The San Bernardino County Sun from San Bernardino, California • Page 1

1946 DECEMBER 194 tun. Mo. Tin. WH. Thurt Frt.

Sat. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 II 12 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Weather Forecast Southern California: Considerable high cloudiness Friday and Saturday with local night and morning fog near coast; little temperature change. San Bernardino range yesterday: 73 35. Northern and central California: Partly cloudy Friday and Saturday with considerable valley fog; soma light rain extreme north. cMtfjpaper for tfaa BectmqmoJ7om Entered at Poatofflce, San Bernardino.

California, as Second Claaa Matter FRIDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 13, 1946 FIFTY-THIRD YEAR THIRTY-TWO PASES VAST FF Crane Used in Search of Fire Ruins Army Engineer Appointed Head Of New Agency WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 (AP) President Truman shook down the once vast bureaucracy which wielded war and reconversion powers into a temporary agency today and said only the strikes kept him from junking the emergency powers entirely. The order kills off the dying O.P.A. and makes only a memory of this controversial outfit which played an unprecedented part in the daily life of the entire population. A small new agency was set up So a copy $1,25 a month Senators Hear Of Bilbo Case Death Threats Key Witness in Contracts Probe Said Missing WASHINGTON, Dec.

12 (AP) A story of death threats against a key witness was laid before the senate war investl- eatintr committee today as it pressed an inquiry into allega tions that Senator Bilbo, Mis sissippi Democrat, reaped bene fits from his relations with war contractors. George Meader, committee counsel, said the witness is Edward P. Terry, former secretary to Bilbo. Meader said the committee lias been unable to learn his whereabouts since last Saturday and that efforts to subpoena him have been unsuccessful. Terry until last January was Bilbo's secretary and constant of fice associate, although he carried the title of clerk of the senate committee on District of Columbia affairs.

LETTER READ A letter was read into the records, addressed to Chairman Mead, New York Democrat, and signed with Terry's name. Dated December 2, it said that an anonymous person telephoned him at Meridian, the night of November 26 and told him "that should I participate or lake part in Connection with the investigation of Senator Bilbo that my wife (and daughter would pay with their lives." It said that on October 31 a likewise anonymous caller told him "I would pay with my life" if he had anything to do with an investigation of Bilbo then going on in Mississippi. In view of these facts "and es pecially the fact that the lives of my wire and daughter have Deen threatened," the letter asked that he not be called to testify. OFFICERS HEARD Before getting to 1 he Terry mat ter, the committee bad heard from Army officers and ex-officers: 1. That Bilbo on numerous oc casions orougnt contractors to their offices to recommend them for construction jobs; 2.

That Bilbo was extremely active in having construction of the Jackson (Miss.) air base placed under control of the Army engineer office at Vicksburg, rather than the office at Mobile, 3. That his 1940 campaign man ager, A. B. Friend, participated in a $1,731,029 contract at Key Field, Meridian, Miss, as one of four contractors in a pool or co-venture. Towns Recaptured ATHENS, Dec.

12 UP) An official announcement from Larisa today said large scale mopping-up operations had been undertaken in the Mount Olympus area and that, three small towns, Rapsani, Dereli and Pyrghetos, had been recaptured in two days. 0) (AP) Associated Press (UP) United Press TWO BLUE EYES Asks but One Gift forget the true meaning of Christmas. Let me see all these, things so that the memory of the last Christmas I saw might be blotted forever from my mind. Replace the screaming of shells, the rumbling of tanks, the sound of tired marching feet with the singing of hymns, the laughter of little sisters, and the voices of thankful people. Replace the filthy, smelly mud of battle and the drawn faces of dying men with the cool feeling of fresh, clean sheets and the hopeful faces of men born anew.

"Bring me those eyes for these purposes, and I will be grateful forever to Him who once gave them to me. If, on Christmas morn, I should find them there, I won't really mind, and I will still be grateful to God, for haven't I still a good mind, a strong body, friends who love me, and a desire to justify the reason for my existence. After all, aren't these the important things in life? "So, Santa, there it is. That's what I want for Christmas. Please try, won't you.

From a grown-up little boy, Cpl. Chester R. Perkins." From Spain by the more vigorous anti-Franco forces. Their demands were tern pered by British and American fears that too severe measures might touch off a Spanish civ war. The compromise resolution fi nally passed aroused speculation among some delegates that outside pressure against Franco might strengthen his position in Spain.

The resolution does not force U.N. members to withdraw their Madrid representatives. Firemen aided by a big mobile crane (boom at right) dig through the ruin of a tenement which was wreoked by the falling wall of the adjoining building, an ioe house (debris in foreground). At least 18 person were killed In the aooident and aubsequent collapse of the structures and many others were believed missing. (AP Wlrephoto) Communities In Northwest Hit by Floods (By United Press) Flood-swollen rivers Inundated towns and swept away bridges in western Washington and Oregon yesterday as melting mountain snows threatened to oreate even worse floods during tho week end.

Most residents of Kent, evacuated submerged sections of town while others prepared their homes for more damaging torrents expected with warmer temperatures. Comparatively balmy weather moving north from Oregon was expected to melt dangerous amounts of snow into already overflowing streams throughout the area. Damage from the floods was expected to run into millions of dollars. Farm's and roads in Umatilla county, Oregon flooded by the Walla Walla river, which (Continued on Page 2, Column 3) Film Magnate's Wile Testifies Denies Mate Hurled Epithets at Director LOS ANGELES, Dec. 12 UP) Movie Executive Harry Cohn summoned his wife and several associates today- seeking to disprove charges by Charles Vidor, one of his top directors, that the Colum bia studio head had heaped epithets upon him and ordered him thrown out of his office.

Mrs. Colin, a slender blonde, and formerly Actress Joan Perry, testified there never was any such incident as that of Dec. 1945 when, Vidor testified, Cohn ordered: "Give Vidor a drink and throw him out." Instead, she substantiated Cohn's testimony that Vidor and his wife, recently wed, had been sitting affectionately on an office sofa and Cohn had exclaimed, kidding: "You kids listen. If you kids want to neck go in the other of fice." Although the Vidors were supposed to eat dinner with the Conns in the studio dining room that evening, they left the studio immediately, she said. lum Chosen Chief of State PARIS, Dec.

12 UP) Socialist Leon Blum, 74, and ailing, emerged today from the almost negligible role he had taken in politics since his liberation from a German prison camp, and became head of the French government for at least the next month. The only prewar premier to return to power in the postwar France, Blum plunged immediately into the task of forming a cabinet. Lifer Slugs Guard Af Folsom, Flees Over Prison Roof SACRAMENTO, Dec. 12 UP) Carl Hoper, 26-year-old Los Angeles robber serving a life sentence as an habitual criminal, slugged, a guard while in line after supper at Folsom prison tonight, ran to the top cell block, broke a skylight and made his way to freedom over the roof, down the ladder of an unmanned guard tower and by a final 12-foot leap from a wall. The guard, Guy P.

Clark, was knocked unconscious, his eye cut and his nose possibly broken. He was removed to the prison Firemen- Probe Ruins to Find More Victims Tenement Wrecked When Burning Plant's Wall Falls on It NEW YORK, Dec. 13 (Fri day) (UP) The toll of one of the most tragic tenement disasters in New York history mounted early today to 18 known dead, 16 missing and more than 40 injured. In a cold rain, under the white glare" of searchlights, firemen and police still were probing the mountainous heap of debris left early yesterday when the wall of a burning ice plant collapsed on a six-story tenement. In contrast with the shrieks of pain and screams of horror that filled the air when the crumbling ice plant wall virtually sheared the tenement in two, the sceneT seemed deathly quiet 24 hours lat er as rescue squads dug laboriously deeper into the heap of brick, wood and concrete.

But there was little hope that the debris would yield any more than lifeless bodies. Shortly after midnight, rescuers gave up hope of finding alive a man who only a few hours earlier could be heard pleading for aid in a blocked off boiler room of the tenement. FAMILIES WIPED OUT The list of dead was tragic. Whole families were vaped out Many of the dead were children. Some families were made child less.

Two of the dead were firemen Frank Moorhead, and Michael Grace. Moorhead was killed when the wall of the ice house collapsed as he fought the fire from the building's roof. Grace, injured at the same time, died later in a hospital. More than 300 police and firemen were working in shifts as they dug carefully through the rubble. They estimated it would be 72 hours until the pile of debris was thoroughly searched.

Working gingerly through the rubble lest' their movements collapse it, tired, grimy firemen were slowly making their way toward the blocked off boiler room of the tenement where the anguished cries of a trapped man were still audible at a late hour tonight. CAUSE DISCOVERED Also by 4 p.m., police had discovered the cause of the big city tragedy in the crowded Washington Heights section of Manhattan's upper west side where humans live like rabbits in a warren. It was the consequence of small boys playing with matches. Police held four boys, the oldest 13. A favorite sport of slum boys is to play in abandoned buildings and yesterday afternoon they broke into a huge ice house, abandoned for 15 years, and explored its black caverns with lighted candles.

At 5:45 p.m. firemen were summoned to put out a small fire. At 11:45 p.m. a passerby saw flames through crevices in boarded windows. When firemen arrived it was an inferno.

At 12:45 a.m. there was a crash so shaking residents for a block around thought there had been an earthquake. The roof had collapsed and the back wall had fallen outward onto the rear paralleling half of the tenement, sheering it off and collapsing it into a heap three stories high. Photographs Shown in Husband Slaying Case RIVERSIDE, Dec. 12 UP) Photographs showing facial cuts and bruises Mrs.

Ruth Hitchner, 42, testified she suffered in a beating by her husband, Adam, whom she is charged with murdering, were shown today to the all-woman jury hearing her trial. She said the injuries pictured occurred during a stay with her husband, a San Francisco engineer, at a hotel in Berkeley, California, in July, 1941. DEAR SANTA: PLEASE SEND ME War-Blinded Veteran, With Spirit High, headed by Major Gen. Philip B. Fleming, an Army engineer often drafted for administrative jobs.

It is officially called the office of temporary controls, and inevitably will become known as the O.T.C. Into it, for eventual liquidation, go the remaining powers and functions of: The office of price administration. The only controls left are those on rents, sugar and rice, and they expire June 30 unless congress extends them. Mr. Truman is expected to request continuation of rent controls, at least.

He told, his news conference he knows of no program to grant rent increases but the O.P.A. has been reported on one. Paul Porter resigned as O.P.A. administrator last week. SLATED TO DIE The civilian production administration.

Its priority ex cept those covering building materials, die March 31 unless congress continues them. It already has re scinded virtually all its wartime controls over industry except the ban on making two-panls suits Its chief, John D. Small, also quit last week. The order also terminates im mediately the office of war mobilization and reconversion and the office of economic stabilization, and marks the wage stabilization board for liquidation Feb. 24.

The O.W.M.R. and the O.E.S. were separate agencies but both had been headed by Dr. John R. Sleelman since Chester Bowles resigned as stabilization director last spring during the O.P.A.

fight. STEELM AN NAMED AIDE Steelman now is appointed assistant to the president and the chief function of the O.W.M.R. is transferred to him in that capacity. This is the authority to issue directives to other federal agen cies for the purpose of reconciling conflicts in programs and policies. Steelman will have "a small staff," (Continued on Page 2, Column 4) Brazilian Army Chief To Visit March Field WASHINGTON.

Dec. 12 UP) The American itinerary of Gen. Salvador Cesar Obino, chief of Brazil's armed forces, now visiting this country, was announced by the war department today as including: Jan. 2-3, March field, California. When the decision of the committee reaches the general assembly, it will require two-thirds approval for ratification 36 votes then being necessary if there is full attendance.

FREE CHRISTMAS TREE With earh radio purchased till Christmas from CULLEN RADIO Third Street at Phone 591-88 Taverns Need Not Prepare Entire Meal SACRAMENTO, Deo. 12 UPi Not all of a meal need be prepared on the premises to qualify a California tavern as eligible for the sale of liquor the state liquor enforcement division said today. Catering services can be utilized by taverns providing other requirements are met. Hugh J. Strachan, legal counsel for the board pf equalization, said the qualifications required to obtain the board's approval would include: Maintenance of tables, menu carets and persons willing and ready to serve the food.

Maintenance of steam tables or stoves so that food could be kept hot and steaks fried on order. Maintenance of ice boxes for keeping salads cold. Provisions for serving hot coffee. 'Certain' Labor Leaders Scored Farm Bureau Urges Fight Against Them SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 12 OB The voting delegates of the American Farm Bureau federation today committed the organization's 1,128,000 members to a fight against "certain labor leaders and their unions who totally disregard the rights and welfare of all the people." Approved unanimously at the closing session of the federation's national convention was a resolution which laid down a 10-point legislative program which "must be enacted." Missing Plane Sought On Rugged Mf.

Rainier LONGMIRE, Dec. 12 (TD Veteran mountaineers climbed the rugged slopes of Mt. Rainier today seeking a missing Marine transport plane with 32 aboard now believed to have crashed on crevice-streaked Nisqually glacier. The Coast Guard announced new reports centered the plane's last position near the towering moun tain and said a plotted theoretical course of the plane would have carried it directly into Mt. Rainier.

LARGE SELECTION PHILCO RADIOS and RECORD CHANGERS Immediate Delivery A SMALL DEPOSIT WILL HOLD TILL XMAS Terms If Desired AL HARMON Dinlgo. Plymouth, DotlK Truck 635 Street Phone 7253 PHOENIXVILLE, Dec. 12 UP) Cpl. Chester R. Perkins, hopelessly blinded by a land mine in Germany and a patient in Valley Forge hospital for 21 months, has written his first letter to Santa Claus "If God chooses, let me find beneath my Christmas tree two bright, shiny blue eyes so that the memory of the last Christmas I saw may be blotted forever from my mind." After rfiany examinations, a doctor asked: "Soldier, do you want It straight?" "That's the way I want it," Perkins replied.

1 "You'll never see agairi." That was early in the 21-year-old corporal's stay here. "I cried long and hard," he said, "then developed the philosophy that here is a situation, admittedly not the best, but one to bo coped with and whipped." Perkins, a former Indianapolis High school athlete, wrote to the Indianapolis News that he planned to study journalism at Butler university, and enclosed the following letter, which the News copyrighted: "Dear Santa Claus: "Aren't we all children? Can't all of us, though some of us are adult in mind, ask for the things which we want most in life? I can't remember ever writing to you before, but I have found it so increasingly difficult to ob lain this thing which I want, that I thought perhaps you could help. "As a small child, I can remember wanting playthings and candy; as a teen-aged youth I wanted smart clothing and athletic equipment; now, I want something entirely different. "Dear Santa, if God chooses, let me find beneath my Christmas tree two bright, shiny blue eyes brimming over with good health and true vision. Let me place 1hem in my then let me look out through the window at the snow lying deep and crisp and even, as far as those beautiful eyes can see.

Let me drink in the looks of joy on the faces of those who love me, who have seen me groping and stumbling in the dark for so long. Let me hold those eyes aloft to the Christmas star that I might not any of the international organiza tions to be set up under U.N. The resolution was passed by a 34-to-6 vote, easily the two-thirds majority required. Thirteen nations abstained from voting. Countries voting against the resolution were Argentina, Costa Rica, Dominican republic, Ecuador, El Salvador and Peru.

The proposal to withdraw ambassadors and ministers was short of outright break in diplomatic and commercial relations sought Rockefeller United Nations Site Gets Vote of Approval U.N. Demands Recall of Diplomats NEW YORK, Dec. 12 UP) The 54-nation permanent headquarters committee of the United Nations assembly voted 33 to 7 tonight to accept the offer of John D. Rockefeller of an $8,500,000 skyscraper site in Manhatan as the permanent home of the world organization. The decision now goes to the general assembly for approval.

In the vote which may end a year-long wrangle over the selec lion of the world peace capital, the opponents of the eastside Man- hattan site were Australia, Egypt, India, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Syria. Colombia, the Dominican republic, France, Iran, Panama, and Peru abstained. 'I i U.N. ASSEMBLY HALL. FLUSHING, N.Y., Dec.

12 (TP) The Unilcd Nations general assembly, in an attempt to upset the Francisco Franco government of Spain, voled tonight to ask all U.N. members to withdraw immediately their ambassadors and ministers from Madrid. The assembly adopted a resolution which branded the Franco government as "fascist" and barred it from participation in1 Your Savings Here Help G.I.'s Build Funds received between now and January 10th will dedicated loans for veterans, helping to make It possible for more of them to secure homei. These Fund Will Also Earn Dividends From January 1st Santa Fe Federal Savings Loan Ass'n. 479 Fourth Street Phone Jll-63 Tonight-Bears Vs.

Bulldogs-For Community Chest.