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About Eugene register-guard. (Eugene, Or.) 1930-1983 | View Entire Issue (April 21, 1962)
EioctielMiM UNI COUxflf HOMI et-Buatft AN INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER ALTON F. BAKER, Publisher, 1927-1961 ALTON F. BAKER JR. Editor and Publisher EDWIN M. BAKER General Manager RICHARD A. BAKER Managing Editor ROBERT B. FRAZIER Associate Editor A. H. CURREY Associate Editor The Register-Guard's policy U 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 construc tive community policy. A newspaper is a CITIZEN OF ITS COMMUNITY. Published every evening and Sunday morning by the Guard Publishing Co. 6A EUGENE, OREGON, SATURDAY, APRIL 21, 1962 Hospital Plans Do Involve Public Interest Would the establishment of another major hospital in Eugene benefit the community? That question cannot be quickly or easily answered. Events of the past two weeks indicate that there may not be enough time to study half of its impli cations before construction begins on a new 100-bed hospital. But enough has been laid bare, even so, to indicate that it is a pertinent question. At first blush, it might seem that if some group of investors wants to build a new hospital here, that's their business, and theirs alone. And that's about the way it will probably turn out, since no one has a legal right to butt in. Yet, there are strong indications that overall inter ests of Eugene area residents could be adversely affected by the plans a group of Californians have for constructing a hospital here this summer. As the chairman of the Oregon State Board of Health has explained to the Register-Guard, problems of providing hospital care of increasingly high quality to increasingly larger populations are causing a lot of discussion across the nation. One fact recognized by many authorities is that provision' of suitable hospital physical plants amounts to only a bare beginning toward the solution of these problems. Where the medical and technical staffs needed to operate more hospitals will come from is a question which cannot be considered apart from that of how to meet construction needs. There already are hundreds of openings for supervising nurses because they are In short supply. To varying degrees, the same is true of other types of specially trained medical workers. In Eugene's case, the entire spectrum of medical care has been brighter than it has been in many other cities in recent years, largely because Sacred Heart Gen eral Hospital has been developed and operated as a major and an exemplary medical institution. Nurses, medical technicians and interning physicians have been regularly trained at Sacred Heart, and many of them have stayed to follow their careers in this community. And well-trained physicians and sur geons have been attracted here to estab lish practice because of the excellence of this hospital. Sacred Heart has been built to suf ficient size that it can, and does, keep adding important equipment, life-saving devices, many of them, which smaller institutions cannot ordinarily afford. In recent months, Sacred Heart has been laying the groundwork for further ex pansion and improvements which would again upgrade the quality of care avail able to Eugene area residents. Many pa tients are sent here from other com munities where like facilities have not yet been developed. Thus, the Import ance of all this extends even beyond the Eugene area. As a non-profit institution, Sacred Heart is in the hospital "business" only in the sense that it is operated to serve the needs of its patients in the most ef fective manner it can. As a non-profit institution, Sacred Heart is obligated to take welfare patients, out-and-out charity cases and many persons whom privately operated hospitals could turn away as poor credit risks. If construction begins on another hospital here prior to July 1, it is cer tain that Sacred Heart will lose federal aid funds which it otherwise could use to help finance its next expansion. The law under which such funds are allo cated directs that they must go to com munities with the greatest needs not necessarily those where they would be most effectively utilized. Again, it cannot be maintained that Sacred Heart has a prior right to this hospital service area, to the exclusion of any new hospital. But, certainly, there are possible effects medical, economic and moral which should be considered by those proposing a new hospital here, and by all residents of the Eugene area. ft ft ft Conventions Oregon Democrats, even more than Oregon Republicans, are all split up. And it's largely because of these pre primary conventions in which power groups within the parties seek to have it appear that some candidates are "in" and some "out." The "outs" have been objecting, as well they might. Political conventions are tine, up to a point. They serve admirably if they are called to give the precinct worker and ordinary voter a chance to be heard on issues. In this way, they help the public form an idea about the true na ture of party thinking. Without such meetings, the voter is too likely to see the image of the whole party as the image of one or two candidates. But these conventions are not so fine if they enable a few strong members to freeze out primary candidates who may not be in tune with the leaders. The strength of an American political party Is not in its slavish adherence to a line, but in its willingness to alter its posi tion as the occasion warrants. This fer ment, this mind changing, is what makes a party dynamic. Anything that frus trates it is bad for the party, in the long run, no matter how comfortable it may make life for the leaders right now. The philosophy of Oregon's free and easy primary system is that anybody can run. Of course we get some self-starters, some unknowns on the ballot. What's wrong with that? The most famous man wasn't always famous. This system gives the ambitious and worthy a chines. There is no row in Ortfuei tern "offi cial" slates of candidate bifort i yri mary election. Only the otir, on elec tion day, should hive tfee yinr to niie a slate officbtb In th oioie, 9ton 0 ftao 9e scries of coats end vsfs, Be hs poclcts, nothing to use them for. In shirt sleeve weather,he has no place for his sun glassfi. ' Q ft ft ROTC Proposal Military training will no longer be compulsory on Oregon campuses after this year. It took some doing, however, to get the compulsory feature of the pro gram, the first two years, made volun tary. Opponents of the change held out for the time-tested way. Now, however, the Army itself is proposing a change. Under this proposal, ROTC training would begin in the summer between the sophomore and junior years of col lege. Cadets would spend four weeks at a training camp. Then they'd take an ROTC course as juniors, spend eight weeks in camp the next summer, and return for the senior year in ROTC and eventual reserve commissions. This dif fers from the present system in that the four-week camp replaces the first two years of training. Now, the first two years of training cover such things as drill, elementary weapons training, military courtesy, and basic military skills. One of the purposes of the two-year program is to separate the sheep from the goats, to decide which young men are likely reserve ma terial. These things, the Army feels, could be taken care of at a summer camp just as well as on Thursday after noons during the year. The proposal is an optional one. It may not be better than the present sys tem. But just as good. The point is that there is no special virtue in an old sys tem just because it is old. Too Late Now Among the things we wouldn't know if we didn't read the Wall Street Journal is that there is now on the market ij long-play recortl entitled" "Getting Info College Today." It runs for 50 minutes, and gives lhe woulfl-Yjc collegian advice on such things as making a good impres sion on the director of adjjussiBns. 0 Ectn better oilvice woufel ljp to learn to read ifTth elementary and secondary grades so that one doesn't feme to take his counsel from a phonogtatSi record. CQ Quiz How About Secretary Of State? From Congressional Quarterly The Secretary of State is the top-ranking Cabinet member and is in line to the presidency. This quiz tests your knowledge of the secretaries of state. Q Current Secretary of State Dean Rusk is the 55th man to fill that post. The first secre tary of State was (a) Aaron Burr; (b) Thomas Jefferson; (c) Alexander Hamilton? A (b). Robert R. Livingston, however, was the first secretary of foreign affairs under the Continental Congress before the Department of State was cre ated. . Q All but one of the follow ing presidents were formerly secretaries of state: (a) Thomas Jefferson; (b) James Madison; (c) James Monroe; (d) John Quincy Adams; (e) Martin Van Buren; (f) James Buchanan; (g) Benjamin Harrison. Which is out of place? A (g). The other six were the only presidents to serve as secretary of state. Q John Foster Dulles was secretary of state for six years, second in length of service only to William H. Seward, who served eight years. Seward was secretary of state for (a) Abra ham Lincoln; (b) Grover Cleve land; (c) Andrew Johnson? A (a) and (e). Seward is noted for his purchase of Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million. Alaska was then named "Sew ard's Folly," since the purchase was considered, at that time, to have been a bad deal. Q Only one secretary of state in recent years also served on the Supreme Court. He was (a) Edward R. Stettinius Jr.; (b) Cordell Hull; (c) James F. Byrnes? A (c). Byrnes was secretary of state from 1945 to 1947 and associate justice from 1941 to 1942. He also served as senator, representative and governor of South Carolina. Copyright, 1962, Congressional Quarterly, Inc. P t Political Candidates' Mailbag Study Proposal S I Debates Wanted EUGENE (To the Editor) As campaign manager for Wal ter J. Pearson, Democratic can didate for governor, I feel com pelled to state my views con cerning the responsibility of the Democratic gubernatorial candi dates to the registered Demo crats in Lane County as well as the rest of the state. Mr. and Mrs. Democrat, you know we must compare these primary candidates their strengths and weaknesses in order to get the best man for the job. Sure, we can take pot shots at Mr. Hatfield, and we should, but let's also remember that there are definite differ ences in ability and views be tween Senator Pearson and Attorney-General Bob Thornton, as there are between any two individuals. We can have a good fighting primary campaign which will awaken a lot of dis interested voters; however, Mr. Thornton states that he is only going to run against Mr. Hat field and not Senator Pearson, in the primary. Remember, mature individu als can have a good lively dis agreement on their views, ex perience and qualifications for governor without attacking each other in a vicious way. Walter J. Pearson wants a debate with Mr. Thornton on their respec tive views and qualifications for governor, and will show you, the voter, where he stands on the issues. Senator Pearson knows that this is his duty, to appeal to the best that is in people, and that he must give them enough facts about himself and Mr. Thornton to make an intelligent decision. I know how difficult it is for the honest open-minded voter to get enough facts about a man to cast a vote. Therefore it is the duty of these candidates to pro vide the voter with these facts. Mr. Thornton won't debate or fight, but Walter Pearson will, and he will continue to show the differences between himself and Thornton. Senator Pearson is presenting the facts to the voters in the finest political tradition of John Kennedy and Adlai Stevenson. Can we ask for more? EUGENE R. KISER Executive Secretary, Walter Pearson for Governor 881 Oak St. Medical Case EUGENE (To the Editor) Approximately 10 per cent only of older people eligible for medical assistance under the Kerr-Mills Act in Oregon are taking advantage of this pro gram. In my judgment, the fact that the figure is so low proves the basic defects of the Kerr Mills Bill. To take advantage of this aid, people must place themselves on the welfare rolls and sign a "prior lien" claim which, in effect, places a mort gage on their small estate. Older people are proud. They have been self-supporting all their lives; they have paid their taxes; they have sent their chil dren through school; and they don't like to spend their last few years relying on welfare or mortgaging their home. The King-Anderson Bill, put ting medical care under Social Security where it belongs and approaching this basic social problem from an insurance . point rather than welfare, is the only adequate and decent solu tion, in my opinion. For approximately $1 a month a worker can insure his future medical care needs and can, at the same time, provide for the medical care of his parents. This relieves him of two heavy responsibilities. The administration of the So cial Security program has proved extremely efficient and, after 25 years of change and improvement, offers the most economical way to administer this vast health care program. It is estimated that only 2 per cent of the benefits disbursed would be consumed in adminis trative costs through this effi cient system. On the other hand, the Kerr-Mills Bill in volves a whopping 8 per cent administrative costs. I saw a release in the paper the other day saying that the Kerr-Mills Bill's administrative costs in Oregon were larger than the benefits paid out. The administrative costs were $121, 000, and the benefits paid out were $113,000; this is terrible. It is no surprise to those of us who felt that a welfare approach was wrong and medical care should be handled on an insur ance approach under the effici ent Social Security system. ROBERT W. STRAUB Rt 4, Box 111 i In the Editor's Mailbag Library Opposed rJ1 SPRINGFIELD (To the Edit or) Read the letter about Vera Hansen's heart breaking over the county library. Well, I would like to ask her does she and other Democratic officials lie awake nights thinking up more ways to squander money? Every school has a library, and every town, so why waste money for a county library? It was bad enough to squander money for a bookmobile, and do not get ideas we 'do not read. We cer tainly do, from the stacks of books we get at our city library most every week. When folks get too lazy to go get their books, it's a crime. Most everyone of adult age that lives in the country has a car, and someone that drives, so country folks can go to a li brary same as the city folks when they go shopping for gro ceries, etc., and if Johnny can't read just look at his parents and teachers to find the reason. I do not know if all our first grade classes are taught phon ics, but they certainly should be. That is one of the most im portant things to be taught in a first grade. No, I am not a teacher, but have some in my large family. You know our Democratic party is becoming more "social istic dictatorial" every day, and that is only a thin line from the so-called communism, and people that love their freedom and liberties had better wake up, and fast. I have been registered a Dem ocrat for many years, but never voted a straight ticket, as I think we need to look into the background of our officials. We need to vote down some of these brainstorms of our social istic people and show them we mean business. DELLA McCLUSKEY 2440 G St. in which I am engaged is non partisan.' "The chairman of my commit tee, who is dean of the Oregon Bar, Mr. Bardi Skulason, is a life-long Republican. My page in the Voters' Pamphlet carefully eschews mention of my party affiliation, as does my campaign announcement carried in the Oregonian. "Mr. Shoemaker's story cor rectly mentions my former criti cism of the suggestion made re cently by Democratic party offi cials urging the entrance of Democratic attorneys into judi cial contests. I likewise public ly stated my belief Governor Hatfield's judicial appointments were excellent and free from partisan bias." As a journalist you are, of course, aware that the truth sel dom catches up with misstate ment of fact and I am sure were you aware of the unintended misinterpretation of my remarks your editorial comment on my campaign would reflect a differ ent attitude. I wish to thank you in ad vance for permitting me to pre sent the facts as I know them to be. THOMAS R. MAHONEY 510 Oregon Bank Bldg. Boat Parade VIDA (To the Editor) Now that another White Water Boat Parade has passed into history it seems to me to be a good time to do some evaluating. This parade was a far cry from the original one many years ago that I was fortunate enough to be a guest at. This original parade was just for the guides and their wives, and it was a full day trip from Belk nap Springs to Blue River, with a noon stop-over at what is now the McKemie Bridge Recrea tion Area. I like to think that it was the guides' (and incidental ly husbands') way of saying "thank you" to their wives (and incidentally car drivers) for the many hours they would spend during the fishing season, wailing at some of the take-out places for the boats with their fishermen to come in. After it became a public af fair, we saw the advent of many local folks who had boats. This soon included anyone from Eu gene or the surrounding area that had a boat and the courage to run the White Water, and I might add that many tried it in boats that were no more suit able to this water then, than thy are today. We have watched this same parade grow from year to year to include first kayaks, ihen orjny attitude toward our none canoes, rubber boats, skin div- 'partisan jSjJiciary system. ers.e inner tubes, prams, and "It is my recollection. recol- then this year a Aft and lection corroborated by others piceons! .O atVsndance that I stated 'IF t Thero were two things atjout I were running on i partisan this year's parade that bothered ticket I would be proud to carry me especially, and they were the word Democrat In letters the big curarsome raft, and two feet high, but that the race the four boau with banners fly ing, urging everyone to sign the petitions to make steclhead a game fish. To me, neither has any place in a parade of this sort that is held for fun, in an ticipation of the opening of fishing season. Rafts such as the one I men tioned are a definite hazard to the other boats, but especially to the youngsters that ride the rubber boats, and the skin div ers who are always bobbing up in unexpected places. I am sure that no one wants to see this annual event turn into a free-for-all for any group who may have an axe to grind, and can't pass up the chance to air it in front of the crowds that line the river. To date, the guides' record for no fatal accidents during a par ade has been perfect, but the law of averages says that it can't continue that way indefi nitely. It seems to me that it behooves this group to make some regulations about the type of craft that will be allowed and whether they are going to allow cheap advertising to fly from the crafts. As an added safety feature, the ski,, divers and those rugged individuals riding inner tubes that are men acing their own safety by the very real risk of being conked on the head with an oar should be made to come down as a group and not in among all the boats. If a parade should go sour with a bad accident, it will be the guides that will bear the brunt of the criticism, and not the luckless person who might have been responsible. ELIZABETH McMULLIN Carmichael 'Tenor of Remarks' TORTLAND (To the Editor) My attention has been called to an editorial appearing in your paper. I am quoting pertinent ex cerpts from a letter which I caused to be published in the Oregonian: "Your politieal editor, Mervin ShoemaRer, deservedly enjoys an excellent reputation for in tegrity and accurate reporting. It is, therefore, regrettable? his report of my remarks at a re cent nteeting of a Democratic cSib luncheon did not conwetly reflect the tenor of my remarks riEVS feETTItifc To BE QUITE A UTILE KM NOW, W HE ? EUGENE (To the Editor) On Monday, April 16, you re printed a portion of an editorial from The Oregon Statesman in Salem, pertaining to my sugges tion to Governor Mark Hatfield, that a non-partisan fact finding group be appointed by him, to make a thorough study of the economic implications of day light versus standard time. Be cause the Statesman seems a little hazy in regard to the de tails of my proposal, I am en closing to you a copy of my original press release. My sug gestion was that such a time study conference work during the spring and summer and report back to the people of Oregon their findings in Sep tember, 1962, for purposes of voter information in November elections affecting the time question in Oregon. In talking with many voters, I find that few of them are happy with the current time hodge-podge. They feel that their instructions and vote has been somewhat cynically disre garded by the past legislature. There has been very little effort to inform the voter, pro and con, on the real economic im plications of a time change. Thus, a climate of emotional resentment has had an oppor tunity to build up. I am of the opinion that Ore gon citizens are objective and fair-minded enough to evaluate constructively any information that a study group could bring back to them. I think that the facetious com ment of the Oregon Statesman, that the governor could also call a conference on fluorida tion and other controversial questions, and that "if there were survivors another confer ence could be called to debate modern art," really underesti mates the objectivity with which the average voter can be brought to view an issue when it is presented in a non-emotional climate. Besides, such matters as fluor idation and modern art are not bread and butter issues in the state of Oregon at the present time. The question of daylight versus standard time is not only economic in its impact, but will be on the November, 1962, bal lot as well. JO KITTREDGE Republican Candidate for Oregon State Senate 2145 Fairway Loop Assessment Figures EUGENE (To the Editor) On Wednesday evening, April 18, on one of the local radio stations, the county assessor stated that during his adminis tration, $26 million a year in values have been added to the tax rolls. In one of the policy making committee meetings, the asses sor also stated that one of the qualifications oi a candidate should be strong convictions! Then let's stick to the truth! From the "summary of As sessment and Tax Rolls" for the years 1959, 1960 and 1961 I quote the facts! When the previous adminis trator vacated the office of county assessor the total asses sed valuation for Lane County was $185,000,000. This included a total of $89,000,000 in build ing values. When the current assessor began his term of office on Jan uary 1, 1959, he immediately in creased the $89,000,000 by 10 per cent or $8,900,000 from be hind the desk without any physical inspections or exercis ing judgment of the taxpayers' properties as evidence of value ($8,900,000 plus $185,000,000 is $193,900,000). The total assessed valuation in 1960-1961 was $195,700,000 for Lane County. Again all Lane County properties were increased 10 per cent in the same manner as before. Let us further analyze the $26 million a year in values added of which the assessor speaks! The State Tax Commission added $2,000,000 in timber , values in 1961-1962, $1,000,000 from Public Utilities (neither under the jurisdiction of the county assessor's office) adding this $3,000,000 to $19,570,000 is $22,570,000 in artificial and state tax commission valu which indicates that the asses sor added only $3,400,000 in new construction, omitting $8, 000,000 a year. Yet there are 22 appraisers on the payroll of the Lane County assessor's office and the office budget has increased $40,000, which does not include capital outlay. Is this efficiency and econ omy, or equalization! JOHN SCHEIDT Republican Candidate for County Assessor 610 Park Ave. MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The Associated Presi It entitled exclusively to the use for republi cation oi all (he local news printed In this newspaper. MEMBER OF THE AITVIT BUREAU OF CIRCULATIONS Services United Press InternaUonal WILLIAM WASMANN, News Editor DONN L. BONHAM City Editor ROs C. JOHNSON, Advertising Director JARL FUGLE Circulation Manager ROBERT K. BERTSCH Promotion W B. JOHNSTON JR. AlMltor ARNE STROMMER Production y N. Lawrence David Lawrence President 'Scrapes Off The Butter' WASHINGTON President Kennedy tried in his Wednes day press conference to "butter up" American business, includ ing the steel companies. He said there was no ill will toward any body and that there was no room on either side for "any feelings of hos tility or vindic- tiveness. But, unfor tunately, the President nulli fied much of what he said when he refused to answer a reporter's question as to how he would treat labor unions if they do the same thing the steel companies did name ly, if they make demands for wage increases that go beyond the administration's formula for a "hold the line" or stabili zation program. The reporter's question was as follows: "Assuming that a price in- ' crease in steel would eventually be necessary and justified, do you have any thoughts as to how this price increase should be reached? And, secondly, if some major labor union made excessive demands for wage in creases, would you move as sharply against that union as you did last week against steel?" The exact record of what the President said in reply was as follows: "Well, to take the second part first, we had worked very close ly with the steel union in an at tempt to persuade them that it was in their interest and the country's interest to meet the standards set by the council of economic advisers, and it was done. And that is why this mat ter came into particularly sharp focus last week." Seemed to Sidestep Kennedy's avoidance of an answer is regarded as particular ly significant, because it means that the administration intends to continue to put pressure on business and threaten it with lawsuits and the withdrawal of orders by the Defense Depart ment, but will exercise no analogous pressure on labor. Kennedy pleaded that he doesn't really have the "power" to restrain wage increases. Ac tually, he has no legal power to restrain price rises either. Ken nedy seemed to sidestep the point made by one of the re- ' porters that, by holding the line, he was actually fixing prices. Kennedy argued that "every one is quite aware of what the powers are of the government, and the limitation on those pow ers." He then added: "But I have not suggested that our power that we have powers to set, or that those powers would be desirable, to set prices or to set wages." The President insisted that he had merely attempted to put before the parties on both sides the importance of the public interest, and he did say that the interrelationship of various factors makes the public inter est "mandatory" in these mat ters. He put it this way: "Public interest is very defi nitely involved, but in asserting the public interest we have al ways recognized the proper limitations of that of the pow er of the government to enforce -any collective bargaining agree ment. We do not have that pow er. That power has not been given to us." Kennedy nevertheless did not hesitate last week to use all the pressure and power of the United States government to force the steel companies to recede from their announce ment of a price increase. There is no power to do this under the law, but he applied it never theless. The Defense Depart ment withheld orders promptly and ignored the principle of competitive bids by simply shift ing contracts without requiring formal submission. Coincident ally, a federal grand jury in vestigation of certain steel com panies was ordered. The Realistic Experts Kennedy's remarks were par ticularly unsettling, however, when he discussed future prof its and productivity. He gave the impression that sharehold ers should be content with a record of high returns on their investment during the last ten years. He said nothing about the current situation, in which the value of the stock held by U. S. Steel shareholders is approx imately $63, compared to $108 two years ago. Kennedy also seems to think that the steel industry would get a $500 million increase in profits when steel production goes up t6 85 or 90 per cent of capacity. But nobody in the steel business expect any such result as this for a long time to come. In fact, the realistic experts among them say that what's im portant is not the total amount of profits, but the return per shareholder. They also say that a better way tg measure pro gress is by the rate of return on sales which the steel com panies receive. The industry figures show that in the last foiSr or five years these percentages have been stcadi'j) going down hill. C 1MJ New York Herald Tribune Inc. 8 e
