THE WEATHER HERE
CLOUDY WITH occasional light
rains tonight, Tuesday. Snow in
mountains. Little change in tem
perature. Lowest tonight, 34;
J highest Tuesday, 44.
Mailmum yesterday, 40 1 minimum to
day, SO. Total 24faour precipitation, .01 1
for month, 1.37; normal, ZM. Sea ion pre
cipitation, 10.91; normal, 13.18. Hirer
htifht, ,5 or a foot. (Report by U.S.
Weather Bureau.)
Capital AJaurnal
HOME
EDITION
61st Year, No. 295 matter at flalem, Oretoa
Salem, Oregon, Monday, k ' 1949
(20 Pages)
Price 5c
Ward Parly on
American Ship
Sails for Japan
Mukden Consul Gen
eral Tells of 13 Month
"Hellish Experience"
Aboard Lakeland Victory off
Taku Bar, Dec. 12 (U.R) Consul
General Angus Ward and bis
party of 19 boarded this Ameri
can freighter today after 13
months of what he described as
"hellish" experiences as captives
of the Chinese communists.
The diplomat, his beard
turned white and his clothes
hanging loosely on his gaunt
tramp rffnenri tn nmmnfr rit.
rectly on the question of U.S
recognition of the communist
government in China. But he
' voiced contempt for their con
cepts of law, justice and "brutal
disregard" of his Mukden con
sulate's status as a de facto Unit
ed States diplomatic agency.
"I'll not express my opinion,"
Ward said, as he sat sipping cof
fee in the wardroom of the Lake
land Victory, "but I will cite
this fact which you can inter
pret for yourself.
Ordered to Prison
"De facto relations actually
existed between the consulate
and the Mukden city govern
ment up to Nov. 20, 1948. Then,
without warning, we received a
message addressed by the com
munists merely to the 'com
pound'. "The same thing happened to
the British the day before,"
Ward said. "They also had been
maintaining de facto relations
with the municipal communist
regime."
(Concluded on Page 5, Column 7)
Winter Comes
To California
Los Angeles, Dec. 12 W-
Winter came to southern Cali
fornia today, with broken wa
ter pipes, icy streets and similar
phenomena usually associated
with colder climes.
Temperatures skidded below
zero in snow-covered mountains,
with Big Bear recording minus
three degrees. Elsewhere they
ranged upward to Los Angeles'
37.
In many citrus districts they,
touched the low 20's, and sur
veys were started to determine
the damage. Extensive fruit loss,
however, docs not develop for
several weeks.
Such citrus centers as Red
lands and Rialto recorded 23 de
grees, with 22 in other spots.
Orchard heating was extensive,
and a black pall of ' smudge
smoke covered a 70-mile band
from the mountains to the ocean.
General Manager Robblns
Russell of the Mutual Orange
Distributors, a citrus coopera
tive, said heating generally prob
ably forestalled serious losses to
navel oranges, "because of the
maturity and size of the fruit
it is bigger this year than for
several years past."
Mile-high Lake Arrowhead re
corded a minimum of 12 as did
the Mojave desert community of
Lancaster, where water pipes
and car radiators froze.
Water pipes also froze in Van
Nuys, in the San Fernando val
ley, where 24 degrees was re
corded.
Snow Falling on
Cascade Roads
The state highway commij.
sion warned motorists today to
carry chains across Santiam and
McKenzie passes, as well as
near Government Camp and on
the Warm Springs highway.
The commission also said
chains are needed on the Ochoco
mgnway, ana near jr'encueton,
Meacham, John Day arid Aus
tin. There was packed snow today
at all those points, with snow
plows operating.
The commission's 9 a.m. road
report listed the following below
normal conditions:
Government Camp Snowing
lightly, packed snow, plows op
erating. 2 inches new snow, 18
Inches roadside snow.
Santiam pass Snowing light
ly, packed snow, plows operat
ing, 2 inches new snow, 22 inch'
es roadside snow.
McKenzie pass Snowing
lightly, packed snow, plows op
erating, 24 inches roadside snow.
Willamette pass Snowing
lightly, packed snow well sand
ed. 1 inch new snow, 12 inches
roadside snow.
Tornadoes and
Blizzards Kill
1 1 Week-End
Property Damage
Heavy in Central
South Twisters
(Br the 'Associated Press)
Screeching tornadoes, a whist
ling blizzard and flashing light
ning killed at least 11 persons
in various parts of the nation
over the weekend.
The known deaths from other
causes indirectly attributed to
the weather had mounted to 34.
Property damage from the tor
nadoes which lashed north cen
tral Arkansas, Oklahoma, Mis
souri and IUlinois was high. Ar
kansas alone estimated its dam
age might reach $100,000.
All the tornado dead are in
Arkansas and Missouri. The
twisters hammered six Arkan
sas communities yesterday, kill
ed three persons and injured ten.
Many escaped the fury by taking
shelter in storm cellars. The
communities hit were Clinton,
Beedee, Velvet Ridge, Cross
Roads, Providence and Brad
ford. Two were killed at Cross
Roads, one at Providence.
Black as Midnight
Garland Robbins, 60, of Pro
vidence, described the twister as
black as midnight and roar
ing like hell." His store was de
stroyed. Near Poplar Bluff, in south
eastern Missouri, six persons
were killed and 15 injured by
tornado which cut through
ten miles of farm area. Tele
phone lines were knocked down
and some streets flooded in Pop
lar Bluff by a heavy rain which
followed the twister.
Some farm buildings were
unroofed in Madison county, in
southern Illinois, by another
twister but no one was injured.
In Muskogee, Okla., a three car
garage lifted 30 feet from its
foundation was the only known
damage.
Hannibal, Mo., reported con
siderable property damage from
high winds. Three persons were
injured there.
Killed by Lightning
Nine-year-old Junia Kay Love
less was killed by lightning as
she stood in the doorway of a
smokehouse on the family s farm
near Modesto, 111. At Miles City,
Mont., a 98-year-old retired
stockman was found dead of ex
posure to a blizzard which had
swept the Rocky Mountain area.
The blizzard had moved east
ward with diminishing force to
day into northern Minnesota but
the entire Great Lake region
was buffeted by strong winds.
Snow flurries were occurring in
Minnesota, Wisconsin, northern
Michigan and northern Iowa
along with falling temperatures.
The storm had blown itself
out in the Rockies where the
mercury was 6n the climb. Den
ver had five inches of snow, Liv
ingston, Mont., 10 inches.
Records High in East
Meanwhile, the eastern half of
the nation was enjoying record
high temperatures yesterday at
some points. At Chicago, the
mercury hit 61 degrees for a
Dec. 11 all-time high, while
Memphis, Tenn., had a record
77, accompanied by thunder
storms.
Other deaths indirectly as
cribed to the week-end weather
were mostly from trafffic acci
dents on highways or in fog.
2 American Of ficials
Back From North Korea
Seoul, Dec. 12 VP) Two emaciated American officials were
back from North Korea today after 81 days confinement by
communists.
They were returned yesterday. The Soviet backed regime in
dicated it had given up on its apparent attempt to get some form
of United States recognition in
exchange for the economic co
operation administration aides,
who were delivered to them by
a mutinous ship's crew.
Albert E. Willis, 40, of Brook
lyn, N. Y., and Alfred T. Mesch
ter, 28, of Kinderhook, N. Y.,
shocked Willis' blonde, little
wife with their appearance.
Mrs. Beatrice Willis estimated
her husband lost almost a
pound a day and said it would
take a lot of home cooking to
undo the damage.
"My heart sank when I saw
him," she told me today. "He
looked like a human skeleton.
Why his clothes almost fell off
of him. He weighed 190 pounds
when he left Pusan. He must
have lost 60 pounds."
Meschter said the two men
were reasonably fit especially
compared with the week before
when the communists started
X M p. i r:'
V J , .
r "Ok
fc ' I ill 1 1 ill w toiS
Brain Trusters
Aiding Truman
Key West, Fla., Dec. 12 (IP)
Bright young lawyers and re
search workers pooled their
brain power today to help Presi
dent Truman and the "fair deal"
along.
They worked on the presiden
tial yacht U.S.S. Williamsburg,
and in quarters L, a naval resi
dence, in their usual anonymity
but the sunshine of this Florida
vacation spot reflected their ac
tivities. Secretary of the Treasury
Snyder's arrival yesterday for a
24-hour stay joining Budget
Director Frank Pace f ocussed
attention on taxes and spending,
but the working force doing the
spadework said basic decisions
already have been made.
And both Snyder and Pace
are returning to Washington to
day, weather permitting. They
talked over the size of the bud
get and the prospects of raising
additional revenue by new levies
against corporation profits.
16-Year-Old Girl
Lost Near Kelso
Kelso, Wash., Dec. 12 (IP) A
16-year-old girl, lost since yes
terday in a rugged, snow-blan
keted forest near here, was
sought amid snow and rain to
day by her desperate family and
a sheriff's posse.
The volunteers who worked
vainly through the woods all
night pinned their hopes on Ruth
Aberle's Girl Scout training.
trusting that her knowledge of
woodmanship might have help
ed her to survive the cold.
Two inches of snow blanket
ed the rough, heavily-timbered
country where the West Kelso
girl disappeared from her friends
on a Christmas tree hunt yester
day noon.
Ruths mother searched the
woods last night until she col
lapsed, exhausted, and was tak
en to a hospital. Early this
morning she slipped out of her
bed and went back to the rug
ged forest to search again.
The father, a brother, and two
sisters went doggedly on hunt
ing, along with some 75 volun
teers and sheriff's deputies. The
army was asked to send men,
and a helicopter was expected
to arrive later.
A light snow fell through the
night, but began turning to rain
this morning. It was still bit
terly cold.
feeding them well in prepara
tion for their return. They were
not physically mistreated, he
said.
The surrounding mountains
bristled with earthen emplace
ments of rival guards, Meschter
said, but not a shot was heard
during the border negotiations
for the pair s release. He did
hear faint shouts from one North
Korean calling on members of
the rescue mission to foresake
the south Korean republic and
join the northern regime.
Noble said the north Koreans
first insisted he sign a receipt
for the prisoners in the name
of "Kim Jong Gi, who says he
is home minister of south Ko-
rea, but finally withdrew the
wording.
The transfer occurred at Yoh
yon, on the 38th parallel, dl-
viding line between north and
south Korea.
Received by Scout Post Boy Scouts being welcomed into
Explorer post 19, in the investiture Saturday night are Marion
Putnam, John Wilbur, Donald Blankenship, Gail McGlauflin
and Louis Kurth as they are led in the Scout oath by Mark
DeCew, an old member who participated in the ceremony.
The boys were taken to a lonely cabin in the woods near
Hazel Green school Friday night, given a minimum of sup
plies and told to stay there until they were called for. The
temperature, incidentally, was 30 degrees Friday night. At
about 8:30 Saturday night the boys were led through the
investiture.
Sardine Creek Timber
Sale Up to State Board
By JAMES D. OLSON
A controversy of year's standing over a right-of way leading
into a state-owned tract of 32 million feet of timber in the Sardine
Creek area in Marion county
three members of the state board of forestry Monday for set-
Australian Vote
Near Landslide
Sydney, Australia, Dec. 12 (IP)
The labor government's defeat
in Saturday's election neared
landslide proportions today.
As vote counting continued,
the victorious ; liberal-country
party., cQalitioTV appeared likely
to win a majority of 23 seats in
the house of commons, a big edge
in the 121-member lower cham
ber of parliament.
Early returns Saturday night
indicated the new government
would command a majority of
only seven to 11 votes, but the
swing against labor became
more and more pronounced as
counting neared an end.
The count by Monday after
noon indicated the liberal party
would win at least 55 seats, its
partner country party would
take 17 seats, and the opposition
labor group would hold 46.
Three other" seats were 3till
doubtful.
The 118 races which appeared
settled shaped up this way:
Elected or certain to be elect
ed, 48 liberals, 15 country party,
43 labor.
Likely to be elected but still
not certain, seven liberals, three
country party, three labor party.
Australian people are taking
little interest in the count of
votes for the senate, which is al
most certain to retain its labor
majority.
Paul Bunyan Axe
Stolen Second Time
Once more the Paul Bunyan
axe, symbol of football rivalry
between Willamette university
and Whitman college, has been
stolen.
The six foot long instrument
was taken from the university
student body office by an indi
vidual who broke a window to
gain entrance. ,
The axe was returned to the
campus late last week after hav
ing disappeared at the time of
the Willamette-Whitman foot
ball game.
Russ Tripp, student body pres
ident, who paid out approxi
mately $3 in freight charges
when the axe was sent back
from Walla Walla, believes some
one is trying to create a sensa
tion at his expense.
Reed Student Wins
Rhodes Scholarship
Portland, Dec. 12 IIP) Ber
tram Gale Dick, Jr., Reed Col
lege physics student, has been
awarded a Rhodes scholarship
He is among 32 named after 412
scholars took examinations Sat
urday. A son of Mr. and Mrs. B. G.
Dick, Portland, he entered Reed
in 1948 after navy wartime ser
vice as an electronics technicians
mate, 2nd class. He was presi
dent of the student body while
at Roosevelt high in Portland.
was referred to a committee of
"ytlement.
Ford Converse, timber opera-
tor who has been logging an
area just below the state's timber
stand, and who built the private
right of way, wanted the board
to sell the state-owned timber to
him.
Governor McKay declared that
no sale of the timber could be
made without competitive bids
under the law and pointed out
that in fairness to "Other bidders
the state should acquire joint use I
on the right of way. An effort
by the forestry department to
acquire this joint use in the past
has failed.
Lynn F. Cronemiller, assist
ant state forester, in charge of
timber sales, told the board that
the disputed right of way "Is
the only access into the prop
erty and will influence the sale
of this timber."
Cronemiller said that a de
partment appraisal some time
ago had set a $200,000 value on
the state-owned timber and that
J. K. Elder, a former associate
of Converse had successively
bid $135,000, $150,000 and $180,
000. (Concluded on Page S, Column 6)
Campaign for
Hoover Report
Washington, Dec. 12 (IP)
President Truman said today he
will press, during the coming
session of congress, for legisla
tion to bring about "better, more
efficient management" of the
federal government.
From Key West, Fla., the
president sent a message to the
national reorganization confer
ence which opened a two-day
session here on ways and means
of transforming into law the
governmental reform proposals
of the Hoover commission.
The drive was launched at a
national reorganization confer
ence a two-day meeting called
by the non-partisan, non-govern
ment Citizens' Committee for
the Hoover Report.
The citizens' committee was
formed last summer as a "lobby"
in behalf of the recommenda
tions for federal economy and
efficiency made by the commis
sion headed by former President
Herbert Hoover.
Hoover is to speak to the com
mittee at a dinner session to
night.
Walter J. Kohler, Jr., Wiscon
sin manufacturer, said in an ad
dress prepared for the opening
session that "only the first
skirmishes have been won. Ma
jor battles remain to be
fought."
Letters to congressmen and
group resolutions were urged by
Oveta Culp Hobby, wartime
commander of the Women's
Army Corps and executive vice
president of the Houston Post.
"The American people owe it
to their congressmen to tell them
of their interests," Mrs. Hobby
said.
Kohler, president of the Voll-
rath Corp., Sheboygan, Wis., de
clared that businessmen have no
greater interest than labor in
cutting government costs, de
spite the tax burden on corpora
tions.
1 Killed, 3 Hospitalized By
Head-on Crash Near Lyons
Court Upholds
Rent Control
Act of 1949
Washington, Dec. 12 (IP) The
supreme court today upheld the
1949 federal rent control act. The
S-0 ruling overturned a decision
by U. S. District Judge Elwyn
R. Shaw in Chicago that the act
was invalid.
The decision was announced in
a brief order which cited an ear
lier supreme court ruling in a
rent control case.
Shaw's ruling was held in
abeyance pending today's ruling
on an appeal taken directly to
the supreme court by the justice
department. The department es
timated 14,000,000 housing ac
commodations remain under rent
control. Since Shaw's ruling
six other federal district courts,
have declared the act constitu
tional. Other Court Decisions
In other actions, today the tri
bunal: 1. Split 5 to 3 to uphold in
effect an Idaho law which bans
picketing of a business place not
directly involved in a labor dis
pute. 2. Agreed to rule later on two
other state labor laws a Michi
gan act which prohibits a strike
unless a majority of the workers
involved vote their approval,
and a Wisconsin law under which
the state's employment relations
board claims it can forbid an un
fair labor practice which also is
barred by federal law.
(Concluded on Page 5, Column 5)
Prosecution in
Hiss Trial Rests
New York; Dec. 12 (IP) The
government rested its case in the
second Alger Hiss perjury trial
at 12:27 p.m. (EST) today.
The prosecution s 35th and fi
nal witness was Mrs. Hede Mas
sing, former wife of communist
fugitive Gerhart Eisler, who
stood by her story that Hiss was
a communist underground work
er when he held high state de
partment office before the war.
Mrs. Massing, formerly a Vi
ennese actress, said under cross-
examination that she believed
Hiss had broken with the com
munist party since that time.
Hiss' second trial began Nov.
17 and the government rested
its case during the 15th court
day.
Hiss is accused of lying when
he denied to a federal grand
jury that he ever gave state de
partment papers to ex-communist
Whittaker Chambers
Bancroft A ct Bonds
To Cover Street Paving
By STEPHEN A. STONE
An ordinance bill authorizing the issue of $117,667.99 in bonds
under the Bancroft bonding act will be introduced at the city
council meeting Monday night.
The issue is to cover street improvements of the past year. Cost
of improvement is assessed against abutting property, but property
owners have the privilege un-e-
der the Bancroft act of paying in
installments over a period of 10
years. The city retires the bonds
from time to time as money from
the assessments accumulates.
A resolution will be intro
duced for vacation of an alley
in Block 86, which is the loca
tion of the state highway office
building that is now under con
struction.
Interest is centering on ap
pearance of Salem taxicab oper
ators and 11 drivers who are to
show cause why their licenses
should not be cancelled. The
hearing, ordered by the coun
cil, grows out of the recent mor
als case involving the drivers
and an under-age girl.
Also before the council will
be an ordinance bill that would
put taxicab operation under
strict regulation. Some of the
requirements set out in the bill
arc:
Applicants would have to state
whether they had ever been con
victed of felonies or misdemean
ors involving moral turpitude,
and their fingerprints would be
recorded.
After investigation the chief
of police would advise the city
treasurer whether a license
should b issued.
Crack Shasta
Daylight Train
Crashes Truck
Eugene, Dec. 12 UP) The
Shasta Daylight smashed into a
logging truck on the tracks be
tween Harrlsburg and Junction
City at 9:51 a. m. today, and
the unidentified driver miracul
ously escaped injury. No one
was injured on the crack San
Francisco bound Streamliner.
Engineer H. L. Mercier of
Portland pulled away from the
scene almost an hour after the
accident and the Shasta picked
up its schedule out of Eugene
at 11:15 a. m. exactly an hour
behind time.
Damage to the train is esti
mated by Southern Pacific offi
cials at $2500 but the logging
truck was almost intact. Seventy
five foot logs loaded on the
truck were splintered at the im
pact and scattered over the
crossing. The train was travel
ing 79 miles per hour when the
engine rammed the tail end of
the truck.
Granite Cliff
Crashes Killing 4
Victorville, Calif., Dec. 12 (IP)
Without warning, a 70-ton
granite slab split from a cliff
at Dead Man's point and crash
ed onto a holiday picnic, crush
ing to death four persons and
critically injuring two others.
Horrified children of the vic
tims watched helplessly as the
huge rock fragment brought i
swift, tragic climax to the out
ing of 18 friends on the edge of
the Mojave desert yesterday,
The popular picnic site, over
looking the desert, is sheltered
by the rocky prominence.
Rescuers said the jutting rock
broke free because a six-hour
campfire heated it following the
intense cold of the early morn
ing. Killed were Robert Asper, 35,
and Mrs. Jessie Isom, 45, both
of Upland, Calif., Harold Bovee,
40, Ventura, Calif., and Mrs.
Frances Morris, 38, Pomona
Calif.
Critically injured were Mrs.
Frances Long, 35, Upland, and
Clifford Morris, 38, husband of
Mrs. Morris. Rescuers tunneled
for two hours to reach Mrs.
Long, who wes resting on a cot
when the ledge broke off. She
and Morris suffered internal in
juries and face and head cuts,
Milburn Hirschman, Pomona,
rolled away as the rock fell.
All drivers would be required
to be in uniform and the driv
er's picture would be posted in
his cab.
Municipal judge would be au
thorized to suspend a license
for violation of city ordinance
or state law.
City council would be au
thorized to revoke licenses of
operating companies or drivers
after hearing.
Drivers would be required to
remain in their cabs at taxi
stands except when assisting pas
sengers or answering telephone
and would be prohibited from
using cabs to transport or sup
ply liquor, or for any immoral
purpose.
On the calendar Monday night
is the bill that would require
a $20 annual license on coin-in-the-slot
vending machines, but
it is expected to undergo dras
tic amendment.
Importance is attached to an
ordinance bill on the calendar
for third reading requiring the
ratproofmg of buildings.
Representatives of the Salem
Woman's club will appear with
a request for a universal gar
bage collection plan for the city,
which would tic in with meas
urcs being taken for extcrmina-;
tion of rati.
Carl M. Hamre
Of Salem, Driver
Of Auto, Dead
By C. K. LOGAN
One man is dead and three
others' hospitalized here as a
result of a head-on automobile
collision between Lyons and Mill
City In Linn county shortly be
fore 8 o'clock Monday morn
ing.
Killed was Carl Martin Ham-
re, 47, of 640 S. Capitol; injured
are Paul Lozdcn, 27, and Tony
Butterfly, 26, of the same ad
dress and Eugene Thornley, 18,
of Mill City. The injured are in
the Salem Memorial hospital.
Apparently not injured and
passengers in the Hamre car
are Elvin Penrod, about 50, of
1345 Lee, who was brought to
the hospital and then sent home
by taxi without being admitted.
Kenneth Watkins, about 23, of
Mehama, was taken to Mill City
for treatment, then home.
All Construction Workers
Lozden received cuts about
the head, eye and has a
back injury. He said that all
the Salem men were general
construction workers employed
by Consolidated Builders, Inc.,
and were going to work on the
Detroit dam.
Thornley, who was alone, was
driving to work on the Tallroad
at Lyons. He said that his auto
mobile went out of control on a
curve in the highway and he
was unable to avoid hitting the
other vehicle. He said he was
not going fast at the time.
Butterfly is apparently the
most seriously injured, receiving
a fractured foot and rib and also
cuts about the head.
Hamre Car Demolished
The Hamre automobile, a 1948
Plymouth, was nearly demolish
ed. Some confusion arose over
the other vehicle which was
registered to William Lasley, of
Roseburg, but operated by
Thornley.
Lozden says he spent several
months in a hospital in North
Africa during the war. He was
member of a five-man crew.
He says he does not know what
happened to the tank or the
other members of his crew, for
when he "came to" he was in
an army hospital where he re
mained over three months. Ho
still has scars to show for that
episode.
Hamre's body is at the Wcd-
dle funeral home In Stayton.
Farm Bureau
Snubs Brannan
Chicago, Dec. 12 (IP) The
powerful American Farm Bu
reau Federation opens its an
nual convention today with a
cold shoulder for the present
secretary of agriculture.
Secretary Brannan is not on
the convention's speaking pro
gram. But Senator Clinton P.
Anderson (D-N.M.) the former
secretary, is.
Allen B. Kline, president of
the federation, has been a critic
of the controversial Brannan
farm plan. He called it a politi
cal scheme to get votes of both
farmers and consumers.
(The plan is designed to as
sure farmers high returns and
consumers cheaper food. Gov
ernment cash payments to far
mers would be the main device
for achieving such a dual goal.)
Although it is customary for
the federation to invito the sec
retary of agriculture to address
the annual convention, relations
between the farm group and the
cabinet officer have been so cool
that the farmers skipped it this
year.
Other farm groups have con
tinued the custom of inviting the
secretary.
Sen. Anderson will address
the Wednesday afternoon ses
sion on "who shall speak for the
farmer? "
Eric Johnston, president of
the motion picture association
of America, Is another bureau
speaker.
Robinson Gets Carver Medal
New York, Dec. 12 (IP) Tin
George Washington Carver Me
morial institute's 1949 gold
award for betterment of race
relations has gone to Jackie
Robinson, the Brooklyn Dodg.
ors' Negro star.