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LAME COUNTY'S HOME NEWSPAPER.
TODAY'S NEWS TODAY
VOL. 95
No. 174
EUGENE, OREGON, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1938
ON STREETS 3c; NEWS STANDS So
Probe Takes Sinister Tyro
Drug Swindle
Cash donations to the Lane
County Christmas Relief fund
hovered just under the $1,000-
mark Wednesday as several large
mbscriptions were reported by the
to Eugene banks, handling the
funds.
A total of $996.05 had been turn-
td in to the banks by noon Wed
nesday and a donation of $10
worth of groceries by the Blue
Bird Packing company, received
Wednesday, actually put the cash
value of the drive well over the
11,000 mark.
The drive will continue Thurs
day and Friday and ' the three
trustees said they felt confident
the goal of $1500 would be reach
ed. They emphasized again the
Importance of cash donations to
adequately bring relief to the 100
non-resident families In destitute
conditions here.
Forty-two families were brought
under the program by Wednesday
noon, Chief Carl Bergman, chair
man of the trustees, announced.
SEE DONATIONS TO STORY
PAGh
Christmas Spirit v
Extended To 80
Eugene Shut-Ins
Christmas cheer wn hrnneht
b 80 "shut-ins'" Tuesday after
noon by members of the Eugene
td Springfield American Legion,
ith a party, held at the May
flower theatre, including a pro
Prai and the presentation of
pits.
Tile "shut-ins." InrlnHintf 111
"tf injured persons rarely able
leave their homes or hosrjitals.
Wre gathered by the Legionaires
Kd their wives from the entire
fy 'n private automobiles,- and
"ought to the show.
Jhe guests, for the most part
wly persons, were shown a
Picture, and were given gifts
ndy and fruit. One person
missed from the group a
;nan who left her home in
Vmgfield last year for the first
23 years to attend the
Tyy. She died two. months ago.
"irence Jensen was chairman
I the
committee in charge.
3 Shopping Days
Till Christmas
TJ0 BACK T0 CHRIST-Ue-
t 7"REE YEARS AGO
bnd jubilant; it had Just
' named site of G. O. P.
Ro""on the following June.
W T" ,rowning at "Chil-Koad-
" and "Tobacco
te "cwrt' xV Df- Benes named
''0ViVi, J,Iasar-k as Czecho-
traL ann ln dc cell. . . .
Sen az aracting atten
tortui;. ' ew Deal measures
'y awaiting Supreme
Court decisions.
55 j"" ,B
' sL Lift,, :
-ED by a five-day rain, the swollen Los Angeles gnawed at its banks and washed out part of Ventura
f boulevard in Los Angeles. Only minor damage was done by the storm.
Miens to Lane Xmas Relief
Fund at $1 000 Mark Wednesday
Today's
Typical
Case
A family of six, living in a
small shed which Is virtually
impossible to heat, was listed
as the family typical of the
group to be aided by the Lane
County Christmas Relief fund
Wednesday, -
The father Is employable
and is willing to work. He has
obtained a few odd jobs, but
has been unable to get enough
work to provide needed food,
fuel and clothing. In addition
three of the four children are
in school and in need of dental
care which the family has
been unable to afford.
The father is trying to find
a small site somewhere upon
which to build a small house.
He is willing to do the work
and would like to earn the
money to purchase the site
and lumber for a shack. Liv
ing in the shed as the family
is at present, it is impossible
to keep the children in good
health.
Burning of Shingle
Mill Investigated
Officers are Investigating the
burning of the Roy Swenson shin
gle mill at Horton early Tuesday
morning, believing that the blaze
was of incendiary origin. Captain
Sam Malehorn, special investigat
or for the state police and state
fire marshal's office, and Nelson
F. Whipps, deputy sheriff, went
to the scene of the blaze Wednes
day morning to look over the ruin3
and make a thorough investiga
tion. The blaze was discovered before
daylight Wednesday morning and
it had spread to such an extent
that all efforts on the part of the
employes to extinguish were futile.
Oregon CIO Invites
Mooney To Aid Drive
PORTLAND. Dec. 21. OP)-
-Ar-
rqngements Secretary James Fantz
said yesterday he had invited Tom
Mooney, widely known California
prisoner, to address a state Con
gress for Industrial Organization
convention here January 14 and 15.
Fantz also indicated Mooney would
be asked to aid in a fight against
Oregon's new anti-picketing law.
Georgia Authorities
Seek Slayer Of Five
SAVANNAH, Ga., Dec 21. U
TVmntv and city police today
launched an intensive search for
a blood-spattered madman wno
slugged four members of a family
to death with an iron pipe, then
killed a garage watchman with a
shotgun.
TROOPER PROMOTED
SALEM, Ore., Dec. 21. J.f&
rW. Warren, for several years at
tached to the Portland office of
kac heen oromoted
iiic auiic pji--t -- r
to a captaincy at aaiem, ju
Southern California
Pelted By Hail, Snow
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 21. (U.B
A cycle of "unusual weather" was
completed in southern California
tonight when hail whitened the
streets of Pasadena.
A trace of snow fell In Altadena,
Pasadena suburb, and between the
hail and snow came thunder.
lightning and a heavy downpour
of rain. Temperatures dropped
accordingly. '
The thunder storm wrecked
power service to Mt. Wilson ob
servatory for an hour. Two inches
of snow were reported from the
observatory, which in the past six
days had received 13 inches of
rain, nearly half of what normally
In Los Angeles, temperatures
dropped sharply after a week of
almost incessant rain piled up- a
new 49-year December record of
7 inches, about twice the normal
figure. Prospects of frost were re
ported by the weather bureau,
which at the same' time forecast
clearing skies tomorrow.
The storm, leaving several roads
blocked by landslides, followed an
all-time record December heat
wave which sent temperatures
soaring to 92 degrees only two
weeks ago.
Oregon's Net Debt
$50,000,000 Less
Than All-Time Peak
SALEM, Dec. 21 (P) The net
debt of the state of Oregon and
all its subdivisions is $136,406,
809, about $50,000,000 less than
the all-time peak of 1930, State
Treasurer Rufus C. Holman said
today.
The figure is $15,000,000 less
than two years ago.
The bonded indebtedness to
totals $156,901,267, while war
rant indebtedness amounts to
$18,735,844, the total debt being
$175,637,111. However, about
$39,000,000 in sinking fund assets
reduces the net debt to about
$136,000,000.
The bonded indebtedness has
been reduced $61,000,000 in eight
years, while warrant indebted
ness has increased by $6,690,000.
White Pleads Guilty ,
To Theft Of Jewefry '
Homer White pleaded guilty In
circuit court Wednesday morning
to a charge of larceny in a store
and will be sentenced later.
White is accused of the theft of
a number of rings in the Crow
jewelry store on East Broadway.
Officers say he tried to sell them
in Albany. Police there arrested
him for the Eugene police Decem
ber 16 and he was brought to the
Lane county jail the next day.
Radio Contact
By HAROLD ETTLINGER
PARIS, Dec. 21. (u.R Radio
contact with an adventurous band
of French colonists on barren St.
Paul's island, close to the outer
edge of the antarctic ice shelf, was
re-established today.
George Mandel, minister of col
onies, announced the colonists were
running out of food and their sup
ply of coal was exhausted.
Naval authorities made hasty
preparations to rush coal from the
nearest naval base, Diego Saurez,
on the island of Madagascar, 3,000
miles away.
Radio operators at Antananarivo
I Madagascar, established, contact
Workers Claim
Many Needy Not
Yet Cared For
Workers Alliance Group
Holds Peaceful Meeting
At Lane Relief Office
Approximately 100 members of
the Workers Alliance gathered In
an orderly demonstration at the
Lane county relief offices this
morning, to ask additional- relief
for needy families which they
claim have not yet received assist
ance. The group, which was composed
mostly of middle-aged men, wo
men, and a few children, waited
patiently outside the offices while
their representatives conferred
with Peter M. Sullivan, Lane
county relief director.
The workers were represented
by Paul Wellborn and Jay Bailey.
Mrs. Paul Wellborn, secretary of
the Workers Alliance and a third
member of their committee, was
unable to attend because of her
work with the Christmas fund
drive.
Problems Discussed
During the hour and a half dis
cussion which ensued the follow
ing problems were talked over:
1. The privilege of a person on
relief who does not feel he Is re
ceiving adequate assistance to
take up the matter with his case
worker, one person of his own
choice, and Mr. Sullivan, relief
administrator.
2. Help and care for two aged
women who are both in poor
health and do not have enough
money to keep them in fuel and
proper food.
3. Assurance that all people ell
eible for relief fie certified for
WPA work as soon as possible."
. 4. Overburden of caeo workoro
now employed.
5. Procedure for obtaining relief
in an emergency.
Relief committee officials stated
previously that everything pos
sible under the law has been
done for Lane county's needy.
and that officials of the Workers'
Alliance who sponsored the dem
onstration were as cognizant of
the fact as anyone else.
Mr. Sullivan, following the
meeting Wednesday, said the best
thing Workers' Alliance members
could do would be to continue
their much-appreciated efforts
toward helping gather clothing.
food and cash donations for dis
tribution in the county.
Roper Says Business
Should Be Better In
1939; Quits Friday
WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 P
Secretary of Commerce Roper
said today there are "several ele
ments of strength" in the busi.
ness outlook for 1939. At his
final press conference as com
merce department chief. Roper
cited the following "hopeful'
actors: A marked expansion in
the demand for automobiles, sub
stantial improvement in trade
inventories, and quickening re
sponse of productive output to
consumer demand.
Commenting on his retirement
as secretary, effective December
23, he said, "I leave the public
service with gratitude to all,
with malice toward none."
Neither State Nor U. S
To Tax Jobless Benefits
SALEM, Dec. 21 (P Neither
the state nor the federal govern
ment will tax unemployment
compensation benefits paid to
workers, the unemployment com
pensation commission said today.
The federal government an
nounced three months ago it
would not tax the benefits, while
the state tax commission made a
similar decision today.
Made With "Lost" Colonists; Need Coal, Food
with the tiny "cursed island" early
today and confirmed the plight of
the colonists. Bitter dissension was
reported to have broken out among
the women in the band.
Fear that the colony had been
wiped out abated with the report.
Nothing Had been heard from the
stranded group since an S O S it
had sent out was picked up by an
American amateur radio operator,
E. R. Gibson, in Bremerton, Wash.
The last word from the island was:
"Will be grateful if you QSP re
lay early as possible to Madagascar
even through officially we ran
short of coal due bad weather. No
chance to find coal on island. Call
Broadway Star
True to Best
Of Traditions
NEW YORK, Dec. 21. M
Mary Martin, 22-ycar-old Texas
redhead who rose to stardom in
her first Broadway show, felt
something was wrong last night
when she danced Into the wings
after singing her hit song "My
Heart Belongs to Daddy."
But she wept just the same,
when veteran actor Victor Moore,
told her what the audience already
knew that her own father, Pres
ton Martin, an attorney, had died
in Wentherford, Texas.
Word of his passing was with
held from her more than 12 hours
by her secretary, who was fearful
the shock would be too great if she
were told before the performance.
Members of the cast of "Leave It
to Me" helped keep the secret
Tonight the vivacious little ac
tress will perform her usual role,
a routine that includes a burlesque
of a strip tease dance as well as
the sentimental song about a
"Sugar Daddy."
She said she would be unable
to attend the funeral.
"I can't leave the show no dad
wouldn't want me to," she said.
Experimental Power
Rate Plan Is Okayed
WASHINGTON, Dec. 21. P
The federal power commission
cleared the way yesterday for ex
tension of an experimental con
tract between the Bonneville dam
authority and the Northwestern
Electric company by approving
new temporary rates for power
generated at the government's
plant on the Columbia river.
Under the new schedule, the
rates were based on a kilowatt-day
basis rather than on the kilowatt-
year basis which Administrator J
D. Ross will use when he-begins
wholesale distribution of power in
the Pacific northwest.
The company will receive prime
power under the new schedule for
l-165th of $17.50 a day, for each
kilowatt of billing demand. Secon
dary power will cost the North
western company l-365th of $11.50
a day for each kilowatt of billing
demand.
Demand will be determined as
the highest integrated load during
any 30 minute period during the 24
hours from midnight to midnight
on any calendar day. '
The commission said the Bonne
ville authority and the Northwes
tern Electric company were "inter
ested in testing out the feasibility
of the interconnected operation of
the Bonneville project and the
Northwestern company's system."
Postoffice Sees
"Biggest Day"
In Stamp Sales
Tuesday was the biggest day for
the sale of stamps ever seen in the
history of the Eugene postoffice,
according to a statement by Frank
Armitage, postmaster. A total of
stamps amounting to $2600 was
sold at that time.
Christmas mailing accounts for
a large part of the stamp sale, but
proportionately, it is believed that
the increase in stamp sales can be
accounted to a growth of popula
tion, rather than more Christmas
business per person.
Public Hearings in TVA
Investigation Finished
WASHINGTON, Dec. 21. P
Public hearings in the congression
ional investigation of the TVA
came to an end today more than
nine months after congress auth
orized the sweeping inquiry into
the vast administration project.
Failure of Edward C. M. Richard,
former TVA forester to appear to
testify, caused Senator Donahcy
(D-Ohio), to abandon a scheduled
final hearing on the TVA com
mittee. ing Madagascar. No luck. Hear
tentative broadcast at 14 GMT.
Would like to have them call us.
We will listen for message. Hope
Madagascar will send rescue. Hope
we can get Tananarive broadcast
to cheer us up. Confirm that we arc
on S. S. He Bourbon. From Rene
Moureaux."
The Island is 3500 miles from
both Melbourne, Australia, and
Cape Town, South Africa, lying
midway between the two con
tinents and a few hundred miles
from the south polar ice shelf.
The colonists are without fuel
but their scanty food supply is
supplemented by lobsters and fish
Rumor Holman
Will Resign
Post Thursday
Politicos Say Treasurer
Determined to Dominate
Successor's Appointment
By SID KING
The enigma of Oregon repub
lican politics Senator-elect Ru
fus Holman continued to baffle
republican leaders of the state
Wednesday as rumors that he
might resign as state treasurer
Thursday were circulated along
with reports that he was cling
ing steadfastly to his determine
lion to dominate the appointment
of his successor as state treasur
er. He is known to desire the
selection of P. J. Stadleman, The
Dalles.
If Holman resigns before the
new regime In the state, republi
can leaders will regard it as a
direct slap at the republican
party because it would give the
appointive power to Governor
Martin who could not be ex
pected to name a republican
treasurer.
Holman could not be reached
by telephone Wednesday for a
statement on the rumor he might
resign Thursday.
Holmnn has maneuvered the
situation till It now stands about
like this: 1 he could resign now
and go back to Washington to
line up his committee appoint
ments in the U. S. senate, but
that would allow Governor Mar
tin to name his successor and in
that case a democrat would be
selected; 2 he can first get i
commitments from Governor-
elect Sprague that the latter will
appoint the man he wants and
then keep his state position till
bpiague Is inaugurated and In a
position 'to appoint Holmaii's
choice; 3 if unable to get
commitment out of Sprague
and that is held likely he can
retain his treasurership anyway
and hope to be able to influence
the selection.
Naturally, the republicans want
to gain complete dominance of
the state board of control which
would be possible If Holman re
signs now and permits Governor
Martin to name a democrat as a
state treasurer. Holman, of
course, knows this, as does Gov-
BEE RUMOR HOLMAN STORY
PAGE 2
New Snow Falling
On McKenzie Pass
Snow fell throughout the
morning on the McKenzie pass,
Wednesday, but the roadway was
jpen, the highway office report
ed. From six to eight inches of
fresh snow were on the ground
early In the morning. Plows are
at work to keep the highway
open.
Rain fell at Intervals In Eu
gene. The day's minimum was
32.2 degrees, at the airport
weather bureau.
Winter's First Day
Brings Klamath Snow
KLAMATH FALLS, Dec. 21
(4 The first day of winter
brought the season's first real
snowfall here, but a midday sun
threatened to melt the two-Inch
blanket which covered the ground
early this morning. Although the
storm was reported more severe
in mountain areas, all major
highways in this vicinity re
mained open.
REALTY BOARD TO ELECT
The Eugene Real Estate board
will elect 1939 officers at their
regular Thursday noon session at
Seymour's Cufe. After discussing
several questions tabled at lust
Thursday's meeting the board
members will enjoy a Christmas
party and tree.
which swarm around the inland.
The present colony has five mar
ried couples and two children, the
youngest being six months old, and
the crew of 36 of the steam trawler
Morcux, renamed He Bourbon.
The trawler sailed from St. Malo,
France, on May 28. It cleared the
Suez canal where the last letters
were mailed. They announced that
the five women were quarreling
with one another.
The government believed the
women might have been taken to
Reunion Island. The leader of the
SEE CONTACT LOST STORY
PAGE 12
-
J
I'M
I fg ff)
COAST GUARD planes and ves
sels are massed at Juneau,
Alaska, to aid 18 survivors of the
motorslilp ratterson, wrecked on
Cape Falrweather. First Officer
Gustaf F. Swanson, above, was
lost in the wreck.
WPA Official Says
Funds Almost Gone
WASHINGTON, Dec. 21. (P)-
Aubrey Williams, deputy WPA
administrator, told a Pennsylva
nia workers delegation today un
less congress appropriated addi
tional funds the Works Progress
Administration would be forced to
shut down completely by Febru
ary 7.
Outright dismissals, he said,
would begin at early as Januaiy
20.
Williams' .statement -.came as a
surprise to those who had expect
ed WPA funds to last farther Into
February or perhaps until March
1 as requested by President Roose
velt Williams did not disclose
whether he had knowledge of any
White House plans to ask congress
for a deficiency appropriation, but
Informed persons have believed
for sdme time such a request would
be in Mr. Roosevelt's first com
munication to congress.
Williams declined to give an es
timate of remaining WPA funds.
The last congress appropriated $1,
425,000,000 for the period July 1,
1038, to March 1, 1939.
As of the week ending Decem
ber 10, WPA showed an enroll
ment of 3,139,045 persons.
Final Plans Made For
Judging Junior
Chamber Contest
Final arrangements for Judg
ing the entries in the Junior
chamber of commerce outdoor
lighting contest have been an
nounced by Warren Moore,
chairman of the committee in
charge. The judges will leave the
city council rooms at 7 p. m.
Thursday In groups of two. Af
ter each group has selected its
choice, the Judges will go around
again together to make the final
selection.
Persons Interested In the con
test may register by calling the
chamber of commerce at 192 be
fore 5 p. m. Thursday. A grand
prize of $25 will be offered, and
prizes of $10 each will be given
to the best display on the cast
and west sides of Willamette
street. Fourteen prizes in mer
chandise orders will also be given.
The entrant winning the $25 prize
will not be eligible for the $10
prize.
Judges will be Mayor Elisha
Large, Mrs. Claire Luckey, Dr.
I. R. Fox, J. F. Reiide, Mrs. J.
R. Bruckart, Mrs. Vernice Fee,
Allen Bean, Robert Bcrtsch, and
Warren Moore.
2000 Toys Taken By
Lions To Needy
Delivery of nearly 2000 toys
to 800 families of Eugene and
Lane county started Wednesday
by the Lions club toy committee,
headed by C. L, Sigloh. Each year
the Lions club holds its drive to
secure these toys for children ln
needy families. The city fire de
partment has repaired and re
painted all the toys again this
year, and the wrapping in holiday
paper was done by a group of
wives of Lions members.
CHRISTMAS PRESENTS
BUCHAREST, Dec. 21. (P)
King Carol through the department
of agriculture today gave 1.000
plows to poor Rumanian farmers as
Christmas presents.
Investigators
Check Theory
Coster Slew 2
Hint Cosfer-Musica May
Have Had Hand in Death
Of Two Poultry Dealers
NEW YORK, Dec. 21. (n The
F. Donald Coster - Philip Musica
mystery, already' involving mil
lions and international duplicity,
took a new and more sinister turn
today as Brooklyn detectives began
investigating the possible connec
tion with the unsolved murders of
Joseph Cohen, wealthy poultry and
fish dealer, and his brother, Bar
nett. The Cohen brothers were shot
down, a month apart, in the spring
of 1932.
Police Inspector Michael S. Mc
Dermott ' ordered detectives to
question members of the Cohen
family as well as Coster-Musica's
three brothers Goerge Vernard
Musica, George E. Dietrich-Musica,
and Robert Dietrich-Musica who
are being held in $100,000 bail each
on charges of violating the securi
ties act of 1934.
The investigation started as fed
eral, state and city authorities delv
ed into the fantastically involved
activities of the Musica brothers"
Philip who became the respected
head of McKesson and Robbins(
Inc., and the brothers who aided
him, all working under the elabor
ate guise of fictitious names and
fictitious backgrounds.
Coster-Musica killed himself last
Friday after he had been exposed
as the arch-swindler in a million
dollar scandal a quarter of a cen
tury old. An Investigation was al
ready under way into the missing
$18,000,000 assets of the drug con
cern's crude drugs department
when he tired a bullet into his head
in his Fnlrfiold, Conn., home.
Frittered Away Millions
Brien McMahon, assistant U. S.
attorney who came here from
Washington to take charge of the
multiple phases of the Investiga
tion, said the Musica brothers
apparently frittered away millions
of the corporation's dollars and
SEE DRUG PROBE STORY
. FAGK Z
; '
Building Trades to
Convene Here Jan. 6
PORTLAND, Ore., Dec. 21 (U.R)'
A state-wide building trades
section of the Oregon State Fed
eration of Labor will assume
permanent form at a constitu
tional convention in Eugene Jan.
6, B. R. Mathis, secretary of the
Portland building trades council,
announced.
According to Mathis, about 12,
000 building trades workers in
the state will be represented in
the section, planned to-"unite the
various buildin trades unions on
matters of policy, wage scales
and working conditions."
Howard Kenna, Salem, was
named temporary president of
the organization, with C. D. Long,
Klamath Falls, as vice-president
and Mathis as secretary-treasurer.
The executive board Is made
up of four Portlonders, Ed Nel
son, piledrivers' union; Lee Pul
Ien, plumbers; John O'Neill, iron
workers, and A. H. Hawkins,
building laborers, and C. W;
Crary, Salem.
Weather News
OREGON: Cloudy tonight and
Thursday, probably showers in
west portion and light snow over
mountains; little temperature
change; moderate northwest wind
off coast.
AIRPORT BUREAU RECORD:
Minimum temperature, 24-hour
and 12-hour periods ending at 4:30
a. m., Wednesday, 32.2 degrees;
maximum temperature, 24-hour
period ending at 4:30 a. m., 42.5
degrees, for 12-hour period end
ing same time, 38.6 degrees; pre
cipitation for 24-hour period end
ing at 4:30 a., m., Wednesday, .09
of an inch; wind, at noon, Wed
nesday, southwest.
RIVER BUREAU RECORD:
Stage of Willamette river In Eu
gene at 7 a. m. Wednesday, minui
1.2 feet; precipitation in 24-houf
period ending at 7 a. m. Wednes
day, .16 of an inch.
Thnrsdaf
High 1:06 a. m. 12:!S p. m.
Low- 6:41 . m. 7:23 p. m.
Ftld.r
HIKh 1:43 a. m. 1:61 p. m.
Low . 7.20 a. in. 7.-59 p. m-
Satnrday
Hlh 1:22 a. m. 137 p. m.
Law S.OO a. m. M p. m.