6 Heppner Gazette Times, June 25, 1942
STATE
CAPITAL
NEWS
o State's War Risk
o Defense Bluff
o Utility Tax Threat
By A. L. LINDBECK
Salem. Should the state insure
its buildings against damage from
bombing raids or should it carry,
its own risk?
That is the question that is just
now agitating the board of control.
Representatives of insurance com
panies have approached the board
with a proposal to insure state build
ings at the very low rates provided
for this type of coverage. Even at
this low rate, however, it is estima
ted that it would cost the state $20,
000 a year in premiums to insure all
of its buildings against enemy
bombs.
That the risk involved is very
small is admitted but there still re
mains the remote possibility of an
air raid that might result in dam
age to some state building. Should
the board decide to carry its own
risk and save the $20,000 in premium
payments and a bomb hit demolish
the capitol or any one of a number
of other state buildings it is real
ized that the responsible officials
would be subjected to severe criti
cism for their lack of foresight. On
the other hand it is also realized
that these officials would be sub
jected to criticism if they should
spend $20,000 a year or any fraction
of this amount for insurance against
a raid that never materialized.
Threats of regional directors of
the civilian defense organization to
step in and take over the state set
up were apparently only a bluff to
force acceptance of their demands
for a greatly enlarged civilian de
fense effort on the part of the state.
At least such was the assurance
brought back from Washington, D.
C, this week by Jerrold Owen, Ore
gon's coordinator of civilian de
fense, after a conference with James
M. Landis, national coordinator. Ac
V40JUU Ull Wild UiU
..Al'tOLr.nilJl
&'91jC WIK AMUT ECoIomy
. OU CAN CULTIvStf ii
OM ABOUT
' rtt OHl KM. OUR
ill r ll I BA
fOFUV ft tT A
new
JOHN DEERE
You're in for the surprise of your life when
you see and drive the John Deere Model "H"
the sensational new small tractor that handles
two-row equipment and completely replaces
animal power on small and large farms every
where, cutting costs 'way below their former
level, and making farming more profitable.
And when you learn the price, you'll wonder
how John Deere can give you so much in a tractor
that sells for so little.
In addition, the Model "H" not only burns low-'
cost fuel but it uses only 13 to 12 as much fuel
on the many jobs within its power range, as would
larger tractors handling the same load.
Come in, see it, and get "the surprise of your
life."
BRADEN-BELL TRACTOR
& EQUIPMENT CO.
CSlBMailRJiJniBfS
cording to Owen the national coor
dinator regards civilian defense as a
state rather than a federal function
and there is no intention on the part
of the federal organization to step
in and interfere with the states un
less they fall down on the job com
pletely. The threats voiced by his
subordinates were evidently made
without the knowledge or consent of
Landis who promptly rebuked his
lieutenants for their assumption of
this autocratic attitude toward state
defense programs. Owen said that
Landis was highly pleased with the
civilian defense program in Oregon
and explained that his criticism of
the Pacific coast states on his re
cent trip through the west was not
intended to apply to this state.
The need for improving the qual
ity of Oregon prunes was stressed
by members of the Oregon land use
committee at a conference with Act
ing Governor Dean Walker and offi
cials of the state department of ag
riculture in Salem this week. The
improvement program has alreadv
received the approval of the North
west Dried Fruit association, it was
said.
Nearly 6,000,000,000 feet of logs
were removed from state, county
and privately owned lands in Ore
gon during 1941, according to a re
port by State Forester Nels S. Rog
ers. A total of 323,790 acres were
logged during the year.
A full-time paid executive direc
tor is to be employed by the newly
created Oregon highway traffic ad
visory committee, it was announced
following a meeting of that body
here this week. The director will
be paid out of funds of the federal
public roads bureau. The advisorv
committee operates as an adjunct of
the office of defense transportation.
Oregon's coordinator of civilian
defense, Jerrold Owen, takes excep
tion to Secretary of War Stimson's
declaration that danger of a Japan
ese invasion of the Pacific coast has
been practically eliminated by the
victories scored by U. S. forces in
the battles in the Coral Sea and off
Midway Island.
"It is most unfortunate that Wash
ington officials seem prone to issue
aI6im27 401
-JLrA ,hM0-SIPH0N COOLlM
Pvjl ....... n
YfHY IT BURNS lOIV-Qjcr
fUU SUU-CSiFUHy fit
nt CERTAINLY Pifmtv
t mw tip)
(W
AT mYW , M MT m m mm I
statements in general terms which
easily are misunderstood and cause
confusion and uncertainty in this
combat area," Owen declared.
In spite of the war secretary's as
surance that this coast is compara
tively safe from enemy raids Owen
said that "civilian defense forces in
Oregon are not relaxing its vigil
ance for one moment to trim its
sails to the winds which flow from
our nation's capital."
The "request" of Joseph B. East
man, defense transportation director,
that state and county fairs be dis
pensed with for the duration, has
again placed the fate of Oregon's
state fair in doubt. Eastman's state
ment followed by two days the an
nouncement by the state board of
agriculture that the Oregon fair
would be conducted this year but
on a greatly curtailed scale. Ap
parently the situation presents an
other illustration of the lack of co
ordination on the part of Washing
ton officials inasmuch as Secretary
of Agriculture Wickard .only re
cently urged that agricultural fairs
be continued throughout the nation
as an essential defense measure.
State officials who have commented
on the Eastman "request" have de
clared it to be unfair inasmuch as
it singles out fairs for elimination
while making no mention of racing
meets, baseball games and other ev
ents which attract as large, and in
many cases much larger crowds
than do the agricultural exhibitions.
In his statement of last week ex
pressing his opposition to certain
features in the Columbia power au
thority bills now pending before
congress, Governor Sprague direct
ed special attention to the proposal
to freeze payments in lieu of taxes
at present levels and warned against
the menace of such a policy. Just
what the effect of such a policy
would be on future taxes can, of
course, only be judged by the rec
ord of the past. This record, as
gleaned from the files of the state
tax commission show that the as
sessed valuation of electric utilities
in Oregon have increased approxi-
mtely four-fold in the past quarter
of a century. Inasmuch as tax levies
have also increased substantially in
the same period it is safe to sav
that taxes paid by electric utilities
in this state today are eight or ten
times as great as they were 25 years
ago. In the case of the Portland
General Electric company (formerly
the Portland Railway Light and
Power company) this increase am
ounted to approximately $1,372,000
from $207,000 in 1916 to $1,579,607 in
1941. Had the public power program
been put into effect 25 years ago
with its freezing of "in lieu payments
at 1916 levels the millions of dollars
in additional taxes now being paid
by electric utilities would have been
shifted to the shoulders of other
property owners." Warning against
the adoption of such a policy in con
nection with the public power pro
gram Governor Sprague pointed out
that "the requirements of income
for government show steady in
crease and it is only fair that ex
panding investments in electric en
terprises should yield increasing con
tributions for the support of gov
ernment. Otherwise the burdens
borne by remaining property grow
steadily more disproportionate as the
total tax burden increases."
Clubbers to Vie in
Meat Animal Contest
Oregon will again participate in
the 4-H club national meat animal
contest, in which one of the contest
ants from this state won a $200
scholarship last year. Robert H.
King of Moro was one of three na
tional winners in 1941.
These contests for livestock club
members are considered more im
portant this year than before as of
fering an incentive for increased
production of needed food, says H.
C. Seymour, state club leader. Most
of the larger livestock shows have
been cancelled, which increases the
value of such state and national con
tests. The meat animal contest has been
sponsored for 13 years by Thomas
E. Wilson, who offers medals for
county winners, watches for state
champions, and four trips . to the
Chicago club congress and three
$200 college scholarships for the re
gional winners.
To buy, sell or trade, use the G-T
Trashy Fallow in
Eastern Counties
Found Economical
A study of 50 typical Columbia
basin wheat farms in Sherman and
Gilliam counties has revealed that
the cost of handling summer fallow
by the trashy fallow method, is not
necessarily higher and may be low
er than to use the regular so-called
black fallow method.
Figures obtained in this detailed
study showed that, while the cost
of weeding is somewhat higher with
trashy fallow, this is more than made
up by the lower cost of plowing
with the one-way disk compared
with the regular moldboard plow.
The study was made by reresent
atives of the Soil Conservation ser
vice in cooperation with the Oregon
State college experiment station. A
detailed report has just been issued
as station circular of information No.
271, written by H. L Thomas, Virgil
D. Kennedy, and D. Curtis Mumford,
of the cooperating organizations.
The trashy fallow method is gen
erally recognized as the most prac
tical way of controlling wind and
water erosion in the wheat areas.
Lack of proper equipment and
doubts as to comparative costs and
yields have kept it from being uni
versally adopted, despite the en
couragement of benefit payments
under the farm program. Consider
able research is still needed as to
the best, type of machinery and
methods to use in handling trashy
fallow under varying soil and stub
ble conditions, it is agreed by spe
cialists and growers alike, although
the current study has added con
siderable information.
Cost of trashy fallow in Gilliam
county was found to be distinctly
lower than black fallow, while in
Sherman county the average was 41
cents per acre higher for trashy fal
low if double disking prior to plow
ing was included as one of the oper
ations for trashy fallow but not for
black fallow. Otherwise the cost is
lower for trashy fallow.
Of 43 farmers expressing opinions
on comparative yields, 10 believed
trashy fallow reduced yields, 20 re
ported no change, and 13 reported
increased yields with trashy fallow.
STAR TO HONOR DADS
Ruth chapter 32, Order of East
ern Star will honor dads, those Ma
sons who are. members of the Star,
at the regular meeting in Masonic
hall tomorrow evening. There will
also be initiation and refreshments,
and all members are urged to at
tend, announces Mrs. Ella Benge,
worthy matron.
Professional
Directory
Dr. W. H. Rockwell
Naturopathic
Physician & Surgeon
Gilman Bldg.
Office hours: 1 p. m. to 7:30 p. m.
Exam free Ph. 522 Heppner, Or.
Phelps Funeral Home
Licensed Funeral Directors
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.
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
535 MEAD BUILDING
6th at Washington
PORTLAND, OREGON
J. 0. Turner
ATTORNEY AT LAW
Phone 173
Hotel Heppner Building
HEPPNER, ORB.
A. D. McMurdo, M. D.
PHYSICIAN & SURGEON
Trained None Assistant
Office In Masonic Building
Heppner, Oregon
Heppner
Abstract Co.
J. LOGIE RICHARDSON, Mgr.
BATES REASONABLE
Roberts Building Heppner, Ome.
P. V. Mahoney
ATTORNEY AT LAW
GENERAL INStTBANCE
Heppner Hotel Building
Willow St. Entrance
J. O. Peterson
Latest Jewelry and Gift Good
Watches . Clocks - Diamonds
Expert Watch and Jewelry
Repairing
Heppner, Oregon
Dr. Richard C. Lawrence
DENTIST
X-Ray and Extraction by Gas
First National Bank Bldg.
Phone 562 Heppner, Oregon
Dr. L. D. Tibbies
OSTEOPATHIC
Physician St Surgeon
FIRST NATIONAL BANK BLDG.
Rec Phone 1162 Office Phone 493
HEPPNER, OREGON
Jos. J. Nys
ATTORNEY AT LAW
Peters Building, Willow Street
Heppner, Oregon
Morrow County
Abstract & Title Co.
INC.
ABSTRACTS OP TITLB
TITLE INSURANCE
Office in New Peters Building
Peterson Cr Peterson
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
U. S. National Bank Building
PENDLETON, OREGON
Practice In State and Federal Courts
Real Estate
General Line of Insurance and
Bonds
W. M. EUBANKS
Notary Public
Phone 63 lone. Ore.
M. L. CASE G. E. NIKANDER
Directors of
Funerals
862 Phones 262
Oh.Ohl XWrongWay!
COAX In CustomersWth
ADVERTISING
Sacked hp Good, em'ce I
i