davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1949-08-18
Hospital Insurance Roll
Increased 10 6O,995,O0O
By the Associated Press

NEW YORK, Aug. 18.-About
60,995 900 persons in the United
States were enrolled in some form
of voluntary insurance providing
hospital care as of the end Of
1948.
The figure was reported yester-
day by the Health Insurance
Council, which said the number as
of the end of 1947 had been only
52,584 900.
The council predicted a further
increase this year.
The report said that during 1948
the number of those with insur-
ance covering surgical expense
rose from 26,247 900 to $4,000 900.
The number insured against gen.
eral medical expenses increased
from 8,898,000 to 1895, 900, the
council said,
Evening star., 1949-08-18
Margaret Mitchell Buried
Near Confederate Shrine.
By the Associo,ed Press


ATLANTA, Aug. 18.-Hundreds
of persons stood outside a small
stone chapel as last rites were
held today for Margaret Mitchell,
author of Gone With the Wind" Z"
Loud speakers brought the
Episcopal church service to the
crowd outside. About 300 persons,
admitted by invitation only,
crowded the inside of the funeral
home.
Miss Mitchell, struck down by
a speeding automobile last Thurs
day night, died Tuesday.
Many persons stood along
streets and watched as the
funeral procession moved to Oak
land Cemetery. on the southwest
ern edge of the city.
There Miss Mitchell was buried
in the family plot, not far from
the monument to the unknown
dead of the Confederacy.
Evening star., 1949-08-18

istration magazine, feels the COM
mission is lacking in the strong
leadership and dynamic policy ne
cessary for maximum results in the
Governments personnel opera
tions. There also has been sharp
criticism from various members OF
Congress that the commission Is
letting the various Federal de-
partments and agencies run Wild
in personnel matters.
The leagues executive director
strongly supports the reorganiza-
ton of the commission, which will
become effective tomorrow. The
granting of broad administrative
authority to the soon-to-be-a -ap-
pointed new commission chair
man is a strong step forward in
strengthening the Governments IS
civil service and personnel admin
istration. he declared.
Mr.. Watson and the league also
are anxious that the new chair
man be selected from among the
best candidates available. They
feel no political considerations
should enter into the appoint
ment.
While approving this Hoover
Commission proposal that will now
become law, Mr.. Watson has his
reservations about granting addi-
tional personnel powers to the in
dividual departments and agencies
until the commission itself be-
comes stronger.
Otherwise, he said. "the result
would be the complete abdica-
ton of civil service-the end"
Mr.. Watson implied strongly that
delegation of authority to the in
dividual agencies cannot be made
until the commission becomes
strong enough to see that the bu-
reaus don't run wild with the
broad authority proposed for them
by the Hoover Commission.
X
FAT ANNUITY The Senate
Civil Service Committee has ap-
proved the bill that would block
"a former. Federal empleye. who
contributed STAB to the civil serv-
ice retirement system from gcol-
Electing an estimated $150.000 in
annuity benefits. The Senate is
scheduled to act on it next week.
Details of the case, by which
"a quirk in the law would permit
the former Government worker tc
collect an estimated $150,000 in
annuities, first were disclosed in
this column last months Since
then, the House has approved a
bill to limit these benefits.
y ~
Veterans Administration
employees in it's insurance division,
which is in the Munitions Build
ing, are complaining about an or
der prohibiting them from cashing
their paychecks during working
hours at the Navy Building next
door.
The order prevents the employees
from leaving the building on un-
Evening star., 1949-08-18
Light Rain Expected
To End by Tonight;
Sun Due Tomorrow

Umbrellas were the order of the
day today as the Weather Bureau
forecast occasional light rains
ending by midafternoon, with .
high temperature of 78.
Tonight will be partly cloudy
with no rain and a low of about
So. Tomorrow's forecast says
mostly sunny with highest near 30.
Small-craft warnings were
flown late yesterday as winds up
to Is miles an hour whipped up
choppy seas from Cope Katteras
to New York, but the warnings
were taken down last right as
the seas subsidized.
Potomac Under Watch
Rains. which started shortly
before midnight, contributed to
at least two traffic accidents.
Meanwhile. the river services Of
the bureau are keeping an eye on
the Potomac, slightly swollen from
Mondays rains. Officials said,
however, that the river was low
prior to Monday and had risen
only slightly-a foot and a half
near Washington. Mondays
rain brought a flood near Har-
rlsonburg, w. Va, but the crest
OF that rise has been reached, it
was reported.
Three pedestrians were struck
by skidding cars, police reported,
soon after the rain began last
night.
Mary Shelton. 81, colored. of
1T l. street Sc. was struck as
she crossed M street NE. near
First. She was treated at Provi-
dence Hospital for leg injuries
and released. Police said she was
not crossing in the crosswalk and
no charges were placed against
the driver, Lawrence B. Ferrell.
26, of 3045 New Fort WASHINGTON
road Sc. His car skidded on the
wet pavement after he had applied
the brakes.
view Blocked by Rain.
In a similar accident at Ninth
and M streets Sc, a Post Office
special delivery automobile sent
two pedestrians to Gallinger Hos
pital for treatment of cuts and
bruises.
The driver, Irving A. Washing
ton, 48, colored, of 10 K street
Sc, told police a driving rain
blocked his vision so that he
didn't see the two until they were
directly in front of him, and then
he skidded
The car hit Lillian Brown, IS,
colored, of 1107 Seventh street
Sc, and Theodore Cherry, 16,
colored. Of 100 H street Sc.
Police said they. too, were not
crossing in the crosswalk, and no
charges were placed against the
driver.
Evening star., 1949-08-18
Col. Renfrow, Ex-Aide Britain's Proposals
To Truman, Promoted Prepared for Farley
To Brigadier General Here on Dollar Crisis

Col. Louis Huber Renfrow,
Dental Reserve officer. who for
merly was assistant military aide
to President Truman, today was
nominated by the President for
the temporary rank of brigadier
general. Col. Renfrow now is an
assistant to Secretary Of Defense
johnson.
His name was in a list of 10
Army promotions for which
Senate approval was asked.
Col. Renfrow, 46, was born in
Cairo. Ill, and was graduated in
dentistry from Washington Uni
versity in st. Louis, in 1917. He
served in World War I in the
Dental Corps, and then returned
to private practice. In 1912 he
went on active duty as a major in
the Dental Corps.
After service as liaison officer
between Selective Service head
quarters and the White House, he
was named assistant to Maj. Gen.
Harry H. Vaughan, presidential
aide, in February, 1947. He took
his present assignment last Feb
ruary.
Today's promotion list also in
cluded Maj Gem Harry John
ColliaS. wh6.noW. hdldS.tht rank
tempQgsyiiys pSpsted foS1ey-:
mane4Aama asors14eral. -
The President named the fel-
lowing officers, whose temporary
rank is indicated. to be permanent
brigadier generals:
Maj. Gems. Isaac Davis White
Carter Bowie Magruder, William
Frishe Dean and William Howard
Arnol1 and eHyig..s Gems. Sam,lel
Davis aSturgis and George ~
.fered Smythe. : ~ ss.asssss
e. e. Coils EafIA .stafidlex ara NH
Ham Edward @6hambora eof the
Medical Corps were nominated for
temporary brigadier generals.
Evening star., 1949-08-18
Clemson Trainer Dies;
Formerly With Mats
BY the Assoeiofed Press

CLEMSON, s. c., Aug. 1s.-
Chappie Johnson. 79-year-old
Negro trainer for the Clemson
College football squad, died at his
home here yesterday. He had been
i'll for some time. He came to
Clemson in 1910.
Johnson's athletic career. which
covered much of the United States,
included tour as trainer for the
WASHINGTON Senators.
Evening star., 1949-08-18
Lonely Hearts Jury
Gives Murder Verdict
With Death Penalty
Rx the Assoeiofed Press


NEW YORK. Aug. 18.-Martha
Beck and Raymond Fernandez to-
day were convicted of first-degree
murder in the bludgeon-strangula-
ton Staying last January 4sof Mrs.
Janet Fay.
There was no recommendation
of mercy for the lonely hearts"
slayers. The verdict automatically
carries mandatory death penalty.
The court set Monday for SEN
fencing.
The jury returned its verdict in
Bronx Supreme Court at $50 am.
today, IL hours and "a minutes
after it received the case last night.
The two defendants displayed
no emotion when the verdict was
announced by Fred D. Yobs, jury
foreman.
Deliberating All Night.
The jurors had been kept delib-
Grating all night at orders of the
court. Shortly before dawn they
asked permission to go to bed.
but the judge, stating it would
not be convenient to grant the
request, sent the jury back.
Mrs. Beck, standing to the right
of her attorney, Herbert E. ,Ros-
enberg, rested her fingers on the
defense counsel table when the
jury came in. Fernandez stood
poker-faced.
After the verdict was an
nounced, both defendants were
instructed to sit down. Mrs. Beck
stared at Mr.. Rosenberg. and
Fernandez glared at the still
standing defense lawyer.
The jury was polled at the re-
quest of the defense. and each
answered affirmatively when asked
If it was his or her verdict.
Few spectators were in the
courtroom when the verdict was
announced. The 10 men and two
women had been in almost con-
tinuous deliberation-except for
three trips to the courtroom dur
ing the night for Instructions
since Supreme Court Justice Fer
dinand Pecora completed his
charges last night.
Defendants Get No Rest.
Mrs. Beck, 20, and Fernandez,
"a, had no rest during the night.
They were kept in the detention
pen in the courthouse. There were
no cots, but they were reported
TO have dozed in chairs.
Fernandez and Mrs. Beck were
convicted of Staying Mrs. Fay, 66,
Albany, N. Y. widow, at Valley
Stream, N. Y, in a scheme to
fleece lonely women in mail ro-
mances.
The State charged that the kill
ing was deliberate, and in his
summation Edward Robinson, jr.,
Nassau County, N. Y, assistant
district attorney, told the jury the
motive was dead men tell no
tales" s,s.~. ssss -
Defense counsel iilf shas pfssdsd
against a death chair verdict, but
did not ask that the defendants
be acquitted. 4 ;,
Evening star., 1949-08-18
Farewell to Be Given
To Symphony Director

A farewell reception for Direc-
tor Van Lier Lanning Of the Arl-
ington Civic Symphony and Mrs.
Lanning, will be held from 4 to
pm. Sunday in the garden of the
home of Symphony Association
President I. Lee Potter. 1900 Wash
ington boulevard, Arlington.
Mr.. Lanning, who has directed
the Arlington group since its
founding in 1945, has resigned to
take a post as musical director
and conductor Of the Jacksonville
Fla0 Civic Symphony.
A string quartet from the Arl-
ington orchestra will play at the
reception.
Evening star., 1949-08-18
is supported by nonpartisan civic

official business during the day,
except on the lunch period. VA
employees affected by the order
had been accustomed to cashing
their checks at a branch bank in
the Navy Building. Now, they say,
they will have no opportunity dur
ing the week to cash their checks,
unless they take annual leave.
The least VA could do, they say,
is pay them in cash.
X X &ms.
PAY-Chairman Murray of the
House Civil Service Committee is
scheduled to go before the House
Rules Committee today or to-
morrow and ask for approval on
the general Federal reclassif1ca-
ton and postal pay measures.
AS indicated here the other day
however, the Rules Committee
shows no evidence of being in q
hurry to grant the rule, without
which it will be very difficult to
bring the bills up for House con-
sideration.
Meanwhile, Senate action or
the top-bracket Federal pay bill
originally scheduled for this week
apparently has been postponed
until next week, at least, because
of the pressure of other business
Following the top-bracket bill, the
Senate is scheduled to take up the
general Federal reclassification
measure.
CAPITAL ROUNDUP-In COM
piling cost statistics for its ma
ternity leave bill, the Senate Civil
Service Committee found that on
yearly average, $4,000 women
working for the Government have
babies The Agriculture De-
partment's symphony orchestra
will resume it's regular Friday re-
hearsals at 8 pm. September 9
Marcus Morrow and Harry
Genung of the Army Medical
Center have received cash awards
for their efficiency suggestions
Fred Zappolo has been ap-
pointed chief of recruitment of
the Economic Cooperation Ad-
ministration. Emil j. Bruck has
been appointed ECA placement
assistant Stanley E. Newman
is the new employe relations Of
ficer in the General Accounting
Office.
BE sure to listen in Sundays
at 1915 am. oUer WMAL. The
Star station, for Joseph Young's
broadcast Uersion of the Federal
Spotlight, featuring additional
neUs and uieWs OF the Gouern-
ment SerDice.J
Evening star., 1949-08-18
East Turkey Rocked
By Violent Earthquake
BY the Associotsd Press

ISTANBUL, Turkey. Aug. 18.-
A violent earthquake rocked a
large part of Eastern Turkey last
night, the Interior Ministry dis
closed today.
The hardest hit point was Kigi
in Bingol province where four
persons. including two children
were reported killed. Twenty
houses were leveled, the ministry
report added.
The stricken area included the
provinces of ErZurum and ERIN
can where the walls of several
houses were reported cracked. The
quake lasted "a seconds at some
points. :.
The Kandilli Seismographic OBJ
Eseryatory registered Q strong Quake
a~6:47 pmy GMT. yesterday 2:47
Pm. EDIT with the epicenter
about 600 miles southeast of In
stanbul. =. -.-..
One peasant village in Erzurum
was levelled, and government
sources said II were known dead
there. Isolated areas have not yet
been heard from. The quake also
was felt. In, the provinces of Kars
Bfngol and -Sitrt.
Evening star., 1949-08-18
Dutch Plan Round Table
On Indonesiu Aug. q
By the Assoeiotsd Press

THE HAGUE, the Netherlands,
Aug. ia round-table confer
ence on the transfer to the United
States of Indonesia of sovereignty
under the Dutch crown will begin
here August %, the Government
announced today.
Preparations for the meeting
have been made by representatives
of the Dutch, the Indonesian Re-
publicans and the delegations from
the Indonesian FederaliSts, along
with members of the United Ma
tions Commission on Indonesia,
Evening star., 1949-08-18

There is no
need to kid our
selves or whis-
per about con-
ditions in the
commission to-
day and the re-
sultant effect
u p on morale
throughout the
Government"
Mr.. Watson,
who made his
views known in
an article writ
ten for the Per-
Evening star., 1949-08-18
Quick Teamwork Gets
Federal Agencies Out
OF Financial Jam
By the Associated Press

Swift action on Capitol Hill
pulled number of big Govern
ment agencies out of a financial
hole today.
But nearly $4,000, 900 900 in
operating funds that should have
been voted six weeks ago still
were snarled up in Congress.
September IS is the new deadline
for solving the tangle-the third
new dead1ine Congress has set
since June 80.
Quick teamwork between Chair
men Cannon and McKellar of the
House and Senate Appropriations
Committees ended a temporary
financial emergency late yester-
day for a long list of Government
agencies which have been waiting
for passage Of their regular ap-
propriations since the new fiscal
year started July l.
Stopgap Plan Approved.
Mr.. Cannon and Senator Nc
Kellar sped approval of a stop.
gap measure so about 40 Govern
ment agencies can continue meet
ing payrolls and other expenses.
Officially the Army, Navy, Air
Force, Atomic Energy Commis-
sion, Veterans Administration,
Interior Department and more
than a score of other agencies
ran out of money at midnight
Monday.
Congress is supposed to get
money bills for Government
agencies out of the way before
the fiscal year starts.
The House did it's work weeks
ago but a stubborn and slow
moving economy drive in the
Senate has begged down six ma
jor money bills there.
Twice Congress passed stopgap
measures-one to permit reduced
spending during July and then
another for The first Is days of
August. Rebellious House mem
bers blocked the third stopgap
move earlier this week.
Rushed Through Senate.
Mr.. Cannon finally forced a IA
vorable House vote yesterday.
Senator McKellar promptly called
his committee into session, won
approval of the new stopgap
measure. then rushed it through
the Senate by voice vote late in
the day.
The emergency money bill went
to the White House last night for
President Truman's signature.
Three important money meas
ures have not made even their
first trip through the Senate.
They include a $590,000,000 In
terror Department appropriation,
a bill carrying $14,200.000, 900
funds for the Armed Services. and
a $3.50, 900, 900 catch-all deficiency
measure.
Three Others Await, Action
When they do clear the Senate
they will go back to the House on
Senate amendments. Normally
Senate House conference COM
mittee adjusts differences. Then
both the Senate and House must
again approve these compromises.
Three more bills still are either
before conference committees or
awaiting action after conference
approval. --. ...-.... j
One of these provides nearly
50, 900, 100000 for the Veterans.
Administration, Atomic Energy
Commission and other inde-
pendent Offices.
Conference committees still are
seeking agreement on the $6,000,-
600, 900 foreign recovery bill and
a $500, 900, 900 measure for flood
control and rivers and harbors
projects by the Army engineers.
Evening star., 1949-08-18

British House of Commons since
1895, said IF the Americans say
they won't do business with a So
cialist government in Britain, the
Conservatives will lose" Such
American pressure would anger so
many Britons that the Labor Gov
ernment might be swept back into
power. he said, adding:
Americans are complaining they
don't know what kind of a govern
ment they'll have to do business
with and are exerting great in
huence for an early vote"
Evening star., 1949-08-18
Back Home in Jail

FLENSBURG. Germany, R.-
One man crossed the Danish Ger
man border Illegally for the 25th
time and had to face a Flens-
burg court for the 10th time. The
court sentenced Burde to five
months in Jail. When he entered
his cell, he found that fellow
prisoners had decorated it with
garlands.
Evening star., 1949-08-18
Eorly Election Believed
Probable in Britain
BY the Associated Press

VANCOUVER, B. c., Aug. 18 Up.
Beverley Baxter, Canadian-born
Conservative British MP, said in
an interview yesterday that there
is "a real likelihood of an early
election in Britain because Of tre-
mendous pressure from outside the
country"
He predicted, too, the Conserva-
tiyes will win the next election 'if
the Americans keep their hands
off,"
Mr.. Baxter, who has sat In the
Evening star., 1949-08-18

If Columbus had sailed to the
New World in the spring instead
of the fall, 1t is likely that he
would have landed In the United
States, because he was following
birds in flight.
Evening star., 1949-08-18
From Curtuin Breurhed'

LUBBOCK, F.-A young Ger
man girl refugee from the Soviet
zone succeeded in piercing the iron
curtain and making money from
it. In the British zone resort of
Travemuende on the Baltic, she
set up a former Wehrrhacht artil-
lery range finder. For the equiva-
lent of a nickel you may peep
through and try to find out what
goes on in the nearby Soviet zone.
Evening star., 1949-08-18

TIVPoIVu iVi uIiVI
Here on Dollar Crisis
.. BY the Associated Press
LONDON. Aug. ia secret
document outlining proposals for
meeting the world dollar crisis
has been drawn up by a committee
of top British financial experts.
It goes before the cabinet for ap-
proval next week.
If approved. the four-part doc
ument will form basic British
policy, at next months dollar
pound Washington conference,
when Sir Stafford Cripps. British
Chancellor of the Exchequer, and
Foreign Secretary Bevin meet
Treasury Secretary Snyder and
Canadian officials.
These officials will discuss the
unbalanced trade between the dol
lar and sterling areas which has
left Britain desperately short Of
dollars.
Contents of Document.
Official sources said the four
part document comprises:
IA study of the background
and causes of the critical unbal-
ance between the dollar and sterl-
ing areas.
~ PA review of what each of
|Jhe three governments has done
to meet and redress that unbal-
@3-A close look at the situa-
ton as it exists now, underlining
all the implications of a failure to
agree on a solution.
ls,sA-A series ef proposals aiming
|p at adtheving some kind
spf Wmld pattern which would al
|lowasfree flow of currencies be-
tween the dollar and non dollar
systems.
Crisis Declared Global.
Informants said the British
document attempts to prove that
the dollar crisis is not British or
American, but global crisis.
Sir Stafford and Mr.. Bevin will
study and discuss the brief before
the cabinet meeting next week.
Secretary of State Acheson also
will take part in the Washington
conference, scheduled for Sep
tember 7.
Part of the British delegation
sails for the States August %. It
will include officials from the
Treasury, Board of Trade and
Food Ministry. Sir Stafford and
Mr.. Bevin sail August 81.
Pact to Be Signed Today.
Meanwhile, it was disclosed that
Britain and Czechoslovakia are
to sign a payments pact today
which will allow the Prague gov
ernment to spend its accumulated
sterling-area earnings in this
country.
British sources, making the dis
closure last night, said Czecho-
slovakia has piled up a sizable
sterling balance-they did not give
the figure-by trading with coun-
tries like India and Pakistan.
Under the pact she will be able
to use that sterling to buy goods
from Britain-instead of spending
it only in the country in which she
earns it.
The agreement. the source said,
is the first of a series aimed at
normalizing the two countries
economic, trading and credit re-
lations.
glo-Czechoslovak negotiators
have begun drafting a trade treaty
for a two-way annual volume of
business worth about $50 900 900.
This one-year pact is expected to
be followed by five-year agree
ment.
Also under negotiation is a
general settlement of Czechoslo-
vakia's prewar debts to Britain.
These are thought to be around
500, 100000
Britain is also trying to square
up the question of compensation
for British interests which the
Communist led government of
Prague has taken over. The ne
gotiators, according to the inform
ants, are fairly near agreement on
this, too. Britain hopes to get
about $40, 100000 for all the firms
which have been nationalized.
Evening star., 1949-08-18
The Federal Spotlight
The Federal Spotlight
New Civil Service League Head
Critical of Commission S Record
By Joseph Young

the director of the National Civil
that the Civil Service Commission badly
the confidence respect essential for
personnel system in the Government.
Evening star., 1949-08-18
High and Low for Ye8terday

High. S2, at 1918 pm.
Low, SO, at $40 am.
Record Temperatures This Year.
Highest. 97, on August IL.
Lowest, 81, on January 80.
Tide Tables.
Evening star., 1949-08-18
Weather Report

District of Columbia-Scattered
showers early this afternoon.
Highest near 78 today. Partly
cloudy, with lowest about So to-
night. Tomorrow mostly sunny,
with highest near 80.
Maryland and Virginia-Partly
cloudy, preceded by showers along
the coast early tonight. Tomor-
row fair, with highest from 80
to IS.
Wind velocity, 10 miles per
hour; direction, outh-southeast.
River Report.
(FYom q. g. Engineers.)
Potomac River cloudy at Harpers Ferry
and at Great Falls-Shenandoah muddy
Mt HarperS Ferry.
Evening star., 1949-08-18

business and phlIanCnfop1c groups
and has been the watchdog" Or
ganization in civil service matters
for more than go years, declares:
Evening star., 1949-08-18

BE sure to listen in Sundays
at 1915 am. oUer WMAL. The
Star station, for Joseph Young's
broadcast Uersion of the Federal
Spotlight, featuring additional
ne,Ds and UietDs of the Gouern-
nlent SerUice.)
Evening star., 1949-08-18
trurnished by United States Coast and
Ceodetic Suryey)
The Sun and Neon.

Rises. Sets.
Sun, today ---- 6:24 Egg
sun, tomorrow - $50 I:5S
Moon, today - 1917 am. 400 pm
Automobile lights must be turned on
one-han hour after sunset.
Precipitation. g.
Monthly precipitation in inches In the
Capital (current month to date):s a