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

1 P.M. Edition VOL. LXXIV., NO. 11,385 SANTA SC00PS IN THE CASH FOR A RECORD (By Associated Press) Cash registers in the nation’s de- partment and other retail stores played a merry Christmas tune dur- ing the hollday shopping season, indicating record sales both in unit end dollar volume. This week’s last minute shoppers swarmed the country's stores for purchases and sales in many cities soared above last year's record busi- ness. ‘The tig push to the store coun- “ers for Christmas buying, reports indicated, was in the last few weeks. November sales of chain stores and mail order houses were about two percent below November, 1948, the U.S. Department of Com- merce said. But the Federal Re- serve Board reported depaftment store sales jumped to a new re- cord high in the week ended Dec. 17. A spot survey of major stores in cities across the country showed only one city, Detroit, reporting a drop in Christmas buying compared to last year. But no such falling off in Christ- mas buying was reported in stores in New York, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Kansas City, Atlanta,” Minneapolis, Rich- mond, Va., Dallas and Seattle. EMERGENCY ORDER GIVES RAILROADS . PRIORITY ON COAL WASHINGTON, Dec. 24—(#—An emergency government order gave the nation’s fuel-hungry railroads first crack today at coal produced in mines from which they normally get their supplies. The Interstate Commerce Com- mission announced the action yes- terday to keep the nation's rail transportation from breaking down in the busy holiday travel season and in the wintry weeks which fol- low. The order became effective at the mines at a minute after midnight and will continue in effect until midnight February 25. Dwindling coal stocks, the result of a production curb clamped down by Mine Leader John L. Lewis, had cut into railroad supplies so sharp- ly that one line — the Chesapeake and Ohio — had already taken for its own use some of the. coal it was carrying as freight. The Washington Merry - Go - Round Bv DREW PEARSON Copyright. 1932, hv Bell Syndicate, Ine.) ASHINGTON—The astounding news that Russia had the secret of the atom was announced so sud- denly and with no advance build- up, that few people know of the strenuous backstage debate which tock place as to whether the news should be released at all. However, here is the inside story of what happened. News that Russia had exploded the atom was first turned over to President Truman by Dr. Vannevar Bush, head of the National Re- search Council. Most exciting and distrurbing to the scientists was the enormity of the Soviet bldst. Seis- mographic repercussions were far greater than those from an ordin- ary atomic-bomb explosion. This startling fact has led some atomic experts to believe that Russia’s entire stockpile of bombs might have blown up accidentally. If this isn't true, then Russia has a bomb much larger than that set off at Hiroshima. When the news first reached Truman, he called in Secretary of Defense Johnson, Undersecretary Stephen Early and Secretary of State Dean Acheson—jeparately. Acheson, who was tied up in New York with the United Nations, said he would have to check with the British and the Canadians before THE D “ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME” ILY ALASKA EMPIRE JUNEAU, ALASKA, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1949 JUDGES WILL FIND GAY DECORATION FOR CHRISTMAS Between the highest® ridge and the waterfront—even beyond, where a lighted tree rides the mast of the Storis—the warm colors of Christmas glow against Nature’s setting of greenery and snow. Juneauites are putting outdoor decorations in place before the Christmas Eve judging tonight in the Chamber of Commerce con- test. Judges touring residential dis-; tricts will find decorations ranging | from the 40-foot living tree high abcve the Home Apartments to the tricky little fellows over cottage doorways and garden gates; from | strings of colored lights festooned | across” an entire facade to a single red-globed. candle inside a window wreath; from a cheery “Merry Christmas” sign to the poignant blue lighted cross in a home re- cently ktereaved. BIG TREES Besides the Home Apartments tree, others of height and dignity are the lighted living "trees at the homes of Phil Dawes, on Cedar Street, and Oscar Lundquist, who lives above Evergreen Avenue. The Lundquist tree is the highest and brightest in the Seatter Tract. All the big ones seem even higher than they are, as they grow on steep-sloped terraces. | LITTLE TREES Silver bells as well as célored lights adorn the shapely little tree above the doorway of the Milton J. Furness homeé on Behrends Ave- nue, and the lights on the J. B. Burford roof-corner treelet on D Street, are matched hy those in the evergreens. of the doorway. Silvery icicle trimmings reflect twinkling colored lights on the little tree above MacKinnon Apartments entrance, while over the doorway of the stately A. G. Ghiglone home on Seventh, another baby tree shines with vari-colored lights. BRIGHT GATEWAYS “Through the garden gate,” there s a festive view at the West Tenth Street home of Mr., and Mrs. Ed Skaret. This effective decoration is made more so because of the spa- cious grounds between the picket| ence and the house. The low-roofed cozy home is bright with lighted stars and candles in the windows, tut the miniature Christmas tree over the gateway and the pendant strings of colored bulbs extend the real holiday greeting. Skaret topped | the tree with a fascinating bubble | light which proved eccentric in op- eration and declined to perform for | a while last night. | The garden - gate is an appropri- | ate location for colored lights to| glow among greenery at the Gharles Ferward home on D S treet—ap- propriate, because that garden is noted for its beautiful flowers ot countless varieties. i BLAZE OF COLOR “Merry Christmas” shout the large bright letters on the Henry Harmon house at Fifth and East, where other colored lights amidst porch greenery show the beauty of holly— with lots of berries. A blaze of color extends across the Richard « Garrison home on Behrends, the looped lights out- lining two large windows and the deorway between. This decoration gains eye-appeal Ltecause of the large yard and the white picket fence surrounding it. Outlining doorways inh colored lights is a favorite means of deco- rating for the holidays. The Harry Stonehouse dwelling on Twelfth Street makes use of this pattern, which is accented by the sharp peak of the doorway gable. Across the street and along a ways, the Earle Hunter home shows a distinctive and precise pattern of doorway outline and of bright lights on tub-set miniature trees at either side of the entrance. Back across the street, the doorway of the Le- Roy West home is outlined simply ir blue lights over which hangs a red star. The simple blue lighted cross, banked by evergreens, is on the house next door, the home of the late George “Red” Shaw. LOOPS OF LIGHTS Among homes adorned with gay loops of bright lights in such fash- ion are those of R. L. Davlin, in e | There was only one formal event | COLD, WHITE XMAS, TRUMAN RELAXES FOR HOLIDAY; ONE - SPEECH SCHEDULED INDEPENDENCE, Mo., Dec. 24— \#—TFree from the burdens of state | for a few days, President Truman | planned to get in a lot more visit- |ing today with relatives and old friends. scheduled for the day—a speech at 5:15 p.n. (EST) extending Christ- mas greetings to the nation. Mr. Truman will speak from the rambling Truman home here and throw a switch lighting a big Christmas tree on the White House lawn in Washington. SAYS THAT BUREAU; WELL, IS THAT NEWS! WASHINGTON, Dec. 24—P— The Weather Bureau predicts a| white Christmas for the central| part of the nation, and a mighty cold one for most other sections. “Typical winter weather will pre- vail over most of the nation Christ- mas Day,” the bureau reported, and gave this forecast: Temperatures will be below nor- mal from the Rockies eastward through most of the middle west and northeastern and east central states. Extreme cold will continue in the vpper Great Lakes and upper Mis- sicsippi valley areas and westward through the Dakotas and north- eastern Montana. Moderating temperatures are ex- pected in the southwest and through the Gulf states and near normal in the far southwest and most of the west coast, although it will be moderately cold in north- ern California. MOTHER, CHILDREN SUCCUMB IN FIRE; FATHER NEAR DEATH SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Dec. 24 —Six persons died in their blaz- ing home here early today—San Antonio’s worst Christmas season ire in history. A mother and five of her child- ren were victims. The father and two others escaped, but the father and a daughter were critically burned. The heroine of the tragedy was Josefina. Montelongo, ‘9, who man- aged to open the door to the home when her parents could not. Then she led her father and mother and 13-year-old sister to the out- side. The mother, badly burned, succumbed shortly after. Dead were: Mrs. Maria Monte- longo, 37, the mother; two sons, Alejandro, 10¢, and Carlos, one] year; and three daughters, Andrea, | 7; Yoland, 5, and Alicia, 4. | Critically: burned and near death were the father, Ascension Mcnte- longo, 36, and a daughter, Fran- cisca, 13. Josefina escaped injury. Rdath Dawes fo Wed John Freti_(a_rjck Prouty Mr. and Mrs. Harold F. Dawes announce the engagement of their daughter, Rdath Eileen, to Mr. John Frederick Prouty, son of the Rev. and Mrs. Paul H. Prouty. Both famili in Juneau. Miss Dawes is in her junior year Washington State College at Pull- man, where she is majoring in art - education. She was recently pledged to Delta Phi Delta, na- tional art honorary. Mr. Prouty has attended colleges in Washington and Montana. At present, he is employed in Juneau. Both are graduates of Juneau High School. No date wedding. has been set for the FROM SITKA WITH CEILING ZERO (MERCURY T00) HOPE 'HUMOR NOT FROZEN (P—Bob Hope ran true to form when he stepped from a plane at | Elmendorf Air Force Base yester- | , and quipped: Holy smoke, what kind of reed a new pair of ears already.” Hope, radio and film comedian, flew north with his wife, two adopted children, several entertain- ers and Air Secretary W. Stuart Symington. Their plane was trought in by GCA (ground con- trolled approach) in ceiling zero weather. The ceiling was oot the only thing that was zero. Temperatures were about that or below. Hope is tentatively scheduled to stage two shows at Elmendorf to- day. Symington also will address the troops on the housing situation for military personnel in Alaska. Over 100 Gifts for Truman;Hams Bacon, Turkeys, Esl Cards WASHINGTON, Dec. 24— (B — More than 100 Christmas gifts— mostly food packages—hdve arriv- ed at the White House for Presl- dent Truman. In addition, the mail room re. ports receipt of more than 12,000 Christmas cards, about 2,000 ot them addressed to the President alone and the rest of the family. The gifts include hams, turkeys, fruit cakes, and bacon—much of which is expected to be distributed to hospitals and other institutions. Shirts and ties by the dozens also have arrived for the man who once ran a haberdashery in Kansas City. Odd gifts included a T72-inch candle sent from Tarpon Springs, Fla. WOUNDED HOLDUP MAN FLEES POLICE AFTER SHOOTING man was wounded and a holdup man was apparently hit yesterday afternoon in an exchange that sent bullets spattering wildly against the front of the Olympic Hotel here. A trail of blood aleng the dash- ing gunman’s course of flight through the swank hotel lobby con- tinued to lead detectives into a lind alley today in their search for the fugitive. The wounded officer was Paul Lee, 39. He was shot in the arm as e surprised the gunman in a holdup attempt at the Provident Loan Company, across from the hotel. RED-SUITED MAN ~NOT ON VACATION WASHINGTON, Dec. 24—(P—The jolly old man in the red suit and the babe in swaddling clothes held undisputed sway today in the na- tion's capital. There were visitors aplenty in Washington, but most top officials mas weekend to enjoy a vacation elsewhere. President Truman and his family were in Independence, Mo., to ob- serve the holiday at the old family home. Vice President Barkley and his bride still were honeymooning. The men who map strategy in the cold war, make the laws and run the nation were away as were many lesser government employes. SUSAN CASLER FOUND Susan Casler, 7, reported lost last night, was found safe a short while after. She was playing with some neighbor children at their home. Susan is the daughter of M. (Continued on Page Four) | John Williams Jr., of Sitka, is and Mrs. Cecil Casler, 107 Assembly (Continued on l'l:e Eighé)_._ lregistered at the Barano Hotel. Apartments, | ANCHORAGE, ‘Alaska, Dec. 24— weather do you have up here? 1! SEATTLE, Dec. 24—(®—A police- |+ took advantage of the long Christ- 1 'POPE OPENS HOLY - YEAR; COMMIES | CALL FOR STRIKE VATICAN ‘CITY. Dec. 24—(P— Pope Pius XII opened the 1950 | Holy Year of the Roman Caiholic | chureh today amid the joyous ring- ling of church bells and the angry | clatter of Communist-led disorders. Scarcely had the Pontiff unsezled | the holy door of St. Peter’s Basilica | with three symtolic strokes of a silver hammer, when Communists ordered and then cancelled a gen- | eral strike in Rome province. | And in the heart of ancient | Rome, as the 25th jubilee year of the Catholic church began, a Com- | munist-led crowd stoned the Span- | Ish Embassy, crying “death * to | Franco.” Riot squads dispersed the anti- | Franco demonstrators who were } protesting the presence in Rome of | Spanish Foreign Minister Martin ! Artajo, here for the holy door cere- | mony. In the disorders an automo- | bile owned by a U.S. Embassy offi- { cial was overturned near the Span- ish Embassy. . But the incidents failed to inter- {rupt the holy year inauguration ceremonies at St. Peters. { A crowd of 50,000 persons inside the Basilica cheered as the Pontift strode along through the door into the vast church, seat of the religion of 400,000,000 persons of which the | Pope is temporal head. | Outside 300,000 more gathered in | &t. Peter's square heard the great 4 bronze hells of the Basilica ring the i tidings that the jubilee year had begun, Launch Eisenhower " For President Club | CLEVELAND, Dec. 24. — (M — A “Dwight D. Eisenhower for Presi- dent Club’ has been set up in Cleveland. « Allen James Lowe, Managing Di- rector of a hotel (the Carter), launched the club, which was issued incorporation papers as a not-for- profit organization in Columbus yes- terday. Il)runl;n Driving | Charges Lands 200 InJailinL. A, Cal.| LOS ANGELES, Dec. 24.—®—Pre- Christmas partying landed more Ithim 200 motorists in jail or drunk driving charges in the Los Angeles areas last night and today. DR. RUDE OUTSIDE UNTIL FEBRUARY 1 Dr. Joseph O. Rude plans to board a Pan American plane to- morrow on the first leg of a trip which will keep him oytside until February ‘1. He will go to Fargo, S. D, for the wedding of his son, Donald, December 28, then to Grand Forks to see his 86-year-old mother, Mrs. Sophie Rude. His itinerary includes the Uni- versity of Minnesota and the Mayo Brothers Clinic in Rochester, Minn. ‘where he will take special courses| 'in medicine and surgery. o o o ® o o @ » O . WEATHER REPORT © (This data 1s for 24-hour pe- e riod ending 7:30 am. PST), In Juneau—Maximum 26; minimum—23. At Airport—Maximum 28; minimum 22. FORECAST (Juneau and Vielnity) Cloudy with light snow tonight and Sunday. Lowest temperature tonight about 25, highest Sunday, 29. ® Southeasterly winds as high ® as 25 miles per hour tonight. CSPRECIPITATION @ (Past 24 nours ending 7:30 &.m. today e City of Juneau—08 inches; e since Dec. 1—4.72 inches; e since July 1—53.60 inches. ( i i U. S. Coast G:é The bosun (boastwain) aboard time when it is » pleasure to “get turkey. e Aboard all Coast Guard cutte at Juneau, the Christmas gobbler, down for all hands,” and the drum-stick kid “falls to.” ard Feeds 'Em B . (s PR a Coast Guard cutter pipes “chow This is one. the bird,” meaning that Christmas rs, including the Storis, stationed with a hold-full of sage dressing, cranberries, giblet gravy, mince and pumpkin pie, is served. EX - WIFE SHOOTS DEAN, SECRETARY AT RENDEZVOUS ATHENS, Ga., Dec. 24—4/{’)~Thgl ¢ife of University of Geon~gm“ alism Dean John E. Drewry | shot five bullets into her divorced husband and his slim, brunette sec- retary last night. The 47-year old dean was s‘ruck twice. The 28-year-old secretary, Miss Miriam Thurmond, received three wounds from the .32 caliber slugs. Both were in satisfactory | condition at Athens General Hos- pital today é Mrs. Kathleen Drewry, plump and 45, told Athens Banner- Herald reporter Ed Thilenius that he, the dean and their 17-year-old son, Milton, had dinner ether nst night. Mrs. Drewry said she and the dean agreed on a recon- wliation, v “We were going to te married again soon,” she said. Mrs. Drewry said the dean bade her goodnight, wished her a good night's sleep, and then left for his apartment, “Befoye going to bed, I calied John to tell him how, happy 1 was and 1 was sure of a good night's sleep,” she continued. “But the phone did not answer. I knew where be was.” Mrs. Drewry said she followed him to the Thurmond home, walked into the living room and fired at Drewry first, then turned the gun on Miss Thurmond. Mrs. Drewry is being held under guard at St. Mary’s hospital on open charges. Sheriff Tommy Huf{ #aid charges of assault with intent to murder probably will be filed against her later today. Jou shert, | t ® At Airport—.11 inches; since Dec. 1-—-2.18 inches; since July 1—35.30 inches. ® 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ©000000°%00 0000002000000 | 1. 20 MILLION § IN HOUSING UNITS OKEHED, ALASKA Fifteen Hun?ed Units Pri- vately Financed, Insur- ed, Committed, FHA More than $20,000,000 worth of privately financed housing in Alaska, comprising nearly 1,500 units, has been insured or commit- {ted by the Federal Housing Ad- ! ministration in the past low months, Gov. Ernest Gruening an- nounces. The Governor, in releasing the summary prepared by Clinton C. Staples, Territorial Director of the Federal Housing Administration, pointed to this accomplishment as demonstrating conclusively that private investors have faith in Alaska and its future. In addition to the housing invest- ment covered by the FHA sum- mary, it was learned that more 1 than 4,500 units to be occupled by military families and Alaska Rail- road employees are well advanced in the planning stage and should Le under commitment early in 1850 for constrvction next summer. These units also will be kuilt with private capital under mortgages in- sured under terms of the Wherry Act, PROJECTS INCBUDE All of the projects included in the $20,000,000 total are insured under Title 608 of the ‘Federal Housing Act. Those already insured, all at Anchorage, are the Turnagain Arms project, 67 units, $661,000; Pano- ramic View, 264 units, $2,988,600; and Richardson Vista, 418 units, $4,- 761,800, ‘ (Continued on Page Five) ® 9 00 0 00 00 28 PAGES—FOUR SECTIONS—FIRST SECTION PAGES 1 TO 8 WAR-MARKED PATHS LEAD TO MANGER BETHLEHEM, Dec. 24—(®—Rain, mud and grim reminders of a re- cent war marked the Christmas Eve pilgrimage to Bethlehem, birth- place of the Prince of Peace. ‘There were two roads this time— and two processions. Only a few would make this trip, in comparison with the thousands who used to go in other times. Clergymen and pilgrims living in the Arab-held old city of Jerusalem were forced to follow the mired northern route to the ancient city. Delegates of the U.S, diplomats and a few other pilgrims traveled wom the new part of Jerusalem, held by the Jews, over the southern Roman road. ‘The dull sound of explosions could be heard as Jewish soldiers cleared wartime mines from their route. | The road travels for a few miles | through Jewish-held territory to the Arab-Jewish demarkation line set up by the armistice which stop~ ped the war between them. Heavily armed coldiers of both sides face each other there, and the pilgrims will be permitted to pass and re- turn only at certain hours. But ‘inside Bethlehem the spirit of Christmas-time worship will pre- vail. Mass will be celebral 8t. Qamg%mm.,m. 2 _the. Church ‘of the 'Nativity, ‘whieh is cald to stand on the spot where Christ was born. Msgr. Gustave Testa, dcting Roman Catholic patriarch, will conduct the service. In the courtyard of the Church ol the Natlvity the Anglicans (Episcopalians) will sing carols be- fore midnight tonight. Other Pro- testant sects are also planning observances, TOP SCIENTISTS MAY GATHER IN NORTH FOR EXPLORATORY TASKS An Alaska sclence conference is being proposed to bring top scien- tists here from throughott the na- tion next year, according to Dr. C. Earl Albrecht, Territorial Health Commissioner. Dr. Albrecht, who recently re- turned from Washington, D. C. where he attended budget hearings, said he found a vast amount of scientific interest in Alaska. “Men of sciepce view the Terri- tory as a great field for important | exploratory work,” he said, Interest and support by federal officers for establishment and con- struction of an Arctic Institute ot Health is so impressive, Dr. Al- brecht said, that he believes favor- able positive action can be expected very soon. | At the time he left the capital, he said a kill was under prepara- tion to provide funds for vocational rehabilitation, welfare and crippled children’s programs in the Terri- tory. “Both Congressional and govern= ment leaders,” he said, “willingly | admit Alaska cannot be expected to meet alone the costs of solving ‘,Lhe accumulated problems which allow ravages of disease and the contributory conditions to increase.” | STEAMER MOVEMENTS | Preighter Coastal Monarch ex- |pected to mrrive from Seattle 2:30 |p.m. Sunday. A ¢ ® 0 o 0 v 0 20 0 8 g Baranof sailing from Seattle to- . ., 132 UNITS IN JUNEAU day is scheduled to arrivé Tuesday. . TIDE TABLGPY - f:()rpmxltezl by the FHA are eight| pyrincess Norah scheduled to sail DECEMBER 25 « | additional 608 projects as follows: | from Vancouver December 28, e High tide 6:03 am, 148 ft. ® Cnshm‘nn .Ap:n'lmenls. Fairbanks.| penali from west scheduled o Low tide 12:01 pm, 48 ft. |01 units, $718000; Hillside Manor,southbound midnight Sunday. e High tide 5:48 p.m, 14.9 1t. e |Avchorage 48 units, $528,700; Knik- S8k i o | avms, Anchorage, 59 units, $637200. /e o o ® ® o o o o o ° DECEMBER 26 o' Clson Apartments, Anchorage, 34| ¢ NO EMPIRE MONDAY e Low tide 0:19 am., 19 ft. e Units s:so"l‘zbo:'Fom th and F"““‘f' ® With today’s issue of the 28 e High tide 6:51 am, 144 ft, e lin, Juncau, 132 units, $1553.900;| e page annual Christmas edi- e Low tide 1:01 pm., 50 ft. e Abel Apartments, Anchorage, 38!e tion, the Empire will observe e High tide 6:47 pro., 127 ft, e |units, $410,400; Ferris Apartments,| ¢ the Christmas holiday and ° o | Ketchikan, 108 units, $1,230,500; and| e the next publication will be DECEMBER 27 e | McKEinley Manor, Fairbanks, 210{e on Tuesday, thus giving the o Low tide 1:05 am. 33 ft, e |units, $2.494,800. ® staff a two day holiday as is e High tide 7:44 am, 142 ft, e| Application has been received Iorje enjoyed by others. e Low tide 2:06 pm., 49 ft. e|the Brinck project at Ketchikan/e Any news of importance ® High tide 7:55 pm., 118 ft. ® ® will be bulletined. e 9 0909 9 00 000 °