The Daily Alaska empire Newspaper, December 14, 1949, Page 1

THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE “ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME” VOL. LXXIV., NO. 11,376 JUNEAU, ALASKA, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1949 MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS PRICE TEN CENTS = = SEEe S Score Reported Killed In Terrific Explosion 'MAC’ TELLS OF FREEZING 5-DAY VIGIL| Mercado’s T’a—riner, Andy Haffner, Cried for Aid But Lost in lcy Water The story of his fight for life when his troller sank and the five days of maddening loneliness in & bare unheated cabin while his feet slowly froze was told simply but dramatically today by D. B “Filipino Mack” Mercado from his Led in St. Ann's hospital. Mercade, 46 years old, was brought to the hospital late yesterday af- ternoon after being found in a cabin on the beach at Boat Harbor & few miles north of St. James Bay yesterday morning, two days after B. H. “Jack” Manery discovered eight inches of trolling pole from Mercado’s sunken fishing vessel pointing skyward from the waters of the bay. WAS “GIVING UP” Manery found Mercado, weak from hunger and exposure and “thinking of giving up’—after| nearly a week in the cold with his | feet swollen and only icy water to fill his stomach. Mercado said that seeing Jack Manery come into the cabin “was the happiest moment of my life.” He isn't sure what happened to 59-year-old Andy Haffner, who was with him when the boat sank. He heard Haffner shout twice. Just twice. Haffner was wearing shoe- paks and the water of St. James Bay was ice cold. But some hope was held for Haff- ner, as Coast Guard headquarters here received a report Monday from Sentinel Island light station telling of a fire sighted in the vicinity of St. James Bay Saturday. Mercado, with a week’s stutble ol beard on his face and a small metal frame keeping the blankets off his bruised and frozen feet, told the story: ON TRAPPING TRIP “Andy and I were going to do some trapping up there. But the weather was pretty bad and we couldn’t put the tent up, so we stayed aboard the troller and caught 2 few crabs.” WIND FORECAST Wednesday night, as Mercade remembers it, the forecast was for high winds in the area. But he and Haffner were confident the 40-foot troller could weather if. They were lying in the northeast part of the bay with-a good anchor out, and the vessel had once before gone through a storm in which the winds hit 70 miles an hour. He and Haffner were in their The Washington Merry - Go-Round Bv DREW PEARSON iCopyright, 1949, by Bell Syndicate, Inc.) 'ASHINGTON—Henry Wallace has come in. for some vigorous criticism from this column, but it is only fair to give the real facts regarding Wallace’s connection with atomic energy. Gen. Leslie Groves stated last week that he withheld most atomic secrets from Wallace, then Vice President, because he was fearful of leaks. But the ironic fact was that Wallace probably knew as much about atomic development as Groves and in the long run was more responsible than Groves for the birth of the atomic komb. Here are some facts, now pretty well forgotten, which may give per- spective to the present furore over atomic energy. 4 First proposal to crack the atom came’from Dr. Einstein in a letter delivered to President Roosevelt by Alexander Sachs of Lehman Bro- thers. Einstein reported that he had learned via the underground that the Germans were working on at- omic energy and that he believec refugee scientists could develop it ahead of the Germans. He espec- ially had in mind the use of atomic energy for the powering of nayal vessels. Following Einstein's letter, Roose- velt appointed Henry Wallace as Chairman of a super-secret govern- ment - board to ascertain whether the highly speculative goal of at- (Continued on Page Four) bunks when the first gust hit the vessel and heeled her over. “I thought magbe the troller was aground because she wasn't swing- ing into the wind, I got up and when she righted herseli I went out on deck and felt around with a pike pole; but we had plenty o1 water under us.” Mercado said he went back into the cabin to start the engine and take the troller into the wind under power. Just as he got the engine ticking over, another gust and sea Lit the vessel and put her over on her side. WATER CAME IN “Andy opened the hatch to see how far over the troller had gone,” Mercado said. “The water started to come in. I shouted at him to close the hatch, but it was too late. The water came in, and I saw Andy fighting his way out of the hatch.” As the water hit him, Mercadc dove for the only light patch he could see. “I think it was the windc\\ ot the pilot house,” he said. He hela up his hand. There were deep scratches on it with the blood dried black on them. “There were some plugs hanging in the window. 1 think I cut myself on them.” He got through the window as the vessel filled and sank. As he came to the top, a board hit him in the side. It was one of the two-by-fours with which the two men were going to make a frame for their tent. He put his arm over it. The water was ice-cold. HEARD SHOUTS Then he heard Andy Haffner shout. He shouted an answer and began swimming in the direction from which Haffner's voice had ceme. He heard Haffner shout again, and he shouted an answer. Then he shouted again, and again, but there was no answer. As the water began numbing him and the snow beat down on his head, he began thinking about sav- ing himself, he said. He swam with cne arm over the toard, and it seemed a long time before he fin- ally got his foot on the bottom. He said the two-by-four saved his life. The wind was blowing cold from the south as he.dragged himsell to the beach and ran into the shelter of the trees to get out of the wind ‘and snow. And as he ran up the beach he found that he had lost the bedroom slippers he was wearing when the boat went down. “I stood among the trees for a little while,” he said. “Then I went sack to the beach and walked along the beach in my bare feet shouting for Andy. But he didn't answer.” RECALLS CABIN As he shivered in the shelter ot the trees during the night, he re- membered a catin on Boat Harbor “Andy knew about the cabin. 1 thought I'd go over there in the morning and ‘he'd probably come there, too, if he was O.K. It was a long night.” In the morning, Mercado started for the cabin. He walked for “an hour and a half or two hours” with his numb feet losing skin and bruising on rocks and barnacles snd snow. The skin on his feet was shredded when he finally reached the cabin. He didn't have a match to light a fire, but he found an old mattress in the cabin. He ripped out the filling’ and put it under his feet and piled it around them. Then he bound the mattress on his frozen and injured feet with a strip of cld canvas. Then, in the out-of-way cabin, with hardly a hope of rescue, he began his long wait. OFFERED PRAYERS “I' prayed, and once in a while I'd shout in case anyone came near. The wind shifted around to the north and the weather got colder. I didn’'t have anything to eat. All I had was water and it was icy. I thought Andy might. show up, too.” He didn't remember s]eepmg, only being cold all the time. And he continued to pray—he asked God to put it in somebody’s mind to look in St. James Bay and “maybe see the trolling poles sticking out of the water with the bells on them.”, «1 was going to give up last night,” he said today. “I was get- ting awfully tired.” Yesterday morning he heard foot- steps on the beach, and then Jack Manery came in, bringing “Filipino Mack"—as he is known in the fishing community—the happiest moment of his life, He was taken to Tee Harbor aboard the Coast Guard cutter €3524, stationed in the Junéau Small Boat Harbor, and from there {Continued on Page 2) | Beelzebub Is Infroduced in Bridges' Trial Witness Mfions denfified” Personage in Perjury Case SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 14—(®— A psuedo-serious discussion of the relationship of Beelzebub (The Evil| One of the Bible) to the Communist Party rocked the Harry Bridges perjury trial with gales of laughter here yesterday. The break in the solemn and often tormy Federal Court trial of the West Coast longshore leader devel- oped shortly after a government witness Manning R. Johnson of New York had testified Bridges twice had been a member of the powerful political bureau of the Communist Party in America. Johnson, a negro and now inter- national representative of the AFL Clerks Union, testified he had be- come a Communist in 1931 while working as a longshoreman in Buf- falo, N. Y., and had quit in 1939, shortly after the announcement of the Soviet-Nazi Germany Pact. It was Johnson's explanation of his resignation that brought out the reference to Beelzebub and the roars of laughter that accompanied it. Stalin vs. Uncle Sam “I came to the realization,” John- son explained, “there was no possi- bility of serying two masters. I had to serve constantly Joe Stalin as against Uncle Sam. I could no more do that than serve God and Beezle- bub. Defense attorney Vincent Hall- inan immediately asked, with a straight face: “Well, Mr. Beezle-bub is not identified as a member of the Com- munist Party. Is he one of this zentleman’s assoclates? I think Mr. Beezle-bub should be identified.” “Maybe,” suggested smiling Fed- 1 opened eral Judge George B. Harris, “he is the unidentified witness.” Who Beelzebub? Chief prosectuor F. Joseph Dono- hue, explained amid more laught- er that “Mr. Beelzebub is the Eul One.” Johnson’s testimony yesterday the prosecution’s second phase of its attempt to convict Bridges of perjury in connection with his naturalization in 1945. The longshore leader is charged with perjury in testifying at a naturalization hearing that he was not and had not been a member of the Communist Party. Two un- ion officials—J. R. Robertson and Henry Schmidt—are co-defendants charged with conspiracy. Earlier government witnessse tes- |tified that Bridges, a 48-year-old native of Australia, had been re- cruited into the Communist Party in the early 1930's. Crashed Flier Rescued, 6 Days (By Associated Press) A flier who wandered six days in snow-capped California moun- tains after a crash has been res- cued. Air searchers spotted him yesterday. The flier, Robert Bryant, is re- covering at a Glendale, California, hospital. WEATHER REPORT (This data is for 24-hour pe- riod ending 7:30 am. PST.) In Juneau—Maximum 33; minimum 31. At Airport—Maximum 34; minimum 28. FORECAST (Junean and Vielnity) Partly Cloudy with north- easterly gusty winds tonight and Thursday. Colder with lowest temperature tonight about -26 degrees. Highest Thursday near 30. PRECIPITATION (Past 24 nours ending 7:30 &.m. today City of Juneau—46 inches; since Dec. 1—3.25 inches; since July 1—52.13 inches. At Airport—23 inches; since Dec. 1—1.36 inches; since July 1—34.48 inches. s e 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 "Uni- | BURNING HULK OF VESSEL IS FOUND; NO SURVIVORS, REPORT MIAMI, F'ln.. Dc(‘ 14— P—A Coast Guard search plane found the burning hulk of the Dutch reotorship Doros 300 miles due easf of Miami today and radioed tersely ‘no survivors sighted.” Sixteen men were missing fol- lowing an explosion and fire aboard the craft. Eight others were res- cued. A Coast Guard PBM from St. Petersburg said there wasn't any | deiris near the smouldering motor- hip and no sign of other lifeboats in the area. PLANE MAKES SEARCH Coast Guard Air Sea Rescue Headquarters said a plane planned 0 meet the American tanker Spar- rows Point at the hole-in-the-wall about noon to pick up all eight of the survivors, including one man reported badly burned. The hole-in-the-wall is at the southern end of Abaco Island in the Bahamas. Meanwhile air and surface crait continued to search the area in the hope of locating other survivors. The chief engineer was among the eight picked up from a life boat. None of the men aboard were ¢ | identified. EXPLOSION — FIRE The explosion and fire occurred about 10:45 a.m. Monday. The chief engineer said he believed the cap- tain, chief mate, second and third mates, apprentice electrician, sec- and third assistant engineers and the steward were lost. Twenty-four men were aboard the Doros when it left New York Dec. 8 for Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. The Doros was built in Holland in 1939 and its home port. was A= sterdam, It was a;vessel. of 92} gross tons. SURVIVORS ASHORE; HORROR AND DEATH MIAMI, Fla., Dec. 14.—(P—Eight battered survivors of the burning Dutch motorship Doros were taken ashore by a Coast Guard rescue plane today as search continued for 16 others still missing at sea. A Coast Guard PBM—Martin Mariner flying boat—landed the men at Alr Sea Rescue headquarters in Miami. One man was badly burned and taken on a stretcher. The other seven were walking cases. All were rushed to hospitals for treatment Survivors told a story of horror and death. . “All the other officers are dead,” said the Chicf Enrgineer, identified only as Helmus. Saloon Steward Edward Amzand said an explosion occurred about 11 am. Monday. He did not know the cause. “The ship was suddenly all in flames.” All the survivors besides the Chief Engincer were negroes and natives of Dutch Guinia. More Government Consolidation Is Suggested, Report (By Associated Press) The White House has made pub- Iic a report by Secretary of Com- | nrerce Charles Sawyer suggesting consolidation of = government aid programs in the field of air, land |and sea transport. The consolida- | tion would be along lines suggested Ly the Hoover commission. The President would like to have the views of all federal mmsportauon officials on the report. STEAMER MOVEMENTS Princess Norah scheduled to sail from Vancouver 8 tonight. Denali scheduled to sail from Seattle Saturday. aranof from westward scheduled southbound Monday night. STOCK QUOTATIONS NEW YORK Dec. 14—Closing quotation of Alaska Juneau mine stock today is 3%, American Can 100%, . Anaconda 28%, Curtiss- Wright 7%, International Harvester 29%, Kennecott 50%, New York Central 10%, Northern Pacific 137, U. S. Steel 26%, Pound $2.80. Sales today were 2,210,000 shares. Averages today are as follows: industrials 197.51, ralls 5151, util- ities 40,63, ELEVEN ARE CONVICTED OF TREASON One Senten@to Death by Hanging-Life Senfences Are Given Others SOFIA, Bulgaria, Dec. 14—(® Traicho Kostoy, former Communist Vice Premier of Bulgaria, was con- victed of treason tonight and sen- tenced to death by hanging. The number two defendant, Ivan Stefanov, former Finance Minister, was sentenced to life imprisonment. They were tried with nine others qn charges of plotting with Ameri- cans, Britons and Yugoslavs to make Communist Bulfarla a pup- pet of Premier-Marshal Tito’s Yugo~ slavia. These defendants also received life terms: Nikola Pacloc, former Administra- tive Secretary of the Bulgarian Communist Politburo and former Vice Minister of Public Works. Nikola Nachev, former Deputy Construction Minister and Chair- man of the State Committee for Economic Affairs. Ivan Gevrinov, former Director of the Bulgarian National Bank and former Director of the National Rubber Industries. Ivan Tutev, former Director of the Board of Foreign Trade. SECURITY COST 20 BILLIONS YEARLY: C.ED. By Sterling F. Green WASHINGTON, Dec. 14—(®—The committee for economic develop- ment (CED) estimated today that national security will cost at least $20,000,000,000 a year for years to come. 1 In the face of this costly cold war defense, it urged definite action to: (1) Safeguard civillan supremacy in the republic, (2) strengthen long- range security and (3) protect indi- vidual freedom. The CED, an organization of busi- ness executives, said the $20,000,000,- 000 estimate on the annual cost of security for the next several years embraces several items. Military defense is the big one, followed by rearming of non-Communist na- tions, European recovery spending, atomic energy development, U. S. broadcasts' overseas, and much of the government's telligence work. One of its principal recommenda- tions was for a transfusion of civ- ilian leadership into the whole se- curity program. The CED eriticized today’s preparedness plapning as being “neither efficient nor in bal- ance.” The report said that a power- ful military machine can dominate the economy and, unless held in bel- ance, “can destroy a free economy.” And, while urging continued strong action against subversive activities, it called for caution in the handling of “loyalty” inqufr- ies. Here's News Aboui Rifa's Expecded Babe NICE, France, Dec 14—M—The Aga Khan said tonight that Rita Hayworth'’s baby would not be born before the month of January. The Aga Khan and his wife, the Begum, left for Rome in a Swiss airliner after he made the state- ment to an Associated Press cor- respondent at the airfield. Il’residenl Enjoying Final Vacation Week (By Associated Press) President Truman is soaking up the sunshine of Key West, for the final week of his vacation. Mr. Truman will return to Washington pext Tuesday. Three days later, he will be off for Independence, Mis- sourl, for the Christmas holidays. diplomacy and in- | Nature's Arcli CONSUL DENIES COMMIE CHARGE OF U. 5. SPY RING Ward Says_Ml]kden Con- sulate Not Headquarters fo American Espionage * ABOARD LAKELAND VICTORY ENROUTE TO PUSAN, Korea, Dec. 14—(P—Consul General Angus Ward today denied that the Mukden Consulate was a United States spy ring headquarters, a charge e Communists said they used as a basis for deporting the last Ameri- cans from Manchuria. The decree came in a verdict fiom a Mukden criminal court which convicted eight Japanese end Chinese on charges of being American spies. They were sen- tenced to prison terms ranging from two to four years each. The court also found them guilty of plotting rebellions and upris- ings and “undermining the revo- lutionary enterprise of the Chinese people.” The court, which during the trial said it had “evidence,” that accused Japanese and Chinese worked with American intelligence agencies op- erating out of the Mukden Con- sulate, then decreed the Conswate ‘endangered the national welfarc of the peoples’ republic of China” and sald “the entire group of for- eign personnel of the former American Consulate should be de- ported from China.” Ward denied intelligence agents worked out of the Consulate while he was in Mukden. He said an American detachment, which the Mukden court termed “an Ameri- can espionage organ” had an office in Mukden while he was there but he denied there was any connec- tion between it and the Consulate. The Consul General said he tnew several American officers whom the Mukden court listed as intelligence agents but denied they were attached or worked out of the Consulate. AIR VIOLATORS FINED! $36,000 BY STATES, CAA SURVEY SHOWS WASHINGTON,, Dec. 14—(P— Thirty states, acting under their | police power againsy violators of air safety regulations, ,have pros- ecuted 349 cases and levelled fines | totalling nearly $36,000, the Civil Aercnautics Administration said to- day. The survey, described by a CAA spokesman as incomplete and un- official, covers reports received dur- ing a two-year period ending this fall. Alaska reported one violator and one jail sentence. N. W. AIRLINES BASES, SEATILE SEATTLE, Dec. 14.—(®—Orient operations of Northwest Airlines will be based in Seattle starting | December 15, officials announced | isuturday. The air line will have four round- trip flights a week, three between Seattle and Manila and one be-| tween Eeattle and Seoul, Korea. All} flights will be based: on Scattle- Tacoma Airport. D ! Flights will follow the great| circle route to the Far East from Seattle via Anchorage, Alaska, Pa- cific Northwest passengers now fly to Anchorage to board orient flights { St. Paul. to Seattle, pursers, and mechanics will be based here, the company said, Four-engine DC- 4's will be used for the present but early in 1950 the company expects to start using its Boeing Strato- which originate in Minneapolis- | Other Targefs Unavailable, ic Bombers By Frank Carey Associated Press Science Reporter TAMPA, Fla, Dec. 14—(P—Any nation planning to attack the Unit- ed States by way of the Arctic Circle should be prepared to cope with “the world’s worst mosquitoes.” Maj. Robert Traub, an Army sclentist who described these insects attacks. But he made it implicit that any- riest, most numerous and most per- Traub knows whereof he speaks, because he spent a lot of time in the Malayan tropics where mos- quitoes are by no means minor leaguers. “Up in the Arctic,” he told a re- porter after he had addressed a meeting of entomologists here, “we have the world’s worst mosquitoes from the point of view of biting and numbers. “There is little other food for them up there, so they seek out humans. You can hold out your hand for a couple of minutes and you'll have as many as 200 of them trying to bite you. No Natural Control “There are unlimited breeding areas for them in the swamps and bogs, and apparently the Arctic does not have enough natural in- sect enemies of the mosquito to keep it under control.” He sald research by a ecivillan in the Army’s chemical corps, em- ploying radioactive materials to put “markers” on mosquitoes, had shown that the Alaska dive bomb- ers have a flight range of at least five miles. “Then while you wipe them out of a given area, others will swarm in from outside.” He also sald that Alaska sports “a lot of Siberian fleas"—ostensibly imported, he said by flea infested rodents following@the route across the Bering Straits from Siberia to Alaska that was later taken by ab- originals. Traub, on the staff of the Army research and graduate school, Washington, D. C., addressed a joint meeting of the American Associa- tion of Economic Entomologists and two other related societies, TERRITORY DEFENSE SOUGHT FOR NORTH BY ASSOCIATION NEW YORK, Dec. 14—(P-Or- ganization of the All-America De- | fense Association which seeks “ade- quate defense” of American terri- tory, was announced today by Fred W. Ayer, executive secretary of the group. . Ayer sald the association with offices in San Francisco, Detroit and Washington, D.C., will give “vigorous support” to the unoffis cial joint Congressional Committee on National Defense. The unofficial committee” 15 headed by Sen. Magnuson (D-Wash) and Alaskan Delegate E. L. “Bob” Bartlett. Robert K. Christenberry, Presi- vent of the Hotel Astor Corpora- tion, heads the new association. Ayer said the immediate aim ot the association was to secure action at the next Congress for the forti- Pacific Coast defenses, Other officers of the Association were listed as A. J. Hayes, Mil- waukee, Wis.,, President, Interna- tional Association of Machinists; Edward F. Holter, Middleton, Md., Master, Maryland Grange; Clyde A. Lewls, Plattsburg, N.Y., National Commander, Veterans of Foreign quu; Murray Lincoln, Columbus, 0., President, Cooperative League of the United States, and Ben Brown Edwards, Tulsa, Okla., Fly- ing Tigers, Inc. WAYNE RICHEY JOINS J. B. BURFORD STAFF Wayne C. Richey, formerly Chief With the orient base transferred | Accountant for the Alaska Road stewardesses | Commission, has joined the staff of the J. B. Burford Company as|plot to overthrow the government in sales representative. Richey came here in November, 1948, from Baltimore, Md. where hewas associated with F. W. La- frentz and Company, CP.A. firm. i‘cruiurs on the orient runm. J | FRONT OF BUILDING Would Play Hob with Enemy. BLOWN OUT Death Toll mnaled—Pos- sible 200 Injured in Freak Explosion SIOUX CITY, Ia, Dec. 14—P— did not say anything about enemy|An explosion blew the front out ol the main office building of the Swift & Co., packing plant today one fooling around in the Arctic|and the death toll was estimated should be ready to fight the hung- | at between 30 and 35. Brig. Gen. Charles Grahl, Adju- sistent swarm of creatures in the | tant General of the Iowa National whole nasty family of mosquitoes| Guard, said in Des Moines that Guard officers told him by phone that “30 or 35 were killed.” Walter W. Lindgren, superinten- dent of Public Safety for the-city, called it “probably the worst dis- aster in Sloux City history.” Lindgren said firemen and volun~ teers had @onned gas masks to go into the debris-choked basement where cries of the injured could be heard. 200 BELIEVED INJURED Estimates of the number of in- jured ran as high as 200. Al Wright, city sales manager tor Swift who was in the company restaurant in one corner of the five-story brick office building at the time of the explosion, sald: “There was a big puff. That's all I know.” The south side of the office building was demolished and early reports said the greatest force of the explosion seemed to come on the first floor. FATALITIES UNESTIMATED. . Walter Krebs, o spokesman fof the firm, said “there is no telling how many may be dead or in- Jured.” Krebs sald a natural gas leak may have caused the explosion. The gas issued in several depart- ments, he said. All emergency equipment and units, including the National Guard Companies and the Naval Reserve were sent to the scene. It was belleved most of the vie- tims of the blast were office work=- ers. GAS HAMPERS RESCUE Lindgren said escaping gas was hampering rescue work, In Des Moines, Gov. William 8. Beardsley directed Brig. Gen. Grahl “to make available everything we've got to aid.” Lt. Comdr. M. W. Peddersen, head of the Naval Reserve Unit, took over the work of identifying the dead. Feddersen said a special center bad been set up at the Naval Re- serve Training Center in downtown * Sloux City. Auto wrecking companies sent their mobile small_derricks to the scene to help pull away steel gir- ders which collapsed in twisted heaps as a result of the blast. Nine known dead had been counted by early afternoon, Bodies identified at one hospita) were those of Andrew Wisner, Charles Kurtz, and Arthur de¢ Laughter. Senalor Taft Says There Is No "Slide Toward Socialism" (By Associated Press) . Republican Senator Robert Taft has a report about how the people fication of Alaska as the key "D‘ 1 his own state of Ohio feel about government finances. He has just spent 13 weeks stumping his state. And he says Ohio voters are most concerned about the size of the public debt and atout the govern- ment’s spending policy. He says he is convinced there is no “slide toward socialiSm” among his constituents. Plot fo Overthrow Mexican Government Reporfed Discovered " By Assecnted Press Word in Mexico City regards a favor of a Communist regime. A Federal attorney says the Mex- ican Government obtained evidence of the plot as the result of the ar- rest of a leftist labor leader,