Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 55, Number 103, Decatur, Adams County, 1 May 1957 — Page 1

Vol. LV. No. 103.

BACK FROM ISRAELI PRISON

F A ‘ 1 ’ > • A?* • ■■•■■ T> i W * xri MARY FRANCES HAGAN of Huntington, W. Va., freed from an Israeli prison after serving eight months as a Syrian spy. waves from the ramp oflhe airliner that returned her to America at Idlewild Airport, New York. The 29-year-old woman insisted she was "no spy" but said her conviction was "fair" under Israeli law.

'.Report Syria To Pull Troops Ouf Os Jordan Move Would Bolster Hussein's Prestige Through Mid-East By WALTER LOGAN United Press Staff Correspondent Diplomatic officials in Washington reported today that Syria was prepared to withdraw its troops from Jordan within a week in a move that would strengthen King Hussein’s prestige throughout the Middle East. Hussein also., appeared to be strengthening his hold on Jordan although Western diplomats expressed fear the end of the Moslem holy month of Ramadan today might bring new disorders in the country. Hussein told newsmen Tuesday the “crisis is ending” in Jordan after his strong steps to put down communism there-and to “oust the destructive elements” that caused trouble there, ’ ' • Hussein today visited Amman’s grand mosque, protected by his army which sealed off the building and searched the thousands of early church-goers. Hussein traveled to and from the mosque in a heavily armed convoy while troops stood by with rifles and machine-' guns on every rooftop and balcony along his way. There were no incidents. United Press correspondent Donald J. Gonzales reported from Washington that Syria’s expected action in withdrawing troops could be linked with increasing signs Moscow may be having second thoughts about its previous warm support for Egypt and Syria during the Mideast emergency. New Moscow Tack The decision may have grown out of Hussein’s conversations this weekend with King Saud of Saudi Arabia. There was no official indications in any of the Arab countries, but Western diplomats have detected a cooler relation between Jordan and Syria and Egypt. 'Both Syria and Egypt blanketed Jordan with propaganda broadcasts last week supporting Hussein’s political enemies. Moscow Radio, which has conentrated in past weeks on what it called American “intervention” in the Mideast took a new tack today. It called for immediate cessation of all arths shipments to the Mideast in an effort to ease the tension there. A broadcast heard in London , said refusal by both East and West to supply arms to Mideast nations would improve the atmosphere in the region. However, the broadcast again accused the United States of aggravating the situation in the Middle East and of .trying to interfere in the internal affairs of the countries of the area. The broadcast came as King Hussein himself accused the Communists of fomenting trouble in Jordan and as a State Department official in Washington said the trouble could be blamed on Soviet agents. • Humphrey-Nasser Confer In Beirut, Lebanon Foreign Minister Charles Malik told the United Press he welcomed the appearance of the U.S. 6th Fleet in eastern Mediterranean waters and said he hoped U.S. determination to resist Communist penetration in the Mideast would bear fruit in the near future. Word of American determination to keep the peace in the Mideast came from Vice Adm. Charles H. (Cominuva uu six;

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

Spring Rains Break Eighl-Year Drought Southwest Farmers Jubilant Over Rain By UNITED PRESS Southwestern farmers and agricultural experts agreed today that spring rains have broken the eight-year drought in the southwestern Plains and western states. But they said moisture conditions would have to return to normal to prevent another. Those interviewed Said the best proof that the drought had been broken would come at harvest time—later in the summer and fall. The greatest need today, especially in water-logged Texas, is for sunshine and comparatively cool weather to allow planting. Wheat win suffer, said Williams Wells, a Plano, Tex., farmer, if it turns hot and allows rust, an enemy of wheat, to form on grain. A United Press survey of officials of three government agencies Tuesday in Washington expressed cautious hope that the eight-year drought had been broken. . The topsoil loss has been exceptionally high in some sections of central Texas where rains up to IB inches fen In a week’s time. “We were able to save a lot of our soil because of terracing methods employed during the lean years,” said Wells, who with his brother, John, farm in north central Texas. “The drought is certainly broken around here. We had some washing, a lot of terraces were broken, but we feel confident things will come out all right if we can get some clear, cool weather," Wells said. Texas Agricultural Commissioner John White has estimated crop damage at between 25 and 30 million dollars. The rains are keeping farmers out of the fields and in some cases, he said, will delay them so long as to run into planting deadline set by law. It is expected that the deadlines will be extended. A.B. Jolly, a former Dallas County agent and now the farm editor for a Dallas (KRLD) radio station, said he had just returned from a swing through north central Texas. “I found farmers very optimistic,” Jolly said. ‘They are impatient to get into the fields and mighty glad of the rains. The ground moisture is down six to eight feet. That is good.” (Continued on Pase Six) x Mrs. Glen Griffiths Is Seriously Injured Mrs. Glen Griffiths, of Decatur route two, is in serious condition at toe Adams county memorial hospital following an accident at her home Tuesday afternoon. While carrying some glass jars down a flight of stairs, she slipped and fell. A piece of the shattered glass cut into the juglar vein, causing extensive bleeding. She was rushed to the hospital. Emergency surgery was performed immediately and she was given a blood transfusion. Hospital authorities report that she had a good night and that her condition remains steady today. INDIANA WEATHER Fair tonight, turning cooler north and central portions. Thursday partly cloudy and a little cooler with chance of a few showers extreme south. Low tonight 43 north to upper 50s south. High Thursday 74 north to low 80s south. Sunset 7:38 p. m., sunrise Thursday 5:45 a. m.

Senate Group Studies State Road Scandal

T ©Receive Reports From Investigators On Highway Scandal INDIANAPOLIS (UP)—A Senate committee was expected to decide in Washington today whether to hold hearings on Indiana’s highway scandal. The Senate Public Works Committee scheduled a conference to hear reports from Filo Sedillo and John L. Mutz, two committee staff members who spent about two weeks in Indianapolis poking through State Highway Department records looking for evidence of law. violations in the purchase of right-of-way land. The scandal broke early in April when newspapers revealed that middlemen reaped huge profits on sale of “unnecessary” property to the state after buying it from the original owners for about onetenth the price the state paid. Before they left Indianapolis last weekend, Sedillo and Mutz indicated they had enough evidence to warrant a Senate inquiry. They indicated they would recommend the committee hold gearings, either in Washington or Indianapolis or both cities, and summon as witnesses some of the top figures - in the scandal investigation. Walker, Sorrell Called Meanwhile, Marion County Pros- , ecutor John G. Tinder said he will l * subpena two former state highway commissioners to testify before a e grand jury Thursday in the fourth l * day of inquiry into land deals on ’• Madison Ave. in Indianapolis, site s of an expressway now under con--0 struction. * Deane E. Walker and William ’ Sorrell were among witnesses called. Walker is formerly from d Plymouth. Sorrell lives at Knightstown. V The jury heard witnesses on *• Tuesday and Thursday of last s week and Tuesday of this week. y Among the witnesses at the latest „ session- was Harry Doggett, ® Greensburg, a chief’ aid in - the “ right-of-way division of the State n Highway Department during the !• administration of former Gov. 1 ‘ George N. Craig. J* Doggett spent more than half an ' hour with the jurors behind closed e doors Tuesday, shortly after his *■ attorney said he had advised him not to waive immunity from prosj ecution. 5 Observers figured Doggett would refuse so sign a waiver and that t Tinder would then excuse him . from testifying, as he did three j other figures in the case in pres vious appearances last week. Doggett Signs No Waiver But Doggett signed no waiver _ and answered questions after B Tinder warned him that his testig mony could be used against him t in criminal prosecution. f Tinder said later that Doggett . answered tome questions and refused to answer others. Also summoned as jury wit•j nesses wire three children of Mrs. . Loretta Acker, one of two Madi- , son Ave. residents who received a i total of $2,500 for two back lots f the state later bought for $25,800. Tinder said he believed the chil- _ dren could “throw some light” on » the transaction in which the lots vere sold privately to a mysteri--5 ous “Dean Burton" and later i brought much more from the > state. 1 ; Shower Activity ' In Much Os U.S. New Flood Threat Is Eased In Texas By UNITED PRESS May took up where one of the r wettest Aprils in recent years left i off today with shower activity re--1 ported over large sections of the t nation. The largest band of rainfall exs tended from northeast Texas and 1 Oklahoma eastward along the Gulf 1 Coast states. Amounts generally were light, easing the threat of new floods in hard-hit Texas. However, flood--1 waters continued to plague east j Texas and Louisiana, and authori- _ ties said it will take several days j for the runoff to drain into the _ sea. Temperatures climbed in the northern Great Lakes where nearfreezing temperatures toe night before were replaced by overnight readings in the high- 50s as far north as Montana, North Dakota and Minnesota. Elsewhere, there was little change in temperature. Agricultural and weather experts have reported that April’s showers, including 12 days of torrential rains in Texas, have all but broken an eight-year drought in toe Southwest.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday, May 1, 1957

Sen. Byrd Urges Ike To Fire Budget Director; Proposes $8 Billion Cut

— , ■! Russia Steals March On U.S. On Atom Peace Soviet Ambassador Deposits Russia's Approval Os Plans s WASHINGTON (UP) —The Soviet Union has stolen a march on President Eisenhower’s atoms-fer-peace program, the United Press has learned. An official announcement hits not been made. With no fanfare at all Soviet Ambassador Georgi N. Zaroubin has called at toe State Department to deposit the Soviet government’s approval of the international atomic energy agency satue. This is the outgrowth of Eisenhower's famous Dec. 8, 1953, proposal for promoting peaceful uses of atomic energy. Administration officials said the Soviet Union’s speedy action on toe atomic statute is “awkward” tor toe United States. After first condemning, toe President’s atomic proposal toe Soviets did a turn-around when they saw world opinion was in favor of the project. Senate Action Pending Eisenhower submitted toe atomic energy statute to toe Sena *•© March 21 with hopes for speedy action. The administration now hopes toe Senate Foreign Relations Commte e can start hearings May 9. Zaroubin and his Moscow superiors apparently decided not to make a big propaganda play out of their quick action on the atoms-for-peace The Soviet Embassy telephoned toe State Department’s treaty division on the morning of April 8 and said the ambassador would be in that day with the Soviet ratification. Zaroubin called later in the day and deposited Russia’s ratification, along with that of Byelorussia. Three Red Backers Guatemala was the first nation to deposit its ratification. Switzerland was the second. Then came the Soviet Union, Byelorussia and Romania, on April 12. Thus three of the first five ratifications have been by Communist countries. The agency will come into being when 18 of 80 signatory nations have deposited their ratifications. Plans already have been made to hold the first general conference of toe world atomic agency in Vienna Aug. 19. ■ ’*•'*' 1 The agency eventually will serve as a world atomic bank or pool of basic nuclear fuels such as U 235 and plutonium, which are used in research and power reactors These fuels would be allocated to peaceful projects in member countries. The agency also will encourage exchange of information on (Coatiaaed ob P«ie Five) New Deputy Health Officer Is Named Mrs. Gilliom New Deputy In Decatur Mayor Robert Cole today announced the resignation of Miss Marlene Laurent as deputy health officer for the city of Decatur, a post she has held for about a year and a half. Mayor Cole stated that Mrs. Walter Gilliom, of Decatur, has been named to succeed Miss Laurent. She will assume duties of the office immediately. The board of health office is being moved to city hall where the records will be kept. Mrs. Gilliom will set up a schedule of hours for toe office, which is a part-time service. Persons requiring birth or death certificates may obtain them ’at city hall. As deputy health officer, Mrs. Gilliom will have charge of recording all births and deaths in the city of Decatur.. She will also serve as secretary to toe board of health, which includes Dr. Norval S. Rich, city health officer, Dr. John Terveer and Dr. Arthur Girod.

wixn

Charges Stall On Civil Rights Bill GOP Congressmen Lashed By Madden WASHINGTON (UP)—Rep. Ray J. Madden (D-Ind) charged today that some Republicans in toe . House and Senate are "secretly doing a lot of stalling" on the administration’s civil rights bill. He said some GOP congressmen were “hiding behind” secret votes ■ behind closed doors in order to 1 “work with Dixiecrats” to delay ’ the bill. * He said this was designed "to preserve the Dixiecrat-GOP coali1 tion” in Congress. Madden made toe charge as the House Rules Committee met in 1 secret session to set dates for hearings on a modified version of ’ the administration bill approved ' by toe House Judiciary Commit- ’ tee March 18. ■ • It would establish a bipartisan r commission to investigate charges : of voting rights violations; set up a new Civil Rights Division in the 5 Justice Department; provide other 1 new protection for Negro voting rights; and permit toe government to file civil suits to prevent rights' " violations. s Madden said the rules commitr tee could clear toe bill in about a ® week for House action if Republicans “go along” with Northern Democrats. He challenged them * to join in an expected move to * keep the hearings short**— — J V Chairman Howard W. Smith (D v Va.) has said toe hearings will ■ start this week and probably last * four or five days. Smith scheduled this week’s ' starting date after toe committee ’ refused to order hearings before *• Congress’ Easter recess. Some Re- ‘ publicans joined Southerners in blocking a move for the earlier 1 hearing dates. ' Cost-Price Squeeze On Farmers Eased L - Slight Easing Ib < Reported In April 1 WASHINGTON (UP) — The ! cost - price squeeze on farmers ! eased in the month ended ' April 15, adding slightly to their 1 purchasing power. The Agriculture Department's monthly price report issued Tuesday showed prices farmers received went up 2 per cent while production cpsts increased about one-third of 1 pen, Thisrs-, ; suited in a parity ratkajt of 81 per : cent, up 1 point front toe 80 per ' cent recorded in mid-March but 1 2 points below the ratio of April, 1 1956. ' The 2 per cent increase in prices received was accounted for primarily by higher prices for cattle, 1 hogs, apples, tomatoes, and cotton. Partially offsetting were lower prices for milk, strawberries, snap beans, and oranges. The April index of prices received was 241 per cent of the 1910-14 base period. It compared with 237 per cent in midMarch and 235 per cent in midApril a year ago. The index of prices paid by farmers for commodities and services. including interest, taxes, and farm wage rates, established a new high for the third consecutive month at 296 per cent of the base period. This was 4 per cent above . April, 1956, and 1 point above toe index of 296 per cent for midMarch. A 1 per cent increase in the in- , dex of cash farm wage rates was [ the primary factor accounting for toe rise. Prices paid by farmers for production goods also rose nearly 1 per cent from March 15 to April , 15, and retail prices of family ' living items advanced slightly. The department noted that during the last 12 months, toe in- ' crease in farm product prices has not kept pace with toe rise in prices of commodities and services bought by farmers, including interest, taxes, and wage rates. Average hog prices for toe month were $17.40 per hundredweight, compared with $16.80 for mid-March and $14.40 for mid; April a year ago. Average beef ’ cattle prices were $10.09 per hun(CoatlaaMl Pa*e Five)

Soviet Union Proposes New , Disarms Plan * . Western Diplomats ' Deal Possible a With Soviet Union ’ LONDON (UP)—Western diplor mats said today the West may be able to “make a deal” out of } the new Soviet disarmament plan . if the Russians drop their demand to photograph two-thirds of the » United States in return for aerial f photography of Siberia. r The plan, submitted by Deputy f Foreign Minister Valerian Zorin at j the five-power U.N. disarmament . subcommittee conference Tuesday, accepted President Eisenhower's j open skies proposal in principle 5 but included a hitch. , The approximately equal sized e “open zones” proposed by Russia r actually would cover two-thirds of g the United States and Alaska and t only one-third of Russia because ;• the Soviet Union is so much bigger. >. The Zorin plan also called for a immediate abolition of nuclear i_ tests and banning of toe use of n atomic bombs but not their pron duction. 0 It dropped Russia’s previous toj>ermrt international p o&ervers at selected air bases to 11 give the alarm against any sur(t prise attack. ' Much in the plan was bound to s be rejected by the West when the e disarmament conference resumes L . Monday. u Nevertheless, Jules Moch, the a French chief delegate, said Zorin’s r proposals “open toe door” to further negotiations. He said the French delegation already has ideas for a compromise which might be acceptable to East and West. Diplomats said toe Western delegations would "join in seeking agreement on all toe points where the Soviet and Western positions are closest “to make a deal.” They said Russia appeared to have moved a long way in agreeing to open up toe skies over toe , western third of its territory, in--1 eluding the Soviet Pacific coast opposite Japan and Alaska. 1 There was hope toe Russians would be willing to accept some give and take on the details of toe 1 “open” areas as well as on other ’ points pi disagreement, they said. It was learned Only after Zorin made his proposal that U.S. dele- ’ gate Harold Stassen previously ’ W (Continued on Six) Olio Melcher, Sr. Is Taken By Death Adams County Native Dies Tuesday Night Otto H. Melcher, Sr., 75, retired ’ farmer, died Tuesday night at his . home, one-half mile east of New Haven on U. S. highway 24. He had been ill two months. He was born in Adams county I but had been a farmer in Allen i county for 42 years before retiring several years ago. Mr. Melcher was a member of » Emmanuel Lutheran church at ' New Haven and a member of toe ■ BUV for 51 years. Surviving are his widow, Clara: ■ four sons, Herbert of New Haven, 1 Erwin of Muncie, Gerald and Otto H., Jf.; both of near New Haven; two daughters, Mrs. Ernest Wer- ' ling of near New Haven, and Mrs. . Edward Strasser of Fort Wayne; J 13 grandchildren; three greatgrandchildren; ~ one sister, Mrs. Anna Kukelhan of Decatur, and three brothers, William of Hoag- ’ land, Gottlieb of Fort Wayne, and ’ Edward of neat New Haven. . Funeral services will be con- . ducted at 2 p.m. Friday at the E. Harper & Son funeral home at New . Haven, and 2:30 p.m. in Emman- ’ uel Lutheran church at New Haven ■ the Rev. Harold Luecke officiating. . Burial will be in toe church cemei tery. Friends'may call at the fu- ■ neral home after 7 o’clock this evening.

Declares NATO Is Deterrent To Reds ./• I . , ■■ Council Session To Be Held In Germany BONN, Germany (UP)—NATO’s retiring Secretary-General Lord Ismay today said the 15-nation Western alliance "is now a pretty good deterrent” to Soviet aggression. The veteran British military leader and statesman arrived here for Thursday's opening of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Council session. Ismay warned that refusal of any major Western nation to accept atomic weapons might, endanger the whole alliance. But he emphasized that each member of the alliance has the right to decide for itself whether it wants nuclear arms. His remark was interpreted as a warning to West Germany's opposition Socialists who oppose A- weapons for the fledgling Bundeswehr. U.S. Secretary of State John , Foster Dulles arrived from Washington to attend the council meet- ‘ ing which is expected to frame a ‘ joint Western counter-blast at the Soviet’s current atomic war of nerves. . Dulles meets today with West . German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, who already has fired off ’ West Germany’s independent reply to the Kremlin threats. Bonn government sources said ‘ joint Western reply to the latest ’ Soviet threats of atomic annihilation most likely will be contained in the NATO Council’s closing communique. ■ They said it probably will tell ’ the Russians: —The 15 free nations of NATO ' reject the Soviet threats and will ’ not let thejnselves be intimidated. —NATO is and always has been a purely defensive alliance and will not use its atomic “sword” except in self defense. —NATO will not allow itself to be diverted by Soviet threats from its present defense planning. Defense Dept. Asks • - — Construction Funds Ask Over Billion In Military Building WASHINGTON (UP)—The Defense Department called on Congress today to authorize *1,561,338,000 for new military construction at home and abroad. The proposed construction bill for fiscal 1958, starting July 1, is $561,298,000 less than the *2,122,636,000 actually authorized by Congress for fiscal 1957, which ends June 30. The new military public works bill proposes new construction at 271 installations in 47 states and the District of Columbia at a total cost of $938,444,000. Secret projects totalling $222,100,000 in the continental United States brought the domestic portion of the bill to *l,204,936,000. Wyoming was the lone state with no projects listed. Projects in Alaska, Hawaii, the Caribbean, Newfoundland, Europe, the Pacific and Far East were down for $356,402,000. An Additional *44,392,000 for secret projects abroad brought the overseas total to *400,794,000. More than half the bill-*802,-914,000—was earmarked for the Air Force. The Navy share was *435,099,000 and the Army *323,325,000. The Pentagon said the bill includes 2,381 family housing units for military stations to cost *54,572,000. Register Lutheran Pupils Here Friday Registration of pupils for the first grade of Zion Lutheran school next fall will be conducted Friday, according to- an announcement made today by Fred Meier, chairman of the congregation's board of parish education. Parents may interview members of the board and the teacher, Miss Evelyn Nussbaum, at the Zion parish hall from 4 to 5:30 o’clock and from 7 until 8:30 Friday. Pupils must be six years of age by September 15, to "enroll.

Six Cents

Byrd Describes Ike's Budget . As Wasteful Budget Director's • Scalp Is Sought By r v Virginia Senator (>’ WASHINGTON (UP) - Sen. ! Harry F. Byrd <D-Va.) said today 1 President Eisenhower should replace Budget Director Percival F. ’ Brundage with “a ftian that’s dedi- ■ cated to cutting the budget.” Byrd, chairman of the Senate ’ Finance Committee and a leader ’ of the conservative southern Dem- ! ocrats who have supported much ’ of the Eisenhower program in the 1 past, went after Brundage’s scalp 1 in a hard-hitting speech before the ! U.S. Chamber of Commerce. 5 The Virginia Democrat said the President’s new budget is “unduly 1 and unnecessarily wasteful, and • Mr. Brundage prepared it.” He ■ said it would be ‘very helpful” 1 if the President got a new budget J director pledged to “economy inf stead of finding new ways to spend money.” Brundage declined to comment f on Byrd’s remarks. „ Byrd coupled his attack on y Brundage with a proposal that fed- . eral spending be cut by eight billion dollars, to clear the way for ” a tax cut of six billion dollars. j To Correct Misinformation g President Eisenhower meanwhile informed Republican con!1 gressional leaders that he Is considering going to the people in a > nationwide radio-television broad--1 cast to present his side of the budget controversy. 1 White House Press Secretary 1 James C. Hagerty said Mr. Kisen- ’ hower brought up the subject at this morning’s legislative conferj ence with congressional leaders, j Hagerty said the President “feels there has been a great deal of misinformation spread about on many matters, particularly the budget,” and he plans to “do what he can to correct it.” Hagerty said no definite plans have been made, but Eisenhower is considering “going on the air in a radio-TV talk to the American people,” or perhaps even a “series” of talks. Eisenhower is particularly anxious to defend his *4,400,000,000 ■ foreign aid program, which has - become the chief target of con- - gressional economizers out to slash ■ his budget. . Would Hurt Peae ; Hie President described foreign 1 aid today as a “vital engine” ‘ needed to keep the ship of state ’on a “steady course” toward 1 peace. He made that statement in an impromptu talk to representa- [ tives of the League of Women ' voters who called at the White House. , He told the women that he wants 1 to reduce spending and taxes as much as anyone In Congress, but • is opposed to cuts in the foreign ’ aid program which would jeopard- ‘ ize the cause of peace. Senate Republican Leader Wil- ' liam F. Knowland (Calif.) told reporters after the White House ' legislative meeting that many ; GOP leaders “felt it advisable” ’ for Eisenhower to “make his views l known” on the budget-cutting controversy by some method other ' than his regular news conferences. Local Lady's Brother Dies At Markle Home John A. Vollmar, 86, retired farmer, died suddenly while mowing the lawn at his home in Markle Tuesday afternoon. Surviving are two sons, the Rev. C. B. Vollmar, Fort Wayne, and Herman, Hunt- ! ington; three daughters, Mrs. ■ Rosada Stewart of Huntington, Mrs. Loveta Houtz of Fort Wayne, and Mrs. Opal Smith of near Markle; a brother, Charles at Caro, > Mich., and two sisters, Mrs. Sarah Schnitz of Decatur, and Mrs. Elizabeth Van Dine of Huntington. Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Friday at the Markle Evangelical United Brethren • church, the Rev. Ralph Alliger officiating. Burial will be in the Markle cemetery.