Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, April 18, 1953, Page 4, Image 4

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alAJournal
' An Independent Newspaper Established 1888
BERNARD MAINWARING, Editor and Publisher
GEORGE PUTNAM, Editor Emeritus '
Published every afternoon except Sunday at 444 Che
meketa St., Salem. Phones: Business, Newsroom, Want-
Ads, 2-2406; Society Editor, 2-2409. ....
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AN ALMOST FORGOTTEN POET
Sam L. Simpson was born October 10, 1845, ion of Ben
Simpson who came to Oregon from Missouri in 1846 and
was long: a leading citizen of Salem. . His youngest son,
the poet, is today almost forgotten, even in Oregon.
Ben Simpson settled first at Oregon City, then on
French prairie and established a store at rarkersvilie.
He served in the Cayuse war, in the territorial legisla
ture, once kept the sutler's store at Fort Yamhill and when
he lived at the corner of Summer and Chemkeeta streets
in Salem in 1871 was Indian agent for the Siletz reser
vation. He lived into the early 1900s. .
Alfred Powers in history about Oregon's literature re
marks that Sam Simpson's first prominent poem, like
those of William Cullen Bryant and Edwin Markham,
was his best. Beautiful Willamette, or "Ad Willematam"
as Simpson first called it, was supposedly written on the
north bank of the Willamette across from Albany and was
inspired by that vista. It' was first published in the
Albany Democrat. April 18. 1868, just 85 years ago. He
was never able to eaual that creation and told William W,
Fidler yeans later that Beautiful Willamette "exercised
a sort of tyranny over him.
. - .
George H. Hines, pioneer historian, who personally
knew all those that figured in early Oregon history,
writes of Sam Simpson as follows:
"His father was born In Tennessee, March 29, 1818, of Scotch
ancestry. His mother was a granddaughter of Col. Cooper,
a companion of Daniel Boone in Kentucky. Samuel L. Simp
son crossed the plains to Oregon with his parents in 1846.
His mother taught him the alphabet whan he was four years
old by tracing letters In the ashes on the hearthstone of the
primitive cabin In Marlon county In which the family lived.
The first uoema he ever read were selections from worn
volume of Robert Burns which was presented to Simpson's
mother by Dr. John McLoughlin at Oregon City, where the
Simpson family spent the first winter.
"An occasional country school of three months afforded the
only opportunity the boy had for education until he was 15
years old. Then he was employed as clerk in the sutler's
store of his father at Fort Yamhill, a military post near the
Grande Ronde Indian Reservation. Here he became acquainted
with Lt. Phil Sheridan (afterwards General) who gave him
a copy of Byron's poems.
"When 16 years of age he entered Willamette university,
Salem, where he graduated in 1865. Soon afterwards he be
came editor of the Oregon Statesman continuing in that rela
tion until the close of 1866. He was admitted to the bar in
1867, but clients were few and the profession of law not to
his liking and he drifted into journalism."
THE CAPITAL JOURNAL, Salem, Oregon
Saturday, April 18, 195S
SPREADING IT PRETTY THICK
y thick? f
111
WASHINGTON MERRY-GO-ROUND
Ups and Downs for President's Brother-in-Law
Of Simpson's connection with the Oregon Statesman
George Turnbull in his History of Oregon Newspapers
ays:
"Sam' L. Simpson, better known to fame as a poet, was
editor of the Oregon Statesman for about four months in 1866.
His writing gifts failed to save the paper, which his father was
compelled to sell, December 31, to the Salem .Unionist.
" "Sam Simpson, writing his last editorial in the Statsman
on the closing day of 1866, pronounced the paper dead. He
headed the editorial, "Valedictory" and said with a fine lit
erary flourish, unaccompanied by any pride in his achieve
ments or capacities as an editor:
1 " Wlth this Issue terminates the existence of the Oregon
Statesman, the oldest paper except one in the state. Slxeen
years ago the publication was begun, when the present editor
was still puzzling over the mysteries of a pictorial printer.
: "The Statesman is dead let us write on its melancholy
tomb those generous words of the Latin maxim: Nil nisi
bonum
" 'And no further seek its merits to disclose
Or draw its frailties from their dread abode.' "
.
Joaquin Miller, referring to Simpson's poetical talent,
said: "Simpson's 'Beautiful Willamette' is the most musi
cal poem written on the Pacific coast."
' Simpson's poems were not published in book form until
after his death when a sister and sons collected them and
enabled J. B. Lippincott company to issue The Golden
Gated West. They were edited by W. T. Burney who
gave this appraisal:
' "Life's stormy seas have baffled and shipwrecked many a
divine genius who bravely faced the gale with little thought
of anchor as the safe bestowal of his sail; to whom the flag at
the peak was more Important than a strong hand at the helm.
Such a sailor was Sam Simpson, but he has left us many a
beautiful strain of music, caught from the song of wind and
tide; many a picture glowing with the gold of sunset or the
rose of blossoming spring. We who knew htm best, knew he
never reached the achievement that was possible to his talents.
His poems breathe rather of pathos and shadow than of Joy,
for they tint from a mind of times world weary. And we
who know him will judge him gently and prize the treasures
he brought home from many voyages of fancy, in air and sea
and sky."
The late Charles B, Moores of Salem, who knew him
from boyhood, wrote in the "Chronicles of Willamette"
compiled by Professor Robert M. Gatke:
"A more genial spirit than Sam L. Simpson never lived.
Few men who have no enemies accomplish great things. We
believe it is literally true that Sam Simpson never had an
enemy, and yet his poems have furnished to many thousands,
so many delightful hours that his life work may be accounted
a great success. There was an element of tragedy running
through his life and his sensitive spirit received many a shock.
All who had the privilege of his friendship can warmly reach
the sentiment expressed in one of the stanzas of his poem
entitled "Snowdrift."
" 'Oh when the angel of silence has brushed
Me with his wings, and this penning is hushed,
Tenderly, graciously, light as the snow,
Fall the kind mention of all that I know
Words that will cover and whiten the sod,
Folding that life that was given of God,
Wayward may be, and persistent to rove
Restful at last, in the glamour of love.'
Sam Simpson In 1868 married Julia Humphrey. Two
children were born, Eugene and Claude. Neither are now
living. He died in his room at the Old St Charles hotel
in Portland, June 14, 1900, and is burled in Lone Fir
cemetery there.
Simpson's fame was regional perhaps a Penalty of
pioneer times, but his poems compare favorably with those
of many a poet of national fame, especially those of these
doldrum days of poetry.
"Beautiful Willamette," now unknown to most Ore
gonians, should serve as an inspiration i to restore much
of the river's lost charm and beauty. Most of the stately
forests through which the river dashes, have been cut
down and its crystal waters tainted by pollution but tardy
steps are underway to replant the forests and purify the
stream. -
Washington No one In
Washington has had more ups
and downs during the last 14
months than President Eisen
hower's brother-in-law, Lt.
CoL Gordon Moore, U. S.
Army, retired.
Hl ups and downs are uni
que even in Washington's un
stable society. But as of to
day his "ups" far exceed his
"downs," and as brother-in-law
Ike climbed to the peaks,
Colonel Moore was mounting
the hills.
Here, in brief, is the colon
el's success story.
In February of 1952, Col
onel Moore and his attractive
wife, Mike Mamie's sister
were hard put to meet their
monthly bills. They'd recent
ly bought a rather impressive
home and the going was tough.
Thty were even considering
selling their new home for
some ready cash.
At this crucial moment,
however, O. Roy Chalk, head
of the newly organized Inde
pendent Military Air Transport
association, offered Colonel
Moore a $6,800 - per - year
job. He accepted at once.
Chalk assigned the colonel
to handle the association's re
lations with the Pentagon, also
public relations of the associa
tion's 17 member airlines.
Chalk's selection of Colonel
Moore was not exactly an ac
cident. He had been thorough
ly briefed on Moore's rela
tionship to Ike and had hand-
BY DREW PEARSON
picked the colonel over the as
sociation's other candidate,
Maj. Gen. Henry B. Sayler,
tf.SrA., Ret
At this point General Eis
enhower was still in Paris and
even such supporters as Sen.
Henry Cabot Lodge were on
tenderhooks' as to whether he
would return in time to give
battle to Senator Taft for the
republican nomination.
Then suddenly without
warning, on April 23, 1952
two months after he was hired
Colonel Moore was fired.
He received the unexpected
notice from Ben B. Edwards,
managing director of the Mili
tary Air Transport association,
informing him that he and the
other employees in the public
relations office were fired with
two weeks pay.
Within a couple of days,
however, Colonel Moore was
rehired at the insistence of the
association's "Ike will win"
faction led by Roy Chalk.
A few weeks passed, Taft's
strength seemed to be growing.
To many association members,
Taft was certain to get the
nomination.
Again with equal abruptness,
Colonel Moore was fired.
By now the Republican con
vention was only a few days
away and the astute Roy Chalk
retained Colonel Moore for an
other job. He became Wash
i n g t o n representative of
Chalk's own airline Trans
Caribbean. - -
BEAUTIFUL WMLLAMETTE
' By SAMUEL L. SIMFSON
From the Cascades' frozen gorges,
Leaping like a child at play,
Winding, widening through the valley,
Bright Willamette glides away;
Onward ever,
Lovely river,
Softly calling to the sea,
Time, that scars us,
Maims and mars us.
Leaves no track or trench on thee.
Spring's green witchery is weaving
Braid and border for thy side;
Grace forever haunts thy journey,
Beauty dimples on thy tide;
Through the purple gates of morning
Now thy roseate ripples dance,
Golden then, when day, departing,
On thy waters trails his lance.
Waltzing, flashing,
Tinkling, splashing,
Limpid, volatile, and free
Always hurried
To be buried
In the bitter, moon-mad sea.
In thy crystal deeps inverted
Swings a picture of the sky,
Like those wavering hopes of Aldenn,
Dimly in our dreams that lie;
Clouded often, drowned in turmoil,
Faint and lovely, far away
Wreathing sunshine on the morrow
Breathing fragrance round today.
Love would wander
Here and ponder,
Hither poetry would dream;
Life's old questions
Sad suggestions,
"Whence and whither?" throng thy stream.
i
On the roaring waste of ocean
Shall thy scattered waves be tossed,
"Mid the surge's rhythmic thunder
Shall thy silver tongues be lost.
O, thy glimmering rush of gladness
Mocks this turbid life of mine,
Racing to the wild Forever
Down the sloping paths of Timel
Onward ever,
Lovely river,
Softly calling to the sea;
Time that scars us,
Maims and mars us.
Leaves no track or trench on theel
Millionaire Chalk had not,
however, put all his eggs in
one political basket. Only a
few months previous he had
also induced the independent
Military Air Transport associa
tion to buy a thousand-dollar
table at the Democrats' Jefferson-Jackson
Day dinner.
Full of hope, Chalk and Col
onel Moore went to Chicago for
the Republican convention.
Ike won. And Chalk, who
had bet on the right horse, was
only too happy to pick up the
hotel bill for the brother-in-law
of the winner.
Following the convention,
Chalk returned to New York
and his representative, Colonel
Moore, resumed work in Wash
ington.
A week later, however, Roy
Chalk flew to Washington and
made Colonel Moore vice presi
dent of the Trans-Caribbean
Airlines.
In less than six months, Col
onel Moore had been hired
three times, fired twice and
wound up as a vice president.
Today Colonel Moore is do
ing quite well. He's no longer
associated with Roy Chalk.
But he's still in the airlines
business lending money, as a
broker, to the non-scheduled
airlines.
And just recently, Pan
American Airways, the big
gest in the business and the
most expert at lobbying, was
making attractive overtures in
his direction.
WAR CRIMES PROSECUTOR
It isn't often that a man who
sends other people to jail is
welcomed later by those he
(Continued on Pare 6, Column 1)
POOR MAN'S PHILOSOPHER
Our Forces Lacked Lot of
Things in Korea, Hal Says
I lv HAL IOYLE
New York W All soldiers, i supply officers there siway.
winners or losers Americans,
Germans or Russians are
short-changed by their cou
irv In time of war.
They all are given less than
they feel they ought to have
to do the job they are assigned
and want to do.
They hate to pay with their
blood and limbs for the short
agesbut the shortages are
always there, no matter what
country they come from.
That is why the current con
gressional exploration into the
ammunition shortage in iorea
is wryly amusing to more than
one million veterans of that
troubled peninsula.
The whole thing is put as an
argument" between generals
and generals and politicians
and politicians. One group of
generals wanted to take a
chance the other general's did
not, and the politicians who
were undecided how to vote
tte blood and money still
straddle ' the fence and ask
each other:
"Who is responsible?"
But what about the individ
ual soldier, sailor and airman?
How does he feel?
The fact of the shortages In
Korea is beyond question. We
were short of properly trained
infantry, tanks, the right kind
of bazookas, food, clothing
name it, and we didn't have it
there when we needed it at
the start.
The North Koreans put a
tougher, better-trained dough
boy in the field, a better all-
purpose tank to back him up,
and over him they soon flew a
faster supporting jet plane than
America could throw in com'
bat.
The MIG-15 was certainly
superior to the first jet planes
we put into action there. Only
our later swept-back wing jobs
now deliberately tangle with
the MIGs.
Was there an ammunition
shortage in Korea? When the
first two 8-inch artillery pieces
were put into action, a gunner
told me, "We don't have enough
shells to keep one gun firing."
Shortages? Why are Con
gress and parents always sur
prised by them? An Army
represents a nation pretty
closely. If the people are un
ready, the Army is unready.
The boys at the front do keep
steadier morale. How? X
do not know. Professional sol
diers do not know.
Korea to me was a sad repe
tition of Tunisia. Unready
men, not enough armor, poor
er tanks than the enemy had,
poorer planes, no proper win
ter clothing.
I have made three sad re
treats on three different con
tinents with the American
Army in 10 years Kasserine
gap in Africa, the Battle of
the Bulge in Belgium, and a
drawback in Korea.
In each of these campaigns
the American soldier in the
field loyally lost his frozen
arms and legs doing his duty
without warm clothing.
Napoleon lost most of his
grand army besieging Moscow
because he overlooked the
veather. Hitler made the same
mistake. Doesn't the Penta
gon have a thermometer and a
climate map? Why are the
urnrised bv the arrival 01
cold weather, so that tho warm
boots a soldier on the front
needs in December arrive in
the March thaw after his frozen
feet have been cut off in a
field hospital in January?
Shortages? Make no mistake
about it. The American peo
ple for too long have sent their
sons in to. battle with too few
guns, too bad tanks, too poor
planes, and too lousy equip
ment for the Job they have to
do.
The kids are always in short
supply at least at the start I
have seen the first one thrown
into battle try to do a good job
with second-best equipment on
the continents of Africa, Eu
rope, and Asia, for the glory
and prosperity of their home
land. I think it is a bitter waste
of our best manhood. I am
bitter about lt, merely as a
camp follower who went along
with many boys who won t
come back. And I feel it is a
situation that will take more
than blame talk in Congress
to change.
We must somehow learn how
to back up our men better be
fore we toss them into the
red fire of battle. We have to
give them a better chance of
coming home.
buildings are burning and the
Palace hotel is doomed. Mar
tial law prevails in San Fran
cisco and other Day ciues are
being scoured for dynamite to
use in combating the lire.
(Now it is known that early
dispatches over-estimated the
loss of life and under-estimated
the loss of property. The fire
that devastated about four
square miles of the city, to
gether with the i earthquake,
claimed 400 lives. Property
damages amounted to 1500,.
000,000).
(San Francisco earthquake
resulted from a borizontlal
shift of earth structures along
the San Andreas fault and its
pathway extended over a
length of 270 miles).
Jim Run, runaway Chemawa
Indian student detaiaed here
by Chief of Police Howard,
made his escape from the jail
Saturday night by deftly tak
ing the hinges off the door.
Salem 47 Years Ago
April 18, 1906
San Francisco early today
was. shaken by a great earth
quake and the city is now
being swept by fire. A press
dispatch says , 3000 are dead
and that from an elevation the
city appears to be a seething
furnace. Loss will be at least
$40,000,000. Dome of City hall
has fallen, Majestic theater has
collapsed, Call and Examiner
High school news: The De
mosthenes society had its reg
ular meeting Monday evening.
Albert Minton, Orilla Smith
and Winona Savage were ap
pointed a committee to confer
with a like committee from
the Diogenes society about
putting lights in the society's
room. . ' , '
Two old-time Salem livery
stables advertise in this 47-year-old
issue of thu Capital
Journal: Red Front stable, M.
L. Harrod, proprietor, at 271.
Chemeketa street and Club
stable, Prunk & Darby, corner
of Liberty and Ferry streets. .
(A six months' subscription
to the Capital Journal ($2 paid
in. advance) entitles the sub- -scrlber
to receive one of three
books without cost to himself:
Bill Nye's "Comic History of
the United States," Webster's
"School and Office Dictionary"
or Peck's "Bad Boy."
Dean W. C. Hawley of Wtl
lamette University has signi
fied his intention of becoming
a candidate for congress. Stu
dents are signing pledges to
support him. ' '
THE FIRESIDE PULPIT
We Love God Only If We
Realize He Is Our Father
' BY REV. GEORGE H. SWIFT
Rector, St. Piol'a Zplicopal Cburdi
By Rev. George H. Swift
We are deeply impressed
with the things which have
stood the test of time. The
giant Sequoias are awe-inspiring,
not only because of their
tremendous height and girth,
but because they have outlived
hundreds of generations of
mankind, and are still living.
One stands speechless before
these trees as he recalls that
they were flourishing here
when Jesus Christ was deliver
ing his famous Sermon on the
Mount in Palestine.
We are impressed too, by
tremendous power. The earth
quake, the tidal wave, and
even the power generated by
man-made dams fill us with
awe. And when we look about
our universe we are humbled
by the evidence of an omnipo
tent God who plans, arranges,
and manages things. However
we may be impressed by the
evidence of God's power, His
omnipotence, His omniscience,
this is not a particular reason
for loving Him. We do not love
the earthquake, the tidal wave,
the atom bombs, or the elec
tric generating plants. We can
really love God only if, and
when we realize He is our Fa
ther. When we realize this
omnipotent God is our Father,
then we can speak sincerely
of the love of God which pas
seth all human understanding.
God reaches down to every
living soul as an earthly fa
ther would gather his children
about him.-Scripture says, "If
I make my bed in hell, behold
thou (God) art there also,"
much like any earthly father
would be if his children were
in trouble (get them out of
hell).
As a quarrelling family 'Is
displeasing . to an earthly fa
ther, so much more must the
Heavenly Father be displeased
when his great family of all
mankind kills one another. We
must continually beseech our
loving Father to help us re
solve our world problems and
bring peace to all mankind
again. -
1 ... y ,,,.,. ,,,mt y.. J
1 Serving Salem ond Vicinity '
os Funeral Directors kkmi I )lXk IE Jj 1
for 25 Years ' 1
hh Convenient location, S. Commer- ' . IW'.S& f "H0'1'- i
R cial street; bus line; direct route H". v4' 'jV-ClS, J i K
L to cemeteries no cross traffic. VSflv fw'TJ i p
New modern buildingseating VT I vt.-. -.-.SiJ
up to 300. Services within your - aAlnl 1 1
weans. ( nu t. ooia otu. . oomw
. Virgil T. Golden Co.
05 S. Commercial St. FUNERAL SERVICE Phone 4-2237 1
rr-'