16 Dec 1953
Page 1
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This newspaper page contains 21 articles. Subscribers can read the full text of each article.
Newspaper
Cedar Rapids Gazette
Location
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States of America
Date
Dec 16, 1953
Page
1
An escaped South Korean prisoner said three or four of the 22 Americans held by the Communists wish to return home but fear being killed by fellow prisoners if they seek repatriation. He reported knives smuggled into the compound and noted others among South Koreans want to escape as the explanation program neared its end.
General Maxwell D Taylor said 22 American prisoners who allied with Communists are "misguided men" and not worth bringing back to service. He cited a law of averages as people with differing personalities produce defectors and noted no easy way to train troops against Communist brain washing in captivity.
AFL and CIO leaders signed a no raiding agreement in Washington. The pact, drafted last May and to take effectJan 1, aims to be the first concrete step in two decades of merger efforts and binds only the parent bodies while affiliates must also join. Leaders expect member unions to sign.
In Seoul Syngman Rhee backed away from a threat to resume fighting near the 38th Parallel delaying unilateral moves until three months after a peace conference convenes. The shift followed U S envoy Arthur H Dean’s talks in Tokyo en route to Washington.
Roland Bohnsack 56, of Traer, was killed in a car crash five miles east of Independence while en route home from Minneapolis for the holidays. He died in an Independence hospital after his car skidded and hit a post. He left a wife Iris Wilson and eight children, with survivors in Traer and nearby towns. Funeral services will be held in Traer at a later date.
The Gazette lists contributions for the Camp Good Health Fund 1954 with donors including Cedar Rapids Lodge BPO Elks Mrs J F Crawford and P M Lattner. Totals shown include amounts like 25.00 and 100.00, reflecting community support.
Old Man Winter grips the Hawkeyes with record lows as Cedar Rapids and Elkader report subzero readings. Temperatures dip to eight to 14 below in Cedar Rapids and up to 13 below at Elkader while a Canadian high pressure system keeps frigid conditions across Iowa Minnesota Wisconsin and the Dakotas.
Major Charles E Yeager reportedly reached about 1650 miles per hour in the Bell X1A rocket plane over Edwards Air Force Base California, regaining the title of world s fastest man. The claim contrasts with Scott Crossfield s 3277 mph record announced in November. Controversy swirls within the government over whether to publicize the feat and details.
John L. Lewis was reported to have donated at least 50 000 dollars to the old International Longshoremen's Association for use against the AFL. The New York Daily News said he already gave 50 000 and may provide more. The New York Daily Mirror claimed 75 000 cash with a pledge of 125 000 if needed.
The Disabled American Veterans used the names of President Eisenhower, former President Truman, Gen. Omar Bradley, and Gen. Carl Gray without permission in a $50,000 puzzle contest. Testimony to a New York legislative committee cited unauthorized use and aggressive fund solicitation methods, with donors misled by impersonations and high commissions.
Cedar Rapids retail stores will stay open until 9 PM tonight as the fourth of six planned night openings. The post office will also remain open until 9 PM for Christmas mailers and will operate 7 to 9 PM Thursday and Friday nights.
In Paris two plumbers received jail terms after drinking five bottles of 1875 vintage Armagnac while supposedly fixing Marcel Sournier's bathtub. Sournier, inheriting the fortune from his father, quipped that ordinary liquor would have been less newsworthy.
Two vagrants detained while walking away from Yoshifuse Matsuda's residence offered a single reason for their actions. They said they aimed to clean up the home for New Year celebrations, explaining the curious insistence on the bathtub.
The Paris NATO council released a final communique stating there is no evidence of altered Soviet aims and that Moscow has yet to show genuine willingness to reach agreement on world problems. It notes peaceful efforts and ongoing U.S. notes with the Soviet government and support for a Berlin ministerial meeting.
Albert Shadowitz a Nutley New Jersey engineer who worked on classified government electronics refused to answer Senate McCarthy questions on espionage saying he acted on the advice of Albert Einstein who urged invoking the First Amendment and to present a personal declaration Shadowitz also said he never violated security rules and had no knowledge of espionage
The Ontario Liquor License and Control Boards will not issue liquor permits for office Christmas parties and will arrest anyone involved in such illegal affairs. The boards cite office parties as contributing to drunken driving during the Christmas season.
Union leaders tentatively accepted a compromise peace plan and called off a nationwide Christmas railway strike in London.
A brief Chuckle cartoon features a character claiming optimism about business and another questioning the outlook. The punchline hints at a misread or garbled phrase op timiown VALELADATL, playing on future prospects vs anxiety.
U S District Judge Richmond Keech ruled the president may remove federal workers from Civil Service protection, affecting Leo A Roth a $10 800 a year Justice Department attorney who lost his post after a presidential order. The decision limits statutory safeguards against summary removal.
A U.S. weather aircraft with a crew of one disappeared Wednesday while tracking a cyclone about 300 miles northwest of Guam. Officials feared it may have crashed into the stormy Pacific as search efforts unfolded.
President Eisenhower said he has not decided to ask Congress for permission to share actual atomic weapons with NATO. He noted changes to the atomic energy act would be needed for closer ally cooperation and emphasized careful handling of production details and inspections.
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