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About The Oregon statesman. (Salem, Or.) 1916-1980 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 1949)
j -Th) gtatmon, goUm, Oregon. Sunder. February IS, W rejBOti No Favor Sways V$, No Fear Shall Aw From First Statesman. March It. 1151 THE STATESMAN PUBLISHING COMPANY CHARLES A- SPRAGUE, Editor and Publisher (Intered at the postofflce at Salem. Oregon, as second class tnatter under act of congress March S. 1S7. Published v every morning except Monday. Business office lli 8. Commercial. Salem. Oregon. Telephone St2441. MxxBcm or ths associated puss Cae AssstUtsa' frets la eatraee sKelasively I the aee far rtrMkiUM ef all tfce MEMBER PACOTC COAST DIVISION OF BUKKAV OP AOVXBTXS1NO Advertising Representatives Ward-CrlfHth Oa, Hew York. Chtcafo. Baa Francisco. Detroit. MTMBfat AUDIT BVUZAV OP CXSCULATION By MaS (la ASvaaee) By oty Carrie One montli . Six months. One year .1 -S.0S, State School Fund and Property Tax A farmer who is interested in school taxtes called the other day and disclosed his favorable interest in HB 193 which would increase the basic state school support fund by $45 per cen sus child. He thought that if the state provided more money then the heavy property tax could be reduced. It might work that way; but that hasn't been true of the 1948 basic state school support fund of $50 per child. Under pressure for additional funds school districts have levied the maximum under the 6 per cent limitation and quite generally have voted extra levies. There is a real possibility that all or part of this increase in state school support would be rolled back onto property. The bill imposes a continuing levy on property, with provision that funds may be taken from income tax receipts instead. If these are insufficient a state property tax levy is mandatory. Administrators of the-state school system have a very serious financial problem and this is their appeal as a means for its solution. The property taxpayer would get relief only to the extent that local board reduced their levies which is not guaranteed. And there is the continuing pros pect of a rollback in the form of a state property tax to raise the $95 per school child that would be required under the present law and the pro posed increase. r Both legislators and the public and the school people should keep these facts clearly in mind as they study HB 193. Retirement at State Colleges - Considerable dissatisfaction is felt in the state system of higher education over the retirement system in its effect on older staff members. Re tirement is compulsory at age 65 unless the gov erning board requests and the retirement board approves of extension. The state board has re fused to request any extension of time; and those who retire receive only a comparatively small annuity. Washington State college has what appears to be a pretty good plan. The retirement age has been set as follows: 1. Age 65 Minimum retirement age under the law." ' 2. Age 67 Normal retirement age for bien nium 1947-49, (beginning April 1, 1949, this will be 66. beginning April 1, 1951, this will be 65.) 3. Age 65-70 Eligible for year-to-year em ployment, full-time or part-time. . Age 70 Compulsory retirement. The University of Washington makes 70 the age for compulsory retirement. Retirement be tween ages of 65 and 70 may be requested by either the employe or the administration. Effort is being made at this session to have f the state provide more liberally for those retir 4ftg who have not been able to build up much 'Fair Deal' Program Bogging Down By Stewart Alsea WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 President Truman's "Fair Deal" program of domestic legislation Is in a fair way to bog down. Truman supporters admit that the rosy .post-election picture, of the whole program slicing through congress like a knife through warm butter, is pretty badly faded. At least, the Truman men now know that they have a fight on their hands and a hard one. Ac ' cordingly, the president himself Is expected to return to the fray with a tough, fighting speech demanding his whole program with l's 'dotted and t's crossed, at the forth coming J a e k- son day dinner. 4 v And there ISf 1V even talk White Hon i .circles of Truman swing -Stewart A!op f around the -- -- country, fashioned after the slam-bang election barnstorm ing, to drum up support for the "Fair DeaL" The plain fact is that there is hardly a major part of the Tru man program where the bog ging down process has not be gun to take hold. Senator Rob ert A. Taft and his cohorts have undoubtedly won the first round of the fight on the Taft-Hartley act. Democratic leaders are be ginning to wonder if they can deliver In the end anything much more than a somewhat watered down version of the act. Labor groups would hardly con sider this payment in full of election debts. Other important parts of the Truman program which are threatened arehe $4 billion In new taxes and - standby price control authority. Senator Wal ter Ft George and Representa tive Robert Dough ton. chairmen of the house and senate tax writ ing committees, have . turned thumbs down on new taxes, though It is quite impossible to see) how new taxes can be avoid- ed' without gutting the whole T?fense and foreign aid pro gram. And the testimony of aa wea aa aa AT newi ureroa cummavawL One month lao . S-OS Six month . One year U.P. Bears Winter Brunt The Union Pacific railroad has been hard hit this winter. The snowstorms seem to have been concentrated in its territory along its lines in Wyoming and Nebraska and Colorado. Both in January and February its traffic was paralyzed. Last week slides on its Oregon lines added to its troubles. - In the latest blizzards trains piled up at Green River, Wyo. to wait out the storms, with 10 to 14 trains stalled there last week end. The rail road fed its passengers in the diners, serving up to 3,000 meals per day, and for. free. Not much was available for entertairlment with only one movie house in the town. They say this was the worst winter ever in the high plains and mountain states, worse than the famous blizzard of 1888. The UP hopes that its like will not come for at least another 60 years. It can take satisfaction though in provid ing comfortable security for its customers dur ing a dangerous period, even though the cost and loss were terrific. Strike Shuts Down Portand Dailies The strike of pressmen on the two Portland dailies puts 2,000 persons out of work, makes idle plants representing the investment of mil lions of dollars, and deprives several hundred thousand persons of their daily newspaper. The strike came about when proprietors refused to meet the exorbitant demands of the pressmen and no agreement on arbitration could be reach ed. Just why workers would walk off of jobs paying high wages, with ideal working working conditions at a time when the level of living costs is declining is more than most other per sons, including many good union men, can un derstand. While the number of persons involved in the strike nd resulting layoffs is not large the con sequences of depriving a metropolitan city of its daily newspapers are serious. The strike action was taken after prolonged negotiations and so was deliberate; hence it is likely to be of long duration. The managers however may under take to resume publication though that is not easy because the crafts in the printing trades are tightly organized. A New York wife has hired guards to keep her millionarie husband out of her apartment. What about all those recent stories of gals will ing to take just about anyone for a mere $10, 000? ; nomic adviser Leon Keyserling in favor of standby price con trols has been politely but very coldly received. ? Whatever enthusiasm there may have been for new taxes and price controls (and it was never warm) has been chilled by the sharp drop in farm prices Key serling. argues cogently that the farm price drop makes control of still rising industrial prices all the more necessary, to maintain parity and prevent an eventual bust. But these arguments ap pear to, have made little impres sion on Capitol Hill, and it will be exceedingly surprising if the president gets either the taxes or the price control authority he has demanded. , Some sort of housing, educa tion, health and minimum wage bills will almost certainly even tually be passed. But one gloomy Truman senator re marked the other day that "it looks like well get about as much social ; legislation as Bob Taft is prepared to sponsor, and not much more." This Is cer tainly less than the Truman men gleefully anticipated after the election. Finally, there is civil rights legislation, one of the keystones of the '"Fair Deal." Here the horns of the dilemma on which the administration leaders find themselves impaled are particu larly sharp. : If the senate lead ers try to shove through an amendment to the cloture rule In the near future, the leather lunged southerners might fili buster so long that most of the rest of the Truman program would be killed off once and for an Moreover, ; the angry south erners could desert en masse to the welcoming arms of the re publicans. And already the rather obvious Idea has occurred to some republicans that if they can only find a common denom inator between Senator George Aiken, say, and : Senator Ken neth Wherry, they will need only a handful of southerners in order to substitute a republi can program for the Truman program. A first cautious step in this direction has been taken tatcsman lecal news A3J annuity. Certainly worthy of consideration is such a plan as WSC has. . As the average age level increases it may be highly desirable to continue in useful employ ment if they are physically and mentally fit those who have passed age 65. The arbitrary rule is working a hardship now both on teach ers and oh the state. in the attempt to agree cm a re publican housing program to substitute for Truman's. Yet if the senate democratic leaders fail to force.; through a cloture amendment very soon, the Truman civil rights program is clearly down the dram. This would have political repercus sions in the north most unwel come to Truman democrats. Al ready the search for some ac ceptable compromise is under way. Representative Brooks Hayes of Arkansas has been peddling his version of a com promise to the senate, and a number of southern senators are inclined to nibble. The more moderate southerners hope that Vice President Alben Berkley will sell some such compromise to the White House. But it is easy to imagine the cries of "be trayal" from the civil rights pro ponents which would be elicited by any White House compro mise on civil rights. e It is of course much too early to say that the whole Truman program is really foundering. But it is significant that some Truman men are already look ing around for a goat. Senator Scott Lucas, the affable but un impressive democratic leader, is one target. The labor groups are another, for insisting on priority for Taft-Hartley repeal, thus slowing down the rest of the program. The conservatives in the cabinet are another. And civil rights advocates castigate the administration strategists for not tackling the civil rights issue head on at the beginning, thus letting the southerners wear out their lungs while other leg islation was in preparation. What will probably emerge in the end is a half-a-loaf version of the Truman program. This will satisfy nobody already the labor leaders are warning that failure to repeal Taft - Hartley will "undermine faith in democ racy. But in fact a watered down "Fair Deal" may be a pretty accurate reflection of the national sentiment After all, though Truman was miracu lously elected, he was not elec ted unanimously. (Copyright. 14. New York Herald Tribune. Inc.) i Literary Guidepost By W. G. Rogers MORE WORK FOR THE UND ERTAKER, By Margery Al lingham (Doubleday; $2.50) The peculiar Palinodes, all elegance, learning and no money at all, are five in number, two of them dead and three living but evidently not. sure how long they can keep it up, when Scot land Yard calls in Campion to run down the poisoner before he passes out any more deadly brews. (Continued from page 1) him as King of the Jews. And when Pilate put the question to him about his claim to kingship the answer "Thou sayest" could be taken as a confession. So on a retrial Jesus might be convicted of "subversive activi ties" and punished or deported. Of course that would not oc cur. Modern Jews see Jesus Christ in a different light than did the priests and rulers of Jerusalem 20 centuries ago. They see him as a great religious teacher. If they do not worship him as the Divine Messiah they regard his teaching as the quint essence of the Jewish religion in its ethical implications. The great miscarriage of jus tice which resulted in the cruci fixion of Jesus Christ has stood as a warning to courts through the years. It is disturbing in these times when men are on trial for thoughts as well as deeds, with the line between sometimes shadowy. A commun ist -government tries a Catholic cardinal in Hungary. A board of regents "tries" college professors in Seattle. Nazis are tried in Germany and fascists in Italy and warlords' and politicians in Japan. The question can't help arising: What will the verdict of history be a thousand years hence? Well, one generation makes the history; later generations write it and evaluate events and char acters In it. We in our genera tion can merely do the best we can to apply justice tempered with mercy. We cannot shrink from our judgments out of fear of making a mistake for history. It is not the example of judicial error by the ancient Sanhedrin or Pontius Pilate which should be our guide, but the standards of justice which have been in fused with the teachings of Jesus Christ. There are many stories, none authentic, of Pilate's latter days: Anatole France has drawn on his imagination to write a sketch quite a variance with the tales of dire fates that befell the Rom an procurator. He is described in his retirement as being wheeled about in a chair at a Roman watering-place. A comrade comes and talks to him of the old days in Judea, and inquires particu larly about' the case of Jesus. But Pilate has forgotten it en tirely: "Jesus?" he murmurs, "Jesus of Nazareth? I cannot call him to mind." Pilate may have forgotten the case. But long ago the people overruled the verdicts of Jewish and Roman authorities, in Jeru salem when Jesus Christ was a prisoner at the b?r. There need be no retrial by the new court of Israel. "DUMB DORA'S" BOX! The poison was made famous by old Dr. Crippen himself, the medical examiners discover, but it takes the sleuths quite a few days, and you a very exciting evening, to find out who ad ministered it. There is a list of suspects a Scotland Yard long: Jas. Bowels and son, the un dertakers; Capt. Seton, Clytie White, the chemist, the Palinodes themselves, of cqurse, Jessica who can do crossword puzzles in Latin, Lawrence who makes up crossword puzzles, and Evad ne, and quite a few others. The center of operations is Apron street, scene of the van ished Palinode splendor, and the whole neighborhood, from caller to attic, from barroom peephole to the old family's musty cham bers to the Bowels' shop where coffins move in. and coffins move out mysteriously, is involved in the investigation. "Don't go up Apron street," the fearful under world warning, is explained only when all London police cars are alerted for the final chase and they catch their quarry all truss ed up and practically handcuff ed, theirs for the asking. People who turn up their noses at such contrivances as mysteries should be reassured about this one, which is a lot better than most. THE VIEWLESS WINDS, by Murray Morgan (Dutton; $3) When the beautiful wife of a labor leader is slugged with a flatiron and killed, the left wingers blame the .right-winger! and vice-versa; and middlemen like news reporters, an honest policeman, and what is known as a nice girl are left uncertain and bewildered by the claims of both sides. Somehow I kept thinking this was going to be a good novel, but Morgan fools me, for it isn't. He has the right ingredients, but he neglected to shake well before using. The Safety Valve Likes -Charch Chime To the Editor: Speaking as a stranger in your city, may we tell you what im presses us most as we walk on your streets? First, as we have noted before in "passing through" the lovely wide streets, the trees, many trees, shrubs and lawns truly a beautiful setting for the capitol building of the state of Oregon. A city is a true reflec tion of its citizenry, and Salem impresses on the visitor its cul ture and good fellowship. We wonder how many listen to the chimes that fill the air every evening. "Blest Be the Tie that Binds" and "Sweet Hour of Prayer." How perfectly entranc ing! We stood still and listened. Mayhap some do not hear the lovely melody for the sound of the chimes as the man who did not see the forest for the trees. You will be interested to know that the national president of the National Federation of Music clubs, Mrs. Royden Keith, of Chicago, during her administra tion, is stressing the singing and playing of our wonderful old hymns which our mothers and fathers sang; also more congre gational singing of all hymns. We sponsor a hymn contest during the Spring Music Festi val. In this way we hope to create in the minds of our young children an appreciation of the history and performance of hymns. How far the spiritual izing force of music extends n our lives is reflected in the re action of our young people to our efforts. The beautiful chimes of the -w"""eW , - a, v -..--1- J Christian church must stir in all hearts a great thankfulness for our blessings, the many good things in life we enjoy in the environment of a thriving city, and a great outlook on life. Con gratulations! Sincerely, Mae Ross Walker, President Oregon Fed eration of Music Clubs. 9, 1949. February 502 North Winter Street, Salem. 2006 N.E. 46th Avenue, Portland. OUR NEW BRIDGE To the Editor: I wish to express appreciation for Mr. H. G. Damon's article "Looking at the Record" of street traffic and bridges in Portland and Salem. And am also con vinced - "Another two lane bridge would be outmoded within twen ty years." However, instead of a new four lane bridge as he advised, a new six lane bridge would prove much the wiser in the end. And after this is completed we could then close the present bridge long enough to thoroughly reinforce and widen it for four lane traffic. The San Francisco - Oakland bridge is a six lane double deck bridge, and ten years ago we thought it capable of handling all traffic for many years to come. Now it is so congested that traf fic is greatly retarded. When our present bridge was finished we were driving a horse and buggy and we were sure it would serve this community for generations. Now it is a hazard ous bottle neck to perhaps the fastest growing business and resi dential district in the Nation, and with proper traffic facilities bus iness possibilities will be still greater. By building this new bridge high enough for an over-pass diagonally across the intersection at Front and Union streets we entirely eliminate interference of constant switching on two busy railroad lines and can easily reach the street level at Commercial and Marion. And this approach through Marion Square if proper ly engineered and lighted will be a permanent asset and the most beautiful gateway Into any city between Nome, Alaska, and San Jose. I am sure our engineers, as well as us taxpayers, want to do a good job. Let us build for the future. T. J. Shipler Route 8 Weald Oatlaw Ceeniatera To the Editor: What a contrast in two dif ferent items appearing in the Statesman of February 9, 1949. One is your editorial regard ing the arbitrary conviction of the tortured Joseph Cardinal Mindszenty. The other is the let ter defending the commies now on trial in New York for alleged treasonable activities against the United States. Communists, as they have pre sented themselves to us and the world are making a supreme ef fort to destroy all religion and staple governments in the world, as anyone can understand who will use his head for thinking purposes, instead of merely a wedge to keep his ears apart. To my mind, if those now on trial in New York are found guilty as accused, an appropriate sentence by the court would be a free passport and ticket to Moscow, where no doubt they would be engulfed by the ten der mercy of Stalin's thugs. There they would probably be given a nice, cool summer home in Siberia or a nice private room under six feet of Soviet soil, if they began preaching the over throw of the "demonocracy" of the MKVD. Why not outlaw the Comintern and its agents in the United States in the same manner that the KKK is being outlawed. It is the one and only step to save' fhe ' United States from -being sucjcea into an ever widening and wildly swirling tyranical and dictatorial maelstrom. Any compromise with a "icum munlst" is an invitation for a shot or a stab In the back. By comparison Nero was a Boy Scout J. L. Prange. nooUn' and Hollerin' To the Editor: Who wants to stop progress? No Salem business man wants to stop progress! But they don't want it at the expense of having their business diverted to some other district through the med ium of one way streets and bridges that will be obsolete by 1970. IT note that the Oregon Electric R. R. manage to do their switching or what have you? about the time people are going to and from work across the bridge at Front and Center streets. It appears to me that this doesn't help the situation any. Anyway the business men are entitled, as Bruce Williams said at the ball park: to a little Hootln'! and Hollerin'! "2 way streets" and "4 lane bridges" are OK by us. H. G. Damon 891 N. Com'l. St. Apartment Court Theft Total Reduced The burglary count at the Royal Court apartments was back to three Saturday after Mrs. Iva Whiting discovered three dresses she had reported stolen Friday. Mrs. Whiting found the dresses had been overlooked in a closet of her apartment. City police had assumed the dresses were part of the loot taken from the apartment house by burglars earlier in the week. ... to be loved and treasured alf her life. Ill be a constant reminder of your tboughtfulaeM and good taste. And as I grace the bride's table three times a day, every day, 111 grow lovelier ... never bow wear. For I'm Heirloom Sterling solid silver all the way through; made to last a hundred veers'" Ask about our easy payment plan. Mansion Hoese er Damask less Piece Piece Settinf $22.50 'sewel Yef todedeS eTfads mmt State & Liberty . . . In the Livesley Bid. ot YOUR Conscientious, Dignified Service saw mm& mm S45 North Capitol The Most Comprehensive GROWN Box 212. Brooks, Ore. Catalogue Free FimiEBS fflSUIlMCE GO0B1? AUTO - TOUCH - Fer SAVINGS SERVICE SATIS FACTION with year Inseranee see ras. We write SSltVI, liability fer ealy 112.7 each six Baentke. A S3.M sales easts the first tlaae. DHL OSEO iSS Court St Phone 3-5661 Association to See Fete Film ' .- 4 Viewing of films of the 1948 Sa lem Cherryland festival and final decisions on a 1949 celebration are slated for Friday night at a publlo meeting of the festival association, . Sidney L. Stevens, president, an- nounced Saturday. Heads of civic organizations are being invited to the meeting, and , the public is welcome, said Stev ens. The colored movies will be at 7:30 and thegneetlng at 8, both at the chamber of commerce. Tentatively, this year's festival has been set for July 14-18. ; . - t fi , , Navy Seeks to j Enlist Women The Salem navy recruiting of fice is included in a drive, now under way in the 13th naval dis trict, to enlist .3,200 women Vet erans of World War II in the district's V-6 (inactive) naval re serve, .'jj: This list includes those now In associated billets with reserve units, U. S. naval reserve women (WAVES) and. U. S. coast guard reserve women (SPARS). i Ratings available include cler ical, administration and specialist. Income Tax Delurns PREPARED Elmer M. Amundson Tax Censaltaat Experienced Service Ph. 2-S6S7 er I-5S11 66S N. High s i Tel 3-3672 Collection In America BY on Request FEE BILL OSSO Dtsi Mgr. ti:'' I- Ill iliil -aw a of ass'! M
