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About Southern Oregon miner. (Ashland, Or.) 1935-1946 | View Entire Issue (June 21, 1951)
PAGE TW O SCANNING THE WEEK'S NEWS num e of Main Street and the World Town Johnston Urges Strong Price Laws; ZXz Price War Confined to Large Cities- - - - - - - - — ”u" Im p o rta n t C ourt R u lin g BUSINESS AS USUAL— For some time the home ‘ owner has been uneasy over the nation’ s economical outlook. Headlines in the last few days haven't helped his uneasiness any. Economic Stabilizer Eric Johnston s charge that the nation is sitting on an "economic tim e bom b" that may explode into runaway inflation next fall, unless congress keeps a strong program on the law books, caused considerable comment and worry. On top this the beef industry—all the way from farm er to grocer—was in an uproar over his charge that the beef industry is trying to ride roughshod over the American housewife uith a cry of "damn the consumer and fu ll pockets ahead." Noted for speaking his mind, Johnston said that "business as usual" has an ominous ring to me at a time when men are dying in bat tle in Korea for a free way of life. He added that the consumer, the housewife, is not going to be the forgotten American if I can help it. Shortly before making these statements Johnston proposed a new wage form u la pegging pay ceiling to liv ing costs and perm itting for m illions of workers an im- mmediate boost ranging up Economic Stabiliser Johnston to 12H per cent above the . ."damn the consumer and full pockets ahead, levels of January. 1950. The belief is becoming more universal that the government must take a firmer- stand and con gress must enact stricter laws governing prices and wages. The threat to the nation today is as great from the inside as from the outside. • SWEET MUSIC— And while home towners tried to understand state ments from Washington on the economic situation, the average small town resident read of reports from New York. Oklahoma City, and Atlanta of red-hot price cutting wars following the supreme court fa ir trade decision w ith a feeling of awe and incredulity. To many it was like sweet music of yesterday. Tens of thousands of gleeful shoppers—men and women rushed w ild ly through New York bargain basements in search for nationally ad vertised goods that had been marked down, some of it as much as 40 per cent. Small electrical appliances, summer-weight suits, cosmetic items, best-selling novels, sheets, pillow cases, nylon hose and girdles were marked down again and again. It was a consumer’ s paradise. Home towners then took a quick look at their local newspapers in the hope that Main Street merchants had some new bargains. Most of them, however, were disappointed. The big city price-war had not yet reached the home town level. And economists reported it was not likely to. Most reta il organizations predicted the New York price-war would level off quickly, with prices from 8 to 15 per cent below the form er fixed- price levels. . . . . »«. Trade sources, also, pointed out that the price-war was not likely to spread because most home town merchants signed fa ir trade contracts. On top of this, consumer goods may become tighter as the summer pro gresses and defense needs begin to eat into present backlogs. J^ETAILERS and small business firm s throughout the country are v ita lly Interested in repercus sions of the recent US. supreme court decision which ruled that non signers of state fa ir trade compacts are not subject to provision of the several state fa ir trade acts. It is no secret, according to busi ness executives, that the only ex cuse for these fa ir trade acts was to keep prices of merchandise up and uniform. The supreme court deci sion knocks this practice into a cocked hat insofar as those mer chants who are non-signers are concerned. As a m atter of fact, the office of price stabilization in a recent ruling perm itted merchants who were caught selling a product below prices set under state law during the base period of the general freeze ONE-STOP NOR« YY TO NEW YORK EI.YER . . , Captain Charles F. Blair, Jr., who ended a one-stop way-lo-New Y'ork York iiigni. iravciing oy .nr way of the North Pole and Alaska, is greeted In New York flight, traveling by the order, to raise their prices to those Norway-to-New allowed, despite OPS ceiling prices. by his son. Christopher, one year old. and his wife. Janice, following his arrival without mishap at the The supreme court's decision, how International airport. Captain Blair's solo flight over the North Pole was the first such flight to be ever, killed this OPS ruling if the made in a single engine aircraft. The flyer Is an e nployee of an airline, lie claims that passenger serv merchant is a non-signer and ice to Northern Europe is very possible using the route that he Just traversed. wants to sell below the fixed m ini mum. Also, the decision may have far reaching implications on future I OPS orders. Although the ruhng has not thus fa r been enforced, re cent OPS regulations provide for uniform pricing of all branded items. OPS is now studying the court ruling and its applicability to its pricing formula, particulaily with reference to branded products Already some of the nation's larg est stores have announced a deci sion to slash prices, some as much * - as 6 per cent, as a result of the su preme court ruling. • • • HOW CLOSE TO WAR?_ The man on Main Street, who never knows all the facts, received a shodc that sent a shiver of fear down his back as the M acArthur hearing continued in Washington. The shock was de.ivered by Adm. Forrest Sherman who told senators that the U.S. government so feared a world war last December that its field commanders were or dered by the high command to "increase their readiness" and the Medi terranean fleet went to sea. Sherman said the orders were issued after M acArthur told the joint chiefs of staff that the U.N. should accept an armistice in Korea "on the best terms available" and the arm y would have to quit Korea unless the war could be carried against Red China. Sherman’s testimony before the armed services and foreign relations committees again impressed the average American with the fact this nation barely escaped World War I I I in recent months. Many are wonder ing how close to war we are today? RURAL BANK DEPOSITS U P -R a ra l banks, largely farmer-owned and reflecting farm er finances, have shown amazing increases in deposits during the past 10 years, a recent survey of seven states revealed. One bank, in an Illino is town of less than 400 population, increased its bank deposits from $168,000 in 1940 to $3,480,000, more than 20 times as much In the same 10 years, its population dropped from 500 to 359. Coun try banks. generaUy, in the seven-state midwest survey area, showed de posits rose from three to 20 times, many of them 10 times, in the 10-year PCr The survey was conducted in Indiana, Illinois, Iowa. Nebraska. Wis- cor.sin, Minnesota and Missouri. All of the towns had less than 600 popu- lation. PEACE RUMORS CONTINUE— Rumors of peace in Korea con tinued to circulate in many world capitals although they were denied by high government officials. The move, if any is made, apparently w ill come from the United Nations side. Some reports indicate the United States might be w illing to halt the fighting at the 38th parallel provided it was a “ re a l" settlement with as surances of no fu rthe r Red aggression. Observers in the fa r east, however, were skeptical that any peace feelers w ill come from Peiping. They m ight come from Moscow Com munist China m ight be thoroughly licked, but they could simply call its “ volunteers" back behind the Yalus rive r boundary and sit and lose little face. SAME AS REFUSAL— The Russians now say they are w illing to hold a foreign m inisters’ meeting if the ministers would discuss the North Atlantic pact and U. S. bases in Europe. The Soviet note with the big " i f " was sent to the U.S. after 3 weeks of meetings in Paris by deputy foreign ministers of U. S., France, Britain and Russia. According to western diplomats the Russian note amounts to the same thing as refusal to attend a foreign m inisters’ meeting. The U.S has told the Russians many times they would not discuss the North Atlantic pact. The new Soviet line is that U.S. bases in Europe are “ the essential cause of the worsening of relations between the U.S.S.R. and the three powers." •1 "» • t i ll' ’" ' l l I » - I '. L i'B ilit ll '» » » I S f e K s a is Crochet Cloth fast m oving file t crocheted tea cloth th a t's ce rta in to please A every wom an who w ields a crochet hook Wide bunds of w hite ate joined together and edged w ith b rig h t green cotton. • • • I ' . i t t r t n K n v tlo p « N o 5313 c o n ta in » corn n lr t e c t »«- h r tln t f |n » tr u c tlo n « u n d » tltu h I l lu s t r a t io n (o r " M ile - » M in u te c lo th It*« ( tile d w it h Id e .t« (o r n ln tb le ( In g e r» - th e A n n e C a b o t A lb u m 1» o n ly 33 c e n t« c o n ta in « d o w n » o f c r n c h e ttn » . k n it t in g , e m b r o id e r y d e » itfn » Send to d a y (o r votir copy k f w in q C 1IH 1-1* N F F P I F W O R K MH W e»l A t i m » » (.. C M c a g » 1. III. F n c lo s e 20c In c o ln (o r » a c h p « t- t v i n . A d d 3c (o r l» t C U » l M u ll l( U e tire d . P u tte r n N o ..................................................... C om prom ise D ra ft Law i ’ n n tj At long last a compromise ap proval has been given to the new d ra ft law. I t keeps selective service on the statute books u ntil July 1. i 1955, and fixes the m inimum draft age at I8V2 years. The compromise also ends the deadlock on universal m ilita ry training by laying a founda ! tion for installation of the training after the end of the Korean enter gency, but not, however, until the congress has had a second long Icol. at the program before putting any UMT into effect. Critical Industry The agricultural industry has been termed an essential or critical industry, subject to deferment of draftees as is any other c ritic a l in dustry. Such deferment, however is left to the judgment of the local d ra ft boards, who must decide among other things that the younR farm er must be producing a sub stantial quantity of agricultural pro duce for m arket; that his services on the farm cannot be replaced; or that his removal would cause un due hardship and would not be In the best interest of the m ilita ry or defense program. . . . Mt’ie e i l ’ <* K >» No. £ it y lia i» K eep Posted on V alu e s By R e a d in g th e STUDENTS TAKE DEFERM ENT TESTS . . . Some of the more than 175,000 college xtudrnts who are JhYdul.-d to take 'the new tests for deferment from the draft at more than a thousand centers ‘ United States are shown in this general view at Colombia University In New Y ork ( tty just prior to the tests. The new examination will determine whether these students will be granted deferments from the draft under the government's new program to postpone the Induction of college men who have especial talents or who have made high scholastic marks In their chosen courses in the universities of the nation. Ads NO CONSTIPATION FOR 25 YEARS "M y husband introduced me to ALL BRAN shortly after we were married. I use it in my cooking ss well ns for break fast. T h e re su lt: we’ re r e g u la r as clockw ork!” Mrs. Antonina Grnzinno, 453 Garfield Ave., Jersey C ity, N. J. One of many unso licited letters from ALL-HItAN users. It you suffer from constipation duo to lack o f dietary hulk, eat an ounce (about ’Jj cup) of crispy Kellogg’s ALL BRAN daily, drink plenty of water. I f not SMiisfied after 10 days, return empty l>ox to Kellogg’s, Hattlo Greek, M ich. <’ >•» twmni f yniia monky hack I petj||on p jgeonholed Like a young David out of the west tackling the Goliaths of its in dustry, California Eastern Airlines came to Washington recently all set to make a big splash in the big pond. This non-scheduled freight ca rrier had filed a petition with the c iv il aeronautics board to establish regularly scheduled passenger coach service between California and the east coast at a ta riff of something like $100 under that of the regular ly scheduled lines. It announced it would fly newsmen from Washing ton to the west coast and back to show off its coach service, a per formance which was canceled the day before the scheduled take-off. Its officials threw a big cocktail party at one of Washington’s swank hotels for newsmen and others, among them senators and congress men, the result of which has been that the CEA petition before the CAB has been pigeonholed and like ly w ill rem ain so. The big airlines objected. A 4 d !«--.$ o r HERE'S HOW TO ENJOY BAKING LIVIN G DEAD . . . Bonny Coby, 2, appears to be stranded as she stands alone on a deserted street in Utica, N. Y., during simulated atom bomb attack. The city was described as devastated with casualties heavy in the attack. Many residents failed to take cover and were described as "living dead." Make-believe enemy planes roared over the city and dropped tlie “ atom bomb” 13 minutes before the red alert was sounded in Utica’s industrial heart. z CHANGES BILLING . . . Dawlath Soliman, Cairo nightclub dancer, drew protest from Egyptian consul when she danced In Germany as King Farouk's "favorite dancer.’’ She changed bill to read: "Dawlath Soliman—she enthused the king." Fair Hearing Price-War Shoppers f / ’r not likely to happen in the home towns. (See story aboie.) BIGGEST C ATALO G EVER Hundreds of items, ranging from w ading pools to wire records are of fered at knock-down prices. * Oleotura Notable by their absence from the ------ . — >— — current catalog are certain appli ances that were featured a year ago. The sales book at that time contained refrigerators and wash ing machines at special prices. This year they aren't listed. Automobile tires are also missing from this year's catalog; • year ago they were offered less than the regular prices. Did you think that c iv il defense against possible atomic warfare is important? Congress slashed the re- quested appropriation of the civil defense adm inistration from $403,- 000,000 to only $31,750,000. Said for- m er Gov. M illa rd Caldwell of F lo ri da, CDA adm inistrator: " I have faith that in tim e—and I hope that the tim e is not too late—the con gress w ill recognize that an in formed public is a fu ll co-partner with the m ilita ry forces." . ’ lo> * *•**></of fc , , ' ’ • — ? '* Oobb.*''*'.’;»« boi. owd*' £>o„b, rl Boki"0 a"b° b-Uny,r " ” h- Appropriation Slashed Sears, Roebuck Mails Largest Catalog Home tow nerj and ru ra l fam ilies who have for years received the Sears, Roebuck catalog w ill soon get the new edition. I t is the biggest sale catalog the fir m has ever pub lished, containing 404 pages. A year ago, the corresponding sales book contained 294 pages. Sen. Richard B. Russell of Georgia, D ixiecrat champion and fa ir deal baiter on c iv il rights, has j risen in stature since he became ! chairman of the join t senate armed I services and foreign relations com mittees’ investigating the MacAr- , thur ouster. He has been eminently ) fair, has played down sensational ism, vetoed movie and television shows in his committee, and has done a real fact-finding job with such searching interrogation of w it nesses that he has won the respect of even the most ardent MacArthur supporters. of„Oo JOINS UNITED CEREBRAL PALSY TEAM • . . Joe Louis receives the United Cerebral palsy home run baseball bank as he attrnds a Dodgers- Braves game at Ebbets field. The baseball bank, symbol of the drive to help more than 200,000 children suffering from cerebral palsy, was presented to the former heavyweight boxing champ by Karl Van Meter (center), executive director, United Cerebral Palsy, and Melvin Ritter, chairman of the Junior division in Massachusetts. MRS. BING HOME . . . Mrs. Bing Crosby, formerly Dixie Lee of the films, boards an airliner at La Guardia Field, N. Y., for flight to her California home after a vaca tion In Europe. This Is one of the rare times Mrs. Crosby has posed. C L A B B E R G IR L T H ( B A K IN G P O W D I» 1 M 1 ß a h t* c e ,4 , o o u ilf W IT H A C T IO N
