Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current, April 19, 1962, Page 2, Image 2

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    HEPPNER GAZETTE
MOBBOW
The Heppner Gazette, established March 30, 1883. The Heppner
Times established November 18, 1897. Consolidated February 15,
1912.
WESLEY A. SHERMAN
Editor and Publisher
NEWSPAPER
PUILISHIRS
ASSOCIATION
Subscription Rates: Morrow and Grant Counties, $4.00 Year; Else
where $150 Year. Single Copy 10 Cents. Published Every Thursday
and Entered at the Post Office at Heppner, Oregon, as Second
Class Matter.
, nil, i iiiiiui '
Glimpse of Post-War Japan and Philippines
Recently Mr. and Mrs. John C. Hagan, who lived in Heppner
for a St time some 10 or 12 years ago, wrote to Mr and Mrs
LaVcrn Van Marter, telling of their experiences in Japan and
the Philippines and giving an insight on post-war conditions
thLHagan, who is apparently serving in some classified civilian
capacity for the government, helped in the organization of
Columbia Basin Electric Co-op here, doing such work as
securing rights-of-way.
Because of conclusions that the letter draws, it is presented
here in editorial form with the thought that readers will like
to reflect on the feelings expressed and will appreciate even
more the privileges that they enjoy as Americans. The letter
follows:
"Dear Laurel and Van:
Bv this time, you probably think the Hagans are long lost
in Japan. Not so,' though we are often confused. When anyone
tells you they understand the Far East, just put hem down as
braggarts. N0 American could possibly understand these people.
"We arrived here last spring, and decided to live out among
the people rather than on a Base. You cannot feel a country I
you stay in American facilities. So we rented a house in Kuni
tachi, Tokyo Prefecture, and the fun started. First, the Plumbing
is only thirty years behind the times, and so are the lights. Uia
wooden flush box up over the bathroom fixtures supplies Pressure
and the fuses for lights are pieces of solder. The lights are f uo
rescenls and one gets used to pushing a button and standing
patiently till the light condescends to go on. The power is only
fifty cycles and American appliances operate, reluctantly. Lver
wait for toast five minutes?
"TV is all in Japanese, of course, with many American shows
and dialog dubbed in. Imagine Matt Dillon saying 'Dijobe in
stead of Okay and you get the picture. Chester has a drawl, as
the Japanese imagine it, and the effect is wild. No color yet, but
baseball like crazy.
"They drive on the left here, but the road discipline is poor.
The worst offenders are big gravel trucks that run all over. Bi
cycles by the thousand and wandering people who expect all
cars to stop. Railroad grade crossings that have killed more
Americans than the war. We call them the 'Japanese Revenge.
Fact is, the only thing that puzzles the Japanese about the war
is how they lost it. From where they observed, it couldn't be done.
We read the Emperor's speech announcing capitulation and it
started like this: "My people, the war has not been favorable
to us lately-" This was after Tokyo and the other cities were
burned to the ground and both atomic bombs had fallen.
"One thing we tried and resisted was Japanese diet in general.
We admit Suki-yaki (Pronounced Skiyaki) is delicious, but other
dishes are not to our taste. What is worse is when they try to be
polite and cook something in imitation of an American dish. I
recall visiting a Japanese military post and the Commander
rolled out the red carpet, even to the extent of having his post
cook make a chocolate cake for me. When it was served, protocol
demanded I eat not one piece but two. Which was all right till I
lusted It. You see, the cook followed a recipe except for the
shortening. There he used the Japanese standard, fish oil. Yi!
You just cannot imagine it. I can still taste it in my weak mo
ments. "My work is a classfied nature so discussion of it must be left
out. In general 1 am concerned with communications problems
and that covers a wide field. One thing, though, I do travel quite
widely. My wanderings included Korea, Okinawa, Taiwan and
The Philippines beside the length and breadth of Japan. That
covers a bit of territory, chums.
"We have taken hundreds of pictures since coming over and
wish we had an opportunity to show them to you. From the north
end of Japan at Wakkanai, where you can look over and see
Soviet country (Sakhalin) with Hie naked eye, to Manila, where
I lie good folk turned out to welcome a returning prodigal after
twenty years. 1 was honored to know they had not quite for
gotten me down there.
"Among other things, I visited the American War Dead Ceme
tery down at Fort MeKinloy outside Manila. There is a grandeur
ami beauty in the place that is unforgettable. 17,182 Americans
lie there, and many more are listed on the marble colonnades
"comrades-in-arms whose last resting place is known but to
Hod". 1 shed a few tears without shame when I called on old
friends who lie at McKinley. If you know people who lost rela
tives in the Pacific, assure them their dead are not forgotten,
never will be forgotten by the grateful people of The Philippines.
We sometimes take our relations with the Filipinos for granted,
but they recognize that freedom is 'a hard-bought thing' and
acknowledge frankly that American blood was the price of It.
No reasoning human being could visit Fort McKinley and stand
unmoved by those crosses. It all happened twenty years ago but
the memories are fresh in Filipino minds.
"There is much more I could write; of places such as Fuchu
Shrine, where three Doolittle flyers were beheaded and the people
apologize for the barbarity every time they think of it; the grim
hilltops of Korea where the old gun nests still show and the
principal occupation today is making objects d'art from brass
shell cases; and the scrawled words on a ruined barracks of Cor
regidur "Come see the relics of a senseless war." Yes, but when I
write home to old friends such as you people, I remember a land
where a child can run and play in security, or an old man doze
in the sun knowing he is sale. 1 remember that land amid all the
exotic sights of far places because that land of peace and se
curity is still my home and there one day I will come back. Those
who never leave take America for granted, 1 believe, hut when
you see the scars of war still only half hidden on a city, and see
the covert look cast by the people who once knew the hell of
war, you feel happy to know a place like our country exists. A
inerica is not perfect, and the cynical would say many things
that detract from even that thought, but when yoii cast up a bal
ance against the rest of the world, I'll call it home and feel prl-
ilcned to do so.
"Perhaps the most objective view of this that I encountered
was down in the Philippines. An old man, Alphonse. King since
P.C'5 of the tribe named Negrito, was awarded the rank of
Honorary Colonel in the American Forces for his war services
on our side. 1 knew him in the old days and met him again;
all four foot, ten inches of him, aged 7li. With a retinue of three
wives and numerous children, he posed for a picture that I
treasure, but his words I think are more valuable yet. Alphonse
seaks fair English, and he touched his uniform hat, remarking:
Ah, this I value, yet, but 1 would give what this stands for and
all these.' indicating his village and tribe, 'to call myself nn
American. Go tell your people that, my Yankee friend.'
"From far-off Japan, in affectionate recollection of other days,
to all of you, Our warmest regards, John and Anita Hagan."
Recreation Night
Slated For Families
San Souci Rebckah lodge will
entertain Odd Fellows and their
families at the April recreation
night Wednesday, April 25, at
the lodge hall. A pot luck dinner
is planned for 6:30 p. m. with
program and special entertain
ment to follow.
Mrs. Frank Payne, noble
grand, encourages a good at
tendance to equal that of the
pancake feed put on last month
bv Odd Fellow members.
- TIMES, Thursday. April 19, 1962
COUNTY'S NEWSPAPER
PHONE 6-9228
HELEN E. SHERMAN
Associate Publisher
NATIONAL EDITORIAL
IIMIIIIIIHIIIHIIIIIM
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Baby Girl Joins
Bud Peck Family
Mr. and Mrs. Bud reck and
family are welcoming Frances
Arietta, four-months-old, this
week. They completed adoption
of the new daughter over the
week end when they went to
Portland to bring her home.
Frances joins two brothers, Terry
11, and Bobby, 10. She was born
December 22, 1961.
Boxed typing paper reason
ably priced at the Gazette-Times.
TO THE
EDITOR. , .
To the Editor:
I appreciate your paper's cov
erage of the school meeting. I
am disappointed that they cre
ated a position and ottered a
contract without first detailing
the responsibilities and making
public the young man's qualifi
cations in regard to keeping our
children riding in safe buses.
Andy Van Schoiack
Dear Editor:
Oregon is one of the few states
that now has in its constitution
a fair, foolproof and enforceable
guarantee that seats in our state
legislature must be reapportion
ed at regular 10-year intervals
on the basis of population. In
this sense, Oregon has been a
leader among the states.
Now, at the very time of the
supreme court decision in the
Baker v. Carr case, which places
the reapportionment problem be
fore the federal courts for de
cision, certain political forces in
Oregon are attempting to upset
equal representation in Oregon.
The Constitutional amendment
proposed by this group will give
more weight to the voters of one
area than another.
Those who believe with
Thomas Jefferson that, "Equal
representation is so fundamental
a principle in a true republic
that no prejudices can justify
its violation," regard this at
tempt to steal votes with repug
nance. A partisan political at
tempt of this nature can only
be doomed to defeat (and let
no one say it is not partisan i
for even in the event of passage,
it will certainly cause hard feel
ings to be generated. Feelings
of just wrath that will rebound
on this area. These feelings of
injustice could well lead the ma
jority of voters in Oregon to
compel election of all legislators
at large.
That this is no idle fancy,
Tennessee faces this prospect
now. For 61 years the reactionary
forces in Tennessee had refused
to reapportion the legislature.
They are now faced with a worse
alternative, democracy. Tennes
see may well be an example to
us, for we must be scrupulously
fair, that we may gain the re
spect of the voters of Oregon,
that we may be treated honestly.
We should ask no more.
Ray E. Smith
(Editor's Note: We do not re
gard population as the only fac
tor to be considered in "equal
representation." Surely Thomas
Jefferson, third president of the
United States, did not regard the
Federal constitution as "repug
nant" even though it guaran
tees each state, regardless of
population, two senators in one
house of the legislative branch
of government.
Secretary of State Howell App
ling In a statement on legisla
tive reapportionment had this to
say. "One school of thought
that being the one which largely
prevailed as the result of the
legal Interpretation given the
Oregon Constitution in the 1961
reapportionment holds that the
all-important consideration is
that the apportionment be made
strictly according to population.
The contention is that, under
our democratic concept, simple
justice demands that each voter
nave nis absolute and eaual
weight with every other voter
in selecting the members of the
legislative assembly. Clothed in
its ring of righteousness, the Dlea
has a fetching resonance. Were
tne question that simple, and
proportionate representation the
only desired object, the solution
would te an easy one. Represen
tation strictly according to pop
ulation could be perfectly at
tained by simply making a
single district of the entire state
and electing all of the members
by the people at large. Thus,
each voter would then have re
alized the alleged millennium
of having his absolute and equal
weight with every other voter
in selecting the members of the
legislative assembly.
"What, though, of the equally
treasured concept of local rep
resentation? What of the desira
bility of the represented having
the opportunity to acquire in
timate knowledge of, and ready
access to, their representative.
and he intimate knowledge of
that which he represents? . . .
"The Indiana Supreme Court
in the Denny Case clearly drew
the point which I seek to make
when it said: Tt is clear that in
providing for an apportionment
oi memiiers in tne general as
sembly, two main objects were
kept in view by the framers of
the Constitution, one being lo
cal county representation; the
other, proportionate representa
tion of all the people ... To
secure the fullest possible local
county representation with the
nearest proportionate represen
tation of the voters in each
county is the approximate re
sult to be reached from these
two requirements of the Consti
tution. The working out of this
approximation is a practical
problem, to be left to . . . patriot
ism and good judgement . .
Were the situation as dispro
portionate in Oregon as it has
been In Tennessee, where Moore
county with a population of only
3.454 has one representative and
Davidson county, incl u d i n g
Nashville, with a population of
3W.743 has but six representa
tives, the situation would cry
for correction. But, as Mr. Smith
points out, Oregon provides for
regular reapportionment which
Tennessee has resisted.
As to the all-Oregon plan of
reapportionment, which Mr.
Smith is apparently attacking
and for which petitions are now
being circulated to place it on
the November election ballot,
IIIIIMJIIIIIIIIMIHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII.
Chaff and
Wes Sherman
WHAT COULD be better than
having our neighbor across
the street, Charlie Ruggles, win
the barbecue grill at the band
carnival. This ought to work out
real well. Charlie doesn't have
much yard at his place, but we
have quite a sizeable lot beside
us that should make a real good
place to cook steaks!
THE NICE pastel shades of
paint that Gene Case selected
for her crew, Matt Hughes and
Ray Ayers, to paint the store
front at Case Furniture gives
the building the very look of
spring. She got the jump on the
Cleanup Paintup campaign, all
details of which haven't even
been formally announced yet.
Not to be outdone, Central Mar
ket, across the street, brought
beauty to the downtown district
by making colorful planters out
of old pastel-painted washing
machines. Shortly after a pair
blossomed out in front of Case
Furniture. One can see how this
cleanup paintup business is con
tagious. THERE ARE perils in this
pressure can age that parents
of years ago never faced with
their children. Last winter we
bought some of this De-icer in
a pressure can for keeping the
car windshield frost free. The
other evening I noticed the can,
with lid off, in the front room.
"Where did this come from?"
Oregon State Senate President
Harry Boivin is quoted by Editor
Bill Jenkins in the Malheur En
terprise as saying, "If represen
tation at Salem is continued
solely on the basis of population,
it may well mean the end of
local representation for many of
our Eastern Oregon Counties."
Editor Jenkins adds, "There is
a ring to that statement that
should send, cold shudders up the
back of every Oregon resident
who lives east of the Cascades
. . . Support for the initiative
measure is a must for us over
here in the cow counties."
The all-Oregon plan, though
somewhat difficult to compre
hend without considerable study,
provides that apportionment in
the senate be based on populat
ion alone, and that membership
of the house be increased from
60 to 65. One member would
come from each of 30 represen
tative districts established in the
Constitution, consisting of 25
single county districts, four two
county districts, and one three
county district (Morrow, Sher
man and Gilliam). Balance of
the 35 seats would be apport
ioned to the districts on the
basis of a strict population form
ula. This measure is not an Eastern
Oregon measure alone but is
supported by many in the
heavily populated counties. It
would, however, assure Eastern
Oregon of representation more
consistent with "patriotism and
good judgement." We believe
every Eastern Oregonian as well
as others throughout the state,
should support the initiative in
the interests of fair play and
democratic principle.)
BUy' NEW W ' ' ' 11 ' fl ' ' "' ' ' ' ' "
MOTOROLA
STEREO PORTABLE
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SET THIS 1995
RETAIL
ROLL-ABOUT-CART fr
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LIMITED
GONTY'
HEPPNER
IKIIIIIIIIIIIMHIIIIIIHIIIUIIIIIIIIIIIIIHIIIMMIIIIIiniMMIIIHIMIIIIIIIIN
Chatter
HMIIIIIIItMIKIIHIIIIHMIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIIHIIIIIHIllllHHMllllilMWHIH
I asked 6-year-old Cathy Jo.
"Oh," said she nonchalantly,
"I had to kill a fly."
Thank heavens she didn't use
a pressurized can of lacquer for
her bug bomb!
A COUPLE of Mondays ago two
cars collided near the Wishing
Well, alongside the golf course,
causing some damage to each
but apparently not harming the
occupants.
Hearing about this caused Bill
Cox to remark that he didn't see
how an accident could happen
alongside the golf course on
Monday.
"If it were Tuesday, I could
figure it out," he said, "with
all those women to look at down
there on the course in shorts."
THOUGHT there must be some
notorious criminal at large
around here Monday when two
state police rigs were in town.
Saw the officers writing tickets
rapidly at the end of West Wil
low. We got ahold of Officer
Wally Cobine, whom we have
known way back to Dallas days,
and he declared that since no
officer is now assigned here, they
have to come in once in a while
to check up on things. The par
ticular matter at hand was writ
ing tickets to those who had no
PUC plates.
Officer Cobine, stationed at
Fossil, is due for transfer to
Prineville soon and is looking
with some anticipation to the
new assignment. His wife, Ger
aldine, writes for the Fossil
Journal and isn't too happy
about leaving on that account.
She likes the journalism field.
Can't blame her. We enjoy it,
too.
MAN, WHAT a jouncing and
bouncing Monday afternoon!
Assessor Oliver Creswick had to
make a run to the North End
of the county and invited the
ed to go along. So we sneaked
away from the office and took
the run. He showed us some seed
alfalfa being raised up in the
sands, using well water for irri
gation. These patches are being
developed right in the middle of
the sage, and use overhead irri
gation. A novel thing about it is
that the owners are importing a
certain kind of bees that nest
in the ground for pollinating the
alfalfa. No bees, no alfalfa seed
apparently.
One of these places lies right
in the line of one of the navy's
air corridors and there was con
siderable trouble gaining an
easement over the property be
cause there was some fear that
the noise of the low flying jets
would drive away the bees and
wreck the alfalfa.
This seems to be a real in
teresting operation with consid
erable promise for the future.
STAR THEATER
Fhone 6-9278
If no answer call 6-9452
VALUE
eveiy Aot
OFFER!
tobl
SCHOOL MENUS
Week oi April 23 to 27
MONDAY Spaghetti and
meat balls, sauerkraut, apple
brown Betty, bread and butter,
milk.
TUESDAY White beans and
ham, Jello vegetable salad, cin
namon rolls, fruit, bread and
butter, milk.
WEDNESDAY Vegetable
soup, meat sandwiches, celery
cheese sticks, cherry cobbler,
milk.
THURSDAY Rice with meat
and gravy, cabbage salad, corn
bread, honey and butter, fruit,
milk.
FRIDAY Creamed Tuna on
homemade rolls, string beans,
carrot sticks, fruit, milk, butter.
Water is the big factor, but the
wells seem to be producing good.
One spot is an ancient lake bed,
and the top soil is at least 100
feet thick, Assessor Creswick
said.
THE ASSESSOR, who seems to
enjoy bouncing over tne sage
in his 4-wheel drive rig, decided
to take off cross-country and
head for Boeing's well, figuring
he knew the general direction.
We got out about five miles from
nowhere and had a couple of
run-ins with the soft sand, even
with the powerful 4-wheel drive
rig, until Oliver .decided he
wasn't quite sure which way the
well was, after all.
So far $s I was concerned, I
might as well have been in the
middle of the Sahara. The sun
was first on one side and then on
the other.
Gas was getting low so we
circled around a few times
found our own tracks and head
ed back to the bomb range road,
which looked like a super high
way when we arrived there.
Sure glad Oliver didn't dump
me out among the sage and cac
tus. Although this is familiar
country to old timers, I could
run around in circles without
getting anywhere. By now my
bones would have started to
bleach in the sun.
WE UNDERSTAND from Oliver
that the navy planes are ac
tively using the bomb range
now, suddenly coming up from
nowhere as they swoosh in low
along a line of white markers
that you can spot if you watch
carefully as you go along the
range road. Seemed to me, too,
that we were awfully close to
some of those cussed markers
while we were putting around
out there, and I had a grim pic
ture of one of those howling ban
shees barreling in over us and
accidentally dropping her live
eggs on Oliver's vehicle. But
maybe we were farther out of
range than I thought.
Advertise in the Gazette
Times. joy
J IT '
JBL 8
II 1$r 1 II
1 i '
Gal.
Sherwin-Williams
A-IOOLATRX HOUSE PAINT
PEAKCT FOR CLAPBOARD, STUCCO, CEMENT, BRICK,
SHAKES, SHINGLES (WOOD OR ASBESTOS).
Lasta years longer
Blister resistant when surfaces
are properly prepared
Dries dust-free, bug-free in 30 minutes
Clear, rich colors are permanent
SPECIAL NOTE to owners of houses with blistering j
J or paint-peeling problems. This paint is your solution
' if proper attention is given to surface preparation. J
Case Furniture
COMPANY
249 N. MAIN
Pvt. Wayrie So ward
Completes Training
Army Pvt. Wayne L. Soward,
whose wife, Roberta, lives on
Route 2, Nyssa, Ore., completed
advanced individual heavy in
fantry weapons training at Fort
Ord, Calif., April 6.
The 23-year-old soldier enter
ed the Army in October, 1961 and
completed basic training at Fort
Ord.
Soward, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Earl L. Soward, Heppner, is a
1956 graduate of Heppner High
school and received a bachelor's
degree in 1961 from Eastern Ore
gon College in La Grande. Be
fore entering the Army, he was
employed by the K. G. Lumber
Company, Heppner.
COMMUNITY I
J BILLBOARD
Coming Events
GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE
Public Invited
Heppner Methodist Church,
Friday, from 12 noon to 2:30
p. m.
EASTER EGG HUNT
Sponsored by Elks Lodge Sat
urday, 10:00 a. m. Courthouse
lawn, City Park and Fair
grounds. RAINBOW CAR WASH
Saturday, April 21, 9 a. m. to
6 p. m. REA Tire Service, Main
street $1 and $1.50.
EASTER HAM DINNER
By Three Links Club. Lexing
ton IOOF Hall, Sunday from
1 p. m. to 3 p. m. $1.50, 75c and
pre-school free.
PUBLIC CARD PARTY
Episcopal Parish Hall, Mon
day, April 23, 8:00 p. m. Bridge
and Pinochle, door prizes.
Tickets $1.00.
This space will be used
each week to announce com
ing events of a public service
nature at no charge.
SPONSORED AS A PUBLIC
SERVICE BY
C. A. RUGGLES
Insurance Agency
Heppner
P. O. Box 611
PH. 6-9625
FOR WOOD
MASONRY
PH. 6-9432
Mr