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About La Grande evening observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1904-1959 | View Entire Issue (July 14, 1945)
EDITORIAL PAGE La Grande Evening Observer Frank Schlro, Publisher SATURDAY UVENINO. JULY 14, 1945, I'age Two The Omnipresent Suitor YOU AWAY TOA fSV f H w-. tr kin. , "y : . -i EVENING OBSERVER'S PROGRESS PROGRAM IRRIGATION Complete the Grande Ronde Valley Irrigation project. LA GRANDE t- A city of 10,000 Extend the city limits. Cross-Country GI Travel Undersecretary of War Robert P. Pat terson invited the accusation of resort ing to the sort of buckpassing' the pub lic mind associates with official Wash ington, in his recent comments about charges that shameful traveling accom modations are being provided for sol diers transported from the Atlantic o' the Pacific. , Most readers recall tho circumstances. Charges were that servicemen wore be ing packed like sardines into vcrmin:iii fested day coaches for the long trip across the continent. Mr. Patt'jrson had nothing to say at the time about vermin. He did ack nowledge that day coaches had boon used for such travel, adding that the war department was attempting to car reel that condition, lie then .mentioned that tho provision of travel accommoda tions is up to the office of defenso transportation and to tho railroads, to which, he said, the armed services had protested the lack of sleepers for all troops on long hauls. It is entirely possible, as the under secretary implied, Hint the army was not at fault if soldiers were required to ride three per seat on a five-aiul-one-lialf day ride toward the Pacific where, inevitably, some of them must die. Per haps the war department cannot be blamed, even though some may wonder why the army did not make sure, in advance, that men bound from one theater of war to another would, at least, ride in comfort. Put, without attempting to say who il might be, certainly someone was to blame. And it is proper that the re sponsibility should be fixed. It is not enough to do everything possible to in sure that such things do not happen again. True enough, the shortage of rail road equipment is serious. But no American will bo easily persuaded that the shortage is so acute that any soldier should be required to share a seat with two others, and to sleep in the aisle, during a trip across the United States. That sort of business cannot be justi fied so long as there is one Pullman car being used for civilian travel, or for any purpose except, perhaps, the move ment of sick or wounded veterans. If this means discomfort for civilians, or that many of them are to be crowded off trains entirely, what of it? How many civilians would be willing'to trade places with Pacific-bound fighters, even if they could travel like royally? Doubtless it is tho official job of ODT and the railroads to provide the equip ment on which soldiers are transported, lint, unofficially, it is the job of every American, including everyone connec ted the war department and the armed forces, to make sure that the accom modations are the very best available. And it will be difficult to persuade any American citizen that the best available should be anything worse than equip ment in which the nation's fighting men can travel and sleep in comfort. Funny Business Z7-- fmm K&'s&l o SO THEY SAY Despite its infirmities, the San Francisco charter is a sound basis for seeking organized pence. Senator Arthur Vandcnbcrg, Michigan. The Russians aro great guys, happy and have ir Int of full. They never worry about getting hurt or killed. They live for tho minute, but they're good soldiers, Sgt. Harry Middlcton, Detroit. Wiule we plan and produce for the destruction of Japan, we must work toward tho kind of woll tmieci transition that will prevent depression from coming- to us 03 the Sliest of peace. War Molnliivr Fred M. Vinson "He couldn't get home to spend his leave at a seushorcl" If Christ ciime to oarth today h wouldn't give the parable of the tares and wheat, hut a par able of a man who threw a span ner (monkey wrench) into the works, Dr, Christopher, bishop of Rochester of Hie Church of Kngland. Washington Merry-GoRou Side Qlmcea Br DREW PEARSON WASHINGTON -One complaint President Truman constantly makes to old friends in . the senate is:- "You don't know how lonely I am." But the president was not lonely on his lart night in Independence. It was one of his most enjoyable evenings since he en tered the White House. Truman spent it playing poker with old friends, all mem bers of the "Harpy club," an organization of Independence business men, founded in 1925. The game was at the home of Louis L. Compton, owner and manager of an Inde pendence bottling works. Truman, as the home-town boy who made good, was given the honor of dealing the first hand. It was dealer's choice and he chose seven-card stud. All players, nine of them, dropped out ex cept the president and John Hutchinson, an Independence coal dealer. Six cards were dealt. Hutchinson had two jacks showing and another jack down. The president, who had bluffed Hutchin son into itwo raises, had two queens show ing and nothin gdown except a nine-spot and a seven-spot. Came the last card. Hutchinson drew a tray, Truman a queen. That gave the presi dent three queen's to Hutchinson's three jacks, and he raked in the pot. It amounted to $1.05. ' ' Note Missouri friends are hoping Tru man will be just as good a poker player when he sits down with the best of all dip lomatic card sharks Joe Stalin. Army Discharge Snafu When the War department announced Its demobilization plan on May 12, it set up the 85 point requirement for discharge and also announced that a revised figure would be given within 45 days, or by June 27. It is now July 14, and millions of men are still waiting for that announcement. Meunwhile more headaches, heartaches and resentment have developed over dis chargs than almost anything in the army. Some of this is unavoidable. Some, on the other hand, seems due to army inefficiency, including the amount of discretion allowed individual officers and units. For instance, the air forces set up a sep arate demobilization program in some areas, and at Las Vegas, Nev., began releasing young officers by the hundreds. There was such a surplus of second lieutenants that those with only 42 points were let out. First lieutenants with only 58 points were dis charged, and captains with only 70 points were permitted to leave the service. Meanwhile enlisted men who still need 85 points to get out are burning up. Part of the irregularity in administering the point system resulst from the fact each commanding officer has the right to reject a man's application for discharge no mat ter how many points he has by declaring him "essential." Obviously certain key tech nical men fall into the category and cannot be spared. Also it Is much more practical to use trained veterans than to break in new men. However, there is increasing resent ment from battle-scarred veterans with points galore, some of whom feel they are kept in the service because of some gripe or prejudice on the part of commanding offi cers. Too Many Generals An unfortunate attitude also is growing among enlisted men that the generals don't want the army scaled down. There are 1,600 generals in the army today, many of them lieutenant colonels or even captains before the war. And enlisted men are wondering whether "essential" and "military necessity" amn't sometimes convenient excuses for keeping army manpower padded. For, if the army is cut too sharply, a large number of general officers will be retired. This view does not make lor morale, butu nforlunate it exists among enlisted men. One thing which GIs can't understand is why the army, when fighting a two-front war, was willing to release a man over 38 if he had a war job; whereas today, with only a one-front war, the army has upped the aga limit to 40. Another thing the army can't adequately explain is why they've established so few separation centers to handle discharges, and why one of them, Camp Dix, N. ., is-so poor ly run it was recently subjected to a com plete investigation by the inspector gen eral's office. One group especially restless are the lim ited service men men with physical in firmities, who were drafted for non-combat service and hence can never go abroad to roll up discharge points. WE, THE WOMEN Br RUTH MTLLETT There ore those who predict that follow ing the war the divorce rate will rise so fast that between a third and a half of all mar riages will end in the courts. There aro those who predict that divorce will become the vogue just as hasty war marriages have been the vogue for the past few years. This expected acceleration in the number of divorces might be slowed down consider ably if a paper-bound volume, published by the School of Law at Duke university, were to become a best seller especially among men overseas and their wives back home. The technical-looking volume is "Children of Divorced Parents" and is a collection of articles written by experts. Its concern is with what is being done about the children of divorce "orphans of living parents" by the law and by interested professions and groups. But its discussion of the problems that face children of divorce and its acceptance of the fact that it is worse for a child to lose a parent through divorce than through death is deep enough and reasonable enough to knock the idea that divorce can be a quick cure (where there are children involved) out of the heads of parents with any sense at all Even in cases where divorce may come to seem the only way out, parents would know better how to hurt their children as little as possible in the provisions made for their care after reading this symposium on "Chil dren of Divorced Parents." For while the authors of "Children of Di vorced Parents" are quick to point out that there are no good divorces so far as children are concerned, it makes clear the kind of ar rangements that hurt children most, and points out why. Behind Scenes in Washington By PETER EDSON, La Grande Evening Observer Washington Correspondent WASHINGTON, July 14 Whenever any one has a question which no one else can answer about the new united nations organ ization, the call goes out for Leo. That happened the very first day of the senate foreign relations committee hearings, prior to ratification of the UNO charter. The show opened with ex-secretary of state, Ed ward R. Stettinius, jr., reading a 20-pago statement which took an hour and told no one present anything he shouldn't have known two weeks ago. That was the kick off, but then it was Leo's turn. Leo had to carry the ball and do a lot of open-field run ning through all those senate tackles, but Leo is an old hand at this. He has, in fact, been state department quarterback for four long years, all through this international football game to win the peace. Leo. in ease you don't know, is Dr. Leo Pasvolsky, net. His title is only "special assistant," though he ranks as an assistant secretary of state. The reason he doesn't hold that title is prob ably because he was born in Russia. 'Even though he has lived in the United States for 40 of his 52 years, and been an American citizen for 34 years, there was some doubt about getting the senate to ratify the ap pointment of a Russian-born gent to the little cabinet. No one doubts Leo's loyalty to the United States, and everyone recognizes his ability. Respect for Lee's technical knowledge as historian and economist is tremendous and growing all the time. He will probably go with Stettinius to wherever the united na tions organization sets up shop. He has a great future ahead of him in international relations. He knows the answers. He will never win any prires in a hand some man contest, but once you see him, you never forget him. He stands about five and a haif feet high and he weighs around 150 pounds. He used to wcigii nearly 20. He is still round. His head :s made to seem rounder by his lack of h.ur. and by the two Inc.. round lenses of Ins thick, horn-rim glasses. About his mouth is a narr.jw mous tache. He smokes a pipe, a lot of pipes, al most incessantly. About the corners of his mouth and in his eyes there is a merry twinkle that makes him look as though he had just put a thumb-tack upsde-down on the seat of the secretary of state's char, then walked off and left it. He is that puckish in appearance, but really the soul of dignity and oh so very, very shy. Pasvolsky has been in on every play of the world peace organization game since early in 1941, when Cordell Hull set him up "Chief of Division of Special Research to Begin Planning How to Prevent Another World War." This was months before Pearl Harbor. But already it was apparent the United States would be drawn in eventually and at considerable cost. So, while every one else in the country was planning for war. Dr. Pasvolsky and the staff of some 50 scholars and experts he assembled began planning for peace. By July of 1944, an American plan for world security organization had been drawn up. With similar British, Chinese and hus sian plans. It became the basis for Dum barton Oaks discussions last fall. They, in turn, became the basis for the San Francisco charter. Pasvolsky was at Dumbarton Oaks as the U. S. technical expert. Speaking Russian fluently, knowing the Russian ways of think ing, he was able to reconcile many differ ences. At San Francisco, he was chairman of the coordinating committee, made up of the top technical expert from each of tho 50-nation delegations. This coordinating cmmiltee had to review the work of all the drafting committees and commissioos, take out i he inconsistencies and then put the whole business into a workable document. No wonder he knows the answers and no wnder the senators turn to Leo for the de tailed explanation of how this things is go ins to work. In addition to this expert's knowledge of the UNO charter, Dr. Pasvolsky is generally credited with having played a leading part in the cieation of the economic and social council. At any rate, that is one of his pets. If the world is really to maintain peace and security, he believes it must bo done through the establishment of friendly and profitable trade relationships between all nations. com. 1KB SY mv muvkx WC. T.' H ESQ. o. s. w. m. "Don't fail to mail your mother and sister this item about civilian travel being stopped, well before the time they usually pay us their annual visit!" O McKENNEY ON BRIDGE By WM. E. McKENNEY, America's Card Authority IT'S A SURE BID WHEN PLAYED SAFE Detroit players shared in two of the championship events of its recent tournament. The mix ed pair event was won by Mrs. Baum of Detroit and Harry Fein berg of Cleveland, while the women's pairs were won by Mrs. C. W. Sehaff of Chicago and . AS V K2 A K 9 52 A 8 7 5 2 100 8 7 I N I O J32 64 WE 864 73 c J43 1087 Dealer KJ ,4 'UK" Mrs. Baum ' AK AQJ 109S 6 A 10 9 6 4 Bridge N.-S. vul. South West North Pars Pass Pass Pass I V 3 5 Pass Opening 10. 2 4 6 East Pass Pass Pass 16 Millie Erskine ' of Detroit. I thought Mrs. Baum handled the play of today's hand very well. Mrs. Baum won the first trick, and at first glance the hand seems to depend on an even break in the adverse clubs. However, as a matter of safety, Mrs. Baum took the additional play to make her contract. She led a low dia- Questions & Answers Q What is the Royal Order of Whale Bangers? A U. S. navy anti-sub patrol pilots who, in answlering "sub sighted" report, have scored a di rect hit on a whale. mond to the dummy, and ruf'"d. the diamond return. A trump was returned to dummy's king, and another low diamond was ruffed by declarer. When both opponents followed suit, the trumps were drawn, and dummy entered with the ace of clubs. Two clubs were discarded on the two diamonds in dummy, and when the club distribution was later revealed, it was disclosed that the other plan would have failed. O IN FORMER YEARS 30 Years Ago Mrs. George Huntington Cur rey came in from Palmer Junc tion to attend the Bolton-Stanch-field wedding yesterday evening. DeLile Green, P. S. Robinson of this city, and a company of Sum merville and Palmer junction people left yesterday for the Little Salmon on a fishing expe dition. Mr. Robinson's two sons, Frank and John, accompanied the , party. i 15 Years Ago ' Miss La Grande, 16-year-old Florence Houston, winner of the beauty contest for that- title, sponsored by the La Grande Lions club, left for Portland, ac companied by Mr. and Mrs. Jess Rosenbaum! There she will par ticipate in the contest for the title of Miss Oregon. Miss Hous ton won over 20 other partici pants. Dr. and Mrs. F. L. Tribe have returned from a 10 days vaca tion trip to Seattle, Victoria and Vancouver, B. C. Their son Bobby accompanied them. Q What English king was put to death in the Tower of London'.' A Edward V was murdered in the tower in 1483, with his bro ther, the Duke of York, by order of his uncle, the Duka of Glou cester (Richard III). Q One of the most popular trout flies is named for an Eng lish fisherman. What is the fly and who was the fisherman? A Royal Coachman, named after Tom Bosworth, who was a driver for British royalty in the days of George IV and Queen Victoria. 10 YearstAgo Eighty-two babies were born in Union county during the first six months of this year accord ing to reports available from Dr. W. K. Ross, city-county physi cian. The births for the corres ponding period in 1934 were higher, 102. ' A deer Dacine a car on a Ronde valley country a bit unusual, but it hap pened. Mrs. A. Hug had this ex perience when she was driving to her home on Pumpkin Ridge. A deer darted onto the road and ran ahead of her car quite a dis tance before leaving the highway. Grande road is This Curious World THE ANDEAN CON DO R RANESFROM) eOCHINBAL. A COWDS? MADE. FZO.W WAS ONCE USED TO IVE THE PRETTY PINK COLOK. to CAAoy. TO DO CURTAINS UPj YOU TAKE THEM DOWN," Sht ALICE KASLAND, NEXT: Was the robot bomb a new idea?
