Evening star. [volume], April 05, 1950, Image 1

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

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Weather Forecast
Occasional rain ending by midafternoon.
Windy and colder tonight, low about 36.
Fair and cool tomorrow with high in mid
40s. (Full report cn Page A-2.)
Midnight, 67 6 a.m. __-57 11 a.m. -..48
2 a.m. —66 8 a.m. ___48 Noon_50
4 a.m. —65 10 a m. 48 1 pm. 49
late New York Markets, Page A-15.
Guide for Readers
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Editorial .%-8
Edit ! Articles,. A-9
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An Assoc toted Pres* Newspaper
98th Year. No. 95. Phone ST. 5000 ★★
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WASHINGTON, D. C., WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 1950—SIXTY PAGES.
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Loyalty Officials
Deny McCarthy
Red Charges
State Dept. Aides Tell
Probers Board Knows
Of No Communists
BULLETIN
Chairman Seth W. Richard
son of the Loyalty Review Board
said today 10,000 FBI field in
vestigations in the Government's
loyalty program had not un
covered a single espionage case.
In only one-twentieth of 1 per
cent of 3 million employes, Mr.
Richardson added, was “any
thing wrong" found and these
involved such things as ques
tionable associations.
By Cecil Holland
State Department loyalty offi
cials today emphatically denied
charges by Senator McCarthy,
Republican, of Wisconsin that
there are card-carrying Commu
nists in the department.
The officials testified before a
Senate Foreign Relations Sub
McCorthy's Charges Helping Communists,
Harriman Declares. Page A-4
committee investigating the Mc
Carthy charges.
“If there are any Communists
In the State Department, the Loy
alty Security Board is uninformed
of their existence.” said Conrad
E. Snow, department legal officer
and chairman of the board.
Donald L. Nicholson of Chevy
Chase, Md., chief of the depart
ment's security division, said that
If he knew of a Communist, the
individual's employment “would
be terminated" instantly.
Questioned by McMahon.
Mr. Nicholson's statement was
made during questioning by Sena
tor McMahon, Democrat of Con
necticut.
"Are you doing your duty?”
Senator McMahon asked bluntly.
“I certainly am,” replied Mr.
Nicholson, a 44-year-old former
Federal Bureau of Investigation
agent.
"Are there 205 card-carrying
Communists in the State Depart
ment?” asked Senator McMahon,
referring to a figure used by Sena
tor McCarthy in his charges
against the department.
There are not,” Mr. Nicholson
replied.
Senator McMahon: “Are there
any card-carrying Communists in
the department?”
"So far as we know, there are
not.” Mr. Nicholson replied. "If
there were they would be ter
minated by noon.”
Richardson to Testify.
The two State Department offi
cials were called before the sub
committee to explain in detail the
operation of the Government's
loyalty program within the de
partment.
Seth W. Richardson, chairman
of the Civil Service Loyalty Review
Board, also was called as a witness
and was scheduled to give an
explanation of how his board
audits loyalty cases from the
State Department and other Fed
eral agencies.
Other developments bearing on
the investigation included:
1. Senator McCarthy informed
Chairman Tvdings of the investi
gating committee that he could
not meet a noon deadline today
(See COMMUNISTS, Page A-5.)
Catholic Clergymen
Convicted in Prague
By the Associated Press
PRAGUE. April 5.—A Roman
Catholic clergyman was sentenced
today by a Czechoslovak court to
life imprisonment on charges of
high treason and spying for the
Vatican.
His nine co-defendants, all of
them Catholic churchmen, re
ceived lighter sentences ranging
from 2 to 25 years.
The official Czechoslovak news
agency reported that nine of the
clergymen were convicted of
either anti-state activity or trea
son or both. The tenth drew a
two-year sentence because he
knew of the activities of the oth
ers and did not report them.
The life imprisonment was or
dered for Dr. Jan Mastilak, 39
year-old Redemptorist priest whc
was director of the Moravian
Theological Institute.
Sentenced to 25 years were Dr
Frantisek Silham, 45, director oi
the Jesuit order in Czechoslovakia
and Augustin Machalka, 45, abbot
of the monastery at Nova 'Rise
Bohemia.
Other sentences were:
Bohumil Vit Rajovsky. 38. abbot
of the monastery in Zeliv, Bo
hemia—20 years.
Dr. Sylvester Braito, 52. Domin
ican monk and professor of theol
ogy at the Olomouc University
15 years.
Josef Urban, 39, Franciscan
monk—14 years.
Adolf Kaipr, 48, Jesuit priest
12 years.
Jan Blesik, 41, Redemptorist
priest—10 years.
Frantisek Mikulasek, 37, Jesuit
priest—nine years.
Stanislav Bartak, 35, monk at
Nbva Rise Monastery—two years
FTC Orders Cigarette Makers
To Stop 'Misleading' Ads
Camel and Old Gold Companies Named;
Crackdown Considered Against Others
By th« Associated Press
The Government today ordered
a crackdown on what it called
"false and misleading advertis
ing" by some major cigarette
makers.
The Federal Trade Commission
directed two of the largest com
panies to halt certain claims that
one brand of cigarettes is supe
rior to another.
The "cease and desist" orders
were against R. J. Reynolds To
bacco Co., makers of Camels, and
the P. Lorillara Co., producers of
Old Golds.
FTC said it also is considering
similar action against the Amer
i ican Tobacco Co. and its Lucky
1 Strike cigarettes as well as
Philip Morris, Ltd., and the ciga
rettes which bear that company's
j name.
"All cigarettes contain varying
amounts of nicotine and throat
1 irritants,” the commission said
I in announcing its action, "and
there is no reliable basis in fact
for advertising claims that one
Orand is superior to another in
these respects.”
FTC’s action against the cig
arette makers was the outgrowth
of proceedings started in August,
1942.
Its order that Camels and Old
Golds halt what FTC found to he
"false and misleading advertising”
represents a final decision on the
part of the commission. The com
panies may appeal to the courts,
however.
Aside from the contemplated
action against Lucky Strike and
Philip Morris cigarettes, the com
mission said in its 4,000-word
statement that it is studying the
advertising practices of Pall Mall
cigarettes, made by American
Cigarette & Cigar Co. of Durham.
N. C.
FTC trial examiners already
have recommended issuing the
"cease and desist" orders against
Lucky Strike and Philip Morris.
FTC said its action on Camels
and Old Gold was based pri
marily on a finding that those
cigarettes "cannot truthfully
claim a lower nicotine content
because the tobaccos used by the
manufacturers of all the leading
cigarette brands contain nicotine
_tSeejCIGARETTES, Page A-3.)
Acheson Asks Action
Now to Include Reich
In Council of Europe
Secretary Plans to Visit
Paris on Way to Atlantic
Pact Session in London
By John M. Hightower
Associated Press Staff Writer
Secretary of State Acheson said
today that the United States
favors immediate steps to include
Germany in welding a Western
European organization.
The Secretary made the state
ment at a news conference, adding
that this country wishes Germany
would join promptly the present
Council of Europe.
Mr. Acheson disclosed that
the 12 nations of the North At
lantic Council have agreed this
council should meet in London
about May 15. He said he plans
to leave for London, by way of
Paris, shortly before that date, i
He said he has no plans to visit
other places during his trip.
Reich May Be Crucial Issue.
Some officials have expressed
belief the question of what to do
about Germany may be one of the
most critical issues to come up in
the London talks. This includes
the difficulty of fitting Germany
into a European union in conflict
| at some points with British and
French policies.
Mr. Acheson said‘he will talk
with British Foreign Minister
Bevin and French Foreign Min
ister Schuman prior to the Atlan
tic Council meeting.
The central issue, as seen by
officials here, is whether Britain
will join fully in the unity of
Western Europe as a counter
balance to German participation.
Without Britain’s wholehearted
co-operation it is considered cer
tain that France will be unwilling
to accept Germany as a full-scale
partner.
No Change on Rearmament.
On another German question,
Mr. Acheson said there has been
no change in the United States
attitude against the rearmament
of Germany. He said this country
has firm international commit
ments on that point.
A reporter told Mr. Acheson
that Senator Jenner, Republican.
• See GERMANY. Page A-3.'
China Presses Protest
On Soviet in Civil War
By the Associated Press
TAIPEI, Formosa, April 5.—Na
tionalist China today instructed
its delegates to protest to the
United Nations “definite Soviet
participation in China's civil war.”
The quotation is Foreign Minister
George Yeh's.
The Nationalists charged ear
lier that two Soviet airmen, flying
Russian planes, shot down two
Nationalist pilots Sunday during
a raid on Hangchow Bay shipping.
Gen. Shih Chueh, defense com
mander, called the attack "a flag
rant act of Soviet aggression" and
“a prelude to an open march in
Southeast Asia.”
TOKYO. April 5 (£>).—Vice Ad
miral Russell S. Berkey said to
day in a farewell interview that
there is little chance of a Chinese
Communist attack this year on
Formosa.
“The Chinese Communists have
been unable to capture islands 15
miles from their territory which
the Nationalists have used to base
important air raids.” Admiral
Berkey said. “I see no evidence
that the Communists have the
equipment or logistic support to
strike apross 100 miles of w'ater
to Formosa.”
Admiral Berkey's flag as Sev
enth Fleet commander was low
ered today aboard the heavy cruis
er Toledo at Yokosuka. He leaves
to become Navy chief of informa
tion in Washington.
U. 5. Chiefs in Reich
Act to Plug Leaks on
Matters of Security
System of Control Being
Tightened at American
Berlin Headquarters
By the Associated Pres*
BERLIN, April 5.—A drive to
plug leaks on security matters
within American official circles
has been started by the American
High Commission in Germany.
A team of security experts is
tightening the control system at
Berlin headquarters now.
The drive was ordered after
American officials were puzzled as
to how an occasional fact con
tained in a supposedly secret
document turned up in the Soviet
licensed press. Eastern news
papers frequently spin out an iso
lated fact into a web of exag
gerations.
All Offices Inspected.
All offices are being inspected
to determine how documents with
top-secret value are filed, through
whose hands they go and whether
they are properly destroyed once
their value is ended.
Small safes with ordinary keys
are ruled out.
An old rule that German em
ployes may not handle confiden
tial documents is being impressed
anew on all officials.
All German employes of the
high commission have been
screened as to their background,
tendencies and political beliefs.
Carelessness Blamed.
One authority said leakage of
information may be a matter of
carelessness rather than disloyalty.
A German employe may acci
dentally see a classified document
long enough to notice a fact or
two, then talk about it with
! friends.
In the Frankfurt headquarters,
a renewed drive to safeguard se
curity was inspired by the recent
trickery of a German. He posed
as an American security officer
and wandered through the place
until a series of petty robberies
led directly to him. He confessed.
One Vessel Aground,
Another Rammed
By the Associated Press
NEW YORK, April 5.—One ship
ran aground and another vessel
was rammed and seriously dam
aged in the predawn fog outside
New York Harbor early today.
No one was reported hurt.
A 6,214-ton freighter, the S. S.
Hurricane, scraped aground on a
sand bar near Fire Island, a re
sort spot in the Atlantic off the
southern shore of Long Island.
The ship was described as “rid
ing high” out of the water. A
Coast Guard cutter was standing
by, while a tug was ordered to
the scene to try to dislodge the
stranded freighter.
In the other mishap, a 91-foot
schooner, the Edith Boudreau,
was rammed in a dense fog about
15 miles southeast of the harbor
entrance by an unidentified vessel.
The schooner, a gaping hole
punched in its bow, limped into
New York harbor under its own
power. A Coast Guard patrol boat
escorted it.
The nine-man crew’ had rigged
sheets of canvas to check flooding
of the vessel.
The S. S. Hurricane, operated
by the Waterman Line, was head
ed for New York when it ran
aground, the Coast Guard said.
The ship's home port is Mobile
Ala.
Lady Astor's Son Engaged
LONDON. April 5 <&).—The en
gagement of John Astor, youngest
son of Col. John J. and Virginia
born Lady Astor, to Miss Diana
K. Drummond was announced to
day. Miss Drummond is a daugh
ter of George Henry Drummond
of the Isle of Man.
Bridges Appeal
May Be Carried
To High Court
Perjury Conviction
Bitterly Assailed
In Union Statement
By the Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO. April 5 —
Harry Bridges' CIO longshore
union laid plans today to carry
to the Supreme Court, if neces
sary, the fight against their lead
er's conviction on a charge that
he lied to conceal he was a Com
munist.
Bitterly assailing yesterday's
verdict of a Federal Court jury.
Prosecutor of Harry Bridges Well Known
Among D. C. Lawyers. Page A 4
the union's officers mapped a
strategy that would counter pos
sible moves to cancel Bridges'
citizenship and have him deported
to Australia.
But F. Joseph Donohue, the
special Government prosecutor in
the stormy 81-day trial, said he
felt certain the higher courts
would find no basis for a reversal.
Mr. Donohue expressed belief
that Bridges' conviction of com
mitting perjury at his 1945 na
turalization hearing would result
in automatic cancellation of his
citizenship, followed by deporta
tion action. Bridges. 48, and two
union aides convicted with him of
also conspiring to commit perjury
will be sentenced Monday. Seven
year terms and $15,000 fines are
possible.
Australia May Admit Him.
From Sydney, Australia, whence
Bridges shipped out in 1920 for a
tumultuous career as a labor lead
er in the United States, came
word by immigration officials that
he probably would be allowed to
return if ordered deported. Other
government officials took the op
posite view but said no decision
would be made until an applica
tion required it.
The San Francisco regional
office of the National Labor Rela
tions Board studied another aspect
of the conviction: Whether it had
any effect on the recent signing of
non - Communist affidavits by
Bridges and other officers of his
International Longshoremen's and
Warehousemen's Union.
Those officers had held out for a
long time against signing such
affidavits. When they did so, they
freely acknowledged the primary
purpose was to be in legal position
to resist any possible union raid
ing by the American Federation
of Labor. Signing the affidavits
w'as required in order for a union
to have legal status before the
NLRB.
Threatened With Expulsion.
Bridges’ union presently is
under threat of expulsion from the
National CIO on charges of con
sistently pursuing left wing poli
cies against the wishes of Presi
dent Philip Murrap and his Na
tional officers. Mr. Murray re
fused comment last night at
Washington on what effect, if any.
the conviction would have on that.
The reaction of Bridges and
his union colleagues to the con
jviction was cynical.
| ‘‘An immigration frameup,”
I snapped the lean, hawk-nosed
man who has sparked several
paralyzing West Coast strikes since
he became an active leader in
1933.
Bridges always has been bitter
against the Immigration service
which he blamed for the moves
behind two unsuccessful efforts to
have him deported as an alleged
Communist.
His union issued a statement,
last night calling it a "fantastic1
jury verdict” after a trial in an
atmosphere of "H-bomb hysteria."'
"The Immigration Service
openly and unashamedly admitted
that it sought to remove the in
fluence of the three (the other
two were Henry Schmidt and J.
R. Robertson) from labor.” the
statement charged, "and unhesi-'
tatingly intimated it was willing
_(See BRIDGES. Page A-4.1 I
Spring Is Here
Bednasek Acquitted
Of Strangling Co-ed
After Iowa U. Party
Jury Out for 23 Hours;
Defense Had Contended
Death Was Accidental
By the Associated Press
IOWA CITY, Iowa. April 5.—A
jury today freed Robert E. Bed
nasek of the charge that he de
liberately strangled pretty Mar
garet Anne < Gee-Gee» Jackson
because the University of Iowa
senior thought their campus love
affair was breaking up.
“I am going home," the hand
some student said after the eino
tion-packed scene which marked
formal announcement of his ac
quittal^in the old sandstone court
house/
Rejecting the State’s request
for conviction of first degree mur
der and the death penalty, the
jury of four women and eight
men found Bednasek innocent just
23 hours after the three-week-old
case was placed in their hands.
Story Turning Point.
Juror Joe Kadera said that in
his mind the turning point of the
trial was Bednasek’s own “truth
serum" story of “the tragic acci
dent" which ended with the beau
tiful blond's death by strangula
tion during a rendezvous in Bed
nasek's off-campus rooming house
early last December 11.
Bednasek had told the jury that
the State's accusation that he
murdered Gee-Gee Jackson in
cold blood because she was “drift
ing away" from him was all
wrong. He said “truth serum”
treatments just prior to his trial
enabled him to remember the de
tails of “the tragic fatal accident.”
This was the story he told:
He met the pretty co-ed about a
year ago and they began going
steady. She accepted his frater
nity pin as a symbol of their
engagement. During last summer's
vacation his pin was returned
because her parents objected to
the match.
Renewed Love Affair.
But when school resumed in the
fall they renewed their love affair.
They talked often of .marriage.
The night of last December 10
he arranged a seafood and wine
dinner for her in his rooming
house and they then went to his
fraternity's winter formal dance.
Afterward they returned to the
rooming house—known as “The
Empty Arms'—for a nightcap.
They put on their coats. It was
time for her to return to the
Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority
house.
They kissed. Then they pl*ay
fully put their arms about each
(See BEDNASEK. Page A-3.)
Northwest Wind Due to Plunge
Thermometer to 36 Toniaht
A thrust of cold air from Can
ada which brought freezing tem
peratures to the Midwest rode into
Washington on northwest winds
this morning, and the Weather
Bureau predicted the temperature
will drop to 36 degrees tonight.
The cold weather will reta^Jf the
blossoming of the Japanese cherry
trees around the Tidal Basin, but
will do them no harm. National
Capital Parks officials said. A few
of the trees are in full bloom to
day.
If warm weather returns Friday
the cherry trees will be in full
bloom this week end. according to
Edward Kelly, special assistant to
the superintendent of National
Capital Parks. The trees will be
sprayed with hormones when they
reach full bloom. The chemicals
keep the blossoms on the trees
about five days longer than nor
mal. Mr. Kelly hopes, he said,
that the blossoms will last through
two week ends.
From yesterday s high of 80.4
1 degrees, the mercury dropped
steadily to a low of 48 at 8 a.m.
The light rain which fell inter
mittently this morning will end
this afternoon, but cloudy skies
will prevail throughout the day,
the forecaster said. The tempera
ture reached 50 degres at noon
and was not expected to go much
higher.
Tomorrow will be fair and cool.
The forecaster said it is to early
to venture a week-end prediction.
Under normal conditions, how
ever, warm weather should be ex
pected Friday, he said.
Sight-seeing companies report
ed that the spring tourist inva
sion of Washington is gaining mo
mentum and is expected to be in
full swing next week. The peak
of tourist travel is usually reached
in May.
Thousands of school children
were visiting the city's monuments
and public buildings today. The
largest group was 400 newsboys
from Indianapolis. Other large
groups traveled here in buses from
Missouri, Georgia and Michigan.
Philadelphia Lifts
Parking Bans to Aid
Good Friday Worship
8y th* Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA, April 5.—
Good Friday worshipers may
attend church in Philadelphia
without fear of parking vio
lation penalties.
Police Supt. Howard P. Sut
ton issued instructions to
“forego enforcement of park
ing regulations" in restricted
areas from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Fri
day so that "citizens who
desire may attend church
services without fear of pen
alty while they are in a place
of worship."
Martin Gives House
5-Point 'Prosperity'
Plan to Bar Socialism
Minority Leader Urges
Less Spending, Repeal
Of Wartime Excise Taxes
By J. A. O'Leary
Republican Leader Martin of
Massachusetts gave the House a
five-point “prosperity program” he
said would reverse a trend toward
socialism and unemployment to
day.
In a speech prepared for de
i livery in connection with the $29,
045,030,165 omnibus appropriation
| bill, he urged Congress and the
President to get together to:
1. Get rid of wartime excise
taxes.
2. Create tax incentive for small
business.
3. Balance the budget and re
duce the debt.
4. Administer the tariff pro
gram more carefully.
5. Remove the "threat of social
ization that hangs over the coun
try.”
^Steers Clear of Dispute.
In calling for less spending, the
minority leader steered clear of
the sharp dispute which developed
yesterday over whether the $13,
911,127.300 allotted to national de
fense in the single-package money
bill is adequate.
He also refrained from specify
ing where further cufs can be
made in the budget, presumably
because the Republican Policy
Committee, over which he pre
sides, is still deliberating over the
exact course it will advocate. High
ranking Republicans on the Ap
propriations Committee have made
it clear, however, that they will
, try to trim at least another $1 bil
lion in addition to the $1.5 billion
the committee carved out at the
President's figures before report
ing the bill.
The economy advocates have
nearly two weeks to decide where
and how to make cuts. House
members are going home tomor
row for an Easter recess that will
last until April 18. There will
be no voting on the appropria
tion bill until they return.
I Vinson Asks $609 Billion More.
Chairman Vinson of the Armed
Services Committee started a
drive yesterday to add $600 mil
lion to the bill for national de
fense. Mr. Vinson is an influen
tial House member, with a record
of being hard to beat in a floor
fight.
In this case, however, the Demo
cratic leaders on the Appropria
tions Committee show no signs of
(See APPROPRIATIONS, A-5>
New Delhi Talks Resumed
NEW DELHI.. India. April 5
iJPk—Premier Jawaharlal Nehru
and Pakistan's Premier Liaquat
Ali Khan resumed their talks to
day on possible ways to settle
growing strife between Moslems
and Hindus. There was no an
nouncement on what progress had
been made in the talks, which
started Monday.
Hospital Chiefs Study
Soldiers' Home Site
For Medical Center
Approval Is Expected
By Gen. Fleming for
Use of Surplus Land
By George Beveridge
Leaders of three hospitals that
will merge to form the proposed
$20 million Washington Hospital
Center today were to consider lo
cating their huge institution on
the grounds of Soldiers' Home.
The path was opened, The Star
disclosed yesterday, when the
Army suddenly declared surplus
148 acres at the south end of the
sprawling 500-acre Soldiers’ Home
property. It announced 83 acres
will be turned over to the Vet
erans Administration and that a
47-acre plot adjoining it is ear
marked as a site for the center.
VA will use part of it, a 44-acre
tract, as the site for its long
delayed 500-bed general hospital.
The agency already has spent $1.
691,000 for the 25-acre Nevius
tract in nearby Arlington, but
it plans to dispose of this property
as surplus.
Would Consolidate VA.
; The other VA tract, of 39 acres,
figures in the agency's long-range
plan to consolidate all VA ad
ministrative offices in one location.
Wlule the VA move had been ex
pected, definite entrance of the
hospital center into the Soldiers'
Home picture came as a surprise
which even left some hospital offi
cials unable to comment.
Maj. Gen. Philip B. Fleming,
chairman ol an incorporating
board for the hospital center, said
the board will have to decide, but
he added: “I think we probably
will take it.”
Other board members, however,
who were to meet with Gen. Flem
ing at 3 p.m. today, said they
doubted a decision would be
reached today.
The center, which will merge
Episcopal, Emergency and Gar
field Hospitals, had been planned
for location on the site of the
Naval Observatory near Wisconsin
avenue N.W.
GSA Drawing Plans.
In face of opposition to moving
the observatory to a new site at
Charlottesville, Va.. however, the
General Services Administration
has virtually abandoned plans for
using that location. GSA is draw
ing plans and will handle con
struction of the center.
In addition to the 130 acres
made available for the VA and
center projects, the Army declared
surplus 18 acres for construction
(See SOLDIERS’ HOME, Pg. A-2.>
Police Encouraged in Hun)
For Baby in Virginia
Sy th« Associated Pro**
NEW' YORK, April 5—Police
today described as "very encour
aging” reports from two New York
detectives now in Virginia investi
gating the kidnaping of an in
cubator baby a week ago.
The infant, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Clarence Holden, was
taken from an incubator in Lin
coln Hospital. Doctors have said
the premature infant could not
have survived long out of the in
cubator.
The detectives went to Virginia
to investigate reports that a Negro
woman carrying a baby wrapped
in blankets was on a bus that left
Washington for Roanoke, Va.,
early last Friday.
Inspector Christian R. Salsei
der, in charge of Bronx detectives,
said today the detectives had no
tified him “they are sdfce the
woman they are hunting was on
that bus.”
The search today was concen
trated in Winchester, Va.
Daylight Saving
Wins D. C. Poll
By Almost 3-1
92,669 Favor It,
33,196 Opposed;
Vote to Guide Young
Daylight saving time won out
by a comfortable margin of nearly
3 to 1 in the Commissioners' po
lice-managed poll, it was an
nounced today.
Police Supt. Robert J. Barrett
reported a final tally of 92,669
votes for the change, compared
with 33.196 against.
Commissioner John Russell
Young promptly announced that
he would be guided by the vote
when the Board of Commissioners
takes up the question of daylight
saving time tomorrow.
"As far as I'm concerned," Mr.
Young said. I think we should go
along with the voice of the
people." He added that he thought
the poll was "a pretty good way"
to determine popular sentiment on
public issues and indicated it
j might be used again.
“Fine Co-operation."
Maj. Barrett conveyed the re
turns from the 14 police precincts
to Commissioner Young at the
District Building. The police chief
said his men got fine citizen co
operation."
Policemen since last week had
been distributing and tallying the
ballots which were used in th#
poll. A total of 143,583 votes was
cast.
In addition to the "Yes" and
"No" votes, 17,718 citizens indi
cated that they just "don t care"
whether the clock is moved ahead
an hour.
The voting is the result of th#
Commissioners' decision to dis
tribute ballots so that Washing
tonians could register their views
on daylight saving. The polic#
recruited citizen block captains
who distributed the ballots from
door to door in their areas.
3d Precinct Heaviest.
The heaviest vote was recorded
in the third precinct, in which
the White House and some of th#
big Government departments nr#
located. In that precinct, th#
vote showed 11.728 for daylight
saving. 3,712 against, and 1.332
with no opinion.
While Virginia observes Eastern
Standard Time generally, a spe
cial law of the 1948 Legislature
permits the City of Alexandria
and Arlington and Fairfax Coun
ties, adjoining Washington, to
have daylight saving. But those
areas are waiting to see what
Washington does, before making
a move, officials said. Gov. Battle *
office thus far has received no re
quest for daylight saving time.
Prince Georges and Mont
gomery Counties in nearby Mary
land have authority to go on day
light saving time. Customarily
they follow the National Capital *
program in this-matter.
Leopold Backer Appointed
To Form Belgian Cabinet
• y th« AssociatfH Pr»*§
BRUSSELS, Belgium, April 5.—
Paul van Zeeland, ardent, advocat*
of restoring King Leopold to hi*
throne, was given the tough job
today of trying to form a new
Belgian government.
Mr. van Zeeland, a Social Chris
tian i Catholic i Party leader, wai
named Premier - designate by
Prince Regent Charles in the hope
of solving the month-old political
crisis over proposals to bring Leo
pold back from exile.
Political sources said Mr. van
Zeeland probably would try to
form a cabinet, composed entirely
of Social Christians and immedi
ately call for a Joint session of
Parliament to invite the King to
return. Pro-Leopoldlsts have a
seven-vote majority in a com
bined session of the upper and
lower houses, but lack a majority
in the important lower chamber
Census of Skid Row
Planned Via Coffee
And Doughnut Party
ly th* AtiociotwH Pr**»
CHICAGO, April 5.—Inhab
itants of Chicago's Skid Row
aren't going to be missed by the
census taker—and all because of
an unusual surprise party.
The party will be hfld April
13 at the Salvation Army's Har
bor Lights Mission on West Madi
son street. * The menu will be a
favorite: Coffee and doughnuts.
Here is how’ George H. Seward,
Chicago census supervisor, plana
to count the drifters with the co
operation of Salvation Army offi
cials and city police:
On the assigned night the mis
sion will open its doors wide to
dispense coffee and doughnuts *o
all comers. But as the steaming
mug is proferred. a census enu
merator will snatch it away until
a few questions are answered.
The interview completed, th#
guest will get a special badge ta
show he has been counted. Then
he will be allowed to enjoy hit
coffee. *
* i