A BIG JOB, BUT ITS DEAD EASY It would be a big job to tell one hundred people any thing that would interest them in your poods, but its dead easy if done the right way. This paper will tell several hundred at once at nominal cost. NOT ONE DAY CAN BE FOUND in the week but that you do not need stationery of some sort or other. We furnish neat, clean printing at the very lowest rates. Fast presses, modern types, modern work, prompt delivery. Entered at the Post Office at Athena, Oregon, aa Second-Class Mail Matter NUMBER 49 VOLUME 44 ATHENA, UMATILLA COUNTY, OREGON, DECEMBER 4, 1931 STATE CUTS OUT REAL PROPERTY TAX Athletics Take Second Game in Winning Stride American Baseball Players at the Meiji Shrine ,ig.',jn.i mi i lima " ' ' ' " "m"" witwuxwai I t& J :' !J Members of the squad of American baseball stars, including Lou Gehrig, Al Simmons, Lefty Grove and Lefty OTDouL walking from the Meljl shrine at Tokyo, which they visited during their barnstorming tour of Japan. Peace Plans Fail At Portland Meet of Highway Board Elimination First in Oregon History, Saves Four and Half Millions. A Salem special to the Morning Oregonian says the tax levy on real property for state purposes in Ore gon will be eliminated next year for the first time in history, according to announcement made here following a conference between Governor Meier and members of the state tax com mission.. The elimination of the tax next year is made possible, Governor Meier said, by reason of receipts from the intangibles, personal in come, corporation and excise tax laws, repeal of the 1-mill market road tax, waiver of the world war veter an's -mill tax and substantial sav ings in the operation of the various state institutions. The amount of the state levy on real property for this year totaled $4,592,027.91. "The only tax which will be levied by the state tax commission for next year will be the 2-mill elementary school tax," Governor Meier said. "This is purely a local tax, since it is retained entirely by the coun ties for the support of the local ele mentary schools. "The state tax which will be elim inated not only includes the levy made for state departments and in stitutions, but also J;he levy for the state's higher educational institu tions and for interest on irrigation bonds. "The elimination of the levy for state purposes is a goal that the state has long sought to attain. Gratifying as is this achievement now, I want to reiterate emphatically that unless the economy record made by the state is paralleled by similar savings on the part of each- and every political sub division of Oregon, there is little hope for any appreciable reduction in our heavy tax burden. "The truth of this statement be comes apparent at a glance when it is taken into consideration that the total expenditures of the state and its po litical subdivisions aggregate 50-odd millions and that more than 43 mil lions of this gigantic sum are expend ed by the 2755 local tax-levyng bodies of our commonwealth. "I sincerely hope that this splendid showing by the state in property tax relief will prove a source of inspira tion to the local tax committees ap pointed by me, and the various tax leagues which have been battling so faithfully and effectively to reduce taxes in our various municipalities, counties, school districts, road, port and irrigation districts. "During this month the tax-levying bodies will be preparing their bud gets, and I wish in this last appeal again to emphasize the -necessity of slashing expenditures to the bone if relief is to be given our overburdened taxpayers. " ' "Let us in these closing days of the battle for lower taxes renew our de termination to eliminate all waste, extravagence and inefficiency. "Let us make Oregon's tax levy the lowest in the United States and thereby attract to our state popula tion and capital for the development of its rich resources. Bond to Portland Willard Bond, who with his brother Charles, was a member of the firm of Bond Brothers at Pendleton, has accepted a position with Meier & Frank company of Portland, and with his family is leaving Pendleton to as sume the duties of his new position. Bond Brothers were also interested extensively in stock raising and until recently were owners of a large ranch in the Ukiah district. Burns Lumberman Dead . j Edward Hines, noted lumberman of Burns died in Chicago, Tuesday. One of Hines' biggest developments was the sawmill at Burns. There has been constructed a plant patterned along such lines as to make it the last word in mill construction. It is one of the largest plants cutting pine in the Northwest. Hines was engaged in every branch of the lumber industry. Deer Killed by Trains A number of deer have been killed in Meacham creek canyon by trains since the snow fell in the mountains. The glaring headlights dazzle the deer while the engine overtakes and kills them. In each instance the car casses have been turned over to game wardens and the meat given to chari ty organizations.. Wins 4-H Scholarship Outstanding 4-H club boy at the 1931 Oregon state fair, Stanley Green of Stanfield, won the $500 4-H club scholarship awarded by the Interna tional Harvester company at Chicago. The Athletics, Athena town basket ball team in the county league took their second game of the season in winning stride when they defeated the recently organized Pendleton Buicks Monday night by the score of 48 to 39. Athena led at the half, 18 to 15. The Buicks were never in the lead after the first few minutes of play when they started the scoring by tossing a foul. The Athletics im mediately went into the lead by throwing a couple through the hoop and thereafter kept out in front. Crowley and Myrick tied on nine teen for high point men of the eve ning, while Crowin was high for the Buicks with eight. Owing to the cold weather attendance at the game was below fair. Myrick and Taylor lined up as for wards for Athena, with Harden at center and D. Pinkerton and Wayne Pinkerton, guards. At the beginning of the . second quarter, Taylor was shifted to center, Crowley taking his forward position, Hansell substituted for Myrick, and Rogers and Michen er went in for a while, relieving the two Pinkertons. The Buicks lined up a bunch of good material in Hiderman, Crowin, Carden, Kidder and Hatton, ex-Pen-dleton high school stars and two old timers, Greer and Sheppard. The Buicks, with the Pendleton Antlers, the Athletics representing Athena, the K. P. team of Milton, and Bill King's Helix Red Devils, will com prise the Umatilla county basketball league. ihe Athletics play Nig Borleske's Whitman team at Walla Walla Mon day night. The county league sche dule is being made out and perhaps will be received for publication in The Press next week. Woman Coaster Killed While coasting with her 12-year-old son on the Pendleton Main street hill Saturday evening, Mrs. Minnie Longley was struck by a hit-and-run driver and killed. The accident oc curred about 9:30 and the driver fail ed to stop. The automobile was com ing up the hill at a high rate of speed and Mrs. Longley was struck , when she was near the bottom. The vic tim suffered a broken leg, a fractured skull and a broken arm. The car dragged her about ten feet after striking the sled, death being almost instantaneous. A son, 12, her moth er, two sisters and two brothers survive. Forced Down By Illness Captain Hawks, speedy airman, flying to" beat the record between Vancouver, B. C, and Mexico, was forced down by illness in Northern California, Tuesday. Hawks made a landing in a pasture and rolled out of his plane unconscious. He was lifted into a car by a passing autoist and taken to a hospital at Grenada, California. Pilot Wedell of New Or leans, flying the route north from Auga Caliente arrived at Vancouver in 6 hours and 38 minutes, breaking the record by one hour. Cut in Tire Prices Five large auto tire companies have announced price reductions to the lowest levels in their history. They were the Firestone Tire & Rubber company, B. F. Goodrich company, Seiberling Rubber company, Mohawk Tire & Rufcjsr company and the Mas ter Tire & Rubber company. The re ductions, from 5 to 15 per cent, will affect "standard grades of tires." In ner tubes alscs will be reduced 15 per cent. Similar cuts have been made by the Goodyear Tire & Rubber company and the Lee Rubber & Tire company. : Kennewick Cotton . Cotton stalks bearing a goodly sup ply of the fluffy white bolls is on dis play in the windows of Omar Rich, Kennewick real estate man. The cot ton, grown by a rancher a few miles east of Kennewick, has passed an ex perimental stage with him, it was said, and that it readily matures is plainly visible from the size of the bolls.. ; His Last Game Merle Hufford will play his last game of scholastic football in the Washington University-Southern Cal ifornia game tomorrow in the Trojan stadium at Los Angeles, which is also the last Pacific coast conference game of the season. More Mastadon Bones Found Another mastadon skeleton has been discovered near Kennewick, on the south slope of Jump Off mountain. One of the large shoulder socket bones and a common vertebrae bone was found. , Ernest Tatora Dead Ernest Tatom, well known resident of Pendleton, died at Los Angeles, Friday. The deceased was a brother of 'Dwm Tatom. . Demands Made That U. S. Bear Indian Land Tax Hereafter Senator Steiwer's sub-committee of the senate committee on Indian af fairs, investigating the problem of non-taxable lands in Indian reserva tions, closed the testimony in Wash ington with a comprehensive state ment by C. R. Williams, county com missioner of Klamath county and chairman of the association of coun ties, which includes representatives from counties throughout the West ern states, summing up the tax situa tion In Klamath county, Williams said that instead of the taxation without representation "we have rep resentation without taxation," as the Indians vote but pay no taxes on their lands. Williams said there is no disposition to blame the Indians, but a general feeling in the West that the federal government should as sume full responsibility for them, making good to the counties the sums lost in taxation and expenditures made by taxpayers for the benefit of the reservations, such as roads, 'schools and law enforcement. The task ', of the committee is to consider legislation that may relieve counties overburdened on account of Indian lands. Untaxed Indian lands in Klamath county, Williams said, would be as sessed at $18,000,000 if carried at the same rate as private lands. Relief Committee Busy The relief committee in Athena con tinues active and is ready to lend aid to any who need assistance. Several cases have been investigated and help ed during the past week. The Good Time dancing club . gave a benefit dance Thanksgiving night and about $15.00 was added to the fund. At the next dance a box will be provided in which members may place gifts of clothing and supplies. The clothing will be turned over to the sewing committee to be made over for needy children, and it is hoped there will be a hearty response. Charles Crowley Dead , Charles Crowley, a farmer for 40 years in this county, died Thursday night of last week at St. Anthony's hospital, of heart disease. Mr. Crow ley was born in Ireland and came to America when a boy. He is survived by his widow and one son Joe Crow ley of this city and one grandson, Arthur Crowley, two stepchildren Walter Redford and Mrs. Pete Hung. Funeral services were held Saturday at St. Andrews Mission. Parrot Disease Again A suspicion that psittacosis, the so called "parrot disease," may have been responsible for two deaths and the serious illness of three other per sons at Portland recently, caused city health officers to ask for a complete report on the disease from the na tional public health service, and for a supply of the virus of psittacosis for checking purposes. ,. Poisoned Food It is tbought either home-smoked salmon or home-canned fruit caused the deaths of Mrs. St. Louis and son Harold at their home near Newport, Tuesday. The fact that the family cat also died, strengthens this belief by the authorities, although the fath er and another son did not become ill after partaking of the food at meal time. Leaves For Spokane Mr. and Mrs. Lowell Rush, who have been leasing the Martha Rush place east of Helix, have left for Spokane, where they will reside. Mr. Rush was formerly in the employ of the Goodyear Rubber company and expects to to with them again. Velton Read Wins Rod I With 22 Inch Trout Velton Read's 22 inch fcolly Var den trout, caught last -Summer in the creek running out of Langdpn Lake, won the $27.50 Craftsman Bea verkill prize fishing rod offered by Rogers & Goodman for the longest trout caught during the open season and displayed at their store. The contest by stipulation is limit ed to fishermen residing in the Athena-Adams-Weston district. Last year, Arthur Jenkins won the prize rod with a Rainbow trout caught in the Umatilla river, near Thorn Hollow and the year previous, John Hager, a forest ranger took the rod with a Dolly Varden in Mill Creek. This year's prize rod was the king of all others heretofore offered. It came from the home of the Crafts man tackle product at Caldwell, Ida ho, and during the season was on dis play at the Rogers & Goodman hard ware store in this city. Cold Snap Eases Up, Higher Temperature The cold snap over the week-end following the snowfall preceding Thanksgiving has eased into higher temperature with rains west of the Cascades and snow over the higher elevations. During the cold wave, thermomet ers in Athena registered close to the zero mark during the night on three occasions. The ground is frozen here to the depth of a couple of inches or more under a cover of three inches of snow. The snow is welcomed alike by grain grower and stockman as it greatly stimulates the prospects for moisture to freshen field and range. A considerable depth of new snow is reported to have fallen during the week in the Blue Mountains. It is said in the Langdon Lake district snow has reached a depth of over four feet, and is packing solid. With early beginning of winter, it is ex pected that considerable more snow will be added, and by mountain folk it is estimated that the deepest snow for a number of seasons . past is probable. ' Water sources, including springs and streams promise to be given new strength with the storage of moisture reserve left by melting snow in the late spring. Many Needy Are Aided The Pendleton emergency relief bu reau reports that 23 families were given assistance the first of this week, while the Salavation Army branch re ported that during November 1837 people, local and transient, were car ed for with clothing, food or shelter. Nine hundred and forty-nine tran sients were fed by the Army. Revamped Husky Team . Revamped, rejuvenated and well rested, the University of Washington football squad left Seattle for Los Angeles Tuesday to meet the Univer sity of Southern California Saturday in the last Pacific Coast conference game of the season. ; - Chains on Slick Roads Slick condition of the highway, caused by sleet, necessitates using chains for safety by autoists. The highway maintenance crew has de posited fine crushed rock on a num ber of the sharp curves. , The Largest Barge The largest barge which ever was taken into Celilo canal left for Port land Monday after spending a week at Dillon loading 250 tons of scrap iron assembled from up-river points. The barge was towd by two Diesel tug. - Food Is Shipped From Oregon to Assist Mon tana Farmer Families Santa Claus' first full car lot shio ment of Christmas "eats" sent from Oregon left Salem Tuesday. Max Gehlhar, director of agriculture, an nounced the shipment was sent to Flaxville, Mont., for relief in that dis trict, by the Farmers Union locals of Polk, Marion, Yamhill, Linn and Lane counties. Forty thousand pounds of food as a Christmas present to the members of the Farmers Union at Flaxville was contained in the carload, Gehlhar announced. Included in the shipment were $235 worth of dried prunes. Many members contributed cash to ward the shipment, which was used to purchase prunes. The freight on the shipment will be contributed by other unions over the country. The list of articles shipped includ ed 200 sacks dried prunes, 117 sacks dried apples, 100 sacks of potatoes, 24 boxes apples, 19 sacks onions, 1 sack bsets, 20 sacks squash, 5 sacks pumpkins, 3 sacks corn (shelled), 7 gallons honey, 5 boxes squash, 8 sacks carrots, 8 sacks dry beans, 30 sacks flour, 6 boxes canned foods and 500 pounds seed oats. A car of apples is being shipped this week from Elgin, Or., to Glen dive, Mont. This car has been donat ed by W. M. Weatherspoon of Elgin to the Farmers Union. It is expected that another car will be shipped from Milton-Freewater next week to Syd ney, Mont. ,to be donated by apple shippers at that place. Still another car is being shipped next week to the drouth-stricken areas of Montana by Farmers Union members of Columbia county. Counties Remit Taxes Every county remitted its share of the state tax within the time limit specified by law, State Treasurer Hol man announced. Total collections of last-half taxes for 1931 were $2,296, 313.86. Of this amount, $1,452,443.42 was the state general tax, $562, 580.33 was the 1-mill market road tax and $281,290..01 was for the -mill soldiers' bonus tax. Helix Team Organized - The Helix town basketball team has perfected organization and has scheduled games with Whitman col lege and the Pendleton Antlers. The Helix players, under coaching of Bill King, put up an excellent brand of basketball last season and the pre vious year, when they met teams from Portland and the Columbia river towns. River Development Holding that Columbia river de velopment must be based upon choice of a program designed for the bene fit of the people the project will serve, a statement prepared for the Umatil la Rapids association by George C. Baer, secretary, was approved by Governor Meier recently. Heard Farmer Brown A number of Athena famers attend ed the meeting at Pendleton yester day, which was addressed by Farmer Brown of the Farm Board. Brown addressed a meeting of farmers at Walla Walla, Wednesday afternoon. Saddle Factory Burns A loss of $150,000 was sustained by the owners when the Sternberg sad dle factory burned at Albany Sun day night. Fifty men are thrown out of employment Chain Store Tax Upheld The supreme court upheld another chain store tax in deciding that the Virginia license tax on distributing warehouses operated by the chains was valid, , S Responding to a call from Gover nor Meier, the members of the state highway commission held a brief con ference with him at the quarters of the governor at the Benson hotel. . The meeting lasted about an hour. It was understood that the confer ence was for the purpose of restoring harmony between Commissioner Spaulding on the ona hand and Chairman Ainsworth and . Commis sioner Hanley on the other. The at titude of the commissioners after the conference was over indicated that if this was the object it was not accom plished. "We talked things over," said Spaulding, "and that was all." Other matters reported to have been discussed were the widening of the Pacific highway between New Era and Salem, where it should be made a 30 or 20 foot road, and the appointment of a successor to Chief Engineer Klein. Although he voted for reappoint ment of Klein a few months ago, Spaulding is said to be still working to obtain his removal and bring about appointment of C. C. Kelley of Klam ath Falls who was formerly oh the engineering staff of the state high way department. Picked a Crow With Us Ernest Haney was in town from his ranch Wednesday and called at The Press office to "pick a crow" with one of our reporters. Ernest said he want ed it to be known that Athena Odd Fellows were not dead and that he believed the lodge still owned a half interest in the K. P.-I. O. O. F. hall but that no one reading the account of redecorating the hall in last week's Press, would know it. Okey, Ernest, the reporter is herewith corrected. Court Appoints E. B. Casteel The county court has appointed E. B. Casteel county clerk to fill the va cancy caused by the death of R. T. Brown, who was for many years in that office. Mr. Casteel formally took over the duties of the office Saturday morning. Mr. Casteel was formerly a resident of Pilot Rock, is a republican and once served as chairman of the county central committee. Lately ho has been conducting a store at Meacham. Ready for Christmas Trade With only eighteen shopping days until Christmas, Gordon Watkins is making preparations to accommodate the home holiday trade. The Watkins Pharmacy already is beginning to display varied lines of holiday goods suitable for presents. While there is a fine assortment of children's toys, the stock in the main leans toward the practical side more than has been customary in the past. Widow of Lion's Victim Accompanied by Gus Peret, Mrs. William Herren, widow of the hunter killed in Africa by a lion has arrived in New York en route home. Herren, an expert with the lasso, was holding a lion at bay while Peret was taking pictures of the enraged beast. The lion charged and mauled the Aberdeen man, causing his death. Peret is known in Athena as an expert shot. He formerly represented the Peters Cartridge company, and visited Athe na in that capacity. Paroled Convict Sought Frank Palow, paroled murderer from Walla Walla, is sought by New York authorities as a suspect in the conspiracy murder of Benjamin P. Collings in Long Island Sound last summer. Pictures of Palow have been sent from Walla Walla to be shown to Mrs. Collings to see if she can recog nize him as one of the men she claims were in a boat which they took from her husband's yacht. Whitman Won, 7-0 Nig Borleske's Whitman Mission aries are winners of the Northwest conference football championship. On Thanksgiving Day they defeated the Willamette Bearcats on a snow-covered field, 7 to 0. And they did it wearing mittens. Chuck DeVange, playing end, will captain the team next year. Will Go to Hospital Vic Harris has improved so that he is able to bo moved from his home in Athena to a hospital. He will be tak en to St. Anthony's hospital at Pen dleton, probably Sunday. The patient continues to show improvement, al though his left arm remains useless as a result of the paralytic stroke he suffered several weeks ago. Student Flier Crashes Keith Smith, 16, student aviator, son of Roy E. Smith, of Salem, was killed instantly at Roseburg Tuesday afternoon when his plane went into a tailspin and crashed on the municipal airport. The plane nosed over, crush ing its pilot. Smith was alone in the plane, - BOTH FAVORING A DRY LAW VOTE Movement for Congression al Action Gains Speed; Poll Doubtful. Washington. The "movement for a " vote in congress tnis winter on tne dry laws gained powerful momentum in both parties Wednesday. ' Among politicians its effect on the 1932 presidential campaign , was of prime importance. Whether a defeat of a modification or resubmission bill would tend to make the Republican party "wetter" or "dryer" was given serious consideration. , v Republican Senate Floor Leader James E. Watson announced he would do nothing to prevent a senate vote on prohibition, no matter in what form it should arise. Senator Simeon D. Fess, Ohio, the Republican national ' chairman and a prohibition leader, said he "did not see how a vote could be prevented in the senate even if only a small number wanted it." In the house, Representative Henry T. Rainey, Illinois, who is slated to be the Democratic leader, joined Rep resentative Bertrand H. Snell, New York, in advocating that i congress should meet the issue in the session which starts Monday. Rainey. who is recorded as a prohibitionist, expressed hope that a vote would clear the air of talk about the dry laws and allow economic issues to get the attention they deserve. But the possibility of a senate vote on a referendum, such as favored by a majority of the anti-prohibitionists, was dismissed by a statement of Chairman George W. Norris of the judiciary committee, through which any such constitutional amendment for resubmission would have to pass. "We shouldn't monkey with prohi bition," Norris said. "We can't repeal it, and we ought to work on unem ployment. Let's get our people out of the hole first." The Western Independents who sup port Norris' views, together with pro hibitionists, dominate the judiciary committee. As Fess pointed out, how ever, even a small number of anti prohibitionists could force a vote by proposing a modification law as a rider to one of the appropriation bills on the senate floor. Senator Morris Sheppard, Democrat of Texas, most militant of the prohi bitionists, made a comment on the situation that amounted to a chal lenge. "There never has been a time," he said, "when the wets couldn't have had a vote if they went after it. But I am opposed to a vote myself." Sheppard said a vote would be "a waste of congress' time, because the result is a foregone conclusion." Senator W. E. Borah, Republican, Idaho, said he was ready for a show down vote on the question. He said he would vote against resubmission. Representative J. Charles Linthi cum, Democrat, of Maryland, leader of the house "wet block," announced that in addition to a resubmission amendment, the anti-prohibitionists would seek the enactment of a mod ification bill legalizing 3 per cent beer. He said he expected his "bloc," augmented recently by elections, would hold a meeting after congress convenes to outline its plans. A resubmission amendment would require a vote of two thirds of each house. The most recent figures of the antis list only 81 senators out of 96 and 182 out of 435 representatives favoring resubmission. Missionary Society Mrs. Fred Kershaw was hostess to the Christian Missionary society Wed nesday afternoon, when eight mem bers were present. Mrs. J. W. Pink erton, the new chairman, presided and Mrs. Stella Keen presented an in teresting program in which Mrs. Ker shaw, Mrs. Lew McNair, Mrs. W. W. McPherson and Mrs. Boyd participat ed. Light refreshments were served. The January meeting will be at the home of Mrs. D. A.' Pinkerton. Hitch Hikers Rob T. C. Comfort of Westwood, Cali fornia, traveling to Seattle, picked up a couple of hitch hikers near Walla Walla Saturday. At a point near Se attle, Sunday morning, the hikers robbed Comfort of his car and $73 cash, all the money he had, ho re ported to Seattle police. He was in the act of changing tires on account of a blowout when his passengers Tobbed him. Killed In Trnffio 7ft Careless and drunken automobile drivers in Portland caused 45 per cent of the 76 deaths in the fiscal year ending December 1, in Portland, ac cording to the annual report of the police department. Involuntary man slaughter charges were preferred against a good percentage of drivers of death-dealing machines but there wa not K conviction in any case.