omrft kd ft Fir 3m Wiser Lrol
OtP
sauce
aJMMHk MB. .-.
Urged to
Overrule
Tribunal
(me
maw
We seem to reserve our highest
rewards for those who entertain us.
The moving picture and radio are
devices which project the perform
er to thousands of people in distant
audiences and so have multiplied
the earning power of the star. Bing
Crosby and Bob Hope own chunks
of baseball league teams. Crosby
has an interest in a food proces
sing company whose products he
will plug on the air. Hope is bid
ding for radio stations in Louis
ville. Singing and telling jokes are
profitable employment if you can
liet it and keep it-
However, even the top comedi
ans are not without their troubles.
Fred Allen has been grousing over
the competing give-away show at
the same hour as his own and says
he'll quit radio at the end of the
season. Eddie Bergen and his walkie-talkie
Charlie McCarthy will go
off the air soon, no sponsor having
bid for their services although they
are rated tops in entertainment.
Jack Benny will shift to another
network but whether he will hold
his following is doubtful. Mean
time, television blows a chill breath
down the backs of many radio per
formers, as the coming of sound
movies did for the stars of the
silent screen.
One trouble with the radio busi
ness is the overworking and over
paying of the big names. A pro
gram seems to require a
(Continued on editorial page)
Jobless Pay
Checks Near
$1,000,000
Oregon's monthly unemploy
ment compensation payments are
nearing the one - million mark
for the first time since 1940, the
state unemploment compensation
commission said Thursday.
November and early December
layoffs, particularly In the lum
bering, logging and food proces
sing plants, the commission said,
are largely responsible for the
mounting payment figure.
Payments to covered workers
reached 12.098 rn the week ended
December 10. The figure was the
highest December week since 1945,
but allowances, to veterans drop
ped to 5,124, 'lower than recent
periods.
November checks to" unemployed
civilians were $535,365, an increase
of 1.6 per cent from a year ago,
while veterans received $229,567,
a decrease of 28.1 per cent. Judg
ing from payments made during
the first half of this month, De
cember totals will be close to
$900,000 and $500,000 respective
ly, while later months may go
higher, officials said.
Peiping Forces
Counterattack
NANKING, Dec. 16 - (JP) - Gov
ernment counter - attacks outside
the walls of beleaguered Peiping
and conflicting announcements ov
er the escape or destruction .of a
trapped army group northwest of
Nanking featured tonight's rumor
Wild Chinese war news.
Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek
remained secluded. A reliable sour
ce said he was studying suggestions
that he step aside
Hysterical rumors swept Nan
king and Peiping. They ranged
from the probable to the absurd
and obscured the true situation.
In a dispatch from Peiping at 7
pjn. 06 a.m., EST) Associated
Press correspondent Spencer Moo
sa said General Fu's headquarters
announced successful counterat
tacks just outside the Peiping
walls.
Weather
Max. Min. Precfp.
Salem : 41 24 .06
Portland .. 40 29 .00
San Francisco 48 34 .42
Chicago 39 . 33 .00
New York 41 28 JO
Willamette river 15.4 feet.
FORECAST (from U.S. weather bu
reau. McNary field, Salem): Partly
cloudy today and tonight with little
change In temperature.
SALEM PRECIPITATION
(Sept. 1 to Dec. 17)
This Year
18.18
Last Year
17J52
Average
13.97
Animal Crackers
By WARREN GOODRICH
Best guard we erer hidl"
vv 2." L w I a .
W V v m 1 W W W
3d
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 -(JP)
The supreme court was asked in
effect today to free Japanese war
lords convicted by an U-nation
tribunal at Tokyo of crimes
against peace.
Hearings opened this afternoon,
and will continue tomorrow.
The war lords include former
Premier Tojo and six others sen
tenced to death, and 18 more sen
tenced to prison for various
terms.
Attorneys representing five
Japanese sentenced to prison con
tended today that the supreme
court has authority to rule in the
case because the international
tribunal for the Far East actually
was created by the United States.
This court, they said, was not
created by any international
treaty.
Attorneys Contradict
The government attorneys con
tradicted this. The military court
was created by a group of 11
nations which in turn gave Gen
eral Douglas MacArthur author
ity to set up the trial court, they
said.
They said that If the supreme
court interferes with the convic
tions, it would prove harmful to
future international dealings.
Specifically the court is hear
ing argument on appeal filed by
American attorneys for seven
Japanese -two condemned to
death, five to prison. Tojo him
self and the others did not appeal
But if the court rules in favor
of the seven, all 25 war lords
could be free, not just the seven
represented here.
4 Justices Dissent
However, in an unprecedented
pre-hearing statement four of the
nine justices already have said
they do not believe the court has
such authority.
The four are Chief Justice Vin
son and Justices Reed, Frank
furter and Burton
Attorneys for the Japanese
thus must rely heavily on their
argument to convince Justices
Black, Douglas, Murphy, Rut
ledge and Jackson. Jackson serv
ed as chief U. S. prosecutor of
top nazi war criminals.
Hubbard Man
Awaits Death
In Colorado
CANON CITY, Colo., Dec. 16
-(JP)-The hours were ticking away
like minutes tonight for Paul J.
Schneider. Tomorrow at 8 p.m.
the 23 year old Oregon farm hand
will be executed in Colorado's
gas chamber.
He was convicted of slaying
Frank J. Ford, Denver filling sta
tion operator in September, 1947.
Schneider told officers after his
arrest in October, 1947, at Pike
ville, Ky., that he had killed two
Detroit filling station men after
the Colorado slaying.
Governor Knous has rejected
clemency pleas from Schneider's
brother, Ray, and a sister, Mrs.
Marie Nash, who live on farms
near Salem, Ore.
A death row guard said Schnei
der "seems to be scared" of his
impending execution. He has been
writing a treatise on his views of
the Bible since he was imprison
ed in death row last Feb. 13.
CROP Christmas
Train Crowded
DAYTON, O., Dec. 1-iJPy-Americans
laden with food and the
yuletide spirit flooded the Christ
mas trains for 43 nations with gifts
today.
Officials of Christian rural ov
erseas program said the outpour
ing of national generosity was so
great that in many states trains
must now be split into sections.
Sponsors said a 1 total of 2,000 i
carloads still is expected.
AMBASSADOR SUGGESTED
MANILA. Fridav. Deo 17-Ju-
The Manila Times said today the '.
name of Rear Adm. Howard Har- i stepped-up sareiy program,
rison Good had been submitted to I Walter J. Pearson, state treasur
President Elpidio Quirino as the J er-elect, represented Gov. John H.
next U. S. ambassador to the Phil-1 Hall in the official welcome to con-ippines-
Good commands the 13th ferees.
naval district at Seattle. I (Additional details on page 14)
Preparations for Reopening of
Airpoi
rt Control
Work was started Thursday to
prepare city airport facilities for
reopening of the McNary field con
trol tower by the civil aeronautics
authority early next year.
City Manager J. JL. Franzen an
nounced that official word has been
received from CAA headquarters
notifying the city it will man the
tower as soon as needed repairs
are made and equipment is in
stalled. E. E. Batterman, Salem contrac
tor; began work Thursday morning
to make alterations and repairs on
a city-owned quonset hut at the
base of the tower. ;
Several new windows will be in
stalled, the flocr strengthened to
hold up heavy transmitter equip
ment and the building divided in
to three rooms. The hut will house
the control chiefs office, a repair
-hop for radio equipment and the
transmitter section.
98th Year
Mercury Drops
Selected as
'.u. iJ Wm I
Wjf v" '
2 '
V,, fesr, W-im
r": i
PASADENA, CU Dee. 18-VirclnU Bower (above), 18-year-old blonde
and bine-eyed eo-ed at Pasadena City college, today was named
queen of the 1949 Tournament f Roses. She will preside over, the
Tournament of Roses parade and the Rose Bowl football game. (AP
Wlrephoto to The Statesman).
Industrial Safety Meet
Attracts 300 to Salem
More than 300 delegates crowded sessions of the state's fifth an
nual industrial safety conference Thursday, and a full agenda is on tap
for the concluding meetings today.
Governor-elect Douglas McKay addressed the convention follow
ing the banquet Thursday night. McKay praised the state Industrial
accident commission's work in the safety and rehabilitation work, and
promised full support during his
term as governor.
Other speakers at the closing
session of Thursday's schedule at
the chamber of commerce were
Al Blackman, two years chief of
the safety division for the state of
California, and Roy Morse, repre
sentative of Long-Bell company.
Visitors from California, Wash
ington, British Columbia, Idaho
and Colorado were among the rec
ord breaking number of delegates
representing employers, employes,
and labor management organiza
tions. Robert M. Evenden, director of
the accident prevention division, j
conductors of the conference, in
troduced Paul F. Gurske, chair
man of the commission, to open
the meet at the Women's club
building.
Gurske cited the heavy popula
tion gains of the state in recent
years and the importance of a
Tower Start
Work on the tower will include
sealing the observation room, lay
ing new floor covering and instal
lation of a number of electrical
outlets- Additional electrical fix
tures and plumbing will also be
installed in the hut.
Airport Manager Wallace Hug
announced Thursday he has been
informed by weather bureau that
six men will be employed by the
CAA to operate the tower on a 24-hour-a-day
basis after installations
are completed.
Earlier this month Hug stated
about 30 days would be required
to put the tower into operation.
Reactivation of the tower will, clear
away the last obstacle in the- path
of the proposal to located alF Ore
gon naval reserve training center
at the field. The decision on where
the center will be located is now
pending in Washington, D. C, na
val headquarters.
24 PAGES
Tho
Rose Queen
4Tlh, 1
Paper Still Looking
For Polite Driver
As Contest Ends
The Willamette Collegian, uni
versity student publication, didn't
give away a gift Christmas box
this week after all because of
lack of courtesies shown by mot
orists driving past the campus on
State and 12th streets. Editor Eric
Bergman reported Thursday.
The Collegian had planned to
award the prize to the most
courteous driver observed in the
past week. After consideration
Bergman and his staff decided
that the courteous driver has yet
to be found, although Oregon
numbers 254-925, 273 and 257-802
were cited for parking courtesies.
Four Men Trapped
In Christmas Mine
ST. MEINRAD, Ind., Dec. 16
-(JP)- Four men were trapped
when a portion of the roof fell on
them in the Christmas coal mine
today, and rescue workers were
hamoered by further ca veins.
John Harpenau, who with two
brothers, Jacob and Sylvester, op
erated the mine on lease, said
there seemed "no possibility' the
trapped men would be found
alive.
QUICKIES
'Let's say la a Statesmaa Want
Ad we lost $500 and see
what happens!
tie X. r4
NUNBBD
Orocon Statesman, Salmn, Orcaon, Friday. Dscambsr 17, 1948
to Wwitm's Low of 24
-And It's
Headed
Lower
Brrrr! ,
Temperatures In Salem dropped
to 24 degrees, tha lowest point of
the winter Thursday morning, and
the lowest reading since February
iz. Ana tne weatherman predicted
a low of 20 degrees for early to
day. A slight warm-up for Saturday
morning has been forecast, but
generally the Willamette valley
was in for more cold weather.
Despite freezing temperatures,
State police reported Salem area
highways comparatively free of ice
Thursday night. Elsewhere In the
state, some slippery sections were
reported.
Three accidents one involving
five cars occurred at the Inter
state bridge near Portland Thurs
day, as a result of glassy pave
ment. Lakeview, with a reading of one
degree above zero, was the coldest
spot in Oregon Thursday. Other
lows in a frosty state were: Kla
math Falls 2, Bend 3, Baker 4,
Burns 3, La Grande 13, Ontario 19,
Roseburg 29, Portland 29 and Med
ford 26-
In the Cascade mountains, snow
has stored a record amount of wa
ter. Jack Frost, Medford, in charge
of snow surveys for the U. S. Soil
Conservation service reported
Thursday.
Measurements taken Wednesday,
showed 46.6 inches of snow con
taining 12.2 inches of water at Ma
rion Forks course; Santiam Junc
tion, 67.3 Inches of inrnv uHtn ni
finches of water; and Hogg pass
at Santiam summit, 102.6 Inches of
snow with 30.7 inches of water.
Flood, Politics,
Fire Plague
Latin America
By th Associated Press
Flood, fire and political strife
?ilgued Latin Amrica yesterday
(Thursday).
A flood in Brazil took 200 lives
authorities reported. Eleven died
In a Guatemalan fire, set off by
fireworks. The Costa Rican gov
ernment battled an Invasion. The
family of the president of El Sal
vador, ousted by revolution, took
refuge in the Chilean embassy.
Dispatches from Bello Horizonte
in Brazil told of a cloudburst
which caused a violent flood, the
worst in Brazil's history, in sou
thern state of Minas Gerais. One
town Leopoldina, reported: "One
hundred and eleven bodies have
been recovered and scores of peo
ple are missing."
Reports said the floods left more
than 1,000 injured and homeless.
In Guatemala City 11 persons
were reported killed and 15 in
jured when a fireworks plant fill
ing Christmas orders exploded.
The workshop was in a private
home. One baby was killed.
In San Jose, it was disclosed that
Juan Figueres, head of the Costa
Rican government which says it
is fighting an invasion from Nic
aragua, paid a visit to the front
Wednesday. He was accompanied
by President-Elect Otilio Ulate.
Airmen Rescued by Glider
-
FAIRBANKS, Alaska. Dee. 16-Glider rescue of six men frem erash-landed C-47 transport is shews In this
picture taken from Air Force C-54 which dropped and picked np glider en Stewart river near Fair
banks, Alaska. December 14. Glider has Just been snatthed from frosen river. In background Is bellr
landed C-47. Similar maneuver to planned to rescue nine U. S. fliers stranded In Newfoundland. AP
H'lrephoto from U. S. Air Force to The Statesman).
Kites PDeadls DirainiQceinril: tq..
Peo-Jooiry; Trapnaini Sftodsi
o fiE3edl Kleiriroinig9 pM&in)
Flood Talses Seaplane
Base on 13-Mile Trip
Attempts are underway today to return to Salem a run-away aea
plane base which skidded down the Willamette river for It miles on
the crest of heavy flood waters Tuesday night.
The floating hangar and a small single-engine sea plane It housed
cut loose from its moorings on the river at the north edge of Salem
and slipped down-river, according to Harold Lamb, one of the owners
of the base. It was located Wed
nesday floating placidly in a flood
ed grain field on a Grand Island
farm Just below Wheatland.
The missing hangar is the prop
erty of the Salem Seaplane base.
Although the sides of the hangars
are damaged and the wooded ap
proaches washed away the plane
was not damaged. About five feet
of its tail assembly protruded from
the rear of the hangar during the
ride.
The plane was flown back to Sa
lem Wednesday. William Carter,
West Salem, owner of the Romo
na Towboat company and Willafd
Taylor, owner of the Salem Boat
house, towed the hangar from the
flooded field to the river edge
Wednesday.
"I can't imagine how the han
gar left the river and got into that
field." Taylor said. "It supped Dy
a farm house and the Grand Island
Gravel company works without
striking anything."
-We will have to wait for an
other flood and high water before
bringing the hangar back up the
river along the water edge," Taylor
stated. "Every effort will be made
to salvage the base."
Representatives of the seaplane
base said a new one would be con
structed If it is found Impossible
to return the run-away.
Absent-Minded
Santa Chided
NEWARK, N. J., Dec 16 (P)
The department store Santa smil
ed and nodded amiably as the
youngster asked for an electric
train.
"Don't you think you'd better
write it down?" the boy caution
ed. Santa . assured him he didn't
Ylcl t
"Yoii might forget it," the boy
persisted, but the busy Santa
Claus politely turned his atten
tion to the next child.
The first boy, however, was
more determined. He took his mo
ther into line again, waited pa
tiently and finally confronted
Santa a second time.
"Well, young man, what do you
want for Christmas?" Santa
beamed.
The boy stretched to his full
four feet and screamed at Santa:
"I told you you'd forget! Now
write it down!"
ISRAEL DOWNS PLANE
TEL AVIV, Irael, Dec. 16 -(JP)-The
Israel foreign office said to
day a two-engine "enemy" Mos
quito plane was shot down over
Israeli territory November 20.
V
J' - I - i ' ::. ,
t .. - -
Prictt to
French Blast
Reds' Berlin
Radio Towers
BERLIN, Dec. ie-4VFrench
engineers today blew up the giant
transmission towers of radio Ber
lin but only silenced temporarily
Soviet Russia's most powerful
propaganda voice in Germany.
.Twelve hours after dynamite
brought the two tall towers crash
ing to earth in the French sector
Soviet commentator Heinz
Schmidt was back on the air on
the same wave length and appar
ently with the same broadcasting
power.
Radio Berlin's personnel refus
ed to say how they managed It,
but German engineers said they
might be using another tower at
Potsdam.
Schmidt told his radio audience
the day-long Interruption of pow
trful Soviet broadcasting was
caused by an "order from Wash
ington," not by the French.
The French said they blew up
the towers in their sector because
they menaced American and Brit
ish planes flying into nearby Te-
gel airfield. The Russians had Ig
nored a notice last month ths
the demolition would be carried
out. Radio Berlin's studio Is in
the British sector.
The action is expected to bring
some retaliatory move by the
Russians against the French or
against all three western powers
in the city.
Boys to Sing at
Tree-Lighting
The YMCA boys chorus will
make its debut tonight at 7:30.1
when it sings at the lighting cere
mony for the giant Christmas tree
at Marion county courthouse.
This will be followed at 8 p.m
by the chorus' public concert at
the YMCA, with Wesley Bolliger
conducting the 40-voice chorus.
Numbers to be sung are Old
French Christmas Carol, Lullabye
on Christmas Eve. God Rest Ye
Merry Gentlemen, We Wish You
a Merry Christmas and O Come
All Ye Faithful.
Intermission muic will be a
Christmas medley by the Parrish
junior high school instrumental
ensemble.
in Alaska
No. 238
DegrSes
Official Claims
Solons Burned
NEW YORK. Dec. 16-VAlrer
Hiss formally pleaded Innocent m
perjury charges today. At the ram
time, a justice department offic ial
claimed the house un-Americaa
activities committee may have
bungled a chance to indict a war
time spy ring. , : J
Hiss, one - time high -pranking
state department official; I spoka .
out in loud, clear tones - 4'I plead
not guilty to both counts" $ - at Ms
arraignment He had been'acrued
of lying when he testified he hd
not made secret papers available
to unauthorized persons. j
The justice department "official,
who would not permit use of hi
name, told newsmen a house com
mittee investigator had ruined n
roll of films of vital government
documents. I
While Film Removed .
This occurred, the official said,
as the roll was being removed
from a hollow pumpkin on Whit
taker Cha triers' Maryland farm.
The films produced from thisj
pumpkin led to Hiss aWictment
and revitalized the whole espion-'
age probe, being conducted both
by the committee in Washington
and a federal grand Jury Jiere. j
"So far the FBI has been un
able to produce what wa on 1)4
(on roll of) Kim,- the official
said. The bungling amateur in- '
vestigator - - and I use the word
amateur advisedly --may. hava
prevented the possible indictment
of an entire wartime espionage.
ring." j !.: i
Retorts Angrily ' -f i
However, the house commit lea
angrily reported in a Washington
statement a short while later that
the Justice department spoke
man's assertion was a "patent fa
brication" and a "vicious, sneak '
attack.- I i
The committee also challenged
the Justice department to support
the claim of its spokesmajj-'. i
in Washington, President Tru
man told his news eonference the
Hiss indictment had not ted him
to change his opinion of the con
gressional inquiry. He has repeat
edly called the inquiry a "red her
ring."
Meanwhile, the same (federal
judge who heard Hiss' plea swore
in a new 23-member grand jury
to continue the hunt for! alleged
communist spies. The justice de
partment said the investigation
would be a sweeping one with
prosecutions of "whomever the ev
idence hits.' t
-r
Mail Delivery j
Slated Sunday
One delivery of all classes of
mail will be made in Salem Sun
day, Postmaster Al Gragg an-:
nounced in disclosing that Christ
mas business apparently ;ii set-
ting new records at they Salem
postoffice. There will be no Sun
day rural delivery. $ . j I
There were 121.000 letters can
celled December 15 (Wednesday)
this year, compared with ill 6.000
on December 13 (Monday) lart
year. Postal receipts thus? far in
December are $3,000 ahead of tho
comparable period in 1947.'
Fifty-one persons already have
been hired this Christmas rea
son and more will be heeded.
Normal postal crew approximates)
150. Helpers have been placed on
all city foot routes. j s
CHRISTMAS SEALS
Spy Evidence
Off SHOPPING- I
-.
I i