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Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, October 18, 1949, Image 1

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Weather Forecast
Partly cloudy with high about 66 today.
Mostly fair tonight and tomorrow. Low
tonight near 50. Milder tomorrow. (Full
report on Page A-2.)
Midnight, 58 6 a.m. .-.56 11 a.m. 60
2 a.m. ...58 8 a.m. ---57 Noon_63
4 a.m. -.-57 10 a.m._58 1 p.m. -..64
Guide for Readers
Page
After Dark _ A-17
Amusements _ A-18
Comics ... B-18-19
Editorial _A-12
Edit’l Articles. A-13
Finance _A-23
i Pa«e
I Lost and Found A-3
| Obituary _A-14
Radio _B-19
| Sports _A-20-21
j Women's
! Section_B-3-6
Lote New York Morkets, Page A-23.
An Associated Press Newspaper
97th Year. No. 286. Phone ST. 5000 *★
WASHINGTON, D. C., TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1949—FORTY-FOUR PAGES.
City Home Dc’ivery. Daily and Sunday, $1.20 a Month; when 5 5a PWTS
Sundays, $1 .30 Night Final Edition. $1.30 and $1.40 per Month. ** X O
NewAnonymousNavy Document
Falsifies Data to Disparage B-36,
SymingtonTells Unification Probe
Declares Attacks
On Air Force Aid
Potential Enemy
By Chris Mathisen
Air Secretary Symington
charged today that Navy critics
of the Air Force are circulating a
new anonymous document in an
effort to discredit strategic bomb
ing and disparage the B-36. the
air arm's six-engine intercontin
ental bomber.
Mr. Symington stoutly de
fended the big bomber as he ap
peared before the House Armed
Services Committee in an effort
to refute Navy contentions that
the B-36 and the concept of stra
tegic bombing are being over
emphasized in defense planning.
He declared the attacks on the
B-36 were merely the latest
manifestation of a continuing ef
fort to restrict the development
of air power.
The new anonymous document,
he said, misconstrues or baldly
falsifies the findings of the United
States Strategic Bombing Survey.
This paper, entitled “The Strate
gic Bombing Myth," has been used
“in at least one instance as the
basis for indoctrination of a Naval
Reserve unit on the effectiveness
of strategic bombing in World War
II,” Mr. Symington reported.
Sees Security Imperiled.
He declared that attacks on the |
Air Force “imperil the Security of i
the United States" by giving pos
sible aggressor nations “technical
and operating details of our new
est and latest equipment" and "a
further advantage in developing
their strategic plan by telling them
so much about our own.”
Mr. Symington and Gen. Hoyt
S. Vandenberg, Air Force Chief of
Staff, got their rebuttal chance
after nearly two weeks of Navy
testimony in the public inquiry
into interservice differences over
defense strategy. A succession of
admirals had charged that the
Air Force has been trying to
^ripple naval aviation by joining
■ ith the Army against the sea
. ervice in high defense councils.
The Navy has complained that
csent policy puts too much
css on the B-36 and cuts down
1 th* Navy.
Admiral after admiral has taken
'he stand to belittle the possibili
les of the bomber. Their general
contention has been that the big
“lane could not get through an
enemy’s defenses and would ac
complish little if it did.
“Best Long-Range Bomber.”
Mr. Symington said the B-36
ill is “the best long-range bomber
mown.”
He added:
“The ability to fight from our!
vn shores at the start of any war
• .ould not be looked on with con-:
tempt.”
Mr. Symington said the new
anonymous document is far more
. dangerous than the first, because
it attacks methods, principles, and
objectives on which the country
must rely in the event of war.
The first anonymous document
which has figured in the Navy
Air Force row was circulated on
Capitol Hill last summer. It sug- j
Rested that the B-36 procurement j
program was surrounded by irreg- j
ularities and instances of political!
pull.
It touched off an investigation j
by the House committee. Finally, |
Cedric Worth, then a Navy De-1
(See NAVY, Page A-6.)
j i ~
fir. Nourse Insists
On Quitting Nov. t
By th« Associated Press
Dr. Edwin G. Nourse, chairman
of the President's Council of Eco- I
<nomic Advisers, has told the
White House in effect that he is |
quitting November 1 whether his
resignation is accepted or not. |
This was disclosed today by
high Government sources. They,
said President Truman has taken j
no action on the resignation, but
has not requested that Dr. Nourse
stay on and is seeking a successor.
Charles G. Ross, White House
press secretary, would not discuss
the matter. He would not even
confirm that Dr. Nourse has sub
mitted a new resignation as a
high White House source reported
yesterday.
Dr. Nourse’s reason for resign
ing, it was said by other high
sources, is his feeling that he has
failed in a three-year effort to
establish the council as a profes
sional, advisory institution above
and beyond political issues and
party programs.
He has long disagreed on this
point with his two colleagues,
Leon Keyserling, vice chairman,
and Dr. John D. Clark. They
helped carry the ball before Con
gress, for instance, for Mr. Tru
man's anti-inflation program last
January. Dr. Nourse felt such ac
uity was not the council’s in
tMided role in government.
CONGRATULATIONS, Jl'DGE — Mrs. Burnita S. Matthews
'right), nominated as the Nation’s first woman Federal district
judge, smiles happily in George Washington Hospital despite a
broken wrrist. Her visitors are Mrs. India Edwards (left), chair
man of the women’s division of the Democratic National Com
mittee, and Mrs. Ann Dodge Goodbee, Washington attorney.
—Star Staff Photo.
1
Farm Bill Conferees
Reach Agreement on
Compromise Plan
Remove Last Obstacle
To Adjournment of
Congress This Week
BULLETIN
House and Senate conferees ;
agreed on a farm bill this after
noon, removing the last obstacle
to adjournment of Congress this
week. It is a compromise be
tween the House rigid 90 per
cent level of parity payments
and a flexible scale as advo
cated by the Senate, to be put
into effect more gradually be
tween now and 1954.
By J. A. O'Leary
Hope for agreement on a new
farm bill was revived today when
House and Senate conferees met
again after all chance for a com
promise appeared to have van
ished last night.
The new meeting was called at
10:30 o’clock this morning by
Chairman Thomas, Democrat, of
Oklahoma, even though the Sen
ate conferees had voted last night
to report to the Senate their in
ability to settle the issue. Sen
ator Thomas said the Senate
members “were tired last night,”
after 12 hours of negotiation,
when they voted to disagree. j
Although the Oklahoma Demo
crat still thought a settlement pos
sible between the rigid 90 per cent
price support program favored by
the House and the Senate 75 to 90
per cent sliding scale plan, some
other Senators were still pes
simistic.
Congressional leaders continued
to drive for adjournment tomor
row or Thursday, with the farm
bill the only major problem un
settled. If all efforts for a new
farm bill fail, the Aiken flexible
parity law passed by the Repub
lican 80th Congress will take effect
in January. This alternative is
expected to keep Democratic lead
ers working for an agreement as
long as possible.
When it became apparent last
night that the conferees were not
getting together, the seven Sen
ate managers voted, 5 to 2, to
report back to the Senate their
inability to agree. If the House
members had done the same it
would have been the end of nego
tiations until both houses had
acted to reappoint negotiators.
The House conferees refused,
however, to vote a formal dis
agreement.
Adjournment without breaking
(See FARM, Page A-2.)
Retroactive Pay Checks
Await D. C. Workers Today
District government workers
started getting their long-waited
retroactive pay checks this after
noon, according to J. J. Krohr,
disbursing officer.
Mr. Krohr said arrangements
were made wtfh the Treasury
Department to'nave the necessary
fund request honored beginning
at noon today.
The 18,000 checks, which rep
resent the retroactive part of the
$330 pay raise granted District
workers, effective a year ago last
July and average about $260 after
deductions for retirement and
*xes, have been ready for week*.!
Women Hail Naming
Of Mrs. Matthews to
District Court Bench
Kirkland, McLaughlin
Also Nominated for
Judgeships Here
The surprise nomination of Mrs.:
;Burnita Shelton Matthews, Wash
ington attorney, to become the
Nation’s first woman Federal Dis
| trict judge was hailed here today
I as a victoiy for the women of the
i Nation.
For it was the backing of wom
en’s organizations, united under
a single banner for the first time,
that gave the nod to Mrs. Mat
thews w-hen President Truman
selected three nominees yesterday
for the District bench.
This was the contention, at
least, of Mrs. Ann Dodge Goodbee,
who, as Mrs. Matthews’ strongest
advocate, probably did more than
any one else to swing the women’s
organizations into line.
Mr. Truman also nominated
James R. Kirkland. 46, a Wash
ington attorney for 21 years, and
Charles F. McLaughlin, 62, former
member of Congress from Nebras
ka, for the other two posts. Mr.
Kirkland rates himself the only
Republican chosen by Mr. Truman
in the selection of 26 new District
and Appeals Court judges through
out the country.
The Senate Judiciary Commit
tee has decided to postpone con
sideration of all the President’s
nominations until January 3. The
chance that some of them might
be tied up in controversy prompt
ed the decision not to act during
this waning session.
A bill authorizing three addi
tional judges in Municipal Court
here was sent to Mr. Truman by
the Senate yesterday. It would
permit lawyers living in Alexan
dria and four counties surround
ing the District to serve, provided
they have practiced law here for
the last five years.
Exclaiming over her frond’s
good fortune, Mrs. Goodbee said;
i “Always before, when the women
of America have demanded repre
1 sentation on Federal benches, they
: 'See JUDGES, Page A-4.)
British Carrier,
Collier Collide;
21 Feared Dead
Only 3 of Freighter's
Crew of 24 Rescued
After Crash in Gale
By the Associated Press
BERWICK, England, Oct. 18.—
The British aircraft carrier Albion
and a small coal freighter collided
in a gale in the North Sea today.
The freighter sank swiftly and!
eight hours later only 3 of the |
24 crewmen aboard were known
to have survived.
Lifeboats fought the foaming
waves hunting survivors near the;
Fame Islands off the northeast1
coast of England.
The newly built 18,300-ton Al
bion was manned by a civilian
crew and was in tow to drydock
for completion. The collision
rammed a hole in the carrier and
she was reported taking water.
3 Survivors Aboard Carrier.
The Albion had aboard three
survivors from the freighter, the
i 2.025-ton Maystone, carrying coal
to London. A spokesman for the
owners of the Maystone said life
boat crews still at sea had some
hopes of picking up other sur
j vivors.
Lifeboats searched the area for
nine hours, however, without find
ing any trace of either survivors
or victims’ bodies.
The Albion continued on her
way, but a naval spokesman said
she was having “tremendous dif
ficulties’’ with the heavy seas and j
high winds.
Occurred 8 Miles Off Coast.
The collision occurred 8 miles
off England’s northeast coast,
near the Anglo-Scottish border
port of Berwick. Lifeboats from
the Berwick coast guard station
put out into rain and wind tossed
waves to hunt for survivors,
j The Albion was on her way from
i a shipyard at Jarrow to a drydock
! at Rosyth, Scotland, for construc
tion work before beingg turned over
j to the Royal Navy.
The Maystone was owned by
j Thomas Stone, Ltd., of Swansea,
' Wales.
Launched by Mrs. Attlee in 1947.
The Albion, a light fleet carrier,
I was launched by the wife of Prime
i Minister Attlee in May, 1947, from j
i a shipyard at Wallsend. It is one !
of four vessels of the Hermes class.!
i Janes’ Fighting Ships says the
Albion is 736 feet long, has a 90
j foot beam and will carry 50 or,
more aircraft.
j Since the carrier was launched
she has been lying in a berth off j
Jarrow, on the River Tyne. Little j
more work had been done on her j
! until about two months ago. large- |
ly due to the nation's economic j
crisis.
Last August it was announced
the work of fitting out the vessel;
would be resumed.
American Girl Killed
In Eiffel Tower Plunge
By the Associated Press
PARIS, Oct. 18.—A girl iden
tified by French police as Miss
Patricia Hunter, 27, from Port
Chester. N. Y„ plunged to her
| death today from the second plat
1 form of the *Eiffel Tower,
i The police said the girl had de
j stroyed all her papers before
hurtling the 380 feet to the ground,
but that identification was made
from torn checks,
i The authorities said Miss Hun
ter was staying in Paris with her
jaunt, Mrs. Joseph Hunter. They
said she had visited the Paris
branch of the Guaranty Trust Co.
of New York with a letter of in
troduction.
Elizabeth Scolds British People
For Divorces and Moral Decline
By the Associated Press
LONDON, Oct. 18. — Princess
Elizabeth scolded the British peo
ple today for what she called a
high divorce rate and falling mo
ral standards.
It was the strongest public
statement by any member of the
royal family in years.
Speaking to a rally of the
Mothers Union, the 22-year-old
heiress-presumptive to the throne
said:
"1 would go so far as to say that
some of the very principles on
which the family, and therefore
the health of the nation, are
founded are in danger. • * *
“When we see around us the
havoc that has been wrought,
above all among the children, by
the breakup of homes, we can
have no doubt that divorce and
separation are responsible for
some of the darkest evils in our
society today.” a
* The princess said this is an4fee
I of "growing self-indulgence, hard
ening materialism and falling of I
moral standards.”
Princess Elizabeth called on the
Mothers' Union and similar
groups to "give a lead to our
contemporaries in the re-estab
lishment of a wise and well-bal
anced code of right and wronfc.”
The address was the princess’
first really, outspoken public
speech. By tradition, the royal
family usually confines itself to
inspirational addresses which avoid
specific mention of sociological or
political problems.
Elizabeth told the mothers it is
wrong to be too tolerant in the
matter of national morals.
Elizabeth, whose son, Prince
Charles, will be a year old next
month, urged British mothers to
give their children Chflstian in
struction and see that the children
say prayers and go to church. She
said mothers must practice Clwist
ianity in their own lives. f 1
fNOW DO YOU SEE WHAT—:
Wallgren Named to Olds' Post;
Mead Is Appointed to FTC
Friend of Truman, Rejected as Resources Board
Chairman, Nominated to Power Commission
BULLETIN
The Senate Commyce Com
mittee today approved unani
mously President Trumans
nominations of Mon. C. Wall
gren for the Power Commission
and James Mead for the Trade
Commission.
By Joseph A. Fox
President Truman made an
other effort to get his old friend.
Mon C. Wallgren, back in Govern
ment service today when he nomi
nated him for the Federal Power
Commission.
Mr. Wallgren. a former Senator
and later governor of Washing
ton, was named to head the Na- I
U. N. Balkan Group
Announces Failure
To Find Peace Basis
Romulo Doubts Value of
Further Pacification
Efforts at This Time
^ Ey the Associated Pres*
LAKE SUCCESS. Oct. 18.—The
United Nations Assembly's Balkan
Peace Committee announced to
day that it had failed to find any
basis for settling the Greek- j
Balkan conflict.
The four - man committee ac
knowledged its failure to the Gen
eral Assembly’s 59-nation Political
Committee. Assembly President
Carlos P. Romulo, who headed the
peace group, said in a letter thatj
the committee had authorized
him to report failure.
Gen. Romuln made it clear he
did not believe further efforts
would v? worthwhile at this time.
Willing to Resume Efforts.
Gen. Romulo said, however, thatj
the committee would be willing toj
resume its efforts at any time dur
ing the present Assembly session
“whenever the parties concerned
consider this to be desirable.”
The conciliation group consisted!
of the following members, in addi- j
tion to Gen. Romulo: Lester B.
Pearson of Canada, Selim Sarper
of Turkey and U. N. Secretary
General Trygve Lie. Gen. Romu
lo’s letter was read by Mr. Pearson,!
who is chairman of the Political1
Committee.
Mr. Pearson said the peace
group would make a more de-j
tailed report within two or three1
days. I
Polish Proposal Beaten.
Polish Delegate Juliusz Katz
Suchy demanded that the Polit
ical Committee begin debate on
Russia’s so-called peace proposals
while awaiting further details on
the Balkan conciliation efforts.
The Polish proposal, however, was
defeated, 32 to 6, with eight ab-1
stentions. ~ |
The committee then approved a;
French proposal that it recess
until Friday, when it will get a
report from its 21-nation sub
committee on the future of Italy’s
prewar colonies. It will take up
the Greek-Balkan question after
finishing the Italian colonies
problem.
United Nations
Booklets on Sale *
In Star Lobby
This is United Nations Week
in the District and as a means
of furthering the ideals and
objectives of the U. N. The Star
is making available at cost
an attractive illustrated book
let. It outlines the purposes
and functions of the U. N. and
its specialized agencies.
Copies of the booklet are
now on sale for 35 cents each
at the business counter in Jfhe
Star lobby. M
tional Security Resources Board
early this year but the Senate
Armed Services Committee tabled
the nomination by 7 to 6 vote
when Senator Byrd, Democrat of
Virginia, joined the six Repub
licans of the committee in voting
against the nominee.
Mr. Wallgren was nominated!
today to succeed Leland S. OldsJ
whose nomination for a third term
on the FPC was rejected by the,
Senate in another major rebuff
to Mr. Truman.
The President also nominated!
James M. Mead, a former Demo-j
cratic Senator from New York, to
be a member of the Federal Trade I
< See WALLOREN ~ Pa g? • A-6! T
French Catholic Party
Shuns Job of Forming
Coalition Government
Radical Socialist Leader
Also Dodges Appointment
As Queuille Successor
By the Associated Press
PARIS, Oct. 18.—Picking a new
French Premier looked a little like
a game of tag today, with few of
the politicians wanting to be '‘it.”
Socialist Jules Moch gave up the
job last night before he could even
pick a cabinet because he couldn't
get a set of ministers that would
agree on policy.
This morning President Vincent
Auriol oflered the job to Francois
de Menthon, a leader of the
strongly Catholic Popular Repub
lican Movement (MRP). Mr. de
Menthon turned it down and said
furthermore that nobody in his
party would undertake to solve
the 13-day-old government crisis
Mayer Asked to Take Job.
Then Mr. Auriol asked former
Finance Minister Rene Mayer, a
member of the Radical Socialist
(Moderate) Party, to take the job.
Mr. Mayer told newsmen that
he would try instead to hand the
post over to his fellow party lead
er, Henri Queuille, whose resigna- !
tion as Premier October 6 brought
on the present government crisis.1
That put France’s government
problem right back wher? it
started.
Mr. Queuille resigned because
Socialist and MRP members of his j
coalition cabinet opposed his pro
gram barring wage increases in
the wake of currency devaluation.;
Mr. Moch last week won approval
of the National Assembly as Pre-i
mier with only one vote to spare
but couldn’t pick a cabinet.
Mr. Mayer told newsmen Mr. *
Queuille. who held office for a j
(See^FRANCE7Page~A-4.) 1
Final Senate Approval
Due Today for Two
Federal Pay Bills
No Opposition Expected to
Compromise Legislation
Passed by House
By Joseph Young
The Senate today was expected i
I to pass and send to the White
| House the two pay Pills providing
an average $141 increase for the
Government's classified employes
and a flat $120 salary boost for
postal workers.
The two bills were approved
yesterday by the House without a
dissenting vote.
Majority Leader Lucas said the
Senate would take enough time
out from its regular order of busi
ness today to give its final stamp
! of approval to the Federal pay
I legislation.
There isn't expected to be any
i opposition to the House-Senate
conferees’ compromise on the pay
legislation, and passage is expect
ed in a matter of minutes after
!the measures are brought up.
From the Senate, the legislation
will go directly to the White
House, where it is considered cer
tain that President Truman will
isign the measures into law.
Nearly 200,000 Federal workers
in Washington, including about
7,600 District government classi-!
fled employes, will benefit from
the legislation.
Aside from the pay increases
and the establishment of a nev/j
$14,000 pay ceiling for the classi
fied service, the legislation con
tains such features as longevity
pay increases for employes in so
called “dead end” jobs and cash
awards to supervisors who operate
their units economically.
Meanwhile, the Senate Appro
priations Committee has approved
a 5 per cent pay increase for
legislative employes. The proviso
was tacked onto the second sup
plemental appropriations bill. The
Senate may act on it today.
If the Senate approves the 5
per cent pay increase, the matter
will have to go to House-Senate
conference, since the House bill
does not contain this pay raise
provision.
Liner Caronia Driven
Into Quay Wall by Gale !
By the Associated Press
LONDON, Oct. 18.—A 50-mile
an-hour wind drove the Cunard I
White Star liner Caronia into a:
quay wall at Southampton today1
with a great crash. She was dock-!
ing after a stormy Atlantic cross
ing from New York.
Two plates, 20 feet above the
water line, were dented in the1
crash. Concrete was knocked
from the quay wall.
Passengers said they felt only
a slight bump.
Egg Prices Due to Drop 10 Cents
In '50 if U. S. Lowers Supports j
By th« Associated Press
Consumers may get their 1950
supply of eggs at prices averaging
10 cents a dozen cheaper than
this year.
Such a price reduction would be
possible if the Agriculture Depart
ment decides to carry out tenta
tive plans to lower price guaran
tees to poultrymen. Top-quality
eggs are selling for more than 80
centra dozen retail in some areas,
officials said.
The department is required by
law to support produce prices at
90 per cent of parity until Janu
ary 1. Parity is a price standard
set by law designed to be euqally
fair to farmers and those who buy
his products.
But the department may lower
the support to 75 per cent of
parity after the first of the year.
Poultrymen have been produc
ing about 5 per cent More eggs
than consumers will b% at the
90 per cent support guarantee.'
The extra supply is being bought]
by the Government in the form
of dried eggs. The Government
has had little luck in attempts to
dispose of the dried eggs abroad
Officials figure that if the sup
port price were dropped to 75 per
cent of parity, consumers would
buy more—perhaps all that farm
ers would produce. In such an
event, the Government would not
have to go into the market to re
move a part of the supply.
Studies show the demand for
eggs is elastic. That is, the lower
the price, the more consumers as
a whole will buy and vice versa.
The Government expects to take
an eventual loss of perhaps $85,
000,000 on stocks of dried eggs
acuired last year and this in carry
ing out support programs. Such a
loss would reflect sale of the eggs
abroad at prices below^rhat the
Government paid. V
Budget Hearing
Gets Plea tor
D. C. Austerity
Citizens' Federation
And Board of Trade
Urge Bare Minimum
Representatives of the Federa
tion of Citizens' Associations and
the Washington Board of Trade
today urged the Commissioners to
hold operating expenses for the
District and the tax burden on its
citizens to the barest minimum
in the fiscal year 1951.
John H. Connaughton, presi
dent of the Federation, and John
A. Reilly, chairman of the trade
board's Municipal Finance Com
mittee. were the first of some 59
persons scheduled to speak on
next year's budget at a public
hearing in the District Building.
District department heads have
asked a total of $138,984,400 for
operation during the year begin
ning next July 1, including $33,
407.781 for new construction and
other capital outlay.
1,768 New Jobs Protested.
Both Mr. Connaughton and Mr.
Reilly expressed concern over re
quests for 1,768 new jobs for fiscal
1951 at a cost of $4,895,338.
Mr. Reilly reminded the city
heads that District employes to
taled 13.878 in 1940 and the total
had grown so that the addition of
1,768 more people to the payroll
would bring the total to nearly
21.000.
Mr. Reilly pointed out the Dis
trict population now is lower than
a 1945 estimate and that studies
by the Board of Trade and other
agencies forecast a “very slowly
growing population” in the Dis
trict during the years ahead.
“It would therefore appear to
be unnecessary to continually ex
pand municipal services and to
further increase the number of
employes of the District of Co
lumbia government,” he declared.
Conduct of Revenue Uncertain.
Mr. Connaughton and Mr.
Reilly pointed out to the Com
| missioners that citizens 'at
tending the annual budget hear
ing were under a handicap since
they do not know the amount of
revenue which will be available to
meet the needs of the District,
j Mr. Reilly reiterated a state
ment made three years ago by
Maj. Gen. David McCoach, jr.,
then chairman of the Municipal
Finance Committee, recommend
ing that future public hearings
ion the budget be held after esti
mates of available revenue, re
views by the department heads
and statements of proposed in
creased or new taxes.
Mr. Reilly quoted the following
from Gen. McCoach's statement:
"Except in a few cases, depart
mental estimates are of no assist
ance in efforts to arrive at any
; conclusion as to real requirements.
They constitute only a list of pro
I posed expenditures, with no con
sideration whatever to the other
| half of a good plan, namely, the
means of paying.
“We do not have the benefits
, of the Commissioners’ views as
to the requirements, yet we know
: from past experience that their
1 ultimate recommendations will in
: elude only a fraction of this huge
; amount requested by department
| heads. * * * I believe that the
j practice of publishing these great
17see~D. C. BUDGET, Page A-4.)
1,000 Feared
Dead in Floods
In Guatemala
By the Associated Press
GUATEMALA CITY, Guate
mala, Oct. 18.—Raging floods in
Guatemala’s interior have taken
a heavy toll of life after two days
of torrential rains. Reports of the
number of dead have ranged as
high as 1,000
Government officials reported
today there were 171 dead counted
thus far, but many villages are
said to be marooned and the toll
may be much higher.
Last night the Foreign Office
told the State Department it
feared that there were 1,000 dead
and at least 70,000 homeless.
Damage and casualties were con
fined to the interior.
Many tourists, including some
Americans, are reported ma
rooned. The United States Em
bassy, at the request of Guate
mala's government, has asked
Washington to send an amphibian
plane here to aid in flood relief
work.
The area most heavily hit by
the floods is near Lake Atitlan.
Some American tourists have been
there for more than a week,
trapped because roads have been
impassable. They may have to
be taken out by plane.
The tourists are at the village
of Panajachel, with which there
have been no direct communica
tions for days. It is feared their
supplies are nearly exhausted.
The government planned to par
achute food and medicines to the
village and to other marooned
towns. - ,
Among the tourists at Panaja
chel is Miss Edna Duge, L*tin
American director of the Insti
tute for International Education
of New York. T

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