Mine Workers Back
Labor Unity Move
Proposed by CIO
By James Y. Newton
The executive board of John L.
Lewis’ United Mine Workers to
day approved unanimously the
CIO's proposal for creation of a
Joint union committee to repre
sent all of American organized
labor.
The action was taken here to
day by the 26-member board of
the UMW on recommendation of
Mr. Lewis and other international
officers. Mr. Lewis is vacationing
in the South and did not attend
the meeting.
Several weeks ago CIO President
Philip Murray suggested to the
AFL, UMW and other big. inde
pendent unions that a joint com
mittee be set up for two purposes.
The first was for the furtherance
of common causes in legislative,
economic and political fields. Then
the committee would work out
means of bringing about organic
unity of the big labor organiza
tions.
The AFL, which in the past has
held out for outrgiht organic
unity before co-operation among
rival groups, will decide in early
May whether to go along with the
Murray proposal. The federa
tion's Executive Council will make
the decision at a meeting in Phil
adelphia. The International As
sociation of Machinists, largest of
the independent unions, has ap
proved the idea.
The AFL and CIO have held
several unity meetings in the last
ten years—the most recent one
in 1947—but they got nowhere.
Blasts and Fire Raze
3 Covington Buildings
ly Aftfociated Prt»
COVINGTON, Va., April 19.—
Several explosions and a flash Are
destroyed a warehouse, an ad
jacent garage building and a
frame dwelling here yesterday.
Extent of the damage has not
been fixed. A spokesman for the
Novick Transfer Co. of Winches
ter. occupants of the warehouse,
estimated contents of the build
ing lost in the Are at $3,500.
Residents of the area reported
hearing at least three explosions.
These ripped off the warehouse
roof and shattered windows in
buildings in a half-block radius.
Lester Carter, owner of the
warehouse, apparently suffered the
only personal injury. He cut his
foot kicking glass from his nearby
residence. Several stitches were
required to close the wound.
The explosions apparently were
caused by drums of ammonia gas
stored in the warehouse.
The top from one of the tanks
landed in the backyard of Leonard
McLain’s house, across the street.
Mr. McLain said two small explo
sions were followed by a third
large one which sent the ware- j
house roof 300 feet into the air.
Fire
(Continued From First Page.)
man in the building. He was over
come and removed to a hospital.
Smoke Obscured Fire.
“For a long time we couldn’t
get within 10 feet of the front
door.” he said. "Fire was shoot
ing out the doors and most of the
windows. But later on the smoke
got so heavy we couldn't see the
fire and couldn't find it.”
Four minutes after the first
alarm, the second was sounded.
The third alarm came at 4:50 a.m.,
the fourth at 5 a.m., the first
special bringing two more com
panies at 5:37 a.m., and the sec
ond special, calling out three com
panies, at 5:43 a.m.
For a time it appeared the in
tense heat would demolish a fire
wall between the two-story yellow
brick bowling alley and the Mod
ern Upholstery Co. next door.
North of the upholstery company
is a string of stores, which might
have been destroyed had the fire
LOST ~
BROCADE BAG. black silk, containing
black dress: dropped in cab. Tues., April
18. Reward. DU. 2677. 2300 Wyoming
ave. n.w._—-20_
BULL TERRIER, male, black and white,
answers to "Chubby.'' Reward. Call
CH. 5156.__— 20_
CAMERA” 8-mm.: in Yellow and Black
cab. near Qrlfllth Stadium, April 18.
Reward TE. OOU4._—20_
COCKER SPANIEL, blond, male; vicinity
MacArthur blvd , Brookmont, Md. Call
WI. 8620.___—21
{OIN PURSE, small black, possibly left
in taxi, vicin. Greyhound terminal and
Brandywine n.w. Reward. EM. 4153.
Fye” GLASSES, lost Sat., vicinity Frank
lin Simon or Garfinckel's stores, maroon
rase. Reward. GL. 6589.___
LlASSeC in brown leather case: in vie. of
14th st. bet. Park rd. and Irving; Sun.
p.m. Ml. 0280 eves,—10
RaNDBAG—Brown snakeskln. square, in
cab or vie. Thomas Circle or 005 Buchan
an «t. n.w. Glasses and identification
folder important to owner Call MRS.
SWART. DE. 7336, or HU. 9425. Reward
—20.
FeaRL EARRING, clip style. Navy Relief
Ball. April 14. Reward. Call FA. 5856.
_ _ _—20
FOLICE BADGE, Corporal's badge No. 24.
Lost morning of April 15 in Southwest.
Reward. Greenbelt, 3246._—20
PURSE—Beaded buckskin. Friday evening.
Reward. Contains ?3o. JA. 2-7358. —21
WALLET, red. lady's: liberal reward; lost
Monday on bus between Anacostia and
downtown. Contact NANCY MOORE. JO
2-5302. _20*
fl'ATCH. lady's. Bulova. yellow gold, set
with diamonds: vie. between lith and
Monroe or 14th and Park rd. Reward.
HO. 5268. _—19_
WRIST WATCH, white gold Bulova. rhine
stone band: vie. Conn. ave. or Jellefl's
Reward. WO, 6552.__
WRIST WATCH, lost Tuesday between
17th and G and Allies' Inn; lady's pink
gold Pierre Grande, brown cord band.
RE. 5600. Ext. 2780.—21
ICEWARD lor return of pin, designed
gold flowers; Brookland vie. HO. 6114.
LOST near 14th and Irving n.w., pair of
child's eyeglasses, DE. 5143._—19
LOST IN SILVER SPRING—Female wire
haired terrier. 1 year old; answers to
name of "Mug." Reward. SL. 3400. —21
Lost SAT.—3-band yellow gold ring with
5 diamonds; downtown; liberal reward.
Call NO. 3036.__
Frown suede purse, io«t Mon.. April
17, 18th and Quincy. Arl. bus Finder
keep money, return other contents. CH.
7500. Ext. 745. —21
Lost—gold clip earring with 3
heart-shaped topaies set in clover design.
Nr. Gayety or Press Club or taxi heading
1700 blk. 19th st. n.w. DU. 3332. —19
FOUND.
Bio” HUNTING DOG. brown face and ears,
2 brown patches on body. TA. 7021. _
VOCKER. male, black; vicinity West Grove
dr- Belle Haven. OV, 0947L_
Cocker SPANIEL, blond: found around
Chain Bridge area Sunday afternoon
UN. 3161._
RitLE MONGREL. Short-haired white
with black ears: found in Brookland area.
LA. 6-8654.__
Fob lost ob found animals, can Ar
lington ANfMAL WELFARE LEAGUE
OW. 6065: qualified homes wanted for
Kts: hours. 11 to 4. Mon. through Sat.:
t* 2. Sung.
LADDER TOPS BLOTTED OUT BY SMOKE OF NORTHEAST
FIRE—Only the use of masks permitted firemen to brave the
choking billows of smoke that poured from the Brookland
Bowling Alley early today.' More than 40 firemen were overcome
by smoke or injured. The smoke spread over a large area of
the Northeast section. These men are trying to manuver hose
lines into the thickest of the fumes to extinguish the blaze.
—Star Staff Photos by John Mueller and Randolph Routt.
■■MHBW.'. • ••WBWTO.V. '.•WV- ■ • ••
/TAJ?L L. GOCHENOUR,
Manager o/ the i4Zicy.
wall given way. The wall did crack,
but remained upright.
To ventilate and gain access to
the building, hammers pounded
two holes into the south wall at
the corner. One hole was battered
about 15 feet up with a ram
mounted on a truck.
Started in Front of Building.
Another huge opening was
punched into the rear wall, and
firemen fought their way into the
structure with axes.
At first the fire was believed to
have started in front of the build
ing. perhaps in a luncheonette or
barber shop located there.
Later Fire Marshal Roy Rob
erts said preliminary investiga
tion showed the starting point
may have been one of the alleys
on the north side.
“There is three feet of water
in there and we can’t do much
looking around until it is cleared
out,” he said.
He speculated that a cigarette
was the most likely cause of the
fire. Chief Mayhew suggested
that a cigarette, defective wiring,
or less probably, spontaneous
combustion, touched off the blaze.
Karl L. Gochenour, 37, of 4000
Tenth street N.E., general manager
of the alleys and a well-known
bowler in his own right, said he
closed the building at 2 a.m.
“Later I heard the fire engines
and went to the alleys,” he said.
"I've always dreaded fire and been
scared of it, and then I saw the
alleys going up in flames.” *
Traffic Halted in Area.
The building was constructed in
1939 and is owned by Charles H.
Tompkins. It has 14 alleys on
each floor, each valued at about
$2,500. Paul F. Moore, vice presi
dent of the bowling alley corpora
tion, said the building cost about
$100,000 and that the loss for the
luncheonette and barber shop
would be about $5,000 each.
Traffic was halted two blocks
IMMEDIATE
DELIVERY
(5) 1950 DODGE
4-DOOR AND 2-DOOR
SEDANS
COMPANY OFFICIAL
CARS—VERY LOW
MILEAGE
it
2,500 MILE— 2-YR. ,
GUARANTEE
| LEO R0CCA, INC.
4301 Conn. Av«. N.W.
Emerson 7900
i
Thigh-deep In fire-blackened debris and water inside the charred building, this trio of fire
men eontinnes to play a stream of water on smoldering woodwork. This picture was taken
just before part of a brick sidewall collapsed, injuring two firemen.
each way from tha lira, includ
ing busy Michigan avenue.
Fire Department rescue squads,
hospital ambulances and internes
were working at top speed to re
vive firemen.
So great was the demand that
the oxygen supply ran out and
an emergency call to the South
ern Oxygen Co. produced 12 large
tanks. Potomac Electric Power
Co. and Washington Gas Light
Co. crews also supplied oxygen.
Automobile Is Seorched.
Two automobiles were parked
in front of the building when
firemen arrived. They broke a
ventilator window in one and
pushed it away. The other was
too hot to handle and before fire
men could remove it. the paint
was scorched.
On the scene, in addition to
Chief Mayhew and most fire de
partment battalion chiefs, were
Police Supt. Robert J. Barrett and
several police inspectors.
Six of the firemen were ad
WASHINGTON'S
NEWEST
HOTEL
Offering _ Both
Transient and
Resident Rates
I
mitted to Emergency Hospital.
They were: Lt. Eugene Heiss, 41, of
6101 North Eighteenth road, Ar
lington, No. 14 Engine Co.; Lt.
Doyle Harpster, 39, of 29 Randall
circle S.E., No. 11 Engine Co.; Pvt.
Lawrence Brown, 29, of 314 Carroll
avenue. Takoma Park, No. 24 En
gine Co.; Pvt. James White, 44, of
9705 Lawson place, Silver Spring,
No. 24 Engine Co.; Pvt. Virgil
Swadley, 30, of 4403 Fourteenth
street N.W., No. 11 Engine Co., and
Pvt. Herbert Reed, 31, of 3415
WHY NOT?
It costs no more
to park at the
Capital Garage
New York Avenue
V
between 13th end 14th
Newton street, Mount Rainier, No. I
4 Truck Co.
Admitted to Casualty were Pvt.
Ralph Gordon. 39. of 5405 La Salle
avenue, Hyattsville, No. 12 Engine
Co.; Pvt. Thomas Scott, 33. of
3707 Fortieth avenue, Cottage
City, Md., No. 17 Engine Co., and
Pvt. Bulman; J. T. Combs, 35,
of 437 Fourteenth street S.E..
Rescue Squad No. 1, and Harry
Ingram, 35, of 5618 Chillum
Heights, Hyattsville, Resque Squad
No. 1.
I LADIES’ HATS I
CLEANED OR TRIMMED
HAT TRIMMINGS—FLOWERS
F eathers—Ribbons—V citings
Hat Frames
Millinery Supplies
New Hots in Attractive Styles
Ladies Capital Hat Shop
SOS 11th St. N.W.
3S Years Same Address ** as**
Real Property
'J'HIS organization has been servicing real
property for over forty years. Acting
solely as brokers on behalf of our clients, we
have rented, sold, managed and financed all
types of property in this city and its envi
rons. If you wish to dispose of your prop
erty, have it expertly managed, or wish it
financed, we are fully capable of handling
the problem and shall welcome the oppor
tunity of consulting with you. y
Randall II. Hagner ^ Company
«*iC0»*0»ATt0
realtors
:
1(1/ CanmeHent In. fr.1T. TtUthan/ BteaHr (Iff
aHEaEaEsassassssaoassEaBHBasanaKB
This fireman was one of about 49 who were knocked out by
the dense rlonds of smoke which poured from the building. A
moment before the picture was taken ,this man was handling a
hose line inside the structure.
Strike in Johnstown, Pa., Halts Transit Service
■y mt Associated Proto
JOHNSTOWN, Pa., April 19
All trolley and bus service was
halted In this mill town today as
300 employes of the Johnstown
Traction Co. went on strike at 5
a.m.
The stoppage began a few hours
after an unsuccessful last-minute
conference in the office of. Mayor
Walter E. Rose.
1 The transit company’s trolleys
and buses serve a metropolitan
area of 150,000 persons, including
thousands or Industrial plant
workers.
The strike was called by Local
1279 of the AFL-Amalgamated
Association of Street. Electric
Railway and Motor Coach Em
ployes.
The union rejected a company
offer of a raise of 5 cents an hour
with 2 cents of the increase retro
active to last July 13. The work
ers demanded a 10-cent hourly
increase added to their present
average rate of $1 30.
U. S. Reported Making
Intensive Restudy of
Atom Control Plans
The administration was report
ed today to be taking a more in
tensive look at plans for inter
national atomic controls.
Chairman McMahon of the
Joint Congressional Committee on
Atomic Energy made that dis
closure after his 18-member group
heard Gen. Bradley yesterday In
a closed session as it began its re
survey of this country's plans,
which Russia has consistently
stalemated in the United Nations.
The Connecticut Democrat said
that while no new plan had been
brought forward he was "glad to
see the committees action haa
initiated some new thinking on
the subject In the Executive De
partment.”
He described the meeting as a
mutual exchange of views between
committee members and Gen.
Bradley, chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff
He also disclosed that the
general had discussed the mili
tary implications of the proposed
hydrogen bomb It was President
Truman s order to proceed with
development of the hydrogen
bomb which led Senator Mc
Mahon to call for a new look at
the United States control plan
which has been approved by a
majority of U. N. members.
The committees restudy of th*
problem will take about thre#
months. Senator McMahon said.
He added that he then hopes to
make public an abstract of the
testimony by Gen Bradley and
others.
i John D Hickerson. Assistant
Secretary’ of State for U. N. Af
fairs. Is expected to testify next
jweek and Senator McMahon said
Secretary of State Acheson would
be asked to meet with the com
mittee at a later date.
New French Law Orders
Vaccination for Many
PARIS.—A new French law re
quires the antituberculosis serum
vaccination of all school children,
all infants in public institutions,
all infants exposed to tuberculo
sis. all premedical, medical, den
tal, nursins and social work stu
dents, all personnel in public in
stitutions. all hospital employes,
all soldiers and sailors and all
workers in the food trades.
U MORE POPULAR... JOIN AN
ARTHUR MURRAY
Scvo money on yroup
lesson*—end hare fun!
I T’S amazing how fast you
■ can improve your dancing
style and pick up new steps
in an Arthur Murray dance
elass. You get the" benefit
of Arthur Murray’s simple,
natural Magic Step Method.
Your teacher is expert in
group instruction ... knows
just how to put you at your
ease and make learning the
new steps seem like a gay
adventure. Classes are fill
ing fast. We can enroll only
a limited number. Don’t
miss this chance.
ARTHUR MURRAY
Phont EX. 4100
J fakt nuo jfiiinjj
^ You'll enjoy meeting new peo
ple in thp party atmosphere
of an Arthur Murray Danoe
Class. You'll gain new poise
and confidence as you dance
I with different partners who
are as eager as you are to
learn the new steps Come in
and visit the studios. look in
on a class. No obligation, of
course. Open for visitors until
10 P.M. except Sunday. Phone
FIX. *100.
Carp. IS4S—ArHrur Murray la«.
1106 Connecticut Ave.
Washington, D. C.
1103 King Street
Alexandria, Va.
2531 Wilson Blvd.
Clarendon, Va.
—8
UJyfl