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ESTABLISHED 1S96
LA GRANDE. OREGON MONDAY EVENING. AUGUST 6, 1945
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Stockman Talks of Local Problems Needing
Federal Attention, with Board of Chamber
Union county problems
necessitating- federal action
were brought to the attention
of Lowell Stockman, repre
sentative from this district,
at a meeting: of La Grande
chamber, of commerce board
of directors; and its industrial
committee today noon.
Methods of achieving affirma
tive action in regard to the four-year-old
quest for a veteran's
hospital in this area were dis
cussed with Stockman by Fred
Kiddle, chairman of the commit
tee in charge.
Trace Advantages
Kiddle traced the activity of
the chamber of commerce in at
tempting, to bring the necessity
of such a unit in this area before
the veterans' administration. La
Grande has long demonstrated
its geographical advantages for
the hosjtfiai and the availability
of a site and other requirments,
he said.
' Stockman declared his office
has placed the matter before
before various agencies and sug
gested further $teps.
. He assured his cooperation in
having made public the Grande
Ronde valley irrigation report,
the history of which was elabor
ated by George Cochran. The
report, Cochran said, was to have
been sent, to Gov. Earl Snell and
other authorities-tn-this area far-
final ratification on July 15, but
no action has resulted.
. Airline Stop
Suggestion to have the La
Grande case on a permanent air
line stop at the municipal air
port appealed and to present all
pertinent information to the civil
acronauical board was made by
Stockman, who declared the
principal national development
now consideration is aviation.
"It will behoove every com
munity to take as much action
as possible in regard to aviation,"
he said.
Presentation of the airport sit
uation was made by Dr. C. L.
Gilstrap and supplemented by
Charles Reynolds.
The meeting was opened by
Ray Gray, president of the
chamber, who introduced Stock
man, and was conducted by
Frank Schiro, chairman of the
industries committee.
Lower Temperature
Forecast For State
Lower temperatures tomorrow
are forecast by the weather bu
reau today, promising relief from
the hot spell which caused La
Grandes official mercury to flirt
with the top yesterday, with a
maximum temperature of 94 de
grees. Sunday was the hottest day of
the year for Portland, with the
airport recording 100.5 degrees,
and the downtown weather sta
tion recording 98 degrees.
Other high Sunday tempera
tures recorded in Oregon were:
Baker, 90; Bend, 88; Burns, 93;
Eugene, 9; Lakeview, 94; Mea
cham, 87; Medford, 100; Pendle
ton, 95; Roseburg, 98; and Salem,
89.
Eisenhower Sees
Reich Hardships
BERLIN, Aug. 6 (UP) Gen.
Dwight D. Eisenhower messaged
the German people in the Amer
ican occupation zone today the
coming months will be a time of
trial, with shortages of food, fuel,
housing and transport.
Coal will not be available for
heating their houses this winter,
Eisenhower told t h c Germans,
and they must gather wood from
the forests for fuel.
Western Railroad
Need (15,000 Men
PORTLAND. Aug. 6 (UP)
Western railroads need 65,000 ad
ditional workers, E. B. Miller, dis
trict manager of the railroad re
tirement board, has announced.
He indicated Oregon alone des
perately needs more than 2,000
skilled and unskilled workers.
5)
HIRAM JOHNSON: One of last
survivors of 'little band of wil
ful men' dies in naval hospital.
Forest Fire Again
Out of Control;
More Help Sent
QRTLAND,Aji.. 8 (UP)-
Western Oregon's forest fire rag
ed out of control on two fronts
today as winds fanned the flames.
On the Hembre ridge front at
the southwest end of the main
Wilson river fire, flames swept
across fire lines and forced fight
ers to retreat. Officials reported
the fire was within a mile of the
Cook creek outlet on the Nehal
em river and threatened rich tim
berland across the river.
150 Fighters
Some 150 specially trained fire
fighters in the air forces were
rushed from Portland and vicin
ity to Reehers camp and Spruce
run where flames were reported
advancing.
New volunteers were sent into
the Forest Grove sector to con
tinue battling for the city's water
shed. Advancing beyond the 500
acre burn of Saturday, the flames
were threatening to burn out the
headwaters above the city reser
void. At the southeast end of the
Wilson river fire, flbmes have
consumed 500 acres in the head
waters area of Sein creek.
Temperatures of 100 and hu
midity of only 20 made the woods
tinder dry yesterday but a shift
of winds and broken clouds was
forecast today to slightly improve
condition on the fire front.
More Favorable
The situation northeast of Glen
wood and the consolidated camp
was more favorable today, with
lines holding. Easterly winds car
ried the Scoggins creek finger of
fire beyond the immediate reach
of fighters.
The Trask river sector was be
coming so serious the U. S. Forest
Service strengthened lines north
of t h e Siuslaw national forest,
now within 10 or 12 miles of the
fire.
During the night, lightning
storms over the Siskiyou and
Rogue river forests set several
fires which are being fought to
day. Another storm was reported
over state forests east of Eugene
but no fire reports had been re
ceived.
FIRE UNDER CONTROL
Fire at the foot of Mt. Emily,
west of Imhler, called out state
foresters yesterday afternoon, it
was announced today. The fire
covering approximately 150
square feet, was apparently
started by a cigaret. Owsley
canyon fire, foresters report, is
under control now, and should
be thoroughly extinguished in a
few days.
DANISH PAINTER DIES
PORTLAND, Aug. 6 (UP)
Funeral services will be held to
morrow for F r a n c e s c a R. C.
Grothjcan, oil painter, who died
Sunday.
Hiram Johnson,
Ranking Senate
Member, Dies
One of Last Of
League Blockers
Left in Senate
WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 (UP)
Sen. Hiram Warren Johnson, R.,
Calif., one of the few survivors
of the "little band of wilful men"
who fought the league of nations
in 1920, died today a few weeks
after he had reaffirmed his life
long isolationism.
Dean of the senate Republi
cans, he died in his sleep at Be
thesda, Mjd., naval hospital at
6:45 a.m., EWT. He would have
celebrated his 79th birthday Sept.
2.
Against Charter
Johnson, who had been in ill
health for several years, took
little part in the charter debate.
He telephoned his "no" vote, the
first recorded, to the senate
foreign affairs committee when
it approved the charter. When
the senate itself voted, Johnson
was unable to be on the floor, but
was payedagainst thecharter.
The other "two survivors of the
little isolationist group in the
1920 senate voted for the charter
this time. They are Sen. Arthur
Capper, R., Kas., and Sen. David
I. Walsh, D., Miss.
Wife With Him
Johnson had been in the hos
pital since July 18. During the
past several years, he had been
absent froW'thc senate floor for
long periods due to illness, and
had presented an appearance far
removed from the fighting orator
of his earlier days.
Cause of death was given as
cerebral thrombosis.H i s wife
the formeW Minnie L. McNeal,
was with hm when he died, and
his only remaining son, Lt. Col.
Hiram W. Johnson, jr., 55, was
flying here from San Francisco.
On Committees
He was the second ranking
member of the senate in terms of
continuous service. He had been
a senator continuously since
March, 1917, beng outranked only
by Sen. Kenneth McKellar, D.,
Tenn.
His death leaves vacancies on
five senate committees. Most im
portant was his position on the
foreign relations committee of
which he was the ranking repub
lican member and, in event of a
change of administration, of
which he would have been chair
man. Dr. Skeen to Speak
At First Session
Of 4-H Girls Camp
Oregon college of education will
lead a panel discussion on "Your
future in 4-H club work" tomor
row at the first day of the 4-H
club girls camp at the eastern
uregon experiment station at
Union, it was announced today.
MlSS .lennio Ma rU Wurrnn
home demonstration agent from
t-cnoieton, a 4-H club girl, and
a 4.H Pltih loiirlnr kntU (, hi.
chosen at the camp, will assist
him.
About 75 crirlx nri vnnrpH In
attend the camp, which will be
neia tomorrow end Wednesday.
Coin Artiste Get
Busy in Portland
PORTLAND. Aug. I (UP)
PortlaaeVi coumntcbing artists
are mt it ajnia.
Ben M. Tartar, Sealile, re
ported to oolice he was engaged
in conversation by two strang
ers at the central but dopot
Sunday. The result was a match
ing game, when he took out his
purse to pay off hit losses, the
pair snatched lt and fled. The
purse contained $200, Terhark
said.
PRINCE CHARMING IS REAL ROYALTY His Royal Highness
Prince Amir Mohammed Ibn Abdul Aiis, son of King Ibn Saud of
Saudi, Arabia, and recent Saudi delegate to united nations con
ference, phones nightly from? Washington to prolly Mary Moham
md. 22, Detroit, Mich., stenographer of Arabic doscnt, and former
WAVE (right) who admits romance is flattering. Couple met in
Detroit, enjoyed attractions of New York in visit there.
Huge Fires Sweep Over Four
Jap Centers After B-29 Raid
By WILLIAM F. TYHEE '
GUAM, Aug. 6 (UP) Towering fires touched off by 580 Super
fortresses swept through four Japanese cities today and President
Truman in Washington announced a new "atomic bomb," the
world's most powerful explosive with blasting power of 20,000 tons
of TNT, has been used for the first time against Hiroshima, Jap
anese training center. ' N
Tokyo said Hiroshima was struck by a "small number" of Super
fortresses, dropping both incendiaries and demolition bombs, begin
ning at 8:20 a.m. Monday, Tokyo
time, (4:20 p.m. Sunday, pwt.)
President Truman said the new
bomb unleashed . against Hiro
shima opened a "new and revo
lutionary increase in destruc
tion." Canadians Arrive
There was no immediate re
action from the 20th U. S. air
force command or other military
leaders here to President Tru
man's announcement of the first
use of the atomic bomb.
It was disclosed officially Can
adian troops have arrived in this
area to participate in the final
offensive against Japan and re
ports from the third fleet "some
where in the Pacific" indicated
it was deliberately trying to keep
the Japanese guessing as to when
and where it will strike the next
time.
Hit Tokyo, Too
Veteran B-29 crewmen return
ing from their 3,850-ton prc-dawn
raid said they started tremendous
fires at the industrial centers of
Maebashi and Nishinomiya-Mik-abe
on Honshu, Saga on Kyushu,
Imbari on Shikoku and at the
synthetic gasoline plant at Ulic.
Tokyo reported U. S. fighter
bombers hit Tokyo and five sur
rounding prefectures a few hours
after the Superfortress smash.
mWW " .
ML fc.6 , eiii nl mi mi mi mwntirf nalwni 1 1 luriir - I -m-llinin n i n
YANK ATTACKS SWEEP SOUTHEAST HOK KAIDO Sweeping attack of Japanese home is
lands engulfs southeast Hokkaido, Honshu, leaving military installations and their targets 'smoking
ruins after bombing and ilraling attack of Adm. Halsey'i 3rd fleet carrier based planes. Bridge
(lever left) received direct hit Mid-stream from 1,000 pound bomb as photo is shot, )
rMfc
Chinese Break
Into Big Port
CHUNGKING, Aug. 6 (UP)
Chinese troops have broken into
the stialcgic port of Ycungkong
on the southern coast of Kwang
lung province, 153 miles west of
Hongkong, and are fighting the
Japanese in the streets for pos
session ot the city, a high com
mand communique announced to
day. Ycungkong is the largest Chi
nese port between the Luichow
peninsula and Macao. Capture of
the city would give Chinese for
ces from the west a major out
let to the Pacific.
Ycungkong lies athwart the
coastal road which the Japanese
used last month for withdrawal
of their garrison from Hainan is
land to Hongkong.
Oil Drilling Again
ST. HELENS, Aug. 6 (UP) The
Richfield oil company has enter
ed Columbia county for oil pros
pects, filings in the county clerk's
office disclosed today. Leases con
tained clauses as to drilling with
in a certain period have been ob
tained on land west of Scappno.se.
Foe Warned 'Rain of Ruin' Will
Fall Unless Ultimatum Accepted
By CHILES COLEMAN
WASHINGTON,-Aujr. 6 (UP) United States has unleashed against Japan the terroC
of an atomic bomb 2,000 times more powerful than the biggest blockbusters.
President Truman revealed this great scientific achievement today and warned the
Japanese they now face "a rain of ruin from the air the like of which has never been
seen on this earth."
More and more of these devastating bombs will tumble on Japan if they continue
to reject the Potsdam surrender ultimatum.
The new atomic bomb was used for tho first time yesterday. An American plane drop
ped one on the Japanese army base at Hiroshima.
Cost 2 Billions
Its use marked victory for the allies in the greatest scientific role in history. The U. S. '
put $2,000,000,000 and the work of 125,000 person in the project.
A single bomb has more power
than 20,000 tons of TNT. It has
more than 2,000 times the blast
power of the British "grand slam"
bomb, the largest ever used pre
viously. Secretar;1 of War Henry L.
Stimson disclosed an improved
bomb will be forthcoming short
ly that will increase "several
fold" the present effectiveness of
the new weapon.
No Roport
The war department said it is
not yet able to make an accurate
report of the damage caused by
lha first bomb.
Development of the bomb, a
victory of American scientists
in a desperate race with Ger
many, is "the greatest achieve
ment of organized science in
history,' Truman said.
The United States, he added, is
now prepared "to obliterate more
rapidly and completely every pro
ductive enterprise the Japanese
have above ground.
Sent Into Action
He revealed the ultimatum to
Japan from Potsdam was made
"to spare the Japanese people
from utter destruction."
When the ultimatum was re
jected, the atomic bomb was sent
into action.
Truman revealed "t w o great
plants and many lesser works"
employing more than 65,000 work
ers are producing the new atmic
bomb Even more destructive
bombs ore being developed, he
said. Production centers are lo
cated ot Oak Ridge, near Knox
ville, Tenn., ot Richland, near
Pasco, Wash., and near Santa Fo,
N. M.
Closely Guarded
Truman's statement, released
while he still was enroule home
by cruiser from Potsdam, lifted
the secrecy from one of (he most
closely-guarded enterprises of the
war.
Truman did not reveal the ef
fects the first bomb used against
Japan. He said, howt'veri that
despite the vast multiplied poten
cy of the bomb, "the physical size
of the explosive charge is ex
ceedingly small."
"11 an ntnmir hnmh. lit' Raid.
Sec "FOE WARNED" .. . Page 5
3 9
Jap Cifeo
Test Atomic Bomb Vaporized
Steel, Left Deep, Wide Crater
WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 (UP), The first test' firing of an atomic
bomb immediately vaporized a steel tower from which the weapon
was suspended and sent a massive cloud billowing into the stratos-.
phere with "tremendous power," the war dppartment said today v j
"At the appointed time," an official description of the test said,:
"there was a blinding flash, lighting up the whole area brighter
than the brightest daylight. A mountain range three miles from,'
the observation point stood out in bold relief.
Soil Conservation
Group to Meet;
Discussion Set
Members" ot c soil con'serva
lion committee will meet at 7:30
p. in. today in the Hot Lake san
itarium to assemble petitions for
the organization of a soil conser
vation district in the Hot Lake,
Ladd Canyon and Union district,
R. W. Schaad, Union county ag
ricultural agent, announced today.
Considerably more t h a t the
necessary 25 signatures have been
received, it was announced, and
the petitions will be sent to the
state board of soil conservation
in Corviillls within the next week.
Proposal to establish a soil con
servation district in Wallowa
county will be discussed at pub
lic hearings to be held Aug. 10
and 11 at Enterprise, Wallowa
and Flora.
The proposed district will cm
grace all of Wallowa county, but
the determination of the boun
daries of the district will be de
cided upon at the hearings and
the determination of whether the
soil conservation district shall
be established will be made at
a subsequent election in which
every land owner is entitled to
one vote.
Yanks Start To
Clean Up Luzon
MANILA, Aug. 8 (UP) Amer
ican patrols worked their way
through .the wilderness of north
ern Luzon today In the opening
stages of a final mop-up in the
Philippines campaign to finish
off Japanese opposition now re
duced to units of only company
strength.
Gen. Douglas MacArlhur's com
munique announced that 4,740 ad
ditional enemy dead were count
ed in the Philippines last week,
with approximately 3,800 found
on Luzon. B-25 Mitchell bombers
and P-38 fighters on Friday drop
ped jellied gasoline, as well as
high explosives on Japanese po
sitions. Two Make Pictures
Of Valley Here For
National Geographic
Ray Atkeson and P. T. Gable
of Portland are in La Grande
taking photographic shoti of
the Grande Ronde valley for
National Geographic magaiine
to go with an article on the
state of Orefoa.
The aiaterial wttt compiled
a oil the story written by Leo
Bovofe, of the National. Geo-
grapfate daring two months in ,
iao Tpriatl wnen ne tourea urn
Ht'tt. slopping at spots of scenic
interest.
The two Portland men are
with Photo Arts in Portland
and were assigned by the
magaiine to make the picture.
"There cam a tremendous :
sustained, roar and a heavy r
preiiura wave which knocked 1
down two men outside the con
trol lower (10,000 yards from
the explosion).
"Immediately t h e r eafter a
huge multi-colored surging cloud
boiled to an altitude of over. 40,-.
000 feet. Clouds In its path dis-.
appeared. Soon the shifting sub
stratosphere winds dispersed the
narrow gray mass..
"The steel tower (from which
the bomb had been suspended
had been entirely vaporized,"
the description continued. "Where
the tower had stood, there was a.
a huge sloping crater.
"Daied but relieved at the
uccew of their tests, the sci-
enilits promptly marshalled
their forces to estimate the ,
strength of America's new wea- :
pon. Answer to their findings
rests in the destruction effected
on Japan today.
The bomb was tested for the
first time at 5:30 a.m. July 16,
1045, in a remote section of the
Alamogordo air base, 120 miles
southeast of Albuquerque, N.M.
PROBABLY QUAKE
WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 (UP)tt
There was a faint earth murmur
on tho seismograph at George
town university last night at 6:22
p.m., tho same day the first ato
mic borrib was dropped upon Jap
an from an American plane. Uni
imroift. nrr;;.,i,. .
however, to attribute th all- J.
turbance to repercussions VfroWf.
thn nnuum'Fnl nmi, nvnlncii.A
POWER OF BOMB "
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 6 (UP)
Here is the power of the atomic
bomb: One bomb equals five
tralnloads of TNT, or two cargo
shiploads, or 0,600 Flying Fort'
less loads during their first
strikes against Berlin, or four
times the weight of our heaviest
day's assault against the entice
Japanese home islands, or 40
times the weight of tho biggest
assault of the London blitz.
That's one bomb.
Police Help Search
For Youth Here
City police today are looking
for Cultus C. McClothen, 16, be
Moved to be in or around La
Grande. Young McClothen's
grandmother has been seriously
injured in an automobile accident
at McCall, Ida., and has been
calling for her grandson, accord
ing to a phone call from David
McClothen, father of the boy.
Weather
Data for 24
hours tw 7 a. m.
Temperature:
Maximum .... 94
Minimum JO
Forecast: Scat
tered showers
t o t g h t and
Tuesday, with a
few light show
ers in Cascades. THREATENING
slightly cooler today.