Weather Forecast
Cloudv and cold; scattered showers or
snow flurries, high 44 this afternoon.
Cloudiness, cold tonight and tomorrow. Low !
tonight about 32. (Full report, Page A-2.) |
Midnight, 45 6 a.m. ___41 11 a.m. ..-40
2 a.m. 46 8 a.m. ___40 Noon_39
4 a.m. j__44 10 a.m. __ 40 1 p.m. __ 39
Lote New York Morkets, Poge A-15
Guide for Readers
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Amusements A-20-21
Classified __.C-5-ll
Comics_A-26-27
Crossword _A-26
Editorial _A-8
Edit’l Articles __A-9
rage
Finance _A-15
Obituary _A-10
Radio-TV A-25
Sports_C-l-5
Woman's
Section_B-3-6
An Associated Press Newspaper
99th Year. No. 73. Phone ST. 5000 in
r WASHINGTON, D. C., WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 1951-FIFTY-SIX PAGES.
Home Delivery, Monthly Rate*: Ev-nlgg and Sunday. #1.60: ar
Evening only. $1.10: Sunday only. 45c“,light Pinal. 10c Additional. ** '-'J-Jlv A O
Mystery 'Quake'
Scares Millions
In North Europe
German Scientist
Discounts Reports
Of Atom Bomb Blast
By the Associated Press
LONDON, Mar. 14.—Millions of
persons in Northern Europe were
terrified today by a violent shud
dering of the earth's crust which
some thought might have been
caused by an atomic-sized explo
sion inside Eastern Germany.
The tremor, one of the severest
ever recorded in Germany, was
followed in some sections there by
a giant blast of wind. The shock
and wind rattled windows, shook
down war ruins, and tossed pic
tures off the walls of many homes.
No extensive damage was re
ported.
Seismologists speculated • that
the epicenter was either in the
Eifel Mountains of West Germany
or in Thuringia, in the Eastern
zone of Soviet-occupied Germany.
Felt in Wide Arc.
The terrestial convulsion, which
lasted from five to six seconds
with “echoes” of 15 minutes dura
tion, was felt in varying degrees
in a wide arc including Belgium,
Holland, Northern and Eastern
France, Denmark and Sweden.
Besides the earthquake, tem
pestuous gales and heavy rains
combined to give Europe one of
her wildest 24 hours of the winter.
Officials at Stuttgart Univer
sity scotched reports an explosion
of atomic intensity might have
been the cause of the shock.
Prof. Wilhelm Hiller said after
a careful check of records an
earthquake whose epicented was
near Euskirchen in the Rhine
land caused the tremors.
“Not in East Germany.’’
“We are absolutely sure the
center was not in East Germany.”
he added.
In New' York, the Rev. Joseph
Lynch, director of the Fordham
University Observatory, said the
estimated location of the center
definitely indicated an earthquake
of the “resettlement” pattern
common to certain areas.
He said “resettlement” earth
quakes are typical in certain well
defined areas, and the fact that
the tremors also w’ere felt in
Brussels indicated it had been an
earthquake of this type.
He said he would check the
Fordham University seismograph
later in the day, but added that
the seismograph is not sensitive
either to “resettlement” earth
quakes occurring across the At
lantic, or to explosions.
Heavy Seas Pound Continent.
The shock was felt as heavy seas
pounded the European continent,
accompanied by fierce gales which
tied up shipping and inflicted
widespread damage. There w’as
no report from Western Europe of
any extensive damage from the
earth shock.
Earlier today Prof. Friedrich
Becker, director of the Bonn
(Germany) Observatory, said the
atomic explanation had not been
entirely eliminated, but the West
ern scientists trying to run down
the origin and cause of the shock
were handicapped for lack of
definite information from behind
the Iron Curtain.
Given sufficient information in
such occurrences, scientists would
be able to pinpoint the source.
The West German officials have
ordered an exhaustive investiga
tion, observatory officials said.
Earth tremors, however, are
fairly frequent in the area of the
West German volcanic range, the
Eifel mountains.
By telephone, Prof. Friedrich
Gerecke of the Soviet-controlled
Earthquake Research Institute at
Jena in East Germany said the
quake was one of the strongest
(See QUAKE, Page A-3.)
GW Honor Graduate
Found Shot to Death
Milton Berman, 32, an honor
graduate of George Washington
University last month, was found
shot to death today with a .32
caliber revolver
beside the body
in his apart
ment at 2130 N
street N.W. He
apparently had
been dead since
y e s t e r day or
Monday.
Police were
told that Mr.
Berman had
been under
medical treat
m e n t for a
nervous disor
der.
A sister, Miss Bernice Berman of
the Meridian Hill Hotel, had been
unable to reach her brother on
the telephone. This morning she
asked the janitor to check on Mr.
Berman, who lived alone.
The janitor opened the apart
ment and called police. Sersrf.
Lloyd Furr of the homicide squad
said Mr. Berman left no message.
Mr. Berman was one of a dozen
students at GWU elected to Phi
Beta Kappa last January.
Mr. Berman was a vetefan of
World War II. He listed his next
of kin as his mother, Mrs. Julia
Berman of Rochester, N. Y. He
was a native of Rochester.
Name of Joseph Major Bobs Up
In 'Five-Percenter' Inquiry
Nixon WantsGSA Employe Fired if He Figured
In Probe 2 Years Ago and RFC Investigation
By Miriam Ottenberg
Senator Nixon, Republican, of
California, today tossed the first
name into the renewed “five-per
center” inquiry by demanding to
know whether the Joseph Major
who figured in the “influence-ped
dling” hearings of two years ago
was the same as the one whose
name recently cropped up in the
Reconstruction Finance Corp, in
quiry.
Senator Nixon made it clear
that that if it’s the same man—
and he thinks it is—he should be
fired from his General Services
Administration job as a "second
offender.” The name of Major
came into the new inquiry on in
fluence peddling while General
Services Administrator Jess Lar
son was testifying on the high
standards of conduct required of
GSA employes.
Senator Nixon began by asking
Mr. Larson if the-Joe Major whose
name came up during the 1949
five-percenter investigation was
employed by GSA.
During the earlier hearings it
was brought out that on at least
three occasions Major while a
congressional liaison officer of the
War Assets Administration recom
mended persons wanting to pur
chase certain property to James
V. Hunt, who was identified as a
"five-percenter.” WAA later was
taken into GSA.
Mr. Larson told Senator Nixon
that Major is still employed at
GSA, but “is no longer in a posi
tion where he deals with the
public.” Mr. Larson said Mr.
Major has “rendered valuable
services in other parts of GSA,”
but is not engaged in matters in
volving procurement or disposal.
Senator Nixon then wanted to
know whether Mr. Larson was
aware that Major had been re
ferred to during the RFC hearings.
Mr. Lawson replied he was not
aware of that.
Senator Nixon then said that
during the RFC hearings it was al
leged that Donald Dawson, White
House aide, sent Mr. Major tc
Walter L. Dunham, an RFC di
rector, in regard to a loan.
“It would seem,” Senatqr Nixon
added, “that you as administrator
of GSA, having in mind Major’s
(Continued on Page A-6, Col. 4.)
5 South Korea Patrols
Enter Seoul and Raise
E!ag Over Capitol
City Changes Hands
4th Time; Delaying Action
Reported Elsewhere
By the Associated Press
TOKYO, Mar. 14.—Five South
Korean patrols entered Seoul to
night and raised the republican
flag over the old capitol building.
The United States 8th Army
said they met no opposition.
“They will stay there if they
can," an 8th Army spokesman
said.
Communist forces for the last
three days have been reported
Three From D. C. Area Reported Wounded
in Korea. Page A-17
mysteriously withdrawing all
along 70 miles of the Korean
front.
In the rugged central sector, 36
tanks spearheaded a United States
1st Cavalry Division thrust of 4
miles to a point northwest of
Hongchon. Hongchon, 55 air
miles east of Seoul, was a Com
munist stronghold until recently.
Within 18 Miles of Parallel.
The bold crossing of the Hong
chon River, just west of the town,
carried the motorized cavalry to
wilthin 18 miles of the 38th Paral
lel and cut the road linking Hong
chon, Red supply and assembly
center 15 miles to the northwest.
Other Allied elements were
standing on the outskirts of Hong
chon. Some may have entered the
city.
The Communists are expected
to make a stand in the hills some
where north of Hongchon.
If the Allies stay in Seoul, this
will be the fourth time the old
South Korean capital has changed
hands since the Korean Reds
stormed across the border last
June.
The 8th Army said patrols of
the ROK 1st Division raised the
flag this afternoon. However, a
dispatch from Associated Press
Correspondent Jim Becker said
the west gate was not reached
until 7 p.m. (5 a.m. EST.). The
capitol building is in the north
ern section of the city.
“Happy to Enter Seoul.”
“I am very happy to be enter
ing Seoul again,” said Gen. Paik
Sun Puy, commander of the ROK
division.
Lt. Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway’s
8th Army headquarters said there
would be a lapse of several hours
before it would be possible +o re
lease more information on the
Seoul situation.
United States 25th Division
troops east of the city had crossed
the Han •& week ago and driven
10 miles northward against stead
ily weakening Communist ooposi
jtion. These forces already were
j northeast, of the city.
Elsewhere the Reds fought rear
guard delaying actions on the
(See KOREA, Page A-13.)
Judge Frees Browder
Of Contempt Charges
On Acquittal Motion
Letts Finds Questions
He Refused to Answer
Were Not Relevant
By William G. Pollard
District Court Judge F. Dickin
son Letts today threw out a 16- j
count contempt of Congress in
dictment against Earl Browder, I
former head of the Communist
Party in the United States.
Judge Letts granted a defense
motion for a judgment of acquit- j
tal, which he had taken under
advisement Monday.
Browder went on trial last week!
for refusing to answer 16 ques-1
tions before a Senate Foreign Re
lations subcommittee last April
27. The subcommittee, which was
headed by former Senator Tyd
ings. Democrat, of Maryland, was
investigating charges by Senator
McCarthy, Republican, of Wiscon
sin of Communist infiltration in
the State Department.
Browder Not “Obdurate.”
In acquitting Browder, Judge j
Letts said “a search of the records
will not show” where the commit
tee or its chairman overruled ob
jections made by Browder to!
answering the 16 questions.
Judge Letts said Brow’der had
answered 140 or 150 questions
freely. He also held that the rec
ords “reveal nothing of an obdu
rate nature” on the part of
Browder
Judge Letts also declared that
questions asked in such an investi
gation must be “links in a chain.”
“It would not be right,” the
jurist held, “to submit this case
to the jury on doubtful technical
ities.”
Questions’ Relevancy Questioned.
Judge Letts held further that
the committee did not seem to be
lieve the 16 questions Browder re
fused to answer were relevant to
the inquiry. Specifically Browder
was accused of refusing to answ’er
16 questions put to him by Sena
tor Hickenlooper. Republican, of
Iowa. Judge Letts said the ques
tions led Browder to believe that
Senator Hickenlooper was “em
barking on a fishing expedition.”
Judge Letts said it was the pur
pose of the court to rule “without
politics” and that the court was
not going Into the question of
whether there was any attempt at
a “whitewash” or whether the
committee was conducting its in
vestigation in good faith.
Immediately after dismissing
the indictment, Judge Letts dis
missed the jury of eight men and
four women and Browder walked
from the court a free man.
Losing Counsel Dissents.
Prosecutor William Hitz ex
pressed dissatisfaction with part
of Judge Letts’ oral ruling.
Mr. Hitz made this comment to
reporters:
“It is not proper for me to com
1 (See BROWDER, Page A-13.)
«*
Republicans Fail
To Kill Truman
RFC Proposal
Resolution Lacks 18
Votes of Majority
Needed for Defeat
BULLETIN
House Republicans failed to
day to reject President Tru
man’s plan for reorganization
of the RFC. They needed 218
votes to pass a resolution reject
ing the proposal but they re
ceived only 200, 18 short of the
necessary constitutional major
ity. There were 196 votes against
the resolution to reject the re
organization plan.
By Robert K. Walsh
Defeat of President Truman’s
recommended reorganization of
the Reconstruction Finance Corp.
seemed almost certain as the
House neared a vote this after
noon.
Republican members, apparently
solidified behind their Policy Com
House Roll Coll Vote on Defeat of Re
organization Plan. Page A-11
Coalition Turns Down Truman Reshuffling
Measure in House. Page A-11
Douglas Offers "Rule of Thumb" to Guard
Ethics in Government. Page A-10
mittee’s demand for outright abo
lition of the agency, claimed more
than enough Democratic support
to reject the President’s proposal.
They would need only about 20
Democratic votes if their own
lines held firm.
A coalition of Republicans and
Southern Democrats demonstrat
ed its power in the House yester
day by beating, 221 to 167, a re
quest by President Truman for
emergency authority to reorganize
Government agencies.
The impending House vote to
day was on a resolution of Rep
resentative Hoffman, Republican,
of Michigan, to reject the Presi
dent's recommendation for crea
tion of a single administrator in
stead of the present five-member
Board of Directors in RFC.
Fight Centers on Abolition.
But the final hour of debate left'
little doubt that the real fight
centered on a drive to abolish
the multi-million-dollar Govern
ment lending agency.
Before the session started,
Speaker Rayburn indicated to re
porters that he regarded it as
the basic issue. He declared that
RFC should continue because it
has done “a great job.” -particu
larly in helping small businesses.
He also indicated that “pres
sure” for abolition of RFC has
come to a great extent from
groups that want to restrict Gov
ernment lending at low interest
rates.
One Republican member. Repre
sentative Javits, of New York,
told the House that he might
eventually support continuance of
RFC, but opposes the President's
reorganization plan.
Javits Explains Stand.
“I do not consider my vote to
day against the reorganization
plan as a sign that I necessarily
will oppose continuance of RPC,”
he explained. ‘‘But before we give
any superficial treatment by rush
ing through this reorganization
plan, we ought to look thoroughly
at the RFC organic law and ad
ministration, and see whether
they can be improved.”
Practically all other Republican
members in today’s debate, how
ever, indicated they favored liqui
dation of RFC. They said their
votes against the President’s re
organization proposal would pave
the way for voting on a measure to
abolish the RFC.
Democratic members, principally
Representative Holifield of Cali
fornia, attacked the House Repub
lican Policy Committee’s stand
yesterday. Mr. Holifield recalled
that Rpeublican leaders in the
80th Congress suggested that there
were “sound reasons” for contin
uing RFC.
“You Republicans profess great
interest in small business,” Mr.
Holifield said, “but now you want
to abolish an agency that really
helps small business and new busi
ness ventures that are unable to
get private credit.”
A letter from Senator Fulbright,
_(See RFC, Page A-6.1
Senators Cloud Up, Weather Bureau Hits Storm
By James J. Cullinane
The United States Weather Bu
reau got caught with its cumulus
clouds down on Capitol Hill today,
and received a sound verbal
spanking from three Senate sub
committees for not producing
more rain artificially.
It happened at a joint hearing
|on weather bills, sponsored by
Senators from parched (for
water) Western states. The bills
would establish a Federal weather
control commission to regulate
artificial rain-making; authorize
the Interior Department to con
duct experiments to utilize salty
sea water for irrigation, and au
thorize the Secretary of Agricul
ture to take over experiments in
artificial rain-making.
Willard F. McDonald, assistant
chief of the Weather Bureau, en
countered stormy going when he
attempted to Justify the bureau’s
“conservative” approach to arti
ficial rain-making.
“You have consistently and
steadily fought artificial rain
making,” stormed Senator Ander
son, Democrat, of New Mexico,
chairman of the joint hearing.
Mr. McDonald said the Weather
Bureau has conducted numerous
experiments, but is not yet pre
pared to say that seeding clouds
with dry ice or silver iodide will
produce rains that would not fall
otherwise.
Senator Case, Republican, of
South Dakota said ranchers in
his State paid a professional rain
maker to seed clouds with dry ice
on 20 successive Fridays, and it
rained on 20 successive Saturdays.
He asked Mr. McDonald if he was
not willing to concede that that
proved the efficacy of cloud seed
ing.
“If a given number of wash-i
women hung their clothes on lines
in 20 successive Mondays and it
rained on 20 successive Wednes
days. would you say there must be
some connection between the
two?” countered Mr. McDonald.
Senators Anderson, Case and
Hunt, Democrat, of Wyoming
stormed at that. They said the
Weather Bureau is trying to prove
that cloud seeding will not work,
instead of trying to develop the
process as a means of aiding
farmers in drought areas.
Mr. McDonald said the Weather
Bureau conducted 170 dry ice
seeding operations on clouds in
three sections of the country. In
125 cases no rain fell, he said.
In 12 instances slight showers
were produced and on 17 occasions
only a trace of rain fell.
Nevertheless. Mr. McDonald
(See RAIN-MAKING. Page A-3.)
Costello Tells Crime Probers
HeKeeps$50,000in Strongbox
Senators' Threat to Press Perjury Charge
Brings Revelation of Cash Kept at Home
By the Associated Press
NEW YORK, Mar. 14.—Threat
ened with perjury if he didn't
answer, Gambler Prank Costello
today told Senate crime investi
gators he has about $40,000 to
$50,000 in his strongbox at home.
Senator O’Conor, Democrat, of
Maryland, who issued the ultima
tum, told the reputed underworld
leader to “be extremely careful”
in answering the question.
When Costello hesitated, Sena
tor Tobey, Republican, of New
Hampshire, interrupted to sug
gest that a policeman be sent to
Costello’s home "to open that
box.”
“We’ve played ducks and drakes
long enough with this,” Senator
Tobey snapped.
The perjury threat came after
Committee Counsel Rudolph Hal
ley pounded Costello with a series
of questions about any money
cached in his home.
After the suave gambler gave
several hedging answers about
the amount, Senator O’Conor in
terrupted :
“I am going to give you an op
portunity to change the record.
The testimony was palpably false
and it’s an insult to the intelli
gence of the committee to have
it on records.”
Refusal to give a “truthful” an
swer, he said, could bring perjury
charges.
Costello, his face blanched,
turned to his attorney. They con
(See CRIME, Page A-4.)
Senate D.C. Unit Votes
Rent Curb Extension,
Daylight Time Bill
Would Give City Heads
Continuing Authority
To Advance Clocks
By Don S. Warren
The Senate District Committee
by unanimous votes today recom
mended Senate passage of bills to
extend District rent control to
June 30 and to give the Com
missioners continuing annual
authority to invoke daylight sav
ing time.
The House already has passed
the measure to extend District
Day-Care Center Funds Reported Killed
by House Group. Page B-l
rent curbs for 90 days oeyond
March 31. The Senate has passed
a similar bill for extending Federal
rent controls.
Senate Majority Leader Me-1
Farland has announced he will
seek early action on the bill for
the stop-gap extension of local
rent control.
The Senate is expected to pass
the daylight saving bill. It then
will go to the House, which in the
past has insisted on granting au
thority to the Commissioners for
only one year at a time.
Would Start in April.
If approved, daylight time would
start here the last Sunday in April
and run to the last Sunday in
September, in keeping with the
program of other metropolitan
centers.
Tire committee did a land of
fice business today, considering 10
different measures and ordering
favorable reports on all but one.
In addition, the committee took
time to voice sympathy over the
critical illness of Senator Vanden
berg, Republican, of Michigan, a
member of the District Committee.
It named a subcommittee to draft
(See D. C. BILLS, Page A-6.)
Rail Freight Rate Rise
Of 2 to 4 Pet. Approved
By the Associated Press
The Interstate Commerce Com
mission today authorized the rail
roads to make a quick increase in
freight rates ranging from 2 to
4 per cent.
Acting on the rail carriers’ plea
that they require immediate
higher charges on account of ad
I vancing operating costs, the com
mission issued a permit for a 4
per cent hike in eastern territory,
and 2 per cent in southern and
western territories.
The order stipulates that freight
moving between these territories
will take a 2 per cent rate ad
vance.
The emergency action permits
the increases to be made effective
in 15 days. i
60-Mile Gusts Buffet
D. C. Area, Damaging
Cars, Felling Trees
Winds Move Northwest
From Carolinas; Rain
Totals .86 of an Inch
Gusty winds ranging up to 60
miles per hour buffeted the Wash
ington area last night, uprooting
trees, damaging automobiles and
slicing off part of a roof.
Developing in the Carolinas, the
blow refused to follow the cus
tomary coast-hugging tactics of
such outbursts, but moved in a
northwesterly direction.
The brunt of it hit the District
at 35 to 40 miles an hour about 9
p.m., along with enough rain to
total .86 of an inch for the entire
day. Earlier a few flakes of snow
fell in some sections.
Roof Peeled Back.
About 11 p.m. a gust peeled back
one-third of a tin roof on a two
story apartment building at 1827
A street S.E. Soon water began
oozing into the second-floor apart
ment of Stanley J. Johnson.
Plaster fell from the living room
ceiling. Considerable damage was
done to the furniture there and
in the bedroom. In the apart
ment below, Earl L. Ridgeway was
kept busy catching water in
buckets, but reported little dam
age.
Fire Department truck company
7 spent nearly two hours covering
the roof with seven salvage covers
to waterproof the building for the
night.
Tree Crashes on Truck.
Richard H. Jones, 1632 Eleventh
street N.W., experienced a lucky
escape when a 50-foot tree crashed
through the windshield of a truck
he was driving in the 1800 block
of Vernon place N.W. Property
of the Capital Chemical Co., 3265
Prospect avenue N.W., the truck
was struck at 6:50 p.m., earliest
time of any reported storm inci
dent.
An automobile belonging to
Davis Butler, 2600 block of Sher
man avenue N.W., was struck by
(See STORM. Page A-13.) -
Authority Is Sought
For 12-Story Building
At Connecticut and K
Razing of Properties
At Northeast Corner
To Begin This Week
By Robert J. Lewis
Two properties at the northeast
corner of Connecticut avenue and
K street N.W. will be razed, be
ginning this week, to make way
for a 12-story office building for
which approval has been requested
of the National Production Au
thority.
This was announced today by
Morris Gewirz, attorney who
represents a syndicate, of which
he is a member, which purchased
the two properties about four
months ago.
Preliminary plans have been
drawn up and a tentative arrange
ment has been made with the
Ajax Construction Co., headed by
Arthur Hamburger, to handle the
construction in case NPA approval
is obtained.
Traded for Garage Building.
One property, at 1705 K street,
was owned for some years by the
Joseph H. Hines Co., owner of the
Transportation Building. On De
cember 4, it was transferred to the
Basiliko Investment Co., in trade
for a garage building rented to
the Government at 1126 Twenty
first street N.W. and on the same
day transferred to a sydicate con
sisting of Albert Small, Mr. Ge
wirz, Charles Rose, Marshal B.
Coyne and others. Messrs. Rose
and Coyne are members of the
Ajax Construction Co.
The other property, at 1703 K
street, was likewise sold in Decem
ber by three grandchildren of the
late Charles C. Glover, first presi
dent of the Riggs National Bank.
The buyers were members of the
syndicate consisting of Messrs.
Small, Rose, Gewirz and Coyne.
The Glover heirs who transferred
the property were Charles C.
Glover III, Mrs. A. Lloyd Syming
ton and Lady Hoyer-Millar.
The house at 1705 Connecticut
avenue was said to have been
(See OFFICE BUILDING. A-13.)
Hiss Awaits Court Order
To Begin Five-Year Term
By tb* Associated Press
NEW YORK, Mar. 14.—Counsel
for Alger Hiss, former high State
Department official, said today no
request would be made to the Su
preme Court to reconsider its re
fusal to review his perjury convic
tion.
The Supreme Court Monday an
nounced its refusal. Its action let
stand Hiss’ 5-year sentence given
him after a Federal$5ourt jury
found he lied in denying he fed
Government secrets to Russia
from his State Department post.
His was convicted January 21,
1950 at his second trial. The
first trial ended in a jury dis
agreement July 8, 1949.
He still is at liberty undt.r $10,
000 bail supplied to keep him
out of jail pending action on his
appeal. He is now awaiting ar
rival of the Supreme Court man
date, and an order from the Fed
eral court here to surrender and
begin his sentence.
n*
Racket Gets Beating as Number
Turns Up in Warring Tax Lien
The Bureau of Internal Revenue
almost broke the numbers game
bank in Washington yesterday.
Early in the day the Bureau
slapped a $159,917.89 tax lien on
Gamblers Wondering Who Will Be Hit
Next by Tax Prosecution. Page B-l
Emmitt Warring, reputed numbers
game boss of Georgetown. News
pape'rs headlined the figure.
All numbers game players are
A.
hunch bettors. They plunged
heavily on the numerals 159.
At the end of the day when race
track parti-mutuel odds were
totaled to arrive at the winning
number the result was—
Yep. 159.
“Boy we really took a bath,"
said one gambler. He meant he
had been cleaned.
Odds of between 600 to 700 to
one are paid on the winning num
ber. I
Butler Probers
Hear M'Cormick
Retainer Today
Col. Simmons Reported
Brought From Chicago
To Fight Tydings
By W. H. Shippen
The part played by an "old
retainer” of the McCormick family
in the Butler-Tydings senatorial
campaign was scheduled for in
vestigation today at the inquiry
into ex-Senator Tydings’ charges
that smear tactics brought about
his defeat.
Col. Roscoe Conklin Simmons,
colored, was to be one of the first
witnesses today, after testimony
about his activities was given to
the subcommittee late yesterday
by Mrs. Ruth (Bazy) McCormick
Miller, editor of the Washington
Times-Herald.
Col. Simmons, Mr. Tydings
charged, was imported from Chi
cago to address colored voters
and help circulate a Butler cir
cular, “Back to Good Old Dixie.’*
The circular, which cited the
Democratic pandidate’s alleged
anti-racial votes in the Senate,
was said to have been sponsored
by several Negro religious leaders.
Use of Names Questioned.
Mr. Tydings indicated that some
of the so-called “sponsors” never
authorized use of their names.
Two of them, John E. Berry and
Bishop Alexander P. Shaw, prob
ably will be heard today, along
with Marse Calloway, colored,
Baltimore political leader.
Other witnesses probably will
include William Pallinger, who
was said to have made the art
layouts for the pamphlet. Fulton
Lewis, the radio commentator ac
cused by Mr. Tydings of having
conducted an unethical campaign
against him, requested that his
appearance be deferred, a subcom
mittee spokesman said.
As a result the usual morning
session was omitted and the hear
ing was resumed this afternoon.
Mr. Tydings has told the Sen
ators that Col. Robert McCor
mick had been quoted in his
newspaper, the Chicago Tribune,
as saying that his niece, Mrs.
Miller; the Times-Herald, owned
by the Tribune, and Col. Sim
mons were largely responsible for
winning the election for the Re
publican candidate.
The former Senator pointed
out that the Chicago Tribune is
“the largest single stockholder”
of the Mutual Broadcasting Sys
tem, which employs Mr. Lewis
as an evening news commentator.
Millers Gave S7.000.
Mrs. Miller said yesterday sho
and her former husband, Peter
Miller, jointly contributed $7,000
to the Butler campaigns in the
September primary and the gen
eral election of November 7. She
also obtained other contributions
and helped to bring Mr. Butler
into contact with Jon M. Jonkel,
the Chicago public relations spe
(Continued on Page A-6, Col. 1.)
Senator Vandenberg
Rapidly Weakening
By th« Associated Press
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Mar.
14.—Senator Vandenberg was re*
ported weakening rapidly today in
his battle for life.
The Senator’s physician said his
condition ‘‘continues to become
more serious.”
The 66-year-old Republican
foreign policy leader has failed to
rally from a serious relapse he
suffered February 26.
His family said last night there
had been no change in his condi
tion. Earlier in the day his per
sonal physician, Dr. A. B. Smith,
said ‘‘unless a favorable change
occurs soon, his prognosis must
be considered grave.”
Senator Vandenberg had half
of his left lung removed in an
operation in October of 1949. He
had another operation last sum
mer for removal of tumors from
his spinal column.
The strong-willed Seantor has
been making a determined effort
to regain his health. Before he
suffered his latest relapse, he had
expressed hope of returning to
Washington soon to take part in
foreign policy debates. He was
considered the cihef congressional
exponent of a bipartisan foreign
policy.
t ' ~
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