Evening star. [volume], October 21, 1949, Image 1

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

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Weather Forecast
Sunny with high in middle 70s today. Fair
tonight, low near 52. Tomorrow some
cloudiness and continued mild. (Full re
port on Page A-2.)
Midnight, 53 6 a.m. ---47 11 a.m. _._70
2 a.m. --.50 8 a.m. --.50 Noon_73
4 a.m. --.47 10 a.m. -..62 1 p.m. _.-76
t
Late New York Markets, Page A-19.
Guide for Readers
Pace
Amusements __D-4
Comics _D-12-13
Crossword _D-12
Editorial_A-8
Editorial Articles A-9
Finance _A-19
Pace
Lost and Found A-3
Obituary_A-12
Radio _D-13
Sports_C-l-3
Women’s
Section_B-3-6
An Associated Press Newspaper
97th Year. No. 289. Phone ST. 5000 *★
WASHINGTON, D. C., FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1949—SEVENTY PAGES.
t ■ r " • ■ ■ ■ ——■ —— — ■ - ■ —-——
City Home Delivery, Dtlly end Bunday, S1.20 a Month; when 6 C r'TT’XrTCI
Sundays, *1.30. Nlmt Final Edition. *1.30 and *1.40 per Month. tX-EiX^ -L O
Hearing on Military Unity Ends;
Johnson Bars Catering to Aims
Of Any Group in Defense Plan
Hoover Urges Full
Backing in Effort
To Merge Services
BULLETIN
The House Armed Services
Committee ended its public
hearings this afternoon after
hearing former President Hoo
ver urge full support for De
fense Secretary Johnson in his
efforts to make armed forces
unification work. Chairman
Vinson announced the commit
tee will attempt in January to
decide what needs to be done to
compose interservice differences.
By Chris Mathisen
Defense Secretary Jahnson, de
fending his economy program be
fore the House Armed Services
Committee, declared today that
“national defense should not be
and will not be run in the inter-'
ests either of professional sea
men, professional airmen or pro
fessional soldiers.”
He is running the Defense De
partment in the interests of the
American people and world peace.
Mr. Johnson said.
He assured the committee that
there is nothing Arm about the
tentative economy goals, which
the Navy has contended would
have their most serious effect in
naval aviation.
Navy Secretary Matthews will
have full opportunity to furnish
him the Navy’s explanation of
how the proposed cuts would di
minish its readiness for combat,
Mr. Johnson promised.
Marshall Blames Money Problems.
The defense chief began his
testimony in the committee’s pub
lic hearing on defense strategy
and inter-service differences after
Gen. George C. Marshall, wartime
Army Chief of Staff, had told the
legislators money problems are the
real reason for squabbling among
the armed forces.
Gen. Marshall also told the com
mittee that of necessity the funds
available for the armed services
must be divided in a way “that
has only in mind the security of
the country.”
That means, Gen. Marshall went
on, that “unification is absolutely
mandatory in my opinion.”
Secretary Johnson testified that
“there exists in our present stra
tegic concept of national defense
an essential and honorable f role
for each of the armed forces.”
Co-operation Essential.
“Obviously, a lack of co-opera
tion by any one of the services
could jeopardize both national se
curity and unification. National
security is not a competitive enter
prise where one service can profit
at the expense of another.”
The tone of Mr. Johnson's state
ment was mild, and he devoted
himself largely to explaining how
he hopes to save approximately
$900,000,000 during the current
fiscal year within the Defense De
partment. But he made these
other points:
1. That he does not advocate a
single chief of staff for the armed
forces, but believes in “the con
cept of a chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff,” and that he does
not favor “imposing on any serv
ice, nor on all the services, a gen
eral staff type of organization.”
2. That, “despite rumors to the
contrary,” he believes in a Ma
rine Corps “trained and equipped
for amphibious operations,” and
does not advocate shifting it away
from the Navy.
3. That the war plans which
the Joint Chiefs of Staff have
unanimously evolved bear only the
slightest resemblance” to what he
said was an “erroneous picture
given the committee by some wit
nesses.” That "a straw man” was
built by those who contended that
“we expect to win a war by push
button tactics and atomic blitz.”
4. That the Navy has “if any
thing, more than its share of key
positions” on the boards and
agencies of the Defense Depart
ment.
5. That “nothing that has hap
pened” has caused him to change
his view that the' Navy’s super air
craft carrier project, which he can
celled, is not needed for the na
tion’s defense.
6. That cross-education among
the services as to weapons, includ
ing the Air Force’s B-36 inter
(Continued on Page A-4, Col. 1.)
..
Used Car
Bargain Page in
The Star Today
In the Classified Ad Section
of The Star today, used-car
shoppers will find another
weekly used-car bargain page
featuring the sales offerings
of 16 Metropolitan Washing
ton dealers.
The bargain page is in ad
dition to the hundreds of
used-car classified ads which
appear daily in The Star.
For used-car bargains al
ways consult Washington’s
leading classified medium—
THE STAR. Phone STerling
5000.
Owners Walk Out on Coal Talks
At White Sulphur, Attack Lewis
Charge UMW Chief Impoverishes Employes
And Industry in 'Mad Race for Power'
By th« Associated Press
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS.
W. Va., Oct. 21.—Northern and
Western coal operators today
walked out on contract talks with
the United Mine Workers.
The operators issued a state
ment saying:
“In his mad race for power,
John L. Lewis is impoverishing our
employes and is willing to destroy
the coal industry—therefore, we
are leaving this conference.
“When the union leaders show
some disposition to consider our
employes and the industry, on
which we all depend, we w-ill meet
with them again, at a mutually
satisfactory place and time.”
The operators sat in today’s
negotiating session for about 45
minutes. Then they left the room
and George Love, their spokes
Break in Steel Strike
Hinted as Peace Talks
Continue in New York
Situation Not Hopeless,
Ching Says; New Offer
By Industry Reported
By James Y. Newton
There was some hope today for
an early settlement of the big
steel strike.
Industry sources indicated a
break might occur in the walk
out of 500,000 CIO United Steel
Workers in their battle for com
pany-paid pensions and insurance.
The feeling of optimism seemed
to be borne out by the fact that
Cyrus S. Ching, Federal mediation
chief, opened a third day of peace
conferences with the United States
Steel Corp. in New York. Mr.
Ching originally went there fftr
a one-day talk.
Mr. Ching himself was not talk
ing very much. He did say that
the situation in the 21-day steel
strike “is not hopeless,’’ but he
added after the second day of
talks with United States Steel,
giant of the industry, “we do not
want to create the impression
that there is a basis for opti
mism.’’
Scene of Talks Secret.
However, industry sources in
sisted that the steel dispute was
moving off of dead-center. The
companies were said to be pre
paring a new offer to the CIO,,
and it was known that Mr. Ching
carried a settlement proposal to
New York for presentation to
"Big Steel.’’
The location of the conference
in New York was kept secret.
Meanwhile, President Truman
reportedly told a group of indus
trialists at a private off-the-rec
ord dinner last night that he saw
no sense to the steel and coal
strikes and was critical of both
labor and management. The din
ner at the Statler Hotel was spon
sored by A. and H. Kroeger, New
York business consultants.
Mr. Truman told his news con
ference earlier yesterday that he
had no immediate plans for seizing
the steel and coal industries or
otherwise intervening in the
strikes. However, reports persisted
that he may call steel and CIO
union leaders to the White House.
The White House today refused
any comment in the face of pub
<See STEEL, Page A-3.)
Fifty Missionaries Shift
From China to Japan
By the Associated Press
TOKYO, Oct. 21.—Fifty Chris
tian missionaries, fugitives from
the Communists in China, now are
working in Japan, occupation of
ficials said today.
Thirty-five are Protestants and
the remainder are Catholics. Most
of them are Americans.
man, handed reporters the type
written statement.
They had no other comment.
The union several times has
turned down an offer to renew the
old contract "which expired June
30.
"This is our best and final
offer,” Mr. Love said today. Un
der the circumstances, remaining
here longer will only make the
operators a party to fooling the
miners and the public.”
The union men charged quickly
that the operators had pulled out
in order to bring about Govern
ment intervention in the five
week-old mine strike.
UMW Vice President Thomas
Kennedy, heading the union team
in the absence of Mr. Lewis, said:
“It was quite evident yesterday
they were expecting word to come
to_Washington. Failing to be
'See COAL. Page A-3.*
Officers of Left-Wing
Electric Union Sign
Non-Communist Oaths
Authenticity of Affidavits
Are Subject to Check by
Justice Department
By the Associated Press
The left-wing United Electrical
Workers, biggest CIO holdout
against Taft-Hartley Act rules,
gave in today and filed non
Communist oaths from its officers.
The affidavits are required by
labor law- before a union can have
access to National Labor Relations
Board machinery for such things
as collective bargaining elections.
They must state that the union
officers are not Communists and
are not sympathetic to com
munism.
I The UE has been described In
hearings of the House Un-Ameri
can Activities Committee as a
hotbed of Communist activity.
Those Who Signed Oaths.
Officers who submitted the anti
Red oaths included Albert J. Fitz
gerald, president; Julius Emspak,
secretary-treasurer, and James J.
Matles, director of organization.
The 10 vice presidents also signed.
The NLRB has no discretion
about excepting the affidavits.
The authenticity of the oaths is a
matter for the Justice Department
to check on.
Denham's Return Awaited.
Robert N. Denham, NLRB gen
eral counsel, has asked the Justice
Department to look into the valid
ity of the claims in the affidavits
of officers of several unions. Mr.
Denham is on the West Coast
on a speech-making tour. Any
action by the board to question
the UE oaths will await his re
turn, a spokesman said.
At its recent convention at
Cleveland the UE voted to sus
pend per capita payments to the
CIO unless certain conditions are
met. This all springs from CIO
efforts to rid its ranks of what it
considered leftists or Communist
sympathizers. The UE conven
tion action may lead to UE's
ouster from the CIO.
British Shoppers Raid
Stores to Buy Clothes
By the Associated Press
LONDON, Oct. 21.—Britons
raided their clothing shops today
because of rumors that clothes
rationing will be restored.
The Board of Trade officially
denied this afternoon that ration
ing would be reimposed.
Several retailers had reported a
sharp upswing in sales.
Britain abolished rationing last
spring after supplies finally caught
up with demand. Rationing had
been in force since early in the
war.
Johnson Says He Asked Sullivan
To Quit After He Fought Unity
By the Associatedrress
Defense Secretary Johnson said
today he asked for the resignation
of John L. Sullivan as Secretary
of the Navy because Mr. Sullivan
did not believe in armed services
unification.
Mr. Sullivan resigned last
March 25 with a blast charging
Mr. Johnson with halting con
struction of a proposed Navy super
aircraft carrier without even con
sulting Mr. Sullivan.
Mr. Johnsop gave his account
of Mr. Sullivan’s leaving to the
House Armed Services Commit
tee. He did so after Representa
tive Short, Republican, of Mis
souri had remarked that Mr.
Johnson’s story of the carrier
cancellation varied from Mr. 8ul
livan’s. Mr. Johnson was'before
the committee testifying on bick
ering in the armed services.
“I have kept n$y mouth shut
about Mr. Sullivan’s resignation.
And Mr. Chairman, neither you
nor any one else has ever heard
me say any unkind word about
him.
“Mr. Sullivan was not for unifi
cation and would not support
unification.
"He submitted his letter of resig
nation to the President on March
25, or a day or two before I was
sworn in (as Secretary of De
fense) because I told him there
was no room on my team on t,he
civilian side of the Defense Estab
lishment for any person who is not
enthusiastically for unification.”
Cut in Spending
Urged Instead
Of Tax Boost
Martin Says Truman
Seeks More Funds for
'Socialist' Schemes
By tht Aisociated Press
Capitol Hill fired back today at
President Truman's talk of a tax
increase with counter proposals
to slash Government spending
instead.
Another popular suggestion on
how to make the Government’s
ends meet was:
By tax adjustments and other
incentives, encourage a billowing
industrial and business economy
with sights set on a $300,000,000.
000 national income. That, it is
figured, would yield adequate rev
enue—without increase in tax
rates—to support Federal, State
and local governments. National
income now is at the rate of
about $217,000,000,000.
House Minority Leader Martin
issued a statement saying the
President wants more taxes to put
"his Socialist schemes over on
the American people."
Shaky Economy Mentioned.
“The American economy.” he
declared, “is so shaky now that
an increase in the tax burden
might easily lead to a depression
with millions out of jobs.”
Mr. Truman disclosed his 1950
; tax objective at his news con
ference yesterday, despite the fact
that < A> Congress has ignored
1 his call last January for a $4,000,
000,000 tax increase, and (B) 1950
is election year. All House mem
bers and one-third of the Senate
will be out asking votes then from
taxpayers.
Mr. Truman told the newsmen
that if anybody could tell him
any way, without tax increases,
to meet an estimated $5,000,000,
000 Federal deficit in the current
fiscal year, then he'd like to be
told.
Chairman George of the Sen
ate Finance Committee came up
immediately with this counter
proposal:
“I think the way to meet our
deficit is: 1. To reduce spending,
and 2. Readjust our taxes so as
to encourage greater production
and inspire greater activity in all
lines.
Would Encourage Output.
“I do not see how the national
Income can be increased by add
ing to the burden of taxes at this
time. Some taxes should be re
pealed and adjustments made
wherever a careful study may in
dicate a readjustment of the tax
burden is needed. In such a re
adjustment some taxes may be
increased.
“I have a strong conviction that
we should encourage increased
production until we achieve an
annual national income of some
where in the neighborhood of
$300,000,000,000.”
I he New York stock market
dipped on the news of Mr. Tru
man's comments.
Chairman Doughton of the tax
framing House Ways and Means
Committee already had an
nounced his group expects to
tackle a tax revision bill next
year.
“Tax increases,” he said, “should
be considered only after all rea
sonable efforts have been made to
bring expenditures into line with
revenues under present tax rates.”
He told reporters the commit
tee will consider any tax plan the
President sends up. He made no
prediction, however, on wrhat it or
Congress might do.
Byrd Backs Cut in Spending.
Senator Byrd, Democrat, of Vir
ginia, commented that “the Presi
dent has the cart before the horse
—he should call for a drastic re
duction of expenditures and avoid
any increase of taxes if there’s
any way to do it.”
Representative Reed of New
York, senior Republican on the
Ways and Meins Committee, as
serted that many in both parties
feel “the American citizen is en
titled to a tax reduction rather
than an increase.” He predicted
Congress would overwhelmingly
reject a request for higher taxes.
Mr. Reed charged the situation
(See TAXES, Page A-4.)
Truman to Write 0. N. Talk
On Yacht, Then Take Cruise
President Truman boarded the
yacht Williamsburg shortly after
lunch today and plans to spend
the remainder of the afternoon
working on the speech he will
deliver Monday at the cornerstone
laying at the United Nations
headquarters in New York.
Afterward, with members of his
staff, he will cruise, on the Poto
mac and Patuxent until late Sun
day afternoon.
The Monday speech, set for
12:30 p.m., will deal with foreign
policy. Press Secretary Charles
G. Ross was asked if it “would be
important.” He replied that “any
foreign policy speech by the Presi
dent is important.” He added,
however, “I don’t expect him to
break any new ground.”
Mr. Truman will leave here by
train at 7:45 a.m. Monday and
will be the luncheon guest of
Mayor O’Dwyer after his speech.
\
Group Hospitalization to Raise
Rates for 410,000 December 1
20 to 50 Cent Boost Called Necessary
To Meet Costs Under Increasing Payments
By George Beveridge
The 410,000 Washington area
subscribers of Group Hospitaliza
tion, Inc., will have to pay in
creased contract rates of from 20
to 50 cents a month for their
coverage against hospital bills dur
ing the year beginning December
1, it was announced today.
GHI President Joseph H. Himes
declared the increases are required
by spiraling hospital costs. Pay
ments from GHI to hospitals for
services to GHI subscribers have
increased 21 per cent since June
of last year, he said.
At the same time, GHI said it
will permit certain persons under
65 to enter the plan on an indi
vidual basis—an important ad
U. N. Awaits Russia's
'Consequences' for
Yugoslavs' Election
No Nation^Gives Evidence
Of Walking Out; Acheson
Doubts Rift Will Occur
By the Associated Press
NEW YORK, Oct. 21.—The
United Nations waited and
wondered today what “painful
consequences”—threatened by Sov
iet Foreign Minister Vishinsky—
would follow Yugoslavia's election
to the Security Council.
Mr. Vishinsky warned of the
"painful consequences” before the
59-nation General Assembly choose
Yugoslavia yesterday in preference
to Russian-supported Czechoslo
vakia.
There was no indication when
the “consequences” might come.
Prospect of Walk-out Doubted.
A Czechoslovak embassy spokes
man in London said last night
that there is no prospect that
the Soviet bloc nations would
walk out of the United Nations
as the result of the Yugoslav
victory.
‘No doubt,” he said, ‘‘this Is
what many Western countries
would like us to do.”
Secretary of State Acheson said
here last night he didn’t foresee
any rift in the U. N. because of
the election.
The Soviet Ukraine, which sits
now as Russia’s only teammate
on the Security Council, doesn’t
vacate its Eastern European seat
until the end of the year. There
was every indication that Russia^
and satellites until then at least,
[would pursue their usual course.
[They said Yugoslavia’s election
over Czechoslovakia would never
be considered legal.
Mr. Vishinsky forced a br«f.
wry smile when on the first of
two ballots Yugoslavia got 37
votes, only two shy of the total
she needed. Yugoslavia won on
the second with 39 to 19 for
Czechoslovakia. But he sat through
the session and so did the others
of the Soviet bloc, including For
eign Minister Vladimir dementis
of Czechoslovakia.
Russia retains all her old power
(See U. N., Page A-7.)
----- . %
Yugoslavs Give Wheat
To Aid Child Refugees
By the Associated Press
PARIS, Oct. 21.—The United
Nations International Children's
Emergency Fund announced to
day that Yugoslavia has given
1,500 tons of wheat to feed 500,
000 child refugees in the Middle
East.
‘'This is an exception to the
general policy of the country,
which is still short of food and
does not, as a matter of policy, ex
port any kind of cereals abroad,”
the fund said.
Italy will send Yugoslavia the
bags in which to ship the grain
to Beirut. Lebanon.
. ... • . **
■vance in the system of non-profit
prepayment insurance programs.
At present, only members of em
ploye groups are eligible.
Hardest hit by the new rate in
creases are subscribers who hold
husband - wife contracts, which
will be wiped out. After Decem
ber 1, such contracts will be con
sidered the same as the present
“family” contracts for three or
more persons and will cost the
same amount.
The increases:
For single - person contracts,
from the present $1.10 to $1.30 a
month, and for family contracts,
from $2.75 to $3. The elimina
tlon of husband-wife contracts
(See GHI, Page A-7.)
Britain Reported Set
To Cut Defense Funds
To Bolster Economy
Ellender Voices Concern
Over Move Because of
Role in West's Plans
By the Associated Press
LONDON, Oct. 21.—Four Amer
ican Senators said today Foreign
Secretary Bevin had given them
the impression that Britain will
make large cuts in military ap
propriations in an effort to ease
her economic problems.
“We are vitally concerned, of
course, because of Britain’s role
in over-all plans for defense of
Western Europe,” Senator El
lender. Democrat, of Louisiana
told a news conference. Britain
and France are major keystones
around which Western European
defense plans are being built.
Senator Ellender is chairman cf
an Appropriations subcommittee
Investigating European defense
and the accomplishments of
American aid abroad. ’Committee
members talked with Mr. Bevin
yesterday.
Concerned Over Spain.
Senator Ellender’s colleagues,
Senators Ferguson, Republican, of
Michigan; Jenner, Republican, of
Indiana, and Green, Democrat, of
Rhode Island said they also re
ceived the impression there will
be substantial cuts in Britain’s
defense expenditures.
The Senators said they were
concerned about what part Spain
might play in broad defense strat
egy. They are scheduled to see
Generalissimo Franco after they
reach Madrid October 25.
Senator Ferguson said he would
approve giving military aid to
(See BRITAIN, Page A-3.)
Lucas Says Farm Bill
Will End 'Scandalous'
Egg, Potato Losses
Senator Calls Measure
Excellent and Explains
Reason for Compromise
By the Associated Press
Senator Lucas, Democrat, of Il
linois, predicted today the new
compromise farm bill “will elim
inate the scandalous losses in
curred by the Department of Ag
riculture supporting such prod
ucts as potatoes and eggs.”
The Senate majority leader
rated the price-support measure
now awaiting President Truman’s
approval as an “excellent” bill,
although “not all that I hoped
it would be.”
Tl\e compromise program re
ceived strong support in the final
Senate voting — support reflected
among those Senators who, like
Senator Lucas, face an election
fight next year. The record
showed that Senators whose terms
are expiring lined up this way: 27
for, three against, four not re
corded.
Lucas Broadcasts to Voters.
Senator Lucas explained his po
sition in a broadcast prepared for
Illinois voters.
Under past programs, he said,
the Government has incurred
heavy losses in supporting potato
and egg prices.
The new bill, Senator Lucas
said, “will stop the process under
which many millions of dollars
were paid out for commodities over
which the Government had no
production controls through quotas
or marketing agreements.”
Moreover, the Senator added,
the cost of the new program will
not “be at all burdensome over
the long run.”
Despite those words. Senator
Lucas made it clear that he still
favors the “flexible sliding scale”
system of farm price props con
tained in the original Senate bill
sponsored by Senator Anderson,
Democrat, of New Mexico, former
Secretary of Agriculture.
Compromise Is Explained.
He said House conferees at first
“insisted on a plan for five years
of price supports at the high level
of 90 per cent of parity.” Parity
is a computed price intended to
give farmers a fair crop return in
relation to other prices.
If the Senate had yielded on
this. Senator Lucas said, it
“would have created surpluses so
large that at the end of the five
year period our farm price pro
gram would have collapsed of its
own weight.”
In order to get a compromise
Senator Lucas said Senators
agreed to apply 90 per cent sup
ports next year to the six basic
crops—cotton, wheat, com, rice,
tobacco and peanuts—when acre
age or marketing controls are in
effect.
Raises Send Cost to $50,905
For Each Senator and Staff
By th« Associated Press
The 1950-model United States
Senator is going to cost the Amer
ican taxpayer, $50,905 a year—and
up.
That’s the package cost in sal
aries and expenses for a single
Senator and his office staff. The
bill for all 96 of them will run
around $5,000,000 a year.
The cost per Senator went up
about $3,000 a year this week when
Congress voted the money to per
mit Senators to increase the pay
of their office help or add another
worker to their staff.
One Midwestern Senator put the
blame on the taxpayer for the high
senatorial costs. He didn’t want
his name used.
“I’m snowed under with mail,”
Senator X said. “We get about
1,000 letters a day in my office.
That means five or six Stenogra
phers and clerks do nothing but
handle the mail. I never see most
of it. I can’t. Because if I tried
to answer each letter personally—
I’d be doing nothing but dictation
all day.”
A Senator’s pay is $12,500 a
year. It’s generally agreed the
salary is modest enough. A top
rank Ambassador receives $25,000
a year plus expenses.
But the senatorial salary is only
the down payment. The real cosit
is in the fine print. Take the case
of Senator X:
In addition to his salary, he
gets another $2,500 a year for ex
penses. This expense money is
tax free. He need make no ac
counting of how he spends it.
The Senator comes from a State
with a population of less than 3,
000,000. That means he can
draw $35,400 a year for his office
help. Each Senator is entitled to
at least six office workers, an
$8,400-a-year administrative as
(See SENATORS, Page A-3.) j
Ten Reds Given
5-Year Terms;
One Gets Three
Medina Sentences All
Of Defendants to Pay
$10,000 Fines Also
BULLETIN
NEW YORK UP).—'Ten top
ranking American Communist
leaders today were sentenced to
prison for five years each for
criminal conspiracy to teach
the overthrow of the United
States Government by force.
The 11th, Robert G. Thompson,
a decorated war veteran, was
sentenced to three years. Fed
eral Judge Harold R. Medina
also fined each defendant $10,
000—the maximum.
By the Associated Press
NEW YORK, Oct. 21. —The
Government today recommended
10 years imprisonment for each
of the 11 convicted Communist
leaders.
The recommendation was made
by United States Attorney John
F. X. McGohey. He made no rec
ommendation for a fine. The law
makes a $10,000 fine possible in
addition to the prison sentence.
This suggestion to Federal Judge
Harold R. Medina came one week
after the top leaders of the Amer
ican Communist Party were con
victed of conspiracy to teach the
forcible overthrow of the United'
States Government.
bays Longer Term Applies.
Mr. McGohey contended the law
revision cutting the possible prison
terms for the 11 defendants from
10 to 5 years does not apply.
Mr. McGohey said the crime
charged in the indictment of the
Communists—conspiring to teach
forcible overthrow of the United
States Government—was commit
ted before the law was revised last
year.
“It is clear and explicit,” he told
Judge Medina, “that the revision
in 1948 does not in any w'ay affect
the 10 years’ maximum penalty.”
Shortly after he had ascended
|to the bench at 10:56 a.m., the
judge had denied all defense mo
tions for arrest of judgment, for
I a new trial and for acquittal,
j Then he gave each lawyer and
leach defendant the opportunity
| to make a statement.
Dennis and Davis Speak.
Eugene Dennis, general secre
tary of the Communist Party, and
Benjamin J. Davis, jr., Negro co
defendant, made the statement*
on behalf of all the others.
They denounced the trial as
a frame-up and declared the
Communist Party will survive.
Then United States Prosecutor
McGohey read a summary of the
career of each defendant prepara
tory to recommending sentences.
“I don’t say they could prob
ably overthrow the Government,
but they will attempt to do it,”
Mr. McGohey said in recommend
ing the maximum prison sen
tence.
He said the 11 men and Wil
liam Z. Foster, chairman of the
party who was also indicted but
obtained a severance because of
illness, ruled the party.
“I therefore recommend a sen
tence of 10 years for each de
; fendant,” he said.
Mr. McGohey’s recommenda
| tion followed old provisions of
;the Smith Act, under which the
j defendants were indicted. Last
I year the act was revised making
| maximum punishment five year*
and keeping the fine at $10,000.
Judge Partly Agrees.
Mr. McGohey argued the de
fendants committed their acts
| while the original provisions of
!the law were in force,
j Judge Medina said he agreed
: with Mr. McGohey "in the strict
I matter of the law.”
But Congress’ intention must
be kept in mind, he continued.
The defendants are Henry Win
ston, 35, Negro, party organiza
tional secretary: John William
son, 46, labor secretary: Max
Winter, 43, Michigan State chair
man; Davis, jr., 46, Negro, New
! (See COMMUNISTS, Page A-3.)
I
Sunday Reading . . .
Secretary of the Navy Mat
thews has given the impression
of being a lonely man during
the congressional airing of the
B-36 row. He sits with his
admirals but plainly is not one
of them. This rather strange
situation is explored in Sun
day’s Editorial Section by Staff
Writer John A. Giles.
The United Nations is about
to start its fifth year—and it
may be the crucial one. Every
man, woman and child has a
big stake in the U. N.’s success
and none would profit should
it fail. Staff Writer Newbold
Noyes, jr., takes a close look at .
the U. N. record in another
Editorial Section article.*
For the distaff side, Staff
Writer Mary McGrory ex
amines the colorful career
of India EJdwards—so-called
“Queen-maker” of the Demo
cratic Party.
These are but a few of the
many special features that
supplement the usual thorough
and accurate news content of
$4* $utt2Utg &tar