THE WEATHER HERE
MOSTLY CLOUDY TONIGHT
and Friday with snow late to
night or early Friday morning:.
Not so cold. Low expected to
night, 16; highest Friday, 32.
Mulmum yeiterdar, SB; minimum to
dT, 3 below icro. Total 34 -hour precipi
tation: Oi for month: trxce; normal, .31.
Seaion precipitation, 28.69; normal, 23.05.
Flyer hclrht. 4.3 feet. (Report bj U.S.
Weather Bureau.)
C apital Journal
HOME
EDITION
62nd Year, No. 28
Entered u eeond cits
matter at Salem, Orecoo
Salem, Oregon, Thursday, February 2, 1950
Price 5c
Coldest Wave
For February in
Past 51 Years
Ground Hog Sees
Shadow and Beats It
More Snow Predicted
By MARIAN LOWRY FISCHER
Below zero temperatures
gain! The weather man was
not too popular Thursday morn
ing when he dutifully marked
down a minimum of three de
grees below zero for Salem at
6 a.m. the second time within
two days - local folk shivered
with sub-zero weather. The all
time record for cold here was
recorded Tuesday morning when
the mercury slid to -10.3 de
grees. Thursday was the coldest Feb
ruary day in 51 years for Salem,
the thermometer having regis
tered -3 on February 6, 1899.
And on February 3 and 4 of that
year the reading was -4.
Groundhog Sees Shadow
As if the new blast of sub
zero frigidncss weren't enough
woe, Mr. Groundhog performed,
too. Thursday was Groundhog's
Day, and certainly the funny lit
tle creature had ample oppor
tunity to see his shadow bright
sunshine prevailing as soon as
the sun came up. So, if you be
lieve in the old myth, there will
be six weeks more of winter!
"Some relief is in sight," said
reports from the weather bureau
this morning if more snow and
still below freezing temperatures
are any relief.
Cold, Cloudy, and Snow .
The forecast is for mostly
cloudy skies tonight and Friday
and snow is expected to start
falling either late tonight or Fri
day morning. The prediction is
for a low of about 16 degrees
above tonight. The weather bur
eau reports say the new storm
moving in is expected to be a
"mild" one but they are cagey
In giving any estimate regarding
the expected snowfall, whether
a light one or a heavy fall.
(Concluded on Page 5, Column 8)
Floods Menace
Central West
(Bj the Associated Press)
Heavy rains and sleet dump
ed torrents of flood waters into
the fast-rising Ohio river Thurs
day. Rain and sleet fell from Texas
to New England. ,
Serious flood dangers grew in
Kentucky, West Virginia, Ten
nessee, Arkansas, and other
states. Thousands were home
less. Winter also set new cold rec
ords in the Pacific northwest,
and tied up north Texas in traffic-paralyzing
ice.
Bloated rivers and creeks in
Kentucky and West Virginia
surged out of their banks and
raced toward the climbing Ohio,
rising hourly.
The Ohio hit the 49 foot mark
at Cincinnati during a heavy
downpour Wed n e s d a y night.
Flood stage is 52 feet The Sat
urday forecast is for 57.5 feet,
but the river may go higher.
Four to six days of steady
rains and melting icecaps fed
the Ohio and its tributaries.
In eastern Arkansas 19,570
persons have been forced out of
their homes, chiefly because of
the flooded St. Francis river.
Evacuations continued near
Nashville and Columbia, Tenn.
as the Cumberland and Duck
rivers rose. Heavy rainfall caus
ed a landslide near Petros Ton.
A mile long chip of Frozenhead
mountain virtually marooned a
prison.
Weather relief was in sight in
North Dakota and California.
Oregon Highways
In Fair Condition
Highways over most of Oregon
were in good condition, being
either sanded or bare, state po
lice and the state highway com
mission said in their morning
road reports.
But they expect conditions to
become bad tonight because of
snow forecast for western Ore
gon. The road report:
Santiam pass packed snow,
plowing, carry chains.
Lapine and Willamette pass
packed snow, sanded.
Chevrolet Production Record
Detroit, Feb. 2 (U.Rl Chevro
let turned out 149.851 cars and
trucks last month to set a new
January production record for
the General Motors division.
Early Meeting
Of Emergency
Board Sought
McKay Asks Action on
Purchase Coates Lot
For Parking Purposes
By JAMES D. OLSON
Governor Douglas M cK a y
Thursday requested an early
meeting of the state emergency
board for a discussion of the
purchase by the state of the
Summer street lot on which
Robert Coates, of Portland, plan
ned a seven-story apartment
house.
Coates now has an option on
a lot located in the 1100 block
on Chemeketa street and is
awaiting FHA approval for a
transfer of his commitment from
the Summer street lot to the
new lot.
The governor's plan announc
ed Wednesday of having a state
department purchase the lot, aft
er study, was found not to be
feasible, the goverwu said.
Walsh En Route to Salem
Harold Phillippe, secretary of
the emergency board said that
Senator William Walsh, chair
man, was en route from Coos
Bay to Salem and would prob
ably arrive here some time
Thursday afternoon.
If Walsh approves the gov
ernor s request, a meeting will
probably be held either Friday
afternoon or Saturday morning.
At the last meeting of the
emergency board it was the
unanimous opinion of the mem
bers that action should be tak
en to prevent the building of the
proposed apartment house in an
area recommended bj the Capi
tol Planning commission as an
extension to the present capitol
zone.
Application Still Pending
Suggestion was made at that
time that the Summer street lot
be purchased with emergency
board funds and the property
used for off-street parking for
state employes cars
Folger Johnson, FHA admin
istrator for Oregon, told the
governor's office that Coates had
not yet made application for
transfer of his commitment.
However, Johnson said that he
expected the application to be
filed Thursday afternoon.
(Concluded on Page 5. Column 4)
Slow Thaw to
Free Texas Ice
Sherman, Tex., Feb. 2 (P) A
slow thaw was expected today
to begin freeing north Texas
from the shackles of ice that
held many towns isolated from
all but radio communications.
State agencies, the army, the
Red Cross and telephone cr e w
reinforcements were moving in
to help residents break loose
from the ice caked thick on
phone and power wires and the
streets.
Fifty-four towns still had no
telephone lines working to the
outside. Four had no water
The city of Bonham and Fannin
county were in a state of emer
gency. Signs of a thaw appeared ear
ly today at edges of the ice area,
which stretches from Dallas and
Fort Worth north to the Red
river and is bounded on the west
by Abilene and Wichita Falls and
on the east by Paris and Green
ville. From the interior of that
glittering, cut-off section there
was no early word as to weather
conditions.
The weather bureau said that
even if the promised thaw pan
ned out, it might take several
days to melt all the ict away
from the hardest-hit spots.
W Below Zero Contrasts
With 108 Above in 1941
By BEN MAXWELL
Salem experiences a temperature range of 118 degrees.
To moderate the record chill of 10.3 degrees below zero of
last Tuesday morning turn to back files of the Capital Journal
for July 5, 1941. On that day. at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, the
temperature stood at 108 degrees. Next day it was just as hot
and on July 23, the temperature"
again reached 108 degrees.
Weather bureau records did
not supply nor could old timers
recall another period of such
high and enduring temperature.
Early in the evening of July 15,
a violent thunder storm rolled
up and generated one of the
more brilliant electrical displays
witnessed in this locality. A few
large, warm drops of rain fell
but folks went to bed cussing
Ching Working
To Avert Strike
Washington, Feb. 2 UP) Medi
ation Chief Cyrus S. Ching,
pushing government efforts to
avert a threatened nation-wide
telephone strike, was expected
to arrange a meeting today with
Bell System officials.
Ching returned from Califor
nia yesterday and plunged im
mediately into conferences with
his staff and with Joseph A.
Beirne, president of the CIO
Communications Workers. Ching
said he was "absorbing the
background of the labor dispute.
Beirne has said that 100,000
workers at six Bell Telephone
companies will leave their work
FeBruary 8. . , Another 200,000
would be in position to strike
next month, but the union says
they will be idled anyway, be
cause they won't pass through
picket lines.
The union wants a wage in
crease of unspecified amount, a
35-hour work week in place of
the present 40 hours, a reduc
tion in the eight-year apprentice
ship period, and many local
contract features.
Although the Bell companies
are owned by the American Tel
ephone and Telegraph company,
the bargaining is being done by
the separate units, Beirne said,
indicating that the union has
dropped its fight for a nation
wide contract, at least for the
time being.
CIO President Philip Murray
said in a radio broadcast last
night that he is ready to help
work out a contract if neces
sary. Chrysler Strike
Hits Detroit Business
Detroit, Feb. 2 W) The nine-
day-old Chrysler strike was
making itself felt on Detroit's
commerce today.
The municipal street railway
system announced that 50 bus
drivers would be laid off tomor
row because of reduced patron
age in plant vicinities.
Eighty-five thousand Chrys
ler workers, including about
79,000 in Detroit, walked out
Jan. 25. All told, about 136,000
workers are idle in spreading
effects of the strike.
Chrysler and the CIO United
Auto Workers are disputing ov
er particulars of a $100 a month
pension plan offered by the
company.
the heat and sweltered through
a night at no time cooler than
70 degrees.
Now that today's chilled read
er may be somewhat thawed
by mention of Salem's all time
record for intense and enduring
heat, speaking of a severe winter
experienced here 88 years ago
will be less provocative of goose
pimples.
(Concluded on Page 5, Column 8)
Proposed Capitol Plaza Apartments This artist's sketch
of the proposed Capitol Plaza apartment project, much publi
cized because it is involved in the capitol zone extension, is
furnished by Robert T. Coates of Portland, who will erect
the building. It was to have been located at 555 Noith Sum
mer. If the state will take that location off his hands, and
FHA approval can be gotten for the transfer, the building
will be at 1165 Chemeketa street. Coates may ask for FHA
approval today. Don Byers of Portland is architect of the
building which will cost $300,000.
Salem Brief
Removal Filed with CAB
By MARGARET MAGEE
Ten reasons why discontinuance of United Air Lines service
to Salem would be detrimental to the city and businesses here
and in the surrounding area were given in the brief filed with
the civil aeronautics board this
the Salem Chambers of Commerce.
Plan Reprisals
Berlin Blockade
Washington, Feb. 2 (P) The
United : States is considering
counter measures" against new
Russian transport restrictions
between western Germany and
Berlin, the state department said
today.
A department spokesman ac
cused the Russians of violating
the Paris agreement of last June
which ended the Berlin block
ade of last year.
The Paris agreement restored
an uninterrupted flow of rail and
motor traffic between Berlin
and western zones.
Michael McDermott, state de
partment press officer, declined
to discuss what counter meas
ures might be taken.
During the previous blockade
the western powers retaliated by
putting an economic squeeze on
the Soviet zone of Germany.
McDermott told newsmen the
state departments information
on the present Berlin situation
shows satisfactory food and fuel
reserves and there is no reason
to expect reestablishment of the
airlift at this time.
Weather Hits
Search tor C-54
Whitehorse, Y.T., Feb. 2 (JP)-
Sub-Arctic weather blotted out
most of the search for a miss
ing U.S. air force C-54 and its
44 occupants today.
Only five search planes took
off this morning from the big
Whitehorse air base. It was the
only area along the more than
750 miles of the search route
that was not "socked in" by the
weather. .
A wide scale search has been
pressed for the C-54 since it
vanished a week ago today
The briefing officer told pi
lots to take no risks in today's
foul flying weather They were
instructed to return to base if
the weather in the area took a
turn for the worse. It was re
ported "deteriorating" even
here.
Visibility was reduced to only
about a mile in the Watson lake
area, near where faint radio sig
nals prompted an intensified
search without result.
Air search coordinators re
ported weak signals on the fre
quency used for emergency
calls but also used sometimes
for other calls have been
heard by the T e s 1 1 n lake and
Smith river airways range sta
tions as well as by radiomen on
two airplanes.
on Airline
week by the city of Salem and
The Chamber of Commerce
had a telegram Thursday from
Senator Wayne L. Morse saying
the brief had been filed by W.
M. (Jack) Bartlett with Ferdi
nand Moran of the CAB. Bart
lett, director of the state board
of aeronautics arrived ir
Washington Monday and receiv
ed the brief after his arrival
there.
The brief, written in protest
to the CAB s proposed substitu
tion of West Coast Airlines serv
ice here for United, contains not
only these reasons for protesting
the proposed change but statis
tical information and graphs, let
ters of protest and maps.
Ten Points Listed
Information is given on the
growth of Salem and its indus
tries and a market analysis in
eluded, plus a copy of the Salem
long range planning book.
Contained in the 10 reasons
for protesting the change were
1. Salem is the capital city of
Oregon and the second largest
city of the slate.
2. Salem is the only city on
the Pacific coast United's sys
tem not having another air
line serving the city.
3. Salem is on a direct air
route of United Airlines be
tween Portland and San Fran
cisco and there is no deviation
from the regular course. Also
United's investment in time.
personnel and property and good
will has already been made and
the company has indicated a de
sire to protect and realize
profit on this investment,
(Concluded on Page 5, Column 6)
, fM:tdmmt Mi,,,. .,. . . .
Seconds from Death Five members of the LeRoy VanCleave family left this collec
tion of junk seconds before a southbound Southern Pacific passenger train struck the
stalled family automobile early Wednesday night. The accident occurred at the highway cross
ing just north of the railroad stafon at Chemawa. The impact broke a telegraph pole,
hurled the engine from the frame and delayed the train two hours.
u.y. Ready to
Drop H-Bomb
If Outlawed
President Stands By
Demand for Inter-
nation Control by U N
Washington, Feb. 2 VP) Presi
dent Truman made plain today
the U.S. stands by its demand
for tight international control in-
pections before outlawing atom
ic weapons, Includinp the pro
jected new hydrogen bomb.
Mr. Truman also told a news
conference he sees nn reason for
formal notification to the Unit
ed Nations on his order for the
tomic energy commission to
continue its work on atomic
weapons, including the hydro
gen bomb.
Senator Vandenberg (R.
Mich.), the republican foreign
policy leader, has suggested that
the president let the world know
this country is ready to stop
work on the H-bomb if all such
weapons can be outlawed defi
nitely. Vandenberg said the
president could act through the
United Nations.
Assurances Given UN
A reporter asked Mr. Truman
about that suggestion.
Mr. Truman said he does not
believe a separate notification to
the UN is necessary
Also, he said, he does not pro
pose to use the hydrogen bomb
order as a basis for a new move
on the international control
front.
The president said this gov
ernment has repeatedly and con
tinuously made its position clear
to the United Nations, that it
favors international controls
with rigid inspections.
He said hardly a week goes
by but that such assurance is
given.
(Concluded on Pace 5, Column 5)
Train Hits But
Family Jumps
Five members of a Salem fam
ily jumped to safety by a mar
gin of seconds before a South
ern Pacific passenger iram
struck and demolifhed their
automobile which became stalled
at a crossing about 6:30 o'clock
Wednesday evening.
In the automobile were Mr.
and Mrs. Le Roy VanCleave, 455
Chemawa road, and their three
children. Vision of the railroad
crossing five miles north of here
was practically veiled by frost
ed window glass and the engine
of the auto sputtered and then
stopped with the front end of
(he vehicle on the rail.
Lois, the 11-year-old daugh
ter of the VanCleaves, gave the
alarm while her father was at
tempting to start the engine. He
and his wife, Nora VanCleave,
found the car doors frozen but
kicked them open and Lois and
Nancy, 8 years old, were tossed
out with VanCleave grabbing
Loretta, 3, just before the train
hit the vehicle.
The southbound "Cascade"
was delayed rr.ore tlif.n an hour
and a half while the wrecked
automobile was removed. The
train did not leave the Salem
station until 8:30 o clock, two
hcurs behind schedule.
impact of the trair was suf
ficient to hurl the automobile
asainst a telegraph pole and
ripped the engine from the body
of the vehicle which was a com
plete wreck.
Truman Silent
On Moth Balls
For Mighty Mo
Washington, Feb. 2 VP) Pres
ident Truman declined to say
today whether the refloated bat
tleship Missouri will be taken
out of service.
The president told his news
co.iference that Secretary of the
Navy Matthews has the power
to order the ship into mothballs.
But, Mr. Truman added, he as
sumes the secretary would dis
cuss it with him before issu
ing any such order.
The battleship was pulled out
for a survey of any damage caus
ed when it went aground Jan
uary 17.
Rep. Vinson (D-Ga.), chair
man of the house armed serv
ices committee, and Adm. W. H.
P Blandy, retired commander
of the Atlantic fleet, both have
proposed that the mighty Mo
be replaced by one or two air
craf carriers.
60 Russ Subs
In West Pacific
Tokyo, Feb. 2 (U.R)Russia
has 60 or 70 submarines operat
ing at present in the western
Pacific, Adm, Forrest P. Sher
man, U.S. chief of naval opera
tions, said today, shortly after
disclosing the United States
plans to build up its naval
strength in that area.
"Russia has 270 to 280 sub
marines, and about one fourth
of them are in the Pacific, we
believe," Sherman told a navy
press conference.
. (The Russians recently have
been reported building up a Far
East submarine fleet. Japanese
prisoners of war being repatri
ated from Soviet areas have
placed the number of subs at
about 18.)
Asked to comment on reports
the Russians were shipping parts
overland and assembling the
subs at Vladivostock, Sherman
replied, "it is possible."
Earlier, at a press conference
held by all four members of the
U.S. joint chiefs of staff, Sher
man said the history of two
World Wars shows the subma
rine threat is "very real."
At this conference, Sherman
said the' United States planned
to increase the number of car
riers in the western Pacific to
two and to divert a "half dozen
destroyers from the Atlantic.
Push Economic
Aid for Korea
Washington, Feb. 2 OT With
time running out, bipartisan
support formed in congress to
day for prompt economic aid
to Formosa and Korea.
In the house, democratic lead
er McCormack of Massachusetts
scheduled debate on a far east
ern assistance measure for next
Tuesday, with leaders of both
parties predicting passage.
The bill was cleared late yes
terday by the rules committee,
and was sent to the house in
quick order with a two-hour
time limitation on debate.
It provides for $60,000,000 of
economic aid to the Republic
of South Korea, and an exten
sion of authtority to spend on
Formosa before June 30 what
ever is possible of $103,000,000
in unexpended funds provided by
the China aid act of 1948.
Both China and Korea aid au
thority expire Feb. 15.
Coal Operators
Accept Plan,
Strike Truce
President's Proposal
For 70 Day Armistice
For Fact-Finders OK
Washington, Feb. 2 (P)
Northern and western coal op
rators today accepted President
Truman's proposal for a 70-day
strike truce while facl-findcrs
investigate the coal dispute.
They advised the White House
of their acceptance shortly after
collapse of direct negotiations .
begun only yesterday with
John L. Lewis.
Lewis, chief of the mine work
ers, told reporters he would re
ply to Mr. Truman by Saturday.
He did not say what his reply
would be.
Mr. Truman asked for replies
by 5 p.m. (EST) Saturday and
for resumption of full coal pro
duction on Monday.
Negotiations Collapse
In a statement, the northern
and western operators promised
their cooperation with the fact
finding board "in the hope that
it may find just grounds for a
fair and equitable settlement of
the current dispute."
They said their mines would
be ready for operations on Mon
day. Lewis blamed the operators
for collapse of the direct nego
tiations. He said they wanted
government intervention.
Less than an hour after their
second session began, George
Love, chief negotiator for north
ern mine owners, walked from
the conference room with this
announcement:
"Negotiations with the miners
have been terminated."
(Concluded on Page 5, Column 6)
Truman Evades
1952 Candidacy
Washington, Feb. 2 pP)
President Truman sidestepped
today the question of whether he
will be a candidate for re-elec
tion in 1952.
The matter came up at his
news conference during a dis
cussion of a proposed constitu
tional amendment to change the
method of electing presidents.
Mr. Truman said there is no
likelihood that it will be in ef
fect in 1952.
The senate yesterday approv
ed the proposal to abolish the
electoral college but it still needs
two thirds approval by the
house and ratification by 36
state legislatures.
The president described the
proposal, which would divide
each state's electoral votes
among the candidates in propor
tion to their popular vole, as a
forward step. He said he had
made some suggestions about
the measure which were adopt
ed before it was passed.
A reporter asked Mr. Truman
whether he thought the new
bill "will help you get re-elect
ed in 1952."
The president laughed but
avoided a direct answer. He re
plied that for the information
of reporters he doesn't think the
measure will be part of the con
stitution by the time the next
presidential election rolls
around.
The president also took the
occasion to invite Kcpumican
Governor James Duff of Penn
sylvania to join the democratic
parly.
He did so after a reporter
called his attention to proposals
made by Duff and five other re
publican governor for a party
policy statement.
Dutch Airliner
Crashes, 7 Killed
Amsterdam, The Netherlands,
Feb. 2 (Pi A KLM (Royal
Dutch Airlines) cargo and mail
plane crashed into the North
sea today oft the Dutch coast.
Airline officials said all seven
crew members aboard includ
ing a stewardess have been
given up for lost.
KLM said no traces of surviv
ors had been found hours after
Danish ship founii floating
wreckage of the DC-3, which
was enroutc from Amsterdam to
London.
Bcndctscn Sworn In
Washington, Feb. 2 (U.RIKarl
R. Bcndctscn was sworn in to
day as assistant secretary of ar
my. Bcndctscn, former San
Francisco attorney and native of
Aberdeen, Wash., has been ser
ving as special consultant to Sec
retary of Army Gordon Gray.