Wilkes-Barre Sunday Independent

              ^
!i
A Paper For The Home
SUNDAY INDEPENDENT
The Weather
Partly cloudy, warmer; Monday fair, warmer.
	
41 ST YEAR, NO. i5~48 PAGES
DMTEU   PRESS Wir*   News   Serrlca
WILKES-BARRE, PA., SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER  7, 1947        if      }f      }f^
PRICE TWELVE CENTS
15,000 Steel Men Idled By Wildcat Rail Strike
Output Cut Enough To Build 8,000 Cars
Pittsburgh, Sept. 6, CUP)—Steel company officials warned today that the Union Railroad Co, strike which has tied up four major plants of U. S. Steel Corp. will have serious impact on the nation's economy.
More than 15,000 steel workers already were idle as result of the walkout of 1,800 employees of the railroad, a U. S. Steel subsidiary. Thousands more in steel and steel-consuming companies faced lay-offs Qcxt week.
Representatives   of   the   railroad ing   service   In   and   between   tjie
nnd   the   brotherhoods  of   railroad plants. Tie-up of service haa forced
trainmen and locomotive engineers the shutdown of all operations  at
onferred  in  an  effort to  end  the the plants with the exception of a
Hi^h%%uT  Hazards  Xo.  13
Traffic Converges from Five Diretfions Here
Pennsylvania State Highway de¬ partmeni officials who list "vol¬ ume of traffic" as one of the prin¬ ciple requirements for the installa¬ tion of traffic signals can look to the interse<'tlon, pictured above, in South Wilkcs-Barre near Meyers High School where traffic con¬ verges  from   five   directions.
At prcicnl no method of traffic control, except patrolman an duty at the srhool cro.sslngs. is In effect at this interse.tion. Faded white lineir mark   prdcitrian   lanes. .
Often described as an "impos¬ sible   situation"   by   local   officials
the region is alive with potential dangers to motorists. The multi- intersection has iieen the scene of a  number of accidents.
Adding to the heavy flow of traf¬ fic is the busses now in operation on two lines crossing the inter¬ section.
Meyers High School students are large contributors to the pede- strianiir' lanes cutting through the intersection.
In recent years, the area has become a business section and patrons at the shops are numerous throughout   the   day  and   evening.
I The Mercy Hospital, with its large I group of visitors by tar and bus, j is located only a few feet away.
The melee of motorists fumbling through the intersection while keeping a weather eye for traffic enroute from surrounding streets which jut on to the Carey avenue intersection, sometimes gets out of all control.
One prominent d<anger spot is shown in. the upper left hand cor¬ ner, where the' Carey avenue busi¬ ness houses have blocked the view at the Hanover street and Carey avenue  junction.
'Poor' Fruit Peddler's Surprise Gift Presents $3,000,000 to Public Library
Boston, .Sept. 6 (UP)—An un¬ known 84-year-old former fruit peddler, uncomfortable in a new suit, proudly presented a |3,000,000 surprise gift today to the Boston pitblic libr.ir.v, tountainhead of his knowledge and inspiration of his fiirtuiie.
tWWim 36tM Defetrari, had led such a retiring life and con¬ ducted hi.s real estate and stock inarket operations su quietly that despite his life-long re.sldence in Boston's north end Italian colony no one knew of his gjeat wealth.
And not a sini^le banker or financier among the city's most prominent leaders at the presenta¬ tion ceremony in the world's first modern public library could even vaguely estimate the extent of the fortune he has amassed.
But there he was—frayed shirt collar nnd all -smiling graciously and ¦ bowing courteously as blue- hlooded Bo.stonian8 lauded his| munificetice in a hastily-contrived', rcreniony. ]
iSuniethliig for 'Voting Men' I
The John Dcferrari Foundation.! an irrevocable trust for the library'.s I benefit, culminated a dream that' began   three   .years   ago   when   he
decided to do something tiiat would perpetuate his ideals for the people of Boston,' particularly young men --"but not the politicians."
At present the trust is well over $1,000,000. library officials said, and eventually it «ill reach a total gift of f3,000,00a When the fund ^^ reached $2,000,000 the library wuf build the John Defcrrari wing or establish a room In his honor tn the present mas.slve structure if additional facilities are not needed then.
In exchange for the $3,000,000, Deferrari's only stipulation .vwas that the library appropriate $5,000 to place an oil portrait of him¬ self and a plaque In the wing or room bearing his name.
This, the agha.st trustees imme¬ diately  agreed to do.
Then as flashlight bulbs popped and Dcferrari was photographed for thc first time in 50 years, he told the story of hia rise from a penniless boy with a fruit basket under his arm to a millionaire.
The bald, stocky bachelor, a twin¬ kle in his clear, blue eyes, nar¬ rated the chronolgy of his life with mo-hine-gun  rapidity,  showing  an:
Kansas City Vofe Case Brings 3 Convictions
Kansas City, Mo., Sept. 6 (UP) — Three Democratic precinct workers were convicted today in federal court on charges of vote fraud in the August, 1946, congrestional primaries.
Richard K. Phelps, special assist¬ ant attorney general, immediately hailed it as a "just verdict" and personally thanked the jurors, shaking  hands  with  each.
Defense counsel Will H. Hargus announced that the conviction Would be appealed.
The jury returned Its verdict after a little moro than two and a half hours of deliberations which Were interrupted near their end whi^ the jurors sought clarification of a legal point from Judge Albert A. Ridge. Axtell Backers
Those convicted of complicity In fraudulent voting in the 1946 "purge" election in which Enos A. Axtell, personal choice of President Truman, defeated incumbent Roger C-   Slaughter   for   the   Democratic
congressional nomination, were Morris (Snag> Klein, Democratic precinct captain, and Harry Burke and Frank L. Holmes, party workers.
Two other men indicted with them by a special federal grand jury last night were acquitted when the court upheld motions for di¬ rected verdicts in their favor. They were William D. Wilson, Republi¬ can judge, and John Melham, Dem¬ ocratic judge.
It was the first case growing out of the 1946 primary election inves¬ tigation to go to trial.
The government produced wit¬ nesses to testify that 36 "ghost" votes were cast in the north side precinct where the three defend¬ ants worked that day; that others were told their names had been voted before they appeared, and that some were offered money for their votes.
The government produced morr witnesses to testify they had votec" for Slaughter than the tally sheets showed his total to have been.
amazing   memory   for   dates   and i places. I Son of Fruit Peddler
Pausing only occasionally to j pound the director.?' mahogany I table with a brawny hst to empha¬ size a point of his homespun i philo.sophy, Dcferrari began with tl!l)r1>irth June 11, 1863, in a north I end tenement. He was one of I eight children of Giavanni Bap tista Deferrarl, a poor fruit ped- ! dler, and his wife Catherine.
It was the never-ending struggle for papa Deferrarl to feed and clothe the five boys and three girls, but In John's words the father "always denied himself" to provide for the family.
Young John went to school through the eighth grade and then decided it was time for him to get a job and help support the family.
So his father gave him a basket of fruit and sent him on his way.
Defcrrari recalled that he headed for State street, the financial cen¬ ter of Boston, arfd trudged throu'-h the banks and business hou\j peddling his apples and oranges.
"I never came home with any¬ thing—bilt money," he chuckled.
The money he gave to his father, who returned to him a share of his profits. At 16 he was "rich" enough to buy a horse and wagon and t short time later to rent a fru* stall In the market district near FaneuilHall, sometimes called the cradle of American liberty.
Deferrarl has followed a Spartan
regime  throughout   his  life,    ever
Continued  on   Page  A-15)
Fancy Penman Held in Prison Forges Paroles for 19 Convicts
Montgomery, Ala., Sept. 6. (UP) — Harvey George, facile penman ^ho forged his own parole from Alabama's Draper Prison in 1944, has been using his talented stylus again.
State Prisons Head Frank Bos- Jvell said that now that he is back •n prison the milk of human kind- bess flowed In Georgc'k veins. During the past 12 months, George forged   the   discharge   papers   for
In Today's Issue
Kditorial   	
( laHNilied  	
Movies   	
Obituary   . Kadio . ..
'*»Port»  	
Social   .
B—4
C—B C-«
 c—#
B—1
119 prisoners while serving as book-
fkeeper at Atmore Prison.
George 31, and under life sen¬ tence since 1938 for robbery and murder, altered their papers. For instance, a discharge coming Into the prison office would have for a release rate Aug. 25. Because of a skilled wipe of George's quill, the convict would be released Aug. 5.
Once he changed the name and numl)er and got the wrong man out. But of the 19 released by George's pen, Boswell said all but two had been "rehabilitated." But one man under 30-year sentence Is still at liberty. Another is being i held  by Atlanta  police. |
George has ben transferred to j KIlby Prison. He's no longer a | bookkeeper but is working In thej automobile tag department. Bos¬ well sees a great future for (jeorge, I making  license  plates. t
CANADIAN WAC HELD AS ROBBERY PARTNER
Baltimore, Md., Sept. 8. (UP)- A pretty but sullen former Can adian WAC was arrested today as the alleged partner of a "disillu¬ sioned" British war bride who is charged with the toy pistol rob¬ bery of a Detroit tcucicab driver.
Police listed her as Constance Emily le Houp, 23.
She had been sought since Mrs. Pearl Baker, 26-year-old English war bride, was arrested for the holdup.
Mrs. Baker told police her hus¬ band had deserted her and that she was thoroughly "disillusdoned" with thf United tSates and all Americans. She said a woman, in a Detroit YWCA suggested they use a toy pistol to get some money. In Mrs. Baker's room police found a scrap of paper with Miss le Houp's name on it aTid saying the girl had gone to Baltimore.
Police here said the dark-haired exCanadian admitted seeing Mrs. Baker In Detroit last June, but blamed her for first suggesting that they make "some easy money."
She waived extradition and Vas ordered held in $2,500 bail for Detroit authorities. She had been working here  as  a secretary.
5 KILLED IN SPAIN AS POWDER EXPLODES
Madrid, Spain. Sept. 6 (UP)— Officials said five persons were killed and 28 injured when a pow¬ der dump • exploded tonight in Alcala de Henares, a suburb, and destroyed a nearby ceramics fac¬ tory.
Authorities said thc death toll might rise as rescuers searched the ruins lor more victims. Among the known casualties were soldiers guarding the dump.
two-day  strike.  There was  no  re port of progress.
The workers reportedly have de¬ manded a 50-cent8 an hour wage increase and increased vacations. They further charge the company with more than 500 rule violations and delay In handling grievances.
The railroad company offered to submit the demands to national negotiations which open soon under terms of thfe Railway Mediation Law. "llnauthorUed,"  Says  Whitney
President A. F. Whitney of the trainmen said the strike was an "unauthorized work stoppage." He sent representatives here to "deal with the situation."
The railroad hauls iron ore to U. S. Steel's Monoghahcla Valley mills and provides essential switch
Square in the Face
skeleton production  line primarily maintained to support two manga¬ nese   furnaces.   Banking   of   these furnaces is not practical. Big Loss of Steel
U. S. Steel estimated today's loss of steel at the plants at 21,000 tons of steel Ingots, 16,000 tons of steel j products  and 15,000 tons  of  blast \ furnace pig Iron.
The company said these amounts were equivalent to that needed to build 8,000 automobies, 1,000 freight cars, or 175,000 home refrigerators.
C. R. CJox, president of U.S. Steel's chief operating subsidiary, Car¬ negie-Illinois Steel, declared:
"This situation occasions a most unfortunate'lmpact on a large seg¬ ment of the country as whole and on thousands of our customers...." (Continued on Page A-ljy
Hindus Use Martial Law To Control Own People
To Set Example For Moslems as Massacres Continue
New Delhi, India, Sept. 6. (UP)— A bomb was thrown into a train in New Delhi's main railway sta¬ tion today and official sources said the government of (Hindu) India had decided to use drastic means, including martial law to stop massacres of Moslems.
Police fired to break up the crowd that formed after the bomb was thrown, lest a big-scale riot bresb out.   One person was killed.
4'here were other Incidents today in tbe Indian capital. To break up one threatening riot, police fired into the air within a quarter of a mile from where Premier Pandit JawaharlaJ Nehru lives. More Massacres
More massacres were reported from the Bast Punjab, which is In the Hindu dominion, and a special committee was formed to deal with them. Premier Nehru Is its head and (Jovernor General Earl Mount¬ batten was Invited to attend the committee's meetings.
The aim of India, according to informed sources, was to restore quiet in Its.own borders, present the Moslem dominion of Pakistan with the accomplished fact and urge it to take similar measures. Fighting had spread into New Delhi itself.
Indian leaders were, however, disturbed by a decision of the West Punjab (Moslem) govern¬ ment to freeze the bank accounts of Hindus trying to get to India. It was believed that India would, in ret;aliation, freeze the bank ac¬ counts of Moslems fleeing into Pakistan from the Hindu dominion.
More and more troops were be¬ ing sent to India's western bor¬ ders to protect refugees from mur¬ der. Latest reports indicated that a ¦ massacre of Sikhs by Moslems was still going on in the Gujran- pala district of the West Punjab. Gandhi Going to Trouble iSpot
Mohandas K. Gandhi, who broke a 73-hour fast Thursday night after- he had been assured there would be no more rioting in Cal¬ cutta, was scheduled to leave for the Punjab tomorrow on a "peace mission."
After  prayer    meeting    tonight, I
Housewives Fight High Meat Prices
Chicago, Sept. 8 (UP)—Spokes¬ men for the retail meat trade said today that business has fal¬ len off sharply because house¬ wives across the nation are re¬ sisting the rising price of meat.
A check of representative cities showed that In some the volume of meat sold had dropped aa much as 36 per cent.
Tbe prospact of stUl hlgKar food prices waa reflected on tha Chicago Board of Trade, where com. *JMlji>«!i^*ait «oared to new highs for the ninth consecutive day.
Charles H. Bromann, executive secretary of the Associated Food Dealers in CThlcago, said that "customers are buying in dollars instead of pounds of meat."
"Housewives have a c e r t a 1 n amount 6f money and find out how much meat they can buy with it," he said. They don't step up to the counter and ask for a certain amount in pounds any¬ more."
Gandhi made a speech to an esti¬ mated 200,000 persons and told them that he would come back to Calcutta and start another fast if trouble started while he was away. He said that his fast should not be credited with restoring peace to (Continued on Page A-15)
Valley Scene
Sign — tellinfr all — on small business establishment in Nortft Wilkes-Barre: "Closed for tteo weeks—on vacation—tn Canada."
Chugginff through central city last Tuesday, a Stanley Steam¬ er, model 19H.
Trackless trolley drivers shtid- dering under onslaught of Coughlin High School kids, stvarming aboard after first day of school.
Deeplif tanned and muscled man heading from valley toward Dallas, pushing two-wheeled cart over the mountain, on strenuous trip he makes several times every week.
Truman Safe as Car Skids
On Muddy Mountain Roocf iiow Reds Ktoie B-29
Get out and VOTE
If ever the people of Luzerne county—Republicans and Democrats alike—ovred it to their community, their neighbors and themselves to cast their votes, this is that ^ime.
This is the time, as never before, the bosses who like to pick officeholders "by v^ay of the smoke-filled room" and without being bothered by the people, tried to deny them the privilege of voting.
Thay olmott got avray with it. . . . Bat aet qui/t:
,.. There is still every reason to vote.
On the Republican ticket, despite all the trickery, ihere are still choices to be made. Among these is the vital choice of judges for the courls.
The   bosses   didnt   quite   succeed   in   chasing
EVEBYBODY they didn't want off the ticket.
On the  Democratic side  there  also  are  choices  for
judge and, of tremendous importance in both lhe raising
and spending of the people's money, there is a chonce
to keep the Republican bosses from complete domination
I of the county commissioners' office.
The Democrats can vote for a Deniocratic county conunissioner who is not also controlled by the Bepublican county organisation, which would thwart even the law by refusing the people the minority commissioner the law demands.
You have been encouraged not to bother voting this year. They don't want you to. They are telling you no one but their hand-picked candidates, who will be supported by a controlled vote, will have a chance. Their drum-beaters are silent this time instead of sound¬ ing \he call to the polls.
They just don't want you to vote, which is the best reason in the world why you should.
GET OOT AND VOTE ON TUESDAYI
COLLABORATOR SLAIN; HUGE TREASURE FOUND
Budapest, Hungary, Sept. 6 (UP) —Police tonight hunted the killer of a former German collaborator who was slain with an axe In his apartment 10 days ago, surrounded by $18,000,000 worth of stolen treasure.
The collaborator, a bachelor and an alleged homosexual, was known only as "Mr. Braun." After he was found murdered, a Hungarian car¬ penter who had built secret hiding places about his apartment showed police where to find jewels worth $18,000,000.
There wjui no evidence of rob¬ bery, police said. They thought that a major part of the jewelry ha4l been stolen from Jews mas¬ sacred by German and Hungarian Nazis   In   1944.
ITALY Signs treaty
AFTER PARTY ROW
Rome, Sept. 6 (UP)—President Enrico de Nicola and Foreign Min¬ ister Count Carlo Sforza today signed the Italian peace treaty ratification at the foreign office and handed it immediately to a special courier for deposit in Paris.
The signing ended four days of bitter dispute among Italian offi¬ cials as to who should assume the onus of affixing his signature to the hated document, denounced as unjust and a "diktat" which strips Italy of all honor.
De Nicola, losing out In a four- day debate with Premier Alcide de Gasperi, agreed reluctantly to affix
Prairie Fire Puts Losses In Millions
Path of Destruction 20 Miles Wide and 50 Miles Long in So. Dakota Farm Land
HIghmore, 8. D., Bept 8. (ITP)— A giant prairie flre burned itself out today after devastating 700 square miles of rich grain and cattle country in South Dakota's worst farming disaster since the dust storms of the mid 30's.
Weary farmers, who had fought for 12 hours to save their homes, crops and livestock, totalled their losses in millions.
Flames broke out anew today ia a small section near the norths fvestem corner of the burned-over area, but they were brought qulclc ly under control by a dozen fire fighters.
The flre, racing through the tall prairie g'rass on high winds, cut a path of charred destruction 20 miles wide and SO miles long through the heart of the state's farming and cattle lands. No Human Life Lost
Hundreds of heads of cattje per* Ished In the flames and many out¬ buildings were destroyed. No one was killed, however, and only a- few ranchhquses were burned. But thousands of bushels of hay and grain stored on the ground went up in flames.
The fire was believed to have sprung from two or more separate blazes which converged north of here and swept rapidly across the parched fields, whieh had been without rain since Aug. 1.
Most farmers In this vicinity had been cashing in on soaring grain and livestock prices. Despite their losses, moat were believed In more secure financial position than when the great drought of the thirties swept them into bankruptcy. They had learned their lesson In that disaster, and had paid off their mortgages snd freed themselves of debt. Birds, Animals Flee Flames
As the flames raged through the countryside last night, hundreds of startled jackrabbits jumped from the brush and fled. Pheasants flew up out of the bottomlands and droves of cattle lumbered ahead of the licking flames.
WTien trapped by fences, many cattle saved themselves by turning back through the wall of fire to reach burned out ground. Many of these animals were singed, but ranchers believed livestock losses would be light. But on one farm, 40 head of trapped cattle were burned so badly Uieir owner had to shoot them.
Fences were burned to the ground and unbranded cattle wan¬ dered into the fields of neighboring ranchers, creating a problem of sorting and restoring them to their owners.
At Getty^urg, 8. D.. Fire Chief George Adams said that "not a single spear of grass nor a hay¬ stack" was left unburned In the area.
At Faulkton, near the northern limits of the burned out area, two granaries holding 40.000 bushels of wheat were destroyed. Near High- more, about 15,000 bushels of grairi stored in two bins went up In smoke.
his signature only on condition that Sforza countersign.
Ratification came four years and three days after Italy signed tha 1943 armistice at Cassabile, Sicily. Earlier this week Italy and th* United States signed an agreement for the withdrawal of American military forces.
I
Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, Sept. 6. (UP) — President Truman was en¬ dangered today when the big open touring car in which he was rid¬ ing skidded off a muddy mountain road and jumped a six-inch retain'
Mr. Truman was making the trip in an open Cadillac brought from Washington by the secret service. He was accompanied by U. S. Ambassador William Douglas
""'S.Wf"   b^ilt   to   guard   vehicles jp^^i ^^   Admiral  William    D.
against  a  1,500-foot  drop  into the' '
valley  below. i Leahy,  presidential  chief of staff.
The car stuck in the mud oni ^he presidential party found the the  opposite  side of  the retaining roads   almost   impassable   and     at
one point the motorcycle escort leading the way was forced to stop at a particularly slippery spot, thus forcing the trailing presidential car to a virtual halt. Car Jumps Wall
When the President's driver at¬ tempted to start again the heavy car skidded and jumped the six- Inch retalhing wall. The President was seen to brace himself as it went .over.
Mr. Truman's week-long visit to Brazil will be climaxed tomorrow when he observes a gala parade marking the Brazilian Independence <lay. Almost immediately after¬ ward he will board the battleship Missouri for the return trip to the United States, which may include stops at San Juan, Puerto Kico and tbe Virgin Islands.
wall and soon was pushed back to the road by Secret Service guards and Brazilian military po¬ lice. The President was unharm¬ ed  and did not leave  the  car.
But there was little ground sep¬ arating the highway from the long drop into the valley, plus a few small rocks and trees along the shoulder. Fright was general among  the   presidential  party.
Mr. Truman passed off the Incii dent with a laugh and there was no  damage  to the  car.
The accident occurred while Mr. Truman was on a sightseeing trip along the muddy roads of Mount Gavea Pequena, overlooking the Brazilian capital, before jpoing to lunch at the mountalntop estate of Ernesto G. Fontes, a leading banker.
Jusf ice Dept. Finds Leak Of War Secrets fo Russia
By DREW PEARSON
(Copyrigh 194r»
Washington.—The inside story on the mysterious New York grand jury which has been quizzing cer¬ tain State, War and "Treasury de¬ partment officials can now be told. The Justice Department is track¬ ing down the leak of war secrets to Russia, including certain blue¬ prints of the famous B-29 bom oers and other important Army planes.
Although 15 officials have be!n quizzed, the guilt has now narrowed down to three men, all minor offi¬ cials formerly in the War and Treasury  departments.
Here is how the Soviet spy ring operated almost in the shadow of the WTiite House. One Treasury official, formerly with the Agri¬ culture Department, had a photo laboratory in SUver Spring, Md., on
the outskirts of Washington.    Hei    Although   the   officials   involved
worked in the Treasury's procure- held minor positions, two of thsim
ment division, which deals with the'handled important aviation secrata
purchase   of   supplies.   Two   War jand one was an expert In puahlnf
Department officials—one a major jB-29 production.
in   the   Air   Corps—who   were   at-|||u,^j^„g h,^^ ^.jg
tached  to the  Treasury  to  advise j    j^ officers,  when  question,^.
on   the   purchase  of  aviation   ma-, ^^^^   privately  that   they  had
ter.el,    are    charged    wih    tik.ng ,^ for gome time that the Rus-
p ans"ut'of'?he Treas^^y and War'«'-« ^'^^ ^-" -»"- ^ '"''"^ «-=»'•• SlXtmLu'^o r frond's lab^ra- \.'^f. ^S. intelligence .•port. tory, where they were photo- i"''.";»'« "^^^ several B-29s w«e graphed finished by the Russians some tims
Given to Soviets *8°-
Then the photographs, according | Rumors hai'e been rampant ta to Justice Department information,(Washington that the New York were turned over to a Soviet agent grand jury was probing certain Iwho carried them to New York and high ex-officials, especially In tba gave them to the head of Russia's |Treatury Department and the Offlce Itop secret police, the NKVD. This of Strategic Services. In fact, suck I took place while the war was iniQuestions as "do you know ex-fise- progress. '       (Continued oa Pas* A-XB>
d