The Bluffton news. [volume], December 09, 1943, Image 1

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BUY
UNITED
•wates
SAVING*
/bonds
i MB STAMM
VOLUME NO. LXVIII
PRE-WAR FATHERS
OUT OF DECEMBER
DRAFT CALL HERE
Board No. 3 Will Not Induct
Any Pre-Pearl Harbor
Fathers in Dec. Quota
Many Fathers May Be Taken
Next Month, However, to
Fill One of Largest Calls
No pre-war fathers will be in
ducted in December by Allen County
Draft Board No. 3, which has jur
isdiction over the rural sections of
the country including Bluffton and
Richland township, it was learned
this week from usually well inform
ed sources.
This means that fathers in the
pre-Pearl Harbor classification will
not be drafted until after the first
of the yeai- from areas served by
Board No. 3, altho other baords in
this same district have been calling
fathers for two and three months.
If there are not enough single men
and married men without children
to fill the December draft call, ex
pected about the middle of the
month, the quota sent to Toledo by
Board No. 3 will be short, and the
difference made up in January.
Not Enough Time
No pre-war fathers are being
called in December because board
officials have been unable to set
machinery in motion in time to in
clude any of them in the month’s
quota.
Many fathers took screen tests
two weeks ago, but physical limita
tions at the draft office have made
it impossible to begin mailing 1-A
classifications to them before this
week.
After such notices are mailed,
men in 1-A cannot be called before
the expiration of a 20-days period,
and inasmuch as this month’s draft
call is expected about the fifteenth
no fathers could be taken even
should the quota be short other
wise.
There may be further delays in
the cases of some fathers, for after
a 1-A classification is received the
registrant has 10 days in which he
may file an appeal. Generally it
requires from three to four weeks
for a decision on appeals, and if
the board continues the registrant
in 1-A he still has another 10 days
after the board calls him before he
has to report.
May Have Deficit
It was indicated that Board No.
3 may have enough single men and
men without children to fill the call
in December, but no fathers can be
called to make up any deficit that
might occur.
Should the quota be short in Dec
ember, however, the January call,
already announced as one of the
largest since drafting was started,
will require just that many more
from Board No. 3, it was pointed
out.
In the meantime there still is a
great deal of uncertainty in the
nation’s capital over the bill passed
by Congress to decelerate the induc
tion of fathers, and which is await
ing approval or veto by President
Roosevelt.
80 Year Old Motorist
Hits 71 Year Old Man
Peter Spaeth, 72, of Jenera, is in
the Bluffton hospital with injuries
received when he was struck by an
automobile as he left the Trinity
Lutheran church grounds at Jenera,
Sunday noon.
One wheel of the car operated by
Adam Gehron, 80, of Route 1, Raw
son, passed over Spaeth’s body, ac
cording to state highway patrolmen,
who investigated.
Spaeth’s injuries are not serious
and he will leave the hospital this
week.
Name Officers For
Lodge Installation
Annual installation of recently
elected officers of Bluffton Eastern
Star chapter will be held Friday
night at 8 o’clock. Netta Sullivan of
Lima, worthy matron will be in
charge.
Other installing grand officers are:
Introductory, Evelyn Beals con
ductress, Audrey Hofer chaplain,
Margaret Bowersox marshals,
Theresa SJusser and Helen Worth
ington secretary, Ruth Durkee
organist, Marie Kennedy warden,
Kathryn Steinman sentinel, Clair
Bowersox.
Committees Reception: Ethel
Marshall, Lena Soash, Music, Hazel
Todd.
Local Youth's Steer
Places In Stock Show
A Shorthorn steer entered in the
a Chicago by Arhur Neuenschwand
er, Richland township youth, placed
tenth in a field of 50 animals, it was
announced the first of the week.
The youth is the 12-year-old son
of Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Neuenschwan
der residing west of Bluffton and an
eighth grade pupil in the Bluffton
schools. Because of illness he was
unable to attend the Chicago show,
and was represented there by his
father.
SALARY INCREASES
VOTED FOR FIVE
VILLAGE OFFICIALS
Clerk. Treasurer and Members
of Board of Public Affairs
Will Benefit
ncreases in Pay Effective Next
January 1 Are Voted by
Town Council
Salary increases for five Bluffton
village officials, effective Jan. 1,
1944, are provided for in an ordi
nance approved Monday night at a
meeting of the municipal council.
Benefitting from the boost will be
Town Clerk-Elect W’ilford O. Geiger,
Town Treasurer-Elect Samuel Bixel,
and members of the new Board of
Public Affairs, William Luginbuhl,
Harry F. Barnes and Forest J. Har
mon.
Salary of the clerk has been in
creased from $350 to $500 per year,
and in the future the treasurer will
receive $150 per annum as compared
to $100 in the past.
New salary rate for the board of
public affairs will be $100 per year
for each member. In the past, the
annual salary has been $25.
Possibility that members of the
board of education may vote them
selves a yearly salary, under a law
passed in September permitting pay
for such services for the first time,
also has been seen in some sources.
Previously, members of boards of
education have had to serve without
pay, but under revised state laws
they may vote themselves salaries
not to exceed $20 per year.
Promoted
Aldine Wiess, Jr., stationed at
Tinker Field, Oklahoma City, Okla.,
has been promoted from staff serg
eant to the rank of master sergeant,
it was announced the first of the
week. He is the son of Mr. and
Mrs. Aldine Wiess of Riley street.
Robert Light, nephew of Mrs. Lou
Eaton of this place has been pro
moted to the rank of capain in the
army air force at San Angelo Field,
Texas. He is the son of Mr. and
Mrs. Melvin Light of Lima and
previously served as intelligence offi
cer at three Texas airfields.
Wooden Toys, New To This Generation,
Will Be In 1943 Christmas Parade
Fred Fritchie, Jr., serving with
amphibious naval forces has been ad
vanced in rank from third class to
second class petty office*, according
to word received the first of the
week. He has been in naval service
for the past eighteen months and is
the son of Mr. and Mrs Fred
Fritchie, Sr., of South Jackson street.
Wade Lape, son of Mr. and Mrs.
E. S. Lape of Grove street, has been
promoted to the rank of lieutenant,
it was announced the first of the
week. After 18 months in the Pa
cific war zone he has been transfer
red to the naval base at Corpus
Christi, Texas, in charge of condi
tioning and flying two motored am
phibian naval planes used in stu
dent training.
Cpl. Richard Burkholder, stationed
in Iceland, has been promoted to the
rank of sergeant, it was learned
this week. He is the husband of
Mrs. Josephine Burkholder, of the
Fett apartments, and the son of Mrs.
Lida Burkholder of Geiger street.
Edwards Is Named
On Cemetery Boart
Wm. Edwards, Bluffton merchant,
was named as a member of the
Bluffton cemetery board of trustees
at a meeting of the town council,
Monday night.
Edwards’ appointment made by
Mayor Howe and confirmed by the
town council fills a vacancy on the
board caused by the resignation of
Mrs. W. E. Diller who recently
moved to St. Louis.
War Demands for Metai Get
Priority Over Santa’s
Requirements
Jolls Available for Girls, but
Boys Will Get Many
Cardboard Toys
Santa Claus, too, has enlisted in
the nation's war effort, and as a
result Christmas this year will bring
a reincarnated parade of wooden
toys, an old, old style new to this
generation.
Many of the gifts modern children
have grown accustomed to will be
missing from under Christmas trees
this year. That is because all metal
formerly sent to Santa’s workshop
has been re-routed to war manu
factories.
Unless Santa manages to discover
some rare left-overs somewhere,
there will be no electric trains this
Yuletide for junior. About the best
a railroad-minded boy can expect is
a wooden train on a string, or
engines and cars made of heavy
cardboard.
Other toys entirely missing from
the Christmas scene are children’s
bicycles, tricycles, metal mechanical
building sets, scooters, sleds with
steel runners and wagons with ball
bearing wheels.
Some consolation, however, is seen
in the fact that many new and
fascinating objects have been de
veloped from wood and cardboard.
Then there are wooden wagons with
only axles of metal. Sleds are being
designed with ski-runners to help al
leviate the shortage.
Manufacturers also are turning out
wooden guns, tanks, fire engines, etc.
Zoo animals ranging from pandas
thru monkeys, giraffes, etc., are
popular with both girls and boys and
are plentiful on dealers shelves.
Little girls will fare better than
boys, for there are plenty of dolls
available in a wide variety of sizes,
shapes and types. Doll clothing also
is plentiful, and every baby will have
a well stocked wardrobe.
Home-made decorations on Christ
mas trees also may be expected this
year in many homes, unless the
finery of other years has been held
over.
Very few tinselled pretties may be
obtained, there are practically no
tree bulbs available, and as a result
decorations may very well Tun to the
gingerbread men and women and red
and white colored popcorn balls of
two generations ago.
Many a Bluffton boy and girl also
will be made happy by outgrown
toys of other children which have
been repaired, repainted and passed
along. Somehow or other, Santa will
get that gigantic sack of his well
filled by Christmas eve and will
bring delight to every boy and girt
in the area.
Four Re-elected
As Fair Directors
Four directors of the Bluffton Mid
Winter Fair association, whose
terms expired last week, were re
elected for three-year terms, it was
announced Tuesday by officials of
the organization.
Those re-elected as members of the
board of directors included Ray
Marshall, Joe Powell, Carl McCaffer
ty and Harold Carr.
Others members serving unexpired
terms are Hiram Kohli, Ben Am
stutz, Clyde Warren, Clyde Klingler,
Dwight Frantz, Edgar Herr, Albert
Winkler, Quinten Burkholder and
Harvey Burkholder.
No fair has been held for the last
two years because of the war, but
the organization of the board has
been kept intact, awaiting a change
in conditions that will permit re
sumption of the annual farm show.
By maintaining the organization,
state aid will be available if a fair
is held next winter, even though
none has been sponsored locally since
1941.
Ira Moser Named
To ODT Committee
Ira Moser, of Orange township, is
a member of the permanent advisory
committee for the Office of Defense
Transportation in the 15-county To
ledo area, it was announced last
week.
Moser serves on the dealers and
marketing agency branch of the
committee.
Henry Huber, Richland township,
serves in a producers advisory ca
pacity for the same organization.
Store Winter Squash
Plan to store only winter varieties
of squash in the root cellar. Sum
mer squash do not store success
fully.
THE BLUFFTON NEWS
A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BLUFFTON AND VICINITY
BLUFFTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, DEC. 9. 1943
YULETIDESHOPPING
REACHES ITS PEAK
EARLIER THIS YEAR
Restricted Supply of Gift Mer
chandise Brings Out
Buyers Earlier
Christinas Decorations Missing
From Downtown Streets
and Business Places
Spurred by the paradox of plenty
of money and a restricted supply of
gift merchandise, Christmas shopping
is at its peak in Bluffton altho the
holiday still is two and one-half
weeks away.
At the rate gift items have been
moving for the last week, there
simply won’t be enough to go all
the way around, and shoppers who
realize the situation are doing their
Christmas buying far earlier this
year than ever before in history.
With the familiar Yuletide setting
missing from downtown streets, and
undecorated places of business greet
ing those seeking gifts the atmos
phere is a far cry from that of pre
war years. The shopping rush is
the same as that ordinarily associat
ed with Christmas, however, altho
it started two weeks earlier than
usual.
Among other reminders of the ap
proaching holiday, Christmas trees
made an early appearance on Bluff
ton markets during the last week,
and so far the incoming supply has
been bought almost as rapidly as it
goes*on sale. A shortage of trees
has assured a ready sale for all
received here.
Xmas Music Daily
Christmas music broadcast at 6 p.
m. daily from the College Hall tower
at Bluffton college can be heard over
most of the town. Music of the
chimes and amplified phonograph
recordings are featured.
Christmas mailing, too, will hit
its peak earlier this year, in response
to government appeals to give the
post office department more time to
handle parcels and greeting cards.
Postmaster Ed R. Reichenbach this
week warned Bluffton residents that
all packages and cards should be in
i the mail no later Ithan Friday to
assure delivery before Christmas.
Candy Supply Short
Candy may not be as plentiful as
earlier anticipated after relaxation
1 of sugar rationing affecting candy
making, because of a shortage of
help to turn out the product before
the holidays. Much home-made can
dy, as a result, is expected to sup
plement commercial stocks.
Opening musical observance of the
Yuletide season will be the Bluffton
College Choral Society’s annual
rendition of Handel’s “Messiah” at
8 p. m. Sunday, Dec. 19, in the high
school gymnasium.
During the following week the sea
son will be at its height, with school
and church programs leading up to
the climax that will come on Christ
mas Eve for every family which has
children in its circle.
With The Sick
O. O. Alspach who was seriously
ill at his home on North Jackson
street was much improved, Wednes
day mornnig.
Ray Marshall of Orange township,
surgical patient at Bluffton hospital
was reported improved, Wednesday.
Condition of Mrs. Marion Hixon,
patient in Bluffton hospital suffering
from burns, remains unchanged.
Mrs. Sarah Augsburger of Beav
erdam is seriously ill at Memorial
hospital in Lima.
Bernard Green, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Milford Green is in the naval
hospital at Farragut, Idaho, with an
attack of scarlet fever, it was re
ported the first of the week. His
address is: U. S. Naval Hospital,
Ward C-8, Farragut, Idaho.
Mrs. Marden Basinger, surgical pa
tient at Bluffton hospital, is im
proving.
Amelia Basinger In
Army Nurse Corps
Second Lieut. Amelia’ J. Basinger,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. D. J. Ba
singer, of west of Bluffton, has been
assigned to duty within the Army
Air Forces Training Command, after
graduating from the basic training
course of the U. S. Army Nurse
corps.
Lieut. Basinger received her di
ploma from Major General Thomas
J. Hanley, Jr., commanding general
of the AAF Eastern Flying Train
ing Command, in exercises at Max
well Field, Alabama.
Christmas packages and greeting
cards must be mailed by this Friday
to insure delivery before the holi
day, Postmaster Ed R. Reichenbach
warned Bluffton residents on Tues
day.
Little Christmas mail has started
on its way so far, and those who
delay too long will find their par
cels and cards will not be delivered
before the 25th because of a nation
wide shortage of help and facilities
in the post office department.
One of the chief factors in assur
ing early delivery of mailings to
larger cities is the proper marking
of zones, it was pointed out this
week. If zones are designated in
experienced postal employees can
handle mail in much less time.
Postmaster Reichenbach also ad
vised that Christmas mail be marked
“Do Not Open Until Christmas”.
Sportsmen’s Club Cannot Ob
tain Answer Until After
Action on a proposal to grant ex
clusive fishing rights in Buckeye
lake to the Bluffton Community
Sportsmen’s club was deferred until
spring when the matter came up for
consideration at a meeting of the
municipal council, Monday night.
Councilmen expressed themselves
favorable to the move, but pointed
out no official action can be taken
earlier than next spring when the
town’s five-year lease on the body of
water and adjoining land comes up
for renewal.
Lease For $1 Year
Under terms of the five-year lease
granted in the spring of 1939L^luff
ton took over management of the
lake, swimming pool and picnic
grounds for a rental of $1 per year.
Liability for any accidents on the
property also was assumed by the
town under terms of the agreement.
This situation will delay until
early summer definite action on a
petition presented to the council by
the sportsmen’s association seeking
exclusive fishing privileges in Buck
eye lake for members of its organ
ization.
Officials of the group pointed out
that by having sole rights to use of
the lake they can proceed with an
extensive re-stocking program that
will benefit Bluffton anglers.
The action also would prevent out
of-town residents who contribute
nothing fbr local propagation from
benefitting by fishing in the lake.
Membership fees in the sportsmen's
association are nominal and will not
bar any Bluffton fishermen from en
joying the same privileges as be
fore, club officers said.
H, S. Instructor
Resigns Position
Mrs. Harriette Luginbuhl, Bluff
ton high school instructor in
languages and girls’ physical educa
tion has resigned her position here
effective December 24, it was an
nounced the first of the week. The
resignation has been accepted by the
board of education.
At the time when her resignation
becomes effective, Mrs Lugi.nbuhl ex
pects to join her husband Sgt. Ken
neth Luginbuhl who has been sta
tioned at Ft. Monmouth, N. J., since
he returned last summer from serv
ice in the southwest Pacific area.
Classes jn girls’ physical education
will be taken over by Miss Helen
Spar, senior at Ohio Northern uni
versity, Ada. Instructor in the lan
guage course consisting of Latin and
French has not been announced.
In New Locations
Mr. and Mrs. I. Clemens of Find
lay have moved into the property of
the late Minnie Henry on Mound
street.
Earl Jorg, Bluffton hatchery op
erator ,has rented living apartments
in the Hankish block above the Todd
grocery. He expects to move his
family here from St. John’s near
Lima, this month.
uletide Mailings Should Be Made
This Week For Delivery By Christmas
Exclusive Fishing Rights In Buckeye
Lake Must Await Renewal Of Lease
New Lease in Spring Funeral
Town Leased the Lake for Five
Years in May, 1939, from
Central Ohio Power Co.
The municipality’s lease on Buck
eye lake will expire next May, and
no plans can be made relative, to the
disposal of fishing privileges until
possibility of renewal is determined
in negotiations between the town
and the Central Ohio Light and
Power Co., owner of the property.
Bluffton Youth In
Naval Training Choir
Byron Fritchie, Bluffton youth in
ducted into naval service two weeks
ago has been selected for member
ship in the choir of the Great Lakes
Naval Training station, it was an
nounced the first of the week. The
choir, composed of senice men at
the naval training station is fre
quently heard in radio broadcasts.
The Bluffton youth is also a mem
ber of the 21st and 23rd regimental
choir and the Great Lakes Drum and
Bugle corps.
During his high school career he
was a member of the boy’s glee cjub
and the high school band. He is
the son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred
Fritchie of South Jackson street.
Last Rites Are Held
For Isaac Stauffer
services largely attended
were held for Isaac Stauffer, 85, at
St. John’s Reformed church, Mon
day afternoon.
His death occurred at Bluffton hos
pital, Saturday morning at 10:30
o’clock following an illness of the
past five years.
Mr. Stauffer, a lifelong resident
of this vicinity was a retired car
penter and throughout his active
career was prominent in local build
ing trades circles.
He was a member of St. John’s
Reformed church and took an active
part in church and Sunday school
work. For many years he resided
at his late home on South Lawn
avenue.
He was born in Richland township
the son of David and Catherine Neu
enschwander Stauffei* On March 8,
1881, he was married to Catherine
Herr who preceded him in death 19
years ago.
Surviving are four sons: Chester
A., Emmett C., and Howard M.
Stauffer all of Bluffton and Ray
mond Stauffer of Canton. Three
daughters surviving are Mrs. Flor
ence Hamilton of Findlay Mrs. Ruth
Stockey of Ft. Wayne and Mrs.
Mabel Minck of Bluffton. Also sur
viving are eight grandchildren and
two great grandchildren.
Officiating at the funeral services
were Rev. V. C. Opperman, paator
of the Reformed church and Rev. W.
H. I^ahr, a former pastor. Interment
was in Maple Grove cemetery.
Births
The following births at Bluffton
hospital:
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Basinger of
Mt. Cory, *a son, Sunday-
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Reiter, of
Mt. Cory, a daughter, Monday.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Williams of
Leipsic, a daughter, Tuesday.
Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Bauman of
Pandora, a daughter, Bonnie Jean,
uesday.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Benton of
Pandora, a son, Tuesday.
Announcement is made of the
birth of a daughter, Maureen Linda
to Mr. and Mrs. Howard Congdon
of Eugene, Oregon, Nov. 21. Mrs.
Congdon is the daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Waldo Bixel of Portland, Ore
gon, and a granddaughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Peter Bixel of Pandora.
Announcement has been made of
the birth of a son to Rev. and Mrs.
George Dick of Richie, Montana.
Rev. Dick was formerly pastor of
the First Mennonite church in Lima
and well known here.
Bluffton Men Head
High School League
Two Bluffton men assumed of
fices as president and secretary of
the Western Buckeye High school
league for the coming year at a
meeting of the executive committee
in Lima, Tuesday night.
Coach Russell W. Hasson, of Bluff
ton High school, presided as new
president, and Sidney C. Stettler,
also of the local school, was install
ed as secretary.
Football championship of the
league officially was awarded to Van
Wert at the meeting. During the
last season Van Wert w6n six games
in league play. Bellefontaine finish
ed second with five victories and one
defeat Celina had a record of 4 and
2, and Bluffton in fourth place won
three and lost three.
Army Gets Fresh Milk
Fresh milk is being consumed by
the armed forces for the first time
since the Revolutionary war.
BUY
UNITED
•TATB*
BFKNM
ABB
STAMM
NUMBER 33
FARMERS FUME AS
SOY BEAN SURPLUS
CHOKES ELEVATORS
Embargo Placed on Sales As
Record Crop Gluts Cen
tral Warehouses
Jeans Command Good Pricff
But Farmers Are Unable
to Find Buyers
With Bluffton area elevators filled
to capacity and national markets
flooded with soy beans, farmers who
have completed the harvesting of a
record crop arc unable to sell beans
for which there is no storage place
on their farms.
Processors, central terminals and
even* elevator in a soy bean produc
ing territory all have far more beans
than they can handle, and there is
very little prospect of the situation
easing in the near future, market ob
servers pointed out this week.
No beans can be shipped to termin*
als or processors from local market
warehouses, now filled to capacity, and
farmers have no assurance of any
early change that might permit them
to turn thousands of bushels of soy
beans into ready cash.
Marketing of wheat, corn and oats
also is at a virtual standstill locally,
for all available storage space is filled
with beans, and elevators have no fa
cilities to handle grain until the pres
ent market jam is cleared.
Farmers Can’t Sell
Farmers are bitter about the situa
tion. pointing out that governmental
agriculture sources insisted on in
creased soybean acreage, and now that
a record crop has harvested they
can fin 1 no ready i uUt for it.
Bluffton elevators have more than
eight carloads of beans in storage, an
estimated aggregate of approximately
16,00 bushels.
Major portions of the beans stored
here, however, are reported to have
been sold for December delivery which
means they probably will be moved
sometime this month.
It probably will be the latter part
of the month before the beans can be
shipped, since the buyer has the op
tion of taking them any time before
Jan. 1, and present conditions at cen
tral terminals will not warrant hand
ling consignments any earlier.
Farmers b*v» been receiving a base
price of $1.80 a bushel fojr beans de
livered to local elevators- this *nU.
Quoted prices, however, are subject to
slight variations depending on the
moisture content or the beans.
Receives Medical
Discharge From Navy
Walter Benroth of Orange town
ship has received an honorable dis
charge from the navy upon recom
mendation of medical authorities.
Benroth who has returned to his
home here was inducted into the
service five weeks ago and since
that time was in training at Great
Lakes, 111.
James Deppler Flies
By Plane To Australia
James Deppler, son of Mrs. Mary
Deppler, of Bentley road, has arrived
safely in Australia, his mother
learned in a communication from
him last Saturday.
He made the journey to Australia
in a large bomber in a one and one
half day flight from the western
coast. In Australia Deppler is tak
ing further training in a radio
school.
Real Estate Deals
Miss Leia Frick has purchased the
residence of the late Gideon Schaub
lin on Cherry street. She and her
mother, Mrs. Charity Frick are now
occupying the property.
Farm of the late Emil Garau con
sisting of 89 acres west of Bluffton
has Keen sold by the estate. A tract
of 73 acres was purchased by Alvin
Burkholder of Findlay and 16 acres
by Aaron Messinger residing on an
adjoining farm.
Income Tax Man
A deputy collector of internal rev
enue will be at the Mayor’s office
Friday to assist federal income tax
payers who are liable to file an esti
mated income tax return for the
year 1943 on or before Dec. 15.
There are sufficient supplies of
most insecticides and fungicides for
1944 farm use, but manufacturers
urge both distributors and farmers
to order early to facilitate timely
deliveries.