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About Eugene register-guard. (Eugene, Or.) 1930-1983 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 21, 1952)
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. 8A EUGENE, OREGON, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1952 Public Kindergartens Should Be Postponed With great reluctance we advise a "No" vote on the three kindergarten measures which come before the voters of the Eugene school district in Tues day's election. This is the first time in 25 years we have opposed any program for the expansion of our school facilities or the improvement of its curriculum and teaching staff. We do this because: 1. Although we believe kindergartens to be a sound part of education, ultimately to be desired, they do not come under the heading of NECESSITY. 2. Our present "tax base," within the 8 per cent limitation, is only S430.000 against an operation budget which has grown to more than S2.3 million annually, .less than one-fifth the actual requireomnt. 3. Every spring since 1P4S. we have faced the nightmare of going to the people with special elections to vole the budget above the 6 per cent limitation. 4. Even with big increases of state aid, the net which must be raised by local taxes shove the fi per cent limitation is now more than SI million a year, or more than 20 mills in our school tax structure which was 47.5 mills last year. 5. In November the people of Oregon will vote on an amendment, which if adopted, will permit the people of our district, by vote, to adopt a realistic tax base for the future. 6. Unless or until we can get a realistic tax base, we see a positive hazard in adding functions. 7. Kindergartens would require $250,000 in bonds for added rooms and S84.000 a year for initial operations in taxes an addition of 4'4 to 4 "4 mills for operations and debt service. 8. This addition alone would not "break us," but we must keep in mind that we still need at least. $3 million for additional schools in the next 5 years, with more teachers and if inflation continues substantial increases in teacher pay and other costs, if we are to main tain the QUALITY of our schools. As we see it our problem is like choosing between buying a new hat or a new pair of shoes when you can't afford both. We'd choose the shoes. (Somebody is sure to say you could tell that by our hats.) The kindergarten issue is presented in three separate questions under an attorney general's ruling: Shall we adopt kindergartens Into our public school program? Shall we authorize $250,000 bonds to pro vide kindergarten rooms at our grade schools (all except Bailey Hill and Willagillespie and Magladry where the plan would be bus transportation for the little kids to nearby schools)? Shall we .vote an extra operating levy of $84,000 lo become effective in the year he ginning September 1953? (We are almost tempted to urge a YES vote on the program and a NO vote on the. financing, because we think it would be de sirable for the school board to start building kindergarten rooms into all future grade schools, but since the board could do this without a specific mandate we think it best to leave the planning to their discretion.) We recognize the sincerity of the many people whoi think kindergartens should not be delayed. We realize that the present tuition system is burden some to many young parents and unfair to those who simply cannot provide $6 a term to give their tots kindergarten advantages. . If kindergartens are adopted we shall give full support to the program through the years to come, but we want to re mind the ardent kindergarten sup porters: 'You'd better not forget to vote for the lax base amendment for a realistic tax base when the time comes! And if those measures fail, you'll have to remember to turn out year after year when it comes time to vote a budget over the 6 per cent limita tion!" We think the kindergarten support ers have "jumped the gun" a bit. (We have harrowing memories of 1928 when it took four special elections and we were into December before a school budget could be approved. We recall the depression years, the competing demands of city and county needs on tax resources). Maybe we are super-cautious, but we think it might be prudent to postpone kindergartens just a few years till we "sort, of stabilize" our many community needs. Inherent Hazards in Our Precious Rights When a group of ardent young Dem ocrats or should we say anti-Republicans appeared at Saturday morning's station-stop rally for Vice Presidential Candidate Richard Nixon with banners, they were undoubtedly within their rights as American citizens as laid down . in the First Amendment which specifies among other precious privileges free dom of speech and the right to assemble peaceably. That a mild form of riot ensued, how ever, we accept as "in the course of na ture" when you learn that their banners bore such slogans as: "No Mink Coats For NixonJust $16,000 Cash." "Shhh Don't Speak of $16,000 or You're A Communist." Not that we are ready to approve or condone the Republican candidate, be cause we think he has a lot of explain ing to do. But when some of these same Democrats ask the editor to take up his cudgels in defence of their "freedoms" we just chuckle: "Sure you had a right In plant your ban ners behind the GOPs elephant, but what in Tnphct did you think would happen? What will happen when Stevenson and Sparkman come through here if some young Republi cans appear with insulting banners (as they probably will)? Weren't you kinda asking for trouble, all the time?" "Ah, but why were liie police so slow in giving us protection? What about that, ele phant trainer who slashed one of our boys in the wrist with his hook? What about Chief Brown requiring a citizen to swear to a war rant although he saw the act committed? What about permitting sound trucks to bellow through the streets announcing the Nixon meeting when we couldn't get a permit for our Democratic congressional candidate a few years ago?" We still laugh! There are some inher ent hazards which go with our precious rights. There is no law which says you couldn't give the OSC cheer at an Ore gon rally, but it isn't exactly safe. The constitution guarantees religious free dom, but a church picnic is a poor place for an anti-church speech. Politix is one of our more emotional sports and waving Democratic banners at a Republican rally, or vice versa is a hazardous occupation like tearing down the goal posts before the last quarter is finished. We shall fight to the last lo defend everybody's constitutional rights, but we shall waste no sympathy on anybody who gets "a sock in the kisser" when he's asking for it. What About Candidate Nixon's $16,000 Fund? Revelation of the $16,000 fund placed at Richard Nixon's disposal as a member of the United States Senate raises some questions as to his fitness lo he a can didate for Ihe Vice Presidency of the United States. But we approve heart ily of the statement of the Democratic presidential candidate, Adlai Stevenson, that judgment should be withheld till all facts pertaining to the sources and use of tin's fund have been laid before the public' Candidate Nixon claims that this is a "smear," that he personally never had a penny out of Ihe fund, thai it was raised by patriotic Californians lo defray the cosls of publicizing Ihe Nixon activities against Communism, costs which other wise might have had lo be horn by the taxpayers. The question remains: "Is this an elhical practice? Especially Is it ethical in a man who assumes the role of a crusader against corruption in government?" Many months ago we instructed our Washington Reporter. Bob Smith lo dig deep into the "pr-rquisiles" of our Sen ators and Congressmen, and so far he hH( had finlv naHi.nl enrroie . II'. u.. been mystified for a long time, by the. voluminous special mailing and publi cations "at no cost lo the government." which we get from so many of our leg islators. It may be that Candidate Nixon is no better or no worse than scores of his colleagues, and that may be why Candi date Stevenson is so patient and toler ant. We hope this Nixon business will lead to a thorough airing out of the whole situation on both sides in Cong ress. "How far is a member of Congress put un der obligations by outside contributions?" There are many degrees of "embar rassment." The trouble has its roots in our unwillingness lo give our represen tatives enough outright salary and al lowance lo put them above "outside help." We'd like to see Paul Douglas, of Illinois put in charge of this research. We are not ready to condemn Nixon, but we are disturbed that such a bright young man should let himself into such a mess. It is particularly unfortunate lhat. the "little stink" diverts from at. trillion lo Ihe "big stink" which centen on the White. House. Marquis Oindi . 4 Differences High In Campaigns r CHILD! CAMPAIGNING WITH GOVERNOR STEVENSON One thing about this presi dential contest has not always been true in the past campaigns. The two candidates arc dissimilar, utterly, dis similar, in almost every respect. To begin with, they could hardly look more unlike than they do, with with the single, exception that they are both almost entirely bald. While Stevenson is on the short side, somewhat stocky, he has a brisk. Quick tempo that comes out in everything he does. Ike appears in contrast to be massive, slow-moving, deliberate. It is, above all, in the way in which each candidate approaches the. campaign that the contrast comes out. Stevenson is talking about the issues of the day and in considerable detail. He is attempting by reason to persuade the voters, or enough of them, that he understands the problems before the country and is capable of lead ing the nation through continuing storms ahead. While this is an oversimplification. Ike's approach is an emotional one. As he frank ly told the workers in the Citizens for Eisenhower office in New York, he be lieves people are reached through emotion rather than reason. He is appealing to deep impulses of loyalty, patriotism, religious faith. DESIRE TO RETURN With Eisenhower this often seems to add up to the desire of a great many Amer icans to return to a simpler way of life when the burdens of the world would not rest on American shoulders. When Ike throws out the hope of a time when "your sons" will not have to serve in armies sent overseas, he skirts the isolationist position. This is a long way from his own recorded stand for universal military train ing. Stevenson lakes a pretty stern line about the future. He talks about the serious responsibilities ahead if America is to meet the threat of Communist aggression. This generation, he has suggested, may not see the end of Ihe time of trial and trouble through which we are now passing. It is only if the nation meets this challenge that we can see ahead in the further dis tance peace in a world of freedom. This sternness is, of course, seasoned with the now highly controversial Steven son humor. It comes natural to him the irony, the sarcasm, even what seems now and then to be flippancy. It is a part of the fluency with language that comes out in almost every speech he makes. And, for many, those speeches are a joy to read in the way in which the telling points are knit into a tightly constructed whole. DOESN'T LACK SERIOUSNESS The humor does not mean that Steven son is lacking in seriousness. Rather, in the view of this reporter, it is an escape hatch (or a man who all his life has been in tensely serious. He assumes that others also will welcome the break in what is for him an undertaking freighted with toil and care and continual worry. Stevenson is far less capable of really relaxing than is Eisenhower. In the past, at least, when Ike had finished a job, he put it out of his mind and turned to bridge or canasta or to western stories, which he reads voraciously. Many Eisenhower sup porters have privately complained of this. They say he had not done his homework. Rarely, except in an occasional game of tennis, does Stevenson let go of it it beink the situation, the problem, the crisis. He is like a very alert terrier who gets a hone, worries it, shakes it, never lets it alone. Some have, wondered how he stands the concentration he brings to everything he does. That same concentration is going into his campaign. Stevenson is acutely aware of how much he must make up for in the ignorance of most of his fellow Americans about who he is, what he stands for and what he has done up to now. When this campaign is ended, perhaps no candidate, in our political history will have covered so much ground, both literally and figura' lively. He means to discuss every phase of each issue in as thorough a fashion as time 1 will permit. And if it is humanly possible, he is going to get into every corner of the United States to carry on this discussion. TRENDS ARE SHIFTING So here they -are, these two so very different, men, going .around the country in the traditional way, offering their wares to the. voters. Hope rises and falls mer curially. Two weeks ago the Stevenson camp was full of confidence that was cer tainly unreasoning. Now there has been a noticeable shift. The Eisenhower backers are jubilant at the enthusiatic crowds turning out to see their candidate. And the men around Stevenson are beginning to realize the formidable task ahead in making their man known. That is what, this latest strenuous tour is about, just as it will he in the days ahead in the cities and towns and crossroads of America. CnpvrljrM, 1052, hy United Feature Synrtlralp, Inr, UNITED NATIONS DEADWOOD (To the Editor ) The international magazine "United Nations World" recently distributed 10,000 questionnaires for the purpose of guaging pub lic opinion to the UN. One of Ihe questions was "Do people relate higher taxes with our present policy of internationalism?" An swers were: Yes, 82; No, 18. Second question: "What do peo ple think of Ihe UN?" Answers: Favorable, .19; Unfavorable, 61. Third question: "Are peo ple going isolationist?" Answers: Yes, 67; No, 33. These an swers indicate a growing suspi cion of our foreign policy and a belief that Ihe UN is a ghastly failure. Truth may yet prevail. Left-wing ballyhoo and propo ganda sold us the UN. We are told it was a NEW and sure-fire In The Editor's MailBl way to peace. Actually the UN enemies in Korea arel Ihe North is not new at all. Much of it. was copied after -Ihe dead League of Nations. Prof. Eelix Morley, UN advocate, states that, the UN Charter is essentially nn adap tation of the League Covenant. The magazine "National Repub lic" points out that in many of its articles the language of the UN Charter is lifted verbatim from THE LANGUAGE WRIT TEN BY STALIN IN THE SO VIET CONSTITUTION. Here wn see the find hand of Alger Hiss, Russian espionage agent, who helped to draft the UN Charter. The UN was lo he an "Imple ment" of peace. Next came the. Atlantic Pact, a device to "im plement the original implement. How far can internationalist ab surdity proceed? But. let's take inventory. Our tO liJ:. while VM'U Ihe Conn Ptit, Nit. Koreans and the Chinese Reds who are not members of the UN, hut who are hacked by the Bus! sians who are. comrades in the UN. We now profess an interest in Formosa after we deserted our faithfully ally Chiangkai shek. England, member of ihe. UN, does business with the Chi nese Reds who are not memhers of Ihe UN and with Ihe Rus sians who are. At. the same time, we hack Ihe Japanese, our re cent enemies, who are not. mem hers of the UN in an effort tn hold our Far Eastern outposts agai'ot the Russians, memhers of the UN. We fired General Mac Arthur when he. had the Com mies on the run and we have since listened tn their lies and infinite whit thav inomseitj iu: ... -,r .,. ... strengtn. we nave extended aid UikJ vl,rhiuTH 'ith Ihe Chin. ' cotlon i...!5 he mart. :.. Anricn Cl lh k Peter Edson Editors Like Presidential Primary encountered i ,'-" n',r triple lh, 'J know that the UN WASHINGTON (NEA) A national presidential primary election in 1956 is favored three to one by U. S. newspaper edi tors in every stae polled on the question by this column. A much slim mer majority 54 per cent to 36 per cent favors a change in Senate Rule No. 22 to limit debate and pre- EDSON November for majority control of one vote. Fifty-three per cent of the edi tors think the GOP can turn his trick, while only 35 per cent thi.'k Ihe Democrats will retain their majority control of the House next year. Twelve per cent of the editors would not hazard a guess on this. Only in Ihe. Southwest was this sentiment reversed, 53 per cent of the editors in.that area believ ing that, the Democrats would carry the lower house as well as the Senate. It is notable, however, than 10 per cent of the editors predicting question were revealing. "Afraid he'll follow the Dewey line, un fortunately," said the Huntington (Ind.) Herald-Press. "He'll be liberal," commented the Seminole (Okla.) Producer, "but not socialist." The Manhattan (Kans.) Mercury-Chronicle, Knoxville (Tenn.) News-Sentinel, San Luis Obispo (Calif.) Tribune-Telegraph and others think Elsenhower will he liberal on foreign policy, conser vative nn domestic. billi i on u Asiitj. -J hi vent filibusters. Ten per cent of the editors polled expressed no a Republican Congress next, year opinion. It is the overwhelming vote of northern editors that accounts for this result. Southwestern editors favor no change in the present rule, 56 per cent to 44 per cent. Southeastern editors stick with the present rule five tn one 77 per cent tn 15. On the Taft-Hartley labor re lations, 35 per cent, of the editors say no repeal and no change. The other 65 per cent think the law should be amended in varying degrees to remove inequities and even to strengthen its re strictions. These are the highlights of this poll on what are probably the three most controversial issues facing the new Congress which convenes in Washington in Janu ary, 1953. On the political make-up of this new 83rd Congress, most edi tors feel that it will have Repub lican majorities in both houses. But the number of editors pre dicting a Republican Senaie is much smaller than that predict ing a Republican House of Repre sentatives. In the last Senaie. (here were 50 Democrats to 46 Republicans. Senators whose seats are to he filled in the 1952 elections num ber 3515 Democrats and 20 Re publicans. The Republicans must therefore win at least 23 of the 35 contests to obtain a 49-47 majority. SEE CLOSE SENATE RACE On the outcome of this Senate race. 43 per cent of the editors think the Republicans will win control, while 41 per rent think the Democrats will retain their small majority. Sixteen per cent of the editors were unwilling to make a prediction. Fifty-four per cent of the south ern editors think the Democrats will retain control; 52 per cent of the northern and western editors think the Republicans will gain control. In the last House of Represen tatives there were 235 Democrats, 209 Republicans. The Republicans must win at least 218 seals in qualified by saying, "Only if Ike wins," or "Only if there is a Republican landslide." As a corollary to this question of whether Republicans or Demo crats would conlrol the next Con gress, editors were asked their opinions nnw hat kind of a Presi dent General Eisenhower would make if elected. Would he he a "liberal" leader or a "conserva tive"? The division was remarkably close among Ihe 9fi per cent who answered. Thirty-eight per cent, think Ike will follow a liberal course with 37 per cent think he will be conservative. NOT A MIDDLE ROADF.R What this would seem to indi cate is either that Ihe general has not made his own position clear, or else that he is really a "middle-of-the-roader," which he him self says he is. But only 17 per cent of the editors so ticketed Eisenhower. Comments of editors on this STRAY CATS , SPRINGFIELD ft, t"n: I ,." 1 dumping, jj feen another v,i, fount., j.... been he J.,-.- w The Buffalo (N.Y.) News thinks dogs, by pZ he'll be a liberal, "preaching en- what ei5e 1 liphtenpd cnnsnrvalism " nH n... . - ,,, ,ne yean eJ u Many editors also had sharp country there hiiJ v,.,tM,,n me in .-ir i-ia inr .nances nr in.i.. I changing the Taft-Hartley law, wav to our dmr 1 1 .ivnic iiiiiiuai.-i mivt-ii jn n0j(S i rule and installing a national ily of small xillerj! presidential primary in 1956. down Ihe drivetn On this last-mentioned issue, even drink milk fc, Ihe Milwaukee (Wis.) Journal it is a ymn i opposed the proposition with the cnuldn'l have tomsl miM-i viuiiMi, iniiiK wnai a nuey it way man tnWJ T . u .i ...:,u ii, ...l.i . ' uiiiik uuuiu im iwiui id. nun wnai are we 0 a .strengthen tne primary system wncn we already hit in the states," recommends the four citi to feed. i'onca city (Okla.) News and Besides pmiu several other newspapers. lo get rid of Hu, J "Amcnn me jati-rinruey law ""i aauwier stliii lo curb Ihe' power of the labor keep them and Ikm bosses," recommends Ihe Living- ' upset. We ban bj ston (Mont.) Enterprise. perience with Hi W "Just use it," is Ihe substance nn find lhat tkjijj of advice from the Baton Rouge mm Ihe rescue ff I (La.) Stale-Times. rnals. I vouldthai Summing up southern opinion letters in the Rtjire nn Senate rule changes, the Rock Mfling this probles Hill (S. C.) Herald says. "The how others have present rule protected liberal Sincere!;, minorities in Ihe past. It. now pro- ' teets conservative minorities. It Mr!. C. should be kept as a protection for HI. 1, In: all future minorities." SpriijteH WASHINGTON OUTPOST- Past Two Weeks 'Explosive7 for Senator By A. ROBERT SMITH Fi-jElster.Gimrrt Correspond? nt WASHINGTON The diary of Sen. Wayne Morse should such an explosive account of history exist would very likely have to be lined with asbestos lo hold safely the Oregon Senator's en tries during his inflammable eight years in politics. If one were to tear nut the pages of the past two weeks, cool them on dry ice until safe to print in this space, they would si ill portray some of the inner thoughts of Morse, one of Ameri ca's most active political vol canoes, as follows: Tues., Sept. 9 Got hark from air base inspection trip lonight. Ducked reporters. Better He low lo see if Eisenhower campaign is as had as it sounded from Europe. Wed.. Sept. 10 McCarthy has won landslide victory In Wiscon sin primary, which means demo goguery is an easy road to po litical victory this year. Ike on TV tonight clasping Jenner to his bosom in Indianapolis , . . dis gusting. He thinks he needs them lo win in Nov. but they'll cut his throat in Jan. They're rotten apples, Ike, we can't afford to keep in the GOP barrel. . . How can I in all honesty campaign with them on the team. Thurs., Sept. 11 Ralph Cake called the office from New York asking where I could be reached in Europe for an important Irans Atlantic telephone call about the campaign. Fri., Sept. 12 Called Cake hack (his morning and that . . . had the gall n ask me to sit. on Ihe platform with Eisenhower at A.F. of L. convention with no assurance that Ike wouldn't sup port Ihe Taft line ef j . . .Told Cake I In endorse Ihe speB nrncnnro nn lilt EkT nut reading it ii i lurlhormore conference i morning, bid npaciilant Kl pleased than Eisennouer i Cake flew If with Eaaol ill I Mud- NobodrtrJ Trim i harmoit ttovm til 'Testing 1 Billion, 2 Billion, 3 Billion. The Shepherd "He iri'l direct rhj path." Prop. J.-5 We learn of David's kinely son . , , The wise and worthy Solomon , , , Who prayed that God would make him wise . . , Not gveat nor wealthy in Ihe eyes ... Of Israel and let him huild . . . The temple that it be ful filled . . What David promised he would do , . . And Solomon would carry through . , . God's plan and to Him dedicate . . , A dwelling place, grand and ornate. JULIEN C. HYER still not knowing dj Itower wouia Antf.r1 him page statement lo UJ nouncing inr? stantial agrcemeil; minnpn Lane m phone about ...llArtariac houer commit lame excuses..-' Anderson my sP!j ageous resign' RepuDlican rr- Ike support -Jenner bulsaia' Ike will vindicate . namniin. siniciivc jj Sal, Sepl. 11 called, upseu"'"; deliver me l ' In see me W- bring copy speech, which ' Told press I '!' Republicans n"- ith wire is ' . , KM VI aien J unless :""'"'-!l i orse. but 1 loo many don't camp'!' - j Men., Sepl-1, lhat rounn. o,.- , change my More lame j Tues..SP'a lers coming "' - to one. . . ji wed.. Sef i(3 Thrs.. Sept. Tl until three i,i writing! fE J crowd hM" ;, uld'n'tbel orable "" went :f-,t nrinciple fL a People h(1d tiernlJ n" Fri., S" aaain .jniiei My reaction", .Ml so dlK VJ. row questions