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