WW
Entered at tfae Post Office at Athena, Oregon, as Becond-Claos Mail Matter
VOLUME 47.
ATHENA, UMATILLA COUNTY, OREGON, FRIDAY MORNING, JUNE 11, 1926
NUMBER 24
1
0
CROOKHART WINS
IOWA NOMINATION
Defeats Senator Cummins by
Big Plurality for Iowa
Senate Seat,
Des Moines, Iowa. Iowa republicans
want Colonel Smith W; llrookhart in
the United States senate, and since
he cannot sit in the seat for - which
they nominated him in' 1921, he is to
succeed as the party's nominee, Albert
Baird Cummins, senate veteran of 18
years' service.
By a vote closo to a majority over
all four of his opponents, Brookhart
was returned to preferment by his
party a scant two months after his de
position from the senate in favor ot
Dan P. Steck, democrat, who contest
ed his election in 1924.
Rising for the third time as the
emissary of the party which both in
' Iowa and. in the arena of his senate
activities has disavowed him. Brook
hart's looming figure cast across the
capitol a shadowed symbol of dls-
- pleasure in Iowa at congressional dal
liance with farm relief, of reinforce
ment for the senate insurgent group of
which he became, in less than four
years, a vociferous and valued mem
ber. ;"'
Read out of his party in 1924 by
the state central committee of Iowa
and in 1925 by the Republican senate
caucus, assailed by his colleagues after
: his denunciatiou in the 1924 campaign
of Charles G. Dawes as the party's
vice presideuital nominee and his sup
port of La Kollette lor the presidency,
Brookhart won by a vote approximat
ing the extreme claims ot his ailber
ents. In the democratic race, Claud R.
' Porter, .who is considered tho best
democratic vote getter In the state,
r apparently had a sate lead over his
nearest opponent, J. O. Mrtagh.
RURAL MAIL CARRIERS ARE
TO HAKE WE SURVEYS
The pig surveys made semi-annual
ly the past four years through the
cooperation of the Post Office De
partment with the Department of
Aericulture have been of such in
estimable value to intelligent farm
ers in planning future production and
in marketing current, supplies that
it is desired to make another survey
as of June 1, 1926. V
To the earnest efforts of the post
masters and rural carriers much of
the credit is due for the accuracy of
the reports and high percentage of
returns secured, the accuracy of the
results being borne out by check up
on subsequent receipts at various
markets.
Postmaster Barrett has been in
formed that the Department is very
anxious to lend its support again in
making this new survey, which is of
so much benefit to rural people. In
addition to questions on swine pro
duction, inquiries are included relat
ing to sheep production.
From the tabulations of these re
turns from sheep producers, it will
be possible to determine the size of
the lamb crop raised m each state
and the United States. " Since sheep
production is increasing in most are
as, it is highly desirable that produc
ers have such information as a basis
for planning their current market
ings and future breeding activities.
Questionnaire cards to be used m
this survey are now at the local post
office.
PANAMA CANAL IS
PAYING NICE PROFIT
r . .-
Washington, D. C With anifther
good year's record, in sight, tho Pan
ama canal apparently has reached a
basis that will yield Undo Sam's treas
ury $15,000,000 or-mora each year.
The steady 'growth ot traffic through
the big ditch Joinlug (he Atlantic and
Pacific leads cauol zono officials to
declare that lit . time tho canal not
only will pay for itself hut will rank
as one of the best investments ot the
government. .--..,
The business of the canal has in
creased six-fold since the first fiscal
year which ended Juno .10. 1915, the
net tonnage passing through tho canal
rising from 3,7S2,fi72 to 22,856,151 Ions,
Intercostal shipping now constitutes
almost half the out Ire business.
American shipping has gradually
gained ascendancy In transportation
through the canal.
MYERS SUCCEEDS HANEY
Washington, D. C Jefferson Myers
of Oregon was nominated, by Presi
dent Coolidge to be a member of the
shipping board.
Myers, a democrat, is a resident of
Portland and a former state treasurer
of Oregon.
He was presented to the president
by Senator McNary, republican, of Ore
gon, to succeed Bert 13. Haney, demo
crat, who resigned recently.
Myers, a former state treasurer and
former state senator of Oregon, is a
democrat. He was accompanied to
the White House also by O. L. Price
ot Portland and Phil Metschan, chair
man of the Orgeon republican state
committee. It was indicated also that
he had heavy democratic support from
his state.
Idaho Will Use 80,000 Car Plates.
Boise, Ida. Eighty thousand motor
vehicle license plates for 1927 will be
purchase from the state penitentiary
ot Washington at Walla Walla, it was
announced by Commissioner F, A, Jet
er of the department ot law enforce
ment.
Federal Buildings to Cost $165,000,000.
Washington, D. C.-rSixty federal
buildings Fill be started throughout
the country this year under the auth
orization in the public buildings bill
just passed by congress, the federal
building commission of the treasury
and postoffice departments announced.
The measure provided $115,000,000 for
construction work outside Washington,
and $50,000,000 for buildings In the
district.
HOME DYNAMITED
Percy ' Cane, ex-husband of Mrs
Helen Cane, was held for investiga
tion following the explosion at Cot
tage Grove of a huge charge of dy
namite or powder that wrecked the
home of A. W. Milne and caused the
injury of Mrs. Milne and her daugh
ter. Mrs. Cane. Search started lm
mediately for Cane, who . appeared
late in the moraine and surrendered
himself to the police, although he
stoutly denied any. knowledge Of the
explosion.'. Cane was questioned by
police and was then removed to Hills
boro by the sheriff.
OREGON LAND SETTLEMENT
RECKONS EASTERNERS
One hundred twenty-nine new set
tlers were reported to the Land Set
tlement Department of the. Portland
Chamber of Commerce, cooperating
with the State Chamber, during the
period from February 1 to May 61.
These new residents are valuable
economic units in the state for they
have invested over $375,000. .
During the month of May the
Portland office received signed state
ments from 102 families who declar
ed their intention of coming to Ore
gon bringing an investment oi no
less than $240,000. Thirty-one oth
ers indicated in their letters their ex
pectation to come to this state.
The department operations con
tinue active in. correspondence with
new inauirers as well as with those
who have extended their exchange of
letters over a year or more.
PHOTOPLAY PROGRAM
The Standard opens its week's
photoplay program tomorrow night
by presenting Colleen Moore in "The
Desert Flower," a sparkling western
picture, with a supporting cast of
well known - players. Sunday night
Bebe Daniels comes in one of her
best pictures of the year, "Wild, Wild
Susan." Wednesday night, William
Fox's "The Dixie Merchant," is the
topliner on the program.
OSCAR EDWARDS ILL
Oscar Edwards, brother of Mrs. ft.
A. Thompson of Athena, is critically
ill in a Portland hospital with heart
trouble, and but slight hope is held
for his recovery. Mrs. Thompson is
at the bedside of her brother. Mr.
Edwards is a prominent Odd Fellow,
a member of the Heppner lodge, and
has been a frequent visitor here.
HERMISTON GETS WATER
A settlement has been made by
the Hermiston irrigation district and
the federal government under which
settlers on the project will not have
to pay their delinquent 1923 water
charges at this time. Irrigation wat
er, which was shut off from settlers
has been turned on again. The basis
of settlement is that the settlers
either take the project over on July
V and operate it, or else pay the ex
pense of operating for the remainder
of the year.
- FROM CAYUSES TO FERRY
Bill Switzler, who used to range
hundreds of ' horses in the Horse
Heaven country, north of Umatilla,
has harkened to the call of the fliv
ver, and purchased a $15,000 ferry,
which he is operating between Uma
tilla and the Washington side of the
Columbia. Bill's tub accommodates
14 cars at one time, and it is said
that he is carrying them over in
clusters, and letting the cayuse tame
take care of itself.
FAMILY REUNION
At the home of Mr. and Mrs. W,
J Crabill Sunday May 30 a surprise
reunion was held. Those present
were: Mr. and Mrs. Sid Crabill, He
lix; Mr. and Mrs. Olin McFeron and
children, Portland; Mr. and Mrs. Ray
CHara and son, Weston; Robert
Sleeman, Seattle; Mr. and Mrs. Wal
lace McFeron and children, Portland
Miss Rachael Barnes and Bud Crabill
Pendleton; Mrs. Janet Sleeman and
John Hoye Athena.
BALL KILLS BOY
Sabin Rich, pitching for the post-
office team in the twilight league at
Walla Walla, threw a curve ball
which hit 19-year-old Robert Sum
mers, playing on the Jensen team, in
the head. The boy died as the result
of a fractured skulL Rich has been
coach at Walla Walla high school,
and has refereed basket ball games
in Athena.
-BAPTIST PARSONAGE
Members of the Baptist church of
Athena have purchased the M. L,
Watts home on the corner of Third
and Jefferson streets and will use
the property as a parsonage taking
possession some time this summer,
Mr. Watts will build s modern bun
galow on his property at Fourth and
Jefferson streets. '
ATHENA-WESTON SECTION
ONLY AT NORMAL STNGE
Your Sheep Deserve Attention
INCORPORATED FOR $75,000
The Western Dehydrating com
pany, which has taken over the de-
hvdratinfr plant at Milton, establish
- V "
ed last year by the Milton fruit
errowers co-onerative union, has been
incorporated with a capital stock of
$75,000. Incorporators of the com
pany are Andrew Koerner, Clarence
Young and George L. Buland..
THE ATHENIAN
The Athenian, Athena high school
paper for 1926, is off the press. It
comprises twenty-three pages of ll
lustrations and interesting reading
matter, covering class activities,
athletic events, and matters of gen
eral school interest.
BOYS TO PICNIC
Approximately 250 boys, between
the ages of 10 and 16 years will at
tend the annual Pendleton Rotary
club boys' picnic to be held at Bing
ham springs Tuesday, June 15. For
ty cars have been called for.
BLUE MOUNTAIN LEAGUE
Sunday scores in the Blue Moun
tain league were, Pendleton 11, In
dians 0; Walla Walla 18, Pasco 0.
Inland Empire crop reports would
indicate that only the Athena-Weston
section and the foothill lands of Wal-
la Walla and Whitman counties are
giving prospects of normal wheat
production, and unless rain and cool
er weather comes to the acreaze in
the light soil districts, crop damage
will be general from continued
drouth. . "
On the heavy lands) such as the
Umatilla reservation, Helix, Adams
and the Athena country, the crop will
be normal with from 40 to 60 bush
els an acre harvested. Lack oi
rain last fall did much to cut down
the light land prospects, growers de
clare. Lack of rain kept fall-planted
wheat from germinating and allowed
weeds ' to get a start over wheat,
which resulted in grain being ham
pered in growth when ft did start.
A special review of crop conditions
as wired out of Spokane the fore
part of the week, comparing condi
tions with a month ago for the In
land Empire, are a little less promis
ing, although one good rain in the
next two weeks would. pull the yield
up to the average.
All north Idaho, especially Camas
prairie will have its average crop of
winter wheat. Conditions surround
ing north ! Idaho spring wheat are
still problematical, but heat has not
hurt the grain , there or in eastern
Washington as yet. In nearly all re
gions heat will not materially affect
winter wheat. Eastern Washington
prospects are given below:
In the Marlin region wheat farms
are better, due to rain two weeks
ago, and prospects are good. Last
year the-Ephrata region averaged ten
bushels an acre.
. The wheat crop in Franklin county
promises to be about the same as in
1925. Late sown spring wheat in
some sections will not be cut at all.
Due to several hard frosts in the
last ten days, prospects for a good
crop in Lincoln county ate not fa
vorable. Farmers estimate that the
spring wheat yield was reduced from
a fourth to a third by frost. Rain
within a few days would help the
grain.
Farmers are not enthusiastic over
the wheat outlook in Douglas county.
Snow last winter was light. Less
than an inch of rain has fallen in
three months.
' Winter wheat is heading out and
hard winds the last ten days have
done damage to the growing crop,
Summer fallow has blown and the
sand drifted onto fields of grain. The
winds sapped much of the moisture
from the ground. A good rain must
come in two weeks to assure a mod
erate crop.
Crop conditions in the Ritzville ter
ritory are much better than at this
time last year. Cool weather the last
few days has been beneficial. Rain,
however, is needed badly. The straw
is short and winter wheat is headed
and spring wheat is in the boot.
Estimate by grain dealers is that
f - i" . ;. in "Tins,
;" i
; fiock of sheep give two crept tach ytar Iambi and wool.
As time goes on, progressive farm
ers are placing a higher valuation on
tho variety of sheep they raise and
the care they are given. It is gener
ally realized that a, sheep raiser se
cures two crops per yearthe lambs
and the wool. All indications point to
a well sustained price for lamb and
mutton due to the fact that consump
tion has at last overtaken production
and prices being paid for wool, mutton
and lambs are, even now, most in
citing. Compared with other live stock,
sheep raising provides a profitable
source of cash Income. Early lambs
can be made ready for market by
June and when the wool Is harvested
and sold in June and July, this reve
nue is received at a season when most
needed by the average farmer. There
. are many instances where farm flocks
of sheep have kept farmers out of
debt. In one instance, BO ewes pro
duced 65 iambs which when marketed
averaged 66 pounds at 5c per pound
or a total of 648.37,. The wool clipped
from tho BO ewes averaged a triflo
over seven pounds per head end
brought well over a $100.00 or a total
of almost $800.00 from the flock of
only BO ewes,
Such a harvest, however, is not pos
sible without a return by the owner.
He must lay the foundation by se-,
curing a durable ram and must have
good basic value in the breed of sheep
he is raising.
While there" are more than 40,000,
000 sheep in the United States, only
463,504 ot these are pure red. An
nually the number of pure bred sheep
increase In proportion to the total
number of sheep, which is a favorable
indication, for a continuance of quality
for years tu come. The sheep owner
realizes that only on quality may he
build a permanently profitable busi
ness in sheep raising,
A close study of breeds most suit
able to existing conditions and most
advanced methods of feeding and care,
always carries with it a large divi
dend in results obtained. Your sheep
deserve good attention,
the Asotin county wheat crop, in
gross tonnage for all districts, will
not equal - that of last year despite
that in localities in the Anatone re
gion some fields promise highest
yields recorded there.'
Crops throughout Whitman county
are holding their own against the
continued dry weather. Yields this
year will be less than last.
With summer heat rapidly drying
out sections of central Oregon not
under irrigation, . prospects for a
good crop of wheat are far from:
bright, unless heavy rains dampen
the mid-state country before the
middle of the month.
Winter kill in the Jefferson county
wheat fields was slight. Greatlly
benefited by late winter and early
spring rains, the wheat attained a
good growth early in the season.
Some of the wheat was damaged by
late frost, but this damage was not
great.
North of the Madras country, m
the Tub Spring wheat belt of Jeffer
son county, there is an unusually tine
stand of wheat. Precipitation in that
district was much greater in May
than in the Deschutes and Crooked
River country to the south.
Regardless of precipitation this
month, there will be a good wheai
crop in southern Wasco county, it is
predicted.
Walla Walla district will have har
vest a little less than a normal crop
of wheat this year, according to
present indications, ' the shortage be
ing due to the prevalence of weeds
in the field. A normal crop for thw
country is about 5,000,000 bushels.
Prospects are a little , better than
they were a month ago, because the
growing conditions have been favor
able, cool weather giving wheat a
chance to develop in spite of tho
shortage of rainfall.
Recent frosts have done consider
able damage to wheat and alfalfa
in Baker county, according to Paul
Carpenter, agricultural agent. Due
to the wide Variation in altitude and
exposure, the injury ranges from
very light to reduction of wheat
yield prospects by 50 per cent. In
the vicinity of Haines, a number of
fields of wheat are being turned to
fallow.
' - School's Out
L , , ; ' .- ,: y )
AND THE MULES SAW HIM
Homer Watts attempted to take up
the burden of driving a binder out
on the Watts ranch, for a little
while Monday. One of the mules
looked around when he climbed to the
seat, whispered something to the
other mules in the team, and away
they went pell-mell acroFS the field,
throwing "Ish" off when the machine
tipped over, stopped and took their
time in crossing a ditch, the same as
other mules would have done, ran
again a;.!d stopped short up against
a fence, when they found that Mr.
Watts wasn't in that part of the
field. The binder was cracked up
somewhat.
INSPECTION SERVICE
The State Grain Inspection De
partment, under the State Market
Agent, will soon have a branch in
spection station established at Pen
dleton for the benefit of the grain
growers of central and eastern Ore
gon. The service will be ready about
the 20th of June. With this service
the wheat growers can have their
samples graded in Pendleton before
shipment. It is thought this experi
ment will work out for the advantage
of the grain growers.
MOTHER SEEKS BABY
Karine Williams has- instituted
suit in the Umatilla county courts
seeking the return of her infant
daughter from Mrs. J. T. Thome, to
whom it is alleged she gave tho baby
when it was seven weeks of age.
Eighteen months ago, the complaint
alleges, Mrs. Williams went to Calif
ornia and since that time has mar-
I ricd and is now able to take care of
I her daughter, who was born July 29,
1923.
COMMITTEE OPPOSES
REFERENDUM ON RUM
Wets In Congress Propose to
Fight Enforcement of Law
Hereafter.
Washington, D. C Short shrift was
made by the senate prohibition com
mittee ot the proposals for a national
referendum on the wet and dry issue
and for modification of the eighteenth
amendment and the Volstead act.
Three of the five members of the
committee, . which : recently , held
lengthy public hearings on the meas
ures, quickly adopted a report recom
mending that the bills be indefinitely
postponed.
A report holding that President
Coolidge's executive prohibition order
was of "harmless" legal import and
no more than an expression of policy
was submitted to the senate judic
iary subcommittee studying the ques
tlon. " -
The wets In congress have decided
to abandon their policy of co-operating
with the administration to adopt en
forcement legislation, and from now
on they will fight.
Since enactment of the 18th amend
ment, the wets have staged no serious
protest against the expenditure of
money or advancement of legislation
to enforce the law. Their policy has
been to give enforcement all possible
leeway.
Senator Edge, republican, New Jer
sey, leader of the senate wet bloc, and.
Bruce, democrat, Maryland, his right
hand man, announced that, in view of
President Coolidge's executive order
and the drastic provisions of the pro
posed Goff enforcement bill, the weta
had decided that the time had come
for resistance.
LIVESTOCK EXPOSITION
The sixteenth annual Pacific Inter
national Exposition will be held at
Portland October 30 to November 6,
inclusive. Preparations for the great
est livestock show ever held on the
Pacific coast are under way.
HADLEYS AT PORTLAND
Superintendent O. C. Hadley of the
Athena schools, with his wife and
young son are at Portland, where
they have taken up their summer
residence.
REJECTS COMMISSION:
MIDDY JSARRESTED
' Washington, I).' C The navy ap
peared divided into two camps over
the strange case of Earl B. ZIrkle, the
young Kansan, who startled officials
at tho naval academy by refusing to
accept his commission upon graduation
because he "had no taste" for navy
life.
Secretary of the Navy Wilbur or
dered Zirkle's arrest, and he Is being
carried on the midsummer cruise as a
midshipman against his wishes, while
other members of the graduating class
scattered to their homes on annual
leaves.
Wilbur's order was predicated on
the now established policy of compel
ling academy graduates to serve at
least two years before leaving the
service, by way of compensating the
government for about $12,000 expense
to send a boy through Annapolis.
Those who criticise the secretary's
policy, however, pointed out that he
himself is an academy graduate and
retired from the service upon receiv
ing his diploma, just as ZIrkle tried
to do.
TO PROBE GASOLINE PRICE
Senate Resolution Asks Federal Trade
Commission to Investigate.
Washington, D. C. A resolution
directing the federal trade commission
to investigate the increased price of
gasoline and other petroleum products
was adopted by the scuato without a
record vote.
The resolution, Introduced by Sen
ator Trammell, democrat, Florida, re
quires the commission to report to tho
senate at the next session of congress
whether tho increases were "arbitrar
ily made and unwarranted."
The commission !s further directed
to determine If there are any agree
ments between oil companies to raise
or depress prices or if competition is
restricted by conditions of ownership
of oil properties, refineries or market
ing facilities.
. The resolution is effective without
house concurrence or presidential ap
proval. A majority of tho commission
several months ugo declared an un
willingness to act on resolutions for
investigation!? adopted by only one
branch of conresH, unless violations
of the anti-trust act were involved.
Mouth Disease Is Entirely Wiped Out.
Washington, I). C. Foot and mouth
disease among livestock lias, been com
pletely eradicated in the United States,
and, effective June 10, all domestic
quarantines en foot and mouth disease
will be lifted, Secretary of Agriculture
Jardine announces. ,
r