Evening star. [volume], June 30, 1946, Image 1

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/ 1 L________
An Associated Press Newspaper
No. 2,152-No. 37,311. _ WASHINGTON, I). €., JUNE 30, 3946-100 PAGES. ZTSSm, TEN CENTS, if.,^7.8
^Truman Asks Nation to Hold Line
With Voluntary Price Control;
All OPA Curbs End at Midnight
r __ • ---.----- _
President Appeals
In Broadcast for
War on Inflation
(Text on Page A-2.)
By Joseph A. Fox
President Truman last night
urged American business to hold
'■ the line on prices voluntarily un
til statutory controls can be re
established.
With the OPA dying tonight at
midnight as the result of th%
President's blistering veto of ex
tension legislation he condemned
as "a sure formula for inflation,”
Mr. Truman went on the air to ex
plain his course, and to express his
conviction that "patriotism and
good sense” will preserve price sta
, bllization until Congress has had
T another opportunity to provide the
legislation he seeks.
\ "I call upon every businessman.
’• every producer and every landlord
-40 adhere to existing regulations,
even though for a short period they
may not have the effect of law,”
Mr. TTuman said.
Appeals to People.
At the same time, in a direct ap
peal to the people themselves, the
Chief Executive declared "your de
termination to retain price controls
and so prevent inflation must be
■imade known to the Congress."
“ “The will of the people is still the!
supreme law of our land." the I
President asserted in a passage i
reminiscent of his radio speech in,
January asking for help on his,
r' stymied legislative program.
Mr. Truman also informed his
listeners that the present shortage
of various commodities had been
brought to the attention of the At
torney General, who has been in
structed "to determine whether any
one is criminally responsible for
them and to place the responsibility
where it belongs.”
Veto Message Condensed.
The President’s speech, carried
over the major networks, was largely
a condensation of the veto message
which he hurled at Congress yester
day with demand for a continuing
resolution to peflnlt OP A to carry
on as at present, until a new law,
whose framework he outlined, could
be enacted for the next year.
As in the veto message, his prin
cipal fire last night was directed at
amendments sponsored by Senators
Taft, of Ohio, and Wherry, of Ne
braska, and Representative Craw
ford, of Michigan, all Republicans,
and he singled out the Taft pro
posal for particular castigation.
Under this amendment, he said,,
"there would be thousands of need
less price increases amounting to
many billions of dollars. The Taft
amendment provides that the manu
facturer shall receive for each arti
cle the profit which he made on
that article in 1941 and that he may
add to the 1941 selling price all in
creases in cost which have occurred
since that time. In 1941 the manu
facturer received a much greater
profit out of each dollar of sales
than at any time in the five preced
ing years or in any of the five fol
lowing wartime years. In fact,
profit margins in 1941 were 50 per
cent greater than in the banner
year 1929.
• "Volume of sales is much greater
today than in 1941, so that manu
facturers would have received a
bonanza. In addition, Senator
Taft's fellow Republicans, Senator
Wherry and Representative Craw
ford. put amendments into the bill
which made sure that not only
would the manufacturers’ price in
creases be borne by the public but
that such increases would be pyra
mided by generous wholesalers' and
retailers’ mark-ups."
Citing a few examples,” the Presi
dent quoted the dollar-and-cents
effect of the amendments on hous
ing, low-priced automobiles, cloth
ing and farm machinery, and the
spiraling effect these would have
elsewhere.
Asserting that the “only possible
justification" for these boosts is
that they would spur production,
the Chief Executive said that still
would be a terrific price” to pay.
“The fact is. however,” Mr.
Truman continued, "that produc
tion would not be stimulated by the
Taft amendment, but would be
(See TRUMAN, Page AST)
Ringleaders in ’Plot’
Arrested by Romania
By th» Associated Press
BUCHAREST, Romania, June 29.
—Premier Pet'ru Groza declared
today that all ringleaders in a plot
directed at military resistance
against Russia and a violent over
throw of his government had been
arrested.
Estimates of the number arrested
in a several weeks’ roundup range
from a few hundred to 5,000.
The Premier said of the arrest of
two Romanian employes of the
American mission that it “was per
haps our mistake in not informing
the Americans in advance, but the
secret police did not know they were
employed by the United States.”
In an interview, Groza said
American steps to give physical pro
tection to mission employes to
prevent further arrests were “an
interference in Romanian affairs”
which was “on our agenda.” He
said action would be taken against
Americans responsible.
The Communist press in Romania
has declared the alleged plotters
Intended to collect information for
“foreign powers in case of war be
tween the Anglo-American powers
and the U. S. S. R. and countries
<jef Southeast Europe."
Rent Rise Peril Haunts Nation'
But District Is Safe Till '48
30-Day Grace Is Viewed as Probable;
Realtors Urge 15% Rise Limit
The bugaboo of rising rents haunted most of the Nation last
night as the first reverberation of the Office of Price Administra
tion’s death rattle.
Everywhere but in the District, protected by a separate price!
control act; New York State, shielded by a State law^and Massa
chusetts, saved by a beneficient governor, the specter of soaring
rents loomed with tonight’s expiration of OPA.
Only yesterday President Truman affixed his signature to the
District Rent Control Act, keep-’
ing it alive until December 31,
1947, and freezing rents to their
1941 level. But not so fortunate
were the District's commuting
neighbors in Virginia and Mary
land, exposed to the whims of land
lords for the first time since the
war.
Massachusetts' hopes of avoiding
skyrocketing rents were pinned on
a statement by Gov. Maurice J.
Tobin that he was invoking his war
time powers Monday and freezing
residential rents at their present
ceiling.
Throughout most of the Nation
the tenants’ prospects were not so
bright. A-top stabilization official
summed it up here by predicting
rents would jump “more than 15 per
cent by August 1 unless we get a
quick renewal" of Federal rent con
trols.
In nearby Maryland and Virginia
i See RENTS, Page A-4.) i
OPA Workers in D. C.
Ordered to Report
As Usual Tomorrow
Officials Concede
Status of 3,300
Remains in Doubt
(Picture on Page A-1.)
The 3,300 OPA employes In
Washington will be “on the job
as usual’’ tomorrow, officials of
the agency, slated to die at mid
night tonight, declared yester
day.
"We do not know what our status
will be," officials conceded, but
declared that orders were being
prepared to have all employes
throughout the Nation report for
duty tomorrow.
Administrator Paul A. Porter is
scheduled to address all employes
here in the cafeteria at OPA head
auartert, the Federal Office Build
ing, Second and D streets S.W., at
4:30 p.m. tomorrow. This meeting,
officials said, was called on Friday,
before President Truman's veto of
the new OPA legislation was an
nounced yesterday.
ut'A autnonties said that as of
May 31, the latest figures available,
there was a grand total of 34,009
employes in the organization, all
over the Nation, including those
in Washington. There are 1,800
local price boards, 66 district offices,
500 area rent officers and nine
regional offices, including one here
which deals with territories and
possessions. The OPA extended to
Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the
Virgin Iislands and the Canal Zone,
officials explained.
Signs in the corridors of the OPA
building announce tomorrow after
noon’s meeting.
In Baltimore, Deputy State OPA
Director Charles Judge issued orders
for all agency employes in Maryland
to report for work tomorrow morn
ing as usual and to "stand by for
further orders.”
In Atlanta, Alexander Harris,
OPA regional administrator in the
Southeast, called on voluntary
members of OPA price control
boards and all OPA employes to
"stand by your jobs as usual” until
a final determination of OPA’s fate
is made.
The regional OPA office at Atlanta
directs OPA activities in eight
Southeastern States—Virginia, the
Carolinas, Tennessee, Alabama
Georgia, Florida and Mississippi.
On the other hand. Senator Taft,
Republican of Ohio, to whose OPA
amendments President Truman spe
cifically objected in vetoing the OPA
bill, said no funds would be avail
able legally after midnight tonight
to pay OPA expenses or salaries.
And Senator Barkley, majority
leader, told a reporter that “so fai
as I can see,” there just wouldn't
be an OPA tomorrow. The agency
has no authority to spend money
or meet payrolls, he said.
In addition to his talk tomorrow
afternoon to OPA employes here
Price Administrator Porter will gc
on the air (ABC network) tomorrow
at 9:15 pjn„ to tell the agency’s
employes just what their status is
High Officials Study
Effects of OPA End
On Other Agencies
Wage Control Finished;
Industry and Labor
Alike Fear Inflation
By the Associated Press
OPA's powers were snatched
away so quickly yesterday it
threw top Government officials
into huddles to determine what
effect its passing will have on
other emergency programs.
They agreed that:
The wage control plan will die,
too, because the Government's sole
authority over wage increases is its
power to limit compensating price
increases.
*Ana me omy price control that
can be salvaged will be through
companion laws, such as those reg
ulating housing and slaughtering of
livestock.
Chairman W. Willard Wirtz of
the National Wage Stabilization
Board said that existing pay con
trols have been hinged to the OPA
law and, without one, ‘‘all wage
control is out completely."
Early this year the Government
told employers they could raise
wages as 'they pleased. There was
one hitch, and it alone gave the
Government a check on pay rates.
This was a requirement that any
wage increase—in order to be a
factor that OPA would recognize in
arranging prices—must win the ap
proval of the Stabilization Board.
Served as Wage Check.
‘‘There is no doubt,” Mr. Wirtz
declared, "but. that this requirement
served as a check on both manage
ment and labor to keep wages with
in the standards established by the
Wage Stabilization Board.”
Stabilization officials frankly
feared a sharp inflation, followed
by new wage demands from labor
which, if granted, would send prices
still higher. Industry has acknowl
edged prices would rise, but said
they would drop as production in
creased.
President Truman said he could
not tell “how many billions of dol
lars" Americans would have to pay
for the OPA bill which he vetoed.
Without any bill, price increases
will “come much more quickly, and
will be greater and broader" than
those Mr. Truman spoke of, an of
ficial of the Office of Economic
Stabilization said.
Mr. Truman said that under the
bill building materials would jump
about 20 per cent in cost, steel $4
to $8 a ton. automobiles $225 to $250,
washers and refrigerators, 25 to 30
per cent.
The prices of clothing, he said,
would go up 15 per cent on the
average and they are “already too
high.”
Organized Industry itself was
concerned and apparently resojved
not to let inflation get out of hand.
The United States Chamber of
Commerce urged businessmen to
use “unrelenting self restraint” in
setting new prices, and to seek
“only normal profits.”
Sugar rationing most likely will
(See EFFECTS, Page A-5.)
Two Bills Signed Settling Draft,
Service Pay, Army Discharges
By Miriam Ottenberg
Pay increases for all servicemen
and sharply reduced discharge re
quirements were assured yesterday
when President Truman signed the
19-45 age bracket draft extension
measure and a companion bill to
raise the pay of officers and en
listed men.
As soon as the President signed
the draft extension bill—with its
discharge provisions—the War De
partment set the wheels in motion
to release an estimated 475,000 draft
ees between July and November.
The pay increase measure, which
the President signed in time ior it
to go into effect July 1, grants raises
ranging from 50 per cent for
privates and apprentice seamen to
10 per cent for upper bracket gen
erals and admirals.
With the draft pool reduced to
approximately 10,000 men a month
through the ban on calling 18-yaa^
olds, the War Department is pin
ning it hopes on voluntary enlist
ments on the attraction of higher
pay..
Pay increases granted in monthly
pay to Army enlisted men, with the
same raises for men of correspond
ing rank in the other services, fol
low:
Buck privates, from $50 to $75;
privates first class, $54 to $80; cor
porals, $68 to $90; sergeants, $78 to
$100; stall sergeants, 9$ to $115;
technical sergeants, $114 to $135;
first and master sergeants, $138 to
$165.
For officers, these are the in
creases, based on annual pay:
Second lieutenants and ensigns.
$1,800 to $2,160; 1st lieutenants and
lieutenants, junior grade, $2,000 to
$2,400; captains and lieutenants,
senior grade, $2,400 to $2,760;. majors
(See DRAFT, Page
Efforts to Pass
20-Day Extension
May Take Week j
By J. A. O'Leary
The price control act was left
to die at 12 o'clock tonight w'hen
Congress adjourned for the week
end yesterday without passing
any substitute for the diluted
one-year extension President
Truman vetoed earlier in the
day.
In an atmosphere of recrimina
tion between opponents and sup
porters of OPA as to whether the
President or Congress was responsi
ble for the killing, it may take a
week to drive through the House
and Senate a revival resolution.
Friends of OPA will try to pass
quickly a simple extension of the
old law until July 20, to let com
mittees work out a stronger bill
than the one the President vetoed.
In both Houses, however, this reso
lution will be open to amendment,
and it is possible that by next Sat
urday the President may have on
his desk another measure as objec
tionable as the one he turned down]
yesterday.
All Contrails Oft.
What happens throughout the
country this week, with all controls
off, Is likely to have a decisive in
fluence on the lawmakers. If prices
go up rapidly the pressure will be
greater on Congress to revive the
law with teeth in it. If. on the
other hand, prices do not soar, the
effect will be to strengthen the
hands of those who are out to end
control.
Here are the high lights of a hec
tic day on Capitol Hill that began
in the morning with the unexpected
news that Mr. Truman had vetoed
the curtailed bill, against the ad
vice of administration leaders of
the House and Senate.
1. The House sustained the veto
within an hour. This killed the new
price-control program without the
necessity of Senate action. The vote
was 173 to override and 142 to sus
tain—far short of the two-thirds
required to override.
2. Within five minutes, Chairman
Spence of the House Banking Com
mittee sought unanimous consent
for immediate consideration of a
stop-gap resolution to keep OPA
alive until July 20. but Representa
tives Short, Republican, of Missouri,
and Wollcott, Republican, of Michi
gan, objected.
Rules Committee Called.
3. The House Rules Committee
then was called into session, and,
after more post-mortems as to who
caused the death of the vetoed bill,
granted a special rule which would
have given the House a chance to
act yesterday on a temporary ex
tension if two-thirds of the mem
bership could be mustered to sus
pend the ordinary rules.
4. While the House Rules Com
mittee was still in session, however,
word came that the Senate had
aajournea at 4:30 p.m. until Mon
day. This meant that, no matter
what the House did, OPA was des
tined to die at midnight Sunday.
5. Tomorrow the House will take
up the 20-day revival resolution
under a rule which will make any
number of amendments in order and
in the Senate, Senator Wagner,
Democrat of New York, will* renew
his effort, which failed yesterday, to
get immediate consideration of a
similar resolution there.
War Powers Act Signed.
There had been some speculation
at the Capitol that the President
might find among his war powers
some authority to breathe a spark of
life into OPA tonight, but any hope
of such a development faded last
night when Mr. Truman signed a
bill extending the Second War
Powers Act.
For Senator Moore, Republican of
Oklahoma, had written into that
bill a sweeping provision forbidding
the President to use these war
powers, or any other law, for the
purpose of controlling prices or
rents.
Incidentally, the effect of OP As
death on rents throughout the coun
try will be watched with special in
terest by members of Congress, be
cause rent control was one phase
of the stabilization program that
would not have been changed by
the bill the President vetoed. Wash
ington, however, has its own sepa
rate rent law, which was continued
(See OPA, Page A-3J
Retail Price Rise by June
Equals Increase for All '45
iy tHp Associated Press
Retail consumer prices jumped
2 per cent during the first half of
1946, or approximately as much as
the Increase for all of 1945.
Reporting this yesterday the Bu
reau of Labor Statistics said that
wholesale prices rose 5 per cent or
“five times as much as during com
parable periods of 1944 and 1945.”
The bureau viewed the average
wholesale yJrice increase as “of ma
jor significance for future price de
velopments.”
Noting that agricultural and non
agricultural commodities shared al
most equally in the wholesale price
.advance, the bureau said:
“These increases, most of which
came in late spring and early sum
mer, may be expected to cause fur
ther advances In prices of consumer
goods as the full effects are car
ried through to a retail level."
Among retail price increases al
ready in 1946 the agency reported
increases of 8 per cent for clothing,
3 per cent for food and 4 per cent
for houeefumiahings. y
Did the President *
(In Ending the Railroad Strike)
Deceive the American People?
(Senator Wayne Morse of Oregon has written an article
for the Christian Register (Unitarian) which that publica
tion has distributed to newspapers for release today. In the
article Senator Morse repeats his charge that the President
was guilty of a "hoax” in announcing the end of the rail
strike in the course of his speech to Congress on May 26 and
he incidentally charges the newspapers with incompetently
reporting the facts of the settlement. The Star assigned its
labor reporter. James Y. Newton, to a thorough investigation
of Senator Morse's charges and leaves to the reader the
judgment as to where the truth lies. Senator Morse's article
and Mr. Neu'ton’s article appear below.)
'The Inside Story of
Truman's Draft-Labor Hoax'
By Senator Wayne L. Morse
Copmsht. 184«, The Chriitien Rctiittr
(UniUmAi
The American press has accepted,
without searching out the facts, the
story that Truman didn’t know
about the railroad settlement be
fore he made his speech to Con
gress urging forceful compulsion of
the strikers if they didn't capitulate.
Anyone who told the press such
a thing didn’t help the cause of
Truman any by such a misstate
ment.
I tell you that Truman pulled a
hoax on the American people, and
I think one of the saddest things
about it all has been the failure of
American journalism to show it up
jbecause all the facts are so easily
available to any newspaperman who
wants to dig them out. There isn't
;any good reason why they Haven't
: been dug out.
The surrender terms of the strik
j ing Brotherhoods was agreed upon
I in my office about 9 o'clock Saturday
morning, May 25.
Negotiation Only Wish.
| By 10:30 that morning it was
known at the White House by the
President's advisers that Whitney
and Johnston had no intention of
going through with the strike, but
only wished to negotiate with the
President's advisers or the President
himself on the basis of the Presi
dent's own Emergency Board report.
They certainly were entitled to a
chance to conduct such negotiations
because—and this point must not be
overlooked—the set of rules granted
by the President’s own Emergency
Board were of much greater import
ance to the engineers and trainmen
than most of the other 18 Brother
hoods.
They couldn t get anywhere at
the White House, so they went over
to the State Department and saw
Jimmy Byrnes. He left the State
Department'and went to the White
House for the purpose of discussing
the proposal with Steelman.
At about 11:30 Steelman notified
Byrnes, Whitney and Johnston that
the President had instructed him
(Steelman) not to carry on any
more negotiations with Whitney and
Johnston in the name of the Presi
dent. Why did the President take
that action?
Details Only Problem.
I think it is perfectly obvious that
he knew that inside of three min
utes, if he met with Whitney and
Johnston, any paper he wanted
them to sign would be signed, be
cause they made clear to Byrnes
and to Steelman that there would
not be any strike at 4 o’clock and
all they wanted to do was to work
out the details of the settlement.
It was the President’s clear pub
lic obligation to do everything he
could on behalf of the American
people to negotiate a settlement and
accept Whitney’s and Johnston's
surrender, but it is obvious that
that would have required him to
change the -complete stage settings
for the 4 o’clock show. Hence he
allowed Steelman to keep Whitney
and Johnston coolipg their heels
for hours on Saturday while Steel
man went through the motions of
signing an agreement with the other
18 brotherhoods who had made clear
days before that they were going
to take the 18!* cents.
It wasn't until late in the after
noon, about the time that the Presi
dent left for Capitol Hill, that Steel
man called in Whitney and John
(See MORSE, Page A74J "
Radio Programs, Page C-8
Complete Index, Pau A-2
■
A Reporter's Story
Of the Strike Settlement
By James Y. Newton
Senator Mom's charges that
President Truman knew in advance
of his speech before the joint ses
sion of Congress May 25 that the
railroad strike was settled are not
supported by accounts of events of
that day given The Star by persons
on all sides of the big rail dispute.
All evidence resulting from
thorough investigation of happen
ings in the final hours before ac
ceptance of strike-ending terms by
the Brotherhoods of Locomotive En
gineers and Railway Trainmen
points to the fact that the President
could not have known that a settle
ment was reached.
It will be recalled that Mr. Truman
interrupted his speech, in which he
asked Congress for broad emergency
powers to deal with strikes aghinst
the Government as he considered
the rail stoppage, to announce dra
matically. settlement of the railroad
strike. He had started speaking at
4 p.m. Ten minutes later, Leslie
Biffle, secretary of the Senate,
handed him a note bearing the
settlement news.
Attacked Two Days Later. I
Two days later. Senator Morse,
Oregon Republican, bitterly at
tacked the President, saying that
he staged the show at the Capitol
and that Mr. Truman was guilty of
"one of the cheapest exhibitions of
ham acting I have ever seen, be
cause he knew full well, before he
w’ent to the rostum, what the posi
tion of the American railroad
workers was.” The Senator intro
duced a resolution for a Senate
Labor Committee investigation of
Government handling of the rail
dispute in general and especially
of his charge that the administra
tion knew far in advance of 4 p.m.
that the strike would be over by
that time.
Senator Morse elaborates on his
charges in the accompanying Chris
tian Register article. He told The
Star he would push for action on
his resolution this week. He said
that witnesses “testifying under
oath” would bear out his charges,
and that he would like to call all
White House aides below the Presi
dent, who had anything to ao with
the rail case, including John R.
Steelman, the labor adviser, who
handled the mediation; the princi
pal representatives of the railroads
and rail labor, who took part in the
negotiations.
The Star undertook this investi
gation in an effort to get to the
bottom of the Morse charges in the
Christian Register article, remind
(See NEWTON~Page A-4.)
Conferees Approve
2-Million Rise in U. S.
Payments to District
t
Senate Gets Compromise
On Lump-Sum Increase
For Added Expenses
By Don S. Warren
An immediate $2,000,000 in
crease in the Federal payment
toward costs of the National
Capital was recommended last
night by House and Senate con
ferees on the 1947 District ap-;
propriation bill, in a move to
break the deadlock over the
measure.
The compromise proposal to end
the fight over the Senate’s demand
I for raising the old $6,000,000 lump
[sum payment to $10,000,000 is to
be called up for action in the
Home tomorrow.
If approved there. Senate rati
fication is expected to follow
promptly. If not, the contest Is
expected to be carried on toward
the closing days of this session.
Other lames Settled.
All Issues between the House and
Senate over the city supply bill,
except the size of the Federal share
of costs, have been settled. The
bill calls for outlays totaling $76,
755,009, or $2,717,900 less than what
the Senate had approved at first,
^nd $4,170,000 more than the House
I had approved in its first action on i
the bill. It is $4,750,000 below the!
budget submitted by the President i
and the Commissioners.
The compromise $8,000,000 Federal
payment was recommended by al
most all members of the Conference
Committee shortly after the House
by a roll call vote of 194 to 98 in
sisted late yesterday that the size
of the payment be kept down to
the $6,000,000 level.
Against this, the Senate Friday
had unanimously agreed to a mo
tion by Senator O’Mahoney, Demo
crat. of Wyoming, chairman of the
Senate conferees, insisting on a $10.
000,000 Federal payment and asking
the House for further negotiations.
Hope for Compromise.
House conferees, headed by Rep
resentative Gary, Democrat, of Vir
ginia, voiced hope the House would
agree to the compromise of adding
$2,000,000 to the House payment and
taking an equal sum off the Senate
proposal.
Senator O'Mahoney said the Sen
ate conferees had agreed ‘'reluc
tantly” to the move to reduce the
figure to the halfway $8,000,000. ‘‘It
doesn't begin to meet the problem
which Congress has placed on the
District,” he said. “It is our posi
tion that when Congress has con
sistently increased the ‘District's
burden, then Congress must bear
its responsibilities.”
Senator O'Mahoney added that
Congress had granted pay raises to
District employes amounting to al
most $6,000,000 without providing
means of meeting the extra costs.
The District government begins
the hew fiscal year at midnight to
night, without passage as yet of its
appropriation bill, but facing the
definite prospect of a $2,270,000
deficit unless the Federal payment
is upped.
Even the compromise proposal
for raising the Federal payment to
$8,000,000 will leave the District
(See D. C. BUDGET, Rage 5.)
Funereal Feeling Grips Nevada
As Crew Prepares Her for Test
By W. H. Ship pen, Jr.
Star Stoff Correspondent
ABOARD USS NEVADA, June 29.
—An eerie atmosphere pervaded
this orange bullseye of the atomic
bomb target fleet today as her crew
made her shipshape for what ap
pears her final mission.
From flashing white decks under
14-inch batteries to the forecastle
there was a weird funereal feeling
in the air—a feeling belonging
partly to the past but mostly to the
future as contained in the new few
days.
The crew has groomed her from
stem to stern until, except for
fantastic colors, she looks fit to
stand inspection by the Commander
in Chief.
All is in readiness for the big test.
As we boarded her ^day, the Ns
vada, anchored fore and aft, rode
as solidly in blue Bikini lagoon as
if imbedded in concrete on a bot
tom 25 fathoms down.
With orange hull and superstruc
ture and white horizontal surfaces
—the blue Union Jack at her bow
and the Stars and Stripes floating
from the taffrail, the Nevada
makes a picture long to be remem
bered.
Off the starboard beam several
hundred yards away stands the
rusted, battered remnants of the
Japanese Imperial Fleet—the once
proud Nagato with her pagoda-like
foretop ragged against the sky and
guns askew. Astern on the port side
a mile or so away, is the German
heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen, stream
lined lean and low iiythe water.
Atomic Test On;
Drop Is Set tor
4:30 P.M. Today
40,000 Quit Bikini
After Blandy Signals
Start of Experiment
ALL DISTRICT STATIONS to carry
reports of atom bomb blast. A-8.
ATOM TEST SCIENTIST warns
public that bomb may be fizzle.
Page A-8.
EXPERTS URGE drastic steps to
lessen effect of atomic attack on
United States. Page A-9.
By Don Whitehead
’Associated Press Staff Correspondent
ABOARD U. S. S. APPALACHI
AN, BIKINI, Sunday, June 30.—
Despite a sudden clouding up in
the weather, Vice Admiral W. H.
P. Blandy gave the signal today
for the start of history’s great
est military experiment — the
dropping of an atomic bomb on
the target fleet in Bikini Lagoon.
The drop was set for 8:30 a.m.
tomorrow (4:30 p.m. today EST).
The decision was made after
weather experts informed the task
force commander that the cloud
cover would be about 20 to 30 per
cent and visibility would be about
12 miles.
Admiral Blandy can scratch his
plans up to 10 p.m. tonight (8:00
am., EST) without any serious dis
ruption in the complex machinery
of ships, airplanes and men.
If plans for tomorrow’s test are
changed by that time it would be
possible to make adjustments for
another try on Wednesday, assum
ing meteorological conditions are
satisfactory for that day.
(First official word that the
atomic bomb has been dropped
will be heard in a broadcast by
a “neutral voice.” representing
no single press or radio agency.
Rear Admiral H. B. Miller, Navy
public relations chief, said in
Washington yesterday.)
40.000 Evacuating Atoll.
The evacuation of Bikini lagoon
is now under way. Some 40.000
military personnel, scientists, cor
respondents and observers must be
clear of the lagoon by 5 pm. (1 am.
EST). leaving only skeleton crews
to make last-minute adjustments to
the scores of instruments, camera
and recording equipment aboard
ships and on islands of Bikini atoll.
Promptly on receipt of Admiral
Blandy s order today, skippers of
more than 100 support ships began
making their vessels ready for sea,
there to take their assigned stations
for the test.
The bulk of the non-target fleet
is steaming out of the lagoon, which
only a few months ago was a little
known region inhabited by a few
score natives who have since been
[evacuated to another island,
i Patrol ships are busy shepherd
ing vessels into the open sea. Every
| ship and every man must be out of
the lagoon two hours before the
bomb is detonated.
Then all that will be left will be
the ghost fleet — silent ships on
which there will be no human being.
The craft will stand around the
bullseve Nevada as guinea pigs of
the first test Of atomic nnwer
against ships.
Radiological Safety Held Sure.
Within a few minutes after the
announcement came from the staff
conference room of the Mount
McKinley, the flagship's hoarse
whistle roared ou* a series of long
blasts.
Skies at the time were clearer
than they had been in several days
and all hands crossed their fingers
in the hope the bomb would be
dropped on time.
Weathermen, who have been
studying conditions both on the
surface and aloft all through the
night, estimated that winds in .the
extreme upper levels would be out
of the northeast and therefore
radiological safety was assured.
The 8:30 a.m. time set by Ad
miral Blandv was one hour ahead
of the schedule decided on davs
ago.
“The forecast looks very favor
which is good from a radiological
“I hope to be able to conduct the
test, tomorrow. I want to empha
(See BIKINI, Paige A-8.) ‘
New Red Peace Offer
Delivered to Chia’ng
•y tho Associated Press
NANKING, June 29.—Gen. George
C. Marshall handed to General
issimo Chiang Kai-shek tonight &
new Communist peace proposal, in
cluding an offer to evacuate the
Northern Manchurian city of Har
bin—toward which Gen. Chiang's
armies were advancing when the
June 7 Manchurian truce was
signed.
The new proposal came after a
day in which the special American
envoy redoubled his efforts to
achieve a settlement before expira
tion of the truce tomorrow noon.
A Communist spokesman said
Chou En-lai. chief Communist ne
gotiator, made the new bid for
peace after the generalissimo had
rejected Gen. Marshall’s suggestion
that the rival factions sign an
“agreement in principle.” leaving
some details for further negotia
tions.
Taft to Answer Truman
In Radio Talk Tonight
By the Associated Press
Senator Taft, Republican, of Ohio,
whose cost-increase amendment to
the OPA was singled out for criti
cism last night by President Tru
man, plans to reply to the President
tonight.
Senator Taft will make an address
over the Mutual Broadcasting Sys
tem from 9 to 9:15 o'clock, giving
his side of the matter, MBS an
nounced. -