Newspaper Page Text
|INCH MIDDLING .... 33 l-d¢
Vol. CXVII, No. 118,
Bolivia Declares
State Of Siege
More Hostages Seized As Bloody
Strike Riots Flare In Tin Mines
LA PAZ, Bolivia, _May 311.— (AP) —The government
declared a state of siege throughout Bolivia last night as
striking mine workers seized more hostages and the
walkout spread through the tin producing area.
Two more mines and a railroad were reported closed
in the strife-torn Catavia area high in the Andes where at
Jeast 27 persons, including two American engineers, were
killed in bloody weekend rioting.
Acting President: Mamerto Ur
riolagoitia, who had said earlier
the strike was aimed at overthrow
of the government, announced the
imposition of a state of siege.
He said the step was decided on
with cabinet approval as a result
of the “revolutionary acts” by
miners at Catavi.
The country had been in a state
of siege from May 1:to May 29
as a result of political disturb
ances after the May 1 congression
al election in which the govern
ment party lost some ground to
Rightist groups.
The topsy-turvy Bolivian situa
tion apparently pits the left-of
center government against unions
which it charges are affiliated
with Rightist, Nationalistic groups
attempting to start a revolt,
The acting president, who re
placed ailing President Enrique
Hertzog three weeks ago, called
on citizens to suppert the gov
ernment and keep Bolivia from
“falling into the arms of anarchy.”
The strike originally broke out
at a mine owned by the Patino
group, Bolivia’s largest tin com
bine. Fifteen management offi
cials, including seven Americans
were seized as hostages and
beaten severely, the company
general manager said:
An interior ministry commun
que said American. engineers T.
J.H. O’Connor of Pasadena, Calif.,
and Albert Krefting of Seattlg,
Wash.. were dead when Bolivian
troops reached the hostages Sun
day. At least two Bolivian mine
officials also were killed.
C.V. Staley I
Claimed ‘
imed By
Death Tuesday
C. V. Staley, aged 73, an accom
plished and successful cabinet
maker and one of Athens well
known and highly: regarded citi
zens, died in a local hospital Tues
day at 7 a. m., of a heart attack.
Mr. Staley had been ill for the
past month.
Funeral arrangements will be
announced later by Bernstein Fun
eral Home. ;
Mr. Staley is survived bi, his
wife, Mrs. Donnie Perry Staley;
two sons, Wesley Stalely and
Banks W. Staley, both of High
Point, N. C.; three sisters, Mrs.
Bell Sowder, Liberiy, N. C.; Mrs.
Jennie Ctaley, Jamestown, N. C.;
and Mrs. Millie Offman, Julian,
N. C.; and one brother, H. D.
Staley, Julian, N. C. Mr. Staley
was a natjve of High Point, N. C.
Mr. Staley was one. of the old
time craftsmen who' - loved his
work and always devoted pains
taking attention to whatever piece
of furniture he was making. He
abhorred turning out a slipshod
product because he believed that
people wquld judge him very
largely by the results of his handi
work and he wantad te be adjudg
ed a substantial, eonscientious per
son. He absorbed im his younger
days, when he was apprentice in
cabinet making in North Carolina,
the spirit of the true ecraftsman
who labors patiently to do a good
job with the result that patience
aindt fidelity show. up in the pro
duct, v
While Mr. Staley could not al
ways devote the time he knew a
a piece of furniture required be
cause of the impatience of his cus
tomer for a “rush” job hé tried to
do the job as he was taught by
the master craftsmen under whom
he served as an apprentice in the
trade. He was a fast worker, how
ever, despite his'attemtion to de
tails which is mecessary in any
kind of handecraft. :
Mr. Staley was a kindly man,
one who loved his home and fam
ily and his garden as well as the
trade he chose as a life work. For
Mmany years his cabinet shop was
located on Thomas street. He often
Expressed a desire to build a shop
in his back yard so he could be
ear his home and garden. A few
months ago he at last built his
shop near his home on the Lex
ngton Road and carried on his
craft there. His health became im
baired even before he moved his
shop and recently he had to stop
work altogether:
Throughout the years Mr. Staley
Came into contact with many peo
ple in Athens and this section who
‘earned to appreciate him for his
Many attributes and who lament
his passing,
MINE SAFETY
WASHINGTON, May 31—(AP)
John L. Lewis today bitterly de-
Nounced officials and coal mine
Operators for what he called their
failure to assure safety in the
mines,
The United Mine Workers' chief
called on Congress to ‘“‘act now”
by passing a bill which would give
federal inspectors the right to
close mines in cases *Where they
felt there was immiment danger.
ATHENS BANNER-HERALD
Associated Press Service
The rioting strikers at first
fought off the troops by hurling
dynamite bombs at them. Three
‘soldiers were listed as dead in the
communique. Unofficial reports
said about 20 strikers were killed
and 70 persons were severely
wounded.
There have been no further re
ports of disorders at that mine,
the Siglo Tiente (Tentieth Centu
ry), which has been closed.
City Schools Offering
Courses This Summer
A six-weeks summer school will be conducted by the
city schools, starting Wednesday, June 1, and continuing
through Friday, July 22, to give conditioned students a
chance to remove any conditions and to give any other
students so desiring a chance to receive extra credits.
Children from the first grade
through high school may attend
the summer course, City School
Superintendent Fred Ayers said
today in making the announce
ment.
Pupils will attend classes for
four hours a day, from 8 a. m. to
12 noon, five days a week, giving
each attending student 120 hours
of classroom work for the six
weeks.
Elementary schrol students will
register at their school on Wed
nesday, June 1, at 3 o’clock. Jun
ior High students will register at
their school at 3:30 o’clock and
High School students may regis
ter any time during the week. In
the event it is-impossible for ele
merfiary school students to register
at the time given above, registra
tign will remain open for them
the rest of the week.
Parents of elementary school
pupils are asked to report at the
designated time at their child’s
school for registration and for
conferences with the teachers.
In grades One through Eight,
emphasis will be placed on the
fundamentals, reading, writing,
arithmetic and English, and pu
pils registering in these grades
must attend the full four-hour
class schedule, even if conditioned
in only one subject, Mr. Ayers
said.
The summer school must be
self - supporting, Superintendent
Ayers said, adding that a fee of
sls per pupil will be charged for
the six weeks in grades One
through Eight and $lO per course
will be charged for High School
students.
Superintendent Ayers said that
when registration is completed,
the buif®ing where the school will
be operated will be announced.
-
Blind Father
Saves Young Son
PHOENIX, Ariz., May 31—(AP)
—A blind father saved his three
year-old son from drowning in an
irrigation ditch yesterday.
Little Irving Ashley Platt
tumbled into the irrigation ditch
near h¥ home while playing with
his brother, Bill, 12, and cther
children. Hearing the shouts of
the other children, Vernon H.
Platt, the blind father, rushed to
the spot. .
CLOSED DOOR
ON EXPLOSIVE
WASHINGTON, May 31.—(AP)
—The Senate-House Atomic En
ergy Committee - met behind
closed doors today to decide what
to do about the explosive situa
tion centering around the Atomic
Energy Comnrission. ‘
Senater Hickenlooper (R.-
Iowa) has charged AEC Chair
man David E. Lilienthal with
“incredible mismanagement” of
the atomic program and has de
manded that he be fired. |
Lilienthal, who throughout re
cent criticism has contended the
AEC has done and is doing a good
job, yesterday tore into Hicken
looper’s charges as “calculated to
arouse fear, uneasiness, fright
and ultimately panic.”
He told ~wree newsmen called
to his office that Hickenlooper’s
charges were so grave they might
“undermine the confidence of
this country: and the people of
Western Europe' in’ the principal
security enterprise of ‘this coun
ey R
Not only that, Lilienthal con
£®*AL3 * * *
Electric Brain
Will Translate
Foreign Tongues
LOS ANGELES, May 31—
(AP)—The U. S. Bureau of
Standards is building an elec
tric brain that will translate
foreign languages — somethine
that has stumped college fresh
men for years.
The brain is being built at the
University of California at Los
Angeles by 20 mathematicians
and technicians under the direc
tion of Dr. Harry Huskey.
It also is expected to be able
to compute salary payments,
predict the weather and replace
minor executives,
Dr. Huskey said at maximum
speed it will perform 16,000 ad
ditions and 4,000 multiplications
per second.
Its low speed memory can
store up 60,000 words from the
dictionary and also supply three
foreign equivalents for each
English word.
Using a cathode tube and
magnetic tape, Dr. Huskey said
it eventually can be used to
translate foreign books.
#* %® ®» * * 5 *
Mother Of H.L.
Cofer Dies At
Decatur Home
Many Athens friends of Mrs. C.
R. Cofer, sr., of Decatur, Ga., will
regret to learn of her death there
Monday night following an illness
of several weeks. Mrs. Cofer was
83 years of age.
Death came at the home of her
daughter, Mrs. J. L. Turner.
Mrs, Cotfer wastwell known in
Athens where she visited her son,
H. L. Cofer, widely known busi
ness man and owner of H. L.. Cof
er and Company, and family on
numerous occasions and resided
with them for several years.
Services are to be conducted
Wednesday morning at 11 o’clock
at Rayle, Ga. ;
Nine Killed
illed
In Georgia
gl
By The Associated Press
Traffic and highway accidents
in Georgia took nine lives over the
Memorial Day week-end.
Robert F. Berry, 48, of East
Point was killed in Atlanta last
night when an automobile 'ram
med into a parked truck.
Pvt. Frank Borgman, 24, of Chi
cago died yesterday from injuries
suffered when his car turned over
near Columbus Saturday. He was
stationed at Fort Benning.
Others killed since Friday night:
Mrs. Ruth Ricks of Atlanta.
Joyce Shouse, 29, of Bremen.
Bovd Compton, 28, of Synny
side.
Jonn Reese, jr., 28, of Thomas
ton. .
Andy Barnes, Atlanta negro.
George S. Gosnell, 52, of Au
gusta.
Charles F. Hancock of Cleve
land, Tenn.
CHECK ARTIST
BALTIMORE, May 31 —(AP)—
Alex Siegel, arrested by FBI last
night on charges of passing bad
checks, waived further hearings
today, but made no formal plea
at a hospital arrangement before
a U. S. commissioner.
METTING CALLED
ATOMIC WRANGLE
tinued, but Hickenlooper’s char
ges that numerous peérsons ofj
strong Communist leanings have
been permitted to work on atomic
secrets “cast a cloud” on all of
the 60,000 atomic workers.
Take Sides
Hickenlooper commented later
that “no one has injected criti
cism of the scientists into this
program. That is a Lilienthal in
jection.”
Senator Taft (R.-Ohio), Senate
Republican policy leader, said he
has told Hickenlooper “that I
will support his stand.” On the
other hand, the Federation of
American Scientists lined up in
Lilienthal’s corner.
Today’s closed committée meet
ing was designed to hear Hick
enlooper’s demand that hd. be
permitted to confront Lilienthal
with proof of what he calls the
AEC chairman’s mismanagement.
Lilienthal, too, -has demanded a
full hearing.”
- Home Ruie Debate
~ The Senate itself resumed de-
SERVING ATHENS AND NORTHEAST CEORGIA OVER A CENTURY
Thrasher Says State Tax
Levells "Ridiculousiy’ Low”
Claims Average Georgian
Pays $3 Monthly To State
BLACKSHEAR, Ga., May 31.— (AP) —State Auditor
B. E. Thrasher pulled a surprise punch today for taxpay
ers who complain they are burdened by state taxes.
The auditor reported that the average payment per
citizen in Georgia is just $3 a month for state govern
ment.
For his $3, Thrasher’ said, the
average citizen expects to drive on
concrete roads that cost $54,000
per mile, to send his children' to
fine schools, to have -available
huge tuberculosis and mental hos
pitals, a state prison system, and
to retire on an old age pension
when he reaches 65.
When taxes are broken down
this way, said Thrasher, they are
“ridiculously low.”
Spread Taxes
The solution te Georgia’s un
dersized money bags,’he'gfim-r-isgw
spread state taxes among more
people. He labeled the present tax
system “a farce impregnated with
the blight of special interests.”
Speaking before a civic club
here, Thrasher took major state
taxes, one by one, and showed
how few people pay them.
The gasoline tax, for example,
is the broadest of all—yet only 20
per cent of the population of this
county own motor vehicles. \
Property taxes, he said, are a
“fraud” because half the property
in many counties are exempted.
Assessments are ridiculously low.
Political Propaganda
Property taxes, though, are the
only sources of obtaining local
revenue for schools. Thrasher said
the “political propaganda” of can
didates who seek election by
promising low property taxes has
left the schools in their present
plight. %
Lost Soldier
Has 2 Wives
NEW YORK, May 31—(AP)—
An ex-infantryman, presumed by
his Connecticut wife have been
killed in the war, has a second
mate and family on State Island,
his former employer said today.
The former soldier, identified as
Anthony V. Martino, a cab driver,
was listed as missing in combat in
France in 1944. Later the army
presumed him dead.
His wife, Mrs. Mary Martino,
who lives with her two children
in Waterbury, was startled a few
days ago when the army informed
her Martino had walked inte an
army recruiting station to check
on his status.
Army officials said Martino told
them his memory had a blank
spot.
Today Nicholas De Joy, owner
of the Staten Island T&xi Compa
ny, said Martino worked from-him
as a cab driver for four and one
half years, but quit his job several
weeks ago.
De Joy said Martino has a wife
and two children living at Tomp
kinsville, Staten Island.
Martino left his home yesterday
and has not been seen since.
Ford Plants
Humming Again
DETROIT, May 31—(AP) —
The Ford Motor Co.'s army of
106,000 production workers began
a slow march back to the work
bench today after its strike settle
ment.
With a peace pact signed and
sealed in the speed-up dispute,
Ford and the CIO United Auto
workers resumed %*their job of
making automobiies.
hate on home rule for the Dis
trict of Columbia. The House
took up several minor bills.
John L. Lewis, president of the
United Mine Workers, was called
as a final witness before the
Senate Labor Subcommittee to
give his views on a bill to give
greater powers to federal mine
inspectors.
The legislation under consider
ation would authorize federal in
spectors to shut down coal mines
if they found them dangerously
unsafe.
A tip-off that Congress may
pass .up until next year the pro
gram, for re-arming America’s
European allies seen in a list of
chores House Maijority Leader
Rep. McCormack (b.-Mass.) said
the House must clean up before
adjournment. The rearmament
program for North Atlantic
Treaty nations was omitted. 11-
fluential Senate Democrats also
have indicated the $1,130,000,000
arms program won't be pushed
thig session. L . | :
ATHENS, CA., TUESDAY, MAY 31, 1949,
BY CHARLES BARRETT
Income taxes might be consider
ed fair, Thrasher said, but the fact
is that only one out of every 100
citizens in Pierce county pays state
income taxes.
Although Thrasher didn’t say so,
his argument seemed to indicate
his belief that a sales tax tied in
closely with income taxes is the
fairest and best solution to Geor
gia's money problems.
“The demands on government
will never be controlled unless we
have a tax strdcture that causes
eagh citizen to participate in the
payment of taxes, and this would
stop the great majority from de
manding services at the expense
of the small minority which is now
paying taxes,” he declared.
Verbal Blows Swapped
In State Tax Hearing
ATLANTA, May 31.—(AP)—It was State Democratic
Chairman James Peters’ turn before a tax revision hear
ing today.
Charges crackled back and forth among other top men
in Governgr Herman Talmadge’s forces yesterday as an
economy subcommittee of the tax revision group opened
hearings on schools. .
Plirs Yis vice dhairAn Ahd e
leading investigator of the Board
of Education. He stayed out of
most of the arguments yesterday.
Talmadge forces split wide open
during a name-calling session of
Wmittee making a check
ite Georgia’s school system.
The session got so heated that
House Speaker Fred Hand and
Sen. Walter Harrison, of opposing
political factions, both urged that
the committee not be wused “to
wash dirty linen.”
Augusta political leader Roy
Harris, often caii>d a major pow
er in Talmadge’s election, charged
that Talmadge appointees to.the
State Board of Education plan a
shake-up in state school depart
ment personnel.
Smear Tactics
He accused his political associ
ates of “smear” tactics which he
ATLANTA, May 31—(AP)—
An investigation into Georgia’s
school finances quieted today,
leaving Gev. Herman Talmadge’s
forces still split over the issue.
Top tesiimony at a tax re
vision committee hearing was
that more than two-thirds of
Georgia’s counties do not raise
enough money locally to pay
even the cost of buses -in their
school systems.
said will “ruin” the school pro
gram. He mentioned by name
board Chairman George Whitman,
jr.,and Peters, a board member.
Whitman yesterday termed the
state textbook program ‘“rotten to
the core.” And he said State School
Supt. M. D. Collins did not come
before the committee “with clean
hands or in good faith.”
Collins says there is little if any
room for further economies in the
school program. Whitman dis
agreed. Up to $500,000 a year
could be saved by ‘“business-like”
operation of the $2,400,000 text
book and library program, he said.
Harris jumped to the defense of
Collins, Textbook Director C. S
Hubbard and the entire school de
partment.
Bad Results
Harris reminded that the late
Gov. Eugene Talmadge had in
terferred in university system per
sonnel and said the results were
“disastrous.”
The Boaré oi mducation, he said,
“ought to have its head examined”
for hiring W. W. Burton of Col
lege Park to write a Georgia his
tory.
Sen. Harrison urged ‘all men
interested in education to get to
gether. Let’s don’t draw our
schools down into the mire of poli
tics and rottennesss, we are un
dermining education by some of
these statements today.”
Whitman accused Collins and
other school department officials
of not cooperating with the board.
He said inquiries are greeted by
charges of “red herring and poli
tics” and “everything we propose
if blackballed in the papers.”
Collins said he welcomed an in
vestigation of his department, but
declazed more money is the only
answer to tke schools’ financial
crisis. _
@ o % & W * * &
Chinese T enant
Keeps Promase;
Plenty Of Rice
TOKYO, May 31 — (AP) —
Tendnt Isao Kurokawa is al
most hip deep in rice.
That's a strange way to be in
this rice short country.
“Take care of my rice ration,”
he said before leaving.
Isao did, faithfully.
Rice poured into his little
home at the rate of a pint and a
half a day under occupation
rationing. Soon the place was
full of it. But the landlord didn’t
come back.
Worried, lest he be taken for
a blackmarketeer, Isao went to
police.
They were amazed.
“What am I to do?” he asked,
almost tearfully.
Police shrugged. The question
had never come up before.
They left Isao standing prac
tically up to his hip-pockets in
rice, perplexed as ever,
B s # & # » # *®
ATHENS AND VICINITY
Showers today with scatter
ed thundershowers this after
ncen., Warmer Wednesday and
Thursday.
G E O R G I A—Considera
ble cloudiness this afternoon,
tonight and Wednesday. Scat
tered thundershowers this aft
ernoon and evening” and again
Wednesday afternoon. .
EXTENDED FORECAST
Extended forecast for period
from 8:30 p. m. today through
8:30 p. m., Sunday, June 5:
GEORGIA—Light to moder
ate rainfall in scattered after
noon thundershowers during
the peried, oceurring mostly on
Wednesday and Friday. Rising
temperatures during period
averaging slightly above nor
mal over southern Georgia and
South Carolina, and near nor
mal in North Carolina, and
northern portions of Georgia
and South Carcolina.
TEMPERATURE
Highest .- uu ..o 2
Lowest: oo Lodl i, e
MR iR i e
Normal . e e
RAINFALL
Inches last 24 hours .. .. 1.73
Total singe May:-1* .. .... 453
Excess since May'l .. ... .99
Average May rainfall .... 3.54
Total since January 1 ....25.50
Excess since January 1 .. 2.81
LACK OF CLUES AND MOTIVE
SLOW SEARCH FOR WHITE MOB
{ IRWINGTON, Ga., May 31—
(AP)—With no clues or a motive
to guide them, investigators
searched today for white men who
whisked a negro from jail and shot
him to death.
“There’s nothing to go on,” said
Sheriff George Hatcher. “At pre
sent we don’t even have a definite
motive.”
The negro, 28-yvear-old Caleb
{ Hill, jr., was taken from the jail
|early Momélay morhing by two
| white men. His beaten and bul
l let-pierced body was found near a
| creek a few hours later.
" Hatcher said an agent of the
| Georgia Buyreau of Investigation
]ente-ed the gase today at his in
vitation. ! %
The Sheriff said he thinks there
were more than two men involved
in Hill’s death, “I don’t think two
men would try to handle some-
Ithing like this by themselves,” he
| explained.
i Hill was arrested by the sheriff
at a negro roadhouse near this
small middle Georgia town about
midnight. While he was making
the arrest, Hatcher said, Hill seiz
ed the sheriff’s pistol and shot at
him. Hatcher subdued Hill, took
‘him to jail and returned to look
for his pistol which was lost in
| the scuffle.
The jail is on the second floor
of the seriff’'s home. He said he
left the house unlocked when he
iwent for his pistol because he
(didn’t want te disturb his wife
lwhen he returned. A :
Read Daily by 35,000 People In Athens Trade Area
West Powers Hold
Strategy Session
Still Hope For Economic Truce; |
Soviets Reject Political Unity
PARIS, May 31. — (AP) — The three Western power
Foreign Ministers held an unannounced meetingg this
morning to consider how to meet Rusisa’s rejection of
their plan for a political union of East and West Germany.
Official British sources reported the meeting was being
held.
Secretary of State Dean Acheson, British Foreign Sec
retary Ernest Bevin and French Foreign Minister Robert
Schuman were accompanied by their top advisers. A
The Western ministers presuma
bly want to decide well in advance
what to do next if the four-power
talks collapse. R io S
Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei
Vishinsky was reported by sourc
es close to his delegation to have
consulted Moscow by telephone
last night on the terms of the
speech he is planning for today.
Earlier, authoritative sources
said the West would seek to sai
vage some form Es economic unity
for Germany frofmm the conference.
The Western ministers remained
in session until shortly after noon.
Later an American source said the
three delegations devoted much of
the talk to the Berlin currency is
sue. léle said they agreed they
should avoid technical aspects of
the currency problem and should
concentrate instead on broad prin
ciples.
It was agreed that each of the
three would make brief statements
of general policy on the current
item, one of the basic problems
in the cold war, and then seek to
have the details turned over to a
committee of experts. Berlin has
two currencies —the Western
Deutsche mark and the Russian
sponsored east mark, worth a
quarter as much.
As the eighth meeting of the Big
Four Council got under way later.
Vishinsky was reported winding
up for another attack on the joint
Western power proposals for poli
tical unity, and it was doubtful
the Berlin issue could be reached
today.
Sights Lowered
The West lowered its sights,
aiming at some sort of eéconomic
arrangement with the Russians to
guarantee transport and commu
itiosn between the East and West.
American, British and French
sources said this was about as
much as could be expected on the
heels of the Soviet's rejection of
the West’s blueprint for unifying
the former Reich under the Bonn
Constitution.
Vishinsky yesterday sarcastical
ly opposed the Western proposal in
its entirely, with sweeping con
demnation which, he said, he
would continue today in more de
tail.
In Vishinsky’s attack the Krem
lin was giving its first officia’
“no” to the Western proposal sub
mitted Saturday for the exten
sion of the Bonn Constitution tr
the Eastern states of Germany un
der the four-power occupation
status.
\ In brief, the Soviet answer
meant theie was 10 nope oi put
[ting Germany under one govern-
While he was gone, Hatcher
continued, two white men entered
the jail and took Hill away. The
sheriff’s wife and two young
daughters were sleeping down
stairs.
“When I returned home, T went
straight to bed without looking in
on Hill. The first thing I knew
about his being killed was when
I was called to identify a body
(Hill's) this morning,” Hatcher
added.
Mrs. Hatcher said she heard a
car drive up during the night, but
thought it was her husband.
No Protests
Tom Carswell, a negro prisoner
in the same cell with Hill, said the
slain man made no protests when
the two white men came in and
told him: “Come on, let’s go.”
Carswell said the men were
strangers to him and he could not
i;ientify them if he saw them
again.
Hatcher discounted reports that
Hill might have been killed be
cause of rumors he had shot the
sheriff.
The sheriff said he went to the
roadhouse to arrest Hill after a
report he had stabbed another
negro.
Dr. W. M. Puckeit told a coro
ner’s jury Hill was killed by a
a bullet which entered his head
above the left ear and came out
below the le!lt’I Tgr. hAan' er. slug
lodged near Hill’s heart.. . .
.. No Suspeets ..
Coroner C. C. Thompsen said he
did not plan to retrieve the bullet,
HOME
EDITION
ment, at least in the foreseeable
future.
The Western powers thus plan
ned to devote their attention to
the economic side. They are ex
pected in a few days io come up
with some definite plan along this
line, in order to achieve some de
gree of economic unification.
Specifically, the Western sources
envisage creation of four power
committees to handle East-West
relations in trade, transport and
current fields. The Soviets, whose
zone was considerably hurt by the
Western counter - blockade, pre
sumably would be willing to listen
to this type of project.
Secrecy Hides
Red-German
Constitution
BERLIN, May 31—(AP)—East
German Communists threw a cloak
of mystery today about their time
table for Eastern Germany. =~
#There is no necessity to estab
lish an East Germany state,” Prof.
Hermann Kastner, head of the
newly chosen people’s council,
told a reporter. “Even if there
were such an idea it would cer
tainly not be discussed now, while
the Foreign Ministers are meeting
in Paris and trying to reach an
agreement on the unification of
Germany.”
The Communist-led People’s
Congress yesterday adopted a So
viet-type constitution claiming to
speak for all this country. They
chose 400 members of a People’s
Council to serve as a government,
including in the list Gerhart Eisler,
Communist fugitive from America
who hasn’t been here since Nazi
days. Kastner was named co
president of the council.
Only a Draft
Kastner, who heads a splinter
party of Liberal Democrats, de
scribed the East German consti
tution as “only a draft.” The con
stitution has been viewed as Rus
sia’s answer to the West German
constitution ratified by the states
of the three Western occupation
zones. i
“It is not a constitution which
will become formally effective,”
Kastner added. “It is a product of
all ideological and political trends
in the Soviet zone amd is what
(Continued on Page Two.)
“If 'we had a gun to match the
bullet with, or some suspects, it
would be different,” Thompson
said. “But we haven’t got a gun or
any suspects.
The sheriff said, however, he
would delay Hill’'s burial a few
days pending developments.
“If something comes up and we
need that bullet, we’ll get it,” he
commented.
Tuskegee Institute at Tuskegee,
Ala., listed Hill’s violent death as
the first of its kind in the United
States this year.
Twe lynchings and a borderline
case, each in Georgia, were re
ported by Tuskegee in 1948.
A white tenant farmer was re
ported lynched by other men i»
Meriwether county last May. A
white man was sentenced to death
and three others were given life
sentences for the crime. '
In the other lynching reporter
by Tuskegee, a negro—Rober!
Mallard—was shot to death from
ambush in November. His widow
said robed, unmasked men per
petrated the slaying. One man
was acquitted and charges agains!
another were dropped.
The Borderline case, involving
the death of a negro in September,
was not listed as a lynching b+
Tuskekee because only two men
took part. Tuskegee records n
Iynching as a death caused by a
mob of three or more persons. -
The negro in this case was slain
in a primary election H
Two men were acquitted of the