Evening star. [volume], December 15, 1951, Image 1

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

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__ ■■ " .
1 111 .. ”■ An Associated Press Newspaper
99th Year. No. 349. Phone ST. 5000 S ** WASHINGTON, D. C., SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15. 1951—TWENTY-EIGHT PAGES Home Monthl* Rates: Ev«nln« and sunn.,. «■«« k PFNTS
__«___’ * O.U, .MJ. jl vv aj.lv j. j. XJXVJXXX JTXHJXJO. Evening only. $1.30; Sunday only. 46c; Night Final. 10c Additional. * V^-CjIN l O
Britain to Begin
Paying on 1946
Loan From U. S.
Control of Foreign
Exchange Eased
To Help Pound
By th« Associated Press
LONDON, Dec. 15.—Britain an
nounced today she will begin pay
ing off both interest and prin
cipal of her multi-billion-dollar
postwar American and Canadian
loans on December 31. A treas
ury announcement said the gov
ernment had decided not to take
advantage of its right to post
pone payment of the interest on
both 1946 loans.
The United States loan totaled
$4,350,000,000 —$3,750,000,000 of
which was new money made avail
able to Britain and $600 million
of which was in lend-lease goods
which reached England after the
end of World War n.
The Canadian loan totaled $1,
185,000,000.
On December 31 Britain will pay
the United States $51.5 million on
the principal of her loan and $87
million as interest.
Her payments to Canada will
total $14 million against the prin
cipal of the Canadian loan and
$23.7 million interest.
Exchange Controls Eased.
Earlier today, Britain eased
her iron-handed control over the
buying and selling of foreign mon
ies with the aim of restoring
world confidence in her own
weakened currency.
The Bank of England author
ized private individuals to trade
British pounds for foreign money
—including the dollar — subject
only to a government limitation
on the prices.
For 12 years the bank itself has
handled all dealings in other cur
rency—always at the official ex
change rates.
The changes affect only the me
chanics of exchanging pounds '<
sterling for other currencies. The i
Government will retain its rigid .
controls over what Britons may
buy abroad and in what quantities. ,
Thus there will be no increase .
in British spending in the United
States or elsewhere, although im- J
porters and exporters will now be 1
able to take some advantage of '
fluctuations in exchange rates. 1
The action, which relaxes but
does not end exchange control !
restrictions, was regarded as a
small first step by Britain to let
the pound find its real value on
the money markets of the world. 1
The Bank of England is an agency 1
of the British government, which 1
has been sorely troubled financially 1
and which may seek more United
States money aid next month. 1
Exchange Market to Reopen. 1
The official dollar value of the ,
British pound remains at $2.80
and the official price of gold re- |
mains pegged at $35 per fine
ounce.
Dealers buying or selling foreign ,
monies for immediate use (spot) ,
will be able to swing their prices (
anywhere between $2.77 and $2.83
—getting the best price they can. ,
Dealers buying or selling foreign
monies for later use (forward) will
be able to vary their prices still :
more. The only limitation is that
they cannot buy or sell at prices
which the international monetary
fund would deem unreasonable.
An official bank statement an
nounced that the foreign ex
change market will be reopened in
London Monday for dealing both
in spot and forward currencies.
It has been closed since 1939.
In New York yesterday heavy
selling in the pound—based on re
valuation rumors from London—
sent the pound down nearly 6
cents, to $2.74%, for one-month
futures, while three-months’ de
liveries closed at around $2.71 %.
The Federal Reserve Bank of New
York, as agent for the Bank of
England, held spot sterling at
around $2.79%. The rumors also
were reflected in sharp price fluc
tuations in the world rubber, tin
and cocoa markets.
Canada Abolishes Controls.
Canada suddenly abolished her
12-year-old foreign exchange con
trols last night.
The action means that Amer
icans or other foreigners can invest
there without any bans on retriev
ing either capital or profits, and
Canadians can spend their money
abroad where and how they please,
without government permission.
Canada thus became the first
nation to junk financial bans im
posed to aid the war effort and
recovery. She joins the United
States and Switzerland—neither
of which limited foreign exchange
—as the world’s only countries
with fully .free currencies.
Mack Reaches Rangoon
RANGOON, Burma, Dec. 15 {IP).
—Representative Peter Mack,
Democrat, of Illinois arrived here
late today on his solo ’round-the
world good will flight, 48 hours
behind schedule. His plane de
veloped magneto trouble 150 miles
out of Calcutta Thursday and
forced him to turn back.
Ceiling Falls on Carolers
SAN JUAN DE LOS MORROS,
Venezuela, Dec. 15 {IP).—A church
ceiling fell on a group of 20 chil
dren rehearsing Christmas carols
here yesterday, killing six girls and
a boy and injuring 10 other young
sters.
i
Britain Recalls Envoy Fired On
By Czechs During 'Spy' Chase
Secret Police Claim He Was Cought With
Woman Exchanging Cash for Military Data
By Hre Associated Press
LONDON, Dec. 15. — Britain
called home today a British diplo
mat whom the Czechoslovak secret
police fired on last night during a
purported “act of espionage” in
a forbidden zone of Czechoslo
vakia.
Prague radio claimed that the
diplomat, Robert Neil Gardner,
and a British Embassy typist. Miss
Daphne G. Maines, were caught
red-handed exchanging money for
secret military information.
Miss Maines was shot and
slightly wounded and Mr. Gardner
was bruised in a cloak-and-dagger
chase while trying to escape in a
British Embassy automobile, the
Czechs said.
The Foreign Office said it had
Czechoslovakia’s assurance that
Miss Maines would be allowed to
leave the country as soon as she
is discharged from a Prague hos
pital. She had been due for re
assignment, the Foreign Office re
ported.
Czechoslovakia handed the Brit
ish Embassy a note demanding
that Mr. Gardner be recalled and
quit the country before 6 p.m.
Prague time tonight.
The Foreign Office announced
Government Fearful
Of Steel Strike, but
Bans Automatic Rise
Tells Industry Increase
Under Capehart Rider
Can Be Used to Boost Pay
By the Associated Press
PITTSBURGH, Dec. 15.—The
possibility of a Nation-wide steel;
strike New Year’s Day is a matter
)f grave concern in Government
circles today.
But at the same time. Economic
Stabilizer Roger L. Putnam in
formed the steel industry that any
lutomatic price increase based on
i wage raise would not be per
nltted.
Mr. Putnam said yesterday in
Vashington he told the industry
hat if it is entitled to increased
trices under the Capehart amend
nent the proceeds can be used for
>age boosts in current negotia
ions.
Voicing the Government’s con
:ern of a strike possibility were
wo ace Federal mediators, Clyde
Mills and Walter A. Maggiolo.
Ifter taking a quick look at the
irogress of contract talks here be
ween the CIO United Steelwork
ers and United States Steel Corp.,
hey declared:
“The possibility of a steel strike
>oses a very serious situation be
:ause of the economic effect it
vould have, in addition to its
effect on our defense effort. There
s great concern over the possi
lilities of a work stoppage.”
The union’s contract with
Jnited States Steel and most
>ther steel producers expires at
nidnight December 31. A strike
:an begin immediately after that.
The mediators conferred pri
vately with Vice President John
K. Stephens of United States Steel
ind Steelworkers’ President Philip
Murray, then headed back to
Washington to report to Cyrus S.
Stoing, chief of the Federal Me
diation Service.
Army Officer Arrested
In Hit-and-“ Death
An Army captain was arrested
sarly today in the hit-and-run
death of a Fairfax man.
Virginia State police said War
ren Frederick Judy, 21, of Box
iOO-L, Alexandria, was struck
and killed shortly after midnight
an No. 1 highway about 4 miles
south of Alexandria.
Shortly afterwards, police ar
rested Capt. Herbert Richard
Schlighting, 35, of the 17th Train
ing Company, 4th Engineer Bat
talion, Fort Belvoir. He was
charged with manslaughter and
hit and run. He was released
under $5,000 bond pending a court
hearing December 28.
Police said a lookout was broad
cast for the hit-and-run car from
a description given by witnesses.
A Virginia State trooper spotted
a car with one damaged headlight
and placed the driver under ar
rest.
[at noon that the diplomat would
set out from Prague by automobile
this afternoon.
A Foreign Office spokesman said
Britain would not comment on
the Czechs’ charges until it had
received a full report from its
Embassy.
The Czechs sent a formal note
of protest saying Mr. Gardner and
Miss Maines were caught Thurs
day night in "a military area
northeast of Prague which was
clearly marked out-of-bounds.”
This is how the Czechoslovak
official news agency reported it in
a dispatch monitored here:
“The note describes how a man
entered a military area . . . The
man took a package from the
ground and placed another in its
stead.
“At that moment he was chal
lenged by a guard and immedi
ately attempted to escape to a car
with extinguished lights. Our
guards stopped the car by firing
at it and caught the man, to
gether with a woman who had
been waiting for him in the car.
“The package was dropped and
it was established that the pack
age he placed there contained 40,
000 crowns (about $1,000) in bank
notes, placed in a food tin.”
Jury Charges Carroll
Failed to Pay Taxes on
$1.8 Million Bet Fees
Two Indictments Name
St. Louis Gambler Under
Internal Revenue Code
By th« Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Dec. 15. — A
Federal grand jury yesterday re-;
turned two indictments against
Gambler James J. Carroll, charg
ing he failed to file income tax
returns on betting payments total
ing nearly $2 million.
Carroll, of St. Louis, was known
for fears as a betting commission
er. There were reports in July,
1950, he had quit his betting and
xlds-making activities.
The first Indictment of 101
eounts listed persons who had won
horse race and election bets from
Carroll totaling $1,813,160. It was
i Nation-wide list of bettors. In
in indictment of three counts
Carroll also was charged with fati
ng to transmit returns reflecting
those payments for 1948, 1949 and
1950.
The Indictments will replace
;wo Informations filed by the
United States District Attorney
March 28. Carroll was charged
with failure to report payments
pf $52,688 in 1948 and 1949 in the
two informations.
The Indictments invoked a sec
tion of the Internal Revenue Code
which requires:
1. That all persons making pay
ments of “fixed and determinable
income” to other persons of more
than $600—other than those on
which taxes are withheld by em
ployers—are required to report
those payments individually to the
Internal Revenue processing divi
sion.
2. That all such payments must
pe listed collectively and reported
annually to the division.
The grand jury action ended an
Investigation whidh began in
April. More than 125 witnesses
were questioned in that time. All
pounts of the indictment are clas
sified as misdemeanors.
Salary Board Limits
New Bonuses to $40
By Auociatad Pm*
Employers who want to start
giving a Christmas bonus to
salaried workers may do so, but
only up to $40.
The Salary Stabilization Board,
which has jurisdiction over pay of
people on salaries, has ruled
bonuses may be “cash or in kind.”
They may be paid irrespective of
whether it was the company’s
practice to do so in previous years.
The Wage Stabilization Board,
which controls wages, ruled simi
larly last month.
Train Hits Car, Kills Couple
VENICE, Fla, Dec. 15 UP).—A
Seaboard Air Line passenger train
hit an automobile near here yes
terday, carrying it a quarter of a
mile and killing both occupants.
They were Robert Shelter, 18, and
his wife. Martha, 17, a Venice
couple married only three months.
Red Light Is Welcome Sight—
Hacker Flees to Foil Holdup
For once, a red traffic light was
a welcome sight to a District cab
driver early today.
The light, at Twentieth and K
streets N.W., stayed red long
enough for Cabbie George W.
Richardson, colored, to leap from
his vehicle, which he said had
been commandeered by a holdup
man, and dash into No. 3 police
precinct at 2014 K street N.W.
The suspect, Henry Berkley, 29,
colored of 2112 M street N.W., was
arrested in the cab within 10
minutes after Mr. Richardson had
raised the'alarm.
Patrol Wagonmen C. E. Mennick
and Henry F. Ruth arrested Berk
ley a few blocks away.
According to police, Mr
Richardson picked Berkley up
shortly after midnight on Seventh
’ 4
street between S and T streets
N.W.
They quoted Mr. Richardson as
saying he was directed to go to
first one address and then an
other by his fare who seemed to
have trouble in making up his
mind.
Suddenly, according to the
cabbie, Berkley thrust his hand
in his pocket and said, “give me
the wheel or I’ll blow your brains
out.”
Berkley started to drive but
soon after was stopped by the
traffic light, which allowed Mr.
Richardson to leap from the
vehicle and report to police.
Municipal Judge Andrew Howard
today held Berkley in $2,000 bond
for the grand jury on charges ol
robbery and unauthorized use oi
an auto.
f ' .<j
Murphy Confers
With President
On Cleanup Job
Truman Putting Final
Touches on Program
To Oust Wrongdoers
BULLETIN
President Truman conferred
half an hour today with Federal
Judge Thomas F. Murphy of
New York.
By the Associated Press
President Truman, who said
nine months ago his administra
tion was made up of honorable
men, puts the finishing touches
today to a new broom program
of sweeping out officials who have
betrayed his trust.
Announcement of the detailed
program was expected by today
although there may be some
delay.
Whenever it comes. It appeared
certain that strapping Federal
Judge Thomas F. Murphy of New
York, famed as the prosecutor
of Alger Hiss and as a police
rackets buster, would be offered
a key role.
The generously mustached
Judge Murphy had an unpub
licized appointment with Mr.
Truman yesterday but a snow
storm prevented his flying here.
The latest unofficial word was
that he would see the President
today or Monday.
Left Home Early Today.
In New York efforts to reach
Judge Murphy this morning
brought word from Mrs. Murphy
that he left the house before she
awakened, leaving her a note say
ing he would see her later in the
day.
Irving Perimeter, assistant
White House press secretary, was
asked if Judge Murphy would see
the President today.
He replied "he is not on the
calling list” and refused further
comment.
Last night Judge Murphy said
in New York that a report he had
agreed Jo serve on an anti-corrup
tion commission was "a million
miles from the truth.”
He would not say when he
would see Mr. Truman.
Independent Body Seen.
Indications are multiplying
that, barring a last minute
change, the President’s program
will take the form of setting up an
Independent body with power to
investigate and perhaps to pro
secute.
One of its Jobs definitely will
be to clear the names of Govern
ment officials—Mr. Truman says
they form the great majority—
who are honest and who tend to
their jobs.
White House telephone lines
were busy as the President—^le
gating much of the spade work to
his counsel. Charles Murphy_
lined up the people he wants to
enlist in his program. Charles
Murphy is not related to the
judge.
Not a word on the progress of
this effort was made public.
Judge Murphy’s appointment
looked to Washington Democrats
like an astute move. He has a
reputation as an advocate of good
government. He headed a recent
cleanup in the New York Police
Department and was widely her
alded as an anti-Communist cru
sader for the Hiss prosecution.
Alger Hiss, formerly a high
State Department official, is now
serving a prison term. Judge
Murphy obtained his conviction
on charges of falsely denying that
he passed official secrets to a
Soviet spy ring operating in
Washington before World War n.
Murphy Inactive in Politics.
Judge Murphy is a Democrat
but has never been active in party
politics. This also might be in
his favor should Republicans
charge that the President is trying
to conduct a whitewash.
It was at Key West, Fla., last
March that Mr. Truman told a
news conference the men around
him were honorable men. The air
at that time was full of accu
sations that certain Government
officials had been accepting mink
coats, deep freezes and other “con
siderations” from people who
wanted favors from the Govern
manf
It was about that time, too,
that the President said that a
Senate Committee’s report of al
leged "influence” in Government
lending activities was "asinine.”
This remark set off a new and
even more sensational phase of
the inquiry.
Then the income tax scandal
broke and Mr. Truman—though
saying the situation is not much
(See TRUMAN, Page A-3.)
A-Bomb Not Covered
By Labor Act, Court Holds
By tin AnoclaUd Prm
CINCINNATI, Dec. 15. —The
United States Court of Appeals
held yesterday that the atomic
bomb is not an article of com
merce within the scope of the Fair
Labor Standards Act.
In so doing it affirmed a ruling
of the United States District Court
for the Eastern District of Ten
nessee, which dismissed a petition
for additional compensation under
the Fair Labor Standards Act.
It was charged in the petition
that the law was violated by re
quiring certain firemen, guards
and one clerk to work overtime.
The workmen were employed by
the Roane-Anderson Co., Inc.,
New York. The corporation had
a contract with the Government
to do maintenance work at the
Oak Ridge, Tenn., atomic plant.
*
1 WANT A CHANCE
TO DEFEND EVERY.
ACTION I NAVE
. TAKEN IN PUBLIC
OFFICE AS BEING
m IN THE BEST
^ INTEREST OF THE
GOVERNMENTS
*
T LET THE STATUTE OF
LIMITATIONS EXPIRE IN A
TAX FRAUD CASE /
_Well, He Asked for It
Grunewald Linked More Closely
With Inquiry Into'Shakedown‘
Telephone Records of Mystery Persons
Submitted at House Probe of Tax Scandals
By Cecil Holland and
George Beveridge
House Investigators of tax scan
dals began a Christmas recess to
day, after receiving sensational
evidence linking Henry W. Grune
wald, mysterious Washington fig
ure, more closely to an inquiry into
an alleged $500,000 attempted
shakedown of Abraham Teitel
baum, wealthy Chicago lawyer.
The House Ways and Means
subcommittee headed by Repre
sentative King, Democrat, of Cali
fornia, wound up the current
round of public hearings amid
these developments:
1. Telephone records were in
troduced showing that a nebulous
person named "Frank Watson’*
telephoned Frank Nathan collect
from the Hotel Washington here
the day before Mr. Grunewald in
Eisenhower Is Blunt
In Warning Europe
To Spend for Arms
Makes Personal Plea
To NATO Treasurers
On Military Buildup
By the Associated Press
PARIS, Dec. 15.—Gen. Eisen
hower bluntly warned rebellious
West European nations today to
have security they must increase
their military spending.
The supreme Allied commander
made a personal appearance be
fore the treasurers of the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization. A
spokesman said he told them:
“Unless we get ahead” with a
planned buildup of forces “we’ll
never achieve the serenity and
confidence to which Western
Europe and the rest of us are
entitled.”
Some Nations Balking.
He went before the 12-member
NATO temporary committee as
some European nations were said
to be balking against the com
mittee’s request for increased
military budgets, in some cases
running as much as 50 per cent.
"By carrying on,” Gen. Eisen
hower was quoted as saying, “we
can reach a point where it would
be foolish for an enemy to at
tack.” Only then, he added, "can
we start thinking about lightening
the defense burden.”
Gen. Eisenhower spoke openly
and frankly for more than three
quarters of an hour, and then
spent about the same amount of
time answering their questions, a
spokesman said.
When he had finished, Italian
Finance Minister Giuseppe Pella
credited the general with bringing
"a great serenity” to the discus
sion, and said the committee’s
optimism after his appearance
"probably is a result of the great
confidence the general manifested
in the good will of the govern
ments.”
The 12 - man committee has
been working for two months on
a secret 100-page report on the
capacity of each of the 12 At
lantic pact nations to increase its
share of the mutual defense bur
den. The report said only the
United States, Britain, Portugal
and Iceland are producing at the
top of their ability, and that
others must increase their effort.
Belgium, for one, is reported to
have indignantly refused the com
mittee’s recommendation that she
could and should step up her mil
itary budget by 50 per cent.
Gen. Eisenhower interjected at
one point, the spokesman said,
that one should not regard the
Russian army as invincible, with
faster planes and better tanks
than any other country, adding:
“they have the same problems we
do.”
I
quired about the Teitelbaum case
at a luncheon with Charles Oli
phant, former general counsel of
the Bureau of Internal Revenue.
2. The records also revealed an
exchange of telephone calls be
tween Nathan, named by Mr. Tei
telbaum as one of those who asked
him for $500,000 to settle his tax
troubles, and another mysterious
person named "Arthur Brevaire,”
of Room 424 of the Hotel Wash
ington, during the summer, when
the Teitelbaum case was pending.
The telephone calls, the record
showed, were included in a hotel
bill paid by Mr. Grunewald.
3. Other telephone records were
introduced showing that 10 tele
phone calls were made to Nathan
during June and July from a
personal telephone listed to Jess
Larson, head of the General Serv
<See REVENUE, Page A-3.)
U. S. Rushes New Jets
Info Korean Action to
Replace Old Planes
Two Carriers Are Used
To Take F-86s Which
Will Meet Red Threat
By th« Associated Press
SEOUL, Korea, Dec. 15.—Sub
stantially larger numbers of
America’s top jet fighter plane—
the F-86 Sabre Jet—are in action
against the Communists over
Korea, the Air Force disclosed to
day.
The 51st Fighter Interceptor
Wing, which until two weeks ago
U. N. Charges Reds Try to Win by Talk
ing Instead of Fighting. Page A-5
was using obsolescent F-80 Shoot
ing Stars, now is flying the tough,
speedy Sabres, the Air Force said.
The 51st is commanded by
America’s top flying ace. Col.
Francis S. Gabreski, Oil City, Pa.
Enemy Planes Shot Down.
The new Sabres have shot down
two Communist MIG jets and
damaged Six others in combat
since December 1.
Until the 51st was re-equipped,
the U. N. command’s only Sabre
Jets in Korea were flown by the
veteran 4th Fighter Interceptor
Wing.
Lt. Gen. O. P. Weyland, com
mander of the Far East Air Forces,
said the new Sabres were rushed
to Korea aboard two aircraft car
riers to meet the threat posed by
increasingly large number of Com
munist jets.
Allied jets shot down one Re'd
jet and damaged six others in two
air battles over North Korea to
day.
Fight Ends in Draw.
Fifth Air Force said one United
States F-86 Sabre Jet was dam
aged.
In the most damaging fight, 14
MIGs jumped 24 Thunderjets
over Yangdok, about 30 miles
west of Wonsan on the east coast.
The Thunderjets blasted one of
the out-numbered MIGs out of
the sky and damaged five others.
The Thunderjets returned un
scathed.
At almost the same time, 43
Sabre Jets battled 50 Communist
planes over MIG Alley. The fight
was a draw, with damaged scored
against one plane of each side.
Fifth Air Force announced it
lost 13 planes this week, largest
number announced for a seven
day period.
The only ground action of note
in the last 24 hours was a Chinese
Red assault on elements of a
Turkish brigade on the central
front. The Turks hurled the Reds
back after a three and one-half
hour fight.
I
Subzero Cold Grips
West as Most oi U. S.
Faces Bitter Blasts
31 Dead From Effects
Of Storms Over Nation;
Montana Has 23 Below
By tht Associated Pres*
A blast of sub-zero cold struck
areas from the Rockies to the
Midwest today and the coldest
weather of the season was In
prospect for most of the country.
The biting cold came on the
heels of a fast-moving snowstorm
which yesterday dealt damaging
blows and inconvenienced millions
from the Midwest to the North
Atlantic States.
At least 31 persons died from
causes attributed to the mid-De
cember snowstorm, which left
record falls in many areas across
the Northeastern quarter of the
country. The wind-swept snow
falls disrupted transportation and
communications in scores of cities.
23 Below in Montana.
Temperatures dipped to far be
low zero early today in Montana,
Minnesota and North Dakota, as
the frigid blasts swept across the
Canadian border. It was —23 at
Miles city, Mont., and —21 at In
ternational Falls, Minn.; Dickin
son, N. Dak., and Lewiston, Mont.
It was zero in Denver, 4 above in
Elko, Nev., and 2 above in Chi
cago.
The colder weather was headed
for most sections of the country,
including wide areas of the South.
Readings of 15 were predicted for
areas in Tennessee and 20 above
in Central Alabama. New York
forecasters predicted a sharp
drop to around 15 above tomor
row.
The Icy blasts extended Into
the Texas Panhandle early today
with a low of 13 above at Ama
Greenland Veteran
Suffers Frostbite
In Philadelphia
By th« Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 14.—
A sailor who spent a year
training with naval forces in
Greenland — “where it’s all
icebergs”—was a casualty of
Philadelphia’s 5-inch snow
fall.
Seaman Apprentice Joseph
J. Nallen, 24, of Wilkes-Barre
was treated for frostbite at
the Naval Hospital last night.
He said he waited two hours
for a girl friend to show up.
“She didn’t make it,” he
said. “And I couldn’t even
phone her. The line was
jammed.”
rillo. The chilly air extended into
Southern Texas as the cold mass
moved eastward and south from
the frigid Midwest.
Too fast for Forecaster.
The snowstorm that swept
Midwest and Eastern States yes
terday moved into Northern New
England today. Light snow con
tinued in the southern parts of
Indiana, Illinois and Missouri and
in a narrow band from Western
Montana to Western Nebraska.
Rain pelted areas from Pennsyl
vania and Southern New York
southward through the Atlantic
Coast except Florida.
The storm developed so quickly,
Weather Bureau forecasters in
Washington said, they did not
have time to predict it in advance.
As men and machines worked
to clear the snow, a fresh mass
(See ROUNDUP, Page A-2.)
Taft Loses His Tonsils
CINCINNATI, Dec. 15 (£>).—
“Mr. Republican” had his tonsils
taken out yesterday. A hospital
spokesman said Senator Taft, Re
publican, of Ohio was resting
comfortably, and expects to leave
the hospital tomorrow. He’ll
spend the holidays at his home
here.
i
Forecast of 15
threatens New
traffic Tieups
Snow Gives District
One of Worst Transit
Snarls in Its History
The coldest weather of the sea
son faces the Washington area
tonight in the wake of the win
ter’s first snowstorm and one of
the worst traffic jams in the city’s
history.
A frigid 15 is the Weather Bu
reau's prediction for tonight. It
Some of the Storm's Effects on the City
Pictured on Page A-20
threatens more traffic woes for
motorists caught unawares by the
3 inches of snow which yester
day hit the area on the heels of
the official forecasts.
Freezing temperatures were ex
pected by afternoon today as well.
The weather experts pointed out
'Keep Cool' and Take
Usual Precautions,
Keneipp Tells Drivers
District Traffic Director
George E. Keneipp had an
appropriate word of advice
for storm-harrassed motorists
today.
Urging such precautions as
tire chains, slower speeds and
slower starts and stops to off
set the danger of icy roads,
Mr. Keneipp added a precau
tion noteworthy in view of
tonight's expected 15-degree
temperatures. He advised:
“Keep cool.”
that some skid-producing snow
would be melted off and dried up
by that time. But less-traveled
roads are due to acquire an icy
covering by tonight, they warned.
Paralysis Lingers.
Tomorrow will be fair but con
tinued cold, the Weather Bureau
said. The mercury isn’t expected
to go above 27.
The paralysis caused by yester
day’s storm still had not worn
off early today. Downtown mer
chants, prepared for what usually
is the biggest shopping day of the
lyear, reported crowds well below
'expectations during the morning,
although they began picking up
by midday.
And, as for the storm tieup
itself, transportation officials and
thousands of ordinary citizens had
personal testimony that it was one
of the area’s worst.
The storm began at 11:20 a m.,
catching the Weather Bureau by
surprise. By midafternoon traffic
officials had enough inkling of
what was to come to cause thou
sands of Government employes to
be released early to get a head
start home.
But by then it was too late.
And what followed won from fully
qualified observers not the descrip
tion “one of the worst,” but “the
worst.”
Buses Stranded Amid Cars.
Automobiles were bumper to
bumper on virtually all main ar
teries, both within and outside
the city. Buses and streetcar*
were stranded amid them.
And thousands of snow and
rain-drenched citizens stood help
lessly on street corners, vainly
waiting for transportation that
never came—or if it did arrive,
was hours late.
Washington police recorded
more than 100 traffic accidents
during the period of the storm.
Luckily most were minor. Count
less other accidents of the fen
der-scraping variety doubtless
were unreported.
The police themselves were
nearly paralyzed. Scout cars be
came involved in accidents - and
had to be towed in. All motor-1
cycle men were ordered off the
streets, for their own protection.
Fire Engines Hampered.
Fire engines had difficulty an
swering alarms—of which there
were more than 70 from 11 a.m.
to midnight. Fortunately, none
proved of major importance.
Airlines cancelled all out-bound
flights and most inbound aircraft
landed at Baltimore or other
points. Buslines experienced de
lays and many between here and
Baltimore failed to make their
runs. Most trains, however, kept
to schedule, since the snow in the
entire region except the mountains
to the west was limited to about
the same amount as here.
Similar traffic jams occurred in
other Eastern cities, where the
storm also took traffic officials and
the public by surprise.
The Weather Bureau had pre
dicted light snow for late yester
day. But that was on the basis
of a reported wind-speed of 30
miles an hour. When the storm
was tracked approaching the area,
on the way up from Texas, it was
(Continued on Page A-2, Col. 1.)
Japanese Group Plans
Memorial to MacArthur
By th« Associated Press
TOKYO, Dec. 15.—A group of
Japanese plan to build a memorial
hall honoring Gen. Douglas Mac
Arthur.
Government officials and busi
nessmen hope to raise a fund of
$1,319,445 in Japan and the United
States.
The proposed hall would be
;rected on the site of the former
general headquarters adjacent to
she imperial palace in mid-Tokyo
I