The Wichita Eagle from Wichita, Kansas • 1

The Wichita Eagle CXXII Price in the City, 3c; Outside City, 5c WICHITA, KANSAS, MONDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 30, 1946 TEN PAGES NUMBER 183 VOLUME LABOR BILL IS FIRST ON GOP'S LIST Republican Senators Meeting Today also to Look into Other Problems TAX CUT UP FOR STUDY Group Expected to Favor Continuation of Some Wartime Controls WASHINGTON, Dec. 29. -(AP)-The 51 strife-ridden but dominant Republicans of the new senate meet for the first time tomorrow to consider their legislative program with labor controls atop the list. Representative Case (R-SD), author of a union, regulation bill which was -vetoed during the last session, told a reporter he is planning a new measure for. early introduction, but would Case not said he what plans may to be talk in it.

this a week with Senator Ball and others who have been giving study to labor law revision for help' as they may give each other. On the eve of the GOP senatorial conference, Senator Wagner (D-NY), author the labor relations act, appealed to Republican leadership not to "take its cue from its reactionary wing" and "tear down the edifice built since 1933 to improve the lot of the average "The whole mancountry. -would more easily," his statement declared, over the. Republican room: were inscribed these words to greet the new congress: 'Don't turn back the Problems The recommendations Republican from conference subcom- will get mittees on labor legislation but on income tax cuts, spending curbs, removal of government controls and other phases of a big program. plus such side issues a proposal to oust Senator Bilbo (D- But first up will be- a squabble over.

assignment of choice committee chairmanships and a bat(Continued on Page 6 Column 4) Wisecrack Gets Scientist into Jam By HOWARD W. BLAKESLEE (Associated Press Science Reporter; Boston, Dec. 29, (AP) Dr. Harlow Shapley, Harvard astronomer, innocently started a minor tempest tonight by wisecracking that the only way to save the off all young promising human species meishd, be to kill genius. Before his words had stopped echoing in Harvard's Sanders theater Shapely began getting queries from persons who not heard the whole speech.

They to mow how he would accomplish the destruction and how soon proposed to begin. In the end, to halt a growing misconception, he was forced to explain that his remark about killing- off geniuses was "merely a one of "all sorts of witticisms" woven in to brighten "very heavy. treatment of a very grim subject survival of the species." Shapley, saddened that his remark had been lifted out of context and misunderstood, said his scientific audience appreciated the humor and laughed happily. The astronomer made his remark about geniuses after noting that geniuses may invent means of worldwide destruction that would be used because of the lag in social controls. SILENT ON APPOINTMENT CHARLOTTE, N.

Dec. -A. L. M. Wiggins, former president of the American Bankers' Association, tonight refused to either confirm or deny reports that he will be.

appointed to fill O. Max Gardner's post as undersecretary of the treasury. Gardner is vacating the position to become the States ambassador to Great Britain. Bulldog Trying Battles to Save CHATTANOOGA, Mistress Dec. Elizabeth Ray, 77, was drowned in swollen Chickamauga creek today despite a valiant, four-hour atempt by her Boston bulldog to save her.

Police told this story: After Mrs. Ray fell into the creek, her 5-year-old dog, "Corky," plunged into the stream after her. He swam for quarter of a mile and eventually tugged the 135-pound woman to shore. When police found the two, the dog had left forepaw around a small sapling on the bank and was fighting the swift current to keep it from dragging him and his mistress downstream. He had dug in an effort to climb to shore.

Police said the 25-pound dog had been fighting the stream for four hours. LAST AMBASSADOR TO GERMANY DEAD AT VERMONT HOME Hugh Robert Wilson Served as Special Assistant for Secretary of State; Was Adviser of Hull BENNINGTON, Dec. (AP)-Hugh Robert Wilson, 61, ca-; reer diplomat and the last United. States ambassador to Nazi many, died last night at his home in Bennington. He became seriously ill early in August.

and was under treatment for. several: weeks at the Putnam Memorial hospital here. The nature of the illness was not disclosed at that time. Funeral services will be held at Wilson's birthplace, Evanston, Tuesday. Given Post in 1938 Wilson was appointed ambassador to Germany in March, 1938, and recalled in November of the same year as a United States protest against persecution of the Jews by the Nazis.

Wilson, who made his home at Washington, D. became ill last summer at his Bennington summer home. He is survived by his widow Katharine, a son, Robert, sister, Mrs. Charles Little of Chicago, and brother, Morris K. Wilson, also of Chicago.

Wilson made a career of diplomacy. He started in 1911 as private secretary to the American minister at Lisbon and traveled over the world for 29 years, retiring at the end of 1940. In that period he served in Guatemala, Buenos Aires, three times in Berlin, Vienna, Bern and Tokyo, besides several tours of duty in Washington. His last foreign assignment was that of ambassador to Germany. Adviser for Hull' After, his recall from Germany, Wilson was appointed a special assistant to the secretary of state and became one of Secretary Cordell Hull's closest advisers on foreign affairs.

He made up his mind that if Adolf Hitler began a war he would tender his resignation as ambassador to Germany in protest. As soon as the Nazis invaded Poland in September of 1939, precipitating World he quit his Berlin post, from which he had been absent for almost a year. Born January 29, 1885, Wilson was educated at Yale, from which he was graduated in 1906 with a bachelor of arts and then studied political science in Paris. Before entering the diplomatic service, he was connected with his family's wholesale men's clothing business in Chicago. In 1914 he married Miss Katharine Bogle.

THREE LOSE LIVES IN PLANE SMASHUP SANTA FE, N. Dec. (P)- Three persons died in the wreckage of a private airplane here today a few minutes after taking off for a return flight home following a visit with friends. The dead were identified as Fred W. Linderman, 22, employe of the Skyport airfield: Edward Franklin Ridenour, 30, Bernalillo county deputy sheriff, and Virginia Grace, age unknown, all of Albuquerque.

Fred Valdez, a Santa Fel pilot, said Linderman and his passengers crashed when the pilot attempted a half-loop a few minutes after taking off. The plane crashed in a field about one-half mile northeast of the airport. CHEMICALS OVERCOME 75 FIREMEN Fumes from Drug Supplies Bowl Over Fighters in Blaze at Atlanta 52 SENT TO HOSPITALS Steady Stream of Ambulances Used; Doctors Administer Oxygen ATLANTA, Dec. (AP) -Chemical fumes released when a stubborn eight-hour fire ate into supin a drug store in Atlanta's financial 1 district overcame 75 firemen today, sending 52 to hospitals. Firemen dropped like flies as the unidentified gases poured up from the basement of the building.

They fell in the building and on the street. Twenty-seven were sprawled along the street and sidewalk at one time as doctors and attendants moved among them administering oxygen. Ambulances with sirens screaming dashed from the scene to Grady hospital and then back again in a steady stream reminiscent of the December 7 conflagration which snuffed out 119 lives at the Winecoff hotel seven blocks away. 'Every time the wind tossed that smoke at a fireman he went said Bowen. "It Assistant had a Fire sweetish Chief Fineli and when you licked your lips you got sweet taste.

This was the most difficult basement fire we have ever battled in Atlanta." The wind wafted the smoke and fumes to the street in heavy waves. As the fight went on in the early morning hours Bowen ordered evacuation of an adjacent three-story hotel and the five-story Atlanta Journal building housing southern division headquarters. of the Associated Press. A two-block area was roped off. GOVERNMENT ACTION FOR BUSTING TRUSTS LABELED AS FAILURE Report to House Committee Claims Agencies of U.

S. Work Against Each Other on Regulation Policies WASHINGTON, Dec. 29. (AP) Investigators for a house committee stamped an "imprint of failure" tonight on government trust-busting activities and recommended that unions be subjected to anti-trust laws. A report to the monopoly subcommittee of the house small business committee drafted by its staff of seven investigators concluded that government has been largely ineffective, with some agencies combating concentration and others fostering policies "which actually promote" it.

Called Staff Study Chairman Kefauver (D- emphasized in an introduction that the report is only a staff study and not represent conclusions of the subcommittee as a whole'. It was made public over objections of Reps. Leonard W. Hall (R-NY) and Walter C. Ploeser (R-Mo), theonly Republicans on the subcommittee.

It is up. to congress, the report said, to strengthen the anti-trust laws and make "all segments of the economy," including unions and insurance companies, "subject to a unified policy designed to prevent concentration. and restrictive practices." It suggested tightening the (Continued on Page 3 Column 1) NOTED PAINTER PASSES NEW YORK, Dec. nold Friedman, 73, prominent American artist and member of a group of painters who opposed the academic policies of the National Academy of Art, died today. Radio Program on Page 7 Triplets Make Armful for Mother RIVERSIDE, DEC.

WIREPHOTO) -Mrs. Sally Bush of West Riverside, wife of a veteran of the Solomons campaign, holds her triplet sons in the hospital here where they were born a week ago today. Left to right, they are Rodney, Richard and Raymond. Plane Wreckage in Which 12 Died SHANNON AIRPORT, EIRE, DEC. WIREPHOTO) men examine the broken fuselage of the Trans World airline Constellation "Star of Cairo," which crashed and exploded in a bog near here.

The crash resulted in the deaths of 12 persons and injury to 11 others. (By radio.) THE EDITOR SPEAKING: Georgia is expected to wind up with two governors-and probably can expect twice as much trouble as they've had with one. Rookie Soldier Routs Six Burglars at Base Air Force Private in Service Three Months Battles Group Attempting to Steal $250,000 Payroll at Hamilton Field, Cal. HAMILTON FIELD, Dec. air force rookie, only three months in the armed services, routed.

six burglars in a pre-dawn gun fight at Hamilton field today and saved the air force base's payroll of approximately $250,000. Hamilton field is an army air base 18 miles 'north of San Francisco. Eighteen-year-old Pvt. James M. Hill from Robinson, was on routine post guard duty when at 4:30 a.

m. he heard glass shattering at the rear of the post finance office. Pulling his automatic pistol, Hill ran around the two men with finance building, revolveruntering fired point-blank at him and missed. Hill dodged behind some cans and returned the fire. In return he drew the fire of the entire six would-be payroll robbers.

Hill yelled for the corporal of. the guard, and was answered by an MP guard in a jeep, who already had heard the firing. As more jeeps arrived, the bandits fled into the rain and darkness and escaped. One, seen to stumble and fall, was believed, hit. Federal bureau investigation agents started, work.

on the casetheir army finance office case this week-end. They already are investigating the $4,500 robbery at the of San Francisco. The Presidio robbery was TWO SLUG JAILER AND ESCAPE JAIL One of Pair Recaptured by Indiana Officer; Kansan Remains at Large TERRE HAUTE, Dec. 29. -(P)-One of two prisoners who escaped from Vigo county jail tonight was recaptured two hours later in a taxicab here.

Sheriff John Trierweiler said Hugh O'Neil, 19, of Omaha, Nebraska, was picked up by a police patrol a short time after he and his companion in the break, Clarence 'Heckens, 24, of Great Bend, had made a telephone call. He said they separated after the call. The two men escaped from the jail shortly after 7 p. m. after slugging a jailer.

They were being held for removal to the state reformatory to serve 10-year sentences for auto banditry. The two escaped when Jailer Charles Fagin, opened their cell door after they had asked for tobacco. Trierweiler said they slugged the turnkey with their fists, took his keys and left the jail on foot. Both Heckens and O'Neil had been sentenced the state reformatory December 24 after plead ing guilty in circuit court here to charges of, auto banditry. The car they were: driving at the time of their capture had been stolen from Dr.

Carroll D. Monroe of Selma, Kan. The Weather (Midnight Forecasts by the Wichita U. S. Weather Bureau) WICHITA AND VICINITY: Clear and cold this morning; warmer this afternoon and tonight; continued clear and warmer Tuesday; low this morning zero; high this.

afternoon 30; low Tuesday morning 10. KANSAS: Fair and warmer Monday, increasing cloudiness west late afternoon; becoming partly cloudy and colder extreme northwest Monday night, continued fair, warmer remainder state; Tuesday cloudy and. colder west and north, continued fair and warmer southeast; high temperatures 30's west to mid-20's southeast. OKLAHOMA: Fair and warmer Monday; increasing cloudiness west Tuesday, fair east, warmer too Tuesday; high temperatures Monday 30. Heroism Rewarded BUFFALO, N.

Dec. (AP) -Although wet and cold, 12- year-old Kevin McCluskey felt no regrets for his action yesterday when he plunged twice into frigid Delaware park lake to rescue Paul H. Fritton, also 12, who had fallen through ice into nine feet of water. "Anyway," said Kevin as he and Paul slipped on dry clothes nearby building, "we won't have to take our Saturday night baths." BRITONS IN PALESTINE FEEL LASH Major, Three Sergeants Kidnaped and Whipped by Terrorist Bands FOUR LATER RELEASED Floggings Are Retaliation for Like Punishment to Bank Robber JERUSALEM, Dec. (AP)- -Three British army sergeants and a major were kidnaped and given 18 lashes each tonight in what official reports said was apparent blow-by-blow retaliation by Jewish terrorists for a flogging administered Friday to a Jew convicted, of bank robbery.

Shortly before midnight, four Jews were arrested and one was seriously wounded by gunfire when they tried to rush a roadblock near Lydda, east of Tel Aviv. Police said they found two fivefoot rawhide whips, a tommygun, two revolvers, a quantity of ammunition and three grenades in the car in which the arrested men were The official report stated that the the opened fire on roadblock and wounded one soldier slightly before, they were arrested. One Seriously Injured The major was taken from the the Metropol hotel in Nathanya, -40 miles north of Tel Aviv: His wife, who was with him in the hotel, was not molested. The government announced that he was blindfolded, tied to a rack and whipped with a cane. One of the sergeants was flogged at Rishon le' Zion, the historic Jewish settlement founded by Baron Rothschild, 20 miles south Tied to a tree and was reported in a condition in a military hos- The two other sergeants were taken by men, armed with (Continued on Page 4 Column 3).

FOOD PRICES HIKED 34 PER CENT IN '46 Living Essentials as Whole Rise 18 Per Cent, Most Since War I WASHINGTON, Dec. food prices rose 34 per cent in 1946 and the cost of: living essentials in general is up 18 per cent for the year, the bureau labor statistics reported tonight. The bureau called the year's price rises the greatest since World war I and said they were "many times the moderate rises of the three preceding "Increases were larger in primary markets than at retail," the report said, "and increases for nonagricultural commodities as. well for agricultural commodities, became important in the movement of average prices." It gave the average increase in primary market prices as 31 per cent, with foods up 50 per cent and farm products showing a rise of 29 per cent. SEES BIG FIRE LOSS MINNEAPOLIS, Dec.

Although officials the Brooks Elevator corporation declined today to make an estimate of the loss from the fire which destroyed its 67-year-old elevator yesterday, Fire Chief George Lockhart said it might exceed 000 or $2,500,000. Henry Wallace Sparks Union of 10 U. S. Liberal Groups "Progressive Citizens of America" Formed at New York Meeting, with Third Party as Possibility; Labels Senator Taft as Reactionary NEW YORK. Dec.

tory of Henry A. Wallace, indeSparked the presence tend pendent liberal groups from throughout the United States banded together tonight under the banner of the Progressive Citizens of America. Casting off the identities of their separate organizations, 300 delegates- -said to represent a membership of 15,000 in the groups throughout 21 states--voted to affiliate with the new organization, and raised the possibility of a third party movement. Wallace, himself, was elected to no official position in the group, but the former secretary of commerce, who now is editor of the HOLD REICH PRODUCING REDS' ARMS House Committeemen Urge Materials and "Know How" Be Withheld FAVOR RUSSIAN OUSTER Propose Insistence Russia Accept International Atomic Control EXTREME COLD HITS CENTRAL SECTION OF NATION ON SUNDAY 'Nebraska and North Dakota See Mercury Drop as Low as 25 Below Zero; Snow Hits Several States (By the Associated Press) Extreme cold weather overspread the central portion of the nation Sunday from the Dakotas to Texas and east to the Mississippi valley, and in the eastern and northeastern states cold wave and storm warnings were issued. Iowa was having its weather of the year and as low as 25 below zero were reported in North Dakotan and Nebraska.

The thermometer dipped to. 11 below Saturday night at Spencer, Ia. Cold to Continue Chicago forecasters said the subzero weather in the central and north central states would continue through Monday night. Chadron, reported 25 below with the entire state below the zero mark Sunday. Little Rock, reported a record 74 Saturday behigh winds and rains hit the state.

Sunday Arkansas temperatures generally dropped over 40. degrees bringing freezing in most areas. Four of snow fell by midafternoon in the Chicago inches, area. Highways were open, but were described as hazardous. A heavy rain and wind storm struck Campbell, Sunday, injuring an undetermined number of persons and causing (Continued on Page 6 Column 7) GEORGIA MAY GET RIVAL GOVERNORS Talmadge's Strategy Calls for Letting Arnall Stay but Controlling Cash ATLANTA, Dec.

29. (P) Tw6 rival governors of Georgia, with offices less than 20 may result' from an unprecedented scramble over the late Eugene Talmadge's fourth term. The rivals would be Herman Talmadge, 33-year-old son of the dead governor-elect; and his political foe, Gov. Ellis Arnall, incumbent. A high Talmadge source who declined to be identified said the situation is expected to arise if the legislature designates Herman to become governor, and if Arnall refuses to surrender his office.

Talmadge lieutenants claim 155 pledges of legislative support-26 more than a clear majority of house and senate. Arnall has indicated he regards such a move as illegal. Arnall is expected to retain office unless allowed to resign in favor of the Lieutenant-governorelect, M. E. Thompson.

Talmadge leaders originally planned to impeach Arnall if he refused to yield, but they abandoned this because it would require twothirds majority of the state senate. Now, they are understood from trustworthy sources to plan merely to by-pass Arnall. allowing him complete freedom of capitol and possession of his office -but no money. Herman Talmadge would be sworn in Georgia's youngest governor, in history, and take possession of a desk rotunda, beneath the capitol's dome. There he would conduct state business in disregard of his rival.

Key to the Talmadge strategy would' be control of state pursestrings. WASHINGTON, Dec. 29. -(AP)- -The house postwar planning committee called tonight for action to withhold military and economic materials and "know. how" from Russia, and to get Soviet troops entirely out of Germany, if reports that the Reds are arming with the products of German war plants prove true.

The reports, if true, call for scrapping the entire Potsdam agreeof the big four on how to deal with Germany, the committee said, in a special report. It added a recommendation that this country hold up exports of "know how" and of goods of "special military and economic character" to Russia until the Soviet "meets its political obligations and accepts full international control of atomic energy." Charges Fly The report was sent to the house in the midst of a series of major developments concerning, big-power relationship. These included: 1. Disclosure, without details, that some of Hitler's military and propaganda experts have escaped the Allies and are offering their services to other powers. That was mentioned in a war department pamphlet which noted that foreign military staffs have access to plenty of data for calculating how long it- would take to bring U.

S. forces into action. The pamphlet emphasized army interest in full attention to the military phase in any universal citizen training program. 2. Plans by the state department to penetrate Soviet censorship curwith Russian broadcasts starting about January 1 through a powerful new short-wave relay station at Munich, Germany.

The idea is to acquaint the Russian people directly. with U. S. ideas and Disclosure of an army plan to depend on quick air movement of (Continued on Page 4 Column 1) accomplished by breaking a window at the rear of the finance office. SOLDIER CONFESSES KILLING AND RAPING ILLINOIS COMPANION Gloves Lead to Arrest for Private After Near-nude Body of Laundry Worker Is Found on Porch CHAMPAIGN, -The almost nude of 20- year-old girl was found today.

on the front porch of her rooming house, and an assistant prosecutor announced later that a soldier had confessed he killed and raped her because he felt an- "overwhelming desire to strangle." The victim was Helen Marie Cler, a Champaign laundry employe whose parents live in nearby Philo, Ill. Most of her clothes. had been ripped from her. of men's gloves was found beneath the body. Gloves Trap Soldier The soldier, Pfc.

Maurice T. Garrett, 21, son of an Akron, superintendent, was held in county jail on a murder charge. Police said the gloves led to his arrest at his barracks at nearby Chanute field. Assistant State's Attorney John Barth said Garrett signed a statethat he strangled and raped Cler 011 after he escorted her home night from porch, a tavern where they met. Barth said Garrett gave this account in the statement: and embraced a of times.

I "We. ascended 'couple front porch then felt an overwhelming desire to strangle her, which I did until she became unconscious. I raped her. Started to' Struggle "She then started to struggle a bit, and I strangled her until I no longer could feel a pulse beat." Barth said Garrett related he then went to a Champaign bus station where he fell asleep before returnto the army field at Rantoul, by bus. He said he had been in bed at his barracks about an hour when police arrested him there.

Police said soldier friends of Garrett told them he had mentioned he had lost his gloves. toMiss by Cler's another body girl was found resident early of the rooming house when she returned home. Barth said Garrett is a son of Forrest C. Garrett of Akron. SHIPS TURNED BACK BY POLAR ICE PACK Bad Visibility Causes Lead Vessel of Expedition to Approach Big Mass BY ALTON L.

BLAKESLEE ABOARD USS MT. OLYMPUS. Dec. navy Antarctic South Polar the fog expedition shine suddenly, met the early this morning and had to do a full about-face, streaming north four or five miles to stay outside the frozen Rear Adm. Richard H.

Cruzen, expedition commander, said the Olympus, leading three other ships, encountered an outthrust tongue of the ice belt at right angles. The lead ship quickly changed course three times to get clear. Visibility was bad- about a mile and the ship came within three-quarters of a mile of the main pack. The Mt. Olympus ran through clusters of small ice floats broken off from the main pack, with numerous icebergs in the vicinity.

Clearing the tongue of ice, the Mt. Olympus headed westward toward a rendezvous at the international dateline with the cargo ships Merrick and Yancey. Admiral Cruzen said the two ships are expected at the appointed spot early Monday. HEAVY STORM HITS CAMP IN KENTUCKY $250,000 Worth of Govern- ment Property Lost in Storm; 2 Injured HOPKINSVILLE, Dec. 29.

-(AP)-A severe windstorm swept across a part of southwest Kentucky today, cutting a. swath of destruction through Camp Campbell and nearby sections of Christian and Todd counties. Maj. Gen. Jens Doe, commander Camp Campbell, reported the storm flattened several buildings on the army post, injured slightly one army officer and one small boy, and destroyed approximately 000 worth of government property.

The injured officer was Lieut. F. W. Conard, of Columbus, Ohio, who served 43 months overseas without a scratch, only to have his left eyebrow shaved off and a few cuts and bruises left on his forehead when a tree fell on the trailer in which he and his wife were sleeping. The only other patient treated at the post hospital was Billy Jones, son of civilian employe, William Jones.

Billy had a bloody nose, the hospital reported. Property damage, however, was high, according to reports. General Doe said four buildings were demolished, including an ordnance building, ordnance shop, a laundry and a warehouse used by the war assets administration to store supplus, property for disposal. commander said 15 other buildings were damaged heavily and scores of others damaged slightly. Besides the buildings, General Doe listed as destroyed 100 trucks, several passenger automobiles, the contents of the warehouse telephone and power lines on the post.

Many miles of telephone and power lines across southern Christian and Todd counties were reported broken and service was interrupted. HIROHITO'S ACTION BIGGEST JAP STORY New Republic magazine, had a headline spot in formation of the organization. Labels Taft Reactionary Wallace, addressing the convention, singled out for particular menthe name of Sen. Robert A. Taft (R-Ohio), saying progressives "would prefer the election of an out-and-out reactionary Taft in 1948 to a lukewarm Wallace said "progressives want a a country operated by a fake onegenuine two country and not party system under the guise of a bipartisan bloc." However, the convention, by unanimous vote, adopted a state(Continued on Page 6 Column 8) TOKYO, Dec.

30. (Monday) -(P) -Emperor Hirohito's renunciation of divinity was the top news story in Japan this year, Kyodo news agency said today in listing 1946's ten biggest. The emperor, still worshiped by thousands of his subjects, said in an imperial rescript January 1, 1946, that it was improper for Japanese to regard him as a supernatural being. Number two on Kyodo's list was the purge directive from Allied headquarters, banning militarists and ultranationalists from top government. economic, financial and publishing positions.

The trial of wartime Premier Hideki Tojo and other onetime leaders as war criminals ranked as the sixth best story of the year. FAMED ARTIST DIES LAGUNA BEACH, A Dec. 29. -(P) -William Wendt, CA 81. internationally, known landscape painter, died here today after a short illness following a heart attack..