Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 62, Number 198, Decatur, Adams County, 21 August 1964 — Page 1

VOL. LXII. NO. 198.

Mississippi Integration Leaders Reject Proposals In Fight On Credentials

Four Americans Die In Guerrilla Ambush

SAIGON,' South Viet Nam, (UPD—Communist forces handed the government one ot its heaviest military setbacks of the war Thursday in a marshland ambush southwest ot Saigon that left over 100 government soldiers and four Americans dead. An American military spokesman said the Communist Viet Cong wiped out a battalionsized force, killing at least 120, wounding 60 and capturing nine others. It was believed to be the highest number of government forces killed in a single engagement. The fighting too* place about 45 miles southwest of Saigon on a marshy battlefield in Kien Hoa Province. Felled In Chase The four Americans were felled by Communist gunfire just before sundown while accompanying a government force in pursuit of guerrillas who overran a. tiny outpost at Phu Tuc the day before. After retaking the outpost, the pursuers advanced on the retreating Viet Cong and were overwhelmed by a strong force lying in wait. Last July rebel forces pulled a similar ambush .in Chuong Thiffli Province farther to the southwest and inflicted 187 casualties. There were 39 killed. An American spokesman said a fifth American was killed Thursday in another action further north in the jungled moon tains of central Viet Nam. He was a U.S. Army special forces elite corpsman based at a shau near the Lao+ian border. One American Bayoneted Informed American sources said that when the bodies of the four Americans killed near Phu Tuc — three officers and one enlisted man — -were recovered this morning, it was found that one of the men had been bayoneted several times. An American military spokesman denied persistent reports in the Capital that the corpses of the four Americans were found headless and mutilated. Communist losses in the ambush were not known, the spokesman said.

Drastic Cutback In Purchases By Cuba

NEW YORK (UPI) -Cuba has ordered its foreign trade representatives overseas to suspend further purchases aboard, bank sources said today. _—..... ... .. They said that only parts and supplies needed for the sugar and nickel industries and a medical research center were excluded from the order. The drastic cutback was interpreted to mean that Cuba has spent more than it has taken in, and now must retrench. The order confirmed recent National Foreign Trade Couneil (NFTC) speculation based on reports from the financial Times of London and the New York Journal of Commerce that near chaos in its own finances would force Cuba to suspend credit for foreign purchases. Halts Talks Bank sources said the stopbuy edict issued from Havana last week also ordered an end to all negotiations not falling within the exempt categories, and suspension of all letters of credit including those for purchases already made. The order clarified hitherto unexplained recent shifts in top Cuban economic posts. In the

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT OWLY I?AILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY ,

The deaths brought the total of Americans killed in South Viet Nam combat to 187. Another 87 have died in accidents since the American buildup began in 1961. Pre-Enrollment At Adams Central High Pre-enrollment for grades seven through 12 at the Adams Central school will be held Monday, Aug. 3 1 » and Tuesday Sept. 1, according to an announcement today by Carl Honaker, Adams Central principal. All students are to be at the school at the specified time for each grade to complete registration and purchase books. The schedule by grade is as follows: Aug. 31, 8-W .aaM. Grade, seven. Aug. 31, 10 a.m. - 12 noon — Grade eight. Aug. 31, 1-3 p.m. — Ninth grade. Sept. 1, 8-10 a.m. — Grade 10, Sept. 1, 10 a.m. - 12 noon — grade 11. Sept. 1, 1-3 p.m. — Grade 12. Students will report for classes on the opening day of school Tuesday, Sfcpt. 8. A meeting ot all teachers will be held Friday, Sept. 4. Bruce Vanhorn Is Reported Improved Bruce Vanhorn, 18, son of Mr. and Mrs. Delmer Vanhorn of Cromwell, was reported improved today at Parkview memorial hospital, Fort Wayne, where he has been a pa'ient since being severely injured in a truck-train accident near his home early Wednesday evening. The youth, former resident of Decatur, and who has three brothers living here, suffered severe leg, shoulder injuries and a broken rib. but x-rays disclosed no head injuries. His right leg will be in traction for some time before being placed in a cast.

past seven weeks, Cuba has ousted Regino Boti as economy minister, Marcelo Fernandez as president of the Cuban National Bank, Maj. Alberto Mora as minister of foreign commerce and set up an unprecedented sugar ministry. The new Cuban economic crisis also was assumed to be behind recent insistent peace feelers directed. : at the United States. Sugar Is Cause Bank sources said Cuba’s present plight could be attributed to the crash of world sugar prices, compounded by amateurish buying and handling of credits abroad. Cuba’s traveling commercial agents shuttle constantly between European and bloc capitals trying to obtain critical goods. Ex pe r t s said waste as well as overhead was tremendous. The sources described Cuban credit as no stronger than the sugar market s .— and they pointed out the sugar market is in a state of collapse. They said there was no way of totaling exactly how much money Cuba owed abroad, or „ to whom, or how much was overdue or falling due.

ATLANTIC CITY, (UPD— Three busloads of Mississippi integrationists rolled into town today with a warning that a failure to seat them at the 35th Democratic National Convention would cost the party thou- | sands upon thousands of Negro “ votes in November. The largely Negro group, representing the newly formed Mississippi Freedom., Democratic party, flatly rejected a proposed settlement of their credentials fight with the state’s all-white regular party delegation. Aaron Henry, chairman of the Freedom party, said his group would not accept a compromise said to have White House approval because any compromise with the regulars •would be “evil.” Henry, a Clarksdale, Miss., druggist, said that “Negroes all over this country — and whites too who are concerned with freedom — will be watching Atlantic City.” If the Democrats seat the regular Mississippi delegation, he said, it would “register neg-j atively with thousands ancF thousands of Negroes across the country." He predicted they would show their disapproval -by boycotting the polls in November. Lack Committee Votes Henry, who is also president of tht Mississippi NAACP, said his group did not yet have the 11 Credentials Committee votes necessary to bring the fight to the convention floor should his group be turned down by the committee. But Joseph L. Rauh Jr. of Washington, D.C., counsel for the group, said he thought “we are closer to the 11 than Mr. Henry indicated.” Rauh predicted the fight would have to be settled by the full convention.. In a legal brief filed with the credentials subcommittee, tj»e Freedom party said it comes to the convention with the stepport of 10 state conventions or state committees. It listed these as California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin. The brief said the all-white regular delegation should hot be seated because it cannot give assurances required by national convention rules. that nominees chosen by the convention will appear on the November ballot in Mississippi. It accused the regulars of favorihg , Sen. Barry M. Goldwater, the Republican candidate for president, and of having “spewed hatred upon President Kennedy and President Johnson.” Calls Convention Illegal The Freedom party brief also charged that the convention which named the regular delegation is “illegal and unconstitu'ional.” The traditional Democratic party in Mississippi, the brief said, has used its power to deny the franchise to Negroes in violation of the 14th Amendment. , The credentials fight was one of two confronting the Democrats as they began gathering in this famed Boardwalk City to nominate President Johnson and confirm his still unannounced choice of a vice presidential running mate. The other struggle centered on the civil rights plank of the platform on which Johnson will run in November against Republican Barry M. Goldwater. But the credentials fight seemed likely to stir up the biggest storm—at least in public. .The compromise rejected by the Mississippi Freedom party spokesman would call far the seating of the all-white delegation and recognition of the integra'ed delegation as a fraternal group without voting rights. Considers Second Challenge There also Was a possibility that die seating of the Alabama delegation would be challenged —but on different grounds. There were reports that Rauh would level this challenge if no

Decatur, Indiana, 46733, Friday, August 21,1964.

one else did but that he preferred to concentrate on Mississippi. Gov. George C. Wallace of Alabama, a crusading segregationist, was scheduled for an afternoon appearance before the Democratic Platform Committee late today at its final hearing. He was to be followed by Rep. Adam Clayton Powell of New York, from the other end of the civil rights spectrum. Testimony from both Wallace and Powell was expected to contrast with the proposed soft answers offered Thursday by another southerner, Gov. Carl E. Sanders of Georgia. Sanders told the platform committee that the party riiust stand with the new civil rights law but that recent racial disturbances had shown that law alone could not solve racial problems. Winners Are Listed In Tractor Pulling V Winners in the tractor pullini contests held at Monroe Thursday as one of the features of Monroe “community days” in progress there this week, were announced this morning. There were 34 entries in the ' 8.500- class, and a total of 31,000 pounds was pulled. Winners of first prize money and trophy was Miz Lehman. Other top finishers were Dick Smitley, second; Bob Hart, third; Glen Grandliehajd, fourth, and Bob Hildebrand, The heavyweight class, in the 10.500- weight, drew 20 entries, with a total pull of 37,000 pounds. Dick Smitley was winner of the first place trophy and cash award. Jon Agler was second, Walter Hildebrand thitd, Rene Brown and Steve Hildebrand fifth. Fred Yoder was the winner of the garden tractor pull, for boys 18 years of age and under, with eight entries, pulling 2,900 pounds. Jay Sprunger was second and Don Stucky third. Charles Workinger and Harold Schwartz, co-chairmen of the contests, expresed their thanks to contestant and volunteers who aided in the eyents. Nine Adams county high school seniors will vie this evening in a talent show, with the winner to be crowned “Miss Adams County” as the closing feature of "community days” Sa’urday night. The crowning will be preceded by an Cal Yost Is Speaker Al Rotary Meeting Cal Yost showed some movies of the latest heavy dutv earth moving equipment which his company has recently purchased from the R. G. LeToumeau company to the Decatur Rotary club at its weekly meeting held Thursday evening at the Decatur Youth and Community Center. W. Lowell Harper presided. The new heavy equipment operates similar in principle to a diesel locomotive with an electric motor at every wheel. The operator can then direct the huge machine with electronic controls. LeToumeau, who is well known for his policy of returning a lar«»e percentage of his income to the Lord’s work, had sold his company several years ago; but has since established a new company using his newest inventive ideas. .* Some of the large units weigh over 75 tons. Tires are over eitrht feet hi<»h with a 40 inch wide tread. Prices are quoted at “about 81 per nound” The Yost Construction company will use some of this newest machinery on a dam project near Markle. Several Yost employee have visited the LeTourneau plant at Long View, Texas, to learn to operate these huge earth movers. . President W. Lowell Harper announced that the local dub will again sponsor "W* high school ‘ speech contest, with Gail M. Grabill as chairman.

Mrs. John Habegger Is Taken By Death Mrs. Rebecca Habegger, 66, wife of John H. Habegger, 718 North Jefferson street, Berne, died Thursday morning at the Adams county memorial hospital. She had been ill for two years of a heart condition and critically ill for two days. A lifelong resident of Adams county, she was born in Monroe township November 22, 1897, a daughter of John J. and Catherine Schwartz, and was married to John H. Habegger April 21. 1918. Mrs. Habegger was a member of the First Missionary church at Berne. Surviving are her husband; one son, Milton J. Habegger of Fort Wayne; five daughters, Mrs. Howard Pharr of Linn Grove, Mrs. Lorrls Phillips, Mrs. Kenneth Augsburger and Mrs. Delmar Neuenschwander, all of Berne, and Mrs. Roger Moser of Berne route 1; 18 grandchildren; one-great-grandchild; four brothers, Simon M. and Joel Schwartz, both of Berne, Amos and Eli Schwartz of Bqrne route 1, and two sisters, Miss Ella Schwartz bf Decatur, and Mrs. William Gilpin of Portland. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday at the First Missionary church, with the Rev. C. H. Wiederkehr officiating. Burial will be in MRE cemetery. Friends may call at the Yager funeral home in Berne until time of the services. Miss Adams County Crowning Saturday Hie “Miss Adams County "talent show will be held in Monroe this evening, with nine county high school seniors competing for the crown and a SIOO scholarship. The inine contestants, fheV schools, and their sponsors, are as follows: Deanee Ayala, Adams Central, Monroe Co-Op Lumber Co.; Marvene Wechter, Adams Central, contractor Enos Schrock; Tonya Moser, Geneva, Roth Electric of Monroe; Maris Moeschberger, Adams Central, Monroe grain and Supply. Nancy Fifer, Monmouth, Decatur Ready-Mix . Co.; Carmi Steffen, Adams Central Zurcher Mpbil of Monroe; Patricia Diehl, Brene, Lee’s Department store of Berne; Kathy Mallonee, Decatur high, Schwartz Ford of Decatur; Margaret Rowden, Adams Central, Frieda's Beauty Shop of Monroe. Judges for the affair are Jane Flaningan, Fort Wayne station WKJG; Larry Zimmerly, Decatur radio stataion WADM, and Sally* Finkle, of Bluffton. Emcee for the talent show is Bob Shraluka of the Decatur Daily Democrat. Dtae With Judges The girls will dine with the judges early this evening, and will be later interviewed by the three judges. They will then present their talents on stage at 8 o’clock in Monroe. In the event of rain, the talent show will be held in the Adams Central school building. The queen will not be crowned until Saturday, as the final event in the annual Monroe Days. INDIANA WEATHER Showers and thundershowers likely this afternoon and tonight With some scattered showers probably continuing Saturday. No important temperature changes. Low tonight 84 to 74. High Saturday meetly hi the 79s north, 75 to 85 south. Sunset today 7:33 p.m. Sunrise- Saturday 6:83 a.*. Outlook for Sunday: Parity Mundy and a little cooler. Lows near 80 north to near 70-aeuth. Highs low 80s north to upper 80s south.

Sen. Hartke's Record Lauded ■■fll MRS. VANCE HARTKE, right, wife of the (Jopular, aggressive senior United States senator from Indiana, discusses this year'? issues with state representative Buri Johnson and Mayor Carl D. Gerber, of Decatur. Mrs. Hartke was the speaker at the ice cream social Thursday night. • Photo by MaOLearr*

More than 300 Adams county Democrats turned out Thursday night at the Peter Spangler farm, Kirkland township, to hear Mrs. Martha Hartke, Wife of Indiana’s senior senator, Vance Hartke, review her husband’s positive record in the U. S. Senate. Mrs. Hartke pointed out that when “Vance sees a problem, he immediately seeks an equitable solution. Improve Water Resources “When Vance first went to the senate in 1959, Indiana's share of federal funds for water resources was only sl% million,” Mrs. Hartke said. “Today that figure for annual appropriations is more than s3l million.” “Vance fought to repeal the 10% excise taxes on luggage, cosmetics, handbags, and musical instruments. The senate passed the repeal, but the house failed to agree. These taxes will be cut next year. It is often difficult to imagine the economic burden these old war-time taxes impose. Vance’s study showed that if these taxes were repealed last year, 1963, the Indiana consumer cosmetics, alone, would have saved SSO million,” she said. Mrs. Hartke also reviewed her husband's legislative efforts in the fields of social security, human rights, veterans pensions, and the Hartke aid for higher education bill. Education BUI “I am especially proud of Vance’s education bill because it holds a promise, not a handout', to millions of qualified students who might not otherwise be able to have a post high school education,” she said. A native of Richmond, Mrs. Hartke is a graduate of Indiana University and taught school in Indianapolis and New London, Conn. She married Indiana’s senior senator in 1943 after meeting him while attending Indiana University. The Hartkes returned to Bloomington after the war, where the husband resumed his studies in the school of law. He received his doctor of jurisprudence degree with distinction in 1948. Vance Hartke is one of only five men serving in the United States senate with this high degree. After graduation he opened his law practice in Evansville. Mrs. Hartke joined her husband in political activities. She became a precinct vice-committeeman, a post she held throughout her husband’s term as Vanderburgh epunty chairman and mayor of Evansville. When her husband was nominated by his party in 1958 for United States Senator, Mrs. Tlartke stumped the state in » hardfought camaign. Victory was theirs and, in January, 1959, the Hartke household — which then included five youngsters—moved lock, stock, and barrel to Washington. Assists Husband Since arriving in the nation’s capital, Mrs. Hartke has spent much of her time assisting her husband in the many duties and functions required of his office. She holds great interest, too, in the activities’ of her children and attends as many of their basketball games, swim meets, and horse shows as possible. Mrs. Hartke enjoys sports herself and holds a special interest in swimming and horseback riding. The Hartkes now have seven children. The oldest, Sandra, is now the wife of Larry Schott, of Shelbyville, and the mothet of a girl, Angela Lori, born July 27, this year. Sandra and Larry met at Indiana University. Senator and Mrs. Hartke’s family at home are: Jan, 18, Wayne, 16,

Keith, 13, Paul, 10, Anita, 4 and Nadine, 2. Mrs. Hartke is a member of the Lutheran guild. Alpha Omicrom Pi sorority, and the senate wive's chapter of the American Red Cross. She has been appointed by the president to serve on the board of directors of the international freedom from hunger foundation and served as chairman of the foundation’s dinner held in Washington in March, 1963.

; ji w V j n * /vrBB

HARDWORKING CANDIDATES Herman Moellering, left, William L. Linn, center, and Deimos (Mike) Bollenbacher, right, help dip up Dairy Queen to the more than 300 persons who attended the annual Democratic Ice cream social at the Peter Spangler farm Thursday evening. (Photo by Mac Lean)

Highway Head Refutes Claim

Adams county highway superintendent Lawrence E. Noll said this morning that a recent copywrighted fltory in the Lafayette Journal and Courier, quoting county commissioner Floyd Gingerich was completely wrong in relation to a statement about Adams county. False reports of county highway mileage totals to state officials caused inequitable distribution of Indiaha motdr vehicle funds last year, Gingerich the Tippecanoe County official, charged Wednesday. The story quoted Gingerich as saying the wrongful distribution could total as much as $5 million in funds parceled to the state’s 92 counties in 1963. Gingerich said a survey he conducted showed that highway mileage totals turnedftapver to the state auditor by many Indiana counties were higher than their county road mileage in a federally financed inventory of roads. Sent To Governor According to the Lafayette paper's story. Gingerich said he had forwarded his report to Gov. Matthew E. Welsh and asked a hearing with the governor. Welsh has stated he would ask the state highway commission for information about Gingerich’s report and then would meet with the corqmissioner. Local highway supervisor Noll reported to the Decatur Daily Democrat this morning, that Gingrich was completely wrong in in-

SEVEN CENTS

In May, 1963, the then vice president Lyndon B. Johnson addressed some 1,000 persons who had gathered in Washington to honor Senator Hartke at a testimonial dinner. In his opening remarks, he said: "I have known and respected and liked Vance Hartke and Martha and their seven children ever since I met them. I have known some of them longer than others. They have a rather re(Continued on Page Three)

eluding Adams county in those counties who had allegedly turned in false reports. Near Survey Total Gingerich said Adams county had claimed 524 miles and the survey showed 731 miles. Noll said, the survey figure is correct but that Adams county turned in mileage totaling 731.30 miles, almost identical to the survey figue. Noll says Gingerich was also wrong in claiming that Adams county received $520,000 instead of the $371,()00 it actually got, as Adams county received its proper total of $375,731. Noll said this morning that Gingrich apparently read another figure of the Adams county report, to come up with the incorrect figure of 524 miles. Gingerich went on in his report to state that “In 44 counties where inventories have been cpjppleted, and in which each county falsely reported an excess of 50 miles or more, about $2.3 million too much has been distributed. He claimed that his survey of 44 counties, showed only two which claimed fewer miles than the federal survey showed. Motor vehicle funds, which come largely from the state gasoline tax, are distributed to counties in the following manner: Each county gets five per cent of the total, plus 65 per cent for its county highway mileage reported. and 30 per cent for the number of vehicle registrations.