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61st Year, No. 302 SSEffrfSfiSS Salem, Oregon, Tuesday, December 20, 1949
(22 Pages)
Price 5c
THE WEATHER HERE
CLOUDY WITH rain tonight;
becoming partly cloudy with
showers Wednesday. Slightly
warmer. Lowest tonight, 32 de
grees; highest Wednesday, 40.
Maiimttm rtiterdar, Ml minimum to
day, 80. Total 34-hour praelpltatlon, tracei
for month, t.&ti normal, 4.04. Seaaon pra
elpltatlon, 12.4a; normal, 14.1. Hirer
hrliht, 4.7 feet. (Report by V. S. Weather
Bureau.)
uraai
2701 Loans lo
Veterans Since
August, 1948
State Made 1000 More
Than During Past
3 Years
By JAMES D. OLSON
Almost 1000 more state veter
an loans were made from August
1, 1948 to November 31, 1949
han were made during the pre
vious three years, according to
W. F. Gaarenstroom, director of
the department of veteran affairs
Tuesday.
From the time that the first
loan was made to an Oregon
V World War II veteran in Sep
' tember, 1945, until July 31,
1948, a total of 1746 veteran
loans were completed.
From August 1, 1948 to No
vember 31, 1949, the total num
ber of loans made totaled 2701,
Gaarenstroom said.
Details of Loans
Out of the proceeds of $18 mil
lions of bonds sold by the depart
ment, $17,583,490 had been
loaned out on farms and homes
as of Nevember 30, 1949. Loans
made by the department average
$4180 although the legislature
has authorized loans up to $6,
000. A block of $3,000,000 of vet
eran bonds will be offered for
sale on December 28. The inter
est on the bonds have been run
ning between VA and 1 per
cent. Federal Loans Taper
Increase in veteran applica
tions for loans came after G. I.
government loans began to taper
off and also after the depart
ment was granted authority to
loan up to $6000. Gaarenstroom
said another indication of the in
crease in loans made was shown
by the fact that the department
paid out $215,000 in taxes in the
tax year of 1949-50 as against
only $98,000 in the previous tax
year.
Taxes on property on which
loans are made are included in
J the monthly payments made by
the veterans. The department
then pays taxes on all property
on which loans have been made,
getting the benefit of the three
percent cash discount as well as
preventing any of its properties
going on the tax delinquent
rolls.
Payment on Principal
A total of $2,002,915.84 has
been received in payment on
principal on loans up to Novem
ber 30, 1949, the director said.
(Concluded on Page 5, Column 8)
250,000 Pieces
Mail Stamped
The cancelling machine of the
Salem post office stamped 252.
000 pieces of mail Monday the
highest total in the history of
the office, reported Postmaster
Albert C. Gragg. While he did
not reveal the gross receipts,
they, too, constituted an all-time
high mark.
,; In spite of extremely heavy
mailing, incoming as well
outgoing, the post office has
been able to clear its daily han
dle of parcels and greeting cards
each day. This has been accom
plished by working around the
clock and by employing 74 extra
carriers and clerks.
The mailing of hundreds of
''slate income tax statements as
well as many automobile li
cense plates have placed an add
ed burden on the post office fa
cilities. However, these are be
ing handled in stride, the post
master states.
Two full carloads of incom
ing mail reached Salem Monday
and it is expected the peak in
this connection will be reached
Wednesday or Thursday.
Dallas Police Car
Crashes City Truck
Dallas, Or., Dec. 20 What
Dallas wants for Christmas is
an accident-proof police car.
Driving in an alley Monday
Officer R. A. Cruezen was un
able to stop in time to avoid
crashing into a city sanitary ser
vice truck which backed into
the alley. Damage to police car
was around $200.
Three weeks ago Officer
Cruezen was struck at an in
tersection by an automobile
driven by a Sheridan man who
failed to heed the siren on the
y police car. Result, the police car
was so badly damaged that it
was deemed cheaper to turn it in
on a new one the same car
that was damaged this week.
Woman's Club
Protests Zone
Change Asked
Hearing Scheduled
On Price Cottage
Street Application
The Salem Woman's club will
have a strong representation be
fore the city planning and zon
ing commission on Tuesday
night to back up a written re
monstrance against a zone
change adjoining the club's
property on North Cottage
street. A public hearing is sched
uled. The application is by O. L.
Price, who asks for a change in
zone classification from Class
II residential to Class III busi
ness. The Woman's club will ask
the commission to delay its rec
ommendation to the council.
Some objection to the applica
tion would be removed, it was
said, if the whole immediate
area were changed, since that
would give the club a chance
to sell its property for business
purposes.
Involved in the application
is property at the northeast cor
ner of Center and North Cottage
streets, extending northerly
along North Cottage to the Sa
lem Woman's club premises
where the club house is located.
Four-Foot Strip Involved
Involved in the argument is a
four-foot strip of property on
the north side of the property
line. With a Zone II classifica
tion buildings can't be set up
closer than four feet to the line
without consent of the adjoin
ing owner. Under a Class HI
zone provision construction can
be to the property line.
(Concluded on Page 5, Column 7)
New York City
To Tap Hudson
New York, Dec. 20 VP) City
officials ordered "full speed" to
day on plans to tap the Hudson
river for 100,000,000 gallons of
water a day to help out in the
shortage which threatens to last
for years. .
The Hudson tapping project
which normally would take
year to complete and cost $5,-
000,000 to $10,000,000 is count
ed on to supply somewhat less
than one-tenth of the city's nor
mal consumption of well over l,r
000,000,000 gallons a day.
Formal city, state, and feder
al authorizations for the under
taking are required.
The plan announced yester
day is to run Hudson river wa
ter into the Delaware aqueduct
at Chelsea, N. Y., about 15 miles
south of Poughkeepsie. The wa
ter would be purified chemically
at its source, and made "ultra
safe" by routing through reser
voirs. The New York City board of
water supply announced the
start of plans to tap the Hudson,
about 50 miles north of where it
empties into New York bay.
Similar plans were .suggested
after a conference at Albany yes
terday between Gov. Thomas E,
Dewey and state officials.
The governor accused the city
of neglecting its water needs de
spite repeated warnings
Vandenberg Doesn t
Want to Try hat Case
By DON UPJOHN
Judge David R. Vandenberg, circuit judge from Klamath Falls
in Salem on trial of another case, advised attorneys in the case
of Lebold vs. Salem high school district and others, involving
suspension of 18 students of alleged secret society affiliations,
that before he decides whether he will accept an assignment from
the supreme court to try that
case, he wants them to know
where he stands on the question
of secret societies.
While he made his attitude
clear to Ralph E. Moody, guar
dian ad litem for the high school
student plaintiff, and George
A. Rhoten, one of the defense
attorneys, he had an appoint
ment for Tuesday afternoon with
Donald A. Young, also a defense
attorney, to explain his stand to
him.
Judge Vandenberg told Attor
neys Moody and Rhoten in the
morning that while he had never
belonged to a secret society in
his life he had no objection to
any man belonging to a secret
society, as long as it was not in
violation of the law.
"I do not want to try this
case," Judge Vandenberg told
the attorneys, "but if by any
chance I should, I want you to be
advised just where I stand ai to
55,000 Jobless
On December 1
Unemployment this winter
this winter probably won't reach
last February's peak of 93,000
jobless.
This prediction came from tne
state unemployment compensa
tion commission today
The commission said there
were 55,000 jobless in Oregon
on December 1, Dut mat lay
offs now are much fewer than
they were a year ago.
The commission said that in
most sections of the state, the
number of employed is about
the same as a year ago.
Of the 55,000 unemployed as
of December 1, 22,900 were in
the Portland area.
Figures for other districts
having more than 1,000 out of
work are:
Salem 5,000, Eugene 4,650,
Astoria 2,100, Coos Bay 2,020,
Oregon City 1,950, Roseburg 1,
730, Klamath Falls 1,650, Med
ford 1,400, Lebanon 1,200, Mc
Minnville 1,200, Grants Pass 1,
150. Totals for other districts:
Toledo 950, Corvallis 780, La
Grande 750, Pendleton 725, On
tario 685, Albany 635, Baker
625; Bend, Freewater, Hood Riv
er and Tillamook, 600 each; The
Dalles 525, and Lakeview 275.
Christmas Tree
Lighted Tuesday
Salem's living Christmas tree
on the courthouse lawn will be
lighted tonight by the Salem
Cherrians at 7:30 o'clock.
The tree, the first living
Christmas tree in the world to
be lighted and now the tallest
living Christmas tree in the
world, was first lighted by the
Cherrians back in 1913. With
the exception of war-time years
it has been lighted every year
since.
Ceremonies for the lighting of
the Christmas tree will be open
ed by County Judge Grant Mur
phy and a program of music and
a historical talk by Judge Rex
Kimmell is to follow. After
this will come the children's
part of the program, when those
children present are to be pre
sented treats by the Cherrains.
Members of the committee
planning the ceremonies for to
night are Fred Starrett, Judson
Bressler, Robert M. Fischer, Jr.,
Marty Boesoh and Douglas
Yea ter.
these certain matters."
George Rhoten told Judge
Vandenberg that "I am only
water boy in this case and I'd
like to have you tell your posi
tion to Donald Young, who is
the quarterback."
As a result the appointment
was made for the meeting Tues
day afternoon when the judge
will reiterate his stand to Young
Judge Vandenberg indicated
that if his stand was such as to
cause any objection on the part
of the attorneys to his serving
he would not accept the assign
ment. "I want you to know just
where I stand," he told them
Judge Victor Olliver of Linn
county had been assigned to the
case by the supreme court, but
Ralph Moody later Interposed a
motion for the appointment of
another judge which resulted in
the court asking Judge Vanden
berg to take, th assignment.
High School Students Sing Carols The Seniorettes and
the Swing choir are contributing to the Christmas spirit at
Salem high school. Here is a combination of the two student
musical organizations singing before one of the Christmas
trees at the high school.
Winter Strikes Blow
A t Entire Northwest
(By the A.ssoclaled Press!
Winter struck its sharpest blow at the Pacific Northwest in
the early morning hours today.
Temperatures skidded below
and sub-freezing marks were general.
Scattered skiffs of snow fell in
Cold Wave Hits
Central West
(By the Associated Press!
Wintry weather spread an icy
finger over the central Rocky
Mountain states and headed into
the upper Missouri valley today.
The eastern and southeastern
parts of the country had com
paratively mild temperatures.
The mercury dropped to sub
zero levels throughout most of
Montana' and"partsof NorthDa
kota ' and Wyoming today. In
Montana, it dipped to 20 below,
zero at Havre; 19 below at Lew
istown and -18 at Custer. Wil
liston, N.D., reported a low of
-10 and it was -5 at Lander,
Wyoming.
Snow fell throughout most of
the cold belt and strong winds
piled rifts on many roads. Ice-
glazed highways and streets in
many areas slowed travel.
Salt Lake City reported 35
accidents, many resulting from
city streets, over a 24-hour
period. Heavy snowfall was re
ported in northern Utah. School
buses in some sections were
blocked by drifts.
The storm moved slowly
northeastward to the upper Mis
souri valley and Mississippi val
ley but temperatures were ex
pected to moderate. Colder air
also has moved into the north
Pacific states and there was
light snow in the extreme north
ern Rocky Mountain states.
The weather bureau reported
considerable log early today
over most of the southeastern
part of the country. The fog
halted or reduced air travel and
cut highway travel over most of
the -area from the Carolinas to
Mississippi.
Drizzle was reported over
parts of Wisconsin and Minne
sota but temperatures in those
areas and other parts of the
north contra! states were above
normal.
Armistice on
A Bombs Asked
Lake Success, Dec. 20 (P-
Carlos P. Romulo, president of
the United Nations assembly, to
day proposed a temporary ar
mistice in the production and
use of atomic weapons.
Romulo said his proposal was
made in the hope of halting a
costly race between the United
States and Russia for atomic su
premacy. He stressed that his
plan was intended only as an in
terim measure to give more time
for the working out of a per
manent atomic control plan.
The Philippine diplomat
handed his proposal to Gen. A.
G. L. McNaughton of Canada
shortly before a secret meeting
of the six permanent members
of the UN atomic energy com
mission. McNaughton is this
month's chairman of the six con
ferees, which also include repre
sentatives of the United States
Russia, Britain, France and
China.
Romulo'i proposals followed
closely those set forth in an ap
peal by him November 3, but
this time they were offered as
a concrete plan.
the zero point at many places
eastern Washington and north-
em Idaho adding hazards for
motorists traveling highways al-
ready coated with snow and ice
in many places.
The threat of more snow ap
peared today as a cold wave
froze Oregon all the way from
the usually mild coast to the
chill reaches of eastern Oregon.
The unofficial low was a read
ing of 18 degrees below zero
at Bly in the Klamath basin
Austin reported an unofficial 8
below. Burns and Baker had an
official 7 below,
The forecast was for increas
ing cloudiness with snow cer
tain for much of eastern Ore
gon and in the higher elevations
of western Oregon
Rain, probably turning to snow
tonight, was the outlook for
many western Oregon cities, in
cluding Portland.
Only slightly warmer tem
peratures scarcely enough to be
noticeable are expected. The
change will not be more than a
few degrees, the weather fore
caster said.
A foot of snow on high ranges
in central Oregon drove hun
dreds of deer to lower eleva-
tions.
many
fields
Many
their
them
Ranchers complained
were moving into farm
and eating haystacks.
ranchers began baling
haystacks and hauling
away in order to save
them.
(Concluded on Page 5.
Column 8)
Selecting Jury
In Libel Trail
The $150,000 libel action of
Andrew C. Burk, ex-sheriff of
Marion ctjunty, vs. George Put
nam, doing business as the Capi
tal Journal, got under way ir
circuit court here Monday with
Judge David R. Vandenberg,
Klamath Falls, presiding under
special assignment from the su
preme court. Attorneys told the
judge they estimated the case
might take a day and a half for
trial.
Tuesday morning was given
over to the selection of a jury
of 11 women and one man,
with a brief statement from Glen
T. Jack, Oregon City, one of the
attorneys for the plaintiff, in
which he said that Burk was
asking for damages for alleged
false and defamatory" matter
he charged was "maliciously
printed," in an editorial in the
Capital Journal October 30
1948, which he said the defend
ant claimed defeated his candi
dacy for the office of sheriff
for which he was running at that
time. Appearing with Jack as
an attorney for the plaintiff is
Paul T. Burris of Salem.
The defendant is represented
by Ralph E. Moody and John H.
Carson, both Salem attorneys.
Burk in his complaint asks
$50,000 as general damages and
$100,000 as punitive damages he
charges he sustained. The de
fendant, in his answer avers that
statements in the editorial were
fair as made in the heat of
campaign for public office.
Hobson Heads Guernsey Men
Eugene, Dec. 20 P) Roy Hob
son of Amity was elected prcsl
dent of the Oregon Guernsey
Breeders association yesterday
at the annual meeting here. Oth
er officers are L. L. Lombard,
Klamath Falls, vice president
Ben A. Newell, Salem, secretary-treasurer.
Hans Lcuthoid of
Tillamook is the outgoing presi
I dent.
O'Dwyer Weds
Miss Simpson
At Stuart, Fla.
Simple Ceremony at
Catholic Church
Then Leave on Yacht
Stuart, Fla., Dec. 20 (
Mayor William O'Dwyer of New
York, tanned and happy, was
married today to radiant Eliza
beth Sloan Simpson in a sim
ple ceremony at St. Joseph's
Catholic church.
A rainbow arched in the sky
as the couple entered the flower-bedecked
wooden church for
the rites. Rainclouds hovered
near the town.
The Rev. Timothy J. Geary
performed the ceremony which
he described as "very simple and
very beautiful."
Lasted Eight Minutes
The ceremony lasted eight
minutes.
Both O'Dwyer and his bride
were deeply moved and ex
changed vows in voices hardly
above a whisper.
O'Dwyer's voice could not be
heard in the first row as he an
swered after Father Geary, "I,
William O'Dwyer, take thee,
Elizabeth Sloan Simpson, for
better or worse, richer or poorer,
in sickness and in health, until
death do us part."
Miss Simpson repeated the
same words in a slightly firmer
voice.
She stood erect and looked at
the priest as he blessed the ring,
first in Latin, then in English.
Places Ring on Finger
Best man David Martin, gen
eral manager of the New York
Athletic club, handed the ring
to O'Dwyer. Miss Simpson turn
ed and the ring was placed on
her finger.
(Concluded on Page It. Column 8)
Sackett Buys
Seattle Radio
Seattle, Dec. 20 W) Entry of
Sheldon Sackett of Coos Bay,
Ore., into the Seattle radio field
was announced here today.
Robert E. Priebe, one of the
three owners of station KRSC,
reported the station's sale to the
Sackett interests, subject to fed
eral communications commission
approval. KRSC has operated as
a non-network station since 1926.
Priebe said all of the stock
was sold for an undisclosed price.
It will be the fourth Sackett
radio station. He operates sta
tions now at Vancouver, Wash.,
and Oakland, Calif. (KROW)
and a radio station and newspa
per at Coos Bay. Fred Chitty of
Vancouver was here to carry on
the negotiations for Sackett
The sellers are P. K. Leber-
man of New York, Attorney
John Ryan, Jr., of Seattle and
Priebe. They have been the own
ers since the station was opened
in 1926 as a pioneer in the Inde
pendent field, Priebe said.
He said an application for
transfer will be filed with the
FCC next week. Sackett would
take over within 20 days after
FCC approval.
KRSC pioneered television in
Seattle but later sold its tele
vision operation to another Se
attle station.
Complete Plans For
Annex to City Hall
By STEPHEN A. STONE
It will be police headquarters, but won't look like it.
.That is the desire of City Manager J. L. Franzen for the City
hall annex recently authorized by the city council on the man
ager's recommendation.
Plans for the annex had been completed today by Frank Stru-
ble. architect.
Construction
to be immediate, and Franzen
said that if money is available
he hopes in another year to
build a similar structure on the
north side of the City hall front
steps.
The annex now authorized will
be on the south side of the steps
as previously announced. It
will be 20 by 24 feet.
The present double doors at
the entrance to police headquar
ters will be moved out to the
entrance of the annex. The
doors will be at a line four feet
from the line of the bottom of
the steps, with a marquee four
feet wide overhead. The present
heavy stone wall and arch at the
entrance will not be torn out,
but the arch will be altered and
th wall will form a partition
NLRB Hearing
Independence
Bridge Dispute
Whether the teamsters' union
shall be the bargaining agen
cy for employes of Valley Con
crete company of Independence
is the issue in a hearing being
held Tuesday by Robert Till
man of the Seattle office of
the national labor relations
board.
The hearing is being held at
City hall, with James Landya,
of Green & Landye of Portland,
attorney for the labor organiza
tion and Pat Blair representing
the concrete company.
The employing company pe
titioned for the election. Tillman
said that before the board can
decide the issue it has to deter
mine whether the company op
erates in interstate commerce,
and testimony was being taken
Tuesday forenoon on that part
of the case.
If it is not in interstate com
merce, Tillman said, the board
is not interested. If it is, then
the board may or may not order
an election.
Ma ragon Probed
By Grand Jury
Washington, Dec. 20 VP) A
grand jury today began looking
into the case of John Maragon,
one-lime frequenter of the White
House, who is accused by sena
tors of lying to them under oath
For the grand jury, the ques
tion is whether there should be
an indictment for perjury. That
is a crime carrying a possible
penally of two to 10 years in
jail on each count.
Maragon is the former Kan
sas City bootblack who had a
friend in presidential Military
Aide Harry Vaushan. He has
been accused of lying wncn ne
denied to senate "five per cen
ter' investigators that he never
got any money for handling
business deals with government
agencies.
The first witness before the
grand jury was Gilbert Halasz,
a shorthand reporter who re
corded some of the hearings at
which Maragon made his appeal.
Waiting to appear as witnesses
were Harold Ross, president of
Allied Molasses Company, Inc.,
nf Perth Amboy, N.J.; Milton
Polland. Milwaukee Life Insur
ance agent; and William P. Kog-
prs. and Carmine b. ueiiino,
counsel and accountant for the
senate investigators.
Polland testified to the senate
nvestigatine committee that he
nald Maragon more than $1,000
in an attifrnpt to obtain cancella
tion of an order suspending the
sugar ration of the Allied mo
lasses company.
Diana Barrymore's
Furs Burglarized
New York, Dec. 20 (IP) Rob
prt Wilcox, motion picture ac
tor, was found bound and
gagged today in the apartment
of Actress Diana Barrymore,
daughter of the late John Barry-
more. Police said he was tied
up by two men who ransacked
the apartment.
Police said Wilcox told them
he was alone in the apartment
when two men appeared at the
door al 9:30 a.m. and said they
wanted to leave flowers for
Miss Barrymore, who is con
fined to Roosevelt hospital from
the effects of a fall.
it -
between the new construction
and the present interior with
door between.
On the inside of the annex
the sergeant's desk will be about
ihe center. Other accommoda
tions will be a table for the use
of persons making traffic acci
dent reports, a telephone booth
three desks along the north side
fully covered with filing cases
and cabinets for police records.
The present room where the
sergeant's desk stands will be
divided into three rooms. The
chief's office room will remain
as it is now.
Above, reached by a stairway,
will be a sort of mezzanine with
three rooms.
There will be no movement of
prisoners in this part of the po
lie station.
Truman Back
From Vacation
Looking Rested
President in Fighting
Trim to Do Battle
For 'Fair Deal'
Washington, Dec. 20 VP) Pre
sident Truman returned today
from a thrce-weck Florida vaca
tion, looking fit and rested for
the weeks of hard work ahead
of him.
His plane, the Independence,
landed at National airport about
12:30 p. m. (EST) after a three
hour, 46 minutes flight from
Key West.
A large crowd, including sev
eral cabinet members and other
government officials, turned out
to greet him. He waved cheer
fully as he started to leave the
plane.
He was in fighting trim ex
cept for the waistline to do
battle in congress for his "fair
deal" and stump for it in the
1950 congressional elections.
In Good Health
Tanned, relaxed and cheerful.
he looked in good health in spite
of the "bay window" which ap
parently was of less concern to
liim than to his physician, Brig.
General Wallace H. Graham.
The big DC6 presidential
plane, the "Independence," was
ordered warmed up for a take
off at 8:45 a. m. (EST) from the
nearby Boca Chica airport on a
flight estimated to require from
three and a half to four hours.
Mr. Truman is going down
the line in his "state of the
union" message for virtually
every measure congress denied
him last year.
The measures include civil
rights proposals topped by the
fair employment practices bill
the national health program,
expanded social security and
additional power and reclama
tion projects, among others.
No Turning Back
Aides emphasized there will
be no "turning back" from the
course he advocated in his 1948
speechmaklng campaign and
that he is ready to take the
stump again next year to help
elect candidates to congress who
think along his lines.
Final decisions are yet to b
made on whether to seek elim
ination of war-time excise taxes
and to advocate higher taxes on
profits to offset them and at
tempt to balance the budget for
the fiscal year starting next
July 1.
Mr. Truman has called a full-
scale cabinet session at the White
House for 10 a. m. (EST) Thurs
day to discuss these and other
problems.
Then, he flies to Independence,
Mo., Friday to remain until Dec.
28 to spend the Christmas holi
days with his family.
27 Nazi War
Criminals Freed
Landsbcrg, Germany, Dec. 20
(P) Twenty-seven smiling Ger
man war criminals were freed
today from the U. S. army's
Landsbcrg prison for good be
havior during confinement.
They had served the greater
part of three and five-year sen
tences given them by U. S. mili
tary courts for war crimes. All
their sentences would have ex
pired next June 30.
None was a big-name nazi
criminal. These were the men
who commanded nazi concentra
tions camps, who served as camp
guards or mistreated captured
American airmen.
The oldest was Friedrich
Katz, 60, a former Wiesbaden
policeman, convicted of taking
part in the murder of American
fliers.
Col. Waller R. Graham, the
prison commander, said that 27
others probably will be released
tomorrow. One other prisoner
eligible for release is ill in the
prison hospital.
The U. S. high commission an
nounced yesterday that five top
nazi criminals, convicted by Am
erican courts at Nuremberg, also
will be released. They include
Ernst Wilhelm Bohle, English
born SS general who was head of
the nazi party's foreign organiza
tion.
Colonel Graham, whose home
is in Bozeman, Mont., said how
ever, that he has not yet receiv
ed an order for their release.
Pope on Radio Friday
Vatican City, Dec. 20 (P)
The pope's Christmas message
in response to greetings by tho
college of cardinals will ba
broadcast over Vatican radio at
11 a.m. (2 a.m. PST) Friday, the
- newspaper Osservatore Romano
1 announced today