Corsicana Semi-Weekly Light from Corsicana, Texas • Page 1

Twice-A-Week Visitor The Semi-Weekly Morning Light can-let local, state and woi Id aewa Into of rural homes In Navarro and surround Ing counties twice each week. Every worthwhile Item of newa from every point to thoroughly covered. 3 Home of tht Daily Sun and Semi-Weekly Morning FULL LEASED WIRE ASSOCIATED PRESS SERVICE. AP TELEMATS Over Fifty Years of Service The Semi-Weekly Morning Light been an outstanding progressive newspaper, working for the advancemnet ol the rural communities of Navarro and adjacent counties for more than fifty years. Its success bound up with tho growth of rural life.

VOL. LXI. CROSICANA, TEXAS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, PAGES NO. 16. LEGISLATURE FINISHES TASK CHURCHILL ATTLEE LEADING OPPONENTS British At Polls; Large Vote Seen LONDON, Feb.

formed the most important queue of the-past five years as they lined up today to mark their "x's" for or against reelecting their Socialist government. A record vote in the national elections was expected as lines formed early and steady streams began moving through polling stations all over this island-kingdom. The choice before more than 000.000 voters: Re-election of Prime Minister Clement Attlee's Laborites, pledged to put still more industries under state control; or a return to the Conservative rule of wartime Premier Winston Churchill, who promised to halt the nationalization but keep of Britain's welfare state tV-'ylty meas- Few women, Ibng accustomed'to queuing in shops, turned out for the early of them, however, was Mrs. Winston Churchill. Mrs.

Churchill was smiling as she arrived at the polling station. his wife already had voted by mail. prime minister and Mrs. Attlee were cheered by a large crowd when they arrived at Labor party headquarters In Walt hamstow West, 'the working class section of London' where Attlee is a candidate. Attjee shook hands with workmen repairing the street and joked: "I feel fine and I'm glad the weather's fine.

Otherwise my opponent would blame me for the weather." No incidents had been reported. But London's famous "Bobbies" were primed for huge crowds which are expected to jam Trafalgar Square and Picadilly Circus tonight to watch election results. Churchill himself arrived to vote at St. Stephen's a couple of hours later. He was cheered as he waved Jiis familiar sign and stopped to pat the cheek of a little girl who handed him some flowers.

The voting was expected to be close. Victory or defeat for the power since July, chiefly on domestic is- cues. For these people of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland neither party promised any relaxation of the bleak austerity under which Britons have lived since wartime. And no party has suggested dropping the ambitious social services established after the Laborites came to power in 1945. So the choice for Mr.

and Mrs. John Bull is based on which kind of government they think will keep the breadwinner employed, lower their heavy taxes, boost their salaries and cut their living costs. In London and many parts of Eastern England the voters had See BRITISH. Page 3 Senators Trying To Kill Potato Price Supports WASHINGTON, Feb. Senate leaders tried again today to get action on a cotton acreage bill which also would halt price supports for potatoes.

The bill originally was scheduled for a vote earlv this week. But with the exception of a brief flurry of debate Monday, it has received scant attention. The house has approved a bill revising cotton and peanut acre- ages set up by a. 1949 act. The senate agriculture committee discarded the peanut acreage boost, cut the amount of the house cotton increase, arid added a con- troveslal rider intended to prevent future potato surpluses.

This amendment would eliminate all federal price supports for potatoes not planted at the time of the bill's enactment, unless the crop was brought under strict marketing quotas to discourage overproduction. Democratic'Leader Lucas (111), who sponsored that provision, tax payers have paid out $450,000,000 for surplus potatoes under the farm price support program since the war. Senator Wherry (R-Neb) has offered an amendment to halt all potato imports when there is a surplus in this country, or when potatoes are agreements. under marketing Doctor To Claim Woman Died Prior To Feb. N.

Sander's chief defense lawyer, asserted today that the country doctor will show that the cancer-ridden woman he is accused of pkllling was dead before he Injected air into her veins. MANCHESTER, N. Feb. 23. state said today Dr.

Hermann N. Sander admitted taking the life of a suffering 59-year- old woman cancer patient with air injections administered at the urging of her husband. Attorney General William L. Phinney told a jury of 13 men that "the motive behind any determined and premeditated killing has no bearing whether it be good or the results are the same." "Of so-called mercy killings, no such things exists under law," the prosecutor said in his 54-minute opening statement. "Such action is homicide." Phinney also said the evidence would show that the 41-year old country physician administered 10 cubic centimeters of air intravenously four times, and that the patient died within 10 minutes.

He quoted Dr. Sander as saying that she passed away "peacefully and quietly" after the injections. During cross-examination of the first state Harold I. Loverud, president of the staff of the Counsel Louis E. Wyman indicated the defense may contend the dead when the Injections were made.

The defense lawyer asked Loverud if another Snay seen her at 11:15 a. m. on the. day. she die.d before Dr.

Sander entered her room and before any air injections, and then pronounced her dead; also would he have been able to give reliable information? Dr. Loverud replied "yes." Phinney then questioned Dr. Loverud on redirect examination and asked: "Do you know of any treatment which involves the introduction of air into the circulatory system by means of a syringe?" "No Sir," was the reply. "As a doctor can you tell us any reason for injecting air into the veins of a person who is dead?" "No Sir." "Can you conceive of such a reason?" See DOCTOR. Page 6 New FEPC Bill Passes NO PENALTIES SET FORTH IN NEW MEASURE No Discrimination On Jobs Approved In House Action WASHINGTON, Feb.

The house passed today a fair employment practices (FEPC) bill stripped of enforcement provisions. The vote was 240 to 177. The bill, far short of -what President Truman wanted, now goes to the senate. The house action came after a debate that started at noon yesterday and ran into early this morning. The bill that finally emerged from the house fell so far short of what Mr.

Truman wanted that many of Us original supporters refused to vote for it. Southern Democrats opposed it solidly. They were largely responsible for having knocked all the enforcement teeth" from the proposal. It expresss policy that there should be no discrimination against minority groups In job opportunities and seeks to avert such discrimination through persuasion and education. it provides no penalties for anyone violating its major provisions.

Just before the final vote, the house beat down a move to shelve the bill by sending it back to the house labor committee. The vote on that was 239 to 177. The bill was tentatively approved after Southern civil rights opponents had filibustered relentlessly against ah anti-job discrimination measure With teeth, backed by President Truman's forces. The house was ready for the final vote at' 3:20 (EST) (2:20 a. m.

GST), when a technicality forced It to quit, putting off the' showdown until sometime after noon. Supporters of the administration bill found little to their Ilk- ing in the substitute measure bearing the name of Rep. McConnell (R-ra). Southern Democrats who don't want any kind of FEPC measure Indicated they would vote to recommit the McConnell bill. They expected strong Republican sup- See FEPC, JBill, Page Truman Will Act To Prevent Rail Strike Monday WASHINGTON, Feb.

The White House said today that President Truman probably will create an emergency board tomorrow or Saturday to head, off a threatened nationwide railroad strike. The Brotherhood of Conductors and Trainmen have called a strike for 6 a. m. Monday. The conductors and the trainmen's brotherhood refused arbitration, which had been proposed by Nation (Railway) Mediation Board.

Together the unions represent between 200,000 and 250,000 workers. Appointment of a presidential fact-finding board under the railway labor act requires both sides In the dispute to retain the status quo. The board has 30 days in which to make a report and no strike can be called for 30 days after the board's report is submitted, according to the law. A spokesman for the trainmen's brotherhood in Cleveland said the union would comply with the legal procedures. The unions' principal demand is for a 40-hour week for some 85,000 yard service employes, without a cut in pay from their presnt 48- hour scale.

Negotiations began nearly a year ago. The unions asked for 13 changes in operating rules, and the nation's carriers asked for 17 changes. Shadowed He's Not a Spy, This Senator; He's Just Trying To Get Rid Of Dentures BY ERNEST.G. WARREN Feb. "I'm not guilty of subversive activities," Rep.

Cotton (R-NH) is telling his constituents. "I'm just trying to get rid of my old dentures." Cotton sends a weekly report to the voters in his district. This week it was a wistful report indeed. "Old age," he observed, "creeps on apace and once more I am spending time in the dentist's chair. The partial plates I have been wearing no longer suffice.

"Monday I returned from the dentist, despondent, and threw them into the wastebasket. "Tuesday I was called from the floor of the House and found two members of the Capitol police waiting for me. One of them with great ceremony handed me the old dentures." Cotton said that the more he thought about it, the more the incident worried him. "Can it be," he wondered, "that I too am under the cloud of suspicion that hangs over Washington, so that even my wastepaper basket is being watched?" But that was nothing compared to the really big problem: "How," he asked his constituents, "am I going to get rid of these dentures? Must I steal down to the Potomac River some dark night and throw them in? "Perhaps if I do I shall be seized by the minions of the law and accused of destroying 'pumpkin papers' or other dangerous activity. "If you read that your representative is guilty of subversive activity," he concluded, "don's believe Miners, Operators Believed Nearer Strike Settlement WASHINGTON, Feb.

L. Lewis and coal operators were reported today to have narrowed the gap between them in the long drawn out haggling over a new mining contract. The unconfirmed from either was that operators had offered to increase slightly the financial concessions they previous had proposed. It came from sources close to the negotiations and sent a surge of hope through government officials struggling to get the mines back Into production and end the famine that already has brought rationing and chilled homes, curtailed schools and industrial production in many areas Pressure was building up on both sides to reach agreement. For Lewis, time was running out.

He is confronted with the danger of multi-million dollar fines on the United Mine Workers Union if the miners are still on strike tomorrow. Bearing on the operators was the increasing talk among some pro- labor members of congress that the government should seize the mines and retain any profits made while the pits were under federal control. The seizure question was brought in casually during a session of a senate judiciary committee where William Green, president 'of the American Federation of Labor, was the witness. Green told the senators he feels sure miners would go back If the government seized the coal pits. He added that he Is "not sure" the time for seizure has but that he had read In the newspapers that "the situation Is critical In some places." Green was before the committee a bill that would make labor unions subject to the antitrust Jaws.

There continued to be talk that congress might vote power for the president to seize the mines and tell the miners to work as government employes. The White House said nothing. This is Lewis' last chance because tomorrow at 9 a. m. (GST), the United Mine Morkers are under orders from Judge Richmond B.

Keech to "show cause" why the union shouldn't be found in contempt of court. If the union explanations don't satisfy the judge, there will be a formal hearing on Monday on a contempt order. In was Judge Keech who Issued a back-to-work order on Feb. ll that has been flatly ignored by the miners. They have stayed away from the pits, crying "No contract, no work." Although Lewis Instructed them to go hack, he, too, may come In for Judge Keech's attentions.

Lewis and the operators were deadlocked over new contract terms. Whether Lewis and the operators were close to agreement on a new pact after more than ten months of negotiations remained to be seen. Neither side would say there had been any progress. The mounting effect of the coal shortage was another incentive toward agreement. A state of emergency was declared in Erie, a city of 140,000.

Under it, all Industries will close down near Sunday and Monday, and maybe still another day next week. Hoving bands of pickets swept on non-union mines In Pennsylvania. Three men were beaten near Clearfleld. State police estimated that $4,000 damage See COAL, Page 2 6 Hooded Bandits Stage Bold Home Jewel Robbery CLEVELAND, Feb. Six hooded bandits boldly burst into the spacious home of multimillionaire William G.

Mather early today, slugged his wife and got away with jewelry valued at between $200,000 and $800,000. Moving with commando-like precision, the robbers were armed with a sub-machinegun and revolvers. Mather, 93-year-old honorary board chairman of the Cleveland Cliffs Iron slept through the entire operation. The robbers entered the main residence through a servants' entrance. None of the seven servants heard them.

Then they sauntered into a second-floor bedroom, where the 60- year-old Mrs. Mathei was asleep. She awoke to find a man standing over her with a sub-machine gun. She screamed. This woke Walter 72, male nurse, sleeping in a room adjoining to the aging Mather.

To stop her screams, the man with sub-machine gun struck her on the side of the face. Then Mussell came running into her room. Two of the robbers bound and gagged him. They then got the jewelry from a cabinet and escaped. WHAT A 16, split the central Oklahoma town of Bethany in two when he kissed Basketball Queen 'Charlotte McClain, 16, at a coronation ceremony.

Bethany is a blue law city with a large population who attend the Nazerene Church. Because of a tabu on kissing, students anticipated repercussions and staged a walkout. Five were suspended. Some angry parents threaten court action. (AP Wirephoto).

6 Prisoners Saw Way Out Of Jail Near Texarkana TEXARKANA. Feb. One of six prisoners who sawed way out of the Bowie county jail at Boston, last night th bars today. the remaining five turned to Northwest Louis- was back behind The search for iana. W.

E. Palmer, 68, was appre- bended four hours after the break and told officers the other escapees had talked of "heading for Shreveport." Palmer said he was forced to accompany the escapees and was returning to surrender when he was picked up. Jlmmlfl Rodgers, 21, negro trusty who was beaten by the escapees, remained In a serious condition In Texarkana hospital today with a fractured skull and brain concussion. Chief Deputy Sheriff Frank Riley said it still wasn't known who planned the break but that Chris Cooney, 39, one-armed ex-convict and one of the escapees, had visitors yesterday. Riley said he took a dozen hacksaw blades from the shoes of another escapee, Fred Langhorn, about 26.

before he was transferred recently to the Boston jail from the Texarkana city Jail. Riley said he sawed through one bar at Texarkana before he was detected. Boston is 28 miles west of here. Officers said the trusty appar- enty was beaten about the head during their escape. Sam Raney, jailer, said he did not hear any automobile and believed the men left on foot.

Five of the fugitives were See PRISONERS, Page 2 U.S. Spy-Probers Given More Power In Investigations WASHINGTON, Feb. Democratic senate leaders wound up today with even more'author- ity than they had asked to investigate charges by Senators McCarthy (R-Wis) that a Communist spy ring has been operating in the state department. Republicans succeeded in getting the Democrats to accept several strengthening additions to the original inquiry resolution. After hours of angry debate, Republicans got these additions to the Inquiry measure: 1.

A directive to the investigating group "to procure by subpoena" secret government loyalty and employment files of government employes facing charges. 2. A requirement for open public hearings on any formal charges of disloyalty. 3. An amendment which would extend the inquiry to past as well a present state department em- ployes.

SCHOOL, CITY IN ACCORD ON SINKING FUND Independent District To Receive $46,750 Under Agreement Acceptance of a division of the interest and sinking fund of the city whereby the Corsicana Independent School District receives $46,750 featured a more than three- hour session of the school board Wednesday night. Other high-lights of the meeting Included: 1. Likely changing from oil and coal fuel use in four or six schools to natural definite decision put off until March 14 meeting since three members were absent. 2. Decided to inaugurate a vigorous collection campaign for the delinquent write letters to those owing to invoke the same penalties as charged by the state and county for as one member said: "We're going after delinquent taxes." 3.

Discussed Informally a Proposed $400,000 school bond election to relieve crowded bond attorney was quoted as saying that $71,000 per year would care for such an Issue ana that the present valuation of $17r 000,000 would stand such an Increase should the people approve. 4. Designated C. S. Wood as the presiding judge and Wade Smith and Mrs.

Sam Spikes as assistant judges for the school, board election, April 1, when three posts In the school be; filled. The balloting will lie at the city hall. 5. Requisitioned a new school bus for September and will allow an old bus to be used for transportnlg the football squads 'to practice and back, replacing the present old truck. 6.

Put off until next meeting the question of shower room and toilets at Tiger Field. 7. Voiced approval of and urged the completion of farm-to-market roads from Emhouse to Cryer Creek to Barry and thence south to Highway 31 via Bryan school district. 8. Approved tho payment of $44,836.69 Interest and principal on maturing school bonds In iren- ruary, and $5,717.24 current monthly claims.

Athletic council bills were $1,792.13. 9. Authorized payment of E. E. Crowe, bond attorney, $500 fee for the school separation work.

10. Authorized a $152.95 refund to Mrs. B. L. Sanders, on property where a double payment had been made.

11. Leased one acre campus ne- gro school at Corbet to Mr. Perkins for $1 per year for pasture. 12. Approved use of Senior High School auditorium for Dallas Symphony Orchestra, March 2, and the Lions Club Minstrel, March 13.

Bids for the installation of gas burners and a' conversion to natural gas as a fuel for schools using other fuel were received from the Tatum Hardware and Air Conditioning Company and from the See SCHOOL BOARD, Page 3 Solons Okey Two Texas Tax Bills AUSTIN, Feb. special session today- completed action on the 10 per cent omnibus tax increase and the penny-a-pack cigarette tax boost bills. Both measures tc help pay the costs of raising state hospital standards now go to Gov. Allan Shivers, who has said he would sign them. The senate vote on final passage of the omnibus bill was 27 to 2.

The house gave it a rousing 113 to 18 approval. Then the house accepted the conference committee report on a measure appropriating $20,612,128 for state hsopital and special school support and improvement during the next 18 months. The only remaining action necessary to completion of tho administration's hospital program was senate acceptance of tho appropriation bill. Action on It was expected early this afternoon, Final passage of the cigarette tax bill in the house was by a vote of 114 to 9. The eleemosynary appropriation bill through the house 136 to 1.

The lone dissenting vote was cast by Rep. Joe Pyle of Fort Worth. The more than two-thirds majorities given the tax bills In both houses means they will become effective immediately upon the governor's signature. The house vote on the appropriation bill was also by the majority necessary to make it effective immediately. There was no doubt the senate would give the appropriation measure like approval.

Th senate was in recess until 2:30 p. m. Finaj action on the omnibus bill came in whirlwind action breaking a log jam that delayed It in the house yesterday. The scrap was over a senate amendment satting up a surplus commodities agency to distribute such goods to the hospitals and special; schools, When the house balked at talcing--It, the senate'Called' 1 ibst- Ssili- struck out tne questioned change, and shot the measure back to the house where final passage quickly followed. The omnibus bill was written to raise 20 million dollars in 18 months, 15 million of it for hospitals.

It increases the levy 10 percent on oil production, natural gas, sulphur, cosmetics, automobile sales and numerous other items. It was a key measure in the administration's plan for improving the condition of the hospitals. Rep. Sam Hanna of Dallas, who led the opposition to the surplus commodities amendment yester- Se LEGISLATURE. Page No Phone Strike Friday; 60-Day Truce Is Called WASHINGTON, Feb.

Threat of a nationwide breakdown in telephone service, scheduled for tomorrow, has been lifted by union acceptance of a Presidential appeal for a 60-day bargaining truce. "We will bargain every day, 24 hours a day during that period in seeking a peaceful settlement," said President Joseph A. Beirne of the CIO Communications Workers of America. President Truman asked that service remain uninterrupted while work goes on under present wage, hour and other conditions. Some Bell System companies accepted promptly; others were expected to do so.

Beirne quickly polled his executive board on yesterday's White House proposal. He announced tha decision last night, notifying Mr. Truman by wire that the union recognizes its obligation to the "jitiblic interest 'ilries American Telephone and Telegraph Co. wired the President it would be glad to continue bargaining "in a sincere effort to settle the dispute." The time, it said, should be "useful in reaching an agreement." Similar word came from the Western Electric one of the key companies in the dispute, and others. In Atlanta, the Southern Bell Telephone company wont a hit further, and suggested the truce run until June 5.

The strike of 100,000 workers had been set for 6 a. local time, tomorrow. Another 120,000 phone workers were due to join See TELEPHONES, Page 3 SOVIETS UNCRUSHABLE, SAYS MOSCOW, WARNING AGGRESSORS MOSCOW, Feb. Moscow newspapers marked the 32nd anniversary of the Soviet army today with the warning that the Russians would not be frightened by "atomic blackmail." "The Soviet people," said the Communist party newspaper Pravda. "are convinced of the uncrush- able strength of the Soviet state.

No one can succeed In frightening the Soviet peaple either with 'atomic' or any other kind of blackmail." The government paper Izvestia proclaimed that the Soviet force "is the first class army of our time, a threat to any aggress- ors and claimants to world domination." Writing in Pravda, Soviet Chief of Staff Gen. S. M. Shtemenko declared that Russia alone had been able to crush Hitler's armies and free Europe from the Nazis. Shtemenko went on to claim that only about one-fifth of the German force was pitted against the Americans and British and that even those were not Germany's best soldiers.

Celebration of Army Day began yesterday. In Moscow many meetings are being held. Leningrad and other Soviet cities also held celebrations. WILL APPEAL TO FREE Robert A. Vogeler, whose American husband was sentenced to 15 years in prison by a Hungarian people's court in Budapest, sits between her sons, Bobby (left).

9, and Billy, 8, in Vienna, where she announced she would appeal to the Hungarian government to free her husband "because I love him, I need him and our children need him." Vogeler, 39, an assistant vice president of the International Telephone and Telegraph Company, was found guilty of sabotaging and spying for western powers. (AP Wirephoto via'radio farom Rome)..