O 0
"One Summif at a Tinfe, Mac"
DREW PEARSON SAYS:
EDITORIAL PAGE
LA GRANDE OBSERVER
Tuesday, December 29, 1959
"Without or with friend or foe, we print your daily world as it goei" Byroa
RILEY ALLEN, publisher
Grady PannelL managing editor George Challis, advertising director
Tom Humes, circulation manager
Censorship Threatens Movies, Ads
Criticism of sex and violence in film
advertising1 is increasing.
Newspapers in D;iiias, Tulsa and Los
Angeles have listed motion picture ad
vertising they will not accept. The Ob
server, cognizant of the trend in movie
ads, examines this type of advertising
before placing it in the paper.
In the vanguard of states criticizing
Hollywood productions Maryland, New
York, Virginia and 'Kansas instituted
boards of censorship. Pennsylvania has
just joined them in imposing a state
censorship law.
The law in Pennsylvania allows cen
sorship of a film after it has been ex
hibited and provides for classification
of films as "approved," "approved for
all but children" and "not approved."
, The film makers fear other states will
follow the lead of Pennsylvania. Their
fears are probably well founded.
The show business trade journal "Va
riety" took note of the trend in a recent
issue: "Subtle pressure is being applied,
community by community, all over Am
erica to get local newspapers to ban, or
say they will ban, film ad copy as 'too
strong'."
The clergy has joined the press in
criticizing both current films and film
advertising. Bishop James A. McNulty,
chairman of the Catholic bishops' com
mittee which supervises the legion of
Decency, recently proposed a joint cam
paign by all major religious bodies to
clean up the movies.
Ratings of films by the 20-year-old
Legion of Decency frequently results in
1 tutting of films already approved by
censor bodies and the movie industry's
Production Code Assn. to suit the Legion.
What standards should be imposed?
' A Maryland newspaper editorialized:
"Misrepresentation and overemphasis on
conduct generally immoral or contrary to
established standards must be carefully
controlled before such elements get out
of hand." The Maryland attorney gen
eral recently told the state's theater
owners association that unless the in
dustry cleans up the movies it is vir
tually certain that the courts will change
their attitude toward, censorship.
There is little question that sex and
violence in movies pays off at the box
office. It is evident that Hollywood's
production code has played a role in
returning some of America's movie
goers to the theaters. But motion pic
tures of merit can be "sold" to the public
without a lurid and basically dishonest
pitch made by the ad men.
If the motion picture industry does
not want more censorship or a worse
"press" it should strive to curb some of
its exuberant promotion and concen
trate on a product that is subtle, if not
pure.
Mercy Ship Is Symbolic Of Good Will
mm m
A ship called "Hope will sail from
American shores next spring staffed
with doctors and nurses and outfitted
with the latest medical and health in
formation, equipment and medications.
The ship will be sponsored by the Ameri
can people.
The purpose of Project Hope is to
offer the skills and techniques developed
by the American medical professions to
the people of other nations in their own
environment
The project will be essentially a large
scale teaching operation rather than an
attempt at widespread treatment, and
the. instruction will be directed toward
, the medical and nursing professions and
the auxiliary medical professions such
as niid-wifery in the nations visited.
In addition to clinical and teaching
activities aboard the ship, units will
travel inland to instruct and treat pa
tients in areas where it is most needed.
The ship, a refitted Navy hospital ship,
has space for class and demonstratioa
rooms, laboratories and surgical facilities.
A clo8e-oircuit television transmitter has
been added that will enable lectures,
demonstrations and operations to be
televised inland up to 50 miles for ob
servation by local medical and health
people. .
- The permanent hospital staff aboard
ship will be 15 physicians, two dentists,
20 jurses and about 20 auxiliary person
nel. Physicians will be flown to the ship
every four months on a rotating basis.
Specialists will be flown to the ship from
time to time to lecture, conduct seminars,
demonstrate new operations and consult
with local surgeons and physicians in
diagnosing and treating unusual ail
ments and diseases.
A nationwide campaign will open next
month for individual contributions by
American citizens to run the ship and
maintain its program for an entire year.
The amount needed has been fixed at
3.5 million dollars.
The U.S. drug industry is mobilizing
its own volunteeer fund-raising drive
to supplement the nationwide advertis
ing appeals for money-by-mail. Special
HOPK collection cartons will be supplied
to retail druggists throughout the na
tion. The present plan Is to keep the SS
Hope in Indonesia for about six months;
it will move to other countries which
request that the ship visit them. Already
the ship has been invited to call at Viet
nam and East and West Pakistan.
A mercy ship, named Hope. Certainly
this would have captured the imagina
tions of people in a more pedestrian age.
But it is equally valuable today as a
.symbol to the world of this country's
Intention to strike down disease and give
a lift to mankind.
The Philippines; Staunchest
Ally U.S. Has In Far East
MANILA, P. I. Important and
successful ai President Eisenhow
er's trip hai been, it neglected
some of our stanch (rienda. Id
India it became clear that the
biggest question regarding world
peace is Red China.
Accordingly, I continued to the
Far East to talk to the allied lead
ers on whom the United States
will have to rely in case the 650,-
000,000 red Chinese start burst
ing from their borders.
Among the most important, I
called on Carlos Garcia, president
of the Philippines, stanchest ally
the USA has in the Pacific. I
found President Garcia in
crimson bathrobe at the vet
erans hospital in Manila, where
he has been recuperating from a
back injury. He is a kindly, soft
spoken man whose appearance
he has shown on issues where he
knows he is right.
In the hospital ante-room were
Governor Aleta of Nueva Vizcaya,
Congressman Carbangbang of
Bolol, and various other party
leaders waiting to confer regard
ing a purge of party members who
had deserted the president at the
last election. The president, how
ever, seemed much more inter
ested in talking about the threat
of Red China.
"I am glad that real Commun
ist China is showing its true col
on toward India," he said, "be
cause India has been the leader
of the neutralist bloc. The In
dian people have been passive
and peaceful, but I don't think
they will remain that way in the
face of Chinese invasion. '
I told President Garcia that
most of the leaders I had inter
viewed in the Far East thought
Red China would start moving
south rather than north.
"I think so, too," he said. "In
the north Red China would have
to collide with Russia, so she
will move south to the rice fields
of Burma and Indonesia.
The only way to prevent in
vasion," the Filipino president
continued frankly, "is to strike at
the mainland of China. Chiang
Kai-shek is' only waiting for an
opportunity to do this, but he
cannot land until there is some
help from within China."
Philippine Press Freedom
When I asked whether he had
any information regarding tin
rest on the Chinese mainland, the
president said that when the vice
mayor of Manila had gone to Chi
na he had found the Communist
government apparently strong
and achieving considerable in
dustrialization.
"But when he was asked whe
ther he would like to live in Chi
na, Garcia continued, "the vice
mayor replied: 'I would prefer a
thousand times to live in the
Philippines with all our short
comings.'
"We are a free people," Prcsi-
REMEMBER WHEN
. . 25 years ago, a savage rain
storm hit the Portland area as
well as other Northwest coastal
areas, and Grande Ronde Valley
residents were warned to prepare
for a possible big snowstorm.
Mrs. J. T. Richardson hosted
members of the Sorosis Club in
a year-end party. Bridge featured
the event, with Mrs. Fred H
Kiddle winning high and Mrs
Rechlin winning low. Mrs. Clar
ence Kopp announced that she
would host the next meeting to
be held in January of the new
year.
Rockefeller's Decision To Quit
GOP Race Slap At Party Bosses
... 15 years ago, tribute was
paid to Sgt. Louis L. Preston, 20,
son of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Pres
ton, Cove. He was serving with
an Army unit stationed at Teher
an, Iran. He was a Cove High
School grad.
Miss Lillian Knautz. daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Knautz. was
married to Helmuth Bekowies in
a Christmas day wedding held at
the bride's home here.
La Grande High School's Tigers
squeaked by Myssa High of Idaho
by a 35-34 score in a basketball
game that was marred by rule in
fractions. Bill Garrison sparked
the locals with 10 points.
dem Garcia added. "We have ev
en more freedom than we can
use."
What do you mean by that?
I asked.
The press in the Philippines
is very unbridled," he said, a
little plaintively. From reading
the daily attacks on him in the
Manila press I could understand
what he meant. However, I re
plied: "Well, I have to stand up
for my profession."
But in the last analysis," con
tinued the president of the Phil
ippines, "it's better to have too
much criticism than too little. And
f want to protect freedom of the
press as much as the next man."
When a Filipino newspaper
man gets into jail," I told him,
1 understand that despite his
criticism of you, you get him
out."
Well most of them."
I hope if I ever get into jail
you'll remember that and use
your good offices in the United
States."
You seem to have led a charm
ed life."
"Mr. Truman and I had some
thing of a battle at one time."
"I remember," replied Garcia.
I met Mr. Truman in Washing
ton in 1945 when he was vice
president and we were co-guests
at the National Press Club. He
did not have to deliver a speech
He just played the piano with
Lauren Bacall sitting on top of
the piano. He became famous
from that incident."
Philippine-American Friendship
There has been a lot of talk
around the Far East that the
Philippines were drifting away
from their traditional friendship
with the United States. I asked
President Garcia about this.
"I assure you," he replied with
vigor, "that here in Asia you
can't find a better friend of the
United States than the Filipino
people. And that comes from the
bottom of my heart. It hurts me
a little to touch on this, and l
become sentimental. Because
during three and one-half years
of Japanese accupation I exposed
my life and that of my family in
remaining loyal to the United
States and the things the United
States stands for.
I did not collaborate. I was a
hunted man. There was a price
pa my head. The Japanese sent
out all over the country looking
or me. In the southern Philip
ines I think I was the chief in
spiration of the guerilla move
ment."
The president then told in sim
ple words the inspiring story of
how he and his comrades had or
ganized in Leyte to hold out until
General MacArthur came.
'The first order of the Japan
Fese," he said, "was that every
Filipino holding office must
surrender. I was, of course. Num
ber 1, because I was a senator.
Well, the senator did not surren
der. The governor . did not sur
render. Most of the mayors did
not surrender. So the Japanese
gave us one more month. But
only a few surrendered, and aft
er that I moved to Leyte and on
June 29, 1942 we started the guer
rilla movement. By August of
1942 we struck.
"No, the Americans and Phil
ippino people will remain friends
despite the efforts of some eon
pressmen," he concluded, refer
ring chiefly to Congressman Phil
Weaver, . Nebraska Republican,
who has charged Philippine theft
from American bases.
"You can count on me to de
fend to the best of my ability
and with all my heart and soul
the best relations between the
United States and the Philippines."
From all I could gather in the
Philippines, President Garcia is
right. The United States has its
stanchest friend in the Philippine
government and its people.
WASHINGTON iUPIi Gov.
Nelson A. Rockefeller'! bomb
shell withdrawal from the contest
for the Republican presidential
nomination may put Vice Presi
dent Hichard M. Nixon in a bad
spot and on the defensive.
The challenging key words in
Rockefeller's weekend statement
were these:
"The great majority of those
who will control the Republican
convention stand opposed to any
contest for the 'presidential
nomination.'
"The great majority of those
who will control the Republican
convention!!!!" In other words,
the Republican pros, the Repub
lican grass roots and state ma
chines, the party bosses! The
governor said that these a com
paratively few men and women,
at most have made up their
minds that they do not want a
contest. And that's that; they
want Nixon.
No Vote Of Confidence
The governor did not say that
a great majority of the members
of the Republican party would
prefer that the Vice President be
nominated for President without
opposition. A statement of that
kind would have boomed Nixon
into the nomination so surely that
it scarcely would have been nec
essary to have a convention.
There are elements in the Re
publican Party likely to be resent
1 ill and asg:c-ssi,vely opposed to
the situation now staled by Rock
efeller to be a fact within their
party that the grass roots and
slate professionals oppose a con
test for the presidential nomina
tion. If this resentment catches fire
there could be a go-for-broke
movement to nominate Rockefel
ler anyway. The governor said
his decision was definite and fi
nal. Politicians, however, have a
certain poetic license.
For gcod or ill. Rockefeller's
statement tagged Nixon as the
handpicked choice of the party
pros who even opposed giving any
other Republican an opportunity
to contest, the nomination in con
vention balloting.
. Except in the instance of the
re-nomination of a president, that
has not been the American polit
ical way. Nixon's solo position as
an aspirant for the Republican
vice presidential nomination in
1J56 was seized upon by the Dem
ocrats as a campaign issue. The
Demccrats called their own an
open convention in contrast to the
Republican convention which they
said was closed.
The Democrats could have a
better issue on open-closed con
ventions in 10. That would be
if Nixon came out of the Repub
lican convention tagged by Rock
efeller as the nominee whom the
party leaders protected from all
opposition; the bosses' man.
Nixon's strategists certainly did
not foresee this. Rockefeller ac
tion. The Vice President was on
a siglit-seeirg tour with a young
relative Saturday when the gov
ernor's statement erupted from
Albany.' The Nixon camp had
been aware, however, of aanoyed
Intimations from Rockefeller
sources that the Vice President
was the Republican machine
choice.
6
TOLL MOUNTS
FREJUS. France (UPI - The
known death toll in the Malpasset
Dam collapse Dec. 2 reached 326
with the recovery of three more
bodies Monday. Another 98 per
sons are still listed as missing.
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