The Macon Telegraph from Macon, Georgia • 1

PRICK FIVE CISTS AP UP TELEPHOTO SERVICES MACON GA THURSDAY MORNING DECEMBER 31 1953 MACON CL TUCSAFB ESTABLISHED UM VOLUME CXXVIIX No S6S i it 'VV Construction Always An Indication of Prosperity Moved at a Rapid Pace Here in 1953 as Homes Churches Schools Rose In The Metropolitan Area shows workmen erecting the auditorium of the Tinsley School on Pierce Avenue iDrinnon Photos by Ralph Jones The center panel shows construction underway at the Trinity Community Church on Villa Crest Avenue The final panel ranch-type home built for A It was one of the hundreds that Then pictures give an indication of the prosperity Which Macon enjoyed during the past year At left is the new a GOP Leader Says To Curtail Macon To Have Business ear Another Good Babson Says Mayor Sees Good Year Ahead Mayor Merritt Jr sees a rosy economic future for Macon and the surrounding area "We are looking forward to a good haziness in said the mayor as local merchants began getting their stock ready for the next year Commenting on the volume of business last year he added "our business was a little bit ahead of 1952" Most local businessmen agreed with the mayor's optimism In a survey conducted by The Telegraph Babson Predicts Good Six Months WASHINGTON Dec 30 UP1-Senate Republican leader William Knowland said today he is "disappointed" with President Elsenhower's new unemployment-defense contract plan and predicted Congress will it Knowland advised Southern Democratic Sens Burnet May bank ISC and John Sparkman AlaJ that he is ready to Join in an attempt to correct in the new policy He said -it is "too wide and needs curtailmeif statement came after White House press secretary James Hagerty declared at Augusta Ga that congressmen who objected to the proposal did not "get the full story" He said he was at a "complete loss" to account for their objections otherwise Eisenhower threw his weight Tuesday behind a defense mobilization policy to channel some defense contracts to areas hit by unemployment Southerners protested the plan would take business from the South and give it to New England However Sen Leverett Salton- Adjustments Here May Be Of Mild Kind By ROGER BABSON Prepared for exclusive use by The Maeon Telegraph Business in Maeon has done it gain! The average of general activity In 1953 has soared above ail other years on record Looking ahead Into 1954 I predict that there may be some mild readjustment In Hne with national expectations But thin should net amount to morn than say 4 or 5 In other words local merchants and businessmen may safely prepare for another of the I best years In your history even the more year-ago minus signs Democrats Questioning Troop Shift WASHINGTON Dec 30 UP1-Three top Democratic senaton today demanded the behind administration plans to withdraw two divisions from Korea and hinted a show-down fight in Congress unless they are satisfied Sen Richard Russell Ga top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee said "some of uh are entitled to know why these divisions are being withdrawn Without knowing the facts I'd say this almost smacks of Demands Made Similar demands came from Democratic Sens A Mike Monro ney Oklal and Paul Douglas III Monroney called for extensive congressional hearings to determine if "we are sacrificing security In this new military look Meantime officials warned that the Communist Invasion of Laos may be merely the prelude to other attacks aimed at strengthening Red supply lines between China and Indochina They anticipated an even bigger Red offensive farther north While indicating that intelligence has no information that the Chinese themselves plan to intervene in Indochina these officials said the anticipated offensive to the north would make it easier for China to train and equip rebel forces The three Democrats made plain that the military look worked out by Defense Secretary Charles Wilson and his aides and approved by President Eisenhower Is likely to be a major issue in the new session of Congress which begins next Wednesday In This Edition Escapee Offered Utah Haven From Those Beasts In Florida Maley at 739 Marshall Drive were erected during the year Solons Plans he said think Congress definitely will pass legislation on Knowland made his statements in a letter to Budget Director Joseph Dodge He sent copies to Ma bank and Sparkman who previous had criticized the plan The three senators were among the majority of the Senate who voted last summer to end special privileges for depressed areas Congress later compromised on a bill which limited but did not end the policy of steering defense contracts to unemployment areas Flemming said in his statement that a firm in an unemployment area must meet the price established through competitive bidding to obtain set-aside contract instructions to be issued by the Defense he said "the amount set aside will be determined individually depending on the size of the procurement and the type of item" A Harvard economics professor Seymour Harris said meantime that government-aided industrialization of the South has increased New England's difficulties in adjusting itself to new economic competition Swift French Attach Routs Red Troops SAIGON Dec 30 UP-French mobile forces routed a Communist unit today in a sudden victory hailed as signalizing the shakiness of the Red line cutting Indochina in two A swift striking French column pounced on the rebels in the lush coastal belt at Donghoi directly across the narrow waistline of Indochina from fallen Thakhet on the Thailand border Military sources said the French shattered the Red unit Its surviving remnants fled after hand-to-hand combat 'The Reds left 20 dead on the field and "many were wounded or captured French officers said the victory at the anchor of the line across the country Indicated the Red sweep to the border was a fluke They said French union forces could slash through the enemy belt at will The Red troops who swept across the country at Christmastime had faded into the Jungle French scouting parties were unable to flush out a single Communist soldier in the another token of the vulnerability of the enemy position Far to the northwest the Red 316th Division edged in against the French base of Dien Bien Phu It was captured by French paratroopers this month and converted into the key holding base of the northwest As the French sped reinforcements to Dien Bien Phu by airlift the enemy vanguard pushed within four miles of it and showed signs of aggressive intentions Bearcat fighter-bombers shot up Communist emplacements around Dien Bien Phu while B26 light bombers pounded Vietminh bases In northern Annam stall R-Massl whose state has been hard hit by unemployment protested that the plan did not go far enough although conceding it was helpful With a congressional fight in the offing Defense Mobilizer Arthur Flemming Joined Hagerty in trying to aoothe ruffled feelings Flemming noted In a special statement that the new policy does not permit government agencies to pay any contract bidder a differential" Hagerty said that only 20 to 30 per cent of any defense contract could to a labor surplus unemployment area and even then the contract will be allowed only by meeting the low competitive would protect low bidders from other areas Knowland protested however that even a of 30 per cent was "far too He said the entire order needs "further clarification further definition and further restriction" Knowland suggested that the administration put restrictions on the amount of defense aid unemployment areas could get In any case ment It happen to a Ritter then told Fox that he had arranged for dismissal of Florida's detention order you can walk out -of here right now a free man to take your wife and make a life for yourself" However the Judge warned Fox that "if you ever get in trouble again I'll put you in Alcatraz for 10 years because I'm putting you on probation on the stolen car and gun Crisp Cold Day Forecast The new year will arrive crisp and cold the Cochran Field weather bureau said Fair weather is to prevail today and Friday after soggy rains set a record In December the weatherman prognosticated The mercury is to slide to a high of about 53 degrees today after dropping to about 35 degrees last night shooting up on both sides of me so I Both ships are owned by the Atlantic Refining Co Company spokesmen said they both left Texas for Philadelphia four or five days ago The Engineer was loaded with 215000 barrels of gasoline and other refined petroleum products (Editor's note: Economist Roger Babson In this article sur veys the economic outlook for the nation in 1954) I do not now believe in the theory of most that business will fall off 10 in 1954 with a greater decline in net earnings My feeling is that everyone will unite forces to hold up business at least during the first half to its approximate 1953 average This can be done by expanding research increasing advertising appropriations extending further credtis and obtaining labor's co-operation But I say something much more important than the above namely if business should slump 10 the decline would probably not stop at 10 Too many business concerns and individuals are working on a very narrow and slim margin The decline in employment with resulting business losses which a 10 decline in gross mould cause could result in millions of families being unable to pay their bills and installment obligations This could set off a chain reaction which could send business down 10 to 30 more with a corresponding decline in the stock market commodity prices and real estate In this latter case the Eisenhower Administration would suffer as did the Hoover Administration In view of thi possible serious alternative I have contacted the leading newspaper publishers as to the attitude of their respective communities Of these over 970 have replied as follows: The people of 30 communities are discouraged and want to liquidate 297 communities are optimistic and want to buy and Invest more 643 are now content and in a strong position but are waiting until they see how 1954 develops Due to the result of this survey I believe the rhances are ten to one that at least the first half of 1954 WILL BE FAIRLY GOOD Below are 25 definite forecasts which in any case should prove correct for the first six months of 1954 My forecast or the second six months will appear in this paper next June 1 There will be no World War in the first half of 1954 Babson Forecast Is Conservative Forecaster Babson is tradi tionaUy conservative with hie predictions about Maeon a re-view of the past three years shows For example fn 1959 when he was forecasting for Macon business in 1951 he said in Macon wiU decline no more than 5 per cent from the record shattering 1950" Actually of the close of 1951 the record showed business here had boomed 11 per cent above 1950 For 1952 Babson predicted expect that Macon business will come close to matching the record-breaking 1951 with any readjustment amounting to no more than 3 to 4 per cent" But fn 1952 Macon business actually climbed 9 per cent ahead of the previous year And last December Economist Babson forecast about Macon for 1953 "I do not believe that local activity will shade off more than 3 to 4 per cent" Although the final figures are not yet In indications are that Macon this year has surpassed the 1952 record by a substantial amount estimated between 5 and 10 per cent gain Thus Mr forecast for 1954 of a "readjustment of not more than 4 to 5 per cent may be considered conserve- tive in the light of previous forecasts SALT LAKE CirY Utah Dec 30 US District Judge Willis Ritter told a Florida fugitive today his punishment in prisons of the Southern state was and and told him be could find Utah little sanctuary to protect you from those beasts in The case was that of Fred Fox 26 a veteran from Gaston North Carolina Fox was sentenced to 10 years in the state prison at Raiford Fla in 1946 After IP month he escaped was arrested in Cleveland fn 1948 and returned to Florida where he was released on parole earlier this year He was arrested in Utah last month and brought before Ritter today on a charge of driving a stolen car and carrying a sawed-off shotgun Florida asked that he be returned to finish his sentence Fox said he had been "hung by my wrists for 24 to 36 hours at a taken down then "hung on the wall He said he had been flogged am his heel tendons cut so he wouldn't escape again a gross violation of all human rights" exploded Ritter cruel and inhuman punish freezing river by the impact Wood said his 46-man crew all stayed aboard and none was injured seriously Third mate Rolf1 Eklund one of the two men who were rescued said later that he was standing on the main deck amidship at the time of the crash "and the flames were Leveling-Off Period Seen By Leaders By REG MURPHY Macon business Is expected to continue good in 1954 as the expanding metropolitan area faces something of a "leveling off" period This is the concensus of a survey conducted by The Telegraph among leaders in industry merchandising government and agriculture (See editorial on Page 4 Consumers stand to gain on a short-term basis at least from any leveling-off which results in lower prices for the items they buy Here is a rundown of the local economic picture as sifted from the interviews: 1 Macon is hitting the new year with a running start after snapping records on all sides in 1953 2 Retailers will have as good a year as 1953 if they can find ways of successfully convincing consumers that the products merit the price tag Some New Industries 3 New industries will bring more money to the area and Middle Georgians will improve their already above-average living conditions 4 Construction of new homes will equal the rapid pare set in 1953 5 The farmer has a chance to duplicate 1953's earnings if he operates more efficiently 6 More money is being saved but It Is In slightly fewer hands 7 Some manufacturers must adjust to overstocked shelves but there will be no drastic cutbacks in the foreseeable future Adjustments and better goods will keep sales up 8 Unemployment will probably show some decline drop during the first three months of the year but new small industries will take up most of the slack Employment will catch up to last year's record-breaking payrolls If enough small industries open Those yardsticks generally believed the most importapt ones would indicate the area is in for a slight cutbark in prices and employment and a lot more work in perfecting goods The as always will remain the boss of big business He is being more choosy these days and better promotions of products is essential most leaders agree The president of the Macon Chamber of Commerce Ellsworth Hall Jr believes living standards of everybody ha been excellent in 1953 and is optimistic over prospects for new and expanded industry Hall pointed out he believes Continued on Page 3 Year Is Free Of Lynchings TUSKEGEE Ala Dec 30 UP Tuskegee Institute has decided to stop publishing Its annual lynching report because "lynching as traditionally defined is no longer valid for Judging race relationships" The final lynching report released today said that for the second consecutive year there were no lynching anywhere in the nation The report compiled for the past 41 years also shows that since 1949 only six lynchings have been reported Tuskegee Institute said it will continue to study race relationships but will develop a new measuring rod to take the place of lynching Some of the new criteria the report mention are employment and other economic conditions political participation education health and law and legislation 2 The Dow-Jones Industrial Stock Average will be less on June 30 1954 than on January 1 1954 3 Taxes will be lowered by expiring laws 4 The price of most commodities will be lower on June 30 1954 5 The Eisenhower is fast ending and he will have a bard time controlling Congress during the next six months 6 Retail sales can be kept up by manufacturers and merchants spending more money on advertising selling and developing new products 7 The population will continue its present growth and the best prospects for sales in 1954 will be the 8 Interest rates during the first six months of 1954 should average about as at present except on the renewal of low-rate loans 9 Farm lands except near cities will sell for less during first half of 1954 when profits will begin to decline 10 The Central and Southwest will not suffer drought as in 1953 11 There will he more fear of World War III as years go on People will gradually move out of certain large cities Nearby Continued on Page 3 Markets in Brief NEW YORK STOCKS Higher fairly active trading BONDS Irregular corporates Arm COTTON Quiet pre-holl-Jay evening-up Total Stock Sales 2050000 Total Bond Sales 63514000 CHICAGO WHEAT Easy West Germany buys less wheat than expected CORN Easy fear increased marketings of cash corn in 1954 OATS Easy down with corn HOGS Steady to 25 cents higher top 92575 CATTLE Steers slow steady to 50 cents down top 92950 Stockholders in WNEX are Ed Lowe A1 Lowe Ellsworth Hall and the Macon Telegraph Publishing Company The announcement came from Fickling president of the Macon Television Company Allen Woodall of Columbus president of Middle Georgia Broadcasting Company and Rader who with George Patton last week purchased WBML from Woodall and his associates WBML will operate under the ownership of Rader and Georgb Patton WBML is affiliated with NBC-Radio and WNEX with ABC and Mutual WETV is an NBC-TV and ABC-TV affiliate A1 Lowe vice president of WETV and executive vice president of WNEX announced that the call letters of WETV will be changed to WNEX-TV sometime in the future subject to approval by the FCC Macon Skipper and Crew Are Saved As Two Tankers Collide And Burn WNEX Acquires Control Of Television Station NEW CASTLE Del Dec 30 Five men drowned In the icy Delaware River today and four others were missing and feared dead after a fuel-laden tanker rammed another in soupy fog and fire broke out aboard both vessels The 16400-ton Atlantic Dealer Inching upstream through the murk crashed into the stern port side of the 30000-ton supertanker Atlantic Engineer largest vessel of its type aflodt as the Engineer lay at anchor near the entrance to the Delaware and Chesapeake Canal Eleven men Jumped or fell over-hoard from the Dealer as fire reared up from both ships The flames were quelled before they could reach cargoes of oil and gasoline Two crewmen were rescued by a lifeboat from the Dealer Five bodies were recovered a few hours later and a state police lieutenant said he feared it was almost certain the other four also were dead Capt Stinson Wood of Macon Ga skipper of the Engineer radioed minutes after the crash that his ship was afire and that "if we don't explode The fire aboard the Engineer was confined to a rear storeroom and was brought under control within a few minutes Capt Clifford Bennington of Marcus Hook Pa skipper of the Dealer said "superb" work by the rest of his 41-man crew put out the flames on his ship within eight minutes It was not known whether all the 11 men who went overboard from the Dealer Jumped jn fear of the flames or were thrown Into the will exert an unfavorable psycho- logical reaction In some quarters I look for well-sustained ac-1 livity in a number of your local pursuits: Textiles cottonseed products flour trousers overalls soap drugs insulation chemicals and coardboard con I miners Declines ere on the cards during 1954 for a few of yourl important lines: Lumber cera- mics and railroad repairs Residential building is passing I its crest in your part of the country and is bound to drift somewhat lower in the new year 1 am however extremely optimis-l tic about your commercial bullet ing end public construction Buying Power Lift Wages will remain very closdl to present all-time rates whili I living costs now only a bit mon I than 1 over last year will grad ually move off This will giv buying power a slow lift Retai trade should nearly match 195: 1 in the eoming twelvemonth ami I think your grocery and staph goods stores may reap rich re wards In making this forecast fo1' 1954 however I must admi that since we are no longer oi the gold atandard your city wll be quite dependent upon wha Congress does as far as the eeg ond half ia concerned Controlling interest in Television Station WETV yesterday was acquired by Radio Station WNEX through the purchase of the 45 per cent interest in the fira held by the Middle Georgia Broadcasting Company operators of Radio Station WBML The purchase was made by the Macon Television Company operating concern of WETV which was owned Jointly by WNEX WBML and William Fickling The sale Is subject to the approval of the Federal Communications Commission At the time of the organization of the television firm WNEX and WBML each acquired 45 per cent of the stock with Fickling holding 10 per cent under an agreement reached with the FCC The transfer of interest in WETV makes WNEX the majority stockholder in the television company with Fickling holding the remaining stock BIG TANKER IS LEFT BURNED AND CHARRED AFTER COLLISION The Atlantic Dealer shown here was burned following a collision in fog with her sister ship the Atlantic Engineer The Engineer was commanded by Capt Stinson Wood of Macon and was rammed by the other vessel (UP Telephoto).