davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1948-12-23
New Regime in Greece
Urged in Report From
u. ). Officials There
.NonpoIiticoI Government
Asked Instead; Press,
Parliament Blasted
By Robert S. Allen
North American Newspaper AlIiones

The State Department and the
Economic Cooperation Admin
istration today received a num-
ber of recommendations regard
ing the American program ir
Greece.
| Made by United States authori-
ties in Greece. the proposals urge:
| /. That King Paul be induced to
suspend the present Greek parlia-
ment.
2. That the existing Sophoulis-
Tsaldaris coalition government be
replaced by a nonpolitical govern
ment of high-calibered civilians.
8. That newsprint controls and
other measures ne employed to OBJ
tain a more friendly and co-opera-
tive attitude toward the American
aid program from the Greek press.
Regime Held Inefficient.
The recommendations are part of
a voluminous report surveying every
aspect of the Greek problem. In
blunt terms, the study declares
that the existing Royalist coalition
government is so politics-ridden and
inefficient that there can be no hope
| for the successful execution of the
anti Communist aid program as long
as this government remains in con-
! troll.
Only by the establishment of a
government made up of nonpolitical
civilians, the report holds, will it be
possible to prosecute effectively the
anti Communist military campaign
and the Economic Recovery Pro-
gram.
The report also advises that the
Greek government formally ask the
United Nations to supervise new
elections to be held Immediately fol-
lowing the conclusion of the present
emergency. Such action, it is held
would refute any charges that may
arise that the United States is at
tempting to set up an authoritarian
regime in Greece.
/ Press Hostility Criticized.
The American authors of the re-
port are caustically critical of the
political obstructionisr11, petty
mindness and incompetence of the
Sophoulis- Tsaldaris regime, and the
persistent hostility and bias of the
Greek press toward the United States
and its aid program. The report fiat
ly charges the Greek press with
making violent personal attacks up
on high officials of the United
States aid mission, and of conduct
ing a campaign to convince the
Greek people that they are carrying
| IcsaH G,QrrnC1Yz Iao<xI. A 4
Evening star., 1948-12-23
Christmas Business
In Department Stores
Here Sets New Mark
Retail SoIes for Year
Also Making Record
In D. G. and Nation
LIVING COSTS Continue Lower
Mainly Due to Food Prices.
Page B.1

LIVING COSTS Continue Lower,
Mainly Due to Food Prices.
Page B-1.
Christmas business in Wash
ington department stores has set
a new record, a survey disclosed
today.
Not only will the holiday trade ex-
ceed that of last year, which had set
a record, but the business for the
whole of 1948 will show an advance
over the previous banner year of
l947. One store estimated that the
years business will show a to 10
per cent increase over 1947.
Earlier in the month Washington
stores were experiencing better busi-
ness than those of other cities, but
late buying splurges over the Nation
promised to send retail store sales
to an all-time December high.
According to the Associated Press
incomplete reports for the month
| indicate that dollar sales volume
might reach $4,000. .000, 600 for ths
country as whole. This would bt
about per cent above the figure fol
December. 1947. ~
Record Year Seen.
In the national picture also. 1t was
indicated, 1948 would be the greatest
sales year in history. This was
despite a decline in November busi-
ness.
Reports of Washington stores on
the business of the second Saturday
before Christmas, traditionally the
big day, were that the volume this
year ranged from just under that of
last year to better than last year.
Store executives also recalled the
unexpected large volume OF. business
the day after Thanksgiving when
police were caught with traffic jam
downtown.
Christmas shopping generally
started later than usual, and today,
store officials said, the demand was
for small items for last-minute CIV
ing.
Opinion was divided about pros
poets for next year. One official
said he did not expect the 1948
record to be reached because of
indications of price declines.
Purchasing Power Good.
Others declined to make predic-
tions for the whole year. but said
they looked for the early months
to be about parallel with the early
months of this year. One executive
said he expected the purchasing
power of the city to be as good as
l948 or better.
If prices are lower, he said. it will
mean an increased number of units
can be sold. and if food prices con-
tinue to decline that will leave more
for other merchandise.
Nationally it appeared that, on the
basis of sales so far in December,
total retail dollar volume for the
year would be 8 to 10 per cent above
the $4,000, ,000, 900 total sales re-
ported in 1947, the top year for the
whole country as we'll as for Wash
ington.
Evening star., 1948-12-23
Greeks Report RepuIse
Of 1000 GuerriIIos
By the Associoted Press

ATHENS, Dec. 23.-The Greek
general staff said today that some
1000 rebels who attacked Edesss
and Niaousta, both less than 80
miles from the Yugoslav border
have been pushed back.
The communique said fighting Ia
going on about a mile northwest
Of Edessa, where national forces
are in contact" with the guerrillas.
Evening star., 1948-12-23
Glenn Dale Nurse Killed
In Ohio Auto Accident

Miss Rosellen Doyle, 46, nurse
at Glenn Dale. Sanatorium for the
last eight months, was killed in an
automobile accident last night while
en- route to Detroit for Christmas.
The Associated Press reported
from Elyria. Ohio, that Miss Doyle S
car struck a truck loaded with steel
on the road from Elyria to Oberlin.
A companion, Julius G. Conley, 30,
of Fort Belvoir. Va, was critically
injured in the crash.
Officials at Glenn Dale said Miss
Doyle was an Army nurse until
shortly before joining the staff Of
the sanatorium. She was going to
a sisters home for the holidays,
they said.
Evening star., 1948-12-23
7 Killed, 100 Injured
When 10000 Chinese
Mob Banks 10 Buy Gold
Shanghai Is PornIyzed by
Rush to Get Bullion for
Black Market Resale
CHIANG'S WARSHIPS Repel Red
Attack on Tientsin's Port.
Page AS.
By the Associated Press

SHANGHAI, Dec. 23.-Banks
today resumed selling gold. bull
lion at the unrealistic official
price of 1000 yuan for an ounce,
and seven Chinese were killed in
the buying rush.
More than 100 others were in
jured seriously. A crowd of 10000
swooped down on the banks, which
had been closed for one day, to get
the bargain gold. On the black
market they can sell it for between
5000 and 1000 gold yuan an ounce.
The whole city was paralyzed by
the money and mobs. Police failed
the crowd with clubs but failed to
break them up. Traffic was jammed
for hours in narrow side streets.
The United States pegged price
TO gold Is $35 an ounce. China S
new currency started at four yuan
to S1-but sank to 20 to 81 and con-
tinued downward in the wild infla-
tion
Evening star., 1948-12-23
Chinese Ship Carrying
80 Reported Missing
Sy the Associoted Press

SHANGHAI, Dec. 23.-The 5000
ton freighter Haichi, carrying 80
passengers, was reported missing
today by China Merchants, her
owners, on a trip to Canton.
The vessel was last heard from
SO hours ago when she reported ex-
plosives had been discovered in the
hold.
Evening star., 1948-12-23

Tokyo home after intelligence officers
had called to place him under arrest
The general ordered TOTO removed
to an Army field hospital in Yoko-
hama and went there with his aide,
then Capt. Aiello, who later became
a major.
The former premier was weak
(See AIELLO, Page A-3J
Evening star., 1948-12-23
By w. H.. Shippen. Jr.

BY W. H.. shippen. Jr.
Former Premier Hideki TOTO OF
Japan was finally brought to
justice yesterday with the aid OF
American blood his troops had
spilled so freely.
Why there was no lack of GI
volunteers for blood donations when
TOTO tried to commit suicide was
recalled here today by Frank B.
Aiello, 38. of 3713 Corey place NV,
retail advertising manager for The
Star.
Mr.. Aiello, a veteran of the Pacific
war. helped make arrangements for
saving Tojo's life while serving as an
aide to 1t. Gen. Robert L. Eichel-
berger, commander of the Army
occupation forces which went up to
Japan in August, 1945.
Gen. MacArthur's top command
was still based in Yokohama before
moving up to Tokyo when word came
to Gen. Eichelberger that TOTO had
shot himself under the heart in his
Evening star., 1948-12-23
Soy Probers Question
Sayre for Two Hours
Al Secret Session
Ex-OfficiuI's Secretary
Also Slotted to Testify
Before House Committee
BULLETIN

Francis B. Sayre today told
reporters that three of the
State. Department documents
turned over to ex-Communist
Whitaker Chambers must
have been stolen from his
Office while he was Assistant
Secretary of State because
they bore his Office stamp. But,
he added; so far as he knew,
there is no evidence to prove
that all the rest of the stolen
documents came from his
office.
Francis B. Sayre, who was as
sistant Secretary of State at the
time secret papers were stoler
from the State Department, was
questioned for more than two
hours behind closed doors today
by the House Committee on Un-
American Activities.
Mr.. Sayre told reporters before the
closed meeting that he was sure ths
committee would ask him who hao
access to the papers in his office
He refused to make any other state.
ment to newsmen before the ques-
tioning because he said "it would
not be fair to the committee"
Mr.. Sayre, who is now the Amer
ican delegate to United Nations
Trusteeship Council, was accom-
panied by his secretary, Anna Belle
Newcomb, who was also scheduled tc
testify. The diplomat strolled into
the committee room carrying large
briefcaSe.
The committee met amid these
developments:
/. New York City Medical Ex-
aminer Thomas A. Gonzales said an
autopsy showed mo evidence OF
criminality" in the fatal plunge OF
Laurence Duggan from the sixteenth
floor of q Manhattan office building
Monday night. Mr.. Duggan, a
former State Department expert,
was mentioned at closed COM
mittee session by one witness.
Investigation Continues.
"We may never know exactly what
happened" said DR.. Gonzales as
detectives continued their investi-
cation of the fatal plunge. He
could have been pushed. We do
know he was not assaulted, not
beaten, nor strangled."
2. Committee members continued
to argue with each other publicly
over whether the fact that Mr..
Duggan's name had been mentioned
as passing along State Department
information should have been made
public after his death.
3. Acting Chairman Mundt in a
radio broadcast called on the FBI
to reveal why it questioned Mr..
Duggan shortly before his death.
Mr.. Mundt said the information
should be made public If the Duggan
family agreed.
4. Former Secretary of State Cor
dell Hull, under whom Mr.. Duggan
served as political adviser for Latin
affairs, sent a telegram
of coincidence to Mrs. Duggan ex-
his conviction that her late
husband was an honest" official
who had rendered outstanding pub
lie service" Mr.. Hull telephoned the
telegram from his quarters in the
Bethesda Naval Hospital.
5. Alger Hiss, who has been ac-
(See SPY INQUIRY. Page A-2)
Evening star., 1948-12-23
II Are Reported Killed
In Spanish Plane Crash
BY the Associated Press

MADRID, Dec. 23.-An official OF
Iberia Airlines said a Madrid BARGE
Iona plane crashed in the mountains
near Tarragona today, killing all 27
occupants.
The sources said the Spanish
iberia Airlines plane left Barajas
Airport this morning with "a pas
sengers and a crew of three. They
said it crashed three hours after
the takeoff.
Tarragona is a Mediterranean
coastal city south Of Barcelona.
Evening star., 1948-12-23
Frank AieIIo, Star Ad Official,
Helped Save TOTO for Hanging
Assisted in Getting
Blood Donation After
jap Tried Suicide
Page A-3,

JAP WARLORDS SHOUT Ban
Zai" in Going to Gallows.
Page A-3
Evening star., 1948-12-23

(Continued on Page A-2, Col. H.
Evening star., 1948-12-23

(See GREECE, Page A-4.)
Evening star., 1948-12-23

(See WEATHER, Page ABB
Evening star., 1948-02-24
And Now the ClO

The newly born decline In the cost OF
living has received another rap on the
head-this time from Philip Murray, presl-
dent of the CIO.
Last week the American people, most OF
whom were hopefully watching the down.
ward trend of food prices received rude
iolt when the steel industry announced
higher prices for semifinished and struc-
tural steel products. This would not nave
any immediate effect on the cost OF 1000.
But it was feared, and justly so, that the
steel price increase would result In still
more imitation If it should stimulate
higher wage demands and if it should be
extended to other categories OF steel
products.
Mr.. Murray's contribution to the forces
initiating against stable or declining
nrices has come in the form OF an an
nouncement that the United Steel Work
ers, whom he leads, will 60 right ahead
with their plans to demand substantial
wage increases this April
I'VE fervently hope" Mr.. Murray said,
"that the inf1ationary pressures for
higher retail food prices have spent them-
selves. But we feel constrained to remlno
the public that this months drop in retail
prices is not indicative of trend.
We believe that the infationary factors
that existed q few months ago to large
extent exist today. We therefore see
no reason to believe that the present
commodity break will continue. We feel
that the reductions in retail food prices
which have occurred may not be long
lasting
No one can say with any certainty that
Mr. Murray is wrong in this assumption.
It may be that in the best of circumstances
the current decline in food prices would
be short lived. 1t can be said with GER
tainty, however, that the downward price
trend is bound to be reversed if labor
leaders and industrialiSts, in the face OF
the first really hopeful sign of turn for
the better OIL the cost-of-living front, are
going to 60 right ahead with demands for
higher wages for their members on the
one hand and higher prices for their
products on the other.
Evening star., 1948-02-24
Bureaucrats Criticized

To the Editor Of The Star:
The United States Civil Service law has
been made costly and dangerous. 1t should
be repealed and a new law enacted providing
for Government work to be performed by con-
tractors for q fraction of current costs.
Under civil service the bureaucrats can
control appointments and advancement to
controlling positions without fear Of punish
ment for violating conspiracy laws because
there is no recourse to courts Of law having
established rules of evidence and procedure
The result 10 that bureaucrats are prosecutor
judge and jury in matters of personnel man
agement and will not send themselves to
prison. The cost OF Government, without ade-
quate legal remedies for wrongs, Is growing
continually and cannot be expected to decrease
so long as power to increase 1t continues.
Congressional committees periodically prom
Use to investigate personal patronage and other
questionable practices, but they fail to act
although ample information is available.
SLOCUM gibson.
Evening star., 1948-02-24
Children of Women Employees

To the Editor of The Star:
AS widow who has been supporting three
children by working in the Government since
they were very small, know only too we'll the
telling of panic that can engulf the sole bread
winner as she contemplates the probable eco
nomic fate of her children in the event Of her
death. Consequently, was delighted to read
that the Congress was proposing in HR-4l27
children's annuity benefits for minor children
of deceased Federal employees But am dis
tressed and much surprised to discover that this
bill, as agreed upon by the House and Senate
Conference Committee, provides only for an
nuity benefits to the children of male Federal
employees with no protection whatsoever for
the dependent children Of the many women in
the Federal service who are contributing the
same amount to the retirement fund as the
men and are the only support of their families.
There is no distinction as between men and
women employed by the Government in the
quality or quantity of work required, nor in
the amount of required deductions for retire.
ment or taxes. Should there be distinction
between the benefits accorded their children
under the retirement system? WIDOW.
Evening star., 1948-02-24
A Siekeninq Orchestrution

Russian propaganda is beginning to
sound as dismal, stale and insufferable as
a broken phonograph record screeching
out the same old refrain over and over
again. The latest example of 1t has come
from two military leaders marking the
thirtieth anniversary of the Red Army and
Navy. In Moscow, Marshal Bulganin,
Minister of the armed forces, has seen fit
to launch another attack on Anglo
American imperialism" sing the praises
of the "peace-loving" and democratic"
U. S. S. R., boast of Soviet power and
warn his country to live "in constant fight
Ing preparedness" simultaneously at an
allied" ceremony in Vienna, General
Kurasov the Kremlin's high commissioner
in Austria, has voiced identical sentiments,
his remarks being insulting enough to
impel British and American representa-
tives to walk out on him.
The Austrian incident, of course, is
merely symptomatic of how people in the
free world are getting tired of the old
offensive tune. For months however since
Deputy Foreign Minister ViShinsky cut
loose at the last meeting of the u N.
General ASsembly-Moscow and its spokes-
man have been foaming at the mouth with
a ceaseless stream of fire-breathing, truth
butchering words vilifying decent indl-
viduals and decent governments in way
that has outraged the sensibilities OF
honorable men everywhere. The Kreml1n
is doing quite as well as Hitler did in the
DAYS when he was trying to crack the
brain of Europe with his colossal lies. The
distortions, the fabricationS are at least
as monumental; the boasts and the claims
of peace-loving innocence are certainly as
shrill; and running through the whole
sickening orcheStration is a persistently
brazen note of hypocrisy never excelled in
modern times. Gagged, blindfolded, op-
pressed and living in constant fear of the
secret police, the Russian masses know
nothing but tyranny. And that tyranny
already entrenched in Eastern Europe and
now seeking to swallow CzechoSlovakia-
Us clearly as ruthless and tyrannical as
any ever imposed on man. Yet, even as
1t commits its direct and indirect aggreS-
sions and destroys liberty in every land
that falls to it, it has its VishinskyS, its
Bulganins and its Kurasovs eulogize it as
\ paciflstic democracy" that seeks only
bo protect all that is good, beautiful and
free!
But if this sort of thing is coming to
disgust us, the men of the Kremlin appar-
entity do not care. There is no sign that
they have any intention of changing the
character or intensity of their propagan-
da. Like the Nazis, they must feel that
the technique of the colossal lie is some
thing that remains effective no matter
how repetitiously, turgidly or raucously
applied What the United States, Britain
and the other maligned nations of the free
world can do about it, whether they can
put an end to it somehow, is an open
question. All we can be sure of is that it
k innaming tempers, that it is not encour-
Evening star., 1948-02-24
Limiting Chest to Charity

To the Edltor OF ne Sthr.
In all these discussions of consolidation, etc,
the Community Chest seems to overlook en-
tirely the big reason for failure to meet its
quota-namely, that it is loaded down with
organizations which, by no stretch OF the
Imagination can be called charitable organi-
cations"
REGARDLESS of what the head men say now,
the Community Chest was organized to collect
funds for charity and took over the old
Associated Charities and such organizations
Certainly the Animal Rescue League Is not
charity; the YWCA, YMCA, Boy and Giri
Scouts while fine character building or
sanizations. are not charities; the Federation
Of Churches and the various housing bureaus
are not charities
When the Chest rids itself Of these barnacies,
confines itself to the purpose for which IL
was started-the collection OF funds Tor cnar-
,ty-it will have no trouble reaching its quota,
which certainly will not have to be as large
now that the USO work Is over and there
1. ,mploynent for every one who wants It,
OLD wASHINGTONIAN.
Evening star., 1948-02-24
Synthetic Rubber for War

The House Armed Services Committee
has recommended unanimously to the
House peacetime synthetic rubber pro-
gram that If adopted without substantial
change, should assure the Nation of an
adequate supply of the critical material
in any foreseeable emergency. World War
II showed how risky it can be to rely on
imported natural rubber to keep the war
machine going. But for the amazing pro-
duction feats of war-born synthetic
rubber industry an allied victory in that
war might we'll have been impossible.
Congress now faces the problem Of
deciding what to do with this industry
when the wartime synthetic rubber law
expires on March 81 of this year. There
is not much time left for deliberation.
But the House committee, after nine
months of intensive study of the problem,
has presented series of proposals which
should simplify the task of the House and
the Senate. The program represents q
number of compromises of prevailing views
on the difficult subject and hence will pro-
woke some debate on the floor.
Briefly, the measure calls for preserya-
WILL VI SuAIACACAG SyAG14Ct1C 4uDbCk RldAtS
in operating or standby condition to pro-
duce 675,000 tons of the product annually,
If necessary. The plants would remain
under Government ownership, but they
could be leased to private interests for
rubber production under an arrangement
requiring total output of at least 225, 900
tons each year. Sale of any of the fifty
odd Government plants would be pro-
hibited except by special authority of
Congress. Private interests would be en-
couraged, however, to build their own
plants, to add to the potential productive
capacity of the country.
The leasing of these Government plants
of course, should be surrounded by every
safeguard necessary to protect the public's
vital interest in the industry. Mainte-
nance in efficient operating condition OF
adequate facilities for synthetic rubber
production is no less important to national
security than availability of aircraft pro-
duction facilities. Fortunately, synthetic
rubber has become a valuable peacetin1e
commodity, the demand for which is such
as to assure continued interest by private
industry in it's production. The co-opera-
tion of private industry should help to put
the Governments proposed program on
self-liquidating basis.