THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE
*ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME”
VOL. LXXV., NO. 11,545
JUNEAU, ALASKA, MONDAY, JULY 3, 1950
MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS
PRICE TEN CENTS
U. S. Bombers Pounding Invaders of Korea
MOTHER, 2
CHILDREN
MISSING
A Juneau mother and hkr two
small children, missing since June
25, were sought today by the U.S.
Marshal’s office.
Marshal William T. Mahoney said
he was anxious to contact anyone
who might have seen the woman,
Betty Jane Curry, 35, and her son,
Richard, 5, and daughter, Dianne, 3
The three were seen last on the
docks Sunday evening. June 25. The
woman’s baggage was left at the
express office.
The Marshal’s office was called in
on the search when the two child
ren failed to return to the Johnson
home where they had been staying.
A check of both north and south
bound ships which left Juneau on
June 25 failed to disclose any trace
of the family.
Mahoney described the woman as
“35, blond and of buxom build.’’
Both children are blond. Mrs. Curry
sometimes was known as Mrs. Tip
ton. the Marshal said.
The woman’s baggage carried a
discharge paper showing that she
had been a WAC during the war.
A report that Mrs. Curry had
been seen boarding a bus in Ju
neau during the last week reached
the district representative of the
Alaska Public Welfare, but there
has been no confirmation of the
information.
Mrs. Curry came to Juneau from
Seward in April of 1949. During the
last year she has had temporary
employment at St. Ann’s hospital,
the Alaska Laundry and in the
liepartment of Taxation.
Her children first entered the
Lyle Johnson home May 23, re
mained there until June 8 and then
were taken to the home again.
Mrs. Curry took the children from
the home Saturday, June 24, after
arranging to return them in a few
days. The report that she tvas
boarding the Aleutian southbound
Sunday night reached the welfare
representative indirectly.
"While it is possible that Mrs.
Curry may be in Juneau, we are
alarmed on her account and because
of the children,” Miss Sadie Billis,
the welfare representative said to
day. “That is why we have appealed
to the Marshal’s office in our at
tempt to locate her.”
ARC TRUCK HERE, FIRST
IN JUNEAU IN 29 YEARS
The first Alaska Road Commis
sion truck to come to Juneau in 29
years arrived here Saturday from
Tok, bringing household goods for
John G. Shepard, construction en
gineer who has been transferred
to the Juneau office from Tok.
The truck came by way of the
Haines cut-off and the Haines car
ferry. It will leave here for Tok
Wednesday, according to Col. John
R. Noyes, head of the ARC.
The Washington
Merry - Go - Round
Bv DREW PEARSON
•Oopjrrtcht. t» Bell Syndicate. Ins.)
rfASHINGTON—What has wor
ed military chiefs in considering
their Korean strategy is that the
Soviet will next make a pass at
a defenseless but vital country on
the other side of Asia—Iran.
For if the men in the Kremlin
face a setback in Korea, they are
likely to save face in some other
area. And the most important and
easiest country for them to pen
etrate is oil-rich, revolt-ready Iran.
Capture of Iran would put Rus
sian forces on the Gulf of Persia
overlooking the Indian Ocean and
menacing both the shipping lanes
to Suez and the pricelesss oil of
Arabia.
Here are the inside facts about
Iran—well known to Moscow—which
make U. S. military chiefs worry.
After the Shah of Iran returned
from the U. S. A., it was expected
he would receive large shipments
of American tanks, artillery etc.
However, Gen. Vernon Evans, U. S.
military adviser in Iran, advised
against this. He warned that cor
ruption, incipient revolt and ineffi
ciency were such inside the Iran
ian army that U. S. tanks and
equipment might fall into Commu
(Qontinued on Page Fo«P
Korean Situation May Jam
Alaska, Hawaii Statehood
Bills Through U. S. Senate
By ALICE FROIN JOHNSON
• Special to Empire)
WASHINGTON, June 30—While j
the Korean situation may not ap
pear to bear directly on statehood
for Alaska and Hawaii, informed
sources here believe recent devel
opments in Asia will ram both
s'atehood bills through the Senate
before the end of the session.
As was expected, the Senate In
terior and Insular Affairs Com
mittee voted this week to report
both s'atehood bills favorably. I
Sens. Hugh Butler, Neb., and Guy
Gordon, Ore., both Republicans,
were the only members who voted
against the Alaska bill, while Bug
ler, alone, opposed the Hawaiian
bill.
The conflagration in Korea was
seized upon by Sen. Joseph C. O’
Mahoney. chairman and staunch i
Administration supporter, as a paf- i
amount reason for speeding both
bills to the Senate.
Both Territories are logical
springboards for mounting attacks
against Communist Asia, should I
war eventuate between Russia and
the United States as a result of
American aid to free countries.
Therefore, O’Mahoney declared,
no possible link which may be |
forged to strengthen the chains
Unding strategically-located off
shore possessions to the continental
United States should be neglected.
He argued that statehood would j
strengthen morale in both Terri
tories, and allow better integration
of American military planning. • j
Butler’s Comeback
Butler, opposing O’Mahoney’s
view, said:
“With all due respect to the
Chairman, it seems to me granting
statehood to the Territories has
nothing to do with military pre
paredness. Residents of Alaska and
Hawaii are, first and foremost,
loyal Americans. They will aid
the United States no matter
whether they live under the laws
of a state or of a territory. If
anything, we can retain closer con
trol in event of enemy attack from
across the Pacific under the terri
torial system than under isolated
statehood.”
Butler and Gordon both asserted
they were not against ultimate
statehood, but that this was not
the time for it.
More Time Needed
Three committee members are
opposed to granting statehood im
mediately to either Territory, hut
believed the Senate should have
the opportunity now to debate the
issues. All three merely voted
MAN SCALES
MT.LOGANFOR
SECOND TIME
60-Year-Old Bostonian
Made First Ascent of
Peak 25 Years Ago
By MXJRLIN B. SPENCER
Ct'RDOVA, Alaska, July 3—UR—A
gray haired, 60-year-old Bostonian,
who was among those making the
first ascent of 19,650-foot Mt. Lo
gan 25 years ago, conquered the
peak again June 17—the second
time it has been scaled.
He wanted to see if his legs
could “still take it.”
For Norman H. Read, Boston
and Manchester, Mass., it was six
days short of 25 years since he
and five others fought their way
to the top of the forbidding mpun
tain. highest in Canada and sec
ond by only 450 feet to Mt. Mc
Kinley on the North American
continent.
51 Days on Ice
Read and Andre Roch, his com
panion from Davos, Switzerland,
returned here Saturday with the
story of their cilmb. They were 51
days on ice where there are no
insects, animals or birds. They
battled incredible snowstorms that
threatened to destroy them.
Then in the face of overwhelming
odds, they climbed both of Logan's
peaks.
(Continued on Page Two)
"present” when it came to calling
the roll on reporting the bills.
An informal poll of non-com- j
mittee senators of both parties dis
closed that the majority, including
those who were apathetic on state
hood, now side with O’Mahoney's
views.
Sen. Clinton Anderson, N. M..
will steer the Alaska bill through
floor debate. He conducted recent
hearings on the House bill. His
sharp questions, aimed at both pro
ponent and opponents, brought out
weak points in the measure, with
the result that the bill reported io
the Senate lias been amended in
many ways. Most changes favor
the Territory, especially in the
matter of lands to be awarded
the State of Alaska.
Believes Passage Certain
“I have no doubt that we will
pass both statehood bills, certainly
the Alaska bill, before we go home,"
Anderson told this reporter in the
presence of senatorial colleagues.
Then he jutted his jaw. A senator- j
ial stander-by remarked: When
Clinton juts his jaw like that, he j
never fails to get his way.”
Until this week's crisis in Kor&a,
Alaska statehood advocates held
any outside hope of getting action.
They hoped the President would
pour on the heat, since the plat
form of the National Democratic
Convention called for granting
statehood to Alaska and Hawaii.
Furthermore, proponents had the
idea that the President might in
sist on action to provide Demo
cratic congressional candidates with
“see-what-we-did-arguments," if!
Congress failed to enact a sizeabie I
hunk of his "mu5t” legislation, such
as civil right, low-income and
middle-income housing and Federal
aid to education.
Turn Down President
Although neither House or Sen
ate has come through with much
legislation called for by the Chief
Executive, both houses have passed
some “watered down” measures
which half-way comply with the I
President’s wishes—enough so that
minor, not-too-controversial planks
need not be pressed at this session,
especially in view of the present
bi-partisan will to strengthen the
country's course of action.
Apathy, heretofore the greatest
deterrent to immediate grant of
statehood, apparently is out the
window. This apathy stemmed
from the Majority Party leader
ship in the Senate.
Former Republican Congressman
Everett Dirksen is giving Senate
Majority Leader Scott Lucas tough i
competition in the Illinois senator
ial race. Lucas wanted to close
shop as soon as appropriations
were out of the way, so he could
gq home and fight for reelection.
Statehood for the territories is not
even a remote issue in Illinois.
Neither could Sen. Francis J.
Myers, Majority Whip, summon en
thusiasm for prolonging Congress
to take up the statehood measures.
Few of his Pennsylvania constitu
ents care whether Alaska and Ha
waii are states or territories, but
mny are falling off Myers’ band
wagon.
Lucas and Myers determine, for
the most part, what «bills shall
come to debate. Aided by lack of
interest on the part of Sen. Robert
A. Taft, Minority Party policy
chairman. Lucas and Myers had
written off time for statehood de
bates. Now, tension over the inter
national situation is apt to force
them to change their minds.
MITCHELL GIVES VIEWS
TACOMA, Wash., July 3 — 1# —
Rep. Hugh Mitchell (D-Wash) be
lieves the Korean situation necessi
tates the immediate approval of
statehood for Alaska.
“Alaska is America’s Achilles
Heel today because it is so pitifully
underpopulated and underdevel
oped,” he told a dinner meeting of
the Pacific Northwest Allied print
ing Trades Council.
“As Lt. Gen. Nathan Twining
says, you can’t defend a vacuum.
Statehood is one way to fill this
vacuum. By ending the Territory’s j
second class status people and in- j
dustry will be induced to migrate
northward.”
Mitchell said Russia has built
large industrial cities in northern >
Siberia to buttress her striking j
power in the Pacific. “Korea,” he:
said, “is a graphic reason why we!
must match her strength,”
ALASKA IS
THEME OF
CONVENTION
• ~
Eleventh Biennial Meet
ing of Soroptimists
Opens in Seattle
SEATTLE, July 3—((PI—A trip to
Alaska was the theme of the wel
coming reception for the 1,000 dele
gates to the 11th biennial conven
tion of the American Federation of
Soroptimist clubs last night.
Exhibits, insured for $10,000,
turned the Spanish ballroom of the
Olympic hotel into a miniature of
the northland for the formal open
ing of the convention which was
sponsored by the Soroptimist Clubs
of Alaska.
The meeting is being held in
Seattle for the first time and it is
expected that all previous attend
ance records will be broken, accord
ing to Mrs. Lois Beil Sandall, gen
eral chairman.
The Alaskan exhibits included a
miniature mining camp with the
miner’s cabin, his cache and wind
less all constructed of natural ma
terials. It was designed by the Fair
banks club.
The Anchorage club’s exhibit dis
played native ivory, furs and
Alaskan wild flowers. From Sitka
there were Indian ceremonial robes,
native baskets and a hand carved
mural by Peter Nielsen of the Raven
Clan. Most of the exhibits are over
100 years old.
The welcoming address was de
livered by Mrs. Edith T. Rauch,
president of the Seattle Soroptimist
club. The program also included
Eskimo dances and the Metlakatla
boys' choir which sang Alaskan
ballads. The Alaskan hostesses all
wore native parkas.
Convention hosts are the clubs of
Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Mon
tana and Alaska.
Picket Slops
Discharging
Alaska Ship
SEATTLE, July 3—(Jfl—CIO long
shoremen refused to pass a lone A.
F. of L. picket at the Albers Milling
Company pier yesterday. As a result
an Alaska Steamship Company ves
sel moved away unloaded.
The Sailor’s Splice tied up at the
pier early yesterday to unload a
cargo of fish meal for Alaska. Mem
bers of the International Long
shoremen’s and Warehousemen’s
Union (CIO) turned back when
they saw the picket patrolling the
plant entrance.
The ship was moved later in the
day to pier 24 to discharge canned
salmon.
The Albers plant has been pick
eted by the Sheet Metal Workers
International Association, Local 99
(AFL) since January 3 after the
company discharged two sheet
metal workers and announced it
would ‘‘farm out” its sheet-metal
work. On February 7 Superior Judge
Harold A. Sheering denied the Al
bers Company an injunction against
the picketing.
William Gettings, regional direc
tor of the ILWU said yesterday was
the first time since the dispute be
gan that longshoremen were called
to the pier to work a vessel.
WEATHER REPORT
•
• In Juneau—Maximum, 69;
• minimum, 52.
• At Airport—Maximum, 68;
• minimum, 48.
•
• FORECAST
• (Juneau and Vicinity)
• Variable cloudiness tonight
• and Tuesday. Lowest tem
• perature tonight about 50
• degrees. Highest Tuesday
• near 67.
•
• PRECIPITATION
• (Past 24 hours ending 7:30 a m. today
• City of Juneau—0.08 inches;
• since July 1—0.27 inches.
• At Airport — 0.15 inches;
• since July 1—0.15 inches.
July 4fh Queen Roberta
Roberta Messerschmidt, by winning: the popularity voting contest,
is Juneau's Queen during the present Fourth of July celebration.
She was crowned at the coronation ball at midnight Saturday in the
Elks ballroom.
ALASKA’S LIBERTY
BELL SOUNDS AT
CEREMONIES TODAY!
- j
Anyone in the crowd of people,
who witnessed the presentation and
acceptance of the Liberty bell in |
front of the Federal Building this I
morning had a chance to ring the |
bell along with the dignitaries on!
the program—and plenty of boys!
and girls took advantage of that |
opportunity.
The bell, one of 53 replicas of thei
Liberty Bell presented to the forty
eight states and four territories—
Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the
District of Columbia, has a beautiful
sound and in spite of its heavy clap
per—the youngsters whose part in
the ceremony was impromptu,
thoroughly enjoyed ringing Alaska’s
Liberty Bell.
J. T. Petrich, deputy collector of
customs, acting on behalf of the
Secretary of Treasury, presented
the bell to Gov. Ernest Gruening,
who accepted the bell on behalf of
the people of Alaska.
In his acceptance. Gov. Grueninj
said that the bell is a symbol of
the freedom we enjoy and have en
joyed continuously for a century
and three-quarters, a freedom we
must maintain unflinchingly, in
the face of any dangers.
Mr. Petrich called attention to
the fact that the bell was one of
the most dynamic and inspirational
symbols the Savings Bond Division
of the Treasury Department has
ever had . . . that these touring
bells, 53 of them, will have visited
some 2,500 communities during the
present Savings Bond drive.
First clap of the bell was sounded
by Gov. Gruening. Mayor Waino
Hendrickson then rang the bell and
others who followed were B. D.
Stewart, Col. John Noyes, Alaska >
Road Commission; Commissioner
of Education James Ryan: the dep- j
uty collector of customs, J. T. Pet- |
rich; Mrs. Gruening, Mrs. Keith j
Petrich, Mrs. Mildred Hermann, |
Postmaster Crystal Snow Jenne. j
Then bystanders, men, women |
and children joined in ringing the
bell.
The reproduction of the liberty j
bell is exact—except, of course for
the crack—but even the crack is
painted on the replica.
The authorities on bells and bell
ringing say that it has a 20-second
sound at present, but when the
mounting is adjusted, which will be'
done today, it will have a longer!
vibration.
At noon tomorrow', July 4, the
bell will ring again. I
No permanent location has been |
chosen for Alaska’s Liberty Ball
and it will remain on the lawn in
front of the Federal Building for
the time being.
Dragon flies benefit mankind
through their fondness for mosqui
toes.
CORONATION BALL i
STARTS FESTIVITIES
OF GALA 'FOURTH*
Tense with excitement, some 700
persons in the Elks' Ballroom Sat
urday night watched the entrance
to see who would follow the mili
tary color guard in the midnight
procession.
Who had woft the contes’, U
reign ever Juneau’s four-day 4th ol
July celebration?
Who had been secretly chosen
King Juneau I?
Applause first for Mayor and Mrs.
Hendrickson applause and cheers
with the appearance of the royal
pair, Roberta Messerschmidt, queen,
and Dr. L. P. Dawes, king.
"Court attendants" followed, es
corted by officers of the Alaska
National Guard.
In the order of their success in
the queen contest were Princesses
Shirley Casperson, escorted by Capt.
Arthur Walker; Nella Jermain, with
Lt. Dan Mahoney, and Carmen
Mantyla, with Lt. Vern Metcalfe.
The four young women made an
attractive picture grouped on the
stage for the coronation ceremony.
Their billowy formal gowns shaded
from the soft green frock wnich
set off Queen Roberta’s brunette
beauty < accented by the huge bou
quet of red and white carnations),
*o the aqua gown worn by Shirley,
the cloud softness of Nella’s and
the white dress chosen by Carmen.
i Mrs. Hendrickson carried out
the patriotic theme in her costume,
wearing a red and white corsage
on the pale blue blouse topping
a long black skirt.)
With appropria*e remarks, May
or Hendrickson placed the red and
gold crown on the dark hair of
Queen Juneau IV, and gave Dr.
Dawes the scroll prepared by the
committee for King Juneau I.
Naming him to the Royal Court
of Independence “for devoted ser
vice and the respect of the com
munity” had been J. C. Johnson,
Dr. James C. Ryan and Elton Eng
strom.
Prom the stage, where she sat
with committee members, Mrs.
Dawes smiled happily above the
colorful corsage she had been given.
Besides the airplane fares and
cash awards in the queen contest,
the king, queen and princesses
were give gold bracelets which will
ix1 suitably engraved to commem
orate the occasion.
Just 24 hours earlifer. after the
queen contest closed Friday night,
a group of interested citizens had
spent long hours counting the votes,
checking and rechecking. In this
group were representatives of t'ae
,'ponsoring groups, cornmit'ee mem
bers and the Rev. A. B. Morgan.
The official tabulation shows
206,400 votes for Roberta Messer
schmidt, who was sponsored by the
Rotary Club and the Business and
(Continued cn Page Five)
UNCLE SAM'S
DEVIL DOGS
ORDERED OUT
Troops, Air Units from Two
U.S. Bases to Be Rush
ed to MacArthur
TED KOREAN
(By Associated Press)
Units of the United States Mar
ines—the fighting devil dogs of
Uncle Sam who helped win many
an island in World War Two—
were ordered today to the Korean
war area.
A Defense Department spokesman
in Washington said troops and air
units from the Fleet Marine Force
at Cariip Pendleton and El Toro,
Cal , would be rushed across the
Pacific to Japan with instructions
to report to Gen. MacArthur, who
asked more combat manpower tc
fight the Communists in Korea.
The strength of the Marine re
inforcements was not disclosed.
This additional shot in the arm
to U. S. strength in the Korean
fighting came as the Communist
invaders of South Korea slowed
down their advance to gathet
strength for a new all-out assault.
It was possible they would move
out under cover of night and make
their first contact with U. S.
ground troops. U. S. bombers anc
fighters gave the Reds a fierce
daylight pounding.
U. S. Air Force officials in Wash
ington ordered additional B-29 su
perfortresses from the West Coast
to advanced American bases in the
Pacific. The Air Force said U. 3.
and Australian planes had flown
105 sorties over Kor.'n, with only
one F-80 Jet fighter lost in action.
GOVERNOR WILL
ASK MAYORS TO
PLAN DEFENSE
Back in Juneau after his confer
ence in Anchorage with General
Nathan S. F. Twining, General
Frank Armstrong. General Cun
ningham and Federal and city of
ficials, Gov. Gruening said today
that he would ask the mayors of
other towns in Alaska to call sim
ilar meetings to make plans for
civilian defense in case of any en
emy action.
"Juneau, because of its prestige
as capital of Alaska, I consider
would be third in importance to
any possible enemy, after Anchor
age and Fairbanks. We must not
be alarmed, but we must have some
plan of action.
“There is no plan of evacuation
of Alaska and General Twining and
I agreed that people were as safe
in Alaska as they would be any
where else should the United States
be attacked by some enemy."
• NO EMPIRE ON 4TH •
• - •
• There will be no Issue of the •
• Daily Alaska Empire tomor- •
• row, July 4, but any news of •
• transcendent interest will be •
• bulletined. •
AIRCRAFT ENGINE ON
EXHIBITION, BARANOF
A sectionalized Pratt and Whit
ney aircraft engine, prepared for
educational and training purposes
by Alaska Coastal Airlines me
chanics, is being exhibited in the
lobby of the Baranof Hotel until
Thursday afternoon.
Sections of the cylinders, pistons,
and crankcase have been removed
to expose the operation of the en
gine and a small electric motor
turns it over to show.it in action
STOCK QUOTATIONS
NEW YORK, July 3 — Closing
quotation of Alaska Juneau mine
stock today is 2%. American Can
102, Anaconda 29'i, Curtiss-Wright
8'i, International Harvester 26%.
Kennecott 55, New York Central
11'i, Northern Pacific 14, U.S. Steel
32 H, Pound $2.80.
Sales today were 1,540,000 shares.
Averages today are as follows: in
dustrials 208.35, rails 51 66. utilities
47.70,
INFANTRY
ATTACKED
AT FRONT
Strafing Planes Mil U. S.
Units - Commies Spray
ed by Bombs, Rockets
(By the Associated Press)
Communist Invaders of South Ko
rea slowed down their powerful
armored advance today to lay low
In the face of a fierce daylight
pounding by U.S. bombers and
fighters. Under cover of night they
were likely to move again and pos
sibly make their first contact with
U.S. ground troops.
First U.S. Infantry units digging
In at the front were greeted by a
savage 25-minute attack of five to
seven unidentified strafing planes.
For the U.S. Infantry It was the
first combat action since World
War II. A U.S. sergeant was the
first casualty.
American bombers and fighters
in large numbers sprayed bombs,
rockets and machinegun fire at
the Communists, four of whose
tank columns were across the Han
river. Another Red tank column
had taken Wonju, 50 miles east of
Seoul, captured South Korean cap
ital.
Fighters Pound Them
American and Australian fighter
planes wrecked seven North Korean
tanks anfl 22 trucks and shot down
two hostile planes Monday. The
Communists were building up their
antiaircraft positions in the Seoul
area and carrying out heavy bomb
ing attacks on Suwon, but they
failed to dislodge the South Ko
reans still hanging on to the town
and Its airfield, 23 miles south of
the fallen capital.
Two Red tank columns were re
ported 25 miles below the Han in a
menacing break through outflank
ing Suwon and its airfield, aban
doned by the Americans as an ad
vance supply base, but a spokesman
at Oen. MacArthur's advance head
quarters In Korea said this break
through was not as serious as it
had looked at first.
, No Red Progress
Headquarters said the Reds made
no serious progress during the, day,
but that nightfall might touch off a
renewed surge and bring Americans
and Communists within shooting
range. The day's reports Indicated
the Red drive was at least tem
porarily stalled, probably because of
the severe pasting by the American
planes.
The Communist radio said Ameri
can bombers raided the North Ko
rean capital, Pyongyang, twice
Monday, dropping more than 80')
bombs. It said lighters knocked
down two bombers.
In Washington. Secretary of De
fense Johnson said there was no
present Intention of mobilizing re
serves in the United States in con
nection with the Korean crisis, de
spite worries that it might spread
into a broader conflict.
Commies Mobilizing
Officials studied reports from
Hong Kong quoting Chinese dis
patches from Canton which said the
Chinese Communists were mobiliz
ing a force of 20,000 or more men
for the Korean campaign.
The 39 members of the United
Nations who now back U.S. action-;
in Korea were reported generally
favoring the appointment of U.S.
Gen. MacArthur to lead the U.N.
effort to restore peace by the use
of force.
Truman Studies Reports
President Truman and Secretary
of State Acheson studied latest re
ports from Korea. It was under
stood these reports said morale in
the invaded country was good de
(Continued on Page Two)
STEAMER MOVEMENTS
Aleutian from Seattle scheduled
to arrive at & a.m. tomorrow and
sails westward at 2 p.m.
Princess Louise from Vancouver
scheduled to arrive tomorrow after
noon or evening.
Princess Kathleen scheduled to
sail from Vancouver Wednesday.
Prince George scheduled to sail
from Vancouver Friday.
Baranof scheduled to sail from
Seattle Saturday.
Princess Norah scheduled to ar
rive at 8 a.m. tomorrow and sails
south one hour later at 9 a.m.