Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, February 09, 1950, Page 1, Image 1

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    C aprtall Joiuunn al
HOME
EDITION
62nd Year, No. 34
nterftd 4J wow! tlu
Salem, Oregon, Thursday, February 9, 1950
$S Price 5c
matter t Sl hb, Orecoa
Candidates
Hopmen Told
House Passes
Bill Boosting
For City Offices Beware of Too
Much U.S. Aid
Postal Rates
THE WEATHER HERE
CLOUDY WITH RAIN tonight
and Friday. Little change in
temperature. Low tonight, 35;
high Friday, 47.
Maslaiam yattardar, 4Tl Mlttlmant la
day, M. Total Si-hoar reclplUMon; .04
for nonth: t.SS: normal, 1.63. ftooion pro
olpiutlon, ts.nt normal, 14.38. Rivor
bolfbl, 10.1 loel. (Boporl bj U.S. Weather
Bnreaa.)
File Petitions
Harry V. Collins
Urged to Become
Candidate for Mayor
By STEPHEN A. STONE
Two candidates for city of
fices filed their preliminary pe
titions Thursday. First to file in
the 19S0 campaign was City
Treasurer Paul Hauser, seeking
re-election, next was Elmer M.
Amundson, candidate for city
judge.
Also today loomed the possi
bility that another candidate
may enter the contest for mayor.
Mentioned as a possibility is
Harry V. Collins, who has just
retired as district manager lor
Pacific Telephone & Telegraph
company after 40 years of serv
ice with that company. The re
port is still in the rumor stage
and nothing has come directly
from Collins.
Amundson Files for Judge
Elmer Amundson, who filed as
a candidate for city judge, is 35
years old. He was admitted to
the bar first in Washington, D.
C, in the early '40s, later in the
state of Maryland, and in Ore
gon in 1945.
He was with the CCC in east
ern Oregon in 1935 when he
went to Washington to fill a
civil service post as messenger
for the farm credit administra
tion. In 1937 he transferred to
the department of justice in a
clerical position, in 1942 to the
maritime commission as a prior
ities specialist, and in 1944 to
the bureau of internal revenue.
He graduated from Washington
College of Law in 1941.
Two years ago he was attor
ney for a group seeking a change
in the Salem form of govern
ment, but since has worked co
operatively with the administra
tion. He was a member of May
or Elfstrom's special committee
tudying the feasibility of the
Baldock plan, and is a member
of the Salem housing authority
by appointment of the mayor..
Amundson's Platform.
Amundson's office is at 668
North High street and his home
at 533 Richmond. He has a wife
and three children.
(Concluded en Page 5, Column t)
River Falls After
10.6 Foot Crest
After hitting a crest of 10.6
feet Thursday morning the Wil
lamette started falling slowly at
Salem, the high mark being
far short of flood stage of 20
feet.
Valley folk generally sighed
with relief that melting of the
record snowpack, piled up dur
ing January, had been so grad
ual as to eliminate any high wa
ter troubles at this time.
Fainfall during February is
above normal so far, due to con
tinued showers the past few
days, measuring 2.23 inches for
the first eight days of the month
against a normal of 1.62 inches
for the period.
Forecast is for cloudiness and
lain tonight and Friday with
little change in temperature.
Snow Blanket
In Lakes Region
(By tht Associated Press)
A fresh blanket of snow cover
ed areas In the northern Great
Lakes region today but there
was no severe wintry weather in
that section or in other parts of
the country.
A flash flood spurred the rise
of the already swollen Cumber
land river in Nashville early to
day. Two inches of rain and
hail, accompanied by. lightning,
flooded streets and highways
throughout the city.
The mercury was above the
ceasonal normal over most of the
nation, the weather bureau re
ported. Temperatures over the
northeastern states moderated
after yesterday's sub-zero read
ings and there were no severe
cold spots.
The mildest weather was from
the gulf states northward into
the Ohio valley. The only sub-
lero readings early today were
in northern Minnesota and east
ern North Dakota. Pembina,
N.D., reported -5.
Bull Runs for Congress
La Grande, Feb. 9 VP) State
Een. Vernon Bull said today he
would seek the democratic nom
ination for congress from this
district. The seat now is held by
Lowell Stockman, republican
from Pendleton.
Governor Warns
Against Federal Con
trol, Urges Quality
By JAMES D. OLSON
Too much governmental con
trol over agricultural products,
including hops, will bring even
tual disaster, Governor Douglas
McKay told delegates to the op
ening session of the 4th annual
convention of the United States
Hop Growers, meeting in three
days session In Salem.
Governor McKay told the hop-
men that they, as well as all oth
er farmers should develop mar
kets by producing high grade
products.
"Fifteen years ago the agri
culturists in Oregon came to the
state asking for assistance, the
governor said. "Today we have
entirely too much government
control control of production,
and control of prices."
California Crop Sold
Hopmen from California
Washington, Idaho and Oregon
registered Thursday morning for
the convention. The noon-day
luncheon, with State Senator
Dean H. Walker of Independ
ence, chairman, was the opening
gun of the meeting.
Virtually the entire 1950 hop
crop in California is already sold
at good prices, according to Ev
erett S. Ballard, large hop grow
er at Healdsburg, California.
The welcome extended to the
visiting delegates by Governor
McKay and D. F. Kennedy of
Independence, representing Ore
gon hop growers brought respon
ses from Tom Tanner, Slough-
nouse, (jam., Victor Belair. Mo-
xee City, Wash., and Donald
Batt, Wilder Ida.
(Concluded on Page 5, Column 1)
Keep Indochina
From Going
Saigon, Vietnam, Indochina,
Feb. 9 VP) Clear-cut lines in
the struggle to keep Indochina
out of the communist camp have
Deen drawn by British and
American recognition of former
Emperor Bao Dai's French
backed Vietnam Republic.
The Anglo-American action
this week means to the Indo
chinese that the western democ
racies are solidly backing Bao
Dai against his communist ri
val, Ho Chi-Minh, whose nation
alistic regime has been recog
nized Dy the soviet Union and
Red China.
Considerable popular suDDort
is expected to swing to Bao Dai
as a result.
Bao Dai and Ho Chi-Minh
have, in effect, been fighting for
leadership of the strong univer
sal drive for Indochinese inde
pendence. The regime which
wins the support of the sover
eignty - conscious Indochinese
seems certain eventually of as
suming power over this rich,
strategic country whose popu
lation of 25,000,000 is spread
over an area slightly larger than
Texas.
Liquor Board Agent
Beaten up at Portland
Portland, Feb. 9 VP) A liquor commission enforcement agent
was severely beaten and left unconscious in an ally early today.
Police said they thought it was a gang revenge for liquor law
violation arrests.
The agent, Thomas R. McKelvie, 30, was knocked down and
attacked by at least three and8-;
possibly five men after he had
made a routine check-up of Eva
Hartman's tavern at W. Burnside
and Second avenue.
He lost two teeth, one eye was
closed, his face, shoulders and
back were cut and bruised and
his clothing was torn to shreds.
It was the first serious beat-up
of a commission agert, the of
fice of Administrator William
Hammond reported today There
have been casual blows aimed at
agents in the past during raids,
the office reported, but never be
fore a real beating,
McKelvie and another agent
whose name was withheld by
the commission's enforcement
office entered the tavern for a
check and reported overhearing
one man tell another, "There
will be three of the boys here in
a little while to take care of
him." Apparently McKelvie
was meant. The other agent said
it looks like trouble. Let's get
out of here.
f """" t
jJL:l
4
Gestapo for
East Germany
Berlin, Feb. 9 UP) East Ger
many is to have its regimented
youth and an all-powerful Ges
tapo, just like in the days of
Hitler.
With an unquestioning raise
of hands the communist-controlled
volkskammer (people's
chamber) yesterday passed two
laws which appear to roll the
calendar back to 1933.
One bill creates a new min
istry of state security to direct
a special secret police force out
side the ministry of interior.
This political force is to have
unlimited authority to arrest
and imprison any suspected
enemy agents, spies and sabo
teurs."
The other law virtually forces
some 3,000,000 youth in the So
viet zone of Germany to become
members of the FDJ the free
German youth. They must join
if they want to participate m
even the most ordinary every
day activities, including sports,
certain school work and the
choice of profession.
By the language of the law
the free German youth becomes
a potential gigantic home spy
ring much like the Hitler jug
end in which boys and girls
were encouraged to betray even
their parents if they were anti
nazi. French Collective Bargaining
Paris, Feb. 9 VP) French trade
unions will soon be permitted to
engage in collective bargaining
with employers for the first time
since the outbreak of the war in
1939. By a vote of 451 to 0, the
national assembly last night
passed a bill restoring the right
to bargain collectively.
The agents left, the unnamed
one going to a phone to call his
superiors. McKelvie, Hammond
said, went back into the tavern
for another check, then left and
was followed by three men who
had entered a short time before.
They attacked him, knocked
him down and kicked him, Mc
Kelvie said he thought two oth
ers joined the first three in the
attack.
Police, checking recent ar
rests made by McKelvie as they
sought clues, questioned Jim
Maloney who is out on bond for
illegal sale of liquor at the
Black and Tan club on N.W.
Weilder street Jan. 22.
Maloney said he knew noth
ing about the assault.
Others were to be questioned
and David Warwick, enforce
ment chief for the commission
said arrests were expected later
today.
Hopmen Gather in Salem for ConventionAt top, Herman
Goschie, Silverton, chairman of banquet committee: Everett
S. Ballard, Healdsburg, Calif.; George B. Beitzel, Elk Grove,
Calif; Gordon Hadley, general convention chairman and
Romeo W. Gouley, chairman of entertainment committee.
Below show group of Yakima hopmen; left to right, W. A.
Shoenfeld, W. H. Mill, Jr., member of Washington hop control
board; George Norman; Ed. Scott, also member of Wash
ington hop control board and M. A. Lesh, president of Wash- .
ington State Hop Producers association.
Ministerial
To Discuss 'Stromboli'
''Although the Salem Ministerial
will not be held until February
of ' the Leslie Methodist church
stated Thursday that he expects
the civic and reform committee
nection with the presentation at
local theaters of the motion pic
ture "Stromboli.1
The official board of the First
Methodist church Wednesday
night characterized the release
of the film, which stars Ingrid
Bergman as a "brazen defiance
of public decency and marital
fidelity."
As far as could be determined
few other Salem churches have
taken official action concerning
the matter although several min
isters said indignation had been
expressed by both official board
members and those of the con
gregation. The First Presbyterian church
took cognizance of the situation
by deciding that publicity would
merely tend to build up a per
secution attitude in the minds
of the public which would re
sult in filling the theater seats
when and if the picture is pre
sented.
The resolution adopted by the
First Methodist board sets forth:
will likewise publicly express
"Whereas, for some time the
stench of filth, cynicism and jazz
coming out of Hollywood has
been extremely nauseating, and
Whereas insult has now been
added to this public injury by
Hollywood's announcement of
the release of 'Stromboli' on the
same day of the illicit marriage
of its principal star to its direc
tor, and
'Whereas, this brazen defi
ance of public decency and mar
ital fidelity is abhorrent, shock
ing and degrading to public and
domestic morals, now therefore
"Be it resolved by the First
Methodist church of Salem,
speaking through its official
board, as follows:
"That we condemn this affron
tery to Christianity as well a;
this attempt to glorify and com
mercialize adultery;
"We commend the stand tak
en by our local press and express
the hope that other papers and
organizations in this community
will likewise publicly exprss
their indigation;
"That the management of our
local theaters be and they are
hereby requested to ban 'Strom
boli' from Salem screens."
General Strike in
Japan Threatened
Tokyo, Feb. 9 VP) Govern
ment workers are threatening a
general strike in Japan.
Refusal of Prime Minister
Shigeru Yoshida's government
to grant wage increases precipi
tated it.
Croup
r. .sociatlon'i February meeting
21, Rev. Wesley Turner, pastor
and president of the group,
to call together members of
to discuss possible action in con
Russian Base
In North Korea
Seoul, Feb. 9 VP) A Korean
government spokesman asserted
today that Russia has leased port
areas on the east coast of com
munist North Korea.
The office of public informa
tion said large scale harbor con
struction was in progress at
Wonsan, Chungjin and Sungjin
xne statement added "many
Soviet naval officers and soldiers
are stationed at these harbors.
The announcement recalled
that Russia claimed she had
withdrawn her occupation forces
from North Korea by Christmas
of 1948.
Unofficial reports, some from
confidential sources, have reach
ed South Korea that the Russian
navy has taken over a former
Japanese naval air base near
Wonsan. Ship repair facilities
are said to be under construe
tion. there. A nearby oil refin
ery may be processing crude oil
from Russian Sakhalin island
for the Soviet navy.
Koreans are said to be barred
from both Wonsan and Chungjin
Russia Ahead
In Aircraft
Washington, Feb. 9 VP) An
American aviation expert said
today Russia is ahead of the
United States both in aircraft
production and in the number of
military planes it has in serv
ice.
However, said John F. Victo
ry, executive secretary of t h e
national advisory committee for
aeronautics (NACA), this coun
try isn't disturbed by that sit
uation because it feels that it has
the better planes.
"We think we still have su
premacy in the air," he said, "be
cause of the superior perform
ance and military effectiveness
of our aircraft.
Victory said in a prepared
speech that neither the United
States nor Russia has a practical
military plane of super-sonic
speed. U. S. planes can go fast
er than sound now only when
unarmed, he said, adding:
"We see ourselves in the po
sition of a runner in a race who
knows he It being hard pressed."
Hike Expected to
Yield $130 Million in a
Year Post Cards Hit
Washington, Feb. 9 U.R The
house today passed and sent to
the senate a bill to hike postal
rates $130,000,000 a year.
President Truman had asked
a $400,000,000 boost to help
meet annual post office deficits
upwards of $500,000,000.
Passage of the pared down
measure was by voice vote after
a move to send it back to com
mittee was defeated 217 to 150.
Postal Card Rates
Percentagewise, the biggest
increase is in the rate for post
and postal cards. This would be
doubled, from 1 cent to 2 cents
per card. The post office depart
ment claims it now loses 1.6 on
each of the 3,000,000,000 cards
it handles annually.
The bill makes no change in
the present free rural delivery
service provided for small week
ly and daily papers delivered
in the county of publication.
Neither would there be any
hikes over present rates for oth
er publications delivered in the
county of publication.
For delivery outside the
county of publication, rates
would be raised half a cent per
pound on reading matter, with
zone increases ranging from one
to three cents a pound on adver
tising content.
(Concluded on Pure 5, Column S)
Shanghai Power
Plant Bombed
Taipei, Formosa, Feb. 9 VP)-
Nationalist heavy bombers
smashed the American owned
power plant and the Kiangnan
dockyards in Red Shanghai to
day.
It was the third straight day
of air raids lor Shanghai and
the first of the mass attacks
the nationalists warned 10 Chi
nese cities yesterday to expect.
Two ships in port received
direct hits. One was a 5,000 ton
freighter and the other a 3,000
ton vessel, an official announce
ment said.
Untouched in today's raids
but still , on the nationalist list
of doomed cities were ancient
Peiping, the communist capital,
Nanking; Tcintsin, Hangchow,
Hankow, Canton, Foochow,
Amoy and Tsingtao. All are
centers of population. Peiping,
with its old temples, is the heart
of Chinese culture.
The air and sea warfare and
ground war by mainland guer
rillas also was stepped up by
the nationalists. Scores of com
munist Invasion junks on Liu
chow peninsula, in the south,
were reported sunk by planes
from Hainan Island and nation
alist warships. More activity was
reported from guerrillas in
southeastern Fukien and
Kwangtung provinces and west
ern Slkang province. The latter
is on the border of Tibet. Fierce
aborigines were said to be help
ing the nationalists in Sikang.
Czechs Jail Monastery Heads
Prague, Czechoslovakia, Feb. 9
VP) Reliable sources report that
the heads of two Roman Catholic
monasteries have been arrested.
apparently because they refused
to sign oaths of allegiance to the
communist-led government.
Storm Damage to City
Streets Set at $10,000
Damage to Salem streets from the recent cold spell may reach
$10,000 or $12,000 in the opinion of City Engineer, J H. Davis.
Not quite enough money remains in the budget for the engineer
ing department to meet the expense, and some financial ar
rangement will be necessary to tide over until the next fiscal
vear. starting July 1.
The damage is not as heavy as
last year, Davis said. The reason
for this is that a blanket of snow
lay over the city when the cold
snap came. Last year there was
no snow, and the result was a
freeze possibly a foot thick.
Hardest hit in the city are the
unpaved streets that are gravel
surfaced. On some of these on
the west side of the river cars
have been getting stuck at times.
Glen Creek road has suffered
from the weather quite severely.
On the paved streets the main
damage has occurred where the
snow was removed or was worn
to the pavement before the cold
est spell came. Damage Is often
noted in strips where cars traveled.
"
Resigned Harold F. Am
brose (above) special assistant
to Postmaster General Jesse
Donaldson, has resigned his
post, it was disclosed in Wash
ington. The resignation was
confirmed as the government
opened an investigation into
reports of "rare stamp invest
ment" deals. (AP Wirephoto)
No Decision on
AE Chairman
Washington, Feb. 9 VP) Law
makers anxious to prevent any
slow-down in the nation's ato
mic program expressed concern
today over President Truman's
delay in naming a new chair
man for the atomic energy com
mission. David E. LUienthal resigned
from the post last December and
is scheduled to leave on Wed
nesday. Thus far the president
has not appointed a successor.
And Press Secretary Charles
G. Ross told White House re
porters there certainly will be
no appointment announced to
day. No decision has been reach
ed yet, he said, on who will step
into Lilienthal's Job.
Several members of the sen
ate-house atomic energy com
mittee said in separate inter
views that the AEC chairman
ship is too important to the na
tional security to remain vacant
for any extended time. All ask
ed to remain anonymous.
They saw a chance that Mr.
Truman might name one of the
present commissioners chair
man. '
While the commission Is sup
posed to have five members, the
resignation of Lewis L,. Strauss,
effective April 15, leaves only
Gordon Dean. Dr. Henry De
Wolf Smyth, and Sumner T.
Pike. Pike is the sole remaining
member of the original group
named in October, 1946.
Jet Fighter Crashes
In Flames, Pilot Killed
New York, Feb. 9 (,P) Navy
crews today searched the waters
of Jamaica bay for a crashed jet
fighter and the pilot who went
down with the burning plane.
The missing navy flier, lone
occupant of the plane which de
velooed engine trouble and
crashed into the bay yesterday.
was Chief Aviation Pilot Jack
J. Conrad, 27, of Norfolk, Va.
Conrad's plane was one of
three new Grumman jet fight
ers which took off from Floyd
Bennett field here yesterday
morning.
Witnesses said he was trying
to return to the field when his
engine burst into flames and the
plane fell.
Probably the hardest hit of the
paved streets it Broadway. Oth
ers are North Winter, an old
concrete-paved street, Mission
clear to the airport, Airport
load. South 25th, and some of
the hill streets In the South part
of the city.
The newly-paved streets do
not show serious damage, Davis
said.
Patching crews are already at
work, he said, and will be for
some time to come.
Most of the damage is break
ing or buckling of the pave
ment. Water seeps under the
pavement through crocks, freez
es, buckles the surface and caus
es pot-holes or crumbling of the
hard surface.
Fact-Finders
End Hearings
With Report
Way Prepared for
President to Seek
Court Order
Washington, Feb. 9 U.R The
soft coal fact-finding board to
day abruptly ended its hearings,
paving the way for President
Truman to seek a court order
sending striking miners back to
work.
The board met briefly for 15
minutes this morning, and then
said it felt nothing could be ac
complished by long, drawn-out
hearings.
It said it felt the best thing to
do was to close the hearings and
report speedily to the White
House.
Board Chairman David L.
Cole cut off debate and testi
mony. He told John L. Lewis
and coal industry representa
tives who were present that
they could file by 1 p.m. (EST)
statements of their position.
Report on Week End
Mr. Truman's investigating
board expects to report to the
White House this week end the
facts in the coal wage dispute.
President Truman then can di
rect the attorney general to seek
a federal injunction to return
the miners to the pits for about
80 days.
The board tried late yester
day to get negotiations going
again in the soft coal dispute.
But after nearly nine hours of
conferences which lasted un
til early this morning it de
cided Lewis and the operators
had gotten nowhere.
(Concluded on Page 8, Column 6)
Belt Tightens
On Industries
Pittsburgh, Feb. 9 VP) Indus,
try tightened, its belt today as
soft coal peace talks collapsed in
Washington.
More steel companies an'
nounced cutbacks..
The nation's railroads rushed
to juggle train schedules. Hun
dreds of runs must be cancelled
at order of interstate commerce
commission before 11:50 p.m.
(local time) Friday.
Over the country, an estimat
ed 34,400 workers were forced
into idleness by the coal strike.
The bulk of them are in rail
roading or the steel industry.
These were some of the devel
opments:
1. Inland Steel company at
Chicago said its coal supplies
have dwindled to the critical
point." It announced the shut
down of a second blast furnace.
2. Republic Steel corporation
said it will close one of its
Youngstown (Ohio) district blast
furnaces immediately. The firm
previously had announced shut
ting down two furnaces in Cleve
land. 3. The coal shortage started to
hit small schools. At Delphi,
Ind., -"which has a population of
about 2500, schools were v'osed.
Strike Forces
1st Brownout
Chicago, Feb. 9 U.R The first
"brown-outs" were ordered to
day as the coal strike began
changing the pattern of the na
tion's living.
Meanwhile, President Tru
man's fact-finding board moved
swiftly toward ending the walk
out before its grip on the eco
nomy tightens to a strangle
hold. The board abruptly ended its
hearings at Washington after re
newed negotiations between
John L. Lewis and the coal op
erators collapsed.
The board's action cleared the
way for a prompt report to Mr.
Truman, after which he can
seek a court order to halt the
walkout under the Taft-Hartley
act.
Meanwhile, however, another
strike threat arose. Two unions
representing 250,000 trainmen
and conductors announced here
that members had voted to
"strike if necessary" against the
nation's railroads.
The unions seek work rules
that would mean more pay, but
there was no possibility of an
immediate strike because of
"cooling off provisions of the
railway labor act.
Brown-outs, reminiscent of
wartime dim-outs in some areas,
were imposed at Lansing, Mich.,
and Richland Center, Wis., both
of which reported rapidly
dwindling coal reserves.