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About Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 21, 1947)
r Truman Seeks v $350 Million for Foreign Relief Congress Urged to Aid People of Liberated Countries Still in Need Washington, Feb. 21 (JP) President Truman asked con gress today to vote $350,000 for relief aid to people of liberated countries abroad. In a message to the legislators, the president noted that full scale supply op erations by UNRRA are rapidly drawing to a close, and said: "On humanitarian grounds, and in the light of our own self-interest as well, we must not leave the task unfinished. We can not abandon the peoples still in need." UNRRA the United Nations relief and rehabilitation admin istration is scheduled to wind up its operations March 31, al though winding up activities under way will continue beyond that date. Only Liberated Lands Mr. Truman's recommenda tion was only for liberated coun tries. United States relief acti vities in occupied countries, such as Germany and Austria, are financed by the war depart ment from its appropriations. There have been complaints in congress about UNRRA's ad ministration methods. Some le gislators contend its services have been used to support gov ernments uncooperative with the United States. The president made no refer ence to this, but recommended that future United States relief assistance be given directly ra ther than through an inter national organization, and "be administered under United States control." Critical Period Here Mr. Truman said the money he asks is designed "for the ur gent relief needs for the balance of the year. He added: "The most critical period will be in the spring and summer months, when UNRRA will cease and their harvests are not yet available. "Swift legislative action necessary if our help is not to come too late. While the aid was asked for "liberated" countries suffering from the "ravages of war," Mr. Truman did not mention any specific nations. . The president said that in some liberated countries, "UNRRA will have achieved its objective fully" when UNRRA's supply operations cease. He ex plained that means they will be again "self-supporting so far as the basic essentials of life are concerned." But in other liberated coun tries, Mr. Truman said this is not yet the case and what re mains to be done, while rela tively small and limited in time and scope, is "none-the-less vi tally important" Moslem Insist On Separation New Delhi, Feb. 21 VP) A highly placed official predicted today that the whole Indian problem would be dumped into the laps of the United Nations the moment that Britain drops the reins of government in June, , 1948. Few observers believed it pos sible that the disputing Moslem league and congress party could smooth over their differences in the next 15 months to a point where they could unite in form ing a central government. Moslem league sources declar ed there was not the slightest possibility that anything short of complete separation from Hindu-dominated parts of India would satisfy the Moslems. Conflict over which part of India would be included in the proposed independent Moslem state seemed likely to send the problem to the U.N. At present Moslem league ministeries control Sind in the west and Bengal in the east, the latter containing Calcutta, sec ond largest city in the British empire. IRO to Get Funds Of United Nations Geneva, Feb. 21 (IP) The pre paratory commission for the in ternational refugee organization got a new lease on life today when Trygve Lie, secretary gen eral of the United Nations, cabl ed that "necessary" advances would be made by the United Nations. Lie's message did not promise any definite amount the com mission had requested $250,000. Alvin Roseman, U.S. delegate said that Lie's reply indicated that the latter realized the im portance of the commissions work. Meanwhile the commission prepared to close a 10-day ses sion tonight with plans to recon vene here April 15, apital 58th Year, No. 45 $6 Billion Cut In Budget Hit By Vandenberg Washington, Feb. 21 (P) Senator Vandenberg (R-Mich) told the .senate today he cannot vote for a $6,000,000,000 slash in President Truman's budget because he deeply fears such a cut would "jeopardize our win ning of the peace." The presiding officer of the senate and chairman of its for eign relations committee opened senate debate on a house-approved resolution to put a $31,500,- 000,000 celling on government expenditures in the fiscal year beginning July 1. This is $6,000, 000,000 below Mr. Truman's $37,500,000,000 request. Cripples Defense Vandenberg said he applauded this drive on swollen federal expenditures," but cautioned his republican colleagues not to pro mise more economy than they might be able to attain "with out serious threat -to the public welfare. If the facts later justify a cut of $6,000,000,000, he said con gress can make it as it votes on individual appropriations bills. A $6,000,000,000 cut might re quire taking $2,500,000,000 off the armed services allotment, he said, and added: "I deeply fear that would jeo pardize our winning of the peace." Taft Urges Haste For that reason, he said he personally favors adoption of an amendment by Senator Millikin (R-Colo) which would limit the budget cut promise to $4,500,000, 000. Senator Taft (R-Ohio) urged that the senate act without de lay. Taft, who heads the republi can policy committee, told a re porter he sees no reason why a decision should not be reached quickly on the proposal by Sen ator Millikin (R-Colo) to put a ceiling of $33,000,000,000 on government costs in the year be ginning July 1. The house specified a "limit" of $31,500,000,000 co m p a r e d with Mr. Truman's request .for $37,500,000,000. : Lower Figure to Win With three 'or four economy minded exceptions', senate demo crats lined up behind the Milli kin suggestion as offering the best escape from what they con sider the too-deep cut pledged by the house yesterday. Chairman Bridges (R-NH) of the senate appropriations com mittee, who wants to go the full distance with his house republi can colleagues, predicted that Taft and Millikin will take along about half of the repub licans and are certain to win with the lower figure. Marshall Held 'On Top of Job' - Washington, Feb. 21 (JP) George C. Marshall today rounds out his first month as secretary of state with his top aides con vinced along with Senator Van denberg (R-Mich), that he al ready is "obviously on top of his job." Marshall observed the occa sion by turning away from the grind at his big oak desk for a two-day trip to receive honor ary degrees from Columbia and Princeton universities. It was the cabinet officer's first absence of more than a few hours from his three-fold task of (a) mastering thorny prob lems of foreign policy, (b) deal ing with urgent current issues, and (c) preparing for the March 10 Moscow conference of the Big Four foreign ministers. Atomic Scientists to Quit En Masse If Politicians Reject Lilienthal Washington, Feb. 21 Dr. Karl T. Compton said today that scientists will quit en masse and the atomic energy program will become "a hollow shell" if political and special interests win their fight against David" . Lilien-; thai. Compton, president of Massa chusetts Institute of Technology and a leader in development of the atomic bomb, expressed "disillusionment and disgust" over senate delay in confirm ing Lilienthal as chairman of the atomic energy commission. Compton, who is president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, warned that further delays would reduce the nation's atomic energy program to "a hollow shell." Compton expressed his views m a letter to Senate President Arthur H. Vandenberg, (R Mich). He said that scientists would quit atomic projects en masse Bnttred u wooed elm mfttur at &&lm. Oregon Salem, Soviet Budget Calls for Cut In Army Costs Moscow, Feb. 21 (JP) Dele gates to the supreme soviet (par liament) debated today a 1947 budget calling for a decrease in expenditures for the soviet arm ed forces and increases for in dustry, public health, sport, com munications and agriculture. Total income for 1947 was es timated in the budget at 391,500,- 000,000 rubles and expenditures at 371,400,000,000 rubles, of which 18 percent would be as signed to the armed forces as against 24 percent last year. The budget, submitted to a joint session last night by Fi nance Minister Arseni G. Zver ev, would assign the armed for ces 67,000,000,000 rubles this year, as against 72,600,000,000 in 1946. Value of Ruble (The ruble is not quoted in foreign exchange trade.) The of ficial exchange rate is 5.3 to the dollar. The diplomatic rate is 12 to the dollar. Russian govern ment finances include many items which, in the United States, are handled by private capital. Russia's estimated .expendi tures would total about $70,075,- 000. 000 at the "official" rate; or $30,950,000,000 at the "diploma tic rate. (President Truman's budget for the fiscal year starting July 1, now under scrutiny of con gress, calls for appropriations of $37,500,000,000. Of this about $11,200,000,000, some 30 per cent, would go for defense.) Accents Internal Economy The budget recommendations, expected to meet with general approval of the many hundreds of delegates from all over the U.S.S.R., conformed with the an nounced policy of Russia to put less emphasis on the army, navy and air force and accent the in ternal economy in connection with Prime Minister Stalin's five-year plans. Russia in 1947 will spend 131, 800,000,000 rubles on her inter nal economy, which includes ap propriations for-industry, agri culture, transportation, commun ications, trade and stocks. Last year the U.S.S.R. spent 95,700, 000,000 rubles in these fields. Search on For Missing Flier Eugene, Ore., Feb. 21 (IP) A forlorn search began today for the third airplane to disap pear this winter into the scat tered mountains of southern Ore gon. Aboard the light, single-en gined craft was a pilot identi fied as Douglas Locke, ferrying the Avion four-placer from Los Angeles to Beaverton, Ore. Like the others, his disappear ance was not reported at once because of his failure to file a flight plan. He took off from Red Bluff, Calif., last Sunday afternoon, saying he would land here or at Lakeview. Three hours later the airport here heard a plane report it was lost. That was the last heard. Missing in previous flights are Vernon Coulter and his mother, both Portland, lost after taking off from Red Bluff last October, and Robert Lee Rubottom, Mc millville. Ore., lost after leav ing Klamath Falls, Ore., Jan 10. Private fliers and army search- rescue units from McChord field, Wash., and Hamilton Field, Calif., are expected to aid when the weather allows them to fly if convinced that political and special interests would be sue cessful in blocking Lilienthal's appointment. His letter was introduced into the record of the senate atomic committee now considering the appointment. Members were prepared for a test of strength on the drive of Sen. Kenneth McKellar, (D Tenn), to block confirmation. Compton said further delay in acting upon the nomination would be "a blow to progress" in both military and industrial applications of the new power. The entire program, he said, would be reduced to little more than "glib talk" if action ap proving Lilienthal was not im mediately forthcoming. Oregon, Friday, February Seek Victims of L.A. Explosion rOAS 1;. . f sfi tla in - liu is j , . f ;sL ' : s lam Airi. i , ; : . . 48. destroyed by a violent explosion in Los Angeles, in which the death toll was 15 and cf the 158 injured several were feared dying. An area four blocks square was damaged. (AP Wirephoto) No Spring Opening Event But Summer Festival The Salem Retail Trade bureau, meeting Friday at the Cham ber of Commerce, voted not to promote a spring opening event, but instead to work towards a summer festival to be followed by a fall opening more elaborate than in former years. Opening events have not been held in Salem since prior to the war, and it was the intention to renew the? custom this spring. The date would have fallen on Thursday, March 13. Restrictions that still exist on delivery of merchandise was the reason given for the action taken. "We regretted reaching the decision against a spring open ing," said Mai Rudd, manager of the J. C. Penney store and pres ident of the trade bureau. "The merchandise situation was the reason. Automobile dealers are able to display cars, but can't make delivery. That is also true of tractors. Clothing merchants can display, goods,, but can't de liver in quantity." The merchants are laying plans for a summer festival to be held in June, and further dis cussion will be given the mat ter at a meeting next week. A tie-in with manufacturers and canneries is proposed to give the event a tourist appeal. Tentative plans for a fall opening call for a tie-in with the Salem Saddle club, the Cher rians and other organizations that may add to spectacular fea tures. "Our plans," said Mr. Rudd "will call for cooperation, and a cooperative effort among all concerned will, we believe, be of great benefit to the community." Boy Suicides When Dog Lost Chicago, Feb. 21 (U.R) Some things are too much for a boy to take and the loss of his Christmas puppy was more than Joey Craig could bear. Home from school yesterday. the 13-year-old youngster look ed high and low for the mongrel dog that his parents had given him as an extra special holiday present. Leash in hand, Joey and his two sisters recruited their playmates and scoured the crowded stockyards neighbor hood. But there was no sign of Blackic. Hours later the boy and his sisters returned home, the leash dragging forlornly behind them, "I'm going in the bedroom," Joey told Ellen and Norma Jean. "When I knock you can come in." They waited, but there was no knock. Pushing into the bed room they found Joey, hanging by his neck, his body dangling at the end of the old rope leash. Sergeant at Arms Pleads Innocent Washington, Feb. 21 (JP) Kenneth Romney, former ser-geant-at-arms of the house for 16 years, pleaded innocent to day to charges of attempting to defraud the government by con cealing a $143,863 shortage in his accounts. Romney was arraigned before Federal District Court Judge Blitha J. Laws, who set trial for April 21. The sergeant - at - arms office serves as a "bank" for house members. Jonrmal 21, 1947 Rescue workers search the Price Boom in Pork Predicted Chicago, Feb. 21 (U.R) A price boom in pork developed today and livestock men predicted it would hit the housewife's purse in about two weeks. The increases will continue for about three months, live stock men said. Before it is end ed, some butchers may be sell ing pork roasts for 90 cents a pound and center chops for $1.25, one source said. Easter hams, he said, may retail at $1 a pound. The boom resulting from the small spring pig crop already has hit the hog market, where shipments from the farm have been gradually tapering off. Hog prices spiraled to record levels yesterday in the nation's major hog markets. The public, however, will not pay the increased price for its pork appetite immediately. Hogs in the form of fresh pork generally take between seven and 10 days to travel the circuit from the stockyard to the kitch en. In the case of ham and ba con and other cured products, it takes about two weeks longer. Bad news for the budgeting city housewife also developed in the Chicago grain mart. Whole sale wheat futures prices soar ing 30 cents a bushel since Jan uary 1 foreshadowed a possi ble hike in the price of flour and cereals. Drivers Escape from Exploding Truck Grants Pass, Feb. 21 (IP) Two truck-line drivers escaped injury when their truck, laden with 50 barrels of paint thinner being shipped from Seattle to southern California, caught fire, exploded and burned on Pacific highway, 10 miles north of here last night. , Edgar O. Southard, of Seattle, was at the wheel when his relief driver, Lyle Smith, of Los An geles, noticed flames working out from around a rear wheel, state police said. Both men fled to safety before the blaze reach ed the highly-inflammable truck load and set off a scries of ex plosions as one barrel after an other let go. The truck was operated for the Los Angeles-Seattle Motor Transportation company. Truck and cargo were reported con sumed completely. The Weather (Released by United States Weather Bureau) Forecast for Salem and Vicin ity: Partly cloudy today and tonight becoming cloudy witn occasional light rain Saturday. Little change In temperature with lowest tonight 38. Maxi mum yesterday 57. Minimum to day 38. Mean temperature yes terday 45 which was 2 above normal. Total 24-hour precipi tation to 11:30 a.m. today 0. Total precipitation for the month 3.43 which Is .02 inch above normal. Willamette river height 2.8. Price Five r wreckage of a two-story building Blast Death Toll Fixed at 15 Los Angeles, Feb. 21 (JP)- After a night spent probing be neath glaring searchlights, po lice today fixed the death toll from the city's worst explosion in 37 years at 15. Of the 158 injured sufficiently to require hospitalization, sever al were feared dying. The scene, as police and fire men shifted the blasted rubble of an electroplating plant, resem bled somewhat a garishly-lit night-time movie set. Except that there was nothing fictional about the carnage. The one-story brick plant of the J. J. O'Connor corp. at 932 Pico blvd., a mile from the cen ter of downtown Los AngeleSj blew apart in a blinding flash of chemicals at 9:45 a.m. (FST) yesterday. But it was hours be fore a clear picture of the dis aster could be pieced together. Police and fire officials fin ally agreed that it was caused by the detonation of perchloric acid, an extremely unstable substance kept under pressure in refriger ation because at room tempera ture it is a seething, heavy li quid. But how the acid was set off remained a mystery. O'Connor told reporters "we were doing something lor tne government." This, he later am plified, was the aluminum-plating of hospital beds and chairs under a secret trade process. Not in the plant at the time, he was reported in collapse at his home last night. Snow Postpones United Nations Meet Lake Success, N. Y., Feb. 21 Heavy snow which swept the eastern seaboard today forced postponement of the United Na tions security council session on the Albanian case. The United Nations announced the council would meet Monday to continue debate on the Brit ish charges against Albania. The announcement came as Great Britain made it "clear she would oppose a Columbian pro posal to refer to the internation al court of justice her complaint that Albania is responsible for the deaths of 44 seamen in two roval navy destroyers blasted by mines in Corfu channel last October 22. British delegate bir Alcxan der Cadogan remarked tartly that the international court of justice is "not a police court, Worst Snowstorm in Years Hits Eastern Coast Maine to Carolina (By the United Presil The worst storm in years buried most of the eastern seaboard in snow today. It howled up from the south riding on tailwinds of 30 to 50 miles an hour, headed through Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York, curved through New England and out to sea. By noontime 20 persons were dead. Weathermen had predicted it would shift over the Atlantic north of Boston around noon, but at mid-day it still raged, leav ing behind two to 19 inches of snow and piling drifts six feet deep in rural sections. The storm grounded all air planes. It delayed ships at sea. Train travel was slowed from minutes to more than three Uniform Basis Adopted for Sary Boosts "Ht&vQ&tee Adopts fa comparative to urner drares A uniform salary schedule for state officials was adopted today by the joint ways and means committee, which said it was worked out in relation to what is paid in other states. Heading the list is the gover nor, who would get $10,000 a year, compared with $7,500 now. In addition, he would get $100 a month for expenses. Five other officials would get $7,500. They are the secretary of state and treasurer, who would get a $2,100 boost; the attorney general, who would get $2,500 more; the public utilities commissioner, who already gets that much; and the state high way engineer, who would get $300 more. Police Salaries Ok'd The committee also approved the state police salary bill, in troduced by Speaker John Hall and already passed by the house Hall had charged that the com mittee was attempting to- bury the bill, which provides large increases for all state police officers. The state health officer would be boosted from $6,720 to $7, 000. The following officials would get $6,600 a year, their increases ranging from $600 to $1,800; superintendent of public instruc tion, liquor administrator, pub lic welfare administrator, bud get director, tax commissioners, unemployment e o m p e nsation and industrial accident commis sioners, state forester, director of agriculture, state police su perintendent, and superintend ent of state hospital. Other Salaries Listed The following would get $6, 000 a year: superintendent of Fairview home, superintendent of tuberculosis hospitals, deputy state hospital superintendents, state engineer, adjutant gen eral. These officials would get $5, 520 a year: labor commissioner, prison warden, game supervisor, unemployment compensation ad ministrator, industrial accident administrator, director of veter ans affairs, secretary of retire ment, deputy secretary of state, (Concluded on Page 13, column n Baby Victim of Childish Prank Victim of a ghastly childish prank the four- months - old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. A. Reynolds of the farm labor camp, died Thursday night in a local hospital after its mother had found the child lying on the burning embers of a cook stove in the kitchen of her home. From what information could be eathered by Sheriff Denver Young the child was placed in the stove by a 6-year-old Doy, son of some farm labor camp neighbors. Mrs. Reynolds told the snerui that she, with three other chil dren, had gone to the home of Mrs. Omer Adams, her sister-in-law close by about 2:30 Thurs day afternoon leaving the baby in his crib. She said she had been gone but a few minutes but on her return missed the baby from its crib, heard muf fled screams from the stove and found the infant lying in the ashes. Some glowing coals had charred the child's clothing and burned it about the head, shoul ders and feet. The child was rushed to a hospital but suc cumbed about five hours later Mrs. Reynolds told the sheriff when she was returning irom the Adams home she passed the 6 - year - old boy about 20 feet from her home heading in an other direction. She said the hov mumbled a few words when they passed and then broke into a run. The lad when questioned bv the sheriff finally admitted the act, said Young, after telling what apparently wore some imaginative stories about a boy named "Blackie," being with him in the plaoc. Funeral arrangements arc in charge of the Clough-Barrick mortuary. hours. Commuters to large cities got to their jobs late. Schools were snowed in. Thousands of rural residents were marooned. Business in the east and govern ment in Washington slowed to a walk. Fires imperiled the lives of hundreds. Many fled into the storm from blazing homes. In Newark the city hospital's fleet of ambulances were snow bound by drifts blocking the doors of the ambulance garage. Airplanes were not flying. House Debates Overriding of Governor's Veto Close Vote Indicated On Snake River Power Dam Issue The Oregon house of repre sentatives opened its debate to day on whether to override Gov ernor Earl Snell's veto of senate bill 99, which the senate already had voted 27 to 3 to pass the bill over the veto. Prospects were that the ques tion would be extremely close, with 40 votes of the 60 members necessary to override. The bill originally passed the house 46 to 14. ' The bill, sponsored by eastern Oregon legislators who say it would enable the Idaho Power company to build a power dam on the Snake river and thus re lieve a power shortage in that area, would permit power com panies to keep their dams for the period for which they were licensed, unless condemnation proceedings are brought. The law now in effect, passed in 1931, permits taking over on the basis of net investment, less the total of certain items. Gallagher Opens Debate The house debated the ques tion for more than two hours, with only the closing argument to be presented in the afternoon. Rep. Martin P. Gallagher, On tario, opened the debate by say ing the present power law has made power development by pri vate companies impossible, but Rep. Lyle Thomas, Dallas, coun tered by saying no private plants were built since 1931 because of the depression and the war. Rep. J. E. Bennett, Portland, again threatened a referendum if the house approved the bill, and Rep. Robert E. Duniway, Portland, denied there is a pow er shortage in eastern Oregon. Snell Denies Rumors Anskering that the governor wanted the bill passed over his veto, Duniway read a letter from the governor saying the report is "absolutely false, unfair and without foundation." The gov ernor said the bill is not in the public interest. Rep. R. C. Frisbie, Baker, said the present law kept power de velopment out of Oregon, that senate bill 99 is in the best in terests of all the people, and that the proposed dam would bring to the state $250,000 a year in taxes. Rep. Alex Barry, Portland, de nied the sponsors' claim that senate bill 99 conforms with the federal power law. Those who took the floor against the bill, and who voted for it when it was first passed, were Barry, Rep. Frank Doer- flcr, Salem, and Rep. William Niskanen, Bend. Soviet Troops In Reich Cut Berlin. Feb. 21 (U.R) The Sov iet army has completed a big I scale demobilization and trans fer of its troops in Germany, I Gen. Joseph T. McNarney ported today. Berlin observers believed the Soviet occupation forces had been reduced to fewer than 200, 000, or about the same as the American forces in Germany. Marshal Vassily Sokosovsky I advised McNarney of the com pletion of the troop movements. McNarney reported It in his fi nal Berlin press conference as I military governor in Germany. I Lt. Gen. Lucius D. Clay, who I takes over from McNarney on I March 15, announced a sweeping I reorganization of U. S. forces, with most of the leadership! transferred from Frankfurt to I Berlin. McNarney said Sokolovsky I told him yesterday that the troop movements were completed, and correspondents again would ba issued permits to visit the Rus sian occupation zone. The zone was been scaled off! since last October, when the ma jor redeployment move began. Soviet Zone to Be Opened to Newsmen Berlin. Feb. 21 (JP) The Soviet I zone will again be opened to the I American press after a five I months blackout, Gen. Joseph T. McNarney disclosed today. He 1 said that Marshal Vassily Soko lovsky, Russian commander-in- chief, had informed him that passes into the Russian zone I would be issued to American I newsmen "with a minimum of I delay" now that Russian troop movements have stopped. American correspondents last I went into the Russian zone in I mid -September to report on I elections. Later applications tol tour the zone were rejected by I the Russians on the grounds I that it would be "dangerous" for correspondents to be in the zone while Red army troops were being redeployed. !
