Giles French Gives News and Views Of. the Legislature In one of the shortest and best organized opening sessions the two houses of the Oregon legislature started their 43 biennial job Mon day. There was no hitch in cre dentials of members, no long argu ment about who was going to pre side, no kick about committee as signments. Things went off as smoothly as " if greased, which, in fact, they were, greased with ample preparation by committees of leg islators who had spent a good part of the day before arranging. These arrangements went so far as the preparation of scripts for each member who had a part in the proceedings. General sentiment as expressed by long-time observers of legisla tures is that this session will be a long one. There are many reasons given. First of these is that the problems facing the legislature are not concrete, but rather, shrouded in a future more indefinite than us nal. The war's shadow darkens all views of the next two years Anoth er reason is that members are bus ier at home and will not stay on the job as usual. Considering that five excuses were given in the house for the second day, this may be true. Illnes, family sickness, press of private busines and departure of relatives for the service are all rea sons given for absences. . Major problems of this session will be those of every session. They will be -taxes, labor, schools, post war. The tax problem will revolve around raising enough money to pay for the political gadgets the le gislature wants to pass and the things asked by the governor. If no such funds are found and the ; state has to run along on its present level of expenditures, it will be Heppner Gazette Times, January 1 1, 1945 5 just as well. But this does not mean that there will not be proposals. Labor and employers are still fighting about the rates on unem ployment compensation payments and rates. The industrial accident law is in for a it of overhauling with at least three groups trying to do the job. The school problem appears to have moved more fully into the limelight than usual with, proposals from teachers, administrators and even taxpayers. There are about six groups said to be writing bills to make over the school tax system, now in a state of flux because of the 1942 initiiative bill that passed the people and the 1944 amendment that failed to pass. Post-war problems may not be solved, or rather, no attempt may be made toward that effort. There is a feeling that it would be much better to wait until the war is over and have a special session called to settle the problems when they' were ready. It is true enough that there is not enough light to guide at present, but no special session called hur riedly under the emotiional stress of the immediate post-war period could meet under more favorable conditions. If money is to be raised provision might better be made now. One may well wonder what anyone can do to repay the sacri fices being made. There is a personal suspicion that there may be more outbreaks of temper in this session than usual. It seems that people's nerves are closer to the surface than ordinary these days and members of the leg islature like every one else, have their worries over sons and daugh ters overseas. Talk of the war and attendant topics of things outside the legislature is more common than before. Committee appointments given to members of the legislature from the 22nd representative district and the 18th senatorial district are as follows. Members, being older in service, have better appointments and Senator Fatland, having had experience in the house before go ing to the senate, received good treatment at the hands of Senator Belton. Fatland is cheirman of Game, vice-chairman of Roads and High ways, a member of Alcoholic traf fic, Education and Judiciary. Giles French is again chairman of the Taxation and Revenue commit te in the house which handles most of the tax legislation. He is also 8 member of Education, Labor and Industries, Land Use and the Legis lation and Rules committtees. Henry Peterson, now starting his second session is vice chairman of Land Use, and a member of Agri culture, Health and Public Morals, Livestock and Public Institutions committees. JANUARY CLEARANCE SAIJE--, Winter coats J4 off; winter hats off,, Curran's Ready-to-Wear. 42-44c "Q mO r 1 (cT! fflfi Cond&ased Statement off Head Office and 40 Branches RESOURCES December 31, 1943 Cash on Hand and Due from Banks $ 82,406,278.22 United States Bonds, including U. S. Government Agencies -. . . 218,019,965;56 $300,426,243.78 Municipal Bonds 13,664,988.23 Loans and Discounts . 50,916,522.34 Stock in Federal Reserve Bank . . ' 300,000.00 Bank Premises, Furniture and Fixture! 2,706,549.82 Other P-nl Estate 1.00 Customers' Liability on Acceptance! 3,987.56 Interest Earned 1,283,672.53 Other Resources . . . 156,364.07 Total Resources ..$369,458,329.33 LIABILITIES Capital........ Surplus . $ 4,356,006.00 5,500,000.00 Undivided Profits and Reserves... 4,903,537.32 $ 14,903,537.32 Reserves Allocated for Taxes, Interest, etc ... 1,1 18,892.91 ACCeptanCeS .... :.im--ct.t :: -Mtm. Interest Collected in Advance-- Other Liabilities ..... 3E(icmm. nnnTm-iiiTrrrr 3,987.56 125,843.18 231,115.62 Deposits (exclusive of reciprocal bank deposits) 353,074,952.74 Total Liabilities . ... $369,458,329.33 December 30 $91,671,591.47 255,988,540.55 $347,660,1 32.ft.Ti 40,105,803.10 60,054,804.76 300,000.00 2,603,960.34 1.00 10,010.16 1,888,162.76 $452,875,087.46 $ 4,500 000.00 5,500,000.00 7,342,863.41 $ 17,342,863,4! 1,176,455.08 10,010.16 109,741.63 227,283.69 434,008,733.49 $452,875,087.46 Affiliated with The Firtt National Bank of Portland are eight additional banks whose total Deposits, as of December 30, 1944 were $22,909,800.43; and total Resources $24,036,365.82. These figures are not included in the above statement of The First National Bank of Portland The locations of these banks are as follows: Sweet Hone . . . Seaside . SUverton . . Cottage Grove . . . Forest Grove . . . PrinevHIe . . . Sclo . . . Sellwood (Portland)' MEMBER FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION sal