The Daily Alaska empire Newspaper, March 20, 1950, Page 1

VOL. LXXIV., NO. 11,456 HE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE “ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME” JUNEAU, ALASKA, MONDAY, MARCH 20, 1950 Waitress Dies After Plunging Into Ch ACHESON IS BACKED UP BY TRUMAN By ERNEST B. VACCARO KEY WEST, Fla., March 20—#— President Truman backed up Sec- retary of State Acheson 100 percent today and let it be known that any rumors he might be replaced are “completely without foundation.” Presidential Secretary Charles G. Ross told reporters that rurmors have reached the President that the visit here of Chief Justice Vinson may have some connection with a change in the office of Secretary of State. Speaking for ¢he President, Ross said: “Those rumors are completely without foundation. No change in the head of the State Department is contemplated. All rumors to the contrary are complete fabrications. The President has complete confi- dence in the Secretary of State and believes he is running the Depart- ment admirably.” CANADIANS TO TRY MAY 15 OPENING OF HAINES CUTOFF Canadian highway engineers hope to open the 160-mile Haines cutoff road about May 15, beating the 1949 opening date by six days short of a_month. ‘This information came from Brig. Gen. A. V. Connelly, commander of the Northwest- highway system for Canada, stationed at White- horse, in response to an inquiry from Col. John R. Noyes, head ot the Alaska Road Commission. The wire follows: “Impossible to give an accurate date as so much depends upon the weather. If all goes well we expect to have the road open about May 15. If frost not out of ground by the time the road is opened, it may be necessary to close it for traffic for a period of a week or so after opening date.” The Canadians left snow removal equipment at the summit of Chilkat Pass last fall, to enable an early start this year at the job of clear- ing the important cutoff highway. Colonel Noyes explained if frost still remained when the road is opened, the thawing snows would remain on top the ground and not be absorbed, thus causing mud to hinder travel, The Alaskan side of the cutoff is open to traffic at present up to a short distance past Klukwan, not far from the international bound- ary, the colonel said. DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION Democrats of the Third Division will hold a convention at Anchorage on March 24, 25 and 26. The Washington Merry Go-Round ICopyrizht. 1950, Syndicate, Inc.) by Bell By DRLW PEARSON ASHINGTON—A quiet cam- paign by big business to defeat the Truman Administration was launch- ed in New York the other day un- der the auspices of the National Association of Manufacturers. Chairmanned by Carrol E. French of Standard Oil of New Jersey, a group of big business executives discussed plans for a propaganda drive through employee magazines and by fPutting slips into employ- ees’ pay envelopes. Chief speaker at the closed-deor meeting was Lemuel Boulware, vice president of the giant General El- ectric Corporation and former vice president of the War Production Board. Boulware announced that General Electric was actively cam- ! paigning for the Taft-Hartley Act, against unions and, above all, against socialism. “Roosevelt, Truman, Reuther and their ilk are the avowed enemies of American business,” Boulware told his fellow executives in brief. “They consider the American busi- nessman a thief, a cheat and a coward. The time has come for the American businessman to stand up and take a stand for what he believes in. “Therefore, General Electric,” he sald, “is taking a strong stand (Continued on Page Four) BRIDGES CASE HAS COST GOVERNMENT OVER TWO MILLION SAN FRANCISCO, March 20—i® —The jury in the Harry Bridges perjury trial was told today by his attorney that “the government has spent well over two million dollars on its long, studied, complete, per- sistent persecution of one man for 15 years.” The attorney, Vincent Hallinan, claimed the government had built up “a terrific concentration of gov- ernment forces, massed $ remove Bridges from the public scene.” Bridges, president of the CIO longshore union, was indicted on a charge he perjured himself by swearing in his 1945 citizenship hearing that he was not and never had been, a Communist. Two other longshore union offi- cials are on trial as co-defendants. They are J. ,R. Robertson and Henry Schmidt, supporting wit- nesses for Bridges in’ his citizen- ship hearing. {MORE MONEY THAN BELIEVED MUST BE RAISED FOR LIBRARY Unofficial calculators of the sum | yet to be raised for construction of the Juneau Memorial Library got a slight shock today to learn they were “underbidding” considerably— there remains exactly $5,680.24. This figure was released by B. D. Stewart, acting drive chairman, after working all day Sunday with Dr. James C. Ryan, his next-in- command, on compilation of funds and pledges on hand or promised. Seventy thousand dollars is sought for the building, to be matched by federal funds. During Stewart’s absence in the Interior for several weeks, Dr. Ryan took custody of the drive, which showed so much activity both he and others figured the amount to be obtained at much less. Here are the figures as they stand today: U.S. Saving Bonds (purchase price) . Cash in Savings Account.. Cash in Checking Account Balance due on pledges in hand Pledges voted but not in hand ... TOTAL funds nssured 64,319.76 To bhe raised . 5,680.24 Chairman of the drtve B. Frank Heintzleman, has been in Washing- ton on government business ap- proximately a month. At tomorrow’s Rotary Club luncheon, Stewart will call upon members for an accounting of their success in campaigning during the past several weeks, and lay plans for other work in conjunction with the project. MEEKS' SECOND TRY ON MURDER VERDICT APPEAL TURNED DOWN The second appeal of George Harrison Meeks, convicted of first degree murder here an March 9, 1946, has been turned down by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and entered in the minutes of the federal court here, Meeks was convicted of the mur- der of Clarence Campbell in De- cember, 1945, The jury brought back a verdict against capital pun- ishmen, and Meeks was sent to McNeill Island penetentiary for {life by the then Federal Judge Joseph W. Kehoe. Judge George W. Folta ordered |the dismissal of the appeal en- tered in the court records. 1360 T0 WESTWARD VIA PNA; 5 ARRIVE Five persons arrived from An- chorage yesterday by Pacific North- ern Airlines, which carried 13 pas- sengers on the westbound flight. ....$33,690.00 5,923.22 662.54 18,694.00 5,350.00 Ramstead, Leo Saarela, A. G. Wood- ley and Felix Oubuchen. Outbound, P. R. Gaston, Ed Gardner, P, H. Otto, Mrs, D. Pettrin and Wally Reid went to Cordova; to Anchorage: Roy Clift, Roy Hen- dricks, John J. Coyle, J. H. Levy, Mrs. Miller, M. F. Woltkill, Bl Ruge and Carl Reutchler, ' Arriving were Paul Warber, Joe| COMMUNISTS BAN AMERICAN EVACUEE SHIPS FROM CHINA WASHINGTON March 20.—(®— The State Department said today the Chinese Communists have blocked evacuation of Americans and other foreigners from Shanghai by a last minute retusal to let, two landing craft reach the city. American representatives on the scene have been instructed to press for a reconsideration, an announce- ment said. Meantime, the landing craft and the American President Liner Gen- eral Gordon, to which the foreign- ers were to be ferried, have been ordered to remain at Hong Kong. A further report comes from J. J. Berryman, Honz Konz manager of the American President Lines. Berryman said he had talked with officials in APL's Shanghai branch. He said Red officials had refused entry of two American ves- sels enroute to Japan from Shang- hai. The ships were to transport 2vacuees, including some 300 Am- ericans, through Shanghai harbor waters which the Nationalists say they have mined. The landing craft—which were to ferry the foreigners from Shanghai to the American President liner General Gordon—have been ordered to remain at sea. The Gordon was instructed to stay at Hong Kong. Nearly 2,000 foreigners including 310 Americans had planned to leave probably tonight in the first such general evacuation since last fall. The United States ordered all American diplomats and Consuls out of the country two months ago after the Communist authorities at Peiping seized American Consular property there. Apparently the Communist au- thorities at Shanghai had “unwar- ranted apprehensions” that the landing craft were not commercial vessels, the State Department said. It said they were strictly com- mercial craft, turned over to the American President lines. The two vessels are LSTS (landing ship, tanks) widely used during World War II in assaults on hostile beaches. 48-MILE PAVING CONTRACT WON, LYTLE AND GREEN The contract for paving slightly more than 48 miles of the Rich- ardson Highway was won this morning by Lytle and Green of Des Moines, Ia, for $2,339,810. The firm was low among six bid- ders who competed for the job, let by the Alaska Road Commission, and more than $400,000 lower than the commission’s estimate for the 48.019-mile stretch from Gulkana to Tonsina, on either side of the junction of the Glenn and Rich- ardson highways. Formal award will be made by Col. John R. Noyes following tab- ulations and review of details of the bid. The work involves grading, resurfacing, and bituminous suy- facing of the stretch, known as Section F. The contract is among the largest let by the commission, but consid- erbly lower than that for construc- tion of the Turnagain Arm Road and several others. Other bidders and their amounts were: S. Burch and Sons, Seattle, $2,- 469,350; Rodgers Construction Co. and Babler Bros., Portland, $2, 570,030; McLaghlin Construction Company, Great Falls, Mont., and Stock and Grove of Anchorage, $2,- 705,970; Peter Hewitt, Seattle, $2,- 854,270, and Porter, Yett and Ku- kenberg, Portland, $2,913,560. The commission put its own es- timate at $2,776,860. FROM GREAT FALLS J. L. McLaughlin of Great Falls, Mont., is a guest at the Baranof Hotel. STOCK QUOTATIONS NEW YORK, March 20—Closing quotation of Alaska Juneau mine stocks today is 3%, American Can 117%, Anaconda 28%, , Curtiss- Wright 8%, International Harvester 26%, Kennecott 52%, New York Central 13%, Northern Pacific 15%, U. S. Steel 317%, Pound $2.80. Sales today were 1,500,000 shares. Averages today are as follows: industrials 207.87, rails 55.25, util- ities 43.67, RESTRICTION STOPS INDIAN RESERVATIONS WASHINGTON, March 20—#— A plea that Indians in Alaska be treated as Americans, not as “sec- ond class citizens,” led a House Ap- propriations subcommittee to write its prohibition against use of any Interior Department funds for na- tive elections on the question of establishing reservations for them. Rep. Jackson (D-Wash), former chairman of the old House Com- mittee on Indian Affairs, mad> the plea, it was learned today. The restriction, written into the Indian section of the bill, reads: “A policy of placing Alaska In- dians, Eskimos and Aleuts on reser- vations .appears to be devoid of merit, retrogressive, unnecessary and indefensible from the stand- point of settling native land claims. Therefore, none of the funds appro- priated for the Bureau of Indian Affairs should be used in connec- tion with pending reservation orders or reservation orders which might be hereafter signed.” Secretary of Interior Chapraan authorized one election at Barrow Feb. 4. The Eskimos there defeated the reservation proposal. Chapman postponed two other elections until late in April.” “Apply Civil Rights” “It is high time” Jackson told a reporter today, “to stop treating the Indian as a second class citi- zen. Indians ought to be treated just as other citizens and assimi- lated into our population. Why (alk about a civil rights program it we are not going to apply it to the tirst Americans.” Jackson criticized Department’s handling of Indian Affairs, including operation of schools for Indian children alone. “It is just a ‘Jim Crow’ program for the Indians and should be ended,” he said. “I beljeve the In- dians should be given the same status as other Americans and where necessary the government should make loans and grants to help them reach their proper place in our civilization.” the Interior (ommies Have Trouble in China/ Diplomatic reports have convin- ced U.S. State Department offi- cials that China’s Communist rulers | are running into trouble trying to consolidate their hold on country. As a result, it is believed | any Chinese Communist action to spread control into Southeast Asia will be slowed down if not indefi- nitely delayed. Senafor McCarthy Winner of Award PASSAIC, NJ. March 20—#— Senator Joseph R. McCarthy (R- Wis) was named today as the win- ner of the Marine Corps League’s national Americanism award for| 1950. The award, announced by the league’s Americanism chairman John R. O'Brien, of Passaic, cited the Senator for “rousing the nation | to the menace of bad security risks in our government.” ANCHORAGE HAS DRIVE More than 100 workers have been lined up at Anchorage for a public campaign to raise $14,040 toward an Armed Services Community YMCA. | gejations subcommittee a list of | L ‘71 persons that McCarthy says are | ® 0 0 o v 0 o WEATHER , REPORT In Juneau—Maximum 40; minimum 34. At Airport—Maximum 40; minimum 84, FOREC (Juneaw ane Mostly cloudy tonight and Tuesday with occasional light showers. Lowest temperature tonight near 35 and high Tuesday near 42. PB!CIPITA‘I‘I()N- (Past 24 nours ending 7:30 a m. today @ City of Juneau—.08 inches; @ since March 1—2.84 inches; since July 1—60.09 inches. At Airport—.01 inches; since March 1—85 inches; since July 1—39.54 inches. ® 9 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 . . the| Jessup (alls McCarthy 'Not Responsible’ Ambassaddr_l.ashes Back at Charges-Says Senator Aids Communist Moves WASHINGTON, March 20—(®— Ambassador Philip C. Jessup de- clared today that Senator McCarthy (R-Wis), by accusing him of “Com- munist affinity,” showed a “shock- ing disregard for the interests of our country.” With a sweeping denial of any Communist sympathies, Jessup told a Senate investigating sub- committee that it is matter of “ut- most gravity” when an American envoy is “held up before the eyes ot the rest of the world 5 a liar and traitor.” The Ambassador-at-Large lashed back at McCarthy after speeding home from a survey mission to the Far East. He said that during his ibsence his integrity was attacked nly by two sources—McCarthy and the Moscow official newspaper Izvestia. Jessup added: “Anyone who believes in the con- cept of guilt by association might draw some startling conclusions from this fact. However, I do not believe in the concept of guilt by association. Charge “Irresponsible” “Moreover, I do believe that any- one who, without adequate proot, levels a charge of conscious or “gnorant support of Communist at a member of the United States Senate—or at any official of the United States government—is irre- sponsible. “I have no evidence that Senator | McCarthy was motivated by desire to assist the international Com- munist movement even though his words and actions have had the effect.” As to the charges against him, Jessup said: “I wish to repeat categorically {and without qualification that J am not a Communist and never have! been a Communist. “I am not and have never been a Communist sympathizer.” Started 10 Days Ago McCarthy accused Jessup of an I‘\musual affinity for Communist | causes” 10 days ago When the Sen- |ate Foreign Relations subcommit- | tee began hearings on the Wiscon- | sin Senator’s contention that the State Department is shot through with Communists and their sym-| pathizers. McCarthy also said that Jessup once sponsored a subversive nr-i | sanization. Jessup’s attack on McCarthy was | the second made by a major State |Depnrtment figure. Deputy Under- | secretary John E. Peurifoy lashed | back at the Senator with a counter attack last week. McCarthy on his part has kept| |up a constant fire at the Depart- (ment and only yesterday called for| | the ouster of Secretary of State | Acheson along with what he called | “the whole ring of untouchables” | |in the Department. When Jessup concluded, there was | sharp burst of applause from | |the 200 or more spectators crowded |into the room. | The committee wrangled then lfor half an hour over whether Mc- ICnrthy and Jessup should be per- | mitted to cross-examine each othet. |A decision was put off until a| |1ater closed meeting of the group. | During the wrangling, Chairman Tydings (D-Md) chided’ McCarthy | for pot giving the Senate Foreign | Communists or Communist sym- 'nnd Robert Fuller, Airliner With 52 'Sitka Man Passes MEMI’-E]i ASSOCIATED PRESS DEMAND DEFENSE ALASKA Junior Chamr of Com-| merce Makes Other Re- quests, Elects Officers PETERSBURG, Alaska, March 20 | {M—Defense-minded Alaska Jun- ior Chamber of Commerce dele- gates want it known that they want their territorial homes adequately protected. The Territorial Jaycees adjourned heir annual convention here Sat- urday night after passing resolu- tions aimed at strengthening the northland’s military position. They requested adequate military housing and a land link between the Alaska Highway and the Southeast Alaska coast. The military housing has been requested by the military command as essential to the suc- cessful completion of the region’s defenses. The road, along a route dnwu the Stikine valley to Frederick Point, was described as of military im- portance because of the strategic importance of nearby Wrangell Narrows. The Narrows would pro- vide a transshipment point for ma- terials from Canada and the interior states across the Gulf of Alaska. Another resolution called for legislation regulating water borne commerce between the United States and its Territories and pos- sessions to insure uninterrupted traffic during maritime strikes. Carl T. Renschler, Anchorage, was reelected president of the Ter- ritorial Chamber. Other officers elected were Quen- tin Deboer, Petersburg, national di- rector from Alaska, and George Sul- livan, Fairbanks, Eldor Lee, Peters- burg, and William Olson, Anchorage, regional vice-president. Marshall Lovett, Anchorage, was reappointed territorial secretary-treasurer. Failure to Pay Promissory Nole Causes Court Case FAIRBANKS, Alaska, March 20— (P—The Veterans Affairs Commis- |sion filed in District Court against Ross Enders Kimball for $4,137, Saturday. Kimball is a candidate for Terri- torial Labkor Commissioner. The suit also named James Alves Kimball is charged with not pay- ing a promisory note signed in Oct. 1948. He is engaged in the transfer and storage business here. Alves and Fuller have a leasehold on property on which the Veterans ask foreclosure of the mortgage. Aboard Skids Off Icy Runway, Crashes KANSAS CITY, March 20—(P—| {An airliner, carrying 52 persons, |skidded on an icy runway at Muni- | cipal Airport yesterday, crashed through two wire fences and nosed into an embankment. No one was injured. Away in Seattle o Pathizers in the State Department chcarthy said last week that he| was mailing the list to Tydings, |but Tydings said he had not re- celved it. After a whispered conversatinn with McCarthy, Senator Hicken-| o0f the 81 names over to Tydings. . STEAMER MOVEMENTS Baranof from Seattle sometime tomorrow. | Princess Norah from Vancouver due tomorrow afternoon or evening. Denali scheduled {4 pm. today. is due SEATTLE, March 20—(®—Alfor-| | Young Noble, a sophomore at the | ing | rest Efaw, 61, of Sitka, Alaska, died Friday at a hospital here. Funeral prl\',(s will be at 1 p.m, | nnm at Kinkaid, Kans., he came | to Seattle as a child and spent the | o|looper (R-Towa) turned the list|major part of his life here. He| | moved to Sitka 13 years ago. In Alaska he was associated with the salmon industry. ZAVODNICK-OHMER Application for a marriage li- cense was filed late Saturday with U. S. Commissioner Gordon Gray by Joseph A. Zavodnick, 27-year-ald southbound | fisherman of Pelican, and Nellie| Bosworth, Leo H. Saarela, and N. F. e are | charge and will be assisted by Mes- | dames Willis Booth, S. H. Hender- | son, Gaby Andre (above), the screen's latest French flash, is on record as saying that American hus- bands are the best in the world. “There is nothing wrong with French men,” she said in Holly- wood, “but Americans have so much — what you call zing.” #® Wirephoto. BILLION CUT FROM AID PLAN WASHINGTON, March 20—H— ‘The House Foreign Affairs Commit~ tee today voted to cut a billion dol- lars cash from 1951 European Re- covery spending and substitute an equivalent amount of surplus farm commodities. The committee overrode admin- istration objections in accepting an amendment by Rep. Vorys (R-Ohio) The vote, not disclosed, was said by Chairman Kee (D-WVa) to have cut across party lines. Vorys' amendment slashes the 1951 cash spending authority of the Economic Cooperation Administra- tion to $1,950,000,000 a flat $1,000,- 000,000 less than provided in the administration bill. In lieu of the money, the®Com- | modity Credit Corporation would make available surplus agricultural | commodities having a value of $1,- 000,000,000 based on open market prices. STEPHEN NOBLE HERE £iephen Noble, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. 1. Noble, arrived home yes- terday via Pan American plane. University of Washington, majoring in business administration, is spend- his Easter vacation with his parents, He will return to school | Sunday, Macrh 25. His father is chief of operations for the Alaska Road Commission here. RUMMAGE SALE | ‘The Martha Society of the North- | ern Light Presbyterian Church will | hold a rummage sale in the church | parlors beginning at 1:30 am,; Thursday. Mrs. Ralph Wright is| chairman of the committee in} Sam Troutman, C. C. Carter, Ralph Martin, Morton Flint, Hugh | Antrim, Carlos Holland, J. W. Leiv- ers, Ray Day, Ray Taylor and C, V. Rudolph CHENEY HERE D. L. Cheney of Seattle is a guest at the Baranof Hotel FROM ANCHORAGE Among Anchorage residents stop-| ping at the Baranof Hotel are H. P. Ohmer, also of Pelican. and B, G. Mather, at a closed-door committee session. " PRICE TEN CENTS annel NAN GILBERT TAKES LEAP; ENDS, DEATH George Kuhns Makes Heroic Efforf to Save Wom- an in Sunday Tragedy A plunge into the icy waters of Gastineau Channel yesterday af- ternoon resulted in the death of a 40-year-old Juneau waitress in spite of heroic attempts to save her life. Nannette Gilbert, who dived from the Alaska Line wharf clad only n a bathing suit, died at St. Ann's hospital a short time after she was pulled from the channel. George Kuhns, Alaska Coastal Airlines traffic representative, made a valiant attempt to save the woman. Standing at the door of the airlines office, he saw her walking “with a determined stride” past the McKinley Building. He ran after her and was 30 yards away when she dove about 25 feet from the edge of the wharf to the water. Kuhns Takes Jump Kuhns took off his clothes and, after shouting to a man on the wharf to get a rope, jumped from the wharf. The water was so cold “it Just about stopped my heart,” he said. He swam from piling to piling, trying to reach the drowning woman who was being carried away by the tide. An unidentified man on the wharf threw two cargo boards into the water in an attempt to aid Kuhns. Finally a 1ope was thrown from the wharf and Kuhns, with numb “fingers, ‘tied ‘it ‘about ‘the woman. She was dragged unconscious from the water by George Jorgen- son, service station owner and city councilman, and Fred Jacobson, a contractor. They carried her to the Jorgenson Motors Shop, and, while Jacobson called the police and the fire department, Jorgenson, aided by Carson Lawrence, gave the drowned woman artificial respira- tion. Miss Gilbert regained conscious- ness and was rushed to St. Ann’s hospital. She died shortly atter reaching the hospital. S. Commissioner Gordon Cray said her death was apparently due to “exposure after swimming.” No reason could be found for Miss Gilbert’s plunge into the water. She was born in San Jose, Calif, and had worked as a waltress at several restaurants in Juneau. She was unmarried, Commissioner Gray said. Her mother, Mrs. Jeanette Binns | of Flag Ranch, Laramie, Wyo., has been informed of her death. No inquest has been scheduled by Commissioner Gray. R.R.STRIKE HEADED OFF KEY WEST, Fla., March 20—P— President Truman signed an execu- tive order here today heading off a strike scheduled for tomorrow on 12 western railroads. The President’s order set up an emergency board to inquire into a dispute between the carriers and the Switchman’s Union of North America. The order’ automatically post- poned the strike for 60 days. WRANGELL BOND ELECTION On April 11 Wrangell taxpayers will vote on whether to approve a bond of $150,000 for a school build- | ing. MOOSE BUY CHURCH ‘The Petersburg Presbyterian church, damaged by fire eariy in the winter, has been purchased by the Petersburg Moose. NEW GAME SLOGAN “Kill a Wo*" and Save a Buck"” is the new ‘slogan of the Ketchikan Wildlife Association. FROM LOS ANGELES Joseph F. Bender of Los Angeles is registered at the Baranof Hotel. LONDON—King George VI was back at his state duties today, re- covered from a cold which kept him indoors over the weekend,