Evening star. [volume], April 18, 1947, Image 1

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

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
Weather Forecast |fK ■ :Guide for Readers
Sunny today, high near 65 In the afternoon. Bs • Page Pa>e
Clear tonight, low in upper 40s. Tomorrow B* ) ‘ Amusements ...A-M Obituary _A-l*
sunny and warmer._ Comics_.C-18-11 Radio IIZIIIIc-ll
Temperatures today—High, 62, at 11:54 ajn.; I R fl Editorial -A-8 Society, Clubs-B-S
low, 39, at 3:15 a.m. Yesterday—High, 61, B B » Editorial Articles, A-8 Sports --C-l-S "*£;
at 12:01 a.m.: low, 43, at 11:59 p.m. Finance .A-15 Where to Go-B-T
(Puu Report on Pase a-2.) ~ ^ ^ Lost »nd Found-A-S Woman’s Page—A-28
_ Late New York Markets, Page A-15. An Associated Press Newspaper
95th YEAR. No. 57,603 Phone NA. 5000. WASHINGTON, D. MIES. ★★★ 5 CENTS
Crisis Believed Past in Texas City
Despite Great Fire on Outskirts;
Crews Comb Wreckage for Dead
Blaze Is Unlikely
To Spread Despite
Shift in Wind
BULLETIN
HOUSTON, Tex. Vi —A re
port to the Houston Chronicle
said “several” persons trapped
in the Monsanto Chemical Co.
plant in Texas City were
found alive today 48 hours
after Wednesday’s terrific ex
plosions. However, police at
the main gate of the plant
said they had no knowledge
, of this.
By the Associated Press
TEXAS CITS’, April 18.—
Flames from 11 fires roared on
for the third day on the indus
trial edge of this explosion
smashed Gulf port today, but
Police Chief W. L. Laddis said
the crisis which gripped the city
since Wednesday morning was
past.
Estimates of deaths still ranged
up to 650 persons with injuries to
•» nno TVnnAKtu n orro ocfl.
nwuv wi«vw. «. —-o
mates ran from $50,000,000 to $100,
000,000.
The major conflagration today
was at the vast Humble Oil Co.’s
storage tank farm at the south of
the city, where seven oil tanks are
burning. Apprehensive residents
still watched the boiling oil fires,
but Mr. Laddis asserted:
"I believe that all danger is
gone.”
Wind Shifts to South.
Some apprehension was caused,
however, when the wind shifted
from the north to the south today.
The nortli wind had been blowing
the flames and smoke out to sea and
with the shift smoke drifted inland
as far as Palestine and Jacksonville,
Tex., ISO tin 175 miles north.
The south wind now is light, but
a stiff gro'una' breeze might send
heat from the burning Humble
tanks against others nearby and set
them off.
However, oil fires have no sparks
and officials said they did not believe
residential and business structures
further north would be endangered.
Five or six storage tanks of ap
proximately 55,000 gallons capacity
had exploded and burned since 4
p.m. yesterday. Five other major
blasts had rocked the city at inter
vals since 9:12 a.m. Wednesday.
Fires Left to Burn.
The burning nitrate-laden French
freighter Grandcamp exploded Wed
nesday morning to set off another
blast at the huge Monsanto Chem
ical Corp. plant two minutes later.
Chains of fire swept through the
Disaster Declared
Depriving U. S. of
12.5% of Styrene
By tHa Associated Press
LONDON, April 18.—Edward
A. O'Neal, managing director
of Monsanto Chemical Co.,
Ltd., said today that destruc
tion of Monsanto's plant at
Texas City deprived the United
States Government of 12% per
cent of its supply of styrene,
basic ingredient of synthetic
rubber.
The entire output of the
plant filled 25 per cent of the
Government’s styrene require
ments during the war, Mr.
O’Neal explained, and since
that time 50 per cent of its
production has been on Gov
ernment order.
Monsanto designed, built and
operated the plant for the
Government, then purchased it
for $9,500,000.
Monsanto Chemical is a Brit
ish associate company of Mon
santo Chemical Co. of St. Louis.
city as an aftermath to that ex
plosion.
For the most part, fires were left
to burn themselves out, while rescue
workers hunted through huge piles
of twisted wreckage for the esti
mated hundreds of persons believed
to have been buried under debris.
Twisted hunks of steel and other
debris rained down on the industrial
section of the city early yesterday
(See EXPLOSION, Page A-43
I iso uies on uallows
Alter Appeal Is Denied
BRATISLAVA, C z e c h o Slovakia,
April 18.—Dr. Joseph Tiso, the par
ish priest who became President of
the wartime Nazi puppet state of
Slovakia, died on the gallows at
dawn today for crimes against the
Czechoslovakia state.
His appeal for commutation from
the sentence imposed Tuesday by a
national court was rejected by the
Czech government.
Dr. Tiso, 59, formerly was a little
known Roman Catholic priest at
Banovce. Long an advocate of
Slovak autonomy in the prewar
Czechoslovak republic, he was named
premier of an autonomus state of
Slovakia by the Prague government
in October, 1938. as an aftermath of
the Munich pact.
He was ousted in less than six
months, hut Adolf Hitler immediate
ly let it be known that he regarded
Dr. Tiso as the rightful premier and
the Slovak Parliament, with the
promise of German military pro
tection, declared Slovakia independ
ent and Dr. Tiso again became
premier.
He was elevated to the presidency
during the war and was decorated
by Hitler. He was captured by
American troops in June. 1945, and
turned over to the Czechs for trial.
I
f
Helgoland Blown Up by British
In Explosion Likened to Bikini
7,500 Tons of Explosive Destroy U-Boat
Pens and Other Fortifications on Isle
By the Associated Press
LONDON, April 18.—The 134
acre island of Helgoland was
blasted by the British Navy with
7,500 tons of high explosives to
day to destroy the U-boat pens
and other fortifications of Adolf
Hitler’s North Sea Gibraltar.
An eye-witness account of the
blast, broadcast by a British Broad
casting Co. announcer from a plane
at 8,000 feet, said the whole island
seemed to have “taken off into
the air.”
Great clouds of smoke billowed
into the sky high above his plane,
the broadcaster reported. He de
scribed the blast as the biggest man
made explosion since the American
Navy's atom bomb tests at Bikini.
The mounting pillar of smoke had
a mushroom "Bikini shape about
it,” he said. Ten minutes after the
blast, the announcer reported, the I
island still was obscured by smoke
and dust.
The naval officer in charge of
operations, who observed the ex*
plosion from a ring of warships lying
9 miles away, said the demolition
apparently was ‘TOO per cent suc
cessful.”
‘‘There was a tremendous mush
room of smoke about 8,000 feet 1
high—as though an atom bomb had
hit Helgoland,” he declared.
The blast was set off by remote 1
control from a ship on the fourth ’
"pip” of the BBC’s 11 am. GMT (6 !
a.m. EST) time signal. I
Before the big blast a series of i
smaller explosions was set off to j
frighten away thousands of sea ]
birds which inhabit the island. .
The BBC observer in the plane
above the island said "it was the ,
(See HELGOLAND, Page A-5.) j
Churchill Hits Wallace
For 'Lacking Courage'
To Explain His Goal
American Is Assailed as
'Crypto-Communist' in
Talk to Conservatives
ly the Associated Press
LONDON, April 18.—Winston
Churchill today assailed Henry
A. Wallace as a “crypto-Commu
jnist” lacking the courage to ex
plain his destination, and ac
cused the Laborite government
of squandering the American
loan of $3,750,000,000.
Mr. Churchill told a Conservative
Party rally of 10,000 in Albert Hall
that Mr. Wallace had sought “to
PAnnfnfn *_41_
United States and to weave her
into a vast system of Communist
intrigue.”
‘‘Our policy toward Russia must
be one of honorable friendship
through strength,” Mr. Churchill
said. “It must not be cowardly ap
peasement through weakness.
"It must be absolutely clear we
shall allow no wedge to be driven
between Great Britain and the
United States.”
Amid laughter, Mr. Churchill ex
plained his designation of Mr.
. Wallace.
“A crypto-Communist.” he de
| dared, “is one who has not got the
; courage to explain the destination
for which he is making.”
Cites Own Practice Abroad.
In reference to the European
| speaking tour in which Mr. Wallace
jhas attacked United States foreign
Jpolicy, Mr. Churchill added:
“I travel about a certain amount
myself and I am received with much
kindness by all classes, both in Eu
rope and in America. But when I
am abroad, I always make it a rule
never to criticize or to attack the
Government of my own country.”
“I have no patience with English
men who use the hospitality of a
Again referring to Russia, he de
clared :
"We earnestly hope that all the
peoples of Russia may be safe, pros
perous and happy under whatever
form of government they choose.
We wish them well. We will wel
come every possibility of increasing
any intercourse between our coun
tries in order to give each of us a
better understanding of the other.!’
Accuses Government.
Mr. Churchill deplored “any course
which would impair the growing
unity in thought, in action, in
| ideals and purpose of all the Eng
lish-speaking nations spread so
widely about the globe and joined
together by history and by destiny."
Mr. Churchill accused .Britain’s
government of "lack of mi>ral cour
age,” and declared:
"The Socialist government is liv
ing upon the American dole and
squandering with profligate rapid
ity this loan, which can only be
justified as a means of "re-equip
ping our industries after the war.
Everyone is conscious of the ap
proaching crisis in our financial and
economic affairs.”
Referring to the British treas
(See WALLACE, Page A-5.)
Soviet Effort to Place :
1
Aid to Greece Under :
<
U. N. Control Doomed!
Britain, France Announce i
Opposition to Special
Supervisory Commission ]
BULLETIN 1
MOSCOW (fP).—Secretary of J
State Marshall tonight ac- j
cused Soviet Foreign Minister
Molotov of trying to create “a i
puppet state of Austria” after 1
Mr. Molotov had rejected an (
American compromise plan j
for the definition oT Germarty” *■
assets there.
(Earlier story on Page A-2.) ,
By the Associated Press
LAKE SUCCESS, N. Y., April
18.—Russia’s effort to place ‘
American aid to Greece under ,
United Nations supervision was (
doomed today by majority op- •
position in the Security Council.
An American proposal that the
Council’s Balkan Investigating
Commission leave representatives in
Greece temporarily to watch over
the troubled frontier situation ap
peared assured of majority approval,
but might be vetoed by Russia.
Both Britain and France an
nounced they opposed the Soviet
move for a special Security Coun
cil commission to supervise the
Greek part of President Truman’s
$400,000,000 Greek-Turkish aid pro
gram.
The negative vote of either was
enough to kill the Russian resolu
tion. They were backed, however,
by majority support to block the
proposal without invoking the veto.
Cites Soviet Arms Supply.
British Delegate Sir Alexander
Cadogan said he saw no reason why
American aid to Greece should be
placed under U. N. supervision, wtyle
•juvicu aiu lv ruiauu, x uguaiavia
and others should be treated in
another way. He said Russia had
agreed to supply arms to some of
these countries and had never In
formed the U. N.
French Delegate Alexandre Parodi
said France could not support the
Soviet proposal for a special Security
Council commission to watch over
use of American funds in Greece
unless the United States Govern
ment agreed to it.
Mr. Parodi was followed by Brazil
ian Delegate Dr. Oswajdo Aranha,
who said he fully supported the
American aid program and added
that nations could help each other
in maintaining order without “in
terference” from the U. N.
Decisions Believed Near.
A majority o$the 11 Council dele
gates already had expressed oppo
sition to the Soviet proposal and
support of an American counter
proposal.
Decision on both proposals was
believed near.
American sources said they hoped
the Council could vote today on
the American proposal.
On the Soviet proposal, the United
States is insisting that action be
delayed until Congress makes a
fSee U. N., Page A-5.)
Tar Paper to Patch Up Homes
Most Uraent Need in Texas City
By George Kennedy
Star Staff Correspondent
TEXAS CITY, April 18.—A great
cloud of black smoke still billows up j
from Texas City and the flames:
from the oil tanks that feed it are
burning as furiously as ever. But
the wind has shifted to the south.
W. H. Sandberg, Vice president of
the Texas City terminal railway,
said this morning that with the
change in the wind the greatest;
danger that the fire would spread:
was caused by a few burning box-;
cars in the area of the Humble Oil:
Co. tank farm. That is the scene of;
the biggest fire.
These might ignite oil in ditches
along the track and spread the fire!
to other tanks. He said one of his
locomotives was going in to get the
boxcars out.
Wallace Davis, Texas City local
chairman of the Red Cross, said
that in a conference this morning
with Mayor J. C. Trahan It had been
decided to appoint Carl Nessler,
owner of a Texas City coal storage
plant, to head a committee to dis
tribute relief funds.
Mr. Davis said that there were
offers totaling about $35,000 in the
Mayor’s mail opened so far.
The most immediate need, he said,
is for tar paper to close over window
spaces and other holes in shattered
homes to make them habitable.
People are coming back to their
homes in such numbers that it will
be necessary to get the grocery
stores operating again.
Something must be done for these
people. Many families have lost the
bread winners; the homes of many
are so shattered that they will have
to be rebuilt; and many of the
workers who survived have lost their
jobs for some time to come, through
destruction of the industries em
ploying them.
One of the mo6t remarkable things
about the disaster is the small num
(See KENNEDY, Page A-4.1
\
CIO Gives Notice
Of Court Fight
On Labor Curbs
' • I
Tough Bill Approved
By House Goes to
Senate for Action
House Roll Call Vote on Page A-3.)
The CIO today blasted the
ough labor bill passed over
vhelmingly by the House late
yesterday as “ah ill-conceived,
>adly constructed and probably
mconstitutional measure” which
t will fight “every step of the
egislative process and in the
ourts.”
The bill, which tightly restricts
abor union activities and outlaws
nany types of strikes, was sent
ilong to the Senate where it re
vived a cautious reception. The
Senate expects tp start debate Wed
lerday on its own and considerably
nilder measure. Chairman Taft of
he Senate Labor Committee, how
ever, hopes to toughen It through
imendments on the floor.
Nathan Cowan, CIO legislative
epresentative, said the House bill,
ponsored by Chairman Hartley of
he House Labor Committee, ‘ seeks
o destroy all of labor’s rights.”
“Shortcomings” Enumerated.
“The House of Representatives
las unfortunately been led to be
ieve that it can solve great social
iroblems by the stroke of a vindic
ive pen,” Mr. Cowan said. “The
>eople of this country know better.
“The Hartley bill does nothing to
mprove the living standards of
workers, farmers, small businessmen
ir professional people. It does noth
ng to give them better homes or
Ster health. It does nothing to
b the superpower of strangling
orporate monopolies. Instead, it
eeks to curb the people’s efforts to
neet these pressing national prob
ems.”
He said that it soon will be seen
that hysterical legislation based
ipon myths, prejudices and down
ight misinformation has no place
>n the America^ scene. When the
erry-built * hysteria against labor
collapses of its own weight, we ex
pect that this bill and others like it
will be consigned to the legislative
rubbish heap where they truly
belong.”
The amendments Senator Taft has
in mind would leave the Senate bill
still far less stringent than the House
neasure. This indicates a big job in
ironing out differences when the
bills go to conference perhaps late
this month.
308 to 107 vote m House.
The House passed Its bill by a lop
sided roll call vote of 308 to 107
more than enough to override a
presidential veto. A powerful coali
tion of Republicans and Southern
Democrats pushed it through, after
rejecting all amendments to tone
it down.
While this was happening, the
Senate committee voted, 11 to 2,
to approve its legislation. Senators
Pepper, Democrat, of Florida and
Murray, Democrat, of Montana dis
sented after playing a major role
in a rewrite job which stripped the
bill of several proposed curbs on
anion activities.
In some respect, the House bill
and the Senate Committee measure
are alike. For example, both would:
Ban the closed shop, which com
pels the boss to hire only union
members.
Permit the more common union
shop where a majority of workers
vote for it, and—in the case of the
House bill—where employers want
it. Under union shop agreements,
(See LABOR, Page A-3.)
U. S. S. Manchester Sails
For Mediterranean
By tho Associated Press
BOSTON, April 18.—The light
:ruiser Manchester sails today for
the Mediterranean to relieve the
Providence.
Rear Admiral Ernest H. Von
Heimburg was aboard to take over
tiis new assignment as commander
Df the American cruiser division in
the Mediterranean.
The Manchester, of the Cleveland
:lass, was built at the Fore River
Shipyard, Quincy, and launched
March 5, 1946.
I
Missing Penguin
Found on Road;
Is Taken to Zoo
None the worse off for Its adven
tures, one of three penguins remain
ing at large after escaping Monday
from Admiral Richard E. Byrd’s
flagship was reunited with fellow
travelers at the Zoo today.
Dr. William M. Mann, director of
Jie Zoo, said the penguin was car
ried to the Zoo this morning under
the arm of John W. Cranford of
[ndianhead, Md.
The bird, Dr. Mann said he was
informed, was found on the Indian
lead - Washington highway three
niles from the river.
“That's probably the land record
for a penguin in North America,”
laughed Dr. Mann. He added, how
rver, that the penguin might have
followed a stream nearer the high
way.
Seven penguins escaped when
iheir crate broke as it was being
owered from the Mount Olympus
it the naval gun factory. Two re
nain at large.
I
| HOW AM I GOING
? to Hear from
THE PEOPLE WHILE
Westinghouse Grants
15c an Hour Pay Raise;
Offer Made by GM
Steelworkers Ask 23c
In First Demand Made
By Negotiators
BULLETIN
DETROIT General Mo
tors Corp. today offered the
CIO United Auto Workers an
liy2-cent hourly wage boost
plus pay for six annual holi
days. The company described
the offer as “the equivalent of
an increase of 15 cents per
hour.” Covering 220,000 pro
duction workers, it is a dupli
cate of the offer accepted
earlier this week by the CIO
United Eelectrical Workers for
tneir 30,000 employes m GM
, plants. Walter Reuther, UAW
president, said in Pittsburgh
thatihe offer is “not satisfac
tory, but negotiations will be
resumed in Detroit Monday.”
I. -
ly th# Associated Pros*
PITTSBURGH, April 18.—The
Westinghouse Electric Corp. and
the CIO Electrical Workers today
announced a one-year contract
agreement providing a 15-cent
hourly wage increase to more
than 75,000 workers.
At the same time the first definite
wage demand —a 23-cent hourly
boost—was made by the CIO United
Steel Workers on the Jones &
Laughlin Steel Corp..
The Westinghouse agreement, the
joint announcement said, settles “all
economic issues” in the negotiations
until April 1,1948. Raises are retro
active to April 1.
The agreement is subject to ratifi
cation by the Union Conference
Board of Westinghouse locals on oi
before April 28.
Salaried and wage workers repre
sented by the Electrical Workers in
25 cities in seven States are affected
by the new contract. The corpora
tion has plants in Massachusetts
New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsyl
vania, Ohio, New York and West
Virginia.
Salaried Employes Get $5 Weekly
The joint statement 3aid the
agreement provides:
Hourly increases of 11 Vi cents
for hourly rated employes repre
sented by the UE. with the re
mainder of the 15 cents to be used
to cover the cost of six paid holi
days.
Salaried employes represented by
the UE will receive 95 weekly in
creases.
The agreement also provides lib
eral vacations, overtime improve
ments and “several other improve
ments in working conditions.”
A spokesman for Jones & Laugh
lin described the 23-cent figure
demanded by the steel workers, as
an “over-all” one, and said that be
sides a flat pay increase it includes
“a lot of other things.” Holiday
pay provisions presumably were
among them.
The pay demand conceivably could
set an industry-wide pattern.
U. S. Steel Offer Reported.
A report of a wage increase of
fered the steelworkers by the
giant United States Steel Corp.—
and union leaders’ denial of any
knowledge of the move—circulated
today as the steelworkers prepared
for momentous week-end meetings
(See WAGES, Page A-5.)
Burt Shotton Named
As Dodgers' Manager
By tl» Associated Press
BROOKLYN, April 18.—Burton
(Burt) E. Shotton, former manager
of the Philadelphia Phillies, was
named manager of the Brooklyn
Dodgers today by Branch Rickey,
Dodger president.
Shotton replaoes Leo Durocher,
suspended for the 1947 season by
Commissioner A. B. Chandler for
acts unbecoming to a major league
| manager 10 days ago.
Shotton, a Dodger scout until to
day, was manager of the Phillies
from 1928 through 1933. After that
he swung into the St. Louis Car
dinals system of which Rickey then
was general manage. As a player
he was an outfielder with the St.
Louis Browns.
Ford Will Gives Grandchildren
Control of Empire, Lawyer Says
Nonvoting Stock, Bulk of Estate, Goes
To Family Foundation; Widow Gets Home
By the Associated Press
DETROIT, April 18.—The will
of Henry Ford, noted automobile
industry pioneer, was filed for
probate today, but gave no
inkling of its extent.
It left the bulk of the estate, rep
resented in nonvoting stock in the
Ford Motor Co. to the Ford Founda
tion, and all of Mr. Ford’s holdings
of voting shares to his four grand
children in equal shares.
Unofficial estimates of the estate’s
value have ranged between $200,000,
000 and $500,000,000,
Clifford B. Longley, attorney for
the Ford family, said that when the
will is finally cleared through pro
bate, control of the vast Ford indus
trial empire will rest with the heirs
of Edsel B. Ford, only son of Mr.
and Mrs. Henry Ford.
The will, dated February 3, 1936,
left only the Ford home, Fairlane,
in nearby Dearborn, where Mr. Ford
i
died April 7, to his widow along with
some personal effects.
Other than the bequests to the
foundation, the grandchildren and
the widow there were no specific be
quests.
The Ford Foundation, organized in
1936, contributes to the maintenance
of Ford’s Greenfield Village, the Edi
son Institute in nearby Dearborn, to
the Henry Ford Hospital and to
other institutions. In the latest re
port filed by Henry Ford II, its
president and a trustee, it reported
assets of $109,168,005 on June 30,1945.
Its purpose is described as "to
receive and administer funds for
scientific, educational and charitable
purposes, all for the public welfare.”
As such, attorneys maintain, it and
any contributions it receives are
tax-exempt.
The will contained a statement by
Mr. Ford that he had “heretofore
provided generously for my wife,
(See FORD, Page A-3.)
D. C. Phone Workers
May Offer Arbitration
Proposal Tomorrow
Union Move for Accord
Over Nation This Week
Presages New Parleys
Hope for an early settlement
In the District phase of the Na
tion-wide telephone strike was
given a boost today and the na
tional union’s determination to
end the tieup this week prom
ised other encouraging develop
ments.
Meeting with company representa
tives for the second straight day,
the District Federation of Telephone
Workers said they may submit a
counterproposal tomorrow to a
company suggestion for arbitration.
Helery Robinson, union president,
said that if the Executive Commit
tee does not make a counterproposal
this afternoon, it will be along lines
“suggested for the first time at this
morning’s meeting.’’
dilation Commissioner E. T. Bell
would comment on the nature of
the new approach. The parties will
meet, again at 10 a.m. tomorrow in
the Hamilton Hotel.
Arbitration Offer Expanded.
The Chesapeake & Potomac Tele
phone Co.’s offer was designed along
the lines of Secretary of Labor
Schwellenbach’s national settlement
plan, but called for “regional” arbi
tration instead of single board—a
modification insisted on by the
American Telephone & Telegraph
Co. in rejecting the secretary’s pro
posal last Tuesday.
In addition to basic wages, the
C. & P.’s expanded its arbitration
offer to include length of schedules
and progressions, length of vacations
and leaves of absence for union
officers. The offer also jwas made
to the Washington Telephone Traffic
Union, the other striking District
union.
Mr. Robinson has said a reason
able wage offer by the company
(See TELEPHONE, Page A-2.)
Public Doesn t Want
Personal Journalism,
Editors' Society Told
Acheson and Conant
Scheduled to Speak
At Session Today
By C. A. Mathisen
The varying problems of pro
ducing useful editorial pages on
large and, small newspapers were
discussed' today by members of
the American Society of News
paper Editors as they continued
their annual convention in the
Hotel Statler.
J. Donald Ferguson, editor of the
Milwaukee Journal, one of three
panel members, said It was his opin
ion readers “no longer have any
interest in editors calling each other
names.” He said his newspaper
“would have no place for a Charles
A. Dana or a Horace Greeley,” be
cause those men often were en
deavoring to advance nersnnal am
bitions in their editorials.
Mr. Ferguson declared he con
sidered freedom of the press to be
“a trust or obligation, not a right
or privilege.” -
Readers have a right to learn
what is going on in the world
through accurate repqrting and in
terpretation, and "the newspaper
is only the trustee of that right for
the people” he said.
Six Men Write Editorials.
The Milwaukee editor said his
newspaper's editorials were written
by six men of varying opinions who
thrashed out policy in daily con
ferences.
"I have one man who is a bit
pink, but he’s a good influence,” Mr.
Ferguson said.
Harry Ashmore, youthful new edi
tor of the Charlotte (N. C.) News,
said he did all the editorial writing
for that paper.
“My problems are time—the lack
of it—and space—too much of it,”
he said.
Ralph Nicholson, editor' of the
(See EDITORS, Page A-7j
General Held as Drunk Driver,
Says Police Knocked Out Teeth
A charge of driving while drunk
jwas brought in Traffic Court today
Brig. Gen. August Walter
41, deputy chief of the
~ ‘ •—'
| in the
war
in both Europe
and the Pacific.
Arraigned be
alter a a.m. yesteraay Dy «o. i pre
cinct police, who reported that the
car he was driving jumped the curb
at Eighth and N streets N.W.
At a preliminary hearing today
in the office of Assistant Corpora
tion Counsel Clark King, police dis
played a fifth of whisky, one-third
empty, which they said was found
in the general’s car. Police added
the defendant had an odor of al
cohol on his breath.
Gen. Kissner said that police
knocked out two of his teeth in ar
resting him.
The general was wearing civilian
attire when arrested.
Policeman W. A. Dalrymple told
Mr. King be struck the general with
his fist when the Army officer
reached into a 6oat pocket. The po
liceman said he did not know the
general was reaching for his lden
(See GENERAL, Page A-5.)
I
Crowds Gather
For Nats-Yanks
'Opening' Game
Truman and 30,000
Other Spectators
Watch Contest
By Francis E. Stann '
Sunny skies and a rising tem
perature greeted the opening of
the 1947 baseball season at Grif
fith Stadium today as the Na
tionals and New York Yankees
met before President Truman
and 30,000 other spectators.
a onsK wina irom me southwest
was blowing. In the local park
this aids right-hand hitters as the
winds blow almost directly toward
left field.
The crowd gathered more slowly
than last Monday, when thousands
sat in the rain for more than two
hours before the "official” opener
was postponed. The bleachers be
gan filling first today, with fans
jamming the left-center, or closest
portion to the infield and fanning
out from there.
- Yogi Berra Steals Show.
In pre-game drills, a Yankee
rookie. Outfielder Lawrence (Yogi)
Berra, stole the show. Tire short,
broad-shouldered former catcher
delighted early comers by hittir^
all types of pitches, some nearly at
his shoetops and others above his
shoulders. He drove three balls
against the right-field fence.
Although same of the edge was
taken off today’s game by the wash
out earlier in the week, excitement
still was high as time approached
for the arrival of Mr. Truman and
his party. The park was still be
decked with bunting, and the origi
nal opening-day program was held
over.
rpu- _- _ v_;
• p»wt*viO nvit AA/UJ9
(Bobo) Newsom for Washington and
Allie Reynolds for the Yankees.
Both are right-handers. Newsom
won 14 games last season,# 11 for
the Nats and 3 for Philadelphia, and
Reynolds captured 11 for Cleveland,
which traded him to New York last
winter.
Both Stick to Lineups.
Both of the rival managers stuck
to their lineups of yesterday, when
the Yankees won their first victory
and the Nats dropped a second de
vision in two starts to the Boston
Red Sox.
Ossie Bluege, Washington pilot,
threw five consecutive left-handed
hitters at Reynolds, starting at the
top of the batting order. The Nats'
lineup was as follows: Joe Grace,
left field; Buddy Lewis, right field;
Stan Spence, center field; Mickey
Vernon, first base; Cecil Travis,
third base; Gerry Priddy, second
base; Mark Christman, shortstop;
A1 Evans, catcher, and Newsom.
Christman, purchased from St.
Louis a week ago, was the only
newcomer to local fans.
Bucky Harris, manager of the
Yankees, named this batting order:
Phil Rizzuto, shortstop; Rookie Bob
Brown, third base: Tommy Henrich,
center field; Charley Keller, left
field; Berra, right field: Aaron Rob
inson, catchers George McQuinn,
first base; George Stimweiss, sec
ond base, and Reynolds.
The teams completed their infield
drills on schedule at 2:20 and
promptly at 2:30 the Army Band
marched onto the field and took
over to await the arrival of the
President.
D. C. Man Found Hanging
In Toolshed at His Home
John A. Seyfred. 48, was found
hanging by a rope today from a
rafter of the toolshed behind his
home, 3635 Nichols avenue S.E.
Capt. John E. Fondahl of No. 11
precinct said Mr. Seyfred left a
note saying he was despondent over
ill health. Police said he was un
employed and recently had been a
patient at a Maryland sanitorium.
Mr. Seyfred was found by his
father, Killian Seyfred. Earlier, po
lice were told, the younger Mr. Sey
fred had been noticed ^cutting grass
around the house. •
Members of Fire Resque Squad
No. 1 worked over the body for 45
minutes, but were unable to revive
him.
Sunday Reading . . .
Another cycle of boom and
bust is Inevitable, according to
some persons who believe
business and Government can
and should do nothing about
high prices. A firm dissenter,
Senator O’Mahoney, Demo
crat, of Wyoming, a member
of the congressional Joint
Committee on the Economic
Report, has written a special
article for Sunday’s Editorial
Section telling why America
“cannot afford to let things
go."
Equally disturbing to Rep
resentative Taber, Republi
can, of New York, is the size
of the 1948 budget, and he is
swinging a mean ax at Fed
U^V**V***I5* XXVfWAVS 4JiUV/UUl|
also writing in the Editorial
Section, studies Mr. Taber’s
form and his determined fight
for economy.
In the foreign field, Newbold
Noyes, jr., another staff writ
er, sat through a dramatic
trial in Moscow and found it
rated a story, while Lothrop
Stoddard analyzes the effect
De Gaulle’s return to public
life is having on Prance’s
muddled political picture.
These features and many
more supplement the usual
thorough and accurate news
content of
j&iwiiag fctar