.” Rep. Richard Fishering (R-Fort Wayne), the other sponsor, said the bill would "bring greater participation by the people in Indiana politics.” The Senate Education Committee recommended the teacher pay raise but chairman D. Russell Bontrager (R«Elkhart) said the committee did not say where the money should come from. “That will be up to the Senate Finance Committee,” Bontrager said, indicating a decision might (Coatlßued oa Pace Five) Plan Observance Os World Prayer Day Annual Observance In Decatur March 8 The committee composed of Mrs. Vincent Parker, Mrs. Woodson Ogg and Mrs. Benj. G. Thomas met this week and completed plans for toe observance of toe world day of prayer, sponsored by the council of church women. The service will be held in the Bethany E. U. B. church at 7:30 p. m. on Friday. March 8. Two children’s services are planned for 3:15 p. m. Children from Lincoln school will go to toe First Baptist church, where Mrs. Ray Walther will be in charge. Children from toe Northwest school will go to toe First Missionary church, with Mrs. Gerald Gehrig in charge. Brownie troops, Cub Packs, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts are encouraged to attend in groups. The. First Methodist church, the Trinity E. U. B. church, and toe Zion E. & R. church are asked to ring their bells at 9 a. m., 12 noon, 3 and 6 p. m. to call people to a moment of silent prayer. Displays will be exhibited at the Decatur public library and Price’s Men’s store. The Bethany E.U-B-church will be open throughout the day for prayer and meditation. The world day of prayer is by far the most widely observed of the three days sponsored by toe council of church women. On this day Christians around the world are united in a common service of prayer and praise to the Father of all. The for 1957 is: "Who Shall Separate Us?” The printed service has been written by Mrs. Serena Vassaday, a refugee from Hungary of a few years ago.

Two Marine Drill i Instructors Guilty Officials Os Corps Review Conviction TWO MARINE DRILL . ny.. PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. (UP) — ■ Marine Corps officials today begin » reviewing a conviction, rankreduction and $l5O fine of a battletested drill instructor accused of unlawfully grabbing a recruit by his shoulders. A special court-martial Tuesday I found former S.Sgt. William E. ; Rich, Canton, N.C., rated an outstanding Leatherneck in combat, guilty of grabbing Pvt. Kenneth Allen Benjamuf of New York. Hie court-martial board of three officers and two enlisted men ‘ cleared Rich of three charges pt ; slapping recruits under his comi mand at this Marine training cen- ' ter. He was reduced one grade to ’ buck sergeant. I The —- vOrps announced the . conviction of former Sgt. Clifton L. Jones of Pensacola, Fla., in an • earlier trial by a summary courtt martial on a charge of striking a • recuit. Jones was reduced to private first class, fined SSO and sentenced ■ to 30 days in toe brig for striking t Pvt. James Toper of Watertown, i N.Y., in disobedience of a standing ) order not to lay hands on recruite. - Both Jones and Rich had been i placed under investiggition along ? with two other drill instructors to - be tried later as a result of com--1 plaints made by recruit David L. - Porter, 18, Hartford, Vt ; Collection Point To f Pay City Utilities Highway Store Is Collection Point Plans to establish a collection 1 point for city utility bills at Holt- ■ house store on the highway were announced today by Mayor Robert Cole. (I fffi Decision to approve the collection point was made at a meeting of the city board of public works and safety Tuesday night. A petition was filed several weeks ago by Herb Banning on behalf of toe store requesting that the collection point be established at the* highway store. After studying the request and conferring with officials of other cities, toe local board* of works decided that it would be of service to. the public to „ set up another place to pay utility bills. The ser- • vice will provide extra hours for paying bills and will provide better parking facilities than are available during peak hours around city hall. Details of the plans have not been completed and the opening day of the service will be announced later. There will be no extra charge on bills paid at toe highway store collection point. The store is providing the service as an extra convenience to the customers. . Local Man's Sister Is Taken By Death Mrs. Robert Needham, 52, of Garrett, died Tuesday at Sacred Heart hospital, Garrett, after a year's illness. Survivors include the husband; a son, Jerry, Kendallville; two sisters, Mrs. Velma Brumbaugh, Arcola, and Mrs. Stella Hile, Garrett, and four brothers, Floyd Strouse, Decatur, Orville, Wolf Lake, Russell, Uniondale, and Mario, Fort Wayne. Services will oe held at 2 p.m. Thursday at tty? A. J. Berhalter funeral home, Kendallville, with burial in Lakeview cemetery, Kendallville. BULLETIN WASHINGTON (UP) — A House judiciary subcommittee today approved the Eisenhower administration’s four-point civil rights program after adding four amendments designed to make It “less unpalatable to the South.”

Ike, Mollet Oppose Cut In NATO Forces Informed Sources Report Agreement .< With French Leader WASHINGTON (UP)—President Eisenhower and French Premier Guy Mollet have agreed to oppose proposed cuts in NATO forces, informed sources said today. The sources said toe two leaders agreed it is necessary to maintain North Atlantic Treaty Organization strength at present levels at this time because Russia continues to be as great a threat as ever. European NATO members—particularly Britain — are under considerable pressure at home to cut their NATO commitments as a means of trimming defense expenses. The President and Mollet today plan a second and final round of their talks which started Tuesday. Mollet and French Foreign Minister Christian Pineau planned to meet earlier with Secretary of State John Foster Dulles. Besides current NATO plans for European economic integration, talks covered creation of an atomic energy authority for Europe (Euratom) and toe Middle East. Presidential Press Secretary James C. Hagerty said afterward a good deal of agreement was reached on problems other than the Middle East. He said he could not elaborate on the Middle East crisis. American officials said later both toe United States and France are seeking a solution of Middle East problems without resorting to UN sanctions against Israel. The opening of the EisenhowerMollet talks — first since toe Anglo-French invasion of Egypt—was capped by the White House announcement that French President Rene Coty will visit toe United States in June. The announcement emphasized the efforts being made to repair Franco-American relations which were badly shaken when France and Britain broke with toe United States to strike at Egypt. Assessing Work To Start Here Friday Meeting Held For Assessors Tuesday Those who will conduct toe 1957 assessment of Adams county property received instructions at a meeting conducted Tuesday at toe court house by county assessor Walter Koos and George Gable, a representative of the state board of tax commissioners. The township trustees, with the exception of Washington township trustee William Linn, serve as head assessors for each unit. Several of them have named assistant assessors. Will Winnes is assessor of Washington township, which includes toe city of Decatur. The door-to-door project 'of as- , sessing each property owner in toe county gets underway March 1. Total assessed Valuations of the township and county has a direct bearing on tax rates for the fallowing year. Assisting Winnes in Decatur will be John Stults, Gerhard Reinking ( and T. R. Baker. Charles Marchand will assist in ' toe rural areas of Washington township. The trustees of toe remaining townships are Frank Myers, Blue Creek; Raymond Moser, French; Emil Stauffer, Hartford; Hugh David Mosser, Jefferson; August Schlickman, Kirkland; Silvan Spruneer, Monroe; Ed Aumann, Preble; Omer Merriman, Root; Lester Brunner, St. Mary’s; Fred Bittner, Union, and L. A. Mann, Wabash. •

Temperatures Drop To Below Freezing Over Two Inches Os Rain In Some Spots By UNITED PRESS Temperatures dipped below freezing over most of Indiana today' on the heels of a drenching rain which measured more than two inches in some places. The mercury hit highs of 50 to 66 throughout toe state Tuesday in the third day of a "heat wave” which set new records in some areas with temperatures in the 70s. Then it dropped to lows ranging from 21 at Goshen and 22 at South Bend and Lafayette to 31 at Indianapolis and 37 at Evansville. Highs today were expected to range no higher than 37 in toe north and 48 in toe south. Tonight’s lows will range from 22 in toe north to 28 in toe south. Weather forecasts indicated toe rain was over, after chalking up 24-hour totals of 1.85 inches at Portland, 1.42 at Lafayette, .84 at Bluffton, .87 at Rochester, .71 at Logansport, .67 at Terre Haute, .77 at Muncie, and .58 at Indianapolis. The five-day outlook called for temperatures averaging near normal highs of 40 to 48 and normal lows of 21 to 28. i “Warmer Thursday, turning , a * little colder about Friday br Satur- • day, and warmer again about Monday,” the outlook said. “Prer [cipitation will average less than [ one-tenth of an inch in scattered i showers extreme southeast about i Thursday and most of area bout [ Sunday or Monday.” The warm-up Thursday will send toe mercury to highs ranging from 45 to 51. It may be even warmer Friday. U.S. Minister To Hungary Recalled Dispute On Status Results In Recall WASHINGTON (UP) — The United States announced today that Edward T. Wailes, toe American minister to Hungary, is being called home as a result of the dispute with Communist Hungary over his status. Thn United State# at the name time rejected charges by the Red regime that Wailes’ activities "are irreconcilable with international practice.” In an official statement, the State Department said toe dispute arose over presentation of Wailes’ diplomatic credentials. He arrived in Budapest on Nov. 2 under instructions to present his credentials "promptly” to the Hungarian government then in power. “It will be recalled that at this time Mr. Imre Nagy was Hungarian prime minister, and Soviet troops for the most part had been withdrawn from Budapest,” toe State Department said. "Before Mr. Wailes was able to present his credentials, however, toe Soviet Unicm on Nov. 4 intervened in force in Hungary.” The State Dep a r tment said Walley, acting under instructions from Washington, refrained from presenting his credentials to the Communist government which ousted Nagy. “There have been no subsequent developments in Hungary warranting the presentation of credentails,” the State Department said. It was noted that toe United Nations General Assembly has taken no action to accept the credentials of the Hungarian delegation representing the government of Janos Kadar which took over after the Russian intervention. INDIANA WEATHER Clearing and colder tonight. Thursday partly cloudy, becoming warmer in afternoon. Low tonight 15-20 north, 20-28 south. High Thursday 40-45 north, 45-50 south. Sunset 6:34 p. m., sunrise Thursday 7:20 a. m.

Six Cents

Program Moves For Showdown In Assembly House Committee In Recommendation On Tax Proposals INDIANAPOLIS W — Governor Handley's tax program, with some embellishments he didn't ask for, moved today toward a showdown in the Indiana legislature. The House Ways & Means “A” Committee voted in a midnightoil session Tuesday night and early today to recommend f o r passage bills incorporating: 1. A gross income tax hike of 50 percent. 2. Payroll withholding of the gross income tax. 3. Repeal of 14 cents of the 15-cent property tax. 4. A one-cent tax on aviation gasoline. 5. A one-cent increase, from 3 to 4 cents, in the cigarette tax. This was really more than Handley asked tor in his second finan- . cial message to the lawmakers . last week. 1 Didn’t Mention Cigarettes Handley asked 35 percent gross M income tax increase, but admitted ■ next day he made a M million dollar error and that the tax in- ' crease he proposed would have to be “adjusted upward.’’ He t didn't say how much and left it t to the legislators. Handley had asked for payroll . withholding and repeal of the 14- ; cent property tax. But he made ’ no request for a tax on aviation gasoline and 'did not mention wanting the cigarette tax raised. The Tax bills, which will hit the pocketbooks of every Hoosier, were expected to be brought out of committee to the House floor today or Thursday. The committee approved withholding by a vote of 10-3, a day after it voted against requiring employers to serve as tax collectors. Another Handley proposal — to impose a tax on interstate sales by corporations which escape the gross income tax — ran into trouble. Rep. Paul Clay (R-In-dianapolis), Ways and Means shairman, suggested the tax be only Half a mill on each 31 of corporation net worth, instead of « the 3 mills Handley wanted. Withholding Bill Amended Handley said the 3-mill tax would yield 10 million dollars extra a year and help the state finance a record budget. Clay said the tax should be experimental at first, at a lower rate, “to find out where it hits and how hard.” The committee delayed action until copies of the bill can be printed and studdled. The committee amended the withholding bill to require employers of four or more persons to comply, instead of seven or more, as recommended by Handley last week. Clay was given the choice of reporting the bill out to the House with a recommendation for passage or to the House as a committee of the whole “w i t h q u t recommendation.” Handley previously proposed limiting withholding responsibilities to employers of 10 or more persons. Members also voted to approve a new one-cent tax on aviation gasoline and increase from three to four cents the tax on a pack of cigarettes. Other main points of Handley's program were: 1. Repeal 14 cents of the 15-cent state property tax. 2. No sales tax. Expect Floor Fight A floor fight was expected on the sales tax as the main revenue source to replace the gross income tax. Handley said he would veto any such tax that did not exempt food and clothing. In other legislative action, lawmakers awaited a ‘protest march' on the Statehouse next Saturday in an effort to persuade Handley <Co*tla««4 Paar* FIto) !