St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri • Page 1

FINAL (Closing New York Stock Prices) 0 The Election Is the Test: Editorial. Education by Channel 9: Editorial and Mirror of Public Opinion. Not a Proper Consideration: Editorial. KM tf.I MT.WT. Vol.

104. No. 202. (74th Year) ST. LOUIS, MONDAY, APRIL 14, 1952 40 PAGES PRICE 5 CENTS ON TODAY'S EDITORIAL PAGE ST.L PATCH POST Rock for Missouri Levees 19.349 FAMILIES MAJOR RED DRIVES NEW TELEVISION CHANNELS BUT SUPPORTS BRIDGES IN CALL rKni.iliiiii;,l,iiirtt(M-i DRIVEN ASSIGNED LIFTING TO ST.

LOUIS WITH OF FREEZE BY U.S. NATION TO HAVE Prospects for a Record Vote In Confused New Jersey Primary Taft -Eisenhower -Stassen Battle Is Tomorrow Top Feature Kefauver Only Candidate in Democratic Poll. A towboat heads up the flooded Missouri river from Omaha, with a barge load of rock to be used in bolstering levees against the approaching crest. (Additional pictures in Everyday Magazine.) I LESS LIKELY NOW THAN A YEAR AGO, VAN FLEET SAYS Fo Capability, How ever. Is Greater, He Warns on His First An niversary as U.N.

Com mander in Korea. By GEORGE A. Mc ARTHUR. SEOUL, April 14 (AP) Gen. James A.

Van Fleet said today he thinks the Communists are less likely to attack than when he took over as Eighth Army commander a year ago but he warned that the Reds' capability to do so is greater. The Eighth Army commander stressed at an anniversary press conference that the Communists "could go rather strongly for a week or 10 days" on the supplies the Reds have piled up at the front and possibly sustain an offensive for as long as two weeks, as they did in April and May. 195L But he expressed the opinion that the Panmunjom armistice tals rnaKe a Communist otlen-, sive less probable, Expressing hope for "an honor-! able armistice. Van Fleet warned that should the Reds' "make an overt move along our front, we are prepared." Comparison of Casualties. In the last year, he added, Communist casualties have been 314,171 killed, 183,588 wounded and 27,937 prisoners.

In addition the Reds have lost much war materiel. Total United Nations casualties under his command amounted to slightly more than 66,000, Van Fleet said. He was asked about a statement Saturday by Fifth Air Force Commander Lt. Gen. Frank E.

Everest that he considered it extremely doubtful that the Reds could "launch and sustain" a major offensive because of severe air pounding of the Communist supply net. Van Fleet agreed that the Air Force had taken a heavy toll of Communist supplies, but added: "Being the ground commander In Korea I must be prepared for a maximum effort by the enemy. I and my staff believe the enemy does have the capability of a major offensive." Van Fleet said the Communists put into Korea "far more than they ever calculated at the start." The drain on Communist resources in Korea has been greater than is generally realized," Van Fleet said. "Of significance Is the fact that this drain on the enemy's potential in the Far East is reflected on other Communist fronts, both in Europe and the Middle East." -War a Mean, Cruel Reflecting on the past year, that turned back two Red Offensives and saw his Eighth Army again push the Communists north of the thirty-eighth parallel, Van Fleet said with emotion in his voice, "there's nothing glamorous about war it's a mean, cruel game." "We've had lots of casualties that are very close to all of us." his own son, Air Force Lt. Jr i Van Fleet Jr-.

is listed as mi3s: in action. Van Fleet praised his commanders and the U.N. units fighting under him. "We have learned to stand shoulder to shoulder with men of other countries who share our concept of freedom and to fight ior mat concept both in spiritual and physical union." he said. "We have a United Nations team that fights as one." He said the U.N.

army he commands has a two-fold mission: to rid the free Republic of Korea of Communist domination and to rebuild Korea. He said Allied forces "have repelled the Communist aggressor who violated the boundary of a free land. Now we have an obligation to police this boundary until we are assured that there will be no further transgression." Seoul gave Van Fleet the biggest party since its liberation. President Syngman Rhee wrote a poem for the general. School children banked the streets as he rode by at the head of a parade.

"Happy anniversary" banners were stretched across his path. JULIANA ENDS ISLAND HOLIDAY, FLIES TO DETROIT SEA ISLAND, April 14 (AP) Queen Juliana's vacation stay here ended today and she and Prince Bernhard left by plane for Detroit. The Queen enjoyed herself but did not get all the rest she needed, a court official said. After a buffet lunch at the Beach Club, the Queen and her husband went to the airport at Brunswick and boarded an Air Force Constellation for the flight to Michigan, where a heavy program has been planned. The Queen worshiped yesterday in the Presbyterian Church on St.

Simon's island. Virgin Islands for Eisenhower. CHARLOTTE AMALIE. St. Thomas, V.I.

April 14 (UP) Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower was assured today of the Virgin Islands' one Republican vote at the G.O.P. national convention in Chicago July 7. EY IN SIEELSEIZURE Two Senate Committees Considering Investigations, Issue Becoming Political Talks Re-sumed.

WASHINGTON, April 14 (AP) Deadlocked steel wage negotiations between industry and union were resumed today amid signs that Government seizure of the steel mills may become a political campaign issue: CIO President Philip Murray, who also heads the steelworkers union, and John Stephens, vice president of United States Steel the nation's biggest steel producer, walked into the barricaded meeting rooms promptly at 1 p.m. (St. Louis time). Separate conferences were arranged with Nathan P. Feinsing-cr, head of the Wage Stabilization Board.

He and John R. Steelman, acting defense mobili-zer, conferred for an hour this morning, but gave no hint that any progress has been reached in the dispute. Meanwhile, 170 industrialists and manufacturers from all over the country prepared to onen an all-day meeting here tomorrow under the auspices of the United States Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers. Spokesman said the meeting, which will be closed to the press, would be purely "exploratory." Demands for Inquiry. Senator Taft Ohio, threw his support behind a Republican demand for a Congressional investigation of President Truman's seizure of the industry.

Taft said that the wage increase recommended for the CIO Steelworkers Union would upset the stabilization program even if the steel companies could absorb it out of present rates. Senate Republican Leader Bridges said he would introduce today a resolution calling on the Senate Judiciary Committee to investigate the legality of the seizure. Inquiry on Profits. Among other rumblings on Capitol Hill, the Senate Banking Committee talked of calling witnesses to show whether Truman was right when he said steel plants made "outrageous" demands for higher prices to finance wage boosts. The committee also wants to find out whether Congress really has taxed the profits out of the Korean war and some believe an Inquiry into the steel situation may provide the answer.

Truman's right to seize the mills already has brought bitter reaction, particularly from Republicans, and there was little doubt it would figure in campaign oratory this election year. There are no signs that industry and the union are any closer to an agreement than they were when talks were recessed over the Easter weekend. Mills, nominally under Government management, are operating, but the union said Friday that its patience is "not inexhaustible." What this was meant to imply was net clear, since technically at the union is working for the Government and may not go on strike. WSB Recommendations. The Wage Board suggested a three-installment wage boost of 17V2 cents an hour, fringe benefits which the industry says would cost about eight cents an hour more and recommended that the steel companies sign a union shop agreement.

The union was well satisfied with the recommendations, but industry protested against bqth the wage boost and the union shop agreement, which would require all steel workers to belong to Murray's CIO union. To finance the wage boost, in-Continued on Page 6, Column 3. Frost Likely Official forecast for St. Louis and vicinity: Generally fair tonight, tomorrow increasing cloudiness and warmer; lowest tomorrow morning: about 35 degrees with likelihood of frost; highest tomorrow afternoon in mid-50s. TEMPERATURES 1 a.m.

36 4,5,9,11,30, 36 3 a. 36 4 a.m. 5 a.m. 6 a.m. 7 a.m.

8 a.m. 9 a.m. 10 a.m. 11 a.m. 12 noon 1 p.m.

2 p.m. 3 p.m. 4 p.m. 3(i 3 36 37 33 3S C8 39 39 39 39 Unofficial. Normal maximum this date, 65; normal minimum, 46.

Yesterday's hlprh, B2. at 5 a.m.; low, 25, at 8 p.m. All weather data. Including forecasts and temperatures, supplied by U.S. Weather Bureau.) PObT-DISPATCH WEATHER BIRO (a.

u. mt. o.r. foreeamti and weather In other cities, Fage 3A, Col. 1.

Pollen count 24 hours to 9 a.m.: Poplar Oak 2. Sunset sunrise (tomorrow) 5:25. Stage of the Mississippi at St. Louis, 27.8 feet, a rise of 1.2; the Missouri at St. Charles, 26.6 feet, a rise of 0.3.

FOR IN I 14-52 cc net) ES BY FLOODS Omaha Council Bluff Area Awaits Crisis Thursday Sioux City Business Suspended U.S. Relief OMAHA, April 14 (AP) The Missouri river, pouring down lis valley a record flood, and other rampaging rivers in the Midwest have forced an estimated 19,349 families from their homes. The Red Cross, which made estimate, translated it to represent about 74,000 persons in eight or nine states. Meanwhile forecasters heaped new discouragement on the Oma- ha-Council Bluffs da.) area by raising the predicted flood crest another foot and a half. The new schedule calls for the ar- rival early Thursday of a 31.5 foot crest at Omaha, compared with flood stage of 19 feet.

1.249,000 Acres Flooded. Army engineers estimated a total of 1.249.000 acres of land I is under water along the Missouri I and its tributaries from North Dakota to southern Nebraska. One of the biggest, if not the biggest, mass movements of fam- i i 1 t. i "its is in me unidiid auu council Bluffs area, with a combined population of 366,000 persons. In these two cities, evacuation of residential districts normally holding 30,000 persons is underway.

This, flood experts said, is the largest group of persons affected along the Missouri river valley. At St. Paul, more than 5000 persons were forced from their homes by the worst Mississippi river flood in the city's history. The river was still rising. Flood-stricken areas of South Dakota and Iowa appeared assured of $500,000 in federal relief money, with possibly more to come.

Raymond M. Foley, housing and home finance administrator, recommended to President Truman that each state be given a S250.000 "drawing account." Designated RFC Relief Area. The Reconstruction Finance Corporation designated Omaha and South Sioux City, and Sioux City, and Council Bluffs, as disaster areas. This makes the areas eligible for RFC disaster loans. Federal housing officials will fly from Washington to South Dakota today to consider disaster aid.

After the trip additional relief funds may be recommended. Lt. Gen. Lewis A. Pick, chief of the Army Engineers, flew to Omaha for an on-the-spot check on the disaster.

Today, the Missouri's big flood crest was battering the Sioux City area. For Sioux City, with 84,000 persons, and neighboring South Sioux City, with 5500, the crest's arrival was adding insult to injury. Surrender had come days earlier and inundation had been a creeping progressive thing. At noon today, Sioux City Mayor Ralph Henderson ordered a shutdown until further notice of all business firms except drug stores and eating places. The action was necessary, he said, be- cause of the strain on sanitary sewers.

Downstream, town after town was either prostrate or abandoned. But Omaha and Council Bluffs were fighting it out prepared for the worst but determined to forestall it. Army 'Ducks' Being; Used. South Sioux City was just about deserted and only part of the town was above water. Witer had closed all highways out oi town and late evacuees had been ferried out by Army "ducks" amphibious vehicles) and by a tiain which shuttled back and forth between Sioux City and South Sioux City.

The highway bridge linking the cities was blocked. In Sioux City, the hard-hit areas included suburban Riverside and North Sioux City, S.D., plus the packing plant-industrial area. As of yesterday about 600 Continued on Page 4, Column 4. 11 CENTS A GALLON GASOLINE BY COAL PROCESS PREDICTED WASHINGTON. April 14 (AP) The Interior Department reported today researchers have found that gasoline can be produced by the hydrogenation of coal at a profit.

The department made public a report by Ebasco Services a New York management engineering firm, which said a small profit could be achieved if 11 cents a gallon were charged for the gasoline and if revenues from chemical and other by-products were counted. Last year the Interior Department estimated gasoline could be produced by chemical treatment of coal at a cost of slightly less than 11 cents a gallon. This was disputed by the National Petroleum Council, which said it would cost about 41.4 cents a gallon. Ebasco then began its research work at the request of Interior Secretary Chapman. The report issued today did not estimate how much it would cost per gallon to produce gasoline from the chemical process.

Production of gasoline from petroleum costs 12 to 13 cents a gallon, the report said. i MOW NEWARK, N.J., April 14 (AP) New Jersey, a state which takes politics seriously every day of every year, today headed into its most confused primary election in decades. Topmost attraction is a Taft-Eisenhower-Stassen battle in the state's first presidential preference ballot since 1940. Along with this is a mixed-up race for 33 delegate votes to the Republican national convention. About 750,000 to 1,000,000 voters tomorrow will ballot in the presidential preference poll, select delegates to the major party national conventions, name United States Senate candidates and choose congressional nominees.

A possible record primary vote is expected by many political leaders. The record is 913,538 set in 1940. Polls will be open from a.m. until a p.m. total registration is upwards of 2,360,000.

The Democratic side of the pic ture is relatively quiet. Senator Kefauver is the only candidate in M'MAHON BACKERS IN ALTON DROP PLAN FOR A CAMPAIGN A TAV 711 A 11 AT A m-4 A 111.) npia Ax A. proposed compaign here to back Senator McMahon Connecticut, for President fizzled out today as supporters reconsidered and decided to shelve the idea. Leo J. Struif, former mayor of Alton who had directed an earlier campaign for the Senator, said he and several other campaign planners have decided to "lay off such a plan" at this time.

Struif added, however, that the campaign is still a possibility, perhaps at a later date. (A United Press dispatch had said that th McMahon campaign was to be started so Illinois delegates to the national convention could support McMahon if Gov. Adlai Stevenson of Illinois decides not to become a presidential candidate. Opposition has risen in Illinois to Senator Kefauver of Tennessee, who was the only candidate listed on the Democratic slate in the April 8 presidential primary vote.) ANESTHETIC BLAST KILLS THE -MOTHER AFTER BABYS BIRTH The Nfw lorlt Special NEW YORK, April 14 A Brooklyn woman was killed in an explosion of cyclopropane gas after having a baby in a Caesarean operation in Cumberland Hospital Saturday afternoon, the Department of Hospitals disclosed yesterday. Mrs.

Rafelle Manfra of Brooklyn suffered a hemorrhage while in the delivery room, was given the gas as an anesthetic and the operation was performed successfully. As the infant was taken to the nursery, the tank of gas exploded with a flash, presumably caused by static electricity. Mrs. Manfra died of her injuries five hours later. Neither the baby nor anyone else was hurt.

ANCIENT SCHOONER BLOWS UP, LOVELORN IRISHMAN SAVED DUBLIN. April 14 (UP) Kevin Lawlor's fifth attempt to sail across the Atlantic to prove his courage to a scornful girl friend ended today when his 80-year-old schooner blew up off the Irish coast. Lawlor, 29, jumped overboard just before the fuel oil tanks aboard the vessel exploded off Wexford. He was rescued by the keeper of a nearby lighthouse and taken to a hospital suffering from shock and bruises. Lawlor sailed Saturday after many delays, bound for New York.

Although he was supposed to be sailing alone, police said another man, Thomas MacDon-agh, was rescued from the 74-foot schooner with Lawlor. EXTRA-WARM BRITISH EASTER LONDON, April 14 (UP) Britons packed seaside resorts today on the final day of one of the warmest Easter holiday weekends of the century. Temperatures reached the 70s. At Brighton on the south coast, some 300 persons slept on the beach last night. WAHLGREN HOISTS FROST WARNING AGAIN WITH 'IFS' A light to heavy frost may be in store for the St.

Louis area tomorrow, if a few ifs turn out as Meteorologist Harry F. Wahlgren is afraid they will. The "ifs" considered by Wahlgren as a possible barrier to the frost are a light wind, some cloudiness or smoke. "I doubt if the frost will kill," he said, "but it may do some damage to tender plants." Tomorrow's low will be about 35, the weatherman said, followed by an afternoon high in the middle 50s. The miserable weather here on Easter Sunday was general throughout the" east.

High 'yesterday here was 52 at 5 a.m. SCIENTISTS GATHER AT LAS VEGAS FOR NEW ATOMIC TEST LAS VEGAS, April 14 (UP) Nuclear scientists began arriving here in large numbers today and indications were that the second shot of the latest atomic series will be touched off tomorrow. It was not known whether the blast would be unleashed from the air or from orie of the five steel towers that have been constructed at Frenchman's Flat and nearby Yucca Flat. But Indications pointed to the testing of another atomic device rather han a full-blown atomic bomb. Scientists explained that the first explosion of the present series was not an atomic bomb, but rather a nuclear device to be developed Into future atomic weapons.

Military personnel were not expected to take part in this week's test, but have been arriving by the thousands at this desert resort city, presumably for the "real" show, expected after April 20. BRAILLE WATCH STOLEN FROM ROOM OF WAR VETERAN A braille wristwatch was taken yesterday from the hotel room of Glenn Carmack, blind World War II veteran, he reported to police. Carmack said a total of $96 in jewelry and a topcoat were missing from his room at the Bristol Hotel, 5650 Pershing avenue. "I miss the watch most, for it was a gold one of a type hard to replace," he said. Carmack was blinded in an ambush attack on his anti-aircraft unit in April 1945 in Germany.

He has operated a cigar stand in the lobby of the Veterans Administration regional office at 415 Pine street for the last five years. RICH SCOT'S POCKETS SEWN UP 30 YEARS-FOB NEATNESS LONDON. April 14 (AP) Sir John MacTaggart, 84-year-pld Scottish millionaire property owner, told today how for 30 years ne nas worn suits with all outside pockets sewn shut. MacTaggart said in an interview with a London newspaper that his practice was a matter of neatness and not, economy. Years ago, he explained, he started keeping pound notes in clean envelopes after his wife had complained that he was spoiling the line of his figure with bulky wallets.

Man's Best Friend? BOSTON, April 14 (UP) When 12-year-old Thomas E. Kane was at summer camp, he was chosen to pose for a poster of a boy and a dog because of his love of animals. Yesterday he broke a leg when trying to escape two neighborhood dogs snapping at him. 2053 STATIONS LOCATED IN 1291 ES 242 Channels for Non- Commercial Purposes, One Here KSD-TV Is Seeking More Power. Six more television stations in St.

Louis are made possible in the order which the Federal Communications Commission in Washington issued last night to end its three-and-a-half-year freeze on licenses for new stations. In addition to Channel 5, now used by Post-Dispatch Station KSD-TV, the city is allocated Channels 4, 9, 11, 30, 36 and 42. Alton was allocated Channel 48; Belleville, 54, and Festus, 14. The FCC made provision for a total of 2053 television stations in 1291 communities, including the 108 stations now on the air, in a final allocation of channels. It reserved 242 channels for noncommercial educational stations in that many communities, including one Channel 9 in St.

Louis. It may be years before all of the allocated channels are put into use by licensing of new stations. The commission will not begin processing applications for new licenses until July 1, and very few new stations are expected to go into operation this year. Comment by Burbach. Commenting on the FCC order, George M.

Burbach. general manager of Station KSD-TV, said: "The allocation of channels to St. Louis, Missouri and Southern Illinois is adequate coverage for this area. It should give excellent reception where proper equipment is installed. Fifty-five of the channels are for commercial operation and five for non-commer cial educational purposes.

"It is difficult to predict when St. Louis will have more stations. However, if there are no conflicting applications, additional stations could be operating here in 12 months. "KSD-TV has applied for immediate increase in power from 16 kilowatts to 30 kilowatts. This will increase KSD-TV's signal strength about one and one-haif times in this area.

We are also planning for 100 kilowatts as sooa as authorized by the FCC. Increased power will reduce interference and improve reception in the fringe areas." 521 Applications on File. There are 521 applications for new station licenses already on file with the FCC, and many more are expected before 'July 1. Where a specific channel is sought by more than one applicant, hearings will be held to determine which applicant is best qualified. In the first two hours of today's business, the FCC filled requests for 1000 application forms.

The commission emphasized that, in processing applications, it will give first attention to those areas which now have no television service at all. and to communities assigned channels in the ultra-high frequency (UHF) section of the radio spectrum. At present. 12 very high frequency (VHF) channels are in use. The FCC is creating 70 new channels, all in the ultra-high, frequencies, having decided that television needs the spectrum space more than facsimile and radiotelephone service.

Only about half the American population mainly in large cities or nearby areas can get television programs now. Ending of the freeze means that almost all in time will be within range of a station. As regards St. Louis, the table of final channel assignments confirms tentative assignments made a year ago. Converters Necessary.

There are more than 390,000 television sets in the St. Louis area, and most of the receivers are equipped for the 12 channels in the VHF band that is. Channels 2 through 13. St. Louis stations using Channels 30, 36 and 42 would be out of reach of present sets unless converters were attached.

Manufacturers have developed a converter to enable sets built primarily for VHF to receive UHF also. Conversion cost estimates range from $10 to $50. depending on the type of set and the number of UHF channels the owner desires to reach. It is generally expected that combination UHF-VHF sets will be on the market in the not-too-distant future, and that exclusive, ly UHF receivers will be put into production for communities allocated only UHF channels. Radio Cornoration of Amprlcs.

which has experimented with ultra-high frequency, says re ception on UHF can be as clear and stable as on VHF. nH in some cases better. UHF pictures are not disturbed by nearby home appliances or neon signs, but telecastine in this ranee re quires more power to cover a given area and is susceptible of "deeper shadows, or localities re- NT the presidential popularity poll. There are but three contests for 36 delegatet posts. One of these is a local affair.

In the others, independent Kefauver supporters oppose the organization which is bidinj its time before determining its favorite. There is some sentiment for Gov. Adlai Stevenson of Illinois. The delegation will have 32 votes in the national convention. In Republican ranks, the story is different.

Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, Senator Robert A. Taft and Harold E. Stassen are entered in the presidential poll 'which is not binding.

Stassen is not considered a sejious contender. Taft avowedly is not a candidate. Taft tried to withdraw from the race after Gov. Alfred E. Dris- coll came out for Eisenhower but Taft made his decision too late to remove his name from the ballot.

Taft closed his headquarters, Continued on Page 4, Column 6. CABLE CUT Service to 100 Homes in La due Is Disrupted, Apparently With Blows of an Ax. A 400-line Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. cable was cut in St. Louis county today the first act of violence reported here in a nation-wide telephone dispute that has kept about 300,000 workers, including 5000 in this area, off the job.

The telephone company said the cable, on Warson road near Ladue road, had been struck 10 times, apparently with an ax. The blows cut about one-fourth of the 400 lines, disrupting service to more than 100 residences in La-due. A $1000 reward was offered by the company for information leading to the arrest and conviction of persons responsible for the damage, discovered shortly after 10 o'clock this morning. Negotiations Resumed. Negotiations looking toward an end to the Western Electric Co.

nation-wide strike, which has kept telephone workers idle, were resumed today in New York as a settlement was announced in a week-long strike of 12.000 Ohio Bell Telephone Co. workers. The Ohio strike was settled for a pay increase averaging 11.5 cents an hour about the same amount granted in a Michigan Bell Co. agreement last week. Employes of Western Electric, which is associated like the Bell companies with the parent American Telephone Telegraph are asking a 23-cent hourly increase.

Joseph A. Beirne, president of the CIO Communications workers of America, which represents Western Electric and telephone company employes, expressed hope in Washington today that the Ohio agreement would help "speed up settlement of disputes" with Western Electric and with telephone companies in New Jersey and -northern California. In St. Louis, where Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. workers, although not on strike, have refused to cross picket lines set up by Western Electric employes, an official of CWA District 6 said there were hints that an end of the dispute was not far off.

"Reports from Washington this morning said there was a settlement in the air," Frank P. Loner-gan, assistant district director, told a Post-Dispatch reporter. Mass Demonstrations. A mass demonstration of workers participating in the work stoppage was held today at the telephone company headquarters. 1010 Pine street.

A group of more than 100 persons, marching in twos, paraded around the building, some carrying placards. Service on long-distance calls yesterday was at 95 per cent of normal efficiency, the spokesman said. Supervisors are substituting for operators who have refused to cross picket lines. The project was begun last July by the Association for Construction of a Pavilion in Commemoration of Gen. MacArthur, former Allied and occupation commander.

In February it turned over fund raising to a professional soliciting firm. iu pmiMTV Qinnn 111 UUUIll I. lU IUUU: nnifinn in nnmrn KtWAKUJ5NMU Associated press Wirephoto. 0 LANNING FLOOD CONTROL SHIFT Expected to Send Con gress Reorganization if a 1 rroposal tor Move rrom; Army to Interior Dept. WASHINGTON, April 14 (AP) President Truman was reported today to be planning to send to Congress a reorganization plan transferring flood control and rivers and harbors work from the Army engineers to the Department of the Interior.

Interior Department officials who would not be identified by name said they understood the plan would go to Congress in a week or 10 days. Neither the White House nor the Defense Department would comment on the report. Such a shift was recommended by the Hoover Commission on Reorganization of the Government three years ago. It immediately stirred controversy in Congress. A majority of the commission, headed by former President Herbert Hoover, proposed that rivers and harbors and flood control work be done by the Reclamation Bureau, a division of the Interior Department.

The activities of the Reclamation Bureau are now confined to the 17 arid and semi-arid states of the west. One of its main concerns is irrigation. The Army engineers carry on flood control and rivers and har bors work in many of the states. Control over billions of dollars of Government spending is involved. President Truman's budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1953, calls for some in appropriations and authorizations for "civil functions" of the Army.

This includes rivers and harbors improvements, flood control and some other work. The budget for the Reclamation Bureau is $3,632,000. If Truman does send such a reorganization proposal to Congress, it is certain to arouse violent controversy. In the Senate, it would normally be sent to the Government Operations Committee headed by Senator McClcllan (DemJ, Arkan sas. McClellan was a member of the Hoover commission and filed a dissent to the majority proposal for the transfer.

He contended it would be a "crippling blow" to the Army Engineers and have "serious consequences" for national defense. The argument there runs that the work provides the Army engineers with basic training useful in time of war. On the other side, the principal argument is that there is now duplication and waste. Under a general Government reorganization law, any such plan submitted by the President becomes law after 60 days unless the Senate or House adopts meantime a resolution of disapproval. SOMETHING UP GIRL'S SLEEVE IN SUBWAY IS JUST A MOUSE NEW YORK, April 14 (INS) A young brunette turned to others in the jam-packed Brooklyn subway station today, and said: "I've got something up my sleeve." An interested fellow nearby asked: "What's up your sleeve?" "I don't know," replied the rtfrl.

"It's something. I felt it crawling." By this time, more than a hundred people grouped around. They jumped back when the fellow helped the girl take off her coat, and out came a little gray mouse. versity of Chicago, making up examinations in the romance languages. His present occupation was not given.

Police said he told them he was "just taking a walk" after attending a "decorous and extremely intellectual discussion on great books." The discussion got "involved and we had martinis," Walpole added. Charged with malicious mischief, Walpole was freed on $600 bond. IAN I I i Great Books (and Martinis) Send Professor Out Kicking in Windows Only $222 Donated for Memorial to M'Arthur in Japan, $2962 Spent CHICAGO, April 14 (AP) A former assistant professor at the University of Chicago told police he was "just taking a walk" after he was seized for kicking in plate glass windows in four stores. Hugh Walpole, 46 years old, couldn't explain his actions to police who interrupted his dawn stroll yesterday. Walpole until last Oct.

1, was an assistant professor in the office of the examiner of the Uni- TOKYO, April 14 (AP) The newspaper Yomiuri reported today that a campaign to build a memorial to Gen. Douglas Mar- Arthur has collected only $222 annougn has been spent for publicity and advertising, and it owes $1432 for other expenses. Continued on Page 4, 3..