Freeport Journal-Standard from Freeport, Illinois • Page 1

Weather Partly cloudy tonight find much cooler tonight and continued cool Sunday. 98th FREEPORT JOURNAL.STANDARD Temperature T.ocal temperature at 7 a. 42. (Journal-Standard RMdino Sunrise, sunset, 6:13. MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS AND UNITED PRESS.

N. E. A. SERVICE FREEPORT, ILLINOIS, SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 1946 MEMBER AtlDTT ntJREAD Of CIRCULATION Price Four Cents Greek General Election May Be Cancelled BY ROBERT MEYER United Press Staff Correspondent Athens, March last- minute legal development today threatened cancellation of tomorrow's Greek general election, the first In 10 years, while left-wing parties shouted pledges to boycott the voting. Greek troops stood by to halt further violence In the tense and confused situation.

If the election actually Is held, only right-wing parties will vote. Left-wing parties have plastered Athens with leaflets proclaiming that "the answer to the traitors of democracy and. Independence must be abstention." Electoral Court Annulled Early today an official announcement said that the "electoral court," which under the constitution must sanction the result of the election; had been annulled by the state council. This council has legal power to annul laws. Unless the government of Premier Themlstocles Sophoulls can rush through new legislation today, It will be Impossible to hold the election legally on Sunday.

There was no immediate explanation of the state council's action. Excited rumors spread that the action favored the extreme rightist organization which has been unable to name candidates throughout the country. Parties affiliated, with E.A.M., the left-wing political group, carried their campaign against the election into the streets of Athena last night. Shouting and singing crowds halted streetcars and plastered them with abstentlonlst posters. Urge Abstention Handbills urging abstention floated down from rooftops.

They said, "when people were dying of hunger and were being executed by occupation forces and Quislings, what were the men who are asking for your vote doing? The people who defeated the occupation forces by abstention will win the battle for democracy and Independence with abstention." Royalist groups, urged on by their newspapers, tore abstentionlst posters off the walls. Bight-wing parties, Including the Royalists, made a series of final campaign speeches throughout the country. Sophoulis was pledged to. conduct the election, If legally possible, despite the efforts of leftist parties to observers was on hand to witness boycott It. An Allied mission: of the elections and testify to their governments just how fair they the voting.

Parties to participate in the balloting Included the Populist party, which favors the monarchy, the National Political union, a coalition of three conservative parties favoring republican government and So- phoulis' Liberal party. Navy Teams Up With Army In Asking Draft Act Extension Washington, March navy teamed up with the army Friday to asking congress to extend the draft act beyond May 15. Vice Adm. Louis E. Denfeld, navy personnel chief, told the senate military committee that the navy Is getting plenty of volunteers but said they are joining to avoid being Inducted Into the army.

The admiral said the navy had 449,000 regulars signed up as of April 1 but that it needed 96,000 more, or about 20,000 monthly in order to reach a planned strength of 550,000 regulars by September 1. Denfeld also told of plans for training 14,000 naval reserve officer candidates in 52 colleges and universities and said the navy now Is considering plans to establish similar units In states lacking them. They would have equality with Annapolis graduates, he added. Opposition testimony came from H. C.

Holdridge, who identified him- solf as a retired brigadier general and West Point graduate. He said the draft extension is a "broad program of militarization of the United States." General Gets His High School Diploma Maj. Gen. William E. Kcpncr, right, receives Ills high school diploma from Kokomo, superintendent of schools, C.

V. Ilaworlli, after making: Ms own commencement address. Kepncr left the school as a sophomore 41 years ago, joined the marines and later transferred to the army. During; the lattcrs days of the European war he headed the 8th air force. Now he is deputy commander for air of the Bikini atom bomb Telcphoto.

Criticizes Aids Statements On Iran Situation Tehran, March 29 Mozaffar Firouz, Iranian government spokesman, tonight officially criticized Ambassador Hussein Ala's statements on the Iran situation to the U.N.O. security council on the ground that they were "exaggerated due to patriot- Ism." Firouz said that Ala "Is driven by patriotism and often driven by sen- iiment." "For this reason, If certain of his statements are exaggerated it should due to sentimentality, which sometimes gets control of him," Firouz added. The prince is the officially spokesman for Premier Ahmad Qavam. (The dispatch was filed from Tehran at 8 p. Tehran time Friday, noon E.S.T.).

Therefore, Firouz ap- Deared to be commenting on Ala's statement made to the security council on Wednesday, and not on its statement before the council on Friday. (In his Wednesday statement Ala stated that he knew of no agreement or understanding between Russia and Iran concerning withdrawal of Soviet troops. He disclosed a list of demands he said were made on Qavam by Russia, including maintenance of some Red army troops In Iran, recognition of Azerbaijan government and formation of a joint Soviet-Iranian oil company in which Russia would lold 51 per cent of the stock.) Firouz said that Ala, in bringing the Iranian case before the security council, "acted In compliance with what was agreed upon in London." Redeployment Schedule By the Associated Press More than 4,500 service personnel are due to arrive today at two east coast ports aboard four vessels, while 3,164 more troops are expected at two west coast ports aboard five ships. In addition three ships with 1,248 British war brides and children are icheduled to arrive at New York, East coast arrivals: New York, hree vessels, Norfolk, one transport, seven. West coast arrivals: Seattle, one ship, San Francisco, four vessels, 519.

Examine Arguments For Holding Japanese Elections April 10 BY GRAHAM HOVEY Washington, March 30. Members of the far eastern commission met in closed session today to examine Gen. Douglas MacArthur's arguments for holding Japanese national elections April 10. Some delegates to the 11-nation policy-making commission have registered opposition to Japanese elections at this time, but how far they would get under existing rules was speculative. The Japanese cabinet fixed the election date with MacArthur's approval.

Presumably, the supreme commander had the backing of the United States government in the matter. If this government still is convinced the Japanese balloting should proceed on schedule, it can use its veto power to prevent the commission from issuing any different instruction to MacArthur. An unusual alliance within the wa.s expected to press lor Do.stponement of the elections. Russia's Nikolai V. Novikov was regarded by informed diplomats as certain to be in this group.

80 the New Zealand and Australian delegates. New Zealand Minister Carl A. Berendsen spoke out bluntly for postponement while addressing the National Press club on the work of the far eastern commission several weeks ago. Those who oppose elections now say the bulk of the Japanese people, whom democratic practices are foreign, are not yet ready to exercise the voting privilege. An election held now, they say, Inevitably would be won by the well-organized groups which controlled Japane before and during the war.

Some commission members also oppose the projected new constitution for Japan, which MacArthur has approved. These delegates believe MacArthur could have emphasized more strongly that in endorsing the constitution he was speaking only for himself, not all the Allied powers. The information that the far eastern commission had asked Mac- ing elections April 10 was disclosed yesterday by diplomatic officials familiar with the work of the commission. Minimum Wage Bill Heads For Presidential Veto BY ALLEN DRURY United Press Staff Correspondent Washington, March administration's minimum wage bill headed for a presidential veto today because an angry senate 1 farm bloc added a rider that would result In an across-the-board increase in farm prices. The house was expected to agree with the senate on the move to boost farm prices regardless of what happens 65-cent floor which the administration had hoped to put under Industrial wages.

The senate vote on the rider was 43 to 31. The farm bloc coalition, including 24 Democrats and 19 Republicans, took its action in the face of a direct warning by President Truman that he would be compelled to veto the minimum wage bill if the farm price amendment were added. Violent Wave Of Protest The warning was delivered to the senate by Democratic Leader Alben W. Barkley, touching off a violent wave of protest. Sen.

Richard B. Russell, co-author of the rider, said the warning amounted to "coercion and intimidation." He said Mr. Truman had no right to use the veto threat. "Representative government Is on trial in this senate this afternoon," Russell said. "If this nation is to be preserved, the congress of the United States must maintain its Integrity and Independence." His words almost echoed a warning which Barkley himself delivered two years ago when, In one of the most dramatic episodes of the Roosevelt administration, he resigned as majority leader in protest of Mr.

Roosevelt's language in vetoing a tax bill. Defends President Barkley defended Mr. Truman yesterday, however. He denied Russell's impassioned charge that the president had been influenced in his veto warning by the C.I.O. or Its Political Action committee.

"I cannot let that go unchallenged," he said. "It is getting to be a habit that whenever the president takes a position, he is accused of being dominated by the C.I.O.' Barkley said he "honored" the president for his "honesty and fairness" In advising the senate of his intentions. And he denied that the action was without precedent, pointing out that many chief executives had done the same thing. After the storm had lulled, the senate voted. Twenty-one Democrats, nine Republicans and one Progressive voted against the amendment.

The 24 Democrats and 19 Republicans lined up against the president. Actually, the exact effect of the amendment was uncertain. Supporters maintained it would have no appreciable efect on food costs even though it would require a boost in parity prices to reflect the cost of farm labor. The agriculture department said that the farm parity index was at the highest level in a quarter of a century. It said the index on March 15 stood at 215 per cent of the 1910-1914 average and was 19 points above the March, 1945, level.

Mid-March crop prices, it added, averaged nearly three times as high as in August, last prewar month. RUNAWAY UOY TAKEN INTO CUSTODY Charles J. Sedlacek, 14, of 2542 North Newcastle Chicago, was taken into custody by police when found on a downtown street Denies Germany Knew In Ad vance Of ear Harb Arthur to state his reasons for hold- i ate lasl night His familv when notified, informed the authorities they would send money for transportation for the lad, who had run from home. Replies May Obviate Further U.N.O. Action BY CIIAKLKS A.

GIllhMICtl New York, March possibility arose today that replies by Prime Minister Stalin and Premier Ahmed Qnvam to security council inquiries about the situation in Iran might obviate further United States action in the Russlnn- Iranian dispute. The council yesterday adopted the direct method of asking Stalin and Qavam for reports on the status of negotiations between their countries and for information whether Russia is exacting concessions for pulling Red army troops out of oil-rich Iran. During the discussions, Secretary of State James P. Byrnes suggested that tlie and when they show that the two countries needed no further assistance in settling their dispute. Set April 3 Deadline Messages to Stalin and fixing 10 C.S.T., Wednesday, April 3, as the deadline for receipt of the replies in New sent by the council secretariat last night to Ambassadors Andrei Gromyko of the Soviet Union and Hussein Ala of Iran, for relay to their home "If the council could obtain more adequate and exact information regarding the status of negotiations between the Soviet government and the Iranian government, the council might be able to satisfy Itself that the assurances of the Soviet government as to the prompt withdrawal of troops from Iran are In fact for all practical purposes unconditional," Byrnes told the council "In that event, there might be no need for the council to go Into the substantive Issues," he added, "provided It reserved the right to both parties to have the case immediately tnken up by the council should there be any developments which threatened to retard the withdrawal of troops." Goes Over Delegates Heads The council thus went over the heads of Delegate Gromyko, who has absented himself from all ses- sions'since losing his fight to stand off consideration of Iran's complaints until April 10, and Hussein Ala, who stoutly disputes Gromyko's contentions that an understanding has been reached between Russia and Iran.

With Russia absent, the ten remaining members unanimously agreed to ask Stalin and Qavam for a true picture of the situation after Byrnes proposed that Secretary- General Trygve Lie communicate with the Soviet and Iranian leaders through Gromyko and Hussein Ala. Byrnes also requested that Stalin and Qavam report to the council "whether or not the reported withdrawal of (Russian) troops Is conditional upon the conclusion of agreements between the two governments on other subjects!" Approve Housing Project To Build 200 Family Homes Near Elgin Springfield, 111., March A $1,500,000 housing project to build 200 family homes near Elgin, 111., today was approved by the state department of insurance. It was the first such project approved since the 64th general assembly amended the state insurance code to permit Illinois insurance companies to make Investments in housing construction. The Continental Assurance company of Chicago will sponsor the program, the governor's office announced, and will build the homes on a 130-acre site adjoining the city of Elgin. The company submitted Its proposal to the state for approval 10 days ago, Nellis Parkinson, state insurance director said.

It followed an exchange of betters between Gov. Dwight H. Green and Roy Tuchbreiter, Continental president, in which the governor urged such action. The insurance company reported it had obtained an option on the land, and had arranged a tentative contract for the construction of the homes. No date was named for actual start of construction.

James J. Barbour, 76, Former Republican State Senator, Dies Evanston, 111., March Former Republican State Senator James Joseph Barbour, 76, died yes- terday of heart disease. Famed as a prosecutor, Barbour was named, Jji 1923, assistant to Attorney General Edward Brundage to aid in vice and murder prosecutions at Rock Island where he obtained several convictions. He represented the sixth district as senator from 1916 to 1936 and as representative from 1940 to 1943. Hunger In Hamburg An old woman resident of Hamburg, Germany, oblivious to everything 1 except her quest for food, peers Intently into a garbage can during her search in the city where the food situation In nouto, M.

Gen. Lucius D. Clay, deputy military governor of American zone, announced In Berlin Hint food rations (or Germans would be cut 20 per cent as of April 1. Wircphoto. Tlioto by Associated Press staff photographer, B.

-AP May Ask Lewis To Keep His Miners On Job By the Associated Press Secretary of Labor Schwellenbach may ask John L. Lewis to keep his miners on the job, a federal official reported as employes of a Virginia electric utility were being drafted for the state militia as a means of keeping them at work. Lewis, head of the A.F.L. United Mine Workers, will be asked to cancel a walkout set for midnight tomorrow, said the anonymous official. Schwellenbach himself had told reporters he couldn't say In advance what ho would do to forestall the threatened strike of 400,000 soft coal miners.

Draft Power Workers Employes of the Virginia Electric and Power Co. wore being drafted at Gov. William M. Tuck's orders to prevent a walkout also scheduled tor tomorrow midnight. The stale adjutant's office reported no difficulty )n serving tho draft papers, despite attacks on the governor's action by labor leaders, including A.

F. L. President William Green, who called It "involuntary servitude." A federal conciliator arranged a meeting between representatives of the company and the A.F.L. Electri- Canadian Spy Probe May Lead To New Arrests KY HAItRY T. MONTGOMERY Ottawa, March arrests predicted today In tho Canadian espionage investigation, as a two-man royal commission completed 1U questioning of a group of government employes taken into custody six weeks ago and accused of supplying secret Information to RUKSltl.

Charges of conspiracy nnd violation of the official secrets act were filed yesterday against five persons, bringing to 13 the total of persons examined by the commission and charged In the'courlB. A 14th, Prod Rose, Cornmunlfit member of parliament, was committed for trial without having been examined by the commission, Tho commlHKlonei'H, In their third Interim report, said "there remain a number of wltiu'imes yet to be heard," but that most of thp.se were persons who.se names had been mentioned previously during the six wcekK of interrogations. Sources elo.se to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police wild the Inquiry had uncovered Information which would lead to additional arrests. It wa.s also suggested that some; other persons might already be in custody. Rockford Student Nurse Take New Action 10 cal Workers union to discuss arbltra- DlGS After Being tlon of the dispute.

Retroactlvlty of a cents hourly pay raise is at Issue, with holiday pay and sick leave questions also involved. Harvester To Reopen Meanwhile following conferences with Schwellenbach and Secretary af Agriculture Anderson, the International Harvester Co. announced It would reopen negotiations with representatives of Us 30,000 striking C.I.O. employes. The two cabinet officers have expressed concern over the strike's relationship to food needs.

Schwellenbach also was concerned about the jurl.sdlctional dispute which has shut down the California plants producing one-third of the Trapped By Elevator Chicago, March between thn cage and when un elevator as she a 17-year-old Rockford, 111., student nurse was cleuri today despite gnl- lant efforts of police; and llro.nifn to extricate her. The girl, Gloria Diignola, was pinned for 45 mlnuU'n between the front of the cage and the edge of the shaft, across her legs and hips. She died liust night a few hours after tho accident, which occurred In Mercy hospital. Fireman Pat Kennally said talked with him during the course of the rescue. Grain Shipments BY LAURENCE GONDER United Press Staff Correspondent Washington, March government took new and drastic action today to Increase shipments of grain to hunger areas of tho world and assure a fair distribution at homo.

The agriculture department, effective Monday, put new restrictions on the purchase und use of grain feeds and ordered a 15 to 20 per cent cut In the use of corn for manufactured foods. Tho order affects grits, common! and breakfast cereals but not canned corn. It also limits the use of grain, gram products and grain by-products in mixed feeds to DO per cent of last year's consumption. Previously only the use of wheat had been restricted, Limit Grain For Feed Under the order, farmers cannot purchase grain to feed hogs weighing more than 225 pounds or cattle lor marketing to gnulcH better than Grade A. Poultry farmers may not buy grain for fowl beyond 80 per cent of their last, year's total production.

Meanwhile, department officials wore considering still more measures to assure a steady flow of wheat abroad. Under the plan, r.ald to be 'merely awaiting Secretary Anderson's signature," the government would issue non-interest bearing certificates to farmers who bring their wheat to market now. I'rnlectrd Against Losses Fanners would bn allowed to crush those certificates any time before March of next your, either at Ki-c TAKK on I'age 8 nation's canned fruits and vegeta-1 Shu KiM lhal tho )ili was ler WCB. A new proposal for settling the' rlble 1I I lil 1lly Il was dispute between the A.F.L. and C.I.O.

Is being considered by the vrtyjiotvti't uy IIJU i U. S. conciliation service, Schwel-' that she would be deformed for life. She was a very brave little or Ribbentrop Says Plan Was To Keep U.S. Out BY RICHARD KASISCHKR Nuernberg, March 30.

Joachim von Ribbentrop denied emphatically before the international military tribunal today that Germany had advance Information on the Japanese attack on Pearl harbor and declared: "It was something we never wanted," Ho testified that the primary aim of tiio trl-partltc pact signed by Germany, Italy find Japan was "above nil to keep the United States out of the war and thereby Isolate England." "We tried repeatedly to get Japan to attack the British empire at Hong Kong and Singapore and nttnck Russia," the former German foreign minister asserted. Did Tim Unexpected "But Japan did neither of these things, but a third which wo had never considered or wanted," "Again and again," von Ribben- tVcip continued, "1 tried by diplomatic means to keep America out. We always considered the tripartite pact a defensive one, with the primary aim of keeping the United States non-belligerent. When Japan's attack on Pearl harbor came, It was a surprise even to tholr Ambassador Oshlma In Berlin." Tho ex-foreign minister gave the tribunal hla version of the history of World War allegation that all Europe even little Belgium and Luxembourg, was plotting against Germany. Therefore, he said, Hitler "decided he had to strike first," Invasion Unavoidable Von Ribbentrop spoke of the Invasion of Belgium and the Netherlands, had a night over these violations of neutrality." But he contended they were unavoidable.

"In tho winter of 1040-41," he continued, "Hitler faced this situation: England was not yet ready to make peace. We could not be sure of Japan, despite the tri-partlte pact. Italy had showed herself to bo a weak sister. The United States wan becoming more hostile to Germany, though wo were trying to keep her 6nt of the war. Russia, despite our non-aggression pact, had ahown nn attitude giving us great misgivings.

Hitler figured he might some day have to face Britain and America on one side and Russia on the other moving against Germany. All these reasons made Hitler decide on a preventive war against Russia," State Highway Division Issues Information To Motorists On Detours Springfield, March Tina state highway division today Issued week-end motorists' information on rond dctaurn. Tho department said that U. S. 34, III.

47 to 111. 23 was closed for reconstruction and new bridges, and traffic was directed through Aurora via 111. 05. 111. 31, U.

S. 30, and 111. 23, adding nine miles. Local traffic wits directed over new pavement 111. 47 to Piano, ami old pavement with temporary bridge between Piano and Sandwich.

A bridge was out on U. S. 67 between Rock Island and Milan, and the detour was via U. S. 150, 111.

2 and 111. 02, lidding 8.3 miles. Another bridge near Savanna, on 111. 80 was out, and a gravel detour added 3.4 inllc.s. The Mississippi river bridge at Chester was closed on 111.

150, and the division rcporlt'd thnt tho ferry there operated during the daytime only. Rockets To Soar 60 Miles Above Earth To Obtain Weather Data FRANK CAUKY Associated Press Reporter Louis, March weighing 2,500 pounds, costing $20,000 apiece, with an over-all measurement of 24 feet and having lenbach said. The number of idle In labor trou- Clipper Completes First MRS across the country continued at rr around 460,000. St. navy plans to rocketi messengers (JO miles above the earth navy's rockets will be larger and lo obtain mysterious air samples'have a higher altitude potential hold that may hold thn key to better weather forecasting mid radio oom- a maximum altitude of 325,000 feet.

According to tl.is description, the thrill that involved in the Pasadena munlcaUoiiH, it was disclosed ionosphere rocket FOR ART'S XAKK Chicago. March octogenarian who enterec. the Chicago art institute through a window and stayed 54 years said today Chicago culture had changed somewhat since 1892. "People don't spit on the floor like they ascd to," said Martin Tlion, 82. He arrived at the institute with a wagon load of statuary too big for the door.

He stayed and became assistant superintendent of the building. Asked alxiut his internst in art, he replied: "I'm more Interested in keeping the place clean." Lieut. Cmdr. Daniel F. Rex of the navy's office of research and inventions this reporter miles.

iCommerciol Flight Over Great Circle Route Han Francisco, March A Pali American Work! Airways clipper landed at Seattle, at i 2:11 a.m. today to complete strume'rite away beyond the strato- sphere and conceivably enable collection of data hitherto elusive to science. Development announcement. Tin: army said its weighed 1,000 was 16 feet long, and had, i soared to 230,000 feet, a distance of the navy hopes to begin launching in tho lall with rockets that will carry meteorological in- the first commercial airplane flight ever flown between the orient und the United over the great circle route. The plane wa.s to take off shortly for San Francisco and was due here about 6 a.

m. (P.S.T.), Pan American said. The big Constellation transport plane completed the 4.789 mile fliyht from Tokyo in 23 houri, 10 minutes, including a stopover at rocket by the of an ionosphere Caliioniia Institute Adak, Alaska, Pan American flclala announced here. of- of Technology at Pasadena, was announced March 21 by the army ordnance department, which said the rocket had been turned over to the signal corps. Rex added that a contract now being negotiated with the Aerojet corporation of California for procurement of 15 rockets, each Here to address the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Rex declared the rockets could carry a 150-pound load of instruments to a height of 60 miles.

He said the navy planned to begin launching them from the desert at White Saudi, New Mexico. That's the same to bo used this summer by the army tor launching reassembled Gonnan V-2 missiles. Rex said the navy's program differed from the army's in that "the army Is largely interested in operational cliarai-iei btiui ol the rocket, whereas in our program the rocket will be a tool to obtain data on the upper atmosphere.".