Heppner Gazette Times, Heppner, Oregon
Thursday, August 31, 1939
Page Six
NEWS
o Debt-Free Counties
o Extravagance
o Retirement
By A. L. LINDBECK
Salem. Three more Oregon coun
ties managed to shake off their bur
den of debt during the past year.
Washington county paid off $39,
843.67 in outstanding warrants to
qualify for a place on the honor roll.
Sherman county paid $58,927.37 in
outstanding bonds and Tillamook
county cleared its books of $47,000
in bonded debt which was outstand
ing a year ago.
Seven other counties which were
reported as debt free in the sur
vey by State Treasurer Walter E.
Pearson a year ago continue to main
tain that position today. They in
clude Clatsop, Columbia, Douglas,
Lane, Linn, Marion and Umatilla.
Only two of the state's 36 coun
ties show an increase in their debt
load during the year. They are Mal
heur whose indebtedness has grown
$12,352.50 since July 1, 1938, pre
sumably through an increase in out
standing warrants, and Union coun
ty whose net debt is $6,543.81 larg
er than it was last year.
All told the counties whittled $2,
279,534.07 off their net debt during
the year, reducing the total from
$20,030,167.21 as of July 1, 1938, to
$17,750,633.14 as of July 1, 1939.
The present indebtedness of the
Oregon counties includes $17,040,180
in outstanding bonds, $532,474.78 in
road warrants, and $1,432,951.22 in
general fund warrants, against which
total there are assets in the form of
sinking funds aggregating $1,254,
972.86. A summary prepared by State
Treasurer Pearson shows that none
of the counties approach the six per
cent constitutional debt limitation.
In fact, only three counties Coos,
Grant and Wheeler have a net debt
in excess of four per cent of their
assessed valuations.
Approximately two-thirds of the
debt load of the several counties is
carried by Multnomah county whose
total net debt amounts to $11,904,
410.23. Next largest debt item is that
of Coos county, totalling $1,125,351.82,
with Clackamas county's $922,980
ranking third.
Polk with a net debt of only $26,
735.92, and Jackson county with a
net debt of $69,426.81, have the low
est debt ratio of the several counties
still in the "red" column.
The "Ham & Egg with $30 per
week" for Oregon's needy aged
launched its campaign for bigger
pensions this week when articles of
incorporation were filed with the
state corporation department. Head
quarters of the organization, capital
ized at $5000, will be maintained in
Salem.
With more than $1,000,000 in in
come taxes reported but unpaid the
state tax commission is preparing
to send out notices calling attention
to the fact that second half tax pay
ments are due before October 1.
Earl Fisher, head of the income tax
division, estimates that taxes on 1938
incomes will total more than $4,600,
000 when all the payments are in.
Models for the two granite statues
guarding the entrance to Oregon's
new capitol will be turned over to
the University of Oregon for pres
ervation if the sculptor approves.
Oregon motorists, including tour
ists within the state, set a new rec
ord for gasoline consumption dur
ing July when sales of this com
modity totalling 25,264,032 gallons
were reported to Secretary of State
Earl Snell.
The state emergency board meet
ing here this week at the request of
the Board of Control went on record
as emphatically opposed to extrav
agance in the expenditure of public
funds.
Requests totalling $18,500 present
ed by the Board of Control were
pared down to a mere $666 by the
Emergency Board which refused to
be tempted by offers of free federal
funds in order to approve expendi
tures for items not of an emergency
nature.
Most of the items requested by the
STATE
CAPITAL
Board of Control were for completion
of the capitol program shrubs for
the sunken garden, sidewalks across
the capitol lawns, bronze cuspidors
and jardiniers and marble benches
for the capitol cprridors, and bronze
flagpoles. The emergency board held
that the need for all of these items
should have been apparent six
months ago when the legislature was
in session and should have been pre
sented at that time.
An item of $6000 for two bronze
flagpoles on the capitol site was
trimmed by the Emergency Board
to $500 with a suggestion that a fir
pole typifying Oregon's lumber in
dustry be provided for " display of
the flag rather than the two bronze
poles recommended by the capitol
architects.
Addressing the public employee
pension committee at its initial
meeting here this week Governor
Sprague called attention to the need
for some plan under which public
employees might be retired from
service on an adequate annuity but
urged the committee to be conser
vative in its recommendations "be
cause units of government operate
conservatively in this state." De
claring the subject of general pen
sions to be one for national rather
than state consideration the governor
explained that he had in mind "not
a pension system whose full cost is
bome by the units of government
which are the employers, but an an
nuity system based on contributions
made by the employes either in full
or in part."
Approximately one-half of Ore
gon's population are qualified au
tomobile drivers according to Secre
tary of State Snell who expects the
number of operators' licenses now
being issued by his department to
pass the 500,000 mark.
Decentralization of the federal
government was advocated by State
Treasurer Walter E. Pearson at a
luncheon this week attended by
state, county and city officials. Carl
E. Chatters, Chicago, director of the
Municipal Finance Officers' asso
ciation, told the asesmbled officials
that county and city governmental
units are suffering from over-regulation
by federal and state bureaus.
Benefit payments to jobless work
ers in Oregon have now passed the
$9,000,000 mark according to a re
port by the Oregon Unemployment
Compensation commission.
Governor Charles A. Sprague and
Mrs. Sprague are vacationing at an
Oregon beach resort this week. The
governor came in to Salem Wednes
day to preside over the regular
weekly session of the Board of Con
trol but otherwise he has put aside
all official cares for the week.
Dean Dubach Lists
Tips for Freshmen
Oregon State College Dr. U. G.
Dubach, dean of men, who has com
pleted 26 years on the staff here, is
sending a little folder, "Tips to
Freshmen," to every man accepted
to enroll this fall. These tips, college
men say, apply almost equally well
to prospective co-eds. Following are
a few excerpts from the folder.
"Purpose In college you will need
the best possible physical body, a
right attitude, clean moral outlook,
and a definite objective even tho
you may not know the specific thing
you will do all your life.
"Money Make sure you are buy
ing something worth while before
you spend. Investigate first.
"Self-support There are many
opportunities to work one's way,
but you should have money enough
for a term at least, when you enter.
"Time You have all the time
there is. Have the courage to spend
it according to a prearranged pro
gram. "Faculty Faculty members are
your friends. Meet them personally.
"Obligations Do not forget your
obligations to your high school and
your parents to make good.
"Fraternities If you are inter
ested, see the house and let the men
see you several times. Observe se
niors the product and freshmen,
your possible associates for four
years."
Let G. T. Want Ads help you dis
pose of surplus stock.
, AT :AtHE -
IB1
Washington, D. C, Aug. 31 Like a
mirror, the countenance of Presi
dent Roosevelt reflects his feelings.
No poker face is his and the gravity
with which he regarded the Euro
pean situation was expressed by the
absence of his customary smile. In
this national capitol the top-bracket
officials have been under severe
tension, not knowing what the next
hour would bring forth; but perfect
ing plans to meet any emergency in
a given 24 hours. Mr. Roosevelt has
displayed less concern over the man
handling of some of his pet legisla
tion at the hands of congress than
the whirling events abroad. He has
not sought relaxation with his stamp
collection, as is his custom.
After the Munich scare the admin
istration decided to blueprint a pro
gram in the event a climax was
reached. For practically a year the
problem was studied theoretically
from every angle; how to bring
home Americans caught in the war
zone; what to do with the stock ex
change and stabilize the market; the
steps necessary to prevent sabotage
to industrial plants; counter-espionage;
the matter of surplus food sup
plies; revision of the agricultural
policy. The purpose of this planning
was not for war with the United
States as a belligerant, but to deal
with conditions naturally resulting
when there is a conflict in Europe.
In its position as a neutral the
United States must be alert. Chief
danger is from foreign agents at
tempting to sabotage industrial
plants where war supplies (which
includes almost everything), are be
ing manufactured, in particular es
tablishments making airplanes and
airplane engines. Long before the
United States entered the world
war, saboteurs were busy; they blew
up a barge of explosives in Puget
Sound; destroyed "Black Tom" ter
minal in New Jersey; handicapped
wherever possible sources of sup
ply and means of transportation.
At strategic points in the United
States and its distant possessions,
FBI and its associated agencies are
conducting counter-espionage; they
are on the watch for saboteurs and
not for spies, for the damage is done
not by purloining "the papers" for
a new armory, but by clogging a
feed line in a plane, leaving a tool
where it will ruin gears, starting a
fire in a forest or sawmill, damaging
a power plant things of that sort
which are more vital than stealing
plans of new antiaircraft equipment.
Cached away in a steel file, ready
on a moment's notice, are the drafts
of a series of bills to be offered to
congress for enactment whenever
this country reaches the verge of
war. Through this chain of meas
ures the life and habits of American
citizens would be changed over
night, and the president would be
invested with the same dictatorial
powers as have been delegated to
Prime Minister Chamberlain, the
umbrella man, and Deladier, the
Frenchman.
How much would it be worth to
the nations of the world to know
what the weather would be two
weeks in advance? Dr. C. C. Abbott
of Smithsonian Institution asserts
that the forecast can be made if ten
properly equipped observatory sta
tions can be scattered at certain
places on the globe. Three stations
are now operating, but it would cost
several million dollars to establish
the others and this would have to
be borne by foreign countries in
which the stations are required for
the network. Incidentally the scien
tist predicts the "dust bowl" of the
mid-west will not occur again until
some time in the years after 2000.
Pacific coast isolationist senators
are as determined as ever to main
tain the mandatory embargo on mu
nitions. It is not a matter of politics
with them, but conviction that their
plan is a better insurance against the
United States being involved in for
eign war than the proposal of the
president. These senators are Idaho's
Borah, California's Hiram Johnson,
Washington's Bone (now hospital
ized with a broken hip), Utah's King
and North Dakota's Nye. With them
are Wisconsin's LaFollette, Kansas's
Capper and Missouri's Clark. They
are ready to take up the fight where
it was dropped when congress ad
jouned August 5.
Some of the insiders are propos
ing that the government follow the
precedent laid by TVA and apply
it to Bonneville and later to Grand
Coulee. This precedent is purchase
by the government of private util
ities and thus acquire a distributing
system and a market for government-generated
power. Such pro
ceeding would require action by
congress which, in its present frame
of mind against further intrusion of
government in business, is not like
ly. However, the inner-circle is con
sidering making a try anyway.
Communists who were quick to
picket the German and Italian em
bassies during the Munich confer
ence are not carrying placards de
nouncing naziism and fascism since
Stalin signed an agreement with
Hitler. But police are keeping an eye
on the British and Polish embassies.
Fifty million dollars worth of build
ing construction (mostly govern
ment) is halted in the national capi
tol because plumbers, now receiving
$12 a day, want $13, and laborers in
the one sand and gravel supply com
pany are striking for more pay and
shorter hours.
Spotted Fever Hits
Nation's Capital
Washington, D. C, Aug. 29 Spot
ted fever ticks are playing havoc in
Washington with a higher percent
age of cases than are reported in the
Pacific northwest. This summer 12
residents of the national capital have
been bitten by the ticks, resulting in
four deaths to date. Last summer
there were 15 cases and five deaths.
The disease-carrying ticks, once
confined to the Rocky mountain re
gion, have been widening their zone
of activity principally through the
ranging of sheep from which the
ticks drop and then climb on sage
brush and other shrubs to transfer
to a passing human. While this is
well known in the far west, where
precautions are taken with serum,
physicians in Washington cannot
account for the presence of the ticks
in the District of Columbia, except
on the theory that they have been
brought to the capital by dogs. News
papers are publishing warnings to
picnic parties and hikers to examine
themselves twice a day for evidence
of ticks.
Professional
Directory
Heppner Blacksmith
& Machine Shop
Expert Welding and Repairing
L. H. HARLOW, Mgr.
GLENN Y. WELLS
ATTORNEY AT LAW
ATwater 4884
535 MEAD BUILDING
6th at Washington
PORTLAND, OREGON
A. D. McMurdo, M. D.
PHYSICIAN & SURGEON
Trained Nurse Assistant
Office in Masonic Building
Heppner, Oregon
Morrow County
Abstract & Title Co.
INC.
ABSTRACTS OF TITLE
TITLE INSURANCE
Office in New Peters Building
J. 0. Turner
ATTORNEY AT LAW
Phone 173
Hotel Heppner Building
HEPPNER, ORE.
Dr. Raymond Rice
PHYSICIAN & SURGEON
Office
First National Bank Building
Office Phone 523 House Phone 823
Heppner
Abstract Co.
J. LOGIE RICHARDSON, Mgr.
RATES REASONABLE
Roberts Building Heppner, Ore.
P. W. Mahoney
ATTORNEY AT LAW
GENERAL INSURANCE
Heppner Hotel Building
Willow St. Entrance
J. 0. Peterson
Latest Jewelry and Gift Ooo&s
Watches . Clocks . Diamonds
Expert Watch and Jewelry
Repairing
Heppner, Oregon
Vawter Parker
ATTORNEY-AT-LAW
First National Bank Building
Dr. Richard C. Lawrence
DENTIST
Modern equipment Including X-ray
for dental diagnosis
Extraction by gas anesthetic '
First National Bank Building
Phone 562 Heppner, Ore.
Dr. L. D. Tibbies
OSTEOPATHIC
Physician A Surgeon
FIRST NATIONAL BANK BLDG.
Rec. Phone 1162 Office Phone 492
HEPPNER, OREGON
Jos. J. Nys
ATTORNEY AT LAW
Peters Building, Willow Street
Heppner, Oregon
V. R. Runnion
AUCTIONEER
Farm Sales and Livestock a Specialty
405 Jones Street, Hetpner, Ore.
Phone 452
MAKE SATES AT B17 EXPENSE
Frank C. Alfred
ATTORNEY AT LAW
Telephone 442
Rooms 3-4
First National Bank Building
HEPPNER, OREGON
Peterson Cr Peterson
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
TJ. S. National Bank Building
PENDLETON, OREGON
Practice in State and Federal Courts
Real Estate
General Line of Insurance and
Bonds
W. M. EUBANKS
Notary Publio
Phone 62
lone, Ore.
Laurence Case
Mortuary
"Just the servioe wanted
when yon want It most"