Onake and Tidal Wave Wreak Death and Destruction in Japan
CIO Starts Suits
To Collect Billion
For Portal Pay
Claims Filed in Detroit,
Cleveland, Pittsburgh;
Other Industrial Centers
(By the Associated Press)
The CIO has started a legal
light in several cities to collect
portal to portal pay and damages
In excess of $374,000,000 and a
union official in Detroit predict
ed future suits in that area alone
would approach the billion dol
lar mark.
Filing of the suits followed a
favorable decision last June by
the U. S., supreme court in a
suit started by employes of the
Mt. Clemens (Mich.) Pottery
company for such pay under the
1938 fair labor standards act.
Billion in Detroit
In Detroit, Richard T. Leon
ard, vice president of the CIO
United Auto Workers and the
. Union's national Ford director,
predicted the filing of suits ask
ing $1,000,000,000 from Detroit
area employers, including claims
of $270,000,000 against Ford.
UAW attorneys said a suit
asking S60,000,000 from the
Briggs Manufacturing company
would be on file in the Detroit
federal court "by Monday at the
latest."
Suits seeking a total of $198,
000,000 have been filed in the
Cleveland district court and at
Pittsburgh, the CIO has started
legal action seeking at least
$120,000,000 for 120,000 steel
workers.
Suits seeking $56,000,000 in
behalf of 8500 workers were
filed in four midwest cities Fri
day. 3 Years Limitations
The suits filed Friday, as in
previous petitions, said the wages
and damages should be paid by
employers under terms of the
act for the time employes spent
on company premises before
their scheduled starting time
and nfter their quitting times.'
Although the suits varied in
the time involved for retroactive
pay, Federal Judge Paul Jones
in Cleveland in an opinion in
Similar suits has ruled that the
state statutes of limitations ap
plied. The statutes limit claims
to three years. He held pay
claims for work prior .to 1943
could be disregarded. .
4, r '
French Suffer
Losses at Hanoi
Paris, Dec. 21 ) French
troops suffered heavy casualties
In advancing in two sectors of
northern Indochina today, and
lost a small garrison at Vinh to
Viet-Nam forces, the French
general staff at Saigon announc
ed today in a communique re
ported by the semi-official
French press agency.
The general staff said French
troops, braving continuous sniper
fire from surrounding rooftops,
had reoccupied the. Lanessan
hospital at Hanoi, Viet-Nam
capital.
At Tourane, the communique
said, the French garrison was
suddenly attacked yesterday
morning by Viet-Nam forces. Se
vere losses were suffered bj'
both sides, the announcement
said, but the French maintained
control of the Tourane airfield
and proceeded to mop up the
surrounding areas.
The semi-official French press
agency said French armored
troops after all-night street
fighting held full possession of
Hanoi, capital of French Indo
china and of the young Viet
nam republic, and were mop
ping up isolated Viet-Nam
llnds.
.- French forces were reported to
have been in control since yes
terday morning of the municipal
theater, seat of the republic's le
gislative assembly, and the pal
ace of republican President Ho
Chi Minh, said to have fled on
Thursday with his defense min
ister, Vonguyen Giat, and oth
ers. Ease Restrictions
On New Telephones
Washington, Dec. 21 U.R
Government restrictions on in
stallations of telephones are
coming off.
. After Janunary 1, officials re
vealed today, you get your phone
or don't strictly on your
own. For some this may mean
n longer wait than ever. Some
2,500,000 orders for phones
currently remain unfilled. And
new orders are piling up at
seven times the pre-war rate.
Essential users got priority
during the war. Business head
ed the list (after military de
mands) and domestic users often
went without.
More recently veterans were
granted some preference, both
at home and on the job. ,
57th Year, No. 301
GOP Senators
Ask Report on
Ousting Bilbo
Washington, Dec. 21 (u.R The
senate republican steering com
mittee has asked for a special
report on whether Sen. Theo
dore G. Bilbo, D., Miss., should
be ousted from the senate for
his dealings with war contrac
tors, it was revealed today.
Sen. Robert A. Taft, R., O.,
steering committee chairman,
said the report would be made
by Sen. Homer Ferguson, R.,
Mich. Ferguson is a member of
the senate war investigating
subcommittee which investigat
ed charges that Bilbo received
gifts from Mississippi contrac
tors whom he helped get gov
ernment jobs.
Moral Turpitude Cited
Ferguson said he would have
his report ready before the next
meeting of the steering commit
tee, tentatively scheduled for
Dec. 30. There seemed little
doubt he would recommend
that Bilbo be banned from his
seat on grounds of moral tur-j
pitude.
Ferguson said in a radio dis
cussion that if he had to make
a decision on evidence present
ed thus far, he would vote
against allowing Bilbo a senate
seat. At the same time, he re
vealed that the war investigat
ing committee had subpenaed
Bilbos income tax returns in
its study of his dealings with
contractors.
Banning of Negroes
The senate GOP steering
committee also has asked for a
report from two republican
members of the senate cam
paign committee which inves
tigated charges that Bilbo's re
election was invalid because
Negroes were barred from vot
ing in the Mississippi primary.
A republican search of sen
ate rules and precedents indi
cated the GOP will need the
help of some senate democrats
for a successful challenge
against Bilbo on either charge.
The election challenge would
be in order when Bilbo steps
forward to take his oath of of
fice Jan. 3. It would take only
a simple majority on the first
test. But it would come before
republicans actually get senate
control. Only 60 holdover sena
tors would be qualified to vote
at that time, 31 democrats and
29 republicans.
Christmas Trees
Shield for Thieves
New York, Dec. 21 (IP) Three
men with a truckload of Christ
mas trees outside a Greenwich
Village clothing store early to
day didn't look like Santa Claus
and his helpers to Detectives
John O'Neill and Thomas Tyrell.
While the detective watched,
the men broke into the store
and removed $1500 worth of
clothing which they carefully
stuffed beneath their innocent
looking Christmas trees.
The detectives shot and cap
tured one man but the other two
escaped
Small Craft Warnings
Seattle. Dec. 21 (IP) Small
craft warnings were continued
at 9 o'clock this forenoon for the
next 24 hours along the Wash
ington and Oregon coasts and
through the straits to Port
Townsend The weather bureau
said there would be fresh to oc
casional strong southerly winds.
Full Scale Resumption of Civil
War in China Is Imminent
Peiping, Dec. 21 (IP) Climaxing weeks of political bickering,
Chinese government and communist leaders today declared full
scale resumption of civil war is
director of hiang Kai-Shek's?
Peiping headquarters, said gov
ernment armies woul " resume
the offensive if the communists
continue to disregard Chiang's
cease fire order.
Six weeks ago, in . truce bid.
Chiang ordered h' forces to end
their offensives. The commu
nists, demanding restoration of
territories seized by the govern
ment since an oft-violtted Jan.
13 truce, immediately attacked
in several areas.
In Yenan, the communists'
chief negotiator, Chou En-Lai,
told Associated Press Corre
spondent John Roderick:
The communists wil. launch
an all out strategic offensive if
'! T'iment per '- in its re
fusal to follow the democratic
apital
Entered second cltu
matter at Salem, Oregon
Atomic Energy
Group Disagrees
On Veto Power
New York, Dec. 21 UP) Dele
gates to the United Nations
atomic energy commission dis
agreed today over whether they
had approved a United States
proposal to eliminate the big
power veto on punishment for
violations of atomic energy con
trol.
This was a major point in the
American atomic control plan
which was approved "in prin
ciple" yesterday by the com
mission and it appeared at first
that the controversial issue had
been decided finally although
without the approval of Soviet
Russia.
Victory for Baruch
Members of the U. S. delega
tion hailed the commission's ac
tion as a complete 'victory for
Bernard M. Baruch, 76-year-old
sponsor of the American pro
posal, but it became clear to
day that the question of the veto
on punishment as well as some
other points in the Baruch plan
still faced a bitter fight.
A spokesman for Canadian
Delegate Gen. Andrew G. L. Mc-
Naughton, sponsor of the com
promise which the commission
finally adopted, emphasized that
the Canadian proposal laid down
an important condition, which
should not be overlooked.
Wording to Conform
This was the stipulation that
the wording of the Baruch reso
lution must be made to conform
to phraseology of the resolution
which the general assembly
passed last week outlining a pro
gram for world arms reduction.
It was recalled that the as
sembly s resolution recommend
ed that enforcement of arms
limitation regulations, including
the control of atomic energy,
be placed within the framework
of the security council, where
the veto applies. The resolution
omitted any reference to the
veto.
While members of the U. S.
delegation contended that this
omission did not prevent the se
curity council from agreeing not
to use the veto on atomic mat
ters, it was pointed out that
the assembly had rejected sev
eral attempts to write in pro
visions on the veto.
Judges Named
To Try Nazis
Washington, Dec. 21 (IP)
President Truman today ap
pointed three American judges
to serve on a military tribunal
established by the military
governor for the United States
occupation zone in Germany to
try major war criminals.
He named Walter B. Beals,
chief justice of the supreme
court of the state of Washing
ton; Harold J. Sebring, associ
ate justice of the 'Florida su
preme court, and Johnson Tal
Crawford, judge of a state dis
trict court of Oklahoma, as the
members. Victor Swearingen,
former special assistant to the
attorney General, was chosen
alternate member.
The appointment ere made
in an executive . ..er which
said they were pursuant to the
four-power agreement of the
control council for Germany
and to the charter of the inter
national military tribunal.
The latter court was estab
lished by the United States,
France, Great Britain and Rus
sia and resulted in the execu
tion of 11 major nazis earlier
this year.
imminent. Gen. Li Tsung-Jen,
lines set by the interparty con
ference last January and fails to
return its troops to their Jan. 13
positions."
Gen. Li accused uic commu
nists of stalling "to gain time in
which to extend their sphere of
influence over the country."
On the military front, com
munist guerrillas pushed
through government, defenses to
within 11 miles of Peiping, were
driven off in a counterattack,
then fought right back in an
other thrust at Antung of the
Peiping-Tientsin railroad. The
highly mobile guerrilla bands
are within two miles of Antung
railway station, 15 miles south
east of Peiping, government
headquarters acknowledged.
sk
Ail V
Salem, Oregon, Saturday, December
i ' "mill II llli I ii pMMMyf ii aHMmniBHtaiMHW")
ujsk im
Comedian Buys Dogs for Kids Comedian Alan Young holds
up one of the homeless dogs he bought at the Los Angeles animal
shelter for scores of children unable to pay the normal fees of
$3.50 and $5.50. Young promised to buy dogs for the first 100
children in line as his Christmas present to them. (AP Wirephoto.)
Army Praises Work of
Emergency Flood Control
Portland, Ore., Dec. 21 (IP) The emergency flood plan, which
the corps of engineers has been perfecting since the 1943 Willam
ette flood, met with its greatest success this year, Col. O. E. Walsh,
district engineer, said today.
"There was a complete absence of panic, and warnings were
issued well enough in advance
to allow valley residents to move
under their own power, thus re
ducing the number of evacua
tions," Col. Walsh said.
He said the success of the plan
was due to many man-hours, of
detailed investigation, mapping
and planning. Beginning in 1943,
the Portland district conducted a
house-to-house canvass for infor
mation after each flood which
was consolidated on zoned maps.
Once a flood is imminent, the
Portland district set up area field
offices at Salem, Albany, Corval
lis and Eugene on a 24-hour ba
sis to issue warnings, apply the
knowledge gained from previous
floods and coordinate the activi
ties of the various cooperating
agencies.
"The effectiveness of the plan
was proven this year by the fact
that no lives were lost due to
lack of warning and rescue acti
vities, and livestock loss was at
a minimum," Col. Walsh stated.
Col. Walsh said he had noth
ing but praise for the American
Red Cross, American Legion,
disaster committees, state high
way department, state police,
telephone and telegraph offices,
newspapers and radio stations
who cooperated this year in
making the engineers' flood plan
work.
He praised boat owners in the
flooded areas for their patrol
and rescue work.
There was no guess work,
the colonel concluded. "Every
thing was pre-arranged and ex
perience and knowledge gained
from previous floods was ap
plied to the utmost advantage."
East Polk to Vote
On PUD Feb. 6
East Polk county will vote
Feb. 6 on the proposal to cre
ate a peoples utility district in
that area, the state hydroelec
tric commission announced Sat
urday. The proposed area, 104 square
miles, would exclude the cities
of Dallas and Monmouth, but
would include Independence.
Five directors will be elected if
the plan is approved.
Leonard's License
Out Rest of Year
The restaurant and liquor li
cense of Mike and Harry Stein-
bock, owners of Leonard s Sup
per club. 3055 Portland road.
was revoked for the balance of
the veai by the Oregon liquor
contrcl commission in Portland
Friday It was charged that the
licensee Improperly labeled cus
tomers' bottles.
Newberg Gets Homes
Portland. Dec. 21 (IP) Marshal
& Jensen, Newberg, were grant
ed veterans' priorities yesterday
to construct four houses to sell
at $6500.
Jomm
21, 1946
Alterations
In City Hall
A crew of carpenters in the
employ of E. E. Batterman, con
tractor, has started work mak
ing alterations in city hall to
accommodate the new council
manager plan of city government
that becomes effective January
1. The contract cost of the work
is $2500.
The city- council last Monday
night gave a special committee
of the new city council authority
to proceed with the work. On
the committee are R. O. Lewis
and Claud Jorgensen, who also
are members of the present coun
cil, and James H. Nicholson of
the new council.
The city eouncil will, after
the first of the year, meet at the
Chamber of Commerce. The city
recorder and the city treasurer
will be moved to the second floor
of city hall where the council
now meets Also on the second
floor the city manager and the
city attorney will have offices,
and the city engineer will re
main in his present space.
Open counters from the cor
ridor will give the public access
to the recorder and treasurer on
the south side and the engineer
on the north side.
Wreckage of Plane
Sighted at Troutdale
Portland, Dec. 21 IIP) Wreck
age of a plane with one body
visible in it was sighted a mile
and a half east of Troutdale air
port today and Ernie Helms
Western Skyways chief pilot,
said it was a BT-13 missing from
the airport since early yester
day. The wreckage was sighted
fro mthe air and Helms said
it was prossible that the body
of the second man was there but
obscured from view.
The plane took off yesterday
morning in darkness and was
heard to head east. Missing with
it were two western Skyways
mechanics, Clarence J. Bauer,
27, and Willard Chase, 22, the
latter a licensed pilot.
The Weather
(Released by United States
Weather Bureau)
Forecast lor Salem and Vicin
ity: Mostly cloudy tonight and
Sunday with occasional llg'it
rain beginning late today and
continuing through Sunday
Slightly warmer temperatures.
Lowest temperature tonight 38
degrees. Maximum yesterday 41.
Minimum today 33. Mean tem
perature yesterday 38 which was
3 below normal. Total 24-hour
precipitation to 11:30 a.m. today
.01. Total precipitation for the
month 4.22 which is .28 inch be
low normal. Willamette river
height 7.7 ft.
Five Cents
Serious Rift in
GOP Ranks Over
Leadership
Washington, Dec. 21 (IP) The
first serious rift in republican
ranks since the party won the
congressional elections broke
into the open today with a de
ninnd that presidential candi
dates keep hands off the house
leadership contest.
Rep. Thomas Jenkins of
Ohio objected in a formal state
ment to "attempts by outsid
ers to dominate the American
congress."
He leveled his remarks pri
marily at Gov. Thomas E. Dew
ey's endorsement of Rep. Char
les A. Halleck . of Indiana for
the house floor leadership. But
he said they apply as well to
'any presidential aspirants
Senator Taft or Senator Brick
er, too, although I don't think
they d try it.
Three Candidates
Jenkins is one of three an
nounced candidates for the
leadership position to be vacat
cd by Rep. Joseph W. Martin,
Jr., of Massachusetts when he
becomes speaker of the house
on January 3.
The others are Halleck and
Rep. Everett M. Dirksen of II
linois, neither of whom was in
Washington when Jenkins let
loose his blast at the New York
governor last night.
A fourth representative, Clar
ence J. Brown of Ohio, has an
nounced his availability for the
leadership but has not formally
declared his candidacy.
While capitol observers long
had seen the leadership strug
gle as a jockeying for position
for the GOP presidential nomi
nation, Jenkins was the first
member of his party to label it
openly as such.
Brown's Ohio Backing
Except for including Taft
and Bricker in his grouping of
"presidential aspirants," he
made no reference in his state
ment to capitol hill talk that
Brown has the backing of the
Ohio senators.
Jenkins reiterated -his inten
tion to remain in the race until
it is settled by the republican
caucus on January 2.
Dewey's espousal of Halleck's
candidacy, Jenkins declared,
was an expression of the gov
ernor's desire to "let the coun
try know that Halleck was 'his
man."
"He must believe it will help
him into the presidency," he
said.
Wilsonville Ferry
Again in Operation
The receding Willamette river
permitted the reopening of the
Wilsonville ferry today as one
way traffic and slide residue
continued to plague motorists
in many parts of the state, R.
H. Baldock, state highway engi
ncer announced Saturday.
Traffic on the coast highway
was permitted to cross a tem
porary bridge 12 miles north of
Florence at two-hour intervals
starting at 9 a.m., during the
day. The bridge was left open
all last night. Slide removal
was also underway on the coast
route five miles south of Ya
chats. Two-way traffic was per
mitted across the North San
tiam highway at Niagara where
a small bridge was washed away
early Thursday. One-way traf
fic was still in force between
Mill City and Gates due to a
culvert installation, however.
Six Tidal Waves
Of Kainan on Japanese Coast
Kainan Wakayama Prefecture,
residents of Kainan a town just
ulation of 26,000 climbed to the
dark hours this morning and1
watched a scries of six tidal
waves roar in and out of the
city cleaning it out.
The first wave struck the ci
ty at 5:30 a.m., about one hour
after the earthquake had caus
ed some relatively minor dam
age. It was preceded by a fore
boding rumbling sound far out
at sea that resembled thunder:
Many persons were drowned
or swept away. The lucky ones
took refuge on housetops or on
high ground.
The second tidal wave, which
was worse, occurred 40 minutes
later and was a wall of water
more than 10 feet high. It
500 Japs Killed,
Over 28,000 Homes Destroyed
And Over 500 Fishing Vessels Lost
Quake Possibly the World's Most Violent Six
Tidal Waves, Erupted by the Temblor Beneath
The Pacific, Rush Over Peninsula
Tokyo, Dec. 21 (Pi A violent earthquake and severe tidal waves
damaged more than 50,000 square miles of southern Japan today.
Incomplete figures listed 500 dead, 612 injured, and 43 missing;
nearly 28,000 homes destroyed, damaged or flooded, and 500 fishing
vessels lost. Only one allied casualty a missing British soldier
was reported.
Seismologists said the quake possibly was the world's most vio
lent. Six tidal waves, erupted by the temblor beneath the Pacific
ocean floor, rushed over Wakayama peninsula and wreaked dam
age over a 370-mile wide area from Shimoda on the eastern Honshu
coast to Kochl on Shlkoku's southern coast. Some of the waves
were 10 feet high.
Authorities said the loss of life was not far greater because the
quake epicenter was under water.
Tonight, thousands of Wakayamans fled into the hills, fearful of
repercussions. Tanaba was deserted, its 2500 homeless refugees
having sought safety in the hills.
Residents of some other Watayania towns likewise fled, carrying
their meager possessions.
Information Most Fragmentary
Only fragmentary information was available from the two areas
that appeared hardest hit the southern coast of Shikoku and
western Watayania, both isolated.
Kushimolo, a fishing town of 10,000 on the southern tip of
Wakayama peninsula at the southeastern tip of Honshu was
reported washed away by seven foot waves.
Fire destroyed one-third of Shingu, on the east coast of Honshu,
and U. S. army fliers said flames still were visible there this
afternoon.
The tremblor was recorded at 4:20 a.m. (11:20 a.m., Friday,
PST). Slight tremors followed about eery half hour.
Damage extended from the northern coast of Kyushu through
Shikoku and north to Shizuoka prefecture on Honshu. Kyodo
News Agency said the havocked area extended 340 miles at its
longest and 60 miles wide.
Osaka, Japan's second largest city, reported 14 killed, heavy
property damage and water three feet deep in some sections.
The famous cities of Kyoto and Nara, both former Japanese
capitals near Osaka, appeared to have escaped any but minor
damage. Both escaped bomb damage during the war.
5 Days' Rations for 50,000
The U. S. military government said Osaka has five days' food
rations for 50,000 people. Large quantities of imported grain
recently were released to Japanese at Kobe. Authorities said they
considered the food situation good at both places.
. However, U. S. military officials said it may be necessary to
supply stricken areas on the Wakayama peninsula by boat because
of communications disruptions.
Although concern was expressed over the situation in southern
Shikoku island, army officers said no outside help would be needed.
American and British occupation forces presumably escaped
with only one casualty one unidentified British soldier missing
from Miho although the British were in the center of the
havocked area. British headquarters at Kurc, 170 miles west of
Osaka, was damaged.
Sevn Foot Wave Sweeps Inland
The seven fool tidal wave which inundated the southwestern
coast of Wakayama peninsula and struck heavily at the southern
coast of Shikoku was reported to have caused the major damage.
Railroads and communications were snarled. Electric, telephone,
telegraph and railroad lines, particularly on the northern shores
of tiie inland sea, were cut in many places. Numerous commu
nities were isolated.
Damage extended from atom bombed Hiroshima on the west to
Miho on the north central coast of Honshu, bordering the Sea of
Japan, and to the southern lip of Wakayama peninsula on the east.
Japanese newspapers expressed fear for persons on Awaji,
island in the path of the tidal wave an It surged toward Japan's
inland sea.
Communications were knocked out for a time between 24th
division headquarters at Osaka and British headquarters at Kure,
but these later were restored.
Train Reported Overturned
One unconfirmed report said a train was overturned near Oka
yama, midway between Osaka and Kure.
One allied train was delayed because of a blocked tunnel near
Okayama and this may have given rise to the report.
The welfare ministry announced it was speeding relief activi
ties through the Japanese Red Cross. Survey teams were sent to
the disaster areas by the home, welfare and agriculture ministries.
Three P-51 Mustangs of the fifth U. S. air force flew over
Wakayama peninsula and reported the west coast between Kanabe
and Kushimoto largely was inundated. Pilots said the town of
Shingu on the cast coasl was one-third destroyed by fire and flames
still could be observed in the afternoon
Kyodo said all of the Japanese mainland except the northeastern
coast of Honshu and Hokkaido felt the shock. Reports indicated
communications could not be restored for two days.
The central meteorological observatory said the epicenter was
in the ocean floor about 100 kilometers (62 miles) south of Waka
yama. One observatory official said the quake might be the
greatest ever recorded in the world. He placed the center at 135
cast longitude, 33 north latitude.
Newsprint Shortage
Tacoma, Dec. 21 (IP) The Ta
coma News-Tribune today an
nounced it will carry only classi
fied want ads in its Dec. 23 and
24 issues because of the contin
ued newsprint shortage and "ex
tremely heavy demand for ad
vertising space in the last sixty
days." The paper management
reported it has bcr for d to re
ject an extraordinary amount of
advertising in the last several
weeks.
Roar In and Out
Japan, D"c 21 (0.R) Thinly-clad
south of Wakayama with a pop
tops of their houses in the early
struck the town with terrify
ing force after shattering a
small breakwater.
The water came through the
streets in torrents, flooding
every house, washing away fur
niture, mowing down fences
and sweeping away every loose
object including vehicles. It
uprooted large trees.
, A small fleet of fishing boats
ii the bay was torn from its
anchorage and dashed into the
city with the full force of the
wall of water behind it. That
added to the damage and debris.
The last of the six waves of
horror and destruction came at
8:30 a.m., three hours lajcr.
61 2 Injured,
Bomb Painting
Of Peron's Return
Buenos Aires, Dec. 21 (ff)
U entitled persons set off a
powerful bomb today in a show
window displaying a painting de
picting the events of Oct. 17,
1945, tiie day Juan Pcron was re
turned to power in Argentina
eight days after being forced out
as vice president and war minis
ter by the Camp Dc Mayor gar
rison. The bomb broke many win
dows in the vicinity but there
were no casualties. Gen. Peron
now is president of Argentina.
$100,000 Fire Loss
At Winter Resort
Kane, Pa Dec. 21 (IP) Four
business buildings were destroy
early today in the most spec
tacular fir in years at this win
ter sports center known to many
as the "Icebox of Pennsylvania."
Fire Chief Palsy Marasco esti
mated damage at close to $100,
000. Razed were the three-story O.
T. Petersen building, two build
ings of a garage and tire recap
ping establishment, and a smal
ler storage shed. Ten to 15 au
tomobiles, 300 to 400 tires, and a
quantity of rubber in the garage
wcro also destroyed.
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