Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 30, 1943)
3 3 n o r o ?j o Our Men tin Service DESCRIBES LIFE OF ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE CpL Donald Robinson, with the parachute infantry in England, re cently wrote his impressions of the rural life in England. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Robinson, Hard man, have consented to publishing the letter in the Gazette Times. Dear Folks: Since this ia Sunday and I have n't much to occupy myself, I de cided to write you folks a longer letter than a "V" mail. England has some good farming land and most of it is devoted to raising small grains, which is most ly wheat. Before the war a good deal of this land wasnt plowed but was used for grazing land. Also some of it was planted to different types of hay. So these peope un doubtedly need more grain for flour. We are eating quite a bit of bread made from barley flour, which has a peculiar color but tastes okay. The country is rather rolling, its soil is pretty good, judging from the looks of the crops; all the soil has quite large gravel in it and most of the farms are small. So far I haven't seen a combine, instead they use stationary thresh ers. I've seen several tractors, most ly American made. Most of the far mers are using horses and a large part of the horses are Clydes dales. They are sure fine horses and in fine condition. I had to laugh at the roofs on the buildings here at first, but am now getting used to them. All the roofs, even of the houses, are more or less thatched and are made of hay, about a foot and a half thick, laid right on the rafters, without any sheeting, I don't know how they put it on but it makes a very good roof. The reason for the thatched roof is there is a shortage of lum ber here, besides shingles won't last any length of time in such a wet place as England. I have seen but very few herds of beef cattle and they were Short horns and very good ones, in small herds of 25 or 50 head. I've been to town once and when they black-iut here it's really black, you can't see your hand before your face. Everybody bumps into you, but they go about their busi ness as though it was daylight. I got lost at least three times while I was there, but all you have to do ask a Bobbie (same as our city cops) where a certain place is and he'll tell you. You see very few cars in use, the majority of the people travel by bicycle, even in the country. British cafes and restaurants don't serve the meals ours do in the Stales, but even at that there is quite a variety to choose from and everything is quite reasonable in price. If anyone has ever told you that the Red Cross isn't any good don't pay any attention to them because it has certainly done plenty for us tlready. Coming over on the boat and in most of the English cities there are service , men's centers where a soldier can get a meal and a place to sleep, or rend and play games. I say. give something to the Red Cross every time you get a chance it's certainly putting out for us. From the way the war is going at the present time, we may be able to get it over in the near future the sooner the better. I'd sure like to know how my buddies came out that jumped in New Guinea. Undoubtedly some of the boys I went -ough jump school with were in both opera tions there. From the way the pa pers read, I believe General Mc Arthur sort of pulled a surprise out of the hat for the Japs when he Continued on Pag Eight Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, December 30, 1943 1943 Viewed as Successful Year ByJAllied World Turning Point in War Seen During Past 12 Months One of the great years of history is rapidly drawing to a close and will have given way to the new year ere the Gazette Times reaches many of its readers. When history is recorded in years to come 1943 will stand out as the turning point in the greatest war known to man up to the present. It has been the year when production goals have been attained, great battles won by the Allies, and the fact pressed home to the Axis powers that their doom is sealed. The re-conquest of North Africa, the liberation of Sici ly, the destruction of German ci ties, removal of the U-boat men ace, retaking of the Aleutians, steady progress from he South Pa cific, attaining air supremacy, and countless other gains which indicate the eventual outcome not all, per .haps, but most of these events have occurred in 1943. . Coming closer home, the year just passing out has been marked by the greatest production score in history. A heavy wheat crop aug mented by barley and peas and an unprecedented garden yield boost ed food crops to a new high, while cattle, sheep and hogs also main tained a high level. All this was accomplished in the face of a rapid ly diminishing manpower, and far mers state they are prepared for another good year if Mother Na ture continues on their side. Success of Allied arms has eased the American mind to the extent that while looking forward to pro secution of the war there has been time to consider that deeper future when peace comes. What will the situation be when the .millions in the armed forces return home. This has provoked no small amount of discussion in clubs, town councils and wherever two or more people come together for a chat. It has claimed the attention of the Hepp ner city council and that group has several municipal projects in mind which would tend to absorb some of the manpower released by the government. Whether or not any of these projects will get the go-ahead in 1944 is uncertain but there is one that should not have to wait longer than the knockout of Germany. That is the water system. Additional wa ter is needed, as well as improve ment to the pipeline leading from the city's well to town. There is a difference of opinion relative to the type of addition needed and the council will have to reach agree ment before anything can be started. Another important project is con struction of a sewer system. This, too, has occupied the attention of the council to the extent of secur ing figures on the cost. This is fol lowed by street and walk improve ment and additional lights on the streets, the latter to be done this year if the powers that be give down with the materials. Further employment will be found in residential and business house construction and improvements. The question is: when can we start? RED CROSS TO REOPEN WORK ROOM TUESDAY Resumption of Red Cross sewing will start at 2 p. m. Tuesday, Jan. 4, 1944, in the former Dix grocery room in the Masonic building, ac cording to Mrs. Blaine Elliott, pro motion chairman. All interested workers are urged to join in this important project. Mrs. Elliott hopes for a prompt response to this call for volunteers in the workroom. By BABSON PARK, Mass., Dec. 30 Most firms are booked to capacity. If any more business were offered they would not be able to handle it for many months. This is roughly my forecast for 1944. The Babson chart Index of the Physical Volume of Business for the final quarter of 1943 averaged 141 compared with 150.7 for the same period of 1942. The all-time high was reached in December 1942 when my Index stood at 155.6. It is not (possible that this record can be exceeded in 1944. COMMODITY PRICES War developments will influence commodity prices during 1944. The collapse of Germany could result in a sharp, though temporary, reaction in leading wholesale indexes. If the going in Italy or elsewhere, should prove unexpetedly hard indicating a longer war prices should be firm. Cattle and hogs may bring lower average prices. Soybean and com prices face the test of large market ings. They will do well to hold. In creased imports of coffee, cocoa and sugar will hold down their prices. Continued heavy demand is indi cated for most industrial commodi ties. To what extent efforts to roll back food prices to September 15. 1942 levels will succeed is proble matical. Mounting over-all shortag es, unprecedented demand and the necessity for maximum output will tend to maintain strong upward pressure on most prices. Advancing parity prices, storage, insurance and black markets further tend to Powder Boys Show Too Much TNT for Mustang Quintet All the conceit built up by their victory over lone last week was knocked out of the Heppner Mus tangs Tuesday evening when they faced the barnstorming aggrega tion from North Powder. The boys from across the mountains just couldn't seem to miss the basket Continued on Page Eight To face each day with courage high To realize the im portance of the little day by day contributions to the war effort . . . To cooperate with all special wartime programs . . . To buy more War Bonds and Stamps To accept the cur tailment of special services and the wartime shortages without grumbling For the sake of a better world to come! Business and Financial Outlook for 1944 ROGER W. BABSON keep prices high. Subsidies will be granted certain producers during 1944. INVENTORIES Businessmen should watch the Government's policy of disposing of its huge inventories of consumer merchandise. With supplies at a much higher level than in World War I, retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers should insist there be no dumping on domestic markets. This could smash prices. Flooding the export markets could make it difficult to sell goods abroad at a fair profit. I hope a substantial por tion of our surplus will be given to the peoples of Continental Europe and China. SALES PROSPECTS I forecast ' that retail dollar sales will average 5 to 10 higher in 1944 than in 1943.Sales volume of consumer, goods will again start to climb as smaller companies get the okey on postwar merchandise. I ex pect some decline from 1943 in the physical volume of retail sales due to scarcity of goods and less em ployment. Substitute merchandise has sold well but manufacturers and wholesalers are now wary of it. As good war news increases, consu mers will wait for postwar mer chandise rather than buy synthetic war made goods. Merchants should keep a workable inventory. Do not over-stock. The following ten states are tops for 1941: New York , Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Continued on Page Four Charles W. Valentine Victim of Heart Attack This A. M. Death came to Charles Watt Val entine at the family residence about 1:30 o'clock this morning, the result of a heart attack suffered a few hours previous. He had been in failing health for about a year and sold the ranch in Sourdough can yon in September and moved to town to take life easier. Mrs. Val entine, . son James and daughter Helen were with him when the end came. Funeral arrangements ate being withheld pending receipfi ojf word from other members of the family living in distant points. Charles Watt Valentine was .a native of Brechin, Scotland, where he was born July 5, 18G2. He passed away in Heppner Dec. 30, 1943, aged 81 years, 5 months and 25 days. When a youth of 19 he came to America, settling first in Minneso ta. After two years there he push ed westward, arriving at Weston in the fall of 1883 and after a winter there came to Morrow county. He took up a homestead which was his home until last September. He was married to Arminta War field about 1892 and to this union were born six children, two of them deceased. The marriage was broken by separation and in 1910, after returning from a, visit to his native land, he married Mary Reid of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, who was at that time living in Montana. Two children, Helen and James, were born to this union and with the mother survive. His other chil dren are Zetha Gorham of Walla Walla; Stewart Lindsay, Klamath Falls; Zeolia Tielman. Fresno, Cal if.; and William Euart, Los Ange les, and five grandchildren. ELKS DANCE FRIDAY Everything is in readiness for Ahe New Year's eve ball at the Elks hall tomorrow (Friday) evening, Music will be provided by the Blue Notes from Arlington, and Heppner lodge No. 358 has secured favors for everyone, assuring a big time for all who take this means of wel coming the new year. Volume 60, Number 40 i Z Climax Reached In Milk Status This Week Dairy to Discontinue Delivery if Price Held at 12 Cents Heppner residents will be with out milk after Jan. 1 if action is not taken by OPA officials to pre vent such a catastrophe. This fact was made plain this week when the Alfalfa Lawn dairy announced that if forced to return to the 12 cent rate established by the OPA it would have to discontinue milk de livery in town. In a desperate effort to maintain milk delivery, the Heppner cham ber of commerce Monday appointed a committee to investigate the situ ation. It was learned that the Al falfa Lawn dairy had been request ed to submit figures sustaining the claim that the concern is operating .at a loss "on the 12-cent basis and that Marvin Wightman was prepar ing the report. A review of cost sheets convinced the committee that the dairy cannot maintain production at a profit on the 12 ccnt delivery basis. A telegram was prepared and forwarded to M. L. Goldsmidt, price survey officer of the OPA in Oregon: "Heppner milk situation critical. Delivery to three retail stores stop ped Wednesday. Regular customers without milk. One dairy closed, re maining dairy, Alfalfa Lawn, will stop all local delivery Jan. 1 unless 14-cent level approved. Costs sub mitted show operating loss. Citizens feel price should be in line with Pendleton, Hermiston, The Dalles. We urge special and immediate action on application of Alfalfa Lawn dairy for price increase." Heppner Chamber of Commerce. Awaiting reply to the message the committee is pondering over what action to take should the verdict be unfavorable. The matter of the city taking over has been discussed with Mayor Turner who has some other card up his sleeve he would like to play first. However, in case of suit it is not likely the OPA would file against the city whereas there would be no hesitancy in pressing action against the dairy or Ralph Beamer who delivers the milk. Further action will be taken at the chamber of commerce luncheon next Monday. Representative of Blood Bank Sets Date for Meeting Plans for taking blood plasma in the Heppner territory will be laid before the people at 2 o'clock p. m. Saturday. Jan. 8 according to Clyde Denncy, exalted ruler of Heppner Lodge No. 358, B. P. O. E. Mis. Madge Brown, manager of the Portland blood bank, has requested a meeting and arrangements are being made to use the Elks hall for the purpose. Definite plans for handling tha blood plasma have not been made known here, although Lee Bcck ncr has visited the Portland bank several times and discussed meth ods with the officials. Latest infor mation is that blood donated here will be taken immediately to Pen dleton and placed on a plane and rushed to Portland. First plan called for a specially equipped sta tion wagon to haul the blood di rectly to Portland but it was found that a saving of several hours could be effected by placing it on a plane at Pendleton. It is the belief of interested par ties that donations will be made readily enough as soon as arrange ments are made. "All the people want to know is the time and place," Denney stated. O r- ti o o ri