The Daily Alaska empire Newspaper, March 1, 1950, Page 1

“ALL THE NEWS VOL. LXXIV., NO. 11,440 ALL THE TIME” JUNEAU, ALASKA, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 1950 THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS Sales Tax Propos AGREEMENT ON ALASKA WAGES REPCRTED MADE SEATTLE, March 1—®—A con-{ tractors’ spokesman announced to- day a wage agreement for Alaska projects on what he said was a| “hold the line” level. | It will provide a higher take-| home pay, however, for residents| of Alaska who do not live in the construction camps. The announcement was made by |/ D. L. Cheney, of the S. Birch and || Sons and of the Alaska Chapter of the Associated General Contractors. It provides for a 57-cent an hour increase in the pay scale along!:? with a boost of the board and room charges in construction camps from $1.50 a day to a new rate of $5.75. Cheney said the two just about| offset each other, i the factor of taxes on the mcreasel is figured in, there might be a net| gain to the camp residents of about | two cents an hour. | Alaska Residents Benefit For Alaska residents who do not live in the construction camp quar-{ ters, Cheney said the new scale will be a net increase of about 7 cents an hour. The difference between the 57-cent increase and the net gain of 7, he said, is accounted for by! the fact that the Alaska residents last year received a 50-cent hourly “subsistence” differential if they lived outside the camps. It will be| all wrapped up in the 57-cent in- crease this year, he said. However, Jack McDonald, busi- ness agent of the Hoisint Engineers’ Union Local here, estimated that engineers, after paying the in- creased board and lodging rates, will have a net increase of about $10 for a 60-hour week. Realistic Rate said the $5.75 a day board-and-room-rate 1s:a ‘realistic one. He said the previous $1.50 rate was far below cost and was ab- sorbed in the. eontractors’ over-all estimates of costs. He added: “It is apparent that under this formula construction costs in Alaska will not be materi- ally increased.” He said, “All of the other terms and provisions of last year’s agree- ment remain substantially the same.” 2 Weeks Negotiations Negotiations have proceeded for the past two weeks, with eight con- struction trade unions involved. They are the operating engineers, teamsters, laborers, carpenters, ce- ment finishers, iron workers, dock builders and roofers. Cheney said the contractors for the first time also negotiated with the culinary workers union for con- struction camps. Cheney cautioned against workers rushing to Alaska in the hope of getting jobs. He said that, because of the weather, there is no work now and it normally does not start until May. He said hiring’ will be done in Alaska when it begins. But he said the lack of work and the cost of living would be an extreme hard- ship on any workers who went north | although after & Surgery Nurse Rowena Fleming from his stomach. had been missing for 10 day. X the stomach. Pendil Removd from Stomach (left) wheels 18-month-old Earl Hall from the operating room of the Sternberger Hospital at Greens- boro, N. C., after surgeons removed a five-inch mechanical pencil Miss Opal Fain (right), student nurse, holds the pencil. The pencil, a Christmas gift to the lad’s father, Dock Hall, -rays located it, lying crosways in The point had pierced the stomach wall. En{l a good chance to recover. (# Wirephoto. Doctors gave 250 GUESTS IN ESCAPE, - HOTEL FIRE |Six-Hour FightIs Made by { 250 Firemen in.Center of Spokane Business Dist. SPOKANE, Wash., March 1—(®— A million-dollar_hotel fire was con- trolled in the early hours after a six-hour fight by 230 firemen. More than 250 guests and per- manent residents of the 200-room Ridpath Hotel in the center of the city business district fled from the building or were carried to the streets. The adjoining Halliday Hotel—a six-story structure with 85 rooms—was evacuated Wwhen flames threatened it. 250 Evacueces A Red Cros& emergency center said it had checked in more than 250 evacuees without a report of serious injury. ’ Estimate of the damage wa® made by an established Spokane realtor and business properties manager. Theodore Galland said the damage might run more than $1,000,000. Representatives of the Ridpath were not available for confirmation of the financial loss. Fire Chief James Blamey des- cribed the central section of the “L” shaped hotel as “almost a total loss.” No Spread Miracle Firemen said it was “a miracle” now. Some representative wage scales for 1950, figured by adding the 57 cents to last year’s scales are: General labor in clearing, grad- ing, paving, asphalt, sewers, etc., $2.40; bulldozers, $2.85; heavy duty . mechanics, $2.90; hoist and derricks, $290; hod carriers and plasterers $261%; ready mix truck drivers $255 to $2.70; basic cement finish- ers $2.78; ironworkers $3.04%;; jour- neymen carpenters $2.77. The Washingion Merry - Go-Round iCopyrieht. 1950, by Bell Syndicate, Inc.) Bv DREW PEARSON 'ASHINGTON — Bert Andrews, Pulitzer prize-winning chief of the New York Herald Tribune’s Wash- ington Bureau, has been offered the man-size job of breathing life into the Republcian Party. Officially, Andrews’ position would be GOP Director of Public Rela- tions—a job now vacant. However, in view of Andrews’ thorough knowledge of Washington politics, GOP Chairman Guy Gabrielson is expected to give him an almost free hand in guiding the party’s destiny. Though hard pressed for funds, the Republican National Committee feels that Andrews would perform political miracles and consequently (Contihued on Page Four) that the flames had not spread trom the sprawling Ridpath to the Halli- day Hotel it joins on two sides. The Ridpath covers nearly half the block. A radio station (KXLY) in an- other building was broadcasting a flame-by-flame account of the fire when firemen ordered the entire block evacuated. The giant draft created by the fire threw a pillar of smoke hundreds of feet in the air.| Sparks and burning debris fell over a wide area of the business dis- trict. Stubborn Flames Even after the blaze was believed under control near midnight, fire- men continued to pour tons of water on stubborn spots of flame. The fire was first reported at 7:30 last night. The shooting flames attracted thousands of spectators. National Guardsmen with helmets and ritles were called to help keep back the crowd. Firemen were afraid the brick walls might collapse. Occu- pants of buildings across the street were told to leave as a safety mea- sure. STEAMER MOVEMENTS Baranof scheduled to sail from Seattle Saturday. Princess Norah schedugld to ar- rive at 7 am. Friday and salls south one hour later at 8 am. Denali sdheduled southbound early Monday morning. "MERCY KILLING" DEFENSE PUTS IN NEW EVIDENCE MANCHESTER, March 1—(®— The defense today read into the re- cords a statement by a fellow <hysician that Mrs. Abbie Borroto was dead before Dr. Hermann N. ‘Sander ever reached her bedside. The statement reportedly was made by Dr. Albert Snay, who ex- amined the cancer-ridden woman the morning of Dec. 4 a few minut- es before Dr. Sander is alleged to have injected air into her veins. Sander ds on trial on a charge of first degree murder. Dr. Snay was quoted as saying he carefully examined Mrs. Borroto, found no pulse, no reflex of the syeball, no heart sound through a 1 stethoscope and therefore: “I concluded then that she was dead.” L “The patient appeared: to be gone,” read Dr. Snay's statement. Dr. Snay's statement said that he aimself then continued to the main sffice of the Hillsboro County Hos- pital where Mrs. Borroto died. “I made no report on the case pecause I knew it was Dr. Sander’s and he would make the necessary report,” the ctatement seid. ATOMIC CONTROL MAY BE PUT UP 10 SOVIET UNION WASHINGTON, March 1—(®— | genator McMahon (D-Conn) pro- |posed today the United -Nations hold peace talks in Moscow in an effort to set up world controls over atomic weapons. The Chairman of the Senate- Senate that threat of the hydro- gen seper bomb has confronted the world with a new crisis: As a first step, he called for a meeting of the United States and its Atlantic Pact partners to draft “a peace program.” “After we have created the cli- mate for peace, then the day for talks (with Russia) will have ar- rived,” he said. The proper forum for these talks he insisted, is the United Nations General Assembly.-He said it should meet in Moscow with the under- standing that the debates “be broadcast in every corner of the earth.” 4 ~1f the Soviet' rulers permit’ a real town meeting of the world in their Moscow citadel,” he continued, “then we may truly hope for fruit- ful talks. If they dare not enter- tain the Gerferal Assembly, all the free world will know the meaning of such a refusal.” Republicans who like to be classed as liberals are trying to put to- gether their own platform for this year’s Congressional races. Senator Irving Ives of New York is one of these. Ives believes the current GOP declaration is weak on such issues as civil rights and labor. Housé Atomic Committee told the CONTEMPT CASE, UMW, KEEPS ON missal-Defense Starfs on Arguments WASHINGTON, March 1—®— The Government today complt@dl its case in the contempt-of-court trial of John L. Lewis’ United Mine Workers. : The UMW moved for a dismissal of all the contempt charges brought because the coal miners have flout- ed a Feb. 11 court order that th’y return to work. ‘ ' Judge Richmond B. Keech de- nied the motion and told UMW at- torneys to go ahead “with their defense. The UMW counsel, contended the Government testimony was insuf- ficient to prove the charges of con- tempt and that it did not show any actual participation by the union in the continued strike. At- torney Hopkins has repeatedly ar- gued since the trial hegan that the miners have quit work by individual decisions and that the union is in no way responsible for the work stoppage, Keech said only: “I'll deny your motion.” Before the court session, Hopkins | had told reporters he would not need much time—less than a full day—to present the defense. | Keech is hearing the case with- out jury. | FINAL ARGUMENTS WASHINGTON, March 1—@#— The United Mine Workers contemng’ trial reached its final stage today— the arguments of attorneys on the big question: Can the union be held responsible for the coal min- ers’ refusal to heed a court’s back- to-work order? Testimony was completed at 1:55 p.m. The Union put on only one defense witness. He was John Owens, the UMW Secretary- Trea- surer,, who testified the union’s of- ficers had made every effort to end the strike. When they rested their case, UMW attorneys moved for a direct- ed verdict of acquittal. Judge Rich- mond B. Keech denied it, but said he would allow the motion to be made again after he had heard arguments from both sides. No time limit was set immediat- ely on the arguments, ALASKA CANNERY WORKERS' CASE IS NOW INTRODUCED SEATTLE, March 1— (P —The United Packhinghouse 15" { Union (CIO) petitioned today an election to-determiné what un- jon will represent 3,000 Alaskanj cannery workers. The National La-| bof 'Relations Board scheduled al hearing on the petition for March 15, The workers have been repre- sented in the past by local 7, Can- nery Workers' Union, an affiliate of the International Food, Tobacco, Agricultureal and Allied Worke!s Union. - The PTA recently was expelled from the CIO. Locdl 7 dnd a third union, the Alaska Fish: Cannery Workers Un- ion (AFL) have intervened in the petition for an election. Last year the AFL union tricd unsuccessfully to win control of the workers in an NLRB-sponsored ¢l- ection. Then the Food and Tobaco Workers' Union was barred from the ballots because it had not filed non-Communigt affidavits under the Taft-Hartley Act. The workers then voted for no union. The NLRB said the Food and Tobacco Union since has complied and its name could appear on &= ballots if an election is held tuis year. TIDE TABLT High tide Low tide High tide I Low tide Judge Denie_;flea for Dis-| | These uniforms designed for Arm regulation in January, are 2nd Lt. Mary T. Seidl of Milwaukee, Wis., Crantford of Glendole, Calif., Wol Md., Army Nurse Corps summer Pic. Elaine O. Arnold of Baton R of Abilene, Kan., Wac skirt and blouse. (P ‘Wirephoto. 1951, and are the first uniforms in histery worn without a necktie. Left to right | s Go Glamorous e N. Y. They became y service women are shown at Governor's Island, Women's Medical Specialist Corps aniform; Pvt. Patricial men’s Army Corps winter uniform; Capt. Mary V. Cottrell of Baltimore, uniform; Sgt. Ruth Seshun of Antlers, Okla, Wac summer uniform; ogue, La., Wac Eisenhower-type Jjacket outfit, and Pvt. Laura McKnight FUCHS GIVEN {4YEARS FOR A-BETRAYAL Courfroom Is Jammed as Plea Made-Maximum Sentence Given LONDON, March 1 — (& Klaus Fuchs, a Jekyll-Hyde mas- termind of British atomic research, was sentenced to 14 years in prison today on his plea of guilty to be- traying the topmost atom bomb sec-‘ rets to Communist Russia. At the close of a swift trial in historic old Bailey Court, the Lord Chief Justice, Baron Goddard, flayed the 38-year-old German- born scientist as an ingrate retfugee | who had bitten the hand that fed him and had done “irreparable harm both to this land and the United States of America.” The trial lasted only an hour and ‘only one witness was called — British Security Officer William J. Skardon, who told the court how Fuchs confessed to giv- ing top atomic secrets to Russian agents over a period of seven years. The witness was called by the de- fense. He said Fuchs had cooperated fully with authorities and that with- out the confession, could not have been charged. The owlish, bespectacled genius was given the maximum sentence for violation of Britain’s official secrets act. At no time were any details of the secrets he betrayed disclosed publicly. He was charged on four counts. Fuchs’ Statement Fuchs, in a statement to the court, seid he had committed “other crimes” than those detailed in the indictment, and indicated he was repentant. The reference was not clarified, but presumably he meant contacts with Russian agents other than those listed in the four counts of the indictment. The scientist’s attorney told the court that a repentant Fuchs had given “valuable information” and “every dnformation” to the authori- ties. Algiost certainly this meant Fuchs named Russian agents he dealt with in Britain and the United States. If such agents should have diplomatic immunity they could not be prosecuted, but either country could demand that the Kremlin re- call such persons. The courtroom was jammed for the trial. Representatives of the U.S. Embassy were present, as of- ficial observers. Spectators included the Duchess of Kent, King George’s sister-in-law, and Viscount Portal of Hungerford, chief of Britain’s Air Staff during the war. About 80 reporters were present, including representatives of the Soviet News Agency Tass and the official Czechoslovak news agency. - — Dr.| STATEHOOD | HOUSE BILL OFF AGAIN 'Will Get CaT‘T‘omorrow-I .Science Bill, Calendar ’12_Minisl»ersr, Pad Nations, Plan Meeting ‘ LONDON, March 1—(®—The for- eign ministers of the 12 Atlantic Pact nations are planning to meet this spring, probably in Europe, the British Forelgn Office said to- 0 Yo it o e Wednesday in Road A Foreign Office spokesman said ithe meeting of “The Council of the North Atlantic Pact” might give the United States, British and French Foreign Ministers an op- portunity to hold special big three ' meetings. (In Washington U. S. Secretary of State Acheson said a meeling of the Big Three Foreign Ministers might well be necessary in the spring.) The spokesman said no date was set for the meeting, which may se held in April or May. | WINTER SALMON | SEASON CLOSES | { COLUMBIA RIVER, ASTORIA, Ore, March 1—(®— The winter salmon season—a poor one—closed at noon today on the Columbia River. Only half the gillnet fleet bother- WASHINGTON, March 1—(®— Legislation to grant statehood to | Alaska and Hawail probably will} I not be called up in the House until ! Thursday, due to House rules. The Alaska bill was to have come up yesterday for a vote but con- sideration of other legislation con- | sumed the entire day. The bill cannot be taken up to- day, except by unanimous consent, because it is calendar Wednesday, when unopposed bills on the House calendar are considered. If the legislation on the calen- {dar 1s cleared early enough the Alaska bill may ke called, but this | is doubtful. | The National ‘Science Founda- | tion bill, which was given priority over the Alaska measure, occupled the House most of yesterday but | action was not completed. Due to the rules calling for calendar bills today, the science bill was carried over until tomorrow for a final vote. 4 | Majority Leader McCormack (D-| | Mass) tried yesterday to get unani- ed to go out in the last half of |MOUS permission to. dispense ‘with the season because of early Feb-|the usual calendar Wednesday, but ruary lce and dim prospects for |20 objection by Rep. Rankin (D-| {Miss) prevented. the rest of the month. . Packers sald some of the light' 1f the McCormack request bad ‘catch was frowen but most of it|Peen agreed to, the Alaska bill went to the fresh fish market |could have been called up today lee was canned. |after final action on the sclence| The spring season opens at sv‘mcusure. i pm. April 30, | March 8 has been selected as the lABOR pm GEIS date on whick the American” Inter- ’ (] collegiate Rowing Association will (RlES OF (HEER up i 1 FROM COCKY FOES| inspect the Ohio River at Marietta, | Ohio, as a possible site for the| Poughkeepsie regatta. | | LONDON, March 1—#—Britain's e -~ newly elected Parliament opened o |today, and Conservatives, in aj o 'cocky mood, shouted to their Labor o | Party opponents to “cheer up.” { WEATHER REPORT L) . . . In Juneau—Maximum 45; e minimum 30. o' The Labor Party has a shaky . At Airport—Maximum 38; e majority of only seven votes in! ® minimum 26. e |the new House of Commons, Prime « | Minister Attlee, however, told re- FORECAST (Junean snd Vielsits) ® | porters before Parliament opened Cloudy with occasional e with traditional pomp, that his e light rain tonight and Thurs- e Labor Party is determined to carry e on. e Attlee walked side by side with! ® Conservative Leader Winston Chur- o |chill, who gave him such a fierce| o [battle in the election, to the House | e |of Lords to hear the King's Com- e |mission to the new Parliament. o |Then they went to the House of e day. Lowest temperature to- e night about 36; highest ! ® Thursday about 40, le PRECIPITATION | @ (Past 24 nours ending 7:30 & @ today [ City of Juneau—.28 inches; o since July 1—58.53 inches. . At Airport—.12 inches; PRICE TEN CENTS T al Voted Down In Anchorage 997 VOTE AGAINST: 561 FOR Tax Suggested fo Raise $500,000 for Half of Civic Cfn_ler Cost ANCHORAGE, Alaska, March 1— (M—Anchorage voters have rejected a one percent municipal sales tax as a means of financing a proposed civic center, was 997 against and 561 for the civic center proposal. The city sales tax was suggested to raise $500,000 for the center—half | its estimated cost. The rest would have been sought from the federal government under the Alaska Pub- lic Works Act. Opposition to the proposal cen- tered on the sales tax feature, the Anchorage Times reported, adding that there was general agreement on the need for a civic center. A statement by Governor Gruen- ing favoring the proposal was pub- lished and hroadcast before the election. The Anchorage Retail Clerks Union opposed the sales tax, contending it was an “unfair and inequitable means of financing.” The civic center proposal was the only proposition on the ballot. The 1,558 who voted compared with a total of 2911 persons registered to vote. HIGHER COURT ON INCOME TAX Judge George W. Folta's opinion upholding the Alaska Net Income Tax passed by the 1949 Legisla- ture has been affirmed, it was learned today. Attorney General J. Gerald Wil- liams said he received a wire from the clerk of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, San Francisco, affirm- ing the judgment in the case of the Alaska Steamship Company vs. |M. P. ‘Mullaney, Territorial Com- | missioner of Taxation. The suit challenged the validlty of the measure and the withholding of one percent from crew members’ wages, Williams sald he assumed that all points of the opinion were up- held, but that he must await ar- rival of the complete text which is being forwarded immediately. RUSSIA BOASTS HER RUBLE RISE ANDPPRICE DROP (By Associated Press) Russian newspapers and radio stations exploited to the full the Soviet announcement that the ruble ha§ been pegged to gold and its value in relation to foreign cur- rencies has been increased. Prices of consumer goods were also cut. ‘The newspapers said life was get- ting easier in the Sctiet Union with dropping prices while in Wester® countries - money is inflated and costs are rising. A Lendon financial newspaper said the move was “a piece of fi- nancial window dressing designed to impress the Russian people.” Washington = officials forecast Russia has entered an epoch of “ruble diplomacy” to exploit her satellites. They pointed out the an- nouncement was timed for the Rus- sian election and was a propaganda weapon to show, the Russians hoped, that the ruble can hold up to the dollar in international trade. STOCK QUOTATIONS NEW YORK, March 1—Closing quotation of Alaska Juneau mine stock today is 3, American Can 111, Anaconda 30, Curtiss-Wright International Harvester 28%, Ken- necott 52%, New York Central 13%, Northern Pacific 16%, U. S. Steel 31, Pound $2.80%. Averages today are as follows: @ {Commons, where they were cheered their supporters. since July 1--38.63 inches. ® o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 vy industrials 203.68, rails 55.73, util- ities 42.81. The vote in yesterday's election s