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Warm, humid, high near 85 today. Partly Page. Page. '
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ers tonight and tomorrow. Low tonight Comics -B-22-23 Radio -B-23
about 70. (Full report on Page A-2.) Editorial -A-10 Society, Clubs.--B-3
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~~Lote New York Morkcft, Poge A-19. _ __An Assorted Press Newspopar
96th Year. No. 224. phone STerling 5000 D. C., WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 11, 1948-FORTY-FOUR PAGES. 5 CENTS
First Secretary of Red Embassy
Identified in Bentley Payoff;
Ex-Capitol Aide Denies Charges
—- i i . i - ■ m
Gromov Is Named;
Collins Won't Say
If He's Communist
6ENATE TO RESUME Probe. Con
tinue It Through September.
Page A-6.
By Miriom Ottenberg
Miss Elizabeth T. Bentley,
avowed former Communist
agent, said today she received a
$2,000 payoff in 1945 from Ana
toli B. Gromov, first secretary
of the Russian Embassy.
Testifying before the House Com
mittee on Un-American Activities,
she said the payoff was received in,
$20 bills while Federal Bureau of'
Investigation agents watched in
the background. She said she then
knew the man only as “Al.”
Earlier, the committee heard
Henry H. Collins, jr„ described bv
another former Communist as a
prewar underground leader declare:
"I have never engaged in es
pionage for nor been an agent of
a foreign power."
Silent on Party Affiliation,
Mr. Collins, who formerly served
on the staff of several Senate and
Houpse committees refused to say
HENRY COLLINS,
A* he appeared before com- ^
mittee today.
—Star Staff Photo. '
whether or not he was a member
of the Communist Party.
Miss Bentley told the committee
that she was acting under instruc
tions from the FBI when she ac
cepted the $2,000 from “Al."
She said “Al” also told her that
she had been awarded the Order of
(he Red Star because of her valu
able services to ‘the Soviet. He
showed her a picture of the decora
tion. sne said, and told her that
It had her name on it in Russian.
Miss Bentley repeated earlier tes
timony that Russian contacts
started trying to pay her off as early
as January, 1944. Then, she said,
“Al” tried to "bribe” her w’ith the
Red Star and also told her the
salary she refused to accept was
piling up in Moscow.
Told FBI Agent, She Says.
The day before the $2,000 changed |
hands, she said, she had told an
FBI agent of her appointment with
“Al," and had been told to “do
everything necessary to co-operate\
with him (Al>.”
When she met “Al," she went on,!
tliev started walking along the New’
York waterfront. It was a lonely
spot, she said, and she was “quite j
upset," although she assumed that
some FBI agents were somewhere
behind her. That assumption, she
said, later proved correct.
She said she wfas disturbed be
cause "Al” had told her that if she
did not accept the salary "I would
be a traitor, and I knew’ what that
meant.”
She said she took the money and
wrote out a receipt which she
signed, “Mary.”
Then she turned over the money
(Continued on Page A-6, Col. 2.)
Soviet Demands End
Of Jap Strike Ban -
By the Associated Press
TOKYO, Aug. 11.—Russia today
demanded that Gen. MacArthur
withdraw his suggestion to the Jap
anese government to ban strikes by
government workers.
The Soviet representative. Maj
Gen. A. P. Kislenko, also demanded
that the government order outlaw
ing both collective bargaining and
strikes by government workers be
withdrawn.
Gen. Kislenko, acting member of
the Allied Council for Japan, wrote
Gen. MacArthur that he “insisted”
that the Allied headquarters’ sug
gestion and the Japanese govern
ment order “be canceled as con
tradicting the Potsdam declaration
and the policy decision of the Far
Eastern Commission on 'funda
mental policy toward Japan after
the surrender.’ ’■
The Russian said Gen. MacAr
thur’s letter on July 22 to Prime
Minister Hitoshi Ashida and the
strike ban by the government vio
lated the Far Eastern Commission
“principles on Japanese labor
unions.’’
The FEC policy decision on Jap
anese labor unions gives the Nip
ponese workers the right to take
part in politics and to strike and:
bans the use of police or other gov-;
eminent agencies from spying on
workers, breaking strikes or sup-1
pressing legal labor union activ-1
ities,” the Russian general wrote. 1
>
Marshall Bars Red Agreement
Just for Sake of Agreement
Secretary Repeatedly Refuses Comment on
Moscow Talks, but Hits Danube Obstflcles
By the Associated Press
Secretary of State Marshall
said today that in negotiating
with the Russians, the United
States must not seek agreement
merely for agreement’s sake.
Gen. Marshall made the comment
at a news conference after he had
been asked to discuss the interna
tional meeting at Belgrade, Yugo
slavia, on freedom of navigation on
the Danube River. The conference
is split between a majority Russian
bloc and a minority western bloc.
Repeatedly the Secretary gave a
no-comment reply to inquiries about
the Big Four talks now' under way
at Moscow on the Berlin blockade
and the broader problem of a Ger
maif settlement. However, the
sweeping nature of his response to
the inquiry on the Danube meeting
made it clear that he applies the
same line of reasoning to the Mos
cow and Belgrade sessions.
The Danube Conference now in
progress, Gen. Marshall said, is an
excellent example of the difficulties
that the United States encounters in
all its negotiations trying to settle
the problems of Europe resulting
from the war.
This Government entered the con
ference, he continued, because its
leaders felt it should be willing to
discuss and consider all possibil
ities for achieving desirable objec
: tives. They felt that they should
not assume in advance that agree
ment could not be reached. They
felt that they should persist in the
effort to reach agreement by the
process of negotiation.
But it is perfectly clear. Gen.
Marshall said, that the United
States must not seek agreement
merely for agreement’s sake. There
are certain fundamentals to which
this Government attaches great im
portance which must always be fully
considered by this Government, he
added.
In the case of the Danube con
ference. Gen. Marshall said, it
seems clear that the Russians have
brought forth a proposal which is
calculated to put navigation on the
river under control of the Soviet
(See MARSHALL, Page A-4.)
Subcommittee to Quiz
Samarins Secretly in
New York Tomorrow
Another Unit Plans Trip
To Question Man Who
Broke Canadian Spy Case
A Russian teacher who is re
fusing to return home to what
he calls “certain death” will be
questioned secretly by a sub
committee of the House Com
mittee on Un-American Activi
ties, which will go to New York
tomorrow, the committee an-1
nounced today.
Members said a three-man sub
committee will hear the story of the
Marshall Promises
Witnesses Protection
In Espionage Inquiry
Secretary of State Marshall
today made it plain that this
Government, will protect any
individual testifying in the
Congressional investigations in
to Communist espionage if he
complies with United States
laws.
In stating this principle at
a news conference, Gen. Mar
shall did not specify any indi
viduals. His remarks were in
terpreted to mean that Michael
Ivanovitch Samarin, Russian
school teacher subpoenaed by
the House Committee on Un
American Activities, can expect
full protection of the United
States Government.
teacher, Michael Ivanovitch Sa
marin. and his wife, who were sub
poenaed yesterday after the Soviet
Embassy here had joined the Soviet
Consulate in New York in unsuc
cessful eflorts to - obtain their cus
tody.
Another subcommittee—possibly
composed of only one man—will go
to Canada to get a statement from
Igor Gouzenko, the former clerk in
the Soviet Embassy there who was
responsible for breaking the Ca
nadian Communist spy case last
year.
Public Hearing Uncertain.
i The subcommittee to question the
Samarins is composed of Repre
sentative Mundt, Republican, of
South Dakota: Representative Mc
Dowell, Republican, of Pennsyl
vania, and Representative Hebert,
Democrat, of Louisiana,
Mr. Samarin was quoted by the
New York Times today as saying
he wants to tell all the knows about
Soviet "totalitarian techniques,” re
nounce his Russian citizenship and
stay in this country with his wife
and children.
It was not clear from the com
mittee announcement today wheth
er Mr. Samarin will be called to
testify in a public hearing after
questioned in secret by the sub
committee.
Mr. Samarin is one of two Rus
sian teachers the House committee
wants to question to see if they
can add anything to stories of Com
munist espionage and intrigue al
ready brought out in current com
mittee hearings.
Other Teacher in Consulate.
The other teacher, Mrs. Oskana
Stepanovna Kosenkina, was reported
secluded in the Soviet consulate in j
New York, apparently out of reach i
of a committee subpoena.
The State Department has in
formed the committee that she has
no diplomatic immunity and can
(See RUSSIANSTPage A-4.)
Anglo-U. S. Zones Sign
Belgian Trade Pact
By thy Arsociatyd
BRUSSELS, Aug. 11.—A trade
agreement was signed in Berlin yes
j terday between Belgium and the
: Anglo-American zones of Germany,
lit was announced by the Belgian
Foreign Ministry today.
The agreement provides that Bel
gium shall export $84,000,000 worth
of goods to the bizonal area.
National Guard Group
Assails Plan to End
Control by States
Finish Fight in Congress
Threatened on Proposal
Of Defense Committee
6y John A. Giles
A defense establishment pro
posal that the National Guard
be taken from State control and
be given to the Army drew a
scathing attack from the po
litically powerful National Guard
Association today and the prom
ise of a finish fight in Congress.
Maj. Gen. Ellard A, Walsh, as
sociation president, released a de
nunciation of a Defense Commit
tee's recommendation which Secre
tary of Defense Forrestal admitted
was extremely provocative.
The suggested Change in Guard
status was part of a general recom
mendation that each of the Armed
Services should have a single Fed
eral Reserve force on which to
draw as needed in event of a na
tional emergency. It was made by
a committee headed by Assistant
Secretary of the Army Gordon Gray.
Threatens Congress Fight.
Gen. Walsh, who also is the Min
nesota adjutant general, promised
that "the staffs of the National
Guard and the National Guard As
sociation will never accept any such
proposals as advanced by the Gray
board.”
"It will fight them at every turn
and If necessary will carry the
fight to Congress which has been
the refuge of the States and the
people against the never ending
efforts of the bureaucrats to cen
tralize all power in Washington,”
he declared.
"The control of the National
Guard by the respective States is
practically the last bastion in the
fortress of States rights,” he added.
"Neither the States or the National
Guard will let the National Guard
be destroyed.”
The report prepared by the com
mittee declared that the United
States in the atomic age can no
longer build its defenses on the
theory that "our oceans and our
allies will again hold off our ene
mies while we organize.”
Report Follows 9-Month Study.
The report includes a total of 90
specific recommendations on the or
ganization, administration, training
and supply of a completely new
military reserve setup. It was given
to Mr. Forrestal after a nine-month
study. Mr. Forrestal immediately
referred it to the Secretaries of the
Army, Navy and Air Force for
“study and comment.”
The committee declared It had
"applied its yardstick ot national
security and agreed unanimously
that the National Guard should re
main a part of the Nation's striking
force and that other units'should be
organized to meet important local
demands of war in the atomic age
(See NATION ALTGUARD, Pg. A-5.7
Girl, Dead 10 Days, Found
In British Lovers' Lane
By Associated Press
ARUNDEL, Eng., Aug. 11.—The
almost nude body of a girl in blue
sandals was found last night in a
lover's lane copse on the Duke of
Norfolk’s estate, Arundel Castle.
A curly-haired brunette of be
tween 20 and 30. the girl apparently
had been dead for about 10 days.
There were marks on her throat
and an empty medicine bottle in
her handbag, found among her
clothing neatly stacked 20 yards
away.
Scotland Yard still is trying to
establish her identity.
Locusts Invade Egypt
CAIRO. Aug. 11 (&.—The Minis
try of Agriculture said today tha't
swarms of locusts have invaded
Egypt's Western desert in the Saium
region near Libya. Vehicles, chemil
cals and technical experts have been
rushed to the scene for an antilocust
campaign.
Soviet Seeking
To Allay Berlin
Food Complaints
Conferees in Moscow
Reported at Tough
Bargaining Stage
By the Associated Pres#
BERLIN, Aug. 11—The Rus
sians boasted today they have
accumulated enough food here
to feed all Berlin for 40 days.
At the same time, however, com
plaints about hunger came from
the surrounding Soviet zone.
There have been repeated reports
—not denied by the Russians—that
food shortages in their zone have
become aggravated. The major
cause for this is believed to have
been the requisitioning of zonal
foodstuffs to support the Soviet i
project to feed all Berlin, including
the blockaded Western sectors.
The Russians had said they would
import this supplemental food from
the Soviet Union.
Tough Bargaining Begun.
Diplomatic sources in London re- j
ported last night that the East-West j
talks in Moscow had reached the
tough bargaining stage. A lid of
secrecy remained clamped on offi
cial news of the Moscow meetings,
but it was apparent the British For
eign Office felt the world would
know the outcome by the end of the
week.
Informants in the British capital
said failure to hammer out a set
tlement of the Berlin stalemate has
held up establishment of a basis
for four-power talks on all Ger- j
many.
W. Stuart Symington, American;
Secretary for Air, and Gen. Hoyt
Vandenberg, Air Force chieflof staff,
arrived in Wiesbaden by plane from
London last night. They were met
by Lt. Gen. Curtis E. Lemay, Air
Force commander in Germany.
The officials were accompanied by
Maj. Gen. Leon W. Johnson, com
mander of the new 3d Air Division
of B-29 bombers being formed in
Britain, and Brig. Gen. T. S. Power,
American air attache in England.
The arrival of such high-ranking
officials caused speculation that their
visit indicated American determina- j
tion to keep the air lift going
through the winter, if the current
Moscow" talks fail to break the
blockade.
City Regime Accused.
The Soviet-licensed news agency.
ADN, today accused the anti-Com-.
munist city government of hamper
ing Russian efforts to feed Berlin.
The agency charged the city food
administration with “making insu
fficient preparations" for handling
the unloading of trains and barges
carrying Soviet grain to Berlin. It
claimed 13 trainloads of grain were
standing idle in the city environs.
The Russians have set up a special"
staff of picked German Communists
inside the city’s food administra
tion to administer their feeding
project. As a result the city has two
ration administrations.
British authorities announced to
,day they planned a formal protest
! to the Russians against a flight of
12 Soviet Yak fighter planes over
Western Berlin last night.
Flight Causes Excitement.
The flight caused considerable ex
citement among Western residents.
Air Commodore R. N. White, chiel
of the RAF at Gatow Airport, said
the protest would be submitted
through the four-power Berlin air;
safety center.
Officers at Gatow said the planes,
flying in two formations were at!
4,000 feet and there was no question
of “buzzing” the area. American
authorities had no comment.
A German policeman from the
French sector of Berlin was arrested
and jailed by the Communist-oon
trolled section of the Berlin police
force. He was the ninth officer of
the Western zone force to be so
detailed.
Publication Squeeze Grows.
Western Allied officials charged
that * a Russian distribution setup
designed to kill free exchange of in- ;
formation is squeezing Western-1
licensed publications out of the
Soviet occupation zone of Germany. \
The Russians had subscribed to
the free interzonal exchange of
printed matter under four-power
agreements.
An unofficial source_said the
(See BERLIN Page A-4.)
Warm and Humid Weather
Forecast for Rest of Week
The pleasant weather which kept
Washington within a 74 to 84 degree
maximum range since last Wednes
day will run head-on into more
humidity and somewhat higher tem
peratures during the remainder of
this week, the District forecaster |
said today.
There is a chance of a shower
tonight and tomorrow, he said.
It will be a gradual throw-back to
"normal" August Climate here, with
an expected high in' the mid-80s
this afternoon. Yesterday's high
was 83.
Mild, clear conditions of the past
week, the forecaster explained, were
not unprecedented for this time of
the year but they lasted considerably
longer than usual.
“Now it looks as if it's about over
for a while.” he added. ‘‘We don't
look for any extreme heat, but It
will be more humid.''
> .—
, FURTHERMORE!.
t YOU OUGHTTO |
KNOW THAT BY H
HEART NOW,CHIEF,
...HOW ABOUT
CHANGING THE j
. cwRicrT?!
8CTC0NGRESS
Night-Long Fighting
Jerusalem's Heaviest
Since Truce Started
BeKnadotte, in Holy City,
Hears Battle; 50 More
Observers Take Jobs
By the Associated Press
JERUSALEM, Aug. 11.—Guns
and artillery resounded from
midnight to dawn today in the
heaviest fighting here since the
United Nations cease-fire was
imposed.
Count Folke Bernadotte, the me
diator toho said he was going to get
tough in order to stop the shooting,
was here and herad it all. The
U. N. officer has put 50 more Amer
ican and Franch observers on the
job in an effort to restore peace. j
(A Tel Aviv source close to
the Israeli cabinet predicted New
Jerusalem and its Arab quar
ters will be annexed to Israel
within two weeks. He said the
cabinet already has decided
secretly to take the step. The
Arabs hold the Old City, which
is about a fourth of the total
area.'
The unofficial battle reached its
height in Jerusalem around 3 a.m.
Rifle shots and automatic fire broke
out by the thousands. Artillery,
seemingly from a distance, was
audible throughout the city. White
and green flares lit up the sky so
Arabs and Jews could spot their
foes.
Jews Blame Arabs.
Official Jewish sources said Arabs
“who continue to violate the truce"
attacked Jewish positions on Mount
Zion from the walled old city.
Most fighting was in the nearby
hills and outskirts. Many bullets
whizzed through streets in the
center of town, however.
Count Bernadotte, after another
warning to leading Jewish and
Arab representatives, spent the
night at a house on neutralized
Mount Scopus east of Central Jer
usalem. He planned to leave Pal
estine late today for headquarters
on Rhodes. Col. Frank Begley,
chief U. N. observer in Jerusalem,
was to leave today for Lake Success
to report on the local truce situa
tion.
Count Bernadotte expressed con
cern over the fighting.
“I want this ,shooting stopped,”
he told a news conference yester
day. “My position is going to be
tougher and tougher * * *. I want
to show both parties that I can be
serious.”
(In Alexandria, source close to
the Arab League said a Jewish
invitation to start Palestine
peace talks has been rejected.
The informant said the league,
responding to an invitation made
by Israeli Foreign Minister
Moshe Shertok through Count
Bernadotte, declared the Arabs
do not recognize “any such gang
as the pseudo-government of
Israel.”)
Count Bernadotte said he had
sent a letter to both the Jewish
military government and to the
Arab area commander in Jerusalem,
in which he wrote:
“In disregard of the truce ordered
(See PALESTINETPage~ A-6 i
Ruth'Critical'
After Relapse
At Hospital
By th« Associated Press
NEW YORK, Aug. 11.—Babe
Ruth, baseball’s ailing home run
king, was reported in critical condi
tion today at Memorial Hospital.
The hospital said Ruth had de
veloped a higher temperature and
that there were pulmonary compli
cations.
On Monday he was reported as
having a cold. Yesterday the hos
pital said his condition seemed im
proved and the temperature had
gone down.
At 12:35 p.m. today, there was
no change in his condition.
D. C. Builders Return
$60,C-3 to Veterans
On Prosecution Threat
5 Cases of Refusal to Make
Restitution in Violations
Given to U. S. Attorney
By Robert J. Lewis
Washington area builders
have returned more than $60,000
to 155 purchasers of veterans’
housing since January 1 under
threat of prosecution initiated
by the office of the housing ex
pediter, it was learned today. i
Five cases in which builders re-!
fused to make restitution after the
Housing Expediter's office said its
investigations showed violations
have been turned over to the United
States Attorney's Office'here.
Most of the voluntjjry refunds
have been made within the last
three months as a result of the
stepped-up nation-wide program of
investigation authorized by Congress
in July, when $2,000,000 was appro
priated for employment of 300 ad
ditional investigators.
One Builder Refunds $14,000.
Latest result of the program in
this area came today, when 10 vet
erans received $14,000 in refunds,
ranging from about $500 to $2,000
each. The entire amount came
from a single builder.
The money was returned either
as a result of overcharges or sub
stitution or omission of materials
specified at the time the builder
received priorities under the Vet
erans Emergency Housing Act.
Additional settlements are being
agreed on by many other builders
in this area, an OHE spokesman
said.
"Our investigative program is now
really getting under way as a result
of action by Congress," a housing
official said.
“We have a backlog of 30.000 com
plaints all over the country which
we are digging into first.”
Plan Full Inquiries.
The official emphasized, however,
that In case there is a single com
plaint from a veteran purchaser in
a development an investigation
would be made not only of his case
TSee VETERANS’ HOUSING, A-6.)
90-M.P.H Police Chase Leads
T o Sentence on 4 T raff ic Counts
Arrested after eluding police in a
90-mile-an-hour chase over North
east streets, a 34-year-old crane
operator was sentenced for four
traffic violations
today but es
caped punish
ment on charges
that he threat
ened the lives of
two women.
The defen
dant, Robert S.
Wilkerson, no
fixed address,
was arrested
about 4.30 am.
in a lunchroom
at Good Hope
road and Nich
ols avenue SJE.
on information
R. 8. WilkerwB.
furnished by Mrs. Elizabeth Arm
strong, 45, of 1601 MonteUo avenue
nj:.
It was in front of the MonteUo
address that the two-mile chase
began this morning. Police said
Wilkerson had called Mrs. Arm
strong threatening to burn her
home with 10 gallons of gasoline in
his car.
On July 26 Mrs. Armstrong’s
daughter, Mrs. Doris Golden of the
same address, swore out a warrant
alleging that Wilkerson had knocked
down the front door of the home,
tore the telephone from the wall,
broke beds, smashed doors and
threatened to kill both women.
Before Municipal Judge Armond
W. Scott today Wilkerson, profess
ing his love for Mrs. Armstrong, ad
mitted telephoning her last night
but denied threatening her or that
he was involved in the automobile
chase. Finding him guilty but sus
pending execution of sentence on
two charges of threats, Judge Scott
meted out these penalties: „
Fifty* dollars fine or 30 days in
jaU for speeding, $5 or five days for
driving over a sidewalk, $10 or 10
days in each of two charges of driv
(See CHASE, Page A-5J
l
President Hails U. N.
In Signing 65-Million
Building Loan Bill
Action by Congress Seen
As Showing U. S. Faith
In Future of Organization
By Joseph A. Fox
President Truman today
signed legislation to advance:
$65,000,000 to the United Na
tions to set up headquarters in
New York and in a statement
declared “the loan demonstrates
our faith in the future of the;
United Nations.”
The signing took place in the
President’s office in the presence
of a company that included Secre
tary of State Marshall and Trygve
Lie, secretary general of the U. N.
Mayor William O’Dwyer of New
York, who was present at the cere
mony, told reporters that he would
call a special meeting of the Board
of Estimate next week to institute
condemnation proceedings for the
site on which the buildings will
rise. The land was given to the
U. N. by the Rockefeller family.
Austin, Price Are Present.
Others at the ceremony were!
Warren R. Austin. United States
representative to the U. N.; Byron
Price, assistant secretary general: ■
Senator Connally, Democrat, of
Texas, ranking minority member
of the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee, and Chairman Eaton
of the House Foreign Affairs Com
mittee.
The President used eight pens to
sign the legislation, then distributed
them to the witnesses as keepsakes.
The group later lunched with Sec
retary Marshall at the Blair House.
The President’s statement on the
signing of the loan bill, follows:
“It is with great pleasure that I
have signed Senate Joint Resolu
tion 212 authorizing an interest
free loan of $65,000,000 to the
United Nations for construction of
its headquarters in New York. The
resolution provides for an imme
diate advance of $25,000,000 by the
Reconstruction Finance Corp.; this
will enable the United Nations to
start construction at an early date.
Recalls Statement in 1946.
“I am deeply gratified that the
Congress has now completed action
on this important measure,
i “At the opening of tfee 'general
assembly of the United Nations on
October ,22, 1946 in New York I
said:
"The overwhelming majority of
I the American people, regardless of
party, support the United Nations.
“ ‘They are resolved that the
United States, to the full limit of
its strength, shall contribute to the
establishment and maintenance of
a just and/lasting peace among the
| nations of the world.’
Loan Seen Token of Welcome.
“The loan demonstrates our faith
in the future of the United Nations
and expresses the welcome which
that organization finds within our
: country. Moreover, it is another
: example of the solidarity of the
: American people in behalf of our
| national policy of strengthening the
! United Nations and the cause of
world peace and security for which
it stands.”
The U. N. loan was one of the
measures voted by the special session
of Congress at the request of Presi
dent Truman after the proposal had
died in the regular session.
Severe Quake Shakes
3 Cities in Mexico
ty the As»ociat«d Prtt
ORIZABA. Mexico, Aug. 11—The
cities ol Cordoba, Orizaba and
Veracruz, in Veracruz State of Mex
ico. were shaken early today by a
severe earthquake. The three cities
are 200 miles east of Mexico City.
Its intensity has not been deter
mined as yet, but was the oscillatory
type and lasted about 30 seconds.
No material damages have been
reported so far.
Consul's Body Recovered
ROTTERDAM, The Netherlands,
Aug. 11 </P).—Tht body of Harry
Markey Donaldson, 42, of West New
ton, Pa„ American Consul at Ant
werp, was recovered today from the
River Maas.
Mr. Donaldson fell overboard Sat
urday from the United States
freighter American Defender, which
had just sailed from Rotterdam har
bor.
Huge'48 Crops
To Boost ECA
Export Goals
Record Corn Estimates
Raise Hope of Meat
Price Cuts in '49
By Chalmers M. Roberts
Bumper crop prospects in the
United States will result in “ap
preciably larger” grain exports
to Marshall Plan nations than
had been estimated previously,
the Economic Co-operation Ad
ministration said today.
D. A. FitzGerald, head of ECA'a
Food Division, told a press confer
ence, however, he thought the
larger export goals would make
“very little difference” in grain
prices in this country. The Amer
ican housewives’ hope for lower
food prices at home hinges largely
on the expected all-time high grain
crops, especially the record com
crop predicted yesterday by the
Agriculture Department.
Mr. FitzGerald said it is "reason
able to assume” that grain exports
from this Nation will be “appreci
ably larger” than originally esti
mated. But, he added, it is im
possible at this time to set definite
export goals. The first estimate was
for wheat exports of between 275,
000,000 and 300,000,000 bushels to
the Marshall Plan nations. Even
the new higher figure, however, is
expected to be below last year’s
all-time record exports of about
375,000,000 bushels of wheat from
the United States.
No Meat Exported.
ECA is not now exporting any
meet, except horse meat, and has
no intention of altering this pro
gram, Mr. FitzGerald said.
The larger export program as well
as the hope for eventual, relief at
home from high prices, especially
for meats, lies chiefly in the com
crop prospects. The Agriculture De
partment estimate, released yester
day, was for a 3,500,363,000-bushel
crop, up 46 per cent from last year
and 25 per cent larger than the
average as well as 8 per cent above
the previous all-time record es
tablished in 1946.
Government experts and econo
mists generally believe the larger
corn crop, much of which goes for
livestock feed, will show up in lower
pork prices in a matter of months,
although beef prices probably will
not be affected until next spring
at the earliest or perhaps later.
Grain Price Down.
Mr. FitzGerald said the larger
ECA exports, if the crop prospects
are borne out and the shipments
actually made ^luring the fiscal year
ending June 30, will cost the Gov
ernment "little if any more”, than
earlier estimates. This is because
grain prices already have fallen
from their January highs to figures
approximating the Government
price support levels. Thus ECA will
get more for each dollar it spends.
In discussing the world food sit
uation, the ECA food expert said
crop prospects generally are better
everywhere and that taken to
gether with the larger shipments
now anticipated will result in a
"moderate or appreciable improve
ment” in the diet of Europeans.
"We have passed the low point
in our postwar food supply situa
tion," Mr. FitzGerald said, adding
that the bumper prospects appeared
to have taken “the sharpest edge
off our international food problem."
Europe's Needs Explained.
In answer to the questions which
he himself asked—why ship so
much in view of better crop pros
pects abroad—Mr. FitzGerald point
ed out that European crops are still
below prewar figures while popula
tion has risen by 25,000,000. about
10 per cent.
Meanwhile, the American Meat
Institute issued in Chicago this
cautious prediction on the basis of
the crop forecast;
' “If the crop matures and is
J harvested, as now seems likely, it
| will mean more adequate supplies
ot livestock and, consequently, meat
next year and the yeat after; as
| suming, of course, that producers
are not hampered by uncertainties
which would be threatened by arti
ficial restrictions and controls." The
institute was a leader in fighting
meat price controls and rationing
as proposed at the recent special
session of Congress and turned
down by the Republicans.
The institute added:
“If the huge com crop could im
mediately be turned into meat, we
would have the basis for furnishing
the largest per capital meat con
sumption on record—about 15 to 20
(See-PRICES, Page A-6.)
Fortified Rebel Peak
Captured by Greeks
By th« A*»odof#d Pr«ts
ATHENS, Aug. 11—The Greek
army announced the capture of
neavily fortified Mount Alevitsa to
day, opening the way for a final
offensive against the last major
supply route for Communist guer
rilla forces.
National forces also took height
1632, south of Alevitsa, on the
northeastern Grammos front.
Alevitsa, a 5.000-foot peak, guard
ed the guerrilla supply link to Al
oania by way of Slimnitsa. Markos
Vaflades’ guerrillas had defended it
stubbornly.
A Greek officer described Alevitsa
as one of the toughest assignments
the national army has had to face
in the whole campaign to rout the
Communist rebels from their Gram
mos mountain bastion. The fortifica
tions there, he said, were built by
:the late John Metaxas, when he
was the Greek strong man, to defend
against invasion from the north..
There are 13 double concrete pill
boxes on the north and five on the
south, plus two mortar emplace
ments to the south and a central
machinegun post. The fortifications
are similar to those along the Bul
garian border, where the German
Army was forced to use dive bomb
ers and tanks to break through.
A