Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, May 02, 1949, Page 1, Image 1

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    Valley Streams
Zoom Upward
In Heavy Rain
Santiam Above Flood
Stagt and Willamette
at Harrisburg
Capital
Rayburn Offers
5 Amendments
Date for Lifting
Berlin Blockade
Expected Soon
France and Britain
May Join in Talks
With Russia and U.S.
al
To Labor Bill
61st Yeor, No. 104 r.,"..V Salem, Oregon, Monday, May 2, 1.,, "
Price 5c
Rivera in the Willamette Til
ler loomed upward suddenly
Bandar night and Monday morn
ing followlnr downpours of rain
that ushered in May with some
of the heaviest rainfall of the
season.
Only two flood stages were
scheduled in the valley. The
Santiam overflowed its banks at
Jefferson Monday morning, go
ing to 17.2 feet, or 4.2 above
flood stage. The crest under 18
feet is expected lated today.
Only, damage was washing in
pasture land along the river. At
Harrisburg, the Willamette is
due to crest at 14V or IS feet
tonight. Flood stage there is 12
feet, and if the lS-foot stage
is reached water will be wash
ing over the highway there.
IS Ft. Crest for Salem
At Safem, the Willamette is
due to crest at 15 feet by Wed
nesday night, and that mark is
five feet below flood stage. The
upper Willamette in the Eugene
region is expected to recede
slowly tonight. Eugene is due
to get a crest of 10 feet at 4 p.m.
today, or two feet below flood
stage.
Measuring 1.7 feet here Sun
day morning, the river scooted
up to 8.8 feet for the early Mon
day morning reading at Salem,
and was still rising through the
morning.
1.42 Inches Rainfall
From .midnight Saturday to
10:30 Monday, 1.42 Inches of rain
fell in the Salem area. In the
24-hour period between 10:30 a.
nr. Saturday and 10:30 a.m. Sun
day, exactly one inch fell here,
while in the 24-hour period end
ing at 10:30 a.m. Monday almost
another three quarters of an
inch, .74 of an inch, fell her.
The month's total to 10:30 a.m.
Monday. 1.42 inches, was 1.32
inches above normal for the pe
riod. Forecast tonight is for cloud
iness and some showers with lit
tle change in temperature.
All valley vegetable, grain and
fruit crops were benefited by the
downpour.
New Emergency
Board to Meet
By JAMES D. OLSON
Armed with authority to re
duce or increase state budgets
under legislation enacted by the
recent legislature, the newly
formed state emergency board
will hold its first meeting Mon
day, May at 2 p.m.
Harold T. Phillippe, secretary
of the board, said Monday that
after organization of the board,
attention will be given to pro
viding funds to meet the eight
percent Increase required in the
state's contribution to the state
retirement fund. This increase
is necessary because the legis
lature increased the maximum
retirement benefits to $3000
from the former figure of $2,
400. Contribution of state em
ployes will likewise be increas
ed to meet the higher figure.
Phillippe doubted if estab
lished departments would have
adjusted budgets in readiness by
the Monday meeting and
thought special meeting later
might be necessary.
Under the new law self-sus
taining departments will come
under the preview of both the
budget departments and the
emergency board for the first
time.
Members of the new emer-
gency board Include William E.
Walsh, president of the senate:
(Frank J. Van Dyke, speaker ol
the house; Sen. Howard Belton
land Rep. Semon, Joint chairmen
' of the ways and means commit
tee; Sen. Dean Walker, senate
appbintee and Rep. W. W. Chad
wick and Rudie Wilhelm, house
appointees.
Three Injured in
Head-on Collision
John Ihrig. 30, of Corvallis,
was hospitalised here Saturday
night and then transferred to a
Corvallis hospital as a result of
head-on collision between ears
driven by Ihrig and Darrell
Lowen, 21, of Dallas. He has
possible internsl injuries and a
broken right leg.
Marvin Hockett. 21. of Dallas,
a passenger in the Lowen ma
chine, was taken to the Dallas
hospital with a broken right
shoulder and bruises. Also
Jured were Joseph Gillett, 22.
and Darrell Lowen. who were
released after treatment at the
Bartel hospital In Dallas.
Ihrig was reported driving
north when he collided with a
southbound car driven by Low
en. The accident occured near
the OCI campus about 7:30
o'clock, i
Elfstrom Back,
Favors Baldock
Traffic Plan
Mayor Robert L. Elfstrom re
turned to Salem Sunday after a
seven-weeks absence, still fully
convinced that the city should
accept the Baldock traffic plan
In He main aspects.
The mayor and Mrs. Elfstrom
traveled extensively through
the southern states and to Cuba.
"I feel more, than ever," said
the mayor, "that the Baldock
plan is the right one for Salem.
Salem can't afford to stsnd still.
In fact there is no standing still.
We go forward or we go back
ward." Some observations bearing on
the plan were made by the may
or on the long trip.
Finds Grid System Favored
'But," he said, "I thought it
would be approved while I was
away, so I gave more attention
to off-street parking in the ci
ties where we stopped.
'In those cities, however,
where grid systems, or at least
extensive one-way street plans,
have been set up I found no ob
jection to the plan at all. I talk
ed with a good many people
about it, including taxicab driv
ers, and they all liked it. They
felt It was the only solution
where heavy traffic is the prob
lem." Salem's tentative proposal to
set up off-street parking by le
vying a light occupational tax
businesses, enough to raise
$25,000 to $30,000 a year, the
mayor found is considered good
in authoritative places.
Off-Street Parking
"In Washington," said the
mayor, "I talked with Donah
Hanks of the American Munici
pal association, and Grant
Mickle of the Automotive Safe
ty Foundation. Both spoke fav
orably of our suggested occupa
tions tax. ,
"Several cities we visited
have done a good job with off
street parking. This is especial
ly true of Miami Beach."
One conclusion reached by
the mayor is that if off-street
parking is metered the charge
should not be more than for
curb parking.
Mr. and Mrs. Elfstrom drove
through C a 1 i f o rnia. Arizona,
Tennessee, Texas and Florida,
among other states.
Visited Eyerly Ranch
In Arizona they spent several
days at the Lee Eyerly ranch.
At Sherman, Texas, they visit
ed their son, Robert, Jr.. who
ia in the army air corps. For
two weeks they were at Miami
Beach. They drove to Key West
and from there flew to Havana,
Cuba. While there they had op
portunity to drive over a good
deal of the island with a Cuban
business man.
Returning they were met at
Concordia, Kansas, by Miss Pat
Elfstrom, their daughter, and
E. V. Elfstrom, his father, both
of Salem, and also by Robert,
Jr. The two former drove home
with them.
Slight Quake In l orn Angelea
Los Angeles, May 2 W) A
slight earth tremor was felt
throughout a wide area of south
ern California early today.
' K ) iii-t
In-. PV . .'JT J I
See. It's Empty Now Lucille Ediger, bookkeeper for Sa
lem Seed and Implement company, 210 State street, looks at
the empty cash box rifled by safe crackers who jimmied the
company's safe ever the week-end. Tools stocked for salt
were used for accomplishing the Job. Cash amounting to 1175
Is missing besides 12 75 in stamps and an undetermined
(mount in chtcki.
Jet Planes Write
May Day Note
Of Red Air Force
Moscow, May 2 (IF) Jet planes
wrote a May Day message of
mushrooming Soviet air might
over Moscow's skies
A father Prime Minister Stal
in squinted into the bright aft
ernoon sun as his son, Maj. Gen.
Vassily Stalin led the tradition
al Communist demonstration.
Behind the theatrical magnifi
cence of May Day, foreign ob
servers saw a solid military re
ality: A strong Jet propelled So
viet air arm.
"It is very interesting to see
the great development in the
Soviet airforce since 1846," was
the cryptic comment of Lieut.
Col. S. Wennerstrom, Sweden's
air attache
Technical Progress
America's air attache, Brig.
Gen. Russell E. Randall, added:
"The parade showed evidence of
continued technical progress of
the Soviet air force."
(There have been repeated un
confirmed reports in the past
that numerous German jet plane
experts were taken to Russia
from the Soviet zone of Germa
ny after Nazi Germany's capit
ulation.) Marshal Stalin a picture of
physical fitness despite recent ru
mor, stood at sharp attention
atop Lenin's tomb to watch Mos
cow's familiar May Day specta
cle. Massed artillery" trademark of
Soviet strategy during the last
war, roared in an ear-shattering
command for the parade to be
gin. Accent on Jeta
"American reactionaries are
preparing a new war," shouted
Marshal Alexander Vasilevsky,
the Soviet's new minister of the
armed forces.
"The accent was on jets," said
Canadian Air Attache Capt.
Lawson H Randall, who admit
ted the parade was impressive.
There are new weapons as
well as new jet planes," said
Capt. Henrick Madsen, Danish
air attache
'., Details of Russia's new weap
one on the air and on the
ground Vere not contained in
Moscow dispatches. One take
of Correspondent Gilmore's sto-
ry was
York).
not received in N e w
Dallas Residence
Destroyed by Fire
Dallas, Ore., May 2 A de
structive fire started at 11:45
a.m. Monday at the home of
Carroll Ruby, 101 Clay street,
and half an hour later it was ap
parent that the house and con
tents would be destroyed.
Ruby is manager of the Safe
way store here. The house was
rented from an owner named
Thompson. It was about five
rooms in size.
The fire is believed to have
started in a bedroom, but the
cause was not immediately
known. The fire department
was hampered in fighting the
fire by a false ceiling in the
upper part of the house.
Pi
Access Tunnel Halts Court Street Traffic Tunnel, 8 feet
wide 74 high and 320 long, now being built by the Sound
Construction company between the new state office building
and the capitol will require 45 days for completion. This
connecting tunnel was not designed for general pedestrian
usage. Today city and power company employees are remov
ing street lamp installations. Sprinkler feed pipes have al
ready been removed from the capitol lawn.
Kaiser Says Detroit Dam
Toughest Yet Tackled
Edgar Kaiser liked the looks of construction plans for the big
Detroit dam project.
The young man who has taken over from his father the
building and auto enterprises bearing the Kaiser name, ex
pressed his opinion as simply as lhat Monday. He had just cora-
-pleted a personal tour this past
Tax Surplus
Bill Now Law
Governor Doug las McKay
signed into law today the bill
to use corporation income tax
receipts to balance the state's
budget, These receipts now are
used- to reduce property taxes.
This bill was the key measure
in the legislature's tax program.
The governor has until next
Friday to dispose of the 50 re
maining bills passed by the le
gislature. The legislature passed
a total of S71 bills, and the gov
ernor hasn't vetoed any yet.
The governor also signed to
day the bill increasing state in
dustrial accident benefits 25 per
cent. Another measure signed to
day allows district attorneys to
close gambling premises for
one year.
Governor McKay approved a
bill to set up the office of state
milk marketing administrator,
to be appointed by the state
board of agriculture. Milk con
trol now is administered by the
state director of agriculture,
who is appointed by the gover
nor. The governor signed a com
panion measure to place a rep
resentative of the public, includ
ing labor, on the board of agri
culture, and to take off the rep
resentative of farm coopera
tives. Hit-Run Driver
Cuts Off Electricity
Police were searching today!
for the hit and run driver who
felled two power poles on the
North River road in the Keizer
district Sunday evening and de
prived more than 200 homes
of electricity between (1:52 and
10:25 o'clock.
State police report that the
poles fell directly across the
highway Just north of the Kei
zer school and marks on one of
these indicated it had been
struck by an automobile.
Fred G. Starrett, manager of
Ihe Portland General Electric
company, said crews wired
around the break with new
poles being installed Monday.
Many housewives in that dis
trict were preparing dinner or a
late supper when deorived of
lerlrirltv and rll lll.rallu
swamped the local office, Star-
rett said.
THE WEATHER
(Released bv U. 8.
Weather Bureaui
Forecast for Salem and Vicini
ty: Mostly cloudy with few show
ers tonight and Torsriay. Lltl'e
change In temperature. Lowest
temperature expected tonight, 4ft
degrees; highest Tuesday, 62.
Showers will hinder (arm work
Tumday. Maximum yesterday M.
Minimum tortav 44. Mran tem
perature yesterday hi, whlrh
was 2 below normal. Total 24
hour precipitation to ll:.lo am
todsy .74 of an Inch. Tow! pre
cipitation for the month 141
Inches, which is 1 ..12 inches
above normal. Willamette river
height at Ftalem Monday morn
Int. a 6 feet
week-end of the $64 million con
struction program on the North
Santiam, which is now getting
under way.
In a telephone call to the Cap
ital Journal from California,
Kaiser said: "In a way, this
construction job will be the
toughest one we have tackled
He explained that the features
which make this project diffi
cult are: Getting to the loca
tion of .the dam silo and finding
a place to put the construction
equipment in the narrow San
tiam gorge.
"You have to make a place
to put your equipment," he re
marked. Because of these two prob
lems, the job itself becomes very
interesting and a challenge to
the firm that had a part in the
construction of Boulder dam on
the Colorado river.
Kaiser gave credit for the
plans and program of construc
tion to Russell Hoffman, head
man on the project. "I think
Russ is doing a great Job, and
I mean just that. He is really
getting going up there. I like
the plan arrangement for con
struction." The heavy rains Sunday fail
ed to dampen the spirit of Kai
ser and his Inspecting party.
With him were Hoffman, Tom
Price, and Al Bauer, all on the
Detroit project; and Clay Bed
ford and George Havas, top of
ficials in the Kaiser enterprises.
Kaiser took his own plane back
to Oakland, Calif., Sunday,
Workers Split
On May Day
May 2", 1949 60th anniver
sary of a day proclaimed to dem
onstrate unity among the world's
workers showed instead the
split between the Communist and
non-Communist world.
Outside the Iron curlain the di
visions were much more obvi
ous. In Berlin and Rome the Com
munists got the crowds. Nearly
300,000 Germans marched under
Red flags In the Soviet sector of
the city Western sector rallies
were small and quiet.
About 70,000 Jammed
demonstration
.
1 Communist
Rome. Only 15,000 attended an
anti-Communist labor demon
stration.
The pop gave May Day bless
ings to the "entire world of
workers." About 150.000 Irish
men turned out in Dublin for an
anti-Communist meeting protest
ing the Imprisonment of Josef
Cardinal Mindizenty and Arch
bishop Alojzijc Stepinac of Yu
goslavia.
Social democratic demonstra
tions in Oslo, Stockholm, Copen
hagen, Brussels and Vienna
swamped the Communists.
London had fist fights In Tra
falgar square when a dozen per
sons carrying red flags tried to
violate a government ban on po
litical parade.
Tornadoes Kill
9, Injure 100 -
(By thi AMOclittd Ftms)
A two-day series of tornadoes
lashed parts of the south and
southwest Saturday and Sun
day, killing nine persons and
injuring aimost 100.
Damage was roughly esti
mated at $2,000,000.
Mississippi and L o ui s I a n a
were hit by tornadic winds yes
terday. Twisters struck In Oklahoma
and Texas Saturday. Western
Kansas also received minor da
mage Saturday.
Oklahoma took the worst
beating. Si x t e e n tornadoes
struck in widely scattered parts
of the state, causing five deaths.
Approximately 75 persons were
injured, with at least SO being
hurt in the vicinity of Norman,
Okla. Norman is the site of the
University of Oklahoma.
Four persons died In Texas
The tornado hit in the north
east part of the state.
Twelve persons, ail Negroes,
were injured near Homer, a
small town In northwestern
Louisiana. No deaths were re
ported. The storm blew down
several small buildings.
In central and northeastern
Mississippi, high winds damag
ed buildings, uprooted trees and
cut power lines. No casualties
were reported, however. Water
River, Miss., was hardest hit
The winds also whipped through
Houlka, Okolna and Houston.
Airfield Operations
Exceed Those of March
Total operations in April at
McNary field exceeded those of
March by 1113, according to the
figures Monday compiled by the
chief controller at the CAA tow
er, Stanley Dilatush.
April operations totaled 8264
while during March the opera
tions numbered 5151.
Broken down the statistics'
showed local civilian aircraft
operations far outnumbering the
other aircraft using the field with
their number 5220 aircraft.
Other figures are air carriers,
270; army itinerant planes 31;
navy Itinerant planes, 36; pri
vate itinerant, 704; and navy lo
cals, three. There was no local
army operation at the field dur
ing the month, while in March
there were 44 local army operations.
Yeggs Crack Safe for $200
In Salem Seed Company
Snfecrackers smashed open
Implement company at 210 Stat
on wun a casn iooi esumaien at iw.
Police Chief Clyde A. Warren
tnesafe cracking with detectives pointed out that a screen of bnxesl
i containing canvas gloves had-
been built around the vault to
permit the operators to chisel
the combination and box with
out being observed.
Detectives reported lhat en
try to the business establish
ment was made between the
closing of business on Saturday
night and the Monday morning
opening time. An unlocked rear
window provided easy access to
the building.
The smashing of the safe
marked the work as that of a
different brand of yeggs from
those who kidnapped a vault
from the former Salem Athletic
club on the Dallas highway. The
Athletic club theft is the only
other recent crime nf a similar
nature to b reported in th im
mediate vicinity of Salem.
Many T-H Law
Provisions to Modify
Truman Proposal
Washington, May 2 lPu
Speaker Rayburn announced to
day his support of five amend
ments to the administration la
bor hill and said he believes
they will assure passage of the
measure.
Rayburn told a news confer
ence the amendments are being
drafted by a group of house
members including southern
democrats. They will be offer
ed tomorrow when the house
resumes debate on labor legis
lation. Rayburn Proposal
Briefly, he said, here's what
they would do:
1. Give the president author
ity to intervene, either by in
junction or plant seizure, in a
threatened slrike involving the
public welfare.
2. Make it "perfectly clear"
that there is to be freedom of
speech on both sides in a labor
controversv.
3. Require non-communist af
fidavits to be made bv leaders
of both labor and management.
4. Make certain that financial
reports of labor organizations
are available to members of the
unions and perhaps to the pub
lic generally.
5. Require that both sides in a
controversy must bargain "in
good faith."
Plan Seizure Provision
Many of the amendments are
similar to provisions of the Taft-
Hartley law which President
Truman wants repealed. None
of them is in the administra
tion's bill, sponsored by Chair
man Lesinski (D., Mich ) of the
house labor committee.
Rayburn said the injunction
or plant seizure amendment mav
combine both proposals. Person
ally, he said, he is not strongly
favor of a seizure provision
By itself.
Rayburn outlined his position
following a White House confer
ence at which labor legislation
was discussed. He did not say
whether President Truman has
approved the amendment but
the inference was that the chief
executive has.
Increase President's Powers
Rayburn indicated the chan
ges will be offered as amend
ments to the Lesinski bill rath
er than as a substitute for that
bill.
Rayburn told reporters he
thinks the power of the admin
istration to seek court injunc
tions when strikes threaten the
nation's economy should be
spelled out In the new law.
"We ought to get around
some way to strengthen the
president's emergency powers
without resort to seizures," Ray-
bum said.
The Taft-Hartley law pro
vides for court injunctions in
national emergency strikes, but
the Lesinski bill would knock
that out.
The house resumes Ihe labor
debate tomorrow, with action
due first on the republiran-back
ed Wood bill. GOP leaders said
they expect to add at least two,
and possibly more, "softening''
amendments of their own to
that measure.
Oregon Motor Stages
Readjust Schedules
Starting Monday morning at
2 o'rlork Oreffon Motor Ktncpc
buses arrivinc in Salem from
Portland changed to daylight
saving time because of Portland
being on DST.
The southbound buses from
Portland are Ihe only ones af
fected and their" arrival time in
Salem will be advanced
n
hour. The northbound
stay on standard time.
h,,..
Greyhound and Hamman
stage lines will remain on stan
dard time, at least until further
notice.
a vault at the Salem Seed and
street over the week-end to
who surveyed the scene of the
Corvallis, May 2 Corval-
for a robber, or robber,, who
blew a safe here over the week
end and baggrd one of the big
gest loots in the city's history
about $23,000.
The safe was located in the
office of Dr. H. H. Faust.
Police said the loss consisted
of $900 in cash, $10(10 In U. S
government bonds and the re
mainder in storks and bonds of
other corporations. How many
were negotiable had not
determined Immediately.
D,"en
The yegg, pried off the com-
blnatlon dial on the safe and
then blew the tumblers on the
lock.
New York, May I (Pi A data
for lifting the Russian blockad
of Berlin may be aet this week.
The climactic session in th
slow and careful negotiations to
end the blockade is expected to
come as soon as tone of th
parties tells the other 'let's
meet. That presumably will
happen this week in New
York.
Present prospects are that this
meeting may reach agreement
on ending the Russian blockade
and thl1 allies counter-blockade
and setting a date for a meeting
of the Big Four foreign minis
ters on the German question.
Secrecy Veils Parleys
Both the Americans and Rus
sians involved in the negotia
tions thus far have maintained
strictest secrecy about their
progress. The outline of th
situation has become only slight
ly less hazy since news of the
first sessions was announced by
Tass, the official Soviet news
agency.
Dr. Philip C. Jessup, U.S. am
bassador at large, said after his
last meeting with Soviet For
eign Minister Jakob Malik the
talks were "proceeding satisfac
torily." Ambassador Jessup returned
to New York today after a week
end of conferencesat Washington
with Secretary of State Ache-
son and other officials on tht
negotiations.
May Meet Today
Michael J. McDermott, stat
department press officer, told
reporters it is "probable" Jes
sup will meet in New York this
afternoon with Britain's Sir
Alexander Cadogan and Jean
Chauvel of the French United
Nations delegation.
The Lonodn Daily Herald, or
gan of Britain's ruling labor
party, said today Malik suggest
ed to Jessup at Friday's meet
ing that the blockades be lifted
at the end of the first week in
June. The story, credited to th
newspaper's London diplomatic
correspondent, gave no source
for its information.
At Paris, French Foreign
Minister Robert Schuman said
today that it "seems more and
more probable" that a four
power foreign ministers' confer
ence on Germany will be held
this spring.
(This was the first indication
that France and Britain might
join directly in the talks which
have been held in New York
between Dr. Jessup and Malik.
Cut Escape Lines
From Shanghai
Shanghai, May t (Censored)
iPi Traffic was reported sus
pended today on the last railway
escape from communist-menaced
Shanghai to South China.
Inside the city, the chaotic
money market crashed at mid
day, after garrison headquarters
outlawed free trading in pre
war silver dollars on threat of
death obviously a measure ol
great desperation.
The Red radio last night said
eight Chinese government arm
ies were "wiped out" and parts
of four other armies "routed"
in the Nanking-Shanghai-Hang-
chow area. (A Chinese army ia
usually 20,000 men). The Red
broadcast's claim of a "great vic
tory" was not confirmed by gov
ernment sources.
The semi-official Chines cen
tral news agency said rail serv
ice had been suspended betweeu
H,nn.hflw M 1 U
..-..Ml...... a,i lltlllK-
I chow is a seaport, resort city
and communications center 100
air miles southwest of Shang
hai. Nanchang, capital of Ki
angsi province, is about 260
miles farther southwest al
most soulhwest almost midway
between Shanghai and Canton,
provisional nationalist capital
on the south coast.
(This was the first Indication"
that the communist offensive
micht hsve nenetrated so rieen-
lv into south China Previous
I dispatrhes have Indicated the
main Red thrust was aimed at
Hanachow.
Offers to Loan Salary
Deficit tfl Triimatl
Dunkirk. N Y, May 2 (UPi A
Dunkirk millionaire today of
fered to lend President Truman
the amount of his monthly sel
ary until he gets his April pay
check.
David S Wright, 64-year-old
president of the Lake Shore Seed
Co . sent the following telegram
to Mr. Truman:
"We will advance cash on your
ipayless salary. Trompt action
on your reply.
Wright's action resulted from
I his reading that the president
j would not get his April pay
j check
A
t