Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 18 March 1940 — Page 1
FORECAST: ‘Mostly cloudy, Sicksional light rains tonight, becoming fair tomorrow; colder; lowest b perature tonight sbout 84.
FINAL HOME
_. B SCRIPPS — HOWARD §
Hitler Visits Mussolini i in ‘Dramatic Drive for Vichy
.By JOE ALEX MORRIS
Premier Benito Mussolini and
VOLUME 52—NUMBER 6
Adolf Hitler meet again. . . . And
the question mark in their future relations looms larger than ever.
SCHRICKER DUE . TOENTER RACE
Expectsd to Announce His Candidacy for Governor At Rally Tonight.
\ (Other political news, Pg. 16)
. Lieut. Gov. Henry F. Schricker is ..expected to make formal announcement, of his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for Governor at a Second District meeting in North Judson tonight. His announcement would be the first by a Democratic candidate for Governor, and would be regarded as the signal for the Democratic campaign opening. Mr. Schricker’s announcement is expected to bring R. Earl Peters, Indiana FHA director, officially into the campaign field for Governor ~ within a short. time.
Mr. Schricker was scheduled {gl..
_ make his announcement in reply to a resolution passed by the Second District . Democratic Committee at Rochester several weeks ago. The resolution indorsed Mr. Schricker for the nomination and urged that he permit Second District leaders to place his name before the State Convention.
* Mr. Schricker apparently decided |
not to wait for the official “go sign” from the Democratic organization, which has been marking time pending President Roosevelt’s decision on on a third term. Other Democratic candidates mentioned for the gubernatorial race include Atty. Gen. Omer S. Jackson,: Floyd I. McMurray, - State Superintendent of Public Instruction; Mayor William Dress, Evansville, and James D. Adams, Columbia City.
Townsendites Oppose .4 Hoosier Candidates
Campaign machinery to get “at least 700 delegates” elected for the State Republican Convention was started today by the Indiana Townsend old-age pension clubs. Their campaign work was outlined at a meeting in Tomlinson Hall yes‘terday when B. J. Brown, national Townsend movement representative for Indiana and Kentucky, said the organization would oppose Raymond E. Willis, candidate for the Republican nomination for U. S. Senator; Senator Sherman Minton, Democrat; William E. Jenner, Republican candidate for Governor, and Judge James A. Emmert, candidate for the G. O. P. nomination for Governor. Mr. Brown, who is an Indianapolis attorney, said the Townsend clubs would oppose candidates of any political party so long as they refused to indorse flatly the Townsend legislative program.
Brown Demands Action
He said Senator Minton expressed his position as being “in sympathy with the Townsend movement.” “We are not looking for sympathy —this is .a fight—we want action,” Mr. Brown. said. The Townsendites for several months have been opposing Republican Reps. Charles Helleck of Renaselaer and George Gillie of Ft. Wayn AL ®he ‘same time Mr. Brown . praised the records of Indiana Republican Reps. Gerald Landis, Linton; Raymond S. Springer, Connersville; Forest A. rness, Kokomo; Robert Grant, South Bend, . and Noble Johnson, Terre Haute.
Told to ‘Wait for Go Sign’ °
Mr. Brown said, however, that Rep. Gillie today sent him a telegram, promising to “get some .action” on the Townsend bill pending in Congress. ~ Mr. Brown told several hundred club officials that they must get delegates to .the state Republican convention first and then “wait for the go sign” before indorsing any candidates. “Any candidate who expects to get the support of the Townsend Clubs must first sign a statement for the record,” he said.
EXFMPT SEED PRODUCERS WASHINGTON, March 18 (U. P.). — The Labor Department's Wage-Hour Division today grated producers of Redtop Seed a seasonal exemption from hours provisions of the Wage-Hour Act for the
WASHINGTON, March 18 (U. P.).—Congressmen seeking re-elec-tion were able today -to offer their constituents fish—the real thing. Shrewd mathematicians among them (the Congressmen) figured that there are 10,000,000 voters who will go fishing between now and next Nov. 5. They have adopted the slogan: “A fish in the frying pan is a vote in the ballot box.” The Interior Department’s Bureau of Fisheries has hatched up a batch of 8,000,000,000 fish, about 12 per cent of which Congressmen are going to give away. The bureau has been doing that for 35 years, and the demand is steadily increasing. The balance goes into the bureau's regular stocking and conservation programs. If you have a stream into which you want to put some fish, all you have to do to get some is to have your Senator or Congressman in-
~
MONDAY, MARCH 18, 1040
=
United Press Foreign News Editor . Adolf Hitler opened a spectacular drive today for a Nazi victory—with or without the savage warfare long
feared by Europe.-
The Fuehrer left German soil and conferred for more than two hours with Italian Premier Benito Mussolini in a railroad car high on snowy Brenner Pass (which Italy has
fortified against the Nazis) while the armed forces of the Reich stepped: up the tempo of their thrusts at Allied
strongholds.
Nothing was announced officially after. the meeting of the men who rule the destinies of two great and allied powers. Dispatches said that Premier Mussolini was smiling as. they shook hands after the conference; that Herr Hitler's face was pale above his black military raincoat. But pending the hour when the Fuehrer decides to announce the “surprise” that Nazis have been hinting for a week, it was clear that the Germans still were holding the diplomatic cffensive against Britain and France and were trying furiously to strike a succession of body bl while the Allies still were confused as a result of restora-
tion of peace in Finland.
And in broad outline the plans of Herr Hitler in the
Politics Witha New Angle— It's Free Fish for Voters
dorse your application—the same. as if you wanted a political job. Most of the applications come from wild life and sportsmen’s groups, officials said. The bureau determines the apportionment of the fish. All the fish are newly hatched and won't be big encugh to eat for at least another year. But the fishermen can ‘have lots of fun trying to catch their 7,000,000,000 big brothers and sisters which the bureau distributed last. year. The free disctribution of fish has taken the place: of the, package of garden seed which the Congressmen used to get for free distribution. The voter can raise brook trout instead of beets, catfish instead of
‘cabbage and yellow perch instead of
carrots. The Bureau still hasn’t figured out the answer to a recent request from an Indiana citizen, and to which a lot of others would like the answer: “How “do you catch ‘em?” .
‘Divining-Rod" Locates Body
FT. WAYNE, Ind, March 18 (U. "P.).—Since March 5, police and firemen have dragged the St. Marys’ River for the pody of Mary Jane Burhenn, 25. Yesterday, to humor him, police said, the searchers allowed an unnamed stranger to rig up a ’divining rod.” He walked along the river®ank, then retraced his steps and pointed to a spot in the muddy water. The boats dragged the spot he indicated and 10 minutes later ' found the: body, wedged against some rolled wire fencing that had been discarded there.
CAPTURES BURGLAR WITH TOY PISTOL
Insurance Agent Surprises Intruder in Bedroom.
Bluffing with his son’s toy, pistol, Walter A. Skinner, insurance agent,
last night held: a burglar in his apartment at 3007 N. Delaware St. until police arrived. Mrs. Skinner and the Skinner’s children, 9-year-old John and 13-year-old Janice, whom Mrs. Skinner said “were thrilled over the whole thing,” looked on while the father bluffed the well-dressed intruder. The suspect, whom police say boasted of looting many homes during a career of burglary, is held in jail on a vagrancy charge under $5000 bond pending an investigation. When the Skinners returned from an automobile ride, they found their apartment umlocked, the bedroom illuminated and the burglar, who carried a cane, tip-toeing through the apartment. Mr. Skinner. “covered” him with the toy pistol which he said “looked like a real gun.” “One move out of you and I'll let you have it,” Mr. Skinner warned. While he escorted the man to the basement, the two children following, Mrs. Skinner went into another apartment and called police. The man had taken jewelry anid other articles valued at more than $40. Some of the jewelry was found under his hatband. |
OIL STOVE EXPLOSION BURNS PROVE FATAL
Mrs. Mabel Wolf Frochauer, 5812 W. Washington St., who was burned in a fuel oil stove explosion early Tuesday, died today at St. Francis Hospital. She was 23. The condition of 10-year-old Betty Ann Huxley, 3013 S. St. Paul St., burned in the same explosion, was still critical, while the condition’ of her father, Broudy Huxley, 29, was regarded as serious. I” Fire which followed the blast destroyed the Huxley home. Mrs. Frochauer was born in Terre Haute, moving here about 14 years ago. She is survived by her father, Grover Frochauer, Glendale, Cal.; her mother, Mrs. Anna West, Indianapolis; a brother, William
cleansing and processing of their “product, _
-
Huxley,
Frochauer and her sister, Mrs.
HATCH BILL 0. K.
‘l Give Up,” Says Minton on 12th Day of Debate; Farm Plan Next.
WASHINGTON, March 18 (U. P.). —The Senate votes foday on legisla-
tion extending the Hatch “clean
politics” act to thousands of state employees—an issue that has split Democratic ranks and kept the Senate involved for two weeks in the liveliest controversy of this session. “I give up,” said Assistant Democratic Leader Sherman Minton as the Senate began its 12th day of debate on the bill. “I've been fighting this proposition with all the power at my command, and now I'm ready to walk ‘the last mile’.” An amendment by Senator Minton which would bring under civil service all Federal officers and employees affected by the original law, and involving approximately 271,000 was defeated, 58 to 24. As leader of a strange mixture of New Dealers and Southern conservative Democrats opposed to the measure, Mr. Minton split with Democratic Leader Alben W. Barkley and accused him of “leading Republicans to a great victory.” Republicans have been voting wondly with Senator Carl A. Hatch (D. N. M.), whose legislation would ban N politicgl activity” by state employees who are paid in whole or in part with Federal funds. “The Democratic Party will regret this vote,” Mr. Minton said, c¢onceding that the bill would be ap-. proved when the Senate, under an agreement reached by Mr. Barkley, votes at 2 p. m. (Indianapolis Time). “However, it doesn’t mean that I'm not going to continue to fight alongside Mr. Barkley for the things the New Deal is really interested in. I'll ~ (Continued on Page Three)
FIRST OF HOLY SERVICES HELD
At Noon Each Day Until Good Friday. -
Indianapolis started a widespread observance of Holy Week today. Downtown services each noon un-
til Good Friday are being held in English’s Theater under the auspices of the Church Federation of Indianapolis, ‘in St. John’s Catholic Church, .and ‘in Christ Episcopal Church. Union services on the West Side will be held at noon each day in the Daisy Theater. Many churches are holding evening services this week and many more will have three-hour Good
h
p- m, Sees Sin Basis of World Confusion
Church, said, “If there is any one thing lying at the base of all the confusion, bewilderment, hate and war that is abroad in the world today, it is sin. “Sin does not come from God, but from man. Therefore, confession of our sins leads not only to forgiveness ‘but restores Pears and
{ happiness.”
The Rev. Clive McGuire, dian. apolis Baptist Association executive secretary, will speak at English’s tomorrow.
Fr. Grogan Officiates
The service at St. John's today was under the direction of the Rev. Fr. Richard Grogan. The Rev. George Kimsey, Memorial Baptist Church pastor, was in charge of the Daisy Theater service. The Rev. L. P. Green of the Speedway Boulevard Methodist Church, spoke. He declared that “forgiveness, difficult as it: is in practice, is the most needed possession of human beings. “ ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,’ the prayer Jesus prayed from the Cross, is the (Continued on Page Three)
U. S. CRAFT HALTED BY FRENCH CRUISER
WASHINGTON, March 18 (U. P.). —A French cruiser halted the American freighter West Camargo off the north coast of Venezuela, well inside the American safety zone, on Feb. 25, the State Department revealed today. . The commander of the cruiser, which was not identified, made no attempt to board the American vessel, the report stated. , But he delayed the West Camargo 20 minutes while he ascertained where the ship was from, where bound and what argo it was carrying. te Department officials indicated that in view of the fact that no effort was made to board the ship, no protest had been filed with
the French Government.
Downtown Rites to Continue
Friday services from 12 noon to 3]
- - Opening the series at English’st pastor of the Fairview Presbyterian With faces blackened, miners 2 are . huddied in 4 a ear as they are Brought: thom the depths of the Willow ° -Grove mine, near Bellaire, 0., tomb today for 69: ‘other men. -
at 2
present phase of a conflict that still is predominantly a “war of nerves” began to emerge. These developments indicated the trend: 1. Herr Hitler met with Sig. Mussolini at a time when Sumner Welles, who conferred today with Pope Pius XII,
still was in Rome. Thus 1t
generally was believed that
the Fuehrer was taking a final fling at the possibility: of
starting a move for peace on Nazi terms. But in view of
the announced attitude of Britain and France he -could
have little hope for success.
2. The Fuehrer wants the support of non-belligerent Italy in maintaining peace in the Balkans so that Germany. can continue to get supplies there and frustrate the Allied
blockade.
In this he also wants Russian assistance and
thus it is necessary to overcome hostility between Rome
and Moscow.
3. Premier’ Paul Teleki of Hungary was reported in Budapest dispatches to plan an immediate trip to Italy
to confer with Sig. Mussolini.
Italy is conducting trade
negotiations with Rumania and feeling out the possibility of better relations with Turkey. Germany, is promoting improvement of Turkish-Russian relations.” Thus some Nazis and Fascists have envisaged a huge economic bloc that would be dominated by Italy, Germany,
Entered. ay Second Glass Matter® | Postoffice, Indianapolis,
Ind.
PRICE THREE CENTS
.
- Russia and perhaps Japan, and would take i in all of south-
eastern Europe’s little states the Allies.
to the vast] jdsnivaniage of
$ i
4. If peace still is impossible—as seems certain—onHerr Hitler's terms at present, Nazis repeatedly have said that the. German armed forces, particularly i in the air, are ready to strike a “decisive” blow at the Allies. Thus the
Fuehrer is obviously preparing for- intensified warfare as
well as for a long economic struggle against the Allies ®
‘necessary. European observers beli
eve that it would be a wi
take to predict a great Allied offensive, through the air or by any other route, if the present diplomatic struggle fails to open any possibility of peace. | : At the moment, Herr Hitler's position is a strong one. He is fighting a defensive war except for counter-strokes : directed primarily at breaking the power of the British Navy. The danger of an Allied attack] from the north has been ended temporarily at least. | f The position of Germany, if backed by Russia and Italy, will be a strong one in the southeast. The field of
agtion. will be limited to the
western land and air front
and the North Sea if the Nazis can possibly achieve that (Continued on Page Three
They Cheated Death ‘Down Under’
QUAKER SERVICE
Leaders Consider Conversion of Old Evans Homestead in Richmond.
Times Special RICHMOND, Ind. March 18.— The Quaker Hill Foundatign, composed of leading Midwestern Quak-. ers, today announced plans for con- |- verting the old Evans homestead in Spring Grove ' into ' a, center of Friends’ service.
Plans being considered include the establishment « a clinical and experimental station for religious and social service work. One proposal is to provide temporary quarters in the home for a small number of European war refugees. ; Another provides for using ‘the home as headquarters for training Friends peace workers. Leaders in the movement for the foundation, which is working independently of the American Friends Service Committee, include Isaac E.. Woodard, president of « the Acme-Evans Co. of Indianapolis; Alvin T. Coate, also of Indianapolis; Dr. Arthur M. Charles, Earlham College, and Dr. Walter Woodward, Richmond, editor of the American Friend. ° Mr. Woodward said that it is hoped to obtain adjoining land for experinients along lines of self help. ‘He said various rooms of the 18room homestead later may be designated as memorials {o prominent Quakers of early days. | The first discussion. of the project here took place last October. The Evans home was selected because of its~ historical background.
Indianapolis enjoyed higher-than-normal temperature today for the third straight day, but cloudy skies kept the maximum well below ‘yesterday’s near record. The Weather Bureau predicted rains. vonight with a minimum tem-
3
HIM xr AGA mw
perature of 34. Tomorrow will be fair, the Bureau said. The high temperature yesterday was 73 at 3 p. m.,, which was 33 degrees above the normal mean for the day. In 1894, the highest temperature for March 17 was recorded, only three
degrees above yesterday's maximum.
, Thousands of persons took ad-
%
LOCAL TEMPERATURES 6am. ... 51 Ma mo 58 7a. m ... 52 12 (noon)... Bam ...54 1pm... 9a.m...5 2pm .. 45 10a. m. ... 56 :
vantage of the weather to ride, walk and play out-of-doors. The rains tonight may help lessen grass fire and forest fire dangers.
from the South, the Weather Bureau said, and raised temperatures in the
The gentle breezes blew as far north as Chicago. Highest temperature recorded in the Middle West was at St. Louis— 78 degrees. Kansas City recorded 77; Springfield, Ill, 76; Cincinnati and Louisville 74: Davenport, Towa, 66; Omaha, Neb. 65, and Chicago 63. Twenty-five grass fires. were, reported to the Indianapolis Fire Department. State Forestry officials urged smokers to be sure cigars and Sigareis were extinguished
* jdiscardin, githem. ‘Officials
Yesterday's balmy weather came]
upper Mississippi and Ohio Valley : ; areas 20 to 30 degrees above normal.|
Mercury Above Normal 3d Straight Day: : Fair Weather Predicted for Tomorrow
said the ‘woods are unusually’ ‘dry, and that until there are soaking rains there
Jwill be a danger of extensive fires.
Deputy sheriffs helped extinguish seven 8 Serlons | grass fires between 11
At — every arterial in. tersection, cars were lined up during the afternoon in a ; parade that seeined o endiéss or eral drug stores reported they var sold “out ‘of Kites before midafternoon: as youngsters and adults alike took advantage of the spank-|
Detoreling Steess. 10 put them: in the ai.
CENTER MAPPED,
.
‘Help. Mammd' And Burn Baby
—Mary Neville, 3 months old, was suffering from second-degree burns and a possible skull fracture today, because her brother and sister tried to “help mamma” by giving her a bath. $
‘After Mary was. taken to the |
Phin “3-year-old Martin,” her. brother, told detectives how he and his sister, Evelyn, a ygar and a half old, had dragged the baby out of her crib while. their father slept and .their mother was at. church, and how, lacking ‘the strength to 1ift her into the bathtub, they left her on .thé bathroom floor and splashed water on her. It was hot water because they didn’t want her to catch a cold. ary’s screams awakened the father, He rushed into the batir= room to find the children still splashing the water on her from a sand bucket. v The possible skull fracture was the result of the infant’s forced tumble from her high-railed crib.
20 KILLINGS LAID TO N. Y. MURDER RING
15 in Custody; Sold Services On Contract, Is Charge.
NEW YORK, March 18 (U. P)— District Attorney William O'Dwyer seeks an indictment today against the head of a murder syndi-
cate which, he said, had caused the assassination of 20 men. The syndicate, he alleged, had contracted to murder: as a baseball player . contracts for . his services. Its customers were the leading figures of the urilerworld. In custody were 15 men alleged by Mr. O'Dwyer to be the members. of the syndictte, its customers, and its employees. The customers included Charles (Lucky) Luciano, former head of a multi-million dollar vice racket now in prison; Louis (Lepke) Buchalter, big time industrial racketeer now facing a life sentence, and the Purple Gang: of Detroit. “Among the ,syndicate’s. victims, Mr, O'Dwyer charged, were a num-
| | ber of its own employees. It trained
“young punks” to do the actual killing and when they got to know
. |too much, they were assassinated by . |new. “punks.” lected anything from $500 up for
The syndicate col-
each murder. The actual Killers,
|Mr. O'Dwyer alleged, ‘were never
paid more than $5 or $10. In Los Angeles, Irving Cohen, 37, a motion picture bit player who appeared in the movie, “Golden Boy,” was arrested early today on suspicion of first degree murder. at the request of ‘Mr. O'Dwyer: went there three years ago ne
The syndicate ‘Brawnsvilp section of
PE a 5 Z Pei
fe re from the
NEW YORK, March 18 (U. PJ).
x the. lowest. since. Aug. 8, 1934,
WELLES TALKS TO POPE PIUS
Envoy Believed to Have Been Given Germany’s Peace - Conditions.
VATICAN CITY, March 18 (U. P.).—Pope Pius XII informed Sumner Welles at the Vatican today of German - conditions. for peace, as \conveyed to him a week ago by Foreign Minister Joachim von. Ribbentrop, Vatican circles close to the Papal household reported. Mr. Welles talked with the Pontiff for 50 minutes and later the
Untied States Undersecretary of State visited Papal Secretary of State Luigi Cardinal Maglione.
Official Quarters Silent
The German thesis for peace, as it was believed to have been. passed on to Mr. Welles by the Pope, provided that independent although small nations would be set up in Poland and Czechoslovakia on condition that Germany’s rights and economic necessities in- central and southeastern Europe would be recog-
nized. . After his return to his hotel Mr. Welles received a courtesy call from Secretary Maglione. All official
ABANDON HOPE - FOR 59 MINERS
Four Known Dead in Blast Wrecking- Ohio Shaft; Probers at Scene.
NEFFS, O,, March 18 (U. P).— | Hope was abandoned today for 69 ‘men entombed in the Willow Grove
| Coal Mine of the Hanna Coal Co. -
Men labored in relays in the nare row tunnels| throughout the day, clearing away the debris of the ex-~ plosion which tore, through the mine Saturday.» They expected to reach the chambers where the men had oeen ‘trapped within a few hours; but admitted it may require days. Their leaders said that if any were alive, 3 would be a miracle, Four men ‘were ‘known dead. At 5:25 a, m. today the rescue workers sent out the crushed bodies of John Marks, 34, and Mce~ Fadden, 54, the crew of a e train, who had been smashed ‘against & huge electric motor which had hoch torn loose from its moorings by the explosion and flung across the ene trance to one of the cross tunnels: The rescue workers had been able to. see the bodies hours before they could reach them.
Two Rescuers Killed
Two rescue workers were killed Saturday night by gas. - They were John Richards, mine superintendent, and Howard Sand= ers, tipple foreman, who went into the mine soon after the explosion, After reaching the bodies of Mr: Marks and Mr. McFadden, the workers found the 35 cars of the mine train jammed together in a mass of wreckage | which further slowed their progress. Only 20 men could work. at a time in the tunnel. They were aided by loading machinery which piled the rock, slate. and other debris into cars that were pulled out. of the mine by power. Gas menaced the workers, but an air current had been set up through the tunnel and it was blowing the gas out through an air shaft. The mine is a “tunnel mine.” There are three main tunnels ene tering inte the side of a great hill which run on a more or less hori« zontal plane three miles inte .the earth. From these tunnels branch smaller turnels at right angles and from these are rooms or chambers | where the coal is mined. 20 Men in Hospitals The explosion occurred three miles from the main tunnel entrance, in one of the side tunnels. It dumped tons of rock and coal into the tune nels trapping the victims. : Approximately 112 men were res cued Saturday afternoon and night, more than half cf them suffering from gas inhalation or shock. Of (Continued on Page Three)
quarters declined .to eomment : on the Vatican conference and the official Vatican newspaper Osservatore Romano said merely that Mr. Welles and the Pontiff held “an interesting, cordial conference.”
Sails Wdnesday
It was reported that Mr. Welle would confer again with rote Mussolini. in Rome late tomorrow before he leaves for Genoa to board a ship for home Wednesday. Mr. Welles refused to confirm reports that he would meet Sie. Mussolini again, but it was Said that this was because Herr Hitler might not give Sig. Mussolini any encouraging word for Mr. Welles about peace, and if nothing were said about any more conferences, no false hopes would be raised. Mr. Welles was accompanied to the Vatican by Myron C. Taylor, President Roosevelt's personal representative to the Vatican.
STOCKS SAG TO NEW LOWS, THEN RALLY
New York stocks rallied this afternoon after falling to new lows for the year on further “peace scare” selling. Most of the losses were recovered and a few issues made gains over the opening prices. Heavy speculation in cotton forced prices down -as much as 65 cents Hela bale at New York and wheat sagged nearly a cent a bushel at Chicago. 2 The top price paid for hogs ‘at In lis fell to $5.35,
Jane Jordan,
peer COAT CATCHES FIRE, EASTER TOGS RUINED
This is the Yonion Ruth: McMurty, 20, of 6525 W. Morris St., had to borrow a coat to go to work ‘to~ day. Saturday afternoon she - rode & motor scooter near her home and the exhaust ignited her coat. She beat at the fire and thought it was out. She hung the coat in her clothes press. Not long afterwards her father, D. P, McMurty, smelled smoke and found the clothes press in flames, Firemen extinguished the fire. Also in the clothes press was Miss McMurty’s complete Easter outfit— all ruined.
ie
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