EDITORIAL PAGE
La Grande Evening Observer
Frank Schiro, Publisher
TUESDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 11, 1945
An Effective Control
THOUGHT FOK TODAY
Live today, tomorrow is not.
Horace,
Need for a Peacetime OSS
Some of the war's mot surprising and
interesting "now it can be told" stories
were the first ones describing the sec
ret overseas activities of the office of
strategic services. They probably will
become more interesting as more de
tails of the dangerous and dramatic
OSS operations are revealed.
It is certain that a lot of people never
heard of OSS during the war. It also
is certain that nobody outside the high
est government circles and OSS itself
knew exactly what this super-secret
agency was doing.
Hut the people know now.- And hav
ing become acquainted with OSS, they
must decide whether they want to keep
it.
The United States never has had a
foreign secret service, perhaps because
Americans just haven't liked the idea,
or because our government, has been
a little too honest, trusting and inno
cent. Hut other countries have had such
services and will continue to have them.
So it would seem only sensible that
we carry over into peacetime some form
of organization to collect and co-ordinate
foreign information as Jlaj.-Gen.
W. J. Donovan, head of OSS, has sug
gested. Already there is talk of smaller occu
pation forces and a shorter occupation
for Germany and Japan than were ori
ginally planned. Some day we shall be
getting out of both countries. Hut it
is naive and dangerous nonsense to
think they will not need watching for
Funny liusiness
K;t:iS -tflZ". -:.-!.-?.&. fw-
"How wai I to know he icruWxwi k In lh
I'age Two
n long time, or that influential groups
in both countries are not already think
ing about a coming war of vengeance.
If we had had an OSS before the war,
the disaster at Pearl Harbor might
have been averted or certainly minim
ized. To prevent another such disaster
will require constant vigilance, prob
ably maintained in secrecy. .
It seems safe to say that an interna
tional spy system is a little too sinister
and melodramatic for the tastes of most
of us. But if it can avoid the iacctir
acies, confusion, cross-purposes and de
lay that led up to Pearl Harbor, let's
have it.
They Coudn't Win
What beat the Japs? The atomic
bomb, American air power, Russia's en
try into the war, our superior naval
strength? Yes, all of these, And also
the fighting spirit of men like Maj.
Gregory Boyington, USMC.
"Puppy" Boyington, marine flying
ace, was shot down 19 months ago over
liabaul. Ho was wounded in the head,
neck, arms and ear. His ankle was
broken. His lifebelt was shot full of
liolett and useless. He was strafed in
the water by Jap planes.
Picked up by the Japs, he received
no medical attention for 10 days. He
was questioned day and night. He was
beaten on the back and legs with a base
ball bat or punched on the jaw 300
times. He lost ;" pounds on the Japs'
starvation rations.
But they couldn't kill "Pappy" Boy
ington. They couldn't kill a lot of men
like him, or the spirit which they typi
fied. No wonder the Japs gave up.
o SO THEY SAY
From now on we can consider
our country (Russia) saved from
til;' threat of German invasion
on the west and Japanese inva
sion on the east.
Josef Stalin.
The world now has the tools
with which it may be possible to
prevent future wars. These are
the Uuitod Nations Charier, the
Hi ctton Woods agreement, t h e
food a n d agriculture organiza
tions, and others to come.
Ames. la.. Tribune.
We are beginning once again
to detect t h e efforts of false
friends of labor to divide work
ing people from their spiritual
leaders.
Lew istow n, Mont., Democrat
News. Organized labor, backbone of
the iiccnt war effort, must now
mlly all progressive-minded peo
ple to achieve full employment
A F Whitney, president Broth
erhood of Hallway Trainmen.
nrf J"
Washington Merry-Go-Round
Br PHEW PEAKSGM
WASHINGTON Live -wire republican
senator Ralph Brewster of Maine recently
telephoned hard-working assistant secretary
of labor Carl Moran, also from Maine, but
a democrat.
"Portland is among the nine distress cities
of the country," Senator Brewster reminded
Moran. "As you know, Portland shipyard
workers have been dismissed from their jobs
wholesale. Meanwhile, farmers up in Aroos
took county can't get anyone to bring in
their potatoes. What can you do about it?"
"What arc they paying for farm labor
in Aroostook county," asked the assistant
secretary of labor; "still four cents?"
"No," replied the senator from Maine,
"there's a guaranteed wage of $12 a day."
Assistant Secretary Moran said he would
do his best to switch some workers up to
the potato farms. However, he might well
have replied that the labor department was
that in name only and that it actually had
almost nothing to do with labor.
For the fact is that, under Miss Perkins,
the labor department was stripped of most
of its labor duties. The war labor board is
separate and independent, and, most impor
tant of all, the U. S. employment service is
under the war manpower commission. Thus,
assistant secretary of labor Moran had to
turn to an outside agency, the U. S. em
ployment service, to try to get discharged
shipyard workers to help harvest the Aroos
took potato crop.
This, in turn, has brought out another dif
ficulty affecting not merely Maine but the
entire nation. Most war workers, drawing
$1 to $2 an hour plus overtime and bonuses,
don't want to go back to the farm and farm
wages. The labor shortage on the farms,
even after V-J day, is as acute as ever. Form
wages are higher than ever, though still a
long way from shipyard and aviation fac
tory pay. So, somehow or other, either farm
wages must go up, or war workers must
go back to less money on the farm. In the
former case, the farmers will have to get
more for their crops, which, of course, means
a higher cost of living in the city.
Ambassadors' Wives
Last week this column reported that Mrs.
Ed Pauley, wife of the U. S. reparations
ambassador to Moscow and former treasurer
of the democratic national committee, was
listed to receive $25 a day expenses while
accompanying her husband to Russia. Since
then, I have received further information
that Mrs. Pauley, although listed by the
state department as an official member of
WE, THE WOMEN
By RUTH MILLETT
"Well, son, it seems as though I've done
the girl you'll marry probably some 20
years from now a terrible injustice.
"Wouldn't you rather have a football than
a doll?" I've argued. "Boys don't play with
dolls, you know."
And now a consultant on education for
the New York Asociation of Day Nurseries
says just such outlawing of dolls from the
toys of a little boy may result in his re
fusing to help with the dishes or house
work when he is a grown man, because then
he will figure there is something shameful
about a man's doing "woman's work."
Well, no girl is going to blame your re
fusal to dry dishes on me, my boy.
If you want Santa to bring you a doll
even one with curls that is what you'll
get. Otherwise you may turn into one of
those men who veil "You'd better do some
Behind Scenes in Washington
By PETER EDSON. La Grande ETentag Observer Washington Correspondent
WASHINGTON, D. C. Possibility that
the United States may be entering a period
of, higher crime rates than in recent years
is admitted by the federal bureau of inves
tigation. This alarming prediction is based
on a study of U. S. arrests for the first six
months of 1945 as compared with wartime
and pre-war crime statistics gathered by
local sheriffs and police officials, then tab
ulated and analyzed by the FBI.
The new trend in crime runs counter to
a general down trend from 1031 to 1944.
Most of the reductions in crime were noted
during the first part of the 14 year period,
but the decreases were substantial in every
classification except rape which has risen
110 percent assault and larceny. Robbery
and alto theft, on the other hand, went
down over 40 percent. Comparing the record
for the first half of 1945 with the first
half of 1944, however, shows an increase of
every type of crime except involuntary man
slaughter, such as deaths in auto accidents.
Removal of gas rationing restrictions in the
last four months of the year may natural
ly be expected to show an increase in th.s
category, too.
Murders were up four percent to 1,370
in the six months period. Rape was up nine
percent to 3.181 an all time high. Robbery,
assault and burglary were up 10, 11 and 12
percent.
As the crime rate has gone up, the crim
inal age has gone down. This trend to which
FBI director J. Edgar Hoover has repeated
ly called attention in discussing juvenile
delinquency, can be traced directly to war
time conditions. It was not expected, how
ever, because the armed services took in
largf numbers of men in the 18 to 21 age
group That would ordinarily b expected
to reduce the ntuiWr of cvinw committed
by those under It. The surprise came m
that 17 year-olds promptly fnAvcd in nd
took over the plaev in ciimiusJ recoids for
merly occupied by older youths- "this new
eduction in e level uf 0er,dus (Kimta
the par'.y, declined to accept the $25 per
diem, la all fairness, this fact should be set
straight, and I am delighted to do so here
with. However, I still believe it a highly debat
able point, when a million or so G. I.s are
not permitted to have their wives' come
abroad, that American higher-ups should
take their wives with them to overseas war
areas. After all, the average American sol
dier now occupying Germany or Japan has
not seen his wife for more than a year. But
the U. S. ambassador, making a special trip
to Moscow or London, is away from his
family for only a few weeks.
When the Pauley reparations mission ar
rived in western Europe, the party was split
up, because of limited accommodations in
Moscow. One group, including some of the
best experts on reparations, were told to
remain in Frankfurt, Germany, because there
was no room to house them in Moscow. But
Mrs. Pauley, despite limited accommoda
tions, went on to Moscow.
Later, she also visited Potsdam for the
big three session. She was the only Amer
ican wife present. Mrs. Truman and Mrs.
Byrnes, wife of the secretary of state, re
mained at home. And during the last ses
sion of the big three, Mrs. Pauley sat in the
gallery, a privileged witness to the historic
ceremony. Many U. S. and British experts
who had spent weeks preparing for this big
climax and who had burned midnight oil
whipping the agreement into shape, were
barred from seeing the consumation of their
work due to lack of space.
Note On Aug. 4, this column reported
that the office of war information had given
Mrs. H. A. McClure, wife of General Mc
Clure, a privileged j o b as receptionist in
OWI's Paris office, thus permitting her to
be near her husband in Germany. Immedi
ately after publication of this disclosure, the
OWI received an order from the White
House that Mrs. McClure come back to the
United States.
Pale Chinese Communism
Chinese communist leader Tung Pi-Wu
recently visited in Washington and was en
tertained at the home of Mrs. James Schram
at a gathering including under secretary of
the interior Abe Fortas, former assistant di
rector of the budget Wayne Coy, Governor
Rex Tugwell ol Puerto Rico, and Nelson
Poynter of the St. Petersburg, Fla., Times.
Most interesting part of the evening was
the fact that communist leader Tung re
See WASHINGTON . . . Page 4
thing about the baby," when all the baby
needs is a diaper change.
I've thought the lawn mower too dan
gerous a toy for you to play with but may
be I'd better stop frightening you by telling
you you'll get your fingers cut. Some men
ore afraid of lawn mowers, rakes, and hoes
all of their lives. And it just could be they
developed that fear when they were only
"small fry."
You're dripping water all over the kitchen
floor. But go right ahead with playing dish
washing. No girl is ever going to claim you
were discouraged in your dishwashing de
sire when you were just a kid.
If you still grow up to be one of those
men who is helpless around a house the
girl you marry is just going to have to blame
it on natural laziness. She isn't going to be
able to blame it on mama.
up the possibility of a still greater teen-age
crime problem than before the war.
FBI examination of some 270,000 arrest
records shows one out of every five arrest
ed was under 21 and the 17-year-old of
fender topped the list with 13,000 arrests.
There were nearly 12,000 arrests of youths
under 16 years of age, 2.000 being 14 and
under.
Offenses for which some 65,000 youths of
under 21 yere arrested in the first half of
the year were predominately crimes against
property, robbery, burglary, larceny and
auto theft nearly 40 percent of all arrests
in these categories being of young men and
women under 21.
There was an eight percent increase to
44,000 in the number of women's arrests
records examined by the FBI in the first
half of 1945, meaning one arrest in every
six is of a woman. The age pattern of ar
rested women differs from that of the men,
most women criminals being from 18 to 22,
each of these years showing a fairly even
distribution of from 2,500 to 3.000 arrests.
As compared with the first half of 1944,
H45 is showing a 60 percent increase in ar
rests of women for robbery t heir most
common offense.
For both men and women, it is the re
peater that causes the most trouble, indi
cating the lack of any satisfactory corrective.
Or all the arrest records examined, over
half show previous arre.it. This trend is
true even among the teen agers. Fifteen
percent of the 15-year-old arrested had
previous criminal records, the figure rising
to 42 percent of those 20 years old: This
merely accentuates the juvenile problem.
Sociologists can argue themselves blue
in the face as to the contributing causes of
today's crime trends. One of the most log
ical reasons seems to lie that the number
of police officer ht gore down by eight
percent from 4Mi to liM.i The fewer the
U ieattr the cum wave,
Side Glances
cowt iwrrHO irnvict. , f, n io. u. e. pat, off. lUl ,
"Funny how a young fellow like him, rich and a hero, doesn't go
in for more intelligent company!" 'V
o McKENNEY ON BRIDGE
By WILLIAM E. McKENNEY America's Card Authority
BRIDGE ACES WON
SERVICE HONORS
Our returning servicemen made
a very fine record in the recent
national tournament. Pfc. John
Fishbeln
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Dealer
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Duplicate N.-3. vul.
South West North East
1 Pass 1 A Double
Pass Pass Redouble 2 A
2 A Pass 2 N. T. Pass
3 A Pass 3 N. T. Pass
Pass Double Pass Pass
Opening 4. 12
R. Crawford, home after a year
in France, Luxemburg and Ger
many, won the national mixed
team-of-four championship. Lt.
(sg) Oswald Jacoby, who spent
O BARBS
We've heard the cry "Cease
firing" on the war front now
let's have it on the industrial
front.
One of our rarities: a Pullman
smoker conversation that isn't
about liquor.
The tax on inheritances is not
likely to be reduced for some
time. 'Twill still come under the
head of the high cost of giving.
A new era is about to dawn.
How bright it is for you to de
depends on whether or not you're
wide awake.
The fir.it thing most people
will do with a new car is wonder
when the county is going to fix
the roads.
PLENTY OF MILEAGE
"Percy," a porpoise caught off
the English coast, was placed in
a public pool on exhibition. He
there began an endurance swim
ming marathon. During the rest
of his life he covered 180 miles
daily.
This Curious World
WHEN YCJ NEED VOUR FURNACE,"
JULIA ANN HURST)
f "!' Wft I Vi'iJ. M ',""! ( IS SMALLER THAN ILLINOIS, Nfci
'V'lJlE&F ''A'l'' I1.') BUT ITS POPULATION IS MORE
V'.'' ,1 V,' ;;) AN ONE-THIRD THAT OF 01,
OHOUTOFSiXAOUUS
IN THE UNITED STATH,:
obs or owe. '
NEXT: Russia. ar next-door neighbor.
17 months in the Pacific, won the
Masters team-of-four. Pfc. Robert
Appleyard won the Masters pair
championship. Sgt. Morrle1 Ells,
just returned from the 'Philip
pines, played with Pfc. i Jack
Shore, who spent 28 months in
Newfoundland, and they finished
fourth in the Masters pairs. Cpl.
Alvin Roth, who wears three bat
tle stars with a presidential unit
citation and the infantry combat
badge, was runner-up in the
world championship Masters
team-of-four.
Corporal Roth and Harry Fish
bcin did all they could to win
their match when they picked up
1150 points on today's hand. With
the club opening they made four
no trump. At the other table their
teammates did not interfere with
the spade bidding, and as a1 result
North and South go to four
spades and went down two.'Fish
bein admitted later that dia
mond opening might have defeat
ed his three no trump contract
but the six-card club suit looked
like the logical opening. "
e IN FORMER
YEARS ;;, .
' Thirty Years Ago
If a slight increase irt; price
means that wheat is 'creeping to
a higher level, then such a con
dition may soon be a reality.
Quotations offered by the' Island
City string of mills today !based
upon Portland figures, are 74
cents for Fortyfold and club,
while Bluestem is bringing about
that figure depending upon qual
ity. This is four cents aboVe the
lowest level this year. v'
Fifteen Years Ago 1
Quite a little excitement wa3
started in Kamela today when
news became general that a
caboose had broken away' from
an east bound freight train and
was careening madly down the
hills toward Meacham. No one
was seriously hurt, but tbe con
ductor suffered a wrenched
shoulder.
Ten Years Ago
Union county may be' justly
proud of its two boys, Clayton
Fox and Troy Becker, who were
chosen this year at the Oregon
State fair as the two outstand
ing 4-H club boys for the state
of Oregon, as each has an en
viable record to his credit.
o
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o np
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