mxms MAXIMS 0, A or A I MERE MAN MERE MAN 3235 1'. .i"2.'.'.i'.'2 .i'J.'.'.3f".'3..”?.i.Z ...?”1.2” '.'i.'.”.i'. "i.”..”E27.L"”..3.2.f ed”. nd'.l.. x Christmas. . Covers Prince Edward Island Like the Dew . l:.'?.:"”r':'?i.”2-"i4..'".-i.".'Z'.'".Ii'.l iii”: 'L".lif'.i”l..f":::3 CHARLOTTETOWN. CANADA, MONDAY, DECEMBER 24. 1951 16 PAGES '.i:nS.":"ii:.'i'. '.'-.'.:.3:.i'li..:

FIRE TURNS CHlLDRENiS CHRISTMAS PARTY INTO TRAGEDY

77 Bodies Recovered In U. S. Mine Fire; 15 To 20 Are Missing

WEST FRANKFURT. 1li.. Dec. 33 --tAP)-Wen'ry rescue workers recovcrcd their 42nd body today froth the United States' worst mine disaster of the year and had sighted about 35 more bod-

ies, bringing the known death ion to 77.

state mine director Walter Eadie reported that about 35

more bodies had been found in the mine and added "it looks to me like the death toll easily could be 100."

There still is one more section in the mine to be opened. Eadie said that one crew of 15 to 00 men remains missing.

Tile rescue work at the big mine near West Frankfort-a rlty of sorrow this Sunday be- iorc Christmas-moved slowly.

Tough Rescue Job

Volunteer workers. most of them veterans of the pits. labor- cd under intense heat and fought the some deadly gas which caused the explosion two miles back from the shaft and some 550 feet below the surface.

All 42 bodies have been identi- fied. Many of them were mangled by the great blast which shook the mine's 12-miles of tunnels about 8:30 p.m. Friday.

Some of the m8n:werc roasted alive. Bodies werg.” found press- ed to the floor where men had fought for a last breath of air and lost.

Little Hope For Missing

lime. officials had given up all but the faintest hope for the rest of the entrapped men. Deadly gas rreped along the recesses where the explosion knocked out tim- bers and vital air-channel locks. Even though they might have cmpcd concussion. most miners and officials felt there was small chance thou.-trapped cottld have escaped the gas by retreating deeper into the mine. one of the yl-orld's largest single-shaft coal operators. It is known as Orient No 2. - The rescuers were near ex- haustion. They had worked all Friday night, Saturday and on through the night into Sunday. A radio appeal w0nt out today for more relief workers.

Christmas Mail Sets Record in U. S. .

WASI-If-NGTON. Dec. 23 -(AP) - More than 800.000 postal work- Its are staggering out from un- dcr the biggest avalanche of Christmas mail in the countryls history. An estimated 5.800.000.- ooo pieces of mail will have been delivered .between Dec. 1 and Dec. 25-an average of more than 37 pieces of mail for every man. gitoman and child in the United

-1.85. .

Coming Events

"Auction and Dance. Vernon H3”. December 26th. orchestra.

".Norih River Rink. skating Christmas night. "Victoria Rink. '1' u c s d n y.

Christmas night. Special skate.

"For snapshots that will not fade mail your Films and ego MP! to Garnhutn Pho'o .studios Charlottetown. ' "Dance Sunnyslde Ballroom. 33516-lstmas night commencing at

G"F31'mErl. ask about the shur A ain Peed Finance Play. For part- -rulars contact your local feed mill.

"Buying llva fowl and chicken :;ll.v. We weigh and pay at farm

rite or phone collect for pick up service. Smith BroI., Pownal. E"Como to the card party in mersld School. Thursday. De- fenther 27. rlna. lunch served.

Sn :c0::::'red y the Home and

9'"-0Idlnl hols for Canada Jckers on car Sourls to St. Pist- "' on Thursday. Dec. 27th. in- "Md of on Wednesday as adver- ilfd last. week. Also loading fol- "lns week on Thursday. Jan.

Zlrd. For remainder of winter we Ihall be loading on -mud usual. C. C. Pratt 0: Sons.

0””

Canadians Plan Merry Chrisimas in Germany

HANNOVER. Germany, Dec. 23 -(CP)-More than 100 German youngsters--orphans and children of needy families-were guests Saturday at a Christmas party given by non-commissioned of- ficers of the 1st Highland Bat- talion of the 27th Canadian Ia- fantry Brigade.

The party for the German chil- dren came in the midst of the brigade's preparations for a. home- style Christmas. The brigade is part of the Western World'l contribution to defence of Europe against possible Soviet aggression.

Brigade pipers welcomed the happy-faced children, aged be- tween three and nine. The young- sters were served a lunch of turkey. cocoa, cake. candy. fruits and ice cream. -

About 50 sergeants and war- rant officcrs adopted the children for the afternoon. It was the first of a. series of kids parties to be given in the next few days by Canadian troops here.

Meanwhile. the last unit of the 27th. numbering 100. arrived this afternoon, bringing brigade strength to 0.000 officers and men.

Royal Family In Big Christmas Gel-Together

LOND,ON. Dec. 22 - (AP) - The royal family is assembling at. the King's great Bandringham es- tate for its biggest Christmas get- mgether since the second World WHY.

The King and five members of l-.is family left yesterday for Sand- ringham - his personal estate and favorite residence - which is in ihe fena of Norfolk County close by the North Sea. -

Accompanying the King. whose recent grave illness still is a cause for concern, were the Queen. Queen Mother Mary. Princcss Elizabeth and her two children. Prince Char- l:s and Princess Anne.

Londoners cheered the royal party as they boarded the train at King's Cross Station.

A dozen near relatives will join them at sandringham before Christmas Day.

All the princes and princesses dukes and duchesses of royal blood will be there-with two exceptions The Duke of Windsor and Princess Mary. the King's sister.

It will be an old-fashioned Christmas party in the best Brit- ish tradition. Carol-singing. a yule log blazing in the fireplace. the exchange of gifts around a bright- ly-decorated tree - all will con- tribute to the spirit of the ocean.- inn.

510.000 FIRE IN N.B.

EDMUNDSTON. N. B. Dec. 23 - (CP) - A 310,000 fire. starting in the chimney. tonight destroy- ed Lapaloma dance hall hero. The building was owned by Eudes Herbert and rented to lunch Bolanger. Sorel. Que. it contain- ed a restaurant and was built two years ago.

U. S. Reache

NEW YORK. Dec. 23 - (AP)- The motor vehicle claimed its 1.- 000.0Nth victim in the United states Saturday.

The traffic toll was run up in so years. three months and nine days. The grisly milepost was reached and recorded at 11:21 AM. EST.

Dave Dawson. as. of Dsnbury. '1'ex.. was the last person to dis among the final to victim record- ed by the Associated Press in I country-wide spot check that be- gan Wednesday. He died at 0:20 A.M. EST Saturday h-om injuries suffered in an automobile sc- oldent seven hours earlier. Two. others were fatally injured in the suns crash.

total reached the 1.000.- 000-rnsrk on the Associstad Press tally meet with the report of the dostl of MI: limo Winth- melcr. 02. she died in clove- lsnd at 7:20 P.M. MT. Friday.

News of her death reached Ap

Jiilerty Christmas

Death On Saturday Of Mr. Chas. .Chan"dler

Churchill Has

Grim i Forecast Of Hardships

LONDON, Dec. 23 (CP) - Prtme Minister Winston Church- ill had a grim Christmas message for Britons this week-end when he to!:l them that hardships are ahead of Britain if it is to avoid national bankruptcy. - .,

Churchill's radio address from his country home at Westcrham Saturday night was reminiscent of his "Blood. sweat, toil and tears" speech of the early war years. He told Britons:

"I have nothing to propose tr? you that is easy."

He told the British people they cannot go on counting on Ameri- can aid to make -them comfort- able.

Apart from aid for defence and rc-armament. "you must not expect the Americans to solve our prob- lems for us." he said.

He warned that his coming visit to the United States and Canada should not give rise 0 "any exag- gerated hope."

Unless Britain puts her house in older. she will not only lose her chance to participate in interna- tional defence but will not even ltern her people alive, he said.

"We have no assurance anyone else is gains: to keep the British lion as a pet."

He forecast for the domestic scene further "unpleasant propos- als" to follow the "certain number of unpleasant things that have been done already."

Traffic Death Toll In s Million

tabulators at 11:21 A.M. EST Sat-

urday.

Neither the Associated Press nor the National Safety Council made any attempt to single out the actual l.003.000th victim. The council emphasized that the vic- tim's identity or the location or time of the accident could not be determined.

However. the highway slaugh- .tor. currently averaging 100 deaths each day, kept pace with earlier forecasts. The council predicted last March 1 that the i.000.0o0th fatality would occur in December. On June 20. the council. picked the Christmas holidays as the timo..

If the present rate of fatalities continue. the council says. the 2.000.00oth1trafflc death will oc-

cur in 1 . The at-ry'l first traffic vic- tim was . H. Bliss. its was inl-

led byssn automobile stepped off a trolley Sept. 190, in New York City.

after he 1:.

that I

Mr. Charles H. Chandler. for many years one of Charlotte- town's best. known businessmen and widely known throughout the Maritlmes as an owner of standard bred horses, died Sat- urday at his home on Pownsl Street after a long illness. He was eighty-eight years of age.

Mr. Chandler had been as- sociated with the hardware busi- ness for approximately seventy- flve years and is believed to have been the oldest active hardware merchant in the Maritime Prov- inces. Until h-is final illness he had been in his Queen Street store every day taking charge of all the details which arose.

Mr. Chandler began his career as a boy with stone and Bovyer in 1878 an-d later with the b sl-

tcontinued on Page-I 5-Col?

News in Brief

WASHINGTON. Dec; 23 -- (APV - President Truman is believed ready to invoke the emergency pro- visions of United States labor law to avoid a New Year's Day steel strike unless the workers agree to delay the walkout.

VATICAN CITY. Dec. 23-iReu- tars) .- Pope Pius tomorrow morn- ing will make his lath Christmas eve radio address to the world and at night he will celebrate for the first time in history a special radio midnight mass - to be re-

layed over all of Europe and the ,

Americas.

TEI-IRAN. Dec. 23 - (CF) Twenty-one pe.aons died in an air- piane crash Just north of Tehran during a blinding snowstorm last night. The dead include Dr. Henry 6. Bennett. director of President Truman's Point Pour Program and seven other Americans.

Letter To Santa

Please Deliver

Dear Santa. I don't write so well.

But when you come

OUT way;

Please bring along-most anything! To brighten Christmas Day. We never have a. Christmas tree.

I

guess it costs too much!

Why don't they grow-all fixed so grand- With tinsel, llghtsyand such?

I know the rich kids all around.

Have dolls, and games and toys,

I havent anything like that.

Plrhaps that's why Mummy cries.

I- don't go out:-there's reasons why- My shoes are full of holes!

If you haveany leather left

Please bring along some soles!

We haven't Daddy any more, .

He went beyond the

sky;

Dear Santa-you know what to do-

O Please! My Mummy says we

Don't pass us by,

must be brave.

She needs a dress and hat.

Gosh! I can't think

A ribbon for our cat.

of everything-

The preacher tells me "God is Love, To Him each child is dear"! I know. "He knows" how poor we are "He tells us not to fear!"

.1 know you're big and kind--like God! Our stove it ain't so good, ' We wouldn't shiver half so much If we had coal and wood.

Yours truly. A POOR KID.

0. I-land of Christ. reach out-iv-Preach out!

To touch each heart so cold. . Then each poor child may truly feel

The Christmas joys unfold.

'It is more blessed to give than to receive." ' M

-John Robert Lamont Campbell John of "The Lilacs".

til)-38.

41 Lose Iiies Al Tijuana in Mexico

TIJUANA. Mex.. Dec, 23 - (AP)-Fire at a community Christ- mas tree party for poor children killed at least 41 persons here Saturday night. Authorities said that. many bodies had been recov- ered. one was reported still miss- ing. There was fear there might be others.

Dr. A. D, Alberto Rojo. under- director of the Miquel Aleman Hospital. said 88 persons were treated for burns.

Thirty-two of these were in ser- lous condition. he added.

Most of the dead and injured. Rojo reported, were women and children.

Up To 400 At Party

An estimated 300 to 400 persons were at the party in the third- floor meeting hall of the building. which was five stories in front and dropped to three in the back.

It was the annual party given for the needy children by various private groups.

The Christmas tree. on the stage of the hall. was knocked over by two hoodlum: who started fight- ing. survivors said,

Electric lighting on the tree ap- parently shorted and started the

ire. The flames spread to a heavy

curtain and then roared to the ceiling. There were screams and walls

and a mad rush. As the panic spread. the lights went out.

Only One Exit

There was only one exit. down stairs to the front.

Firemen said no one had both- ered to take locks off the fire escape doors:

ribie." said Louis Alarid. one-of those who escaped with burns.

The fire started about 11:45 1). m. within a couple of hours it had reduced the building to ruins.

Tijuana's only fire-engine com- pany was unable to make progress as the fire quickly spread.

Americans Give Aid

-A call for help went out to American authorities from this city on the U. S. border and the state's mobile forestry department

(Continued on Page 8 Col. 5)

"It was horrible. horrible. hor- '

A message of congratulations from Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent has been received by Mr. Alexander Cameron of Elmsdale who is preparing to observe his

100th birthday tomorrow. Christ- mas Day. Still spry and active despite

his advanced age. Mr. Cameron walked to the polls on the last election day to record his 19th vote in a Dominion election. A: recently as last. spring. he split a cord of tmgb spruce i.c had bought from a neighbour.

One of twelve children born to two pioneers of this Province. Mr.

Local lildn . Fatally Injured At llunter lliver

Samuel Boulter. 38. of 23 Orlehar Street. Charlottetown. wat fatally injured about mid- night: in an accident at Hun- ter River. He died about 2 a.

m.. 10 mi 5 after reaching the Prince Edward Island I-Iosplttxl.

Houlter was Injured when a panel truck in which he was riding went out of eotnrol at the cross roads In Hunter River Village. Another man in the truck was not serious- ly injured. Hc summoned as- sistance.

It was not learned immed- iately who was driving the truck. It. was believed the vehicle was Mr. Boulfer's, used in his electrical shop business in Charlottetown.

Coroner Dr. L. E. Prowao ordered an inquest. It will be held this morning at the Cut- cliffc Funeral Home.

No Progress

MUNSAN. Korea. Dec. 24 - tMonday) - (AP) - Armistice negotiators. farther apart than

ever on Korean war prisoners. meet this day before Christmas at 11 A. M.. (9 P. M., Sunday, E.5.T.). with little prospect of getting down to d' t -n of any actual exchange

of captives.

OTTAWA, Dec. 23-(CP)--Cam ada's political leaders. wearied by along series of battles in the Commons. plan to spend Christ.- mas at home with their families.

Most of them. including mem- bers of the Federal cabinet. will spend the holidsyseason in Ot- tawa but a few. including Prime

Minister St. Laurent. will be away for a few days. The Prime Minister left Sat-

urday for Quebec to spend Christ- mas with Mrs. st. Laurent and their children.

The three opposition party leac- ers in the Commons--George Drew. M. J. Coldwell and Solon Low-will celebrate Christmas with their families in Ottawa. All of them. along: with Mr. St. Laurent. make their homes in the capital.

Virtually all cabinet members

will spend Christmas week with

Political Leaders Plan Christmas With Families '

their families in Ottawa.

Defence Minister Claxton wi.l be here for Christmas. but will take off Thursday next on a flight to Japan and Korea to visit Canadian troops at the fighting front. He recently returned from a visit to the troops in Europe.

Only four of the 30-odd Cab- inet Ministers will be at homes away from the capital. Post- master-General Rinfret will be at Ste. Adele. Que.. State Secretary Bradley at Bonavista. Nfld.. Fish- cries Minister Mayhew at Victoria. and Revenue Minister Mc-Cann at Renfrew. Ont.

External Affairs Minister Pear- son and Mrs. Pearson will cel- ebrate Christmas Day in Ottawa with their family. but will be in London. Ont.. the following day for the marriage of their son. Geoffrey, to Miss Landon Mac- kenzie of London.

BENGASI, ,I:i-by:-I. Dec. 23 - (R-eulersl- A holiday spirit of re- joicing spread throughout this vast North African desert area as its 1.000.000 Arabs awaited the dawn of a new and independent kingdom. to be proclaimed Christ- mas eve.

War-torn Bengasi. once the bastion of Mussolini's North African empire. was iestooned with flags, slogans and bunting for the inauguration ceremonies to be conducted here by the new king. ssyed Mohamed Idris el senuaal. the Emir of Cyrenalca.

National colors of the new state-orange, green rind black. inset with crescent and star-

flutter in the wintry breeze as city dwellers give over to feasting and revelry.

Green palm leaves cover batter- ed shop fronts and bomb-ruined rooftops. Banners strung across

the streets proclaim "Long live liberty. long live independent Llbyl.

Libyan politicians from Tripoli and other cenu-as nib shoulders

Libya Rejoices As Day Of Independence Nears

cases of the Libyan desert.

Independence for Libya from France and Brifaln aftaer 40 years foreign domination will also mean the reuniting of her three com- ponent states. scenes of bitter fighting during the war.

The British Eighth Army drove its way from the Egyptian border through to French Tunisia. After the war Cyrenalca and Tripoli- tanla. Ittalian colonies. came un- der Britain's wing.

Mohammed Muntasser Bey. one- time supporter of Mussolini. will head the provisional government ready to take over until national elections can be held next March.

But even then Libya will be largely dependent on foreign ad- visers and foreign aid for surviv- al. A team of British financial ex- perts signed five-year contracts to work with government depart- ments,

Libya's sudget deficits will be underwritten by Britain, and the new country will be a member of the British sterling currency area. British troops will remain in Libya. until March under I provis- ional srrangernent and afterwards

in over-crowded teashops with

Bedouin chleftaina from distant.

under a new treaty the British are planning.

Celebrates One llundredth Anniversary On Christmas

and Mrs. Donald Cameron. (Mar- garet Pickerlng). of New London. he was married to Flora Ellison of Princetown in 1885 by the Rev. M. Patterson of Bcdeque.

His wife died on January 11th.. 1938 at the age of 88 years. Of two children born to them, a son, John. died in 1937 and Mr. Cameron now lives with his only daughter, Mrs. Annie Bell of Elmsdalc.

With the exception of five years spent in the Canadian and Ameri- can West. Mr. Cameron has lived on the Island. On his return from Winnipeg about fifty years ago. he and Mrs. Cameron operated the Albion Terrace Hotel in Alberton, now part of the Western Hospital.

iF caowos MEAN ANYTHlNc. n"s come. To BE A MERRY

CHRI S:MAS

HALIFAX. Dec. 23-(CF)-Of ficisl forecasts issued tonight by the Dominion Public Weather Office here and valid until mid- night Monday. with an outlook for Christmas Day.

Synopsis:

A disturbance in Ontario is causing a little light show. This weather is forecast to move down the St. Lawrence Monday. giving snow flurrlcs to tho northern regions. There seems to be little chance of this disturb- ance lncreasing in intensity. and sunny weather is forecast for the remainder of the district.

Colder air. flowing into the district behind the disturbance. will result in fine. cold weather for Christmas.

Regional forecasts:

Prince Edward Island: Clear. with a few cloudy intervals. Little (illllngtt in temperature.

Light. winds. Low early Monday morning and high in the filter- noon at Charlottetown 10 and 30.