Wilkes-Barre Sunday Independent

              Wyoming Valley This is IT.
SUNDAY INDEPENDENT
The Weafher
Warm and humid. Scattered Showers.
13RD YEAR, NO. Z5 — 48 PAGES
VNITED    PRBSS Wire   News  Serri*^
WILKES-BARRE, PA., SUNDAY, JUNE 26, 1949
PRICE TWELVE CENTS
Freak Storm Hits Valley^ Fails to Break Drought
—Jacob  Broody
Find Anchor from Old River Steamboat
The lai'ge anchor pictured above stream. They were dredging a tun-iand found a haven in the old canal
with the Loree maintenance crew whidh fislied it from the Susque¬ hanna River last week, is believed (o be the sole remaining evidence of steamships which plowed the river before the turn of the cen¬ tury. It was taken from the stream on Thursday at a point opposite Plymouth   Junction,   In   Larksville.
With the anchor above, are, left to right, Frank Mikuschak, and James Umbra, Edwardsville: James Cooper, B46 Washington avenue; ; Krancis Gangloff. Timothy Kelly, Burgess Charles Prohaska, Henry Hank Davis, Charles E. Kelley, all of LarksviUe. Stretching  Cables
Workers were stretching cables across the channel below the Con¬ necting Railroad bridge, commonly known as the Green Bridge, when they    found    the    anchor    in    the
nel which supplies water to the col' lieries and had been pulling the sand to Richards Island.
Oldtimers immediately began re¬ miniscing about steamboats while trying to Identify the source of the anchor. Some claim it came from the old "Pusher", a small stern- wheel craft placed into service by (Captain Joel Walp, Kingston, while others thought it came from the "Susquehanna."
A number of steamboats plied the river in the 1800's, and most of   them   came   to   early   disaster.
outlet aliove Nanticoke. Numerous others were crushed by ice. Popular Excursions
One of the most popular boats was the "Hendrick B. Wright", built in 1874. It was a stern wheel steamer, patterned after Ohio River craft, and carried 400 passen¬ gers. It became popular for moon¬ light excursions between Nanticoke and Wilkes-Barre until crushed by Ice and sunk on Feb. 11, 1881.
Pittston Deluged^ Other Towns Missed; Storm Brings Fires
The Pittslon area was hit hy a cloudburst early yesterday after¬ noon, with two and one-half Inches of rainfall recorded at CAA Com¬ munications Bureau at Avoca Airport between 1:28 and 2:28 p.m.
But yesterday's storm, heavy though it seemed to residents of some sections, did not break the local drought. Some parts of Lu¬ zerne county reported occasional light, drizzling rain during the aft¬ ernoon and night.
Most of the region experienced fierce electrical storms which fol¬ lowed a squall line 400 miles long, i mercury promptly went down 19 moving   from   west   to   east.    The'degrees. Then, the skies cleared and
Will Miners Work Without Contract?
There are hints they wlll. In the soft coal field, with a short work-week, if certain conditions arc met.
John L. Lewis, leader of the United Mine Workers, has indi¬ cated his agreement.
See the story on Page A-14.
storm took an liour to pass and travelled at 12 to 14 miles per hour. Extensive damage from water and lightning was reported in some communities.
Wilkes-Barre fire department re¬ sponded to four or five fires re¬ ported due to the storm, one in a sub-surface vault at S. Main and South streets yesterday afternoon. Some Towns Deluged
The lower part of Luzerne bor-
anchor
to   the The "Pittston" was crushed by ice i hanna",    third    steamer    of    the anb sank  in  1881, while the "Ply-'same name to operate on the river, mouth'  and  "Mayfiower",  built  by While taking on passengers at the
South Wilkes-Barre wharf on July
ough was deluged from the heavy _, , -.UIU-    fa'l   of   rain.   SwoyerviUe   reported
The ge^neral opinion is hat the|^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ water in the eel- belongs   to   the   -Susque- i^^/-state Police at Wyoming said
Wyoming   avenue  was   tilled  with
William Jenkins and his son of the same name, in 1886, lasted only four years.
The "Wilkes-Barre", a side wheeler built by Captain Walp In 188.5,   made   her   last   trip   in   1887
3, 1883, its boilers exploded. The craft was demolished and the entire crew suffered injuries. The wharf, reportedly, was not far from where the anchor was found.
I
BAnLE WIIH DUFF
300 Sewnge Disposal Plants in Pennsylvania
Seeking to Deny Responsibility for Damage to Roads
Serving 2,200,000; More Orders Given To 559 Other Towns
Harrisburg, June 26. (UP)—Near¬ ly 300 sewage treatment works are operating in Pennsj'lvania to serve an estimated population of 2,200,000 people.
Dr. Norris W. 'Vaux. state health secretarj- and chairman of the state .lanitary water board, said today that "during the comparatively brief period since the aiitl-poUution drive got under way, most notable
Harrisburg,   June   25   (UP)—The
nnsylvaniu Motor Truck Associ-
.lon   today   renewed   its   running
hiittle   v.ilh   Gov.   James   H.   Duff
v.'ith a charge that the state high
way   department   is   spending   too progress has been made, and there r.iuch money on maintenance costs, is now definite assurance that the
The   trucking  industry organiza-j Sioa'  will  be  reached." •on issued the statement in answer "C""™""" Sense and Decency" o department reports that It spent >    He added, "It is a matter of com- t.OOO a mile for maintenance of a ""on sense and decency that we pull eder road from Camp Hill to the I ""welves out of the primitive stage rnpikes eastern terminus at Mid-:'"   *''"«   age  of   progre.ss   and   slop ^,pjj : using our streams as open sewers.
The depariment blamed heavy' Th*- state sanitary water board .1. k traffic from the turnpike for has issued 559 orders to miinicipali- ¦ -.e high maintenance cost, citing "e.". industries and in.stitmions re- a S325 a mile upkeep charge for a qmring the abatement of polluton .vcaion of Uie same road not used"' streams or the preparation by  trucks. i
But the truckers, in rebuttal, said the turnpike spends on the average
O K Truman Plan —But Not Now
Washington, June 25. (UP)— President Truman's pleui to help backward areas of the world was greeted by his congressional sup¬ porters today with promiees of action—maybe next session.
They pointed out that Congress is far behind on its legislative schedule now.
Some committee hearings may be held on the proposal, which Mr. Truman advanced late yes¬ terday, asking Congress to appro¬ priate up to J45.000,0<K) ao that this country, acting both inde¬ pendently and in co-operation with such international agencies as the United Nations, could spread technical knowledge in under-developed areas where it is needed and wanted.
water from curb to curb.
Heaviest rainfall was reported in the Pittston area, extending west¬ ward to Wyoming, Trucksville, Shavertown, Dallas and Harvey's Lake.
This was the path of the storm.
Scranton reported precipitation of one and one-half inches at 2:45 o'clock yesterday aftemoon and the fpli ttt Wilke-Barre was believed just slightly iess. Nuimooke anu Shickshinny areas reported a fair amount of rain. People out Nuan¬ gola way aaid they had only enough to settle the dust.
the temperature again started to climb to the SO's. But city folk slept more comfortably last night.
Humidity measured 76 per cent juat before the storm. It measured 100 per cent after the heavy fall of rain. Occasional showers through¬ out the evening made the weather situation good for the first time in weeks.
Woods in the hard coal region were reported hardeat hit by the drought in a report issued by the Department of Forest and Watera early yesterday. Secretary Milo F. Draemel urged motorists, campers, hikers and fishermen to "be doubly careful with fires."
County farm agents reported the situation critical, juat before the storm.
Lack of graaa, so necessary to cows, had forced many farmers to resort to extra rations of hay and silage feeding.
Creeks and wells had dried In some localities. Residents of the Dallaa area reported failing water buiipiit.; liiii'Iitg  the  p:-u'l wjih
Heavy atrawberry crop losses were reported by numeroua regional farmers. *
Several daya of hea'vy rain are Kingston streets were flooded I needed, according to the county during the height of the storm, but} farm agents, to bring the situation no damage waa reported. under control.
The temperature was 95 degrees Fire Under St. Main St. when suddenly the skies darkened j    A    three-hour    flro    in    electric and  came the welcome  rain. The| (Continued on A-10)
Caf cfl eX'CI Who Deserted Babies On Lonely Isle
Hint Slovak Churchmen To Be Jailed
American-Slav Congress Termed a Fifth Column
of only $118 a mile for the up¬ keep of three of its four Iwiea. The truikers used three-lane fig¬ ures because the feeder road is three lanes.
HAWAIIAN DOCK STRIKE NO NEARER SETTLEMENT DESPITE NEW MEETING
Honolulu, June 25 iUP)-Labor of and management made no notable plans for sewage treatment plants, progress talks last night, but they Of that number, all but about 25:"Ki'eed to meet again Monday. of the orders have gone to munici-;Some observers thought the strike palities. Estimates of the cost of might end early next week, the whole project of construction The meoting last night waa the and rehabilitation total $350,000,000.; first since negotiations deadlocked According to the latest figures,iA^'P weeks ago. Management 456 of the 559 points have engaged spokesmen said it had brought no
'engineers   for  the   preparation    of <^nange — the   CIO   longshoremen's
 iplans  and  169 of them  have sub- ""'on still sought a 32-cent-an-hour
See   NperiiU   article   In   Sunday  i mitted  the plans  to the  bureau  of raise,   and   management   was   still Independent     today     on     Truck   engineering for approval. More than refusing to arbitrate. ftHixoge  lo Highways. It will be  ! 150 of the plans have been approved.      Union  spokesmen  said  they  had found on Page A-5. j Xowns Oo-operatlng offered   to   compromise   on   wages
'    , . .    ,.^. ,,, but   that
^—^-^—^——¦^^^^———-    j^ some cases municipalities will
I
representatives    of    the ..,    ., .  .  ^ ^ ...   seven    stevedoring   companies    in-
"Construction specifications were  construct joint sewage .systems with ^.gj^gj   j^^^   refused   to   renew   the similar  for  both  roads,  which  are adjacent  communities- 12-cenl-an-hour raise previously re-
It is e.stimated that an additional i j^i-ted  by labor, five   million   people   will   be  served      ufe in Honolulu has been made when the ordered aewage systems, difticult  but not  desperate by the are completed. i strike,   which   has   paralyzed   the
Philadelphia's    project   now   has waterfront for 67 days, $17,000,000 under contract as a part
the same age." the truck associa¬ tion said. "Truck traffic on the feeder road and the turnpike Is comparable. Why, under such cir¬ cumstances, .should it be nece-ssary for  the  state  to *pend  more  than
mainte^an¦^ TcertaTnly'^'Lnot of ¦the'Yargest of the new systems 3 BANDITS KILL GUARD
be  blamed  on  truck  traffic." Luo*" arf under "co'Lt" cHor?or: AND   WOUND   ANOTHER;
The   truck   a.ssociation   leveled   a j communities of one to 20,000 popu- Moie  personal  volley  at  Duff.  Re-|iation.
ferring to Duff's statement at  thei	
Governor'.s   conferenc   at   Colorado, ^.^^r nVFR
Springs    Colo.,   that   trucks   cause "EDS TAHK 0*l!.K
hea\-y   road   damage,   the   associa-1 SHANGHAI  EDl'CA'HON
tion   said   "the   public   wiU   not   be |    shanghai, China, Sundaj-, June 26.
misled    hy    such    unsubstaniatedi(UP)—The Communist government
charges." |of  Shanghai   today   abolished   Boy
The truck  a.s-sociation also term-IScout organizations, military train¬ ed   Duff's   statement   "railroad   in- ing,   "reactionary"   textbooks, spired." 'the teaching of classical literature.; and  cash they carried.
Congressional Report Traces Organization To Russian Domination
Washington, June 25 (UP)— House spy hunters tonight called the American-Slav Congress a Com¬ munist front seeking to weld 10,- 000,000 Americans into a Fifth Col¬ umn in case of war with Russia.
The charge was carried in a 134- page report issued by the House Un-American Committee. It traced the history of the Congress back to its Inception in 1941. World-Wide Movement
The legislators described the or¬ ganization as the American section of a world-wide "Pan-Slav" move¬ ment inspired by Moscow. They said the "guiding star" of the con¬ gress is a Russian general named Alexander Gundorov.
They also asserted that the So¬ viet and other Iron Curtain coun¬ try embassies here have worked with the organization.   The report
(UP)—An official government com¬ munique from Bucharest announc¬ ed tonight that all Romanian churches except the Roman Catho¬ lic Oiurch had united this week in a pledge of allegiance to the Communist-run People's Demo¬ cratic  regime.
The communique said the reso¬ lution was passed Thursday night at a meeting of representatives of nine churches under the chair¬ manship of Orthodox Patriarch Justinian.
It apparently marked the begin¬ ning of another all-out campaign against the Catholic Church sim¬ ilar to the ones now being carried out in eastern European Soviet satellite  states.
There are approximately 1,000,000 Catholics in Romania, which has a population of 16,000,000.
The resolution aaid the nine churches considered the new setup under the People's Democratic re¬ gime waa the best they ever had. •The People'.s Democratic regime. .. effectively  guarantees   freedom   of
Prague. Czechoslovakia, June 28. (UP)—Communist minister of Jus¬ tice Alexei Cepicka declared today the government already has enough evidence to convict Roman Catho¬ lic bishops and other church offic¬ ials for their "hostile attitude to¬ ward the state.'
Cepicka, son-in-law of Preaident" Klement (Jottwald, also:
1.—^Angrily accused Archbishop Josef Beran of "lying" about gov¬ emment threats to religious free¬ dom and the rights of the church in Czechoslovakia;
2.—Charged th* 'Vatican with preventing an agreement between church and state here and vnth or¬ dering bishops and other digni¬ taries to create "tension" and dia¬ rupt  the tJommunist  i-etffhie,
3.—^Asserted that high Czech Catholic clergymen co-operated with foreign enemies and gave them "confldential internal Inlor¬ mation." Hint of Imprisonment
Cepicka is head of the church section of the Communist Central Action Committee. He wsw the government's spokesman In unsuc¬ cessful negotiations between cburch and state.
Cepicka's  lengthy speech  to of¬ ficials of a district action commit-' tee came close to hinting that the | government may climax its batt> with the church by imprisoning its leaders.
CTzech Catholic churchmen, Ce¬ picka said, must "bear the conse¬ quences" for their recent activities.
"The Ihigh reactionary clergy wiU shortly flnd out that it is not pos¬ sible in this country to press freely priests and laymen into activity of an anti-state nature," he warned.
"It is possible to name a list of deeds convicting bishops and ordi¬ naries for a hostile attitude toward the state," he said. "The publio well knows them and will be in¬ formed about many more."
Cepicka spoke just one week after Archbishop Beran told 'hLs dominantly Catholic country that he soon may be silenced and to be¬ ware any ";confession" attributed to him.
Confidently, Cepicka predicted a church-state    agreement    "in    the (Continued on A-10)
Syracuae, N. Y., June 28 (UP)— Donald Frazier was arrested today in a comfortable house only three miles from a deserted mile-long island covered with brush on which he had left his two smaU children to wander alone in terror iike fairyland's Hansel and Gretel.
Little Peggj-, 5. and Donald, 3, didn't flnd any gingerbread houses to munch on like the fairy tale children, authorities said, but they thought they saw spooks and witches behind every bush Two Frightening Days
Their only refuge during two frightening day.s was a dilapidated shack. Their only food was a snap¬ ping turtle with head and legs chopped off, a raw, beheaded sun- fish and three unskinned boiled potatoes.
Keith Wickes, who with his wife rescued the hungry, exhausted chil¬ dren, said there also was what ap¬ peared to be a wild duck, two or three days old and only partly cooked.
"The smell in the cabin made me stumble back from the door," Wickes said.
He said the children were cov¬ ered with Insect bites and sunburn from their wanderings over the sel¬ dom-visited island in the Seneca ¦River, 16 miles northwest of Syra¬ cuse.
Frazier abandoned ?5e chiiiiten some time Thursday. Deputy Sher¬ iff John Bond said. They were res¬ cued last night by the Wickes, vhr were flshing near the island. The couple saw Peggy and Donald wav¬ ing frantically. Found "With Father
Mrs. Wickes fed the half-starved children and her husband called the sheriff.    A 13-state search for
Frazier was begun immediately, and he flnally was found when hia father, George Frazier. 68, tele¬ phoned the sheriffs office- The younger Frazier, who lives at Port Jervis, N. Y., vras at his father's home, about three miles from where the children were found.
Little Peggy told authorities her father had been working as a truck driver.
District Attomey William H. Bowers said Frazier would be brought to Syracuse for question¬ ing to determine if any formal charges should be made.
Deputy Sheriff Clifford Black said he would charge Frazier with aban. donment despite Mrs. Frazier's de¬ sire not to sign a complaint against her husband.
Black said he would press for "abandonment charges" because of the "terrible hole thoee kids were in."
Sgt. Arthur Willis, who arrested Frazier, said the 30-year-old Na'vy veteran and his wife quarrelled "over money matters" Monday. He said Frazier left their Port Jervis home in a huff and went to Bing¬ hamton, N. Y., where he picked up the children at the home of their maternal grandmother, Mrs. Rita Kenworthy.
Willia said Frazier did not worry ahout the children being alone and ihougni iTey v.ou'id bt oilc oa the island. Frazier returned to the la¬ land one hour after the children were rescued and was "worried some" when he couldn't flnd them, Willis aaid.
Mrs. Frazier was expected in Syracuse later today to take the children home. Willia aaid the Fraz- iera have another son, about three months old.
New Coal Contract Talks Continue Devious Ways
GET LITTLE CASH
Chicago, June 25. (UP)—Three bandits shot and killed an armed guard and critically wounded an¬ other today in a bank holdup that netted them very little cash.
The gunmen killed Bruno Koziol and wounded Joseph Den, both em¬ ployees  of  the Brink  E.xpress  Co., and I in  taking three  packets  of checks
charged that this is a violation of religion   throughout   Romania,"   it the 1933 agreement under which the I said.
United   States   granted   diplomatic |  '
recognition to Russia. Oongress In Hot Retort
The report said the congress Is) Ne^f York, June 25. (UP)—The seeking to place 10,000,000 Ameri-j American-Slav Congress declared cans of Slavic descent behind tonight it does not "give a damn" "Russia's ambitious designs for jwhat the "poison-peddlers" on the world  empire." House   Un-American   affairs   com-
Followed -Moscow l.ead Imittee think of the organization's
The   organization   of   the  Ameri- work
can-Slav Congress in 1941 followed closely the convening of an "All- Slav" Congress in Moscow, the re¬ port continued. It added that the first meeting of the American-Slav Congress w-as held in 1942 with many "prominent" Americana attendance.
The Slav group iasued an angry statement denying congressional charges that it is a Communist- front organization.
"It is an expression of the men¬ tal  disorder  and   general   hysteria iniwhici'.i    have    been    sweeping    the I country and whioh President Tru- So'me"of' these   Americans   have iman rightly condemned a few day.s since repented the "encouragement" ago.   forgetting  to   include   himself they gave  to the organization,  the among those who have contributed
committee said. As a result, it was placed on the Justice Depart¬ ment's subversive list last summer.
Say  All  Churches but CathoUc United
i
20'Minute Flood Claims Almost SO Mexican Lives
Pachuca, Mexico, June 25. (UP)— for   a   distance   of   almost A twenty-minute flash flood follow- from  the  center of the town.
, -lu .If .,i„v,t i«ff T^he heaviest toll in lives was ing a cloudburst last night le" j^^^,, j„ ^^^ ^^^^.^g^ j^^r^ mar- nearly 50 men, w-omen and children j^^t, downtown, where scores sought drowned,   40   injured   and   between shelter from the dow-npour and hail j
200 and  400  missing.                           storm. |
r,     ¦        ^          .              ¦          .1        I    The torrent   battered   down   one.
Raging   torrenu   pouring     dow", ^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^ g,,^,, ^ to
from   nearby   hills   caused     heavy, ^^ ^         ^^ j^^^    All those
property damage in this centuries-,        ' ,        drowned  without
old   silver   mining    town,    tearing'''"   "^ ^                                         '
The guards had just received the packages in the South Chicago Savings Bank and had turned to leave for their armored car when the three men confronted them.
The bandits escaped in an auto¬ mobile bearing Indiana license plates and headed south toward mile Indiana. Indiana police were im¬ mediately asked to look for them.
SENATORS WOULD BRAKE ATOMIC SPENDING
Washington, June 25. (UP)—A Senate appropriations subcommit¬ tee today proposed a brake on free-spending for atomic energy projects.
The group approved an amend¬ ment to keep the Atomic Energy Commission from spending beyond its budget for construction pro¬ jects unless the hudget director ap¬ proves and gives Congress a de¬ tailed explanation.
The limitation would apply only to building projects of more than $500,000.
Chairman Joseph C. O'Mahoney (D., Wyo.), of the subcommittee which handles 1949-80 funds for the atomic commission and other in¬ dependent govemment offlces, said the restrictions was aimed at keep¬ ing down "overruns" on projects which   mushroom   in   cost   beyond
White Sulphur Spring, June 25 (UP)—John L. Lewis today launch¬ ed an all-out attack against the Southern 0)al Producera Associa¬ tion.
In an effort to kill the associa¬ tion and to thwart its drive for a separate contract vrith the Unied Mine Workers, Lewis is trying to convince individual southern oper¬ ators they should desert the associ¬ ation  and join the parleys here.
In his fight, he has the aid of the northern and western coal pro¬ ducers, some southern operator." and the 10 steel companies which operate the captive mines. Against Special Beneflta
Spokesmen for these operators -said they will never permit Lewis to grant the southern association special benefita in a separate con¬ tract.
Lewis is negotiating with these operators here in an effort to ob¬ tain a contract to replace the one expiring next Thursday. He told them yesterday the new agreement must contain improvements In wages, hours, working conditions and employers' contributions to the welfare fund.
Coal mines in 26 states lay idle, meanwhile, as miners began their annual 10-day vacation. They are scheduled to retum to work July 5, but the chances are they won't, unless   the   producers   reach   some
sort of an agreement with  Lewis. Trying to BreaJc Association
Lewis long since declared war on the southern association. He has charged that It is nothing more than a "holding company" tiiat standa between his union and the operating  coal  companies.
The association and the United Mine Workers have been trying to negotiate a separate agreement at Bluefield, W. Va., since early this month. But so far little, if any, progress has been made.
It was reported tbat several dis¬ trict association Intend to decide this week-end whether or not they should desert the association and participate in the parleys here.
Sue Coal Company
Pittsburgh, June 25 (UP) -. Trustees of the United Mine Work¬ ers welfare and retirement fund today sued in federal court to obtain $19,107 from the Fort Mason Coa! Mining Co., Maaontowrn, Fay>- ette county.
The company, willi William A. Barnes, James F. Moore and M. B. Moore, was accused as delinquent on royalties from coal mined since May 29, 1946.
In a similar action, the trustaes of the fund asked $8,373 in alleged overdue royalties from the Guse- man Brothers Coal O)., Uniontown, due-between July 1, 1947 and June 30, 1948.
Solomon a Piker
most for this unhealthy state of, original estimates- mind," it said. I Tlie statement, signed by George Pirinsky, executive secretary, said the House report was a "stupid rehaiii of attacks".on the organiza.
Prague, Czechoslovakia, June 25. tion   by  these  "poiaon   peddlers."
away steel doors from buildings and i^:Jh"nc^t°.^7^P^i„g  ^   pail  of! pu.shing   in   thick   brick   walls. i„,„,„, .„,„ „ ^^^j, " a volunteer res-
' water into a dish, 1 he flood waters spread out over ^.^p worker  said.
Local   authorities
business and    residential    districts
in  Tod an's Issue
ii^sllled   C—8
ovies     C—5
O'litiiiiry   A—17
Radio   C—5
Sorial  _  »'—1
Sports   . .... .-..«.. B—1
listed 19 W0-] men, 15 men and eight children as known dead. They believed the death toll would grow but thought that   most   of  those  missing  were
: alive  and  safe, .
1 Police Chief Raul Godinez said he  believed   "dozens  more    bodies
IwiU  be   found  by searchers  under^
lthe debris.
Fewer Marriages —Men Are Scarce
New York, June 25. (UP) — Fewer marriages are being per¬ tormed this j'ear than last, but it's not the women's fault, the Metropolitan Life Insurance Com¬ pany said todaj'.
There simply aren't enough men to fulfill the marital am¬ bitions of the girls who didn't hook a fellow during thc war¬ time peak, the company  said.
It is estimated that marriages have dropped 12 per ^ent this year and predicted that 1,600,000 couples w-ill walk down the aisle before 19.'i0 rolls around. Thla is about 215,000 fewer than last year.
Berlin Strike Leaders Ready to Resume Work
Berlin,   June   25   (UP)—Leaders to p^y 60 per cent of the salaries of  16,00() striking  rail  workers  in- in  West marks.
dicated tonight lhey would call off The commanders' appeal to the their 36-day-old strike after Ber-;workers to get the trains rolling lin's three western commanders was in marked contrast to their "bleeding the
told thehi they- were city  to death."
In an effort lo end the rail block¬ ade, the Anierican, British and French cormnandanU made an of¬ fer under which the Germans would be paid entirely in western marks.
open sympathy for the workers in the early, violent days oi the strike. The.v said the need to stock¬ pile coal for tbe winter had changed their minds.
The Western Allies began to lose
patience   with   the   strikers   about
two weeks ago, when the men fail-
. ed to show an interest in returning
The  union  chiefs said  they  ap-i^^^ ^,^^y^ without iron-clad guaran-
parently had no choice but lo ac- ^^^^^ against the poasibility of Rus-
•^^Pt. I sian   reprisals.   "They   live   in   tho
West to Provide Money i western sector but would  have to
to   provide work in the Soviet sector.
The   West's   plan   is
enough West marks to pay 40 per
cent   of   the   workers'   wages.   The
I Soviet-controlled   German   Railway
Administration already has offered
This feeling vras heightened by growing concern for We.st Berlin's 2,500,000 population on whom hard¬ ships of the strike felL
Valley Scene
Pair of city brothers with newly-purchased car, ramming another auto and then a truck on way home — after which, deciding to practice in a field —one uf them drove it into a house. (Damage: $H00 in first hour of ownership.)
Young man teaching girl to dnve having to get out and push to start motor, with girl behind the wheel, the result finding her driving three times around the block hefore he could shout inatintctions on how to stop.
Citll policeman, trying to keep stray mongrel away from dog on leash with little girl, pointing away saying "You. go that ivay"—and having the mongrel come instead right to him  to try to lick his hand.
Slightly inebriated gentle¬ man, angered when refused a. drink in Kingston, going to tavern next door antl bring¬ ing back seven beers on a tray for free distributioyi to cus¬ tomers at place whieh refused him.
Think Aged Lothario Swindled Women He Loved' of Millions
Chicago, June 25 'UP)-Sigmund Engel, aged master swindler, boast¬ ed today that he bilked scores of women of millions of dollars dur¬ ing the last 50 j-ears and could "make King Solomon with all his wives look like a piker."
The dapper, balding confidence man, captured here yesterday in a trap set by a suspicious widow, is a prized prisoner of Chicago po¬ lice, who said they would prosecute him rather than turn him over to anj- of a multitude of cities w-here he is w-anted.
An increasing number of reporls poured into the Chicago police headquarters on Engel's activities in winning women's hearts with promises of riches and then dis¬ appearing with their savings. Offi¬ cers w-ere having trouble booking him, because he "talks and talks and smiles and smiles, but doesn't tell you anj-thing." Known Over the World
Engel. intemationallj- know-n as a confidence man, is listed on police records as 73 j'ears old, but says he is 80 "and good for 20 more years."
"Eighty isn't too old to charm women," Engel said. "Look at King Solomon and his 1,000 wives. I could make it 1,001, if they let me out   of  here."
Police estimated that !j\- married 49 of his victims.   He denied that
and said he couldn't remember how many women he had swindled.
"I got, maybe, five or six million dollars through the years," he said. Chicago police gave a more modest estimate  of one to  two million. StlU At It
Captain Timothy Lyne, In whoA station Engel spent the night on a hard board bed, complained that be was "trying to pull his con game in our station." Lyne said he talk¬ ed and smiled to everyone in order to win friends for hia case.
Engel's amooth "line," drawn ifrom his experience in vaudeville years ago, interfered with the rou- [tine process of booking him on 'charges of operating a confldence jgame. Lyne flnally set a definite time, nearly 24 hours after he wat apprehended.
Engel will be arraigned Monday. The hearing w-ill be on a warrani signed by Mrs. Reseda Corrigan, 39-year-old red-headed Chicage widow, who charges him with tak¬ ing $8,700.
Chicago police aaid Mrs. Corrl. gan's case put the city flrst i* line among those wanting to pros¬ ecute him. His trail of love an< loot extends through Europe ant South Amerira and across th< jUnited States.
New York wanted him in behat I (Continued on A-10>