UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
PAGE EIGHT
MONDAY, MARCH 13, 1954
80 Die In Air Disaster Named Worst In History
Llandow, Wales, March 13—(U.P.)Eyewitnesses blamed a power failure today for the crash of a giant British Tudor airliner crammed with gay Welsh football fans in which 80 persons were killed and three injured—the worst air disaster in history.
The huge airliner, filled to capacity with 78 passengers and a crew of five, plummeted into a plowed field just short of Llandow airport and broke in two, while attempting to land on a return charter flight from Dublin yesterday.
The Welsh passengers were singing with joy after watching Wales whip Ireland 6 to 3 in a Saturday match to win the international Rugby football championship for the first time in 39 years.
Wreckage of the ship scattered over 100 yards but it did not burn. Twelve persons crawled out of the plane alive. Seven died in the arms of rescuers. Two more died today, hospital. Three remained alive today one in critical condition. An airport official said the "plane broke in two as it rolled sideways and forward with some people thrown out the gaps" torn in the fuselage.
Lord Pakenham, head of the aviation ministry, returned to London. He had visited the scene of the crash, talked to survivors, and ordered a thorough investigation. The ministry of aviation said it was studying the possibility of grounding all Tudors now in service as a result of the crash. Observers spoke of the "jinx of the Tudor" when trying to account for the disaster.
Ten of 12 previously unidentified dead were claimed by relatives at an inquest this morning. Still unidentified were a man and one of the seven women aboard.
All Tudor planes on regular airlines have been grounded since two disappeared mysteriously in the sea near Bermuda. However, they have been used on the Berlin airlift and by chartered companies.
Eyewitnesses said the four Rolls Royce Merlin engines powering the huge airliner appeared to fail when the pilot tried to pull the ship up for another landing attempt after coming in too low the first time. They said the plane was climbing slightly to starboard when its engines cut out and it suddenly heeled over on its side and fell two miles short of its landing point, An R.A.F. field.
The crash was near the village of Siggingstone outside Llandow. Rescuers said those who survived occupied rear seats. The giant airliner was operated by a charter flight concern, Fair Flight, Ltd. Chairman of the company is Air Vice Marshal Donald Bennett, 39, former chief executive of the British South American airways from 1946 to 1948.
Lord Pakenham, British minister for civil aviation, said a court of inquiry would be held to determine the cause of the crash, which also might solve the mystery of the disappearance of two airplanes of the same type near Bermuda in 1948 and 1949.
The world's worst air disaster previously occurred April 4, 1933, when 73 persons were killed in the crash of the U. S. navy dirigible Akron.
24 Students Miss English Exam
Only 211 of the 235 students who registered took the English proficiency examination, Mrs. Natalie Calderwood, instructor in English, said today.
After checking all papers, Mrs Calderwood said that 171 students from the College, 27 from the School of Education, and 13 from the William Allen White School of Journalism and Public Information had taken the exam.
Papers will not be completely graded for another four or five weeks. All papers are read at least twice, and many papers have to be read four or five times.
All Tickets Sold To Bradley Game
There are no more tickets available for the K.U-Bradley game to be played Monday, March 20 in Kansas City, Mo. Don Pierce, University sports publicity director, said today. K.U. was issued 2,500 tickets. However, more tickets to this contest may be available in Kansas City the night of the game, Mr. Pierce said.
WORLD NEWS at Press Time
Concord, N.H. — (U.P.) The state board of registration in medicine today set April 12 for a hearing to determine whether Dr. Hermann N. Sander should be allowed to resume the practice of medicine in this state.
The hearing, closed to the public began at 10 a.m. in the state house at Concord. Dr. Sander was permitted to appear with legal counsel.
Kansas City, Mo. — (U.P.) A 65-year-old General Science teacher at Manual High school remained in a "most critical" condition at General hospital today after having been attacked in a corridor at the school the past Friday. Police held a 168-pound, 17-year-old freshman who, they said, admitted hitting Ernest B. Hyde "because he was bawling out" a friend for shooting a spitball in class. Howard Lee Kinard is the student.
New York—(U.P.)—American airlines reported today it was flying "routine" passenger flight schedules after the end of an 11-day strike which had forced the company to reduce its operations 80 per cent. An airline spokesman said about 95 per cent of the company's normal 181 daily flights had been scheduled and practically all flights will be resumed by late today.
Chicago—(U.P.)—Dr. David P. Boder, psychology professor at Illinois Institute of Technology, said that only 30 per cent of the population has the mental ability to understand the income tax forms. It takes an I.Q. of 110 to understand the government's instructions for filling out the longer tax forms "so you're lucky if you have it all taken out by withholding tax."
Vatican City — (U.R.) - Pope Plus XII celebrated the 11th anniversary of his reign today in a solemn ceremony attended by thousands of Holy year pilgrims and the highest church aristocracy. The anniversary of the Pontifix's coronation fell yesterday, but the ceremonies were postponed until today because they never are held on the sabbath during the holy season of Lent.
Moscow—(U.P.)—Unofficial reports on the election of a new Soviet parliament indicated today that 99 per cent of Russia's more than 100 million voters went to the poll Sunday.
Vieues Island, Puerto Rico—(U.P.)
The Navy's best defense against an atomic attack while trying to land amphibious troops on a hostile shore is dispersal of its ships, a study of operation "portrex" indicated today.
The precise size of the vote as well as the names of those elected to parliament will be announced by the government within a few days. The election was the first since 1946.
Top officers of all services criticized some phase of the gigantic joint maneuvers, which included 0,000 fighting men and 5,000 planes, but they agreed on the effectiveness of unification. The exercises started Feb. 25 and ended March 11.
Prague, —(U.P.)—The Czech government today ordered Wallace, Toronto, American president of the Mormon mission in Czechoslovakia, to leave the country by March 17.
Jayhawkier annuals can be obtained in the Jayhawkier office in the Union building.
Pemberton,'08 Play Producer Dies March 11
Brock Pemberton, '08, Broadway theatrical producer and long-time friend of William Allen White, died March 11, after a heart attack at his home in New York. He was born in Leavenworth Dec. 14, 1885.
After being graduated from the University, Mr. Pemberton returned to his home in Emporia and started working on the Emporia Gazette for Mr. White. In 1910 he went to New York where he worked as a ship reporter on the New York Evening Mail. He later became a drama critic for that paper.
In his later years Mr. Pemberton often donned grease paint and cosume. In 1948 he appeared in the leading role of "Harvey" here at the University.
Mr. Pemberton's 1948 visit to the University was his first since he returned to receive the Alumni association award for distinguished service in 1946.
Mr. Pembermont produced his first play, "Enter, Madame," in 1920. His production of "Harvey," the story of a six foot mythical white rabbit, caused the Pembermont name to become a household word. Some of his other productions were "Ceiling Zero," "Kiss the Boys Goodbye," "The Ladder," and "Janie."
The K.U. presentation of "Harvey" was made to follow the Pemberton version exactly so as to make it possible for Mr. Pemberton to work into the cast in a short time. He had played the part of Elwood P. Dowd three times before.
Mrs. Frances Feist, instructor in speech, played the part of Dowd's sister in the K.U. production, and Mr. Pemberton took her to New York to play the same part on Broadway.
In most of his plays, Mr. Pemberton followed an innate pioneering instinct, not only in producing authors' first plays, but in daring to depart from conventional dramatic forms. He used to say it was his policy "to do a play if I like it."
Active in politics, Mr. Pemberton was an opponent of the New Deal. In 1936 he was chairman of a committee which worked for the election of his classmate, Alf M. Landon, for president.
John Ise, professor of economics, and a friend and classmate of Mr. Pembermott, said this morning that Mr. Pembermott was an ambitious and active student. "He was a leader in most things while in school," Professor Ise said. "It was easy to predict that he would someday achieve a position of some distinction."
"Brock Pemberton scorned over-acting, whether on or off the stage," said Mrs. Feist. Mrs. Feist worked with Mr. Pemberton and believes that he was honest in wanting to bring new talent to the theater.
L. N. Flint, professor emeritus of journalism, tells of an amusing incident in which Mr. Pemberton participated. In 1908 Professor Flint was teaching a class in reporting at the University. With the co-operation of the Lawrence Journal that paper was turned over to the class for publication for one day.
In order to create some news for the paper, a few of the students attempted to purchase beer in then bone-dry Lawrence. Succeeding in their attempt they immediately published the names of the merchants breaking the law and caused their arrest.
Two of the more famous staff members that day were Roy Roberts, city editor, at present editor of the Kansas City Star and Times, and Brock Pemberton, telegraph editor.
Mr. Pemberton was chosen as a trustee in the William Allen White foundation in February.
funeral services for Mr. Pemberton will be held Tuesday, Lawrence Tibbett, baritone, will sing "The Lord's Prayer" and actor Bert Lytell will deliver an eulogy at the services.
The Jayhawker office in the Union building is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Speech Group To See Movie
The movie, "Pay Attention," concerning the restoration of hearing to young children, will be shown at the speech therapy seminar at 4 p.m. Tuesday in the Little theater, Green hall.
Lee Meyerson, assistant professor of psychology, who helped make the movie at Vassar college, Poughkeepsie, N.Y., the past summer, will show the film.
University Club To Hear Editor
A lecture on "Rumor, Humor, and Rhyme" will be presented to members of the University club by Ennie W. Miller, managing editor of the Olathe Mirror, 8 p.m. Thursday.
Mr. Miller has written a column of "Ruthless Rhyme" for years, and has two radio programs a week on KPRS. Olathe. He is also correspondent for the Kansas City Star.
Members of the club may bring guests, Professor Beth said.
Mr. Miller will speak on the satisfaction of a career in community journalism at 2 p.m. Thursday to the students in the William Allen White School of Journalism and Public Information. At 5:45 p.m. he will have dinner in the Palm room with members of Sigma Delta Chi, professional journalism fraternity.
CRCC Plans Race Study
Plans to study the problems of racial discrimination on the campus through the new organization, Civil Rights Co-ordinating committee, were discussed at the Presidents' breakfast March 11.
The discussion was started by Frances Jean Francisco, executive secretary of the Y.W.C.A., who outlined the purpose of the organization.
The Civil Rights Co-ordinating committee plans to study racial discrimination in the various campus groups and make available methods of handling it, Miss Francisco said.
"The main purpose of C.R.C.C. is to act as an educational and investigating committee," she said.
The committee forms a nucleus for integrating the work of other groups interested in minority problems, Miss Francisco pointed out. Each organization on the campus will be invited to send a representative to C.R.C.C.
Professor Attends Celebrity's Funeral
Robert W. Lyon, 70, who was portrayed as the "the Jedge" in stories of the Ozarks written by his wife, Mrs. Marge Lyon, died March 10 at the Veterans hospital, Fayetteville, Ark
Mrs. Lyon's stories have appeared in the Kansas City Star under the by-line, "Marge of Sunrise Mountain Farm."
Miss Frances Grinstead, assistant professor of journalism and a friend of Mrs. Lyon, attended services for the late Mr. Lyon at 11 a.m. today at the Newcomer chapel, Kansas City, Mo. Services were also held Sunday at his home in Eureka Springs, Ark.
The 5,973,000 GI insurance policies in force Dec. 1, 1949, had a face value of $40,200,000,000.
Disabled veterans numbering 155-244 have been declared rehabilitated and are no longer eligible for Public Law 16 training.
Eighteen living Civil War veterans were on the Veterans Administration pension and compensation rolls at the end of 1949.
Truman Gives Hoover Plans To Congress
Washington. March 13 — (U.P.) President Truman today sent Congress a bundle of 21 plans and 23 messages on government reorganization which he said would make half the Hoover commission's dream come true.
1. Shift the maritime commission to the department of commerce.
1. Shift the maritime commission to the department of commerce.
2. Abolish the independent status of general counsel to the National Labor Relations board and return his functions to the board itself.
In an omnibus presentation to the house and senate, President Truman dispatched legislative proposals which would:
3. Strengthen the hand of the label department by giving it more work to do.
The President's plans would move toward the eventual goal set by the bipartisan commission headed by former President Herbert Hoover of an executive branch of government more streamlined, more efficient and lots more economical.
They would become effective in 60 days unless vetoed by either house of congress.
"When these plans become effective," the President wrote, "we shall have acted on almost half the proposals made by the commission on organization. I expect to transmit additional plans for putting into effect other recommendations of the commission later in the present session of congress.
Numbers 1 to 6 transfer to the heads of the departments of treasury, justice, interior, agriculture, commerce, and labor the "functions and powers" now conferred on subordinate officials.
President Truman's proposals can be summarized this way:
Its functions, under President Truman's proposals, would be reconstituted in a federal maritime board and a maritime administrator. In addition, there would be created an undersecretary of commerce for transportation "who will assist the secretary in the direction and coordination of the transportation activities now centered in the department."
Number 21—perhaps the most important move contemplated in the president's series of messages—would take the maritime commission out of the category of "independent of fices" and make it an arm of commerce department.
Numbers 7 to 13 set responsibility in the chairmen of these regulatory bodies—instead of other members for daily administration of the interstate commerce commission, the federal trade commission, the federal power commission, the securities and exchange commission, the federal communications commission, the national labor relations board and the civil aeronautics board.
Numbers 14 and 19 give the labor department two new functions. First the bureau of employees' compensation is transferred from the federal security agency to labor. Secondly, the labor department will be responsible for coordinating enforcement of wages-and-hours legislation affecting federal or federally-financed contracts.
Numbers 15, 18, and 20 transfer certain functions to and from the general services administration to round out the organizational pattern of this agency created only last year on the advice of the Hoover commission.
Six high schools will be represented here in a one-act play festival this afternoon and evening in Fraser theater.
Six High Schools Give Plays Today
Jarbalo and Tonganoxie High schools will present their plays starting at 3:15 in the afternoon. Scheduled for 7:30 p.m. are the presentations of Lansing, Basehor, Linwood and University High school.