Mt. Vernon Register-News from Mt Vernon, Illinois • Page 1

44; low 19. 32; low 15. Last night's above zero. Today Tuesday Sunrise Sunset 4:53. MI VERNON REGISTER-NEWS MEMBER AUDIT BUREAU OF CIRCULATION SQUARE DEAL TO ALL SPECIAL FAVORS TO NONE A NON-PARTISAN NEWSPAPER WEATHER PARTLY cloudy tonight.

Tuesday mostly cloudy with scattered light snow. Not auite so cold tonight and Tuesday Low tonight 10-15. High Tuesday mid 20s. Low Tuesday night near 10. VOLUME XXXVII NO.

89. MOUNT VERNON, ILLINOIS MONDAY, JANUARY, 14, 1957 25c PER WEEK BY CARRIER REWRITE STATE EISENHOWER I ON DROUGHT AREA TOUR Sees Damage From Lack of Rain and Wind Ero tion; Hears Plea for Farm Loans. EISENHOWER SEES DROUGHT DAMAGE By MARVIN L. ARKOWSMITH SAN ANGELO, Tex. (ffS-Presi- dent Eisenhower started his motor tour of nearby drought arched farm and ranch lands to- ay D.

W. Williams, vice-chancellor for agriculture of the Texas A college system and acting A president, and Tom Green county agent Ed Hyman rode with the President on the swing through 32.6 miles of typical drought-hit range and farm land southeast of here. Williams and Hyman were to describe to the President features of the drought-stricken area. Before starting on his tour, the President attended a closed-door breakfast with farmers, ranchers, businessmen, bankers and local and state officials. Neither the President or any members of his party spoke at the breakfast.

After the tour the President flies to Woodward, and then to Clovis, N.M., for inspection of drought regions there. He will spend the night at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base at Tucson, hold another breakfast parley there tomorrow morning, then in two more states. The Tuesday schedule calls Btops at Pueblo, Garden City, and Wichita, Kan. At Wichita, before heading back to Washington, Eisenhower will meet late in the afternoon with repre sentatlves from all the Great Plains states plagued by lack of rain and devastating wind erosion At that conference the Presi- dn plans to speak briefly, probably to outline his views regard' ing possible new relief measures, the recommendations of people from the region. Greeted By 10,000 Eisenhower arrived in San An gelo Sunday night after a six-hour flight from the nation's capital Returning to his native Texas, he flashed a broad smile at Good' fellow Air Force Base as a crowd estimated at up to 10,000 persons gave him a rousing cheer.

The President was accompan led by two Cabinet officers, Sec retary of Agriculture Benson and Secretary of the Interior Seaton, and a staff of technical experts on the drought and relief measures In advance of his arrival, the regional office of the Federal Small Business Administration 1 IN RACE FOR MT. V. OFFICES THREE FOR MAYOR 7 FOR COUNCILMAN Bailey, Dull And Myers Seek Nomination For Mt. Vernon Mayor In February 26'Primary As Filing Deadline Is Reached. Two Candidates Try For Clerk, Treasurer, Police Megistrate.

FIFTY FLEE ALASKA BLAZE, 51-BEL0W-ZER0 Smoke Fills Nine-Story Apartment In Fairbanks; One Dead, 14 Hurt. (Continued on page two) Mt. V. Area Site For Prison Gets Inspection Today UNDER to to HI to MEASURED IN PERCENTAGE OF NORMAL PASTURE FEED SUPPLY DULLES SEES EAST VS. WEST IK MIDEAST Stakes Too Great for U.

S. To Be Just An Observer. IKE TAKES REINS IN DROUGHT outlines the nation's worst-in-history drought picture, which brings President ElsenhoNver to its heartland on a two-day aerial inspection tour. Ike's task: to unify the farmers and ranchers, the businessmen, the various local, state and national programs in one concerted effort to solve the manifold problems which have risen with the clouds of dust from arid lands. Leaving Washington January 13, he's tentatively scheduled to touch down at San Angelo, West Woodward, Clovis, N.M., Tucson, Pueblo, and Garden City, Kan.

before winding up with a drought meeting in Wichita on January 15. Data on drought areas is from Agricultural Marketing Service. An inspection team visiting suggested sites for a proposed new federal prison moved into the Mount Vernon Centralia-Salem area today after spending Sunday at Crab Orchard Lake near Marion. Myrl E. Alexander, assistant di rector of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, said the team would study a proposed site east of the Intersection of State Routes 161 and 37.

The site is about equidis tant between Mount Vernon, Cen tralia and Salem. Alexander heads a three-man team which began its inspections Saturday at Lawrenceville. The team's remaining itinery includes stops at Vandalia, Litchfield, Tay- ilorville, Sullivan and Effingham. said he was "in hopes completing the screening opera- on by this weekend." Alexander said three other (teams also are inspecting sug- tested sites In Missouri, Tennessee and Kentucky this week. Congress last year authorized selection of a site for a maximum iecurlty institution for 600 crim- nals of the type now imprisoned it Alcatraz.

The Bureau of Prisms has said it wants to locate the 0 million dollar institution in Centucky, northwestern Tennessee ir eastern Missouri. Alexander said his team spent lunday visiting the Crab Orchard area, site of a federal wild- ife refuge. He said the tour concentrated on lands along the east shore of the 7,000 acre lake. Tie team also visited Southern Uinois University in Carbondale, Alexander said. In answer to a question, Alex- inder said that area's surplus mployment situation would be a 'very important factor" in the overnment's final decision on lo- ating the prison.

"All other things being equal it 5 the policy of the government to ut its activities in such areas yhere they will be of maximum lenefit to local economy," Alex inder said. Alexander said there would be fublic hearings scheduled in areas Ihosen from the more than 100 fits gill subject to evaluation FAIRBANKS, Alaska 50 persons escaped by leaping into nets or climbing down shaky ladders in 15-below-zero weather Sunday as a midday fire sent clouds of acrid smoke swirling through the city's largest apart ment building. One man died and 14 others were injured, including two women whose spines were fractured as they leaped into fire nets. The others were overcome by smoke or suffered cuts. More than 300 persons were believed in the new nine-story Northward Building.

Although the fire was confined to the basement, heavy clouds of smoke swept up elevator shafts and stairwells to fill the halls and seep into apartments. Stanley A. Davis, apartment manager, said, "nobody who stuck to their rooms was in danger." The building, largest in Fairbanks is fireproof, he said. The only known death came to a man who sought to escape by climbing to the building roof, only to find the door locked against him. He died on the stairway, Firemen identified him as William Stebbins, owner of a bar and a prominent West Coast restaurant owner.

One woman tossed her heavily- bundled 6-month-old baby seven floors to a net below and then jumped after her. Both escaped serious injury. The 220-apartment Northward has population of about 700, but nearly half of the tenants had left the building to attend church or go to work. Fire Chief E. B.

Woodcox said damage to the building would amount to $10,000 or $15,000. 18 Below Zero At Canton, I CHICAGO UP) Sub zero cold gripped Illinois today, bringing some cities their lowest readings in several years. Bradford in the central part of the state was the coldest spot with -22. Canton had -18. the low west reading here in 20 years.

Other lows included Decatur -12, Moline -16, Quincy -13, Peoria -12 Rockford -11, Springfield -10, Van dalia -3 and Belleville 3 above. Chicago's -7 was the lowest since February 1955. Partly cloudy and not quite so cold was in prospect for tonight. Cloudy and cold was the weather menu for Tuesday with snow likel in the south. High Tuesday was expected to range from 15 in the north to the upper 20s in the south.

MT. Y. COLLEGE 2ND SEMESTER OPENS JAN. 21 Registration Jan. 17 and 18 Two New Courses Are Added.

Heart Attack Fatal To C. Wayland Brooks BABY BORN AS DAD DIES PARIS Wl Henri Moreaux, 47, a laborer, slipped while working on a roof today and plunged 45 feet to his death. At almost the same moment his wife gave birth to their 18th child in a Montmartre clinic. Honor Heifner; Bakery Is 6th Oldest In State Marion Heifner, manager of Hawkins Bakery, was one of six Illinois bakery officials honored Sunday as "Old Timers" at a meeting of the Illinois Bakers Association in Decatur. Mr.

Heifner has been active In the operation and management of the Hawkins firm for 49 years. Hawkins Bakery has been in operation 63 years and is the sixth oldest bakery in the state. Stritch Urges Let Italians In PARIS UP) Voters on Paris' Stritch of Chicago says America should relax immigration quotas to allow entry of a reasonable number of Italians. Increased immigration is necessary, the Roman Catholic arch bishop said Sunday lo absorb part of a surplus of Italian abor. HP spoke at a dinner in his honor, sponsored by the Italian- American community of Chicago, Earlier, Cardinal Stritc hwas presented Italy's highest award the Grand Cross of Merit of the Republic by Dr.

Manilo Brosio, the Italian ambassador to the lUnited States. Star Hollywood Actor Humphrey Bogart Dies By JAMES BACONN HOLLYWOOD UP) Humphrey Bogart, one of the movies' greatest atlents and certainly its most non-conforming non conformist, died today of cancer of the esophagus. He was 56. As late as Saturday night, Bogie, talking optimistically with friends, gave no sign the end was so near. But Sunday morning he sank into a coma from which he never revived.

The end came at 2:10 a.m. with one final deep sigh. At his bedside was his wife, actress Lauren Bacall. Asleep nearby in the sprawling Holmby Hills manse were the two Bogart children, Stephen, 8, and Leslie, 4. Thus cancer killed off the Academy Award winning star.

His physician said it was a spread of the original malignancy that brought on death. Unlike most victims of cancer in the throat area, Bogart's voice was not affected. Until the final coma, it was the same old Bogart bark that used to make the toughest screen hoodlums drop the gun. Bogart, though dying, had been comfortable in his last days. A recent operation had removed some scar tissue on a nerve and given him much relief.

Funeral arrangements, still Second semester classes at the Mt. Vernon Community College will start January 21. The afternoons of January 17 and 18 will be set aside for the purpose of registration. No new registrations will be accepted after January 25. Two new courses, American Public Education and Art Appreciation, have been added to the offerings of the college.

The other couses offered will be either duplications or con tinuations of first semester subjects. These include general chembtry, inorganic chemistry, music theory, music history, animal zoology, hygiene, composi tion and rhetoric, college alge' bra, plane trigonometry, analy tic geometry, descriptive geo metry, economic geometry, his tory of western civilization, accounting procedures, intermedi ate shorthand, intermediate Spanish, intermediate French intermediate typing. Of these only composition and rhetoric, economic geography, descriptive geometry, college al gebra, and history of western civilization can be entered without having had the previous semester's work either at Mt Vernon or at some other college Night Courses Registration for night courses will be held at the first meet ings of night classes, beginning Monday, January 21. Below are listed the classes which will be offered, the times set at which they meet and course: Plane trigonometry, 7:00 to 9:00, Monday, 2. Composition and rhetoric, 7:00 to 10:00, Tuesday, 3.

Intermediate Spanish, 7:00 to 9:00, Monday-Thursday, 4. Intermediate Accounting, 5:30 to 7:00, Tuesday-Thursday, 3. Intermediate Shorthand, 5:30 to 7:00, Tuesday-Thursday, 3. Intermediate Art, 7:00 to 10:00, Tuesday-Thursday, 3. 4 Young People Hurt In Accident Near Mt.

Vernon WASHINGTON of State Dulles said today the Middle East may present "the decisive test in the struggle between com munism and freedom." And, he said, Communist lead ers "will take very risk they dare to take" to win. I do not say that this is the last test, although it could well be the decisive test," Dulles told a joint session of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees. "When the stakes are so great," he continued, "I do not believe the Congress of the United States' should play, or wants to play, merely the role of an observer. It possesses assets, perhaps decisive assets, to throw into the struggle. Dulles was before the senators, at an open hearing, to seek support for the administration's request for standby authority for President Eisenhower to use troops to counter any Soviet aggression in the Middle East.

Eisenhower also seeks authority for economic and military support for free nations in that area. Last week, in testimony to the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Dulles said the Middle East "is very likely to be lost" unless Congress gives the administration swiftly the special powers it has asked. Dulles said "There has been a change in the possible deterrent role of certain Western European nations. Until recently they pro vided a serious deterrent to Communist aggression against the Middle East. But for a variety of reasons psychological, financial and political this no longer meets the needs." Presumably, this was a reference to the weakened position of Britain and France in that part of the world.

Red "Volunteers" Another new factor, Dulles added, "is evidence that the Communist rulers may now be thinking in terms of possibe 'volunteer' op erations in the Middle Enst, such as Chinese Communists perpe trated in Korea." The secretary said Eisenhower's request for "greater facilities to provide financial assistance" in the area is "perhaps most Important of all." Just what these economic needs are, Dulles said, will be determined by a Middle East mission headed by James P. Richards of South Carolina. Richards, a Democrat, was chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee in the last Congress. He did not seek re election to Congress. Rep.

Gordon (D-Ul) is chairman of the House committee in the new Congress. Three men are in the race for mayor of Mt. Vernon and seven others are candidates for two city council positions. With the deadline reached at 5:00 p. m.

Saturday for candidates to file, a total of 16 men are running for six positions mayor, two councllmen, city clerk, city treasurer and police magistrate. Here are the candidates, In the alphabetical order they will appear on the ballot in the February 26 primary: FOR MAYOR Virgil T. Bailey, 1819 Isabella. Joe Dull, 1909 Olive R. L.

"Mike" Myers, 222 north Ninth. FOR COUNCILMAN William Clark, 603 south 12th. C. S. Dorrls, 819 north 10th.

Allison (Al) Easton, 1702 Pace. Robert Krebs, 2419 Broadway, Howard Phillips, 228 Castleton. Lee Robinson, 1912 Perkins. Rev. Ace Summers, 2813 College.

FOR CITY CLERK Harry A. DeWltt, 2207 Broad way. Allan Dulaney, 2801 Mannen FOR CITY TREASURER Calvin Kirk, 700 south 22nd Burrel R. Patterson, 214 north 12th. FOH POLICE MAGISTRATE Cassel Richardson, 133 Op dyke.

J. R. Thomas, 1924 Richvlew Road. Two candidates filed for office just before the late Saturday deadline, the Rev. Ace Summers, pastor of Bethel Tabernacle, and C.

S. Dorrls, both running for councilman. Incumbents Are Out Present members of the city council whose terms expire this spring Mayor O. R. Buford and Councllmen Coyn Mateer and Howard Campbell are not candidates for reelection.

City Treasurer Wanda White decided not to run for reelection nnd Police Magistrate Allan Dulaney is in the race for city clerk. Harry A. DeWltt, who Is serving as city clerk by appointment, is a candidate for that office. February Primary At the February 26 primary one of the three candidates for mayor will be eliminated from the race. The two candidates who receive the most votes will be nominated for the April 16 final election.

Three of the seven candidates for councilman will be eliminated. Four men will be nominated for the final election, at which two will be elected. There will actually be "no contest" In the primary for city clerk, city treasurer and police magistrate. There are only two candidates for each office and two will be nominated, with one to be elected in the April finals. CHICAGO an Former Illinois Sen.

C. Wayland Brooks died early today In'Passavant Hospital. He was 59. Brooks entered the hospital Jan. 8 suffering from chest pains, which later were diagnosed as a heart attack.

Brooks, a Chlcngoan, served as senator from 1940 to 1948, when ho was defeated by Sen. Paul Douglas (D-Ill). Ho was elected to serve the unfinished term of the late Son. James Hamilton Lewis (D-Ill). A native of near Wlanet In Bureau County, Brooks was the son of a parson.

He was a leader in the Illinois Republican party since 1932, when he was nominated for state treasurer. His victory over Incumbent Democratic Sen. James M. Slat- lery in 1940 made him the first Illinois Republican to serve in the Senate since 1932. In 1942, he defeated Raymondd McKeough to win another term.

CALLS FOR CON-CON AT C. WAYLAND BROOKS $40,000 FIRE AT COVINGTON HOME SUNDAY Blaze Destroys New Wing of Mt. V. Home. Smoke, Heat Damage Heavy.

HEAVY SNOW AT SPRINGFIELD CEREMONIES Traditional Pom and Festivities Despite Weather as Stratton Is Sworn In. Humphrey Bogart pending, called for burial Wednesday or Thursday at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in nearby Glen dale, final resting place of many a movie great. Mrs. Bogart asked that flowers be omitted and that money instead be sent to American Cancer Institute. Four young people were Injured at 8:00 o'clock Saturday night in an accident on state route 148, about five miles southwest of Mt.

Vernon. Most seriously injured was Paula McGovern, 18, of Nason, who suffered a broken jaw and facial lacerations. She was taken to Jefferson Memorial Hospital, where she remained as a patient today. Also injured were Nora Lyles 16, of Nason, Stewart Rogers, 17. of Nason, and Ronnie Goess man, 19, of Ina.

Miss Lyles, who suffered head cuts, was treated at Jefferson Memorial Hospital and was able to be released last night. The Rogers and Goessman youths were injured but did not require hospitalization. County officers said the accl dent occurred when a pickup truck driven by Kenneth Stew, art, 24, of RFD 1, made a left turn off the highway. Ronnie Goessman, driving the car occupied by the four young people, swerved his car but struck the edge of the track and crashed into a bridge cul- Stewart was not injured. New Fire Truck, More Firemen To Be Discussed Purchase of a new fire truck and a proposal to hire additional men in the fire department will be discussed at a city council meeting at 7:30 tonight.

The meeting was called by Mayor O. R. Buford, for a dis cussion of the fire department situation and a major street project the mayor terms "Hos pital Boulevard." The major urges the general public to attend the meeting. Woman Told To Expect Quints MEMPHIS, Tenn. UP) The Memphis Press-Scimitar said in a copyrighted story today that a Drew, woman had been' told by her doctors she soon would give birth to quintuplets.

The story identified the woman as Mrs. C. Lester Blaylock, 33, and quoted her as saying her Mis sissippi doctor had told her that "there are four boys and a girl. The newspaper said the multiple births, were expected later this week, perhaps Thursday. Mrs.

Blaylock and her 46-year- old husband, a former Cleveland restaurant operator, have been married since last May 12 Mrs. Blaylock is the daughtet of Mr. and Mrs. Perry L. Hostet- ller of Shipshewana, Ind.

Fire Sunday afternoon swept through a new wing of the C. J. Covington home, at 1818 Isabella, and caused damage estimated by Fire Chief Paul Partridge at $40,000. Besides destroying the new addition to the brick home, Intense heat and dense smoke caused very heavy damage to the rest of the house, firemen said. Firemen, called to the home at 3:12 p.

m. had the blaze un der control by 4:00 o'clock. Fire Captain Burned Fire Captain Sydney Burnette suffered painful blisters to both hands while fighting the stubborn blaze. He was burned hy melting tar falling from the roof. The Covington family had been away from home since noon and the entire new wing of the house was engulfed in flames when it was noticed by neighbors.

The D. Ham family, next door, noticed an odor like that of burning rubber. Checking, they saw flames shooting from a picture window at the Covington home and called the fire department. Cause of the blaze was not definitely determined, but Fire Chief Partridge said it is believed a short circuit in a built- in television set near the fireplace started the fire. The flames engulfed a foam rubber sectional sofa, sending dense clouds of smoke throughout the house.

The fire was confined to the new section of the home, hut. heat and smoke damage was heavy throughout. Chairmen For March Of Dimes Are Appointed Tom Reese, county campaign chairman for the March of Dimes, today announced appointment of Leonard Rule as city chairman for the 1957 drive. Chairman Rule announced pointment of the following chair men, most of them Jaycee mem bers, for the various activities of the campaign: Paul Dickerson, street collec tions. Alve Gutzler, school collections.

Eddie Allen, mailing collections. Mrs. Betty Llpps, Mothers' March. David Albrecht and Ed Meek, chairmen of special events, in eluding Moose Dance, Elks card party and Ram-Centralia basketball game. Jerry Wolfe, Coffee Day collections.

Joe Gaxton, canister collections. Frank Feltmeier, special gifts, Ross Webb, business men's col lection. Dave Scruggs, toll gate collections. John Echols, treasurer. N.

J. Sigwerth, publicity. All activities of the March of dimes, which is now under way are scheduled to take place this month. Order 6 Months Active Duty For New Guardsmen Mercury Dips To 1 Above Here The temperature dipped to a frigid one degree above zero in Mt. Vemon last night coldest weather of the year.

It "warmed up" to 18 degrees at noon today. Previous low of the winter was on November 23 when the temperature dropped to 14 degrees labove icro. WASHINGTON UP) The Army today defied strong opposition from the National Guard and ordered compulsory six months active duty training for all new Guardsmen. Secretary of the Army Wilber Brucker announced that the now policy will become effective April 1. He said it had been recommended by the chief of staff, Gen.

Maxwell D. Taylor, over the "nonconcurring view" of the National Guard Bureau. The National Guard which speaks for the 405,000 members of Guard units In the states denounced the Army training plan told a reporter today that the Army and the Pentagon "might as well face the fact that they have not heard the last word on the issue from the states and that the Guards' strong opposition will be taken to Congress, where the matter will be settled." serving notice that he has called for a meeting here of Guard officials and commanders from all the states and territories, said the Defense Department has failed to "sell" its six-months training program for reservists and now is trying to "foist it on the Guard." Heretofore, new members of the National Guard could volunteer to take six months active duty training, and several thousand have done so since the fall of 1955 when the new reserve program started But this training was purely vol untary for new Guardsmen just as it was for pre-draft youths who signed up as reservists and thus exempted themselves from the draft. By LARRY KRAMP SPRINGFIELD, 111. UP) William Grant Stratton's Inauguration today for four more years as governor marked another big step in the career of the 42-year-old Illinois Republican party leader.

Despite a heavy snow, the GOP administration marshalled the 1 traditional pomp for investing a chief of state with power. State and national dignitaries were among the thousands who were drawn to the state capital for the noon-to-midnight round of induction events. The climax had an early place on the program, with Chief Justice Ray I. Klingbiel of the Supreme Court administering the oath to Stratton and five other Republican elective officers. They are John W.

Chapman, lieutenant governor; Charles Carpentler, secretary of state; Elbert S. Smith, auditor; Latham Castle, attorney general, and Elmer J. Hoffman, state treasurer. Hoffman's term is for two years, the others, for four. The state Armory, gaily decked with bunting and baskets of flowers, wus the scene of the swearing-in ceremonies to nllow 6,000 to witness them and then hear Stratton outline to a joint legislature meeting the policies of his administration.

Facilities for photographic, ra dio and television crews were expanded to permit recording of the proceedings. The inouguratlon provided new peak for a brilliant political career launched by Stratton at the age of 26. In 1940, he began with election as congressman-at-large' and as state treasurer in 1942. Then he went onto a second term in the U. S.

House in 1947-49, and to state treasurer again in 1951-53. Ho has met defeat only twice In 15 primary and general election campaigns, the setbacks being both times in bids for the office of secretary of state once held by his father, the late William Stratton. He was the fourth youngest governor in Illinois to ascend to the office, when he was inducted four years ago. Sharing in the social phase of the event, a colorful ball tonight honoring Stratton and the other new officers, were his wife, Shirley, and his daughters, Sandra Jane, 20, and Diana Joy, 17. About 15,000 additional people will crowd the Armory tonight for the ball, while the overflow will spill into the Capitol Rotunda.

In the traditional induction program arrangements, the governor's family entertained at a re ception for the officers and their, guests before marching to the Armory and a concert there by the University of Illinois band. Custom called for convening of the two houses by Speaker Warren Wood (R-Plainfield) and the escorting of each state official by National Guard officers. Outgoing state officers were Treasurer Warren Wright and Au ditor Lloyd Morey. Wright could not succeed himself. Morey was appointed by Stratton to fill out the term of Orville E.

Hodge, who resigned before he was imprisoned for fraud. The Strattons planned to entertain the Inaugural principals at a late luncheon before the ball where three orchestras will play. Formal attire was the order of the day for state officials. ATOMIC IICE BREAKER BERLIN The East Ger man press reported today that the Soviet Union will launch the world's first atomic-powered ice breaker year. The size of the ship was not revealed, SIDE DOOR STOLEN DETROIT Charles Trimlew, 33, of Detroit, heard a noise at the side door of his home.

He investigated and found the door was gone. Then he saw a man running down an alley with it. With near-zero weather, Trimiew says he is anxious to get bis door back. Governor Asks "Modern Machinery" of Government, Lows to Prevent New Hodge Scandal; Opposes Tax Hikes. By CHARLES WHALEN SPRINGFIELD, 111.

OB Gov. Stratton today called for a constitutional convention which could write an entire new state charter and urged a firm stand against tax increases unless the money is earmarked for schools and welfare purposes. The 42-year-old chief executive, formally ushering in another four years of Republican state rule, also proposed sweeping reforms to prevent any recurrence of Hodge scandal. He told the lawmakers assembled in the bunting-draped Armory to hear his second-term inaugural message they should "not hesl- tate to evolve modern machinery i of government to meet the complexities of a new age." Taking note of predictions that a half cent boost in the sales tax Is unavoidable, Stratton declared: "I shall oppose any tax increase which is not specified for school or welfare purposes." He said he would not consldet a tax increase "even for these worthy causes" unless property tax assessment methods are improved, and "wasteful or unfali practices" involving schools and relief programs eliminated at tlu local level. "Increases in the cost of the or- dlnary processes ment are not such as to warrant any general rise In taxation al this he asserted.

The governor added that his detailed budget recommendations will be presented In April. Abolish Auditor Outlining his goals and pollclei before a joint legislative session and nearly 6,000 persons, Stratton called for: 1. Doubling the present 600 -maB state police force and a statewide speed limit to check the "unholj butchery" due to traffic accidents. 2. Abolishing the state auditoi and treasurer as elective offices, making them appointive by governor.

3. Creating a Department of Financial Institutions to supervise banks, small loan companies and other private firms now regulated by the auditor or State Insurance Department. 4. Authorizing a S236 million dollar bond Issue to modernize the state's prisons, mental hospital! and educational institutions. 5.

Setting up uniform practices on bidding, purchasing and contract awards for all state agencies 6. Overhauling the century-old Illinois court system. Township Equalization 7. Equalizing property tax assessments on a township basis Instead of by counties, and conducting a "thorough study" of publio aid programs. 8.

Holding annual sessions of the legislature, instead of once every two years. 9. Changing the April primary election to a later date, possibly in June, to lessen the length and cost of campaigns. Con-Con Call Surprise Stratton's statement on a constitutional convention was the most surprising recommendation in his speech. Former Gov.

Adlai E. Stevenson proposed it in 1949 but got nowhere. To hold such a convention for replacing the existing 1870 constitution, the legislature first would have to authorize a statewide referendum, if a convention were authorized, its product would require approval in another referendum. The governor labelled the highway death toll as the "most grievous problem facing the people of Illinois." "I am convinced," he said, "that with mote strict limits on speed, or appropriate penalties for violators and more adequate manpower for enforcement, decided progress can be made in this battle to save lives on the state's highways. The governor requested a "thorough overhaul of fiscal operation" to stop any repetition of the state check cashing swindle petrated by Orville E.

Hodge, imprisoned former state auditor. Constitutional amendments would be needed to accomplish some of the changes. Under Stratton's plan, an appointive state treasurer would be solely responsible for disbursing state funds, and he would receive and be accountable for the safekeeping of all state money. The State Finance Department would assume the pre-audit and general financial supervision over all administrative agencies. "This plan of reorganization," the governor told the lawmakers, "is distinguished by the separation of the principal fiscal functions of pre-audit, post audit, and disbursing into three different depart- aftntwo) (Continued en pa.