Evening star. [volume], July 12, 1948, Image 1

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

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"--—----------—--- ~ 1 ■" - - ' .. . - ' "" ~
Democratic Convention Opens;
Douglas Makes Refusal Final;
Compromise Reported on Rights'
, <
Barkley Regarded
As Leading Field
•For Second Place
BULLETIN
PHILADELPHIA WV —The
first session of the Democratic
Convention adjourned at 2:06
p.m. today until 8:30 p.m. to
night.
By Gould Lincoln
Star Staff Correspondent
PHILADELPHIA. July 12.—The
Democrats opened their National
Convention at 12:13 p.m. today
with .Supreme Court Justice
Douglas definitely out of the pic
ture as a vice presidential candi
date, further wrangling over the
nomination of President Truman
to head the ticket and a platform
dispute still raging.
The announcement that Justice
Douglas had taken himself out of
the race for the vice presidential
nomination with finality was made
by John Redding, director of pub
licity for the Democratic National
Committee.
This appeared to leave Senator
Barkley of Kentucky, Democratic
leader of the upper house, as the
leading candidate to run with Pres
ident Truman.
Mr. Redding said at a press con
ference:
‘T am informed by friends of Jus
tice Douglas he will not be a candi
date for Vice President.”
Calls Refusal Absolute.
This was interpreted as meaning
that he was positively not available.
Previously reports circulated in
the convention that President Tru
man had called Justice Douglas, va
cationing in Washington, by long
distance telephone during the week
end and had asked him to take the
No. 2 place.
Pressed for details, Mr. Redding
said he considered that this is “an
absolute refusal” by Justice Douglas.
Justice Douglas could have had
the nomination had he been willing
to resign from the Supreme Court
and run.
Mr. Redding -said that the race j
is "now wide open.” He gave it as
his personal opinion, however, that [
the most likely choice would be
Senator Barkley.
Rays Race Is Wide Open.
Democratic National Chairman
McGrath, when interviewed follow
ing the formal Redding statement,
said that, this removed all chances
of a Douglas nomination. He also
added that while it would probably
enhance the boom for Senator
Barkley, “the race is still wide open.”
It was too early, he said, and too
soon after the decision of Justice
Douglas to be definite about a vice
presidential choice.
The Kentucky Senator, who will j
deliver the keynote speech of the
Democratic National Convention
tonight as its temporary chairman,
has not been an aspirant for the
vice presidential nomination. In-;
deed, his friends have said, he j
would not have his name presented!
unless he was personally requested \
by President Truman.
Senator Barkley took a seat with
the Kentucky delegation on the
floor of the convention not long;
after the session opened.
In reply to questions he said:
“I have heard nothing about a
vice-presidential nomination.”
He added the White House had!
not been in communication with)
him.
There was much support for a
Barkley vice-presidential nomina- j
tion among the delegates.
Senator O'Mahoney of Wyoming,
himself a candidate for vice pres- ;
ident, has informed Senator Barklev|
he, Senator OTVIahonev. would place
the Kentuckian in nomination if
Senator Barkley wanted him to. j
Lucas Supports Kentuckian,
Senator Lucas of Illinois, who has
bqen mentioned as a possible vice
presidential nominee also told Sena-1
tor Barkley he would have his vote.'
Senator Tydings of Maryland, who
has been indorsed for second place 5
on the ticket by his State conven
tion. visited Senator Barkley, too,
to offer his aid.
It was beginning to look as though
the convention itself might take the
(Continued on Page A-4, Col. 1.)
Program Tonight
Barkley Due to Give
Keynote Speech
9 By the Associated Prest
PHILADELPHIA, July 12.—To
night's program for the Democratic
convention:
Evening—8:30 P.M.
Call to order by Senator McGrath.
Invocation by the Rev. Fred
Pierce Corson, resident bishop of
the Methodist Church. Philadelphia.
National Anthem, sung by Phil
Regan.
Keynote address by Senator
Barkiey of Kentucky, temporary
convention chairman.
Addresses by Mrs. India Edwards, \
executive director, Women's Divi- j
sion. Democratic National Com-j
mittee, and Miss Frances Perkins,'
former Secretary of Labor.
Committee appointments.
Quake Shakes Mt. Fuji Area
TOKYO. July 12 </P).—A mild ’
farthquake in the Mount Fuji area j
shook Central Honshu last night, j
No damage was reported. j
-- 1
Remember
The Star’s New Telephone '
Number Is STERLING 5000. \
! i
. A
. ~ ... I. .. !!.!■» 4
Convention Is Gaveled to Order;
Lawrence Draws Mild Applause
Preconvention Activities Are Marked
By Atmosphere of Wake; Crowds Small
By Newbold Noyes, Jr.
Star Stoff Correspondent
PHILADELPHIA, July 12.—The
Democratic National Convention
was brought to order at 12:1J
p.m. today by Mayor David L.
Lawrence of Pittsburgh, national
committeeman from Pennsyl
vania and co-chairman of the
Pennsylvania-Philadelphia Com
mittee for the Democratic Na
tional Convention.
The delegates applauded re
servedly as Mr. Lawrence said:
"We want you to enjoy yourselves
—we know you will have a good
time.” He went to forecast a Dem
ocratic victory in November.
The formal "convention call" was
delivered at 1 p.m. by Mrs. Dorothy
M. Vredenburgh of Alabama, sec
retary of the National Committee,
cool and handsome in a turquoise
dress with an enormous orchid on
her shoulder. i
As the delegates milled noisley in
the aisles, despite pleas from Sen
ator McGrath of Rhode Island,
chairman of the National Commit
tee, Republican Mayor Bernard
Samuel of Philadelphia cast, a
benevolent eye on the proceedings
in his address of welcome despite
the fact that he drew some boos
from the gallery.
“If the downtrodden people of the
dominated countries abroad could
be here and see for themselves the
American way of selecting public
servants,’’ he said, “their ideas of
our form of Government would
ascend to new and very high levels.” I
Leslie Biffle, convention sergeant
at-arms, began banging his gavel at
12:07 p.m. After 5 minutes of
thumping, he called on the dele
gates to take their seats and clear
the aisles. One minute later, Mr.
Lawrence judged the situation well
(See-NOYES, Page A-3.) j
--- I
Justice Douglas Says
He Would Not Accept
Any Public Office
Believes No Member of
Supreme Court Should
Seek Political Position
By the Associated Pres*
PORTLAND, Oreg., July 12.—
Justice Douglas of the Supreme
Court told reporters today that
he would not accept a vice presi
dential nomination.
Confirming reports from the
Democratic National Convention in
Philadelphia, the justice declared
in a statement ‘‘I say definitely
and finally that X am not available
for any public office.”
Justice Douglas said he felt that
"no person, while a member of the
Supreme Court, should seek politi
cal preferment.”
The justice was cloistered in a
Portland hotel room this morning
instead of in his scheduled hide
away in a beach cottage, at Oyster
ville, Wash., which has no telephone.
It is accessible only at low tide.
Justice Douglas, who had been
called President Truman's choice
for a running mate, expressed grati
tude for the "expression of con
fidence” from the people. “Yet I
feel deeply,” he added, "that my
greatest service to the Nation at
the present time is to remain on
the Supreme Court.”
Has Not Been Candidate.
Justice Douglas' complete state
ment:
Four years ago at the time of
the Democratic convention, when
President Roosevelt found me,
among others, acceptable as his
running mate, I said that I was
not a candidate for public office. I
thought then, as I think now, that
no person, while a member of the
Supreme Court, should seek po
litical preferment. And so in this
year of 1948 I likewise have not been
a candidate and am not now a can
didate for any public office.
"I appreciate the great expression
of confidence which in recent
months has come to me again from
men and women of all walks of
life. No American can have such
(See DOUGLAS. Page A-5.) j
— ' j
Warm, Sticky Day Forecast;
More of Same Tomorrow
Humidity will vie with heat for
top place in the Washington weath
er piciure today and tomorrow, with
the former getting a little the best
of it.
Although the temperature was
not expected to exceed the high 80 s
today, excessive moisture promised
to make things unqomfortable, the
Weather Bureau said.
Continued partly cloudy, warm
and humid weather was forecast for
tonight and tomorrow. A low tem
perature of 72 degrees was expected
tonight.
D. C. Delegates Back
Civil Rights Program,
Ask Home Rule Plank
Same Language as Used
By Republicans Favored
For Suffrage Proposal
By Don S. Warren
Star Staff Correspondent
PHILADELPHIA, July 12.—The
District delegations to the Demo
cratic Convention, in an extend
ed late-morning caucus today,
went all out for,the President’s
civil rights program, tying it di
rectly to the situation in Wash
ington.
At the end of the meeting, which1
came shortly after the convention’s!
first session began, John Wattawa.i
chairman of the District delegation,!
announced the group had unani-i
mously gone on record seeking a]
District suffrage plank in the party
platform and for a six-point pro
gram based directly on the civil'
rights question.
One of these registers opposition
to any State's rights plank that is]
related to civil rights legislation.
Before the day ends, the delega-,
tion's two representatives on the;
convention Resolutions Committee,
Brig. Gen. Albert L. Cox and Mrs.
Ernest K. Lindley. are to submit a
District suffrage plank to the plat
form group.
Favor G. O. P. Language.
As a first preference on the suf
frage plank wording, the delegation
is seeking the same language that
was incorporated in the Republican
platform. This reads:
“We favor self government for the
residents of the Nation's Capital.”
The fact that this language would
be the same as the Republicans
used did not bother the District
delegation. They considered that
elemental suffrage rights for resi
dents of the District was not a mat
ter of political contest.
In fact, the Democrats were the
first to put a District suffrage plank
in their platform, beginning several
conventions past.
If this language Is not approved^
the District group will ask for a
repetition of the suffrage wording in
the 1944 platform: "We favor the
extension of the right of suffrage to
the people of the District of Co
lumbia.”
Members of the delegation said
they were sure the drafters of the
(See DISTRICT7 Page A^3j
U. S. Cruiser Aground
In St. Lawrence River
By the Associated Press
MONTREAL, July 12 (/P).—’The
United States light cruiser Ports
mouth ran aground today on a mud
bank in the St. Lawrence River 10
miles downstream from Montreal.
The cruiser arrived last week on
a good will visit and sailed this
morning. It went aground near
Bouchervllle on the south-shore of
the river.
Go to Philadelphia for News,
White House Tells Reporters
By the Associated Press
The White House was silent today
on Democratic Convention maneuv
ers.
Presidential Press Secretary
Charles G. Ross refused comment on
published reports that President
Truman had sought Justice Douglas
of the Supreme Court as his running
mate.
"There's no news here. It's all in
Philadelphia.” Mr. Ross told a
morning news conference.
While it is regarded as probable
that President Truman will flv to
Philadelphia to accept if he is nom
inated for the presidency, Mr. Ross
said that no firm plans have been
made for such a trip.
A reporter asked:
"Has President Truman heard
rom Justice Douglas on whether
te will accept the vice presidential
tomination?”
"No comment," Mr. Ross replied..
He again replied “no comment”!
vhen asked if President Truman ■
tad telephoned Mr. Douglas to re
luest his acceptance. Mr. Douglas
s vacationing in Oregon. 1
>
Mr. Ross said that reporters will
be advised of Mr. Truman's ac
ceptance plans in “due course.”
In event he goes to Philadelphia
for an acceptance speech. Mrs. Tru-:
man and daughter, Margaret, would j
accompany him. Mr. Ross said.!
They probably would come to Wash
ington from the family home in
Independence. Mo., to make the:
trip to the convention, he explained.
Whether the President would
speak extemporaneously or from a
prepared manuscript if he addresses
the convention has not been decided.
Mr. Ross said no speech has been
drafted.
Asked by reporters about stories
quoting “sources close to the Presi
dent" concerning the reported tele
phone call to Mr. Douglas, Mr.
Ross said, “there are sources close
to the President not now in Wash- j
ington.”
Mr. Ross said that Mr. Truman \
is in daily telephone contact with;
Senator McGrath, Democratic na-j
tional chairman, his personal rep
resentative at the convention. i
States' Rights Line
Believed Dropped;
Text Is Moderate
By the Associated Pres*
PHILADELPHIA, July 12.—
Democratic platform framers
were reported today to have
drawn a preliminary civil rights
plank bidding for party unity
through a revival of the 1944
race stand.
But there were no immediate $lgns
whether the proposed compromise
can stop a convention floor fight—
between Southerners and self-styled
"liberals”— that could determine
whether the Democrats will be one
party or two in November.
The 1944 platform declared that
“racial and religious minorities have
the right to live, develop and vote
equally with all citizens and share
the rights that are guaranteed by
our Constitution.” Thus it stopped
short of a direct stand for some civil
rights measures President Truman
has asked.
The tentative platform draft,
drawn by a seven-man subcommit-'
tee and yet to be approved by the
108-member full platform commit- j
tee and by the convention, was held
in secrecy.
Believed to Point to Gains.
But one source said this language
was presented by the seven-member
pltaform writing group for the race
plank:
“The Democratic Party and the
Democratic administration are
solely responsible for the great gains
in recent years made in the contin- i
uing effort to reduce and eliminate.
unfair and illegal discrimination
based on race, or creed or color. . I
“We have implemented our often:
expressed belief that racial and re
ligious minorities have the right to!
live, develop and vote equally with
all citizens, and to share the rights
guaranteed by the Constitution.
"We again call on Congress to
exert, its full authority to the limits
of those constitutional powers to
protect those rights.”
Southerners’ Fight Reported Lost.
Southerners were said to have lost
their fight in the preliminary draft
ing group for a State's rights plank.
Previously Democratic Chairman
JfcGrath said the administration
might be willing to go along on such
a plank if it did not “nullify" the
civil rights proposal.
Ch2uncey Sparks, former Alabama
Governor and member of the seven
member drafting group,_Jold a re
porter :
“Efforts are being made now to get
the extremists on both sides to agree, j
without a floor fight. If we can't get I
such an agreement we might have
to make some revisions."
First Draft of Platform
Finished by Committee
By J. A. O'Leory
Star Staff Correspondent
PHILADELPHIA, July 12.—
Democratic platform builders
were still struggling today with
the almost hopeless task of try
ing to reconcile the conflicting
views of the North and South on
civil rights.
Senator Myers of Pennsylvania,
platform chairman, announced at
3:30 a.m. that the small group of
seven members had completed the
first draft of the platform on which
they have been working secretly
since Saturday morning.
He still refused to say how they
had handled civil rights, or any
other plank, since this first outline
still faces further wrangling among
members of the 18-member Draft
ing Committee this afternoon. Even
after that group has gone over it,!
the text must be submitted to the!
full Resolutions Committee of more'
than 100 members, to be appointed
by the convention today. Every
thing that happened yesterday.!
however, pointed to a minority re- j
(See PLATFORM, Page_A-6l
15 Jets Reach Maine
On Atlantic Flight
By the Associated Press
BANGOR. Me., July 12 —On their
wav to Germany in the Air Force's
first jet-propelled trans-Atlantic
flight, a group of F-80 Shooting
Stars roared into Dow Air Base to
day from Selfridge Field, Mich.
First of the 15 pioneering jets
came in at 12:05 EDT. Others quick
ly followed. The first plane to take
off from Selfridge left there at 10:08
a.m.
Lt. Col. Dave Schilling of Tra
verse City, Mich., flight commander, j
said the flying time was 1 hour and
45 minutes for the 725 miles, an:
average speed of 400 to 420 miles per i
hour.
"It was a very simple trip,” said
Col. Schilling. "There wasn't any
trouble. We were testing our cruis
ing speed."
All 15 came In within 10 minutes
and were immediately serviced. i
Arrival here of the jets on the
first leg of what the Air Force de
scribes as a training and study
flight coincided with London reports
that Britain had sent considerable;
numbers of new troops to Western
Germany because cf Gerlins So
viet blockade tension.
As the Ameri<an planes fkw east
ward. six Royal Air Force jet vam
pire fighters landed at Reykjavik.
Iceland, after swift flights from
Stornoway. Scotland. They are
bound for Montreal and New York
on the first east-west crossing.
The 15 American jets were fully i
armed. \ 1
A two-hour layover here of the i
rroup before the next hop to Labra
dor was planned. 1
*
Teacher Takes Over
Customs Impounds B-17, Down
At Halifax on Mystery Flight
Pilot Denies Plane Was on Way to Palestine
With Air Recruits tor Israeli Forces
By th« Associated Press
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, July
12.—Customs Collector Charles
Collins said today he had im
pounded a mystery B-17 bomber
from New York which landed
here last night on what the pilot
said was a navigational training
flight.
Capt. Erwin B. Sehandler of
Miami, Fla., the pilot, denied that
the big aircraft, which had no vis
ible armament, was on its way to
Palestine with nine Israeli air re
cruits.
Mr. Collins made his announce
ment a few minutes before the
plane was scheduled to take off on
what Capt. Sehandler said would
be a return flight to Westchester
County Airport, Nfew York. Mr.
Collins said his action was tem
porary until he could receive a rul
ing from the Canadian government
at Ottawa.
All Air Force officials here would
say was “There’s a B-17 forced
down by weather here. It’s from
Teterboro, N. J. But we don’t know
anything about her.”
The control tower at Teterboro
Airport, however, said it had no in
formation about “any B-17 bomber.”
At Harrison, N. Y.. it was reported
the plane landed at Westchester
County Airport yesterday and took
off, after the pilot, who identified
himself as A. Frederick, refused to
file a flight plan or disclose his
destination.
An airport spokesman described
the plane's arrival and departure
as “very hush-hush.”
More than 2,300 gallons of fuel
were poured into the plane at the
field, he said, according to a pur
chase arrangement made last week.
The- New York Herald Tribune
said it had been told the plane—
along with another B-17 and four
A-26 attack bombers—was to arrive
at the Westchester Airport this week
for fueling.
Airport officials were told the
plane was owned by the Overseas
Air Trading Co. of Salina, Kans.,
and operated by World Air Ferries.
Neither firm is listed in the
"American Aviation Directory” and
a check at Salina failed to disclose
the existence of any such firm.
Capt. Schandler said he was "on a
navigational training flight up the
coast when bad weather blocked my
return to the home air base so I
kept on coming and was darn lucky
to make the Eastern Passage base.”
Asked who his passengers were he
said, "just some guys who are
learning navigation.”
Asked if his fledgling navigators
were being trained for Israeli forces
he said, "well, some of them are
Jewish."
Twin Arab Strongholds
Oi Er Ramie and Lydda
Surrender to Jews
Israeli Victory Opens
Way for Drive on Last
Barrier to Jerusalem
BULLETIN
CAIRO W.—The twin Arab
strongholds of Er Ramie and
Lydda surrendered today to
the Israeli army, front-line dis
patches said.
By the Associated Press
CAIRO, July 12.—The Israeli
high command announced in Tel
Aviv this morning that Arabs
defending the strategic town of
Er Ramie have offered to sur
render to encircling Jewish
forces.
The spokesman said Arab and
Jewish commander^ have arranged
a meeting outside the town to sign
surrender terms.
The fall of Er Ramie would open
the way for a two-way Jewish as
sault on Arab Legion forces de
fending Latrun, now the last bar
rier to Jewish entry into Jerusalem.
Never in the 3,000-year histoiy of
Holy Land wars has Latrun hill
fallen to direct assault.
A few hours earlier Israeli units
seized Lydda. Jewish commanders
reported large-scale Arab flights
from the Lydda-Er Ramie area.
The obvious Immediate objective
of the Jews was to burst the La
trun barrier and carry the battle
to Jerusalem.
In the face of the Israeli advance
the 4,000 Trans-Jordan legionnaries
defending Latrun may be forced
into a withdrawal to avoid being
outflanked or into coming out on
the plains for a show-down battle
of armor, a Tel Aviv dispatch said.
Before the truce the legionnaires,
(See PALESTINE, Page A-6.» I
Klaus Mann in Hospital
After Slashing His Wrists
By the Associated Press
SANTA MONICA, Calif., July 12.—
Writer Klaus Mann, 41, eldest son
of Author Thomas Mann, was taken
last night to Santa Monica Hospital
after police said he slashed his
wrists.
Detectives D. J. Johnson and P. G.
Phillips reported that an ambulance
crew had to batter down a bathroom
door to reach Mr. Mann. He was
staying at the home of friends.
His condition was not serious, hos-;
pital attendants said.
Quick Council Session
Is Asked by U. S. on
BernadoHe's Report
Palestine Mediator Due
At Lake Success Today;
Criticized by Jews
BULLETIN
NEW YORK (A). — Count
Folke Bernadotte, U. N. media
tor for Palestine, arrived by
plane from Europe today and
was met by Trygve Lie, U. N.
secretary general.
By the Associated Press
LAKE SUCCESS, N. Y., July 12.
—The United States formally re
quested today an Immediate
meeting of the United Nations
Security Council as soon as Count
Folke Bernadotte, the mediator
for Palestine, arrives.
Count Bernadotte, under Are
from both the Jews and the Rus
sians, is flying here from Europe
and is expected to arrive today.
While Count Bernadotte was en
route to Lake Success from his
Middle East headquarters on
Rhodes, a spokesman for the Is
raeli government accused the U. N.
mediator of apologizing lor Arab
aggression and prejudicing Pales
tine negotiations..
At the same time the Communist
Party organ Pravda stepped up the
Soviet campaign against Count Ber
nadotte with Moscow publication of
charges that he “did everything
possible to inflame still more the
enmity between Arabs and Jews and
to prepare the soil for further in
trigues of the imperialist powers di
rected toward the latter’s seizure
of control over Palestine.’’
First Open Attack.
The Moscow Literary Gazette
added a charge that Count Berna
dotte was an agent of Wall Street
and working for the occupation of
Palestine by American armies. Both
newspaper aricles fit in with recent
attacks on Count Bernadotte in the
council by Soviet Deputy Foreign
Minister Andrei A. Gromyko.
The Jewish attack on Count
Bernadotte. issued by the spokes
man in the form of a special state
ment to newsmen, marked the first
(See U. N„ Page A-6.)
Cigar Price Increased
NEW YORK. July 12 (A).—General
Cigar Co. today raised the price of
White Owl cigars to 10 cents retell
from 9 cents. Higher tobacco and
labor costs led to the increase, the
company said.
Old Macedon Rivalry
Is Revived by Split of
Balkan Communists
Yugoslav Area Supports
Tito, Criticizes Stand
Of Bulgarian Reds
By the Associated Press
BELGRADE, Yugoslavia, July
12.—The Communist patch on
the ancient Macedonian sore was
ripped off today.
The Central Committee of the
Communist Party of Yugoslav
Macedonia declared its solidarity
with Marshal Tito as against the
Cominform, and in so doing dis
closed that old Bulgarian and Yugo
slav rivalries for Macedonia con
tinue under the surface despite
Communist alliances.
The Macedonian Communists
charged the Bulgarian Communist
Party and the Bulgarian Fatherland
Front with following a "deeply
chauvinistic’’ and nationalistic line.
The Macedonian Communists said
in their resolution that Bulgarian
Communists during the war “were
in complete accord with the Bul
garian Fascist occupation of Mace
donia.”
"We are being accused of nation
alsim by that same leadership in
the Bulgarian Communist Party
which in 1941 usurped our party
organiaztion, separated it from the
Communist Party of Yugoslavia,
and added it to the Bulgarian
Party,” said the resolution.
Terrorists Rounded IJ|X
Yugoslavia by indirection yester
day warned the Cominform against
trying to send spies into Yugoslavia,
by declaring every one of the spy
groups sent into the country by
Ante Pavelic, war-time puppet chief
of Croatia, had been caught.
The announcement was made last
night by the Interior Ministry of the
semi-autonomous Yugoslav State of
Croatia. It said the groups were
formed by wartime Nazi collabora
tors, now in exile, and an unidenti
fied "foreign intelligence service.”
The communique, which appeared
in the Communist Party organ
Borba, said the spy groups are led
by Ante Pavelic, top Yugoslav war
criminal and premier of the Croa
tian puppet government during the
war and a Dr. Krunoslav Draga
novic, whom it identified as a "priest
attached to the Vatican."
The announcement said the plot
ters sent 19 groups totaling 95 per
sons into the country during the last
year and added that Yugoslav se
curity police nabbed all of them.
Trials Due to Start Today.
Mass trials of the terrorists are
expected to begin today, the com
munique said.
Pavelic is believed to be in exile
in Italy. Draganovic also is be
lieved to have been outside the
country since the war.
(An authoritative Vatican
source denied that Dr. Kruno
slav Dragonovic, a priest, was
involved in sending spies into
Yugoslavia. The source said Dr.
Dragonovic was instructor in
theology at Zagreb until 1945,
when he sought refuge at Vati
can City. He is now attached to
. the Ecclesiastical College of Saint
Girolamo of the Illyrians. Most
of his students and facutly are
Slavs.)
The communique charged that
Pavelic sent in plotters entrusted
with "the task of organizing armed
bandid groups for the purpose of
committing terror and espionage in
Yugoslavia for a foreign intelligence
service.”
The announcement said that
among those captured was Vladimir
Sabolich, former interior secretary
for Pavelic, and Comdr. Bozidar
Kavran, former Pavelic aide.
Borba also declared that young
Yugoslavs sent to Russia to pre
pare for future leadership in the
(See YUGOSLAVIA, Page A-3.)
Mrs. Truman, Margaret
Leave Missouri for D. C.
By th« Associated Press
INDEPENDENCE, Mo., July 12
Mrs. Harry S. Truman and her
daughter, Margaret, left today by
train for Washington.
The Presidents wife and daugh
ter declined to say if they would
go to Philadelphia to attend the
Democratic National Convention
after their arrival in Washington
tomorrow.
They have been at the summer
Waite House here for the last jveefc.
\
British Build Up
Troop Strength
In Germany
'Many' Reinforcements
Will Be Flown Into
Blockaded Berlin
By the Associated Press
LONDON, July 12.—An author
itative source said today Britain
has sent considerable numbers of
new troops, including some for
mations withdrawn from Pales
tine. to Western Germany be
cause of the tension in blockaded
Berlin.
The informant said "many” of the
reinforcements will be flown into
Berlin itself.
(In Frankfurt, a United States
Army spokesman said no rein
forcements are contemplated for
American troops in Germany.
He said the Army is "trying to
fill our requisitions for replace
ments of normal losses" only.)
The British War Office at first
refused to confirm or deny the re
port. but later a War, Office spokes
man said “there is no foundation
to it.”
The authoritative informant, how
ever. reaffirmed his statement.
“When a country adopts a diplo
matic line like that which Britain
has adopted over Berlin, it has to
make sure it can carry out what it
I says it intends to do,” he declared.
The disclosure came as Gen. Sir
Brian Robertson, British military
j governor in Germany, conferred
j here with the chief of staff of the
: Ministry of Defense, Gen. Sir Percy
Hollis, and other service chiefs.
Gen. Robertson flew here from
Berlin last night.
Cabinet Given Review.
Earlier in the day, Foreign Sec
retary Ernest Bevin gave the cab
inet an up-to-the minute report on
| the Berlin crisis. Britain, the United
! states and France sent notes to
Moscow last week, demanding that
the Russians end' the Berlin land
blockade. The Kremlin has not re
plied.
No informant would say exactly
how many troops have gone to
Western Germany, or how many
will be sent on into Berlin. One
1 source, however, said troop move
ments to the British Zone of Ger
many "have been taking place over
the last three or four weeks.” He
made it clear that most of the
troops were reinforcements, rather
than replacements.
Deployment Is Discussed.
The informant said the deploy
ment was a topic at Gen. Robert
son's conferences with service chiefs.
The new troops were described as
mainly young conscripts with less
than a year's military service.
The problem of co-ordinating -
Britain's military plans in Western
Germany and West Berlin with
those of the United States and
France is being studied personally
by Field Marshal Lord Montgom
ery, chief of the Imperial General
Staff.
Lord Montgomery, after top-level
talks with the French chief of staff
in Paris, went on to Vienna yester
day to inspect the disposition of
British military forces in Austria.
The informant said he may pass
through Germany on his way back
to Britain.
Germans Cheer Berlin
As 'Stalingrad of Liberty'
| BERLIN, July 12 (/P).—Berlin'*
powerful Social Democrats have ac
i claimed a call to make the Soviet
blockaded city "the Stalingrad of
i German liberty."
j That call was made last night by
Ernest Reuter, Social Democratic
mayor-elect of Berlin. The Rus
j sians have refused to seat him.
Speaking before some 10,000
j cheering party members in the
I American sector, Reuter declared:
“We must establish a frontier to
| Russian power If Berlin falls, the
I liberty of all east of the Elbe falls
j with it.”
Lewis D. Douglas, United States
j Ambassador to Britain, arrived in
j Berlin by plane last night and be
gan immediate talks with Gen.
Lucius D. Clay, American military
i governor.
j Mr. Douglas told newsmen his
I visit was not part of any particular
i diplomatic maneuvering. He. said
! he planned to return to London
} today.
Responsible officials said, how
lever, that Mr. Douglas probably
would map the next Allied move, if
Russia rejects the notes of the
three Western powers demanding
that the blockade be lifted.
Gen. Clay’s office said yesterday
(3ee~~BERLIN, Page A-6. >
U. S. Steel to Increase
|Wagesfor170,C33
By Associated Press
PITTSBURGH, July 12.—A
spokesman for the United States
Steel Corp. says the company will
increase wages for its 170,000 work
ers “in view of a continuing climb
1 in the cost of living.”
The spokesman, who asked that
‘his name not be disclosed, said the
i increase will be announced this
week. “The corporation is under no
obligation to increase wages,” he
said, but feels “the workers should
be protected" because of the cost of
living.
Philip Murray’s CIO United Steel
workers Union, which represents
U.S. steel workers, had sought a
pay raise earlier, but the corpora
tion refused on the ground it was
seeking to halt an inflationary spiral.
The union is working under the
second year of a two-year contract
and under the terms of the pact
wage negotiations were reopened
last April.
Mr. Murray, president of the un
ion, refused comment on the state
ment. The corporation spokesman
said that Benjamin F. Fairless,
president of U.S. Steel, had been
meeting with Mr. Murray on the
increas*'
U.S. L :el normally sets the wage
pattern in the industry. j
*