. ,--ORlCAL SOCIETY . ir AUDITORIUM Volume 50, Number 36. HEPPNER, OREGON, THURSDAY, Nov. 16, 1933 Subscription $2.00 a Year mm wppttet P FAVOBEDBY GLUD Saving Would be Made Thru Lower Freight Rates, Believed. SCHOOL PLAN CITED More State Support and Equaliza tion of Distribution Given as Tax Levelling Measure. The Heppner Commercial club has added a resolution to the flood of recommendations being sent from eastern Oregon proposing the construction of locks of sufficient size to permit the entrance of ocean going vessels when the Bonneville dam is built. Such locks would be fully compensated for by the re sultant saving in freight rates, be lieved S. E. Notson, commercial clhb president, who put the ques tion when the Lions club meeting Monday was turned temporarily into a meeting of the commercial club. The principal feature of the Lions club program was a discussion of school finances led by Edward F. Bloom, superintendent of the local schools. Mr. Bloom cited what has been done by adjoining states In substantiation of a contention that the state of Oregon should provide for a larger proportion of the gen eral school finances. He pointed out that at present the only state support for elemen tary schools in Oregon comes from the interest on the irreducible school fund built up from the or iginal land grants. Last year this support amounted to $1.11 per pu pil. He quoted Washington in par ticular as having provided for & much larger amount of state sup port for its schools through allow ing for this purpose a proportion of the revenue raised from a priv ilege tax bill passed by its last leg islature. He showed how the distribution of Oregon's school money works an Injustice on some districts while favoring others. The distribution li of Oregon's school money works an injustice on some districts while fa voring others. The distribution is made on the basis of assessed val uation of the districts and not ac cording to population. Therefore, the richer districts, whether or not they have many children to edu cate, get a larger share of the mon ey, and are not forced to levy ss high a special district tax as are the poorer districts. He believed the Btate should go further In provid ing elementary school funds and should apportion the money on the basis of population In order to bet ter equalize the burden. In a short discussion following Mr. Bloom's presentation of the problem, members of the club gen erally expressed themselves in agreement with more centralized control of school finances looking to economy and more equal oppor tunity for an education by rural, town and city children. J. O. Turner, one of the district's representatives in the legislature, followed Mr. Bloom, expressing ap preciation for the suggestions that had been given and welcoming all the information his constituency has to offer In the light of the com ing special session. He cited short ly some of the problems the com ing session is up against, stressing the present truck and bus bill as one law that would have to be ironed out It appeared likely to Mr. Turner that if the steering committee wasn't mighty active, the major purpose of the session, that of pro viding emergency relief measures, would be crowded well out of the picture by the numerous other is sues in the offing. G. A. Bleakman spoke briefly on elk hunting, giving it as his idea as a hunter with 40 years exper ience, that it would not be wise to close the elk season next year, but that it would be well to move both the elk and deer seasons ahead into August. The meat is better at the earlier date, there would not be so much slaughtering, and it could be taken care of well enough, he said. The club recognized birthdays of two of its members, W. W. Smead, oldest, member, and M. L. Case, whose birth anniversaries occurred last week. MOVE TO GRANTS PASS. Dr. and Mrs. J. Perry Conder left Heppner recently to make their fu ture home at Grants Pass. The family home had been made here for many years, for the most of which time Dr. Conder had followed the practice of mechano-therapy and naturopathy and was promi nent in religious and political cir cles. The well-wishes of many friends accompany them to their new home. BEND EDITOR VISITS. Judge Robert W. Sawyer, editor of the Bend Bulletin, former coun ty judge of Deschutes county, for mer member of the state highway commission, and otherwise promin ently Identified with state political and newspaper activities, was In Heppner yesterday. He was on a tour of the eastern Oregon section feeling the pulse of the people in regard to the tax collection problem, BIG LDCKS Facts of County Finance Given by State Reports Morrow county, with a percent age of delinquency of 47.35 in col lection of taxes levied on the 1932 rolls, exceeds the state average 1932 tax delinquency .of 39.99 per cent, according to a report issued by the state tax commission with figures as of September 6, 1933. The estimated amount of taxes de linquent In this county for the 1932 rolls as of the date given is $82, 025.13. The percentage of delinquency has grown in this county each year since 1930, when the report shows a delinquency on the 1929 rolls of 14.33 percent For the 1930 rolls the delinquency shown is 30.14 per cent, and for the 1931 rolls, 38.27 percent. The total net indebtedness of Morrow county as reported by the state treasurer for July 1, 1933, was $511,806.37. With the county's as sessed valuation given at $12,378, 808, a debt ratio of 4.12 percent is shown, representing an increase of 21 percent over the 1932 ratio. The report shows the city of Heppner to have a net Indebted ness of $77,000, representing a like amount of bonded indebtedness. The city's net debt ratio, with as sessed valuation given at $880,415, is 8.75 percent, an increase of .34 percent over 1932. Heppner is shown not to have the highest debt ratio of any city or town in Morrow county. Board man with a net debt of $5,500 and valuation of $36,955 has a ratio of 14.88 percent, an Increase of 3.38 percent, for the highest. Lexing ton, with a net debt of $1,876 and valuation of $98,715, has a ratio of 1.90 percent for the lowest lone has a debt ratio of 6.05, with total net indebtedness of $10,332 and val uation of $170,639. The bonded indebtedness of school districts in Morrow county is shown by a report from the of fice of the state superintendent of public Instruction to total $200,100 for 1933 or $9000 less than for 1932. The total warrant indebtedness of all the districts in the county for 1933 is Bhown to be $136,643.35, or $58,224.75 greater than the total warrant indebtedness for 1932. LEXINGTON By BEULAH B. NICHOLS. Election of officers was held at the meeting of Lexington grange Saturday evening. The new offi cers are, Master, Harvey Miller; overseer, Orville Cutsforth; lectur er, Laura Rice; steward, E. A. Kel ly; assistant steward, Lawrence Beach; lady assistant steward, Beu lah Nichols; chaplain, Elsie Beach; treasurer, R. B. Rice; secretary, Lena Kelly; gate keeper, Norman Nelson; Ceres, Lorraine Beach; Po mona, Pearl Devine; Flora, Tena Scott. Installation of the new officers will be held on the evening of De cember 9th and Willows and Rhea Creek granges have been invited to bring their officers for a Joint in stallation with Lexington. Mr. and Mrs. Charles B. Cox of Heppner were elected to member ship in the grange. The grange adopted a resolution favoring the development of the Umatilla Rap ids and the Snake river to Asotin, Wash. Some excitement was caused in Lexington Wednesday afternoon when the R. B. Wilcox house caught Are. A small hole was burned in the roof before the fire was extin guished. Lexington was quite deserted Sat urday due to a large number of the population going to Portland to witness the O. S. C.-Oregon football game. Those from here who spent the week end in the metropolis were Mr. and Mrs. Harry Dinges, Mr. and Mrs. Karl Miller, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Hunt, Mrs. Elsie M. Beach, Ralph, Jackson, Vernon Warner, Wayne McMillan, Gwen Evans, Vernon Scott, Sam McMil lan, Don Pointer, Eula McMillan, Laurel Beach, Clarence Carmich ael, Harold Beach, Vernon Mun kers, Ralph Phillips and S. G. Mc Millan. Mr. and Mrs. E. D. Burchell en tertained the high school faculty and play cast at a delicious turkey dinner Thursday evening. The guests included Mr. and Mrs. Jas. H. Williams, Mrs. C. Williams, Mr. and Mrs. J. G. Johnson, Laurel Beach, Freda Hammel, Tlllie Nel son. Rose Thornburg, Faye Lut- trell, Erma Lane, Alfred Van Win kle, Vester Thornburg and Jack McMillan. Miss Erma Lane visited friends in Heppner over the week end The Rebekah Three Link club will give a dance at the hall Satur day night, music to be furnished by Bud's Jazz band. Supper will be served at midnight. Mrs. Raymond Jeub arrived Sun day evening from Coqullle and is visiting relatives here, Mrs. Jeub will be remembered as Miss Maxine Gentry. Some remodelling was done at the local telephone office last week. Clark Davis did the work. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wilcox of Ellis ranger station visited at the R. B. Wilcox home Sunday. Mr. Harrison of Underwood was a week-end guest of Mr. and Mrs. L. A. Palmer. E. D. Burchell Is confined to his home by Illness. On the evening of Nov. 22 the la dies of the Church of Christ will present "Old Curiosity Shop" In the dining room of the hall, featuring quilts, old and new; antiques and curioB of all types; old fashioned (Continued on Page Six) Back the Budget- J. HE Heppner schools must operate at least 160 days this year in order to receive more than $4000 of high school tuition money already allotted them. This money would not be forth coming if the schools were forced to close before the prescribed 160 days. That defeat of the budget at the special election next Mon day would mean the closing of the schools in less than 160 days of operation this year is almost certain, as well as preclude the possibility of holding school at all next year. The $4000 mentioned represents but a fraction of the loss that would be entailed should this happen. Besides the high school tuition money, which comes from a special tax levied for that specific purpose, the district would lose out on a still larger amount of elementary school tuition money paid it by the out lying districts now transporting pupils to Heppner. But clear aside from these revenues that come to the dis trict directly and help make it possible to have standard grade and high schools here, consideration should be given to the de moralizing effects that closing of the schools most surely would have. The big problem of what to do with the children would be uppermost. A few people who could afford to send their chil dren elsewhere to school would do so. A few people who feel competent of instructing their children themselves might at tempt that course, but most surely would find the task a large one and the results far from satisfactory. But it is probable a large percentage of the children would be left much to their own resources. ' The unguided vigor of youth is known to social leaders to re sult in greater demands upon the juvenile courts, a demand that in some instances has caused a greater drain upon the tax cof fers than that of the schools themselves. It is here that the danger lies. It is here where the sound thinking men and wo men of Heppner have a responsibility and a duty that cannot be lightly dodged. It is here where Nero may fiddle, or where Rome may be built. Every taxpayer in school district No. One should attend the meeting next Monday. If it is possible to find places wheite the budget may be further pruned a sane discussion of the budget items will reveal that. But after the budget has been thorough ly discussed and pruned it should be passed to make Heppner safe for democracy and progress. Benefit Smoker Slated At Lexington for 18th On Saturday, November 18, at 7:30 p. m., the wrestling and box ing benefit smoker will be held at the Lexington gymnasium under the direction of George Gillis, who promises something new and differ ent Several Multnomah club mem bers will be here to put on exhi bition matches and Lexington, Heppner and lone will all be well represented. Wrestling: Laverne Wright, Lex ington vs. Timmons, Heppner; Ell- wyn Peck, Lex. vs. Asa Shaw, Lex.; Lee Stauffer, Multnomah club, Portland, vs. George Gillis, Lex.; Otis Allstott, Heppner, vs. Earl Gil lis, Portland, state high school champion and P. N. A. runner-up. Referee, Harvey Bauman. Boxing: Virgil Smith, Lex. vs. John Hanna, Heppner; Lee Shaw, Lex. vs. Flnley Gibbs, Lex; Harding Smith, Lex. vs. Clayton Davis, Lex.; Paul Jones, Multnomah club, Port land, vs. Dan Gillis, Bachelor club, Portland; Dale Yocum, Lex. vs. Lyle Allyn, Lex. Referee, George Mabee, Heppner. Other matches will be arranged before Saturday. The admission will be children 15c, adults 35c. Pro ceeds to be used to buy a wrestling mat License Drawing Slated Nov. 27th; $5 Is Car Fee Automobile owners in Oregon will receive reminders this week of the approach of another registration year, when more than 250,000 let ters are released in the mails by Hal E. Hoss, secretary of state. A twelve-month license may be purchased for $5.00 for private pas-! senger cars to be registered for the year 1934, the new rate being the lowest enjoyed by car owners for many years. A return to the ear lier plan of registering motor ve hicles on a calendar-year basis brings a renewal season twice with in the twelve months, as well as re storing Oregon to a registration year on a similar schedule with oth er states in the union. "Those desiring to make appli cations for plates for the new sea son at an early date may send in their remittances and their regis tration cards, properly signed, at any time and plates will be mailed from Salem to reach the applicants on December 15, the first date on which 1934 licenses may be used," suggests Mr. Hoss. A drawing for low license num bers will be held on November 27, and all applications received at that time will be included. Special numbers will not be assigned in or der to continue the expeditious handling of plates. BOY SCOUTS TO CHURCH. On next Sunday morning, No vember 19, the Boy Scouts of Hepp ner, headed by Scoutmaster Philip Foord, will attend the Heppner Church of Christ In a body, and will be seated in a section of the church auditorium especially re served for them. The services will be designed to be particularly fit ting for this occasion, and the gen eral public is invited to attend and show appreciation of this great secular movement for the benefit of the youth of the nation and the world. The foggy weather prevailing for the last week at Heppner broke up this morning in a warm rain, a most welcome change. FARM PURCHASING TO BE IMPROVED National Agricultural Outlook In catog Better Times; Some Doubts Eemain. Definite indicat'on of an im proved purchasing ;.-ower f or Amer ican farmers during the coming year is forseen in the national ag ricultural outlook report just issued by the United States department of agriculture, reports L. R. Breit haupt, extension economist at O. S. C, who was Oregon's representative at the national conference which prepared the report. Printed copies of the report have not yet been received in Oregon but are expected late in November when a' limited number of copies may be obtained direct from the college or from county agents. Six ty delegates from the states coop erated with the federal officials in preparing the report Prospective improved purchasing power is based partly on improved demand conditions and partly on the workings of the agricultural ad justment administration, the" con ference decided. In this connection the greatest improvement in the general agricultural commodity sit uation is expected in those basic commodities included under the farm act. The sheep industry, so far out side of the basic commodity list, also shows evidence of real im provement as it is now on the downward side of its more or less regular production cycle. The ulti mate effect of this depends however somewhat on the developments In the corn-hog adjustment program in the middlewest. This program may, in fact, influence the whole western range livestock industry. The questions yet to be settled that will affect vitally this industry are those concerning possible com pensatory taxes on competitive products with pork, and the use to which rented or contracted corn acreage will be put. Certain pol icies, western delegates believed, might stimulate the production of cattle and sheep in the corn belt State outlook reports will con tinue to be released from Mr. Breit- haupt's office, based partly on the national report and timed accord ing to seasonal demands. The fall report on livestock and horticul ture has already been distributed. WICK-LE TRACE. In a quiet wedding at the farm home of the bride's parents near Lone Rock last Sunday afternoon, Miss Shirley Wick became the bride of Louis Franklin LeTrace of Heppner. Joel R. Benton, pastor of the local Church of Christ, per formed the ceremony in the pres ence of a number of relatives of the young people. Mrs. LeTrace Is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Wick, leading residents of the Lone Rock vicinity, and Mr. LeTrace is the son of Mr. and Mrs. William LeTrace, well known Heppner res idents. The wedding was the cul mination of a happy courtship, and brings a host of well-wishes from the many friends of the young couple. Relatives present for the ceremony included Mr. and Mrs Wm. LeTrace ami Mr. and Mrs. Or rin Wricht of Heppner. and Mr. I and Mrs, Walter Hayes of Lone I Rock. I0NE Ey MARGARET BLAKE R. E. Harbison of Cottage Grove was in town a day or so last week. Mr. and Mrs. Dwight Misner and Mrs. Fred Mankin and son drove to Portland Sunday to visit Mrs. Holmes Gabbert, daughter of the Misners who underwent a major operation at a Portland hospital during the past week. She is re ported to be doing as well as could be expected considering the serious ness of her illness. Mr. and Mrs. C. F. Feldman were business visitors in Walla Walla on Monday. Mrs. Hugh Smith entertained with six tables of bridge at the aux iliary room Monday afternoon. The guests were Mesdames Paul O' Meara, Dixon Smith, C. W. McNa mer, Bert Mason, W. A. Wilcox, Clyde Denny, Kenneth Blake, Earl Blake, H. D. McCurdy, Victor Riet mann, Omar Rietmann, C. W. Swanson, V. G. Peterson, Cleo Drake, Frank Lundell, Geo. Tuck er, W. R. Corley, M. E. Cotter, Louis Bergevin, Roy Feely, Carl Al lyn and Miss Norma Swanson. High score was won by Mrs. C. W. Swan son and low by Mrs. Dixon Smith. Delicious refreshments of salad and wafers were served. C. H. Freeman of the State In dustrial Accident commission of Salem was in town Monday until Wednesday auditing the time books of the farmers of this locality. George Tucker went to Arling ton Saturday afternoon to referee the football game played In that city between Heppner and Hermis ton as a part of the celebration staged by the Legion and Auxiliary of Arlington on Armistice Day. Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Harris of the Park hotel are taking a short va cation in Portland. During their absence Mr. and Mrs. Cole Smith are in charge of the hotel. Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Ekleberry have returned from a visit of sev eral weeks at their old home in Iowa. C. W. Swanson and his son Carl ton and Louis Bergevin drove to Portland Friday, returning Sunday. Ordie Farrens has returned to Portland after visiting his mother, Mrs. Helen Farrens, for a few days. Mr. and Mrs. Keithley Blake and daughter returned to lone after a visit of two weeks at the home of Roy Blake in Kinzua, Ore. Mrs. J. E. Swanson, Mrs. Garland Swanson and Norman Swanson spent the week end with relatives at Salem. Mrs. Victor Peterson entertained a small group of friends at lunch eon at her home in Heppner last Thursday. Guests were Mrs. H. D. McCurdy, Mrs. George Tucker, Mrs. Victor Peterson, Mrs. Louis Ber gevin. Mrs. D. M. Ward and Mrs. J. T. Knappenberg. After luncheon several progressions of contract were played with Mrs. Bert Mason winning high score for the play. Miss Mildred Smith who Is em ployed in The Dalles spent Sunday wtih her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Cole Smith. W. S. Smith of Lyle, Wn, has been saying hello to old friends in lone during the past week. J. A. Harbke of Portland was a business visitor in lone last week. Mr. and Mrs. Louis Balsiger spent the past week visiting relatives at Newberg. Among those going down to Port land for the U. of O.-O. S. C. game last Saturday were Paul Smouse, Charles Carlson, George Ely, Earl McCabe and Verner Troedson. Milton Morgan, Jr., Richard Lun dell, Cecil Padberg and Joe Engle man returned the first of the week from Portland. Lee Beckner was a business vis itor in Portland the past week. Word has been received from Mrs. Lee Beckner and Mrs. Roy Lieuallen who are driving to West Virginia for a visit at the old home of Mrs. Beckner that they had en joyed wonderful weather and ex cellent driving conditions as far as they had travelled when they wrote at Salt Lake City. Eric Bergstrom has purchased the Esteb place adjoining his farm in the Gooseberry district Funeral services for Mrs. Ross Perry who died at her home near lone on Nov. 7th were held at the Congregational church last Friday afternoon with Rev. Joseph Pope of Heppner delivering the sermon. Special musical numbers were sung by Mrs. Walter Roberts, Mrs. Paul Balsiger and Louis and Paul Bal siger, accompanied by Mrs. Louis Balsiger. Interment was made in the I. O. O. F. cemetery. Mrs. Per ry leaves her husband, Ross Perry, two daughters, Rossbelle and Mig nonette, and a son, Robert, to mourn her passing. Miss Lucy Spittle spent the past week end in Portland visiting with friends and incidently attending the big football game. Mrs. Harriet Brown spent the week end with her sister, Mrs. Kll cup on Butter creek. The carnival and program which the grade school is giving to raise funds for serving hot lunches at school will be given on December 15. No effort is being spared to make this affair a huge success. Next Monday, Nov. 20, It is planned to begin serving these hot lunches and no charge will be made to grade school pupils. One hot dish will be served to supplement the lunch brought by each child. Mrs. Tom Perry of Portland came up from that city to attend the fu neral of Mrs. Ross Perry. "Hero is as Hero Does," a play bv Emile Gehrlng, will be given by the hleh school at the gym on vvea nesday, Nov. 29. The following I students have been chosen for the Morrow Men to be Used On Spray Road Work "Only Morrow county men will be employed on the Hardman-Rock creek sector of the Heppner-Spray road, the contract for which was awarded at Portland yesterday, so long as qualified men are available here," said Carl F. Caulfleld, Port land, field supervsior for the Na tional Reemployment service, who was in Heppner this morning. The work end of the PWA projects is in charge of the service represent ed by Mr. Caulfleld. Residents of the county will get first call with war veterans with dependents getting preference in the work, Mr. Caulfleld said. Regis tration will be open immediately at the county Judge's office in Hepp ner, at Hardman, lone and Board man. It is expected the work will start between Nov. 25 and Dec. 1. In registering, veterans should present their service discharges or other evidence of their war service, Mr. Caulfleld said. Bids Let for Work on Spray, Wasco Routes Saxton & Looney, address not given, were named by this morn ing's Oregonian as the successful bidder on the 3.1 miles of grading on the Hardman-Rock creek sec tor of the Heppner-Spray road. This bid of $34,533.70, is part of a total of $500,000 In contracts let by the state highway commission yes terday. A contract for the bulding of a bridge across Six Mile creek and six trestles, all on the Heppner-Condon-Wasco road, was let to F. H. May for $16,774.50. The contracts let yesterday are to be paid from the $6,106,000 of PWA money allotted Oregon, of which all but $2,700,000 has been let in contracts, and the balance Is budgeted for, the Oregonian re port says. Copies of Oregon Budgets Sought by State League Eugene, Ore. Valuable informa tion on many problems before Ore gon cities and towns will be made available to these municipalities through the operation of a "clear ing house" to be established here at the office of Herman Kehrli, sec retary of the League of Oregon Cities, and of the University of Or egon municipal research. Mr. Kehrli has Issued a request for cop ies of the budgets of all cities In Oregon, and a large number have already been received. Information on what other cities are doing on such matters as col lection of delinquent taxes, sources of income, fire protection, police protection and other affairs will be compiled, and by a study of this compilation many municipalities may be able to make considerable savings, it is pointed out Cities which have not yet sent in copies of their budget are urged to do so at once. President Asks Aid For Annual Roll Call "When our people In any section of the country are faced with the perils and suffering which follow so swiftly in the wake of disaster, they look with one accord to the American Red Cross for instant and efficient relief. They have never looked in vain," said Presi dent Roosevelt recently. "Those of us who are willing to lend a helping hand in time of emergency to others less fortunate than ourselves, look to this great national relief agency as our rep resentative in the hour of need. It does not disappoint us. It is an historic institution closely allied with your government, and its pres ident is always the president of the United States. "Just now the Red Cross is ask ing every adult American to lend his or her support to the Red Cross service through individual mem berships. The record of the Red Cross is one we may all be proud of. In the past year sufferers of 117 disasters have been cared for. Five million families have benefit ted by distribution of relief mater ials. A million Americans have served as volunteers under the Red Cross banner. "I earnestly urge you to respond most generously to the annual Red Cross roll call. We must do our part to keep the Red Cross ready, day or night, for service." MOVE TO TOPPENISH. Ray Wise, co-partner in the San itary Bakery here for several years, departed the first of the week with his family for Toppenish, wash where they will make their home. Mr. Wise disposed of his interests In the local bakery to his brother and former partner, Cecil Wise, who will continue to operate the local bakery. The well wishes of the many friends of the Wise fam ily accompany them to their new, and old, home. The Wises former ly lived at Toppenish before com ing to Heppner, Richard Peterson was in the city this morning from the farm home over near Kimberley in the John Day section. "We don't have fog over on the river, Richard said, cast: Leo Young, Eva Swanson, Foster Odom, Dimple Crabtree, Berl Akers, Robert Botts, Doris Allstott, Donald Hellker, Harriet Heliker, Walter Bristow and Mir iam Hale. After te play the aux iliary will give a dance at Legion hall. F INCE PROBLEM TO FACE GROWERS Land Bank President to Give Address on Sub ject at Moro Meet. OVERHEAD IS HEAVY Government Belief Measures, Or ganization of Credit Associa tions Among Subjects Up. The - Eastern Oregon Wheat league conference at Moro, Decem ber 8-9, will attempt to get to the heart of the farm finance problem as it affects eastern Oregon wheat growers. Recognizing this as one of the outstanding problems of the day, the league's executive commit tee has arranged to devote the en tire afternoon of the first day to the presentation of the problem, to a discussion of the government meas ures already Invoked to help In the solution, and to a discussion of any proposed measures. E. M. Ehrhardt, president of the Federal Land Bank of Spokane, has accepted an invitation to de liver one of the principal addresses of the afternoon on "Farm Fi nances." Someone, probably Geo. N. Peek, of the National Farm Credit administration, will discuss the organization of production credit associations. All those in attendance and Moro is preparing to entertain a big crowd will be fully informed on the types of loans now available to farmers through government agencies, and it will be attempted to unravel all red tape in an un derstandable manner. Three types of loans were made available to farmers through the Emergency Farm Mortgage act of 1933, to be administered by the fed eral land banks and the land bank commissioner under the farm cred it administration. These loans were for the purpose, first, to re finance indebtedness of farmers; second, to provide working capital for farm operations; and, third, to redeem or- repurchase foreclosed farm property. While the machin ery for making these loans has been in operation for some time, the executive committee feels there is not sufficient general understand ing of the set-up to make the re lief as far-reaching as it should be. Statistics from the United States department of agriculture show that in this section of the northwest the annual mortgage charge Is more than twice the amount of all taxes paid. In Oregon the total farm mortgage Indebtedness In creased from 34 million dollars in 1910 to 116 million in 1930, though the latter figure is somewhat less than the peak reached in 1928. "The burden of annual fixed charges resting upon farmers de pends, of course, upon the rela tionship of these charges to the farm income available for meeting them," Secretary Wallace has said in commenting on the problem. "As compared with the pre-war sit uation fixed charges in the form of interest on farm debt and taxes on farm property are roughly 2H times as large, while the gross in-s come in 1933 falls nearly 25 percent below the pre-war figures. Fur thermore, these charges must be met out of the Income remaining after current farm and family ex penditures are deducted, and still further, they can be paid only from cash Income." This gives some of the reason why the executive committee deems the farm finance problem vital enough to demand half a day of the con ference time at Moro. Other vital problems will be up, too, for the discussion of which Moro has pro vided good quarters. Assurance Is also given that adequate rooming and eating facilities will be provid ed for all who attend and the latch string Ts hanging on the out side. Expert to Aid Work Of Cities in Oregon Eugene, Ore. Cities and munici palities of Oregon and Washington will have the service of an expert consultant during the next six months, it was announced here re cently by Herman Kehrli, direct or of the University of Oregon bu reau of municipal research and ex ecutive secretary of the League of Oregon Cities. Funds to provide for this work have been obtained from the Rockefeller Foundation, and the expert will be sponsored by the American Municipal associa tion. The consultant will devote the first two months in aiding Oregon and Washington cities in making applications for loans from the na tional Public Works administration. He will assist cities in making out their formal applications, prepar ing final plans and working out oth er details necessary to obtain a por tion of the federal funds. Work of the consultant later on will be to assist cities in solving such problems as the collection of taxes, tax delinquencies, allocation of budgets and others. He will work in close cooperation with the muntcipul research bureau of the university and with the office of the executive secretary of the League of Oregon Cities.