4 Capital Journal, SaTem, Oregon, Friday, Dec. 21, 945
Capital Journal
' SALEM, OREGON
ESTABLISHED 1888
An Independent Newspaper Published Everv Afternoon Except Sunday
at 444 Ohemeketa St. Phones Business Office 3571: News Room 3572;
Society Editor 3573
GEORGE PUTNAM,
FULL LEASED WIRE SERVICE OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
AND THE UNITED PRESS
The Associated Press is exclusively
all news dispatches credited to it
and also news published therein.
Too Much Haste
Speaking dispassionately and from the standpoint of cold
logic, the armed forces of the United States are being
demobilized too rapidly for the good either of the nation or
the individual. Evidence of this fact is developing almost
daily in the nationwide housing shortage, the congestion of
home coming servicemen in Pacific coast ports, in the diffi
.culty some veterans are experiecing in securing jobs and
in the large number of casualties growing out of transporta
tion accidents.
During the war any delay in the offensive tactics of our armed
forces which might have resulted in the saving of a single Ameri
can life was considered worth while and roundly applauded by
fthe folks back home. But since V-J day there has been a loud
and insistent clamor for speed in getting the boys back home and
out of uniform at whatever cost. It is understandable that the men
Should wish to be freed of military duty and rejoin their families
iat the earliest possible date; that their fathers and mothers, wives
and sweethearts and close friends should feel outraged at their
detention In the service for more than a few days or weeks. Like
wise it is easy to explain why congressmen and other elected offi
cials should try to make capital out of delays by joining in the
popular insistence for speedy demobilization. Neither is it any
mystery why military officials should seek to humor an aroused
public sentiment of such proportions, even though they knew that
compliance meant disintegration of the armed forces at a time
When it might be risky and with full knowledge of the hazards
involved.
! For weeks now both the army and navy have been mus
tering every available ship to bring men home from the
Iwartime battle areas, piling them up at seaports on both the
Jeast and west coasts in numbers they knew the railroads
could not handle expeditiously. The railroads, bent on doing
.their part, have, in the face of an acute shortage of man
power and rolling stock, performed a miraculous job, but at
b. cost of many lives in wrecks caused by the tremendous
pressure under which they were operating with inadequate
tequipment. There is no question but what many of the
jiilanes carrying military personnel which have crashed were
being used to augment other means of transportation in
getting the boys home.
'' The machinery for taking care of the veterans and their
families, which were being designed to provide jobs and
jhomes in which to live, was not geared to the size of the
(task nor ready to function when peace came so suddenly.
JThe orderly reconstruction plans we were formulating have
:been swamped with the deluge of unexpected demands
iwhich have smothered them. It is nice to know that the
i'boys are home or well on their way. But the fact remains
dhat a lot of them would have been better off and the nation
Jin a far better shape to absorb them had their discharges
'been delayed a few more weeks.
Wards Offer Problem
a In working out the details of their plan for remodeling
?and modernizing Salem's system of city government the
-mayor's special committee faces an unforeseen task in
'reconciling the traditional ward system of representation on
;the city council. The city's growth, both in population and
uareas, requires either a regrouping of the voting precincts
which comprise the seven present wards, or an addition to
the number of wards.
',!' At present each ward is represented by two aldermen, making
i& council of 14 with a mayor elected at large and exercising the
Upowers customarily vested in any presiding officer, including the
jright to vote in case of ties. But one of the principal criticisms
directed at this system is that it is too cumbersome and unwieldy
ilo function smoothly and efficiently; that it permits of too much
!buck passing and lacks centralized responsibility. It has often
!been suggested that representation of the wards be reduced to
lone alderman each, which would reduce the council to seven
jmembers, and adapt It to the city manager form of government
.functioning through a single administrative officer. Even a
(seven-man council is generally regarded as too large. Few cities
'operating under this form of government have more than five
,members of the legislative or policy forming body,
i While changes in the boundaries of six existing precincts
ffliul the addition of three new ones inside the present city
,'Jimits will not necessitate any new wards, the annexation
.of around 650 acres of business and residential territory
I'just north of the city boundaries, which will likely be
approved at the May election, will demand the creation of
a new ward. Unless a change is made in the system of
representation, this will increase the council to 16 members
'i. too large to function successfully under any plan of gov
'ernment. I The most satisfactory results from the city manager or
'commission forms of government have been those where
the ward system has been abolished entirely and all members
tpf the council elected at large.
But the prejudice for sectional representation on the city
governing body is too deep rooted in Salem to warrant an
attempt to abolish it at this time. The most feasible plan
Ao be followed by the committee in revising the charter
'is to reduce the number of aldermen to one from each ward
and limit the number of wards to not more than nine, leaving
!it to the future growth of the city to force abandonment
;-of the ward system entirely, or to reduce the number of
wards through the regrouping of precincts.
Our Community Christmas Tree
; Symbolic of "peace on earth," at least to the extent that
flll major warring nations are not engaged in combat, is the
illumination of the huge conifer on the courthouse grounds.
JLighls were turned on at 9:38 o'clock last night and will
(remain through the holiday season.
! Kach year when the first "living Christmas tree" was
bedecked in 101,'!, the Salem Cherrians have had charge of
!the yuletide ritual with the task increasing each year in
pace with the growth of the tree. It us a far cry from the
string of 50 colored electric lights that first year to the
JI50 red, blue, green and sprinkling of gold ones that appear
this year, topped by a large blue star giving forth rays of
hope and cheer for better years to come.
Equipment, particularly wiring, has been increased from
j-ear to year to meet the growth of the tree and stored during
the war years, to be checked and patched to meet the re
quirements this year as replacement by new materials was
impossible. Because of .the dimout the first war vear the
tree was not decorated in 1941, remaining unlighted later
an the war alter the dimout was raised because of the need
Jo conserve electric power.
i Christmas eve of 1913 found the Salem Cherrians march
ing through the streets in white uniforms, following the
official band of the organization. George Rodgers (deceased),
first King Bing, made it known that there was a bag of
jcandy and an apple for each child of the community with
clothing and baskets of food for distribution to the needy.
Choirs of various churches sang Christmas carols. The
Rev. II. E. Marshall came 1000 miles from a vacation in
the south to be the speaker for this first occasion.
I Since that first Christmas eve a third of a century ago
the illumination of the tree each year has had its influence
Upon the life of the community and as such has been ac
cepted as a community contribution and custom to bring the
Spirit of the season to countless thousands rather than
merely an activity of the Cherrians. All this was probably
Jfar from the thoughts of County Judge J. ,1. Shaw when he
planted a little Norway spruce on the courthouse lawn in the
early '80s,
Editor and Publisher
entitled to the use for publication of
or otherwise credited in this paper
!j What to Do
i! By Beck , J
HOW ABOUT A , ff if' i ( THIS IS THE THIRD STORE )
PUR5Ef A VANITY 1 Vii ; WE'VE COMBED THROUSH-S Vy
, CASE t PERFUME 'J t 5 I SHOUtD'vE KNOWN BETTER ) "s
S STOCKINGS S) 1-3 I THAN TO SIVE HER A BOCK U
LIPSTICK r Jl'jOLM, i .CS, TO BUY A CHRISTMAS
HANKIES frWj I ' 3PM5fNT FOR HER
.?-?
Si
&v
By Don
While Capt. McVay of the
cruiser Indianapolis has been
freed by the board of inquiry
into his handling of the ship
which was sunk by a Japanese
torpedo or torpedos, we suggest
now it might be a good idea to
launch an inquiry into the act
of the person responsible for
bringing the Jap submarine
commander into this country to
testify at this inquiry against
the captain of the United Slates
warship. If it's reached the
point where the word of a
United States commander has
to be put up against that of a
lousy Jap it looks as though
maybe it is time something is
done about it. We wonder if
the Jap got 10 cents a mile both
Novelties
In the News
(By th Associated Press)
Short on Stamps
East Rochester, N. H. Here's
a shortage you can't lick.
The postoffice reported itself
out of postage stamps.
Officials said heavy Christ
mas mail exhausted both the
regular and an emergency
stamp supply.
Dusty Wedding Witness
New London, Conn. Alice
Kripps Wiggins and Frank P.
Hollis thought it would be nice
to have someone serve as wit
ness at their marriage even
though none was required by
Connecticut law. So they set
tled on Dusty, their black coc
ker spaniel. Justice of the
Peace Jacob Sherb pressed one
of Dusty's paws on an ink pad
and then on the marriage certificate.
Truman Near Open Break
With Southern Democrats
Washington, Dec. 21 (At President Truman's relations with
congress took on a new air of tension today, particularly among
southern democrats. One of the latter, Pep. Gibson of Georgia,
declared "an open break ' now
exists with the chief executive.
Others, who preferred not to be
quoted directly, echoed his re
marks. Some of these sources
also said they saw little hope
for improvement in the situa-
Xmas Candy
Shy in Salem
Christmas candy? There isn't
any. Or, more properly speak
ing, the very small dribble that
has been spread out of the coun
try is but a drop in the bucket
lo the Ions of "satin mix,"
"coinmorieal mix" and the old
familiar "commercial choco
lates" with their glucose centers
that in years before the war
were as plentiful as the demand
required. "This year the situa
tion is the worst since war cur
tailed the supply of sugar," one
dealer declared. However, this
grocer had been a bit more for
tunate than others for he had a
few pounds of really high grade
pre-war mix. "It will soon dis
appear," he admitted since the
candy was out in plain sight.
Another dealer said he had re
ceived but 90 pounds when in
normal times a half ton was
handled during the Christmas
season. And that 90 pounds
had been grabbed up quickly by
customers who were on the look
out for merchandise of this
nature.
Nevertheless, a persistent
shopper can pick up candy of a
certain type, entirely unknown
before the war. There are small
candy bars of an unfamiliar
name, lemon drops, a few jelly
beans and a small quantify of
brightly colored gum drops.
Dates are virtually out of the
picture although figs and a few
large sized prunes are available.
Nuts are in generous supply,
but the price, like virtually
every commodity has risen to
unusual heights.
supper
Upjohn
ways for travel expense so as to
also get him up in the congress
man class?
As we stand wailing for the
street lights to change under
the new system which gives a
chap time to do a lot of think
ing it's quite natural to have
that book, "Forever Amber"
come to mind. At any rate it
seems that long.
Item in our favorite paper ad
vised that O. M. Pierson, while
working at the Rainbow Inn on
Commercial street was attacked
by "some unidentified parson."
A meticulous reader writes in
and wants to know if the "par
son" was unidentified how in
the heck the reporter knew it
was a parson? Well, anyway,
we're pretty sure it wasn't any
of the parsons around here.
Have received a letter from
a chap in North Dakota who
seems to be somewhat of an
astrologist and he advises that
the folks have been all wrong
in fixing the date of December
25 as Christmas. He says his
researches show that the na
tivity occurred on October 4,
instead, and backs up the asser
tion t by revealing there was a
conjunction between Saturn and
Jupiter in the sign of Pisces,
that later these planets were re
inforced by Mars and that these
three planets were seen together
in the east as if they were only
one star which sent the Magi to
Bethlehem, However, we've
huffed and puffed too far along
to buy Christmas presents now
to change over. Besides, we
doubt if the tree we have on
hand would hold over until next
October.
Some of the boys have started
their annual pilgrimages to the
coast to freeze and fish for
steelhead. Some of them go
over there and just freeze.
tion when legislative work is
resumed next year.
The note of discord was
prompted by these three White
House developments yesterday
as members began heading home
for the holidays:
1. Mr. Truman's news con
ference assertion that he would
express himself forcibly soon
on legislation calling for re
turning of the U. S. employ
ment service (USES) to the
states within 100 days. Several
congressmen interpreted this as
meaning either a veto or an
other verbal blast at congress
is in the offing.
2. Release of letters to key
lawmakers in which the presi
dent termed "unacceptable" a
house substitute for the so
called "full employment" bill
the senate has passed.
3. Issuance of an order au
thorizing the fair employment
practice committee (FEPC) to
investigate and report on em
ployment practices in private
industry until next June 30.
Mr. Truman's actions were
termed "a political blunder" by
Gibson.
Talking to a reporter Gib
son added:
"It was just like waving a
red flag in our faces. He should
have left well enough alone.
Now we have an open break,
just like with the late Presi
dent Roosevelt."
Covell Appointed
Food Specialist
George Covell, Portland, has
been appointed food specialist
for the state department of agri
culture's division of foods and
dairies, it was announced to
day. He was discharged from the
army recently after more than
a year s service. Before that, he
was stationed in Seattle and
Salem with the U.S. department
of agriculture' processed ioods
division.
London, Dec. 21 I have just
had my first private, conversa
tion with the head of Britain's
new labor (socialist) govern
ment, Prime Minister Attlee
and I like him.
Now of course this is a wholly
unorthodox way of beginning
our article, but it's deliberate.
Naturally it doesn't matter a
pot of small beans whether I
like Mr. Attlee except for one
reason an interviewer's first
and most important task is to
size up his personage. During
the instant between crossing the
threshhold and shaking of
hands, the reporter must have
determined the character of his
man. It's partly training but
mostly intuition. I like Attlee
because he looks honest.
Won't Be Quoted
The prime minister received
me in his office at No. 10 Down
ing street not the first time
I've interviewed a premier
there, by the way. There's the
same rather Victorian setting
of rich old mahogany and red
plush, but the surroundings are
blacked-out by your interest in
the quiet, almost retiring man
who is. the leader of England s
leftist swing. Bald, bespectacled
the paleness of his face accen
tuated by a black moustache, he
looks like an intellectual and
is one.
Mr. Attlee responded thought
fully but freely to blunt ques
tions. Because he has made it
a rule not to give interviews
for publication, I can't quote
him here. However, it is per
mitted for me to give my un
derstanding of the govern
ment's attitude on some major
issues. So I'm going to men
tion briefly a few points in
which readers of this column
have expressed special interest.
No Regimentation
The labor party has come out
categorically against any form
of totalitarian government. But
what about regimentation of the
workers under the nationaliza
tion of industry such as is be
ing inaugurated?
Well, I believe Mr. Attlee has
said in effect on the floor of
the house of commons that there
will be no regimentation that
labor will be free to pick and
choose its jobs without dicta
tion by the government. In fact,
should the government attempt
to dictate, the trade unions
would block it.
That is the altitude of the
moderate socialist group head
ed by Mr. Attlee. I should be
stating only a partial truth,
however, if I didn't report that
they might welcome an experi
ment in totalitarian govern
ment. They are a very small
minority and the moderate ma
jority feels that this minority
is only the stub of a tall which
can't wag the dog.
WarrenTrwin
Raps Lethargy
Portland, Ore., Dec. 21 U.R
Warren Irwin, democratic
member of the senate legisla
ture and one-time candidate for
congress, today flailed the dem
ocratic state leadership for fail
ing to put democrats in con
gress. He also predicted that Har
old E. Stassen, former governor
of Minnesota, would be the
"man to beat" in the 1948 na
tional elections.
Erwin labeled the recent dem
ocratic nominating assembly in
Salem a "disappointing affair."
In an address before the Wil
lamette Democratic Society, Inc.,
Erwin declared the party lead
ers had known for weeks "what
was going to happen" and said
"someone should be blamed"
for the failure to turn out the
necessary 260 voters required
to nominate Bruce Spaulding,
Salem attorney, as the party
candidate for congressman from
the first district.
Past Noble Grands
Guest Mrs. Mason
Mill City Mrs. Mae Mason,
outgoing noble grand of the
Santiam Rebekah lodge of Mill
City, was hostess at an after
noon tea honoring the Past No
ble Grands of the Mill City
lodge.
There are 34 past noble
grand members of the Mill City
lodge, seme of them residing at
various points in Oregon and
California who were unable to
attend because of the distance.
Those present were Gertrude
Mason, Blanche Syverson, Ma
ble Knutson, Myrtle Hessaman,
Susie Haynes, Mable Schroeder,
Gladys Lake, Mel Robinson,
Elsie Potter, Blanche Dean,
Martha Bowes, Jessie Heath,
Ruby Horner, Belle Hawkins,
Nellie Ward, Marietta Smith,
Lois Andersen, Ida Fleetwood
and the hostess, Mrs. Mason.
2 Percent Dividend
To Savings and Loan .
Portland, Dec. 21 W As of
December 31, all Portland fed
eral savings and loan associa
tion accounts will benefit from
a 2 percent dividend, directors
said today.
President Guy E. Jaques said
the total would exceed S29.000.
It will be the 23rd semi-annual
dividend paid by the association.
On:
Chapter 15
The Magic of the Zany Flower
When David threw the pep
per shaker into' the bowl hold
ing the Zany flower the lid
came off and the pepper show
ered every leaf. Then a re
markable thing happened! The
Zany flower began to grow!
The stems grew tall and each
leaf pushed out further and
further until, in a moment, the
amazing Zany flower was
spreading over the banquet ta
ble, pushing aside the astound
ed gigmies and pressing against
the windows and walls and
ceiling of the room.
"Stop it! Stop it!" roared
the king, leaping frantically
from one side of the room to
the other to escape the flower
that now had grown larger
than an oak tree.
"Throw it out!" screamed the
gigmies.
But it was too late. No one
could possibly have seized the
Fod Maison
Rejoins Force
Col. H. G. Maison, who was
deputy superintendent of state
police before he entered army
service with the national guard
in 1940, will rejoin the depart
ment on January 1 as assist
ant to Superintendent Charles
P. Pray.
In making the announcement,
Pray said Maison's job will be
to conduct the in-service train
ing program for state police
officers. This program was sus
pended during the war.
Lee Bown, deputy superin
tendent who succeeded Maison,
will remain in his present job,
Pray said.
Maison resigned as deputy
superintendent when he went on
active duty with the army on
September 16, 1940. At that
time, he was captain of the Sa
lem company of the 41st divi
sion.
Maison was overseas during
most of the war, seeing serv
ice in New Guinea and the
Philippines, and rising to the
rank of full colonel in com
mand of a regiment of the Sixth
division, a regular army divi
sion. 1842 Cards Sent
Navy Hospital
A total of 1842 Christmas
cards was sent out last week
to the men at the U. S. naval
hospital, Corvallis, by members
of the Marion County Junior
Red Cross, reports Mrs. Carma
lite Weddle, chairman for this
division in the Marion county
chapter, American Red Cross.
The Junior group had sent out
a large number previously, too.
Furnishing these cards was the
major Christmas project for the
Junior Red Cross here, the
cards being used by the pa
tients to send out as their greet
ings to relatives and friends.
Leslie junior high school con
tributed 1000 cards for the
project; Parrish junior high,
700 of them; Pratum grade
school, 11 boxes of the cards;
Keizer school, block print cards;
Rosedale school, a large number.
With the completion of the
Christmas project, the Junior
Red Cross now will work to
furnish more of the educational
boxes to be sent out to children
of other countries, especially in
those areas devastated by war.
There are now 71 schools en
rolled in Junior Red Cross
work in Marion county, the or
ganization being an enrollment
for service.
Mayor Moves Again
In Newspaper Strike
Seattle, Dec. 21 U. Mayor
William Devin will make an
other attempt today to mediate
the Seattle newspaper strike,
now in its 34th day.
Devin, just back from the an
nual conference of United States
mayors in New York City, has
asked publishers of the Post
Intelligencer, Star and Times,
and officials of the striking
(AFL) printers' union to meet
in his office at 2 p.m. today.
The mayor has expressed hope
that means will be found to end
the International Typographical
union local strike, which start
ed November 18 with printers
striking, to back up wage de
mands for a $2.95 daily increase.
Tompkins Withdraws
In Congress Race
Portland, Ore., Dec. 21 Ol.Ri
Morton Tompkins, master of the
state Grange, withdrew as a
candidate for congress from the
First district to fill the vacancy
caused by the death of the late
Rep. James Mott.
Tompkins' decision to stay out
of the race leaves the field to
Walter Norblad, republican, and
Bruce Spaulding, democrat.
TURKEYS
Lb.
Saving Center
Salem & West Salem
now gigantic leaves and the
huge, pushing stems. Just in
time David and the gigmies
rushed from the hall. The
walls of the dining room crash
ed behind them and the ceiling
came down on the richly ladpn
banquet table.
"Into the courtyard!" shriek
ed the king, dashing out of the
castle. "The whole building
is going to follapse!"
Indeed, he was right. The
monstrous Zany flower pushed
down wall after wall as it grew
and grew until it was pushing
against the highest ceiling of
the highest room.
The gigmies huddled in the
courtyard and watched in dis
belief as their beautiful castle
crumpled and crashed before
their eyes. Not till the last
beam had fallen did the magic
plant stop growing. Then it
stood a huge and ugly tree
swaying in the midst of the
wreckage.
David ran to the little cage
which held the white bunny.
He tried to open it but he
could not break the lock. He
tore at the bars which caged
the terrified creature but be
fore he could loosen them the
king gigmy snatched at his
hands. ,
"You will pay a terrible price
for this," screamed the king,
yanking David to his feet.
"You did not keep your
word," shouted David, though
his legs were trembling with
terror. "Break the spell which
holds my sister or even worse
things will happen to you!"
He did not know where he
got the courage to speak this
way and he surely did not know
what further harm he could
cause these evil creatures.
"But, surely," he thought,
"Santa will come in time to
save Mary."
But the gigmies, for the mo
ment, had forgotten the bunny
who was to turn into the hippo
potamus in so short a time.
Gem-like wrist ratches M Jl
some set with dia- fis '
monds, some demurely Vj, -1
Victorian, other gaily BVTT
modern. They're made Cii,
by famous American
a iuop j
4 - Give her one of these :
i I perfect little gold
' Ijj) watches, beautiful as
B T B jewelry in their ex-
S quisite cases, but
v Y 13 with fine mechanisms
'lJ Extended
fi;)'.'."f7 Payment
Filled with rage they swarmed
around David, urging their king
to kill him, tear him apart, to
throw him from the top of the
mountain into the sea that roa
ed on the rocks far below.
"No, no! We will have spor
with him," declared the king,
"Good, exclaimed a gigmy.
"Shall we turn him into a worm
and have him crawl the earth
for the rest of his days?"
"Better to change him into a
mongrel dog so that boys will
stone him wherever he goes,"
offered another.
"Or a rat who must live for
ever in a hole," suggested an
other. David bit his lips hard to
keep back the tears. His knees
shook with fright as he ex
pected any minute to be turn
ed into a worm or a dog or a
rat or something even more
hideous. But he put his hands
in his pickets and glared at the
gigmies as fiercely as he could.
And just at that moment the
hand in his right pocket fasten
ed around a handkerchief and
inside the handkerchief there
was a hard lump.
"The star!" he thought. And
he was filled with intense joy
for he remembered the rainbow
keeper had told him never to
look upon the star or some ter
rible thing would happen.
He pulled the star wrapped
in the purple spotted handker
chief from his pocket and held
it toward the king. "You for
got your star," he whispered,
too agitated to speak out loud, f
"Here it is. Open and see."
The king snatched it. "We')l .
have a look," he said. "And
afterwards have our sport with
the boy."
And with every gigmy peer
ing over his shoulder, the kinft"'
slowly unknotted the purple-
spotted handkerchief that held
the star.
Tomorrow: Never Look on
a Star.
ICE CREAM
Qt. 2H
Saving1 Center
Salem & West Salem
f
le
ft
j 339 Court Street
.1
r