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About Eugene register-guard. (Eugene, Or.) 1930-1983 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 21, 1954)
Phoenix Peter Edson AN INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER PUBLISHER Alton F. Baker EDITOR William M. Tugman MANAGING EDITOR Alton F. Baker Jr. SERVICES Full Associated Press, United Tress, 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 o 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, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1954 Business for Lawyers! Words, Words, Words! With Oregon's state government facing large deficits in the coming bien nium, the possibility that the state may have to levy a property tax becomes, a probability. We have been telling our selves that the state is limited to SIX MILLS, but IS IT? At least we have made two efforts to accomplish such a limitation: In 1951 the Legislature adopted and the people in 1952 by referendum adopted a law, ORS 311.660 which provides "the stale shall not for any fiscal year, collect a state property tax in any greater sum than the total of: (a) six mills on total assessed valuation in state; (b) such adclilional amount as may be necessary to pay bonded indebtedness or inter est thereon." In November we will vole on a constitu tional amendment which says: "unless specif ically aulhorized by a majority of legal voters voting upon the question, the state shall not levy for any fiscal year after Dec. 31, 1954, a stale properly tax in excess of the sum to meet bonded indebtedness and interest there on, plus six mills." The 1953 Legislature sub mits this amendment. Apparently the proposed constitu tional amendment has the same purpose as the present law with referendum on each state properly tax levy mandatory BUT Charles A. Spraguc, the States man (Salem) has been looking over a recent study prepared by Fred Pack- wood, Portland attorney and tax expert which raises some complicated ques tions: "Consider Ihe 1951 slntule first. Does it apply only to Ihe slate levy within the six per cent limitation or does it include levies out side Ihe limitation which were voted by the people? The basic school support fund, pres ently 33 million dollars per annum constitutes an almost 18-mill levy in itself. Continuing levies for higher education, etc., are additional millages. Has the stale tied its hands? If so it could untie them and return to the status quo by legislative repeal. "The amendment poses a different prob lem. The proposed six mill limitation is a constitutional amendment and in lieu of Ihe present six per cent limitation. But nolo this exception: Unless specifically authorized by a majority of the legal voters upon the ques tion." Is the prior approved basic school levy within the exception? Not only is it a voter approved properly tax but by its terms it is specifically exempted from Art. XI, (the six per cent limitation provision). Packwood gives as his own opinion that the statute and the proposed amendment are merely restrictions upon the legislature, and do not apply to levies voted by the people. He concludes: "But whatever the proper legal interpretation a problem is posed." Mr. Sprague suggests that this tangle be explored by legal experts before Nov. 2, lest we "freeze a slraightjacket" into the constitution. We will go farther and possibly cheat the lawyers out of some fees by saying that the proposed constitutional amend ment ought to be condemned'NOW, be cause this type of detailed and specific legislation has NO PLACE in the Con stitution. If Oregon ever gets a new Constitu tion we hope it will be limited to organic and fundamental law. It can be done by proper definitions of what is fittin' for constitutional enactment. 'Better Un-hcroic Survivor Than Dead Hero' After 18 months in Red China's pri sons, Richard Applegate, of Medford, and his two sailing companions in the China seas, have been returned to Hong Kong. Applegate is a veteran in the foreign news service. It isn't a pretty story that he tells. He soon learned to make any "confession" his tormentors wanted. He learned not to be indignant when they accused U. S. fliers of spread ing germs and poison in Korea: "I know what they wanted to hear and I gave it to them. I started confessing to being in Chinese waters and everything else they asked." It is not a very heroic report. How ever, there are very few who would choose to be heroes under similar cir cumstances. We hear all kinds of stories about "brain washing" how the Com munists use powerful and mysterious drugs to nullify the victim's wits. Plain exhaustion will do the trick just as well as any drugs. (In Cleveland many years ago a young doctor made studies of faligue in connection with Ihe then raging Marathon dahce conlcsls and he proved conclusively that excessive and repealed fatigue destroys portions of brain beyond all repair and can produce idiocy.) So, you can't blame any intelligent and well-informed man for trying to save himself before the Commies destroy his wits. However some people will ask: "Then why hold courts martial to punish soldiers, sailors or marines for breaking down in Communist prisons?" There may be some important dif- fcrences. A generalized "confession" as to "germ warfare" is not likely to bring immediate harm to any individual. A statement made by a prisoner of war which puts any other prisoner in jeop ardy is almost unpardonable especially if it is made to curry personal favor or special privileges from Ihe captors. For the military, of course, there is the necessity to preserve discipline which could bo undermined by too much sympathy for those who break under torture or threats ot torture to the peril of other people. But, for all of us, in or out of the military, there must be at least a gen erous effort to understand those who have been a little less than heroic when subjected to Communist torments. Even the Nazis and the worst of the Japs were amateurs by comparison. Calcimine's Day Over (Salem Capital-Journal) Calcimine, the poor man's paint, like the bullet mold, the tallow candle and the stove-pipe hat has expeditiously be come almost extinct. Not many years' ago, and for decades before, that hum ble mixture of calcium carbonate, glue and water was an accepted and pleasing coating, white or tinted, for plastered walls and interior ceilings. Nearly anyone willi a little fore-arm muscle and a flexible back could apply calcimine. It was easy to mix, easy to spread and the slosh, slosh of a freely working calcimine brush in the hands of an adept was a sound becoming to the action. And there was an odor, too, as sociated with calcimine, a distinctive odor that was refreshing and bespoke of a new cleanliness. After all, calcimine was only a water paint that covered well, dried quickly and was cheap to apply. Dad used to grumble a bit when he was told the sit ting room needed going over with a fresh coat of calcimine but, after some argument, he bought the stuff, mixed it in the woodshed and brushed it on after the carpet had been rolled up and the organ properly covered. When the job was done he mopped a mixture of calci mine and perspiration from his brow and hoped the stuff would dry evenly without showing conspicuous brush laps. (True, there was a deficiency about calci mine that modern, ready-mixed wall paints have overcome. Calcimine did slain easily when exposed to ceiling leaks. And a stained ceiling must first be remedied with a stain killer followed by another coat of calcimine.) Came the day when Uncle Jim dropped in and his visitation, however brief, always filled the household with apprehension. Uncle Jim tippled. Soon came the evening when he retired with a full bottle and a lapse of memory. Somehow the bottle became upset with the stopper out and the contents dripped through the floor and ceiling to create an indelible stain and fill the sitting room with an haunting and enduring fragrance of mellowed corn whiskey. Mother was furious. Uncle Jim went home next day. Dad grumbled again and then went to the woodshed where he stirred up a fresh batch of calcimine for the stained ceiling. After an hour of perspiring labor. Ihe sitting room ceiling looked good as ever. But the odor of spilled bourbon hovered about Ihe room for some days to come lo remind us of Uncle Jim's visit and the utility of calci mine. Maxwell. Cut to Fit Wonders of TV: passengers on the French liner Lyauley can see who's waiting on the dock before the ship docks. There are times when such a device would be a boon to Mr. Fuddle, of Mortgage Ridge. I.os Angeles man has invented a device so's you can shave electrically while driving. Brother! In LA, a driver is close-shaved continually without so much bother. This "code of campaign ethics" which the Democrats and Republicans have adopted ain't hard to "understand. McGurk says it operates just like this world disarmament. Tom Whitney Soviets Sabotaging Atom Peace Pool Plan WASHINGTON .MV-The Soviets are attempting to counter the propaganda effect of President ' Eisenhower's plan for an interna tional atoms for peace pool by labeling it a fake. It's just a front, Pravda de clared a few days ago, intended lo distract the attention of world public opinion from the fact- the United States in Pravda's words is continuing intensive prepara tions for atomic war. The Soviet paper in a brief ar ticle laid down the line which the Soviet propaganda machine will use in attempting to discredit the President's project throughout the world. The inauguralion of, the Eisen hower plan is going to pose a ser ious problem for the Kremlin. ltUSSIAN CLAIMS For years the Russians have been claiming with considerable effect in some places that ,it is the United Stales which is respon sible for the atomic arms race, that while Ihe U.S.- government makes ready for atomic war the Soviet government directs a large part of its energy to seeking peaceful uses of atomic energy. Not long ago the Russians an nounced with great fanfare, for instance, that they had put into operation the first alomic energy electric power plant for industrial purposes. In fact Ihe new power station, as the Soviet announcement made clear, was of quite small capacity about the same size as experi mental atomic electric power plants long since in existence in the west also. President Eisenhower's concept in making his proposals last Dec. 8 in the U.S. for international co operation in peacetime alomic work was that the countries which have atomic materials and experience should make them available to other nations. SECRET TALKS He specifically included the So viet Union as a participant along with the United States. Confiden tial talks were held by the U.S. government and Ihe Soviet gov ernment earlier this year to try to work this idea out, but there was no agreement. The talks broke down basically over the Soviet stand that any such arrangement should be ac companied by a general prohibi tion on any use of atomic and hydrogen weapons. The President announced in Denver on Sept. 6 that the United Slales and some other countries are going lo proceed with Ihe atoms for peace plan anyway without the U.S.S.R. This puts thea Russians on Ihe spot. As Ihe United Stales proceeds wilh the Eisenhower plan more and more nations arc likely lo benefit from it. TOUGH ON THESIS This is going to make it harder and harder for Ihe Communists to maintain their thesis that the United States is only occupied wilh war uses of atomic energy. Furthermore, a lot of people arc going to ask why if Ihe Rus sians are so busy in developing peacetime uses of atomic energy they are unwilling lo share their knowledge and materials wilh other countries. Pravda, commenting on Ihe President's Labor Day speech, said, "The United States is creat ing only the deceptive appear ance of striving for use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes and in fact is continuing Ihe inten sive alomic arms race and pre paration for atomic war." The Pravda version of the Ei senhower plan is not likely to fool many people if Ihe United Stales government really pushes rapidly ahead with the Presi dent's project. In The Editor's Mail Bag OLDTIMER ANGRY OAKRIDGE (To the Editor) You are to be commended on your Labor Day editorial. I am at present working on the elec tric crew at the Ed. Mines West fir Plant, Lumber Division, which as . you know has not been on strike due to the fact that our former business agent over looked opening our contract with the company last spring. Since then the membership has elected a Mr. Monroe as business agent, who I feci sure will avoid any such oversights in the future. As a member of the local CIO union of Oakridgc, 1 feci that a few comments on some points you missed would be in order. One of these is political. When our President Harking makes the statement he was credited with a short time ago at Ihe Spring field meeting that this is the year to indorse a complete slate of Democrat candidates, it makes me sec red, and not the Russian kind cither. 1 vole for whom I please and not always for a Re publican because I happen to be one. Many years ago I helped elect Floyd B. Olsen , governor of Minnesota, on the Farm Labor ticket, and they just about wrecked the state. But we all make mistakes at times, espe cially when young and naive. Former President Green of Ihe American Federation of Labor knew Ihe value of keeping clear of politics. We don't want a la bor parly in this country and we don't want the Democrat party to serve as a vehicle for it (or do wc?). We could also get along with out some of our union leaders who do nothing but bellyache about the Taft-Hartley Act be cause it happens to curb some of their activities, which as far as the rank and file membership of a union is concerned, do them little or no good. I have been around this old world quite some time now and my hair is gray and thin from rubbing against objectionable characters. 1 make no apology for what I say nor fear any re taliation, because that is some thing which works both ways and I have always found if you want to get the hornets in a nest real mad, just ram a stick in it. (Your own, if you wish.) So, when I make Ihe statement that some, of our union leader ship slinks, I mean just that. That applies In the AFL sawmill workers as well.. This was one of Ihe most ill limed, ill advised strikes I have ever seen. When the unions by their acts lose the respect of in dustry and the confidence of their members, it is time that something be done besides just talk about it. We need information that is not distorted or biased presented to the average worker, who, if he is not capable of making his own decisions, at least has had that opportunity. There has been althogethcr too much beating the drums for a strike every time an opening presented itself. There is too much protection afforded some union members, who personally I wouldn't have working for me at 10c an hour if I was in man agement's place. I believe in management's right to hire and fire. 1 started my labors in 1914 at $30 per month for a 10-hour day, 60-hour week. I never was fired from a job in my life, although I have quit several, so as far as indis criminate firing by management, that is a lot of bunk. I consider getting rid of an inefficient worker a favor to the man him self. He is probably in Ihe wrong trade. We worked hard in the old days and it didn't kill us. It did keep us from robbing banks (or our friends) as extra curricular activity. We were too tired come nightfall. We built many of the institu tions and industries that todav furnish jobs for thousands of workers who neither know nor appreciate the fact. Wc had minds of our own and we used them. If we didn't like our job, wc quit. We didn't lake two or three hundred men out on strike to settle a personal grievance. We also had unions. The mem bers were real men what would give you the shirt off their back and fought clean and hard for their rights, because in those days unionism hadn't developed into a racket. Both sides ot the lumber in dustry could stand a cleaning and while it s being done, let's leave the politics out of it. Nobodv js going to talk the country into a depression before the fall elec tions, not even Twentv-two Hour Morse, much as he would like to cmbarass his former pal ,lke. And also, Mr. Morse, next time you mention the give-away ad ministration, let's have you give us a detailed accounting of the hundred billion that Truman and Roosevelt lost all track of. JOHN L. LUNDBERG, Rl. 1 - Box 206A. Oakridge, Oregon. OH DEAR! OAKRIDGE (To the Editnr) As the editor has often said, "Politics make strange bed-fellows." We note in a local paper a recent front page article that a member of the Board of Di rectors of the Lane County Elec tric Co-operative has accepted chairmanship of a local Cordon for Senator club. How any lead er in a Public Power Utility can reconcile his position as a pro ponent of public development and distribution of electric power with chairmanship of a club ad vocating the re-election of Sena tor Cordon is beyond our under standing. Perhaps though, like many Oregon voters, this party is not familiar with Cordon's rec ord on the public power issue. Cordon's anti-public power rec ord is voluminous. He strongly favors giving power sites at Hells Canyon to Idaho Power Co. as opposed to public develop ment. He took a lead in turning over to the California-Oregon Power Co. the Bonneville trans mission line into the Klamath Falls area. This preserved the utility company monopoly and COPCO's customers have been saddled with a rate increase of over IB per cent! In a speech at Jantzen Beach in Portland Sunday, Sept. 5, Cordon, re ferring to Senator Morse and Dick Ncubcrger, made a state ment to this effect: "If thev want to be socialistic let them go nut and start some Public Utilitv Dis tricts. Provision is made for set ting them up. However, I have not noticed them starting any." We think that Cordon's record and position on public develop ment and distribution of electric power is like an open book which shows him to be very anti-public power minded. So we sav "Con sistency, thou art a jewel." How can an officer in a public power distributing agenev ac tively support Cordon's candidacy for re-election to the U. S Sen ale? It s beyond us, so will let someone else figure it out. C. A. PADDOCK. Lightfoot Case Stark . w.. war onM WASHINGTON (NEA) A new phase of the U.S. internal 14, arresu'd Ju' wrti uu uiiiiuuiiiMK w'ui he K 5el for Irjai 11 launched in Chicago this fall with Jourl in Chit,,, "?; the trial ot Claude Ligblfool un- l? 21 tis,J! dn- thl mnrnhn,-. .V ,6V U U.S I.'1 ship clause ot the Smith act, All of the 81 Communist Party functionaries who liave been con victed so far have been tried under the con spiracy clause oli Ihe Smith act. The specific charge has been helping to organize a "society, group, or assembly of persons who teach, advocate or encour age the overthrow or destruction Ed son organizing or iara D. C5: CASE HISTobj' Since t.uuii. . son In CTJ"4 ,acl eta3L!M famiy went i , $ World War , ' ary school and? School fcVa tlOll than States by force or violence." Y'oung CommuaiHi jilt: iu 01111111 tit.1. tuil.1 cum- . -uiie a ttft: 11 1 , fnrVrr . pit:u:u ill me .-! years pills " "M u11 UUClgfl'i three more still pending in New ' next year, n Haven, Cleveland and Denver J"usw as adel( have all been against groups ot ponSress ot j, defentlants involved in a con- "m"- spiracy. m : returned lo CU if ,.,,;.. in i.i eome YCI. i,i. ;t" Communists to trial in bunches 1'j?'39- Then hi than separately, this pattern has l'"" director of 1,1 been followed in all Smith act "m,ls' sWij,J cases until the Lightfoot case workers' school tj (Jl came along. , 1912 he became i. J ' District Fi.li r VITAL CLAUSE From A 6"' The evidence in this case seem- 1945 duriSg ed to offer an opportunity for the the U. S. Comon the government to institute a disbanded UtiZ irau against a single ujmmunisi inn, U. S. Armt I, under the membership clause, sunnlv WW.;,. 1, TJiis makes it unlawful for any in the- Quartern! 1 - ..".. vrvca two jean a lit minimi; 'will, ciuy aum MIC- iety, group or assembly of per sons (advocating overhrow of the government by force or violence) knowing the purposes thereof." In a membership case, the gov ernment must prove in every Illinois. When raiw trial the subversive nature of the convicted in thr IW 3 Communist Party, its advocacy trial in New Ynt .1 of overthrow of the government, bail, Lightfoot niiad and the defendant's knowledge ceed him as Hat ot tnese purposes togetner wun secretary. his support of those objectives. Al lne December IB- This is a time-consuming pro- lion of Ihe party aM cess. j.vcn so, government auor- wnen lis nauonil eajM neys believe ,this first member- reduced from Silo ui ship case may' be completed with- Claude LighltootiaiJ in six lo eight weeks. The con- of nine alternateiftii spiracy trials have been running ilion he holds lodii.iuj six lo eight months. leading Ameriua tea saw no action. ButttJ orable discharge, j The next year hi? Chicago hcloiit fcl the party. Iniwil self as legislative dxi Saul Pett World's Various Monri In New York All at One NEW YORK m-All in all, it was a pretty rough week last week. First, I interviewed Gina Lollo brigida, who is getting weary of being known as the Marilyn Mon roe of Italy. Then I saw Norma Jean Baker, who will never grow weary of being known as THE Marilyn Monroe of the United Stales and all its possessions be yond the seas. Gina wore a low-cut black dress. Marilyn wore a low-cut white dress. I was a sexy sym phony in burlap. Gina has big brown eyes. Marilyn has big blue eyes. Mine are a tantalizing tanger ine. Which is the more attractive? There is little room to choose between them. Gina has the pret tier face it has a fragile, doll like quality. Marilyn has the more impressive figure. But it's close. Gina's, structure is still not lhe kind you'd kick out of your tennis court. SMALLER ACTRESS She was surrounded by press agents, interpreters and her hus band, Dr. Mirko Skofic, a poker faced man wilh a wry sense of humor. He is also her manager. He finds less and less time for medicine. "When Gina was a smaller actress," Dr. Skofic said, "I was a bigger doctor. Now she's a big ger actress, I'm a smaller doc tor." A press agent was beating my ears off. "She's really a very talented woman," he said. "She sings, you know. And she sketches her own dresses." "Yes, she sketches them after they're finished," said her hus band. In halting but charming Eng lish, Gina explained that she is weary of being compared wilh Marilyn Monroe, she is weary ot having American reporters never ask for measurements. They ask about her art. NOT COMPLICATED "And they ask how much you're earning, and that is bor ing, too," said her husband. "It's so silly," Gina said. "They ask, how much is this (she indi cated her chest)? What does it matter? It does not depend on the weight ot the bosom to be a good actress." Gina and th doctor were mar ried six years ago and honey mooned in the Alps. "She is not complicated," he said. "She has learned nothing of this woman business how to be difficult, how to make a man suffer. She may look like a vamp but she's just a simple girl." Over on Lexington Avenue, at 2 a.m., another simple girl was being uncomplicated before aout 1 5nn nwinle ntf3 across the street W snooting a rat JUUlllUCB IK" which her skirls a A over her head. OH. I LOVE IT. There seemed l bei: battle between the P men headed by fen Wilder and the sqii agents who hid nirHs . : aoti af fa pallet in - -j t than fpienedn prise that so mini W cd up. rne pmiui cd to get the pi1 j: jU Minf1 if it ft! UIUU L ilium j Tka firM! mindifthepitWre!1 as long as - - a howling mm. it was a chilly W lyn, in a lhindress,ts , -Mote hlfWl! 0Pf; tier smih j times before the n In the movie, u consume about 30 J...n'l HI ' censor J the mob ho'l plauded. 1 as." minded the "L Oh, I love". "I love it." & She aio, i- ""vj elusive quote. 1 read it acre So Tiey Soy- ,11 Hi: If " .lit! pots and pans v, hurry-up calls to ment. j, William CBraaft cago ureii"" You need at Mjf of living. lfsuc;U vou'vegoteno gress to ovenu) u- Mi -Sen. wwrSi D.), to National Letter tn" There 'u VBWt lion (ineveotrt, in an area. . taking shel te J U, tion. Thanse""-" to death. J Val fcten j ministrator. , 1 ' I We emptoJ !'!..';.?") Germany' ; fhao-lno eager to S " I
