The Ludington Daily News from Ludington, Michigan • Page 1

FREEDOM OP THE PRESS IS A RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE THE LUDINGTON DAILY NEWS An Independent Newspaper Serving Mason County and Surrounding Area WEATHER: Cloudy, rain fonight. Friday rain, changing to snow, colder. VOLUME NO. 63, NO. 132 LUDINGTON, MICHIGAN, THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 1953 MILWAUKEE FETES ITS BIG LEAGUE civic demonstration in Milwaukee "since of World war II, finds thousands Lining the route of a parade down Wisconsin avenue in welcoming the home coming Milwaukee Braves.

Players rode through crowded streets in open cars and were introduced to an overflow crowd of 10,000 that attended a welcoming ce remony in Milwaukee Arena Wednesday night. (International Soundphoto) PRICE FIVE CENT3 Reveals System to Have State Pay Bridge Upkeep Reds Agree to All Points, May Sign POW Pact Frid What's Doing in The World US and State TOKYO, Friday China's Peiping radio said early today that double jet ace Harold Fischer was shot down and captured in Manchuria Tuesday. The radio quoted a dispatch from Mukden, Manchuria near the Yalu River saying Fischer bailed out of his Sabre jet. Peiping said Fischer's plane was intercepted by anti-aircraft units and the "People's Air Force." Capt. Fischer, 27, of Swea City, Iowa, failed to return from his 70th mission Tuesday.

WASHINGTON House news chief James Hagcrty says the Eisenhower administra i "has never reached any conclusion that a permanent division of Korea is desirable or feasible." art subject in replying to a New York Times newspaper story that said the Eisenhower Administration is willing to accept a settlement in Korea based on a boundary at the narrow waist of the Korean Peninsula. The White House aide further stated the Eisenhower administration has given no consideration to creation of a trusteeship for Formosa. UNITED NATIONS, N. Y. The new Secretary-General of the United Nations, Dag Hammar- skjold, arrived at U.

N. headquarters in New York from Stockholm today. The former Swedish Minister of State told newsmen: "I want to do a job, not talk about it, not even afterwards," BURBANK, Calif. World War Two type fighter plane raced cross-country from California to New York in an attempt to set a new transcontinental speed record for propeller aircraft. It is a P-51 Mustang piloted dy Joe De Bona and owned by actor Jimmie Stewart.

De Bona hopes to complete his speed run in four-anqVa-half hours or less. Saginaw TV StaHon Starts on Channel 57 SAGINAW WKNX-TV, section's first television station, starts its regular test pattern schedule today 10 a.m.) on channel 57. The Saginaw-Bay City station is the second UHF station to go on the air in Michigan. No date has been set for the start of regular program transmission. William J.

Edwards, president of the Lake Huron Broadcasting and general manager of WKNX-TV, said the first test pattern transmission was recorded about midnight April 5. Tests and adjustment of equipment have been made since to permit a regularly scheduled test pattern transmission, he said. The Weather (U.S. Weather Bureau Forecast) Lower Michigan: Cloudy with occasional rain tonight. Friday rain, gradually changing to showers or snow flurries and colder.

Highest temperature one year ago today, 02; lowest, Highest temperature this date since 11)72, 711 In 1IKII; lowest, 19 in 1914. The sun sets today at 7:06 p. m. and rises Friday at fi a. in.

The moon sots today at 2:15 p. m. and rises Friday at 4:06 a. m. Temperature at the U.S.

observation station for 24 hours ending at 12 noon: Maximum 56, minimum 42. STAR WATCH CASE CO. LUDINGTON. MICHIGAN WOMEN EMPLOYES NEEDE Good Pay Light, clean work. Wo will train you on job.

APPLY EMPLOYMENT OFFICE AT FACTORY SOUTH RATH AVENUE Council Discusses Taxes and Streets A dozen Lakeview eighth graders, visiting a session of Ludington city commission Wednesday in the Municipal building, witnessed two important streets and taxes. The two items highlighted the recessed session of the council who adjourned the regular meeting Monday to canvass the city election vote. Discuss Ziegler's Promise Council members agreed to launch a survey of city streets following discussion of a promise made by State Highway Commissioner Charles M. Ziegler that Lud- inglon avenue and would be blacktopped this summer. Commissioners wanted the survey of streets made so that, if an ashphalt plant were moved here, the city might contract for work on other streets.

In reply to a question by Fourth Ward Commissioner Peter Copeyon on why city assessments were raised City Assessor Hugh Earner explained that, with the city limited to leveling a tux of il mills, a broader tax base was necessary to cover the city expenses for next year. It was explained that the city could legally only raise 2 mills because it has no bonded debt. Mr. Earner pointed out that about $45,000 of the $800,000 raise in valuation was from new construction. He also pointed out that two years ago the city raised $174,000 through local taxes and that, despite the Big 3 Car Makers Cut Employe Pay DETROIT UP) The auto industry's "Big Three" producers were solid today in cutting a penny-an- hour off the wages of their more than 600,000 employes.

And it appeared only a matter of time until scores of smaller firms would do likewise under their cost-of-living pay agreements with the CIO United Auto Workers. Finishing out the action in the Big Three was Chrysler which announced late yesterday that it would make the pay cut effective next Monday. Similar announcements came from General Motors on Tuesday and from Ford earlier yesterday. The actions were taken under the escalator clauses in five-year contracts which, most auto firms have with the UAW. The moves followed announcement by the government's Bureau of Labor Statistics that its "old style" index showed a drop in the cost-of-living for the three-month period ended Jan.

15. raise in valuation, the city would only receive $165,000 or $9,000 less due to the cut in rate. Skywatch Tower OK In other major action the city planned to pass a resolution absolving the Chesapeake Ohio Railway Co. of liability arising from installation of a skywatch tower on property across from the Municipal building. A long list of.

license renewals was approved and one new one for Owen J. Gavigan' Jr. for an SDM license at 310 West Ludington avenue, was also approved. Commissioners George L. Colyer, Elmer J.

Nelson and Copeyon reported on the election Monday with the following vote totals: Commissioner-at-Large Edmund Soli, 1,000 votes; Donald Quinn, 735; Evert Johnson, 410 votes for First ward commissioner, A. P. Sisko, 55 votes; Third Ward Commissioner Carl V. Grundmark, 180 votes; Fifth Ward Commissioner, Walter Larson, 215 votes, Earl A. Miller, 70 votes; and Municipal Judge Clay F.

Olmstead, 1,427 votes. Lake Elevation Drops Foot Stage of Lake Michigan during April will probably be 581.4 feet above mean tide at New York, according to the monthly report of United States Lake Survey. The mean elevation during March was 581.18, a drop of .48 of a foot from that of March, 1952, and no change from the February, 1953, figure. In March Lake Michigan was 1.71 feet below its high stage of March 1860, and 3.79 feet above its low stage of March, 1934. Monthly mean elevations of Lake Michigan for March for the past 10 years were: 1943, 579.51; 1944, 580.14; 1945, 579.59; 1946, 580.55; 1947, 579.38; 1948, 579.96; 1949, 579.09; 1950, 578.52; 1951, 579.84; 1952, 581.66, for a mean of 579.82.' To Test Defenses in State April 24 LANSING plans for a mock attack to be staged April 24 to test the civil defense setup i Michigan were announced today by the Michigan Office of Civil Defense.

To be known as "Operation Wake Up," the exercise is planned to emphasize the responsibility of civil defense organizations and private citizens to protect the civilian population in case of an aoctual attack. LANSING long-whispered move to have (he state use tax money to aid the proposed $90,000.000 Mackinac Straits brid.no project broke into the open on the Senate floor yesterday. Two Upper Peninsula Senators. Joseph P. Cloon (R-Wakefield) and Leo H.

Roy (R-Houghton) said the proposed revenue bonds for construction of the bridge could not be sold unless the Legislature allowed $400.000 in highway funds to be used annually for maintenance of the bridge. The disclosure, previously given confidentially to Senate Rcpubli- can loaders, came in debate over a constitutional amendment to forbid the spending of any highway or general fund money to pay principal and interest on any revenue bonds. The ban was passed 23 to 7 and sent to the House. This was designed, sponsors said, to prevent any tax money being taken to support such supposedly self-supporting projects as the Straits bridge or toll roads. Senator Haskell L.

Nichols (R- Jackson) fighting for the constitutional amendment, argued it would put the public "on notice" that the "full faith and credit" of the state is not behind the bridge bonds and that- they "must stand on their own feet." Nichols said the Mackinac Bridge Authority reported it could not sell the bonds at the present condition of the market and that he "understood" the Reconstruction Finance Corporation considered the bonds "an unwise investment." Roy said he agreed with Nichols that the measure should be passed "but not this year." 9 Persons Killed in London Crash LONDON officials today announced a toll of nine persons killed and 50 injured in Wednesday night's crash of two jam- packed London subway trains. It took rescue workers more than 15 hours to cut their way through the tangled wreckage to reach the last four bodies, including that of a mother still clutching her two- year-old baby in death. Of the injured, eight were listed in serious condition. Two men were brought out alive at dawn after being pinned for nearly 10 hours in the debris- choked tunnel between the stations of Stratford and Leyton. Doctors had to amputate one man leg in order to free him.

Tone Sues Lloyds for Accidental Brawl Injuries LOS ANGELES Franchot Tone seeks $63,666.66 in insurance compensation for "accidental" injuries received on the day of his celebrated fis fight for the love of actress Barbara Payton. Tone's suit does not, however, mention the brawl he lost to actor Tom Neal, which put him in a hospital for facial repairs. Although Tone won the girl, it was only temporary. Miss Payton divorced him a few months after their marriage. The fight was Sept.

14, 1951 suit Tone filed Wednesday against Lloyd's of London said on that day Tone "sustained bodily injury caused by accidental, violent and visible means." He claims he suffered facial disfigurement and impairment of his voice. Industry on Parade DeGergus Machine Co. Dates Back to 1920s By LEONORE P. WILLIAMS DeGergus Machine Co. at 105 East Dowland street is a small local industry which dates back to the 1920's and has been kept in continuous operation by the owner, 'hades DeGergus, through all the years.

Mr. DeGergus, a native of Ludington, worked for a time in the automotive industry in Detroit fol- lowin. World war I. He returned his home town in 1928 and bought machine shop, then a part of estate of the late Fred Burk- iiart. Mr.

Burkhart had already under- machine work for the Electric Tamper Equipment at that time just getting underway, and this the new owner took over. Through the years he has specialized in custom machine work and jobs for other Ludington industry. During the depression years of the 1930's the DeGergus shop was turned into a vocational training school for young men out of work and desirous of learning machine operation and welding. Mr. De- Gergus was the teacher and his students, sponsored by National Youth Administration, came from CCC camps established at Ludington, Walhalla and Fountain.

The training program was outlined and supervised under the vocational training department of the state department of public instruction. World war II came along and many of the DeGergus graduates found positions in the big industries turning out war materials. The DeGergus shop in Ludington was filled with war work, sub-contracted by Buick Motors in Flint, Norge in Muskegon, Pentwater Machine Co. in Pentwater and the Star Watch Case in Ludington. Since that time Mr.

DeGergus has kept busy with special machine work for local industry and tool work for outside manufacturers. At present he is collaborating with Marquette Manufacturing Co. in production of a hospital table. The steel support is being made at the DeGergus shop and the wooden table top at the Marquette factory. MALENKOV OFFICIALLY ACCEPTS PREMIERSHIP-Speaking before a meeting of the Supreme Soviet in Moscow, March 15, Ci.

M. Malcnkov accepts the Prcmier.ship of the U.S.S.R. During this speech he outlined the peace aims which so surprised the world. In attendance in the box at the far upper right are (1 to r. front) Kruschev; L.

Bcria; V. M. Molotov, and N. Bulganin. Behind them are L.

Kaganovitch and A. Mikoyan. (International Soundphoto) Solons Center Fire on Grand Rapids, Birthplace of State Tax Diversion, as Businessmen Oppose Heavier Tax LANSING Spokesmen for the Grand Rapids and Detroit chambers of commerce had a rough time last night trying to persuade the House and Senate taxation committees to reject heavier business taxes. Most of the legislative fire fell on the men from Grand Rapids. All spokesmen opposed the employer payroll tax, corporation profits tax and individual income tax.

Roland Ailaben, representing the Grand Rapids chamber, advocated that the state acquire. $16,000,000 by liquidating its liquor business, obtain $7,000,000 to $14,000,000 by a used car tax, get a greater share of the inheritance tax and eliminate "waste, abuses and unneces- sry expenses" in the state civil service, he called for reduction of state bureaus, "where possible." When Marvin V. Blackport of the Grand Rapids chamber's wholesale division, endorsed Allaben's plan, he was asked by House Speaker Wade Van Valkenburg: "We have a resolution from your city asking more state money for your schools. Do you endorse that?" Blackport replied "I believe the people of Grand Rapids would like more say in raising funds.for the board of education. Grand Rapids could do a lot better job if left to raise these funds themselves." Rep.

Louis E. Anderson NCR- North port), said "we all got these resolutions, virtually demanding Hits Stopped Car, Damage Is Heavy An automobile accident occurred at 2:30 p. m. Wednesday on US-31, five miles south of Ludington. Investigating officers of Mason county sheriff's department told The News that, the accident occurred when a car, driven by Herbert Baker of Manistee, ran into the rear end of a car, driven by Charles Woodward of Ludington Route 1.

The officers said that Woodward had stopped his car to remove from the road some trees that apparently had fallen from a nursery truck. The Baker car sustained considerable damage with minor damage to the Woodward car. more money. Where are we going to get it?" "I'm sorry, sir, that's your problem." Blackport replied. He added "If you would live within your budget you wouldn't be $65,000,000 to $90,000,000 in the red." "The people put our budget in the red." Anderson commented.

Sen George N. Higgins (R-Ferndale), told the Grand Rapids delegation "you're not: helping us a bit. The corporations gave us $35,000,000 in advance franchise tax payments but b.e in the same mess again next year. You're going to have to give us something until we get rid of the diversion amendment. That was produced in your town and we can't get rid of it for several years." "You might as well recognize," Higgins said, "you're going to get some kind of tax this year because, we are going to balance this budget." Place Exhibits for 4-H Show Exhibits for the Mason county 4-H Achievement day, which will be held Friday are being placed today at Scottville Community hall, E.

Dean Raven, 4-H club agent for this area, said today. Work of 4-H members will be judged Friday at the hall. Exhibits will be open to the public. Four members will have their style show Saturday and will be entertained at a free movie Saturday at 4-Star theater. 133 Pints Given to Blood Bank Mason county residents donated 133 pints of blood Wednesday in the first day of a three-day blood clinic held Elks' temple in Ludington, Hans C.

Rasmusscn, general chairman of the clinic, reported today. The clinic will be continued today until 9 p. in. and from 11 a. m.

to 5 p. m. Friday. Mr. Rasmussen urged those who have not registered for the clinic to donate their blood as "walk-in" candidates since many rejections and cancellations are made in the clinic.

Thirty three persons svere rejected in the clinic "Walk-in" registrations will 'be taken during all of the clinic hours. Those a tending the clinic are asked to refrain from eating, with the exception of light salads and beverages, for four hours before donating blood. Refreshments are served to persons after they have donated blood. Mystery Blast Levels West Virginia School NEW ERA, W. Va.

A blast ripped through Gilmore High School Wednesday, virtually destroying the three-story brick and tile building. The school's 210 students had left their classes three hours earlier. The cause of the blast, heard eight miles away, was not immediately determined. School Supt. C.

Otis Castro estimates the damage at $125,000. Eight Charged with Fleecing Auto Workers DETROIT Eight men were held under bond today on charges of fleecing auto plant workers out of thousands of dollars in fast games of three-card monte. Four policemen who got into one of the games at a factory gate said the ring's take ranged up to $400 in one 18-minute period. The operator of the game shows the players three red one and two black ones. After a fast shuffle, the players bet on which is the red card.

Police described the game as one of the oldest "sucker" games in the book. The bonds ranged from $500 to $2,000. Try to Clear Soo Lock Ice with Freighters' Backwash SAULT STE. MARIE powerful lakes craft churned their propellers in a huge "Operations Backwash" today hopeful they could clear the Sault locks of an ice jam which lied up nearly one-third of the Great Lakes fleet. The Coast Guard icebreaker Mackinaw was joinec by the Steamship Company freighter Arthur Anderson and the Canadian freighter Manladoc in the operation.

Shipping men and lock engineers decided on the maneuver after an aerial survey showed the Whitefish Bay area, above the locks, was entirely free of the ice formation which has passed into the proper. The three craft were tied up side by side at a dock and then went into action, with the propellers turning at full speed to churn up the water. Officials were hopeful the backwash would push the icy muss about 800 feet upstream, against the current, and get the ice in a position so it would be caught in a cross current and washed over the Soo Rapids and out of the locks area. Coast Guard Commander T. A.

Dahlburg of the Sault area expressed belief the ice would be cleared by this weekend, perhaps as early as Friday. Dahlburg reported 90 lake craft were tied up above the locks awaiting passage, while 64 were tied up below the locks upward bound. He called it the largest concentration of shipping ever assembled in the Sault area. Under Dahlburg's plan to keep some traffic operating, only the most powerful of the lake freighters and carriers were permitted to make their way downbound through the icy slush in the American locks. The only upbound traffic yesterday was through the Canadian lock, seven vessels passing through while 17 came down on the S.

side. TO START CITY HALL PONTIAC UP) Construction of Pontiac's new million-dollar plus city hall will get under way May 1. Completion is expected in 18 months. Contracts for the job have been awarded to four companies. INJURIES FATAL TRAVERSE CITY Ralph A.

Glass, 76, injured in an auto collision a week ago, died Wednesday. He was a retired power plan' operator. BANQUET SPEAKER Paul A. Miller, rural sociologist, at Michigan State college, will be speaker for the Rural-Urban banquet to be held in Scottville Monday evening. His topic will be "Town-Country Changes in Exchange Could Start in 10 Days By ROBERT B.

TUCKMAN MUNSAN. Korea Communists agreed today to all major points of an Allied plan for exchanging sick and wounded prisoners. The Reds may sign the agreement tomorrow. Agreement on the actual mechanics of the exchange presumably was reached at a meeting of staff officers in Panmunjom this afternoon. If an agreement is signed tomorrow, the exchange of disabled prisoners could start within 10 days.

In a surprise move the Reds late in the day accepted the three last revisions in the draft agreement on arrangements for the exchange as "Operation Little switch." A formal signing Friday and ironing out of minor technical details could pave the way for a resumption of full-scale armistice talks to resolve the long remaining issue blocking a truce in an overall exchange of prisoners. A highly placed American source said the Communists already have begun gathering together the sick and wounded for repatriating through Panmunjom, and that the exchange probably will take place within 10 days. The Reds turned down a U. N. attempt to get them to increase the number of POWs they said they would turn over to the Allies.

The Reds stuck to their figure of 600-including probably not more than 125 Americans. The Allies have said they are ready to send back 5,800 disabled Red captives, 5,100 North Koreans and 700 Chinese. Rear Adm. John C. Daniel, chief U.

N. liaison officer, said he tried three times in the meeting at Pan- rauiTJom Thursday to get the Communists to sign the agreement. They wouldn't get out their he said, but they told him they would be ready to sign at Friday's 11 a.m. meeting. Marines Retake Carson Hill Top By STAN CARTER SEOUL Marines clawed their way back to the top of Carson Hill today after 300 to 350 Red Chinese overran the strategic West Korean outpost La a frenzied predawn assault.

There was no report whether Leathernecks who took the first assault died in their bunkers or pulled off the hill. The number presumably was small. Attacking behind a curtain of artillery and mortar.fire, the Reds swarmed up the hill and into Marine defenses. Communications were knocked out in the first 10 minutes, but observers on nearby hills watched Marines battling Reds hand to hand, the Eighth Army said. A 1st Marine Division officer estimated that 220 Chinese were killed or wounded.

A Marine relief force started inching its way up the shell-pitted slopes at 8 a.m. and 35 minutes later the hill was reported secured. Outpost Carson, scene of bitter fighting two weeks ago, is only eight miles east of Panmunjom, where negotiations now under way might lead to a truce in Korea. U. S.

B29 Superforts dumped 150 tons of explosives on a bid Red supply dump which the Communists have been patiently filling with war materiel the past several weeks, the Fifth Air Force said. The big base covered 115 acres near Taechon in Western Korea. The Air Force revealed thai Capt. Harold E. Fischer who bagged 10 MIGs in 66 missions over North Korea, failed to return from his 70th mission Tuesday.

Fischer of Swea City, was last seen dueling with a Red TIG near the Manchurian border. The Reds preceded their attack against Carson with harassing fire all day Wednesday and Wednesday night. The Chinese attacked at 3:48 (Please turn to Page 3. Column 5) ATTENTION, ELKS! Tuesday, April 14 it PENTWATER. HART NIGHt H.

Secretqry.