The Daily Alaska empire Newspaper, May 23, 1949, Page 1

THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE “ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME” VOL. LXXIIIL, NO. 11,203 PLANES EV JUNEAU, ALASKA, MONDAY, MAY 23, 1949 MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS ormer Member of Cab FORRESTAL JUMPS 10 HIS DEATH Former Secr_etary of De- fense Commits Suicide- Takes Fatal Leap (By ELTON C. FAY) WASHINGTON, May 23—®— A Naval Board of Inquiry was or- dered today to inquire into the suicide of 57-year old James For- restal but his friends among the nation's great wrote their own ver- dict: He died because he worked so hard for his country. Forrestal, Cabinet member under | President Roosevelt and Truman, ended his own life early Sundey morning by leaping from the 16th floor of the Navy's towering hos- pital in Bethesda, Md. He left as| his farewell only an ancient Greek poem of despair and death. He was the first Secretary of Defense—a wearing Job that he gave up as a sick man in March. Before that, he had been Secretary of the mightiest Navy the world has ever seen, and before that he had served as an assistant to Franklin D. Roosevelt in the White House. This spifng, his health broken by more than nine years of merve- wracking service, he decided to seek release from the strain. A few days in Florida after his resignation, and then he entered the hospital April 2, Death, Manner, Shock His death and the manner of it shocked the capital. President Truman said: “This able | and devoted public servant was as truly a casualty of the war as if he had died on the firing line.” He issued a proclamation ordering that flags fly at half mast f-cm all pub- lic buildings, forts and warships. So far as was known, the former Secretary left no note. But on a radiator, near his hos- pital bed, was found a book “An Anthology of World Poetry.” A red ribbon lay between the pages opened to Sophocles’ “Chorus From Ajax.” That poem tells of profound and hopeless tragedy. In the back of the book was a piece of hospital memorandun: paper on which Forrestal had cop- fed, in a firm hand, the first 26 lines of the doleful poem. Court of Inquiry The Court of Inquiry in the c2se was ordered by Rear Adm. M. D. ‘Willcutts, Commandant of the Nav- al medical center. Just _exactly what it might examine was not cer- tain in advance. From statements of officials at the hospital, this story was reconstructed: In the weeks that followed For- restal's entry for treatment, he seemed to be on the road to com- plete recovery. He received visitors, (Continued on Page 2) The Washington Merry—gg-Round By DREW PEARSON (Copyright, 1949, by Bell Syndicate.. Inc.) ASHINGTON — Here is a ‘summary of the general instruc- tions retary, of State Ache- son’s &’;&’fm the ‘mobt’ important peace parley since Potsdam. It opens in Paris today. 1. The United States will take the position that we owe the Rus- sians nothing for lifting the block- ade, since this was merely righting a wrong. 2. The State Department is lean- ing‘more and more to the view that Russia really wants to play ball with the Western democracies; we will do our best to cooperate ar Paris. 3. The US.A. will propose that Russia’s Eastern Germany be amalgamated with the Allies’ West- ern Germany in qne,_Dgnw,cuMc re- public. An election ,would be (Continued ‘on l"m Four) 46 KILLED ~ IN STORMS - OFWEEKEND Tornadoes,—()wtfier Weather Fury Hit Various Areas— . Property Damage Large | (By the Associated Press) A rapid succession of tornadoes and other weather fury Kkilled 46 persons and caused millions ot dollars of property damage over |the weekend in widely scattered areas. The storm waked ten states, in- jured at least 229 persons and smashed 900 houses. In Washing- ton, Basil O’Connor, President of the American Red Cross, said the organization had set aside $500,000 for relief of the many hundreds left homeless. Hardest hit were Missouri, Illi- nois and Indiana where a total of 44 persons were killed. Other deaths were reported in Kentucky and Pennsylvania while West Vir- | ginia, Texas, Tennessee, Towa and | Maryland reported heavy property | damage. 21 ARE KILLED Cape Girardeau, in Southeastern Missouri with 21 dead and property damage estimated at between three and four million dollars suffered the most. A survey of that hard- hit city showed 202 houses totally destroyed, 231 damage,'18 business builings and a church destroyed, and 12 business buildings and an- other church damaged in the city of 20000 population. More than 200 persons were injured and hun- dreds left homeless. Three other Missouri towns, not directly in the path of the twister, each reported one dead. They are Clarksville, Bessville and Cabool. 11 DEAD INDIANA Indiana’s 11 dead and 47 injured are at Shelburn, Terre Haute and iClay City. Ralph C. Werner, a Red Cross spokesman said the state's damage would run into hundreds of thousands of dollars. Eight persons were killed at Shel- burn, two near the outskirts of Terre Haute and one near Clay City. The twister missed the busi- ness districts of the two cities. In the west side of Shelburn, a town of 1,000, the tornado demolished 65 houses, and damaged 95, 60 of them severely. K | | ILLINOIS' HIT Tllinois had a total of nine dead, five at Wood River and four at Palestine. At Wood River, up the Missis- sippi from St. Louis, 325 homes in 55 persons injured in a 25 square block area. The four persons killed at Pales- tine were in a highway lunch stand which collapsed. PROPERTY DAMAGE At Somerset, Ky., one woman was killed and 60 houses damaged by a strong wind. Damage was estimated at * $750,000. Johnstown, Pa., listed one fatality as a result of a storm which caused thousands of dollars of damage. In the Southwest, Texas, which had been lashed by intermittent tornadoes for a week, was hit by another windstorm at Abilene. Five persons were injured and some buildings damaged by wind, hail and rain near Texarkana. Several homes were flattened at ' Macon and Clay counties of Ten- nessee. DR. RYAN TO SPEAK AT ROTARY MEETING Dr. James Ryan, Commissioner of Education, will speak at tomorrow noon’s meeting of the Rotary Cluk at the Baranof Hotel. Unification Measure Is | ~ BiglssueBeforeSenate; | Plan Is fo End Scrapping‘; the city of 9,000 were destroyed and’ By EDWIN B. HAAKINSON ‘ WASHINGTON, May 23— (@ —| Senator Lucas (D-II) today mrew\ the weight of the Senate leader-| ship behind the &ill designed tnl tighten up unification of the Army, Navy and Air Forces. One goal is| a cut in the multi-billion dollar| costs of peacetime defense eiforts. | “I'm for it ard the Senate should | ke able to pass it today or tomor—i row,” the Democratic leader told a reporter, “It certainly should have the support of all these fellows who | {;Lave been yelling for economy.” Chairman Tydings (D-Md) of the| Senate Armed Service committee| will be floor manager for the mea- sure. It would make the first major changes in the 1947 unification act| that squeezed through Congress | after years of scrapping between the armed services. DEFENSE LEGISLATION Bcth Tydings and Lucas said they expect no serious opposition to the defense legislation, which would clarjify and expand powers of Sec- retary of Defense Louis Johnson and his successors. It calls for “fiscal and budget reforms” with savings estimated by Tydings at| from $200,000000 to $600,000,000 a year. | But even if the Senate gives quick approval, House action ap- pears uncertain. TRUMAN URGES REVISION President Truman urged the re- | vision of the unification act in a | special message to Congress earlier | this year. But today the House| (Armed Service committee has held | no hearings. The measure is not on the list that the House committee has been pushing for this session. The unification bill became pending Senate business last week- end with debate scheduled to start late today after Senate action on| a‘long list of minor kills. ; PAY BOOST | House leaders meanwhile pushed | for approval of another defense measure—a bill that would boost 4 pay for officers and men of all the military and naval services an average of 14 percent. Biggest pay boosts, of nearly 50 percent, would go to Brigadier Gen- | erals and their counterparts. Com- plaints of some House members against this situation delayed a vote last weekend. House leaders still expected to pass the pay bill today or Tuesday and send it to the Senate. MAN DIES IN PISTOL DUEL; SOLDIER HURT ANCHORAGE, May 23— —A| civilian -was killed and an Army sergeant critically wounded in a shooting early Sunday night at'a i night spot just outside the city | imits. Police identified the dead man as Ray Rossi, Long Beach, Calif. He died of five bullet wounds in the head. The sergeant’s name was with- held by Fort Richardson authori- ties pending notification of next of kin. The cause of the shooting, which police described as a “frontier style pistol duel,” has not been deter- mined. STOCK QUOTATIONS NEW YOKK, May 23.—#—Clos- ing quotation of Alaska Juneau mine stock today is 3%, American Can 91%, Anaconda 27%, Curtiss- ‘Wright 437%, International Harvest- er 24%, Kennecott 43'%, New York Central 11%, Northerh Pacific 14%, U. S. Steel 677%, Pound $4.02%. Sales today were 720,000 shares. ! Averages today are. as follows: | the MARSHALL PLAN GETS BIG SLASH House Appropriations Comnittee Votes for 15 Per Cent Reduction WASHINGTON, + May 23 —(#— The House Appropriations commit- tee today ordered a 15 percent cut in the Marshall Plan spending for the year starting July 1. Overriding a subcommittee re- commendation, the full committee | voted to cut $629,730,000 from the $1,108,200,000 President Truman’ had asked for the European Re- covery Program’s second year of operations. The subcommittee had recom- mended a cut of only $182,300,000, but Republicans claimed this wasn’t | enough. The full -committee also voted to cut $150,000,000 from the $1,000,- 000,000 President Truman sought for government and relief in occu- pied areas. The subcommittee had chopped this item only $50,400,000. The full $50,000,000 asked for aid to Greece and Turkey was ap- proved by the committee, as was a fund of $1,074,000,000 sought for ‘Marshall Plan operations for the, April-June quarter of this year. The overall amount recommended for all operations in the kill was $5,542,470,000. The President had asked $6,322,200,000. The actual amount of money to be made available depends on what full House and Senate vote when the bill comes before them. Rep. Cannon (D-Mo), Chairman of the Appropriations committee, told newsmen the motion for the 15 percent cut was made by Rep. Albert Thomas (D-Tex) and was supported almost solidly by Repub- licans. The cuts the committee made are cn top of a $157,800,000 reduction that Mr. Truman himself suggested because of the decline in prices since he sent his budget to Congress in January. KRUG WANTS LARGE SUM FOR ALASKA WASHINGTON, May 23.—(P— Secretary of Interior Krug sald today that this year’s $616,000,000 budget for the Interiof Department is the “bottom of the barrel in wise economy.” He told a Senate appropriations subcommittee that the Department believes this is the time for “most stringent economies.” However, he said, the nation should not spend less than it “really required” for the development of its economy. Testifying on the annual Interior Department money bill, the Becre- tary said the Senate will be asked to restore about $23,000,000 of the budget which was lopped off by the House. As it passed the House, the bill carried $536,211,908 for the var- ious agencies of the Department, about $81,000,000 less than . Pres- ident Truman’s budget. Krug said the Department wili ask for restoration of $8,000,000 in appropriations and $10,000,000 in contract authorization for rehabil- itation of the AMskan Railroad and $1,000,000 for Alaskan highways. A $925,000 reduction made by the House in funds asked for the Alas- kan Native Service, Krug said, “will seriously handicap” health activities in Alaska. “Under this allowance we would not be able to admit patents to the new 200-bed tuberculosis hos- pital at Mount Edgecumbe, or to use the 80 tuberculosis beds provid- ed last year,” he testified. FROM SAWYER’'S LANDING industrials 17232, rails 46.64, util- ities 35.51. i J. H. Sawyer of Sawyer's Landing is a guest at the Gastineau. Ithe Gastineau Hotel. BiG FOUR MINISTERS | Thorny German Problem Is Great Question at Important Meet (By the Associated Press) ‘The Big Four Council of Foreign Ministers met in Paris today for another attempt to settle the thorny German proplem. Representatives of the United States, Britain, France and Russia assembled in a flag-festooned pink marble palace for their sixth meet- ing since the war and the fourth on the German question. There was neither optimism nor pessi- mism among the delegates. At almost the same moment the | new constitution for a West Ger- man government was proclaimed in effect as delegates of the 11 states in the three zones put their signa- tures on it at Bonn. to strengthen the hand of the Western delegates in Paris, since it envisions a new German gove sernment by mid-July. BERLIN BIG TOPIC The three Western powers are expected to press Russia for an immediate consideration of Berlin, torn by bloody rioting. Secretary of State Dean Acheson and Foreign Ministers Robert Schu- man of France and Ernest Bevin of Britain sit down with Russia's ence table. The West agreed yes- terday on unified plans of action. The nature of the plans was not disclosed. GERMANY ON AGENDA Germany alone was on the agenda, although the related prob- lem of Austria and other questions may come up. It was the sixth meeting of the Foreign Ministers Council since the war and the fourth on Germany. Observers predicted the West would seek to list the Berlin ques- tion at the top of the docket on the ground that continued division of the former capital is a menace to any future settlement for Ger- |many as a whole. Once there is agreement on Ber- lin, observers declared, the confer- ence can 4proceed to other ques- tions. In Berlin itself Western railway strikers clamored for Allied inter- vention in their “civil war” with the Soviet-controlled railway man- agement. Commanders of the U.S., Britain, and France in Berlin met at the call of Brig. Frank L. Howley, who said he wanted to discuss the “in- tolerable situation.” The four Ministers have agreed on a four-point agenda: 1. Problems of German unity, including economic and political principles and Allied (Four-Power) control. 2. Berlin, questions. 3. Preparation of a peace treaty for Germany. 4. Preparation of an Austrian independence treaty. ‘The Austrian question has been deadlocked over many a long meeting of the Foreign Ministers’| Deputies, and Austria has begged the Council to take it up at this| session. Like Germany, Austria is| including currency The first meeting of the current session lasted about two and a hall hours. As the meeting—perhaps the most momentous since the war— got under way, Western power offi- cials refused to say whether they were optimistic or not. One British official said the West “will wait and see” what Vishinsky has to say. There has bteen speculation that Vishinsky soon will make 2a major Soviet policy statement. A Council informant described Vishinsky as in a strikingly con- ciliatory mood. Mr. and ‘Mrs. D Daly of Palo Alto, Calif., registered yesterday at INPARIS | This new constitution is expcc{ed‘ Andrei Y. Vishinsky at the conter- | occupied by the Four Powers’ forces. | President Truman (left) bids Secretary of State Dean Acheson a smiling farewell at National Airport, Washington, before the cabinet member took off for Paris and the foreign ministers’ meeting. Acheson (center) accompanied her husband. (® Wirephoto. ACUATING FLOODED ALASK Mrs. FOLTA’S DECISION ON WRANGELL MILL 10 SET PRECEDENT A decision of far grealer moment | in the legal world than is apparent to the layman has just been handed down in the U.S. District| | Court by Judge George W. Folta. The question as to whether the United States Government is en-| titled to priority over everyone | never has been decided before in judicial history, according to one of Alaska’s most experienced law- yers, He predicts that the decision will be appealed, and will reach the Eupreme Court, which has consis- tently avoided a decision. That august body has always found other points on which to base a decision, in cases where the matter was pertinent. Judge Folta's decision is on de- termination of the order of liens in the case of the Bank of Wrangell vs. Alaska Asiatic Lumber Mills. In it, the court holds that the Town of Wrangell, an individual, !and the Bank of Wrangell are en- titled to priarity. The question in this controversy concerned the rank and priority te pe accorded claims of the United States for taxes in the amount of $18,951.53; the Bank of Wrangell, $46,520 for the balance due on mortgages; the Town of Wrangell, $4,952.10 in taxes, and the mec- hanic’s lien claim of Walter J. Stutte, for $1,683.22 for improve- ments on the mortgaged mill premises. The receiver (Col. Otto F. Ohl- son) who was appointed August 11, 1947, had, pursuant to orders of the court, reduced the assets to cash, and now has available for dis- tribution, after deducting $10,000 Lorrowed from the mortgagee bank for expenses and administration, approximately $32,000 for distritu- tion to claimants, Judge Folta’s decision which, lawyers expect, will be quoted “tor hundreds of years” and which may force a ‘Supreme Court decision, reads in part: “The Court holds that, after the bank’s loan of $10,000 for the ex- penses of the receivership is paid, | | the claim of the Bank of Wrangell | |is entitled to priority out of the remainder of the proceeds realized from the sale of the real property icuvered by its mortgages, and that, ‘\.mler Section 16-1-113, ACL.A,, | 1949, the Town of Wrangell and, | under Section 26-1-3, id., Walter J. | Stutte, in that order are entitled tc priority over the bank. | “However, since the bank mort- gages do not cover personal prop- | erty of the debtor, and the real (Continued on Page 2‘)—“ ’ HANGHAI CRISIS IS NOW NEAR Defending Nationalist! Garrison Beafs Back | Communists (By The Associated Press) Chinese Nationalists sald today the crisis was approaching in their stubborn defense of Shanghai. The garrison command reported the Communists had been beaten back all along the great city’s Whangpoo waterway to the sea. But, the com- munique said, the Communists are throwing in reinforcements. The big Lungwha international aijrport south of Shanghai was re- opened to traffic today but opera- tions were on an hour-to-hour ba- sis. The Chinese Communist' radio charged five more U. S. warships, four heavy bombers and “1,500 more American troops” had arrived at Tsingtao, North China port used as an American base. An American Naval spokesman Tokyo described the report as * true as far as we know." n 0o 0000 00 00 . * WEATHER REVORT (U. 8. WEATRER BUREAU This data is for 24-hour pe- riod ending 6:30 a.m. PST. In Juneau— Maximum, 67; minimum, 47. At Airport— Maximum, 71; minimum, 41. FORECAST (Juneau snd Vielaity) Mostly cloudy with occa- sional light rain tonight and Tuesday. Clearing Tuesday afternoon. Lowest tonight about 45 degrees. Highest on Tuesday near 56, PRECIPITATION @ (Past 24 hours ending 7:30 am. toduy ® In Juneau City — None; ® since May 1, 4.04 inches; since July 1, 11130 inches. At the Airport — None; since May 1, 32 inches; since July 1, 6381 inches. . . . . o000 0000000 AWVS MEETS ‘The Juneau Chapter ot the Amer- ican Women's Volunteer Services will hold:its monthly business meet- ing at 7:30 o'¢clock, Wegnesday, eves ning in: the home . of Miss Mary Valentine, 204 North Franklin, in- PRICE TEN CENTS % inet takes Fatal Plunge Smiling Fareweil ANIAK ON YUKON IS - FLOODED Water Risifiiuat Foot an Hour-Conditions Bad at McGrath Also FAIRBANKS, Alaska, May 23.—(# —Villagers were being evacuated irom flooded Aniak last night by an amphiblan Seabee plane, bring- ing out six at a time, The population ot the village, 100 miles southwest of here, is about 200. The flooding Kuskokwim Riv- er, which flows into the Bering Sea to the south of thé Yukon River, was reported rising about a toot an hour. Poor flying weather halted etforts of Army Air Force planes to bomb ;a huge ice jam on the Kuskokwim. The jam has created the worst flocds in the history ot Alaskan na- tive villages. Weather Delays Blasting Bombers from koth Ladd and Elmendort Fields were prepared to take to the air again to biast the ice as socn as the weather clear- ed. The Civil Aeronautics Admin- istration radio range station at | Kuskokwim went out of commission | late yesterday,: indicating the ser~ | iousness of the situation. The area round Aniak is marshy, and the oply way out is by pllhe. The Ladd Pield information office said military planes were forced to abandon bombing the ice Jam at | Aniak when the ceiling dropped be- low 400 feet and the visibility to nearly zero, Flood At McGrath At McGrath, 220 miles upstream from Aniak, both runways of the big airport were under water and the river, was still rising, Flood dangers along the Yukon were reported diminishing. Galena, site of an Air Force base, was be- lieved safe, At the village of Beav- | er, water had dropped six feet in 14 hours. The Ice was reported moving steadily past Stevens Village, where ndblg pileup of ice had been fear- ed. Alr Force planes parachuied Red Cross emergency supplies to Fort Yukon, whose inhabitants were stranded for the fourth night on a plot of high ground. They had been marooned there since the water first started rising. PRIETE SR ARSI AMERICAN LEGION MEMBERS GOING T0 PAINT UP TONIGHT More painting is on the calendar tonight for members of Juneau Post No. 4, of the American Legion, it was announced today by Post Com- mander Chester Zenger. He said that the regular business meeting will be dispensed with in order to complete the job of getting the Le- gion Dugout in good tondition, = All Leglonngires are req 9. turn out at 8 o'cloek wurl:j" aa’ clothes. Zenger said that three small rooms must be completed be- fore the job will be finished. The exterior paint job will be done b the Do-Et Contractors, who have velunteered their services, == ‘' STEAMER MOVEMENTS Aleutian from Seattle s¢heduled to arrive tomorrow atternoon. Princess Louise from Vancouver scheduled to arrive tomorrow af- ternoon or evening. Prince George, with Portland Journal tour party aboard, schedul- ed to arrive at 4 o'clock tomorrow afternoon. Baranof scheduled to sail from Seattle Saturdhy. Princess Norah scheduled to sail from Vancouver Saturday on spec- Bint ial trip to 8. E, Alaska. "0. Jn.ml PN Mrs. Anna Hargrave of Seattle is stead of previously announced. } registergd at the Gastineau Hotel.