Beckley Post-Herald from Beckley, West Virginia • Page 1

TIOUSEHOLDS in which the Post-Herald is a stranger are out of touch with affairs. They should nottremaln so. BECKLEY POST-HERALD EXPONENT OF THE WEST VIRGINIA SMOKELESS COAL REGION WEATHER West Virginia --Snow flurries windy and becoming much colder Friday. Colder Friday night. VOLUME XLV NO.

243 Mtmber of Audit Bureau of Circulations Associated Press Leased Wire General Smith Is Named Ambassador To Russia President Truman W. Averell Harriman's Resignation Accepted By President WASHINGTON, Feb. 14--(AP) President Truman announced- tonight that he had accepted the resignation of Averell Harriman ambassador to Russia and named Lt. Gen. Walter Bedell Smith as his successor.

Press- Secretary Charles G. Ross, who made public the President's 'announcement, said that legislation would be asked tomorrow to permit Smith to take the post without affecting his military status. The nomination will be formally submitted later. Smith served as chief of staff for Gen. Dwight D.

Eisenhower in announcement marked the second time the chief executive had turned to the military for an important diplomatic appointment. Recently he named Gen. George C. Marshall as ambassador to China. Legislation similar to that proposed for Smith's army status was passed when Gen.

Omar Bradley was named Veterans administrator. The White House made public a letter to Harriman in which President Truman expressed his "great reluctance" to accept the resignation, Mr. Truman he was agreeing to it because of the "understanding you had with President Roosevelt that'with the end of the war you be permitted to resign." "During the war," the President wrote, "you were called upon to perform many missions of great importance and on every occasion you discharged your duty in a manner that contributed 'to our victory and reflected credit upon your government. "In accepting your resignation I you to know that I am satisfied all thoughtful Americans will share my feeling of gratitude to you for the services which you have rendered your country." The letter disclosed that Harriman first submitted his resignation 'in April of last year, but (Continued on Page 4) W. AVERELL HARRIMAN NewAmbassadorToRussia TRUMAN SEEKS 'RIGHT MAN" TO SUCCEED ICKES Lt.

Gen. Walter Bedell Smith Navy Asks 53 Overseas Bases To Guard U. S. Against Atomic Attack W. VA.

POPULATION 9 7 CENT IN 5 A NAME PRESIDENT SATURDAY HUNTINGTON, Feb. President Raymond E. Salvati of the board of governors of West Virginia university, said today a three-member committee will meet tomorrow, one day in advance of the scheduled full meeting of the board, to consider the Strayer report as it pertains' to the university. The board president added that the seven- member body will hear the recommendations of the committee, and also consider the selection of a new university president at its meeting here Saturday. Salvati declined to speculate on the committee's attitude toward the controversial Strayer Teport, i proposes far-reaching changes in the state's educational system, including several which would affect the university.

Members of the committee besides the board president, himself, included K. Douglas Bowers of Beckley, and William G. Thompson of Morgantown. Statewide interest focussed, meanwhile, on the naming of a successor to Dr. C.

who resigned last year to become associated with the Chesapeake and Ohio railway. C. T. Neff, board secretary and university comptroller has been as president in an acting capacity. Salvati.

who disclosed there have been more than 100 applicants for the presidency, said only -that "some progress" has been made toward filling the post. WASHINGTON, Feb. civilian population of West Virginia dropped 9.7 percent between the April 1, 1940, census and July 1, 1945, due principally to migration of workers and the loss of men and women to the armed forces, the Bureau of Census said today. The bureau estimated the pop- uplation at 1,716,944 on last July 1, against 1,901,919 on April 1, 1940, or a drop of 184,975. The total population of West Virginia, including military personnel stationed within the state but excluding servicemen overseas, was estimated at 1,724,677 against 1,901,974 five years ago, cent drop, the bureau said.

Congress Implored Over 5 i i To Cover First Year CHARLESTON, Feb. 14--(AP) The problem of school building construction in West Virginia should take priority over constitutional amendments if a special session of the legislature is called, State Superintendent W. W. Trent declared today. Trent, in discussing a recent hearing held by a legislative committee on the Strayer report recommending educational reforms, declared that if a legislative call is justified "this serious problem affecting the public- schools must be considered." "Not to do so," Trent said, "would be to evade a vital issue." The committee said it was ready at this time to report only on proposed constitutional amendments to eliminate the office of school superintendent from the list of elective officals, reorganization of the state board of education and the West Virginia university board of governors.

QUAKE KILLS 27? PARIS, Feb. 14 (AP) At least 276 persons were 'killed and 70 injured in an earthquake that shook the mountainous region of Northeastern 'Algeria, and rescue workers were still digging in debris of fallen buildings for additional victims, advces from Algiers said tonight. Army Unveils 'Eniac, The World's Rest Calculator PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 14 -(AP) The War department' tonight unveiled "the world's fastest calculating machine" and said the robot possibly opened the mathematical way to better living for every man. Improved industrial products, better communication and transportation, superior weather.

forecasting and general advances in science and engineering may be made possible, the Army said, from the development of "the first all-electronic a purpose computer." The Army described the machine as 1,000 times faster than the most advanced calculating machine previously built and declared the apparatus makes it poi- sible "to solve in hours problems which would take years" on any other methematical machine. The machine, which can add, subtract, multiply, divide and compute square roots and do most complex calculations based on those operations, is called the "eniac short for "electronic numerical integrator and computer." It will be dedicated tomorrow at the University of Pennsylvania where it was designed and constructed- the Army, ordnance department the university's Moore school of electrical engineering. Major General G. M. Barnes, chief of the ordnance department's research and development service, told reporters prior to the dedication that the new machine would be removed to the Army's proving ground at Aberdeen, "to be used in the development of ballistics (the mathematics of weapons) for the safety of this country." But the Army also announced that similar machines could be constructed for the use of industry and science generally as a new mathematical.

tool the design of products or the analysis of complex scientific data. As an example of Eniac's the Army said the machine can take a five-digit number, like 63,895, and add it to itself 5,000 times--in one second. If you did such an addition with pencil and paper, you'd space equivalent to two full pages of a newspaper. Eniac weighs 30 tons, occupied a room 30 by 50 feet, has 18,000 vacuum tubes and looks like a giant switchboard in a telephone company office, even to i lights that flash on and off when a complex brain-teaser is getting the WASHINGTON, Feb. Navy to congress today a proposed system of 53 overseas bases from which, Adm.

Chester W. Nimitz said, carrier-paced fleets could make it "very difficult" for an enemy to attack this country with atomic bombs. Secretary Forrestall asserted that the country must be ready for "immediate advancement of our forward lines" from those bases, to head off any atomic bomb or robot missile threat. The Navy secretary led a procession of admirals before the senate naval, affairs committee -in support of a.ppst-war active combat ships, an aerial Striking force of 3,731 planes and a complement of 500,000 enlisted men and 58,000 officers. Questioned about the prospective $5,073,000,000 cost of all this in the next year, the cabinet member conceded that national security is "expensive" but added: "I cannot help but feel that if this country, in the present state of the world, goes back to bed, we don't deserve to survive." The bases outlined in the Navy's plans include the following: Pacific Pearl Harbor as the main naval base, major operating bases in the Guam-Saipan area of the Marianas and at Manus island, off New Guinea, (dependent upon agreement with -Australia.) Secondary operating bases in Ryukyus, immediately south of Japan, in the Philippines, at Samoa in the far "South west Pacific, at Midway Island, and at Kodiak, Dutch Harbor and Attu in the Aleutians.

Air bases, air fields and fleet anchorages would be distributed in these areas, with Balboa, at the Pacific Canal, as a submarine base. Atlantic Caribbean --Roosevelt Roads, in the Puerto Rico area, as a main operating base, with secondary operating a'nd repair bases at Guantanamo, Cuba; Trinidad; San Juan, Puerto Rico: "oco Solo, Canal Zone; Bermuda, and Argentina, New Foundland. A submarine base is planned for St. Thomas, in the Virgin islands, with air bases and air-strips spotted at Strategic points. PLANE LOST IN OHIO I IS STILL UNFOUND TJNTINGTON, Feb.

14 -(AP)--Search parties from the Huntingdon U. S. district engineers and the city fire department combed the area near dam 28 in the Ohio River today in an unsuccessful hunt for an airplane which was reported to have crashed in the vicinity. The report of the plane crash was made by Captain Pat Allen the steamboat Sam P. Suit to the Huntingdon weather station.

Allen said he saw the plane nose-dive into the river early this However, officials at the Chesapeake-Huntingrton airport said there, had been- no other, report of a missing- plane. President's Denunciation By Cabinet Member Rocks Capital WASHINGTON, Feb. Truman started hunting today-for the "right man" to run the Interior Department while the capital still shook from the blast of Secretary Ickes' dynamite charged resignation. Mr. Truman went over a list of possible successors in separate conferences with several Western congressmen.

He was reported to be looking for one xvith sufficient stature to take some of the sting out of Ickes' abrupt, snorting departure. Senator O'Mahoney, Democrat, was one White House visitor. He has been mentioned as a prospect. But O'Mahoney himself offered White House reporters no hint whether he had been offered the assignment or whether he would take it if nominated. Senator Hatch (D-NM) said he and Mr.

Truman had discussed several persons and that the President "is searching for the right man." Ickes set off a political earthquake when he quit yesterday with a declaration that he could not ''retain my self respect and stay in the cabinet of President Truman." He said he did not care to stay in an administration "where I'm expected to commit perjury for the sake of a party." His spectacular exit from a post he has held 13 years grew directly from Mr. Truman's nomination of Edwin W. Pauley, Cal- Higher Wage-Price Policy Announced By White House UNO APPROVES CAP TAL SITE IN N. Y. AREA (Continued on Page 4) Governor Saves Ex-Soldier's Life TO VOTE ON UNION WASHINGTON, Feb.

14--(AP) Collective bargaining elections were ordered held today by the National Labor Relations Board for certain employes of two West Virginia concerns. Employes of the Raleigh Coca Cola Bottling Works at Beckley and its subsidiary, the Raleigh Distributing company, at Mabscott, will vote within 45 days on representation by the United Construction Workers, affiliated with the United Mine Workers, or no union. CHARLESTON, Feb. 14 --(AP) Governor Meadows commuted to life imprisonment today the death sentence imposed on John L. Sheppard, 26-year-old Logan county youth and former soldier, who had been sentenced to die on Moundsville state prison tomorrow death house of the penitentiary yesterday in preparation for the hanging, which had been set for 9 p.

m. tomorrow. He was convicted last November 16 by a Logan county circuit court jury of first degree murder, without recommendation of mercy, in the death of Preston Burgess, 39, in isolated Bandmill Hollow in. Logan county. Burgess was beaten to death and robbed of about $6 last October 10.

Sheppard's brother, Wayne, 24, and Tennis Fry, 18, were 'convicted of first degree murder in the slaying, but received life terms when the juries tried them recommended mercy in their cases. 6 Of County's Volunteers In 1940 Came Out Safely By STEVE RITZ Today is the end of the duration plus six months and approximately five million men are still in military service. The drafting began in when Congress voted the Selec- tice Service Act which provided a year's training for a person eligible for the draft. A year later Congress added six more months to the training bill and before the six months' period was up, the Eceles Woman Injured By Auto Mrs. Beulah Stoots, 21, of Eceles, was slightly injured yesterday afternoon when struck by an automobile on Prince street." Mrs.

Stoots, xvho was crossing the street at the corner of Prince and Fayette streets, was struck by a car driven by P. K. Polk, of Piney View. Witnesses said Polk was driving at not more than 10 miles an hour. The injured woman was removed to the Raleigh General hospital by Polk.

Hospital attendants said the woman sustained contusions and lacerations about the head, and she was released following treatment. Police officials said no charges were placed against Polk, who was driving his brother-in-law's car. and war was declared. Seven Raleigh county men answered the first draft call and all of them were volunteers. Of the seven men drafted all but one has been discharged from the service.

Clay Onori. Shady Spring, was killed in action on the North African front on March 23, 1943. He had left Beckley on the first draft call, November 23, 1940, was retained in the army by the Congressional act, and went overseas in April, 1942. Glenville Earl Redden, Shady Spring, considered to be the first county draftee, although he was CHARLESTON VICE CLEAN UP NETS 8 CHARLESTON, Feb. 14--(AP) Eight Charleston men were arrested by city police today and booked on 13 charges of to the delinquency of minors, Police Chief Harold B.

Cornwell reported. Com well said the arrests followed investigations conducting during the past 60 days into factors contributing to the delinquency of several girls. The investigations arc continuing and further arrests will be 1 made, Cornwell said. Lyonell i Waives Hearing Lyoneil Lilly, charged with breaking and entering Orville's Cash grocery MacArthur recently, waived preliminary hearing yesterday before Magistrate George 0. Mills and was returned to the county jail to await action of the grand jury.

Lilly was charged with the theft of a cash register valued at $100, $35 in cash and merchandise valued at State Trooper R. L. Tabscott was the arresting officer. LAKlTlLLY HELD Lilly yesterday waived preliminary a i before Magistrate George 0. Mil'js and was returned to the county jail to await grand jury action on a charge of stealing "a cab of the Yellow Cab company.

Lilly was arrested Wednesday by City Patrolman M. E. Tyree, fe one of the original seven volunteers, was discharged from the service in December, 944. Bailey Canady, who- left his Bailey avenue home to volunteer for the first call, was the last of the seven original volunteers to return to civilian life. He received his discharge from the service in October, 1945.

Anison James Shellow, first Negro from Beckley to volunteer, was discharged in August, 1945. Paul Foster Cole, Winding Gulf, was discharged in June, 1945. Two Terry men, Joseph Samuel Valentine and Cecil Vaden Fleming, were discharged in June, 1943, and April, 1941, respectively- When the drafting began many men thought they would see only a year's service in the army but remained in the service until Germany and Japan were defeated. When war was declared soldiers were signed for the duration plus six months and later Congress pointed out that the duration was not over until peace terms were signed. Since a large military force not needed after Japan surrendered, soldiers were discharged according to the number of points they had.

The points were determined by the length of service and for medals awarded. Recently the army declared the discharges would be slowed until replacements could be found for the soldiers being discharged. When peace terms are signed all (Continued on Page 4) NAVYltEDUCING ITS DISCHARGE SCORES WASHINGTON, Feb. The Marine Corps and the Navy today ordered further reduction in discharge scores, making an estimated 183,300 eligible for release. The Marine score for male officers and enlisted men will drop from 45 to 42 on March 1, opening the way Cor the discharge of 16,000.

No change was announced for Women Marines. Effective April 15 and May 2, Navy point requirements will be lowered to let out 13,800 officers and 153,500 enlisted personnel. First Session Ends With Plea For Action To Meet Famine LONDON, Feb. first assembly of the United Nations completed the business of its historic first session tonight by approving unanimously the area of New York and Connecticut as the new permanent world peace capital and calling upon all nations to take swift action against global famine. By acclamation, the assembly in the closing minutes of its meeting in central, hall also voted for New York City as the temporary headquarters of the world's peace agency.

The assembly adopted an American resolution admitting the World Federation of Trade Unions, International Cooperative Alliance and the American Federation of Labor to consultative status within the United Nations Organization. Representing a victory for U. S. Senator Tom Connally, the American proposal was accepted by a vote of 32 to 6, with 11 abstentions and two absences It will let all organizations who so desire take part in the work of the United Nations' economic and social council. One of the final actions of the delegates was to call upon i.pember nations of the' organization for "immediate and drastic" action to head off starvation in the world.

The assembly asked the nations to conserve food supplies and grow all the grain possible. When the vote on the location of the temporary and permanent sites had been completed, Edward -R. Stettinius, chief of the American delegation, arose to express appreciation' honor bestowed on the United States of America." The action on the consultative bodies climaxed vigorous debate in the political and security committee, where Connally led a long fight to give the American Federation of Labor equal status with the World Federation of Trade Unions and the International Cooperative Alliance as United Nations consultants. The United States had argued, that the AFL shoaid have equal status with the -ongress of Industrial Organizations, which is a subsidiary of the WFTU. The committee battle between Senator Connally and Dmitri Man- uilsky, foreign commissar of the floor when Connally charg- Soviet Ukraine, flared on the as- ed Manuilsky with attempting to 'set the World Federation of Trade Unions above the American Federation of Labor." While the assembly was driving hard to clear its agenda tonight, (Continued on Pagre 4) Bowles Shifted From OPA Chief To Post Economic Stabilization Administrator With More Powers; Steel Unsettled Of WASHINGTON, Feb.

(AP)-- The White House nounced tonight a shakeup of President Truman's economic top command and establishment of a new and higher wage- price policy. President Truman shifted OPA Administrator Chester Bowles to the post of economic stabilization administrator with. a broadened field of authority, and moved Chairman Paul Porter of the Federal Communication Commission into the OPA post. In a statement he announced modification of wage- price policy to permit wage increases within certain limitations and allow any industry placed in a hardship position by approved increases in wages to seek price adjustments immediately, without the present six months test period. The President designated Charles E.

Denny, as acting chairman of the FCC, to serve in the absence of Porter in his new assignment. The announcements, released by Press Secretary Charles G. Ross, were made shortly before 9:30 p. m. (EST) after an afternoon conference of the President in his cabinet room with every top government official dealing with either wage or price stabilization.

The new policy, Ross said, provides a "basis" for settlement of the strike of 750,000 steel workers. A settlement was expected soon Decision To Come From Washington On Hospital Site by all but hopes that it could be announced along with the new policy were not borne out. Ross told his hurriedly summoned news conference that the steel strike "has not yet been settled" and he did not anticipate a settlement tonight. He told reporters, however, that negotiations for an agreement between the CIO United Steelworkers and the steel companies have been going forward and are still going forward. The President's executive order reconstitutes the economic stabilization administration under Bowles with the same broad authority it had during the war under, former Economic Stabilizer William H.

Davis. Ross said the President was confident that the new setup will work. He said it was established with the approval of all the recently contending factions. He added that a settlement in line 'with the President's recommendation of cents hourly increase for the steel workers can be effected under the order. The administration was understood to have offered a $5 a ton increase to the steel industry.

Final determination of a site for a veterans hospital here will be decided after boring tests on proposed locations are made engineers of the Veterans administration, it was announced last night by C. T. Thomason, representative of the medical department. Thomason and W. R.

Metz will leave Beckley tonight for Fort Wayne where they will inspect sites for a hospital there. Metz said the reports on the Beckley sites will be sent to Washington where the final action will be taken by Veterans administration officials. It was reported that plans and speculations of three of the proposed locations in and around Beckley will be sent to officials in Washington, who will send engineers to make test borfngs on the land of each proposed site. If tests are favorable, one of the sites will be finally chosen. The work of Thomason and Metz will be concluded when they leave here and the further participation will be by officials of the construction service of the Veterans administration.

Approval of 29 new veterans administration hospitals, including the one in Beckley, was made by President Truman on December 6, 1945. Funds for this program have already been authorized. The construction of the hospital In Beckley will be included in. the 1947 Veterans administration's liscal year appropriations which begins in July, 1946. After the Veterans administration determines the final site, the acquisition will be subject to the (Continued on Page 4) WASHINGTON, Feb.

The Army today lowered its physical standards for draftees and asked for 125,000 In April, The regular monthly draft call has been 50,000 but that rate has not been met since V-J Day. The War department said it hopes by this means to get the BUENOS AIRES, Feb. 14 -(AP)--Foreign Minister Juan L. Cooke tonight denied for himself and President Edelmiro Farrell, U. S.

State department charges that members of the Argentine government had dealt with the Nazis. Cooke, in the first official comment, said in a radio address that that State department's Blue Book gave rise to suspicions that it constituted evident intervention in the coming Argentine presidential electon which was "unworthy of a great American nation." Earlier in the day Col. Juan JD. Peron, former vice president and a candidate for the presidency, asserted in a published statement that Spruille Braden was "chief of a vast spy network" through- FEDERAL OFFICIAL CONFERS HERE WTH RECREATION GROUP John Neasmith, Federal recreational representative, stated that a recreation program consists of more than sports at the meeting yesterday afternoon of the Beckley Recreation committee. The meeting was called hurriedly after Neasmith made a hurried visit to Beckley to confer with the committee on a recreation program for the city.

He out South America while he left for Charleston immediately served as U. S. ambassador a the meeting. Argentina and that a former U. S.

military attache had been expell- A resident of Richmond, Virginia, he is the respresentative of. full 250,000 men the Army needs Argentine firms under the threat from Selective Service in the first! of blacklisting them. ed from Argentina for espionage. regional office of community Peron, in his statement, also war services, division of recrea- charged that Braden while am- tion, federal security agency. bassador collected money from A full-time director for ths recreation program was not se- ilected at the meeting, and Nea- five months of this year.

Thisj His statement, published advised the committee that number is required in addition to enlistments to provide replacements for men discharged. The Army asked draft boards to induct immediately those 4is-- men previously disqualified for physical reasons--who can meet the lowered standards. About 35,000 men are being accepted each month under present physical standards. This is 15,000 short of requirements. TEDDY SCALES IS HELD FOR THEFT entering breaking.

Teddy Scales, charged with a dwelling without waived preliminary sterday before Magis- George 0. Mills and was held to action by the grand iry. Scales was charged xvith enter- newspaper La Epoca which is a director can be obtained through supporting his candidacy, flatly he Recreation association. denied the Blue Book charges that Peron conspired to aid the Nazis and demanded that the United States give proof of its charges. Cooke declared that release of the Blue Book twelve days before the election suggested an intention "to influence our internal affairs." Such an idea was unthinkable, he said, but would give np iir Kills Iwo Women By The Associated Press A large mass of extremely cold rise to suspicions which would aid aif fro the Arctlc moved intc neither the United States nor the I the Midwest ast (Thursday) Argentine governments' efforts to nrnn 0 A hold peaceful elections.

Then the foreign minister said that on behalf of President Farrell authorized that "all night, accompanied by whipping winds that drifted snow already on the ground. Forecasters said the.cold would ed on German sources relating to intervention in acts or meetings on behalf of any country of the ing the Arcoma hotel Wednesday A is are absclutelv TM i AX1S a laise. cause "of the 50 miles an hour. The storm, which yesterday and the theft of a vanity csse. gloves, post office and $20 cash from Thelma Jones.

Arresting officer was M. E. Tyree. City Patrolman Ellison Held To Wait Action By Grand Jury Hartzell Ellison, charged with theft of an automobile, waived preliminary hearing yesterday before Magistrate George O. Mills and was held to await action by the grand jury.

Ellison was charged with theft Wednesday of a car valued at $1,000 from Roy Carter, according to State Trooper R. Tabscott, arresting officer. lashed the eastern half of the na- I i with blustery winds, left 3 to i 6 inches of snow in several mid! western states and caused several Charleston Man Held For Theft Of Watch considerable property damage, then- blew itself out of the country and sailed beyond the Harrison Walker, Negro, of t. Lawrence Valley toward Hud- Charleston, was held for action by the grand jury following preliminary hearing yesterday afternoon before Magistrate George O. Mills on a charge of grand larceny.

Walker was charged with stealing a $90 from the U-Trade store on Kanawha street about two weeks Two middle-aged sisters were killed Morgantown, W. when they were caught beneath a roof blown from a tavern. An wrist" I unidentified man was carried wast a Njagara dvei at falo, N. on a disintegrating ice ago, according to City Patrolmen Ooe a tei a 50-mile an hour wind C. Ross Cottle and Oscar caused a breakup of the ice.

arresting officers. Walker was I Winds of 50 to 80 miles an hour arrested in East Beckley yester- Jashed Ohio, damaging roofs, trees day. and electric utility poles..