HEPPNEB GAZETTE-TIMES. Thursday. February 23. 1967
THE
GAZETTE-TIMES
Heppner. Oregoo 97836
MOBHOW CO UNITS NEWSPAPER
The Heppner Gazette established March 30, 1SS3. The Heppner
Times established November IS. 1S97. Consolidated February 15.
191Z
NIWSPAMt
IUSHIIS
SOCIATION
WESLET A. SHERHAJt
Editor and Publish!
Office Hours: S a.m. to 6 p.m.,
until noon Saturday.
Subscription Rates: 4.50 Year.
Every Thursday and Entered at
as Second Class Matter.
'The Right to Get Away with It'
"We have manufactured a new American right the right
to get away with it." said Robert Notson, executive editor
of the Oregonian and president of the American Society of
Newspaper Editors, in a significant speech at the Oregon
Press Conference in Eugene Friday.
Notson. who lived in Heppner as a youth, declared that
growing efforts to protect the "rights" of criminals are threat
ening basic American concepts of freedom.
"No free system can long endure if the public is denied
access to information and the right to observe the acts of
their public officers," he said. "And this goes for law en
forcement and the administration of justice. Too many law
yers and judges are more Interested in certain features of the
Bill of Rights than in the preamble to the Constitution which
states that the purpose of it all is to promote the domestic
tranquility and the public welfare."
Notson said that the issue of free press versus fair trial
has been badly overdrawn.
"Let it be observed that there are many more cases re
versed because of prejudicial statements of attorneys . . .
than has been the case with the press," he said.
Since only about 10 per cent of criminal cases actually
come to trial, recent reports recommending restrictions on
pre-trial publicity would mean that vast numbers of criminal
cases would be disposed of with little or no public knowl
edge. "I can think of no surer way to invite corruption among
our law enforcement officers and to bring the courts into dis
repute than this proposal for exchanging open justice for
closed justice." the Oregonian's executive editor said. The
public has a right to distrust Justice administered in secret"
The press is blamed for weaknesses in the law resulting
from the failure of the law to adjust to modern conditions,
such as the speed of communications, Notson declared.
Criminal courts operate on a system of presenting wit
nesses and physical evidence to jurors "who have not formed
an opinion prior to hearing the evidence in court"
But what is to be done in a situation like the Ruby case,
Notson asked, where millions of Americans watching televis
ion actually saw Ruby shoot Oswald?
"If the evidence is absolute, if all the potential jurors are
in effect themselves eye witnesses, !f they know beyond any
doubt that the accused is guilty, then what?" Notson asked.
" Then,' say the legal purists, "Ruby could not have a fair
trial'"
Notson called this "nonsense," adding, "What is a fair
trial? Fair to whom? Must the likes of Ruby be turned
,oose because the law has not caught up with the times and
the facts V
"The legal profession has been so preoccupied with the
rights of wrong-doers that it is getting increasingly difficult
to convict the guilty," Notson declared. "They even talk about
notoriously guilty men not having the "right of fair trial.' "
"I believe that every man should have his day In court,
but I do not think society ought to be obliged to provide es
cape hatches for guilty men. With the highest motives, our
courts have been creating a new and debased ethical stand
ard a new system in which the pressures have been shifted
from the wrongdoer and placed upon the backs of the law
enforcement officer and prosecutor. And now the pressures
are being turned on the press." -
Notson's significant words should be well considered by
the public at a time when the federal law enforcement agen
cies are declaring that the nation's crime rate may soar to
as much as three times the previous year ... at a time when
officers from city level to the federal level are constantly
discouraged when they arrest offenders guilty beyond doubt
only to see them go free ... at a time when the Supreme
Court by slim 5-to-4 margins is making decisions that make
it ever easier on the criminals.
With all respect to the principle of protecting the rights
of the individual, this seems to be a time when fine techni
calities are steadily encroaching on logic and common sense.
This "right to get away with it" needs the critical scruti
iny of intelligent, thinking people who believe in a free so
ciety governed by law and order. Particularly needed is
some sincere soul-searching by those in the legal profession.
There is no provision in the United States constitution for
the "right to get away with it"
Deserves 'Do Pass' Stamp
You're driving down the highway and you're in a hurry.
Perhaps you have to meet a plane or a train in the city.
JUaye you have someone ill in the car who needs to get to
a hospjML Or it could be you have an appointment that won't
wait
Suddenly you come to a long line of cars with a slow
moving vehicle creeping along at the head of it, the driver
apparently oblivious to the facts that his is not the only
vehicle on earth and he is not the only person here to enjoy
rights and privileges.
Sound familiar? Has it ever happened to you?
At long last, we hope, the legislature may do something
about it Senate Bill 319, sponsored by Sen. Robert Elfstrom.
Rep. Norman Howard and others, would require the driver of
a slow-moving vehicle on a two-lane road to pull off the
roadway at the first available opportunity to allow an over
taking vehicle to pass. "Slow-moving" is defined as one trav
eling 10 miles per hour less than the legally designated
speed.
Another provision of the bill is that on multiple-laned
highways, a driver must travel in the lane farthest to the
right available to him except when passing other vehicles, or
when traveling faster than vehicles in the righthand lanes,
or when preparing to make a left turn.
Such measures have already been adopted in other states
and are needed in Oregon. There is every reason to provide
room on our highways for slow drivers who may be elderly
or who may merely want to take time to enjoy the scenery.
However, if they have the time to travel at speeds well be
low the average, they should also have the time to pull off
and let the other fellow go by.
The legislation could help reduce accidents because it
might lessen impetuous passing by impatient drivers who are
under pressure to get to a certain place within a certain
time. There is little to be said for the Inconsiderate driver
who, by proceeding at a snail's pace, is intruding on the
time of all those whom he delays.
This bill deserves a hearty "do pass" recommendation.
HEPPNER
NATION Al NEWSPAPER
l"c6"7"
Xv v fiii'lMlff'li'Mil
HELEN E. SHERMAN
Associate Publisher
Monday through Friday; 9 a.m.
Single Copv 10 Cents. Published
the Post Office at Heppner, Oregon,
! ' . -.'
. . . . ...
kt mmi. i,..ir , -, , , , .7 -t Vff-.-,.
CONTRACTOR HOWARD KEITHLET (Right) and hi. crw hrr a jood i.w of Krppn.r (back
ground) as they work at th. county wwtoU on th. hill high abov tb courthouil Thiy ar
ngoged in putting on a new cover and building up a wall ol th coacrvt rwrroir
(G-T Photo).
County Reservoir
Gets Remodel Job
Howard Keithley. contractor,
was engaged this week in doing
remodeling work to the county
reservoir in order to bring the
facility to standards required by
the State Health Department
The reservoir, fed from a
county well, supplies water to
the courthouse and to Pioneer
Memorial hospital
Water at the well and that
coming into the reservoir was
found to be pure. County Com
missioner Jack VanWinkle said,
but when it reached the hospi
tal and the courthouse, it was
not up to standard. The state
condemned the reservoir and re
quired the improvements to be
made.
A new concrete top has to be
poured, a new inspection lid in
stalled, and a wall built up.
The reservoir also will be fenc
ed. While the system is normal
ly adequate to supply the hos
pital and courthouse, city wa
ter is also hooked up to the
reservoir to bolster the supply
if needed.
Mr. and Mrs. Iran McDaniel (
and boys and Mr. and Mrs.
Gene Vaughn of Long Creek
were week end guests of Mr.
and Mrs. Sam McDaniel. Also
visiting at the McDaniel home
were Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Hut-chins.
Little Help from the People
If the legislature seems to be unable to make any clear
cut progress towards a solution on the tax question, we sub
mit that the members are no more in a muddle than the
people they represent.
Polls taken by newspapers across the state seem to indi
cate that the public doesn't know what it wants. There
doesn't seem to be a trend. Surprising, too. Is the apathy
shown on a matter which has been called one of the most
significant in many years in the legislature. Last report was
that legislator's mail on the subject of taxes was fairly light
Consider these items:
1. The Oregon Statesman, Salem, took a poll and found
that some 54 of those responding favored the 1H proyerty
tax limitation measure. Thirty-two percent favored Gov. Mc
Call's income tax proposal, and only 14 favored the House
Tax committee's 3 sales tax plan.
2. John Nelson, publisher of the Springfield News, said
that his newspaper took a poll and 70 favored the sales
tax.
3. The Hood River News took a poll and only 15 to 20
persons responded. The answers were confusing.
4. The Heppner Gazette-Times poll (with ballot carried
the past two weeks) has results about like the Hood River
News. Less than 20 replies have been received, and the ans
wers run like this: Do you favor some sort of state tax to
reduce property tax- Yes: 7; No: 2. Do you favor a state
sales tax? Yes: 4; No: 8. Do you favor a broader base in
come tax? Yes: 7; No: 2.
5. Jerry Latham, publisher of the Medford Mail-Tribune,
proposed Friday night to directors of the Oregon Newspaper
Publishers association that the state press conduct a uniform
statewide poll on the tax question. He called this a "mil
lion dollar" poll with the thought that it might save the state
that much by avoiding a special election in showing the de
sires of the people. The directors didn't favor It Why? Be
cause of the apparent apathetic attitude of the people and
the fact that, since it would have no official status, only
those vitally interested one way or another would vote; that
some might "stuff the ballot box" by buying up a bunch
of papers and submitting many "votes" from the same per
son. The apathy has been clearly shown by the Individual
polls taken.
The people seem to be content to let the legislature sweat
it out.
Some of the replies coming to the Gazette-Times favored
both a sales tax and income tax. Two voted against both
sales tax and income tax.
Among comments to date are these: "Would like to see
a cut in government service in order to cut all tax." "Re
duced property tax must start at the local level. Do not
vote for any tax." "Reduce state, school and local spending.
"Reducing state employees would reduce highway traffic con
siderably." "I have lived under two sales tax situations and
would like to see Oregon adopt such a tax." "Favor the
McCall plan: 1 limitation with higher income tax; no broad
er base."
We'll leave the "poll" open one more week, but like
other straw polls around the state, it doesn't seem that the
G-T poll Is going to excite much interest, and at this point,
we don't think it is going to offer much in the way of clues
for our representatives.
With the muddle as it is around the state, and in view
of the fact that the 1 property tax limitation group is
the only segment showing any confirmed homogeneity, it
would seem that the safest guess is that even if a special
election is held the taxes will be voted down, and the 1V4
limitation will come on as soon as the proponents can get
their initiative petition on the ballot.
While property taxes need to be cut, that doesn't seem to
be the most desirable solution. But if we are unable to get
together on a reasonable plan, maybe Oregon will have to
yield to the chaos that seems to be the alternative.
Chaff nd Chatter
Wes Sherman
PEADY-MIX concrete trucks, big
and heavy as they are. had a
rough time on the job of haul
ing concrete to the county res
ervoir, high on the hill above
the courthouse. Monday. Be
c:.use of the frost on the ground,
they couldn't pull the hill- They
wouldn't dare try it anyway, be
ciuse th angle of the terrain
was suh that their loads would
pour out the back.
Of course, those engaged in
the projoct found a solution.
They hooked a county tractor to
the rigs and pulled them up.
but the trucks had to come up
back-end first to keep the con
ciete in.
We're among those fiendish
fanatics who would still like to
know what would happen if the
motor on cne of those rigs broke
d'j'n and the mixer stopped
turning with the result that the
concrete set up inside. Probably
the ready-mix companies have
an answer for that eventuality.
WE THOUGHT it might be . . .
It looked as if it could be . . .
the brigiit sunshine seemed to
say that it should be . . . And
now we are quite sure that
sprinE is Just around the corner.
Reason we know U that Paul
Hansen stt pped through the of
fice d.r this morning to an
sounee Hint he Is on his way
bark to Heppner for hi ISth
season.
The fly boy from Seaside is al
ways a harbinger of spring.
When It Kcts good enough to get
out and spray, spring is surely
on the way, one might ay.
Incidentally. Hanson found a
compatriot In Spike Pardee.
They bcth hailed originally
fiom Castle Rock. Wash., and
i-pike's dad and Hansen are
U'ng time friends. Paul even
knows where Olequa Is (six
miles frtm Castle Rixk. That's
where the editor spent his earl
lest davi. Spike likes to rib us
by saytn he attended Olequa
College. Now that d be quite an
iiiMiiuuon, ior sure.:
ITS HARD to get the ral nes
when ycu are away from
home. In Eugene Saturday we
hud to buy three papers before
we could find out how Heppner
and Sherman County came out
In the Friday night baskelball
game. t wasn't in the Oregon
Ian nor the Oregon Slatesman
but we finally found it in the
Oregon Journal. Most of :he
space was devoted to Stokely
Carmlchael and Lew Alclndor.
both of whom were in Eugene
for different reasons Carmleh
ael to promote his militant pos
ition on Black Power and Al
clndor to lead the UCLA Bruins
to victories over the University
of Oregon and Oregon State U.
We saw Alcindor close up In
a restaurant, but It seemed as
it you had to peer a long dis
tance to look up to his fare.
since he stands nearly 7" 2". It
is said that he finds doors his
biggest irritation because he has
to stoop to go through most
of them. We can well imagine
that does bother him. If he for
gets Klunk!
BUT IT WAS great news to read
that Heppner had downed
Gene Lanthorn and company
an occasion for some Impromptu
cheering and exclamations. The
Mustan;s are making another
great season, and there's going
to be another mass migration to
La Grande come March 3 and 4.
NOW that Ione's Redblrds are
out of the tournament picture
with too many losses to make
the top four in the Umatilla
Morrow B league, we surely
want to say a few words about
the pluck that Coach Gene
Dockter's boys have shown this
year. They will surely be a fear
some five next year.
Most of his material was sad
lv inexperienced at the start of
the season, and one might have
figured that they would wind up
in the league cellar. But Coach
Dockter's topnotch sophomores,
up from a flashy freshman
team, fitted in well around a
nucleus of upperclassman and
they have turned In excellent
performances this year.
That B league schedule Is an
exhausting one. They play 18
league games with the pressure
strong in each one. It's mighty
rigorous. Probably aren't too
many leagues in the state
where each team has to play
that many counting contests.
Teams in the A-2 Greater Ore
gon League (western division)
play only 12 league games, in
comparison.
HAD TO do a double take to
day when we heard a couple
of women talking. One said,
'The Salvation Army man was
here today but he was loaded."
Our corxternation was reliev
ed when we learned that what
she was saying was that the
Salvation Army had sent a
truck hero with a driver, and
she had intended to give some
thing to him to haul back but
he alreaov had the truck load
ed. Having gained this under
standing, our faith was restored
in this great humanitarian org
anization.
TO THE EDITOR...
February 21. 1!H"7
Dear Mr. Sherman:
In the lives of all of u. there
ocoum an Incident of frlemlNhlp
and kindness that becomes a
cherUhed memory. Such an In
cident htippened to m lust
week. I wns remembered oil
Valentine's Day bv the mem
bers of the lone High nchool
basketball team. It seem that
thev consider me a loval bas
ketball fan. I am deeply touch
ed by their sincerity.
Mv own first coach In athlet
ic events was an advocate of
good clean games. I can Mill
close my eves and hear Mary
DeSantls " saving. "Sportsman
ship is the thing! It U nice to
win. but remember, the score Is
Incidental to sportsmanship!"
It Is also Incidental that she
had winning teams.
With her teachings still ring
ing In my ears, 1 would like
to say a few things to our Mor
row County teams:
1. I am proud to have Morrow
. County represented elsewhere
bv the vounn gentlemen from
Riverside, Heppner and lone
2. We are proud to have our
newly formed glrU teams
from these same schools.
3. In my husband's work for
Morrow County school dis
trict, he and I meet educat
ors from all parts of the state.
We have never heard your
conduct on the floor or field
erit idled.
4. There are times when no one
can blame you for gelling
angry during a game. How
ever, your self -discipline In
not showing that anger Is to
be commended.
5. With your attitude, win. lose
or draw, I'm on your side!
Mv husband and I would like
to thank the parents of Morrow
Counly for sharing these fine
young people with us. And, I
would like to thank the lone
basketball team for giving me
a personal "cherished memory."
Yours truly.
Nadlne Johnson (Mrs. L.M.I
Dear Wes and Helen:
While doing a little revising
on my "History of Morrow
Counly," I came across the his
tory of Heppner's first volunteer
fire department, and I thought
Charles Ruggles, or whoever Is
head of the department, might
like to have It. I am sure not
many people of Heppner do not
know this, so, here It Is.
On October 13, 1898, the vol
unteer fire department of Hepp
ner wbs reorganized. The offi
cers placed In charge of the
two hose companies when or
ganized were: Chief, Frank Nat
ter; assistant chief, James
Thompson; captain of hose corn-
pany No,
2. E. M.
No. 1, Frank Roberts; No.
Shutt; sceretary. J. T.
Stewart; treasurer, James Hart.
The members of No. 1 were
Ben Matthews. J. W. Thompson,
Jack Horner, George Vlncln, E.
E. Hewitt. S. P. Devlas, T. G.
Thomas, Mike Roberts, E. C.
Wells. Walt A. Richardson, Lee
Canwell, Jessie Shelly and U
P. Jones. Of No. 2. Frank Nat
ter, Frank Borg, Dave McAtec.
E. M. Shutt. Gilbert W. Phelps.
E. L. Fteeland, Jesse Stewart,
James Hart, V. Gentry, Thom
as Brennan, Mike Galloway and
Will Ball.
One hose cart house was up
on the flat and the others across
from the Methodist church. It
took several firemen to pull
each one of these carts.
Sincerely yours,
O. M. Yeager
Castle Rock, Wash.
Tine Testing
Program Slated
A tuberculosis case-finding
program Is planned for Morrow
county schools in March, 1967,
by the Morrow County Health
Department, under the direction
of Dr. L. D. Tibbies, health of
ficer. A signed consent slip from
the parent or guardian Is nec
essary before the tests can be
given.
Grades scheduled for Tuber
culin Tine testing are 1, 7 and
12. Parents are notified of re
sults if a reaction Is found, and
a follow-up chest x-ray recom
mended. The tests are read from
48 to 72 hours after being giv
en. Materials for Tuberculin Tine
testing are provided by the Mor
row County Council of the East
ern Region, Oregon TB and
Health Association, thr o u g h
Christmas Seal Sales.
Proposed schedule for testing
is as follows: Tuesday, March
7, 9:00 a.m. at Boardman school
10:30 a.m. at Irrlgon school.
(March 10, reading of tests),
Tuesday, March 28, 9:00 a.m. at
Heppner Grade school Heppner
High school to follow: 10:30
a.m. at lone Grade school.
(March 31, reading of tests).
Hiemstra Daughter
On College Roll
Mrs. Bob (Patricia) Frlck,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs, Ed
Hiemstra of Heppner, made the
fall honor roll at Central Wash
ington State College, Ellens
burg, Wash., It Is announced by
Charles McCann, denn of the
faculty.
Mrs. Frick Is a senior nt Cen
tral Washington. Her husband
teaches and coaches at a Junior
high in Anacortos, and she will
move there following gradua
tion. She also expects to teach.
The school's honor roll listed
581 students with 57 mnklnii a
grade point average of 4.0.
To the Editor;
I wonder If It would be wise
lo have the illHtlnguiHhed hon
or of being a menilwr of a com
mittee to rule $T)).00U to he
lined to place a sttu of Lyn
don II. Johnson In I he Hall of
Fame, Washington, D. C?
The commlltee might be In
quandary In selecting a proper
locution for the statue. It
shouldn't be placed bcslda that
of George Wahlngton. who nev
er told a lie, nor beside that of
Fronklin I). Knowvelt. who
handled the truth recklesly,
since L. H Johnson could never
tell the difference.
After careful consideration, I
think It Nlumld tie beside the
statue of Christopher Columbus,
the greatest of nil the so called
New Deal of them all. History
cluims that he started out not
knowing where he was going.
On arriving, he did not know
where he was, and In returning
did not know where he hail
been and did It all on appro
printed money. But he did claim
a title to a lot of land before
the Motilroe Doctrine was In ef
fect. The stotue should read. "I
pledge allegiance to Lyndon B
Johnson, and to th National
Debt for which he stands. One
man expendable with graft and
corrupt Km for all."
If I know the Bible, five
thousand years ago Mooes said
to the children of Israel. "Pick
up your shovels, mount your
asses and camels and I will
lead you to the promised land."
Nearly five thousand yearn la
ter Roosevelt said, "Lay down
your shovels, sit on your asses
and light up a Camel. This Is
the promised land."
Now Johnson has destroyed
the shovels, running the govern
ment at the rate of nobody's
business, raised the price of
Camels and given away the
promised land.
It you are one of the cltliens
who has money left over after
buying your groceries and pay
ing your Income tax, could I
expert a generous contribution
for this worthwhile program?
Getting the Heppner Gazetts
U like taking a vitamin. It
keeps you up to date.
Scott Brown
4M4 N. K, Pacific
Portland. Oregon
SCHOOl LUNCH MENUS
Keppnsr High School and
Hrppant Elementary School
February 24 March 1
Frld y, February 24 Tuna
and noodles, vegetables, Jell O.
bread and butter, milk.
Monday, February 27 Pork
goulash, sweet potatoes, cole
slaw, ginger bread and apple
sauce, bread and butter, milk.
Tuesday, February 28 bak
ed potatoes, baked lunch meat,
spinach, ctlery and carrot sticks,
milk, pudding.
Wednesday. March 1 Beans
und franks, vegetable Jell O sal
ad, rolls; fresh fruit, milk.
Thursday, March 2 Spa
ghettl, quick bread, spinach,
pudding and graham crackers,
milk.
Phone 676 9228 for G-T want
ad service.
Coming Events
BASKETBALL
Heppner vs. Wahtonka. Hep
pner High Gym, Friday,
Feb. 24
Last home game
SUPPORT THE MUSTANGS.
ROCKIIOUND CLUB
Regular meeting and pro
gram Saturday, Feb. 25
Old City Library, City Hall.
ELKS' ANNUAL
Saturday, Feb. 25
70th Anniversary Celebration
Registration from 11:00 a.m.,
Heppner Ford Show Room
Ladles champagne tea and
wig show, 1-2 p.m., St. Pat
rick's Parish hall
Dinner, 6:00 p.m., parish hall
Dance to Roy Miller's orches
tra, lodge temple, from 9
p.m.
PUBLIC MEETING
Monday, Feb. 27, 8 p.m., lone
School Cufetorium
Guest spenker, Robert E. O'
Roark. talk on "Water Di
version Facts"
Everyone welcome.
ANYONE FOR BASKETBALL?
OSU BASKETBALL, S:00 p.m.,
Sunday, March 12, OSU vs.
OREGON, KATU Channel 2.
Meet our man from NORTH
WESTERN during breaks
In the games.
SPONSORED AS A PUBLIC
SERVICE BY
C. A. RUGGLES
Insurance Agency
Heppner
P. O. Box 247 PH. 676-9625
COMMUNITY 1
) BILLBOARD t