Page Four
AN INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER
.A' (fubllihtd Wnrr Bwntaa M Suaaiyi
tZSnt at flu Fort Oifle t Iwnt. OrMon. u Mcond
U autM.
DITORI AL'PA.GE OF THE REGISTER-GUARD
Tba IIMtatw-Oiurd'i poller 1 complrt ind taw"
: rsr 5.. 3
ErtSraiul helpful In tiw development o eonitmctive
eamm unity roller.
HOME DEFENSE REGISTRATION
The rather disappointing returns from
the first county-wide one-day registration
for home defense should not be permanently
discouraging. So far as we can learn people
failed to flock to the usual polling places to
sign up because:
1. Didn't quite understand purpose..
2. Polling places after all not most
convenient.
3. Confusion with other drives and
appeals.
For that reason we are suggesting a more
centralized and more continuous and more
deliberate campaign till we get the required
10,000 men and women enrolled. Instead of
so many registration places, set up registra
tion desks or counters in the principal towns
at the banks, stores and other places where
people are accustomed to go.
Likewise the nature of Home Defense en
listment needs to be much more carefully
explained. For instance, a good many people
told Judge Hurd they hesitated to sign be
cause they had the impression they would
be subject to army calls.
The Home Defense enrollment through
out the nation is preparation against these
needs:
1. Check on sabotage and vandalism
during emergency.
2. Check on espionage.
3. Actual behind-the-lines defense if
this nation finally is isolated and invad
ed. (All same Britain)
4. Strengthen support of soldiers and
sailors at main fronts.
5. Take place of our national guards
men and reinforce normal city, county
and state police patrols.
The work covers a tremendous range
from proper, diet for children in towns under
attack, the organization and handling of ci
vilians under war conditions, airplane spot
ting, fire protection, police work, forest con
servation, maintenance of all water and elec
tric utilities. Try to imagine any modern
city under total war's attack and the prob
lems which arise as normal public services
an Interrupted. How would you keep your
town going? How would you get men and
women to the factories and shops which
must be kept running to supply troops?
That's the meaning of Civil Defense or
Home Defense. Nobody is going to be
called upon for any extended duty now, but
everybody, according to his ability is asked
to take up the necessary training in his line
of work. It may involve a few hours a
week or one or two days a month. It is not
too early to prepare. Nobody can predict
which way this war will turn.
Readiness will be worth the cost.
"HOCUS POCUS, OR SELF DEFENSE"
ARMY PAYS FOR PUBLICITY
To old timers, the amusing incident of
General Ben Lear and the "yoo-hoo" bat
talion means just one thing. The U. S. army
is beginning to pay the price for its public
ity. A lot of sympathy is being wasted upon
the 300 members of the Memphis battalion
who had to march 15 miles on foot for the
alleged sins of a few. Pothouse politicians
in Congress are having a field day at old Ben
Lear's expense, and because of these political
angles old Ben will have some ("reply by
endorsement hereon") explaining to do.
If you could look into the War Depart
ment's wind you would find that the only
sin General Lear has committed is "unfavor
able publicity."
Of course, soldiers on the march must not
act like hoodlums. If such outbreaks occur
and it is is not possible to spot the main of
fenders two conditions must be assumed
(1) incompetent officers; (2) generally bad
morale. A 15-mile hike isn't going to hurt
any outfit that is fit and it can do a lot to
make every man realize that he is at least
partly responsible for that life-saving factor
called morale.
The thing that hurt was getting into the
papers with a lot of trumped up pictures of
"pansy-pad" soldiers looking for blisters. We
bleed for old Ben Lear, a soldier of the old
school before the army's "military intelli
gence" was infested with a lot of "public re
lations men" sending pieces to the home
papers.
We can still hear one tough old hellion
e-f the Mexican border period roaring:
"If I had my way I wouldn't have a
(x x x x x) newspaper man within 80 miles of
thli army.''
That old cuss was tough to take but he
ynt beloved because he was a man's man
.who made real soldiers.
The depth bomb incident in the North
Atlantic, acknowledged by Secretary Knox,
was to be expected. An American destroyer
picking up survivors of a British submarine
victim felt it necessary to drop "ash cans" to
ward off the U-boat. What other course
could be expected?
The frank statement of Col. Knox on this
incident at least clears away the "scud" of
rumors circulated mainly by Senator Wheel
er and other last-ditch isolationists. How
ever, if there has been no actual battle be
tween our forces and the Germans, it is mere
ly because we and the Germans are trying
to make the other strike first.
It's like the old small-boy chip-on-should-er
stuff. The Germans dared us to come into
their "war zone" saying they would shoot at
any ship in their gun sights. We promptly
extended our hemisphere boundaries and
took over Iceland. Maybe the dropping of
depth bombs in "self-defense" will provide
the necessary provocation. It's like when
the chlp-on-shoulder boys reach the stage of
shoving at each other, not quite daring to
take a good healthy punch.
In this country we are making a rather
disgusting political spectacle out of a crisis
which involves the lives of our young men.
Between Franklin D. Roosevelt's habitual
evasions of truth and Burt Wheeler's phoney
heroics, we see no possible choice. It doesn't
matter a tinker's whoop whether we call it
shooting in "self defense" it is shooting which
is as it should be because we ARE AT WAR,
as every simpleton knows. The great shame
is that the lives of thousands of American
soldiers and sailors in the North Atlantic
may be put in double jeopardy because of
the efforts of these political quacks to make
war taste like soothing syrup.
If you were aboard any vessel in the
North Atlantic your life would depend on
shooting first and hardest and straightest.
No other policy is truthful or makes sense.
A BAS LES WHISKALANTES!
That sterling patriot and veteran of hor
net wars, Ajax McGurk, has risen in revolt
against what he terms the mob rule of the
Whiskalantes. The Black Shirts, he calls
them contemptuously, and he declares he
will not be regimented, badgered, bulldozed
or otherwise intimated into wearing whis
kers against his will in hot weather.
McGurk expresses surprise that such
staunch individuals as Judge Skipworth and
Judge Wimberley should have sought to pur
chase immunity from the Whiskalante gang
sters. It reveals, says he, the low state into
which democracy has fallen.
This year's pageant, the eminent curb
stone orator points out, is dedicated to
FREEDOM. The heroes of the wagon trains,
he avers, wore whiskers not from fear of
man or beast but as free will offerings and
as a form of camouflage to deceive scalp-
hunting Indians. They would have scorned
feeble compromises with nature. McGurk is
apprehensive that the Grants Pass Cave Men
will round up the whole body of Whiskalan
tes into their Order of the Dinosaur.
McGurk left yesterday for South Slough
where he expects to remain for the duration.
IN THE EDITOB'S MAILBAG
BONUS PLAN FOR FUTURE VETERANS
It was to be expected. A certain mem
ber of the legislature, whose name we shall
not use because there are times when we
draw the line at free advertising, has
launched an initiation bill to provide a bonus
for future veterans, when as and if the
present war ends and the men in service re
turn to civilian occupations. Un-huh, he has
the support of the Commonwealth Federa
tion. Yessir, Representative X has proposed a
tax of 5 percent against all dividends paid
within the state of Oregon or originating in
Oregon. To broaden the appeal and clinch
a few more votes, Mr. X proposes that any
amounts not used to pay off soldiers ($15 a
week for 16 weeks after discharge) will be
transferred to old age pensions, to help get
even, he says for the cigarette sales tax
which the referendum has held up.
No doubt if the men now in service see
active duty, the time will come when there
will be a new Legion and VFW and DAV
to demand bonuses and special compensa
tions and the new veterans will be just as
much entitled to such reward as any of their
predecessors, but we think most of the
men now in service would agree that we've
A WAR TO FIGHT FIRST.
In the meantime the Future Veterans
are not particularly interested in the politi
cal aspirations (or rackets) of Mr. X, but
there is a lot of this half baked claptrap
which comes precious close to being a racket.
. .
The only law obeyed by bootleggers is
the law of supply and demand.
.
Lots ot snapely girls regard bathing suits
as dry goods. ,
FROM LOOIE
UTILLISTON, N. D. (To the
Editor) I am leaving Yellow
stone valley and its 88,000 acres
of irrigable land and last week It
had a scattered hail and rain
storm. It did a lot of damage but
also did a great deal at good.
It has a big sugar factory and
a lot of Mexicans taking care of
the beets, and, of course, the al
falfa feeds a lot ot beef cattle, and
when I look at the big fat Here
fords and then think of the
amount of meat we buy from the
Argentine, I wonder what it Is all
about.
Why don't we take care of our
own farmers? They are the back
bone of this America. I say, why
don't we?
We are leaving Williston, N. D.,
going east, and a lot of strip
farming is here in spots as there
has been plenty of rain. The dry
land crops are really good so there
will be more for the big brains
in Washington, D. C, to control.
I say What a Shame!
North Dakota, dry for some
years, is sure looking good. This
native grass, buffalo grass and
niggerwool ripens on the sod and
it is the finest to fatten stock in
the fall. Cattle are a good price
and stock sheep are around $8 a
head for two to four-year-olds.
There are not many sheep to be
had. There are a few men that
sell when the price is high and
buy when it is low, and that is
O. K. for all things. Don't hold it
too long, that is as Wall street is
doing, only they force it, and that
is where the sucker is caught and
we have many suckers on dry
land. That is the Great Checker
Game of Life, and in Europe it
has turned out to be a grand dog
fight. There are a lot of snowsheds
here. Trees and bushes to protect
the railroad and the dry seasons
have killed a lot of them but
since last year and this, they have
started to grow again.
The farmers have a wind
charger for battery for radio and
some lights. The Montana-Dakota
power has full swing on electric
service at a fair to high price.
The few farmers here are try
ing to do as the railroad as for
snow-breaks, we are romng to
ward Minot and it is the typical
Dakota prairie. Minot is a sort of
in-between prairie and farming
country, busy, but not big payroll
as Eugene is enjoying now ana
that arand nageant coming on.
More next week as I roll to
ward St. Paul.
LOUIS JOSEPHSEN.
Lines From
The Library
THERE have been many medical
biographies added to the shelves
at the Eugene Public Library in
recent years, but A Yankee Doo
tor In Paradise" by S. M. Lambert
is one of the best. Dr. Lambert
tells his own story and of how he
received his appointment to work
in the South Seas through Dr.
Heiser, author of "An American
Doctor's Odyssey." Dr. Heiser vis
ited Dr. Lambert on the job and
watched him work and has said,
"If any man should write a book,
it should be Lambert. He packs
it from cover to cover with fasci
nating, authentic human interest.
His work at Suva has been monu
mental." Dr. Lambert worked
chiefly on hookworm. He went
over red tape, made friends with
the natives of the various islands
and tells much of the manners
and customs of these fascinating
islands.
Another medical book, but Of an
entirely different type, is "Tough
en Up, America" by Dr. Victor
Heiser. It is a book calling the
people of this country to ac
count for our poor health record.
It is written in the author's usual
vigorous style and he makes fre
quent comparison with his exper
iences in other countries. A list of
the partial contents follow: Facts
about foods; If you are under
thirty; Outwitting the years; Sleep
and refueling; Habits; Assets and
liabilities.
A book which is to a certain ex
tent the history of the cattle trade
in the west is "The Longhorns" by
James Frank Dobie. It is "a his
tory" of the Texas longhorns, a
breed of cattle that was an im
portant factor in the economic de
velopment of the west. Details of
the great cattle industry, natural
history of the longhorns, and
plenty of western legend and an
cedote are included. Illustrated
with striking drawings and photo
graphs." For the mystery fans there is
"N Or M?" by Agatha Christie.
The book is fast moving and tells
of Tommy Beresford and his wife,
Tuppence, who did their bit In the
last war and who were invited to
do a Job of spying for England in
1940. The scene is a summer resort
on the British coast. There they
become heavily involved with the
German fifth column in England.
D. E. Stevenson has written
"Mrs. Tim Carries On," as a se
quel to "Mrs. Tim of the Regi
ment." In this book Mrs. Tim tells
of the amusing and pathetic rou
tine of life during the last months
of 1939 and early 1940 in a small
Scottish town. It is light, humor
ous and at the same time a cour
ageous "carry on' novel. The au
thor will also be remembered for
having written "Miss Buncle's
Book."
pUGENE, Ore. (To the Editor)-
ence) missed out on Beecher and
Tilton Rocks on the Old Siuslaw
Stage road. They were named for
the Beecher-Tllton trail at ibi.
Chris Beck, Tom Neely, Chas,
Harwood. Jim Furnish or former
County Judge Fred Flsk might
verify this. I well remember my
father, F. M. Nighswander, telling
of this. J. M. NIGHSWAWBEK.
OUCH!
TUNCTION CITY. (To the Edt
' tor) Just a little information
for the much worried firemen and
Mr. McGurk.
suggest that any one get up early
Now I hesitate just a little to
in the morning and especially early
enough at this time of year to be
there when the hornets begin to
wake up or better still just a little
before they start.
If the worried one will make it
a point to get up early and as
semble the wife's Hoover vacuum
cleaner (maybe he will have to get
up early for two reasons if he gets
the cleaner). The Hoover does
have good suction and the dusting
tools are light enough that it is no
trouble to hold the nozzle of the
cleaner up to the door of the hor
nets nest and there is sufficient
suction that Mr. Hornet just can't
resist going in the bag. One at a
time or as many as can come out
the opening of the nest. Very
simple and short operation with no
regrets. They are perfectly harm
less after going through the fan
of the cleaner into the bag.
OLE OLESEN.
Mrs. Pitcher Dies
Friday at Hospital
Mrs. Mildred Pitcher of Spring
field died at the Sacred Heart hos
pital Friday afternoon.
Miss Mildred FurKmser wb
born at Hiawatha, Kansas, and ai
the age of eight years moved with
h family to Pavette. Idaho. In
1910 she married Ben n. ri.-
nt T.aGrande. Ore., where they
lived until 1917 when they came
to the Willamette vauey. ine
Pitchers made their home in
Salem for 10 years before moving
to Springfield two years ago.
Besides her widower, sne is sur.
vived bv three children, Mrs.
HpIimib Pnwers. of Grand Ronde
and Richard and Bert, Doin oi
Snrinefield: two sisters, Mrs. Bel
la Jones, of La Grande, and Mrs.
Helen Dement, of Eagle, laano;
two brothers,
of Caldwell, Idaho, and Ross, of
Salem.
She was a member of the
Episcopal church.
Funeral services will be held
Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock at
the Rose Lawn funeral home in
Salem and interment will be in
the Bellcrest cemetery. The Phil
Bartholomew chapel is in charge
of arrangements. Friends wishing
to send flowers may leave them
at Bartholomew's any time before
10 o'clock Monday morning.
RKANH GET BOOST
BASIN, Wyo. (U.R) Attention,
drafters! Farmers in the center of
Wyoming's navy bean-growing in
dustry arused by reports that
beans are a luxury at New York
armv costs have written their
congressmen urging that beans be
included on the menu at training
Clarence Purkhiser camps.
Jllljl
Rin Ron. L
Will Employ 70flo
Harvesting of tt, i.
bean crop in Lane tj
the latter
4 W18
to 7500 persons to Uj
during the
Growers
contracted A
beans th is v J I
bein, edup'CT
TM i
r lorsfieint
For Men A ff J
BURCH'
1060 Willi,.!
Sanltone Cleaning
Electric Cleaners Fh. 300
SPECIAL
MONDAY ONLY
LADIES'
HEEL CAPS
le
For
Only
With Every Pair Q
at the Regular Price 19C
Whlle-IMValt Service
PENNEY'S
Shoe Repairing
National Operated
PENNEY'S BASEMENT
ZEMACOL
Money back guarantee
for poison oak relief 47o
PENNY-WISE
40 East Broadway 769 W. 8th
Syd's Friendly Advice Is FREEI
Young Folks Listen jMH
yfesSf When Syd Rhodes Vjscili
V Analyzes Their
To make plans and purse pull together is not always easy. Syd has had world! of
experience along this line.
Syd Rhodes is the Only Man in Eugene Who Spends All His
Time Making FHA Loans!
In addition to making many loans from $2500 to $5,000, Syd
says he has increasing calls for loans on new homes to cost
$6,000 and over. For financing these larger homes, Syd has
unusual facilities.
TWIN OAKS BUILDERS SUPPLY CO:
869
If We Don't Render A Complete Building Service
High Street
WHO DOES?
Phone 7tt!
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ps 7ThCtrrr vW7S7M Trtysn wrtmrt TirnTTJCimi
Mini ifumma jia
JDMfflliW
fSSfe A"d flet th,s !2 sos'tlon along f VffYttTII
l-i-rr TffflMfl HO most of tha luuru. I I IIIAI V
vsMra.r.i..u,.1.ad,natorInKj11,or W &MWf,
1
llth at Olive
SILVA CHEVROLET CO.
no1