The Daily Alaska empire Newspaper, April 5, 1949, Page 1

5 17 M THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE “ALL THE 'NEWS ALL THE TIME” VOL. LXXIIL, NO. 11,162 —_— B———— JUNEAU, ALASKA, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 1949 MEMBER A SSOCIATED PRESS PRICE TEN CENTS Gruening, Hoopes Appear Before Committee PROGRAMTO [FISH TRAP MAKE FIGHT, | BILL WILL (OMMUNISM BE CHANGED Large Sum Requested by{Gradual Elfiation from SCORES PERISH | ~ INFIRE Over Fifty Persons, Includ- ing New-Born Infants, Die in Hospital Blaze EFFINGHAM, Ill, April 5—®— More than 50 persons, including eight new-born infants, were report- ed killed today in a fire that rac- ed through St. Anthony's hospital. Hospital officials said the death; toll may reach 58 or 60. The Red Cross said 60 to 108 patients were rescued. - At least 15 bodies were removed, most of them charred al- st beyond recognition. “Plames ~ quickly enveloped the building at midnight and destroyed { 1t Within an hour, trapped patients sereamed in agony. Some, includ-| ing expectant mothers, leaped from the flame-framed windows. ‘. “It was horrible,” said one eye- witness, “all those poor people in there shrieking for help.” Mass of Flames The fire was discovered shortly before midnight in a laundry chute. Eyewitnesses said the 60-year-old, three-and-one half story brick ture quickly became a great 888 of flames. “It burned so fasi, it couldn’t befought,” said one rescuer. Many patients leaped from win- dows. Some died in their flaming rooms as nuns and townspeople tried to save them. fhe bodies of eight infants, still in their flame-blackened metal cribs on ‘the second floor, were the first to e removed. Uncounted bodies were strewn in the twisted wreckage of the upper floors. ' There were about 30 pat- iénts on the third flgor, a nurse sald, “and I don't believe any of them got out.” ! Effingham 15 3z community otl 8,000 in south central Illinois, 100 miles northeast of St. Louis and 200 miles southeast of Chicago, on the Pennsylvania and Illinois Cen-| tral rallroads. ' Rush To Aid H Hundreds of the city’s residents| rushed to the aid of the 100 or more patients in the 125-bed hos- pital. But they were hampered by falling bricks and rubble and the! danger of falling walls. Inside, the Roman Catholic nuns who were on duty braved the flam- es to lead some patients to safety. Some nuns died in the attempt, and i 8 DOCWALKER ONE ALASKA FiSH UNION CONTRACTS Machinists Vot e for Re- newal of Last Year's Agreement SEATTLE, April 5—(®—Machin- ists’ Union (Ind) members voted last night for renewal of last year’s contract in the Alaska Salmon Can- ning industry, with minor modifica- tions. In effect, as explained by Busi- ness Agent I. A, Sandvigen, the vote represents & reccssion of the uhicn from its 15 per cent wage in- crease demand if the employers will agree to retain the guarantee of a 100-day season in Southeast Alas- ka. Sandvigen said the employers, represented by the Alaska Salmon Industry, Inc., had proposed to cut the season guarantee in half. A proposed escalator clause, however, provided that the proposed season would be lengthened in proportion to the amount the pack in that area exceeded 15,000 cases. Sandvigen said the union propos- al must be accepted by the em- ployers within 10 days or no ma- chinists will be cleared for Alaska. He said the other contract modi- fications, which would not involve added costs, have been agreed upon in negotiations. The employer proposal of a 5C per cent cut in the Southeast sea- son guarantee following the curtail- ing of the fishing season there from 24 to 12 days. Sandvigen said employers gave increased taxes as snother reason, He said the union prepesal would maintain the same .season guarantees in all areas. About 800 machinists are employ- ed in the industry. Some of them are being cleared now for Alaska to prepare canneries for the 1949 opening. Other fishing industry unions are also currently negotiating with the employers. PASSES ON KETCHIKAN, Alaska, April 5— Former Senator Norman R. (Doc) Walker, aged 60, died at 1:05 o'clock this afternoon. Walker, suf- others perished in their rooms, where they were asleep. The hospital is operated by the Sisters of the Order of St. Fran- cis. Tangled Debris * ‘The hospital chaplain, Father! Sandon, died in the fire. His char- red body was found in a room next to the hospital chapel. " Only some walls still stood early today. The intense heat of the smouldering ruins and the tangled debris slowed removal of the bod- ies. Two expectant mothers escaped from the delivery room. They gave birth in nearby homes. They and their babies were reported in good { condition. The Washington Merry- Go- Round ~ By PREW PEARSON (Copyright, 1949, by Bell Byndicate, Inc.) BRASS HAT EXPOSE General Marshall, when Chief _of Staff, is quoted by Time 8s saying “Drew Pear- son is my best inspector gen- eral.” Last August Pearson re- vealed the startlingness that one of the Army’s high-ranking officers; Maj. Gen. Clayton Bis- sell, had been selling coffee on the black market in Germany and using a military plane to transport the coffee. Last week—March 30—it was officially reported from Ger- many that General Bissell was being court-martialed. Pear- son’s story appeared August 14, seven months before. | " H ASHINGTON — Locked in the files of the Treasury and Justice Departments 'is startling evidence that would help the Pressman’s Un- S AN (Continued on Page Four) fering nervous exhaustion for some time, set fire to his mattress at his home Sunday at 5 am., and was taken to the hospital late Monday where he died. The widow, here, daughter John O’Shea, Anchorage, lnm: Don William, in the states survive. AIR FORCE IS T0 ORDER 36 LONG RANGE BOMBERS WASHINGTON, April ' 5.—®— The Air Force announces it is or- dering 36 additional long-range B- 36 bombers and five more B-47 high-speed jet bombers. It has cancelled an order for 43 B-54 four-engined bombers, divert- ing the money to the new orders. The B-36, built by Consolidated- Vultee, is powered with six conven- tional type engines and is designed for a 10,000-mile range. With the new order, the Air Force will have about 160 B-36’s delivered or on order. * The B-47 Boeing, classed as a light bomber, holds the transcon- tinental speeed record. Powered with six jets, the B-47 is rated at above 500 miles an hour, with a radius of action of over 800 miles. 'The Air Force now has two B-47s, and has ten production models on order. The new order brings to 17 the total number ordered or delivered. >oo—— SITKA ASSAULT CASE U. S. Marshal William T. Ma- honey has received word that Jack Chris Lokke of Sitka was arraigned in the U. S. Commissioner’s Court, charged with assault with a danger- ous weapon. Lokke waived preliminary hearing, and was bound over the the grand jury, under bond of $3,500. Alaska Dog Racer Ties llp_IraIlic Lee Chamninant Uncrates Huskies - Plans fo Re- side in Vancouver NEW WESTMINSTER, B. C, April 5 — (® — An Alaska dog racer who came south because “the Russians are getting too close” stop- ped noon-time traffic here when he uncrated his sleek Siberian huskies and gave a roadside show. Lee Chemninant, who has been acing huskies at Anchorage and Fairbanks for 12 years, hit town looking for a new home. “I'll go vack each year for the 75-mile races,” he said, “but, since the Russians are getting too close, I'm Jontent to live here.” Hundreds of New Westminster office workers missed their lunch w0 watch the sleigh dogs from the north. With them, Lee has won the 31,500 Anchorage race and the 35,000 Fairbanks trial along with most of the major contests on the continent. He originally intended to move to Sun Valley, Idaho, but icy roads kept him in Vancouver during the winter. Now, after a look-around, ne said he's satisfied with this city and “the dogs and I will stay.” FOWLER, TO TEACH COURSE IN MINING, IS WELL QUALIFIED Both Lep Saarela, University of Mining Extension for the Uni- versity of Alaska, and B. D. Stew- art, Territorial Commissioner of Mines, are well pleased with the choice of Howard M. Fowler as nstructor for the annual mining extension course which will open -omorrow night. According to Stewart, Fowler, Associate Mining Engineer with the Department of Mines, has “fine scholastic background and practical .xperience with good companies, ~oth in Alaska and Outside.” “Fowler’s experience,” said Stew- art, “is in mining—hoth placer and .ode—and milling. He came to us after being manager of the Lucky Nell Company on Prince of Wales -sland. Fowler's previous Alaska cxperience was in the north with the U.S. Mining and Smelting Com- pany, also in the Valdez area. He succeeded J. C. Roehm in this de- Jartment last May.” After being graduated from Sta- dium High School, Tacoma, Fowler attended Washington State College two years before enrolling in the Missouri School of Mines at Ra- .eigh, Mo., which has an outstand- ing reputation in the profession. He received his bachelor's degree in mining engineering in 1946, and nis master’s the next year. Registration is being taken in Room 407, Federal Building, for the course which .opens tomorrow evening at 7:30 o’clock in the Ju- neau High School. Enrollment may also be made there before the first class. Lectures will feature prospecting, ore deposits, radioactivity and min- ing law, and there will be labora- tory work on mineralg. There will be 12 lectures, e 0" s o v e 000 WEATHER REPORT (U. 8. WEATHER BUREAU. This data is for 24-hour pe- riod ending 6:30 am. PST. In Juneau— Maximum, 37; minimum, 32 At Airport— Maximum, 38; minimum, 31, FORECAST (Juneau and Vieinity) Cloudy and warmer with rain and snow tonight and ‘Wednesday. Southeasterly winds as high as 30 mph. Lowest tonight near 30 de- grees. Highest Wednesday near 40 degrees. . PRECIPITATION (Past 24 hours ending 7:30 a.m. today In Juneau — .26 inches; since April 1, 233 inches; since July 1, 9967 inches. At Airport — 21 . inches; since April 1, 74 inches; since July 1, 57.14 inches. ® 0 0 v 00 0 00 House Committee~ Bill Explained By JACK RUTLEDGE WASHINGTON, April 65—~ (P—Programs to fight Communism abroad and subversives at home were backed up with hard cash by the House Appropriations Commit- tee today. The committee recommended $2, 900,000 more for the State Depart: ment’s “Voice of America” and $8,- 865,141 more for the FBI than the agencies got this year. The FBI boost was even more than the President requested. These funds were part of an om- nibus $747,216,102 money bill sent to the House for debate, probably later this week. The appropriations woultl finance operations of the State, Justice and Commerce De- partments and the Federal Judis ciary for the year starting next July 1. Voice Of America The Voice of America broadcasts are the State Department’s chief weapon In penetrating the Iron Curtain with racts about America, and the FBI is in the midst of an expanded program to track down subversives at home. The overall bill calls for $60,807,~ 854 less than President Truman ask- ed. Agency Allotments These are the allotments by agencies: Commerce Department: $259,927,- 605 in cash and $58,800,000 in con- tract authority (for which future appropriations may be required). State Department: $271,405,656 in cash, $2,900,000 contract authority. Justice Department: $132,579,141 cash, $9800,000 contract{ authority. Federal Judiciary: $20,703,700 cash granted, $21,234,200 cash asked. Except for the State Department, all agencies got more money than they received for the present fiscal year, Criticism Of the total Commerce Depart- ment allotment, $139,073,065 cash and $58,800,00 in contract authority was earmarked for the Civil Aeronautics Administration. Most of this is for establishment of air navigation fac- ilities and airport construction. The committee criticized both the CAA and the Civil Aeronautics Board for making “annual fervent pleas” for airline companies when “many of the executives of these airlines are paid six figure salaries for directing companies which are subsidized.” On February 25, the committee said, the CAB granted “an $8,000,00 gift of the taxpayers’ money to the ‘big four’ airlines for transporta- tion of air mail, a single pound of which they never actually car- ried.” Committee hearings listed the “big four” as Eastern Airlines, Uni- ted Air Lines, Trans-World Airlines and American Airlines. e Transif Workers Sirike; Thousands Inconvenienced SCANTON, Aprii t.—@—The rich Lackawanna Valley Coal region is feeling the full impact of a strike of 400 workers of the Scranton Transit Company. Most of the transit company’s 85,000 daily riders are able to get to their jobs, but Scranton’s parking facilities are jammed with the private cars and trucks pressed into service. Scranton merchants fear they will lose busi- ness of the strike continues. e — Fire Near Wrangell WRANGELL, Alaska, April 5— e |Fire, starting from an overheated o stove at 4 o'clock yesterday after- o noon, destroyed one of the bunk- o houses of the Virginia Lake Spruce Mills near here. Seven men lost all personal belongings. The mill as saved. 3 fo 5 Years Instead of 10-Year Period WASHINGTON, April §—®— Elimination of fish traps in Alaska was urged today by Delegate Bart- lett (D-Alaska), union agents and independent fishermen. A House subcommittee is consid- ering a bill by Bartlett to abolish the fish traps. He told the com- mittee he would revise his bill to provide for gradual elimination of traps in from three to five years, instead of the 10-year period origi- nally provided. Bartlett said Alaskans last year voted eight-to-one to end fish trapping. Alfred Owen, mayor of Anchor- age and AFL Fishermen’s Union organizer there, said fish traps not only reduce the fish supply but con- centrate fishing in the hands of a few large concerns. Owen asserted trap elimination would encourage more people to live in Alaska and broaden oppor- ‘unity for employment. Mayor Ira Rothwell of Cordova testified as an independent fisher- man and representative of Alaska’s Fisheries department. He urged ‘any and all means to conserve fish,” but opposed area licensing ‘or gnything to create a monopoly ’y the people now in Alaska.” Seth Levine, Washington CIO re- searcher, urged trap elimination “to+ increase employment oppor- tunities in Alaska.” He said a few large operators now control more than half of the fish traps and the total salmon catch. .. - Kosfov Ousted (By Associated Press) The Bulgarian Communist party announced in Sofia today the oust- ng of Traicho Kostov as Deputy Premier and Member of the Polit- buro—the No. 1 Communist party sroup in the land. Kostov was accused of intrigue and double dealing to cause trouble with Soviet Russia and at home. The official Yugoslav news agency, Tanjug, in a broadcast heard in London said-300 state and Communist party leaders have been arrested in Bulgaria on spy charges. It said Kostov is involved in the| case. J-47 ENGINE IN PERFECT FUNCTION DURING TEST TRIP SCHENECTADY, N.Y, April 5— (M—A J-47 jet engine functioned ‘perfectly” during a high-altitude, cross-country test flight by a B-20 flying laboratory, the General Elec- tric company says. The jet was suspended from the bomb bay for a three-hour test during the seven hour and 40- minute, one-stop flight yesterday ' from Spokane, Wash. Most eof the trip was at 35,000 feet. F. P. Burnham, flight test engi- neer, said the jet was attached to a lift in the bomb tay and”was lowered below the fuselage for the test operation. 1t “ran perfectly during a three- hour test,” he commented. GE manufactures the engines. e STOCK QUOTATIONS NEW YORK, April 5—(#— Clos- ing quotation on Alaska Juneau mine stock today is 3%, American Can 91%, Anaconda 30%, Curtiss- Wright 9%, International Harvest- er 24%, Kennecott 44%, New York Central 11%, Northern Pacific 15%, U. 8. Steel 72%, Pound $4.02%. Bales today were 900,000 shares. Averages today are as follows: | industrials 177.04, rails 4880, util- itles 35.73. WAGE CASE, ALASKA SHIP, IS SETTLED |27-Day Ba;?in February Causes Dispute Between Company and Union BELLINGHAM, Wash,, April 5.— (M—Tied up since Saturday with a full load of army cargo, the freight- er Palisana sailed last midnight af- ter an agreement had been reached for a joint committee study of the dispute between the Marine Cooks and Stewards Union and the Alaska Steamship Co. The ireighter Lucidor, involved in a similar dispute, is posted to sail ‘rrcm Seattle at 4 p. m. today. The Palisana, & refrigerator ship, was scheduled to sail for Whit- tier and Port San Juan. A deck load of pilings was loaded here for Port San Juan. Union members objected to the company's “deliberate termination of articles on the previous voyage on a 27-day basis,” thus depriv- ing the men of a full month’s (Feb- ruary) pay, Joseph Harris, business agent for the CIO union, sald at Seattle. The men ded @ “full calendar month* I cargo was discharged, he sald. They refused o sign on for the next trip. A company spokesman said the dispute was one which should be referred to the grievance committee between the two groups and the un- fon “violated the contract” by refus- ing to sign on. The called the pay issue “merely a technicality.” The dispute was referred to a committee of representatives of the ship's owner, the company, and the union and the men signed on for the trip. Two company repre- sentatives, Fred Zumdieck, superin- tendent, and Atty. Ed Dobrin, are in San Francisco on the matter. Bank Official Under Arrest WASHINGTON, April 5—P— The F.BI. has arrested bank offi- cial Richard Crowe on charges of taking' $884,000 from New York's Naticnal City Bank. Crowe was picked up in Daytona Beach, Florida, last night after seing missing since March 27. The arrest was announced by F.BI. Chief J. Edgar Hoover who sum of money from the bank, but the former bank official declined to specify any particular amount. Hcover added that all told, more than $131,000 of the stolen funds has been accounted for. According to Hoover, Crowe told the F.BI that he threw the stolen bonds and securities in the Atlantic ocean “to make the bank officials angry.” When accosted, Crowe ad- mitted his identity and expressed a willingness to return to New York to face charges. 30 POLICEMEN ARE SUSPENDED, NUMBERS RACKET NORFOLK, Va, Thirty Norfolk policemen were under suspension today as the aftermath of an investigation of the numters racket. Twenty-four of the officers were charged with ac- cepting brites. A corporation court grand jury handed down indictments yesterday on the hribery charges. This was followed by a suspension order by the public safety director relieving the additional six of their duties. The indictments charged the 24 officers with accepting $10 pay- ments as part of a numbers protec- tion payoff, April 5—(P— aid Crowe admitted taking a larze. Consfabulary for Alaska s Recommended fo Congress; Enforcement Is Inadequate By CHARLES D. WATKINS (AP Special Washington Service) WASHINGTON, April 5.—(P— A constabularly for Alaska, along| the lines of Canada's Northwest Mounted Police, has been recom- mended to Congress to meet the| Territory’s need for law enforce-| ment, “ The recommendation, by S. A. Andretta, administrative assistant to| the attorney general, was revealed | when testimony on the Justice De- | partment appropriations bill for the | year starting July 1 was made pub- lic. “Two of the larger communities, Fairbanks and Anchorage, have lo- cal police, but their jurisdiction is confined only to the city limits," Andretta told the committee. “The result is that houses of pros- titution, gambling and liquor joints located in the environs of the city, are out of the jurisdiction of the city police and come under the marshal’s jurisdiction. ‘There has been developed, after considerable study, a long term pro- gram relative to expanding not only the highway police and the mar- shal's staff, but creating a Territor- lal police force akin to the Royai Mounted Police of Canada.” Andretta said the plan had been worked up with the Interior Depart- ment and that it would “require money—a lot of money.” He said that as a temporary so- lution it had been suggested that marshal’s staff In Alaska be in- creased and they be provided with automobiles, but the Budget Burea: had refused to sanction the propo- sal. ekt gt “There is a feeling,” he sald, “that things have been out of hand in Alaska for a long time and they look to the marshals as chief law enfcreement officers in the Terri- tory.” Andretta said there are 40 mar- shals in Alaska and they are not able to handle those matters that should be handled by the local po- lice forces. “A state constabulary is the ans- | wer,” he said. RUSSIAN "MOVE IS AWAITED U. . Meeting in New York —Awaits Action from So- | viefs on Aflanfic Pact (By the Associased Press) The United Nations Assembly opens in New York today amid speculation as to what Russia in- tends to do about the Atlantic| Pact, which she claims is aimed against her. Many delegates believe Russia’s Andrel A. Gromyko may soon in- dicate what his country plans to do akout the alliance, signed in i Washington yesterday by represen- jtatives of 12 western nations. i ! Whatever the Soviet plans may te U. 8. Secretary dP State Dean Acheson and the other signatories| of the pact expect to be on hand. | The 58-nation assembly is sched- | uled to meet at Flushing Meadow | park at noon (PST). | President Truman is expected to send the Atlantic treaty to the Sen- late before the end of this week with an appeal for speedy approval. | Senator Connally (D-Tex) has| called for “high priority” in Sen- ate action on the alliance Two other steps, planned Washington to implement pact, are: 1. Completion of an American| arms aid program, costing close to $2,000,000,000. 2, Discussion among the 12 signa- tory powers on organization of a council and defense committee to junify the defenses of the non- Communist Western world under the alliance. The Senate also plodded toward a vote on the $5,580,000,000 Euro- pean Recovery Program. Lengthy debate is .expected on the aid| measure, | ! 1 | in the . LETTER IS HANDED IN BY HOOPES {Declines toS—ay What It Is About-Mexican Docu- ments Fraudulent WASHINGTON, April 5—@— Chairman O'Mahoney (D-Wyo) of the Senate Interior Committee said today that old documents cited to the committee yesterday by an op- ponent of Governor Gruening of Alaska were proved. fraudulent 20 years ago. Copies of the documents were fil- ed with the committee by Robert Hoopes, operator of a service sta- tion in Fairbanks, Alaska. He was one of seven witnesses who appear- ed before the committee last Pri- day in opposition to Gruening’s ap- pointment for a third term as Gov+ ernor. The documents purported to link Gruening with Mexican contribu- tions to “the cause of Communism” in England in 1926 or 1927. O'Mahoney told a reporter he could not predict .what action his committee will take with respect to the exhibits offered by Hoopes, but said there is no doubt they are fraudulent, Gruening sald yesterday, “the Senate made a therough investiga- tion of the documents and found they were forgeries.” O'Mahoney said today that investigation wa3 made in 1929, . Gruening entered the committee room this morning while the com- }mm.ee Wwas in executive session, but there was no word as to why he was the conunittee. He sald he had submitted a letter but declined to say what it was about. HOUSE BILL OPENS SALE PUBLIC LAND WASHINGTON, April 5. —#— The House approved legislation to- day to authorize the Interior De- partment to sell unreserved public lands in Alaska for industrial or commercial uses, The measure provides that no company may secure more than 160 acres of land, except in cases where the Department believes larger tracts are justified. The measure now goes to the Sen- ate, . The House also passed and sent to the Senate another measure re- stricting the taking of salmon in rivers and streams in Alaska for food requirements of for dog food to the amount necessary for food or feed for personally-owned ani- mals. The House also approved a1 amendment to the Small Tract Act. which permits its extension to Alaska by removing the restriction’ that such land must be surveyed. The amendment permits unsurveyed land in Alaska to be leased by the Department In small tracts, but not to be sold. The leasing privilege also is ex- tended to small tracts of land in the revested Oregon and California grand lands and the Coos Bay wag~ on road grant lands in Oregon. This measure also went to the Senate. COLUMNIST PEGLER DISTURBED BY DOGS: SEEKS BIG DAMAGES TUCSON, Ariz, Aprfl 5—(P— Howling and barking of four dogs has so disturbed columnist West- brook Pegler that he has brought suit for an injunction to stop the noise. He also seeks damages from the owners of the dogs to the ex- tent of $1,000. The suit was filed in Pima County Superior Court. —— FROM HAINES Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Keith “frop Haines, ‘are registered at the Barins of Hotel. : i