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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 24, 1953)
. 24c >r 33 c )r 25« >r 25c )r 47c .31c is 29c . 47c . 24c . 19c i 1 i ns 25 c I ns 39 c ns 25 c . 39c | —■■■> ET A i ( N & 26 — ij Cipculated Daily To 90 Per Cent Of Local Residents Number 165: Volume 53 Battalion PUB1 ASHED DAILY IN THE INTEREST OF A GREATER A&M COLLEGE COLLEGE STATION (Ajfgieland), Texas, THURSDAY, DI'VEMBER 24, 1953 Published By A&M Students For 75 Years Price Five Cents TOP OFFICIALS STUDY RUSSIAN ATOMIC REPLY WASHINGTON—CP)—The United States probably will send Russia a new note soon welcoming its avowed agreement to atomic talks and suggesting ways to get them started. Top officials, who are still going over Moscow’s Monday message with a magnifying glass, have yet to decide precise ly how this country should proceed. Some authorities believe an exchange through normal diplomatic channels will he un dertaken. However, such planning is going forward in the State Department and Atomic Energy Commission AEC on the as- * Fsumption that secret talks among the world atomic powers will open up under the sponsorship of ihe United Nations Disarmament Com mission in late January — about a month away. A preliminary exchange of views< which could be carried on by am bassadors, or perhaps by Secretary of State Dulles and Foreign Min ister Molotov at the projected Ber lin conference, might serve to clear the air of misunderstandings if any exist, officials said. The Russian note conditionally agreeing to talks said President Eisenhower’s proposal for an in ternational atomic energy pool for peaceful purposes needed clarifi cation—apparently on the point of what the President would do about weapons control. Dulles Hopeful Dulles said yesterday the world might see a “recession of the hor ror of atomic warfare” in 1954 as a result of America’s initiative in reviving atomic talks and Russian agreement to participate. Authorities said two m a j o r moves must now be worked out in detail: 1. The international atomic agen cy which Eisenhower proposed in a U.N. speech Dec. 8 must be blueprinted so that the United States will be able to spell out precisely what kind of operation it would like to see, with what kind of management, and with what safeguards against use for war of any atomic materials contributed for peaceful uses. Answer Expected 2. An answer must be worked out to what appears to be a modi fied Soviet Proposal which prob ably represents the Kremlin’s “new approach” to the problem of atomic control. Moscow’s note served notice that the Soviet gov ernment would propose in any talks held that all participating nations pledge themselves not to use atomic weapons. United Nations experts said this was a change from Russia’s earlier insistence on barring the manufac ture or possession of atomic weap ons as a first step in international control of atomic energy. This country has isisted that a rigid inspection system be set up first. On the face of it, American ac ceptance of a pledge not to use atomic weapons seems at this stage to be virtually unthinkable. U.S. military planning now regards at omic weapons as being coventional —that is, like gun-powder weap- ons - The Soviets are fully aware Koiean Vets Hurried of this ; They appeai . t0 have hit Home for Christmas upon a new device which they hope SAN FRANCISCO—— Mili- will give them a propaganda weap- tary spokesmen said today every on against the United States, effort is being made to speed re turning Korean combat veterans home for the holidays and that those men who aren’t likely to make it for Christmas knew it be fore leaving the Far East. Ex-Ambassador Charg es White For Cuban Plan NEW YORK—UP)—Former As sistant Secretary of State Spruille Braden says the late Harry Dexter White once drew up a fiscal re form plan for Cuba containing proposals that “even the wildest- eyed New Dealer wouldn’t try.” He says the plan would have bankrupted the Cuban government and only llth-hour intervention by him kept Cuba from passing- legislation to implement it. The onetime ambassador to Cl- ba and Argentina testified yes terday before the U.S. Senate in ternal security subcommittee. Bra den’s government service was in the Roosevelt-Truman administra tion. His testimony about White, a Jormer assistant secretary of the treasury, underscored a warning »f Communist penertatiou in Latin America and a plea that Senate probers look into “the Moscow- inspired conspiracy to destroy our country by spreading communism through the rest of this hemi sphere.” Braden, in a. prepared statement before his testimony, said the Uni ted States may yet lose Latin America to the Communists “as we did China.” He added: Braden said he first learned of the White plan upon his appoint ment as ambassador to Cuba in 1952. He said he opposed the plan as “completely crazy and cock eyed.” He testified that he refused to reverse his stand when directed to do so in a State Department mes sage over then Secretary of State Cordell Hull’s signature. He said he believed the directive came from Laurence Duggan, then head of the department’s Latin Ameri can Division. Duggan fell or jumped to his death from a New York building in 1948, a dozen days after he had been mentioned in secret testi mony before the House Un-Ameri can Activities Committee as a member of the Communist appa ratus that included Alger Hiss, for mer State Department official con victed of perjury. Weather Today GOLD Continued cold weather is in store for Wednesday and Thursday with a low of 22 expected Wednes day. Maximum temperature Tues day was 49 low was 27. Low Wed nesday was 21 and high this af ternoon 36. Living Costs Are Expected To Go Down WASHINGTON — <A>) — The American housewife may get a Christmas gift today in the form of official word that the cost of living has dropped a little for the first time in eight months. In advance of the issuance of the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ official index, it seemed likely that lower prices for food and clothing wolld be major factors in halting a mod erate rise which has continued un broken since last February. The expected decline would knock about 1,100,000 railroad em ployes out of the penny-an-hour wage boost due them had the index stayed at its October level. Theii wage rates are geared by union- management contract to changes in the index. The bureau’s figures today re flect mid-November living costs. The index measures consumer price changes in principal cities from month to month, but its com pilation lags about a month. REUNITED AFTER 58 YEARS—Luke Ward of Tyler, Tex., is shown as he was reunited with his two sisters in Tyler after 58 years. Shown with Ward are Mrs. Hattie Weaver (right) of Mertens and Mrs. Jesse Lewis (left) of Fairfield, Tffic. The 78-year-old man left his family un announced 58 .years ago to seek his fortune and until the reunion had not seen any of his family since that time. Since leaving home he had lived in Oklahoma and Arkan sas as well as Texas. (AP Photo) Laiiiel Wi thdraws From French Vote PO Ws Drown Out La te Broadcasts By FORREST EDWARDS PANMUNJOM—(AP)—American war prisoners who em braced communism chanted Red songs, shouted and linked arms with fellow captives in a wild swirling dance today, drowning out last-minute broadcast appeals to return home. The U. N. Command said the broadcasts a few hours before the midnight deadlnie for explanations to balky pris oners ended efforts to woo home 22 Americans, 1 Briton and 327 South Koreans who stayed with the Reds. The Communists, who have pressed repeatedly for an extension of the explanation period, asked to interview more Chinese prisoners from the anti-F Communist South Camp tomorrow. VERSAILLES, France — UP) — Overseas Minister Louis Jacquinot replaced Premier Joseph Laniel to day as the Independent party’s candidate for the French presi dency. Socialist Marcel-Edmont Naegelen remained the other lead ing candidate as the divided Par liament began its 11th ballot in a week of fruitless voting. Laniel, who came with 22 votes of victory Sunday night and topped the poll on the last 8 of the 10 ballots, withdrew late last night after it became apparent he could not pick up support from middle- of-the-road factions. He urged non - Communist groups to agree on another nation al leader to succeed outgoing Pres-, ident Vincent Auriol. Before the four - hour voting began today, his Independent par ty caucused and chose Jacquinot, a 55-year-old political veteran of many French cabinets, including Gen. Charles de Gaulle’s wartime government- in - exi 1 e. Veteran observers conceded the new candidate some chance of election. Just before Laniel’s withdrawal, however, the Socialists said they would continue to back Naegelen because other non-Red parties had refused to join them in drafting Auriol for a second term. The 69- year-old President was widely mentioned as an above-politics compromise choice, though he had insisted he wants to leave political life. Naegelen led the field on the first two ballots and has been the runner-up ever since, partially due to Communist votes in the joint electoral congress of members of the National Assembly and the Council of the Republic Senate. SANTA AT WRONG PARTY DALLAS, Tex.—UP)—It was time for the Christmas party at Mrs. J. W. Sanderson’s kin dergarten. The tree was up and trimmed. The kids were excited. The doorbell rang. Sure enough, it was a re splendent Santa Claus at the door. Mrs. Sanderson was agreeably surprised, and the youngsters were delighted. With a chance eo relax, San ta and Mrs. Sanderson struck up a conversation. And, yep, Santa was at the wrong party. Cold Weather To Continue, Says Bureau By ASSOCIATED PRESS Numbing, sub-freezing tempera tures and snow flurries smashed Texans’ hopes of a mild Christ mas Tuesday night. The Weather Bureau said short ly before midnight that only the Lower Rio Grande Valley could escape a hard freeze, Minimums nearing zero were predicted in the Panhandle. A late forecast said the freeze would continue through Wednes day with a slight warm up and possible showers expected Thurs day—Christmas Eve. Snowfall ranging up to two inch es between El Paso and Wink closed down busy U.S. Highway 80 between Kent and Toyah. Mo torists were turned back at Pecos because of ice and sleet on the highway. Other highways in the area also were weatherbound. Snow also fell during the day at Amarillo, Lamesa, Midland and other points. Coldest spot late Tuesday night was Dalhart with 12 degrees. Am arillo had 13, Lubbock 19, Child ress, Fort Worth and Dallas 21, Wichita Falls 20, El Paso 26, Wink 25, Waco 27, Austin 31, San An tonio 34, Junction 28, College Sta tion 30, Lufkin 31, Beaumont 37, Houston 37, Tyler 24, Corpus Christi 40. But the Neutral Nations Repatri ation Commission ruled that the explanations had ended. The commission approved a re quest from the pro-Commlnist Americans and the Briton to meet Allied and Red news correspond ents inside their compound tomor row. 12 Broadcasts Loudspeakers oltside the barbed wire enclosure broadcasted 12 times during the day—four appeals each to the 22 Americans, 1 Briton arid 7. South Koreans who had not been intern viewed individaully. All of the 250 South Koreans inter viewed earlier elected to stay with the Communists. The broadcasts were greeted by wild demonstrations as the prison ers danced, sang, shouted and cheered in unison. Only 17 Americans were counted inside the compound. The Indian command said three were in a nearby hospital and did not hear the broadcasts. Two others appar- netly remained inside the huts where the prisoners live. The In dian command said 18 were inside the compound. POW’s Identified News correspondents standing outside the wire identified from pictures Sgt. Richard' Corden of Past Providence, R. L, striding about the enclousre with a short coat thrown over his shoulders as he led the demonstration. Corden and British Marine An drew Conddron previously had been identified as leaders of the non- Korean prisoners. Correspondents also identified from photographs: Claude Batchelor, Kermit, Tev.; Richard Tenneson, Alden, Minn.; William C. White, Plummerville, Ark.; R. E. Douglas, San Angelo, Tex.; Howard C. Adams, Corsi cana, Tex.; and L. V. Skinner, Ak ron, Ohio. Three in Hospital Indian guards said Otho G. Bell, Olymphia, Wash.; W. A. Cowart, Monticello, Ark.; and Larance Sul livan, Omaha, were in the hospital. Tenneson’s mother, Mrs. Portia Howe, flew to Tokyo to try to per suade him to come home. Tenne son wrote his mother that he was not going to return. Batchelor recently wrote his Jap anese wife that he was going to remain with the Communists be cause “I have the ideas of a Com munist.” With the end of the explanation period all of the Americans be come absent without leave. In an other 30 days they will be listed as desserters. One More Chance Under terms of the armistice all unrepatriated war prisoners are to be held in the neutral zone until Jan. 22, whe they are to be re leased as civilians. During the 30- day period they can still ask for repatriation. The Communists want the pris oners kept in custody until a peace conference decides their fate, but the Allies have refused to agree. A few miles from the compound where the Allied broadcasts were made Communist explainers won back 11 of 250 Chinese and 1 North Korean olt of 41 interviewed on the final day of explanations. It was the ninth day that the Communists have tried to change the minds of some 22,500 Chinese and Korean prisoners. During that time they have talked with 3,173 prisoners and have won back 138 or about 4.3 per emit. The tape recorded broadcast to to American prisoners in the North Camp was made by Maj. Edward Moorer of Tacoma, Wash. H i s voice booming from the loudspeak ers sent the prisoners into a dem onstration described by one ob server as “an awesome display of the collective mind shutting out what it fears.” Benson Asks Date Extension On Rail Rate WASHINGTON — UP) — Agri culture Secretary Benson renewed Tuesday his request that eastern railroads extend to March 31 the present emergency freight rates on hay shipped into designated drolght areas. The railroads rejected yesterday a similar inquest which Benson had submitted earlier in the month, but the Agriculture Department said today Benson is asking a re consideration. The emergency rates, only half the regular rates, were put into effect Oct. 10 and are scheduled to expire Dec. 31. Benson asked their renewal for the full three-month period of his original request. Earlier in New York, E. V. Hill, head of the Traf fic Executives Assn, of the eastern roads, said he understood Benson would ask a one-month extension in place of the rejected three- month period. In his new appeal, Benson said much of the hay that has been contracted for by states cooperat ing in the hay program will be shipped after the Dec. 31 expira tion date. Several states only re cently included in the program, he said, have been unable to arrange for shipments fast enough to bene fit from the rate reduction. Benson has asked similar exten sions of emergency rates from western and southern railroads, but bas not yet been notified of their decision. Prominent Doctor Leaps From Bridge After Slaying Wife NEW ORLEANS—UP)_A prom inent physician leaped 140 feet to his death in the Mississippi yester day after killing his wife with a carving knife. Dr. Marx Sterbcow, 43; an out standing authority on children’s al lergies, and his 27-year-old wife Marcia had been estranged several months. Detective William Bazajou said the physician nearly severing his wife’s head with the knife, then sped tq the Mississippi River bridge, nine miles above the city and jumped. The body had not been recover ed. Bazajou said Mrs. Sterbcow had taken her 3-year-old son and 2- year-old daughter to a nursery school and afterwards gone to her husband’s apartment with a friend to pick up some articles for a party. TREED BY HOUNDS, SIGHTED FROM AIR—Three escapees from the Fisher County jail at Roby, Tex., are shown in the Nolan County jail at Sweetwater, Tex., after their capture. Left to right, they are Benny Bol ton and Jack Pitts, both of Dallas, and John Tarlton of Snyder. They surrendered meekly after bloodhounds chased them up a tree near Sweetwater. (AP Photo)