Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 25 February 1946 — Page 1

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~By Martin

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V. T. Hamlin

- daughter, . Catherine,

FORECAST: Mostly cloudy and warmer tonight; tomorrow Sloudy and mild with occasional rains; colder tomorrow afternoon and night.

Loot totaling $600. . . . That's

semirs-nowans] VOLUME 56—NUMBER 301

Safecrackers Get $600. Here

what safecrackers got in cash and

checks when they battered open this steel and concrete safe at

Klee & Colctnan Co. r

11 Burglaries Yield $2900 Loot as Crime Wave Grows

A recent spurt of safe-crackings and break-ins threatened to grow to a Tull-sized crime wave today, as 11 Indianapolis business places re-

ported week-end burglaries to police. Loot from the 11 break-ins was

estimated near $2000, police said.

The week-end wave of looting came on the heels of a $6000 safecracking at Koehler Super Market, 2402 E. 10th st., Friday night, still on

the police “unsolved” docket. Safecrackers battered the combimation off of a ldrge safe and cut through walls of steel and concrete on an inner safe at Klee & Coleman Co., 421 S. Delaware st., yesterday. Officials reported $600 in cash and checks taken. Safe Yields $4 Cash Burglars who battered their way into a safe at Blakley Granite Co., 3502 E. New York st, scattered more than $2500 in checks over the office but netted only $4 cash loot. After failing in an attempt to crack open a safe at the Ray Hohn Furniture Co., 3807 E, New York st., burglars took radios valued at $220 and $15 in cash. They also rifled the company warehouse, but apparently took no merchandise there. A grocery store operated by Robert M. Schaub at 4007 N. Pennsylvania st. was broken into early today, the second time in a week. Burglars took $300 in cash and $70 in change that was hidden in the store, $700 From Tavern

SEES NEW RISE IN LIVING COSTS

Eccles Says Wage-Price Policy May Bring Boost.

By SANDOR 8. KLEIN United Press Staff Correspondent WASHINGTON, Feb. 25.— Federal Reserve Board Chairman Marriner 8. Eccles said today there was a possibility the cost of living may increase by another 10 per cent President Truman's new

when burglars broke into a safe af! wchars

Hashman’s tavern, 6117 E. Washington st., early yesterday. A bartender, Edgar Bishop, 52, R. R. 11, Box 41, who discovered the breakin, said burglars prieq open a door to gain entrance. Liquor valued at $330 and $37 in cash were taken from Dorn’s drugstore, 1301 N.. Pennsylvania st. Saturday night. Burglars who cut through a wall to enter Jenkins’ pharmacy at 2320 W. 10th st. took approximately $280 worth of liquor, the owner, Mason Jenkins, told police.

Three Attempts Fail Teen-age thieves who broke into a grocery at 2564 E. Michigan st. early Sunday took $25 .and an undetermined number of sugar stamps. The owner, Frederick Niemeyer, 518 N. Oakland, was walking by the store early Sunday and saw two boys rifling the cash register. The burglars had fled before the police arrived. Three safe-cracking attempts failed when burglars were unable to-open the safes after battering off combinations. Safes were battered at the Gulf station at Beville and New York st, and at the Apollo restaurant, 108 W. Maryland st., and the combinations were knocked off of two vaults at the Texaco office, at 3521 E. Michigan st.

COACH CLEM CROWE INJURED IN CRASH

LA PORTE, Ind., Feb. 25 (U. P.). «Clem Crowe, head football coach at Iowa university last fall and former head basketball coach at Notre Dame, was recovering today in a LaPorte hospital from automobile accident injuries. Crowe was hurt Saturday when his automobile collided with another car at Springville, Ind. He sustained several broken ribs. His 15, also re-

mained in the hospital. Emil Michalski, 51, New ‘Buffalo,

Mich, ‘driver of the other auto-

mobile, was in a critical condition. Crowe and his four daughters were en route to a basketball game in Chicago when the accident oecurred, A daughter, Mary, 18, was released from the hospital yesterday. The two others were uninJured.

TIMES INDEX

Amusements . 14 Labor ....... 11 Around World 13 Ruth Millett. -11 Around U. 8.. 2/Movies ...... 14 Aviation ..... 11|Wm. Newton. 10 ‘Eddie Ash ... 8|Obituaries ... 4 Ned Brooks... 10{Dr, O'Brien ., 11

v SET EEE

maximum of 40 per cent. “I think that if the cost of living can be held to 40 per cent over. the pre-war cost then. we will have done a good job in view of the large public financing.” Supperis Price Control Bill

Mr. Eccles testified in support of a bill to continue the price control law for another year after the June 30 expiration date. He told the committee that “wage increases can only be justified when they can be met out of increased productivity and profits without increasing prices.” Mr. Eccles contended that it would be highly dangerous to remove price controls in an effort to increase production, as had been proposed by the National Association of Manufacturers. He said that arguing against price controls was “like against all vaccination—that it is better to contract smallpox and take chance of recovering from it rather ‘than to take preventative measures.” ‘ ‘Must Step Up Production’

Mr, Eccles said that steps must be taken to reduce the amount of idle funds in the hands of the public and in the banks and that production must be stepped up to meet demand. But until this is done, he declared, price control

must be kept in force.

Rep. Wright Patman (D. Tex.) asked about the value of the dollar today as compared with the perfod immediately preceding the war. Mr. Eccles said that, measured by the increase in the cost of living,

flated.” “And this is as good a job as any country has done to control inflation,” he added. “Canada, perhaps, has done a little better than we.” Mr, Eccles said the supply of

(Continued on Page 3—Column 5)

50 HURT IN BLAST

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. Feb. 25 (U. PJ).~—Almost 50 persons were hospitalized today when an ammonia tank exploded at a food products plant, police reported.

TWO GARY MEN

the dollar is about 30 per cent “in-|

®y

ARE OBJECTS OF WIDE MANHUNT

Shooting of State Trooper Is Followed by Crime Spree.

BULLETIN More than 14 city and state police cars and one airplane

scanned the area around Eagle Creek and W. 16th st. this afternoon, investigating a tip that the Gary gunmen hdd abandoned a stolen car near there. The search was called off after it was established that the car had been parked there for several days.

Indiana today swarmed with armed officers searching for two Gary gunmen in connection with a crime whirlwind that critically wounded a state trooper, then swept through Indianapolis. State Police Maj. Walter Eckert said two persons whose cars had been commandeered by the desperadoes identified them as Willis Lee Hopkins, 29, and William Steele, both of Gary. In view of the tight highway blockade thrown around central Inimmediately following the shooting, Maj. Eckert said he believed the assailants probably were still lurking in Indianapolis. Hopkins and Steele have been sought for robberies at Louisville, Cincinnati, Gary, East Chicago and Calumet City. Last year they escaped under a hail of bullets from Gary officers, Robbed Drug Store

The fugitives also were identified as those who held up a drug store last night at 25th and Dearborn sts.

As State Trooper Robert Bennett | lay near death in the county hospital at Columbus, his colleagues launched the greatest Hoosier mpanhunt since the days of the Dillinger and Brady gangs. Motorists were stopped and queried. Bus and train passengers were checked. Hotels were combed. Taverns were under close scrutiny.

Many Tips Checked

As police sent descriphioni of the |

gunmen over regular radio chan-

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25,1948. «iT

Bhtered as. Second-Class’ Matter at Postoftics Indianapolis §, Ind. Issued daily except Sunday

Facts on the Indianapolis Housing Situation—

Shae /

TIEUP STILL SET FOR PITTSBURGH

‘One-Day ‘Holiday’ Planned By Houston A. F. of L.

By UNITED PRESS Pittsburgh area utilities workers went ahead with plans for a power strike, scheduled for one minute after midnight tonight. Negotiations between the Du-

12:01 a, m. tomorrow.

nels, numerous suspect incidents were reported. This thé bandits were reported driving a hitrun car on Road 67 after forcing a bus into a ditch near McCordsville. But police minimized this tip. Sam Moore, proprietor of a filling station at 2080 Kentucky ave. said he noticed a gun holster beneath the coat of one of two men who ‘stopped there early today to ask directions to Road 52 (to Chicago). He gave them the wrong directions. In addition to kidnaping and banditry, the hoodlums were wanted for the unpardonable crime in the handbook of outlawry: Shooting a policeman without warning in cold blood. : Surgeons removed Bennett's: right kidney and administered two transfusions. Following the shooting on Road 31 near Seymour at 3 p. m. yesterday, the desperadoes launched a crime-bracketed séries of escapades that took them through the heart of downtown Indianapolis. The two were driving separate

(Continued on Page 3—Column 5)

‘SPRING’ DUE FOR - TWO-DAY STAND

There’ll .Be Rains But It

Still Will Be Mild. LOCAL TEMPERATURES 6am..... 25 10am... 30 18.0.0 25 1llam.... 32 3am..... 27 12 (Noon)... 33 fam..... 28 lpm... 34

“Spring” was due for another two-day stand here today after a snappy cold week-end, The weatherman says it will be partly cloudy and warmer today and tonight. Tomorrow it is expected to be even more cloudy, with a little rain thrown in, but still mild. o After that, who knows? In Indianapolis, the temperature was 25 degrees at 7 a.m. and 27

at 8 a.m. It was rising steadily.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 (U, P.. —Chairman A. J. Altmeyer of the social security board today recommended expansion of the old-age and survivors insurance programs to cover most gainfully employed persons now excluded, including approximately 7,000,000 agricultural and domestic workers, He estimated 21,000,000 gainfully employed, including 10,000,000 selfemployed, now are excluded from the social security program. Altmeyer- made his récommenda~ tions to the house ways and means committee as it began hearings on proposals to broaden the social security program as recommended by |

fin

Proposes Security Program

To Cover Many Now Excluded

Truman last. September.

The social security chairman proposed that a stamp-book system be set up to collect contributions from agricultural and domes~ tic workers, * “Under such a system each employee would receive a stamp’book in which stamps would be placed by his employer to evidence contributions made by the employer and the worker,” he said, A similar program could be adapted to the self-employed, he said, and’ eventually to the “bulk” of the other gainfully employed now. excluded. There would be no administrative

Union leaders said only an immediate wage increase of 20 per cent could avert a strike. ~ Despite - threatened walkouts, the national strike total dipped fo slightly under ' the million mark when 17,500 C. I. O. farm equipment workers voted to end a strike against the Caterpillar Tractor Co., Peoria, Ill. There were approximately 886,000 workers away from their jobs as a result of labor disputes. Beats Deadline The A. F. of L. Houston building trades council called off a work stoppage three hours before the 5 p. m. deadline yesterday, declaring the union “had no- desire to cause hardship to the citizens of Houston.” The striker had been scheduled in sympathy with the striking city-county employees union, a member of the council.

on all A. F. of L. workers in the Houston area to “take a one day holiday” in support of the six-day walkout of city employees. Holiday for 40,000 D. W. Maxwell, secretary of the trades council, sald some 40,000 workers would take the holiday tomorrow. He said they would be urged to go to city hall and demand that municipal officials recognize “duly elected representatives of striking city employees.” Mr. Maxwell said all work on which A. P. of L. members are employed would be shuf down “except that which is considered dire emergency.” In the major labor developments: ONE: Federal Labor Conciliator Walter Green reported hoth .parties were making “an honest effort” toward settlement of the Detroit ‘milk strike which has halted deliveries to nearly two million persons since last Thursday. TWO: A. F. of L. bus drivers for the Chicago and Calumet district transit company called off a strike, set for 3:30 4. m. today, and agreed to submit their wage dispute to arbitration, THREE: General Motors and C. I. O. United Auto Workers officials

(Continued on Page 3—Column 3)

YOUTH, 14, HELD IN CHILD STRANGLING

NEW YORK, Feb. 25 (U. P)—A 14-year-old Boy Scout, who often minded a neighbor's baby as his good deed for the day, was held on & homicide charge today for strangling the tot to stop its crying, The youth--Jack Turk, an honor | student at Forest Hills high school —will be arraigned in Queens felony court today. He was picked up at Whippany, N. J, as a runaway suspect shortly before the body of his victim, 3-year-old Sybil Gurfein, was found early yesterday by her parents, Mr, and Mrs. Jack Gurfein. The body of the child, its mouth

hi tite

stuffed with gauze and sealed with (Continued on Page 3—Column 3)

However, the council today called |#

victory and to home.

‘Is difficult,

wasn't any home when he came back.

GC.l's And Families A : City's Lost Battalion

AACHEN, GERMANY, 1944: Through many a blasted European city, the G. I. traveled the long road to

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, 1946: But for G. L Joe, now Mr. Joe, there

Even finding a single room

WORLD STRIVING FOR UNITY, CLAIMS POPE

Sees Desire to Restore Human Society.

VATICAN CITY, Feb. 25 (U. P.). —Pope Pius said today he saw abundant evidence of a world-wide wish tq work together ifi a great restoration of human society and establishment af an order founded on truth, justice and love, The Pope spoke at an unprecedented audience for the college of

NEW YORK, Feb. 25 (U. P.).— Francis Cardinal Spellman will return to New York City March 4 and will be given a public reception at the Metropolitan Opera house the. following evening, it was announced today.

cardinals and the Vatican diplomatic corps. The audience in effect was a consistory further extending the ceremonies of last week

(Continued on Page 3—Column 4)

Burglar Slain In Gun Battle

GLENCOE, Okla. Feb. 25 (U. P.). ~—Payne county officers early today surprised burglars in the Glencoe State bank, and killed one of them in a 15-minute gun battle. Sheriff E. G. Schroeder of Stillwater said a drivers license in the dead man’s pocket was made out to “Ralph Davis, 33, Joplin, Mo.” Despite a fusillade of bullets, the companion—or companions—of the slain burglar escaped. Tipoff .on the burglary attempt came from Tom Brown, operator of the Glencoe telephone exchange. The bandits apparently jarred the bank phone, touching off the night alarm in the Brown home a block away. He called Cashier Clarence McGinty, who went to the bank and notified officers at Stillwater who saw a light in the building. The officers arrived shortly thereafter and the gun battle began. McGinty estimated officers pumped at least 40 shots through the bank doors and windows, Answering fire came from inside. V After about 15 minufes, at least

(Continued on Page 3-—Column 8)

By THOMAS L. STOKES Scripps-Howard Staff Writer ATLANTA, Feb, 25 -— There's something about a southern train lazing along through the rolling Piedmont, country, It stops and starts nonchalantly and grows drowsy with soft, south~ ern voices, As usual it lingers at Hamlet, N. C, that eternal junction point where there is much casual BWithing of trains. No particular hurry. The sun shines warmly, Spring is tugging at her wraps. Trainmen amble comfortably “about their business. After all, this has been going on a long time here, and somehow or

other the trains always get in and!

. -

There's Something Stirring In South, Voices Tell You

out, even if late, which they usually are. The conductor stands by the train taking the air. An inquiry about how long before the train will ‘get out—it's already two hours late— brings the answer that it'll ‘be off “in ‘a little while.”

“There was a fellow around here once who used to say that if a cyclone came through Hamlet it would stop 20 minutes,” he reminisced, You know now youre back in the South, The train is catrying car after car of soldiers returning home after many long months in Europe. They

ioomioaet on’ Fo dgthimmn'ty

No Effective Steps Taken To Care for Homeless; Lack of Planning Noted

(This is the first of a series of articles on the Indianapolis” housing situation)

By RICHARD LEWIS HERE is no room in Indianapolis for the retubbing veteran and his family, A good many veterans already have found. that out, They constitute the city’s lost battalions, the legion of the homeless. The distances of Okinawa and Saipan and landscape lent enchantment to the homeland. the years passed, America became the promised land. Ana Sally the seidies and salind came home. » THERE was something slick, impersonal and professional in the billboards which broadcast, “Welcome Home.” It was reminiscent of the way America did things: Big. They read like a brand new, bristling doormat. But behind them, there wasn't any door. In New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Columbus—it was the same story: "Welcome home, Bud'—if you can find one, ; ” . . . . - “ N Europe, the G. I, saw the refugee trek back and forth across the ruined continent. He invented a term for these homeless people; Displaced persons. They had been by war. In Indianapolis, the community which prides itself as the city best expressing the American tradition, the G. L finds that he, too, 18 & displaged. PAOD. Be, Wo, hos been. displaced by. war,

home unless: ONE: He owned one before the war and didn’t sell it. TWO: He is financially able and willing to sacrifice thousands of dollars by buying homes now up for sale in Indianapolis at inflationary . prices. Prices which are certain to tumble in a few years. THREE: He moves back in with Mom and Pop. FOUR: He moves in with his in-laws.

” . . » ”. J ENTAL is almost out of the question. The vacancy rate here has been zero since last fall The best he can hops fof An: this’ dis rection is to get on a rental agency's waiting list.

But the average veteran isn't in ‘a position io wait. He needs a

“home right now ; The Rouse of spartment-he "ised to sent has changed hands on an average of three. times since he went away. Ohatiost’ are, the Tlie

living there now are defense workers. Or were. » sn » s THEY CAME from Ohio, Tiinols. or Kentucsy. Or tom a small Indlana fown. They didn't disappear when war production ceased. There's plenty of work in Indianapolis and they like it here. By no fault of their own, they have displaced the veteran. But in the larger picture, the town has grown with the war. Post-war Indianapolis shows no signs of shrinking. In fact, it continues to grow. The house-hunter knows by now that Indianapolis is overcrowded

in relation to the number of living units it has to offer. Conversely, it is’ underbuilt. 3 ” » . . » 2

"DOESN'T take much research to convince the veteran that: ‘ ONE: This city has failed to take any effective step so far to rehouse its men who went to war. TWO: A number of citizens whose public spirit would otherwise

sell him a bill of inflation in the way of a piece of THREE: Shortsightedness of the city administration, which tra« ditionally has operated on a handsto-mouth basis at city hall, has actually prevented the veteran from having a home, ss Wh. ow 8 LACK OF planning may be illustrated in the dismantling of 19 structures housing 120 persons in the past four months, These struc tures, some of which are either in the process of being destroyed or are earmarked for destruction, arg to give way to commercial properties. The American Veterans’ committee, in its survey of the situation here, found that no municipal nor county agency investigates struc tures to be torn down, despite the hardship this clearance might ime pose during the present housing emergency. As long as the wrecker has the owner's permission, the property can be dismantled. s = = : . » » N addition, the AVC observed, materials which might go into house ing for veterans are being utilized In commercial property cons struction. This is borne out in city building commission figures which show that last year’s construction of commercial ‘and business properties was nearly four times that of residential construction. Four years ago, the city administration remained inert when fed. eral authorities offered to finance multi-family housing projects here, There were not necessarily slum clearance programs. They were for middle Jaeome Sroupe,

SNe ® = CITIES LIKE PITTSBURGH and Cincinnati snapped them up. They are paying dividends now, not only in providing homes for veterans who have priority in public housing projects, but in raising the value of adjacent private dwellings and business establishments. Such projects were actively opposed by real estate groups on the grounds of “federal meddling” and “unwarranted subsidy.” The city’s builders announced at that time that they could provide all the dwell~ ings Indianapolis needed. They failed. It was inevitable that they would. War shunted building materials into barracks, warehouses, docks, and the ingredis ents of those materials into weapons and defenses.

» ¥ ” » . . i IX place of federal housing and slum clearance, Indianapolis created a redevelopment commission. This substitute was designed to eliminate the “evils” of government subsidy, This it did by setting up a program of local subsidy by which city taxpayers finance the cost of clearing slums in the tax rate. ' The mayor's committee on emergency housing has so far been unable to provide a single dwelling for a veteran, seven montns after V-J day. Its plans contemplate “taking care of’ about 500 families ia army barracks, Quonset huts and what abandoned defense Boutin

(Continued on Page 3 —Column 1)

LOCAL MAN'S DEATH [fi redetin ested LAID TO GAS FUMES

Escaping gas fumes today were believed responsible for the death of Baxter V. Havens, local insurance firm manager, late Saturday night at his home, 5417 N, linois st. gre Two other members of the Havens family, Mrs. Edith Cox Havens, the gas victims’ wife, and a| son, James Gordon Havens, 25, who| were overcome by fumes, were re-

(Continued on Page 4—Colama

NO BOMBING nor invasion here, Buk the veloran waict Bud a :

be beyond question are taking advantage of the veteran's plight to property. i