s o'izsa :
if
3 O O EZJ O OOO Q.E2DO Q.C Q.E3 O G 1? O E3 Q
"Weather
Max.
. M
.. 77
SO
. 81
. 78
Mm.
47
62
92
M
59
Preclp.
.M
00
trac
M
.09
Itlta
Portland ..
San Francisco
Chicafo
Hw York
Willamette river 2 feet.
FORECAST (from UJ. weather bu
reau. MuNary field. Salem): Morning
fof and low cloudiness with a few late
afternoon shower. High today 73. low
tonight 48. Moderate winds in after
noon will hinder crop dusting oper
ations. NINETY-EIGHTH YEAR
SS Van-port Waoffs
UmidaDinnied Gives
C-flint off Beatb ToOB
4
PORTLAND. Ore., June 1 -t.V)- The first indications of the pos
sible number of dead in the Vanport disaster came tonight in a Red
Cross announcement that 55 children were unclaimed after two days
cf search for the parents.
The Red Cross held out hope, however, that many of the parents
yet would turn up among the thousands of refugees scattered through
! Portland and as far away as Sa-
CRT
03300063
HOD ODDS
A woman called up Mayor Elf
strom and expressed her vigor
ous opposition to instituting day
light saving time. She thought it
would be interfering with divine
law and might invite such calami
ties as drouth or flood One ready
answer comes for that: We have
had all manner of disasters under
standard time, so DST would
hardly augment the number or
variety.
The good lady vs mistaken
about clock-tamperir.g as inter
ference with God's law. The clock
is merely a manmade device to
measure time. One rotation of the
earth r its axis makes up a day.
and fo- convenience thic is divided
into 24 equal parts we Call hour?.
We ecu'.d have one clock-time for
all the world, but It has seemed
more convenient to divide the
globe into time zones. Since the
sun travels (as we say) 15 degree
in one hour clock-time is moved
back one hour for each 15 de
grees of latitude.
At that there is considerable
flexibility in the boundary of
time zones. Changes are made at
railroad division points nearest to
the correct latitude, which makes
the line north and south across
the country quite wavy.
Actually we could accomplish !
the same result in having the
"extra'' hour for the end of the
day if only we would start the
day's work an hour earlier. But
It is easier to change the clock
than to change human habit. Our !
living is geared to the clock, so
when the clock is moved forward
or backward an hour we still i
regulate our day by the conven
tional hours.
Time, and space, have been
great mysteries which
(Continued on editorial page)
Senate Passes
Bill to Dispose
Of Camp llliite
State officials here expressed
satisfaction Tuesday afternoon
when Representative Harris Ells
worth telegraphed from Wash
ington, DC, that the house had
approved a bill placing the Camp
White hospital facility under the
federal veterans administration.
The senate previously passed the
bill.
Officials added that this action
by congress probably would de
feat the initiative bill, sponsored
by State Sen. Lew Wallace of
Multnomah county, democratic
nominee for governor, directing
the state to take over the hospital
for use as a state institution.
A bill at the 1947 legislature
providing that the state should
take over- the hospital for use as a
mental institution was vetoed by
the late Governor Earl Snell. Snell
said he based his veto on a report
of a committee which inspected
the hospital and found it inade
quate for institutional needs.
Animal Crackers
By WARREN GOODRICH
"No! This is net StUrtrj
I
She
12 PAGES
lem, 50 miles south.
Richard F. Gordon, director of
Pacific area disaster service, said
2,500 of the 5,328 Vanport fam
ilies were accounted for through
registrations at the Red Cross.
Others United
Some of the other families un
doubtedly have become united
without Red Cross help, Gordon
said.
The Red Cross still had no list
of missing. Gordon said efforts to
trace a'l not registered would con
tinue, but definite results might
net be obtained for rias.
Survivors said they expected
the heaviest loss of life to be am
ong children, many of whom were
caught at play by water that
swept in from a breached dike.
Loss of Life Feared
The fact that 55 children still
were unclaimed two days after
the disaster led to speculation that
loss of lives among adults might
be heavy.
The Red Cross cautioned, how
ever, that registration was far
from complete, and said additional
hundreds undoubtedly would sign
up in succeeding days.
Jews, Arabs
Accept Month
Palestine Truce
LAKE SUCCESS. June 1 -iJF)
The Jews and Arabs today an
nounced acceptance of a United
Nations plea for a four-weeks ar
mistice in Palestine.
However their replies to the U.
N. left unanswered such questions
as when the shooting would stop.
Israel's acceptance was handed
to Secretary -General Trygve Lie
approximately rour hours ahead of
TEL AVIV. Israel. Jane t
Israeli military headquarters
said Eryptian troops and artil
lery attacked at two places this
morning in violation of a cease
fire order.
The announcement said the
Egyptians attacked the Jewish
settlement of Negba in the south
and that planes bombed the vil
lage of Hulda on the central
front.
the security council's 6 p. m.
I (EST) deadline for reply. The
I Jews followed this up by issuing
' ceusefire orders to their troops,
j effective at the hour (3 a. m.
i Wednesday, Israeli time), on con-
dition the Arabs took the same
i step.
j The 7-nation Arab league's de
i cision to accept the U. N. plan was
, given to Lie two hours ahead of
he deadline but it made no men
tion of a cease-fire hour. The
council had asked the two parties
to agree to the proposals by the
appointed hour. The Arab reply
left open the actual time of lay
ing down arms.
Also unanswered were the dip
lomatic and political questions as
to whether the acceptances were
unconditional. The Arabs said a
detailed reply would be sent to
the security council.
An Israeli spokesman insisted
that his government's acceptance
was unconditional. However, the
Jews stipulated that they were
making five assumptions about
the plan, including one that the
food supply route to Jerusalem
would be opened.
17 Escape as
Plane Burns
OMAK, Wash., June 1-UP)-A
national guard plane win 17
aboard crash-landed and burned
today without loss of life. One man
was trampled in the rush from the
flaming craft.
The plane. A C-47 out of Mc
Chord field, took off about 5:30
pjn. (PST) to fly group of na
tional guardsmen back to Spo
kane from flood! duty here.
Just after the takeoff one
guardsman noted an engine was
afire. The pilot .was notified and
attempted to return to the field,
two miles away.. He pancaked the
burning craft to the landing strip
and the men got safely out. The
fire destroyed the plane.
SALEM PmtCTPITATIOIf
(From svpe 1 to Jam Z)
Thii Year
43 JO
Last Year
3.
Average
Th Or?on Statesman, Salem, Oregon, Wednesday, June 2, 1S48 Price 5c No. 70
' , I, i ii iff'" "!Lm M inwr-- i ir" n i, 4, - " ' ' "
lTitrli fit iL: a DlkM crumpled like matchsticks as the Colombia river went
iT"-1Jftl-ll'we on iU greatest rampage In modern history this week. The above
aerial photo, taken exclusively for The Oregon Statesman shortly after noon yes
terday, shows the focal flood points In the Portland area. The pictures looks to the
northwest. Shown are (1) the Interstate bridge across the Columbia's regular chan
nel: (2) Jantzen beach. Its roller-coaster barely visible to the right of the numeral;
(3) what was Vanport. once Oregon's second - largest city (the original break
through was Just out of the picture above the numeral) and also showing the sub
Panoramic Portrayal of
Flood Aivesome from A -
By Wendell Webb
Managing Editor, The Statesman
ABOVE THE COLUMBIA. June 1 at 1 p. m. Photographers
have done a valiant job to portray the mighty tragedy of flood but
only a first-hand view can bring full realization of its awfulness. And
then it can't be adequately described.
Right now we are flying westward in .bright sunshine above the
Columbia. To the inexpert eye, its actual channel is hard to locate.
Water spreads through clumps of
trees for miles. Roof tops of farm
homes and barns looks like rafts.
Looming to the left is Portland's
deserted airport, water lapping at
its bordering road. Dark, widen
ing fingers on the clay soil show
the field's northwest corner slow
ly succumbing to the flood. Across
the massive river two rusty de
stroyers are moored helplessly at
a dock, now well out into the
stream.
Further on to the left we spot
the Portland Meadows race track
- - or, rather, the grandstand. The
track is under several feet of wa
ter. The huge wall of an amphi
theatre sticks up from the muddy
mass nearby.
Jantsen Beach
Then comes Jantzen Beach, the
play spot of the northwest The
gray roller-coaster points gauntly
toward the sky. Its base is well
buried and only a submarine could
negotiate its once-thrilling dips.
Behind Jantzen beach to the
south is the flood's most grotesque
victim the once-large city of
Vanport. A few water tanks rear
heir heads from the murky lake.
Clumps of huge barracks are scat
tered here and there, their roofs
at crazy angles and debris clinging
all around like hair on great float
ing cocoanuts.
Some of the second-story win
dows barely are visible, looking
like the half-opened eyes of a
floundering sea-monster.
Breaks Plainly Visible
The breaks in the dikes are
plainly visible. First to the west
is the one which let the swirling
waters drown Vanport late Sun
day. A mile or so to the east a
huge gap in Denver avenue shows
how Portland Meadows succumb
ed to catastrophe late last night,
and then through Union avenue
another break, apparently still
crumbling, tells all too well what
happened in the wee hours today
to complete the destruction on the
river's south side. These three
muddy-watered areas from the air
look much like half a pumpkin
pie. marked into three parts with
strips of chocolate frosting for
roads, and liberally sprinkled with
pepper, sugar and every other
shade of grainy spice which once
were homes and industries.
To the south, the haze of Port
land settles peacefully and the
Willamette ribbons its way through
the city apparently without furore
POUNDBD 1651
- - albeit backed up and much too
high for the comfort of the water
front. A last glimpse of the worst
stricken area shows an incongru
ous sign. High above a water
flanked shipyard, it reads: "Safe
ty Pays."
SMALL FLOOD VICTIM
REPUBLIC. Wash., June 1-UP)
An 18 - month - old baby boy
was drowned today in the flood
waters of a creek near the home
of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.
W. Luntsford.
McMINNVTLLE TO SWITCH
McMINNVILLE, Ore., June 1
(Jfy- The city council voted to
night to switch McMinnville to
daylight saving time at midnight
Wednesday.
Red Cross Changes Emphasis on Flood Relief
Contributions from Food, Clothing to Money
By Conrad Prange
Staff Writer. Th Statesman
Salem was high and dry, but still
very much in the Oregon flood
scene Tuesday.
Red Cross here changed its em
phasis from food and clothing to
cash contirbutions and volunteer
drivers for relief in the Vanport
flood area.
Salem's airport was a bub of
activity, with all Portland airline
passenger and airmail operations
centering here. (Story on page 12)
Salvation army and other local
agencies were in the thick of relief
activity or standing by in readi
ness. At the statehouse messages
arrived from, distant points offer
ing aid. (Story on page 7).
Several truckloads of food and
clothing were dispatched from here
to the flood area Monday and
Tuesday. Clothing collection at the
veterans housing colony alone was
valued at $100,000.
Salem Red Cross officials learn
ed in Portland Red Cross head
quarters Tuesday that no more
food or clothing is needed at pres
ent, but began receiving cash do
nations for aid direct to the flood
area. National Red Cross head
28 Marines,
Sailors Lost as
i Launch Sinks
NORFOLK, Va., June l.-GD-The
navy announced tonight that
28 sailors and marines were be
lieved lost in the swamping of a
launch in Hampton Roads.
Eighteen navy personnel and 10
marines, the navy said, were un
accounted for. The men were at
tached to a 12-ship task force and
were among an estimated 90 men
swept into the choppy seas last
night when their lanuch swamped
while they were returning from j
liberty to the force flagship, the
aircraft carrier Kearsarge.
The 50-foot open launch was
swamped only several hundred
yards from the flattop which was
anchored in Hampton Roads two
miles off the Norfolk naval sta
tion. The disaster delayed sailing of
the task force from 5 a. m. until
4:30 p. m. (EST). The force is go
ing to the Mediterranean to re
lieve a similar squadron.
Several other launches and pick
et boats sped to the scene of the
accident, which was witnessed
from the carrier, and rescued 65
men.
quarters authorized the cash aid
plan on a voluntary basis, but said
no concerted drive for funds would
be launched. Cash contributions
are accepted by the Red Cross
office here or by any bank in
Marion county.
Susan Faherty, Salem chapter
manager, and Charles Huggins, lo
cal executive board member, con
f erred Tuesday with Portland Red I
Cross officials supervising the
Vanport city flood disaster.
Due to the generosity of Port
land residents, housing for evac
uees is not longer a problem either,
the Portland officials stated.
At present, Miss Faherty said,
nurses are not needed in Portland
from outside areas. But the Mar
ion county and other chapters are
asked to compile a list of volunteer
nurses to stand by if needed. Local
nurses are asked to register with
Mrs. Bemice Yeary at the county
health .office.
Because cars and drivers are
needed in the Multnomah county
area the Salem chapter is asking
any motor corps members who can
assist for a few days in Portland
to register immediately.
Cities all over the county con-
merged stockyards to the right in the same area: (4) Monday night's break-through
of Denver avenue which let the onslaught into plush Portland Meadows race track
and environs and where a car of the Portland General Electric company was swept
away when it hit the gap; (5) the Portland Meadows grandstand, and (6) the
Tuesday break-through of Union avenue which cut the final approach to the In
terstate bridge and let the water complete Its great semi-circle sweep back to the
slough paralleling Its regular channel. (Statesman aerial pictures also on page 3).
City Council to Vote
On (Daylight Saving
Elfstrom to Recommend Plan Tonight
Possibility cf daylight saving time for Salem by Friday was seen
yesterday by Mayor R. L. Elfstrom who called a special city council
meeting at which he will recommend the time change.
The aldermen will meet at 8 o'clock tonight, just prior to an ear
lier scheduled city budget meeting for the budget committee which
includes the mayor, seven aldermen and eight other citizens. The
River Nears
1894 Record
PORTLAND, June 1 -(JP)- The
Columbia river flood today neared
the record of the famed 57-day
flood of 1894.
At its height the 1894 flood sent
1,170,000 cubic feet of water rol
ling downriver each second.
T)ie flow at Bonneville dam
reached 1,030,000 feet a second to
day. Engineers said the normal
flow is 200,000 feet a second.
Tlfey added the damage would
far out - strip the 1894 record.
because of the tremendous down
river growth since then.
tributed approximately $100,000
worth of clothing after Housing
Project Manager Joseph Hopkins
issued an appeal. The Salem Sal
vation Army, veterans and civic
organizations, and local Red Cross
officials combined forces.
Capt. Robert Lesher of the Sal
vation Army said that some cloth
ing was retained here so that flood
evacuees living with Salem rela
tives could secure clothing at the
army headquarters at 241 State st.
The Red Cross also reported that
it had registered several more
evacuee families in Salem Tues
day. The number now totals nearly
100. Flood evacuees who have not
registered with the Red Cross here
are asked to do so immediately.
Those who registered Tuesday
included: n
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Deneka and
daughter.
Mr. and Mrs. Norval Herons and
two children.
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Lett and
son.
. Dennis Ernst.
Mr. and Mrs. R. EL Henderson.
Mr. and Mrs. Wayna Fehler and
three children.
Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Norton
and two children-
meeting will be at Salem Cham
ber of Commerce hall.
Several of the aldermen were
reported Tuesday to favor the
switch to daylight saving time, and
the mayor himself said the flood
of inquiries at the Salem Chamber
of Commerce and local businesses
i indicates general favor for such a
change.
Elfstrom will request that the
change in time be made at 1 a. m.
Friday.
Would Cut Confusion
The time change for Salem
would eliminate considerable con
fusion resulting from the new
time in Portland and other parts
of the state. Telephone calls for
the correct time, for example,
bring Salem telephone users the
time reading in daylight saving
time.
Manager Harry V. Collins of
this district of Pacific Telephone
& Telegraph Co. said this happens
in Salem because the station an
s we ring time calls (at 2-8900) is
in Portland, the calls from Salem
going directly into the Portland
office.
Only 4 Oppose
An informal poll on daylight
saving at Salem Kiwanis club's
luncheon attended by more than
100 Tuesday showed only four
hands raised in opposition to a
change to that time in Salem.
The state board of control,
meanwhile, decided to keep hands
off time changing, and decreed
that state offices would use the
time system operating in com
mum ties where the offices are
located. This indicated that the
many state offices here would go
on daylight saving immediately,
if the city council ordered the
change for municipal purposes.
U.S. Note to Reds Renews
Trieste Issue Demands
WASHINGTON. June 1 - VP) -The
United States made another
attempt today to get; talks going
with Russia over a trouble spot. -It
renewed a demand that Trieste be
given back to Italy.
Officials who -helped draft the
Trieste note fourth on the sub
jecttold a reporter it , would test
Russia's new It proclaimed desire
to reach an understanding with
the west
LeyeesL
WeaMian,
Crumble
By James HjFerguse-si
PORTLAND, Orei, June 2-(Wed-neday
)- -Crestiiig waters of the
Columbia river's worst flood bat
tered at dikes of the lower valley
eariy mis morning as high tide
pushed in from the Pacific ocean.
More dikes began crumbling be
fore nightfall last night and army
engineers listed the entire lower
valley protective works as critical
but still holding! )
All now threatened areas have
been evacuated since; Monday
night. f
The peril came tb the lower val
ley as the Pacific northwest reeled
undtr blows of its greatest dis
aster, j I
Red Cross officials announced
late today that it has not account
ed for about half of the 5,328 fam
ilies whose homeslwere destroyed
in the Memorial day tragedy that
smashed Vanport within minutes.
Hew many perished in -the Sun
day afternoon flash flood is still a
mystery. f
Damages Soar ? - 1 "
Some 50.000 are homeless in four
I states and property damage has
soared to multi-millions of dollars.
The army corps of engineers says
it is -hopeless at this time" to t-
icriupi a prooaoie loss to.property
estimate. f "
The destruction; stretches for
1.000 miles from the headwaters of
ttie great river ia the Canadian
Rockies to the ocean. The river is
due to remain above flood level
for several weeks, f
Officials believe; the crest has
moved downstream; from Jhe Portland-Vancouver.
Wash., metropolis
tan area. The river rose to 29 9
feet inr" Portland at noon yesterday
and held for over four hours. Then
at 5 p.m. (PST). .the river state
dropped to 23.3 ami an hour later
was down to 29.1 feet.
T Remain Stationary
Elmer Fisher, the weather bu
reau river forecaster, said, how
ever, that the river stage will ie-
main at about 23.7 feet for the
next two days and; not rw two ft
j under todays peak until Saturday..
ine surging river, which has
flooded farm lands and towns the
length of its 1.000 -mile couie frcm
Canada, northern Idaho ind Mon
tana, now will throw its full weight
against dikes protecting fich dairy
land in the 100 miles from Port
land to the sea. tr j
If they hold, the worst urin K
over today. For days! to come,
however, the river will he a three t.
15.W Evacuated '
An estimated IS.fMWf tA
higher ground as the arniy ordered
evacuation of district behind
weakened dikes on the Hast 100
mile stretch of the riverf
One of these dikes -gave war
last night, a 12-fU breach flooding;
a small area neat' Westport, Ore.
Army engineers Said onJy a few,
farms were in the area, and all
persons had been evacuated before
the dike broke, s :!
In the entire Columbia basin
there were an estimated 50,000
iiuiucir.. m least -o were oeaa,
apart from Vanport. jj
So precarious was the!; condition
of the dikes that engineers feared
the wake of a ship might collapse
them. The army ordered all craft:
off the river from Portland to the
ocean 100 miles away.ifThe river,
will remain -closed to shipping' at
least three days. Col. OjiE. Walsh.
district engineer said, jj
Truman Orders Aid j
President Truman ordered full,
federal aid for the striirken area..
He asked recommendations forj
additional legislation to meet the,
emergency. i I -1
The Red Cross directed relief!
work. Food and clotbirg poured!
in from volunteers. Thousands,
took refuge in ! churches and I
schools. Conferences were expect-J
ed shortly between state and fed- j
eral agencies on housing the big-!
gest immediate problem.
Another dike break Monday
added to the complications of the;
search. The water at Vanport j
crashed through ai fill into a larg j
area to the east.; Vanport apart- t
merits floated througfj the gap
some smashing to pieces. Bodies
if any were scattered so widely it ,
was feared tney rrugni never ce
recovered. ? I
Fortlanders Praised -
The Red Crosi praised Bort
landers for aid given ! refugees. ;
Still to feel the brunt of the wa
ter downstream are i Woodland,
Kelso, Kalama, .and ? Longview,
Wash., and Rainier and Clatskan-
le, jre. ine waier aoreaaj- was
into Woodland, -Kalama, South
Kelso and Clatskanie. The towns
were evacuated without loss of
life. No damage was expected in
the main part of Kelso or at Long- t
view. s I
Three hundred miles, to the north?
a separate flood ripped through.
British Columbia Fraser River
valley. Premier Byron Johnson de
clared a state of emergency there.
Property damage- was listed at
$20,000,000 in the valley. Condi-.
tions were improving; however, as
the Fraser river run-off . began .
easing.' I -1 . V
Relief tads Boosted
At Portland the Red Cross said
its relief r funds "were being in- -creased
from $250,000 to $1,000,
000. The federal housing author-;
ity said it was bringir.g in trailers'
from as far away as Arizona and
New Mexico to provide homes for
the refugees. i I .
Plans were being drawn up for
another housing project as a pos
sible replacement for Vanport.
The Reconstruction Finance Cor
poration in Spokane and Portland
said loans would be made to assist
flood victims. I . 1