Battle Creek Enquirer from Battle Creek, Michigan • Page 1

THE BATTLE CREEK ENQUIRER and NEWS MEMBER OF" THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Full Leaned wir Report oi THE UNITED PRESS The Weather Snow Squalls and Much Colder VOLUME LIINO. 196 BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1947 CITY EDITION PRICE 5 cen, IM am ll WM mm rains act Admiral Mitscher, Famed Task Force Chief, Is Dead Rough Weather Heads This Way Congress Asked For Extra Year Congress Ready To Begin Work I ICE SL'RROINDS FERRY Train ferry Saint Marie is shown operating in light ice in straits of as ice-breaker Mackinaw (foreground) watches. Previously the St. Marie caught in a solid wall of ice olf shore from Mackinaw City and was imprisoned in ice for 11 hours Scientists Catch Glimpse Of Plant Food in Making Cold Wave Which May Develop into Most Severe Yet Races into Middle West. ACCOMPANIED BY BLIZZARD (By United Press A cold wave which may develop into the longest and most severe of the season raced into the middle west today accompanied by blizzards and winds ranging from 40 to 50 miles per hour.

At Dickinson. N. the temperature tumbled 54 degrees overnight. The reading thpre early this morning was 15 degrees below zero. At Minot, N.

it was 18 below. Snag airfield, 300 miles north of Whitehorse, Alaska, today reported the coldest weather ever recorded on the North American continent. The temperature there dropped to 83 degrees below zero, two degrees lower than yesterday. Record 83 Below Weather observers there said if it got any colder, thev wouldn't know it. the 83-below mark is the lowest the official government thermometer will register.

The weather forecaster said the mercury would drop to 20 degrees be low zero in northern Minnesota by tomorrow. Low temperatures for other midwestern states included 15 below in Wisconsin, five to 10 below in northern Iowa and zero to five above in northern Illinois. "Temperatures may go even lower Wednesday." the forecaster said. "This cold wave probably will be of longer duration that those experienced previously, and may become the most severe of the winter." In contrast to today's sudden cold in the Dakotas. a marked rise occurred in the central plains states, sending temperatures up to the 60's in some sections of Oklahoma and western Kansas Sunday afternoon.

Fair weather and moderate temperatures prevailed over the remainder of the country. Venezuela Reports Junior of Invasion CARACAS (Pi Unconfirmed reports that the Venezuelan army had been alerted circulated here today following publication of rumors that "enemies of the government" were preparing to invade the country from bases on nearby Caribbean islands. Leftist newspapers declared that an "invasion" had been organized by former resident Lopez Contreras, exiled since the 1945 revolution. Ultimas Noticias reported that Contreras was "preparing an invasion with a ship and three planes from Bonaire." a small Dutch-con-troled island three hours by sea from the Venezuelan coast. A conflicting story in El National reported "conspiratorial activities" centered in the Dominican Republic, 210 miles north of Venezuela, and said other "conspirators" were gathering recruits in the islands of Curacao and Trinidad, controlled by the Dutch and British respectively.

There was no immediate government comment on the published reports. Romulo Betancourt asserted in a recent message to the constituent assembly that the exiled Lopez Contreras was trying to start a civil war in Venezuela. Bride, Guests Wait For Groom with Broken Leg CHICAGO (Pi Edward W. Predl, 28. fell downstairs at his home and suffered a broken leg while en route to his church wedding, but he arrived in a wheelchair only two hours late.

The bride. Miss Betty Conway, 21. and 150 relatives and friends waited at the church Saturday without knowledge of Predl's misfortune. After the wedding the bandaged bridecroom returned to Evangelical hospital in an ambulance. The bride went alone to the wedding dinner and reception.

Major Measures Would Limit Presidential Tenure, Retain Excise Tax. COMMITTEES REALIGNED WASHINGTON UP) Finally organized after a fuil month in which only one bill was sent to President Truman, the 80th congress geared itself today to the No. 1 business of lawmaking. "Growing pains" resulted from the congressional reorganization act of last year contributed largely to the slower-than-usual start of the legislative machinery. Among other things, that act completely realigned the committee structure of both chambers.

But with the realignment now complete two major measures may come up for consideration in the senate and the house during the latter part of this week: 1. Republican leaders are hopeful that the house will get to a vote on legislation limiting the tenure of any president to two terms. 2. Senate pilots are planning a quick showdown on the house-passed bill retaining wartime exise tax rates indefinitely on liquor, furs, cosmetics and other so-called luxuries as well as such things as travel tickets and telephone service. Vote Scheduled Neither branch has considered the presidential limitation measure, but the Republican high command has scheduled it for a housevote Thursday.

It proposes that the question of putting a limit on White House occupancy be decided by the states in a form of a constitutional amendment. Thirty-six states would have to ratify it before it could become law. Passage of the excise tax bill is virtually certain once the gets around to a vote. The house approved the measure overwhelmingly last week. It also passed the first veterans' legislation of the 80th congress a bill continuing for World war No.

2 veterans the right to reinstate their government life insurance policies. That right expired last Saturday because the senate had not acted. It is expected to do so during the week, however, and to add a retroactive clause. Signs Bill The only bill passed by both the senate and the house and now public law No. 1 of the new congress was signed by President.

Truman last Saturday. It extends until April 1. 1948, the right of alcohol plants to produce sugar and syrups simultaneously with the production of alcohol. Otherwise congress spent its opening month getting organized and passing so-called "housekeeping" resolutions. But it is getting set, through its committees, to settle down for a (Please Turn to Page 11.

Column 1) Woman Jumps Clear As Train Wrecks Car Mrs. Kathryn Tobolsk! of 54 En-wood had a narrow escape shortly after 5 p. m. Sunday when she leaped to safety from her skidding car only seconds before it was struck and demolished by a Michigan Central passenger train at the Grenville street crossing. Mrs.

Tobolsk! told police that coming down the icy Grenville street hill, traveling northward she had tried unsuccessfully to stop behind a car waiting on the south side of the crossing and then had swung around it. "I was nearly onto the tracks when I saw the train coming from the west." she said. "My car continued to skid. I jumped clear of the car and tracks only a moment before it was hit." Police said the Tobolski coupe, a 1937 model, was a complete wreck and estimated the loss at $450. NavyCommander Dies In Hospital Death Comes Peacefully to Famed Leader in Pacific After Heart Attack.

WON FAME AS AVIATOR; NORFOLK, Va. (UP) Admiral Marc A. Mitscher, 60, who won immortal naval fame in leading his fighting carriers of Task Force 58 to brilliant Pacific victories over the Japanese, died early today in the Norfolk naval hospital. Death was attributed to coronary thrombosis. Mitscher was admitted to the hospital last Monday following a heart attack, but the navy had not reported his condition as serious.

In a bulletin last night, only a few minutes before he died in his sleep, he was reported to be "resting comfortably." Death came peacefully to the wizene'd little Wisconsin-born sea fighter whose planes and ships were a key factor in defeating the Japanese. A special nurse said he had been sleeping peacefully when he ceased breathing shortly after 1 a. m. MiLrfher recently became commander of the Atlantic fleet, with headquarters here. His death was not announced until 8 a.

when bulletins were released by the commandant of the 5th Naval District here and by the navy department in Washington. Funeral arrangements were in complete. Since taking command of all At lantic naval forces, the veteran naval commander had made his home at nearby Virginia Beach, where he was stricken with a heart attack on Sunday. January 26. In periodic bulletins last week, the navy said his condition was satisfactory and that he was resting and undergoing a thorough physical check-up.

Teamed With Halsey Besides commanding task forces in the Pacific, where he and Ad miral William F. "Bull" Halsey became the fleet's best known gold-braided heroes. Mitscher had been deputy chief of naval operations for air, commander of the 8th fleet, and deputy chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics. He first won fame as a naval aviator in 1919 as pilot of an NC-4 in the navy's pioneer trans-Atlantic flight, and the fleet's air arm re mained the wiry, windburned little admiral's first love. He was captain of the carrier Hornet when she won fame as the Shangri-La" from which Jimmy Doolittle took off with army bomb- (Please Turn to Page 11, Column 4) Vandenberg Evades Question on Moscow WASHINGTON (IP) President Truman today conferred for the second time with Republican and Democratic congressional leaders in what Senator Vandenberg Mich.) termed a "congenial meet ing." Vandenberg, president pro tem pore of the senate, was non-com mittal when asked whether he will accompany Secretary of State Marshall to Moscow for the four-power foreign ministers' conference next month.

He told reporters he was "not discussing the matter at the mo ment," after first saying he didn't know. The conference at the White House lasted about 40 minutes. 'It was purely routine." Vanden berg said. "The President renewed his emphasis on the need for ex tending the maritime commission's ship operating authority." Republican leaders agreed at the first conference to help expedite this extension through congress. PLANE GROUNDED WASHINGTON (P) An army plane en route to this country with Col.

Jack W. Durant and the 500,000 Hesse family jewels he is charged with helping to loot, was grounded by bad weather in the Azores at 3:05 p. m. (EST), yesterday. The Air Transport Command said here today that it is doubtful the plane will be able to resume the flight "for several hours yet." HOW SMART ARE YOU? (Let eacfi member of the family write down a i a or ner a ns wer, or if at school, let each pupil write down the answer to each question.

Of the 10 ques tions lour correct answers is a fair aver-Re for adults, three for children under 12. The correct answers will be found on the news note page). 1 What Is the title of the ruler of Iran i Persia 2 What animals live in a hutrh? 3 What state in the union leads In the making of iron and steel? 4 Does a stnlapmite rise from the floor or hang from the roof? 5 According to Biblical records, who lived to be 969 years old? 6 What is a more common name for sulphate of magnesium? 7 From what country did the words kangaroo nd boomerang come? 8 What celebrated author wrote "The Hunchback of Notre 9 How is the amount of one quintilhon written in ficuren? 10 "Epiraea repens" is the most fraerant oi American wiidflowera. What is It? President Wants Authority to Ration Sugar and Allocate Scarce Foods Longer. CITES WORLD SHORTAGE WASHINGTON lP) President Truman today asked congress for "limited" extension of the second war powers act, including his authority to ration sugar and allocate scarce foods and a handful of materials.

Though he named only a few items, he left a big field for White House discretion by seeking the power to restrict other materials in case of "a national emergency that we do not now forsee" such as a coal strike. Pleading for "immediate and favorable" action on Capitol Hill, Mr. Truman asked a one-year extension beyond March 31 for three sections of the act. The major one, title III, carries the sweeping power of priority and allocation and of export and import control. Items Listed Under it, Mr.

Truman asked continued authority over these items: Foods Grain, rice, sugar and related products; export and import control only over fats and oils; import controls only over meat, dairy and meat products, peas and beans, canned fish and protein foods. Imported Materials Rubber, tin, antimony, cinchona bark and alkaloids, manila and agave fibre. U. S. Products Automobiles and tractors (quota limits on exports! freight cars; the drug streptomycin.

Mr. Truman did not ask extension of inventory control, the government's wartime weapon against hoarding and a reconversion weapon against the "withholding" of goods from market. The two other "titles" of the act which should be retained, said Mr. Truman's message, are those which (1) allow the maritime commission to run shipping lines and (2) permit the operation of ships with less crew and equipment than in ordinary times of peace. "It is unsettling, both for business and for the general public, to be obliged to wait until the last possible moment for decision by the congress on emergency legislation," Mr.

Truman said. "I urge the congress to give immediate and favorable consideration to the limited extension of the second war powers act I have requested." Some Restrictions He reported that "we can now foresee the day when no further use of these powers will be necessary," but said the "effective com pletion" of reconversion demands the continued use of the powers get forth. All foods now controlled by the agriculture department would re main under restrictions but inedible molasses, used largely for in- Please Turn to Page 11, Column 1) U. S. Sends Britain Loan Pack Warning LONDON The British treas ury announced today it was "con sidering" a letter from the U.

S. secretary of the treasurv, John W. Snyder, warning Britain against violation of the $3.7.50,000,000 British-American loan agreement. The letter, second from the U. S.

government on the subject, reiterated American objection to a clause in the British-Argentine food and economic agreement requiring Argentina to spend part of her frozen sterling balances within the British empire in years when Britain sells more to the Argentines than she buys from them. Snyder's note told Chancellor of the Exchequer Hugh Dalton that Britain must avoid repeating such alleged violations. Declining to speculate about a British reply, a treasury spokesman repeated the British view that Amer ican objections to the British- Argentine pact were purely technical, since Britain has an unfavorable trade balance with Argentina. against Everhart. on grounds that the wound had hastened Johnson's death.

Police said the young gunman admitted slaying a Seneca, night marshal last September. He was also wanted on homicide, kidnaping and armed robbery charges in Indiana. "I'll never burn," he boasted. Everhart separated from his fellows after they left the jail. Brandishing a pistol, he commandeered a taxi driven by Lester Hughes, 29.

in which the driver's wife, Lois, 22, also was riding. Near Chouteau, he forced hughes to swerve past a highway patrol road block but three patrol men overtook them when a tire blowout halted the taxi. Everhart dragged Mrs. Hughes from the car and tried to use her for a shield. Hughes leaped out and Fnnnirer nnri IP UMrnh.t until Mackinaw broke her loose.

Injuries Fatal To Auto Driver Harold O. Stockwell Dies Fol lowing Graham Lake Crash. (Pictures Page 3 Harold Orrin Stockwell, 32, of Pine Creek, an employe of Post Cereals, died at a local hospital about 1:45 p. m. Sunday of injuries, suffered Saturday night In an automobile collision on icy M-78 at Graham lake, about six miles south of Battle Creek Dr.

W. N. Putman, coroner, said Mr. Stockwell died of a fractured skull and that no In quest will be held. Four others, who were injured when the cars driven by Mr.

Stockwell and Lyle Eugene Gibbons 19, of East Leroy collided, were re covering today They are Mr. Gib bons, who suffered head injuries STOCKWELL and facial lacerations and Kenneth Daniels and Donald J. Wesner, both 19. of Athens, who were riding with him and Roy Ten Eyck, 20, of East Leroy, wtlo was riding with Mr. Stockwell.

Mr. Daniels suffered faclaf lacerations, Mr. Wesner, head, chest and leg injuries and Mr. TenEyck, chest injuries. State police said Mr.

Stockwell was driving south when his car skidded on the ice and was sliding sideways when the Gibbons' car struck its (Please Turn to Page 11, Column 5) ROYALTY'S BATTLESHIP NEARING CANARY ISLES Aboard H. M. S. Vanguard Still buffeted by a heavy sea and gale, this battleship carrying the British royal family to South Africa headed for the Canary islands today with the prospect of calm, clear weather ahead. Ship's officers said the Vanguard was slowly moving out of the bad weather zone and the daily newspaper published aboard carried notices of forthcoming deck hockey, deck tennis, medicine ball, pigeon shooting and cricket practice.

The escort destroyer St. James fell astern last night for the second time because of the necessity to reduce speed in the heavy seas, but she later increased her speed to 18 knots and came into position again. AS? WON MANY VICTORIES Famed commander of Task Force 58 during the war with Japan, Adliiral Marc A. Mitscher, 60, died this morning in Norfolk hospital following heart attack. Gun Battle Saves 110,000 In Loot Chicago Police Kill Two Safecrackers, Capture CHICAGO (JPj Police had two bodies and two prisoners today of a quartet of safecrackers taken Saturday night after an hour-long siege which saved 300 depositors of a currency exchange an estimated SI.

000.000. The bodies were identified by Police Capt. Matthew Murphy as Richard A. Dolan, 32, Chicago, and George D. Bliss.

39, Rockford, 111., both ex-convicts. The prisoners, who surrendered about a half hour after 70 policemen surrounded the exchange, were identified as John Walsh, alias Danny McGeonhegan, 51, and John O'Brien, alias Arthur Buils, 35, of Chicago, also ex-con victs. An inquest was to be held today in an effort to ascertain whether Dolan shot Bliss then himself rather than surrender to police. Dr. Jerry Kearns, coroner's physician, said his examination showed powder burns around the wound in Dolan 's head, but none on the head wound of Bliss.

One detective who estimated the intended loot at about $1,000,000, said it may have included operating funds of racing book operators, along with late Saturday cash re ceipts of many southside merchants. The safecrackers were surprised at their work by the policemen who were tipped off by a janitor in the building. When the officers laid siege to the exchange the glare of eight squadcar spotlights, the intruders had rounded up six residents of the building in an apartment, above the exchange under guard of Dolan. After the gun and tear gas fight ended, with three policemen slightly wounded. Bliss' body was found on a bed in the apartment and Dolan's slumped in a corner.

ONE KILLED. SIX HURT IN PENNSY RAIL WRECK GARLAND. Pa. (Pi The engi neer was killed and six other men, including a passenger, were injured in the derailment of seven of nine cars of an eastbound Pennsylvania railroad train near here last night. Lloyd A.

Gearhart of Erie died of injuries suffered when he was pinned under the wreckage of the Erie-to-Philadelphia flyer. Ine in ured were S. S. Freeland. 80, of Emporium, the only passenger hurt; Fireman Claire Shields, 26.

of North Girard, Conductor James B. Behan, Brakeman Herman Hotchkiss. W. J. Smith, and Edward Walker, crewmcmbers.

all of Erie. None of the cars overturned. Passengers were transnorteri hv bus to Emporium. where they boarded another train. writing in Pravda, the official Communist party newspaper, said the Soviets were uninterested in any scheme that might prove a revival of "German imperialism." Any discussion by Pepper of American-Russian relations appears likely to touch off fireworks.

Senator Tydings Md.) gave an indication of what some other Democrats are thinking about the international situation when he said in a radio address yesterday that the United States and Russia appear to be "maneuvering for far northern bases, looking to a future conflict that would be fought over the North Pole." Tydings mentioned reports that the Soviets are negotiating with Norway for the acquisition of Spitz-bergen, within the Arctic circle, and rumors that the United States (Please Turn to Page 11, Column 3) bon dioxide to make sugars and starches on which plants feed and grow. Chlorophyll never has been artifi-cally made. The synthesis of plant food from simple chemicals like oxygen, hydrogen and carbon remains only a scientific dream. Researchers believe, but have not proved, that Jhe chemicals are built up step by step, first, into simple compounds and then into the more complex finished products such as glucose. In order to have time enough to carry out this process, the researchers theorize, chlorophyll should remain an an activated condition for a relatively long period.

By measuring the duration of the afterglow. Dr. Calvin found what re searchers had been looking for a relatively long period of activity. The glow was not visible to the naked eye but detectable with a camera using a infra-red film. This finding adds a time element to the known facts about photosynthesis and brings researchers a step closer to solution of the mystery.

New Tax Maneuver Planned at Lansing LANSING UP) Legislation to take the oil and gas severance tax away from local governments and piace it in ine state treasury was proposed today by Rep. Elton R. Eaton, Plymouth Republican. The tax, a two perecnt levy on the gross cash market value of oil and gas produced in Michigan, has pro duced approximately $550,000 a year in recent years and never exceeded the $665,000 peak in 1943. Revenues are divided among state, county and local units where the mineral is produced.

"With a lot of townships coming into more money now than they need from the sales tax diversion amendment," Eaton said, "I don't see any reason why they should have this money too. It isn't a large amount but the state can certainly use it." Eaton's proposal was the latest development in a series of maneuvers by legislators to lighten the impact which is expected to be realized fully this week when Governor Sigler delivers his long-awaited budget message to the legislature. Sigler expects to receive recommended solutions to the state's fiscal problem Wednesday from a committee of mayors and schoolmen and within a day or so later to deliver his message to the lawmakers. Marking time before tackling that major problem, the house was scheduled to act tonight on a senate bill providing a bond issue for the state's $270,000,000 veterans' bonus. BOY WITH CRUDCE STARTS $200,000 LUMBER BLAZE NEW YORK (Pi A 16-year-old boy who said he had a grudge against a Brooklyn lumber company BY REN'NIE TAYLOR BERKELEY.

Calif. iPi A fleeting glimpse at the prelude to one of nature's most important and best hidden chemical operations, the making of plant food from carbon dioxide and water, was reported today by two University of California scientists. These researchers. Dr. Melvin Calvin, chemist, and Gus Dorough.

a graduate student, found that light causes chlorophyll, the green coloring matter in plants, to glow, and that under certain conditions the glow lingers. In most substances. Dr. Calvin reported, the glow lasts only a small fraction of a millionth of a second. But chlorophyll molecules after being excited by light to a certain energy level, yield an afterglow lasting as long as a tenth of a second.

The report was made to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, for publication in its official journal, Science. Chlorophyll is the substance which, with the help of sunlight, juggles atoms from water and car Sigler Is Opposed To Socialized Medicine DETROIT (U.P) Gov. Kim Sigler of Michigan was on record today against socialized medicine. "I am definitely opposed to socialized medicine," he told the second annual meeting of the Michigan Foundation for Medical and Health Education yesterday. "I don't want the state to practice medicine." He said the American public would not "fall for silly notions" like socialized medicine if they understood the facts.

"Doctors must assume the leadership and see that people understand the situation." Sigler said. "The folks who should determine the course for medicine are doctors not politicians." APPOINTMENT MADE LANSING (JP) Gordon Walker of Detroit, state Young Republicans chairman, was appointed by Howard M. Warner, state corporations and securities commissioner, today to be deputy commissioner in charge of the Residential Building Contractor division of the commission. He succeeds Dr. Rex P.

Cranson, who resigned last year. PEDESTRIANS CRASHED LOS ANGELES uVi Newest item on the hospital log: A crash between pedestrians. Johann Leeby, 87. of Inglewood, suffered a fractured hip. try Dalton yesterday summed up the nation's position in this way: "We are now able to import more than we export only because we are living on tick, which we are getting from the American and Canadian lines of credit.

This means we must export more or import less or both. "If we have to reduce our imports it will simply mean that you will all have less to eat and to smoke, and fewer clothes and boots and shoes, and fewer houses and less furniture and less employment in many industries." Dalton laid no blame for Britain's difficulties on the Labor government, but said: "Thank God we have a labor government in power What a (Please Turn to Page 11, Column 7) Pepper Opposes Proposal For Europe's Economic Unification Killer Makes Good on Boast To Escape Chair; He's Slain Britons Told: Work Harder Or Face an Economic Crisis TULSA, Okla. UP) Victor Lloyd Everhart made good his boast that he would never die in the electric chair for slaying two Tulsa police man, out the 23-year-old desperado's body lay in a morgue today, riddled by buckshot and bullets. Three Oklahoma highway patrolmen killed Everhart yesterday on a highway 40 miles east of here, less than two hours after he and five others overpowered two guards and escaped from the Tulsa city jail. Two of the escaped prisoners were still missing today.

The three others were recaptured 30 miles south of here yesterday. Everhart was being held here on murder charges arising from the slaying of Detective S. R. Cormack and wounding of another detective, Ben Johnson, in a gun fight in Tulsa September 12. Johnson recovered, then died recently of a heart attack.

Authorities filed a second murder charge WASHINGTON Senator Pepper raised the prcs-pect today of sharp congressional debate over American relations with Russia. Pepper, whose foreign policv stand sometimes ha.s conflicted with that taken bv the administration with Republican support, told a reporter he plans to criticize specifically the proposal of John Foster Dulles for economic unification of Europe. Dulles seems to be a the Republican party on foreign policy, and I think he's wrong on this issue," Pepper de-ciared. Dulles, a GOP leadei who served as one of the American delegates to the United Nations general assembly, suggested linking Germany's economy with that of France and Belgium. This proposal came under immediate attack In Moscow.

M. Marinin, LONDON (JPt Britons glumly faced the prospect of further food cuts and unemployment today a development which government leaders said was Inevitable unless they worked harder and produced more goods for export to avert an economic crisis. The conservative" press speculated that the situation might cause the Attlee government to tcpple during the next few months. Among those to strike a warning note was Chancellor of the Exchequer Hugh Dalton, who reminded the people that they were living on borrowed money and predicted that Britain would have to reduce her financial commitments abroad in view of conditions at home. Speaking at Newcastle, center of the newly-nationalized coal indus was said by fire officials today to have started a blaze that tied up telephone and transportation service in the borough and caused damage tentatively estimated at $200,000.

Assistant Fire Marshal Martin Scott said that Richard Bender, 16, admitted starting the fire in the J. H. Benzing fe lumber yard last night because the firm had accused him of taking money from its office. The boy's father is employed there, Scott said. Scott ordered the boy held for police action.

Spurting flames visible a mile away, the four-alarm blaze for a time threatened 15 nearby tenements. i (Please Turn to Page 11, Column 1.