The Daily Alaska empire Newspaper, May 24, 1949, Page 1

THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE “ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME” VOL. LXXIIIL, NO. 11,204 JUNEAU, ALASKA, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 1949 MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS PRICE TEN CENTS Ice Jams Add to Flood Peril on Kuskokwim Violence Flares in German Rail Strike SHAKEUP MADE IN (10 RANK LS. Buckmfir Suspend- ed Indefinitely as President URWU PHILADELPHIA, May 24—/®—L. 8. Buckmaster was suspended in- definitely .today as President of the CIO’s 180,000-member United Rubber Workers, union. Action to remove him from of- fice was taken by the 13 other members of the union’s General Executive Board during a month- long trial here. He was cited for five counts of malfeasance in office. The deposed president may ap- peal the executive board decision at the union’s next convention in Toronto in Septemier. Contacted at Chicago, Buck- master said he hasn’t yet received official confirmation of the order but declared “the whole trial was conducted in an unfair manner” and “the decision was not based on the facts or union law.” BiG FOUR MINISTERS WORK NOW Conference So Far Peace- ful - Russian Smiling But Question Arises (By The Associated Press) The Big Four Foreign Miristers got down to deciding Germany’s future today, with the Western Powers hopeful that Russia ‘would continue an attitude of conciliation. At yesterday's opening session in Paris Russia’s peppery Andrei Vish- insky quickly agreed to a west- ern agenda. The Soviet Foreign Minister also agreed without argument to a west- ern proposal that if there is time after German problems are discuss- ed, the Council should try again to agree on an Austrian treaty. Western diplomats are keeping their fingers crossed, however. In- formants said they expected to get a better line today 6n how long Vishinsky will keep on smiling ana agreeing. For today the West plans to propose discussion of its plan for unifying Germany politically. This involves extension to all Germany of the West German constitution signed at Bonn yesterday by rep- resentatives of 11 western zone states. ‘Western diplomats said it is harG to believe Vishinsky will keep smil- ing when this matter comes up. Bloodhounds have been known to pursue a quarry 138 miles, even across water. 2 The Washington Merry - Go - Round By DREW PEARSON (Copyright, 1949, by Bell Byndicate. Inc.) ASHINGTON— The Army al- most slipped the famed Argentine medal for Maj. Gen. Harry Vaugh- an past the House Armed Services Committee the other day. The diamond-studded Order of San Martin, given to the President’s Military Aide by Dictator Peron, was handed to the State Depart-’ ment after is was presented to Vaughan at a gala Argentine Em- bassy reception. But Vaughan now wants the right to wear his medal, and to that end his name was buried in a list of 87 army officers also decorated by foreign governments, all of whom must be ok'd by Congress. The list came before the House Armed Services Committee as a routine matter droned on all morning with- out incident. Then, just before the vote, Oregon’s alert young Congress- (Continued on Page Four) Divorces Franklin Roosevelt,Jr. Mrs. Franklin Roosevelt, Jr., (right) the former Ethel Du Pont, feeds a horse at the Flying Me dude ranch near Carsen City, Nev., where she established divorce residence. In a five-minute hearing at Min- den, Nevada, (May 21) she was granted a divorce from the son of the late President. She accused him of extreme cruelty, an accusation he Im“y denied. Woman at left is unidentified. erephoto Hero's Funeral For Forrestal Is Tomorrow PaIlbearersTNill Be Mem- bers of Truman's Cabi- net-19-Gun Salute WASHINGTON, May 24— #— James V. Forrestal, who committed suicide early Sunday morning, will| be given a hero’s burial tomorrow with members of President Tru- man’s cabinet as pallbearers. The list of mourners will be headed by Mr. Truman, who said the former Defense Secretary was “as truly a casualty of war as if he had died on the firing line.” Forrestal’s tragic leap from the 16th floor of the Bethesda Naval Hospital came at a time when doc- tors recorded that he was recover- ing from a breakdown caused iy overwork in public service. The flineral service will be held tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. (EST) in the Memorial Amphitheater in Arlington National Cemetery. The President and Mrs. Tiuman will attend together, the White House said today. Burial will be in the same ceme- tery, where rest the unknown soldier and thousands of 'America’s dead of two world wars. A 19-gun salute, followed by taps, will be heard as the caskel is lowered, but the service ctherwise will be simple, in accordance with Mrs. Forrestal's wishes. Forrestal’s attending psychiatrist. Navy Captain George Raines indi- cated the former cabinet officer had frankly discussed his feelings of hopelessness and possible suicide during his treatment. 6. D. NORDENHOLT, MINING ENGINEER, PASSES ON, SOUTH LOS ANGELES, May 24—(P— George D. Nordenholt, 65, widely known mining engineer and geolo- gist and former football star at the University of Chicago, died in a hospital yesterday after a two-week illness. Nordenholt, President of the Pa- cific Petroleum Co., was associated with many major mining and pet- roleum developments in the west from Alaska to Central America. He served as director of the Cali- fornia Department of Natural Re- sources under three governors. GOV. FERRY ON TRIP The Gov. Elisha P. Ferry, Geolog- jcal Survey boat, leave today on a regular trip to visit the water gaug- ing stations®in the Petersburg and Ketchikan areas, The boat will re- turn in about .10 days. | | { PROPOSALS OF RUSSIA, PARIS MEET Soviet Foreign Minister Submits Long ~Stafe-. ment fo Ministers PARIS, May 24—(P—Russla call- ed today for restoration of tour- power control throughout Germany and establishment of a German state council with economic and administrative functions. Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Y. Vishinsky, in a long statemernt to the Council of Foreign Ministers, also proposed that the industrial Ruhr Valley be placed under con- trol of the Big Four and countries bordering Germiany. The Soviet Minister also asked re- ntrcduction of a Four-Power con- trol system in Berlin. He said a German state counci ought to function under the Allied control council. The Allied council first set up in 1945 under the Pots- dam agreement, expired at the height of the Berlin crisis las! year, when the Russians walked out. U. 8. Secretary of State Dean Acheson rose as Vishinsky sat down Acheson strongly criticized what he 2alled Russia’s “back to Potsdam’ policy. The American Secretary stressed the determination of the West not to undo what had been done Western Germany up to now. Foreign Minister Robert Schuman of France asserted that if Four- Power unity in Germany was to be ‘e-established, it should not be done by reverting to the starting poin: and repeating old mistakes. That, Schuman said, would be “tc sterilize” what the West already has acheived in Germany. Bevin said that to go back to Potsdam would take both Germany and the Four Powers back to a stage where they were even before Potsdam. He backed up the Amer- can and French positions. o0 000 o WEATHER REPORT (U. 5. WEATHER BUREAU This data is for 24-hour pé- riod ending 6:30 am. PST. In Juneau— Maximum, 48; minimum, 44. At Airport— Maximum, 48; minimum, 44. FORECAST (Junesu and Vielnity) Variable cloudiness with an occasional light rain shower * tonight and Wednesday. Low- est tonight about 40 degrees. Highest Wednesday near 52, PRECIPITATION (Past 24 hours ending 7:30 a.m. today In Juneau — .07 inches; since May 1, 411 inches; sinee July 1, 111.37 inches. At Airport — .09 inches; since May 1, : 8.1 inches; singe July 1, 63.90 inches, ®e00cse0eresc0oovescocee v 0000 ee®eccnce®essoes oo e e 009900000 HEALTH PROGRAM DELAYED No Chance of Measure Be ing Passediat Present Session Says Lucas WASHINGTON, May 24—@—] Zenate Democratic Leader Lucas said after a White House confer- :nce today it will be impossible for Congress to act op President Tru- man’s National Health Program at this session. As for any part of the eivll rights program, Lucas told reporters, “I Just don't know.” At the same time Lucas said he thinks President Truman is “defi~ nitely satisfied” with the progress oeing made on the legislative pro- gram he submitted to Congress, in January. “We are going to have a pretty good record by the time of ad- journment,” he said. Lucas said there is a possibility of adjournment by July 31. Lucas had teen to the White House for the regular weekly con- ierence that President Truman has with Democratic Congressional leaders. House Speaker Rayburn, who came out with him, agreed that Congress possibly can quit by the end of July. Both asserted, however, that if the legislators are not finished with “must” measures by - then, ‘we’ll go right on in to August.” Lucas labeled as the three “must” pieces of major legislation: 1. Extension of the recipmcal trade program. 2. Repeal of the hn-mnuy act. 3. Approval of me North 'At- lantic Pact. GROCERY STORES OF ARMED FORCES ARE UNDER STUDY Cost Taxpaye_rs Nearly Five Million Dollars Last Year Is Report WASHINGTON, May 24— (®— The Armed Forces' non-profit gro- cery stores cost taxpeiyers more than $4,800,000 last year, the House Armed Services committee reported today. The committee study was made public at the opening of hearings on the military’s multi-million dol- lar retail business. It showed more than $4,800,000 spent from govern- ment funds for salaries along» at the groceries during 1948. This figure, said Chairman Vin- on (D-Ga), did not include the light, heat, trucking and other services furnished to the grocery stores free by the government. Delegate Farrington of Hawaii asked the subcommittee to study also military retailing in the Ha- | wallan Islands and Alaska. Philbin | told him the figures for those areas will be brought up as soon as stores in this country have been investigated. The military stores, such as post exchanges and ship’s service stores, handle everything from soap to television sets. In advance of the hearings, Vinson told reporters: “1 expect we will write a bill to cut out all tut the necessary items.” Some members said they wanted to stop sales of expensive jeweiry, household goods and the like. STEAMER MOVEMENTS Aleutian from Seattle scheduled to arrive at 7:30 o'clock tonight. Princess Louise from Vancouver scheduled to arrive at 8 o'clock tonight. ‘ Prince George, with Portland Journal tour party aboard, schedul- ed to arrive at 4:15 o'clock this af- ternoon. 5 Baranof scheduled to sail from! Seattle Saturday. Princess Norah scheduled to sail from Vancouver Saturday on spec- ial trip to S. E. Alaska. It is estimated there are about 150 man-trailing bloodhounds in service in the United States. An East German mlny polict-ln (center, uniform) and three Western Zone German railway strikers engage in a slugging match in Chalottenburg railroad station in Berlin (May 21). The strike, an anti- communist movement which saw West Berlin police fighting side by side with strikers against Communists and Soviet-controlled railway police, plunged Berlin into mob warfare and slashed the city’s rail links' with the world. » Wirephoto via radio from Berlin. Chimes Tower al llmverslly ICHANGE PROPOSED INPROCUREMENT * FOR ARMED FORCES "Big loophole" May Be Covered in Buying : Change By JACK BELL WASHINGTON, May 24—®—A | merger of Army, Navy and Air Force buying was demanded today ny Senator Morse (R-Ore) to cover what he called “a big loephole” in a new Armed Service Unity bill before the Senate. Morse is the sole opponent of the measure among 13 Armed Serv- ice committee members. He said he would offer an amendment requir- |ing the three military branches to get together on their purchases. “There won't be any real unifi- cation until there is unification in | procurement,” he declared in an interview. Morse said that the “economic rressure” of those who prefer to have ‘the three services bidding against each cther on some items has kept out of the pending bill any provision of the kind he wants. CHANGE IN TITLES | While Chairman Tydings (D-Md) sald Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson had put “a No. 1 priority" stamp on the legislation, Morse said Johnson admitted in a closed com- mittee session that even greater savings would be possible under some conditions. The Oregon Senator said he also will propose that the civilian heads of the three kranches be called Assistant Secretaries of Detense, instead of Secretaries of the Army, Navy and Air Force. “The only way to reduce their authority is to reduce their titles,” he observed. | NEW BUDGETING SYSTEM The bill would set up new bud- geting systems which Johnson esti- mated might help save as much as $1,500,000,000 in a single year. With military spending estimated at $16,000,000,000 in the 12 months starting July 1, Tydings felt this was a good talking point. The Secretary oi Defense would get more power under the bill to control the spending of the three services. The, measure also would set up a chairman for the joint Chiefs of Staff who could take any | disputed issue to the Secretary of Defense. Tydings told the Senate yester- day there is nothing in ‘the bill| changing the identity' of any of ! the three services, 0f Washington Is Destroyed SEATTLE, May 24—(®—The Uni- versity of Washington’s historic chimes tower burned to' a black- sned skeleton shortly after 7 a.m., today. As firemen finally controlled the flames that leaped upward as though from a giant torch, the pells that for many college genera- tions have summoned students to 8 d'clock classes still hung, tlack and naked, atop the burned structure. Firemen were ordered: back from the burned framework, however, or fear the heavy bells might crash Jown from their weakened perch. The cause of the fire was un- ¥nown. Flames spread to the roof of the *igma Chi fraternity house across the street from the campus. Dam- age to the roof was not extensive. IRED FORCES ON FRINGES OF SHANGHAI (By Associated Press) China’s Red force hammered af the Southwest fringes of Shanghaij today. On the East they had oushed to the banks of the Whang- 200 river, opposite the heart of the jreat Asiatic city. Reports from inside the city said ‘efugees were fleeing through the streets. Some Nationalist soldiers were said to be among them. The rattle of rifle fire could be heard in downtown Shanghai. Associated Press correspondent Fred Hampson reports from Shang- hai that there are evidences tne Nationalist forces are preparing te pull out. Troops in large numbers are headed for the suburb of Woo- sung, which would be a logica! place to take ship. Early this morning the city had a bad scare. Hundreds of people poured into the business section irom the southeast, screaming that the Communists had broken through. The Cocmmuists have made gains in that area® but ap- parently have not actually broken into the city. Nationalist defenses. says Hampson, are battered but not broken. By nightfall, indications that the Nationalists were preparing to evac- uate had become so numerous that the people forget their scare of the morning. Three small tankers have been sunk in the Whangpoo River, apparently to keep them from fall- | ing into the hands of the Reds. FROM SITKA W. H. Hills of Sitka registered yesterday at the Gastineau Hotel, Business Men From Seaftle Now in Juneau Party Arri;;‘ bY Plane- Go Westward Aboard Aleutian Tonight A group of Seattle business men and a representative of Gov, Arthur B. Langlie of Washington arrived here by plane this afternoon on their 10-day trip through southeast and central Alaska. They' will leave tonight on the Aleutian for Seward. The party's scheduled visit to Sitka today was cancelled as a re- sult of weather conditions. The group visited Ketchikan yesterday and Wrangell last night. This morning they flew to Petersburg, where they met with the Chamber of Commerce, and then flew di- rectly here in two, planes. The leader of the party, John Perry, chairman of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce’s Alaska committee, said they are gathering information “in order that we may Letter coordinate our efforts with those of Alaskan leaders in helping the territory to solve some of her problems.” TOURIST ADVERTISING Langlie’s representative, Jack V. Rogers, a merhber of the Washing- ton Governor's cabinet, said he had been instructed to gather data for Langlie as the latter wants to work closely with Alaska. Rogers said that already he had decided to recommend that in the spending of Washington's $275,000 for tourist advertising, travelers be encouraged to visit Alaska. The territory has a tourist po- tential of $100,000,000 annually, Irvin Stimpson, Seattle advertising executive said. He based the figure who were asked the places they would like to visit. He said the Seattle chamber should work to- ward a goal of achieving as much of the tourist potential as pos- 1 sible. ‘The group was to be host to members of the Juneau Chamber | at a cocktail party at the Baranof | ;early this evening, followed by a dinner meeting. The next stop will| be Seward, followed by Anchorage and Fairtanks, where the party will disband. STABILIZED SHIP SERVICE Perry declared that information given him so far has convinced him that Alaska's greatest immediate need is gtabilized steamship service on a year-around basis at the lowest possible cost to passengers land shippers. On a long-range pull, Perry said, ithe chmber should redouble its efforts to promote a coastal high- (Contintied o lvl;l'—(T Eight) i P on a national survey of tourists| FLOODS ARE NOW WORST IN HISTORY Poor Visibmy— Prevents Bombing of lce by Army Planes FAIRBANKS, May 24.—(M—Rain- storms flailed southwestern Alaska last night, adding to the flood per- il faced by native villages along the swollen, ice-jammed Kuskokwim River. Muddy waters . were swirling through Aniak, about 150 miles from the mouth of the river, but all of the 200 villagers were re- ported evacuated to higher ground. An amphibian Seabee plane car- ried the residents to safety, six at a time, in a long series of shuttle flights. Alr Force bombers from Ladd and Elmendorf fields still awaited clear=~ ing weather to resume bombing of the huge ice jams near Aniak and Bethel, approximately 100 miles downstream. Low ceilings and poor visibility were expected to delay the flights for more than 24 hours. Ice Blockades The ice blockades, following in the wake of the spring breakup, have backed up the Kuskokwim waters along nearly its entire course from central Alaska to the Bering Sea, bringing the worst floods in the history of the native villages. At McGrath, 200 miles upstream from Aniak, the flood waters were reported still high and portions of beth runways at the big Air Force fields were inundated. Small planes will be able to land. there, however, when ‘the weather improves. Reconnaissance flights over the Yukon River, paralleling the Kus- kokwim to the north, showed that the ice has cleared all the way from Fort Yukon to Galena and there 1s little prospect of further tloods. Giant Dam Breaks Danger to Galena, site of a large Air Force base, apparently was re- lieved when a giant jam 50 feet high moved out under force of the rushing river early yesterday. The Yukon rose eight feet at- ter the jam broke, but is still sately below flood stage. Ladd Field fliers said the entire course of the Tanaya River, one of the main tributaries of the Yukon, was free of ice. Bed Down on Cots Although waters "were receding slowly at Ft. Yukon, far upstream near the Territory’s eastern border, the Alaska Native Service has been unable to start rehabilitation work. The 200-odd homeless villagers bédded down in the open on Army cots for the fifth straight night. The cots, blankets, food, medicine and pots and pans were parachuted to the Fort by the 10th Rescue Squadron. An aged woman and a teen-age rest of the villagers were sighted by Ladd airmen whb dropped blankets to the arm-waving pair. Flood waters at the ‘Fort have dropped eight feet from last Thurs- day’s peak. FLOOD VICTIMS PICKED FROM ROOFS OF HOMES ANCHORAGE, Alaska, May 24— (A—An amphibian plane pilot re- ported today picking flood victims off roof tops at flooded Aniak, ol the ice-jammed Kuskokwim river in Western Alaska. Pilot - Jerry Church messaged that he used his Seabee plane as a water taxi, to pick up isolated Native residents and ferry them to a waiting PBY plane farther up the |river. Aniak-has an estimated 200 | population. Last reports from the area were that muddy waters were swirling through the small town 150 miles |from the river's mouth. Heavy |rains were reported last night, which may have aggravated the flood conditions. Air Force bombers were to resume bombing big ice | jams with clearing weather. Sixteen women and children were evacuated from Aniak to Anchorage and 10 to McGrath by an Air Force PBY. A Northern Consoli- dated Airlines Seabee flew - seven others to Nyac yesterday, boy who became separated trom the - -