Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 59, Number 49, Decatur, Adams County, 28 February 1961 — Page 1

Vol. LIX. No. 49.

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SPIN-DRY WEDDING — Groom John Bloom and his bride, nee Anne Cass, examine their washing-machine-shaped wedding cake in London. Coincidentally, Bloom, 29, is managing director of a company which makes washing machines.

Asks Gas Tax Cut Canceled

WASHINGTON (UPD — President Kennedy asked Congress today to cancel a scheduled onecent cut in gasoline taxes and raise other levies, chiefly on heavy trucks, to get the federal highway program out of financial trouble. The President said in a special message that “our federal pay-as-you-go highway program is in peril.” He said the s4l bilion superhighway program would fall five years behind its 1972 target date unless it gets S9OO million more annually. “Passenger cars are paying more than their fair share” of the cost of the 41.000-mile highway network, Kennedy said. He requested higher taxes on diesel duel, trucks over 26.000 pounds, fuel, trucks over 26,000 pounds, for retreading. Kennedy said Congress should continue the gasoline tax at the present level of four cents a gallon. It is scheduled by law to drop to three cents on July 1. Opposes Cutback The President declared he was “wholly opposed to either stretching out or cutting back” the highway program. He also said it should not be financed by borrowing or charging tolls, but should be kept on a pay-as-you-go basis by increasing highway “user” taxes. Congress authorized the system of limited-access, multiple-lane highways in 1956. The federal government pays 90 per cent of the cost, the states 10 per cent. Any slowdown would be unwise “when our slump-ridden economy needs greater, not less, construction activity.” Kennedy said in his 2.500-word message. Administration officials said Kennedy was not proposing “antirecession” measures but was merely trying to keep the highway building program on schedule. The President took critical aim at billboard '•dvertising and raised the possibility of a federal levy on billboards if the states do not control their placement more strictly. Kennedy’s message bristled with arguments in favor of his tax proposals and against alternative financing plans which have been advanced in the past. He said S6OO million a year could be provided for the highway program by Congress preventing the reduction in the gasoline tax. He calculated the value Advertising Index Arnold Lumber Co., Inc. 2 A & P Tea Co., Inc. 3 Ashbauchers’ Tin Shop 2 Al’s Electric — 2 Beavers Oil Service, liic. 5 Budget Loans —— 6 Burk Elevator Co. 5 Bower Jewelry Store 3 Bower Hardware Co., Inc. 2 Citizens Telephone Co. 5 Decatur Lumber Co. 5 Decatur Ready-Mix Corp. 2 Evans Sales & Service — 5 Ehinger’s 3 Fasteeth — — 6 Ford —- 8 Allen Fleming ... —- 5 E. F. Gass Store 3 Holthouse Drug Co. 7 Haugks ————————2, 6 Pauline Haugk Real Estate 5 Ned C. Johnson, Real Estate — 5 Kohne Drug Store 6 Klenks - - 8 Merl Knittie, Auctioneer 6 Miller-Jones 3 Myers Home & Auto Supply — 4 Maico Hearing Service Center.- 6 Petrie Oil Co. 2 Price Men’s Wear 3,7 Oualitv Chevrolet-Buick, Inc. 7 Rambler ---------- -----— 4 L. Smith Insurance Agency, Inc. 5 Smith Drug Co. 4, 8 Sutton Jewelry Store 7 Stewarts Bakery —— 6 Teeple Truck Line , 5 Yost Gravel-Readymix, Inc. — 2

DECATUR D AIT A DEMOCRAT

of his other tax proposals at S3OO million a year. Increases Sought Kennedy proposed these increases in existing taxes: Diesel fuel, from four to seven cents a gallon. ' __ L _ Trucks over 26.000 pounds, annual license fee of $5 per 1,000 pounds instead of the present $1.50. Motor vehicle tires, from eight to ten cents a pound. Inner tubes, from nine to ten cents a pound. Tread rubber, from three to ten cents a pound. If Congress refuses to enact these tax increases, Kennedy said, it should boost the gasoline tax to 4% cents a gallon. Noting that former President Dwight D. Eisenhower had unsuccessfully sought a 414-cent gasoline tax. Kennedy said: “This is clearly acceptable and would have my support. However, I prefer not to raise taxes on the general consumer at this time, and to emphasize a fairer allocation of the burden among those who use the highways.” The President said it was “only fair" that nearly all the proposed S3OO million in new levies “wquld come from the heavier trucks. He said “even this increase would not charge heavy trucks their fair share of the cost of this program.” Kennedy also asked Congress to increase the authorization for federal spending on primary and secondary roads and urban extensions. Under this so-called “ABC program, the federal government and the states finance construction on a 50-50 basis. Red Cross Drive To Open On Wednesday The Adams county Red Cross rural drive will open officially Wednesday, and every worker should do his best to in by March 15, Horr.er Winteregg and Silvan Sprunger, co-chairmen for the drive, announced today. The reports can be made to the township chairman, or directly to the Red Cross office in Decatur, which ever is most convenient to the solicitor. Township chairmen, when they get their reports, should bring them to the co-chair-men, or to the Red Cross office, which ever is most convenient. Office Open Saturdays The Red Cross office will be open Saturday mornings during the month of March to receive the reports. The office will be open from 9 a. m. until 11:30 a.m. and from 12:30 until 4 p. m., Monday through Friday, and Saturday morning from 9 until 12 noon. Meanwhile, a number of reports have been brought in, before the drive officially starts, including one section each Os Washington and Union townships, both with 100% participation, and seven sections from Kirkland township, including three 100% sections. Mr. and Mrs. Harry Andrews, of section 20, Washington township, report 100% participation, and $99 In Union township, Ernest his section 22, for 100%: participates cetion 22, for 100% participation, and one of the largest section totals yet reported. Kirkland Township Mrs." Robert Weber, township chairman of Kirkland township, ' reported on the following sections from that township: Section 34, Mrs. Harry Aschlfman, $lO, 100%; section 36. Mrs. Cleo Landis, $9.50, 100%; section . 25. Mrs. Robert Weber, $1; section ; 21, Mrs. John Leyse, $10; Section 11, Mrs. Roy Bieberich, I $12.50; section 10, Clarence i Weber. sl2, 100%; section 4 ,Mrs. I Richard Longenberger, $7.

Files Petitions To Change Guilty Pleas Harold P. Fiely, Portland attorney, filed petitions in the Adams circuit court late Monday afternoon for a withdrawal of a plea of guilty by Fred Ellsworth Williams and Donald William Dague to the charge of assault and battery with attempt to rob, for which the youths were sentenced to 1-10 years at the Pendleton state reformatory. Fiely filed the petitions about 4 o’clock Monday requesting that pleas be changed from guilty to not guilty. Grounds For Change As grounds for the change of plea, each pettion, one for Williams and one for Dague, states that the youths were “ignorant and uneducated in law and legal procedures, in a state of fear, and did not fully understand and comprehend the charges filed against them, nor did they know all their constitutional rights.” Each petition further states that had the boys known and understood all the above, they would not have pleaded guilty to the charge, and would have instead, entered a plea of not guilty and demanded a trial by the court or by jury. The separate petitions also state that the petitioners (Williams and Dague) claim that the appearance of their pauper counsel was “merely perfunctory and casual, rather than zealous and active.” In other words, they claim that Mark A. Morin, the pauper attorney appointed for them by the court, did not take a vigorous interest in the case, and merely went through the motions of acting as counsel for them. Attorney Morin, when informed' of the petition, stated that he felt that he had done everything possible to help the boys, who freely admitted their guilt, and that he felt that his advice was sound and logical, considering the facts of the case. The petitions state that this, in itself, is a violation of the con--1 stitutional rights of the two Adams county youths. ■ Hearing To Be Held A hearing on the petitions for , the change of plea will now be held, with the Portland attorney r representing the youths and proseI cutor Severin H. Schurger repreI sentlng the state of Indiana, in the court of Judge Myles F. Parrish, I to determine whether or not the ’ legal action before was in accordance with the law and whether or not the petitions filed by Filey ' should be accepted. Williams and Dague were ar--1 rested late Saturday night. Janu- ■ arv 28. after they had beaten and robbed Michael Affolder, a De1 catur high school senior and son ’ of Adams county sheriff Merle Affolder. about an hour earlier. Charges of robbery and assault and batterv with an attempt to rob were filed on January 30. and a bond of SIO,OOO each was set. Also on the 30th. Monday, the two youths were arragned in circuit court, and on the 31st. Mark ; A. Morin was aopointed by the ’ court as a pauper attorney. The pair pleaded guiltv to count , two of the affidavit against them. t assault and battery with an at- . tempt to rob. and the orosecutor droooed the charge of robbery, which was dismissed by the court. Wednesday, February L the two ’ youths were sentenced to 1-10 ' vears at the Pendleton reforma- _ tory. Theft Is Reported • From Decatur Store > Marion Robison, manager of the P.- N. Hirsch Co., reported approx--1 imatelv $338 in change and small r bills stolen from the safe at the store Monday evening. . Robison explained to the city poj lice denartment that at anproxir matelv 5:30 p.m.. he took the day’s ’ receipts out of the monev bag and j deposited them in the office safe. . He. his wife, and a student who . is employed at the store after school, were the only ones in the building at the time. 1 The three left the store to go home to eat. Robison returned about 7:15 p.m. and took out the t cash box. only to find the money . missing. . He explained that he checked . all the doors and found them secure, and had closed the safe, locked it. and spun the combination bei fore leaving. The city police are continuing s their investigation of the incident. • Kennedy Holds News i Conference Wednesday WASHINGTON (UPD — Presi- ., dent Kennedy wfll hold his first e news conference in two weeks at :. 9a. m. CST Wednesday. The conference will not be broadcast live.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday, February 28, 1961.

Two-Week Grace Period Granted Motorists To . S' ■ —• Y 1 "* *, . * 1 . '» • -v •.' * ' y ■ * . A. Buy New License Tags

Unemployment Is Still On Increase

WASHINGTON (UPD—Congressional experts said today that unemployment still is rising and. warned that it may continue to increase “for a significant period” even if business shows an upturn in the spring. The warning came in a report from the House Ways and Means Committee urging prompt House passage of a Kennedy administration proposal to continue jobless pay checks to about three million unemployed workers who have exhausted, or soon will exhaust, their benefits. “In terms of unemployment, the recession of 1960-61 is appreciably more severe than the recession of 1957-58 on the basis of what has happened already,” the committee reported. The committee said 5.4 million Americans were unemployed in January and that “weekly data on unemployment insurance claims suggest that the level of unemployment has continued to increase through February.” A Typical Pattern “It is a typical pattern in a recession period for unemployment to continue rising for a significant period after an upturn in the general level of the economy occurs,” the report said. “Even if we have an upturn in business conditions this coming spring, the Department of Labor estimates that the total number of unemployment compensation exhaustions in the period from July, 1960, through March, 1962, will be in the neighborhood of 4.5 1 million compared to 3.7 million in the corresponding period in the 1957-58 recession.” Two Republican members of the committee dissented from the report. Reps. James B. Utt, R-Calif. and Bruce Alger, R-Tex., said the bill would delay provision of new job opportunities by imposing new taxes on employers and thus raising the costs of employment. The House Rules Committee i was expected to clear the Kennedy proposal for a floor vote Wednesday. It would provide $1 billion in extra unemployment compensation for 3,125,000 work- : ers whose regular benefits have run out or will be exhausted this year. The Labor Department reported Monday that the number of persons drawing unemployment benefits reached a record high of 3,- ’ 390,600 earlier this month. Report Sharp Rise The figure, for the week ended. Feb. 11, was 32,200 above the previous week. Twenty-nine states reported increases, with Wisconsin, Virginia. Maryland, New York, Missouri and Pennsylvania having the sharpest rises. Chaifman Wilbur D. Mills, DArk„ of the House Ways & Means Committee, which approved Ken- , nedy’s proposal to extend jobless benefits, urged the rules group to speed the mzasure to the House floor. If all goes well, the administration’s bill could be on its way to the Senate Wednesday night. House passage was considered a certainty because of strong sup-

Lenten Meditation (By Rev. Charles M. Hill, First Christian Church) I Scripture: John 1:1-14 “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.” In Him is life and His life is the light of men. His life is the way, the truth, and the light. The true light came into the world and dwelt among us, yet the world knew Him not and crucified ; Him on the cross. Nevertheless, He lives today, for all things are made through Him. The challenge for every person in Christendom is to be perfect as the Father in Heaven is perfect. This goal provides us with the much needed discipline for human life. In this world man seeks not the way that produces quality but the way which r produces quantity. Man is influenced by the abundance of the world. He becomes jealous and greedy of his fellowman. He is not concerned with the quality of his life. It is here man deceives t himself, for as man’s quality of life approaches that of the Master, 1 the quantity of life surpasses the imagination. . “You, therefore, must be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” Matt. 5:48.

port from both Democratic and Republican leaders. 1 I Mayor Gage Speaks At Lions Meeting The city of Decatur is in good i shape financially at the present . time, Mayor Donald F. Gage told the members of the Decatur Lions chib Monday night. > Mayor Gage gave a picture of ’ the city activities, what had been f accomplished, and what is planned i for the future. At the present time the city has what might be termed “small 1 debts” to the amount.of $52,000. 1 These include $45,000 in water re- ! venue bonds which are being re- ’ tired annually as they come due. ' They pay a lot rate of interest, and therefore it is not desirable to pay them off early, because of the penalty to the city that would 1 have to be paid, in addition to the maturity value of the bond. 1 Long-Term Debts r Long-term debts of the city against the city sewage disposal J amounts to $925,000 in bonds issued : system; these bonds are not callable until 1968. However, the city has in the fund $905,000 to pay them ' off, plus an accumulating amount in the revenue bond fund from city ’■ utility charges. The cost of operating the city . utilities is getting higher each year, the mayor explained, especially on softening the city water. A resoirvoir, holding about 43,000 cubic feet of water, occupying about 100 to ■ 200 acres of land, with an eightfoot dike, may be the answer to ’ the water problem, he continued. Increased Costs > A good example of the increase • in costs is the fire truck situation, • the mayor continued. The city orignally planned last year to t spend about $32,000 for a new 10,000 • gallon pump—7s-foot ladder combi- ‘ nation fire truck; now it appears ’ that the cost will be closer to , $42,000. 1 And the cost of adding two stalls ’ to the citv fire department has ’ been figured at $37,900 by the ’ architect firm, which is as much as the entire fire station cost originally. ; The city’s parks are in a poor . condition, because every city bud- ’ get has been trimmed to a minir mum in this department. The city ( council has set aside some $25,000 to be used to improve the city - parks, for the good of the people i of Decatur, A new city street sweeper, to > replace the old one bought two > administrations ago, will be purI chased for $12,000. A new storm sewer, to help re- • lieve the sanitary sewers from rain ’ waler, causing backup in many city basements, is also planned. 1 at a cost of $134,000 to the city.

I INDIANAPOLIS (UPD—Governor Welsh today instructed Indiana State Police Supt. John J. Barton to ask all law enforcement agencies to make no arrests of motorists for using 1960 license plates during a two-week grace period. Welsh announced during the noon hour that he would issue no executive order granting a moratorium to motorists, whom the governor said deserved extra tipie for buying 1961 plates because of widespread unemployment and last weekend’s snowstorm. But he said his action would supplement a resolution which Welsh asked the Indiana Legislature to adopt. However, the resolution had not been introduced by noon and there appeared to be some question whether it would or could be passed before the legal deadline at midnight tonight for using last year’s tags. Welsh asked an extension of the deadline to March 15. Indiana State POttte issued a teletype message to state law enforcement agencies late this morning stating the deadline had been extended, but they admitted later it was a “mistake.” Welsh’s request that the deadline be ignored temporarily was considered tantamount to an order, for few local law enforcement officials were expected to ignore his attitude on the matter. The governor announced at midmorning that a resolution will be 1 introduced in the General Assembly immediately which, if promptly passed by suspension of rules, would give motorists two weeks and one day of grace in buying 1961 tags. Welsh cited last Saturday’s crippling snowstorm as only one of the reasons for seeking an extension. He first called attention to “severe unemployment in some areas of the state” which he said had “made securing license plates at this time a real hardship.” Many Late On Taxes “A survey of license branches and county treasurer offices in key areas throughout the state has shown that property tax receipts are being required of all applicants for license plates, but that a substantial number of these applicants have not paid their taxes,” Welsh paid. “This necessitates their going to the county treasurer’s office, paying their taxes, obtaining receipts and then returning to the license branch to buy plates. With personal income for many of our citizens strained by unemployment or short work weeks, paying taxes and obtaining license plates at the same time is difficult and in some instances impossible.” Welsh said “the final blow was struck” when the snowstorm forced many branch offices to be closed two of the final three days before the deadline. “I have therefore asked the General Assembly to join with me in requesting law enforcement oL ficials throughout the state to permit the drivers of vehicles with expired 1960 license plates to use public roads without arrest or penalty until March 15,” Welsh said. Would Help Procrastinators Actually, an extension of the deadline would benefit many thousands of motorists who just plain procrastinated. Plates have been on sale since Jan. 3 and motorists had a full two months in which to buy them. 15-Year-Old Girl Is Fatally Burned INDIANAPOLIS (UPD — Lou Ann Neff, 15, Flora, died in Robert Long hospital here Monday night from burns suffered Sunday in an explosion which set off a fire that destroyed her home. Lou Ann was a cheerleader for the Carroll Consolidated High school. Hie blast occurred when her family placed in emergency service a heater ordinarily used in a brooder bouse. The electricity was off in their home because of the snowstorm.

I 5 ■ : ~ State Senate Votes Teacher Pay Boost

INDIANAPOLIS (UPD — The. Indiana Senate today passed a bill raising the minimum salaries of thousands of Hoosier school teachers at a cost estimated at nearly $1.5 millions a year. The vote was 39-9. The bill, which originated in the House in another form having nothing to do with teacher salaries, was amended to incorporate the elements of a measure the Senate previously had passed but which was buried in a House committee. An amendment to the bill set the minimum salary schedule generally S4OO above the present minimums and SSOO below those proposed in the original Senate bill. Minimums for teachers with less than four years of training would be increased from $2,600 to $3,000, for those with four years training from $3,600 to $4,000, and those with five years training from $3,800 to $4,200. Sen. John F. Shawley, R-La- ■ Porte, who supported the meas--1 ure, said it would affect 5,352 teachers and cost the state $1,408,- • 000 additional per year. ' The bill must go back to the • House to concur in the Senate ■ amendments. Shawley said he be- - lieved the House would concur. - Sen. D. Russell Bontrager, Rf Fit-hart questioned the advisabilr ity of raising teacher salaries ’ when the state faces a need for economy in governmental operation. Fifteen minority Republicans and 24 majority Democrats voted ’ for the amended bill, while 8 Republicans and 1 Democrat voted ' against it and 1 Democrat and 1 1 Republican did not vote. 1 Those voting against the meas- ' ure were Sens. Bilby, Bontrager, Burnett, Martin, Newhouse, Landgrebe, Rees and Ruckelshaus, all Republicans, and Monks, a Demo1 crat. Those not voting were Re--1 publican Conrad and Democrat Grills. All others voted for. the j measure. An increase in minimum sal- . aries actually would affect all • Indiana public school teachers — about 35,000 of them. But the mai jorjty already are receiving more . than the minimum, it was exi plained, and probably would not > receive raises because of the pro- ■ visions of the bill itself if it be- . comes law. INDIANA WEATHER Partly cloudy tonight. Wednesday fair and a little warmer north, mostly cloudy with little temperature change south. Low tonight 22 to 36. High Wednesday in the 40s. Sunset today 6:36 p. m. Sunrise Wednesday 7:18 a. m. Outlook for Thursday: Partly cloudy and mild with chance of rain extreme south. Lows 29 to 39. Highs 48 to 54.

Living Costs Show Decline

. ** v v WASHINGTON (UPD — Living i costs fell by .1 per cent in Janu- ; ary for the first decline in a year, i the government reported today. Lower prices for clothes, new ( and used cars and food were re- < sponsible for the crease. ’ Despite the decrease from De- 1 1 cember to January the Labor De- i " partment said its consumer price ’ index was set at 127.4 per cent of < ’ 1947-49 prices or 1.6 per cent • • above a year ago. ’ This figure means that it cost r the average consumer $12.74 to < i buy the same goods and services i today that cost $lO in the 1947-49 i era. : . ... ' The decline means that nearly • one million workers in the auto- i i mobile and farm equipment indus- 1 r tries win not get wage increases < I next month. Their wages are ; geared to the rise and fall of the 1

Seven Cents

Sale Os Stewart's Bakery Announced Stewart’s Bakery, Inc., owned „ add managed by Roy Stewart, of Decatur, for the past 19 years, has been sold to Paul L. Miller and Ralph P. Estes, both of Redkey, and both affiliated with Aunt Molly’s Kitchen, of that city. Stewart announced the sale late Monday afternoon. Miller, formerly of Willshire, O„ until 12 years ago, has been in the bakery business for 22 years, while Estes brings 30 years of experience to Decatur. Miller is sales manager and advertising manager for Aunt Molly’s Kitchen, and Estes is production manager. Estes is formerly of Dayton, Ohio. Although the local firm has been sold to employes of Aunt Molly’s Kitchen, of Redkey, the operation here will be independent and operate under the name of Stewart’s of Decatur, Inc. Employes now working at the bakery plant will ' be kept on the payroll and no immediate changes are expected. Mrs. Barbara Stewart, wife of Roy Stewart, will continue to act as manager of the local firm and will hold the secretary-treasurer position on the board. Miller will be president of the board and Estes will be vice president. Roy Stewart will work at the bakery until April 1. Harold August, of Decatur, and sales manager for Stewart’s will continue to hold the position he has held in the past Stewart’s Since 1942 Roy Stewart has been manager of Stewart’s Bakery since December 8, 1942, at which time the bakery was owned by his brother, Charles Stewart. The bakery was purchased by Roy from his brother in the early part of 1948. Prior to the ownership by the Stewart’s, the local bakery was owned and operated by R. C. Flittner. Miller stated Monday afternoon that the operation in Redkey, known as Aunt Molly’s Kitchen, originally started on a small scale such as Stewart’s Bakery, and now is a one-million dollar operation. Enthusiasum for the betterment of the community and hopes for a highly successful business here were also discussed. Route distribution both in the rural area and to the business establishments is expected to stay the same.

index and it did not climb enough since last October to justify a wage hike. But the department said about 61,000 workers, including those at Caterpillar Tractor Co. plants, will receive penny-an-hour pay boosts based on a different formula from other auto workers. Truck drivers in Virginia and the Carolinas —several thousand in all —will get two-cent hourly raises under their contracts. About 12,000 employes of the Chicago Transit Authority, whose wages are tied to a Chicago index which fell by .2, will take a halt cent hourly pay cut. Robert J. Meyers, deputy commissioner of labor statistics, said the index had climbed to new record highs every month for the past year except during August and last month. 0