The Daily Alaska empire Newspaper, May 3, 1949, Page 1

N\ ’ THE DAIL VOL. LXXIII, NO. 11,186 ALASKA EMPIR “ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME” JUNEAU, ALASKA, TU ESIL\Y. MAY 3, 1949 .‘.II‘,)IPhR ASSO( lATF D I’RESS PRICE TEN CENTS Commie Plot to Bottle Up Navy . Siups Nipped Berlin Blockade (onferees REDS CAPTURE KWANGTEH IN - NEW ACTION Victory by Commumsts Is Also Claimed Along Border By FRED HAMPSON SHANGHAI—(M—Kwangteh, im- portant city midway between Wuhu end Hangchow, has been captured by Red troops, the Peiping Com- munist radio said today. ‘The radio claimed victory for the Communists in a battle on the | borders of Kiangsu-Anhwei and | Chekiang provinces, The radio said | 2,400 Nationalists weére captured. ‘ The report has not been con-| firmed by any other source. Efforts to telephone Hangchow, 121 miles southwest of here, brought the reply the lines were “out of | order.” | TATUNG TAKEN | The Communist radio said also| that Tatung, 125 miles west of Peiping, had teen taken. The city,I last Nationalist bastion north of the Yangtze except surrounded | Tsingtao, on the coast, surrendered on May 1, the radio said. | Tsingtao is the base of the U.S. Western Pacific fleet. WARSHIPS SUNK | A Nationalist garrison communi- que earlier said that six Chinese warships captured at Nanking by the Communists had been sunk by government planes. The assertion came a few hours after the rumble of artillery was heard to the northwest of Shang-| hai. There was no sign of approach- | ing Reds. But the chaos in the fi- nancial emarket grew during the day. U. S. OBSERVATION Two American Army officers who watched the Communists cross | the Yangtze expressed the opinion | here today the Reds would try to destray Nationalists south and west‘ of Shanghai before striking at che‘ Lig coastal cities. i The two, Maj* Harold Gelwicks of New York City and Capt. Daniel | George of Widber, Pa., watched the | Communists cross the Yangtze at Wuhu. George is Military Attache‘ of the US. Embassy. Both ex-| pressed the opinion the Com- | munists had considerable forces | south of the river now. One said | upwards of 200,000 Reds may now, have crossed the Yangtze. — e, SNOW STORM HITS OVER JUNEAU AREA Juneau and vicinity was hit by“ b snow storm late yesterday, last| night and early this morning and| depth ranged from one-fourth to half-an-ineh. That was not much but it knocked spring, after the Sunday fair day, for a swat. A peculiar freak in weather was | reported about one o'clock this morning by taxicab drivers. It was snowing but looking through the snow haze the sky was bright with stars. The Washingion Merry - Go- Round By DREW PEARSON (Copyright, 1949, by Bell Syndicate, Inc.) ASHINGTON— The American housewife doesn’t . know it, but more and more of the food she buys for her family conhtains the same basic ‘“ersatz” ingredients which I. G. Farben, the notorious Nazi cartel, developed for German troops and civilians in the last war. The German people lived on “ersatz” during most of the war. The extent of this Farben-izing of American food, unbeknown to the consumer, has been partially investigated by the Food and Drug Administration, which has been holding hearings on the use of synthetic substitutes for milk and shortening in bread. 1 However, the whole story has not been told the public, chiefly bedause of official buckpassing. Food and Drug officials wring their hands and say they have no authority under the law for a full- fledged investigation. They admit, (Cnnnnued on Plgt Four) RECESSION | ‘Saiisfadory- Business Basis| | business {through the economy in spending— Unconscious a Year |f Five-year-old Larry Dcan Wilsen is shown in an Elkhart, Ind,, Gen- eral Hospital bed where he has lain unconscicus for a year. say the child, struck by an automobile, may never awaken. Doctors With him are Nurse Virginia Hursey (left) and his mother, Mrs. Donald Wilson. (P Wirephoto. INEVITABLE IS REPORT Coming After Current Readjustment ! By STERLING F. GREEN WASHINGTON, May 3—(®—The| President of the United States| Chamber of Commerce said today that a “recession from posl\\'m‘i peaks” of business is inevitable. He| added that it will bring “overdue relief to millions of consumers. Earl O. Shreve, in the keynote |address at the Chamber’s 37th an- {nual meeting, also told some 2,500 business leaders: “When the current rendjuslmcm has run its course, and buying for inventory replacement revives, should find itself on a counder and infinitely more satis- factory basis.” The shift to a “more solid and crderly pattern of prosperity” willt if the government raises taxes and |lays down economic controls—as! |proposed by President Truman—tor embarks on a policy of in-the-red financing. “It is self-evident to all think- ing men,” he declared, “that the Federal Budget should be talanced not through higher taxes.” PROSPERITY BULWARK Two other speakers at the first general session of the four-day | meeting offered plans to bulwark prosperity, at home and abroad: Businessmen should give “prompt attention to the task of pricing consumers back into the market” | by lowering prices and bringing| out new products, said Harry A. Bullis, Board Chairman of General Mills, Inc., Minneapolis. A price decline is “natural and inevitable,” Bullis said — “we are laying the groundwork for a longl and sustained rise in the living standard of America.” I And a Canadian, President Henry{ G. Birks of the Canadian Chamber | of Commerce, Montreal, proposed an “ABC” Committee of American, British and Canadian businessmen to labor for the freeing of world trade from currency - and other trade barriers, e HOPE TO SEATTLE MRS. Mrs. J. R. Hope was a passenger on yesterday's southbound PAA flight, going to Seattle to join her husband. He went outside Sat- urday, and is in the Virginia Ma- son Hospital, Former UW Star Charged Is Arrested?AIaska and Waives Extradition— Taken fo Seatile SEATTLE, May 3—®—Virgil A. “Spud” Murphy, 47, former Univer- sity of Washington crew star, was| held in King County jail Monday| on a charge of abandonment and| non-upport. The complaint was March 18 Guy B. Knott’s court. filedq It accuses Murphy of failing to support his| wife, Bonnie Anne, and their son, Michael Patrick, 10. Murphy, arrested in where he was working as expediter on a construction job, was brought | here from Anchorage Sunday. He| waived extradition. Deputy Prosecutor Kathreen| | Mechem, who filed the charge, said | lamnyl‘ . Py 3 L e odked. or. aeladbn, eheeve Ml T o aTy M iat gl slnce 1040 Murphy has supported his A similar charge was filed against Murphy, who was a King| {éounty deputy sheriff under former Sheriff Matt Starwich, November, 1946. Murphy was ar- rested on the earlier complaint in Alaska angd in September, 1947, was released after he agreed to pay $50 a month for the support of his son, Mrs. Mechem said. “Since July, 1944, he has con- tributed only about $320 to his son’s support,” Mrs. Mechem said. Murphy said he has been unable to ¢btain steady employment dur- ing the last few years in Alaska, but that he has always been willing | te support his child. He and his wife separated in 1843, he said. PLEADS INNOCENT SEATTLE, May 3—(®—Virgil A. (Spud) Murphy, pleaded innocent today to a charge of abandonment and non-support. Murphy, 47, was arraigned be- fore Superior Judge Robert M. Jones. He is accused of failing to support his wife, Bonnie Anne,| and the couple’s 10-year-old son, Michael. STEAMER MOVEMENTS Baranof from Seattle scheduled to arrive at 3:30 this atternoon west bound. Princess Louise from Vancouver scheduled to arrive at 4:30 o'clock this afternoon, leaving for Skag- way tonight. Alaska scheduled Seattle Saturday. to sail from last | in Justicy the Peace * o 5 h Justice of the { |it nor its parent union have com- Maska,! in| DUROCHER — 7 GOESBACK 10 GIANTS | Reinstated by Chandler- - No Evidence fo Support | ] Assault Charge 1 By OAYLF TALBOT | CINCINNATI, May 3.—®— Leo| ! Durogher, manager of the New ‘Ym‘k Giants, was reinstated. today.| | Baseball Commissioner - A., ‘B. Chandler said he heard no evi-| dence sufficient to support a charge by Fred Boysen, a New York tafl, that Durocher had assaulted him;. | i The little, beligerent manager of | | ‘he Giants was told he could re-| join his team tomorrow. | Asked if he had any statement ‘m make, Durocher - beamed and | | said: | | “Just say that I'm mighty ham {The only statement that amounts | to anything is the cne the Com- | missioner made.” g | The Giants party was to leave; day. ® | plane for New York City late REJECTDEM, (OMPROMISE. ' LABOR BILL Vote Indicates GOP-South Labor Law Struggle | ey { BULLETIN | WASHINGTON, May | —The House handed the Ad- | ministration a thumping defeat tonight, approving the Wood Laber bill which would keep most of the Taft-Hactley Act | on the books. The teller vote | was 210 to 196. 3—m | WASHINGTON, Liay 3—iP— The; rejected the Demo-| leadership’s compromise | Heuse today cratic tabor bill | The vote was 211 to 183. The decision came in a parlia- | mentary situation permitting a later roll cali vote that could overturn that result. But the standing tally indicated | that Southern Democrats and Re-| publicans, tacking the so-called 'w ood bill, had control of the House. Sponsored by Rep. Wood (D-Ga), that measure wculd keep many| | provisions of the Taft-Hartley law. \ The Democratic leadership’s bill, | | worked out by Speaker Rayburn, |was a last-ditch effort to beat off !the GOP-Southern coalition. i Rejection of the administration |compromlse put the Wood bill be- | fore the House. Pro-labor House members were not satisfied with the administra- ion measure and attempted to change it in a struggle before the vote. They centered their fire on a provision for 80-day, court injunc- tions against “national emergency” | strikes. e, GENERAL FUND OF TERRITORY . IS STILL SHORT _The Territory’s General Fund was short $453,524.51 of being able to meet its obligations at the end {of April, atcording to a state- ment issued today by Treasurer Oscar G. Olson. There was $225,551.92 at the end of April after the books were closed. Against this amount, the | Auditor’s office held unpaid vouch- ers totalling $679,076.43, leaving the | Territory short $453,524.51. - ee———— EMPLOYMENT OFFICE AT KODIAK CLOSED KODIAK, May 3.—®— Lack «f business was given by officials here | for closure of the U. S. Employ- ment Service local office. ern Control of House in “Tiitien. Non-Support FLubp G office of the Sessup (leit), U. S. Ambassador-at-Large, talks with newsmen as he leavcs the Manhattan Soviet dclegation to the U. A. Malik (right) Soviet represcntative to the U. N. o N. on New York's Park ‘Av is skown nrrivlng for the conference. (P Wk‘tphnto . IWAOF (IO DENIED BALLOT RIGHT IN ELECTION OF ASCW SEATTLE, -May 3—(P—The Na- tional; Labor Relations Board has rejectéd an ‘attempt of the Inter- national Woodworkers of America | —————— (CIO) to get on the tallot of an Adiske - Ralwpon Cannery Workers' NLRB Regional Director Thomas |P Graham Jr. announced the de- cision. He said the IL.W.A. had pe- titioned to get on the ballot along with the Alaska Fish Cannery Workers (AFL). Under a previous NLRB ruling, the AFL union will be on the ballot {alone. It will be a matter of the estimated 3,000 cannery workers voting for or against the AFL group for their bargaining agent. Local 7 of the Cannery Workers' | presented the from the neither union (CIO) has r workers. It was barred ballet previously because plied with the Taft-Hartley law nen-Communist affidavit clause. In denying the Woodworkers’ union petition, the NLRB said “it was not timely.” The petition was not filed until the election had been set and nctices posted. Machinery is all set up for the one-union election. NLRB was ready to begin conducting the election last Friday, but no workers |have voted yet. Workers are not te vote until they are due to leave for the North, and the vement has been delayed this yes - ACA MERCY FLIGHT FOR CHILD FUTILE A flight for the life of a one- year-old child ended futilely last right when the child died before it could be brought to hospital care. here. An emergency call from Hoonah sent an Alaska Coastal Airlines plane pn a mercy flight shortly be- fore 6 o'clock. The child, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Emery Merle,, is presumed to have died in the arms of its mother on the way to hospital aid Cause of death is believed to be pneumonia, according to the physi- cian who examined the ba at St. Ann's hospital shortly after the plane’s arrival here at 7:30. Piloting the mercy plane was ACA man Mike Fenster. Funeral arrangements will be handled by Charles W. Carter Mortuary. WASHINGTON, May 3.—(®-—The Senate has confirmed Joseph Cooper for U, S. Attorney, Divis- ion Three, Alaska District. The action was by unanimous consent. The Senate also confirmed Paul C. Herring to be U. S. Marshal of the Third Division. | | | | | Britain, izmcl seme time MLRB, (10 !.mgshoremen 5 Union Fight in Seattle Court Over Pickeling i m Juneau MAY LIFT- BLOCKADE NEXT WEEK Joint Declaration from 3 Western Powers Sched- uled from Russia By GEORGE PALMER NEW YORK, May 3—(#— The three Big We: powers were re- ported tof to be completing a joint declaration of policy on the Berlin blockade to lay before Rus- within 24 hours. Speculation in some quarters was that - this would call for lifting the blockad s early as next week. an rtment spokes there was a possibili of the United States, and Russia would Fra But Philip C, ador-at-large, C. Jessup, U. S. Am- denied reports thnt a four-power meeting had been scheduied at 9 am. PST in his office at 2 Park Avenue. The joint declaration will pro- pose dates both for lifting the blockade and convening the coun- cil of Foreign Ministers for a discussion of the whole German question, it was understood.” o WEATHER REPORT (U. 8. WEATEER BUREAU This data is for -24-hour pe- riod ending 6:30 a.m. PST. In Juneau— Maximum, 41; minimum, 33. ; At Airport—Maximum, 44; minimum, 26. FORECAST (Juneau and Vicinity) Variable cloudiness with light rain and snow show- ers tonight and Wednesday. Lowest temperature tonight about 35 degrees. Highest Wednesday 42 degrees. PRECIPITATION (Past 24 hours ending 7:30 a.m. today In Juneau -- 42 inches since May 1, .43 inches; since July 1, 107.69 inche At Airport — ,28 inch since May 1, 28 inches; since July 1, 60.87 inches. . . ° . . . . » . . . . . . ° @t 0 epo00%0 0000000 000000000 n the propesed lifting of the Berlin blockade. Malik | e after a conference with Jacob SEATT Mo L-t.‘m{fin NL- 1REand © o Eongshoremen's union bc ved "Mn colt yesterday over picketing of the idled Juneau; Spruce Corporation plant and will continue their legal maneuvers Wadnesday afternoen. The union asked a U. 8. District Court order to prevent the Nation- al Labor Relations Board from seeking an anti-picketing injunc- | |tion in Federal court at Juneau. I In response to a show cause order, Patrick H. Walker, NLRB| attorney, moved for dismissal of | tre union’s request. Federal Judge Lloyd L. Black srdered both sides to return at 2 §. m, Wédnesday to argue the mo- tion, | [The Juneau local of the Inter- national Longshoremen’s and Ware- kousemen’'s Union contends the Ju- neau District Court does not have the authority to issue an anti- picketing injunction. The ILWU has kept the Juneau Mill closed for a year In a juris- dictional dispute with the CIO Woodworkers Unicn over loading work. | - KEEP PRIVILEGES FOR ARR WORKERS BARTLETT URGES WASHINGTON, May 3 — (B — Congress is urged to permit Pan- ama Canal and Alaska Railroad workers to retain their present re- tirement privileges if they are put under the Civil Seryice Retirement act The question was brought up at a House Subcommittee hearing on a proposal to merge the Panama Canal and Alaska Railroad retire- | ment acts with the Civil Service Retirement act. Delegate Bartlett of Alaska testi- lied special privileges were given to Panama and Alaska employees| cecause they had gone to a far away place to work under hazardous | conditions. | ‘The . privileges include retire- ment at 62 instead of 70 as under the Civil Service law, or optional retirement at 55 for those with 25 years of service and 15 years on| either the Alaska Railroad or the Panama Canal with slightly de- creased pensions. ‘Warren Irons, Civil Service Re- tirement officer, said the Civil Service Commission favors the merger. - CRANE IN PORT Fish and Wildlife docked this morn- her way back The Crane, Service boat, ing from Seattle on SCUTTLING OF VESSEL WAS PLAN Maneuv er—Wouid Have Blocked Vessels of 3 Na- tions, Shanghai Area SHANGHAT, May 3.—(MP—United States, British and French naval craft left the Shanghai waterfront last week because of a reported Cemmunist plot to block their passage to the sea, a U. S. Navy spokesman said today. The spokesman, from the stafl of U. 8. Vice Adm, Oscar C. Bad- ger, said ‘reliatble sources” told the United States Navy that Com- | munists planned to scuttle a ship near Woosung, the Chinese Na- | t-onalist garrison, that would have blccked the larger ships from the sea. The spokesman evidentally dis= clesed this “plot” to offset accusa= tions that the U. S. Navy had “run out” on Ccmmunist. threatened Shanghai, Bottling Up Of Ships Detalls of the “plot” came from the same source which had pre- viously tipped the Navy the Com- | munists had a similar plan to bot~ tle up naval vessels in Tientsin earlier this year, the spokesman said. i The Navy evacuated numerous persons from Tientsin shortly be- iore the city fell and the route to the sea was cut. ‘The Navy spokesman Said the Woosung “plot” was “nipped i1 the bud,” He declined to give . de- tails, say! L3 o Y N L SR T Plot Is Nipped He sald after the plot was “nip- ped” the American President Lines liner President Wilson came up to the Shanghai waterfront past the Woosung garrison, The Wilson tied up at a bund pler and evac- uated 300 persons after an over- night stay. It was learned the Nationalists were eyeing closely all ships in the Woosung area to prevent any scut- tling attempt, In Shanghai Area ‘The spokesman saa the Navy had not left the Shanghal area. He said at present three destroy- ers and an LCI (Landing Oraft Infantry) were anchored near Woo- sung, 12 miles from here. An LST (Landing Ship Tanks) was due tomorrow.. He sald the LCI was making a daily shuttle run between Shanghai and Wabsung. ‘The spokesman, at a news confer- ence, pledged the Navy would keep ships here as long as there was any possibility of an emergency evacuation. He said the present group of ships can accommodate the 1,650 Americans still in Shang- hai. — e —,—— PAA Alaska Traffic Jumps 30 Percent SEATTLE, May 3—®— Pan American World Airways reported its Alaska passenger traffic for March was up 30 per cent from 'February. Cargo volume was listed 24 per cent higher. i TSR Pres. Truthan Agms To Release Gen. Clay WASHINGTON, May 3.—i#— President Truman announced to- ‘day he is agreeing to the release of Gen. Lucius D. Clay as United States military commander in Ger- many. AU SR £ STOCK QUOTATIONS NEW YORK, May 3.—(P—Clos- ing quotation of Alaska Juneau mine stock today is 3%, American Can 91, Anaconda 29%, Curtiss- Wright 8%, Intergational Harvest- er 23%, Kennecott 44%, New York Central 11%, Northern Pacific 141, U. S. Steel 81%, Pound $4.03%. Sales today were 830,000 shares. Averages today are as follows: industrials 175, rails 47.10, ' util- ities 35.50, | to Nushagak,