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About The Oregon statesman. (Salem, Or.) 1916-1980 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 29, 1948)
Stetman. Salem, Oregon. Friday. October 23. 1948 GM Hi yim MM lit- "Ho Favor Sways Us, No Fear Shall Aw First SUteomaw Much tt. MSI THE STATESMAN PUBLISHING COMPANY CHARLES A. SPRAGUE, Editor and Publisher ! I i tatere4 at the poetorflce at Skm. Oregon, as second elaaa matter under act of conaresa March S. im. Ibllabe4 vary mornln except Mondaj. Busineae office US S. Commercial. Salem. Ore on. Telephone -41. MiHBn or rum associated pkxss Tae Amdattl PrcM to tatttf.ee axctBsleelr U Ue mse fee repeeScattea ef all the leeal mvi prist U Uto Mwtpsaer,. as wan at all AP mwi eispatckea. MXMBER PACIFIC COAST DIVISION OF BUHXAU OP ADVaqtTJSINO Advertttrias Kcprcaantattvca Ward-Crltfitb Co, New York. Chicago. San Francisco, Detroit. tnafBCT AUDIT BUREAU OF CIRCULATION I On month. Six moftttss One year By Mali ta A4vae , Oregon Par where la U.S-A. . .is ; i.oo .aa - oo IM , . 110 By City Carrltf month- Six montha. peer . 1M, . CI JJU Amending the Hydroelectric Law A bill passed by the 1947 legislature which would amend the hydroelectric act of 193 has been Teferred to the people. It is only three5 sec tions long, amending certain sections of the present law. They are somewhat technical in character and rather hard to explain so the people will understand. The 1931 act, passed in the administration of Gov. Julius L. Meier set up conditions under winch private companies Icould develop water power sites. The act contemplated the extin guishment of the company's investment by ap plication of earnings in excess of a fair return; and that when the investment was extinguish ed the plant would become the property of the state. Provision was also made that if during the license period the state or a municipality wanted to acquire the property it could do so by paying the fair value, not exceeding the net investment, plus severance damages. The gist of the first section of the hill is that the maximum rate of return and the proportion of earned surplus to be applied to amortize the cost it is optional with the commission whether it be set forth in the license. Ther second section of the bill authorizes the hydroelectric commission to extend the old li cense by five-year periods or issue a new li cense, if the state has not exercised its right to take over the project. The present law states that when the net investment of the company is retired then the project "shall be and become the property of the State of Oregon." The third section of the bill limits the right of the state or municipality in taking over the project to the expiration of the license and then upon two years written notice. The right of con demnation at any time is reserved to any public body. At present the state or a municipality may take over the project at any time on pay ment as described in the second paragraph above; or by condemnation. PRO ARGUMENT: The state needs power development. Eastern Oregon in particular is a power-short area. Idaho Power company offers to build a dam across the Snake river at Ox bow bend if the law is amended. It says that bond houses object to the restrictive provisions of the present law. Proponents point out that the private invest ment will provide needed power now and add to assessed valuation for taxation. Oregon, it is urged, should welcome private investment, not discourage it. The present law, they say, has deterred private building of dams. CON ARGUMENT: The amendments impair the strength of the hydroelectric act which was passed as a result of positive public sentiment in 1930. Water is a great public resource and its utilization for generating electric energy should be surrounded with ample safeguards for the public By limiting the "take-over" provisions of the present law it may penalize the public if and when they decide to acquire the facility. As for the Oxbow dam opponents point out that both the army engineers and the reclam ation' bureau in their program for development of the Columbia basin project high dams in Hell's Canyon of the Snake which would drown out this proposed project! It would be a mistake therefore to encourage this project. RECOMMENDATION : j The Statesman oppos ed this bill (SB 99) when it was pending in the legislature. We felt that; the present law pro vided adequate safeguards for private invest ment and at the same time protected the public Interest. In comparing the text with the statute more closely we believe the effects are consid erably exaggerated. In other words, the amend ments do not appear vital to permit private de velopment of hydroelectric projects; not yet fa tal to destroy essential public interest. Under the present law the investor is assured of: I 1. Legal protection so that he first earns a fair return on his investment. 2. Fair value, not exceeding net investment in case of take-over. 3. Severance damages. 4. In case of disagreement, determination of the amount due in a court of equity. That seems to give the private company and the bondbuyer ample protection, which surely is supported in the history of Oregon's treat ment of its electric utilities. As far as the public is concerned the provision that public bodies be permitted to acquire a pro ject on payment of net investment value does not appear unreasonable, especially when the law protects the company in earning a fair re turn and recognizes as compensable severance damages that might result from a mutilition of its system. One section of the present law which might be considered too severe is 119-115 OCLA which would recapture all earnings over a fair return to apply same to amortization. We would not object to repealing item (d) of that section, but it is not touched in the pending bill. The proposed location at Oxbow on the Snake for a dam ought noi to have public endorsement at the present time) until the government agen cies charged with Columbia basin development can lay out their plans. It would be a mistake both for the public and for Idaho Power to in vest millions of dollars there which might be rendered useless within a few decades by a fed eral development. This ; matter will come be fore the federal power commission and the state hydroelectric commission, we presume, for hear ing on its merits of any application by Idaho Power and then before congress if authorization of a federal dam is asked. The question is be fore the people indirectly since Oxbow is ad vanced as the reason fdr present urgency but this bill should not be approved on that basis because of the probable interference with fed eral plans. j ' ; ' The Statesman is friendly to private develop ment of power projects, though it would reserve to the federal government the large, multi-purpose dams. It foresees that all practical hydro electric projects in the northwest will be need ed and, welcomes investment of private capital. Believing as it does that the present law pro vides protection to private investment, with the single exception noted which is not covered in the present bill, it recommends voting 307 X No. Not So Ultrafax! They call it Ultrafax and they say it will make telegrams and airmails as obsolete as the carrier pigeon. Just the fact that they "sent" a complete facsimile of Margaret Mitchell's "Gone With the Wind" from a transmitting station to the Library of Congress in a few minutes takes your breath away. "Ultra" stands for "beyond any message sending speeds hitherto known" and "fax" is abort for facsimile. The process unites high speed photography with television and the re sult is messages traveling 186,000 miles per sec ond. Telegrams only transmit words a process complicated by the necessity to translate words into dots and dashes and then back into words' Airmail transports material intact and delivers it in the original form. Ultrafax photographs the material books," newspapers, graphs, pic tures, maps, letters and flashes it radio-television to negative microfilm at a receiving -station where it emerges as exact duplicates of the original. Ultrafax messages, unlike telegrams, will be delivered at radiospeed to the addressee in the sender's own handwriting like wartime V mail. A single Ultrafax circuit could transmit the equivalent of 40 tons of airmail coast-to-coast per day, according to a recent article in Colliers. It will be years before this revolutionary development is ready for extensive public use, but the possibilities are impressive enough. But granted that Ultrafax is super-speedy won't the material it transmits be just the same old stuff the carrier pigeons and airplanes used to carry? Sure. What's so ultra about your daily mail: a tax bill, a free soap coupon, and may be a letter from Junior away at college saying that he's desperately in need of funds to meet a week-end emergency like getting tickets to a prom . . Halloween Parties . October SI is more than just the last day of October and two days before elections. It's Hal loween, the holiday that ranks with Christmas and birthdays as far as most kids are concerned. This distinction for October 31 stems from e fact that people just naturally expect you have fun on Halloween if you're a young- How About a 'Cease Fire' Order Here? OTP aoouue mra i n u r ster. And the thing that makes Halloween ac tivities something special is that no holds are barred. Most holidays have certain rules that decide almost everything you do without much allowance for juvenile imagination. On Thanksgiving day you eat turkey and be have sedately at the table; on Christmas you have to wait until morning to open the presents and on Easter you; go to church. What you do on Halloween depends on your own agility and ability to think up stunts. "Trick or treat" expeditions start innocently enough. The neighborhood youngsters, disguis ed as wierd demons, spooks and witches, make the rounds of the houses, coercing handouts. That's just the warm-up; the excitement of soaping a few windows is gone almost as quick ly as the gingerbread cookies and cinnamon apples. Then, what began as the annual Halloween jaunt is likely to end up in accidents or vandal ism. It's not a long step from harmless mischief to swiping hub caps, deflating tires, damaging shrubbery and looting. That's why the National Halloween Commit tee's efforts to promote wholesome observance of Halloween as a traditional American holiday are so sensible. For the eighth consecutive year, the committee is urging parents to plan neigh borhood Halloween parties bringing all the young Trick-or-Treaters to one home and keep ing them there with simple refreshments and rollicking games. The kids can still make their own fun, but it won't deteriorate to destruction of property. The expense of such a neighborhood enter prise (parents could take turns or all chip in on the food) could be a lot less than the cost of broken windows, stolen tools or an injured child. And chances are better that a good time will be had by all concerned. (Continued from page 1) too long and costly. In Great Britain parliament may dissolve and general elections be held in the matter of just a few weeks. Here we have ponderous nomin ating conventions, preparation for which occupies many months. Campaigning has to be done on a state - by - state basis as was illustrated in the Dewey Stassen canvass- of Oregon last May. A writer in the New York Times Magazine calls this an American disease "election ltis." Comparing the United States with Great Britain he writes: "In a twelve - year period we have thirty - six elections; normally the British have only six. "In the United States, election campaigns absorb about forty two months of each twelve-year period. (Where the state elec tions are held in the odd years, this figure rises to more than fifty months.) In Great Britain, all campaigns together consume barely five months of each twelve-year period. "In sum, the time spent on electoral campaigns is eight times greater here than in Great Britain. The American people must bear the pressure of or ganized election campaigns for nearly one-third of their days; the British for less than one-twenty-fifth." This year President Truman and Candidate Dewey have un dertaken harrowing campaign trips that must be very exhaust ing physicaly and mentally. Their speeches have been large ly repetitions and probably will not change the result. These defects in our system will readily be admitted and by none more quickly than the can didates who have ground through the rnm But what is the cure? The Safety Valve CHIEF FAVORS SHORTER HOURS To the Editor: Due to the many inquiries re ceived by me regarding the pro posed charter amendment titled, "Reduction of weekly working hours for Salem firemen from 84 hours to 63 hours, etc.," I sub mit the following: Shorter hours would serve as an .-vided inducement for quali fied men to apply for entrance examination, also, to retain the many very capable men on the department at present. Many wives object to their husbands working under the present sys tem with no day during the week they can rightfully call a "Sunday." The hiring of additional men would help the employment sit uation, and, as service points are given to veterans by civil ser vice rules, such opportunities would somewhat decrease the list of unemployed worthy veter ans. In the event of a large fire of 2nd alarm proportions, when ell available firemen are in great demand for the saving of imperiled lives, the manning of hose lines and protecting all ex posures as rapidly as possible, these additional men, as author ized by the passage of the am endment, would be of paramount value in the safe evacuation of endangered persons and the controlling and extinguishment of any large fire, by placing more men at strategic positions at the fire, conflagration or dis aster. The granting of shorter hours to the personnel of the fire de partment by the people next Tuesday would definitely be a forward step to a better fire de partment and entirely in line In Oregon the primary might be set back to late August or September, but the voters re jected such a proposal about 10 years ago. For the national cam paigns no relief is in sight. De mocracy, it must be admitted, cannot brag about its efficiency. with what has already been ad opted by many cities throughout the nation. Employers and em ployes alike of any other type of endeavor will agree that bet tering of working conditions tends to increase the efficiency of any group. I am heartily in accord with the firemen's committee working for the passage of the City of Salem initiative bill No. 500. Sincerely, W. P. Roble. Chief. Salem Fire Department The Statesman Recommends- State Measures Constitutional amendment to permit voters to establish new and higher tax base on which to compute the six per cent annual Increase. 201 X NO Constitutional amendment author! r inf issuance of bonds for state refor estation purpose. 3M x YES Bill establishing atate boys camp near Timber, Ore. JOS X NO Bill amending hydroclectrle law. JOT X NO Constitutional amendment removing taxpayer qualification for voters in school district tax elections. 30t X YES Bill requiring the state to pay $30 monthly pensions to all elderly people who lack that amount In net income. 311 X NO Bill Increasing income tax exemp tions. 311 X NO Bill permitting sale of hard liquors by the glass in hotels, restaurants, clubs and dining cars. . 115 X NO Amending constitution to provide for bonus for veterans of second world war. SIT X NO Bill prohibiting salmon fuhlng with fixed gear and seines. 31S X YES GRIN AND BEAR IT By Liclity Welcome to the Green and White Salem is honored this week with a visit from President John AJ Hannah and his grid party from Michigan State college. The Michigan school rates high, scholastically as well as in sports, and while we can't say we hope the green and white colors will prevail in Satur day's game with our own Oregon State, we sincerely hope the visitors enjoy their stay in Oregon regardless. - Reference to people for authority to levy tax to cover deficit In state gen eral fund for the bienniurc. Amount would be covered by Income tax re ceipts. tt X YES County Measure Extra levy for veterans organisa tions" buildings or halls. 321 X NO City Measures Charter amendment to reduce fire men's hours and authorize tax levy up to three mills. - 31 X NO Charter amendment to set up com mission form of government. M3 X NO Franchise for Salem Electrle. MS X NO Annexatlene to Salem. VOTE YES "Because it was fan ain't a rood eneogh excuse . . . Mem wont be satisfied with anything else than a peycheloffical reason for doing this... Flax Raisers File Articles Of Association Articles of association for Ore gon Flax Processors, a non-profit association, was filed with the Marion county clerk Thursday by representatives of the Mt. Angel and Washington County FJax Growers associations. Principal office of the new as sociation is to be in Salem with other offices over the state, ac cording to the articles. A mem bership fee of $100 per member is to be levied. Purpose of the group is to unify efforts and standardize methods in the production, treatment and sale of flax and products, to maintain quality standards in flax and to enter marketing contracts. The organization Is to be ope rated without capital stock, Lliu i THE KIND OF GOVERNOR FOR OREGON Ul (Republican) FOR GOVEnUOQ OREGON ceo trust the leadership of a ansa whose war buddies picked Mm as commander of their Lesion Post, whose K-ti'm associates maJe him president of the Chamber of Commence, whose competitors picked him for state presW deat of their trade association, whose Deighbors elected him mayor of Us borne town. Continuously, since 193S. be has lop ped the ticket for Senator from Msrioa County in every primary sod general election ... has never been defeated for any office ... has always won his borne precinct, bis home town, his home county. Pd. Adv. MctCoy for Governor Comm., W. L. tB.tl) Phillips. Che. JI0 K Commercial St., Salem, Ore. A j More Than Fifty Salem Firemen Have Quit Their Jobs Since the War j - Improve the Working Condition and Keep Your Firemen Vole for a 63-Hour Week : VOTE 500 X YES Pd. Adv. By Salem Firemen - Glen Shedsek Hear CHARLES A. r PR A 5j 1 y i NEWSPAPER PUBLISHER mad FORMER GOVERNOR ! SUBJECT WHY I AM OPPOSED TO SALEM ELECTRIC FRANCHISE : I 70 NOG HI IT 8:45 CCS Paid Ad. Salem Derrlopmrnt Committer. Ernest A. Miller, Chainaaa P. O. box J89, Salem. Orrcoa B0 IK 5 TULIPS HYACINTHS LILIES DAFFODILS NARCISSUS W Can Still Supply a Good Assortment nUBBUIl LILIES Elldon Pride - Strain Jumbo Bulbs ; Special price, each 1.20 COIIPOST IIA1 5-lb. bag makes a ton 80c of compost LEAF DACE True Temper fl JJ" Metal Tines JBLm&ZP Special Lawn Mix G0ASS SI Contains bent Uusarass, chsmlng and red fescue. Ths most popa- fCa lor mixture, lb. OejPU AUTUIIII LILIES "Gold Band" Esperanza Strain l-i75 Each FERTILIZERS Bone MeaL 100 lbs. .5J0 Vlgoro, 100 lbs. 5X0 Sulphate Ammonia 100 lbs. 4-50 Morcrop. 100 lbs. 4.40 Own 6-10-4, 100 lbs. .4X0 Valley Lawn Food 50 lbs. 550 YARDGROOII Lawn Sweeper. Sweep the lawn dean of learec and grass cuttings. There s no more raking when yon hare a - Yardgroom 20-lnch sweep . 38.00 D. IL WHITE & SOUS 285 State St. j We DeUrer Phone 2-247S e .