Evening star. [volume], April 19, 1948, Image 1

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Goldsborough
Sets Tomorrow
For Sentence
Justice Hints Broadly
At Jail Term for
Mine Union Chief
By James Y. Newton
John L. Lewis and the United
Mine Workers today were de
clared guilty of contempt of
court by Justice T. Alan Golds
borough. who postponed sentence
until 10 a.m. tomorrow.
Justice Goldsborough found that
Mr. Lewis and the UMW deliberately
provoked the strike of 400,000 miners
which began March 15 and then
ignored a District Court order to
call it off.
The finding of guilt covered both
civil and criminal contempt.
Justice Goldsborough hinted broad
ly at a possible jail sentence for Mr.
Lewis, an action that industry feared
would bring another Nation-wide
strike of the miners. He said that
use of the unlimited power's to fine
the defendants under civil contempt
provisions .could not "salvage” the
damage caused the country by the
strike.
Mr. Lewis sat impassively among
his attorneys as Justice Golds
borough delivered a long oral
opinion that at times assumed the
aspect of a lecture on the responsi
bility of unions and their leaders
for the actions ot the union mem
bers.
New Rule of Law.
“What this court does in this
case is being watched by every law
less element,” Justice Goldsborough
said, “not only in this country,
but of the world—all decent people,
too— on the question of whether
the courts have the power to pro
tect the people of this country” in
pursuit of their normal way of
life.
In making his findings. Justice
Goldsborough said that he was
enunciating a new rule of law, one
that he thought clearly was right,
although he did not know whether
the high courts would sustain him.
It was:
“A union that is functioning as a
union must be held responsible for
the mass action of its members.
• * * This rule of law is the only
one which will preserve the unions.
If the plan is adopted widely over
the country for the use of a wink,
a nod or a code instead of the word
strike—and it is recognized by the
courts—then we will have among
unions lawlessness, chaos and ulti
mate anarchy. Then unions would
have to be socialized—in other
words, they would be destroyed.”
Motion for Delay Overruled.
After pronouncing Mr. Lewis and
the UMW guilty of both counts of
contempt. Justice Goldsborough
quickly overruled a motion by Welly
K Hopkins, chief Lewis counsel, to
arrest judgment. The court set ar
gument for 10 a m. Wednesday on
the Government's request for an
80-day, Taft-Hartley Act injunction
against the mine strike.
Mr. Hopkins argued that the
UMW and Mr. Lewis had complied
last Monday—a week after it was f
served on them—with the order
issued by Justice Matthew F. Me- |
Guire to end the strike. He had
called cn Attorney General Clark to
ask the court to dissolve the re
straining order.
“It would be an interesting situa
tion.” Justice Goldsborough com
mented, “if the Attorney General •
moved to dissolve the injunction and
all of the miners, or the balance of
them, would walk out tomorrow. The
court doesn't think the matter of
the injunction has been disposed
of.”
Beyond Bounds of Expedience.”
In pronouncing judgment earlier
and in reference to the action of
Mr. Lewis in ignoring the court
order to end the strike, Justice
Goldsborough said:
Finally, the court is firmly con-'
vinced this situation has gotten be
yond the bounds of expediency.!
This issue must be met.”
Justice Goldsborough brushed
aside the Lewis argument that the
miners were not on strike but had
merely stopped work as individuals
in protest of the failure of coal mine
operators to give them a pension
(See COAL, Page A-4.)
---.—
Hog Prices Drop Sharply
On Heavy Runs to Market
By tVit Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, April 19—The
biggest hog run in almost two years
jammed the Kansas City stockyards
today.
Receipts were estimated at 7,500.
The last day that number w’as ex
ceeded was July 2, 1946, when the
run totaled 9.793. The previous
high this year was 4,593 on April 5.
Buyers saw in the heavy receipts
a start on unloading the backlog of
hogs which had been held on the
theory the packing house strike w'as
near an end.
Prices opened $1 to $1.50 lower,
with top of $20.50. the minimum
since October 15, 1946, when OPA
price ceilings went off.
CHICAGO. April 19 (Ab.—Based
on the largest fresh receipts since
January, hog prices today sagged $1
to $1.25. There were 21.000 hogs on
sale and 500 shipped direct to
packers. Most good and choice
butcher hogs sold between $16.50
and $21.50.
RALEIGH, N. C., April 19 </Pu—
Prices dropped from 75 cents to
$1.25 per hundred pounds on North
Carolina cash hog buying stations
today. Top prices were $18.50 to
$M.
AFTER THE GUILTY VERDICT—John L. Lewis leaving District
Court today after hearing Justice T. Alan Goldsborough find
him guilty of contempt for flouting a court stop-strike order
in the coal mine walkout. An unidentified woman offered a
pat on the back as the mine leader marched stolidly out of the
building. —Star Staff Photo*
Surprised at Verdict,
Miners May Refuse
To Work Tomorrow
Union Officials Cautious,
But Disappointment of
Workers Is Evident
Coal miners who belong to
John L. Lewis’ United Mine
Workers apparently received
with surprise today word of the
union chief’s conviction of con
tempt of court and some imme
diately indicated they would
leave the mines in protest.
First indication of a new strike
came from the Frostburg, Md.. area,
where, the Associated Press re
ported, miners working today de
clared they will not report tomor
row, the day Mr. Lewis will hear
the penalty assessed against him
and his union.
Most of the miners in that area
apparently expected a favorable de
cision and there was no hiding their
disappointment. Many declared:
"We won't take it."
But union officials were adopting
a more cautious attitude. At thg
Cumberland headquarters of the
UMW, which includes the Frostburg
area mines, David Watkins, veteran
international union representative,
refused to say more than that “the
miners(do their own thinking."
At Pittsburgh. John P. Busarello,
president of UMW's District 5, said:
"No comment this morning. Let's
wait until tomorrow.”
The head of UMW's District 3 at
Greensburgh, Pa., Frank Hughes,
told the Associated Press:
“No comment. About all our men
are back at work.”
A sposesman for one UMW local
which was still idle commented:
"I don't know what will happen
now. We re not working yet and it
looks as if we won’t.”
This ominous note could indicate
a renewal of the walkout—ruled by
Justice T. Allan Goldsborough today
to have been a "strike." Up to this
morning it had been estimated that
more than two-thirds of the 400.00d
striking miners had returned to then
jobs, following the instructions last
Monday of Mr. Lewis. He told them
to end their "voluntary cessation of
work" after he had won for them
$100 monthly pensions. The pension
issue touched off the strike March
15.
There was a widespread fear
among industrialists, before today's
court decision, that all of the miners
would walk out again if Mr. Lewis
and the union were found guilty and
assessed a large penalty.
ICC Grants Carriers
Average Freight Rate
Increase of 5 Pet.
Labor Costs and Strikes
Blamed For Higher Rates,
Totaling 300 Millions
By the Associated Press
The Interstate Commerce
Commission today granted an
other temporary freight rate in
crease averaging about 5 per
cent.
The increases, totaling more than
$300,000,000 a year, will apply to
both railroads and domestic water
' carriers. They may be made ef
fective on 10 days' notice to the
public.
The increases range from 10 per
cent in the East to 5 per cent else
where, with no change in the Far
West.
The commission said higher rates
were required because of the freight
business which has been lo6t be
cause of work stoppages, in the coal
mining and other major industries,
and by severe winter condition* In
the early months of this year.
Tire ICC noted that the railroads
themselves “are now facing either
the possibility of a work stoppage
j under » strike vote already taken”
i or an increase in their labor costs.
The railroads last summer asked
for a long-term 30 per cent advance
tin freight rates. Since this plan
has been under study, the ICC has
authorized temporary advances of
20 per cent, now further increased
by about 5 per cent.
The new increase lifts rates In
the East by 10 per cent, within the
south by 5 per cent, and within
zone 1 of Western territory by 5
' per cent, one 1 covers an area
immediately west of Chicago com
prising Iowa, Northern Missouri.
Southeastern Minnesota and most
of Wisconsin.
| The commission said that rates
on freight moving in the West and
South and the West and East will
take a 5 per cent increase.
| Commissioners Miller and Mitch
ell concurred in the new increases,
•but both said the ICC should have
disposed of the petition for perma
nent raise instead of taking fur
ther temporary action.
Mrs. Roosevelt Quits Brussels
BRUSSELS. April 19 (JP).—Mrs.
Eleanor Roosevelt left Brussels
; this morning by automobile for
the Netherlands. She is to be a
guest of the Dutch royal family.
New Atom Test on Eniwetok
Announced by Commission
ly As*ociot«d Pr«»*
A test of "an atomic weapon" has
been held at the proving grounds
on Eniwetok Atoll, in the Marshall
Islands, the Atomic Energy Com
mission announced today.
This is the first such test an
nounced since those held at Bikini,
also in the Pacific, in 1946.
The announcement came as the
White House said President Tru
man would reappoint all five mem
bers of the atomic commission to
new terms beginning August 1.
The nominations will go the Senate
sometime this week.
Chairman David E. Lilienthal and
his four fellow members will be
named for staggered terms ranging
from one to five years. Presidential
Secretary Charles G. Rosa said he
did not know what terms individual
members would be named for.
The commission did not explain
whether the Eniwetok test was of
an atomic bomb, or some new kind
of atomic weapon.
The commission said that for se
curity reasons the date the test
was held is not being announced.
“A classified report of the test
results is being made to the Joint
Committee on Atomic Energy of the
Congress.” the announcement said,
adding:
“The teswwas conducted under
lull security restrictions of the
Atomic Energy Act of 1946. and pur
suant to the provisions of the act,
the public issuance of further In
formation concerning the test is not
permissible at present.”
Rumors of such tests on Eniwetok
have been prevalent for several
weeks.
IB
Bridges Backs
70 Air Groups,
Urges Action
Unexpected Move
Clears Way for Early
Vote in Senate
By J. A. O'Leary
Chairman Bridges of the Sen
ate Appropriations Committee
came out today in favor of swift
Senate approval of Air Force ex
pansion to 70 groups, for which
the House already has voted a
starting appropriation.
His statement came unexpectedly,
and virtually assures early Senate
action in view of his position.
There had been earlier reports
that Senator Bridges wanted to pro
ceed carefully in considering air
strength in its relation to ^
balanced over-all defense program
in line with the position taken by
President Truman and Secretary of
Defense Porrestal.
The New Hampshire Republican
also made it clear he is ready to
give prompt consideration to the
additional needs of the Army and
Navy, which the Administration
contends should go along with the
larger air force.
Says Need Is Urgent.
The statement of the Senate
Appropriations chairman follows:
“I have always been an advocate
of air power as the key to any na
tional defense program. Through
out my service in the Senate I
havs urged the development and
maintenance of a striking force ad
equate to meet any contingency.
Since World War II ended and Com
munist Russia’s expansion was ac
celerated I have emphasized that
the need for such an air force is
completely urgent.
“The international situation is
critical. In the face of this ever
increasing Communist threat, the
Congress has no choice but to act
with dispatch on the 70-group air
force plan as the spearhead of an
adequate and balanced overall pro
gram to secure America’s position in
a threatened world. There should
be prompt congressional authoriza
tion of a 70-group air force.
“Information which will enable
the Congress to promptly authorize
whatever iteps are necessary to an
adequate and balanced overall de
fense program should be immedi
ately presented by the executive
branch. In this period when It is
impossible to predict daily develop
ments the Government and the
people must treat time as of the
essence.
Committee Will Act Swiftly.
“I am hopeful that needed infor
mation will come to the Senate
Armed Services Committee immedi
ately. But in any event, the Senate
Appropriations Committee is pre
pared to act swiftly regarding air
force expansion and any othef na
tional security matters placed before
us.’’
Meanwhile^ the Senate Armed
Services Committee recessed its
study of military manpower needs
until Wednesday when it found Sec
retary of Defense Forrestal would
not be ready before then to submit
the overall figures showing what
each branch of the service believes it
should have.
Chairman Gurney revealed that
the separate armed forces have not
yet agreed among themselves how
much should be allocated to each
of them out of the overall increase
of $3,000,000,000 recommended by
the administration two weeks ago
to the original $11,000,000,000 de
fense budget for the coming year.
The controversy over the size of
the Air Force was brought to a
head when the House last week
decided to take $3,198,000,000 of the
administration's total defense bud
get and make it immediately avail
able for Air Force and naval air
expansion alone.
The Senate Appropriations Com
| mittee also met in closed session,
] principally to work out procedure
(See DEFENSE, Page A-5.)
High Court Sustains
Negro Vote in South
•y th» Associated Press
The Supreme Court in effect to
day upheld a decision that Negroes
have the right to vote in Demo
cratic primaries in South Carolina.
That decision was returned by the
United States Circuit Court of Ap
peal* in Richmond. It was ap
pealed by party officials of Rich
land County, S. C. They asked the
Supreme Court to review and re
verse the decision. They contended
the Democratic party in South
Carolina is “a voluntary political
association which can exercise un
restricted choice of membership.”
The Supreme Court announced
merely that it would not review the
lower court findings. The effect of
this is to let the findings stand.
The circuit court decision said:
“No election machinery can be
upheld if its purpose or effect is to
deny the Negro, on account of his
race or color, an effective voice in
the Government of his country or
the State or community wherein he
; lives.”
The Richland County party
officials told the Supreme Court
that the Democratic Party in
South Carolina is not regulated by
State law and primary elections
are conducted merely under party
rules. They argued that the Cir
cuit Court had no right to act in
the case because “there was no
State action involved, and the pri
mary waa not required by law and
waa not an election.”
#
Thousands Swarm Into Stadium
To See Nats, Yanks in Opener
Truman to Deliver Pitch at 3 O'Clock;
Bleacher Seats Sold Out for First Time
BULLETIN
BOSTON (iflP;.—'The Boston
Red Sox and the Philadelphia
Athletics opened the major
league baseball season today
in a Patriots’ Day double
header and the Athletics won,
5 to 4, in 11 inning? despite
three Boston home runs by
Stan Spence, Vern Stephens
and Bobby Doerr. The teams
are playing again this after
noon.
By Francis E. Stann
Sunny skies and near-perfect
weather conditions greeted the
Washington Nats and the World
Champion New York Yankees at
Griffith Stadium today as the
Campaign for Pledges
Against Segregated 1
Army Service Drawn
Signatures of Negroes
And Whites Sought,
House Group Is Told
By Robert K. Walsh
A Nation-wide campaign will
be launched to have Negroes and
white men sign cards pledging
refusal to obey any draft or uni- j
versal military training law that!
allows racial discrimination, the
House Armed Services Commit
tee was told today,
j 1 Grant Reynolds, New York State
Commissioner of correction and na
tional chairman of the Committee
Against Jimcrow in Military Service
and Training, announced also that
buttons with the inscription “Don't
Coin a Jimcrow Army” will be sold
1 in front of the White House and the
Capitol.
His testimony advocating a “civil
disobedience" drive against segrega
tion in the armed forces was in line
with statements he and A. Phillips
Randolph, president of the Sleeping
■Car Porters Union, AFL, made two
weeks ago to the Senate Armed
Services Committee. They asserted
that they would advjge Negroes not
to serve in the armed services if
Congress passed draft or UMT leg
islation without a ban on racial
segregation.
Say* He Wouldn't Serve.
Mr. Reynolds, who is colored, tes
tified today as the House committee
began its second week of open hear
ings on a limited draft bill designed
to help increase the regular armed
strength from 1.377.000 to almost
2,000.000 men. with provision for a
70-group Air Force.
Mr. Reynolds, in reply to sharp
questions by committee members,
declared he was “unalterably op
posed to communism and Soviet
Russia's policies." He said, however,
that he personally tfculd refuse to
register or serve in the armed serv
ices unless racial segregation is pro
hibited.
“A policeman could come and get
(See DRAFT, Page A-6.)
Late News 1
Bulletin
, U. 5. Protests to Nicaragua
The State Department an
nounced. today that the United
States had made the “strong- i
est’’ informal protest to Nic
aragua against the presence of
Nicaraguan troops in Costa
Rica. The troops were reported
to have been aiding govern
ment forces.
(Earlier Story on Page A-J.)
48th American League baseball
season opened.
Fans has lost none of their old
zest for the pageantry of Wash
ington's opening day. Long lines
of ticket-seekers waited at bleacher
entrances for the gates to open.
Five minutes after the first gate
swung back at 11 o’clock, approxi
mately 2.000 fans basked in the sun
for the four-hour wait until game
time. It was announced that for
the first time the bleachers were
completely sold out before the game.
At the main entrance on Florida
avenue, more fans took up a block
long vigil as early as 1 o'clock for
the sale of standing room tickets,
which will be available at 2:30. half
an hour before President Truman
delivers the traditional first pitch.
Joe Kuhel, fresnman manager of
the Nats, confirmed in the dressing
(SeeBASEBALL? Pagc~A-4.>
City Heads Consider
Police Loyally Check
For D. C. Employes
'Special Investigations
Squad' Would Handle
Screening of 18,000
A loyalty Investigation pro
gram for District employes will
be carried out by the police force,
if the Commissioners put into
effect their present ideas.
Their idea is to have the pro
gram here “supervised" by a special
committee of District department
chiefs, headed probably by a repre
sentative of the Corporation Coun
sel's Office.
But the actual work of checking
the actions and allegiances of the
city's 18.000 employes would be in
the hands of the “special investi
gations squad’’ which, operating
under a cloak of secrecy, already
has had considerable practice as
sembling anti-subversive informa
tion.
Suggested by Young.
It was Commissioner John Russell
Young who first suggested, on April
10. that a check of municipal em
ployes by the District Government
itself might be necessary. He
reached that conclusion after being
informed by the Civil Service Com
mission that the Federal Govern
ment had no authority to investi
gate District ■workers.
With Mr. Young's proposal on the
agenda for tomorrow's board meet
ing, the three Commissioners are
already in full though informal
agreement that the loyalty check
must be made. And while they may
change their minds about the de
tails, they agree that the police de
partment is the only agency that
can handle the job.
The "special investigations squad"
(See-LOYALTY. Page'A-6.>
57th DAR Congress
Opens Tonight With
4.C13 in Attendance
Principal Talk to Be Given
By Martin; Message From
Truman Will Be Read
Committees were ironing out
final details today, while the last
of the 4.000 delegates and alter
nates signed the register in
preparation for tonight’s open
ing session of the 57th Conti
nental Congress of Daughters of
the American Revolution.
As usual, colorful pageantry and
patriotic ceremony will mark the
first of the five-day sessions at
Constitution Hail. Speaker of the
House Martin will deliver the prin
cipal address after Mrs. Roscoe C.
O’Byrne of Brookville, Ind., extends
her first welcoming message to the
congress as president general.
A message from President Tru
man will be read to the initial
assembly, which begins at 8:30 p.m.
after a concert lay the Marine Band
Orchestra. "National Defense" is
the keynote of the congress.
Yesterday, the daughters gath
ered At Constitution Hall to honor
the memory of their colleagues
who have died in the last year.
In her tribute to 2,664 deceased
members, Mrs. O'Byrne said the
story of Mrs. Mildred Fish Harnack.
who was reported beheaded in 1943
on the personal orders of Hitler
for resisting Nazi ideology, exempli
fies the "sterner stuff" of which
Daughters of the American Revolu
tion are made.
Mrs. Harnack graduated from
Western High School and attended
I George Washington University be
ifore transferring to the University
of Wisconsin, where she met her
husband, Dr. Arvid Harnack. He
• See DAR. Page A-5.1
Dirksen to Ask Debate Curb
In House for Home Rule Bill
Chairman Dirksen of the House
District Committee, anticipating that
his committee will approve the bill
i to give home rule to the District
people, announced today he will ask
the House Rules Committee for a
rule for two hours debate on the
House floor.
Opposition is expected both in the
District Committee and on the
floor. Best indication points to ap
proval by the District Committee
after debate.
The home rule bill will come up
for consideration by the District
Committee Wednesday after the
group has disposed of about seven
other measures affecting the Dis
trict. The session will start at 9:30
a.m. The hearing will be open to
the public during consideration of
minor bills, but the committee will
go into executive session, Mr. Dirk
sen said, to take up the home rule
bill.
So Important is this measure, Mr.
Dirksen said, that the committee
may have to meet on it during both
' the morning and the afternoon.
Dirksen Calls for No Exemptions
From Proposed D. C. Sales Tax
Chairman Dirksen of the House
District Committee today recom
mended that all exemptions be elim
inated from the proposed D. C. sales
tax now being considered as a
means to have city revenues meet
city expenses.
Sales tax proposals heretofore
have called for exempting medical
supplies and food sold in markets,
but not in restaurants.
The tax, as proposed, would be
2 per cent on retail pqrchases.
Mr. Dirksen, in proposing that
there be no exemptions, is support
ing the contention of Chairman
Horan of the House Subcommittee
in charge of the District budget,
who is concluding hearings on the
record and unbalanced 1949 spend
ing program.
Mr. Dirksen said he did not like a
sales tax, but that it could not be
ri
avoided as a means of meeting Dis
trict budget demands. But he said
it would be better to have no ex
emptions because of bookkeeping
troubles and confusion which other
wise would arise.
For example, he said it would al
most be necessary for a grocer to
rearrange his store and have all
non-taxable goods on one side and
taxed products on the other or to
keep two sets of books.
Even under such arrangements,
he said, confusions still would be
inevitable.
The Horan subcommittee today
took testimony from the last of the
District officials on the Zoo, Park
and Planning Commission and Of
fice of National Capital Parks. A
long list of citizen spokesmen is to
be heard at a final session tomor
row. i
Early Returns
From Italy Give
Anti-Reds Lead
Christian Democrats
Threaten Leftist
Domination of North
By th« Associated Pros*
ROME, April 19.—Early returns
In Italy’s momentous elections
gave anti-Communists a long
lead today for the new Senate
and threatened the leftist dom
ination of the so-called “Red
north.”
Premier Alcide de Gasperi's
Christian Democrats were ahead of
the Communist-dominated Popular
Front even in Turin, Venice, and
Florence, which are under Com
munist municipal administrations.
The Vatican-backed Christian Dem
ocrats also led in Milan, in the heart
of the industrial north.
In Bologna, capital of a region
often called the “Italian Kremlin,”
the Christian Democrats trailed the
Popular Front by a shade. However,
two minor parties associated with
the Christian Democrats picked up
enough votes to put the anti-Com
munist total in Bologna well ahead
of the Communists.
ue uasperi • tncouragea.
On the basis of these returns—
too few to be decisive—Premier De
Gasperi described himself as “very
encouraged." He avoided making
any predictions, however.
Leaders were cautious about bas
ing predictions on the Senate re
turns, involving 237 elective seats,
because they felt the vote for the
Chamber of Deputies would be the
real barometer of the Nation's feel
ing on communism. A trickle of
returns on the deputies' election la
expected late tonight or early to
morrow’.
Unofficial returns from 200 of 911
sections in the Milan Senate con
! tests gave the Christian Democrats
76,739; the Popular Front, 50,219',
the anti-Communlst Socialists, 28,
682. and the national bloc or rightist
parties, 520.
Voting Extremely Heavy.
The voting was extremely heavy
—estimated at 90 per cent of those
eligible—and this was regarded as
good news for the anti-Communists.
In Rome, two voting precincts a
block away from Mr. De Gasperi*
home gave the Christian Democrats
817. the Popular Front 175, and the
pro-Fascist Italian Social Movement
(MSI) 76; Republican, 62 and Na
tional Bloc, 21.
Minister of Interior Mario Scelba
announced the voting in this crucial
test between Russia and the western
democracies ended with “tranquil
ity.” He warned against “alarmist
news” being circulated by secret
radios and unnamed persons. He
said some arrests already had been
made.
Early returns from another Rome
senatorial district gave the Chris
tian Democrats 2,583, the Popular
Front 505.
Ten precincts in the city of Bo
logna, often called the Italian Krem
lin, gave the popular front a lead—
2,691 to the Christian Democrats’
2,089.
In Turin, under Communist muni
cipal government for three years,
54 precincts gave the Christian
Democrats 6,262, the Popular Front
2.557. These figures, representing
less than 10 per cent of the Turin
precincts, were announced by tha
Interior Ministry.
Complete unofficial returns from
a seventh of Florence precincts
gave the Christian Democrats a
i 3-to-2 lead.
The polls closed after 21 hours of
voting full of meaning for the fu
i ture of Europe and possibly for the
peace of the world.
Officials estimated 90 per cent of
! the 29,000,000 eligible* cast ballots.
This may be a world record for a
free election.
Counting began Immediately. The
Senate vote is counted first. First
returns on 574 seats in the Cham
ber of Deputies are due tomorrow.
Campaign Often Violent.
The grim tug-of-war in Italy be
tween Russia and the West, re
flected in the bitter and often vio
lent campaign in the last three
months, accounted for the heavy
(See ITALY, Page A-4.)
American MPs Make
I
Reds Release Woman
8/ th# Aiiocia!»d Pr*»
I VIENNA, Austria, April 19.—A
i Soviet attempt to kidnap a stateless
[German woman in the American
[ zone of Vienna led to a clash today
! between American and Russian mili
tary police.
The woman, identified as Elsa
Pfeffer, was wrested from the Rus
sians and released over their pro
test. The incident was the most
serious involving the two police
forces since the start of the four
power occupation of Vienna.
American military police resorted
to force when the Russians, who
had been taken to the United States
provost marshal’s headquarters, re
fused to leave their automobiles.
Capt. Kooshin, deputy Russian
provast marshal for Vienna, was
placed .under temporary arrest for
‘•countermanding the orders given
by an American officer in an Amer
ican district, and inciting a riot.”
This kidnaping took place near the
Kahlenberg. a castle in the Vienna
woods overlooking the city. The
woman had left the displaced per
sons camp at Cobenzy, a former
luxury hotel, when a civilian car
pulled up alongside her.
She said later she was forced into
the automobile and a gun wu
pushed into her ribe.