Weather Forecast
Sunny, high in mid-80s. Clear tonight, low
about 65. Tomorrow mostly sunny, warm.
Temperatures today—High, 82, at 1:30 p.m.;
low, 61, at 5:54 a.m. Yesterday—High, 82,
at 1:44 p.m.; low, 60, at 5:22 a.m,
(Full Report on Page A-ll.)
Closing N. Y. Morkets—Soles, Poge A-11.
Guide for Readers
Page.
Amusements B-16
Comics _B-14-15
Editorials _A-6
Edit'ial Articles.A-7
Finance . A-ll
Last and Found A-3
Page.
Obituary_A-10
Radio _B-15
Society _B-3
Sports ..A-8-9
Where to Go _B-«
Woman's Page B-9
An Associated Press Newspoper
94th YEAR. No. 37.340 Phone NA. 5000.
WASHINGTON, D. C., MONDAY, JULY 29, 1946-TWENTY-EIGHT PAGES.
Cits Home Delivery. Dally and Sunday
DOe a Month. When 5 Sundari. SI.00
5 CENTS
U. S. Handling of War Contracts
Attacked by Warren in Blast at
Army, Contractors and Officials
4 Officers Cited;
GAO Helpless,
Controller Says
MAY LETTER to constituents de
fends position in probe. Page A-'
By Miriam Ottenberg
Controller General Lindsay
Warren today leveled a blast at
Army officers, war contractors
and Government officials in &
general indictment of the Gov
ernment's handling of war con
tracts.
Testifying before the Senate War
Investigating Committee, he charged
specifically that:
1. At least four Army officers,
whom he named, took high-paying
jobs with companies immediately
after completing contract termina
tion settlements with the same
companies.
2. War contractors were permitted
to switch from cost-plus to fixed-fee
contracts after the contracts were
completed in order, he said, to
avoid a General Accounting Office
audit and to get more money. In
one instance the switch took place
after the contract was completed,
on the grounds that it would expe
dite the progress of the war—al
though the war was over by that
time.
•‘Moron Could Have Made Audit.”
3. The GAO got so little infor
mation from the War Department
on which to audit contract ter
minations that "a 10-vear-old mo
ron could complete the audit in IC
seconds.”
4. As an example of what it could
do under its limited powers, the
GAO recovered more than $100,000,
000 in on-the-spot audits of cost
plus contracts. It was permitted to
do nothing about fixed price con
tracts, however.
With some high Governmentw)ffi
cials, the acceptance of entertain
ment. including cocktail parties,
hotel bills and travel from a con
tractor, while drawing travel ex
pense and per diem from the Gov
ernment, was “the rule rather than
the exception.”
To Name More Officers.
At the request of Chairman Mead
of the investigating committee. Mr.
Warren agreed to furnish the names
of more officers who went to work
for firms with whom they had been
involved in their Army capacity and
officers “throughout the country”
who accepted entertainment from
contractors.
Terming employment by a com
pany with whom an officer had been
negotiating for the War Department
an “indefensible practice.” Senator
Mead said the committee “will go
deeper into this and make known
our recommendations to the Sen
ate."
When Mr. Warren said there was
nothing illegal in it. Senator Mead
promised a committee investigation
and observed, "This practice should
be stopped by law.”
Denounces Practice.
Mr. Warren revealed that as soon
as the employment of these officers
was discovered, the GAO threw
every searchlight on the terms 6f
the contracts they negotiated.
In disclosing the names, Mr. War
ren denounced as “damnable” what
he termed the “Widespread" practice
of Army officers obtaining lucrative
jobs from war producers whose Gov
ernment contracts they helped draft
and settle while in the service.
Mr. Warren gave the committee
this list of officers and the com
panies they joined:
Maj. George W. Parker, former
contracting officer and termination
contracting officer, who was assigned
to the Howard Aircraft Co. He now
is general manager of that company.
Became Procurement Chief.
Col. Forrest W. Smith, who was
the original contracting officer and
termination contracting officer for
five contracts with the Schwitzer
Cummings Co., Indianapolis. He
left the Ordnance Department May
25, 1945. and the following June 16
became manager of procurement for
Schwitzer-Cummings.
Capt. G. I. Calvert, former officer
In charge of the St. Louis ordnance
district, at Houston. He was the
contracting officer's representative
to expedite plant clearance and
dispose of termination inventories,
from August 1, 1945. to December
1. 1945. in connection with final
settlements with the Sheffield Steel
Corp., Houston. After his release
from the Army he went to work
(See WAR PROFITS, Page A-3.)
Bevin, Improving,
May Go to Paris Soon
iy the Associated Press
LONDON, July 29.—Foreign Sec
retary Ernest Bevin was reported by
his wife today to be "very much im
proved" and perhaps will be able to
attend the Paris Peace Conference
by late in the week.
London newspapers had specu
lated earlier that the 65-year-old
statesman's illness was more serious
than merely the strain of overwork.
Some suggested he might resign be
cause he had said frankly he never
wanted to be foreign secretary.
There was no official confirmation
of any forthcoming cabinet revision,
and a foreign office source said Mr
Bevin was recovering and might be
able to go to Paris soon. In his
Arsence. Ms place is being taken by
rri;
rime Minister Attlee.
Nevertheless, a new crop of rumors
wfcre circulated that Mr. Bevin was
fed up and that he aid not. relis'h
his much-publicized clashes with
Soviet Foreign Minister V' M. Mol
otov or the comment they provoked
In this country.
Committee Approves Raising
Federal Pay Ceiling to $ 12,500
Downey Will Seek Immediate Senate
Action; Cabinet Increase Is Rejected
By Joseph Young
The Senate Civil Service Com
mittee today approved legisla
; tion to raise the Federal pay
j ceiling from $10,000 to $12,500.
The committee authorized its
chairman, Senator Downey. Demo
crat. of California to introduce the
legislation as an amendment to
trending Civil Service measures now
j before the Senate.
Senator Downey announced he
would seek immediate action on the
! amendment, possibly today.
Although approving the raising of
ithe ceiling, which would mean $1,
172 salary increases for top career
: people in the Government and a
$2,369 wage boost for agency heads,
the committee rejected Senator
Downey's proposal to raise the $15,
000 annual salaries of cabinet offi
cers to $18,354 a year.
The Downey amendment would
wipe out the present $10,000 Federal
wage ceiling and grant the full per
centage increases of the 1945 and
1946 Federal Pay Acts that were
denied top bracket employes because
of the $10,000 limit. All increases
granted to employes in the $9,000
$10,000 class had to stop at $10,000
and agency heads received no raise.
The bills' chances depend on
whether there will be an oppor
tunity to bring it up during the few
remaining days of the session. Com
mittee members said that was the
reason the’ legislation will be intro
duced as an amendment to civil
service legislation now pending be
fore the Senate. This will by-pass
the necessity of having the legisla
tion referred to a committee and if
passed by the Senate will mean that
the House could also act on it with
out referring it first to the House
Civil Service Committee, it was said.
President Truman and adminis
tration leaders are reported to favor
Senator Downey's proposal. Mr.
Truman previously had called on
Congress to vote more liberal raises
for top Federal employes in order
iSee DOWNEY, Page A-5.)
li Billions Approved
By Mouse Unit for
Gl Furlough Pay
$26,000,000 for OPA
Also Included in
Final Deficiency Bill
By the Associated Press
A $2,431,708,000 allotment for
GI furlough pay and a $26,000,
000 fund for the reborn OPA
topped a $2,479,663,210 deficiency
bill approved today by the House
Appropriations Committee.
Last scheduled money measure
of the Seventy-ninth Congress, the
bill also provides:
$20,000,000 for overtime, leave and
holiday pay of Government workers:
$250,000 for the new Price De
control Board under OPA.
Provision for use of Manhattan
Engineering District (atomic bomb
project) funds by the Atomic Energy
Commission, and $19,750,000 of War
Department money for military aid
to the Philippines.
The bill was rushed to the House
floor after two days of committee
hearings, and House leaders urged
its immediate passage.
Accounting for 98 per cent of the
total, the GI furlough pay allot
ment gives effect to pending legis
lation under which an estimated
15.000.000 Army and Navy enlisted
personnel already discharged or still
in service are expected to apply
for reimbursement for unused fur
lough time.
The bill authorizing the payments
| is tied up in a Senate-House Confer
ence Committee seeking to adjust
differences over the form of pay
ments. The House voted for cash,
while the Senate recommended
I bonds except for payments under $50.
Although President Truman is
reported to favor the bond pay-off.
| the plan evoked some grumbling
from the House conferees. They
point out that the officers, who have
been eligible for paid terminal leave
! all along, got theirs in cash.
Some of the lawmakers fear re
percussions at the polls this fall if
they put the GI payments on the
I. O. U. basis.
I Veterans would receive two and
a half days’ paid leave for each
month of active service from Sep
| tember 8. 1939. The limit would be
(See APPROPRIATIONS^Page A-5.)
Bulletins
Wounded Fugitive Caught
John McGill. 23. colored, of
the 200 block of N street S.W..
who escaped from police at
the office of United States
Commissioner Needham C.
Turnage in the Bank of Com
merce and Savings Building,
Seventh and E streets N.W.,
shortly after noon, was cap
tured about two hours later bv
police. McGill had just been
held in S10.000 bond for the
grand jury in the robbing of
a cab driver on Thursday of
S14 when the escaped. He was
captured in Clark court S.W.
after he had been shot.
Delegation at White House
While 500 colored and white
demonstrators waited quietly
in a park at Seventeenth and
E streets N.W., a delegation of
eight leaders of the National
Negro Congress called at the
W'hite House and demanded a
strong statement from Presi
dent Truman condemning the
lynching of four Negroes in
Georgia. They made an ap
pointment to see David Niles,
presidential assistant, later
today.
(Earlier Story on Page A-4.)
Stadium Plans Stalled
The Senate today refused to
act on the Bilbo measure pro
posing an advance of Federal
Works Agency funds for draft
ing plans for the projected
$20,000,000 Memorial Stadium.
A ?
Nats and Indians 0-0
In Sixth Inning of
Opener at Cleveland
Three Double Plays Mark
First Four Frames of
Pitchers' Battle
By Burton Hawkins
Star Staff Correspondent
CLEVELAND, July 29. — Thp
Washington Nats and the Indians
were locked in a scoreless tie in
the sixth inning of the first game
of a double-header here today.
Thp Tribp was giving Scarborough
plenty of trouble, but he pitched
himself out of a tight spot in the
second inning, when a double play
/stemmed a rally that packed the
bases. The Nats also pulled off a
double play in the first frame.
The Nats had a good chance In
the fourth, when Evans hit a dou
ble and Grace was hit on the leg at
bat. But Lewis hit into a double
play.
FIRST INNING.
WASHINGTON — Grace walked.
Lewis sacrificed, Keltner to Becker.
Edwards backed against the right
field wall for Priddy's drive. Grace
taking third after the catch. Ver
non grounded out to Becker. No
runs.
CLEVELAND—Case singled to
right. Conway hit into a double
play. Scarborough to Torres to Ver
non. Seerey walked. Edwards flied
to Spence. No runs.
SECOND INNING/
WASHINGTON—Spence fouled to
Tegan. Boudreau threw out Torres.
Hitchcock fanned. No runs.
CLEVELAND—Becker fouled to
Evans. Boudreau singled to center.
Keltner walked. Hegan beat out a
high bounder to Scarborough filling
the bases. Gassaway hit into a dou
ble play, Vernon to Evans to Ver
non. No runs.
THIRD INNING.
WASHINGTON—Evans was safe
when Boudreau's wide throw pulled
Becker off first for an error
Scarborough attempted to scarlfice
but forced Evans, Glassawav to
Boudreau. Grace fanned. Lewis
walked. Priddy flied deep to Case
No runs.
CLEVELAND — Case popped to
Priddy. Conway flied to Lewis
Seerey walked. Priddy threw out
Edwards. No runs.
I-UUKTH INNING.
WASHINGTON—Vernon fanned
Spence doubled to the rightfield wall
for the first hit off Gassaw'ay. Spence
took third as Conway threw out
Torres. Keltner threw out Hitch
cock. No runs.
CLEVELAND^ Torres made a fine
stab of Becker's grounder back of
second base and threw’ him out
Boudreau singled to left. Spence
came in fast for Keltners looper.
Hegan forced Boudreau, Hitchcock
to Priddy. No runs.
FIFTH INNING.
WASHINGTON—Evans doubled
down the leftfield line. Scarborough
fanned. Grace was hit on the leg
by a pitched ball. Lew’is hit into
a double play. Gassaway to Bou
dreau to Becker. No runs.
CLEVELAND—Gassaway fanned.
Torres threw out Case.' Conway
filed to Spence. No runs.
SIXTH INNING.
WASHINGTON—Priddy flied to
Edwards. Vernon singled off the
right-field fence but was out at sec
ond attempting to stretch the hit,
Edwards to Boudreau. Spence dou
bled off the right-field screen.
Torres lined to Gassaway. No runs.
Other League Games
* AMERICAN LEAGUE
ZAt Detroit—
Philadelphia _
Detroit__ _
“WarmiuH—rhiladfInhia. Knrrr; Detroit.
Hutchison.
'New York at^Chicago. 8:30 P.M.
• (Only Games Scheduled.)
- NATIONAL LEAGUE
- At Brooklyn—
Cincinnati . 010 11 —
Brooklyn . 0(10 13 —
" Batteries-—Walters and Mueller; Gregf
jpid Edwards.
4
Leaders Lose
Hope for Action
On Housing Bill
Banking Unit Insists
On Full Hearings on
Long-Range Plan
By th* Associated Press
Administration leaders virtu
ally abandoned hope today for
passage of the Wagner-Ellender
Taft long-range housing bill at
the present session of Congress.
Chairman Spence told newsmen
after a closed session of the Bank
ing Committee:
"I think you* can say we have
given up hope, if Congress goes
thiough with its pian to adjourn
Friday."
Shortly before. Speaker Rayburn
told President Truman the House
would consider the bill—provided
the Banking Committee sent it to
the floor.
Notwithstanding urgings bv Pres
ident Truman, Mr. Spence said, a
majority of the committee members
insisted on complete public hear
ings before acting on the bill. A
group of opponents were outside the
committee clamoring to be heard
while the committee sat in execu
tive session.
The measure, authored by Sena
tors Wagner, Democrat, of New
York; Ellender, Democrat, of Lou
isiana and Taft, Republican, of
Ohio contemplates a 10-year hous
ing program calling lor construc
tion of 1.500,000 dwelling units a
■'ear. including 125.000 public hous
ing units a year.
Too Late for Hearings.
Thp members of the committee
want complete hearings, which un
der piesent conditions are impos
sible," Mr. Spence said. "If Con
gress adjourns Friday it will be
absolutely impossible to pass the
bill.”
Mr. Rayburns statement was
made to reporters at the White
House after the weekly conference
of Mr. Truman with his congres
sional leaders. *
Seante Majority Leader Barkley
said he thought there would be no
hitch about plans for adjournment
Fiiday, although the adjournment
resolution will not be brought up
in the Senate until Wednesday.
Senator McKellar, Democrat, of
Tennessee also sat in at the con
ference which Senator Barkley said
discussed the 'oads and ends" of
pending legislation.
For tne moment, both houses were
largely marking time, awaiting con
ference committee agreement on a
cash-or-bonds provision of the GI
terminal leave pay bill. That is one
of two major pieces of legislation
expected to be whipped through
before Congress quits Friday.
Poll Tax Ban Pushed.
The other, already approved by
the House and by the Senate Fi
nance Committee, would freeze so
cial security taxes a year at the
present rate of 1 per cent on em
ployers and employes.
All arrangements apparently had
been made for the annual—and thus
far futile—effort to obtain Senate
action on a bill to outlaw the col
lection of State poll taxes in Fed
eral elections.
Sponsors announced intention to
bring up the House-a proved meas
ure which they say a Senate ma
jority favors. There was apparent
• See CONGRESS. Page A-5 )
Medley's Execution
Is Stayed by Black
The execution date of Joseph D.
Medley, 44. who was scheduled-to die
Friday for the murder of Mrs. Nancy
Boyer, was postponed today when
Associate Justice Hugo L. Black of
the Supreme Court signed an order
staying the execution until the
highest court acts on a petition for
a rehearing on a request for a writ
of certiorari.
It was said at the Supreme Court
that action on the petition was un
likely before some time in October.
Power to grant such a stay is given
the court by Congress. Court rules
permit one justice to issue a stay
which will be effective until final
action by a majority at a later
meeting.
Attorney James K. Hughes said he
did not plan to file a petition asking
executive clemency for Medley. He
explained that he did not feel-such
a petition should be filed until all
courfc remedies are exhausted.
1919—1946
Senate Committee
Approves Decontrol
Board Nominations
Thompson Plans Meeting
Tomorrow With Two
Other Members
The Senate Banking Commit
tee promptly approved today the
three men nominated by Presi
dent Truman for the new Price
Decontrol Board. They are:
Roy L. Thompson, president of
the New Orleans Federal Land
Bank: Daniel W. Bell, president of
American Security and Trust Co.,
of this city, and George H. Mead,
official of a paper and pulp company
at Dayton. Ohio.
Mr. Mead and Mr. Bell went be
fore the committee briefly in ex
ecutive session. Mr. Thompson was
not present. The Senate is ex
pected to confirm the committee's
action wihout delay.
Committee Meets Tomorrow, j
Even before the committee passed
on the nominations Mr. Thompson.*
chairman-designate of the board,
announced plans to meet here to-,
morrow with the other two ap-1
pointees.
Mr. Thompson said he expected to
leave his summer home at Bay St.j
Louis. Miss., today for the Capital
to "get things lined up and ready
to go at the earliest possible time.”
In creating the board with top
authority over removal and restora
tion of price controls. Congress stip-'
ulated that no more than two ap
pointees should be members of the
same, political party. Mr. Mead is
a Republican and Mr. Thompson a
Democrat. Mr. Bell says he has no
party affiliation.
They will be paid at the rate
of $12,000 a year.
Expressing belief the Banking
Committee, of which he is a mem
ber, may act on the nominations
today. Senator Radcliffe, Democrat,
of Montana told a reporter that
prospects for speedy confirmation
appear "definitely good.”
Taft Sees Confirmation.
Another committee member. Sen
ator Taft, Republican, of Ohio, who
led the fight to strip OPA of some j
of Its authority, said:
“I see no reason why they should:
not be confirmed."
Senator Radcliffe, Democrat, of!
Maryland said before the Banking'
Committee met:
“We are going to have to act
at once so the board can get down!
to work right away on the big job
it has ahead of it in the little |
time it has,” Senator Radcliffe said.
The board's first big assignment is
to decide by August 20 whether
meats, dairy products, grains, cot
ton seed, soybeans and hundreds of
products made from them should be
placed back under price controls at
that time. If it makes no decision,
ceilings automatically will be re
stored.
Under terms of the OPA revival
act. the board must hold public
hearings before it makes any ruling
on these commodities. The purpose
of this is to obtain the views of
consum :• groups and industry' rep-:
resentatives.
Need Week to Organize.
Senator Radcliffe predicted the
board will need “a week or so to get
organized" before beginning hear
ings about, August 7. He said the
price hearings will last at least a
week.
The revival law also bans restora
tion before August 20 of ceilings on
eggs, poultry, tobacco and petro
leum. After that, consent of the
board is required to re-establish
controls.
The board also has sweeping jur
<See OPA, Page A-5.)
$32,000 Truckload of Whisky
Stolen From Transfer Concern
A large tractor-trailer loaded with:
800 cases of whisky valued at $32,000
disappeared from in front of the
Washington Transfer Co., 1249 New
York avenue N.E., some time last
night, police reported.
Robert P. Neugebauer, company
vice president, told police when he
arrived at his office this morning
he discovered the truck gone. The
thieves broke a window to enter
his office and then stole the keys to
the truck, he said
The whisky was a shipment desig
nated for the Try-Me Bottling Co.
here in Washington, Mr. Neugebauer
said. j
4
Metropolitan police have called
in the Federal Bureau of Investi
gation as the theft involves inter
state shipments.
Mr. Neugebauer described the
missing truck as dark blue and
marked in white letters "Washing
ton Transfer Company.”
Lt. Aubrey Tolson, head of the
police general assignment squad,
said it was the first case of its i
kind in the District as far as he
knew. He refused to theorize as
to whether it was the work of a j
gang of professional "hi-jackers”
until further investigations had
been made. 1
*
U. S. Cafeterias, Drugstores,
Restaurants Raise Food Prices
Peoples Chain and Hot Shoppes Join
Federal Operators in 5 and 10 Cent Boosts
Menu prices rose today at 53
Federal cafeterias operated by
Government Services, Inc.; an
equal number of Peoples Drug
Stores and 16 Hot Shoppes in the
Metropolitan Area as restaurant
operators adjusted prices grow
ing out of higher raw food costs.
Latest food chain to make ad
justments was the Hot Shoppes. A
company official said dinners made
up of meat, fish or poultry had been
advanced 10 cents a dinner, while
breakfast dishes containing meat
rose 5 cents.
Milk in the drive-in restaurants
jumped from 7 to 10 cents a bottle,
ice cream is up 5 cents a dish and
ice cream to take out is increased
10 cents a quart, the official dis
closed
First general menu price changes
was announced last night by Gov
ernment Services.
At Peoples soda fountains, milk
per half pint now costs 8 cents in
place of 5 cents. Sandwiches con
taining ham, bacon or beef have
been raised 5 cents, while brick ice
cream in pints jumps from 25 to 30
cents, the company said.
Crushed fruit sundaes have been
increased from 15 to 20 cents, while
dry breakfast cereals are up from
10 to 15 cents an order, and milk
shakes from 10 to 15 cents. The
price of ice cream sodas and dish
ice cream has not been affected, the
drugstore chain reported.
“We held off as long as we pos
sibly could." said Thomas N. Beavers,
president of the company, “but we
have come to the point where we
had to make some changes."
In the Federal cafeterias dishes
containing such decontrolled food
items as meat, fish, poultry and
dairy products have been increased.
Government Services said, to offset
higher raw food costs.
The increase on a la carte meat
iSee RESTAURANTS: Page A-5.>
U. N. Group Selects
15 Possible Sites
For 'World Capital'
List Will Be Cut to Five
Before Assembly Meets;
All in Westchester Area
By the A^socio-ed fress
NEW YORK. July 29.—The
United Nations Headquarters
Commission announced today j
the selection of 15 possible sites J
for the permanent home of the
United Nations in the Westches
ter-Fairfield area of New York
and Connecticut.
The proposed sites for the world
capital range from 2 square miles
to 40 square miles. After discussing;
each site with persons involved.!
the commission will cut the list j
down to five sites to be considered
by the General Assembly at its
meeting in New York this fall. These
will be areas of 2, 5, 10. 20 and 40
square miles each.
In New' York, the towns figuring;
in the sites are Harrison. Rye, Cort-I
landt, Yorktown, Bedford. North
Dastle and New Castle. In Connecti
cut the towms concerned are Green
wich, Stamford, Ridgefield and Mil
ton.
The commission pointed out in
its announcement that the General
Assembly in London last winter
limited its search for a site to the
Westchester-Fairfielfl area.
The probability that, the Atomic
Energy Commission might be forced
to make majority and minority re
ports was seen today as the Russian
plan for controlling atomic energy
went under the close scrutiny of
commission members.
A member or the United States
delegation to the commission said
it seemed inevitable to him that
the commission w;ould make two
reports to the Security Council, its
parent body, and to the General |
Assembly.
The United States delegation
member said the majority report,
favpring the United States plan,
would be supported by 10 delegates
on the basis of the present consid
eration of the question of control.
The minority report, he added,
would be made by Russia and
Poland and would favor the Rus
sian plan for atomic energy control.
Russia has informed the commis
sion that she rejects the major pro
posals of the United States plan.
Now the American delegation plans
to let. Russia carry the ball for a
(See U. N., Page A-5.>
Senate Unit Approves 'i
2 for Economic Council
By the Associated Press
The Senate Banking Committee;
today approved President Truman’s'
appointment of Leon H. Keyserlingi
of New York and John Davidson j
Clark of Wyoming as members of;
the new Economic Advisory Council.'
The group will administer the so-!
called “full employment law.” A
third member is still to be desig
nated. j
U. S. Proposal io Unify
Reich Zones Accepted
In Principle by British
Diplomats Expect France
To Acquiesce and
Russia to Refuse
By the Associated Press
The State Department an
nounced today Britain has ac-;
cepted “in principle’’ this Gov
ernment’s proposal to unify.
occupation zones in Germany.
The department's announcement j
reiterated the hope that Russia and
France likewise will accept.
Despite this hope, the expectation
among diplomats here is that the
United States and Britain at once
will work out details for unifying
their own zones economically, that
France probably will join promptly
and that Russia will refuse to co
operate.
The announcement which may
mark a step in the hardening of the
great power split in Germany came
as Secretary of State Byrnes met
with Prime Minister Atlee and For
eign Ministers Molotov and Bidault
in the first day of the Paris Peace
Conference.
The State Department announce
ment said:
"The Department of State has
oeen informed that the British Gov- j
•Moment, has accepted in principle
he offer of Secretary Byrnes to
join the United States zone of oc
cupation in Germany with any,
other zones for the purpose of treat
ing the zones so joined as an eco
nomic unit.
"The department welcomes the
announcement as a first step toward
easing the heavy financial burden
resting on the two occupying pow
ers and realieving the distress which
has resulted from Germany's being
divided into four relatively water
tight economic compartments.
"The department hopes that the
other occupying powers will find it
possible to give an equally favor
able response to Secretary Byrnes’
offer. In the judgment of this Gov
ernment the greatest general ad
vantage would accrue from prompt
measures to achieve the economic
unity of Germany a.< prescribed by
the Potsdajn agreement.”
Husband Held After Blast
In Trunk at Home Kills Wife
By tV. Aisocioted Press
PORTLAND. Oreg., July 29.—A
small trunk became the center of
investigation today of an explosion
which blew Mrs. James W. Bowden
to bits while she was alone in her
home here.
City Detective Bard Purcell re
ported her husband, charged with
illegal possession of explosives and
held without bail, has denied owning
explosives, or any knowledge of how
his wife was killed Saturday night.
Detective Purcell said the explo
sion is believed to have originated
in a ‘foot locker” that Bowden's
two daughters, Doris. 13. and Shir
lev. 17. told them was kept pad
locked in the cellar.
Bidault Makes
Anti-War Plea
At Paris Parley
President of France
Named Provisional
Chairman of Talks
By the Associated Press
PARIS. July 29.—The 21-Na
tion Peace Conference, convened
formally in Luxembourg Palace
more than a year after the end
of the Second World War in Eu
rope, was summoned by Presi
dent Georges Bidault of France
today to abolish “the plague of
war.”
Addressing the 1.500 delegates of
the victorious Allies on behalf of
the host nation. Mr. Bidault pleaded:
“The long-suffering peoples of the
world today look to you. If we
cannot get complete peace solutions
I hope that at least we will get
reasonable ones.”
In an apparent reference to the
United States and Russia. Mr.
Bidault said that whatever blame
could be attached to the failure
to keep the peace after the first
World War. a “fundamental cause
of that failure was that the two
great powers who had taken a
decided part in the conquest of arms
remained on the sidelines auring
the solution of peace.”
Cites Hopes of Plain Men.
The hopes of plain men are
turned toward us today." he .said,
concluding his 10-minute, slowly
spoken speech. Mr. Bidault was
then named provisional chairman
of the conference on the motion
of United States Secretary of State
Byrnes.
Mr. Bidault's words were carried
to a press gallery jammed for the
historic occasion and throughout
the rambling building as he sum
moned the delegates of the 21 victor
nations to fashion a peace for ItaljL
Romania. Hungary, Bulgaria ani
Finland, which the Foreign Minis
ters of the United States. Britain.
Russia and France can approve.
The conference convened, how
ever. in an atmospfiere of dissension.
For more than 36 hours the
deputy foreign ministers of the four
principal powers—Britain. France,
Russia and the United States—had
argued before agreeing even upon
publication of the five treaty drafts
prepared by the four powers for
submission to the conference.
It finally was agreed to release
the five treaty texts, along with
statements on disagreements, at 11
p.m. Greenwich mean time (6 p.m.
Eastern standard timet Tuesday.
Full Publicity Sought.
The Conference also opened with
Secretary Byrnes ready to confront
the delegates with the urging that,
they make all Conference negotia
tions wide open to the press of the
world.
Mr. Bidault, without referring di
rectly to Mr. Byrnes' plea for open
proceedings, remarked:
"The French government, on it*
part, always has maintained and
ever will maintain that a free dis
cussion is essential, one which al
lows all opinions to be heard. It is
convinced that a fundamental rule
of democracy is that a decision has
no value unless it is previously de
bated in broad daylight by the rep
resentatives of all concerned."
Terms Known Unofficially.
Most of the terms of the treaties
already have become known unof
ficially. Release of the full texts
simultaneously in Paris, London.
Washington and Moscow had been
advocated for several days by the
United States and France, but the
British and Russians had differed
on how* much should be made pub
lic.
Mr. Byrnes was disclosed to favor
a “goldfish bowl" policy at the peace
conference. If his proposal for open
meetings is turned down, an Amer
ican informant said. Mr. Byrnes
will propose that representatives of
various commissions of the confer
ence be appointed to keep news
paper reporters informed of what
goes on at closed meetings.
The deputy foreign ministers re
ferred to rules and procedure com
mittees the question of working out.
a formula to permit the hearing of
claims of uninvited countries for
admission to the conference. Among
these countries are Albania, Egypt.
Iran. Iraq. Luxembourg and Mexico.
The envoys of defeated Italy,
Hungary. Bulgaria. Romania and
Finland were handed copies of the
peace treaties affecting them this
morning.
The deputies of the Big Four
Foreign Ministers had given up hope
yesterday of reaching an agreement
(See CONFERENCE' Page^A-47r
Two Killed in Wreck
Near Charlottesville
The engineer and fireman of a.
northbound Southern Railway train
were killed and a baggage master
injured today when the locomotive
and nine cars left the track in a
cut near Elma. Nelson County, about.
27 miles south of Charlottesville. Va.
The dead are. Engineer Hallibur
ton Swan. 72, Brandy, Va., who suc
cumbed to severe burns in Martha
Jefferson Hospital, Charlottesville,
and George Turner. 28, colored.
Alexandria, whose body was buried
under the overturned locomotive.
C. H. Crump, Alexandria, baggage
master, received slight injuries, ac
cording to railroad officials here.
The train was made up of mail
and baggage cars only and was en
route from Chattanooga to Wash
ington.
Mr. Swan was thrown clear of the
engine, but was burned about the
lower body. The body of the fire
man was recovered several hours
after the crash.
Several of the derailed cars were
catapulted ahead of the overturned
engine, blocking the northbound
track Railroad officials said the
southbound track was being used to
handle traffic in both direction*
without delaying schedules.
E. D Baker. Alexandria, conductor
of the train, was unhurt.