THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1950.
CHOLERA HORROR IN BENGAL Roads Littered With The Corpses Of Pilgrims
Panic-Stricken Crowds In Rush From Affected Area
الله
Calcutta, Dec. 19.
Roads to the village of Rantalai were littered
Big Three today with the putrid corpses of pilgrims who had
Meet
(Continued from Page 1) leader on the production side General Eisen- comparable to hower's military command
would be appointed.
Mr Acheson urged on the
travelled to seek miraculous cures from a shepherd boy and had died of cholera,
Officials said at least 500 persons had been fatally stricken with the dreadful disease. They Were the last of 250,000 people who have tailed into the remote hills of Orissa province in the last six months for a universal panacea dispensed by a 12-
Defence and Foreign Ministers year-old boy, Nepal Baba.
of the 12 nations represented
that they should place their
For months the young shepherd has been distribut- forces under General Eisenhowering the bark of a tree to the lame, blind, deaf, mute and
He said that Washington would shortly announce that American ll. Believers swore it possessed miraculous powers that forces in Germany would come cured everything from leprosy to ingrown toenails. under the Supreme Command.
It was at first stated that Bri- tish as well as American and French occupation troops in Germany would come under the command but later a spokesman said that this was incorrect. Mr
Bevin did not announce this,
"The British do not rush such decisions," the spokesman added. THE COMMUNIQUE The text of the communique was as follows:
Nepal Baba was said to have been entrusted with distri- bution of the bark by a mysterious holy man, himself had used it to the young shepherd of fever.
who
cure
The holy man was said to have given Nepal the secret of preparing the drug and the religious rites which follow
Portuguese
Ports Open To
consumption of the powdered Japanese
"The North Atlantic Council,
By the thousands, men, wo- acting on recommendations of men and children have stream- the Defence Committee, today ed into Rantalai on foot, ox- completed the arrangements cart, mules, buses, trains and, initiated in September last for during the past few weeks, by the establishment in Europe plane. Cholera broke out of an integrated force under Orissa province two weeks ago centralised control and com- but still they came. mand.
in
POWDER A FRAUD This force is to be composed
Rantalai was not able to of contingents contributed by
cope with the hordes seeking the participating governments; food and a place to sleep. A
"The Council yesterday un-
glass of water sold for 1/6. animously decided to ask the President of the United States Medical and sanitation facilities
to make available General of the Army Dwight D. Eisen- hower, to serve as Supreme Commander.
were non-existent.
The deadly cholera germ was carried to the home of the miracle boy. The authorities, alarmed at the outbreak, insti- tuted an investigation.
Tokyo, Dec. 19. The Government of Portugal has granted blanket clearance to the Japanese merchant fleet to enter and clear from all ports and harbours of
Portuguese colonies in Africa, General MacArthur's head- quarters announced today.
With this clearance approval, Japanese shipping is authorised to enter the ports of about 35 nations in Africa, Central and South America, Europe, North America, including Canada and the United States, and most of the nations of the Far East.
"Following receipt this morn- ing of a message from the Pre-
A medical committee which sident of the United States that he had made
announced General Eisen- tested 1,500 cases, hower available, the Council that the magic powder has not appointed him.
brought even the slightest re- "He will assume his command lief in any case of serious dis-Africa will and establish his headquarters ability or ailment. in Europe early in the new year, He will have the authority to train the national units assigned to his command and to organise them into an effective integrated
defence force.
"He will be supported by an international staff drawn from the nations contributing to the force.
PANIC EXODUS
The ports of Beira and of Lourenco Marques in Mozam- bique, Portuguese East Africa, and the harbours of Kabinda and Angola in Portuguese West be the principal ports of call for Japanese ship ping, the announcement said. The Government ordered the A specific clearance was also boy to stop dispensing the drug announced for Jidda (Jeddah) They banned the flow of people in Saudi Arabia by General into the town, but it was too late. MacArthur's headquarters for In the last two weeks an a vessel of the Shen Nippon estimated 50,000 persons travel- Steamship Company Ltd., which led to Rantalai. Today thousands will leave this month with a who had fought to get into the
cargo of 6,600 metric tons of village fought to get out.
Men and women were batter- "The Council, desiring to sim- plify the structure of the Northed down as they scrambled to Atlantic Treaty Organisation to get aboard trainis. Latest reports make it more effective, asked said the cholera outbreak was the Council Deputies to initiate spreading like wildfire.-United appropriate action.
"In this connection the Defence Committee, meeting separately on December 18, had already
Press.
taken action to establish a US Forces
greater powers than those of the
Defence Production Board with
Military Production and Supply.
Board which it supersedes
The new. Board is charged
with expanding and accelerat- About
Forces In Europe
Washington, Dec. 19.
100,000. American
now
in
cement.
Though beauty queen Irene Whitworth, 23, is only 25in. around the waist and her hips 36in., elsewhere she has exceeded film star Jane Russell by one and a half inches. Irene is "Physical Excellence "Queen" of the West Midlands,
Price Warning To Industries In US
Washington, Dec. 19.
Price Chief Michael Disalle told business and industry today to roll back prices voluntarily to the Dec. 1 levels and in some cases to pre-Korean war levels or face mandatory controls.
Mr Disalle said that in general standards," after which it is levels will not be permitted to a 1 price levels in products made price increases above the Dec. 1 necessary to maintain the Dec. manufacturer whose net profits from those materials-United before above his average profits in the
taxes are equal to or Press. 1946-49 period.
Counterfeiting Gang Arrested ble
US Air Force Call-Up
In distribution trade, both It has also been confirmed by wholesale and retail, the gross the Union of South Africa that margins-mark-up above cost Japanese merchant shipping may not be increased above the may call at the Union of South June, 1950, levels if the dis-
Washington, Dec. 19. Africa ports for loading, distributor's net profit before taxes
The Air Force announced charging and husbandry, the is equal to or bigger than his today that it would call five. headquarters added.-Reuter. 1946-49 average.
Air National Guard and a num- Mr Disalle set those general ber of supporting units into ceilings as "fair. standards" on Federal service in February. which he will try to maintain Most National Guard air the voluntary price
are control groups
fighter organisa- system over, most of the United tions, with about 75 planes to a States economy as long as, pos- group.
Five Guard groups were He warned ing production and furthering ground troops are
that mandatory called up in October-Reuter. controls will be, the mutual use of the idustrial Europe, including combat and
Seoul, Dec. 19.
* imposed
ANCAMANKANTERA MONRUSK• EHTIYAUTOTERKUNDEFUBICY capacities of. the member constabulary forces. There has The police authorities here to wherever violations of volun- nations.
been speculation that the
day announced the arrest of five tary ceilings make such action The Council also reached United States might under a men and four women counter-necessary. unanimous agreement regarding long-range programme even- feiters after raiding a
The co-operation of business secret the part which Germany might tually send over five to 10 Communist printing works and and industry will largely deter- assume in the common defence. divisions more,
seizing more than a million mine the future need for forced "The
Morning Post Building, 1,000-won German, participation
(US$25) | control.. forged The forces going over in the
While these standards - are
Hongkong. would strengthen the defence of immediate future would, of
appropriate at this time, more Saturday & Sundays.
-Published daily (Mid-Day) except Europe without altering in any course, be much smaller.
The counterfeit gang, planted severe standards may be neces-
edition. Price. 20 cents per: way the purely defensive The United States also has by North Korean Communists to sary later.
Subscription: $5.00 per month: character or the North Atlantic three Air Force fighter groups flood the capital with fake cur-
Postage: China Mação = "UK- Bri» The Economic Standardising tish Possessions Treaty Organisation.
and three B-29 (Superfortress) rency, was arrested in a small Agency which draw up stan- tries. $1.10 per month.
and other coun "The Council invited the bombing groups in Europe. house in the suburbs, where an dards served notice that any
News confributions Governments of France, the American naval forces are in elaborate printing and engraving official
come, should be compulsory controls Editor, business United Kingdom and the United the Mediterranean. Reuter.: plant had been installed.
hereafter imposed will be advertisements - to States to explore this matter
Telephone: 20611 Bundles of forged notes were calculated on the base period A found stacked in one of the ending not later than Dec. 1.
No seller will be in permitted
with the Government of the EXHIBITION FIRE
German Federal Republic.
notes.
The decisions taken and the A small fire which broke out rooms ready for distributiany advantage under the regu
measures contemplated have last night in a stall of the Chin- the sole purpose of maintaining ese Manufacturers' and consolidating, peace. The products exhibition. North Atlantle stions are deter- damaged five dozen per min
und fire brigade were called
* quickly extinguished the fire.
peace is rec
The police said that they had lations from price incre onbeen hunting the gang for mare made after that date.
on than two months after a police cortain basic material
agent reported seeing two men increased between Ju and buying chemicals at a Seoul Dec. I will be rolled
shop-Reuter,
accordance with the new
The
Longkong Telegraph
Printed
Villiam
Boos and