DAILY EDITORIALS See Page 4 10' , Zr qant~ A4&br -Datl]y MILD, CLOUDY Latest Deadline in the State VOL. LVII No. 65 ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, SUNDAY, DEC. 8, 1946 PRICE FIVE CENTS * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Fire Sweeps Aflan a Hotel; ills Origin of Blaze Unknown, Scores Trapped in Building All of City's Fire Fighting Equipment Used; Flame Out of Control Soon After Discovery 0"' By The Associated Press ATLANTA, Ga., Dec. 7 - The most frightful hotel fire in Ameri- can history roared through the 15-story Winecoff Hotel in down- town Atlanta early today, killing 120 persons and injuring at least 100 more. Men, women and children plunged screaming to their deaths on pavements below their win- dows, while scores of others were trapped and burned or suffocated in upstairs rooms. At daylight the sides of the tall, chimney-like structure were draped with torn bed-sheets and blankets, marking in grim si- * * tory of Hotel Disaster Told By rEewitnss By E. J. (CHICK) HOSCH Associated Press Staff Writer ATLANTA, Dec. 7-I've covered train wrecks, coal mine explosions, an oil-tanker afire at sea and oth- er life-claiming catastrophies, but all of them together pale in com- parison to the Winecoff Hotel fire here today, in which 120 persons lost their lives. Reaching the scene in less than 45 minutes after the blaze was discovered, I turned. the corner to see flames shooting from the fourth, fifth and sixth floors. Dozens of guests, mostly women, lined the ledges above the flames. Improvised ropes of sheets and bedclothes danged from many windows. Body after body hurtled down through the chill pre-dawn dark- ness. Some laded in outstretched lifenets, some struck the pavement with sickening thuds. One wom- an's body struck a wire or rope, just above the marquee, spun craz- ily and momentarily the victim was suspended by the neck, She thrashed once and fell the remain- ing few feet. One body landed squarey on a fireman slowly. descending a ladder with a woman victim. All three fell the several floors to the marquee. The women were killed and the fireman, Jack Burnham, gravely injured. I made a dash for the hotel en- trance, barely reaching it as a body plopped at my feet. Hearing that many guests were jumping from windows in the rear -of the hotel, into an alley, I ran around ; the corner and started up the alley. Wy foot caught on something and I sprawled, sliding through the water.- Vets Checks at Post Office lence where victims tried to es- cape. Eyewitnesses told how panic-stricken guests swung from tenth and twelfth story windows on flimsy, makeshift ropes. A few were rescued, but most fell headlong as flames burned away their supports, or they lost their grip. Others were seen briefly at flam- ing windows, shrieking and pray- ing, then disappearing into the terrible inferno. At one time, a half-dozen brok- en bodies lay at the intersection of Atlanta's famed Peachtree Street and Carnegie Way, opposite the theater where the world pre- mier of "Gone With The Wind" was staged. Some who kept their heads were saved. White-haired Mrs. Banks Whiteman, manager .of the :tel cigar counter, pulled the wife a. 'hildren of her em- ployer, Arthur t Geele, Jr., from the 14th floor to the top-floor apartment of Mrs. Geele, Sr. There they huddled in a corner until the fire subsided., The origin of the blaze appar- ently was buried in the charred wreckage or sealed with the dead. City Fire Marshal Harry Phillips could say only that the flames started in the corridors of the third or fourth floors. Phillips accompanied by fire in- spectors, said in every instance the flames had burned into the rooms of the third, fourth and fifth floors, indicating that the origin lay somewhere in the carpeted hallways. The fire was out of control :ithin a few minutes after it was discovered and before every piece of fire fighting equipment in At- lanta could be summoned, Phil- lips said. The marshal said a bellhop tes- tified he had noticed no fumes or smoke when he delivered some soft drinks to a room on the fifth floor. But, when he turned to leave the room he found he was trapped by flames in the doorway. The mystery that surrounds the origin also gave riseto speculation as to how the fire could spread so rapidly through a fire-resistant building. The brick, concrete and steel structure had no outside fire- escapes, but was classed as "fire- resistant." Fire Marshal Phillips said it met all safety codes when it was built in 1914. The fire apparently started on the third or fourth floor, and Moy- or William B. Hartsfield said its origin was under investigation. Would-be rescuers told of see- ing many forms silhouetted against boiling flames, praying vainly for succor that could not reach them. Thudding bodies crashed in ghastly procession into the street and into smoke- filled alleyways. There were 285 guests registered at the hotel, which was one of Atlanta's lead- ing hostelries. Spreading with disastrous ra- pidity through the southwest side of the building, flames raced up stair-wells and elevator shafts to trap nearly half the guests. The death toll eclipsed Chicago's La- Salle Hotel fire of six months ago, when 61 died, and more than treb- led the 34 dead in Atlanta's termi- nal hotel fire of May 16, 1938. J-Hop Plans Approved by Legislature Annual Affair To Be Held February 7, 8 By M. J. TUTTLE Plans for a two-night J-Hop, to be held from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 7 and 8, in the Intramural Building, have been approved by the Stu- dent Legislature and the Commit- tee on Student Affairs. The dances for both nights will be identical, and 1,500 tickets will be sold for each night. In order to accommodate the increased en- rollment, men students will be eli- gible to buy tickets for either the Friday or Saturday night dance,' but not for both nights. The ticket price will be $5 plus $1 tax. Women students have been granted late permission until 4 a.m. for this year's J-Hop. The beginning of the dances, has been set at 10 p.m. to allow time for banquets or fraternity par- ties which usually precede the J-Hop. Reviving a pre-war J-Hop tra- dition, guests of men students may live in the fraternity houses for the weekend. Under this plan, Text of J-HOP plans will be found on page 2. the men in one fraternity will move into another fraternity house for the weekend, leaving their house vacant for chaperones and the guests of both fraterni- ties. Independent students will have a similar plan. The pre-war custom of having J-Hop breakfasts will also be brought back this year. Ar- rangements have been made to serve breakfasts to J-Hoppers at the Union and possibly the League immediately after the dances until 3:30 a.m. Since men students may buy tickets for only one night of the J-Hop, the Union and League have agreed to hold informal dances both nights. These will provide entertainment for those not attending the J-Hop on a par- ticular night. As in pre-war years, booths at the J-Hop will be sold to frater- nities and other groups. These booths may be decorated and used by the members to sit out dances. See J-HOP, page 9 Galden's Drive Exceeds Quota Members of Galen's Honorary Medical Society scored complete success in their drive to fill idle hours for and give'a merry Christ- mas to youngsters at University Hospital as final returns on their 1946 drive, with a goal of $3,000, totaled $5,355.14. "To each contributor belongs a share in the happiness of the children at this Christmas time and all through the coming year," Donald W. Bowne, chairman of the drive, said. "Your warm heart- ed response to this year's Christ- mas drive has facilitated the con- tinuance of our program and made possible the expansion of that program." 120 In ures 100 Restrictions Off As Walkout Ends Move Cancels Trunan Broadcast; Workers Cooperating wth Order By the Associated Press WASHINGTON, Dec. 7 - John L. Lewis gave in to the Government today and ended the soft coal strike. With it, like the finish of a nightmare, went virtually all the restrictions it had brought and the economic peril it had poised over this and other counries. President Truman cancelled the broadcast he had planned for tomorrow night, closed his desk and went to an art show, smiling but silent on the outcome. Lewis ordered the 400,000 miners to end the 17-day walkout and go back to work immediately. Reports from the mine fields indicated ready compliance. Some maintenance crews headed for the pits tonight, and full-scale resumption of mining Monday morning ap- peared certain. At the same time Lewis announced his readiness to negotiate with the private mine owners for new wage and other demands, a step which could clear the way for the Government to get out of the coal business. BACK TO WORK-With John L. Lewis' order to the miners to return to the mines, the go-ahead signal was given to labor throughout the nation. Within hours after the Lewis announcement, skele- ton crews were returning to the mines to prepare t he way for the Monday influx. * * * * * * UN To Decide on Arms Slash Russians' Proposals On A-Bomb Studied LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., Dec. 7- (M)-The United Nations, hearing agreement on an arms slashing program designed eventually to abolish war forever, today moved into the final phase covering the all-important aspects of inspec- tions and control. The last stumbling block was a Soviet proposal for setting up sep- arate commissions for control of arms reduction and the atomic bomb within the framework of the security council. Russian willingness to keep any checkup machinery outside the range of the controversial veto partly cleared the way for agree- ment, but it appeared that there might be difficulties over the spe- cific Russian proposals for two separate control commissions- one for atomic and one for other weapons. The United States was said to feel that such a provision might tie the hands of the council and conflict with the U.S. atomic con- trol plan which would place in- spection End of Coal Strihe Brins More Packages, Heat, Goods, Checks ODT Lifts Passenger Service Restrictions WASHINGTON, Dec. 7-(P)- The sudden end of the coal strike sotnded a signal for a Christmas season of lights and travel, more goods in the stores, heat in public places such as theatres and night clubs, big packages by mail-and more pay, checks. All these had been gone or threatened as the mine stoppage forced on the nation measures more stringent than those of war- time for conservation of fuel and the electric power that comes from it. John L. Lewis announced the end of the stoppage at 2 p.m. (EST) and within an hour and 20 minutes these restriction had been lifted: By the Office of Defense Trans- portation- 1. A general freight embargo, in effect since Friday, forbidding rail shipment of anything except prime necessities such as food, medicines and fuel (with excep- tions for oil and hydro-electric powered lines). That puts new goods in the stores for Christmas. 2. Passenger service restrictions that already had cut mileage of coal-powered trains 25 per cent and would have slashed the serv- ice to half the pre-strike level at midnight Sunday. That lets fam- ilies -travel to thier traditional Yuletide gatherings. 2. An export freight embargo that had halted shipment of any- thing except food and fuel to ports. That brings a degree of Christmas cheer abroad. By the Post Office Depart- ment- The rules, effective since Friday, that had limited parcel post pack- ages to five pounds in weight and to a length of 18 inches and a combined length and girth of 60 inches, and had cut off overseas parcel post entirely except for the members of the armed forces. That provides for the big bundles that go so well under the tree on Christmas morning. Boston Orch. To Play Here Arrive Tomorrow; Burgin May Conduct Because of difficulties resulting from the curtailment of railroad service, Richard Burgin, asso- ciate conductor, may direct the Boston SymphonyOrchestra in the Choral Union Concert tomor- * * * Lewis Text-- WASHINGTON, Dec. 7-(i)- To all members and all local unions in the bituminous districts of The United States, United Mine Workers of America: .Greetings: The Administration "yellow-, dog" injunction has reached the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court of the United States is a Constitutional court. Its powers are derived from the Federal Constitution. The Supreme Court is, and we believe will ever be, the protector of American liberties and the rightful privileges, of in- dividual citizens. The issues be- fore the Court are fateful for our republic. It may be. presumed that the verdict of the Court, when ren- dered, will affect the life of every citizen. These weighty considerations and the fitting respect due the dignity of this high tribunal imperatively re- quire that, during its period of deliberating, the Court be free from public pressure superin- duced by the hysteria and fren- zy of an economic crisis. In ad- dition, public necessity re- quires the quantitative produc- tion of coal during such period. Each member is therefore ad- vised as follows: All mines in all districts will re-* sume production of coal immedi- ately within 12:00 o'clock mid- night, March 31, 1947. Each mem- ber is directed'to return to work immediately to hisrusual employ- ment, under the wages, working hours and conditions of employ- ment in existence on and before November 20, 1946. Each mine committee, in cooperation with the officers of each bituminous dis- trict, will enforce these employ- ment conditions at each mine. Further advice and instructions will be sent from time to time as authorized by the national policy committee or the responsible and authoritative officers of your or- ganization. During the working period thus defined, the negotiating committee of the United Mine Workers of America will be will- ing to negotiate a new wage agreement for the bituminous industry with such parties as may demonstrate their authori- ty so to do, whether it be an alphabetical agency of the United States government or the Associated coal operators. If, as and when such negotia- tions ensue, your representatives will act in full protection of your interests, within the limita-" tinns of the fidin nf the5n:u- v For his startling step Lewis gave two reasons - that the Supreme Court in considering the c se might be "free from public pres- sure superinduced by the hysteria and frenzy of an economic crisis," and that "public necessity requires the quantitative production of coal during such period." Lewis' retreat came abruptly be- tween two conferences with Chief Justice Vinson by attorneys for the Union and the Justice De- partment. One conference was held in the forenoon, before Lewis acted; another was held in the late afternoon. The Court sent word that no announcement would be made today, and the lawyers all were tight-mouthed. The nine justices at tlheir regular Saturday noon confer- ence had an opportunity to de- cide whether they will hear Lewis' appeal, at the govern- ment's request, a n d Lewis seemed sure that they would. He said that his future nego- tiations will be "within the lim- itations of the findings of the Supreme Court," and made other references' to an expected ruling. The sudden end of the strike brought swift action by officials junking the coal conservation measures which had shackled in- dustry and darkened the Christ- mas outlook. The freight and ex- press embargoes were lifted, the ban on passenger travel revoked, and the 21-state dimout cancelled in time for Saturday night shop- ping throngs except in a few places where the utilities are nearly out of fuel. A partial re- moval of the freeze on coal stocks was being prepared and probably will be issued tomorrow. "We want to remove the con- trols as quickly as possible so the coal freeze on deliveries and on distribution may return to nor- mal," said a spokesman for the Coal Mines Association. "How- ever, we want to make sure that consumers in the critical cate- gories get sufficient supplies un- til coal stocks are replenished." Local Resume n Coal Peace The New York Central ticket office in Detroit announced last night that passenger travel restric- tions might still go into effect Sunday -as planned unless other orders are received from the New York office before the Sunday deadline. J. F. Dyer, local passenger agent, restated his nlea tn the students: 'Daily' Prints From Bureau Names Lists Starting today, the names of veterans whose checks are being sent/to the wrong Ann Arbor ad- dress will be published daily through the cooperation of the Veterans Service Bureau. Arrangements have been made! by the Veterans Service Bureauj for checks with wrong addresses to be held an extra ten days by! the Ann Arbor main Post Office, Robert S. Waldrop, director of the VSB, announced yesterday, The list of names which will appear in The Daily each day FUTURE FOR EDUCJATION DARK: Teacher Shortage May Last for Two Years I .. .' _- ___..... _- t