Wilkes-Barre Sunday Independent

              A Paper For The Home
SUNDAY INDEPENDENT
The Weather
Sunny and
Sunday and Monday.
43RD YEAR, NO. il~44 PAGES
DNITED    PRESS
Win  Nmn iwilin
WILKES-BARRE, PA., SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 1949
PRICE TWELVE CENTS
Says Reds in State Dept. CaveChina to Communists
—Ac« Hofrma.a
Strip Mining Approaches Highways
StrippiriK op«ratlont in Larksville borough last week moved closer to Snyder'a Comer* In that community. The atrip mining pictured here ii now in operation approximately 600 yards from the Intersection of Btata and Nesbitt atreets. It will eventually reach the right of way of the road and when operatons have ended the stripping flr m will refill the region from which the coal is obtained in accordance with the state law governing strip mining.  S .	
Ki
Charge by Hurley; Vandenberg Opposes Truman Appointment
WASHINGTON.—Maj. Gen. Patrick J. Hurley, former ambassador to China, charged tonight that "pro-Communists in the State De¬ partment" engineered the overthrow of the Oiinese Nationalist govern- ' ment and aided the Communist conquest of China.
His charge was contained in a statement blasting the department's "white paper" on China as a "smooth alibi" and saying It fails "tA rsally tell what happened In China."
Hurley, who was Prasident Roosevelt's personal rcprcssntaUvs ta China in 1944 and later became long-time Far Eastern diplomat, ambassador, further charged that:
"Nearly all the offlcils relieved by me in China because they were pro- Communist arc now in the State Department — piesumably writing alibi white papers."
He said that the white paper published yesterday "is a smooth alibi for the pro-Communists in the State Department who have en¬ gineered the overthrow of our ally, the National government of the re¬ public of China, and aided In the Communist conquests of China."
Ao.   Roffraan
tale highway department ofBcials granted permission to a strip mining ttrm to cut the air hole pictured here into a rock cut .111 thi- East End Boulevard. The duct has been opened to permit proper ventilation for mechanical mining operations east of the main higimay leading to Bear Creek. The highway can be seen in the lower foreground.
Owners of Toll Bridges Reduce Price to State
Cost Now Within $10 Million Grant Made by Legislature
First Phase Of $80 Million Program Has Been Completed
HARRISBURG. — The property and supplies department today re^ ported that overcrowding of Penn¬ sylvania's mental institutions has been reduced by completion of the first part of an $80,000,000 con¬ struction program.
C. W. Woolworth, property and supplies secretary, reported that more than $7,500,000 in projects have  already been completed.
Tlie program, launched two years aero as a major part of Gov. James H. Duff's administration. Is de- .signed to boost the capacity of the institutions to 56,950 beds—nearly double the present capacity, in 10 years. State Had Bad Name
Pennsylvania was cited two years ago in national magasines and newspapers for one of the worst mental health systems in the coun try because of overcrowding at the institutions.
Apipropriations already made are designed to boost the capacity by 5,600 beds during the Duff admin¬ istration,  ending  in  January,  1951, and  by 11,900 beds  when  the pro¬ jects are completed.    The existing capacity of the Institutions Is lesa than  35,000 patients. The population of the Institution the is at present 43,606 patients, two toll spans apparently prompt-'    The building program placed top ed   the   Harriaburp   Bridge   Co.   to priority  on   sewage   disposal,   eloc- discontinue   its   previou.s   fight     toitricity,   heat,   water,   laundry    and
food facilities before housing. But the new buildings will be of the latest types and contain the most
Wante U. S. to Show it Won't Abandon China
WASHINGTON.—Sen. Arthur H. Vandenberg, R., Mich., last night challenged the Truman administra¬ tion to make it "relentlessly clear" that China will not be abandoned to the Communisla.
"His GOP foreign policy leader at¬ tributed failure In ths Far IDast to "tragic mistakes" on the part of both the United Sattes and China's Nationalist government.
At the same time Republican sources said Vandenberg may move this week to kill President Tru¬ man's nomination of a new Secre¬ tary of State for Far Eastern and China affairs. Mr. Truman last May named W. Walton Butterworth to the post But Vandenberg and other GOP   leaders   contend   that   as   a
Butterworth    is    "inevitably    con¬ nected"   «Nith   policy   failures   in China. Wants Fresh ApproAdi
Vandenberg called for a frssh approach to the hot issue of Amsri- can policy in Jie Far Bast In a Statement commenting on the Stats Department's bulky whit< paper explaining the loss of China to ths Communists.
He said ths White paper is useful chiefly as a "post-mortem" on past mistakes and a warning tor ths future.
'"We need a fresh look, unhamp¬ ered by put prejudices or amo¬ tions, Vandenberg said. "The Im portant thing is to find ths facts, whether we like them or not, and deal with the realities; and to make It relentlessly clear that ws have not abandoned either the people of China or freedom in the Far East." Basis of Opposition
It Is on his feeling that a "fresh look' is needed that Vandenberg bases his opposition to Butterworth.
Vandenberg abstained from vot¬ ing when ths commutes recom¬ mended approval of Butterworth. He called the appointment "a very great mistake in public policy" but praised Butterworth as a "most distinguished" and able career dip¬ lomat
(Continued on Pa«a A-e)
Hoover Refused U. S. Senate
E
.Harrisljurg   to   compete   with
modem  equipment for  such  treat-
^«
block state acquisition of its Mar¬ ket  street  span. HARRISBURG.— A  selling  offer     in 1942, the commonwealth offer- by  tlir  wealthiest of  the  10  intra- pj $2,750,000 for the Market Street
state   toll   bridges   awaiUng     state Bridge,   biggest   money   raalter   ofments    as    hydrotherapy,    electric purchase on Saturday ri»dui:ed  thejthe  10  Intrastate   toll   spans.    The shock  and  In.sulin. prospective   outlay  for  freeing  the company    spent    roughly    $500,000'    Three hospitals—at   Embreeville, <pans  well  within   the    $10,000,000.flghtmg condemnation  proceedings, jHollidaysburg   and   Somerset — re- leRislative  grant laccording to George W. Reily m,Iquire   almost   complete   rebuilding.
The Harrisburg Bridge Co. quot-ia director, and obtained a court ed a figure $2,390,371 below its cur-!apipraisal of $3,750,000 for the prop- rent  valuation  in  an  offer to  the erty,
The new offer to sell for $100,000 (Continued on Page A-6^
r
I
I
it
t
I
'Valley Scene
Harvey't Lake vacatiouistg ribbing Irish hotel proprietor by paying for their drinks with pennies.
Young Plymouth bicyelit-t stopping for red light then crashing through opposing traffic, mounting curb and continuing  on  sulewalk.
Smith Willces-Barre mer¬ chant calling customer at S:i5 Wednesday afternoon to re¬ mind her that his establish¬ ment closes at noon on \Ved- neaday.
Luzerne wife marching hus¬ band to Court House to with¬ draw his candidacu for council —after catching him stealing $5 from her tarings to treat the  voters.
IT
State Highways Department t«^-¦ell
its Market Street Bridge over the
Susquehanna  River   for  $3,850,000. Prior to this "break" In common
wealth negotiations for purchase o
the bridges. It was feared In some
quarters    that    the    span    owners
would   "hold   out"   for   their    1948
valuations.    These totalled $10,65f-
fl.33,  more than a half million dol¬ lars in excess of the allowance set
by the 3949 Legislature. During the last previous attempt
to  acquire the  bridges,  under  1945
legislation,  one of the legal  points
thai    blocked    the    commonwealth
was  lack  of  assurance  that  all  10
spans  could  be  purchased  for  $7,-
000,000 of rnotor funds.    That yeai*
the total valuations were $8,500,000.
$10,000,000 Bond  Issue
lliis time, the highways depart¬ ment is moving to buy the spans from   a  $10,000,000  bond   issue  au-
.Uiorir.cd   by  the  voters  In  Novem-
JA. I9,'!3. in the form of a consti-
iP<*inal  amendment.
Tolls would be continued until the purchase price is recovered unless a pending constitutional amendment to pay off the bonds With motor funds is approved by tlip voters In November, 1951. This amendment, which would nullify in part the one adopted in 194,'5, was approved by the 1949 Legisla¬ ture.    The next hurdle is the 1951
legislature.    The final hurdle is a|    OKLAHOMA   CITY.-Mrs.   Julie Strnad's    inability    to    become    a statewide  referendum. jStrnad   yesterday   had   a   divorce father and also on Strnad's action
If the amendment succeeds, tolls from  her New  York  husband  and after Antoinette's birth would   be   continued   by   the   state la   court   order   to   keep   him   from Became  Jealous  of Donor only  about  two years.    If it  falls, j visiting   her   or    her    six-year-old 1    Mrs.   Strnad   said   her   husband
The need for new buildings was most urgent at Philadelphia and Norristown hospitals.
Institutions for mental defectives and epileptics, at Laureiton. Penn- hurst, Polk and Seltnsgrove, re¬ quire less construction than tilt mental hospitals.
The department gave this prog¬ ress report on ths construction: j Embreeville, $467,037 completed of $8,050,448 imder contract Sew¬ age disposal and filtration plants nearly   completed.
!    Philadelphia, $4,556,596 completed iof $17,054,744 under contract   Two jnew   buildings,   sewage   plant    re-1 modeling   refectory,    reconditioned cottages nearly completed or com-i pleted. !
Norristown, $1,793,240 finished of, $12,305,689 under contract Two new buildings, boiler plant, remod-j cling three patients buildings either completed or nearly finished. Woodville, $768,924 finished of $5,526,031   under   contract
Warren, $12,015 finished ot $3,- 643,237  under contract.
HolUday-iburg, $239,464 completed of  $3,116,165  under  contract
Projects are under way in other Institutions except the Western Psychiatric Institute at Pittsburgh.
'Test Tube' Baby Ends Marriage; Husband Enjoined From Visiting
Charges Distortion In 5 Per Cent Stories; Says Business Ruined
WASHINOTON.—JamsB V. Hunt said yesterday he will flls a libel suit for dmages against the New York Herald-Trlbuns, whose storiet dubbing him a "five per center" kicked off a Senate investigation of an alleged "influence racket" here.
Hunt, a former army ofllcer, charged from a hospital bed that "Irresponsible half-truths" pub¬ lished by the newspaper "have gone a long way toward ruining my busi¬ ness."
Hearings Open '...omorrmr
Public hearings of the "Ave per centers" Investigation will open Monday. Closed-door hearings have been under way for some time. Chairman CTyde R. Hoey (R, N. C), of ths Senate investigation com¬ mittee said several contractors have been questioned about their connection with White House mys¬ tery man John Maragon. Hunt and Maragon have referred to Maj. (Sen. Harry H. Vauhan, mil¬ itary aide to the President, as a close  friend.
Hunt is recovering from an oper¬ ation for a blood clot in a leg. His attorney, Roger Q, White, said Hunt would remain In the hospi¬ tal most of next week.
The Herald Tribune printed a story June 21 about Hunt's bus¬ iness of procuring government con¬ tracts for clients for a fee. The newspaper disclosed Hunt's nego¬ tiations with Paul Grindle, a Fram- ingham. Mass., business man who hired the former lieutenant colonel to seek a contract. The story re¬ sulted  in  a  Senate  Investigation.
¦UTiite said he did not know how large the libel suit would be, nor where it will be filed. Paper Says Nothing ; (In New York, the Herald Trib- I une withheld comment for the time ; being.)
\    Hunt said the newspaper ran its
story   of   his   activities   "without
(Continued on Page A-6)
Tl
FIGHT cum OF
Powerful Opposition Wants 50% SLASH OF Huge Spending Plan
WASHIIIfraTON.—A(toiinl«tration foreign policy chiefs ia Gongrsas declared war toda^ on powerful forces bent on cutting proposed American arms-aid spending.
President Truman Is asking $1,4.')0,000,000 to stiffen the defenses iof Atlantic Pact nations and five I other non-Communist nations In the next 12 months.
(^lairman Tom Connally, D.JTsx., of the Seate foreign relations eom- mittea, and Rsp. John Kss, D., W. Va., his opposite number in tfas House, announced thsy would go down ths line for ths full ainount. Ptywsrfnl Opposition
They facsd genuinely powerful opposition from RsipuMican forsign policy spokesmen, and some top Democrat* as well, who are talk¬ ing in terms of a BO per e«nt cnt in 'Mr.  Truman's  program.
"If the prog'ram Is worth doing at all It's worth doing well," Con¬ nally said. 'Tm for ths full amount."
Kee said he was hopeful of pre¬ venting any cut. He said the ad¬ ministration already has yielded enough in meeting objections of the program's  critics.
But from CJOP foreign policy leaders such as Sens. Arthur H. Vandenberg, Mich., John Foster Dulles, N. T., and Rep. John M. Vorya, O., eame rumblings of op¬ position. Cancel "Blank Check"
They were well satisfied with some administration compromises submitted Congress yesterday. The new version of the military aid bill cancelled President Truman's orig-" Inal request for "blank check" au¬ thority to send arms to "any" na¬ tion with virtually no curbs on the amount or  kind of equipment.
But the compromiss version stood
pat on spending. It asked $1,4(X),-
000,000  for  the pact  partners  and
Greece.   Turkey,   Iran,   Korea   and
(Continued on Page A-6)
660 Killed by Ecuador Quake; Towns Levelled
QUITO.  Ecuador.—A rich farm-1 bodies wers buried as fast as pos¬ ing and industrial area in central | sibie In huge trenches. Others wm« EScuador  is  digging out  from  Its I cremated, ruins   after  a   devastating   sarth-JAII Bandings Affected
HERBERT HOOVES
NEW YORIC—The sun shone brightly Into ths autumn of Herbert Hoover's life today.
As tlhs world pre(pared to cele¬ brate his T5th birthday anniversary next   Wednesday,   it   was   learned
quake that left an estimated 660 dead, more than 5,000 injured and 30.000 homeless in  its wake.
One of the worst to hit Ecuador In  many years, the quake struck Friday. Towns Destroyed
Ambato, a flourishing city of nearly 30,000, was virtually razed. The dead there were reported as 560, with 4,000 Injured. At least four smaller towns also were al¬ most wiped out, while 15 other communities suffered severe dam¬ age. Altogether, an additional 100 dead and 1.000 injured wers re¬ ported outside of Ambato.
A local radio station estimated that the death roll may reach 2,000 and said the stricken area was now menaced by floods of the River Ambato, damned by landslides.
New quakes were felt today as far south as Riobamba. At 9:32 yesterday morning its inhabitants rushed from cheir homes in a panic when the earth shook.
Ambato, garden spot of Ecuador, Is 8,382 feet above sea level. In an Andean valley, surrounded by large fruit and vegetable orchards. It also was fast becoming one of the country's chief industrial centers. Farm Towns Hit
Disaster struck also in the heart
that Mr. Hoover, the only living! of » densely populated farming ex-prastident of the United States,;"**- Ths towns of Bancs, Guano, recently had besn offered but **<>$**«"<'?«",'*? ^""^'^'*'*'"'^ turned down the honor of serving
as    New    York    state's     Interim s«nator.
Whsn Robert F. Wagner, D., N. Y., resigned from ths Senate be¬ cause of Illness. <3<jiv. Thomas E. Dewey offered the seat to Mr. Hoover, who maintains a residence in New York aty's Waldorf Tow¬ ers. Although he has long be¬ lieved that the Constitution should be amended to provide all former Presidents with a Senate seat, Mr. Hoover  refused Dewey's otttr.
The appointment tendered by Deiwey was good only until a sps- cial elsetlon to be held In New York neart November. Mr. Hoover indicated to friends he might have taken the job if it had been for a longer teim. John Foster Dudes was named to fill the Senate va¬ cancy.
Neither  Dulles  nor Dewey  w«s| available  for comment. |
That the senate seat was offered! to Mr. Hoover is a measure of the I man, orphaned son of a village | blacksmith who rose to become one! of the world's best known citizens. Will Speak Wednesday
Next    Wednesday,    Mr.    Hoover, will return  to the campus  of his| (Continued on Page A-6)
hard as Ambato.
Everywhere roads were clogged with fleeing human colimins. "They moved without kno^vlng where they wers going. Many fell by the road¬ side exhausted.
Plazas and parks were jammed.
Because of the fear of epidemics.
In Ambato 30 per cent of all public and privats buildings were estimated to have been completely destroyed; 60 per cent were made unusable and the remainder were cracked but still inhabitable.
Five Ambato textile mills wers destroyed. Damages wers esti¬ mated at $2,000,000.
The Quito-Guayaquil Railway, chief communication artery in the country, was severed at many places. Luis Cordovei, president ot the line, said there were 27 land¬ slides in a stretch of 10 miles south of Ambato. It would take at least two weeks to clear them \xp, he estimated.
Scores of automobiles and trucks parked along the curtos, especially in ths downtown section of Ambato were crushed by the falling build¬ ings.
Special    Clva    Guard    platoons kept looters from the ruins, with orders to shoot on sight Operations by I^antem
Ambato was without electricity, and all rescue work, including emergency surgical operations, was carried out by lantern light
New York-born President Oalo Plaza assumed personal command of relief operations. He set his headquarters In an army tent In the main Ambato plaza, with a staff of 200 doctors and scores of nurses and aides.
Plaza ordered the entire pro¬ duction of his modern farms and dairies rushed to Ambato. Then hs went on the air and urged every farmer to do the same.
He also asked every able bodied person to donate blood to ths local blood bank.
(Continued on Page A-8>
Balfimore Orders Cops to Make More Bookie, Numbers Arrests
BAI.,T[!>IOE — Baltimore police oflloers have orders to get toagh with the booklea and iinnilteTS-wrlteTB and maka mors arrests.
Police Commissioner Beverly Oiler's call for an all-out offen¬ sive on gambling directed nniformed polioennen to assame the responsibility for bookmaklng and nnmbers violations In their Jurisdictions.
Ober said too few arrssts were being mads by policemen oit beats. He said ths whole Job should not be left to Gapt. Alex¬ ander Emerson and his vice squad.
Meanwhile the city's police magistrates met behind closed doors with the grand Jury and reportedly conferred on the handling of lottery and gambling cases in the magistrate courts.
The conferees It was said, examined the matter of police court dismlsssJ of gambling cases wherein police had to go over the heads of magistrates to the grand Jnry in order to get con¬ victions. There was "a large number" of dismissals In this cate¬ gory, it was reported.
^1 K» ^ j4mi>j]{iH,^i|n,u»y)igqpypj|j,^iiiHj iimiistwT-'"*'^" •'•"•"'"•'^i  i^tiy-ry-i-'-f^jK-i—--IB
4'   M
retirement of the acquisition bonds''"test tube" Would  require  many years  of toll'.    District
daughter. Antoinette Judge    Clarence    Mills
arranged for her to become preg¬ nant by artificial Insemination, but
collection.
La.st   year   tolls   collected   at   the degree    and    perpetually    enjoined; known   donor   immediately   after- 10 spang totalled $1,451,682. Againsf < Antoine Strnad. a New York chauf-
granted Mrs. Strnad a final divorce became  wildly  jealous  of  the   un-
11 Die in Forest fire RagingThrough Montana
It Was Just 7 Years Ago Today Marines Stormed into Guadalcanal
this,   owners   listed   operating   ex- j feur, from visiting  her or Antoin Penses  of   $969,438.    The   new   tolHette.
•"•irtKe  acquisition   law  allows   the     Mills   ruled   that   Strnad,  whom •tate   to   pay   maintenance    costs I;om  the  motor  fund. Threatened  New  Bridge Authorization from the 1949 Leg-
lllati
ure   to   build
""OSS   the   Susquehanna   River   af
Mrs. Strnad said was incapable of becoming   a   father,   was   not   An¬ toinette's  father  and   had  none  of a father's rights of visitation, free    bridge i Conflicting  Verdicts
ward
Mrs. Strnad separated from her husband in 1945. He later "kid¬ napped" the child and took her to Prague, Czechoslovakia. Mrs. Strnad followed him to Europe and regained the child.
The case gained international I fame when  it was brought  up in
'\Today's Usue
^asMfied "«vies
'^hi'uary '	
B—10
0—5 A—10
. C-l B—1
Earlier, a New York court gave | several New York courts. Mrs. Strnad custody of the child; Mrs. Strnad came to Midwest but maintained that Strnad was City near here in June, 1948, at the legal father despite the fact which time she said she feared that Antoinette was conceived by Strnad would harm her and the artificial  insemination. child.
Mr.s. Strnad claimed •iruelty " in She .said Strnad had once threat- asking for the divoror. Hor nttor- ened tha} if he could get Antoinette ney, George Miskovsl:y, said the alone, the mother would never see charge    was    based    in    part    on .'her again.
HELENA, Mont, — Eleven fire¬ fighters—four of them amokejump- ers—were dead today—five others were injured and eight were miss¬ ing in Montana's worst forest fire in years.
The blaze raged out of control in tlie gates of the mountains wil¬ derness area north of here late tonight, with more than 600 tired but doggedly fighting men battling to conquer the flames.
A Helena doctor was rushed Into the 3,000-acre forest fire by heli¬ copter to administer emergency treatment to five figbtfighters who were injured in the raging inferno.
Boats were carrying men and equipment down the Missouri River
I
into the isolated wilderness area, one of the most rugged in the country. Flights of airplanes made hourly landings at Helena bearing fresh firefighters from Idaho, Wyoming and Montana points.
Meanwhile, the U. S. Forest Ser¬ vice reported at least 21 new forest fires in the Region One territory of western Montana and northern Idaho.  .
A brief 30-minute shower swept across Uie fire area, but reports were vague as to its effect on the fast  spreading fire.
Another 2,000-acre timber blaze was temporarily checked In the I nearby Bull Run area near York, I Mont  ._
Seven years ago today, at i.Qh I a.m.. United States Marines stormed ashore at Guadalcanal In the first {American offensive action of World I War n, and Wyoming Valley was well represented.
After months of defeats and re¬ treats for the Allies, the Sunday Independent—in which the news broke — cau'ried a headline m its largest type which screamed: "AMERICANS  ATTACK."
When the Higgins landing boata, bearing young and untried Marines, hit Lunga beach, the members it the First Marine Division .-aced In¬ land to take positions directly op¬ posite ths Japanese airport. This airfield was later to bec<»ne known
to every American as Henderson line fighting than any other combat Field, named In honor of Marinejforce in Atnerlcan history. "Thuf, Maj. Liofton R. Henderson, air hero,j fought against wsU-squipped troopa,' of the Midway battle. Maj. Joe Fossj who wers almost always suparlor was the hero flier there. Jn number.
At Guadalcanal the Marine Corps j Malaria was as deadly as tis Jap* was laden with the heaviest re- Complete exhaustion dogged their sponsibility evei entrusted to an days and nights. The heat of tbs American fighting force. Its job tropics, the strangeness of ttM was to stop the Japs' sure and re- jungle, the mud. and the incessant lentless advance towards New rain were all hard^lps to ba SB- Zealand     and     Australia.     B^eniy dured.
seizure of these countries would The struggle lasted six month* have paved a broad highway for an!Its battles gave fame, and Im- eventual assault on the United 1 mortality in Marine Corps history, States. ito    strange    names    like   Tsnani,
The Marines' job was to takejLunga, Matanikan, liu and Bloody Guadalcanal and hold it. Ridge. And it preserved the MaxtBS
To do this they saw longer tront|HymD's claim,  "Tlrat to flcM . • • V