Eugene register-guard., January 13, 1952, Image 8

HtNl HWMNI
AN INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER
PUBLISHER Alton F. Baker
EDITOR William M. Tugman MANAGING EDITOR Alton F. Baker, Jr.
SERVICES Full Associated Press, United Press, Audit Bureau of Circulations.
The Register-Guard's policy Is the complete and impartial publication in Its news
pages of all news and statements on news. On this page the editors of The Register
Guard offer their opinions on events of the day and matters of importance to the
community endeavoring to be candid but fair and helpful in the development of con
structive community policy. A newspaper is A CITIZEN OF ITS COMMUNITY.
Entered at the Post Office at Eugene, Oregon, as second-class matter.
PAGE 8 EUGENE, OREGON, SUNDAY, JANUARY 13, 1952
If Meter Revenues Went for Parking Lots
Many cities in California and else
where have been using all or part of
their revenues from parking meters in
streets to finance the purchase of off
street parking facilities. Where park
ing lots have been acquired they usu
ally meter these also and put the pro
ceeds in the fund. Eugene now puts all
the meter revenue into its police
budget.
costs, but the proposition is as broad as
it is long.
(Preliminary discussions indicate that parking-project
costs should be divided between
downtown property owners, business tenants,
and the general public on some ratio yet to
be determined.)
At our request, City Finance Officer
Henry Beistel has prepared a detailed
history of parking meter operation in
Eugene since December 1939 when the
As Eugene gets into the off-street iirst 265 meters were installed. In the
parking problem, there will almost
certainly be a demand that JMigene ear
mark meter revenues for parking facili
ties. The question is:
"How much could be accomplished by
diverting meter revenues from police to off
street parking?"
In the fiscal year 1950-51 the gross
first month the meters took in only
$1360.50. In the first calendar year of
1940, they took in $18,354.61. The take
has increased steadily every year. We
now have 1186 meters and 20 spares
with a gross revenue of $92,383.62 in
the last calendar year.
These meters have cost the city
from parking meters was $92,383.62, or $103,161.08 to purchase and another
about $90,000 net after deducting opera
tion costs. The revenue this year will
be about the same. With an assured
revenue of $90,000 a year, it would be
$43,970.83 for operation and repairs, a
total since 1939 of $147,131.91, which
should be charged against gross re
ceipts for the period of $572,049.47,
possible to amortize about $1,250,000 of leaving a net over the 13 years of
parking project bonds over a U-year $424,917.56.
period. This would not go far toward
meeting Eugene's total needs, which
may run several million, but it will be
a start.
The other side of the apple looks
like this: If we divert $90,000 a year to
parking projects, we shall have to make
up the equivalent in the police depart
ment budget. '
"Why weren't these revenues earmarked
for parking projects from the beginning?"
The City' has always lived from
hand to mouth. It's no use to cry over
spilled milk. From here on we have a
fairly sure meter revenue of $90,000 a
year and upward to play with.
If we make good the raid on police
funds, however, there are these things
to be rememberejd:
Off-street parking must be planned for
peak loads, and this means many idle periods.
Even if meter revenues on parking lots
are sufficient to amortize investment costs,
there will still be operating costs.
Deficits are more probable than profits
when all costs of parking facilities are con
sidered. The problem of acquiring and main
taining parking facilities must be con
sidered as part of the cost of doing
part, but of course the faith and credit business in the community. Rates must
of the City would have to be pledged be kept low enough to hold the cus-
lso to insure sale at low interest rates, tomers who now spend more than $80-
It is reasonable to say that if all or million a year in Eugene. In our
any part of the revenue from street opinion, it is an illusion to think of
meters is diverted to parking projects, parking as a self-sustaining business
the deficit in police budget will have It is a necessary adjunct, like the roof
to be made up by a special continuing or the sewer connection; it pays to the
levy. This may be preferable to a levy extent that it keeps the cash register
for. the public share of parking project ringing.
Meaning of Those Amber Lights
' It now costs us approximately $225,000
a year to maintain the police department,
and of this, $80,000 comes from parking me
ters. '
It would require at least a three-mill levy
for the police department to make up the
deficit caused by diversion.
' City Manager Oren King believes a
plan can be worked out whereby the
revenues from meters on parking lots
will sustain the revenue bonds needed
to finance the acquisition, at least in
Marquis Childs
The Big Parade Gets Under Way
CHILDS
Several persons have written to the
editor to protest the recent statement
by Henry Beistel (as quoted in this
paper) that "amber lights mean STOP."
Mr. Beistel is city finance officer and
recorder and he substituted for City
Judge John L. Barber Jr. recently while
Barber was on holiday. One man calls
attention to the following section in the
official Drivers' Manual:
"A steady yellow light "Caution" signal
this light, used with changing red and green
lights, means that the lights are changing
from green to red. Vehicles must 'not enter
the Intersection against the steady yellow
light unless tliey are too close to stop safely
when the yellow light appears."
We are inclined to hold with Mr.
Beistel that the yellow light does, in
effect mean STOP. The rule says spe
cifically that the driver must not enter
the intersection on the amber light UN
LESS he has progressed too far to stop
Safely.
The rule does allow the driver some
discretion as to whether to slam on the
brakes and stop the moment the amber
light appears perhaps endangering the
man behind him or to go on through.
But, by the same token the rule gives
Jhe police discretion to charge anybody
who tries to "rush the lights" with a
violation.
' Any judge, we believe would rule:
"The moment the amber light appears, the
driver must be preparing to stop or stopping,
unless to do so would land him in the middle
pf the intersection. Even in such a case the
amber light allows plenty of time to clear Ihe
Intersection before the red appears".
As Beistel pointed out, the people
they are trying to get, are those who
"rush the lights" the guys who start
boring in on the green even before the
amber appears, the guys who try to get
through on the amber even though they
may be half a block away when it be
gins to flash, the guys who pile through
the intersections at dangerous speed,
whatever their thinking may have been.
Of course, this rule places the word
of the policeman against that of the
driver, the opinion of the policeman
against the opinion of the driver. Where
the driver claims unfair treatment the
judges should certainly try to ascertain
what the circumstances were, whether
there is any possibility of reconciling
the policeman's version with the driv
er's. The driver, of course, can always
demand a jury trial, if he feels suffi
ciently outraged to spend the money.
However, it is our belief that public
opinion will support the rigid interpre
tation of the amber light rule and its
rigid enforcement. Most of us have
nearly been clipped by the guys who
rush the lights. The mere fact that an
intersection has lights on it indicates a
danger point. The lights aren't there to
hinder the driver, but to save him from
"damphoolishness", his own or other
people's.
Eugene will soon have more than
$100,000 invested in traffic lights. That's
not "peanuts". The lights aren't there
for fun.
Press Attitude
Beckons Knell
WASHINGTON Among the smart
boys in the press gallery the odds-on bet
ting is that President Truman has spoken
in Congress in person for the last time
as a chief executive facing the burdens of
an impossible office. Short, that is, of a
great national emergency
in 1952, he will not again
take that ride to Capitol
Hill to face the Senate
and House as a rival con
tender for power and
leadership.
The growing conviction
that he will not run again
is based in no small part
on Mr. Truman's own be
havior and attitudes, as
reflected in his public
acts and in accounts of his private con
versations. The state of Harry Truman Is
considerably more Interesting than the
state of the union as reported upon by
President Truman in a message that was
a frayed carbon copy of almost everything
he has said before.
The prevailing mood is reported to be
one of disillusion and frustration. It is,
above all, disillusion with some of the
people whom he raised from obscurity and
put in positions of trust, only to have them
betray that trust.
RESENTS PRESS
But an emotion equally strong .Is the
President's resentment of the press and
radio and certain commentators and news
papers in particular. This is a deep and
continuing irritant that would break Into
open and incessant feuding with the. fourth
estate if it were not for some around him
who urge restraint. Two Incidents Illus
trate how this irritant affects decisions.
, There Is little doubt that the Presi
dent had concluded last week that the
revelations of influence and bribery in
the Truman administration in recent
months called for the dismissal of some
one high in rank. The obvious victim was
Attorney General Howard McGrath. The
way was prepared for McGrath's "resigna
tion." Before this could happen an obviously
Inspired report appeared saying that Mc
Grath's resignation was on the President's
desk and would shortly be accepted. In
formation reached McGrath to the effect
that this had come, indirectly if not dir
rectly, from the office of Secretary of the
Treasury John Snyder.
Associates of McGrath saw to it that
word of this "leak" came to the attention
of the President. He reacted, as anyone
knowning his animus toward the press
could have confidently predicted. At the
cabinet meeting the following day he
amazed McGrath by coming forth with
a warm declaration of his unfailing loy
alty and his promise to keep his attor
ney general in his cabinet as long as he
cared to stay.
EQUALLY AMAZED
At least two other cabinet members
who had been aware of the plan to drop
McGrath were equally amazed by the
warmth and spontaneity of the Truman
embrace, while, as in the instance of for
mer Secretary of Defense Johnson, the
President has sometimes publicly declared
his continuing loyalty only to rid himself
of an unwanted official, this was the first
time he had done so In the privacy of his
official family.
The second incident is even more re
vealing of the President's attitude. Early
one morning he received word that a col
umnist had obtained and was about to
publish a report of the highly secret con
ference on the Korean armistice, which
was, the occasion for the President's in
terrupting his Florida vacation. The re
port was said to contain exact quotes of
what had been said at the meeting.
The President's wrath knew no bounds.
His first impulse is said to have been to
have the columnist arrested for treason
If he published the report. This would, of
course, simply have made a martyr of the
individual. It would also have increased
the deep-seated suspicion in a large part
of the press that the President wants to
suppress news which should rightfully
be given out.
DEMANDS TRORE
As published, the report of the meet
ing was comparatively innocuous. But
Truman's anger was not assuaged. He de
manded the fullest investigation of this
"leak." Seventeen persons had been pres
ent, all ot them top rank. On interrogation
they declared that they had reported
what had been said at the White House in
full or in part to a total of 18 other per
sons. This made 35 suspects. While the
blame has apparently never been fixed
certain of these gentlemen had some un
comfortable moments.
As Truman himself has pointed out,
several Presidents have feuded with the
press. But it is customarily a sign of the
end of the road. In his last year or two
in the White House, Franklin Roosevelt
harbored a deep antipathy, if not to the
press as a whole, then to a considerable
segment of it. So did Herbert Hoover in
the midst of the deepening depression and
the Hoover press conferences tended to
be more and more empty, with the re
quirement ot written questions that the
President ignored if he chose to, which
he did more often than not.
No one likes to read bad news about
himself or his enterprises. Presidents in
trouble may blame the facts on those who
report them. And, near the end ot the road,
a harassed president need no longer ap
pease the instruments ot understanding
ana goodwill.
(Copyright. 1M2, bjr Unittd renture Syndicate. Inc.)
In The Editor's Mailbag
NEGRO HOUSING
EUGENE (To the Editor)
One of the most amusing items pf
news was carried in your Satur
day, January 8th edition, the same
which later was carried In the
Portland Oregonian. .
This amusing news item is the
statement by a Portland gentle
man of the condition of the mi
nority groups (Negro's) housing
on West Eleventh and M. S.
Christianson's rebuttal, and face
saving statement of his desire to
do anything within his power to
promote the Negroes' living en
vironment.
I wonder how many of your
readers will remember that just
a short time ago the Lane Housing
Authority attempted to provide
decent housing for these people
and others of low-income in the
manner provided by the Congress
of the United States, namely low
rent housing, and also the fact
that the same readers vetoed the
housing ideas by a referendum
after believing the mistruths as
presented by the opposition,
Realty Members, Retail Building
Suppliers, Banks and other Lend
ing Institutions, who in turn stood
to lose the gravy train ol protit.
As most of us know the condi
tion of the minority group on
West Eleventh and we know the
remarks of the Portland gentle
men to be true, namely that the
West Eleventh conditions is as
bad or worse than conditions
found In the South, I would sug
gest that Mr. Christianson back
up his statement of his desire to
help these people by going to
some responsible agency such as
the Lane Housing- Authority and
assisting them in the construction
of clean sanitary rentals at a price
these people can afford. He would
not only be helping the people
involved but would also help one
of the blighted conditions of the
community of which I am not
proud.
Sincerely yours,
L. T. ANDERSON,
328 W. 29th Ave.,
Eugene, Oregon.
Why bewilder people with "ex
tras."
It is my sincere belief that the
Register-Guard can do a great
service to the driving public and
law enforcement alike if the
statutes covering this situation
could be printed in the Register
Guard.
I am one of the fortunate few
to have driven . cars since 1918
and a total of approximately a
half million miles without a traf
fic accident or police citation.
To date, I too, have driven
through yellow lights when they
changed at a time which would
have caused a too sudden stop.
I am a firm believer in safe
and cautious driving and I sin
cerely feel that the information
coming from our local court is
contrary to common sense and
safety.
If the law states that "yellow"
means STOP then the laws should
be changed at the earliest op
portunity.
If the law does not so state then
the information coming from our
court means only that the court is
making it's own laws contrary to
existing statutes.
Safety cannot be accentuated
by misinformation and bewilder
ment.
Trusting you will consider this
important enough to follow
through, I am,
Most sincerely.
RALPH G. TOURTILLOTT
3741 Barger Dr.
nvtR AMnr.
EUGENE -tI .
Jurivn JJ l. u Uu
'Z7.7.. "oer to
""iwiinstanding ," H
?le which pro
intersection on a Z "ft.
lates the t,!MSb
Y"r attention U !'
m 115-312. n nCaUM
as amended by Chan. l
Oregon Lawsf e'S
LETTER APPEAL
SOMEWHERE To the Editor)
Ever since we arrived in Korea
the amount of mail we have re
ceived has been very low. It
seems that any have forgotten
us with the "out of sight out of
mind attitude."
So this letter is to ask that you
place our names in one of your
columns requesting a few persons
to write us, especially girls around
the ages of eighteen or twenty.
This service will be greatly ap
preciated and will help boost our
morale very much.
Thanking you we remain
Very sincerely, 1
Pfc. Edward I Detrlck,
RA 15 446 090
14th Field Hospital
APO 59, co P.M.
San Francisco, Calif.
Pfc' Frank Wagner Jr.
RA 15 443 048
14th Field Hospital .
APO 59, co P.M.
San Francisco, Calif.
MORE AMBER
EUGENE (To the Editor) I
too, am somewhat bewildered by
items in the paper stating that
yellow traffic lights mean STOP.
I have always been under the
immession yellow means "cau
tion." Otherwise why use yellow
at all. everyone knows red means
"stop" and green means "go"
HI, BARNEY!
DRAIN (To Ye Editor) Will
you please give me the name and
approximate location of the cave
wherein dwelleth the Piltdown
Throwback who has been trying,
over the past year, to time the
traffic lights on Franklin Boule
vard? I am holding at bay two
long-haired gentlemen with cali
pers and an interest in Simian
Fauna who are eager to measure
his cerebrum. You and I know
what they will find, don't we?
It is my considered opinion that
any three idiots chosen at random
could time the lights more in
keeping with the theory of traffic
lights and honesty to posted
speeds.
I speak from the bitterness of
frustration. I bought an Olds with
"Rocket" motor for the sole pur.
pose of making three blocks west
bound without stopping. It can't
be done. Now they say the new
Chrysler Look out! Here I come
again.
Very truly yours.
C. R. MILLER.
MARINES LONELY
SOMEWHERE (To the Editor)
I am writing you this letter for
five of us in my Bunker, request
ing a favor of you. That is to run
an ad in your swell paper request
ing people to write to five lonely
guys on the front lines in Korea,
for none of us get but a few let
ters. We would like to write to
people, to keep us very occupied
on the lines. Thank you,
Sincerely yours,
Sgt. M. Kachar 437368
2nd Bn Dog Co. Hdq. Co.
1st. Mar. 1st Mar. Div.
co P.O. FM. F.
San Francisco, Calif.
Cpl. Fred Fredevico,
2nd Bn Dog Co. Hdq. Co.
1st. Mar. 1st Mar. Div.
co P.O. FM. F.
San Francisco, Calif.
Sgt. V. Burger,
Easy Co. 2nd Bn. Hdq. Co.
1st. Mar. 1st Mar. Div.
co P.O. FM. F.
San Francisco, Calif.
Cpl. Clarence Calloway,
Easy Co. 2nd Bn. Hdq. Co.
1st. Mar. 1st Mar. Div.
co P.O. FM. F.
, San Francisco, Calif.
Pfc. J. Morgan,
Fox Co. 2nd Bn. Hdq. Co.
1st. Mar. 1st Mar. Div.
co P.O. FM. F.
San Francisco, Calif.
tinn 11
as follows: 1 w4i
O) Whenever h ..
trolled by traffic i
ferent colored SjfcfcJ
one at a time
said light, arrows "
indicate and apl'"
veh do j v: r,
lows: -""Wi,
b) Yellr.
when shown fnZZ V
or 'Go' signal 'v.T..!
lacing the signal1
enterins th .
the interseetir'W
point as may be desi3
prooer traffic
SUCH STOP CANNmV
IN SAFETY A VEH!
BE DRIVEN caS
THROUGH THE S
TION. PedestrianT 3
rrivTpT..'T..N
time to cross the
no pedestrian fadni $
lhall ntor . IWS
u.c l UHQWlT 1
Very truly yours.
ALBERTA HEirJ
"u -ny View
Springfield, 0iti:
DEADWOOD AGtf
EUGENE (To the I4J
one is so brazen as to cot
graft and corruption el i
cm. cmmimsirauon. Bui f
Hatter's "foreien aid" ...
Four programs have net
ciiinusiasiic approval 0! ;
Hoffman, Supreme rw
Douglas, Wayne L. Moni
Humphries and many oil
ed citizens, including jj
Lest they may have ).,
should like to remind til
me iviaa nauer is not ttt
ator of "foreign aid." In
ing wis lniormation lot
construcuve reasons uj
aesire to nummate ot
anyone.
Who was the renownaiJ
and uncrowned stateind
nrst advocated "fordo1
moiq on to your hatsjil
men for your lllustrto
cessor was none other the
Agard Wallace. Almoit
ago Henry, then Vice
trotted out his plan torpid
pocxets ot tne Americu a
for the purpose of aldk
ward areas." And whit;
present crop of Johirj
lately do-gooderi thins ot
plan? A lot of 'em
"globaloney" and "mils
Hottentots."
But ten years later welM
the "liberal," "forward
and "constructive " "one
have stolen Henry's
just ain't right. Henrj
years ahead of his time
to be given credit for
sight. He was a prophet
honor in his own cornSi:
Now this is strictly ctq
and I don't want anyone
what I'm going to tell
have before me an editc:
the R-G which appears
time Henry announced
dacy on the "Progressin
in 1948. And what do yd 1
ye editor had to say stall
He said "WE havj, k
THOUGHT WALLACE A
THE DUMB SIDE." Yes
th verv words the earn
describe Henry Way Ate
ace. And now the editor 1
.t.rmino in the ten year
prints of the same "dumb'
Any remaras, .
yours,
DAVE
SHOCKED!
EUGENE (To The
As I was walking up
St. in the heart of do
gene. I was shocked
barrassed to see inasW
several undressed nra
t ,.,. ihp mavor ol to
would warn the proprielKj
such indecency, W
hanrten nffain.
it tho time a yoW
walking along with if
, at a rrovra
-j ,hat they
things was indeed ec
and almost caused a H
If there isn't a law i
there should be.
Woshington Outpost
Truman Won't Ask Funds For Dam
We don't need statistics to know that
the average run of motorists on icy
pavements is too fast per hour.
Th only tight shoes that art com
fortable art th ones you have just
taken off.
A budding love affair is just dandy
until it leads into the blooming expense
of married life.
Uncle Sam has printed a pamphlet
on how to drive nails. Most people
thumb their way.
The optimist believes times are ripe
Mh Pessimist think they're rotten.
. ....
To see some of the motorists drive,
you'd think they owned their cars.
GJijf ljr rfc
FISHERMEN WHO FOLLOWED
"I it'ill make you ftshrri of mm."
Mnrle 1:17
As Jesus stood beside the lake . . .
And watched the fishermen try to take
... A draft of fish without success
... He went with them in helpful
ness . . . And filled their nets while
Peter gazed . . . With James and John
and were amazed ... He said they
would be "Fishers of Men" . . . They
quit their nets and never again . . .
Left Him who made them into a band
... To carry His gospel to evcrv land.
JULIEN C. I1YEIM priations Committee had al-
-icxi or imernauonai Sunday scnooi
Lesson for tomorrow.
By A. ROBERT SMITH
HefUtfr.r.utrd Corrnpondpnt
WASHINGTON President
Truman has made it fairly clear
that, important as he believes
federal hydroelectric power
projects to be, he will not ask
Congress this year for funds to
start any new dams.
When a prominent Northwest
member of Congress wrote the
President recently urging that
ice Harbor Dam be placed in
the bulging budget, he received
this reply from the chief execu
tive: "One of our difficulties is that
if we include one of these new
projects all of them will have
to be included and the budget
is in such a situation that it is
going to be almost impossible to
include any of them."
Projects Turned Down
Last year Mr. Truman asked
Congress for $4 million to begin
construction of Ice Harbor, as
well as $18 million to start The
Dalles Dam. The House Appro-
ready decided that no new dams
hi.i a exAvted SAa tausned
them both down, but the Senate
committee got a compromise by
which $4 million was allowed
for The Dalles but none for Ice
Harbor.
As for the Willamette Valley,
a no new-starts policy would
rule out once again Hills Creek
Reservoir near Oakridgc. Con
gress last year turned down Mr.
Truman's request for $200,000
for this flood control project. It
would also postpone Cougar
Reservoir on the south fork of
the McKenzie and Green Peter
on the middle fork of the San
tiam. No Effect on Meridian
This policy, presumably,
would have no affect on pro
jects such as Meridian Dam now
under construction.
In his state of the union id
dress the President declared,
speaking of his domestic pro
gram, "We can't do all we want
to in times like these we have
to choose the things that will
contribute most to defense but
we must continue to make pro
gress if we are to be a strong
naUaa in the years ahead."
More specifically, he said,
"We are going to produce essen
tial power and build the lines
we have to transmit it to our
farms and factories."
Reliable sources estimate the
budget requests for Columbia
River Basin projects as fol
lows: $70 Million for BPA ,
Detroit Dam, $10,700,000; Me
ridian Dam, $17,250,000; The
Dalles, $37,500,000; McNary,
$66,000,000; Chief Joseph, $25,
300,000; Albenl Falls, $8,100,000;
Hungry Horse, $13,250,000; and
$70 million for Bonneville Pow
er Administration.
This list does not include
funds which may be requested
for Willamette River bank pro
tection work, which last year
was granted S400.0O0.
Further development of the
Columbia Basin in this session
of Congress will have to be
limited to continuaUon of pro
jects now under construction
plus the possibility of Congres
sional authorization of Hells
Canyon Dam or the fuel-fired
electric generating plants BPA
Taictnn Awaited
""" .....ifli;
The steam P"" "a
ready been pas '
now i'"5 1
fmmittee await".
that will send K W "J
of the House RCJ
awaiting a -,
send it on to
House for a
committee, a aeao 1
anoiner .'"-.
Present ind'J
the intertie
ject that wiU W 3
inKo Michael i
ioner of the Bf
lamation,
uini- the
We're still fM
Straus asked t J
line mai " " ..ts:
Uornia b"'
flatly both tin.- Vj
say whether t J
...11 contain s t0""
this project
mainw":" a
.nter
a
Gt
fcttrr-'
don
(or
iff
V
cti
lie
iiori
fcrit
leoP
lit!
fit
plic
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Wei
b
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e
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