i . i ' i xO ! 777T ritainr France, Benelux Nations Agree on urope E 3ordl Week Emid EFitrads (Legislation ire ion Same Spoft as 2 Years Ago i By Wendell Webb Managing Editor, Tb Statesman The Oregon legislature, after Its power and pay, recessed Friday t hm Mmnarable time two years Not that leaden had given up hope of shortening the 1947 ses sion's record (84 days), but they were a bit more cautious in pre dictions. There was a lot of -big stuff yet to come. The odds were CRT same TO) mil The state of Washington has long been a mora radical state than Oregon In its thinking, though not 'always in its doing One recalls the famous quip at tributed to Jim Farley that the USA consisted of 47 -states and the soviet of Washington. Back in 1918 when a general strike was called in Seattle there was con siderable evidence that the f omen ters of the strike thought they might be touching off a red revo lution after the pattern of Rus sia: but it was promptly scotched. In that Mayor Ole Hanson got a lot of fame, not altogether de served. Seattle has had quite a nucleus f communists, including some in tellectuals. The discharge of three professors at the state university on grounds of their being commu nists came at the end of a lengthy investigation. It is not surprising that it has brought some reaction One professor has resigned. Eight faculty members (six assistant rnd one associate professor and one in structor in the physics depart ment) have signed a statement In protest, evidently standing on the doctrine of academic freedom; end students scheduled protest meet ing. President Allen however says that the affair is closed; and as far as the regents ate, concerned it doubtless is. Perhaps the most significant thing is that more of the faculty did not enter objec tions to discharge on the basis of political opinion. The incident reminds me ether trial, in 1914, when a pub f(. mrhnol nrincipal in a town in Snohomish county was accused of Continued on editorial page) Red Artillery Holds Positions Near Nanking , NANKING, Jan. 18 - JP) - The Chinese communists were reported mounting artillery on the north bank of the Yangtze today in posi tions to cut this confused capital"! communications with Shanghai. The news contributed to the per vading gloom of Nanking on this lunar New Year's eve, ordinarily China's gayest holiday. By the Chinese zodiac, the year of the rat is ending and the year of the ox beginning. Military reports said the com munist guns were appearing at Icheng. While they apparently had not fired yet, they were capable of commanding traffic on the river, and also on the south-bank railway and read. The government's military spoke sman in this half-abandoned capi tal said nationalist troops recover ed and then lost Yangchow (Chi angtu), 17 miles northeast of Ich eng, in an all-night fight This was the only conflict reported in the civil war. The Reds slow maneuvering to Isolate Nanking led' to a growing conviction of remaining residents that there would be no battle for the city, except for the possibility that a few communist shells might be thrown this way. BRITISH AUTO EXPORTS HIGH LONDON, Jan. 28 -JP)- Bri tain exported 24,475 automobiles to the United States last year compared with only 45 in 1938. Animal Crackers Br WARREN GOODRICH . Wef, whst do yon expect wool itches!" getting new proposals to Increase in almost exactly the same status ago. Slienuv oener. nowever, sales tax would nbt be among it These were the highlights of the final sessions of the third legis lative week: (1) Bills were readied providing for constitutional amendments to let the legislature effect a tax pro gram, by two-thirds vote, without risking a referendum; requiring signatures of 8 per cent of all registered voters, instead of just those who voted, before an initia tive could be put on the ballot, and requiring a favorable vote of 25 per cent of registered voters in a school district to 'pass a bond issue; (2) The senate passed and sent to the house a measure .empower ing the governor to authorize ra tioning of power during; emergen cies (all power in Salem went off 10 minutes after the action); (3) A new bill; was introduced in the senate to give legislators $1,200 a year (present pay is $200 a year and a bill introduced Thursday calls for $600 j. Constitutional Amendments The three proposed constitution al amendments carried the signa tures of Reps: Earl Hill, Cushman; Dean B. Erwin, Enterprise; John P. Hounsell, Hood RJver, and David C. Baum, La Grande. Hill was a leader inl the sales tax fight of 1947 when-the legislature-approved measure went to defeat in referendum. The pro posed amendment would provide that any such legislative action, if by a two-thirds vote, wpuld carry an emergency clause and there fore become effective irhmediately without referendum. May Delay Sales Tax Try But there would have to be a referendum. In effect, on Hill's new proposal, so that even if it passes there can be no "go-ahead" to independent legislative tax ac tion until the 1951 session. It has been indicated that another try to invoke the sales tax may be de layed1 until then. But there are no known promises along that line. The other two proposed consti tutional amendments seek to tight en the initiative process and to make it impossible for a handful of voters to Impose a . school bond issue. '--. McKay Signs Bill Meanwhile, Friday also brought the signature of Gov. Douglas Mc Kay, to the bill continuing the $20 cost-of-living pay increase to state employes, so it will be reflected in their January checks. Thirty-five new measures were introduced in the senate and house Friday, bringing the total to 310 (the figure was 325 on the com parable day; last session). -The house has passed 38 and the sen ate 1? (compared With 38 and 22, respectively, at the same time last session). Legislative action has been completed oh 9 (compared with 7). The house Friday passed and sent to the senate seven of its own bills, including those requiring county surveyors to be licensed; allowing county courts to set pay scales for justices! of the peace, and appropriating $132,000 for new forest fire protection districts. The senate passed and sent to the governor two house-approved bills letting Multnomah county ac quire Columbia Pioneer cemetery and allowing school districts to bond themselves up to 10 per cent of their assessed valuation thus continuing the 194? law. Class flies Coanttes Major bills among the new in troductions in the senate Friday included those classifying Oregon counties into Six groups, based on population, for the purpose of fix ing salaries of county officers. At present, county salaries -are dealt with individually, and several bills calling for increases already have been introduced. ,i. Several particularly-controversial issues were raised tn new bills entering the house; in addition to the predicted" proposal to double the basic school support fund. Among the measures were those requiring licenses for building contractors at $25 per year; creat ing a state board of opticians: up ping marriage licenses from $3 to $5; assuring tight Jof trial to per sons accused of mental illness or senility, and requiring candidates for partisan offices to have been a member of the party in which they seek nomination for at least six months prior to filing. The latter measure, entered by Reps. Howard and. John L. Logan of Portland, grew out of allega tions that Sheriff Mike Elliott of Portland was not registered as a democrat until just before his campaign. . Both the senate and house will resume at 10:30 m m. Monday. (Additional details' pages 3 and 4) Weather Max. - 41 It - 5 - S4 Mm. IT tt Prectp. Salma Portland San Francisco Cnicaro Chcc 31 43 New York 2. Willamette river -1.1 feet. FORECAST ( from VJ&. weather bu reau. McNary field. Salem): Increasing cloudiness with liht rain or snow mixed wittr rain tonight. Cloudy witla iniermiiienx rain sunoay. Hign today ee. iw Kminc,near w. iAUM PKKCIFITATION (SepC 1 te Jam. 29) This Tear Last Year 2-Xt Average axis Invitation Issued to Countries LONDON, Jan. 28 -(JP)- Britain and her four Brussels pact allies agreed tonight to set up a "council of Europe," opening the way ulti mately for a single parliament to represent all the European demo cracies. xne compromise decision was announced following a conference of the foreign ministers of Bri tain, France, Belgium, the Nether lands and Luxembourg. It consti tutes a major step toward a full- fledged Western European union By giving the go-ahead signal for establishment of the council, the five ministers ended a dead lock which had extended for months. A communique said the ministers "decided to invite other European countries to take part in the negotiations for the establish ment of the council of Europe." The council, the communique ad ded, will be divided into two sec tions a "ministerial council," which will meet privately and be responsible directly to the various member governments, and an ad visory "consultative body," which will debate in public any matters except mutual defense. Authoritative sources in close touch with the two-day conference here said the council's headquar ters would be set up in the French city of Strasbourg, near the Ger man border. 115 Injured in Chicago Gas Company Blast CHICAGO, Jan. 28 JP) An explosion ripped off the roof of a gas company mixing plant today, injuring 115 persons, most of whom were cut by flying glass. Only one person was reported critically hurt. Scene of the blast was a mixing plant of the People's Gas Light and Coke company at 2250 South Racine avenue in southwest Chi cago. Virtually every window in an adjoining nine - story office and storage building of the Common wealth Edison company was shat tered. One hundred Edison em ployes were victims of flyin glass. '.i.--.'- -. - i . 15 Suffer Barns Fifteen employes of the gas company suffered burns, cuts and bruises, and one, Michael Nolan, 55, was critically injured. Seven were in a hospital. The explosion blew out a north wall and parts of the roof of the three - story gas mixing plant. Its cause ha., not been determin ed. Fire Commissioner Michael J. Corrigan estimated damage at $250,000. Fire followed the explosion. Workmen ran about the flaming gas plant shutting off hundreds of valves. Firemen kept the blare from two nearby gas tanks. Nu merous industrial plants are in the immediate area. Broke Many Windows The force of the blast broke windows up to a mile away. It blew the glass 50 feet inside the Edison building and piled it up two feet deep beside the desks. The plant was used to mix na tural and artificial gas for light ing and heating. Parked automobiles along Ra cine avenue were shoved together and smashed. Stores, restaurants and homes in the area quickly emptied as people ran into the streets when the blast occurred about 1:20 p m. PRICE SUPPORT TOTALED PORTLAND, Jan. 28 -Ay- For ty per cent of Oregon's wheat crop last year was placed under gov ernment price support loans and purchase agreements, the U.S. department of agriculture said to day. New Oregon if Oregon's new state liquor eomnusaJouers, meeting for the first time Friday, announced they wlH continue present policies for the time being. Pictured above with Gov. Douglas McKay, seated, and Attorney General George Newer, far left, they are, left to right. Richard W. Seed, Eugene, Chairman Carl Hogg, Salem, and A. W. Spongier, Klamath Falls. (Statesman photo). 12 PAGES Woman Not Very Convincing Talker BOISE, Jan. 28 - MP) - It's a woman's prerogative. Rep. Edith Miller talked at length today in support of a bill which would make writing checks with insufficient funds prima facie evidence of intent to commit fraud. Then when the roll came, she voted no on the measure. Her explanation: "I changed my mind." New Labor Bill Set for Debut On Capitol Hill WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 -(JP) The administration's new labor bill headed for Capitol Hill to night after a day's delay which aroused congressional speculation that officials were in disagree ment over its terms. Senator Thomas (D-Utah), chairman of the senate labor com mittee, announced that the meas ure, which provides for repeal of the Taft-Hartley act and revival of a revamped Wagner act, was ready for delivery to him. He said it probably will be made public Saturday. The bill delivered tonight was reported to lend itself to "one package" handling that is si multaneous repeal of thefTaft Hartley act and amendments to the Wagner act. But it was re ported, too, that it could be broken up into two bills, with repeal in the first and Wagner act amend ments in the second. Labor unions want the two- package treatment; they want the Taft-Hartley law wiped out swiftly. The text of the new bill was kept secret tonight, but some offi cials said it contains the follow ing Wagner act amendments, among others: 1. Machinery, somewhat similar to the railway labor act, to avert national 'emergency strikes for at least 60 days. Provision would probably be made, these officials said, for use of court injunctions to prevent walkouts during the cooling off . period. 2. Bans on jurisdictional strikes. 8. Prohibitions on certain sec ondary boycotts. New Storms Slow Work in Blizzard Zone By th Associated PrM More planes and bulldozers were thrown into the battle or the western blizzards Friday, but new storm dealt rescue efforts severe set-back In some areas. The new snow, forerunner of another cold wave. whipped across Wyoming, Nebraska, east ern Kansas and southeast South Dakota and on into southeastern Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin. It intensified the suffering of snow-stranded livestock and hu mans in the stricken western areas. President Truman allotted an other $500,000 for blizzard relief during the day, boosting Jhe amount of federal aid so far to $800,000. In Nebraska, one of the hardest hit blizzard states, the storm vir tually ice-locked the state. Twelve inches of snow fell in Omaha, with lesser amounts elsewhere. Scarcely a road in the state was open. 88th Ymax Liquor Commission Organizes -vrr: YLj7? '.-t r - v " " . "' - ' Thm Oregon Statesman, Satan. Oregon, Saturday, January 29 1949 Wesftheirmsiiiy Sees Moetr fflroinro D4fl .Valley Affffedtedl Temporary Cut Due to Blown 0 Transformer A 20 - minute power outage throughout Salem and the Willam ette valley Friday morning was i forceful reminder that the north' west power shortage is still serious, as the power pool reasserted the area s cnoice Detween a Dreax down of power facilities or drastic shutdowns of large industries. The power was off here from 10:48 a.m. until about 11:10 as the result of .a breakdown in the Bon neville 119,000 -volt transmission line between Oregon City and St. Johns, according to power com parties. The trouble was in a low voltage transformer at the main Bonneville plant in Portland, it was said. Both Portland Oeneral Electric company and Salem Electric sys terns were affected by the outage. Only 10 minutes before the lights went out the state senate had ap proved unanimously a bill giving the governor emergency powers to restrict sale of electricity to help relieve the power shortage. While the breakdown was not attributed to the present crisis, the Northwest Utilities Conf e r e n c e committee, which met Thursday at Tacoma, issued a statement Fn day, declaring that any relaxation of conservation measures by con sumers and increase in adverse weather conditions would lmmedi ately bring the choice of "break down or shutdown." The commit tee said that river flow conditions and continuing freezing weather leave no room for an optimistic view of the power situation, add tng-: that plans to cope with the problem are being projected through February and possibly jviarcn. (Additional details on page 2) SP to Lay Off 2,520 Men SAN FRANCISCO. Jan. 28 -UFi The Southern Pacific today an nounced that 2,520 employes in its shop forces would be laid off Jan uary 31. The company said the personnel reduction, was caused by a decline in traffic, primarily due to the ex tremely cold weather. The reduction in the total em ployment of 19,000 persons will Ogden, Utah, and El Paso, Texas; and south of Portland, Ore. J. W. Corbett, vice president in charge of operations, expressed the hope that improved conditions "woul make it possible soon to ex pand employment at the shops." Firemen Answer Wrong Extreme of Temperature PENDLETON, Jan. 28 -()- Firemen dashed to the Pendleton Woolen Mills plant today when the automatic alarm went off. Then they dashed home again. The alarm which functions when the sprinkling system goes on and reduces water pressure had been set off by frozen water pipes. j tu- I r ! - - . -ill ' J V'" ' - ' " i I '- ' l -v I; . - T 'fl H i'Tv j U J MdWeDD ' 1651 I j S Die in Subway Station Fire f -xv H vv ! ; , r .' j - . j J ' -,. -- rw - , f " ' ' I ' 1 1 i , " a ' j ' " . 'JI " 'X. , v. v - BOSTON, Jan. 28 Firemen attempt a second-story tower to fight a fire which started underground causing three deaths and. then swept upwards through station. Th fire halted all subway traffic and blocked surface traffic fh the congested waterfront area. (AP Wlrephoto to The Statesman). Traffic Project May Halt Plan For Bus Depot Chances were slim Friday that City Transit Lines will establish a downtown bus depot after alL The newly released state high way department's $7,6000,000 traf fic Improvement plan for Salem, with a one-way street grid Includ ed, makes the depot plan unwork able, bus and city officials agreed. The bus firm had planned early this week to lease space In the Breyman building adjacent to QuI- sinberry's pharmacy for a depot, and to move its terminal loading point from the south to the north end of the block of Commercial between Court and State streets. Now even the half-block move of terminal facilities is in doubt, according to R. J. Davidson, city bus manager. Under the state highway im provement plan. Commercial street would be a one-way street for southbound traffic. Although buses could still pull in on the east side of the street, passengers would have to unload toward the traffic lanes in the street, rather than on to the sidewalk. Although the grid plan may not be in effect for a year or more the interim is considered too short for further negotiations for the depot site. When the grid plan is established, major rerouting of buses will be necessary. Red Scare Raised In Debate Over Anti-Filibuster Bill WASHINGTON. Jan. 28- UP) ! - Senator Lodge (R-Mass) raised a new argument today against per mitting unlimited filibustering,de bate in the senate. He said some day communists might get a foot hold in that body and use the fili buster to tie up vital legislation. Senator Eastland (D-Miss) re torted that such a situation could be met by a rules change that would permit debate to the limit ed in matters of national emer gency, but not on ordinary domes tic legislation. Lodge, Eastland and other sen- rators expressed their views at. a session of the rules committee, which Is .considering, proposed changes in the senate's debating rules which would 'outlaw the filibuster. , MKS. BOETTIGEX ARRIVES PORTLAND, Ore., Jan. 28. -Of) Mrs. Anna Roosevelt Boettiger ar rived here by air today for a visit with her daughter, the former Sistie Boettiger, and a speech be fore the Americans for Democratic Action tomorrow night. by Pmveir P&Mwk w 4 v r to enter a snbway station threngh Bill to Tax, But Not Legalize Gambling Machines Readied Legislation to tax but hot to legalize gambling machines was prepared for Introduction in the Oregon house Monday. Co-authors of the bill are Giles L. French, Moro, a republican, and Henry Semon, Klamath Falls, a democrat. French introduced a similar bill in 1947 and it was killed in the house by a narrow margin. ; The bill would take SO per cent of proceeds from one - armed ban dits and other gambling devices not involving the chance element. Some pinball machines, or other devices involving skill, would be taxed 10 per cent of their take. 600 Dead in I China Tragedy SHANGHAI, Jan. 28 -iMore than 600 Chinese were missing and believed dead in a collision which sank two ships about 100 miles southeast of Shanghai near last midnight. Thirty five survivors, picked up six hours later by the Austra lian destroyer Warramunga,: were landed late tonight at Shanghai. The Warramunga, en route from Japan to a standby assignment at Nanking, was the only Vestel known to have been in the vici nity. The sunken ships were the 4, 000 - ton passenger liner Taiping, bound to Formosa with refugees, and the 2,700 - ton Keinyuan, en route from Formosa with coal. The Kienyuan had a crew of about 70. j The Chunglien company, per atorj of the Taiping. said it car ried! no more than 500 passengers and a crew of about 75. Truman Delays j Railroad Strike I WASHINGTON, Jan. .28 -JP)-President Truman today created an emergency board to avert strike action by locomotive engineers. The Brotherhood of locomotive engineers has set a strike deadline of 6 a. m. Monday on IS western lines employing 25,000 engineers. The union has demanded a sec ond engineer on diesel locomo tives. Mr. Truman's executive order would delay a striae fos &o days. How to Win Votes and . Influence ; Constituent , -. Rep. Paul . Geddes of Roseburg Is quite certain that not all Ore gon voters are hard to please, these days. ' ' - H ; H"-' -':' Geddes told' the Salem Board of Realtors Friday that he recently received a card from a lady( voter stating simply, "Abolish all liquor drinking in Oregon and reduce taxes and 111 vote for you.' Pricsj 5c No. 273 Icy Pavements Take 2 Lives, Fuel Scarce Forecasters took a second look t their weather maps Friday night and predicted a break; In Salem's 29-day-old cold spellj A warm air mass, laden with mois ture, was moving In from the northwest and was expected to rout the cold, dry air that has plagued the entire area for week. Salem was exnected to Mtrh the front of the new storm tonight with rain or rain and snow mix ed. Minimum temperature Sunday was expected to be about SO. Rain was forecast for Sunday. j With warm' weather still 1 on the way. most of the i area still feeling the unabated cold spell. Icy pavements claimed two lives In the northwest Fridav. John W. Cottrell, 68, ) a hearso driver, was killed at Portland whei his hearse skidded on fan icy Lrade and collided ! with an other vehicle. H. J. Maul bet sen. 53, Portland, died when his frar ran lrto the rear of a sanding truck. ! II Shortages of fuel were worsen ing throughout the area. Sawtuist was almost unobtainable and the gas supply was beginning to fun low in some areas. I 4 The bitter winter struck new blows at transportation Friday when ice jams blocked the Co lumbia river ferry between West port and Puget Island. In Baker county, road crews were fighting a losing battle to keep roads clear of snow drifts. At Porter Flat, inl the. lonely country near Vale, the snowbound Norman Woods family appealed to state police by phone to clear their road. Their food - supplies were running low. ; 1 Oregon State college began con verting its sawdust burners to oil as the freeze kept sawdust-producing mills idle. Oil was appar ently the only fuel still plentiful throughout the state. Gas remain ed adequate in some areas. Store to Add Second Floor, Moving Stairs t 5 A series of moves by Salem firms which will result in con siderable alteration of one build ing, and bring the city's first mov ing stairway, was disclosed Fri day. Effective next Tuesday, the Roberts Bros, store, 177 N. Lib erty St., is to take over the second floor of that building for expan sion purposes. ; i Preparation for Installation i cf the motor-driven stairs has al ready begun, along the south side of the store, near its main ent rance. They will be for upward traffic only. I S Vacating the top floor will ibo the Modern Beauty college, which is to be closed for three weeks or more while waiting to occupy the building at 476 N. Church t, temporarily in use as the Grey hound bus terminal. The terminal is expected to be in its new build ing adjacent to the present loca tion, by March 15 or earlier, f Leonard L. Kremen, i manager of the Salem store of Roberts Bros., said remodeling of the new floor is expected to be ( complete by mid-March, when the stairway will also be ready for use, 'in order to offer new merchandise for the spring season, i The ex pansion will provide f for the broadening of all present depart ments of the store, addition of household appliances and other lines. It is also planned to enlarge the green stamp redemption sta tion in the basement. All new fix tures and furniture will be in stalled upstairs. 19 Roberts, a Portland firm, as sumed the local store, , formerly Worth's, two years ago. j I The beauty college, started ' in 1S34, has been owned the past two years by Dr. w. c iiermger. Managed by Wilma Lee i Phagans, it now has 27 students. State Welfare Budget Raised PORTLAND, Jan. 28 -Ujp)-Fac- ed by heavy relief demands be cause of the long cold spell, the state public welfare commission decided today to add $75,650 to its January budget. I The money will be distributed among counties whose funds have . run short. The state's share in the original January budget was for $487,850. i' - v A i - Administrator Loa Howard te ported the largest case load since 1940. Aid totalling $1,863,028 went to 35,091 persons in December.