7HF WEATHER HERE
INCREASING CLOU DINESS
tonight, Wednesday with light
rain spreading over valley,
Wednesday. No important tem
perature change.
Mixlmum yrtttrriiiy, 1H: minimum to
day. Si. Total 34-hour precipitation: 0; fnr
monl t, normal, .21. Seanon precipita
tion, 5: normal, 31-fil. Hirer heir hi,
-3.1 I- .. (Report by U.S. Weather Bureau.)
Journal
HOME
EDITION
W I
ST 61
SO 61
10 T
II
61st Year, No. 200 SSMSSS
Salem, Oregon, Tuesday, August 23,
(20 Pages)
Price 5c
C apital
Baldock Plan
Adopted After
Stubborn Fight
Mayor and Four Al
dermen Cast Winning
Vote for System
The city council Monday night
climaxed a public controversy
that has run over a period of
many months by adopting the
Baldock plan of street and traf
fic control and bridge construe
tion.
The action was taken by the
passing of three ordinance bills
and adoption of a resolution au
thorizing the signing of a con
tract with the . state highway
commission.
Voting for the plan were Ma
yor Robert L. Elfstrom and Al
dermen Nicholson, Jorgensen,
Maple and Armstrong. Against
it were Gille, Fry and O Hara.
The council acted regardless
of a letter from the state capi
tal planning commission request
ing that action be delayed un
til the commission could make
recommendation on the issue.
The council recognized that, as
far as the plan involves traffic
In the capitol area, the commis
sion has authority to recom
mend, but that it has only ad
visory authority.
Telephone Consultation
This letter, signed by Chair
man Robert W. Sawyer of Bend,
said that "It is my understand
ing that North Summer street
and Chemeketa street are pro
posed as units of that plan . . .
"The type of use made of
those streets will have consider
able Influence' upon the future
appearance and dignity of the
capitol setting.
"A telephone conversation
with a majority of the members
of our commission developed
that they were of the opinion
that no final action should be
taken towards the adoption of
the Baldock plan, especially in
so far as it relates to the capitol
area, until our capitol area plan
ning committee has had an op
portunity to complete their study
to the point where it may be de
termined to what extent the use
of the streets mentioned would
affect the overall capitol area
development."
(Concluded on Page 8, Column 3)
60 Foot Roads
For New Plats
The county court enunciated
policy Tuesday that hereafter
all county roads laid out in plats
must be at least 60 feet wide
and directed County Judge
Grant Murphy to see that an or
der be prepared to that effect.
In fact, the order will be more
extensive as it will require all
plats or roads to be submitted to
the county engineer for his ap
proval and the engineer in turn
will take what policy he pur
sues from the county court.
This will apply not only to
roadways in the plats them
selves, but also as to adjacent
existing county roads and plat
makers will be compelled to
yield the necessary land from
their holdings to enlarge exist
ing and adjacent county roads if
necessary to bring them up to
the 60-foot width.
The question arose when a
' plat for a subdivision to be
known as Oakdale was sub
mitted for approval of the court
by W. F. and Clara Weddle. The
roadways inside the plat itself
are all surveyed for a 60-foot
width but the adjoining market
road No. 39 which is now a 50
foot road is left as a 50-foot
road where it adjoins the new
plat. The court held that it will
not approve the plat until the
property owners grant a five
foot strip the entire length of
their subdivision. When land
across the road is platted the
same requirement will be made
to widen the road to the full
60-feet.
The Oakdale plat includes 50
tracts and lies on the Talbot
Jefferson market road about
a mile northwest of Jefferson.
The new policy announced
will conform with one used by
the Salem city planning and
zoning commission which ex
tends, however, to a radius of
only six miles in the country
outside the city limits and is
given legal sanction by state
law. Under this policy the plan
ning commission may require
60-foot roadways in all subdi
visions in the area covered.
Action Urged by Governors
Washington, Aug. 23 (U.P.)
Twenty-two state governors ap
pealed to the senate today for
prompt action on revising the
displaced persons law.
Forests Ablaze
From Quebec
To San Diego
Thousands of Fighters
Struggle to Control
Hundreds of Fires
'By the Auociited Press)
Thousands of men struggled
today to halt the spread of for
est fires in the United States and
Canada.
Flames licked at timberland
in Maine, in western and far
western states and in Quebec,
Scores of persons were evac-
uated from their homes, hun
dreds of livestock perished and
thousands of acres of brush and
timberland were burned over.
Officials in San Diego county
declared an emergency condi
tion when one new fire broke
out and other minor blazes were
reported.
California Fires ,
The new fire raged in Deluz
canyon, north of Fallbrook, Cal.
Scores of settlers fled before the
flames. Three small ranches
were burned and hundreds of
livestock perished. The fire
swept over more than 1,000 ac
res in mountainous country.
In Quebec, army and civilian
fighters won a battle against a
five-mile wide fire and saved the
Laurentian mountain villages of
Terrebone Heights and Pincourt
from threatened destruction,
A shift in the wind contrib
uled to their efforts. The two
villages are 25 miles north of
Montreal.
(Concluded on Pane 5, Column 7)
New Drive to
Cut Excise Taxes
Washington, Aug. 23 (P) A
new drive for a slash-by-Christ
mas in wartime excise tax rates
was launched in congress to
day. It developed in the face of
a forceful statement by Chair
man Doughton (D-NC) of the
tax-framing . house ways - a nsd
means committee that he sees
no prospect for such a tax cut
this year.
Doughton said the threat of a
federal deficit of $5,000,000,000
or more in the present fiscal
year virtually forecloses hope
for such a slash now.
But House Republican Leader
Martin of Massachusetts, author
of an excise-cutting bill, said:
"Maybe if we bring enough
pressure we'll still get something
done."
Two democrats Reps. Mul
ter of New York and Davenport
of Pennsylvania took the house
floor to demand a. reduction in
the wartime rates? These am
ount to 20 per cent of the retail
price of many items such as
furs, cosmetics, jewelry and lug
gage.
Still, the best bet right now
is that Doughton is right that
there will be no- slash before
perhaps sometime In 1950.
'I believe it is important."
said Doughton, the No. 1 con
gressional spokesman, "to make
this clear so that consumers will
not postpone the purchase of
goods subject to tax in the hope
of. an immediate reduction."
However, Doughton did hold
out some hope for excise tax re
lief in 1950.
New Bridge Survey
First Program Step
First step to1 be taken by the state highway department In de
velopment of the Baldock plan. adoDted bv the ritv rminpil Mon
day night, will be surveys relative to the one-way grid and the
proposed new bridge over the Willamette.
A survey is necessary for footings of the bridge which Dresum-
aui.r win i uuiu ai ivmuuuv
nM ...ill i u..:i. -i a
street. Surveys for the grid
system will include descriptions
of the necessary right of way.
It is estimated that it will take
until next summer to get the
surveys completed.
Some time ago the highway
department said it would take
until next spring to make the
drawings for the bridge. With the
surveys finished the foundations
can then be poured during the
low-water period.
The desire to get this prelimi
nary work done by next sum
mer was one reason the city
council wanted to get the legis
lation completed reasonably
early. Otherwise the pouring
of the foundation would have
been delayed a -year.
The by-pass east of the city
will be established as soon as it
can be fitted Into the highway
program, it was learned today
1 i7
House Passes
Flood Control
Washington, Aug. 23 W) A
billion dollar flood control and
water navigation bill, carrying
$106,031,100 for projects in
Washington, Oregon and Idaho,
was passed by the house last
night.
Senate action this session Is
doubtful.
The omnibus measure appro
priates no funds, but makes the
projects eligible for appropria
tions in future years.
The house adopted several
amendments providing for sur
veys of additional projects and
modifications of projects pre
viously authorized. One of them
would authorize building of
school facilities in connection
with the construction camp at
Chief Joseph dam on the Col
umbia river, down stream from
Grand Coulee dam.
There was only one dissenting
vote in the standing count, de
spite the necessity of bringing
the measure to the house floor
over the objections of the rules
committee. The committee had
refused twice to clear it for con
sideration. The bill -authorizes . expendi
tures of $1,114,000,000 increases
authorization for many multi-
million dollar projects already
under way, makes future appro
priations in order for 62 new
projects, and authorizes the
army engineers to survey the
merit of additional projects.
Among the northwest projects
listed in the bill were $14,722,
000 for flood control on the low
er Columbia river; $31,070,000
for the Albeni Falls, Idaho, dam
and reservoir, and $4,900,000
for lower Columbia river bank
improvement.
Emergency Board
To Meet Friday
The state emergency board
will meet in the state capitol
Friday morning to consider
number of budgets of new state
departments created by the 1949
legislature.
In addition, the board will
also consider several department
budgets of old departments that
were not included in the print
ed budget and therefore did not
receive approval of the legisla
ture. William Walsh, president
of the senate, is chairman of the
board.
This will be entirely a state mat
ter and will require no effort,
legislative or otherwise, on the
part of the city.
The overall long-range cost
of the Baldock plan is estimated
at $7,600,000. The estimated
cost of the agreement covered
by Monday night's actions of the
city council is $2,380,000.
Actually available now for
construction of the Marion street
bridge is $1,250,000. For recon
struction of the Center street
bridge the estimate is $750,000,
including traffic separation at
the west end of the bridge.
A $380,000 estimate for the
one-way grid is broken down
as follows: the Superior street
connection from Commercial to
Liberty, $20,000; South Liberty
project, $80,000; North Liberty,
North Commercial and Pine, all
as one project, $230,000; North
Capitol parking, $50,000.
Western Fires Blaze Uncontrolled Two men on the fire
lines in Yellowstone National park, Wyo., battle one of the
uncontrolled forest fires raging there. Reinforcements for the
weary fire-fighters are being recruited in Montana, Idaho,
and Wyoming to help combat the blazes. (Acme Telephoto)
Senate Croup Appro ves
Arms Aid to Near East
Washington, Aug. 23 (P) The combined senate committees on
foreign relations and armed services today approved $239,010,000
of arms aid for Greece, Turkey, Iran, Korea, and the Philippines.
The committees delayed until later this week a decision as to
how much military assistance
Florida Neared
By Hurricane
Miami, Fla., Aug. 23 iP) The
Atlantic hurricane swirled 300
miles at sea off Jacksonville to
day and hammered at the steam
ship Mormac Surf with 90-mile
winds and mountainous seas.
At the same time a new storm
was generating in the Atlantic
about 300 miles east of Puerto
Rico. Winds in this disturb
ance were mounting swiftly and
at 12:30 p.m. (EST) were blow
ing at 50 miles an hour.
Grady Norton, chief storm
forecaster in the weather bu
reau here, summarized the two
tropical disturbances thusly:
1. The Atlantic hurricane
moving at an accelerated pace,
pushed past Jacksonville
midday and probably will brush
Cape Hatteras late tonight with
its center offshore. Storm warn
ings are flying at Cape Hatteras.
It will move through the North
Atlantic shipping lanes, and may
pass rather close to Cape Cod,
Mass., but there again its center
should remain offshore.
2. The new storm is develop
ing from an area of falling baro
metric pressure over the Atlan
tic east of Puerto Rico and the
Leeward islands. Development
appears to be fast, and winds
have risen to 50 miles an hour
in a short time. Puerto Rico
and the Leeward islands should
stand by for a possible storm
alert tonight.
The Mormac surf reported by
radio that she was in no trouble.
Winds were estimated at 100
to 115 miles per hour near the
center of the storm with gale
force winds extending outward
125 miles.
Meanwhile the weather bu
reau was investigating a new
"area of suspicion" reported east
of Puerto Rico.
Planes from Roosevelt Roads,
San Juan, and Kindley Field,
Bermuda, were sent to investi
gate the area in the general vi
cinity of the Virgin and Lee
ward islands, about 1000 miles
southeast of Miami.
Meanwhile "Harry's hurri
cane, as the storm was called
because - its advent coincided
with President Truman's Miami
visit, was veering away from
the Florida coast.
President of
Panama Dies
Panama, Panama, Aug. 23 W
President Domingo Diaz Aros-
emena of Panama died today.
He was 74.
In failing health for several
months Diaz obtained a six
months leave of absence from
his post on July 28. The first
vice president. Dr. Daniel
Chanis, Jr., was sworn in at
that time as acting chief exec
utive. Diaz was elected president
May 8, 1948, and assumed of
fice the following October.
Chanis, 75-year-old surgeon
politician, was his running mate
on the liberal party ticket.
Diaz request for a leave of
absence was signed by his wife.
It was accompanied by a medi
cal certificate which stated that
Diaz was unable to sign the
paper himself.
shall be given European members
'of the Atlantic pact under Pres
ident Truman's arms aid pro-
gram.
Chariman Connally (D., Tex.),
of the foreign relations commit
tee announced that the combined
groups approved $211,370,000
for Greece and Turkey, and
$27,640,000 for Iran, Korea and
the Philippines.
Similar amounts have been
approved previously by the
house, which cut in half the $1,
160,990,000 asked by the presi
dent for European members of
the Atlantic alliance.
Connally told reporters that
the committee also approved
amendments by Senator Smith
(R-NJ) pledging the United
States to exert maximum efforts
to provide, the United Nations
wim armed forces and to ob
tain an agreement for universal
regulation and reduction of ar
mament.
The combined committees act
ed as Senator Wherry (R., Neb.),
came out flatly in opposition to
any foreign arms program at this
time.
Connally said the committees
approved another amendment by
republican Senators Vanden-
berg (Mich.), and Dulles (N.Y.)
intended to give congress, a:
wen as the president, power to
terminate foreign arms aid at
any time.
The Vandenberg - Dulles
amendment provides for termi
nation of arms assistance to any
nation if such aid would be in
consistent with the obligations
of the U. S. under the United
Nations charter. .
Woman Suffers
Zippered Eyelid
Wichita, Kas., Aug! 23 (Pi
The case of the zippered eyelid
Wichita 8 most unusual hospi
tal emergency was reported to
day.
A Wichita woman, clad in a
housecoat and with a tangled
dress over her head, came to the
hospital by taxi.
Her eyelid became caught in
the zipper as she was slipping
the dress over her head, she ex
plained. Would they please get
her out?
Truman Addresses VFW President Harry Truman puts on his Veterans of Foreign Wars
cap with the symbolic Missouri on the side as he arrives in Miami, Fla., to address the VFW
convention. Senior Vice Commander Clydt A. Lewis watches. (Acme Telephoto)
Board Votes $1243,000
State Prison Impro vements
Feldman Admits
Giving Hunt Data
On Army Buying
Washington, Aug. 23 P) Maj.
Gen, Herman Feldman acknow
ledged today that he gave James
V. Hunt information on army
buying plans in 1947 but declar
ed It was not confidential and he
did not know of "Hunt's position
as a so-called five percenter."
In the witness chair of a sen
ate investigating committee, the
suspended army quartermaster
general swore:
"At no time have I abused my
position or misused the influence
of my office."
The short, balding officer said,
too, that he welcomed the in
quiry and prepared to "justify
every action I have taken and
every decision I have made."
General Justifies Actions
Feldman had a long prepared
statement, the gist of which was
that he had done nothing wrong
and was motivated at all limes
by what he believed to be good
for the service and for the coun
try.
Immediately after he finished
reading it, the hearing was re
cessed until tomorrow when he
will take the stand for question
ing.
The committee had set the
stage for his appearance by de
veloping from documents that he
sent the buying information to
Hunt and also advised an army
purchasing officer to get in touch
with Hunt. He told the officer
that "Hunt has ready entree to
the White House."
(Concluded on Pag S, Column
500 Killed in
Canton Blast
Canton, Aug. 23 (P) Ap
proximately 500 persons were
killed or injured in the explo
sion of an ammunition ship in
the harbor of Takao, southeast
ern Formosa, the official Chin
ese central news agency said to
day. The agency said ammunition
was being unloaded from the
Chinese steamer Chungll. There
was a huge explosion, which
was followed quickly by others
The whole port city was shak
en by the blast, which broke
nearly ever window in Takao
and caused much other damage,
the agency reported.
Terror spread throughout the
city.
Shortly after the first blast
ripped through the ship the city
was darkened by the smoke aris
ing from the waterfront.
The wharf area was a scene
of destruction, the agency said.
The official account said
about three-fourths of the 3,300
ton Chungli's explosive cargo
had been unloaded when the
blasts came.
Takao was a big Japanese na
val base during the war.
(Takao is one of the most im
portant ports for the Chinese na
tionalist government on For-
moa, which has been conver
ted into a fortress.)
Harry Lauder
Famed Scottish
ComedianSaid
Near to Death
Strathavcn, Scotland, Aug. 23
tJP) Sir Harry Lauder, 7!), is in
very serious" condition, his
doctor said today.
They disclosed that the ban
dy-legged Scottish comedian,
whose anlics delighted the en
tire English-speaking world, is
suffering from uremia and
blood-clots on the brain.
The thrombosis (clots) was
reported yesterday to be in his
legs.
B-36 Bombers
Cost $1 Billion
Washington, Aug. 23 VP)
Ihe air force gave congress
an estimate of $1,022,000,000 to
day on the cost of the .B-36
bomber program.
The figure came out in tes
timony by Lt. Gen. Edwin W
Rawlings in the house armed
services committee investiga
tion of the giant atomic bomb
earner.
Rawlings followed other high-
ranking air force witnesses who
chorused denials that political
influence of corruption had any
thing to do willi orders for more
B-36's. The subject of cost has
come up repeatedly in the inves
tigation, which was set off by
complaints of connections be
tween high armed forces offi
cials and the Consolirlnled-Vul-
tee company, makers of the huge
plane.
Rawlins Is comptroller, or
finance man, for the air force.
He explained that the air force
uses two standards lor com
puting the cost of aircraft.
One, he said, is the "flyaway
cost which includes virtually
everything in the plane's manu
facture but spare parts and
ground handling equipment
The other, he went on, is the
total program cost" which cov
ers everything.
Under these definitions, he
continued, he estimated flyaway
cost of the first 95 B-36s, before
they were modified, as $2,275,
133.
House Wants a Rest
Washington, Aug. 23 u.n The
senate blocked a move for iin
mediate adjournment today but
house leaders drafted a rcsolu
tion to give their members t
four-week rest from Aug. 25 to
Scot. 21.
Sir
New Cell Block
Major Item to
Cost $625,000
Expenditure of $1,243,000 for
improvements at the state peni
tentiary was approved Tuesday
by the hoard of control. A new
cell block with 400 single cells,
to replace an old one, Is the lar
gest improvement on the ap
proved list, estimated to cost
$625,000.
In addition the board approv
ed the construction of a new ad
ministration unit to include of
fices, a chapel, library and
school rooms. This building is
estimated to cost $400,000.
Funds for these two projects
will be taken from the $2,000,
000 state building fund author
ized by the 1949 legislature.
Provides New Laundry
In addition to the two maioi
buildings the board approved an
outlay of $218,000 to cover the
cost of a new laundry building,
$40,000; a bath house, $25,000;
garage, $25,000; a food storage
building, $30,000, and a receiv
ing warehouse, $50,000.
Also included in this approv
al was additional funds for a
wall extension now under con
struction and a wall gate.
All of the projects approved
Tuesday must be submitted to
the state emergency board for
final approval.
Lighting Bids Delayed
The board took under advise
ment for a week the question of
whether bids will be requested
for furnishing the state with
light globes. The year's expen
diture on globes runs between
$36,000 and $50,000. For the
past 29 years the globe business
has been alternated between
General Electric and Westing
house dealers. It was said that
many states and cities are now
calling for bids and allowing
other manufacturers to submit
bids.
(Concluded on Page I, Column 81
Prison Suicide
To Be Probed
Gov. Douglas McKay today
said the Oregon board of con
trol will make "a full and im
partial investigation" of the
death of Oren A. Brownlee at
the state penitentiary.
Brownlee, 24, of Lane county,
committed suicide in his cell
block, prison officials said. He
slashed his wrists in a success
ful suicide attempt one year to
the day after he was committed
for car theft on March 17, 1948.
They added that he had tried
several other times to take his
life.
The investigation was par
tially inspired by unconfirmed
complaints that Brownlee did
not get immediate and proper
medical attention after he was
found bleeding to death by a
cell-male.
Warden George Alexander
told United Press the proposed
investigation was a surprise to
him. He remembered very lit
tle of the details. He had "no
comment" until he had time to
"recheck the records."
Gov. McKay said he will ask
Attorney General George Neu
ner for advice and the board of
control will proceed with the
investigation in line with Neu
ner's suggestions.
State Pay Checks
Issued September 2
State employes will receive
pay checks for August on Sep
tember 2, three days in advance
of the normal pay day, it was
announced Tuesday by Secre
tary of State Earl T. Newbry.
The advanced pay day was
decided upon because of a three
day holiday for state employes
over Labor day, including Sat
urday, Sunday and Monday.
Harold Phillippe, manager of
the accounting department said
that the checks will probably be
issued on the afternoon of the
second ot September. To do
this members of his staff as well
as some members of the civil
service department must work
Thursday night, September 1,
to check the payrolls and pre
pare the pay vouchers.
V L
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4 63
79