5000 Pickets in
Parade in Front
Of Ford Plants
Peaceful Demonstra
tion by Strikers
Clerks Unmolested
25 County Units
In Mutual Aid
Disaster Pact
Fire Chief Roble Com
pletes Survey for
Meeting Flood, Fire
Shanghai Drive Russians Seek
Begun by Reds
Withdrawal of
Troops in Reich
Price 5c III MCW HllClUtt
Communists Held in
Southwest and Beaten
Back in Northeast
Allies Undecided
How to Deal With
Expected Proposal
'Capital JiiaJ
i 61st Year, No. 108 SXS?S2?oZ Salem, Oregon, Friday. May 6, 1949
Detroit, Mar I Ford Mo
tor company'! huge River Rome
plant was locked today in Iti :
uri. m.jur :
an estimated 5.000 pickets pa
raded peaceably before main
tales.
It was the second day of idle
ness for approximately 65.000
CIO United Auto Workers, who
walked out at noon yesterday in
union protest against what the
UAW called a "speed-up" of as
sembly lines.
Nearly 60,000 struck at the
Rouge plant, one of America's
industrial giants, and approxi
mately 5,000 more walked out
at Ford's Lincoln-Mercury plant
nearby.
No Negotiations On
Just how long the strike
might last was anybody's guess.
No immediate renewal of company-union
negotiations for set
tlement of the dispute was
scheduled. But it was felt that
both Ford and the UAW would
be agreeable to early peace talks
In view of the critical aspects
of a prolonged strike.
The company has estimated
that within approximately
week the worldwide operations
of the second largest automobile
manufacturer would be para
lyzed. Ford has more than 100.'
000 production workers in 49
plants in the United States.
Picketing continued in an or
derly fashion today, just
when the walkout began.
Police Protection Refused
Long lines of pickets, some
bearing signs saying simply
Ford is on strike, circled in
front of all main gates at the
massive Rouge plant.
By 10 a.m. an estimated 5,000
pickets, some in lines and some
in groups, were marching back
and forth.
Ford asked Dearborn police
for more protection and protest
ed against the massing of pick
ets at the gates.
But Dearborn Mayor Orville
L. Hubbard rejected the request.
"No plant gates are blocked."
he said. "Anyone who wants to
can walk right in."
All salaried employes not on
strike were permitted to enter
the plant and at one gate they
even were allowed to drive their
cars Inside. ' ...
, Everybody admitted by the
pickets had to show a pass and.
once inside, all wore armbands
proclaiming u.r.. xo worK.
Home Rule for
Japan
Favored
Washington, May 0 (fl") The
United States declared today
that Japan should "be given in-.
creasing direction of its own af
fairs in the international field."
A policy statement by the
state department said that be
ginning this process under the
occupation has obvious advan
. tages in developing a healthy
international outlook" and
"averting the confusion that
might well arise from any
abrupt removal of current re
strictions aiter a peace treaty.'
The statement addedt
"The immediate resumption
by Japan of some international
responsibilities in such fields as
trade promotion, citizenship and
property problems, cultural re
lations, technical and scientific
arrangements and exchanges
would provide a substantial
contribution to the economic re
covery of Japan."
The statement was Issued in
explanation of a new proposal
to the 11 -nation Far Eastern
commission to permit the Japa
nese to accept invitations to at
tend international conferences.
Fire Wipes Out
Bonneville Block
Bonneville, Ore., May 6 D..
Fire destroyed almost an entire
block of this incorpor
ated town early today.
1 he blaze sii , a grocerv
store across U. S. Highway 30
from the Bonneville dam reser
vation and swept through the
old Tyrrel tavern, another gro
cery store, three apartment
units, and an unused gasoline
itation. Another gas station was
saved, the only building to sur
vive the flames.
Capt. B. E. Whitsett of the
army engineers and captain of
police at the Bonneville reser
vation said the couse of the fire
had not been determined, but
he said the property in the town
was a "total loss.
Two Bonneville dam fire
trucks answered the first alarm
at 1:15 a m. and were joined
later by forest service truck.
The fire raged until 8 am
The buildings destroyed were
constructed at the time Bonne
" ville was being erected in 1935
and 193.
By DOUGLAS THOMAS
The completion of a mutual
lasstance pact which joins the
jSalem fire department with 24
other Marion county units to
meet disaster problems was dis
closed Friday by Fire Chief
William P. Roble.
The pact, along with a detail
ed survey of fire fighting equip
ment and tools for meeting
problems of flood, fire or any
widespread disaster, represent
ed almost 11 full months of
work. Chief Roble was appoint
ed by the Marion County Fire
Chief s association in June of
1948 to make the survey.
The mutual assistance agree
ment, first approved bv Salem
officials June 28, 1948. provides
for members to furnish equip
ment and manpower, if avail
able, upon request of other sig
natories. Detailed Inventory
The detailed inventory of per
sonnel, fire equipment and tools
needed to meet disaster have
been charted to enable members
to know where equipment is lo
cated and to get it when needed.
Included in the listing of the
survey are such things as am
bulances, bulldozers, gas masks,
cutting torches, heavy duty
jacks and other items.
In addition to the total of 25
cities, towns and rural fire dis
tricts which have signed
the j
agreement, the naval reserve
station in Salem has pledged the
use of its equipment and man
power, while "ham" radio oper
ators of the county are being
organized to provide an emerg
ency communications network.
(Concluded on Pare 5, Column 81
Steel Workers
Ask Wage Hike
Pittsburgh, May 6 M" Philip
Murray's United Steelworkers
are taking the lead in demand
ing a fourth-round pay boost.
And some of Murray's other
nig cto unions,., are. nni..toi
ionow tne leader.
John L. Lewis, .president of
the unaffiliated United Mine
Workers, also wants more bene
fits for his half-million soft coal
diggers.
That's the picture in industrial
America today the "Biff Four"
of industry steel, auto, coal and
electrical workers want more
money now and a gurantee of se
curity in the future.
The CIO United Steelworkers'
wage policy ended a three-day
huddle of top strategists yester
day by asking not only for an
unspecified wage hike but a
pension program and health and
welfare benefits for 1,116,000
members.
Murray, president of both the
CIO and the Steelworkers,
wouldn't estimate the total cost
of his union's demands to the
steel industry. He did estimate.
however, the insurance pro
gram would cost 8.4 cents per
man, per hour.
The CIO leader long has been
in favor of pensions for his
members, along with other so
cial security benefits. He's be
come more insistent on pensions
since John L. Lewis obtained
them for his UMW members.
Merit Salary Increases
For State Workers Slashed
By JAMES D. OLSON
Merit salary increases to state
service law, will be decreased by
the 1949-50 biennium. according to an estimate made by Robert
R. Johnson, state civil service director Friday.
Lack of funds in state department budgets will bring about this
reduction, Johnson predicted
During the past two years about
75 per cent of all state employes
have been rewarded with merit
salary increases but It is esti
mated that less than 50 per cent
would get such increases during
the next two years.
However, every state employe
will benefit by the civil service
salary scale increase beginning
July 1. This increase averages
$30 a month, although the range
it from S10 to S65 a month for
each employe.
Director Johnson said that he
did not believe it would be
necessary for any state depart
ment to discharge any employe
on July 1.
"The ways and means com
mittee of the legislature author
ized adjustments In small de
partments so that all employes
I in uch departments would be
given the salary boosts said
i Johnson. In most large depart-
menu adjustments can be made
so that the scale can be placed
into effect.
Many of the larger depart-
nents requested and obtained
approval for new employes and
in tuch cases the number of per
son! placed on the payroll can
Vacations for
Rail Workers
Cleveland. May 6 (U.M A new
agreement providing for liber- j
alized vacations with pay for
450.000 operating railroad work-l
ers has been signed by five!
transportation brotherhoods and'
the nations' carriers, it was an-1
nounccd today.
President A. F. Whitney of
the Brotherhood of Railroad
Trainmen announced the agree
ment, which was signed last
week in Chicago and which
takes effect July 1.
The pact provides one week's
vacation with pay for a year s
service if during the preceding
calendar year the employe
worked 160 basic days in miles
or hours.
An employe with five or more
years continuous, service will
receive an annual two weeks'
paid vacation. The old agree
ment provided for one week's
vacation pay despite length of
service.
' The agreement also improved
the old one by guaranteeing that
vacation pay cannot be comput
ed at less than the rate for the
last service rendered by the em
ploye. The unions signing the agree
ment were the trainmen, the
Brotherhood of Locomotive En
gineers. Brotherhood of Loco
motive Firemen and Enginemen,
the Order of Railway Conduc
tors and the Switchmen's Union
of North America.
McKay Has Eight
Bills to Act On
Governor Douglas McKay
had acted today on all but eight
of the bills passed by the recent
legislature.
He signed 26 Thursday, In
cluding the measure increasing
unemployment c o m p ensation
benefits and reducing the pay
roll taxes on employers.
Other bills signed will give
salary increases of about 15 per
cent to state officials, and let
married couples continue to
split their income for state in
come tax purposes.
employes, authorized by the civil
approximately 25 per cent during
oe reduced to provide money for'
ptmen or d" ,
Because of a demand by the
legislature on the state highway
commission for an expanded
road program, a supplemental
budget was approved by the leg
islature, enabling the depart
ment to carry out the pay in
crease plan and also engage i
more personnel.
The merit increases, which
will be cut down, are not obli
gatory upon department heads
Such Increases are predicated,
first, on the department having
sufficient funds to cover such
increases and, second, grant
them only in cases where em
ployes have shown sufficient
proficiency to be entitled to a
salary increase.
The board of higher educationjthe lists of unemployed from
has announced that in order to declining as rapidly as might be
install the civil service pay plan. expected.
merit Increases will be restrict-1 Gooseberry picking should
td to employes making an excep-l begin about the middle of May
tional showing It was estimated and strawberry harvesting will
that under this policy only a follow soon after. Present In
dozen or so tuch employes will Idicatiom point to a much bet
enjoy the merit pay boost! dur- ter than average strawberry
ing the next year. J crop.
Portland Businessmen Visit
Portland businessmen were greeted at the city limits of Sil
verton by Mayor Clinton Wciby, V. V. Runyan, president of
the Silverton Chamber of Commerce, S. Parzy Rose, Felix
Wright, Oscar Edlund, Craig Clark, committeemen and Vic
Grossnickle, chief of Silverton police. Following a tour of the
city and a serving of ice cream the visitors went to Silver
Creek fall for luncheon.
Portland Visitors Greeted
At Silverton and Falls
Silverton, May 6 The 60 members of the Portland Chamber
of Commerce left Silverton around 4:30 clock Thursday after
noon en route by bus to Mt. Angel following a day's pleasures for
the local forum in social cooperation as guests, locally.
The two bus loads of business visitors were met at the city
limits by the chief of police. Vic
Grossnickle, and the president
of the Chamber of Commerce,
V. V. Runyan, assisted by vari-
.,. ,-ommiiiee -hsirmen.
Around i20 locai residents
,a cnriisnwr. n
a tour of the town and to the
Silver Creek state park lodge
for noon luncheon, driving the
loop road back to town later
where they enjoyed a hospital
ity hour at the basement rooms
of George's.
The around the table brief
program was directed by Lou
Rains of Portland and V. V. Run
yan. Silverton. Speakers were
S. Parzy Rose, talking of the
possibilities of Portland forum
industrial cooperation with their
smaller neighbor; K C. Eld
ridge. Jr., on the desire to aid
all forums in making room for
the influx to the west of new
residents. Leo H. Baruh intra
duced by name each member
of the Portland forum making
the trip.
The visitors were Impressed
favorably with the scenery of
the falls area, being able to view
the main falls of the group,
and to tour the grounds to some
extent.
Four Trapped
Miners Dead
Girardville. Pa., May S M
Four miners trapped by a raging
fire in the anthracite mine 800
feet underground were found
dead today by rescue workers
who fought fire and deadly
smoke for 50 hours in efforts to
reach them.
The four men were found
sprawled in a passageway on
the second level of the No. 5
colliery of the Gilberton Coal
Co. Rescue workers said they
apparently were killed by car
bon monoxide fumes shortly
after the fire broke out
The position of their bodiesj" mip southwest of Princeton
: indicated that they chose to
fight their way to safety rather
than barricade themselves be-
I hind heavy canvas curtains on
a lower level to await rescuers.
(
Unemployment on
Decline in County
Unemployment continued the
decline which began in March
a-, milder weather permitted in
creased activity in most types
of business, reports the Oregon
labor market bulletin tor Mar
ion county. Logging and lum
bering operations are well un
der way in tome of the higher
elections where weather condi
tions prevent steady work.
An estimated 4500 people re
mained unemployed in the area
as the month closed, compared
with the 5200 at the end of
March and a peak of 8800 late
in February. Arrival of ml art
tory workers has tended to keep
Silverton Two bus loads of
Roberts Urges
Atlantic Pact
Washington, May 6 For
mer Supreme Court Justice
Owen J. Roberts said today that
delay in approving the Atlan
tic Pact will encourage Russia
"and damage our prestige
throughout the world." -
Roberts save his views in a
statement prepared for the sen
ale foreign relations committee.
which is holding hearings on
ratification of the 12-nation de
fense alliance.
The commiliee pushed for
ward with the treaty hearings
despite the four - power agree
ment on lifting the Berlin block
ade. The general feeling is that
while the German prospect is
more hopeful there is yet no
real assurance of future peace
with Russia. Roberts empha
sized this view by saying:
"The truth is that whenever1
the democracies have been afraid
to acknowledge the fundamental
division between dictatorship
and democracy, the delay has
permitted the dictators to pick
off the democracies one by one,
just as Hitler did." He added:
"The North Atlantic defense
pact is an essential emergency
measure to prevent an attack by
Soviet Russia."
Siqht Wreckage
Of Lost Plane
Vancouver, May 6 (CP) The
R.C.AF. reported today a light
fleet Canuck aircraft, missing
since Monday with two persons
aboard, was sighted at 10:50
a.m. PDT. on Lone mountain.
B. C. There was no sign of life
around the aircraft.
A four-man R.C.A F. para-
rescue unit will take off imme
diatly from Sea Island airport
here lo seek the plane's two oc
cupants. Pilot Bill Grant, of
Vancouver and nurse-passenger
Sheila Cure, of Cardston, Alta
R.C.AF. headquarters here
said the aircraft was sighted on
the mountainside, four miles
north of the international boun
dary, by amphibious Canso air
craft of search and rescue squad
ron 123.
The plane had been unreport
ed since late Monday on a
flight from Cardston to Van
couver. It was last seen near
Penticton, B. C.
THI WEATHER
i Released by United 8iti
Wetther Buretm
PorecMt for Stlem and Vlcln
II v: Mostly cletr tonight tnd
Saturday, Little chtntf In tem
pprtttire. Lowest trmoerature
expected tonisht, 40 dearer-,
hixhet Saturday, S3. Conditions
will be favorable tor farm work
Maximum yetterdav 74 Minimum
today 42. Mran temperature yes
terdav ii which was 1 above
normal. Total 24-hour preclpita.
tion to 11:10 am. todtv 0 Total
precipitation for thr month 1 .A3
Inch which it I 10 Inches above
normal. Willamette river height
at Salem Friday morning 1.1
feet.
West German
Plans Rushed
Bonn, Germany, May 6 Wi
Delegates writing a west Ger
man constitution slapped down
communist obstruction today
and strove to complete the doc
ument by Sunday fourth anni
versary of the nazi's defeat in
World War II.
Convention leaders set the
target date despite communist
pleas that they seize upon the I
imminent lifting of the Berlin
blockade to drop the dclibera
tions and work instead for a
united Germany.
In a burst of energy, the 65
delegates went into a full plen
ary session for a second formal
reading of the constitution.
They scheduled the third and
final reading for Sunday.
It is no secret that the west
ern allies would like the Bonn
constitution to form the basis of
a central government of all Ger
many including the Soviet
zone.
After approval by the assem
bly, the draft then must be ap
proved by the legislatures ot.ll
west German states before it
becomes the law for 45.000,000
Germans in the west.
Earlier the constitution draft
ers quashed a Bavarian indepen
dence move.
Phone Workers
Vote to Join CIO
Washington, May 8 (i T h e
Communications Workers of
America, biggest union in the
telephone industry, have voted
two to one to join the CIO.
President Joseph A. Bcirne
announced today that the refer
endum taken in towns, hamlets
and cities across the nation in
the past 60 days had resulted in
71.312 votes for affiliating with
the CIO. Another 34,419 work
ers voted to retain an independ
ent union.
The union represents 230.000
telephone workers and claims a
membership of approximately
170.000 in its 33 devisions.
Beirne told a news confer
ence that the CWA will apply
for a CIO charter within the
next few days. He predicted
that after merger with other tel
ephone unions already in the
CIO there will be a total of 350,
000 telephone employes in the
proposed new union. Most of
them are In the Bell system.
Beirne said the goal will be
to organize the half million Bell
System employes.
CWA leaders found the offer
of sovereignty as a CIO union
more attractive than the propos
al advanced by-the rival AFL:
Membership in' the old and flour
ishing International Brother
hood of Electrical Workers.
Heat Wave Blisters East
Rockies Shiver in Snow
A heal wave blistered most of the eastern half of the country
again today as areas in Wyoming and Colorado shivered in wintry
weather.
Srrow fell over parti of southern Wyoming and eastern Colo
rado. Temperatures dropped in some sections of the snow belt to
below freezing. Snow drifted
along U. S. highway 30 for 60
milet east of Rock Springs.
Wyo, to Wamsutter. stalling
nearly 300 cars and truckt last
night. Crewt brought out mow
plows to clear the drifted roads.
Colorado Springs reported a
wet mow and the mercury at 33
Some parts of the midwest hot
belt got tome relief today from
the 90 degree temperatures
which have hit the area for the
past four das. A mass of cool
ail from the western slates
moved into the central part oflcd marks of 90 degrees. Includ
the country today, reaching Wit-ling New York, St. Louis, Plttt
icomin, central Iowa, southern
Shanghai, May ( W The bit'
Chinese push for Shanghai mayl Washington, Mav ( i Run
be on. The garrison today said ,ia'i exnected nrooosal to with-
strong communist attacks roll-ldraw au occupation troops from
ed up on the southwest and 1 Germany Is regarded here as on
northwest. It said the one onof tne mo,t difficult issues, the
the southwest was being held, western powers will have to
and the Reds on the northwest mtti t tne Bl Four mlnstfri
were beaten back. !rl,r,nr. In Paris late this
The Reds knifed deeper into
central and southeast China
meanwhile. There was little in
dication of fighting on either of
these two fronts.
(This appeared to be a hint
that the two lancing operations
into nationalist China's vitals
were virtually unopposed.)
Break Fortnight's Call
The attacks on the Shanghai,
front broke a lull that began i
when the communists by-passed
the city, seized Hangchow on
the southwest, and left Shang-tall these other problems the uni
hai isolated except by sea. ificd American - British - French
The communique said several
thousand communist troops were
attacking Kashing, 5 0 miles
southwest on the railway to
Hangchow. One attack was
launched from the south at a
point near the city's airport.
A second came west of Kash
ing. A third hit nationalist po
sitions around Chengchih, about
nine miles to the north.
Meanwhile the newspaper Sini
Wan Pao said Fukien province
officials were worried as Red
vanguaros movca imo ine moun -
lains aoom u miles iron, ine
northern border of this south-
least province.
(Fukien province is opposite
Formosa, island province con-
verted into a nationalist fort-
ress.)
Racketeers Shot Down
Police and garrison authori
ties in Shanghai began shooting
20 more alleged racketeers to
day. Four were shot yesterday
for "subversive activities, rob
bery and the killing of a police
man.
Approximately 150 persons in
all were rounded up. Police ac
cused some of them of running
a gang which enlisted 400 "loaf
ers" to pillage homes of the
wealthy when opportunity ar
rived
These executions, however,
justified they may be. always
cause considerable worry in
China. They have a way of
turning into blood baths.
mere never is any leiung
who will be next, and the law is
in the hands of the military.
The economic crisis in Shang
hai deepened. The municipal
government abolished the cost
of living index. This had been
used for three years to figure
the proper level for wages.
Gerard Urges
Atlantic Pad
Washington, May 8 U.RI
James W. Gerard, America's
World War I ambassador to
Germany, said today senate
failure to ratity the Atlantic
pact will mean "war, the end
of democracies everywhere and
the domination of the world,"
by Russia.
Gerard, envoy to Germany
from 1913 to 1917. told the sen
ale foreign relation! committee
that it should push action on
both the defense treaty and its
allied program despite "any
change" in Soviet policy regard
ing Germany.
He gave the committee recom
menriations for pact approval
from 24 former U.S. ambassa
dors. A 25th statement from
J Reuben Clark of Utah op
posed the treaty.
Clark, a first counsel of the
Mormon church and former am
bassador to Mexico and under
secretary of state, said the pact
would enable "any little coun
try" to push the United States
into war merely by "thumbing
its nose at Russia."
Kansas and northwestern Okla-
homa.
Cooling breezes were expected
to spread over the north central
slates tonight and move east
ward.
The mercury shot to record
marks for the year and for the
date in many cities yesterday
Chicago and Louisville had top
marks. 94. which wat the read
ing at Phoenix. Ariz. The 91
at Providence, R. I., wat a record,
fnr May 3, as wat the 89 at
Cleveland and the 88 at Lan
."ing. Mich. Many citlei report-
burgh and Cincinnati.
By JOF1N M. HIGHTOWER
month.
Indications are that the Unit
ed States, Britain and France are
yet to decide exactly how they
will deal with the proposition if
the Russians put it iorward.
There is no present evidence that
they will accept any such de
mand. State department experts are
now working intensively on this
and other problems expected to
arise at the Paris meeting which
opens May 23. On most if not
position is determined.
Unification Sought
Plans already are under way
for creation of a western Ger
man government, thus far devel
oped against Russian opposition.
Those plans will form the basil
of western proposals for a gov
ernment for all Germans.
Economic and political unifi?
cation of the Soviet and western
zones is ,n objcctive of the wesL.
ern powers In working toward
this they will insist that the So-
victs agree to ,ake down the
barriers wnicn now restrict
communications between the
two areas.
(Concluded on Pace 5, Column 1)
German Police
Guard Blockade
Berlin, May 6 German
police enforced the Russian
blockade inside Berlin with
gunfire today six days before
the barriers are due to be lifted.
A wild fusillade from Ger
man guards on the east Berlin
boundary failed to halt an auto
mobile racing into the Ameri
can sector under cover of dark
ness.
Editorialists in the official
Soviet army newspaper Taeg-
liche Runschau meanwhile gave
clearer outline of probable
Soviet demands in the Big Four
foreign ministers meeting in
Paris.
They indicated Russia will at
tempt to:
1. Obtain a four-power agree
ment to exclude Germany per
manently from the new coun
cil of Europe and the Atlantic
pact.
2. Discard the statute for con
trol of the Ruhr by six western
powers and acknowledge Rus
sia's interest in this vital Indus
trial territory.
3. Abandon major German
policies adopted by the U. S ,
Britain and France without
Russia's concurrence this in
cludes the west German rtpu-
lic.
4. Establish a government for
all Germany which will continue
the measures of "people't demo
cracy" already carried out in
the Soviet tone.
V. A. Dismisses
8,000 Workers
Washington. May The
vetprans administration ordered
8.000 of Its employes dismissed
toriav.
The agency eald it will close
42 offices in 23 statet in an
effort to meet budget limita
tions for (lie fiscal year 1950,
starting July 1.
Veterans Administrator Carl
R. Gray. Jr., said the reduction!
will not affect hospitals and
medical acrvicet.
In a letter to members of con
gress, Gray said every effort
will be made to keep the esren-
linl services to veteran! at a
high level.
Gray said notices will be in
Ithe hands of the discharged em
Iploves as of Monday, giving
them the customary 30-day no
tice. "Unless this step is taken
now, more drastic curtailment
would be necessary during the
Halter part of fiscal year 1950,"
Gray said.
The veterans administration
employed 200.141 person! ai of
March 31.
The branches to be closed are
known as "contact office!."
There are 488 such offices em
ploying one or tw"o persons each.
The house has approved a va
appropriation of $5,145,431,950
- for 1949-50. a reduction of J50B,.
750.060 from the budget estl-
mates submitted by the prett-
dent.
An immediate effect of the
reduction order is to close four
offices In Oregon Astoria,
Bend, Cooa Bay, Ontario and The
Dalles.