'A Growing Newspaper
- The Oregon Statesman la
steadily growing news
paper. Its readers know the
reasons: It's reliable, com
plete, lively and always in
teres tins
Weather
Fair today; cloudier FrU
day; toe on the roast; lit
tie chance In temperature.
Mai. temp. Wednesday Ct,
tain. 85. River 2.3 ft. North
wind.
1651
EIGHTY-NINTH YEAR
Salem, Oregon, Thursday Morning. March 21. 1940
Price 3d Newsstands 5c
No. 803
Is (Due
i3f
Paul Hauser9 Column
Martha Hassett is a pretty girl
about 17 years old who lives in
the little town of Brookings way
down the coast
highway in Curry
county.
Martha will.
hare ten million
people looking
at her face in a
few week s.f
fW A M
sometime in
April Martha
will look out of
the pages of the
Saturday E v e-
ning Post In a PanlH Baasar.tr.
color advertisement of the Ore
gon State Highway commission's
travel department.
- That's because Martha is a
"natural." Harold Say, who runs
the travel department, says she's
the best model they have ever
found, bar none. Even the best
trained professional can't com
pete with Martha when it comes
to looking natural in a posed
picture.
Ralph Glfford, the highway
d e p a r tment's photographer,
gets the' credit for discovering
Martha Hassett. He went down
into Carry county with Ray's
orders to get some pictures of
the azaleas in bloom. He found
the azalea and he found
Martha.
So Martha Hassett, a hand in
her wind blown hair, stands on
a hillside swarming with pink
azaleas, looking out at a blue
Pacific on 100.000 copies of
travel department literature.
Because photographic model
ing is a much more difficult
thing than it looks and good
models are rare, Martha may
have found herself a career.
MILITARY NOTE
The state of Oregon's artillery,
apparently parked for the dura
tion in a vacant lot a block from
the capitol, is again complete
after Willamette boys " borrowed
a cannon and all muzzles again
bear directly on the office of Sec
retary of State Earl Snell.
We offer the following, re
ceived br the state department
of agriculture, as the most logi
cal letter of recommendation we
have ever seen.
Dear Sir:
As a commercial beekeeper
and honey producer for a good
many years, may I take this
opportunity of recommending as
a ' deputy bee Inspector for
county the same man as
we had last year, Mr.
He Is, I would say, almost a per
fect bee inspector for several
reasons.
First he likes the Job and
wants it; second, I believe he
knows bee diseases and what to
do about them to get rid of it.
Third, he is not top .bright
mentally which of course is
strictly in his favor as a deputy
bee inspector, since a real br
tgntT
man would be always looking
for something better and would
no doubt leave the Job just when
he was most needed; and lastly,
so far as I know he is not par
ticularly offensive, which is
more than I can say about some
I have run across. As an after
thought I might also add that
with a nickel's worth of encour
agement and a little oil that the
man would move mountains for
his superiors.
Respectfully yours,
In the spring a young man's
fancy turns still get him a
traffic court citation.
Lions to Honor
Salem High Team
The Salem Lions club will
honor the. 1940 state champion
Salem high school basketball
team and its coach, Harold Hank,
at the club's regular luncheon
meeting at the Marion hotel to
day noon. President Glenn Gregg
announced yesterday.
Members of the team are
"Scotty" Sebern. forward, all
state second team; Bob McKee,
forward; Russell Satter, state all
star center; Don Barnick, state
honorable mention, and Bud
Coons, guards.
Lon Stiner, head football coach
at Oregon State college, will be
the luncheon speaker. Salem
sports editors also will be guests
of the club.
Sleepy Housewife Is Accused
In Murder-for-Cash Cleanup
NEW YORK, March 20-fl')An
unsmiling, sleepy housewife who
doubled as a bail bond broker was
accused today by Brooklyn Dis
trict Attorney William O'Dwyer
as the "most Important" member
of a "fixing" family for a whole
sale "murder-for-cash" syndicate.
The widening investigation of
the syndicate to whom authorities
lay at least 30 gangland assassin
ations already has resulted in
murder indictments against seven
persons.
. O'Dwyer's new accusations were
made as a grand Jury at Monti
cello, , NY., returned two sealed
indictments charging five persons
with first degree murder as a re
sult of two gangland "ru boats"
In Sullivan county.
Two of those named In the in
dictments were dapper Harry
Pittsburgh Phil" Straus and Irv
ing Cohen, a player of tough-guy
bits in the movies under the name
of Jack Gordon.
Names of the others were with
held, although detectives said two
Brooklyn gangsters, now believed
hiding la Florida, were believed
.Name
Senate Votes
$212,000,000
Farm Aid BiU
Democrats Utilize Debate
to Put Senator Taft
on Political Spot
Economy Program Dented
by 63-19 Tally for
Parity Payments
WASHINGTON, March 20--The
senate knocked a big dent in
the congressional economy pro
gram today with a 63 to 19 vote
approving a $212,000,000 appro
priation for "parity payments" to
farmers.
Administration senators and
others from farming areas over
whelmed the economy forces. The
debate found Senator Taft (R,
Ohio) subjected to a sharp demo
cratic cross-examination on his
fiscal views.
Agriculture Bill Due
for Approval Today
The parity payment item was
added to the annual appropriation
bill for the agriculture depart
ment which the senate is expected
to pass tomorrow. It was designed
to restore to farmers a portion of
the purchasing power they en
joyed from 1909 to 1914. A pro
posal by Senators Lee (D, Okla.)
and Bilbo (D, Miss.) to insure
full parity with a $607,000,000
appropriation was voted down, 56
to 27.
The bill as received from the
senate appropriations committee,
which recommended the $212,
000,000 parity item, proposed
outlays of $922,864,000, a sum
$208,968,000 greater than the to
tal voted by the house.
The parity payments, which are
in addition to almost $500,000,
000 in soil conservation benefits
and some $90,000,000 in loans for
agricultural activities, were not
included in the house bilL
The house had, in fact, slashed
scores of items below President
Roosevelt's budget estimates.
(Turn to page 2, col. 1)
Farley Statement
Meaning Disputed
Democratic Chairman Say g
His Name in Chicago
Convention Hat
WASHINGTON, March 20-jF-Postmaster
General Farley's state
ment that he was in the presiden
tial race "without reservation"
prompted some legislators to pre
dict tonight that President Roo
sevelt would not seek a third
term but others were not so
sure.
Farley said at Springfield,
Mass., today "my name will be
presented to the democratic na
tional convention at Chicago, and
that's that."
One group of senators contend
ed that Farley presumably had
knowledge that his chief would
not enter the race. A well-informed
westerner who talked recent
ly with Farley said he believed
the postmaster general would
have resigned before making the
statement unless he had been con
fident the president would not
run again.
Farley would not say whether
his statement meant that he was
(Turn to page 2, col. 1)
Klepper Is Candidate
PORTLAND, March 2d-(JPy-Milton
R. Klepper, former state
senator, announced his candidacy
for Oregon republican national
committeeman today.
Two Portland attorneys, Ralph
H. Cake and Arthur M. Geary,
already have filed for the post.
involved In the killings.
O'Dwyer asserted that EO-year-old
Mrs. Lena Frosch, who fre
quently falls asleep as she waits
in police stations, her husband,
Israel, and their son Abraham
had been the keystone of "fix
ing." "The fixing department of the
mob was in the hands of the three
Froschs, and Mrs. Frosch was the
most Important of the three,"
O'Dwyer charged.
"I have found that in every in
stance where there was a hint of
a fix, an attempted fix, or where
a fix was made in connection with
the affairs of this gang, some one
or all of the Froschs were in the
middle."
Meanwhile, Mrs. Frosch, al
ready under Indictment on per
jury charges, her husband and
their son-id-law, Abraham Co
hen, remained in jail today, await
ing osteoma of charges of con
spiracy to obstruct Justice in con
nection with the release of Alex
ander Strauss brother of "Pitts
burgh Phil" pending appeal en
a vagrancy conviction.
McDSltile
ouse Group Rejects
Proposals to Change
NLRB Act Procedure
Refuses to Reconsider Once-Dropped Move to Put
but Present Labor Board Members; Turns Down
Three Major Revision Recommendations
WASHINGTON, March 20. (AP) An adamant
house labor committee took a firm stand today against revis
ing the Wagner act and against changing procedure of the
labor relations board. It decisively defeated a number of key
proposals recommended by the Smith committee which has
been investigating the board.
O The members reaffirmed their
Steelhammer Runs
For Legislature
Albert Egan Says He'll Ask
Democratic Selection
as County Recorder
The eve of spring produced
another candidate for the legisla
ture and a seeker after the dem
ocratic nomination for county re
corder here yesterday.
John F. Steelhammer, repre
sentative at the last session of
the legislature, who resigned last
year to handle county legal work,
announced he would run again
for the republican nomination for
a lower house seat.
The recordership will be sought
by Albert J. Egan, Brooks.
Declaring he was "not the can
didate of any special Interest or
group" and bad "made no pledges
to, or received any assistance,
from any special interest or
group," Steelhammer declared It
his Intent "to render to the peo
ple of Marion county the same
honest and conscientious service
that I rendered in the last legis
lative session as your representa
tive." "I make only one pledge,"
Steelhammer's declaration contin
ued, "to continue my efforts ad
vocating sane, sensible and pro
gressive legislation and to con
tinue my opposition to nuisance
bills, freak measures and political
quackery.
Egan in his filing statement
promised "to give my personal
attention to duties of office and
administer the same faithfully and
economically to the best of my
ability." He was born at Brooks
and for many years engaged in
general farming and hop growing.
Later he was in the insurance
business and recently he has been
In the employ of the hop control
board. His father, William H.
Egan, was county clerk from 1892
to 1894.
PCE Stays out of
PUD Hearing Here
The Portland General Electric
company, utility that would be
affected most extensively, will
not make a formal appearance at
Marion county people's utility dis
trict hearing to be conducted in
the old high school auditorium in
Salem at 8 o'clock tonight, W. M.
Hamilton, division -manager, an
nounced yesterday.
Proponents of the district pro
posal will be here from all parts
of the county to present their
views on the district question, it
is expected.
The hearing will be conducted
by the state hydroelectric com
mission, which will later make
engineering and cost studies of
the proposed district if it decides
from the bearing that there is a
demand for a public power setup.
Five Germans Die
In Patrol Action
PARIS, March 2 0-UP)-Military
dispatches tonight said a British
patrol operating on the western
front last night attacked a Ger
man patrol, killing five soldiers
and taking one prisoner.
The British emerged from the
violent fight without suffering a
single loss, the dispatches said.
The French high command is
sued a special communique which
said "on the front held by the
British troops there were patrol
encounters which were turned to
the entire advantage of our al
lies." Earlier communiques told of
patrol clashes west of the Vosges
in which military sources saidhe
Germans suffered "serious losses"
in French ambushes.
Fire Burns House,
But Damage Small
Fire from an unknown cause
damaged a house at 520 North
19 th, occupied by Mr. and Mrs.
Chet Barnes, last night.
No one was at home when the
fire brflke out. An alarm was giv
en at 7:20 p. m. and was an
swered by the East Salem com
pany, which controlled the blase.
The house was an old one and
damage was not extensive. Assist-
I ant Chief William Iwan said.
decision of yesterday to add two
members to the three-man board,
rather than abolish the existing
board and create a new one of
five members.
This action came when the
committee refused 11 to 7 to re
consider the 9 to 8 vote by which
the committee refused to remove
the present board members
Chairman J. Warren Madden, Ed
win S. Smith and William M. Leis
erson. Chairman Norton (D-NJ) said
the committee would resume con
sideration of the remaining pro
posals next Tuesday.
Rejected by votes ranging from
14 to 3 to 10 to 6 were these ma
jor recommendations of a major
ity of the Smith committee:
1. To relax prohibitions against
employer - employe conversations
so they could discuss labor rela
tions, provided no coercion or in
timidation was used.
2. To require that an employer,
to comply with the law, would
have only to discuss a possible
contract with a union; he would
not have to make counter propos
als or put any agreement in writ
ing. S. To prohibit the board's ex
tending Its services to a labor man
who "wilfully" destroyed property
Involved in litigation before the
board.
Retail Trade in
Salem Runs High
Capital Makes Second Best
Gain on Coast During
Month of February
SAN FRANCISCO. March 20-0"P)-Pacific
coast retailers made
big strides in February trade.
census bureau records showed to
day. Pacific northwest gains out
stripped those of California, as
Oregon displaced Washington
from No. 1 spot.
Reports from stores doing some
$52,000,000 business gave Ore
gon an aggregate gain of 15.1 per
cent, Washington 12.8 and Cali
fornia 6.8.
All three states have kept clear
ly ahead of 1939 through the
first two months of 1940 in total
sales. Oregon and California ex
tended January gains in Febru
ary, while Washington lost some
of the earlier advantage.
Total trade for the first two
months as shown in business
amounting to $117,000,000 in the
tLree states showed these gains:
Oregon 14.6 per cent. Washington
14, California 4.6.
Washington automobile dealers
had larger business gains than
the other two states, but Oregon
took the lead in lumber, hardware
and other building materials,
furniture and department store
sales.
California led in the relatively
small gains by food stores.
San Diego captured first honors
among the larger cities on which
aggregate trade gains were given
in the preliminary report. Salem
made it a tight race, lacking only
half a percentage point gain to
match the leader.
Gains by cities: San Diego 24.2
per cent, Salem 23.7, Spokane
12.7, Portland 12.4, Seattle 10.7,
Tacoma 8.6, Los Angeles 6.9, San
Francisco 2.8, Oakland 0.8.
Smelt Licenses Pay
PORTLAND. March 20-UPV-
Smelt dippers, paying 50 cents
each for the privilege of netting
the Sandy river's first run since
1936, gave the state game com
mission a total of $1380. Licenses
were Issued to 2760 fishermen
compared with 2536 four years
ago.
Wide Selections of Goods
Observed in Salem Stores
Did you know?
Salem has 42 S retail stores.
They represent virtually every
type of busi
ness. They serve a
trade area con
taining approx
imately 80,000
inhabitants.
And yo nT
found, haven't
yon. that these
stores give their customers a wide
selection of merchandise.
"Wide selection." is the theme
tiros
Paul Reynaud
Drafts 'Push
War' Cabinet
French Finance Minister
Asked to Take Over
Premier' Duties
All Political Parties to
Have Part; Socialist
Group Controls
PARIS, March 21.-Up)-Persons
close to Paul Reynaud said early
today that he hoped before the
day was out to complete a new
"push the war" cabinet for France
and end the government crisis
precipitated by the resignation of
the cabinet of Edouard Daladler,
The new government, these
sources said, likely will go before
the chamber of deputies Friday
for a vote of confidence.
The formation planned by Rey
naud includes virtually all politi
cal parties, but its final makeup
depends on the decision of the ex
ecutive committee of the socialist
group, called for late this morn
ing to consider an offer to Join
the cabinet.
Daladler Offered
War Ministry
Much depends on Daladier, who
was offered the war ministry but
whose acceptance is not yet offi
cial. Reynaud concluded his first
night's consultations about 2
a. m. (8 p. m. EST) after seeing
Daladier; Edouard Herriott, pres
ident of the chamber; Jules Jean
neney, president of the senate;
Louis Rollin, former commerce
minister; Georges Mandel, minis
ter of colonies in the Daladier
cabinet; Henri Queuille, minister
of agriculture in the Daladier cab
inet: Camille Chautemps, Dala
dier's vice-premier and Lucien
Lamoureux, former finance min
ister. The vigorous Reynaud, moun
taineer, world traveler and skilled
doctor of French finance, said he
would give bis definite reply
about noon today to President Al
bert Lebrun'a -request
form a cabinet.
Daladier's government, which
had prepared the country for war
after the uneasy Munich breath
ing spell for which it was one
fourth responsible and then di
rected the nation through six and
a half months of a conflict of
siege, quit Wednesday.
The reason was a thick atmos
phere of dissatisfaction over lack
(Turn to Page 2, Col. 7)
Abandoning Hop
Agreement Urged
Brewer Representative 1st
to Propose Quitting
Control Program
SANTA ROSA, Calif., March 20
UP) Abandonment of the sys
tem of hop marketing- control
agreements was proposed at the
closing session tonight of the
AAA Pacific coast hearings for
then Industry.
Until tonight, growers and
dealers alike had favored con
tinuance of the system, although
50 amendments to the expiring
agreements had been proposed.
J. O. O'Conner Roberts, New
York lawyer representing brewing
interests, which buy much of the
hop crop said growers thought
the need for a control agreement
(Turn to page 2, col. 6)
Portland Artery
Plans Submitted
PORTLAND, March 20-flJr-Proposed
development of a cross
city traffic artery hinged today
on construction of a .six-lane high
way along the Willamette river.
Plans submitted by state high
way engineers to the city plan
ning commission contemplate a
westside route from Barbur
boulevard along Front avenue to
the steel bridge. On the east
side, another six-lane highway
will connect with North Inter
state avenue, passing beneath the
Hawthorne, Morrison and Burn
side bridges and requiring new
Steel bridge aprpoaches.
The project is a Joint city and
highway commission venture.
this week, the third of an eight
weeks' campaign, to encourage
Salem residents to "shop Salem
first."
, Representative business includ
ed in the city's 42 S retail firms
include department stores, elec
trical appliance stores, bakeries,
groceries and meat markets, shoe
stores, tire shops, furniture stores,
radio dealers, book shops, wom
en's ready-to-wear stores, jewelry
stores and beauty parlors.
They all contend, and believe
yon will agree, that it pays to
"shop Salem first.'
Oil and Gasoline for Germany's
Air Forces "Piped" From Russia
Ar
1
rv.
OU for the German military machine, including Its air force, Is trans
ferred at this former Polish rail Junction of PrzcmysL now be
longing to Russia, from Soviet wide-gauge railway tank cars (left)
to German narrow-gauge cars (right). Difference la track gauges
makes direct shipment impossible.
Helen Southwick
Passes Away Here
92nd Birthday This Month;
Was Prominent, Church
and Political Life
Mrs. Heien M. Southwick, who
would hare been 92 years of age
on March 29, died Wednesday
morning at her home. 1163 Ma
that -ielVloff '111 eet. She had lived in Sa
lem for 68 rears.
Helen Marr Smith was born in
1848 st Pine Plains, near
Poughkeepsie, NT. She was a di
rect descendant of General Na
thaniel Green of Revolutionary
war fame.
Until her marriage to Frank B.
Southwick, on November 24,
1867, she lived In Wisconsin.
They came to California by rail
road in 1874, only two years after
the transcontinental line was
completed.
In 1882, the Southwlcks moved
to Salem, where he was engaged
as a carpenter and contractor on
many Salem buildings. Mr. South
wick died in 1924.
Mrs. Southwick was a member
of the Methodist church and was
active In the establishment and
development of the Methodist old
people's home in Salem. She was
one of the founders of the Neigh
(Turn to page 2, col. 6)
War Dependents'
Pension Offered
WASHINGTON. March 2Q.-VP)
-A house committee approved to
day a bill to pension the depend
ents of World war veterans who
die from causes not connected
with their service.
Immediately there was a ru ni
hil nsr of oDDosltion from some
congressmen who expressed the
opinion that the legislation was
the first move toward general
pensions for veterans and their
widows. There was talk of an ef
fort to block the bill in the rules
committee.
Chairman Rankin (D-Mlss) and
Rep. Rogers (R-Mass), ranking
minority member of the veterans
committee, expressed belief that
the bill would be passed at this
session.
The committee approved the
measure without a roll call but
Rankin said the voice vote produ
ced no dissents. The committee
has 20 members and all but a halt
dozen were present.
Rankin estimated the Initial
cost would be $6,000,000 to $8,
000,000 a year but he said that
General Frank T. Hlnes. veterans
administrator, placed the figure
at around $25,000,000.
End to Purchase
Of Silver Voted
WASHINGTON, March 20.-flJ)
The senate banking committee
today approved legislation to end
the government's foreign silver
purchasers by a margin which led
even opponents to the bill to pre
dict its passage.
Ignoring a personal plea by
Secretary Morgenthau for contin
uation of this phase of adminis
tration monetary policy, the com
mittee voted 1 4 to 4 in favor of a
bill by Senator Townsend (R
Del) to end the six-year-old pro
gram. Lumber Firm Locates
SPRINGFIELD, Ore., March 20
-PV-Tbe half-million dollar
Rosboro Lumber company, form
erly operating la Arkansas, will
open here early la April, officials
said today-
Say
' - 4A A- ys
f.
ii
i
High Court Takes
Gov. Rivers Case
Appellate Judge Agrees to
Accept Jurisdiction,
Contempt Action
NEW ORLEANS, March Id-HP)
A federal appellate court today
lifted a Jail sentence threat from
Governor E. D. Rivers of Georgia
at least temporarily.
The fifth circuit court of ap
peals assumed Jurisdiction in the
"states rights" case less than 48
hours before US District Judge
Deaver was to have passed Judg
ment on the governor, ruled in
contempt for troop-backed defi
ance of court orders reinstating
an ousted highway board chair
man. Judge Deaver refused yesterday
to approve transfer of the case
to the appellate court, re-affirmed
his contempt order and again or
dered the governor to appear be
fore him Friday.
So the executive's counsel hur
ried directly to the circuit court,
presented arguments attacking
federal intervention in the' case
and obtained a writ of superse
deas staying lower federal court
action pending further orders
from the higher tribunal.
Declaring that pending state
court action on the dismissal of
W. L. Miller "seriously chal
lenges Jurisdiction of the federal
court," Judge Samuel H. Sibley,
in a brief oral opinion took Juris
diction on behalf of the appellate
court and vacated all proceedings
in the court of Judge Deaver.
Roosevelt Better
But Stays in Bed
WASHINGTON, March 20-UPJ
-President Roosevelt's tempera
ture returned to normal tonight.
He had spent the day In bed to
shake off a cold.
His physician. Rear Admiral
Ross T. Mclntlre, said he was
hopeful that tomorrow would see
"a flat temperature throughout
the day' but that he wanted the
president to remain in bed at least
for part of the day.
He described the condition as
"old-fashioned grippe" and em
phasised that it was not serious.
5th Largest British Liner
To Sail Today, Troop Ship
NEW YORK, March 20 - OP) -The
35,739-ton Mauretania, fifth
largest liner in the British mer
chant marine, entered a new and
dangerous role as a troop trans
port tonight.
At B:01 p. m. (PST). the. big
gray-painted ship pulled away
from the Cunard White Star line
pier at 14th street, Manhattan,
Few lights showed on her decks.
The Mauretania, a new vessel
named after the famous old Brit
ish liner that was scrapped after
years of service, was to be fol
lowed by the great Queen Mary,
whose 81.236 tons ranked her
second only to the brand new
Queen Elizabeth in the British
fleet.
The Queen Mary, holder of the
Atlantic speed record, was expect
ed to leave at dawn tomorrow al
though some sources said she
might wait to pick up more erew
member from the British Lan
eastria, arriving In mid-morning
from Canada.
All seamen had been ordered
te report back to the ship by mid
night, however, and instructions
.Bei
Convoy Bombed
By Planes off
Scotch Coast
Naval and Merchant Slant
Hit in Retaliation
- for Sylt Attack
Abandonment of One and
Damage to Three Is
Admitted, London
BERLIN, Marrh Sl-Tbare-day)-A.Mne
HritUh war.
ships and merchantmen with an
approilmate tonnage of 42,000
were sunk, and two tnerrttant
ships of about 11,000 tons,
were severely damaged t a
Germaa bombing raid oa m
voy off the Brottlh roast yes
terday, DNB, official German
news agency declared today.
Striking ferorlonsly, the
retch's air force swooped oet
Into the North aea and settled
upon large convoy under pro
tection of (he HritUh navy and
air force. In apparent retails,
tion for Britain's raid on the
base of Hylt Tuesday night.
LONDON, March 21-(Thurs-day)
--Germany's air forre
hit back last night In revenge
for the tremendous pouodiag
which British planes dealt oat te
Sylt.
IlrltlMh Wamhlp. Naval
Plants Give Ilattle
Nazi planes swarmed down on
a convoy off the Scottish coast,
fighting a harsh battle with Brit
ish warship and naval planes ane
damaging three neutral ships.
Revising Its first estimate sf
the casualties early today, the
British admiralty said three neu
tral ships In the convoy suffered
damage and that one of tbem was
abandoned by its crew. The Ger
man radio broadcast claims that
"several" convoyed ships were
sunk or badly damaged.
The abandoned ship was the
Norwegian Svlata, of It 91 tensw
Her crew was picked up by an
other Norwegian vessel.
The . Swedish Utklippan, lilt
tons, was hit by an incendiary
bomb and the Norwegian Tom
Ellse, 721 tons, likewise wss dans
aged. One Nazi Bomber
Damaged, Claim
Anti-aircraft fire from escort
ing warships damaged one attack
ing Heinkel bomber, the admiralty
said. Planes of the fleet air arm,
Britain's naul air force, hit twe
other Helnkels snd on one occa
sion two of the British plans
(Turn to page 2, col. 4)
Mercury Hits 69,
Record for Year
The mercury climbed Bp te
new high for 1940 yesterday from
3:30 to 4:30 p. m. In Baiem, ac
cording to Roderle Darklow, air
ways observer st the local weath
er bureau. The day's mailmuna
was 69 degrees snd the minimum
35.
PORTLAND. March tO-ift-lf
spring again! To be precise, tbe
vernal equinox occurred at 10:24
p. m., Pacific stsndsrd time.
making it perfectly proper to ge
to work without an overcoat.
Oregon got a two-day head-
start on the calendar, however.
with weather which sent the
temperature to 74 degrees at
Medford yesterday.
Some eastern Oregon points
and outlying Portland districts
bad frost before dawn.
Cloudy weather will be Ore
gon's share tomorrow, the fed
eral weather bureau predicted.
Fogs will occur on the coast, the
temperature will change little and!
light, variable winds will blew
off-shore.
were issued to cut the water Mnee
between tbe ship and Its pier at
t a. m. (PST). Longshoreman
worked under floodlights tonight
loading final supplies.
The ships are targets whose
hitting would mean an Iron croee
and nasi immortality for a see- t
cessful German submarine share
shooter. They were gambling on
their speed to carry Britain's co
lonial troops safely Into the arena
of European war.
Although otriclal silence veiled
their Immediate destinstion, mem
bers of their crews believed both
would call first at Halifax and
there be armed for a long aad
perilous voyage to Australia. .
"Limey? sailors ssid that rip
ping out the "Queen's" peacetime
finery, the normal passenger ca
pacity of about 2000 had been '
stepped up to 21.000.
Supplies sufficient for three er
four months were taken on board.'
Seamen , said . they understood
that after leaving Canada, the
vessels would travel to Australia.
and there get their - first loads-rv
of troops