OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY PUBLIC AUDITORIUM PORT LAUD, ORE. epper $3.00 Per Year; Single Sheriff's Office Sells Many Auto Licenses in 1949 Last-Minute Rush Accounts For 514 Since December 15 One of the busiest spots in the county the past few days has been the tax department at the court house and the cause can be laid directly to the door of a procrastinating public. Between Saturday morning and Tuesday evening, Mrs. Frances Mitchell, deputy sheriff and tax collector, sold 205 car licenses. Since December 15, 1949, the sheriff's office has sold 514 li censes, and the total for the year was uit-wie biggest number In automotive history In the county. This does not account for the licenses sold In Morrow county, but If It did there would be just about one automotive vehicle to each family. Without figures from the office of the secretary of state it is not possible to give a ngure on the number of licenses issued to car and truck owners. Many people make their applica- Hons directly to the secretary of state prior to December 15, while perhaps as many more put off applying until the last minute. New cars, trades and some who drive their cars for only short periods account for sales through out the year, but the bulk of the applications come inthe last-min ute rush. Christmas Seal Sale Committee Turns in Report at Kinzua By ELSA M. LEATHERS Happy New Year to my readers! Mrs. R. M. Wright, chairman of the Christmas Seal sale, and her committee, Mrs. George Smith, Mrs. Ed Wham and Mrs. Sterling Wham, report that to date, Dec. 30, they had received $260.25, with a large number yet to re ceive replies from. Kinzua had the largest receipts In Wheeler county last year. Mark Jo Hick who sustained a shoulder lnjuiy at the Lexington basketball game Is able to have his arm out of the sling and to drive his own car again. It Is doubtful if he can play any of the remaining games. Work was resumed Jan. 3 In all departments. Elmer Sasser car ried the time clock on one shift throughout the holidays. Kinzua was saddened by the untimely death of Mrs. Floyd Thomas Sr. Saturday afternoon at her home here. Besides her husband, she leaves two daugh ters by a former marriage, her mother, Mrs Maggie Davis Vine yard, and a sister, Dorothy Phil- lips, both of Prlneville, formerly of Kinzua Also a brother, Bill Da vis of Condon Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon at the Methodist church in Fossil, followed by interment In the Fos sil cemetery. Pallbearers were Warren Jobe, Howard Zaccary, George rindle, Gene Rorick, Thur man Van Horn and Raymond Lutchcr. Mr .and Mrs. Joe Schott and daughter Lillian were dinner guests New Year's day at the E. R. Fatland home In Condon. Mr. and Mrs. Harve Boyer went to Beavcrton Thursday to visit at the homes of their daughter and family, Mrs. Harry Johnson, and their son and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Boyer. They returned home Monday afternoon. Mr. and Mrs. Bob Asher met her father, Finley La Clair, at Arling ton Sunday afternoon when he returned from Cambridge, Ida., where he has been visiting his son Gary. Ralph Moore spent several days near The Dalles at the ranch home of his brother, Harve and with his father, Emmett. He and family also spent some time at tholr ranch near Lonerock, Mrs. Matt Jurlck returned home from The Dalles hospital where she underwent a check and will return to the hospital Jan. 6 for further consultation Bill Lltzell spent several days here from Portland visiting his father, Frank. Bill Is enrolled In a radio school J. E. Wall returned home from Portland Saturday and his bro ther Bob accompanied him. Mrs. Wall went on to Canada to be present at her sister's wedding. The Walls visited at Omak, Wash, with Mr. Wall's parents. Richard Coleman came up from Portland for a few days visiting his brother J. D. and family. BUI Lltzell accompanied him. Mr. and Mrs. Elza Wilson and family spent the holidays at Yak. im with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Southard. Mr. and Mrs. W. B Webb and small daughter spent several days at Spray visiting Mr and Mrs. Art Williams, his sister. Mr. and Mrs. Bob Laughlln and son Bobby returned to Kinzua af. tcr spending two weeks at their home in Mack's Creek, Mo. with relatives and friends. Mrs, Maggie Vineyard and Mr. Copies 10c Wreaths Adorned All Doors of Ward Seven at Hospital Due to the generosity of Mor row county organizations, every door or ward 7, the county's re sponsibility at the veterans hos pital In Walla Walla, was hung witn a wreath during the holi day season, announces Mrs. Jack Loyd, counyt chairman. Mrs. Loyd has expressed her thanks to Willows, Lexington and .ihea Creek granges, the Lena home extension unit, the Heppner chamber of commerce and busin ess houses who provided funds to make It possible to purchase the 24 wreaths needed. o Marriage Licenses Slacken Up in 1949 Cupid wasn't too busy at the Morrow county courthouse during the year 1949 and as a result the Clerk's office didn't spend too much time making out marriage licenses. Up to the time of writing only 17 licenses had been sold at the clerk's desk. These include: January 29 Bill G. Lynch anil Hazel Jewell Easter. February 3 Albert Ted Palma- teer and Rosetta Healy. March 1 Ernest M. Moline and Eva C. Johnson. March 19 Robert Lee Lovgren and Yvonne Earlene Dougherty. April 9 Marvin L. Jones and Malzle Rakes, both of Pasco, Wn. April 23 Roy Burkenbine and Aden Vague. April 29 George E. Irvln and Georgia Anne McMillan. May 27 V. R. Runnion and Muriel Rice. June 4 William D. Peoples and Merlene Miller. June 17 Donald Arthur DuBois and Marcella Shaffer. June 25 Lowell Keith Rippee and Beverly Lou Eberhardt. August 30 Wilbur Jackson and Dorothy Allstott. September 12 Robert L. Gam- mell and Evonne R Evans. November 16 Harold L. Snider nd Joyce Ann Salter. November 30 Robert B. Crow- ell and Ltla Botts. December 22 Charles Harvey Flint of Ames, Iowa and Mabel Wilson. December 23 Ellis Sallng and Eileen Harris. nd Mrs. Merle Phillips came from Prineville Saturday night when they received word of the death of their daughter and sis ter, Grace Thomas. They are at he home of Mr. Phillips' sister, Mr. and Mrs. La Monte Beard. Mr. and Mrs. George Tripp and son Leo spent the holiday at the home of their daughter at Salem. Mr. and Mrs. Qulncy Tripp visited with his sister at Oakridge. Mr. and Mrs. Delvin McDaniel .visited at Hardman with Mr. and Mrs. Kinard McDaniel and Mr. and. Mrs. Everett Harshman on Christmas. Mr. and Mrs. Joe Schott and Lillian went to Portland Monday where Mr. Schott had a check up with a skin specialist. He has been suffering from pine poison ing. He is a sawyer at the mill. Mr. and Mrs. Layton Tripp and a brother, Arden, spent the holi days at Warrenton with Mrs. Tripp's mother. They returned home Saturday afternoon. Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Carmichael of Lexington brought Owen Lea thers Sr. home Tuesday from Vancouver, Wash, and visited here until Thursday evening. Clarence got in some duck hunt ing while here. Mrs. Leathers went to Heppner with them and spent several days visiting rela tives and friends, reluming home Saturday. Dick Graham returned to Cor- vallis Sunday. He is a freshman at Oregon State. He spent the hoi Idays with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Forest Graham. He accom panied Larry Wade of Condon to t'orvallis. Pfc David Phillips, army re cruit, is on his first leave from Fort Ord, Calif, visiting at the home of his sister, Mrs. Monty Beard. David was employed here before entering the arm ya short time ago. He has a twin brother, Frank, who Is In the Marine Air Corps. W. G. Gilbert took his son, Pfc Kenneth Gilbert, to Portland Thureday after he had spent a few days visiting his parents and a sister, Mrs. James Hanna at Camp 5. He was from Fort Ord, Calif, where he is in army train ing. Ethel Mitchell and son Lee Roy returned home Friday from Three Creeks, Ida., where they visited her daughter and family, Mr. and Mrs. Ray Clark the past week. Mr. and Mrs. Al Rudd and sons Lynn and Freddie and Jack Pltt spent their vacation at Omak, Wash. Lynn, who is in the army air corps, has been visiting here the past week. He left high school last year to enlist. He was on the main string of the basketball team at Fossil. Mr. and Mrs. Scott Brown of Portland are visiting here this week with his sisters, Mrs. So phrona Thompson and Mrs. Lln nle Loudon. Mr. and Mrs. Rhea Lupcr came from Walla Walla the last of the week to spend the New Year holi day with relatives and friends, Shamrocks Enter Season With Eye On State AAU Play Van Marter's Town Team Best Seen Here, Writer Says By JIM BARRATT One of the finest teams ever to wear hoop scanties under the banner of a Heppner town team is now making hoop history un der the coaching of LaVerne Van Marter with its latest niche in its climb for league suprema cy being a 60 to 46 win Friday over a pine-high visiting Moro team here. A well balanced team boast ing height, speed, shooting abil ity lots of spirit, the Heppner Shamrocks have scored over 60 points a game in their last four starts. Only loss of the season was to Irrigon in the season's opener on their floor but with the same team scheduled to play here later this month, the Sham rocks will have a chance for revenge. The Heppner Bees, which play a preliminary game to every Shamrock contest, have the same win -loss record as their big bro thers 5-1 but their only loss was to the Lexington "A" team here Friday by a 43-39 count which saw the lead change near ly a dozen times. Playing in the newly organ' ized Morrow-Umatilla county lea gue with members consisting of two teams from Hermiston and one each from Heppner, lone, Lexington, Arlington and Irrigon the Shamrocks have definitely proven themselves contenders for the crown, with wins already ov. er Valley Builders of Hermiston, lone and Arlington. Winners of this league will play off the win ner of the Pendleton area wtih the winner representing the dis trict in the state AAU tourna ment at the end of the season. Highest individual scorer in the yet early season has been Har old Whitbeck with a 17 point av erage in three games but Jack Parrish, former Oregon Owl s ace, has tallied 70 points in six games for a 11.7 average. Whitbeck learned his maple artistry while in the togs of Pacific university. Heppner 41. Lexington 19, prac. tice game; Heppner 22, Irrigon 31; Heppner 68, lone 39; Heppner 61, Hermiston 38; Heppner 66, Ar lington 35; Heppner 60, Moro, 46. Assessor Gives Out rimely Advice on 1950 lax Statements Your personal property assess ment which is to be made as of January 1, 1950, should be listed on the returns sent out, advises Assessor V. O. Dix. List your pro perty under the proper headings on your return, using exact in ventory as of Jan. 1, 1950, he points out. Taxpayers are referred to par agraph 110-608 O. C. L. A. Every county assessor shall have the power to require all taxpayers to furnish a list of all taxable real or personal property owned by, or in possession of, such taxpayer and situated in his county. Said list shall be signed by the tax payer, or the managing agent or or officer, and shall be verified by oath. To aid in determining an equit. able assessment of all property, the county assessor shall have the authority to examine the tax payer's inventories, books, records and documents relating to the amount and value of any proper ty which he is required by law to assess. Only such information shall be required In said list as shall aid the assessor in arriving at a fair assessment valuation. The assessor shall also have the power to summon witnesses to appear and give testimony in matters relating to the valuation and amount of property. If you wish to know what the penalty for failure to comply with the law Mr. Dix asks you to read paragraph 110-6-- O. C. L. A. If help is needed in making your return, the assessor's office will he glad to help you. o- HE'S GRANDDAD NOW When you meet Orville Cuts fort h show him that respect that is his due. Ho has changed his status since Tuesday morning. January 3, when a baby girl was born to Mr. and Mrs. Richard Zita at Columbia, Mo. Mrs. Zita is the former Dorothy Cutsforth. Her mother, Mrs. Alta Kenny went to Columbia to welcome the new grandchild. SERVICE HOUR CHANGED The Epiphany service (Feast of Lights) scheduled for Friday evening at All Saints Episcopal church lias been changed to 6 o clock p. m. Sunday, according to Vicar E. L. Tull. Judge and Mrs. J. G. Barratt returned the last of the week from a brief vacation in Salem and Grants Pass with relatives. Heppner Gazette Times, Residence Changes Occupy Time of Several Families During Holidays Considerable change in rest dence has been made during the holidays. The Sie Walkers have purchased the Mahoney house on Baltimore street and have moved there from their former horn eon Water street which has been sold to Mr. and Mrs. James Johnston. The Kenneth Keelings nave moved nto the house on Jones street recently vacated by A. A. Scouten family and the Minnie B. Furlong residence on Jones street, formerly occupied by the Keelings, has been rented to Mr. and Mrs. Basil B. Burn- stead. Mr. and Mrs. Lyle Cowdery and his mother, Mrs. Marvin Herring- ton left Monday for their homes in Vancouver, Wash, after spend ing the week-end here with Mr. and Mrs. Scott Furlong and J. C. Owens. Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Denney of Gresham were week-end visit ors in Heppner and were guests of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Blake at their country home on Hinton creek. Mr. and Mrs'. Victor Johnson and daughter Carolyn of Port land spent the New Year's holi day In Heppner. During their stay they were guests of Mr. and Mrs. Carey Hastings and Mrs. Corda Sallng. Gilbert Batty left Monday for Corvallis where he will enter Oregon State for the second term. Miss Cecelal Healy was here from Portland to spend the holi days with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Healy and other rela tives. Mr. and Mrs. Orville Smith left by plane Friday for Pasa dena where they attended the Rose Bowl game on Monday af ternoon. Misses Leatha Smith and Janet Sprouls left Thursday for Prlne ville to spend the New Year hol iday with Miss Smith s parents. They were taken to Arlington by Crockett Sprouls. Mr. and Mrs. Dick Ferguson and family have returned to their home in Montesano, Wash. after spending the holidays here with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Ferguson. Mrs. Fergu son's mother, Mrs Annie Heiny of Fairvlew, is remaining in Hep pner for a longer stay. - r- Air. and Mrs , Harold F'IrfKverctt Keithley made a busi and Crockett Sprouls made a business trip to Hermiston Satur day. Art Peck motored to Pendleton Saturday evening to spend the holidays with his family. Mr .and Mrs. Vince Stingle of Portland spent the New Year holiday here with relatives. Mr. and Mrs. B. E. Isom and daughter were over from Pendle ton Saturday. Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Benge are In Medford where they will spend a month with their daughter, Mrs. Hilding Bengston and fam ily. Curdy and children were over Mr. and Mrs. Harlan D. Mc from Ukiah to spend the New Year holiday with relatives and friends. Officers for the Women's Aux iliary of All Saints Episcopal church were installed at special communion services Wednesday morning. They include Mrs. M. R. Wightman, president; Mrs. W. O. Dix, vice president; Mrs. Jesse Cast Selected For Home Talent Play By Lexington P-TA By MRS. DELPHA JONES The cast has been completed for the P-TA's forthcoming pro duction of "Mumbo Jumbo," the three-act mystery farce by Jack Barnards. The central figures, two harum-scarum college youths, will be played by George Irvin and Leonard Munkers. Mrs. Tonl Baker will portray a beautiful young woman under the strange spell of Dr. Omahundra, taken by Glenn Griffith. Armin Wihlon, a mysterious blind man; Mrs. Gla dys Van Winkle will be Tweetie, a countrv lass; Ellwynne Peck will be a country sheriif, with his rival, Mrs. Maurice Groves, as tne lady sheriff from an adjoining county. Others in the cast are: Thelma Anderson, a witch doc tor; Mrs. Custer, Delpha Jones, and her son Hal, Clarence Buch anan. Also Peaches, a hard boiled college girl Is portrayed by Mrs. Betty Feathers. Others In tne piay are Mr. and Mrs. Truman Mes senger, aunt and uncle of one college boy, and Bud Buchanan, who Is a hard boiled state patrol man. Adding much to- the com edy is Daisy, a small girl who helps the lady sheriff. This play Is to be given to raise money for local P-TA and will be presented the latter part of January. It is under the direction of Gerald Baker. M and Mr.s Don Grant were holiday visitors at the O G. Bree ding home, from Prlneville. Mrs. Breeding and daughter Joan re turned with them after visiting there for a week, Mrs. Grant's Thursday, January 5, 1 - C. Payne, secretary; and Mrs. J G. Thomson, treasurer. Plans are being made by the auxiliary for a potiuck dinner in the parish house on the evening of Tues day, Jan. 10. All members of the parish are urged to attend. Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Batty of Kimberly were week-end house fuests of Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Ogletree. Mr. and Mrs. Ben Anderson eome up from Portland to spend the holidays at their home in the Eightmile district .They ex pect to return to the city in the near future for an indefinite stay. Mr. and Mrs. J. K. Charlton of Baker spent the holiday week end here with her sons, Harold and Merle Becket and their fa fnllies. They returned to t heir fiome Monday afternoon. " Holiday guests of Mr. and Mrs. Durward Tash were his mother Mrs. Fred Tash, brother Rodney and Sister Zalda and family of Hermiston. Mr. and Mrs. Richard Hayes returned to their home in Arling ton Monday after spending the week-end with her mother, Mrs. Grace Nickerson. They were ac companied by their daughters Blllie Pat and Christine who spent the Christmas vacation here with Mrs. Nickerson. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hodge Jr. were over from Pendleton for the week-end with relatives and friends. JMiss Betty Lou Moyer returned home Saturday afternoon from St. Anthony's hospital where she underwent a major operation earlier in the week. Homer Mankln of lone was looking after business matters in Heppner Tuesday. Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Doherty of Sandhollow braved Tuesday's snowstorm to come to town for supplies. Joann Blake left Monday for Portland where she is attending art school. She accompanied Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Denney that far on their return to Gresham after a week-end visit here. Students returning to college the first of the week were Maryi Mollahan and Bob Jones to Eu geneand Don Gilliam to Corval lis. ness trip to Pendleton Monday. Mr. and Mrs. Karl Blois and Mrs. Lyle Maidment and daugh ter, Karen of Condon were over Sunday guests of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Orwick. Miss Lela Tolleson left the last of the week for Seattle where I she will enroll in the University of Washington. Miss Tolleson has only recently returned from an extended visit to the middle west after having resigned her position as nurse at the Veterans hospi tal in Walla Walla earlier in the fall. Mr. and Mrs. V. R. Runnion spent the holidays in Wyoming with his relatives and from there planned to go on to Nevada and California for a month's motor tour. They expect to return to Heppner sometime early in Feb ruary. Mr. and Mrs. W. O. Dix have returned from Portland where they spent the holidays. During their stay there they were the Continued on page six children, Jim and Jeanne are vis iting in Lexington for a few weeks. Mr. and Mrs. Ray Darnielle and son Edward were holiday vis itors from The Dalles at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Newt O'Harra. Archie Padberg returned to his school in the valley from holidays spent at the K. K. Marshall home. Bud Marshall who has been at tending school there is remain ing at home for the winter term. Mr. and Mrs. Mark Rands were Pendleton visitors one day last week. Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Baker re turned last week from a few days visit in Portland. The girls athletic association of the high school have received their new uniforms. They are black satin with orange letters and trimmings. Lexington women who have or ganized the town volleyball team are most anxious to meet some competition and would like to hear from other teams who are wanting to play. Their manager is Gerald Baker. County council of P-TA will meet this time in lone with lone as host. This meeting is sched uled for the third Wednesday of the month. Mrs. Nannette Griffith has gone to Wallowa for a few weeks vis it. She motored over one day last week with her so nJay Griffith of Spray. Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Groves spent the vacation in Salem. Mr. and Mr.s. Eldon Padberg returned the latter part of the week from a vacation in Tort land, and motored to Pendleton to the Gene Blssinger home for New Years. Mr. and Mrs. Joe Feathers re turned Monday from Clackamas wiiere they spent tne noiidays in necessary, and set the final ang the Kellogg home, line regulations for the year 19a0. 950 Motion Pictures To Depict Agricultural Progress of Region U. P. Improvement Car To Instruct By Visual Means With nearly 25,000 miles and 300 meetings already on its log, Union Pacific's unique agricul tural improvement car will con tinue its third tour of western states served by the railroad wtih a three week January jun ket to 14 southeastern Washing ton and northeast Oregon com munities. The proven and regular plan A motion pictures, experienced agricultural speakers and discus sions which the car has featured since its initial trip in January, iM4S, will again be followed, ac cording to Joe W. J:rvls, supervi. sor of U lion P. cific's agricul tural development dpp artment. George L. Penrose, agriculau- ral agent for the railroad in Ore gon and Washington, who will be in charge of the car, announ ced the following itinerary: In Oregon: Athena, January 13; Pendleton, January 16; Heppner, January 18; Condon, January 20; Moro, January 23; Wallowa, Jan uary 25; Elgin January 26 and Haines, January 27. Whenever possible, four one- and-onehalf hour meetings will be held at each community, with tentative starting times of 9 a. m., 10:30 a. m., 1:30 and 3 p. m. Count agents will serve as chairmen at the majority of meetings. Among the speakers will be representatives of the State College of Washington ex tension service and the Oregon State college extension service. The car's extensive film library will include Thirsty Acres, sound color motion picture on irriga tion produced by Union Pacific, as well as pictures covering po tatoes, dairying, soil fertility, wheat, corn, fruit disease, crop production, weed control, farm management and DDT. o CHARLES FLINTS HONORED WITH TEA AT HUMPHREYS HOME THURSDAY P. M. Miss Leta Humphreys was hostess at a tea for Mr. and Mrs. Charles H.' Flint last Thursday afternoon. Assisting her were the members of the county home ec onomics committc, Mrs. Sam Mc Millan, Mrs. George Currin, Mrs. Vernon Munkers, Mrs. Russell Miller, Mrs. Ernest Heliker, Mrs. W. E Hughes, MrsMarkham Ba ker, Mrs Ralph Thompson, Mrs. Paul Slaughter, Mrs. J. G. Barratt and Mrs. Walter Wright. During the afternoon Mrs. Rob ert Walker and Mrs. Clyde Dun ham each sang a group of songs. Many friends called to extend greetings to the newlyweds and i eo enjoy the hospitality of Miss Humphreys' beautiful new home, which was most attractive in its holiday attire. MARRIAGE DATE SET Mr. and Mrs. John Hanna an nounce the engagement and forth coming marriage of their daugh. ter Jean to Donald L. Bennett. The wedding will be an event of Wednesday, February 8 at the hour of 7 o'clock p. m. in the Methodist church and will be open to the public. The groom-to-be is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Neil Bennett of Preston, Kan., and is employed at the W. F. Barratt ranch. o HEW STORE AT RUGGS Don Hatfield reports that the new grocery store at Ruggs own ed by himself and his brother John, is meeting with favor in the district. They have included gasoline and oil service for the benefit of people in the neigh borhood and travelers along the highways west and south. The Hatfiekis are making their home at Ruggs and Don is continuing his job as service man at the Rosewall Motor company. o Public Hearing On Angling Regulations To Be Held Jan. 13 Charles A. Lockwood. Oregon Stale Game Director, calls atten tion to the fact that the annual public hearing concerning ang ling regulations for 1950 will be held in the Portland office of the Oregon State Game commission at 10:00 a. m. January 13. The public is invited to attend this hearing, and anyone having sug gestions to make concerning the new angling regulations will be heard at that time. Representa tives of organizations and Indi viduals will all be heard. Those organizations not able to send a representative and Individuals not able to attend should send in their recommendations by mail before that date After the public hearing the Game Commission will set ten talive regulations for the com ing year. These will be announc ed, and after a two week inter val, the commission will recon vene, make any changes deemed Gooseberry Receives 9:15 Inches Moisture During Past Season Ranchers in the Gooseberry district of Morrow county had pretty good crops in 1949 but it was not due to the amount of precipitation which fell during year. The moisture that did fall helped preserve the holdovar moisture from the previous sea son and this was sufficient to produce a little better than aver age crops. In running over th? vear's re cords, month by month, Leonard Carlson, weather observer for the western part of the county, found that a total of 9.15 inches of moisture fell throughout the year. Broken down to months it came as follows: January, .37; Febru ary, 1.76; March, 1.70; April.30 May, 1.14; June, .04; July and August, nil; September, .05; Oc tober, .45; November, 2.28 and December, 1:06. This is approximately the same recording as made by Len Gilliam in Heppner. o Unemployment On Increase, Commission Release Reveals Record unemployment pay ments of $2,742,374 for December brought the 1949 total to $19,367 806 or 16 percent above the pre vious high established during the post-war readjustment year of 1946, the state unemployment compensation commission report ed today. Last month's total was 41.6 per cent above the November, 1949 amount and was higher than the combined totals for December, in 1946, 1947 and 1948. Only in March, 1946, when displaced war workers received $2,855,118, was a higher monthly figure recorded. Although readjustment allow ances to unemployed veterans under the G-I Bill of Rights de clined greatly during the past four monthsdropping to $69, 807 for December the year's dls bursements reached $7,021,982. This brought the combined total of payments to veterans and ci vilans in Oregon during 1949 to 726,389,788, or more than a mil lion above the $25,269,262 for 1946. State checks went to 32,383 covered workers during the last week of the year only 19 percent under last winter's peak of 40,- 267 reached in late February. Since the start of the benefit year last July, 93.000 persons have filed claims as compared with 53,929 a year ago. During the 1948-49 benefit year claimants numbered 101,000, and officials expect that figure to be passed during the next 30 days. About 390,000 covered workers had suf. ficient wage credits during 1948 to quality for benefits during the the present year. Nearly 7,000 claimants already have exhausted their benefti rights and can draw no further compensation until after the next benefit year starts July 1, 1950. Exhaustions during 1948-49 ex ceeded 20,000, and may be much higher in 1949-50. o More Wheat Smut In Evidence in Northwest Crop Report Shows Oregon and the Pacific North west seem well on the way to re. gaining the dubious distinction of being the nation's number one wheat smut disease sorespot. During 1949, 20.3 percent of nearly 19,000 farmers owned lots of wheat graded smutty, a rise of 6 percent from the preceding year, it was reported recently to the Pacfic Northwest Smut Con trol committee by R. E. White, TMA grain supervisor, Portland, who handles federal grain in spections for the three northwest states. White estimates that thirteen million bushels of the 1949 wheat crop in the three states will be marketed as smutty. In addition to cash discounts, Extension Farm Crops Specialist Rex War ren at Oregon State college, a member of the smut control com mittee, points out that presence of smut also affects yields ad versely. Total smut infestation after be ing reduced to just 2.8 percent of the crop in 1942-43, has been clumbing for seven straight years. Swing to non-smut resis tant varieties such as Elgin and Golden, and failure on the part of farmers to take proper seed treatment precautions, are listed as the principal reasons for the increase. In the western Columbia ba sin area, the total Infestation was reduced from 11.3 percent a year ago to b.3 percent in 1949. Mark ed improvement was shown in the Condon area, White stated. Bad spots were confined to the northern parts of Wasco and Sherman counties the same as in 194a Smut, a spore disease, has been known to reduce yellds up to 25 or 30 percent, Oregon State college agronomists declare. In the Pendleton Inspection sta- h mv.., iiupiuNeim-ni in me, state where licenses can be se-over-all smut picture was also cured Is a considerable accom registered In 1949 as compared modatlon to the public and a with the year previous Samples preat saving to the state. As an grading smutty totaled 169 in example, last week XK) plates 1949 as compared with 19.7 for were trucked to one field office the year before. 'saving the state $000 In postage. Volume 66, Number 42 Mercury Drops To 7 Below For Short Time Last Night About Five Inches Of Snow Cover Area In Heppner Vicinity Heppner citizens were ducking their necks well down in their coat collars Wednesday evening when the thermometer began zooming downward after several hours of snowing and blowing. Low point was reached before midnight, when the mercury reached seven degrees below zero on the instrument used by Len Gilliam for making official re cordings of the weather. A blanket of approximately five inches of light snow fell over this vicinity the fore part of the week, with most of it coming down Tuesday night. Although accompanied by a fairly strong wind, there was little troublesome drifting, especially along the highways. The maintenance crews kept the roads open and for the most part there was no delay due to drifts, although slick road surfaces slowed traffic down. There was a change in temper. ature shortly after midnight and by morning the mercury had crawled up to 30. At noon a wind indicative of a chlnook had car ried the indicator still higher and icicles clinging to the edges of roofs began to drip. Reports coming from other points Indicate that the snowfall here was light by comparison. Pendleton was reported to have 12 inches Wednesday morning and a similar report came from Condon. The storm was general and caution is the watchword on all highways. o Mr. and Mrs. J. O. Turner re turned Monday from Portland Mrs. Turner has been in the city for a week assisting their son Don and family get settled in their new home and Mr. Turner motored down after her on Sat urday. He was accompanied by Mrs. Joe Hughes who took her daughter Mary Olive back to her school in Salem. A YEAR OF ACHIEVEMENT In 1949 the progress of govern ment in Oregon kept pace with the rapidgrowing state, accord, ing to elected top officials. Governor Douglas McKay is en thusiastic over the headway made by the ship of state in the swells of increased population. We have tested new plans for conserving and developing our natural resources and applied the workable methods and," said the governor, "they are contributing to the present economy and in the future will alleviate some of the burdens that have been per fidiously passed on future gene rations." The general responsibility of any governor includes trying to keep his state on a level keel. For that reason I am using my personal Influence and that of my office to promote greater di versification of Industries to at tain more year-round jobs; to foster a rapid development of more hydroelectric energy as a magnet to new industry; to sell more people on the necessity of expanding the processing of farm and forest crops. AUTO PROBLEMS REDUCED The principal advancements In his department, says, Secretary of State Earl T. Newbry, include the establishment of the Traffic Safe, ty division, consolidating and co ordinating the work of several duplicating safety divisions and the carrying out of the provisions f the new school bus law. The streamlining of safet dvision not only increased efficiency in re ducing accidents but saved con siderable money for the state. The traffic Safe'ty division is di rected by Captain Walter Lan sing who has had many years of experience in traffic safety work. The arrangement of staggered dates for securing motor vehicle licenses by different groups in different months will save time for the public and the state. The old plan created a rush period that was extremely inconvenient for the public and necessitated the hiring of extra help that cost the state approximately $200,000 a year. After the transition per iod, other expenses will be great ly reduced. The new permanent license plates will save more than $200,. 000 a year. The establishment of 20 field offices cf the motor vehicle di vision at strategic points over the i