Evening star. [volume], April 09, 1946, Image 1

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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_Late New York Markets, Page A-9. _An Associated Press Newspaper_
04th YEAR, No. 37,229. Phone NA. 5000.__^ 5 CENTS
Gill Says Huff Hushed Scandal;
Tells Hearing That District Jail
Is Run by Clique of Guards
Charges Engineers'
Group, Recently in
Court, Formed There
Charges that the District Jail
is run by a clique of guards and
that Ray L. Huff, welfare di
rector, “hushed up” one of the
hottest scandals in the history
of the District, w’ere made today
before a Congressional commit
tee by Howard B. Gill, suspended
penal superintendent.
Mr. Gill told a special investigat
ing committee of the House District
Committee that in 1941 a clique of
eight guards ran the jail, permitted
a swindle to be organized there, al
lowed prisoners to walk in and out
of the jail at will and participated
in wild parties at the jail, and that
when Mr. Huff discovered these
things, he never took any action ex
cept to fire a deputy superintendent.
Mr. Gill told the committee that
Engineers Group. Inc., a company
formed to act as broker in obtaining
war contracts, was organized and
put into operation by two prisoners
in the jail between February and
.June 1941, while Mr. Huff was super
intendent of penal institutions.
Three Later Convicted.
Three men. including Representa
tive Curley, Democrat, of Massa
chusetts, who also is Mayor of Bos
ton. recently were convicted in Dis
trict Court in connection with war
contracts obtained by Engineers
Group, Inc.
Mr. Huff conducted a secret inves
tigation and never informed Mr.
Gill, the Commissioners or the Board
of Public Welfare of his findings.
Mr. Gill said.
Mr. Gill said he obtained the story,
after his own suspension as penal
superintendent, from one of the two
prisoners who turned informer for
the Truman Committee investigat
ing war contracts.
Mr. Gill declared the information
explained many conditions that had
puzzled him at the jail.
Clauds O. Botkin, resident super
intendent. “is not master in his own
house." Mr. Gill asserted. He said
the jail actually is run by a clique
of employes who have been there
for many years.
Prisoner in Own Jail.
“Then he is a prisoner in his own
iail.” said Representative Hebert,
Democrat, of Louisiana, and chair
man of the investigating commit
tee.
Mr. Gill said the two prisoners in
1941 incorporated under the State of
New Jersey a company to promote'
recreational enterprises in the vi
cinity of military installations. A
representative of a New York vice
■syndicate was allowed to visit them
at the jail to ask for the vice con
cession at their recreation centers,
he reported.
The two prisoners used stationery
with the seal of the United States to
write some of the most prominent
citizens of the Nation from the jail,
he said. One “very prominent" man
replied with a letter of congratula
tions addressed to 200 Nineteenth
street S.E., not knowing that was
the address of the jail, he said.
Besides carrying on their corre
spondence, the two inmates were
allowed to visit the Mayflower Hotel
and other places in the District for
business appointments, Mr. Gill
charged.
Held Party at Jail.
“After lavish tipping of sundry
jail officials, the inmates imported a
case of whisky and two models for a
party at the jail," Mr. Gill charged.
He said that guards assigned to
them participated in the party.
In lour months their business had
so expanded that one of the in
mates decided it was time for him
to get out of jail, and “he actually
got his sentence reduced from 21 to
4 months," Mr. Gill said.
“And yet Mr. Huff sat where I am
sitting yesterday and told you that
he had no serious personnel prob
lems while he was penal superin
tendent." he shouted.
The deputy superintendent fired
by Huff was Edward McGlynn. Mr.
Gill said, but the rest of the infor
mation as given by Mr. Gill's in
formant was “so hot that even the
Justice Department would not
touch it."
Mr. Gill read several passages
ffjom a 100-page memorandum he
said was given him in December by
o*ie of the two inmates. Repre
sentative Hebert asked him to put
it in the record. Mr. Gill said he
would offer it for the confidential in
formation of the committee, but told
them that it contains the names oi
many prominent persons and should
not be in the record. Mr. Hebert
agreed that "criminal charges”
might be involved.
Names Two Guards.
Mr. Gill named "Murphy and
Sweeney” as two of the guards
who were involved with McGlynn
and still are at the jail.
“This information explained to
me why a clique there right now
has inherited the theory that theyj
run the jail. That is why they
could say that they wanted to use
basement control cells and would
(See JAIL”BREAK. Page A-4.~
Burgin Reported Improved
Buj in Serious Condition
The condition of Representative
Burgin, Democrat, of North Caro
lina, was reported slightly improved
but still serious at Doctors' Hospital
today.
Mr. Burgin, 67, was stricken with
a heart attack Sunday at his home.
His physician, Dr. Paul F. Dickens,
said Mr. Burgin is "resting comfort
ably.”
Another North Carolina member
of Congress at Doctors’ Hospital, \
Senator Bailey, Democrat, is re
ported to be improving. Senator
Bailey was taken to the hospital last
Thursday.
# '
Possibility of Averting Clash
Over Iran Seen at U. N. Session
Gromyko Expected to Attend Meeting,
But His Intentions Remain Uncertain
By Gould Lincoln
Star Staff Correspondent
NEW YORK. April 9.—Some
possibility of averting an imme
diate showdown over Russia’s
demand that the United Nations
Security Council drop the Iranian
case entirely was seen today as
the Council prepared to meet at
3 p.m
Soviet Ambassador Andrei Gromy
ko will attend the Council meet
ing — for the first time since
he walked out on consideration of
Iran's complaints against his gov
ernment on March 27—but it was
uncertain whether he would insist
on bringing up the dismissal de
mand.
Asked by reporters whether he
would attend the meeting. Mr. Gro
myko said this morning. "Yes. I
shall go.”
When asked if he planned to
bring up the Iranian matter, he
replied:
"Ask the president of the Security
Council. He knows what's on the
agenda." * l
If Mr. Gromyko floes press the
matter, it appeared likely that he
would encounter .stiff opposition from
the United States and Great Britain.1
Secretary of State Byrnes indicated
in Washington yesterday that the
United States is opposed to reopen
ing the Iranian case until May 6,
the date Russia has agreed to have
all her troops out of Iran.
Tire situation was further com
plicated this morning by disclosure
by an Iranian spokesman that Am
bassador Hussein Ala would not
attend today's Council meeting.
Tire spokesman said the entire
Iranian delegation was packing to
leave for Washington some time
today He refused to discuss the
situation further.
The Iranian matter was not placed
on today's agenda, although the
Soviet government’s letter demand
ing dismissal of the case had been
circulated among the Council mem- j
i See U. N., Page A-4.>
Marshall. Mark say
They Were Unaware of
Dec. 6,1941, Parley
Testify They Did Not
Know Roosevelt Tried
To Summon Them
Ay the Associated Press
Gen. George C Marshall and
Admiral Harold R. Stark said to
day they knew nothing of any
attempts to summon them to the
White House for a war confer
ence with the late President
Roosevelt on the eve of the Pearl
Harbor attack.
Both the former Army Chief of
Staff and former Chief of Naval
Operations also reiterated before
the congressional Pearl Harbor
Committee that they had not seen
3r been told about a final Japanese
diplomatic message until the morn
ing of the attack. December 7. 1941
Comdr. Lester R. Schulz, on duty
at the White House the night of
December 6, had testified previously
that when 13 parts of the 14 part
message were delivered to Mr.
Roosevelt that night he exclaimed,
"this means war.”
Admiral Stark told the committee
today that if he had known about
any such interpretation of the mes
sage by the President he would have
gone into action immediately.
Despite Comdr. Schulz's testimony
that the White House attempted to
reach him the night of December 6
and found that he was at a local
theater, Admiral Stark said he was
not informed of any such attempt.
Received Call December 7.
Gen. Marshall insisted that he
knew nothing of any attempt to
reach him until the next morning,
when he received a call from the
War Department that an important
message was in and rushed to his
office.
Before Admiral Stark began testi
fying. Committee Counsel Seth Rich
ardson put into the record several
documents indicating that Winston
Churchill pressed Mr. Roosevelt as
early as February, 1941, to “instill
in Japan anxiety” that a move to
ward Singapore would mean war
with the United States.
Admiral Stark testified that he
knew nothing about receipt of the
message until he went to his office
in a routine way the next morning,
“To the best of my knowledge and
belief.” Admiral Stark said, "the
President did not call me that
night.”
Says He Would Have Acted.
What would he have done if he
had known of the President’s atti
tude? Richardson asked.
"I would have taken action,” the
gray-haired retired admiral replied
firmly. “I would have gone to my
office that night, seen my advisers:
and taken action.
“After any such expression by the
President,” he added. "I think I
would not have rested until I had
seen that dispatch.”
The documents telling of Mr.
Churchill’s actions in 1941 were
obtained by Mr. Richardson from
White House and State Department
files.
One document showed that on
February 15, 1941, Mr. Churchill sent;
'See PEARLThaRBOR. Page~A^L)
Iraq Frontier Posts
Reported Attacked
By Kurd Tribesmen
Troops Declared Moving
Through Oilfield Town
In Northern Area
By the Associated Press
SULAIMANIYA, Iraq. April 9.—
Kurdish sources reported today
that Barzani tribesmen of Mul
lah Mustafa last week attacked
two Iraqi police frontier posts
near the junction of the borders
of Turkey, Iran and Iraq.
The Kurds said they had received!
word that the attacks on Kanirash
and Shirwani Mazn near Girdi
began about a week ago and that
wounded Iraqi soldiers had been
brought to Erbil.
Mullah Mustafa, who has been
reported the leader of a Kurdish
revolt in Iran, was said not to
have returned to Iraq, however.
About 2,000 Iraqi troops have I
been deployed around Erbil from
the south, and the Kurds said they
believed an order had been given
for all Iraqi armed forces to be
moved north into Barzani territory
by mid-April.
Sulaimaniya is in the hills about
60 miles east of Kirkuk
Iraq Military Movements
Through Oil Town Reported
KIRKUK. Iraq. April 7 (Delayed)
i/P).—This oil-field town in Northern
Iraq has been the scene of unusual
military activity for the last two
days, with Iraqi troops arriving on
special trains for undisclosed des
tinations.
The first contingent of soldiers
pulled into the station yesterday.
Additional units arrived today and
drove off in long columns of com
mercial buses. The troop trains were
composed of passenger coaches and
military equipment..
It was learned that at least two
brigades had been deployed near
the Iran frontier within the last
few days.
Alert for Uprisings.
Authorities appeared reluctant to
discuss the maneuvers, but it is no
secret that at this time of year—
when snows are thawing along the
rugger frontier mountain areas—
officials are most alert for possible
tribal uprisings.
Meanwhile, a prominent Kurdish
spokesman said in an interview that
"what we need is to have a United
Nations Committee come out here
and investigate the conditions, hear
our complaints and study Kurdish
problems impartially.’’
He said the Kurds in Iraq could
not appeal directly for a United Na
tions inquiry since "we are eon
troled by the Iraqi government.
The spokesman also expressed dis
trust of big-power conferences and
said that "until about a year ago
America was the best-loved country
in the world. Up to that time we
knew she had no political aims
abroad. But today the Kurds are
just as suspicious of Americans as
of other peoples regarding secret
agreements.’’
Davis' Jail Guard Assignment
Routine Order, Captain Says
Pvt Hubert C. Davis, one of two
policemen suspended for the Med
ley-McFarland jail break, was as
signed to District Jail in so routine
a fashion that none of the men who
might have sent him there can
particularly remember doing so, it
was learned today.
Capt. Benjamin C. Kuehling,
commanding officer of No. 4 pre
cinct. where Pvt. Davis was at
tached. said neither he nor his
subordinates took into considera
tion the fact that Pvt. Davis had
been found guilty of violating po
lice regulations four times.
"There was no reason even to
think of those charges," Capt.
Kuehling said. "He was just as
good a policeman, as far as we
knew, as any man in the precinct.”
Headquarters police officials indi
cate. meanwhile, that men selected
for the jail assignment are chose^
i from "whoever is available" and no
1 effort is made to select men with
special qualifications for jail duty.
Assignment of police to the jail!
came after the Board of Public Wei-!
fare told the District Commissioners'
the jail was insufficiently guarded
and asked for police help. The
Commissioners told the late Col.
Edward J. Kelly, superintendent of
police, to supply the detail.
When police were assigned to the
jail last December, it was explained,
each precinct was ordered to fur
nish a man. Routinely, assignments
are made at the day roll calls by the
captain or lieutenant but the men
who work the midnight-to-8 a.m.j
shift may get their assignments
from a sergeant.
Capt. Robert C. Pearce of No. C
precir.ct, to which Pvt. Oscar C.;
Sanderlin. the other suspended po-!
tSee GUARD, Page A-4j |
France Agrees 1
To Meeting of
Big 4 Ministers
Way Cleared for Move
To Break Deadlock
On Peace Parley Date
French agreement today cleared i
the way for the Big Four Foreign:
Ministers to meet in Paris April:
25 for an attempt to break a;
deadlock threatening postpone
ment of the 21-nation European!
peace conference scheduled toj
convene May 1.
Foreign Minister Georges Bidauls ’
announced in Paris today that his!
government had accepted Secretary!
of State Byrnes' suggestion for the
April 25 meeting, the Associated |
Press reported
Russian and British agreement toj
the proposal was announced by Mr i
Byrnes at a press conference late;
yesterday.
Suggested by Byrnes.
Mr. Byrnes .suggested the meet-'
ing late lai.t week in tile hope that;
it could resolve remaining contro- i
versies among the Big Four in time
to submit proposed peace treaties
with Italy, Romania, Bulgaria. Hun
gary and Finland to the 21-nation
conference as scheduled May 1.
He indicated yesterday, however !
tiiat postponement may be inevita-1
bie, saying that the April 25 meet-;
ing would involve discussion as to .
the date of the larger conference, j
He pointed out that it had been1
intended that other United Nations;
have time to study the treaty drafts
prepared by the Big Four before
going into the conference.
Nevertheless, he is expected to;
press for completion of the peace
treaties as a critically urgent mat
ter in order to speed the removal
of occupation troops from the for
mer Axis satellites and clear the
way for restoration of normal con
ditions as quickly as possible.
Russia Had Objected.
British and French approval of
the Byrnes proposal for a Big Four
Foreign Ministers' meeting was ex
pected. but there had been wide
speculation about Russia's reply be
cause the Soviet Union recently took
the stand that the 21-nation confer
ence would have to be postponed.
This would be necessary, Russia
said, because the deputy foreign
ministers, who had been meeting in
London for the last two months, had
made negligible progress on the
drafts of proposed treaties.
In his proposal for the pre-peace
conference meeting, Mr. Byrnes ac
knowledged that he was "much dis
tressed” at the slow progress made
by the deputies, but urged that their
governments instruct them to pro- !
ceed with all possible speed and
lea\e any major issues on which
they could not agree for foreign
ministers themselves to settle.
The 21-nation conference will not
acutally write the treaties, but will
give smaller nations a chance to be
heard.
Chinese Red Leaders
Missing in U. S. Plane
R> the Associated Press
CHUNGKING, April 9.—Commu
nist headquarters reported today
that a United States Armv transport
plane carrying Gen, Yeh' Ting, for
mer commander of the Communist
new 4th Army, and other party lead
ers to Yenan is missing.
The plane left Chungking yester
day for Yenan, Communist head
quarters. with 14 passengers,
Deng Fa. Chinese delegate to the
recent International Labor Confer
ence in Paris, was one of the pas
sengers.
Others besides Yeh were Delegates
Wang Jo-pei and Chin Po-ku, mem
bers of the recent political consulta
tion conference Steering Committee,
and members of their families.
Search planes ‘are seeking the
transport, which last was reported
in the vicinity of Sian. Names of
the missing plane's crew were not
announced.
The search planes found no trace
of the missing transport.
Yeh was returning to Yenan after
his recent release from five years'
imprisonment in a government con
centration camp
Late Bulletins
Russia Asks U. S. to Drop
Spy Case Against Redin
Government officials re
ported today that Russia has
“suggested” the United States
drop its spy charges against
Soviet Lt. Nicolai G. Redin
unless it can produce more
evidence. Redin. a 29-year
old naval officer was seized
by the FBI at Portland Oreg..
March 26 on espionage
charges.
Iran Jails Ex-Army Chief
TEHERAN M>._Gen. Has
san Arfa, former Iranian chief
of staff who was replaced after
Premier Ahmed Qavam took
office, was arrested here to
day on a charge of “subversive
activities against the govern
ment.” Observers have termed
him “unsympathetic" toward
Russia.
("Earlier Story on Page A-2.)
Induction Ban Rejected
The House Military Affairs
Committee today rejected a
proposal to prohibit draft in
ductions between May 15 and
next February 15 and called
an afternoon session to vote
on a compromise. The com
promise calls for a one-year
extension of the draft law be
yond May 15, with a ban
against inductions until De
cember 15.
(Earlier Story on Page A-5.)
£
v •
___^_, WE7EMADEA ^
f WE ARE PRODUCING SPLENDID RECORD
/ MORE CIVILIAN IN HOLDING
GOODS THAN IN ALL DOWN PRICES! ^
S OUR HISTORY!
I
r1 CANT I GET A SHIRT, j :
A PAIR OF PAJAMAS
\ AND A HOUSE
sS Tb LIVE IN ?'
' --— V --
Nation Is Threatened
With Flour Famine,
Conference Warned
Industry Leader Says
Way Must Be Found to
Get Wheat Off Farms
By Malcolm Lamborne, Jr
An official of the Miller's Na
tional Federation today warned
Agriculture Department officials
that within a few weeks the in
dustry will be unable to supply
flour to either the family or bak
ery trades "unless some effective
way” is found to get wheat off
farms.
Carl McKenzie, federation presi
dent. sounded the warning at a de
partment meeting with some 60 rep
resentatives of the milling and bak
ing industries called here to discuss
a proposal to reduce domestic con
sumption of flour by 25 per cent
to aid famine areas abroad. A
department spokesman earlier de
scribed the plan as rationing at
the source. '
Closing of Mills Predicted.
"We are approaching rapidly a
dwindling wheat supply." Mr. Mc
Kenzie declared at the outset of
the meeting, in which strong op
position to the Government proposal
developed.
He predicted that virtually every
flour mill in the country would be
forced to shut down 30 days before
the next harvest, and added: "And
that goes for bakeries."
Representatives of the baking in
dustry predicted “a wild scramble"
for bakery products if the reduction
order goes in effect. They also
pointed out that there would be no
j assurances that the small retail
: bakers would be able to get their
fair share of flour from mills or
jobbers.
■ Warns of Black Market.
John t. McCarthy, president of
| the American Bakers' Association,
I contended in a statement yesterday
the proposed order would drive bread
and bakery products into the black
market.
1 One Agriculture Department offi
jcial was quoted as saying the prob
j lem was to recapture some of the
| flour going into domestic consump
jtion now that this country is falling
(behind in its shipments of wheat to
j famine-stricken countries.
The quota proposal would go be
yond the practice of placing wheat
; conservation on a voluntary basis.
CIO and AFL Call Strike
At 7 Sugar Refineries
Ry the Associated Press
CIO and AFL unions today called
| a strike effective at midnight. Sat
j urday at seven East Coast refineries
| which process 70 per cent of the
j Nation’s cane sugar.
The unions said they had reached
! an impasse in negotiations with
1 refining companies. They said the
companies had refused to accept
as binding recommendations of a
fact-finding pane! appointed by
(Secretary of Labor Schwellenbach.
The unions, claiming that more
1 than 8,000 workers at seven Atlantic
I Coast plants would be involved in
the walkout, said they were still
willing to arbitrate their wage de
mands.
; Operations will be closed down
| at the following plants: Revere
! Sugar Refining Co. and American
'Sugar Refining Co.. Boston: Na»
(tional Sugar Refining Co.. New
York: National Sugar Refining Co.,
W. J. McCann Co. and Franklin
Sugar Refining Co.. Philadelphia,
and the American Refining Co..
(Baltimore The McCann and Frank
lin plants are subsidiaries of Amer
ican Sugar Refining Co.
Soviet Army Reported
Evacuating Harbin
By the Associated Press
' CHUNGKING. April 9.—A semi
: official Central News Agency dis
patch from Harbin reported today
(that Soviet forces are evacuating
(that city. It gave no indication
| whether Chinese forces were mov
:ing in.
The Sino-American Committee of
Three, with substitutes a a -ig for
both Chinese members, will :ve to
morrow for Mukden to at apt a
settlement of serious dispu a be
tween Communists and gover lent
forces over control of Manchuria.
It will stop at Peiping en ro.\ite.
Meat Black Mart
Out of Control,
Packers Say
By the Associated Press
Representatives of major meat
packers asserted todat the black
market in meat is out of control,
the price system in tire- industry
has broken down and the "onl;.
remedy is removal of price controls.
Wesley Hardenbergh, president of
the American Meat Institute, led off
the attack on OPA policies beiore
the Senate Agriculture Committee
and was backed up by other packers
from Illinois. Montana and Cali
fornia
Senator Connally. Democrat, of
Texas asked Mr. Hardenbergh
whether he thought the consumers
would get a fair share" if Congress
removed subsidies and abolished
price control in the industry. Mr
Hardenbergh said he certainly did.
"This industry's very existence is
threatened by the wasteful, scandal
ous, widespread and flagrant black
market which has been made pos
sible by the Price Control Act." Mr.
Hardenbergh asserted.
Sugar Quota Restored,
Senate Unit Approves
Filipino Trade Bill
Only Slight Opposition
To Measure Reported
In Committee Vote
By J. A. O'Leary
The Senate Finance Commit
tee today approved the Philip
pine trade bill after restoring the
sugar quota to the original
amount of 850.000 long tons a
year. The House had cut the
quota to 850.000 short tons, a re
duction of 102.000 short tons.
Acting Chairman Walsh said there
was no record vote, but it was re
liably reported that not more than
three or four members objected to
the restoration
Paul V. McNutt, high commis
sioner to the Philippines, and Brig..
Gen. Carlos Romulo. resident com
missioner from the Philippines, had
joined in urging the Senate com
mittee to allow the original sugar
quota, contending that Cuba is the
only country in a position to gain
from lowering the Philippine quota.
The bill sets forth a compre
hensive agreement to govern traae
between the United States and the
Philippines during the first 28 years
of island independence, which starts
July 4. It allows eight years of free
trade, followed by 20 years of grad
ual application of tariff duties, to
enable the Philippines to make a
gradual transition to the status of
a sovereign nation.
The measure is a recognition of
the part the Filipino people played
in the fight against the Japanese
and the fact that their homeland
was left devastated by the war.
This bill, together with the Philip
pine war damage measure now
awaiting House action, is intended
to help the islands to recover from
the effects of the war.
In addition to sugar, the bill fixes
quotas on imports to the United
States of Philippine cordage, rice,
cigars, scrap and filler tobacco, coco
nut oil and buttons.
Truman is Not Planning
To See Atom Test, Ross Says
President Truman has no plans to
witness the forthcoming atomic
bomb test at Bikini Atoll, White
House Press Secretary Charles G.
Ross said today. He added that he
thought it “extremely improbable"
that Mr. Truman would attend.
Mr. Ross repeated, however, that
(he President is considering going
to Manila July 4, for the Philippine
independence celebration. Mr. Ross'
statement was prompted by pub
lished reports that the President
was considering viewing the bomb
tests in connection with his Philip
pine trip.
The secretary atso asserted that
there has been no further post
ponement of the atom bomb tests,
now scheduled to begi^July 1.
Hard-Cut Agency Bill
Goes to House Floor;
Budget Bureau Hit
Commerce and State
Take Stiff Slashes in
$358,825,758 Measure
P y the Associated Press
Demanding elimination of what
it called a •'deeply entrenched
* * * spending psychology” among
Federal officials, the House Ap
propriations Committee today
recommended deep slashes in
State, Commerce and Justice De
partment funds.
It sent to the House floor a
S358.825.758 bill to finance the three
departments and the Federal judici
ary for the fiscal year starting next
July 1. The total represents a 13
per cent cut from budget estimates
but a $40,510,759 boost over cur
rest year funds.
B;' agencies the money was ear
marked: $143,024,000 for Commerce.
S104,783.408 for State. $95,168,250 for
Justice and $15,850,100 for the
judiciary.
All but a small part of the increase
went to the Commerce and State
Departments, whose foreign work
has been augmented by war's end.
Those two departments, too. took
the major budget reductions, 18
per cent in the case of the State'
Department and 17 per cent for
Commerce.
Intelligence Funds Out.
The committee allowed no funds:
at all for the Sta^e Department's
separate intelligence unit, chopped
its estimate for expanded cultural
relations activities almost in half
and sharply pared Commerce De
partment requests for the Census
Bureau and the Civil Aeronautics
Administration
The committee approved a State
Department budget almost five
times as large as the last pre-war
budget after hearing Secretary of
State Byrnes behind closed doors.
Although the Budget Bureau is
not directly affected by the bill, the
committee rapped the knuckles of
that agency with these words in its
formal report to the House:
'"It is strongly urged that the Bu
reau of the Budget devote more time
to over-all co-ordination of the
functions and activities of the var
ious departments and agencies of
Government generally and less to
the issuance of directives governing
details of administrative manage
ment and planning. There is too
much duplication of effort in the
Government, and the Bureau of the
Budget • * * is the logical and only
organization to undertake this
reform."
Psychology of Spending.
Of Federal spending generally the
committee had this to say:
“There seems to have developed
during the war years what some
have termed 'a spending psychol
ogy' and the committee is fearful
that this spending psychology has
become somewhat too deeply en
trenched ill the minds of the offi
cials responsible for the operation
of our Federal establishments. It
must be eliminated." *
In chopping $9,284,778 from the
State Department’s request for
$19,284,778 to expand its informa
tion and cultural program to in
clude Europe, as well as the West
(See APPROPRIATIONS, Page A-4)
Halsey in Naval Hospital
With Respiratory Infection
By the Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA. April 9.—Ad
miral William F. Halsey, jr„ 65. was
resting comfortably in Philadelphia
Naval Hospital early today, suffer
ing from an “upper respiratory in
fection." the Navy announced.
Admiral Halsey, who had been
suffering for several days "with
symptoms of a common cold, is in
veiy good condition.” Capt. Howard
H. Montgomery, commanding offi
cer ol the hospital, said.
“There appears no cause for
alarm.” Capt. Montgomery added,
pointing out the admiral was
Drought to the naval hospital here,
“where all facilities for examina
tion and treatment are available."
Admiral Halsey’s home is in Wil
mington, Del. He recently was ap
pointed vice president of Pan
American Airways trans-Pacific
service, and was to assume his new
job on retirement fr^n the Navy.
New Senate Bill
To Merge All
Arms Drafted
Defense Department
Would Replace War
And Navy Secretaries
By the Associated Press
Proposed legislation abolishing
the present War and Navy De
partments and establishing a
single new "department of com
mon defense” was made public
today by the Senate Military
Affairs Committee.
The measure is intended to carry
out President Truman's request for
unification of the armed forces.
Drafted after months of closed
ioor sessions and recommended by
o three-man subcommittee, the bill
would taise the air forces to equal
tank with the Arm'.- and Navy and
olace all three under a single new
cabinet member, to be known as the
secretary of common defense.”
Date Left to President.
Although a complete new plan for
organization of the armed forces was
presented, actual date for abolition
of the present War and Navy De
partments would be determined by
■he President
Tiie legislation was drafted by
Chairman Elbert Thoma.-. Senator
Austin. Republican, of Vermont,
ranking Republican member of the
committee, Senator Hill. Democrat,
of Alabama. Democratic whip, and.
representatives of the War and
and Navy Departments.
Piesident Truman was shown the
proposed bill last week by Chairman
Thomas
Air Force Given Autonomy.
The three Senators, in a report,
accompanying the legislation, sum
marizea it this way:
"A single department is created
The air force is given autonomy.
Integrated strategic plans and a
unified military program and budget
are provided for. Civilian control
is clearly fixed in a single civilian,
subject to the direction of the Pres
ident. An organization structure is
set up which will faster co-ordina
tion between the military and the
remainder of the Government. A
unified system of training for com
bined operation for land, sea and
air is provided for. under the direc
tion cf an assistant secretary. And
lastly, within the broad framework
established by the bill, there is ample
opportunity for such further organ
ization changes and improvements
as experience indicates to be neces
sary or advisable."
Other Civilian Leaders.
In addition to the proposed new
secretary of common defense, who
would take over present duties of
Secretaries of War and Navy, the
new department would include the.-e
civilian leaders:
An undersecretary of common
defense.
Secretaries for the Army. Navy
and air forces, all serving under the
cabinet member.
Four assistant secretaries who
would head up scientific research,
intelligence activities, procurement
of supplies, and educational and
training activities.
The military side would include:
A chief of staff to tire new secre
tary. who would replace the present
wartime chief of staff to the Presi
dent. This place would be rotated
among various services.
Defense Council Included.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff repre
senting commanders of the Army,
Nary and air forces. This also is
a wartime agency but would be
shifted from the President to the
new secretary
Commanders of the land, sea and
air forces.
A new "council of comon defense"
would be created, which would in
clude the Secretary of State, the
secretary of common defense and
the cnairman of the national se
curity resources board.
The security resources board
would be a permanent organization
"to establish policies and programs
foi use of resources in peace and
war for national security.
A new "central intelligence
agency" also would be created, re
porting to the council of common
defense.
Clark Upholds 61 Job Rights
In Temporary U. S. Units
Attorney General Clark ruled to
day that veterans who held perma
nent civil service status in temporary
Government agencies before they
went to war are entitled to re
employment rights.
Tiie Justice Department said Mr.
Clark's ruling reversed an earlier
decision of former Attorney General
Biddle, who had held that despite
permanent civil service status, vet
erans who had been emplot ed in
temporary agencies had no legal
rights.
It was explained that the Clark
opinion holds where the temporary
agencies were "an integral part" of
a permanent agency.
The ruling came in response to an
inquiry from the Interior Depart
ment. which had veterans seeking
their old jobs back in four temporar y
agencies now abolished or in process
of being liquidated.
Ths agencies included Bituminous
Coal Division, Coal Mines Adminis
tration. Solid Fuels Administration
for War and the War Relocation
Authority.
New Overseas Edition
Will Be Out Tomorrow
A new issue of The Star's
Overseas Edition will be ready
tomorrow. Free copies, with
envelopes for mailing, may be
obtained at The Star’s busi
ness counter and the street
floor service desk in Lans
burgh’s Department Store.,
The edition is strictly lim
ited. Please don’t waste a
single copy.