Capital
A Join
THE WEATHER HERE
CLOUDY WITH occasional
showers tonight; partly cloudy,
Friday, with few showers and
not quite so cold. Lowest tonight,
30-32; highest Friday, 38-40.
Mailmum ycsterd?, 28i minimum to
day, 28. Total 24-hour precipitation: ,14 1
for month: 7:58; normal, 8.18. Season pre
cipitation, 32.57; normal, 80.48. (Report
by U.S. Weather Bureau.)
HOME
EDITION
62nd Year, No. 16
Entered u second el&sa
matter at Salem, Oregon
Salem, Oregon, Thursday, January 19, 1950
rice 5c
Silver Thaw
Turns to Slush
Flood Threat
On Mississippi
Eased Slightly
Freezing Weather
Adds to Misery of
1 1,000 Refugees
Charleston, Mo., Jan. 19 (Pi
Dynamiting of
No Emergency
Mine Features
In Coal Strike,
Says Truman
President Says
Denham Acted on His
Own in Court Appeal
Washington, Jan. 19 (IP)
Willi Light Rain
Soft Coal Strike
Winter's Worst Mess
Makes Transit
Difficult, Dangerous
By MARIAN LOWBT FISCHER
"It's just a mess." That best
described Salem's predicament
Thursday morning as it attempt'
ed to struggle through the lat
est onslaught of winter silver
thaw, piled up snow and streets
running with slush, power and
communication lines sagging
with an ice covering, shrubs and
trees flattening with the weight
of ice and frozen snow.
And warning came from the
weather bureau the hazardous
conditions may continue at least
until tomorrow, especially with
expected freezing temperatures
tonight to glaze over the slush.
So another "mess" seemed in
the offing for tonight and to
morrow morning.
The general outlook, however,
seemed to indicate that the grad
ual moderating would see an
easing in the snow and ice trou
bles by Friday night.
At 1 p.m. Thursday, with a
drizzle of cold rain, the mercury
was still at freezing, 32 degrees.
Storm Signals on Coast
Forecast for tonight is for oc
casional showers with tempera
tures to be around 30 to 32 de
grees, some showers and slight
ly warmer temperatures, Friday.
Noon report from the Seattle
and Portland weather bureaus
ordered small craft warnings
continued along the coast. Their
forecast is for south to southeast
winds, 20 to 30 miles an hour,
along the coast.
While downtown Salem was
"running over" with slush when
thawing and a light fall of cold
rain came during the morning,
some of the roads leading out of
the city still were sheathed with
Ice. : ' r ;'
All sections of Salem reported
varying degrees of a "silver
thaw' of sorts early Thursday
morning, some sections being
worse hit than' others, although
the weather bureau says the sit
uation is not classified as a
severe silver thaw.
(Concluded on Page S, Column 6)
Highways Still
Held Dangerous
The Columbia river highway
and Willamette highway remain
ed blocked today as dangerous
driving conditions prevailed over
most of Oregon, the state high
way commission reported today.
The Columbia river route was
blocked by snow between Viento
and Troutdale. The Willamette
highway closure was caused by
fallen trees.
Driving was made difficult by
the silver thaw in the Willamette
valley, while packed snow and
ice covered most eastern Oregon
roads.
But the thaw continued in
southern Oregon, where most
highways are bare.
The 9:30 a.m. road report:
Government Camp 3 inches
new snow, chains required.
Columbia river highway
Snow sliding from Mosier to Vi
ento, some delay; closed from
Viento to Troutdale; detour via
Halsey street from Troutdale to
Portland.
Santiam pass Slush, pack
breaking up.
Willamette pass Slush, pack
breaking up.
Silver Thaw Forces
School Holiday
Salem school teachers and pu
pils drew an unexpected two
day holiday when the adminis
tration decided street and road
conditions were a bit too tough.
Decision to suspend operations
came late yesterday when ice
began to form. It is anticipat
ed class work will be resumed
next Monday.
Superintendent Frank B. Ben
nctt states that the enforced hol
idays, now three in number
would not lengthen the 1949-50
school year. According to state
statute, the holidays are declar
ed unavoidable and lost time
will be made up by working a
bit harder the balance of the
year.
The flood threat eased slightly
today along a 181-mile stretch of
the rampaging Mississippi river
in the Cairo district, but freez
ing weather added to the dis
comfort of refugees and rescue
workers.
The flooding Mississippi
which already has forced more
than 11,000 persons from low
land homes, was nearing a crest
at upstream Cairo, 111.
And the U. S. district engi
neer's office at Memphis said the
crest might fall more than
foot short of the stage fixed for
possible opening of the Birds
Point-New Madrid floodway,
where homes of 12,000 persons
are located.
55.29 Feet at Cairo
The last reading gave the river
stage at Cairo as 55.29 feet. The
weather bureau forecast a crest
around 55.5 feet tonight.
Col. L. H. Foote, Memphis dis
trict engineer, said last night the
southeastern Missouri floodway
in all probability will not be
placed in operation" unless there
is positive information a stage
of 57 feet may be expected at
Cairo.
Earlier, he had warned it1
might be necessary to open the
front-line levee and flood the
212-square mile spillway to ease
the flood pressure at Cairo and
other cities along the river.
(Concluded on Page 5, Column 5)
Convict Stroble
Of Child Slaying
Los Angeles, Jan. 19 (IP) Fred
Stroble was convicted today of
the brutal sex slaying of six-
year-old Linda Joyce Glucoft.
A jury of 10 women and two
men, which took the case yes
terday, actually deliberated
about three and one-half hours.
Thus, in only a little over two
months, the state had "captured,
tried and convicted the 68-year-old
shifty-eyed baker who, in a
signed statement said he chok
ed, stabbed, hacked and blud
geoned the little girl last Nov.
14 when she resisted his fond
ling advances.
Stroble also pleaded innocent
by reason of insanity, and will
be tried immediately on the sec
ond plea.
The jury's verdict was guil
ty of first degree murder, with
out a recommendation of leni
ency. This carries an automatic pen
alty of death in the gas cham
ber, but under state law must
be reviewed by the supreme
court.
Stroble was impassive as he
was brought into court. He took
the verdict calmly at first, but
then sat down, put his head in
his hands and burst into tears.
Four bailiffs stood over the
trembling slayer.
Weather Atrocities
Slow Business Down
By STEPHEN A. STONE
Most businesses have been slowed, a few speeded by this spell
of weather.
Among those suffering much
Lines, delivery services, and possibly the general volume of most
businesses. But taxicab companies can't meet the demand for
calls, plumbers have to hustle,
and stores are having far more
than usual calls for winter foot
wear for both men and women.
City Transit Lines is having a
hard time with street bus traffic
the hills south of the city.
Runs were being omitted Thurs
day on Boone road, Browning
avenue, Ratcliff drive, 12th
street cut-off and Fairview ave
nue; and on the South Commer
cial street route on Hansen ave
nue, Argyle drive and Canda-
laria boulevard.
Buses were able to go only
as far as Liberty school on Boone
road and couldn't negotiate
Browning.
With those exceptions, the
company reported, it was cov
ering all routes, but schedules
were slowed.
A result of this, with the re
luctance of people to venture
out with their private vehicles,
or to attempt walking, there has
been a rush of business for taxi-
cab companies. "More calls than
we can take care of," Yellow
Taxi company reported.
Sa-,?Wj t-sLfc-sw iSvi N w. .
Senate Repeals
Tax on Oleo
Washington, Jan. 19 m A
smashing senate vote of 56 to 16
brought almost to a complete
end today the long fight to re
peal federal taxes on oleo
margarine.
Nothing remains now except
to adjust quite similar senate
and house bills and for Presi
dent Truman to sign the final
repeal version into law.
Dairy state senators lost one
point after another in their sen
ate battle to protect butter from
what they called unfair com
petition by an imitation.
It was a victory for southern
senators and others who said a
wholesome food has too long
been unjustly taxed, and that
housewives should have easy ac
cess to the cheaper table spread.
The net result of the senate
voting, which wound up with
the 56-16 decision for repeal
last night, is:
An end, effective July 1, to the
tax of 10 cents a pound on yel
low oleomargarine and of one-
quarter cent a pound on the liri-
colored variety. Federal taxes
retailers, wholesalers and
manufacturers, ranging from $6
to $600 a year, also would be
wiped out.
To prevent the passing off of
oleomargerine as butter, public
eating places serving oleomar
gerine would have to so inform
their customers by posters, and
by labeling or serving it in a tri
angular shape. Also retail pack
ages of yellow margarine would
have to be in a triangular shape.
Oregon Scions Against
Oleo Tax Repeal
Washington. Jan. 19 (tf) Sen
ator Cain (R-Wash) was the on
ly northwest senator voting with
the majority yesterday when the
senate passed the oleomargarine
tax repeal bill by a 56-16 vote.
Sens. Magnuson (D-Wash)
and Cordon (R-Ore) voted
against the re p e a 1 . Morse (R-
Ore) also was against it but pair
ed with Sen. Saltonstall (It
Mass) who was with the major
ity.
inconvenience are City Transit
Plumbers were being called
mainly to take care of frozen or
leaking water pipes. No busi
ness was being turned away, it
was reported, but customers just
had to wait their turn.
Utilities continued to be har
assed. Portland General Elec
tric company reported that ice
on trees had caused large limbs
to break off and fall on power
lines, causing temporary outages
of service. That occurred twice
on the 57,000-volt line between
Molalla and Estacada. On the
Wallace road line a limb fell
across a line and caught fire.
Several instances of trouble on
the premises of customers were
reported, none especially se
ous.
. In front of the courthouse the
magnolia trees were covered
with ice and ilmbs were falling.
Shrubbery all over the city suf
fered and many inquiries were
made of nurserymen as to what
should be done about it.
(Concluded on Pafe i, Column 5)
This Is It An artist's sketch shows how Marion county's
new $1,580,000 courthouse will look. Exterior plans were
approved by the courthouse commission Wednesday. Actual
construction will begin about March, 1951. Pietro Belluschi,
Portland, is the architect.
Final Approval Given
Plans for Courthouse
By CHRIS KOWITZ, Jr.
Exterior plans for Marion county's new courthouse were given
final approval Wednesday at a meeting of the courthouse com
mission. Actual construction on the five-story marble building
will begin about March, 1951.
Before the first spade of earth is turned for the new building,
Russians Stage
UN Walkout
Lake Success, Jan. 19 (W)
Russia walked out of a secret
six-power atomic meeting today
in continuing protest against the
presence of Chinese nationalist
delegates.
The Soviet delegation and sa
tellites are boycotting all eight
United Nations organs in session
so far this year.
The new walkout -has added
significance because the purpose
of the secret talks is to iron out
differences if possible between
Russia and the western powers
on atomic control. The other five
countries the United States,
Britain, France, China and Can
ada already are in complete
agreement.
Soviet Deputy Foreign Minis
ter Jakob A. Malik led his dele
gation from the closed confer
ence room after failing in an ef
fort to oust the Chinese repre
sentative, H. R. Wei, who is Jan
uary chairman.
The atomic walkout came
soon after word was received
here that the Soviet delegation
had boycotted the opening of
the UN trusteeship council's win
ter session in Geneva.
Malik's walkout on the alo
mic conferees was the seventh
by Russia in less than two weeks
of the intensified Soviet propa
ganda and ouster campaign
against nationalist China here.
Seek Wallace
Report on China
Washington, Jan. 19 W
Senate republicans sought sup
port today in the papers of the
late President Roosevelt for their
argument that U. S. policy on
China is based on a 1944 report
by Henry A. Wallace.
Senator Ferguson (R-Mich.)
said the report, written after the
former vice-president and cab
inet officer had visited the far
east, is the framework on which
the administration's "bankrupt
policy" in China is based.
Wallace has said Ferguson is
trying to smear him and the
Truman administration through
the report. In it, Wallace urged
this country to work for a co
alition government in China
and predicted that China's lead
ers probably would emerge in a
revolution. He was critical of
Chiang Kai-Shek, the nationalist
leader.
Wallace is said to have sent
his recommendation on China
policy to Mr. Roosevelt. The
document never has appeared
in the official reports of that
period released by the state de
partment. Wallace gave a summary of
hii report to Senator O'Conor
(D-Md.) at the Maryland scna
tor's request. This was releas
ed to reporters yesterday.
O'Conor said Wallace prompt
ly supplied the summary when
asked, and wrote that he was
surprised his report had not
appeared in the state depart
ment's white paper on China.
Architect Pietro Belluschi must1
prepare an entire set of detailed
blueprints, a job which is esti
mated to take nine months.
The present courthouse will
then have to be torn down, while
county offices are temporarily
located at the school administra
tion building.
Approval of Belluschi's exter
ior plans Wednesday climaxed
a year and a half of planning be
tween the six-man courthouse
commission and the Portland
architect.
Belluschi had submitted two
previous sets of exterior plans to
the group. Both his earlier
drawings were rejected. Bellu
schi's first effort was turned
down completely, and his sec
ond plan, presented earlier this
month, was given back to him
for minor changes suggested by
the commission.
Floor Space Tripled
Having made the changes to
fit the commissions specifica
tions, Belluschi offered his new
exterior to the commission Wed
ncsday, and in only 45 minutes
of deliberation, a unanimous
"aye" vote stamped a verbal OK
on the plans.
fCoiicluded on Page 6, Column 8)
Claim Blockade
Big Success
Taipei, Formosa, Jan. 19 (P)
The Chinese nationalists declar
ed today that the blockade of
Shanghai is a big success and
extended their efforts at the
same time to the south China
coast.
The south coast blockade, ex
tending from the border of In-
do-China east to Yang-Chiang,
150 miles southwest of Hong
Kong, was not as formally stat
ed as the Shanghai blockade, but
the idea was the same.
Nationalist planes dropped
200,000 leaflets over the area,
proclaiming it a danger zone
henceforth, and warning peace
ful craft to avoid it if they wish
ed to avoid "heavy and continu
ous air assaults."
The danger zone includes the
Luichow peninsula which ex
tends out toward the nationalist
controlled Hainan island.
The communists for weeks
have been assembling a fleet of
junks on the peninsula, presum
ably for an invasion of the big
island.
Judge Lafouretle
Sworn In by Lusk
Circuit Judge Earl C. Latour
ctte of Oregon City was sworn
in as associate justice of the su
preme court Thursday afternoon
The oath of office was admin
istered by his long-time friend
Chief Justice Hall S. Lusk.
tiovcrnor McKay, who an
nounced Latourettc's elevation
to the high court Wednesday,
court officials and friends were
present to witness the brief cere
mony.
Immediately after taking oath
Justice Latourette returned to
Oregon City where he planned
to administer the oath of office
to his successor, Ralph Holman,
Oregon City attorney.
.
90,000 Out as Fuel
Situation Grows
Critical
Pittsburgh, Jan. 19 VP) A dy
namiting today rocked a coal
mine in the seven-state strike
of 00,000 soft coal miners and
working digger was beaten
unconscious at another pit. But
this coat' capital was relieved by
cancellation of a scheduled elec
tric power shutdown.
Duquesne Light company,
serving the. Pittsburgh area,
called off plans to cut off- pow
er to 2,000 large and small fac
tories. It said recent coal ship
ments are easing the fuel short
age. The plants will be able to
run until early next week at
least.
A company statement de
scribed the fuel situation as "still
extremely critical." All the
firms mines are closed in the
no contract no work" walkout.
The coal mine dynamiting de
stroyed two giant power shov
els, worth $100,000, even as dis
trict officials of the UMW circu
lated through the coal fields in
an effort to get the strikers back
at work.
No One Injured
The terrific explosion rocked
the Guseman Brothers' strip
(surface) mine in Fayette coun
ty, Pennsylvania, No one was
injured.
(Concluded on Pace 5, Column 5)
Clues Fail in
Big Robbery
Boston, Jan. 19 (IP) Another
clue in Tuesday's $1,500,000 ex
press company robbery evapor
ated today.
New Jersey police discount-1
ed the story of Informant Thorn
as J. Hannifan, 28.
Tho man, who originally gave
his name as Jackie Horrigan,
said he drove the holdup car
and asked for arrest by the Bos
ton police. He was revealed by
Nevark questioners to be a for
mer state hospital patient and
mental hospital orderly.
Hannifan had been drinking
and apparently hadn't been in
Boston in months, a Newark po
lice spokesman said. He had
been questioned on his state
ment that funds seized in the
robbery had been cached nearl
the holdup scene.
From the outset, Boston po
lice Captain John D. Ahearn had
accepted the story with skepti
cism.
Nevertheless, overlooking no
possibilities, he directed a raid
on an empty house in the north
end area near the scene of the
crime and seized 1,000 rounds of
ammunition and a pistol.
Ice Floes Half
Columbia Traffic
Portland, Ore., Jan. 19 (U.R).
The army engineers today said
ice floes in the Columbia river
had stopped navigation between
The Dalles and Bonneville dam.
The coastguard cutter Balsam
was reported on its way to break
a channel through the floes
which extended from shore to
shore.
The engineers said ice had
backed up behind The Dalles
Celilo canal to a height of 30
feet.
" t ' " t ' f , v -1.
'Government Case Weak' After the government suddenly
and abruptly rested its case against him, Harry Bridges (cen
ter) tells reporters that "This case is weaker than any of tho
others in which the government sought to deport mc." Long
shore Leader Bridges is on trial in San Francisco on perjury
and conspiracy. (Acme Telephoto)
Admiral Louis
Denfcld
Adm. Denleld
Asks to Retire
Boston, Jan. 19 (U.B Admiral
Louis E. Denfeld, fired as chief
of naval operations last October
when he backed the "navy re
bels" in the unification contro
versy, submitted his application
for retirement from the service
today.
The 58-year-old admiral asked
with "regret" to be retired effec
tive March 1 and explained he
felt his action was the best thing
for the navy and national de
fense "under the present cir
cumstances." Denfeld, a navy man for 41
years, refused to elaborate on
the reasons for his action or to
comment on the controversy re
sulting from his ouster as chief
of naval operations.
He told a news conference he
had received many civilian job
offers but had not yet decided
which to accept.
Denfeld announced his deci
sion to retire a day atter tne
senate deferred confirmation of
Admiral Forrest P. Sherman to
succeed him as chief of naval
operations a month after he him
self rejected a high overseas
command.
Denfeld said he expected
Matthews to approve his request
for retirement as a mere for
mality." Tydings to Give
Facts on Row
Washington, Jan. 19 (P) Sen
ator Tydings (D., Md.) sought to-i
day to quell a heated new sen
ate flareup over the ouster of
Adm. Louis E. Denfeld with a
promise of all the facts no mat
ter where they hit.
The chairman of the senate
armed services committee offer
ed that pledge after Senator Mc-:
Carthy (R., Wis.) disputed the
legality of Denfeld s removal as
chief of naval operations.
In a blistering 4,500-word
senate speech late yesterday, Mc
Carthy sharply criticized Secre
tary of tho Navy Matthews for
testifying that Denfcld was fired
by President Truman before he
had been legally commissioned
for his second term as top uni
formed officer in the navy.
Tho Wisconsin senator waved
before the senators a photo
graph which he said was a copy
of Dcnfcld's commission signed
by "Francis P. Matthews and
Harry S. Truman" and good un
til 1951. He expressed doubt
that there is a vacancy in Den
fold's old job.
Tydings then withdrew his re
quest for prompt senate action
on the nomination of Adm. For
rest P. Sherman to succeed Denfeld.
F..
k Jvtf
. Si Km I
President Truman said today
that Robert Denham acted on
his own in seeking a court order
to stop the short work week and
on-again-off-again strikes in coal
mining.
Asked at a news conference
whether the NLRB counsel acted
with his blessing, Mr. Truman
said that Denham worked for the
National Labor Relations board
and that it was not his business
to bless or unbless him.
Mr. Truman added that Den
ham had consulted the White
House before proceeding. Den
ham said yesterday that he had
kept the White House informed.
No Intervention Looms
The president told the report
ers that he still feels there is as
yet no national emergency war
ranting his intervention in the
coal situation.
Some congress members have
been insisting that Mr. Truman
ought to go ahead and act with
out regard to the court proceed
ings brought by Denham.
They said Denham's move pro
mised no immediate relief from
a growing coal shortage.
Federal Judge Richmond B.
Keech has set Denham's injunc
tion plea for a hearing on Jan,
26.
Meantime, with his miners free
to work or strike next week,
Lewis kept his plans to himself.
(Concluded on Page 5, Column 7)
Arnold Buried
At Arlington
Washington, Jan. 19 W)-rGen.
eral of the Air Force Henry H.
Arnold, whose long career span
ncd the creation of American
airpower, came to his final rest
ing place today in Arlington
national cemetery.
President Truman headed tho
list of national leaders express
ing America's respects, and sor
row.
The air force, which Arnold
commanded in World War II.
called in more than 100 of its
fighters and bombers to pay an
airmen's farewell to the dead
chief.
Arnold will have another man
who woro five stars for a near
neighbor at Arlington, Close by
on the knoll is the grave of Gen
eral of the Armies John J. Persh
ing.
Arnold, 63 years old, died last
Sunday of an ailment that start
ed plaguing him during tho
strenuous war years and finally
impelled his retirement in 1946
a heart ailment. Death oc
curred Sunday at his Sonoma,
Calif., ranch home. His body was
flown hero in an air force plane
for a burial ceremony reserved
for tho nation's great.
To tho funeral ceremony (3
p.m. EST) in Arlington s amphi
theater were asked, in addition
to the president, Vice President
Barklcy, the cabinet, the jus
tices of the supreme court, the
diplomatic corps of ambassadors,
and leaders of congress with
whom Arnold worked to build
the United States army air forces
into its mighty wartime power.
'Byrnes Can Do as
He Damn Pleases'
Washington, Jan. 19 VP) Pres
ident Truman said today James
F Byrnes is a free agent to do
as ho damn pleases about run
ning for office.
Byrnes, Mr. Truman's former
secretary of state, has sharply
criticized some of the Truman
"Fair Deal" program in a series
of speeches.
When a reporter asked Mr.
Truman for his reaction to
Byrnes' announcement of his
candidacy, the president an
swered: Mr. Byrnes is a free agent to
do as he damn pleases.
That ended the questioning.
Student Starts $50,000 Blaze
Monroe, Wash., Jan. 19 (VP) A
student's efforts to thaw the
frozen gasoline line of a school
bus with an electric plate back
fired yesterday into a $50,000
blaze that destroyed the Monroe
high school bus repair shop and
manual training classrooms.
Supt. Gerald Ladley said tho
fire started when gasoline dropp
ed on the electric plate and exploded.