The Tragic Story Of Jobless
Coal Miner Told By Reporter
- By JAMES HOLTON
LAKE LYNN, Pa. UP) Just about everyone in this mining town
is pitching in these days despite the coal strike to help the Paul
Miller family they've had the toughest luck of anybody.
To the Millers Paul; Harriett and four surviving children hunger
is just another chapter in a tragedy that began two years ago.
Their ,neat, four-room frame
home burned to the ground in 1948.
With it went everything the Millers
owned but the clothes on their
backs.
Miller, a coal miner, started all
over again. He bought an old house
and tore it down. Then he partially
rebuilt it rather crudely, he ad
mitson the site of the old house.
Infant Diet
Last August, four-year-old Bobby
died of a ruptured appendix.
SECTION
TWO
Tax Boost Plan
Assailed By Oil
Industry Heads
WASHINGTON, Feb. . UP)
Part of President Truman's new
tax program was assailed by the
oil industry Wednesday as a threat
to its abilility to meet the nation's
on needs in war or in peace.
Industry spokesmen went before
the House ways and means com.
mittee to protest Mr. Truman s
proposal to cut depletion allow
ances given the industry. The
President has described these as
"loopholes" in the tax law and
asked Congress to plug them.
Ernest Thompson, member of
the Texas Railroad commission
which regulates the petroleum
business in that state, told tne
committee the proposed $200,000,
000 in additional taxes on the in
dustry "would be poor economy.
"Even with the present tax sys
tem," he said, "we do not have
one-half the reserve capacity
needed for national defense. Why
tamper with the system that has
brought forth the capacity to fight
and win two wars?"
Russell B. Brown, co-chairman
of the industry's general depletion
committee, declared the existing
tax provisions "are now inade
quate rather than excessive."
. As the industry's spokesmen ap
peared, some ways and means'
committee members said privately
Mr. Truman may lose his proposal
for any. severe change in deple
tion allowances.
Cut Offset Demanded
The overall changes Mr. Tru
man is asking would add $500,000,
000 to the federal income $200,
000,000 of it from revisions in the
oil and mine depletion allowance.
That allowance is a special tax de
duction granted on the ground that
the value of a well or mine is de
pleted as oil or metal is removed
In return for the half million
dollars saved by the collection of
additional taxes, Mr. Truman told
Congress he would agree to a cut
of equal size in excise levies. But
he said he would veto any bill to
cut the federal taxes on such
things as luggage, jewelry and
transportation tickets if the govern
ment lost revenue on the deal.
Despite that position, there was
talk in Congress of cutting even
deeper into excises, while plugging
fewer "loopholes" than the presi
dent proposed.:
On the ways and means commit
tee, sentiment appeared to be
shaping up something ilke this:
1. A sharp division on the pro
posal affecting the oil and mining
industries, with a possible compro
mise in prospect.
. 2. Overwhelming support for
stopping up what Mr. Truman
designated as other loopholes
such as certain provisions giving
special tax consideration to edu
cational and charitable institu
tions and labor organizations.
3. Strong committee sentiment
to outlaw "collapsible corpora
tions" such as those formed to
produce one motion picture with
the idea, Mr. Truman said, of
avoiding the normal income taxes
and paying only the fmaller cap
ital gains tax.
Two months later Mary Eliza.
beth, 10, was stricken with tetanus
and spent 38 days in the hospital.
in the meantime, recurring coa
strikes and "holidays" pared down
Miner s usual S80-a-weeK cnecK.
- Came 1950. Miller, along with
most miners in this area, worked
just :hree days a week and stopped
when the miners began their no
contract no work" strike.
There was no extra food in the
Miller larder. Last year hadn't per
muted any saving. The tew doi.
lars he earned vanished fast.
Couldn't he get some other kind
of work?
In this shabby mine town, there
aren t any steady joos to oe naa
and odd jobs are out because no-
Dody nas money to pay for them.
Miller applied for relief. He was
turned down.
The State Department of Public
Assistance places a lien agaiist
property owned by a relief re
cipient. Miller owns his rebuilt
shack, but he has nothing in the
way of a deed to prove it.
Salvation Army Helps
The Saivafion Army provided
several food slips.
"Without them we'd have starv
ed, I guess," said 35-year-old Mrs.
Miller.
The government provided the
miners with surplus potatoes and
the Millers got 100 pounds.
"That's all the food we have in
the house," the chunky housewife
declared. "I'm trying to save them,
so ! can only give the children three
potatoes between them to take to
school for lunch.
"I know this sounds terrible but
I tell them that maybe the other
cniidren will share their lunches
with them. And they do. too."
The other Miller children are
Paul Jr., 12; Harry, 8, and Roger,
9 monts.
How do the Millers feel about
their plight?
Miller, speaking slowly, com
mented: Wants To Go Back
"I can't say much except I want
to go back to work awful bad.
Course, long's there's a strike I'm
staving out."
Miller was asked what he would
tell President Truman if he had
an opportunity to talk to him about
it.
The 37-year-old digger murmured
only:
"I'd sure like to go back to
work."
But his wife spoke ud auicklv.
Said she:
"I'd tell him rieht away that I
didn't like him usinu this Taft-
Hartley law. That's not helping the
miners. And it sure isn't going to
settle the strike.'
"I don't like sending mv kids to
school practically to beg food, but
i uiiiiiv iii.v uusuanu is nt;iii in noi
working. I'm in back of him."
She turned to a little stove in the
corner.
"Would you like some coffee"
she began. "Oh, dear, I forgot. We
haven't had any this week. The
neighbors give us things like that
when they can spare it. But they're
having a tough time of it, too."
Established 1873
ROSEBURG, OREGON THURSDAY, FEB. 9, 1950
33-50
SWEETHEARTS! The qirls pictured above are part of a group of eleven chosen from the claiset
at Senior high by the "R" club to compete for th title of "Sweetheart of Roseburg High."
The lucky young lady so selected will reign over the school's Valentine Day's dance to be held
next Saturday night at the girls gymnasium.
From the left the girls are Joan Zemlicka, Barbara Peterson, Evelyn Deveraux and Shirley
Erickson. The first three are members of the sophomore class while Miss fcnekson is a Junior.
Jill Kern, another candidate for the big honor, was unable to be present for her picture- She
a Sophomore. I By Paul Jenkins I.
Sea Serpent Spotted
By Canadian Jurist
VANCOUVER, B. C, Feb. 9.
(CP) Caddy, the sea serpent
with a head "like a snake," is
back at Victoria beaches.
Chief Justice James T. Brnwu
of Regina saw the serpent last Sun
day, he said here, and "it looked
like a montrous snake."
"I have two witnesses to prove
it," he added. "My wife and my
daughter. They can't lie, even if
I could."
He described the sea monster,
first reported in the waters of
Cadboro bay in the early 30s, as
Every cook's delight I
these tlBW
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CIFTSPKMIS
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St Hargis Electric
Neighbors Wish
Mobster Cohen
Lived Elsewhere
LOS ANGELES. Feb. 9.-4m
Mickey Cohen is "very sick in the
stomach" as a result of the bomb
ing of his home, but he's not the
only one.
His neighbors are pretty sick,
too, they say.
"I'd sure like to see him go, but
I hate to wish him off on any other
neighborhood," Mrs. Susan Er
hardt told a reporter. Mrs. Erhardt
lives at 520 Moreno Ave. Cohen's
address is 513 Moreno Ave.
Mrs. George Cleveland, 526 Mo
reno Ave., said "it's dangerous fjr
our small children, and besides it's
hard on the property values."
Matters took an official turn when
Deputy Police Chief Thad Brown
called Cohen on the carpet.
"A lot of innocent people may be
killed or injured on account of
you," Brown blasted. "Two chil
dren across the street were nearly
killed. A piece of plate glass lodged
against the throat of one of the
girls."
Cohen said he had no exnlaina
tion for yesterday's bombing, but
he added:
"I feel very bad about my neigh
bors." It was the sixth time in four
years that Cohen apparently es
caped death by a narrow margin.
Two men, Harry Rothman and Ed
ward Herbert, have been killed
by gun slugs seemingly aimed at
Cohen.
"Bombs today," said Mrs. Er
hardt, "tomorrow it might be ma
chine gunj ..."
Crlien estimated the loss at $50.-
000 and biid he believed it was
covered by insurance. Much of the
damage, he said, was to his ex
tensive wardrobe. The bomb was
set off beside or underneath a
dressing room in which he kept his
clothes.
Police said they are looking for
two men seen in an auto in the
vicinity at the time.
The little mobster recently sold
his clothing store and a closeout
sale of the small shop's stock has
been underway since November.
He also sold the Cafe Continental
in the past few months, explain
ing he was broke and in debt.
35 or 40 feet long, a head lilfe a
snake, and dark in color.
"I got three good loks at him;
on one occasion he came almost
right in front of us."
Dillctrd
By ROSA HEINBACH
The Methodist Youth Fellowship
of the Dillard church met Sunday
at 5:30 p.m. The opening songs
were led by Wanda Wagler and
Bernita Clausen accompanied by
Doris Finnell on the piano. They
had a Bible quiz program. Wanda
led the devotionals and the busi
ness meeting. Plans were made for
a box supper on Saturday night,
Feb. 11 at 8 o'clock. All of the
high school girls in the community
are invited to attend and bring a
box for the occasion and the boys
are all invited to come and buy
them from the girls. Those attend
ing were: The leaders, Mr. and
Mrs. Paul Rummell, and Bud
Walker. Pat Callahan. Colleen Cole,
Jerry Gentry, Bernita Clausen,
Barbara Covey, Marilyn Mahoney,
Wayland Gentry, Silvia Hill, Dale
Wilson. David Burks, Bob Tedrick,
Johnny Appleton, Lyn Spccklemeir,
Gondon Clayton, Wanda Wagler,
Wesley Finnell and Doris f inneu
Den No. 1 of Cub pack 136 met
,-.t the Dillard church for its regular
meeting Tuesday at 4 o'clock. Mrs
Edith Bratsch, the den mother,
reports they are working on valen
tines and on their displays for the
pack meeting Feb. 20, at which
time the boys are to receive their
Bob Cat pins. The mothers are en
couraged to attend as they are sup
posed to place pins on their boys
All three dens are to present a
play at that time. Those present
were: Jerrie Griese, Gene Bratsch,
Warren Heinbach, Phillip Hill, Jan
Ricks and one guest, David Mc-
Cord, and Boy Scout den chief
Richard Anderson.- The absent
member was Walter Kreps.
Mr. and Mrs. Dave Brooks of
Roseburg were visitors at the home
of Mrs. Mercy Buell and Mrs. Dor
othy Mayse Sunday. Mrs. Buell and
Mrs. Mavse have both been ill anil
confined to their home for the last
two weeks. Mrs. Mayse, teacher
of Dillard school second grade, re
sumed her duties Monday.:
Mrs. Earl Oakley and son Timmy
of Roseburg visited her aunt, Mrs
Roy Rice. Sunday. Mrs. Kice has
been ill for the last ten days. She
is reported to be improving satis
factorily at ner nome on nice
creeK.
Mr. and Mrs. Blaine Stafford,
well-known residents of the Green
Televised Eye
Operation May
End Blindness
ATLANTA, Feb. 8. -UP) The
mother of two small children hopes
to see them and her husband soon
for the first time.
Mrs. Mary Ella Sams, 33-year-old
wife of a textile worker, was the
willing subject Monday for an
operation color-televised for 1,000
doctors attending a southeastern
graduate assembly.
As they watched a screen mag
nifying details five times, a sur
geon painstakingly replaced the
cloudy white film over the pupil of
Mrs. Sams' left eye with a healthy
cornea from a stillborn baby.
Mrs. Sams, almost totally blind
since infancy, waited hopefully un
til a few hours before the opera
tion to learn if it could be per
formed. Doctors had made an unsuccess
ful nationwide search for a cornea.
Then, a stillborn baby arrived at
Grady hospital and the parents
consented to use of one of its un
damaged corneas. '
Mrs. Sams should know in two
or three weeks if her operation is
a success. Surgeons said corneal
grafts seldom result in perfect
vision but to those who have never
seen, even partial vision seems
miraculous.
Doctors watched the operation
from the municipal auditorium sev
eral blocks away.
Portland Policemen May Get Forty-Hour Week
PORTLAND, Feb. t. UP)
The Portland police department
will get a 40-hour week if the
budget committee can work it out
The city council decided it was
in favor of the 40-hour week
policemen now work 48 hours but
it will be up to the budget commit
tee to figure out where it will get
the money.
Commissioner Ormond Bean
pointed out that better hours for
firemen they work 60 hours now
but can sleep during their on-duty
tour if not called out and moie
money for all city employes will
have to be considered in the next
budget. It will cost $1,000,000, he
said, to take care of general hour
and wage betterments.
Merely referring the shorter
week to the budget committee
won't bring the shorter hours, he
warned.
Police department representa
tives told the council that the ma
jority of policemen work at night.
That, plus day hours when they
have to appear in court, leaves
them little time with their fami
lies, they said.
Charities Share
In Bequests Of
Plywood Official
PORTLAND, Feb. 9. - UP) A
school that teaches' deaf children
to talk will get $20,000, largest of
the charitable bequests made by
Max D.. Tucker, who died here
Feb. 2.
His bequests for ' charitable or
public purposes totaled. $665,000.
The will of, the president of the
Cascades Plywood corporation was
admitted to probate Tuesday.
The school of -deaf children is
Maxon Oral school, Portland. Pu
pils are children born deaf or deaf
ened early in childhood.
Tucker'r will, dated Jan. 5 with a
codicil dated Jan. 17, gives approxi
mately half the estate value not
stipulated to his widow. On her
death, unless she wills otherwise,
the residue of her share is to go to
a charitable trust which Tucker's
will created.
Among the specific bequests:
$100,000 to Flushing, Mich., his
birthplace: $100,000 to the United
States National bank as trustee for
10 scholarships of $1000 each an
nually for attendance at the Uni
versity of Oregon, Oregon State
college. Lewis and Clark or Wil
lamette university: $50,000, Alber
tina Kerr hone, Portland: $50,000,
Lebanon community hospital foun
dation, Lebanon: $25,000, Lewis
and Clark college; $25,000, Waverly
baby home, Portland: $10,000, Wil
lamette university; $10,000, Oregon
Humrne society; $10,000, Alice
Marie children's home, Eugene;
$10,000, St. Vincent's hospital; $10,
000, Episcopal church, Oswego:
$5000, Shriners hospital for crippled
children, Portland.
Relative -also received specific
bequests, the largest sum, $150,000
going, to his sister, Mrs. Marion
Frascr, Flushing, Mich., and her
two sons. ,
Czechoslovakia!!
Woman Admires
Oregon's Beauty
: By ROSA HEINBACH. .
Miss Josie Solnicka arrived in
Roseburg Sunday, Jan, 19, from
Moravia in Czechoslovakia, to
stay at the home of her uncle.
Rudolph Solnicka, and family.
Miss Solnicka, who speaks fluent
Czech, German, Italian, French
and English, has just .-returned
from a tour of the United States,
which began last Oct, 29.
Before leaving her native coun
try, she was employed with an
importing firm in Prague. The
firm imported goods from Ger
many, Belgium, Sweden, Switzer
land, Italy, England and the
United States. She hopes to obtain
similar employment especially as
Brilliant Pianist
Dated Here Has
Tragic Background
Gladys H. Strong, president of
the Roseburg Community Concert
association, is calling attention of
local folks to a write-up in the
February issue of Reader's Digest
on Roseburg's next concert uter
tainer, Maryla Jonas, Polish pian
ist, who appears here on the Junior
High auditorium stage March 3.
The article, entitled "Melody Re
captured," by Ann M. Lingg, rs
lates the struggles of this-talented
pianist, who played for pennies in
half empty halls, until she finally
attained fame and appeared on
March 30, 1946, in Carnegie hall.
But Maryla Jonas' rise to suc
cess was not one of obtaining rec
ognition alone. A brilliant career
in Poland was cut short by the
Nazi occupation, the article points
out. Maryla escaped to Brazil while
her husband, her mother and two
brothers were imprisoned and later
perished in Poland.
Her feeling of guilt in having left
them there froze her hands when
ever she approached a piano, until
the great Artur Rubenstein, by a
ruse, forced her to play to test the
acoustics in an auditorium in Bra
zil where he was to play. Without
realizing, she played for five hours.
Other accounts of Maryla Jonas,
a child prodigy of the great Padc
rewskl, are related in the article.
Head hunting is said to have
been practiced in the British Isles
up to the end of the Middle Ages.
U.S. savings bonds which are
lost are replaced by the U.S. government.
a correspondent clerk in com
merce. Miss Solnicka reports living con
ditions here are very different
from those in her home country.
She says, "I admire this country
and I find Oregon very much to my
liking, as the hills, woods and cli
mate resemble that of my home."
During her tour of this country,
she spent a short time in New
York, then went to Bellevue, la
where she spent 14 days visiting
three uncles who are in the manu
facturing business. On Nov. -6, she
went to Havre, Mont., visiting with
her uncle and two cousins who aro
jn the wheat farming business. Jan.
29, she arrived at her destination
in Roseburg at the home of the
Solnicka family at the Parkrose
motel.
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COOKING TIME
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ECONOMICAL DILICIOUS
HIAlTHFUi NOURISHINO
tmsy t0 pnpmf
Grand Junction. Colorado, gets
Its name from the fact the Colo
rado and the Gunnison rivers come
together nearby.
The first ice-making machine in
the United States was invented by
Dr. John Gome of Apalachicola
Fla., in 1850.
district are moving into Roseburg
on Mill street:
Mrs. Mary Stoner of Looking.
glass route is visiting this week at
the home of her daughter and son-
in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Lee Barnes
and family in Dillard.
MOVING
for small jobs
or big, local or
long distance, phonei
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112 East Cast!
Roseburg, Oregon