The Bakersfield Californian from Bakersfield, California • Page 1

IBB WEATHEB Hieh Todajr i Tear Normal .68 BsbtfaU 0.07 .0.02 Forecast Clear today, tonijrht and Friday with warm temoanturcs. Rail Leader Denies Rates "Strangling" Vol.61 FOUR SECTIONS BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1948 si Wirephoto FACE NARCOTICS Robert Mitchum (left, bottom photo) is accused of violating narcotics laws after a raid on a "marijuana, den" "Wednesday in the Hollywood hills. Pictured in jail are Dancer Vickie Evans (top photo, left) and Actress Lila Leeds (right), and (bottom photo), Mltchum 'and his friend, Robin Ford (right), real estate agent. Studios Rally to Aid Actor in Dope Case HOLLYWOOD GP) With ft heavy stake three -unreleased Robert Mitchum pictures, two studios rallied today to the defense of the 81-year-old cinema hero, accused of violating narcotics laws. RKO and Selznick Studios said Giesfer, noted western criminal lawyer who has figured in several cases involving screen stars, would represent the handsome Mitchum.

The actor and real estate agent, Robin 31, were arrested with Actress Lilk Leeds! 20, and Dancer Vickie Evans, 25, in what police said was a mariajuana smoking party in the girls' room. The studios and Giesler asked that Mitchum be given the benefit of doubt until all evidence is in. Giesler, counsel for Charlie Chaplin and Brrol Flynn in past cases, said there were "many unexplained facts and circumstances surrounding the raid" and that the actor's friends were convinced he would be cleared. Makes $3000 Week Mitchum, rising star whose salary has been $3000 weekly, and the others accused were released on $1000 bail each. A hearing on writs of habeas corpus was set for September 8.

RKO and Selznick have scheduled for release the Mitchum pictures, "Rachael and the Stranger" and "Blood on the Moon," while Republic has "The Red Pony," made on Mitcbum's loan from Selznick Studio. Mitchum's loan price had been set by Selznick at $175,000 a picture. Effect on Marriage Police quoted Mitcbum as saying his arrest "ends hope of a reconciliation with my wife, Dorothy." She had been in the east several weeks with their two young sons but was en route west by. automobile. "I'm afraid," Mitchum was quoted, "this ends the reconciliation, for my wife is a very resolute woman." Idol of bobby soi groups, Mitchum was scheduled to appear in a National Youth Month program at Los" Angeles city hall Wednesday.

Charles Cooney, radio public relations roan for the mayor, said Mitchum had canceled his appearance and gave his Weather Hot in Southwest By United Frew The southwest and great plains states broiled under a heat wave today, while the rest of the nation was enjoying cool b'reezes. The weather bureau said the temperatures were normal for this time of year, but that was little consolation to those'who were sweltering under the hot western sun. The mercury soared to 115 yesterday at Blythe, in the valley of the lower Colorado river. At 1'uma and Phoenix, it was 112. Las Vegas, reported 111.

It was hot and muggy at Xos Angeles. A pall of smog hung over the downtown area, so thick in some places that office workers went home eyes wa- lered so much they condn't see. Yesterday's high was 94. The heat reached across the great plains area 'into western Jowa, Minnesota, and. Kansas.

It was 104 at Ellis, Kan, 102 at Philipsburg, and 99 at Lincoln, Neb. Last Rites Mapped for Vet Newsman SAN (HE) services held at St. Mary's Cathedral tomorrow for Thomas J. Bellew, veterau newspaperman who died of virus pneumonia yesterday at the age of 66. Bellew began newspaper career shortly after the turn of the century.

At one tiuie he was city editor and editorial writer for the Ban Francisco Chronicle. Later, he did public relations work. Putnam Hits Auto Record George Palmer Putnam, blistered and- sunburned, rested up today from leading a jeep expedition 14200 feet up White Mountain to a new national jrecord. The writer-publisher's caravan, equipped with parkas and other arctic gear, started Sunday in ISO- degree heat at Death Valley, 279 feet below sea level. It ran into snow fields and freezing temperatures on the way up.

Towering cliffs kept them from traveling the extra 42 feet to the top yesterday. The old auto climbing record of 14,100 feet was set at Pike's Peak, Colo. Power winches hooked on cliffs pulled the jeep past some rough going. Putnam, widower of Flier Amelia Earhart, said much of the climb was a 40-degree grade. Navy Fighter Pair Lost After Crash SAN navy fighter pilots were lost at sea when their fighter planes collided in midair four miles west of La Jolla.

the eleventh naval district reported today. The pilots. Ensign Lyle Dean Maas, Sioux City, Iowa, and Mid- shiphian Donald Blake Oblad. "Lynwood, were attached to Squadron VF 111, off the Carrier Valley Forge, the navy said. They were, on routine training maneuvers yesterday afternoon when the accident occurred; the navy said.

Reds Shot Down Qne Superfort By ELTON C. FAY Associated Frets Military Alfairs Reporter At least 10 United States bombers were seized by the Russians during this country's war with Japan, including one' B-29 shot down by Soviet fighter planes. The air force disclosed this today and gave the detailed story of each incident in answer to a reporter's questions. Five of the planes were B-29s, which the Russian's later used as patterns for their own bombers now appearing in numbers over eastern Europe. The others included smaller air force bombers and two navy patrol planes.

the superfortress, shot down on a mission to drop food 'to American prisoners of war in taken over when fuel shortage or damage forced them to land in Russian-controlled territory. Crews Interned The planes and crews (except for shot-down B-28) were seized and interned while Russia was a neutral in tie pacific war. However, the attacked" iJ-28 was. downed by Red fighters 20 days after Moscow had declared war. against Tokyo.

Here is what U. S. A. F. flies show happened to that, plane: On August 29, B-29 No.

Z-28 of the Eight Hundred Eighty-second Bomb Squadron, Five Hundredth Bomb Group, took off from Saipan to drop supplies into a prison camp near Korea, where Americans were known to be held. Aboard was a crew Of 13. The Superfortress arrived in the general vicinity of the camp and circled to get its bearings. Two Russian Yak fighter planes appeared. At first the Red pilots waved friendly greetings to the B-29, motioning the Americans to follow them.

Runway Too Short The Americans, thinking the Russians were leading, them to the camp, followed. However, they came in over a small airfield where two other Xaks joined the Russian formation. One Yak lowered Continued on Page 2 Six Navy Jet Fliers to Race LONG navy jet pilots were on hand tuning up their FJ-1 planes today for the Bendii trophy dash to Cleveland. The only jet craft in the the not compete against the propeller driven entries, but will attempt to better the 507 m. p.

h. average set by an army F-SO pilot in the jet division last 3f. Jf. -f. -r Russians Seized five B-29s During War Pacific Coast Strike Begins year.

The Squadron skippered navy fliers, from Fighter 51 at San Diego, are by Commander Evan (Pete) Aurand. Washington, D. C. Oneiof the favored entries in the race, Joe De Bonn of Beverly Hills, had trouble with his plane, owned by Actor Jimmy Stewart, in a test flight yesterdny. The cooling system failed, but De the engine and glided down on Hughes Field, Culver City.

De Bona finished second to Paul Mantz in the 194T Bendir. WHERE BIG FOUR and reporters surround the car of Soviet -Jffirshal Vassily D. Sokolovsky as he arrives to attend the meeting of the Big Four military governors in Berlin. Topping the agenda is question of a unified currency for Berlin under four-power control as outlined by the Moscow plan. Progress Noted in Talks on Berlin Blockade, Trade Four Months of Negotiations Fail to Achieve Peace on Waterfront By United Press SAN 30,000 dock workers and seafarers shiit down shipping in Pacific Coast ports today as they began a crippling strike-they threatened might last three months.

BERLIN The Big Four military governors of Germany met for more than, an hour and a half today in a conference which was believed to have made major progress toward agreements which wouM 'f estflt lifting of the 75-day-old Soviet blockade of Berlin. The governors considered specific proposals on currency and transportation which had been worked -out' by four-power committees of experts. After they left the conference room in the Allied control authority building, the governors announced that another meeting will be held Friday in. the series of discussions seeking to implement agreements reached at Moscow. There was an excellent prospect that they would reach decisions permitting lifting the Soviet blockade of Berlin perhaps as early as Sunday, and suspension of the expensive, western Allied airlift to the German within 10 days.

General Lucius D. Clay, General Sir Brian Robertson and General Pierrft Koenlg, respectively the American, British and French military governors, met privately for 30 minutes before proceeding to the Allied control authority building for their talk with Marshal Vassily D. Sokolovsky, the Russian military governor. Reliable reports said the negotiating position of the three western governors was strengthened considerably by the Russian need for coal and steel from the Ruhr, cut off by the west's counter-blockade. Coal and steel shortages are ing to ruin the, Soviet two-year'plaa in the Russian zone.

May End Airlift Reliable reports said the huge. Berlin airlift may be grounded within 10. days if the Russians agree to Increase the number of trains above the quota of 18'a day. Western negotiators have insisted that additional trains are necessary to build up supplies needed to care for the 2,500,000 Germans in western sectors of Berlin. Coal for the coming winter is practically necessary.

The long-delayed walkout started officially at 10:14 a. m. after more than four months of negotiations failed to achieve maritime peace. The final' barrier to the marine tieup was removed when Federal Judge George Harris, in Seattle, dissolved an injunction which had blocked the strike action since June 15. Spearheaded by the powerful C.

O. longshoremen, five maritime unions began streaming from ships and docks shortly after mid- nigtht to attend stop-work meet- bfgs which prefaced the actual strike itself. The walkout tied 550 ships along 1800 miles of Pacific coast Governor Cuts Ribbon to Open State Fair (IIP) Earl Warren today cut the blue and gold ribbons stretched across the entrance of the State Fairgrounds to open officially the eighty-ninth State Fair. The governor, accompanied by his daughter, Dorothy, took part in the opening ceremonies, along with Fred H. Bixby, chairman of the fair directors, State Finance Director James S.

Dean and Mayor Belle Cooledge. Warren said he felt the fnir would be "bigger and better" than any past show. Officials have predicted an attendance during the 11-day program of more than 650,000 persons. The fair is the" first of three to stress the one hundredth anniversaries of significant events in the state's history. The events include the discovery of gold in 1848, the gold rush of 1849 and statehood in 1S50.

The opening day of the 11-doy fair has been designated Children's County Day and Riverside County Day. BASEBALL NATIONAL LEAGCE At R. H. E. NEW YORK 102 12 0 Pittsburch 000 000 6 1 and CooDcr: Chesnca and Kluitz.

GANG WAR FEARED IN CHICAGO SLAYING CHICAGO CUB James Barsella, notorious Chlcajro hoodlum, was found shot to death in his parked automobile today in what police said was the "most significant" Chicago gang slayhiff in recent years. Barsella was a prominent member of "the syndicate," which controls the city's rackets. Detectives feared his slaying might touch off a return of open gang warfare anticipated by Police Commissioner John C. Pendergast. Marks on Wrists Barsella, known to police as one of Chicago's toughest hoodlum's, was found slumped beneath the front seat of his brand new club coupe, a bullet hole in his right temple.

His nefk and wrists bore rope marks, indicating he had been bound by his assassins. I Chief of Detectives Walter Storms said "it looks like a plain case of hoodlum retaliation, but we don't know for." Barsella was one of the "three musketeers." His associates were Martin "the Ox" Ochs and Paul Labriola. All three had long police records. Trip to L. A.

Recently "they went to'Los Angeles In what police believed was an attempt to muscle in on Los Angeles rackets. Los Angeles police promptly returned them to Chicago by plane. Barsella, who was S3, w.as arrested recently when screams were heard emanating from the apartment occupied by his girl friend. Police believed he had been beating her. Recently police had been arresting Barsella, Ochs and Labriola on sight.

PARKER AND SI DWELL COMBINATION SET FOR DAVIS NET MEET NEW YORK (HE) Frankie Parker of Los Angeles was matched today against Billy Sidwell and Ted Schroeder of La Crescenta, was paired with Adrian Quist in the opening U. Australia Davis Cup singles matches scheduled today. The draw, made at Forest Hills by Australian Consul General C. V. Kellway, stilled reports that Billy Talbert might replace Schroeder as one of the U.

S. -singles players in the five-match series for the coveted cup. Parker meets Sidwell in the first match Saturday at 2 p. E. D.

and Schoeder faces Quist in the second match. Tbe lone doubles match will be played Sunday, and then the singles opponents will be reversed for the last two matches Monday. Parker meets Quist and Schroeder plays Sidwell. 2000-Foot Fall Fatal to Hiker body of Edward B. Stevens, 64, of San Bernar-j dino is in a funeral home here, andj his wife.

Myrtle, o3, is in a hospital suffering from shock as- the result of a 3 2000-foot fall Stevens took Wednesday. Stevens was hiking in the mountains in the Bass Lake area of Madera county with his wife and a man whose name officers did not know. He slipped acd plunged 170 feet down a mountainside, then 30 feet over a sheer precipice. His friend went to his rescue, but once down, he couldn't get up. Mrs.

Stevens walked three miles to get help. Officers brought Stevens and the other man up with the aid of ropes, and Stevens was pronounced dead on his arrival at the hospital. Huey Son Gets Seat in Senate NEW Long, 20-year-old son of the late Hucy I (Kingfish) Long, won a U. Senate seat today as backwoods voters flocked to support him In Tuesday's Democratic primary election. Late returns from the country parishes, where the Longs are considered near-saints, enabled Long to wipe out.the early lead of his opponent, Judge Robert F.

Kennon, and take a commanding lead in the race to fill the nnexpired term of the late Senator John H. Overton. Returns from 1734 of the state's 1883 precincts gave Long 242,291 rotes, to 236,936 for Kennonf In the contest for the other full- term Senate seat, incumbent Allen J. Ellender won an easy victory for re-nomination over Representative James Domengeaus and Charles Gerth. Ellender polled 204,318 votes, some 74,000 more than his two opponents put together.

Long will not reach the legal Senate age of 30 until November 30. FLASHES Lone Battle Wagon Vet Sails to Rest LOS ANGELES The single ocean. The battleship Iowa sails to retirement today in San Francisco's "mothball fleet," leaving the navy without a battleship on the Pacific veteran of virtually every Pacific campaifm of World War II is being inactivated to save money and manpower, the navy said. Officials said the Iowa's sister ship, Missouri, attached to the Atlantic fleet, is the only other battleship in service. STORY CALLED LIE (JPi President Truman today denounced as a "lie out of the whole cloth" any suggestion that be has protected any disloyal persons in govern-' ment.

CAREY TESTIFIES WASHINGTON James B. Carey testified today he believed President Albert J. Fttz- Gerald and other high officials of the C. I. O.

United Electrical Workers Union "sacrificed the interests of the U. E. to promote the foreign policy of the Soviet Union." His testimony was given before a House labor subcommittee, headed biy Representative Kersten (R-Wil) TIME UNCHANGED (CE) Ear! Warren today annouBted he had "reluctantly decided" against returning California to standard time on September 26. iPIflCE DEOP NOTED drop of one-half of one per cent in the national average of wholesale prices was reported today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Food and farm prices led the way down.

The decline was the first in more than a month, "during which the wholesale price level climbed to successive all-time record highs. STRIKE STUDIED The tfw New York track rfrfce "under Weretaiy duties G. Bra 4old reporters Mr. Truman "is aware" Of both sitnattonu, but that no action has been tifcea. As to whether any foreranent action is contemplated, Ron replied: "That, I cannot say." and eventually is expected to affect half a million 1 workers in other industries.

Umotred It was called after longshoremen, the C. I. O. marine cooks and the independent marine firemen failed to reach an agreement with employers on the hiring hall, wages, Sundays off and arbitration procedure. Negotiations with the marine radio operators were stalled by an, A.

F. I. O. jurisdictlonal dispute. Only the C.

I. O. marine engineers reached a settlement with shipowners, but were, bound to strike by the union's "one-for-all" policy. Harry Bridges, leader of some 12,000 longshoremen, said the unions were warming up their soup kitchens for a strike "that may last three months." C. I.

O. longshore leader Harry Bridges told 'thousands of cheering dock workers here that "no one should believe this is going to be a short or an easy fight." "It will be one of the toughest fights we've ever had," he shouted. "Only the, dead will be worked," Bridges said, referring to the war dead ships. "We offered to set up a committee to work perishables, but the em- pioyers wouldn't have any." Blasts Traded Both Bridges and the employers, represented by the Waterfront Employers Association and' the Pacific-American Shipowners Association, accused each other of "walking out" of eleventh hour' negotiations last night tiiat failed when Continued on Pag? 2 3000 Acres Redwoods Area Seared BIG by fresh wind gusts, the two-day forest fire near Big Basin Redwoods State Park advanced out of control today, swelling the total of burned- out timbefland to more than 3000 acres. Lester Gum, state forestry ranger for Santa Cruz county, reported that tha blaze, the worst in 12 years, had crosssfr Mill Creek and was moving unabated "south and the coast "Approximately 1000 more acres have burned since last sight," Gum said.

Forest Dry More than 500 fire fighters from Santa Cms and all surrounding counties were finding it heavy goins in the almost-inaccessible terrain, which has no roads and is thick with redwoods, pine and shrub oak. Recent high temperatures in the area have left the forests tinder dry. Fire fighters were operating out of two main camps at Big Basin and Carpenter's Mill near the coast. The fire has carved a path from Pine Mountain, where it started Tuesday night, toward the Pacific between Waddell and Scott creeks. The forestry service said that Big Basin -Park itself was untouched, but that only heroic work in the early stages of the fire and a shift of the wind halted it In that direction.

One Injured One fire fighter, Frank Bush, of Santa Cruz, was injured Wednesday. He was brought in with a ankle. The fire is the largest in the county-since 1936. An estimated 2000 summer campers have been removed from Big Basin Park since the blaze started, and Park Warden Cal W. Lively said the area would be closed until the fire was completely under control.

Bay City Policeman Accused in Death SAN FRANCISCO (OB John E. Gleeson, member of the police department for 20 years, was charged today with suspicion of manslaughter and suspended from the force. Gleeson was held In connection with the death of a brain hemorrhage of Boyd H. Doster, 27, after a barroom argument August 16. Homicide Inspectors George Murray and Ralph McDonald questioned Bar Owner Tom Zucchelli.

Rail Embargo Put on N. Y. as Truck Strike Continues NEW New York's intricate economic lifelines were snarled today by a walkout of 9400 A. F. L.

track to spread to trackers in the area. The walkout, began at midnight Tuesday, crippled much of the city's widespread trucking operations. To prevent piling up of merchandise in rail yards, an embargo on -aB railroad freight headed for the metropolitan area. Some Finns Close Most retail outlets still had adequate stocks But effects' of thinning supply lines already were felt by many stores. A few firms, cut off from deliveries, closed.

Mayor WDliam O1)wyer expects no quick, settlement of the dispute. He said, however, that the striking teamsters had agreed to transport food, perishable items, drugs and medical supplies without interruption. Truck traffic using 'Interstate bridges and tunnels leading to the city was far below normal. Trucking along the busy waterfront were cot in half. Shortage of Containers The city's food supply was not endangered immediately, although a possible shortage of cardboard containers loomed as a threat to milk distribution.

About 60 per cent of the fluid milk sold here is packaged in such containers. Deliveries of fresh fruit and produce continued at near-normal rate from piers to stores. Meanwhile, city, state and federal mediators met with union representatives in an effort to settle the dispute, thus far confined to Local 807 of the A. F. L.

International Brotherhood of Teamsters..