New Governor Enjoys People,
Shows Ability to Work Hard
Holmes Often
Joins in
Singing
By JAMES I). OLSON
Capital Journal Political Editor
What kind of a man is Robert
D. Holmes, who on January 14
will become Oregon's 10th Demo
cratic governor since Oregon was
given siatenood in 1859 and will
be the 28th man to become chief
executive of the state?
First, he is a man filled with
optimism and good humor, easy
to meet, and one who enjoys join
ing his friends, be they Republi
cans or Democrats, in a rousing
tongfest.
Has Serious Side
Yet he has his serious side, as
has been demonstrated by plain
hard work during four sessions of
the legislature as a state senator
from Clatsop county.
He is a man, who after attend
ing University of Oregon where he
was president of his fraternitv,
Bella Tau Delta, got himself a job
in the advertising department of
a Portland newspaper, then did
tome selling, around Portland.
Holmes then went to Astoria
where he was employed in Radio
station KAST. He performed odd
jobs, saying that sometimes he
swept out, became an announcer,
then a salesman and finally be
came manager.
Joins ADA
Members of his family were all
Republicans and so was he until
1948 when he changed to the Demo
cratic party. While still a Republi
can, he shocked some of his
riends by joining a chapter of
the Americans (or Democratic Ac
tion at the same time serving as
president of the Astoria Rotary
ciuo.
He defended that action by de
claring that the ADA was non
partisan, opposed to communism,
a liberal organizaiton, and was de
voted in Oregon to promoting a
two-party system.
Session after session of the legis
lature. Democratic friends o f
Holmes were amazed that after
castigating Republicans throughout
the day on the senate floor, he
would join them in the evening
for a social hour, always starting
a round "of singing.
Loves to Sing
Tn fact he loves to sing, says
that comes from his family when
back in .New York state where he
was born and- raised, the family
often gathered in the front yard
in the summer and engaged in
singing.
He was a leading singer in the
Astoria Rotary Follies for years
and while strangely for a man
from Astoria he does not fish, hunt
or sail a boat, he loves to kick a
football. He played football at
West High school in Rochester,
N.Y. in 1925, a year before his
family moved to Oregon.
In the legislature, Holmes
greatest interest was education. In
most of the sessions he was a
member of the senate education
committee and he gave strong
support to the Holy report calling
for consolidation of county school
districts and other school reforms.
In 1953 Oregon school teachers
named Holmes Citizen of the
Year and in the recent camnaign
he was given strong support from
a large segment of school teach
ers and administrators throughout
the state.
At Oregon one of his fellow stu
dents was Richard Neuberger. now
United States senator. This friend
ship has continued and Dick gave
his friend Bob a good deal of sup
port last fall. He also admires Ore
gon senior Senator Wayne Morse.
Friend of Patterson
But as an example of his di
versity, Holmes was a great friend
of the late Governor Paul L. Pat
terson. Holmes recently said that
when Patterson was president of
the senate, he called Holmes into
his office and told him he was
placing him on the powerful ways
and means committee.
"Gv. Patterson told me that he
hoped the day would never come,
but if the Democrats grabbed con
trol of the state, he hoped some
one like myself would be governor,
and he wanted me to know what
makes the state tick."
Holmes' parents are Christian
Scientists and although he leans
towards that religion he never
joined the church. In Astoria his
wife, Marie, was a member of
the Episcopal church and he at
tended services with her regularly
at her church.
Born In New York
The governor-elect was born in
Canisteo, N.Y. May 11, 1909. His
father, George H. Holmes, a Port
land stockbroker, died 21 years
ago. His mother is Mrs. Amy C.
Holmes and lives in Portland
where she is employed in the of
fice of a chain food store.
He has three brothers and two
sisters. Most of his family were
and are Republicans His youngest
sister, Mrs. William C. Massey.
Portland is a Democrat and
worked on Holmes campaign staff.
Another sister, Mrs. James V.
Boiling, Portland, is a Republican
and is employed by Harold C.
Holmes, a brother, who is mana
ger ot the Commonwealth Title
company in the Hollywood district
ot Portland.
Brother Unsuccessful Candidate
Another brother, Hal Holmes,
was an unsuccessful Republican
candidate for the legislature from
one of Portland s four representa-
HOW TO COAT THE PILL?
Money
Problems to Overshadow
All Others in 49th Legislature
By DICK HUMPHREY
United Press Staff Correspondent
It's the problem of how to coat
the pill that gives Oregon legisla
tors such long faces these days,
The pill m one y will be the
overriding problem of the 4!)th
legislative asembly which convenes
here Monday.
Insurgent Democrats and Re
pulicans may disagree over who
will break the 15-15 state Senate
tie, but both parties are equally
eloquent when it comes to the
shortage of cash.
Because of the money problem
and the resulting tax problem, the
things to keep an eye on in the
upcoming session will be the things
that cost most in the new budget:
Basic school money, $77 million;
higher education. $44 million;
institutions, $32 million; and build
ing funds $20 million.
Some Tax Due
Both schools and institutions
are under terrific pressure from
the state's growing population and
both have urgent building and
staff needs. The demand for all
state services is constantly in
creasing. The cold facts seem to be that
Unless the present 45 per cent sur
tax on income or some equally
profitable and unpleasant tax is
imposed by the 1957 Legislature,
part of our capital improvement
or education program may go
down the drain.
Take your choice: The surtax,
a general sales tax, a beefed-up
income tax, a state property tax
or a combination.
Gov. Elmo Smith last week sub
mitted a 1957-59 "balanced" budg
et of almost $2fi0 million for con
sideration by the Legislature. But
he was quick to point out that the
budget swallowed whole the
state's surplus of some $30 million.
Holmes To Have Say
Gov. -elect Robert D. Holmes,
who undoubtedly will file a sup
plementary budget, comes to of
fice with the handicap, tax-wise.
of advocating an increase m basic
school support from $80 to $1
per census child. This gives him
an additional $40 million over Gov.
Smith's budget to raise for the
next two years. He may have
other, perhaps expensive, plans.
Both Republicans and Demo
crats say they are opposed to con
tinuing the surtax which was
passed by the 1955 Legislature and
saved from referral to the people
by the implication it was just
"stopgap" legislation.
Walks Out
. mi ;ulr
iisA iU :
1 A . . . . ..J 5
- ?A ;t a; A $
Legislative Democrats also do
not favor a general sales tax. al
though it will undoubtedly come
up again due to recommendations
from the Legislative Interim Tax
Study Committee for a sales tax
combined with higher- exemption
income tax and some property tax
relict.
Possible Referral Seen
Democrats, who will hold the
whip hand in the House, will prob
ably plump for a tax program re
lying mainly on the personal in
come tax. although they have not
made their plans explicit.
Itiey might repeal the surtax
and make up some of the loss bv
hiking regular income taxes while
restoring dependency credits and
personal exemptions from $500 to
SliOO.
They also might consider elimi
nating the 50 per cent personal
property tax offset in the corpora
tion excise tax structure.
But behind all tax proposals
lurks the possibility that the final
plan may be delayed for referral
to the people at the next general
election following the session. This
stems from the fact that voters
in November refused to allow an
emergency clause to be attached
to tax measures.
Long Faces j
Should the Legislature's tax pro
gram be turned down by the peo
ple, it would require a special ses
sion of the Legislature to straight
en out state finances.
A special session might be fore
stalled if Democrats could ar
range a special election on their
tax program while the Legislature
still was in regular session, but
this is speculative.
Where does this leave us?
With faces almost as long as the
legislators'. ,
Control Board
Shifts Meeting
o
The state board of control, which
usually meets on Tuesday, will
hold its weekly meeting Thursday
at 9:30 a.m.. Gov. Elmo Smith
has announced.
One new member, Secretarv of
State Mark Hatfield, will attend
the meeting. The other members
are Gov. Smith and State Treas
urer Sig l.'nander.
Gov. Smith will retire from of
fice Monday following the inaugur
ation of Governor-elect Robert D.
Holmes, who as chief executive
will automatically become chair
man of the board of control.
i 3' X
WASHINGTON Rep. Wayne Hay (D-Ohio) nalkj out of an ex
ecutive (closed) session of the House foreign affain committee on
President Elsenhower's Middle East plan. Hayt denounced the
"secrecy" he said was accorded to Secretary 61 State Dalles
'especially when Mr, Dulles' poller seems to be getting in hot
water." At the time. Dales and Adm. Arthur Radford were meet
ing with the committee, of which Hays Is a member. (AP Wire-photo)
Milwaukie Legion
Post Installation
Slated Saturday
Postponed insinuation of the Mil
watikio Post has been set for
Saturday and district 2 American
Legion members are urged to at
tend. District Commander is Charles
Johnson of Capital Post 9. Depart
ment officers of Oregon will at
tend and the ritual team of the
Rose City Post will be in charge
of ceremonies. Department Com
mander Don Eva and Auxiliary
President Frances Grund are in
charge of initiation.
The Manon County Council will
meet at St"t. Friday and newly
elected officers will be installed.
They are Fred Laucht, Comman
der; Maurice Hammer. Vice-eom-mander
and Essie White, adjutant.
tive districts. A third brother,
Richard Holmes, a Republican, is
employed on the administrative
staff of the Pacific Telephone and
Telegraph company in San Diego.
A half brother, George H.
Holmes, Jr., a Democrat, is di
rector of the journalism depart
ment at Iowa Teachers college and
has served on the staff of the Na
tional Education association.
The soon-to-be First Lady of the
state is a native Oregonian and
was born in Marshfieid, (now Coos
Bay) August 29, 19U to Mr. and
Mrs. Harry G. Hoy. The family
lived in Spokane and Albany for
a while and then moved to Port
land where she attended public
schools.
Mrs. Holmes had a fervant de
sire to be an actress so she fin
ished her education at Cornish
academy in Seattle. On returning
to Portland she played small parts
in plays produced by the Duffy
Players and in the Civic theatre.
But then she met Bob - Holmes
and they were married in Portland
in 1934.
Three years later they moved to
Astoria ana then to Gearhart
where they own a 10 acre tract
on which is situated a modest
house. They have two bovs, Rob
ert, Jr. 21 and John, 18. About
four months ago a baby girl
named Deborah was born to Rob
ert Jr. and his wife Sarah, so the
Holmes are now enthusiastic
grandparents.
New State Officials Greet Each Other
m j ; ;p
' pf u -mm
,. ? . u-J
Evidence that Governor-elect Rohrrt D. Holmes
enjoys meeting people Is shown when he and his
wife greet Secretary of State Mark Hatfield at
Monday's reception following Hatfield's Induction
Into office. From left tn right are shown Hnlfleld,
Warne Nunn, now director of motor vehicles, who
will become assistant secretary of state next week,
the governor-elect Holmes and Mrs. Holmes.
Ends Sat.! Don't Miss If! . . . It's Big!
Just 3 More Days to Take Advantage of Drastically Low Prices on Top-Quality, Famous
Brand Name Home Furnishings. Listed Below Is Just a Few of the Hundreds of Typical
Money Saving Values That Still Await You.
We Urge You to Come . . . You'll Be Glad You Did?
Act Right Now!
Just 3 More Days
. . . Ends Saturday!
See These ixciting
Values Plus Many Others
Equally Good But
Not Listed
Sho
Fri. & Mon.
'Til 9
Daily 9:30 to
Eve
Legislature Members
Start Arriving Here
Chambers Ready
For Coming
Session
As the opening of the 19S7 legis
lature draws near, members of the
senate and house will soon be mov
ing into Salem in force.
State Itepresentative C. Allen
Tom, is the first state legislator to
move here. He has moved his
wife and two sons into a house at
2491 Trade street.
Rents House
He rented the house from legis
lator Guy Jonas who will become
a member of the Marion countv
house delegation next Monday. He
will bo the only Democrat among
tnree otner republican members
of the house from Marion county.
Dunne the past two weeks manv
of the legislators have been in
Salem arranging for rental of
apartments, motel quarters or
houses to be occupied during the
session.
Some years ago the maloritv of
the members of the legislature
came sans wives and engaged
noiet rooms during the session.
But in later years it has more
and more become the custom of
the solons tn bring their wives and
children, placing the later In Sa
lem public schools during the 100
odd days that the legislature is in
session.
Chambers Prepared
At the State Capitol the task
of preparing senate and house
chambers and committee rooms
for tho Iniriclntitra ic ,Mrl,,ll
pleted. This task was started by
lot iut;i ocuieiuiy oi oiaie ,an i,
Newbry and is being completed by
the nresent Seeretnrv nt Slnta
Mark Hatfield.
It is expected that the -00 mem
bers of the 1957 legislature will
all be in Salem Sunday to attend
the caucuses of the two houses.
The senate caucus will be held
in Rmm 300 Ctnln t
p.m. and al the same hour the
hnA nnA..n ...Ml I L.IJ ! It.-
ximi.-i; .(,u.lin will IK UL-IU HI llB
house rhnmhr Pal rwtnln,, l,n,,n
speaker-designate has announced.
Car, Train Collide
LEBANON (Special)-Bruises to
her person and damage to her
car were reported by Nellie May
Kindred, 1250 Airport Rd., after
a collision with a Southern Pa
cific train at the South Second
street crossing at 9:43 p.m. Mon
day. Train engineer was Gordon
Godney of 208 S.E. 44th St., Port
land. Amount of damage was not
given.
PLAIN
FACTS
a
bout
TRAIN
TRAVEL
Let's face it. You can travel higher and
faster. You can also travel slower and, in
some cases, for less money.
BUT. . . for real rest and relaxation and
for more safety, comfort, service and con
venience, take the all new Domeliner,
CITY of PORTLAND, to Chicago when
you travel East.
Timcwisc.whcn the enjoyable minutes
melt the miles like magic, it isn't so far any
more. For instance, you can leave Friday
afternoon and arrive downtown Chicago
in time for Church Sunday morning.
Costwise . . . it's less than you might
i think. For example a Reserved Coach Scat
to Chicago from Portland is only $59.10,
plus tax. Compared, dollar for dollar, with
other means of travel this is actually
"Luxury Living" on wheels. And it's even
less expensive when you take advantage
of I'amily Fares.
You can stretch out and really sleep in
deep leg and head rest scats or, at an extra
charge, there is a wide selection of Pullman
accommodations, from berths to spacious
private rooms. Fach car is completely air
conditioned and has extra large modern
dressing rooms. There is soft, restful music
in both Coach and Pullman cars.
You'll enjoy superb; reasonably priced
meals of your choice in the beautiful Astra
Dome Diner. You can relax with your
favorite beverage in the colorful Domo
Lounge Cars. You'll see America's historic
Western Wonderland at rye level through
broad picture windows or from the exciting
new Dome Observation Cars.
It's true that in most cases you get only
what you pay for. Hut we can honestly
guarantee that Union Pacific's Domeliner,
CITY of PORTLAND, gives you more,
mui h mare, for your travel dollar.
Sec for yourself. The next lime you're
by Portland's Union Station, tell the man
at the gate you'd like to go aboard the
CITY of PORTLAND. You'll see why we
urge you to compare because, when you
do, we know you'll agree that no other
means e travel offers so much.
To secure reservations for the trip you'll
never forget, call
UNION
PACIFIC
C. II. SALTMARSH, General Passenger Agent, 751 Pittoek
Hlork, Phone f'Apitol 7 7771, Portland 5, Oregon
1