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This newspaper page contains 15 articles. Subscribers can read the full text of each article.
Newspaper
Cedar Rapids Gazette
Location
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States of America
Date
Oct 20, 1954
Page
6
A coalition calling itself the Iowa Free Roads Association forms to present facts on toll roads and cost financing. The piece notes private funding as a condition for any toll project and discusses Iowa politics, women legislators, and the steady rise of women in state government.
Survey shows 308 women served in state legislatures in 1953 54 with 11 in state senates. Republicans had 194 house members and Democrats 84. one woman listed as independent and two said they were unaffiliated.
The Iowa legislature has hindered funding for research facilities at state schools. President James H. Hilton cites Iowa State College's Agricultural Experiment Station showing major returns from $130,000 yearly research investment: $25,000,000 in vitamin B-12, $32,000,000 in antibiotics, $27,000,000 in trace minerals, $68,000,000 from protein reduction, and $19,000,000 for a new pig starter, totaling significant future gains for Iowa farmers.
Frederick C. Othman recalls the 1929 crash anniversary and his stock market experience. He describes being persuaded by his chief telegraph operator Tom Cannon to invest $10 a week in Diversified Trustee, its rise to $31 a share, and the crash that followed, leaving him with cash for a coupe and a honeymoon while others suffered losses.
The article notes Cedar Rapids figures in local service and labor circles including C B Zimmerman elected to the Iowa State Council of Carpenters and Joiners, Frank Viasek named commander of Cedar Rapids post 788 VFW, and Dr. A L Murray appointed director of the state Red Cross roll call. It also recalls a 20 year old court action involving Luther A Brewer and a Leigh Hunt collection sale to the University of Iowa for 20000 dollars.
The piece portrays Secretary of Defense Charles Wilson as a skilled organizer who stayed mostly within a bipartisan frame under Eisenhower and Truman era appointee Lovett. It notes Wilson’s push for efficiency, civilian control, and a peaceful stance toward Asia, while praising Lovett for bipartisan conduct and nonpartisanship in defense policy.
A business executive turned public official struggles with political nuance as defense policy and contract allocation raise questions about oversimplification and entanglement with labor markets. The piece compares him with Ene Johnston and Robert Lovett, noting the shift from production to governance.
A Cedar Rapids reader laments roadside trash along Prairie Creek between Sixth and J streets. She recalls the creek as a safe site for play, notes injuries from broken glass, and urges police patrols and fines. She also mentions age 60 widow May Coley facing pension cuts and age limits.
The Netherlands acknowledges obtaining defense secrets from the United States via Prof. Joseph S. Petersen Jr who, from 1948 to 1952, passed highly sensitive documents to Dutch authorities. Dutch officials say Petersen acted as if authorized, prompting questions about how deeply leaks reached and why The Hague did not query Washington.
The embassy notes Dutch military ties to Petersen during World War II, hinting at regular data exchanges with American and Dutch agencies. The Defense Department says no authorization existed, while officials press for proof of who handled the messages and how, as questions about oversight and chain of custody remain unresolved.
Government granted a social security raise but old age assistance deducted the entire increase leaving recipients with no net gain. Local neighbors note hardship and urge public inquiry into the program.
A reader at 500 Third Avenue SW and a 6th grader at 653 Sixteenth Avenue SW discuss visiting the library. The man mentions finishing a book about John Ringling and Ringling Brothers circus while the girl enjoys fairy tales and stories from Ander sons Fairy Tales. She forgot her library card and could not borrow books.
Louis B. Blair Superintendent St Luke's Methodist Hospital notes nurses as a unique group facing tough shifts including evenings nights holidays and weekends. He praises their humanitarianism and desire for fair compensation while highlighting the satisfaction they gain from caring for the sick and being in an exciting profession.
The newspaper states it will publish letters with writers names and addresses unless too long. It reserves the right to question views while preserving source attribution. Readers are urged to know the letter writers.
A reader reports prominent veins on the hands at age 47 and asks what can shrink them. The author dismisses quack ideas, notes the reader’s good health, and urges adequate sodium in daily nutrition while questioning common remedies for visible veins.
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