The Bakersfield Californian from Bakersfield, California • Page 1

Gen THE WEATHER Temperature High yesterday 71 Low today 49 Rainfall This year 5.04 Tear axo 3.45 Fortran! Partly cloudy today, tonight and rain late Wednesday. Char Tax Evasion -V Mt. Vernon Sewer System Bid Accepted See Page 13 Vol.60 TWO SECTIONS BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1948 22 PAGES No. 172 Movie Strike "Lockout," Kearns Says at Hearing Film Producers' Collusion With One Union Charged By United Frees WASHINGTON A top movie spokesman and the chairman of a House labor subcommittee clashed sharply today over causes of the union jurisdictional strife that has plagued Hollywood for 16 months. Representative Carroll D.

Kearns (R-Pa.) charged that the strike is a "lockout'' of workers by movie producers in "collusion" with one of the unions. He was answered by Eric Johnston, head of the Motion Picture Association of America. "Labor strife in Hollywood has been chiefly struggle for power among union leaders' and their unions," Johnston en id. He claimed the producers are "always caught In the middle." Asks for Law Johnston urged the subcommittee to consider legislation to require unions to arbitrate and settle jurisdictional disputes before they actually working. He called this "preventive medicine." Kearns opened the hearings on the strike with a statement saying his "lockout" charges would become a formal report to Congress unless movie producers could disprove them.

Johnston said Workers are "the real victims" of the strife among 'the unions, all A. F. L. But he insisted that "management has also suffered severely." He gave' a long and exhaustive review of the history of the dis- pute. It involves an alliance of old-line A.

F. L. unions against the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes (I. A. T.

S. At one point, Johnston said, the strike was almost settled by an arbitration committee, hut then, he said, William Hutcheson, president of the United Brotherhood of Car- Continued on Page Two Noon Bandit Snatches $250 An indentified bandit shortly before 1 p. m. today stalked into the Vnion Oil Bulk plant, 101 Kentucky street, intimidated the clerk on duty, and fled with $250. Bakersfield Police Detective J.

M. Towle revealed this afternoon. The company clerk, Richard K. Grihble, 29, said he was unable to see the robber because of the threat! the bandit made: "This is a stick- i up. stay turned around." After the bandit stole about from the cash box, he fled the build- ing and Gribble told officers he saw the robber flee across the railroad tracks.

Detective Towle said there was no definite identification. Senate, House at Odds on Rent By Associated Press Senate banking committee unanimously favors extending rent controls 14 months with some changes. The House banking committee has Toted 18 to to continue the existing law "as is" for one month. It would decide later about a longer extension and any changes. But members of both committees predicted today the House and the 'Senate will get together on one of the two a compromise February 29.

The present law expires then. The Senate committee voted 18 to 0 late Monday for continuing controls through April 80, 1949. Its bill would permit rent in- Letter Tells Details of LA. Killing LOS ing experts today studied an unsigned letter that detailed the slaying last Saturday of Mrs. Gladys Kern, 42, real estate saleswoman whose stabbed body was found Monday in a vacant home in the exclusive Los Feliz Hilla district.

Tho letter, police said, was mailed within a few hours after Mrs. Kern had been stabbed in the back with a hunting knife that was found in the kitchen of the house, a few feet from her body. The blade had been wiped clean of blood on a small handkerchief, which was wadded under the sink. i Investigators said the woman ap-1 parently was stabbed shortly after she entered the house to show it to a prospective buyer. Tells of Killing Police did not make public the text of the letter, which was pen- cilled on typewriter paper and dropped into a mail box without an envelope.

On the back was scrawled "Hurry, give to police." creases np to 15 per cent where tenants and landlords agreed on a lease running through 1949. The present law, up to the start of this year, allowed increases of the same amount in return for.a lease good through 1948. Tenants who already have agreed to a 15 per cent rent boost could not be charged another one, said Senator Cain chairman of a banking subcommittee on rents. Here is Cain's explanation of how the new law would work on those points: Freeze of Rises In the case of tenants who accepted rent increases, for leases running through 1948, their present rents would be "frozen" when those leases expire December 31. This "freeze" wonld remain in effect through April 30, expiration date of the proposed new law.

Rent control then would end for all tenants who signed leases nnder the expiring law. For those who signed leases under the new law, that is, after February 29, 1948, ther6 could be no further increase until January 1, 1950. What of tenants who have not already signed a "voluntary" in- In substance the writer gave this crease would not under version of the killing: the extension? Cain says He met a prize fighter three their rents would remain unchanged weeks ago and was persuaded To until April 30, 1949. They would for him in the purchase of have no protection after that. a home in the Los Feliz Hills, a restricted area.

An appointment was made with a real estate salesman for Saturday, and he drove the fighter and the woman to the ACcer waiting a'long time outside in his auto he became suspicious nnd went into the house to find the prize fighter standing over the woman. The boxer covered him with a revolver, tied him to the sink faucet with his own belt, and left. Police declined to comment on the letter. Husband's Story Mrs. Kern's husband.

a The Senate committee bill would require the federal rent administrator to permit higher rents where a landlord could prove he was operating at a loss. The administrator' would decide how much of an increase. Besides the rent increase pro- visions, the Senate subcommittee-bill I would remove bans on use of scarce i building materials for such recreation places as theaters and bowling alleys. MI' New Count Accuses General Indictment Charges Willful Fraudulent Tax Return Made Bv Associated Press RALTIMORE A Federal Grand Jury today indicted retired Major-General Bennett E. Meyers on a charge he evaded in income taxes.

Meyers was the army air forces No. 2 equipment buyer during the war and central figure of a sensational investigation in Washington. The dapper 62-year-old army career man was accused today of reporting a $3808 income in 1941 when he actually made $36,301. Federal prosecutors explained audits of General Meyers' income and tax payments for more recent years are not yet complete. Time Short Today's charge was filed because the time in which a 1941 violation must be prosecuted is about to run out.

Meyers was not present when the indictment was returned. It said be "wilfully and knowingly" attempted to "defeat and evade" a 1941 income tax of by making a "false and fraudulent" return on which he paid $175.03. Revelations that the general made Dersonal profits in aircraft products to several investigations last fall. General H. H.

Arnold, wartime commander of the air forces, told a congressional hearing Meyers was a "rotten apple" and a "disgrace to uniform." Accused of Lying Meyers also is under federal indictment in Washington on charges le lied to a investigating and induced an associate back him up. The accusations are based on his denial he had any connection with he Aviation Electric Company of Senators Draft Four-Year Plan $3 Billions of Recovery Moneys Must Come From This Year's Budget By United Press Senate foreign relations committee today stipulated that $3,000,000.000 of the initial appropriation for European recovery must be drawn from the government surplus for this year. The committee added that surprise provision as it approved, 13 to 0, its final draft of the bill to launch the 51- Praia Wiraphoto FOUR OF the quadruplets, three a boy, born Sunday to Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Zavada of Latrobe.

are Supervisor Gerda Townsend (at left in both pictures) aiia Nurse Beatrice Horrell (right). The babies and their mother were reported in good condition. U. N. Army Asked to Bock Partition of Palestine him a automobile and LAKE Palestine commission predicted today that the United Nations plan to partition the Holy Land will fail un, is pro- did I vided to back it up.

Dayton, Ohio, or that the firm less adequate armed force INDEX TO ADVERTISERS A. i B. TRUCK JlftXTAL BAKKUSF1KLD MKMOIUAI. I'AHK BAKERSFIELD TOOL RENTAL UOUKOVT BOOTH'S BROCK'S HP.r.VDAGE PHARMACY THEATKR CITY COOL-EY. SPADE CRYSTAL INN DAWN VENETIAN BLIND DETTRA.

1RWIN, IiRIVE IN THEATER EASTERN EUCSER'S KSSARY'8 AUTOMOTIVE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH FL1OKINGER-D1C1ER FOX THEATERS CLIFF HOOPER'S CANDIES rVEKS FURNITURE JACKIE'S BEAUTY SHOP JOHNSTON, C. KAFT KERN KERN CO. EQUIPMENT KERO KtTCHEN-BOYD CO. L.VMONT THEATER MATTLY'S M.MAHAN'S MclNTTRE. DR M1DSTATE CHEMICAL MONTGOMERY WARD 4.

NEW CITY CLEANERS NILE THEATER PAYNE i- SON PENTECOSTAL TABERNACLE POSTON RADIO RADIO DEN RIALTO THEATER IUCARDS RHODES REFRIGERATION' R1TTENHOUSE REVERE SAN JOAQUIN GRAIN SEARS ROEBUCK SI. ENDA -VOGUE STONE, DR TECHNOCRACY TEJON THEATER THRASHER MOTORS CO TRIO BEAUTY ITRNER'S VALLEY AIR CONttlTIONINt; VIRGINIA THEATER WIOKERSHAM'S WITHAM'S WRESTLING I. 0. 0. F.

HEAD PLANS VISIT Ponton, district deputy grand master of Dis- totilmakor, said he last saw his wife trict 73, Order of Odd Fellows, will early Saturday morning, and thatjmake an official visit to the Kern-j when he came borne Saturday after-jville Odd Fellows Lodge at their! uoou lie found a note from her re- meeting Thursday night in the i Continued on Page Two 11- O. F. hall in Kernville. Truman Shifts Price Job to Women on Anniversary of Movement for Rights WP) Truman advised today that women use their power over the household purse to fight "the high cost of living." Truman addressed a confer- pnce of women leaders at the labor department. It was arranged by department to commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of the movement for women's rights.

"Wo'mcn's organizations have at band a ready weapon which they have not yet used to its full power of the consumer," the President said. Says Women Powerful "It has been said over and over again that women control the bulk of the nation's wealth; they certainly channel its day-to-day spending for food, for clothing, for education, for all the things that make for better living. This is a weapon which you can use together to eom- one of the enemies that now threaten high cost of living." The President told the women they have unfinished tasks" in their buttle for civil and political He mentioned "equal pay for equal work" and the ending of such disrrimiimtions against uemoii as limitations on their rijlit to serve on federal Mr. Tmniiiu said: "It is within your strength to accomplish these things in which you believe, but only if you make your goals known and persist in demanding action." Praises Mrs. F.

D. R. The President praised the services of women in international affairs under his administration, mentioning Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevi-lt, who heads the United Nations commission on human rights: Dean C.

Mildred Thompson of Vassar College and Miss Dorothy Kenyon. who have served on U. N. commissions and The mention of Mrs. Roosevelt's name was greeted with loud applause.

"Mrs. Roosevelt has made a wonderful contribution to the nation since the President died," Mr. Truman said. Then he added: "He's the only one I ever think of as President." Referring to the battle of women for civil and political rights equal to men's, the President made an indirect reference to his report to Congress on civil rights. This is the report which has stirred controversy among southern Democrats because it asks laws against "Jim Crow" ''We're working for those very same things for a large number of our 1 Mr.

Truman said. worth of redecorating in his iVashington apartment. Governor to Call Drduth Emergency (T.E* Earl Warren announced today he probably will declare a state of drouth emergency in most of Cali- fornia before the end of the week as a measure of relief for California cattlemen. At the same time Warren revealed that the state public utilities com-' mission is considering a number of other emergency measures to meet the among'there are day-j light saving, a state-wide brown-out, and the appointment of a state power administration to ration power for both' domestic and com- i mercial use, "if all other methods fail." Asked about reports that he was calling a daylight saving conference in response to a request from the California Junior Chamber of Com-; merce. Warren said be knew nothing about it.

The Junior Chamber, the governor said, "failed to consult me." The commission, mode up of representatives from five of the smaller members of the United Nations, asked the security council to provide such a force, presumably on an international basis, before May 15. t'p Council "The commission." its members said in a strongly worded report issued late Monday, "1ms decided to refer to the security council the problem of providing that armed able the commission to discharge its responsibilities. It is charged with ending the British mandate ever Palestine and with building the foundations for separate Jewish and Arab states there October 1. There was no Immediate reaction from members of the.council, the only U. X.

body which has the power to send an army into Palestine. The members cabled the report to their home governments at once for study. Indications were that the council would open debate on Palestine a from today. Should the commission request be heeded, it would mark the first time the U. N.

ever attempted to enforce a decision by assistance which would en-i weight of arms. FLASHES WRITS DENIED NEW TORK Federal Judge Edward A. Conger today refused to free Gerhart Eisler and John Williamson, Inlior secretary of the Community party, from Ellis island where they are a waiting deportation proceedings. The judge's action crime in the form of denial of habeas corpus writs sought by the two men. HOUSING FINE SAN FRANCISCO Federal Judge Louis E.

Goodman loday fined the Klein Realty Company of Sacramento $3000 and handed the firm's 'vice-president. Stetson Sliney, a six-months' jail sentence for bilking 37 evterans by selling them "jerry-built" homes. AGREES ON ENVOY 1-rP) Panama has agreed to the appointment of nett B. Davis as I'nired States ambassador, succeeding Frank T. Hines, President Enrique Jiminez announced today.

Grains Skid Again; Meat Hope Smashed NEW Prices began slipping again today shortly after a nervous opening. Meanwhile, economists tossed a wet blanket on consumers' hopes for further price cuts in meat. The meat price flips probably will be short-lived, said agriculture economists in Washing' ton. 1 Wheat prices at Chicago dropped off as much as -i rents a bushel after starling above Mon- I day prices. May corn contracts wore up almost a cent, but oilier deliveries were down.

were down slightly. i Cotton prices wore down as much us a bale in the New Turk futures market. JAPAN BLOOD BATH PREDICTED UNLESS TRUSTS SMASHED WASHINGTON (U.P)—Gen- eral Douglas MacArthur advised the Senate today that Japan will undergo a "bloodbath of revolutionary violence'' unless occupation forces break up the concentration of economic power in that country. MacArthur's warning was contained in a letter to Senator Brien McMabon (D who read it to the Senate. McMabon had asked MacArthur to comment on recent protests of Senator Wililam F.

Knowlnnd (R-Calif.) over "socialization" policies in Japan. MacArthur. supreme commander for the allied powers; in Japan, replied that a free enterprise system cannot be set up in Japan unless the "traditional pyramid of economic power" is torn down. month European recovery program, also know as E.R.P. or the Marshall plan.

The bill would authorize expenditure of for first 12 months of the program beginning April 1. Jhe plan to earmark $3,000,000,000 of this year's surplus to help finance the program was sponsored by Chairman Eugene Millikin of the Senate finance committee. He is in charge of tax cutting plans. The administration has estimated a surplus of $7,482,000,000 for the current fiscal year ending June 30. It had planned to use all of this for reduction of the public debt.

The surplus for the year to date already exceeds In Special Fund Chairman Millikin it was reported, told the committee that $3.000,000,000 of the anticipated $5,300,000,000 first year authorization on Marshall plan spending should be made chargable to the present fiscal His proposal as ao'Spted will withhold tbo OOO.OW- from HIM surplus und piit it In a special trust fund "for E. R. P. He maintained that the administration's request for more than in over-all foreign spending wonld place too heavy a burden on fiscal 1949. Debate March 1 The foreign relations committee action cleared the European recovery program over its first legislative hurdle and sent E.

R. P. to the Senate floor where debate will be-: gin March 1. Also adopted was a last-minute i amendment from Senator Tom Con-1 nally of Texas, ranking committee Democrat. It provided an additional pledge for European nations receiving E.

R. P. aid. It would require them to take steps to balance their governmental budgets "as soon as practicable." Meanwhile, Senator Joseph H. Ball said he saw no chance for Congress to achieve its bndget-cutting goal if it grants $5,000,000,000 for E.

R. P. Ship for Arabia Found Sabotaged LONG questioned all persons who were aboard a naval landing craft this week-end, in an attempt to determine who had sabotaged the ship just before delivery to her new owner, the Saudi Arabian government. Sand and other abrasive materials were found in all eight engines Monday when American crews went aboard the ship to take it through the Panama canal for delivery in the Mediterranean. There was so much sand in the gear box that the shaft could not turn over.

Reds Watch Koreans Beat 2 Americans SEOUL, Korea (UJ!) Soviet army officers stood idlj by and permitted a crowd of Koreans to maul two United States liaison officers during a military parade in Pyong Tang, capital of the Russian zone, U. S. army authorities today. The army report identified the two officers as Major Darrel G. Cos- fello, Imogene.

Iowa, and Major Richard C. Briggs, Berkeley. Both are stationed in Russian-occupied Korea. The two Americans were manled February 8 when they joined a i crowd of civilian spectators to watch I a parade by units of newly formed "army for all Korea." The was held to mark the second anniversary of the North Korean Peoples Committee. When the Americans chose to I stand at a vantage spot near the official reviewing stand, they were approached by six Korean civilians and a lieutenant-colonel from the- All-Korea army.

The lieutenant-colonel protested that rim officers were on "Korean soil and the United States has no business hen 1 Immediately a number of Korean civilians, officers and police trjcd to drag the Americans to a nearby police box. Failing this attempt. Hie Koreans surrounded thorn and tried to block their view of the parade. After the parade, the Americans returned to their Jeep parked directly in front of the Pyong Tang Soviet officers' club. They were immediately surrounded by about 15 Koreans who tried to drag them from the vehicle.

During the scuffle, a Korean detective drew his pistol and demanded that Costello hand over the camera he was carrying. The major handed over the film but kept the camera only to have it snatched away by an unidentified Korean. While an estimated 100 Soviet officers looked on, six Korean police approached the jeep and kept the Americans prisoners for a half hour. The officers' appeals to the Soviet officers were met with the answer, "Sorry, we have no authority." Although no protest has yet been made. Lietitenant-General John R.

Hodge, American commander in southern Korea, pointed that Soviet liaison officers in Seoul have "complete liberty of movement pins full freedom to photograph all military parades." The incident was disclosed one day after the north Korean radio at Pyong Tang announced that a Demo- Departure was delayed indefi-1 era tic Peoples Republic soon will be 'nitply for a complete overhaul. (established in the Soviet zone. jStudent Editor Ejected for Laughing at Tenney Inquiry Professor, 72, Building Prices tO Wed Girl, to Rise Professor I Reginald Hall Johnson. 72, retired University of Pittsburgh professor, and Althea Ruth Lowe. a chemistry instructor at a girl's college, announced today that they would be married next.

Saturday. It was their fouduess for study that first brought them together, said Mr. Johnson, who retired in 1945 after 30 years in the department of modern languages at Pitt. He said their friendship developed when both were on the faculty at Pitt. Later, Miss Lowe transferred to ibe faculty of Margaret Morrison College at the Carnegie Institute of Technology.

1 SACRAMENTO (TE) The state public works board said to! day that the current drop in some prices has not affected the construc- i tion business. i In a report to Governor Warren. the board said the building market has remained firm, with prices ad I LOS ANGELES (U.E> The managing editor of the University of Southern California student news- i paper was ejected from a state Sen- late committee hearing on un-Ameri- i can activities today when he laughed. The student. George Anderson, a senior, was escorted from the state building hearing room at the order of Chairman Jack B.

Tenney after he interrupted an exchange between Tenney and Dr. Helen Hall Moreland, dean of women at the university. Questioned on Institute Dr. Mpreland was being questioned about her name appearing as a director on a letterhead for the began and Anderson broke the quiet with a loud laugh. Attorney Warned Tenney warned Attorney William McTernan he believed he wag in contempt for refusing to answer committee questions.

"I am of the opinion you are in contempt." Tenney told McTernan after the attorney refused to tell the committee whether he was a Communist, a member of the Ku Kin i Klan or a Bundist. McTernan was the first witness called as the committee opened public hearings here to Investigate Communist front organizations. Richard E. Combs, chief investigator for the committee, and Teai vancing instead of receding. Qn state projects, the board noted, American-Russian Institute, labeled ney alternated in questioning Mc- 'competition and interest in bid- i a Communist-front organization by Teman.

i ding have improved and have prob- Tenney. ably been responsible for keeping Dr. Moreland said she did not price increases less than they might know the institute was a front or; have been otherwise." ganization. I The report added "The pace of "Do you intend to have your name construction, from the preliminary taken Tenney asked. states through to completion, is defi- i "If I'm convinced as you seem 'present." Combs said, i nitely slower than prewar." 1 to be convinced Dr.

Moreland not answer. The attorney first refused to answer whether there had been a. meeting in his home February 8. "That was a meeting of, the American-Russian Institute at which Mrs. Andrei Gromyko was McTernan.