Altoona Tribune from Altoona, Pennsylvania • Page 1

THE WEATHER (Forecast from U. S. Weather Bureau) Partly Cloudy and Cold 4 cnria 0" CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA'S GREAT MORNING 1 'lUir IMP- 1 Phone 8181 Vol. 93 No. 278 Continuously Published Sine Jin.

8, 1S5S Saturday Morning, November 26, 1949 Five Cents To ffk Lewis Ifw vvv As fX.ll I si a Driver Freed Of Blame In Russ Death Coroner's Jury Recommends Study of Greenwood Road Lighting Paul E. Rlnker, 35, of 410 Ninth street, was exonerated of blame as the driver of the car that fatally injured a Juniata college student, Reno W. Russ, near Greenwood, the evening of Nov. 18. Dr.

Daniel M. coro toona'a Christmas season'. The procession was highlighted by the presence of Santa Claus and his wife. They are shown in the sleigh, surrounded by crowds of excited young admirers. AS THRONGS.

GREET SANTA HERE Shown above is a view of Eleventh avenue Friday morning, as thousands of children and parents lined the street to view the parade opening Al- HONORED AT ALTOONA WORKS Two of the four retired employes honored by workers in the piece work bureau, Altoona works, Pennsylvania railroad. These men were presented cash gifts Friday afternoon in recognition of their long and faithful service to the company and their department. Left to right: R. H. Joyce, General Shop Inspector W.

E. Bartholomew who presented the. awards, and F. J. Edwards.

A posthumous award was made to L. E. Ferry and R. J. Carroll was unable to be present for the ceremony.

(Tribune Photo by Tom Lynam.) Soviet Plan To Attack Marshal Tito Revealed Thousands Greet Santa At Yule Parade The 'Jolly Elf Himself Opens City's Christmas Season The Christmas spirit took its first real grip on Altoona Friday morning; as thousands of children and adults braved chilly weather to get a glimpse of Santa Claus on his pre-Christmas tour of the country. As should" be, youth spread out the long red carpet welcoming St Nicholas to Altoona. Thirteen Blair county high school bands arid four youth choirs warmed up the audience for the feature attraction, Santa Claus and his cheerful wife mounted on their famous reindeer drawn sleigh. CHILDREN EXCITED The youthful enthusiasm and expectancy of the little citizens could not be contained. They jumped up and down as band after band cut the cold atmosphere with high piercing notes of stirring martial strains, and opened wider their eyes as the fire engines, trains, ambulances, dump trucks and other "life-size" toys passed by.

The appearance of the rotund, white-whiskered Santa with his wide grin and friendly laugh was a signal for many things to many children. Some burst into cheering, some called out to him by name, a few of the smaller ones cuddled a little "closer to mother or father, a little awed by the sight of his majesty, and others just looked spellbound. The Christmas theme was enhanced by the nearly-completed street decorations and the scores of intriguing Yuletide gift displays in the city's retail stores. Parade shows toppers: A live animal float carrying two live bear cubs; the 40 et 8 locpmo- tlve and boxcar stuffed with Christinas packages; Charley Rodkey in his red suit with alarm bells and, Indian, headdress, carrying a coffee grinder; the Optimist club Christmas tree float; the long, red ladder truck of the Altoona fire department; the four golden-voiced choirs. About 4,000 letters to Santa were collected during the parade.

Santa Claus said following the' parade that letters this year will be acknowledged en masse rather than individually as was done last year. Four Retired Employes of PRR Works Honored By Colleagues Southern Producers Offer Parley UMW Chief Reported Ready to Call Off New Strike Till After Christmas WASH INGTON-I-Southern coal producers Friday night Invited renewed contract talks with John L. Lewis. The southern producers acted amid reports that other segments of the industry were ready; to ask Lewis for peace -talks, possibly next week. Lewis himself was reported about to call off any new strike until after.

Christmas. The southern group telegraphed Lewis that it is "ready to resume conferences at any reasonable time and place you designate for the purpose of again endeavoring to negotiate an agreement that will meet the full requirement of our situation." Joseph E. Moody, president of the Southern Coal Producers association said: "We felt it was time to resume negotiations. Mr. Lewis can advise us if he thinks it's possible to come to terms on a contract." Moody's message to Lewis recalled that when negotiations between the southern group and the union at Bluefield, W.

were suspended on Nov. 2, it was understood that contract talks could be resumed at any time. STANDS ON DEMANDS Moody's message said the Southern association still stands on its demands that any contract contain assurances against frequent strikes, and also provide safeguards on spending the miners' welfare fund. Moody's message said: "We note from public statements in the press that you have expressed a willingness to meet with representatives of the coal operators. "We therefore say to you that our committee stands ready to resume conferences at any reasonable time and place you designate for the purpose of again endeavoring to negotiate an agreement that will meet the full requirements of our situation." Other key operator groups were reported to have held meetings to discuss the possibility of new contract talks with Lewis.

The action of the southerners was seen as a move to included in any negotiations with Lewis which may be developing. Government officials also were reported working in the background trying to get the operators and Lewis talking in earnest about a new contract which could end the six-months-long coal crisis. Lewis and ythe northern and western operators were tight-lipped about their plans. Even Lewis' whereabouts became a bit of a mystery. Fire Destroys Home at Spruce And 39th St.

Using coal oil in a heating stove, Blair Mclntire, 65, of Spruce avenue and Thirty-ninth street, escaped without injury early Thanksgiving morning from the resulting fire which destroyed his 7-room frame house with an estimated loss of $4,500. Remains of a previous fire are believed to have caused the kerosene to explode, and flames swept the structure at 7:30 a. m. Kittanning Trail and Canan Station volunteer firemen responded to the alarm and were augumented by city companies Nos. 1 and 6 and Truck A when a box alarm was pulled at Walnut alley and Thirty-ninth str'- Embers were fanned into flames at 12:30 p.

m. and No. 8 of the PRR and Kittanning Trail company went to the scene, Chief C. L. Moyer said.

Insurance on the home amounted to $500. Friday evening at 5:24 p. firemen from No. 6 went to the home of Mrs. Pat Maione, 3300 Oak Lane, where a bucket of water was used to extinguish a blaze in a fireplace of the home when a fire began to smolder beneath a fireplace set.

Motorcyclist Killed At Bellefonte BELLEFONTE. Pa. UP) A motorcycle crashed into a concrete abutment while rounding a curve here Friday, killing the 18-year old driver and critically injuring a companion. Killed in the crash was Daniel Fye, of Lock Haven. Paul Garrett, of Bellefonte, R.

a passenger, was taken to the Centre County hospital here with a possible skull fracture and internal injuries. UN Defeats Soviet Plan For Peace LAKE SUCCESS iP) The United Nat'ons beat down decisively Friday a Soviet peace plan which carried a clause accusing the United States and Britain of preparing for a third world war. Then, by 53 votes to 5, the UN approved a counter American-British program for peace. The margin for the American-British proposal was the biggest the west has ever received in the UN on a major question. The Russian block of five stood alone against it and Yugoslavia abstained, i The heart of Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Y.

Vishinsky's proposal was knocked out 41 to 6 in the 59-nation political committee. Arab Yeman alone voted with the Moscow group in favor of a section calling on the United States, Britain, China and the Soviet Union to draw up a pact of peace. The fight will be renewed finally in the assembly proper, but there was no prospect of a change in the voting. Vishinsky's attack on Britain and America, in the first paragraph of his resolution was beaten by 52 votes tefive, with Yemen and Yugoslavia abstaining. Some delegates interpreted the committee vote as a personal blow at Vishinsky, who has bitterly attacked the British and Americans as preparing for a new war and then, almost in the same breath, called on to swear to a new peace pact among the big five powers the Soviet Union, France, Britain, the United States and China.

They saw the heavy vote for the west as are-expression of confidence from small and medium countries and endorsement of pleas by Warren R. Austin of the United States and Britain's Hector McNeil for the Russians to roll up their iron curtain and cooperate with the rest of the world. ner, who presided, in addressing the jury, said that visibility is poor along that stretch of highway because of lights from homes, taverns, neon signs and from the steady flow of traffic. "Another angle in these cases where so many pedestrians have lost their lives might be caused by night-blindness," Dr. Replogle said, "yet there is no provision in the motor code for tests for night-blindness." "In this pedestrian accident, we had a driver who got out of his car to Investigate when he had struck a dog.

He tried to do his full duty as a citizen and his payment was death. It may not have been so in this case, but science has put a deadly weapon In our hands-cars that travel faster than we know how to control them. "This driver stopped. He knew what to do and where to go following an accident. He waited for the officer and he came here to testify although constitutional rights do not call for testifying at a coroner's inquest.

The "duty of the jury is not only to find whether or not he is responsible but to also make a recommendation." In returning its verdict, the jury said: that it had "unanimously come to the conclusion that Rinker was operating his car Jealanq. proper manner" when he struck Reno W. Russ and that Rinker was exonerated of blame. "However," the jury continued, "after hearing of the numerous fatalities that have happened on this particular three-lane stretch of highway near Greenwood intersection, especially pedestrians, we have come to the conclusion that there is something radically wrong with the lighting facilities along this highway. Thus, we would recommend to the state highway that a study be made of this place." JURY C.

V. McConahy served as foreman of the jury that included: Clair R. Mayhue, H. G. Ingram, W.

Benney, Charles Hite and J. E. Gates. Testifying at the hearing were: Rinker, Paul Barner, 23, of 410 Ninth street, and Betty Smith, 17, of 215 Park Place, Juniata, the two passengers in the Rinker car; Phil Seaber, 60, of Box 104, R. D.

3, Greenwood, who lives across the highway from where the accident occurred, and Pfc. D. A. Valek of the Ant Hills barracks. The Russ youth, who died at Mercy hospital at 12:35 a.

Nov. 19, suffered a fracture of the base of the skull and a fracture of the neck, Dr. Replogle said in presenting the report. SAW HIM TOO LATE Rinker, who saw Russ stodped over the dog as he drove toward (Continued on Page 10, Col, 2) He built another, one. And again disaster stepped in.

Flames swept through the dwelling and the Mowerys had only their garage in which to find shelter. That was shortly before last Memorial day. A Johnstown man, Andrew B. Crichton, got an idea. In a letter to the Johnstown Democrat, Crichton suggested that Memorial day be set aside to honor living as well as deceased veterans.

He singled out Mow-ery's case as an example of what could be done. The idea caught on. Contributions began pouring into the newspaper office. Soon there was enough to purchase materials for Earl's new home. Carpenters, masons, plumbers donated their services.

And many unskilled strangers volunteered whatever manual help they ccuid give. Mowery, his wife, and the kiddies, Gail Laverne, 6, and Earl, 2, had themselves a real old-fashioned Thanksgiving dinner. "Thanks thanks a million," was all he could say. 1 A HON FROM Many Send Money For Yule Seals Hundreds of Blair county citizens said their thanks for health by sending in their dollars for Christmas seals and health bonds to the' Blair County Tuberculosis and Health society. Mrs.

C. W. Montgomer" executive secretary of the society, said Friday night that more than $1,000 was received for seals and bonds through the mail Friday. She said the society also had many letters of appreciation for the health work the organization is doing. Ten dollars of the offering taken at the Thanksgiving union service at Duncansville was brought, by Harman.

This is an annual occurrence. Asked what is the goal of the society, Mrs. Montgomery said, "To have- a county free from tuberculosis. As lone as one ac tive case of tuberculosis remains in Blair county your own life may be at stake." The year-round health education program of the society includes early case finding, tuberculin testing in the schools, mass X-ray service and follow-up work. The Christmas seal dollars make this work possible, Mrs.

Montgomery said. B-17 Puts Part of Capital In Darkness WASHINGTON LT) An alrforce B-17 plane from Omaha clipped an electric line while approaching Boiling field Friday night and plunged a big area of. the city into darkness but the six men aboard landed safely. The Congress Heights and Bellvue sections of southwest Washington lost alU power. Capt.

William J. Lookadoo, public relations officer at Boiling, identified the pi7ot as Lt. Col. W. H.

Campbell, 32, of Chicago. The -plane was from Offutt basei Omaha. MISSES BUILDING One eyewitness said the plane apparently missed an apartment building on Nichols avenue by about 15 feet before hitting volt wires, 40 feet above the ground. The power interruption occurred about 5:50 p. Eastern Standard time shortly before the supper hour.

Stoppage of power in a wide area threw grocery and other stores into darkness during the early evening rush-hour of weekend shoppers. Cash registers operated electrically and at first all ruslomer wlllilii stores were kept there and the doors were locked. Then stop-gap methods (Continued on Page 10, Col. 3) 25 a Buy Christmas Serst NEW YORK WP) Secret reports reaching diplomatic quarters here say the Soviet-led Cominform has a plan on paper to destroy Premier Marshall Tito of Yugoslavia some time between Christmas and Easter. The reports have been submitted by intelligence and diplomatic agents representing the west, and are known to have become available to the U.

S. departments of state and defense. They are receiving intensive study. DENIED In Washington, however, state department Press Officer Michael J. McDermott said the department "has no such He added that the department also, does not know any "American sources" that have such information.

Ales Bebler, deputy foreign minister of Yugoslavia, said his government was aware of such a plot and has "the situation well in hand." On the other side, Julius Katz-Suchy of Poland, a Cominform country, denounced the reports as a "deliberate plant by the United States secret service" to keep the attention of the world focused on Soviet-Yugoslav relations and try to foment a third world war. American diplomatic sources say privately the mere fact the Cominform's plans are known may help defeat them. They point out also that such planning is no different from that of any politico-military establishment's alternative schemes put on file to cope with a potential foe in case of open warfare. The prelude, according to the confidential reports, is scheduled to be a staged revolt in Belgrade. The puppet leaders of this famed insurrec-' tion would then call for help from Hungary and Romania to help them against the "tyrant Tito." This uprising, is reported to be timed to break out at any convenient moment after the United Nations general assembly meeting ends about the middle of December.

The aid from Russian dominated countries, fcept ostensibly and ostentatiously free of direct Russian participation, would take two immediate the reports say. First, parachute troops from the satellite countries would descend on Tito's capital at Belgrade. At the same time armored forces would pour out of Hungary and across the Danube into Yugoslavia. Airfields in Hungary have been rebuilt to handle troop-carrier planes and uch planes are said to have been moved into that Danubian country from the Soviet Union. It has also been reported, responsible diplomatic missions here say, that shock tank corps have been concentrated in those block-ed-off sections of Hungary and Romania bordering Yugoslavia.

Gasoline Price Cut PHILADELPHIA (.) A reduction of four-tenths of cr.t cent a gallon in the wholesale price of motor gasolines was announced Friday by the Esso Standard Oil The new price is effective at once throughout Pennsylvania. Four retired employes one posthumously and another in absentia were honored by former co-workers in the piece work bureau, Altoona works, Pennsylvania Railroad, at a ceremony Friday afternoon presided over by W. E. Bartholomew, general shop inspector. Mr.

Bartholomew, in his intro' ductory remarks prior to the presentation of cash gifts, lauded the careers of the four honored men. The posthumous award was made to L. E. Ferry, formerly of 543 Willow avenue, who died shortly- after retiring Aug. 1, 1949.

His widow was unable to be present due to illness. R. J. Carroll, who resided at the Taylor hotel, could not be present for the ceremony as he was out of town. He sent a letter thanking his former colleagues for the honor bestowed upon him, the letter which Mr.

Bartholomew read to the some 50 persons present. The two retired men present for the occasion were F. J. Ed-waivls of Greenwood, R. D.

1, and R. H. Joyce, S043 Broad avenue. Both men made brief talks of appreciation shown by their fellow-workers in honoring them upon reaching retirement. Mr.

Edwards cited the loyalty found among employes of the piece work department and Mr. Joyce said "now the toughest job I have is in finding something to occupy my time." Statistics released from the office of Harry Waite, chief clerk to the general inspector, disclosed that these four men had a total accumulated service with the company of 180 years, 106 of these spent in the piece work bureau, Their combined ages at date of retirement was 261 and three-fourths years. In point of length of service with the Pennsylvania railroad company, Mr. Joyce had 53 years, Mr. Ferry 47, Mr.

Edwards 46 and Mr. Carroll 33. Following is the service record of each man: Mr. Joyce began his career as a boilermaker helper in' the A. M.

S. boiler shop May 2, 1892. He resigned from service for three years and reentered as a machinist Nov. 1, 1906, remaining in various capacities until his retire-continued on Page 10, Col. 2) Mrs.

Alvaretta Young Dies at Age of 91 Mrs. Alvaretta Young, 91, who suffered a fracture of the hip in a fall Sept. 19, died at the Snyder Nursing hqme at 12:10 a. m. Saturday.

Mrs. Young, who was a lifelong resident of Altoona, was born Jan. 13, 1858, on a farm near Orbisonia, Huntingdon county, the daughter of James and Caroline (McClure) Hileman. Her husband, A. M.

Young, preceded her in death. She was a life-long member of Christ Second Lutheran church. She is survived by two daugh ters, Mrs. A. Roy Bur' et, 2223 Broad avenue, and Mrs.

Annie E. Snyder, 1019 Lexington ave nue. Also surviving are one grand daughter, Mrs. Dorothy Weaver of Altoona, and one great-grand daughter, Mrs. Lois Snimer of Altoona.

Friends will be received at the Laughlin funeral home after 7 p. m. Saturday. New Home Built For Disabled Veteran By Friends Yank Killed By Russian Sentry BERLIN OB An American soldier was fatally wounded Friday night when a Russian sentry fired after his challenge apparently was unheeded, U. S.

army authorities announced. Army officii-: said they were investigating the shooting, which occurred about 8:30 p. m. (2:30 p. m.

EST) and that all the facts had not been determined. They gave this account from early reports: American sergeant attached to the Tempelhof airport and two soldier companions were riding with a girl near the British Gatow airport not far from the Russian zone border. They apparently failed to halt at a Russian check point and crossed into the Russian zone. A few second later a Russian sentry fired on the vehicle, and a bullet struck the sergeant. The others were not wounded.

PIENdDflN ell, Bill iear got a little jnovv Friday mornin', hut he wuzn't in no po- keen about it." I ivL Vvr. "It rained first, an' froze, an ol' Bill wuz turned into a big icicle fer a spell. Yep. He wuz so froze over, he jingled every time he moved. When I saw him, he sounded like a Swiss bell ringer, jest layln' there twitchin' in his sleep.

Next time it rains an' freezes, I'm gonna ast Bill learn play 'Jingle Bells' "Oh shut up," sez Mr. W. "Forecast fer Saturday calls fer CONSIDERABLE CLOUDINESS AN' COLD WITH POSSIBILITY O' SOME SNOW FLURRIES AN' WITH TEMP'ATURE IN THIRTIES. Sunday mostly Cloudy an' warmer with probable rain. High temp'ature Friday wuz 43, low, 22.

wind, 26 miles southwesterly, humidity temp'ature at 1 a. pa. Saturday wuz 29 1 1 1 Icy Highway Causes Crash Property damage resulted from post-holiday accidents in the county police reported Friday night. Charles Kimmen, 30, of 1211 Fourth avsnue, was traveling east on the Cresson road, at 9:45 p. m.

when a truck slowed down in front of him and Kimmen skidded on the icy highway and struck a car coming in the opposite direction driven by Donald E. Brothers, 24, of 403 Julian street, Ebensburg. Damage to the Kimmen car was estimated at $500 and damage to the Brothers car, $50. Following a sideswipe accident at Nealmont, William A. Barrett.

Northwood, Tyrone, continued on to strike a concrete abutment at the railroad trestle at 1 p. m. Friday. The Barrett car sideswiped a car traveling east and operated by Irvin. Dearmit, Warriors Mark, R.

Pfc. James Lyons of the Ant Hills barracks said. Barrett was traveling west. Both cars were damaged to the extent of $200, the amount being equally divided. Gen.

Hayes Dies WASHINGTON UP) Maj. Gen. Philip Hayes, 62-year-old former genefal of the third service command, died Friday at Walter Reed hospital of a cerebral hemorrhage. The third service area includes Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania. LATE NEWS, CHICAGO VP) "Mad Dog" Killer James Morelll died early Saturday in the electria chair.

Violence Occurs In French General Strike PARIS (JP) Reports of violence on he west coast reached Paris early Saturday as France's largely ineffective general strike came to a close. At St. Nazaire, shipbuilding center on the west coast, striker? attacked trucks and care substituting for the city's normal transport services. Strikers were reported to have handled a chauffeur roughly, but he was not seriously hurt. Members of the General Confederation of Labor (CGT) broke into a government structure at Brest and set it on fire before police ousted them and extinguished the flames.

Across the country, in east central France at Dijon, police used tear gas bombs to disperse some 2,000 CGT strikers who tried to break through lines guarding a pre' fecture building. Even leaders of the nation's two big labor unions, who called the strike, acknowledged privately it had not come up to JOHNSTOWN, Pa. UP) Thanksgiving's over for most folks. But marine hero Earl J. Mow-ery figures he'll just make it an everyday observance.

The young ex-leatherneck lives with his wife and two youngsters in a neat frame home on a 30-acre farm near Johnstown. It was completed this week a gift from grateful fritnds, neighbors, school kids, and hundreds of other people he never knew. Things are looking up for the Mowerys now after a run of hard luck that started back in 1942. Earl won the Na'y Cross' by coolly hitching his tank to another that was disabled amid heavy Japanese fire on Guadal canal. His heroism cost him his left leg and some 40 other wounds.

After the war Mowery bought his farm and settled down to a rustic life. But ill fortune struck again. His little frame house was destroyed when the furnace SIMMS NOW FEATURING COLUMBIA $49.50 SIMMS JEWELERS, 1125 ELEVENTH AVE..