Page Six
Heppner Gazette Times, Heppner, Oregon
Thursday, May 8, 1941
STATE
CAPITAL
NEWS
Insurance Cost
Traveling Board
Tax Inequalities
By A. L. LINDBECK
Salem. Residents of Oregon paid
out $22,306,929 in life insurance pre
miums during 1940. according to the
annual report of the state insurance
department. Claims paid by insur
ance companies on policies held in
this state totalled $12,192,409, the
report shows. Life insurance in
force in Oregon on December 31,
1940, totalled $756,087,530 compared
to $729,379,073 on December 31, 1939.
Oregon automobile owners paid
out $2,433,870 in premium for lia
bility insurance, with the companies
paying $1,071,534 in losses during the
year. Premiums paid on automobile
property damage insurance amount
ed to $794,216 with loss payments
totalling $353,083. Automobile colli
si on insurance premiums for the
year amounted to $467,342 with loss
es totalling $202,773.
Two acts of the recent legislative
session designed to purify Multno
mah county's voter registration lists
are now under attack via the refer
endum. One of the measures pro
vides for investigation of voters now
registered. The other provides for
the investigation of voters who reg
ister after January 1, 1942. Both
measures were bitterly opposed by
democratic and Commonwealth Fed
eration members in the house and
senate. The referendum attack is
sponsored by Walter W. Whitbeck
of Portland.
The capitol has been pretty well
deserted by high ranking officials
and department heads this week.
Governor Sprague, Secretary of
State Snell, State Treasurer Scott
and State Engineer Strickland went
to Bend Monday to inspect the Tu
malo irrigation project, going to
Redmond, Prineville and Madras
Tuesday for an inspection of irriga
tion projects in those sections. While
the other members of the party re
turned to Salem the governor con
tinued on to The Dalles for an in
spection of the eastern Oregon Tu
berculosis hospital. At The Dalles
the governor was joined by Lt. Col.
Elmer V.Wootoen for a trip to Her
miston and Pendleton for an in
spection of the army ordnance de
pot and army air field. From Pen
dleton Geovernor Sprague and Col
onel Wooten are scheduled to go to
Fort Lewis, Wash., for an inspection
of Oregon troops with the 41st div
ision and to witness the corps re
view comprising troops of the 3d
and 41st divisions on Friday after
noon. David Eccles, state budget di
rector and the governor's executive
secretary, left Monday for the na
tional capital for a series of con
ferences with federal officials and
department heads on defense prob
lems.
eree than in others and are believed
by the commission to be due largely
to the use of part-time local as
sessors, a Dractice which is now
gradually giving way to the use of
better trained, full-time assessors.
As an example of some of the
inequalities being exposed by the
commission's appraisers it is pointed
out that a residence property in a
Willamette valley county admitted
by its owner to be worth $1200 was
carried on the assessment rolls at a
valuation of only $40 three percent
of appraised value At the same time
the adjoining property was being
assessed at 40 percent of its assess
ed value.
A residence property in another
county appraised at $2400 was be
ing assessed at $100 four percent of
actual cash value while another
residence in the same block, apprais
ed at $570 was being assessed at
$250 nearly 50 percent of its cash
value.
While these are extreme cases,
they are by no means isolated cases
but are fairly typical of inequalities
in assessments found to exist thru
out the state.
In its effort to equalize assess
ments of properties within the coun
ties the state tax commission started
the work of appraising individual
properties in 1939. So far these ap
praisers have "sampled" practically
every county in the state. During
1939 and 1940 these appraisers cov
ered approximately 25,000 proper
ties ranging from as few as 20 in
some of the smaller counties up to
as many as 5000 in the lamer coun
ties.
Some opposition on the part of
county assessors was experienced by
the commission in the early years
of this work but now the coopera
tion of the commission is welcomed
by the assessors with more requests
for state appraisers coming in than
the commission is able to meet with
its small force now numbering nine
full time appraisers.
If L
Washington, D. C. May 8. Inves
tigation of national defense reveals
that the army has fallen down: that
it had no vision, no progress (other
than M-day), and that the housing
for 1,500,000 to 2,000,000 men was
not anticipated. Army's explanation
is that it never occurred to them
that so many troops would be rais
ed and the smaller number estimat
ed for mobilization on M-day could
be taken care of at race tracks at
state and county fairgrounds. Army
says that when congress, at request
of the president, authorized a tre
mendously increased personnel it
did a good job in locating sites for
cantonments, letting contracts for
the shelter.
In spite of the fact that the cash
balance in the state treasury recent
ly hit a new all-time high at $19,
278,000, State Treasurer Scott has
tens to explain that the state has no
surplus cash. Once before when the
treasury announced a huge cash
balance the department was flood
ed with suggestions as to how the
extra money might be used. Most
of this cash balance, Scott explains,
is earmarked for specific purposes
highways, 'soldiers' bonus loans, in
dustrial accident funds, etc. Only
$6,000,000 of the huge total is cred
ited to the general fund out of
which appropriation supported state
activities are financed, and this bal
ance, built up by the recent flood
of income tax payments is now rap
idly dwindling under constant de
mands of established governmental
functions.
The increased demand for skilled
workers in industry is making it eas
ier to place parolees from the state
prison in good jobs, according to Fred
rinsley, state parole director. Where
as previously placement of parolees
was confined largely to farm jobs
now many jobs are opening up for
men with experience, Finsley said.
A sharp increase in traffic fatal
ities during April all but wiped out
the gains previously recorded this
year in the traffic safety campaign.
Deaths due to traffic accidents last
month were up, according to reports
compiled by Secretary of State
Snell.
The new prima facia speed law
which becomes effective June 14
featured the discussions at a three
day conference of state police cap
tains, meeting in the capitol with
Superintendent Charles P. Pray last
week.
Gross inequalities in assessments
are being revealed by field men em
ployed by the state tax commission
in appraising properties throughout
the state.
These inequalities are not con
fined to any jrticular county or
group of counties but are found in
every county, in some in greater de-
A federal census bureau report
just received by the executive de
partment here shows that the num
ber of persons 65 years of age or
over in Oregon has increased 37.6
percent since 1930. The census bu
reau figures show that in 1940 Ore
gon had 49,572 males and 43,063 fe
males in that old age group.
To this the senate investigating
committee inquires: What has the
army been doing for the past 20
years? Committee asserts that a
smart board of strategy would have
years ago decided on locations and
either acquired the land and held
it in reserve or made arrangements
to purchaseinstead of waiting un
til the emergency and then having
landowners tip up the price in many
instances beyond reason. The armv
should have prepared blueprints of
cantonments, with barracks, hospi
tal, mess halls, roads, sewers and
water had everything prepared to
swing into action at any time.
Lack of this forethought caused
the army to pick sites recently which
were m no way suitable for en
campments; in swamps, in places
where there was no water supply
and to ignore old cantonments of
world war No 1, where there were
installations of roads, water and
sewers. An army officer (retired)
picked one site and shifted the lo
cation for a hospital in order not
to interfere with a golf course used
by officers. Estimates of cost have
been invariably too low, which the
officers explain was because they
did not take time to prepare care
fully drawn plans, and someone in
Washington (whose identity has not
yet been revealed) gave orders to
construction quartermasters which
greatly increased the costs. It can
be stated that, aside from under
estimates, there has been no indi
cation of shenanigan on the west
coast.
first 30 ton tank was delivered to
the army last week after long pre
paration in changing design, armor
and equipment On the assembly
line these armed monsters will be
rolling steadily for at least the next
two years; tanks for national de
fense and tanks for the British.
Other changes are in the offing.
Unless inside reports are incorrect.
the boys of the national guard, now
m federal service for a year, will not
be released after their hitch. Draf
tees will not be sent back to civil
life and instead of selecting older
men (26 to 35) the army wants
younger men, those from 18 to 25,
youngsters who have not started on
a career and who have no restxm-
sibility. Once trained, draftees are
supposed to be held as a reserve
for 10 years. A man of 35, after 10
years, is 45 years too old to make
a good soldier. Youngsters of 18
will be 28 in 10 years and still fit
after a refresher course.
A potent reason for lowering the
age of draftees is that in the pool
from 26 to 35 are experienced mech
anics and draft board ordering of
these into service is handicapping
industry, where thev are needed.
Another reason: There is a move
ment from farm to city where in
dustry is paying good wages. Local
draft boards are taking the boys
who elected to remain on the farm,
thereby increasing the shortage of
farm labor and increasing the cost
of production in the field of agri
culture. Sailors are ignoring the
sea and taking jobs as riggers in
shipyards, where the pay is better.
"urnishing crews for the hundreds
of merchant ships now on order is
one of the problems worrying the
maritime commission.
J. 0. Turner
' ATTORNEY AT LAW
Phone 173
Hotel Heppner Building
HEPPNER, ORE.
A. D. McMurdo, M. D.
PHYSICIAN & SURGEON
Trained Norse Assistant
Office In Masonic Building
Heppner, Oregon
Heppner
Abstract Co.
J. LOGIE RICHARDSON, Mgr.
BATES SEASONABLE
Roberts Building Heppner, 0e.
P. W. Mahoney
ATTORNEY AT LAW
GENERAL INSURANCE
Heppner Hotel Building
Willow St. Entrance
J. 0. Peterson
Latest Jewelry and Gift Good
Watches . Clocks Diamond
Expert Watch and Jewelry
Repairing
Heppner, Oregon
New Treatment May
Save Used Lumber
Oregon State College. A new me
thod of treating lumber slight! v nf.
w C J -
fected by fungous growth, which
may result in salvaging large quan
tities of lumber now con!iWd
waste, has been developed by Glenn
voornies, assistant professor of wood
products in the school of forstrv
The process was explained to lead
ing lumber manufacturers and dal
era at a conference On the omniic
who showed considerable interest in
it.
The lumber is kiln-dried to de
stroy all fungous organisms and then
given a finish which brings out a
distinctive and attractive pattern in
the wood.
REGULAR BLOOD
I HOUNDS
After Customers
Our Want Ads
What took place in cantonments
has been repeated in other direc
tions. The plain fact is that no one,
apparently, in the United States.
realized 12 months ago that this na
tion would have to prepare for more
than a moderate national defense.
Britain was taking care of itself,
purchasing goods in the United Sta
tes, and aside from good wishes this'
country was regarding the European
conllict in an academic manner. Of
a sudden it was realized that if
Britain was to win the United States
must furnish the finances and the
munitions, and a grand scramble
started to locate and build factories;
to expand existing plants, all with
taxpayer money.
Germany's sinking of millions of
tons of cargo ships resulted in the
United States preparing the greatest
shipyard activity in history, of ac
quiring every merchant vessel avail
able with which to aid the allies.
Survey, a year ago. disclosed that
not enough powder was being man
ufactured for a good, old-fashioned
broadside by the fleet: therefore the
government built plants and hired
private concerns to operate them,
for powder was needed for the
navy, the army and the British. The
same deficiency was noted in small-
arms, small ammunition, tanks, bag
loading plants and airplanes, both
tor training and fighting.
Only now is the United States
beginning to come to life. The mass
production will not attain its peak
for another 12 months and much
can happen in a single year. The
RESOLUTIONS OF RESPECT
In memory of Sister Lena Fuchs.
Again that unwelcome yet relent
less visitor, Death, has entered the
portals of our lodge room and sum
moned a sister to the home beyond.
Her zealous work in behalf of our
beloved order and her life laden
with good deeds, has won for her
the plaudit of the Master and will
cause her name to be chiseled in the
memory of our lodge, and
Therefore, be it resolved, that
Sans Souci Rebekah Lodge No. 33
in testimony of our loss and ex
pressing Rebekah love, drape its
charter in mourning for thirty days,
and that we tender to the familv nf
our deceased Sister our sincere con
dolence, and that a copy of these
resolutions be sent to the family.
Anna Brown, Ella Benge,
Ida Maoomber, Committee.
Vawter Parker
ATTORNEY-AT-LAW
First National Bank Building i,
Dr. Richard C. Lawrence
DENTIST
X-Ray and Extraction by Gaa
First National Bank Bldg.
Phone 562 Heppner, Oregon
Professional
Directory
Dr. L. D. Tibbies
v OSTEOPATHIC
Physician & Surgeon
FIRST NATIONAL BANK BLDQ.
Rec. Phone 1162 Office Phone 492
HEPPNER, OREGON
Maternity Home
Mrs. Lillie Aiken
Phone 664 P.O. Box 142
Heppner, Oregon
Phelps Funeral Home
Ambulance Service
Trained Lady Assistant
Phone 1332 Heppner, Ore.
NEW AUTO POLICY
Bodily Injury & Property Damage
Class A $13.60 Class B $17.00
See us before financing your
next automobile.
F. W. TURNER & CO.
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, Heppner, Ore.
Phone 452
MAKE SATES AT MY EXPENSE
Morrow County
Abstract & Title Co.
INC.
ABSTRACTS OF TITLE
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Office In New Peters Building
Heppner City Council
Meets First Monday Each Month
Citizens having matters for dis
cussion, please bring before
the Council
J. O. TURNER, Mayor
GLENN Y. WELLS
ATTORNEY AT LAW
ATwater 4884 .
635 MEAD BUILDING
6th at Washington
PORTLAND, OREGON
Peterson fir Peterson
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
U. S. National Bank Building
PENDLETON, OREGON
Fraotloe In State and Federal Courts
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General Line of Insurance and
Bonds
W. M. EUBANKS
Notary Public
Phone 62 ione, ore.
M. L. CASE G. E. NIKANDER
Directors of
Funerals
862 Phones 262