TWO The Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, December 22, 1977
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The Cobbler's Christmas Guest
Many years ago there lived in a small
village a cobbler by the name of Con ad.
Though alone and poor, this kindly old
man always had friendly and consoling
words for everyone.
At Christmas time, some neighbors
decided to visit their friend Christmas
morning since he had no family. To their
amazement, they saw that his wrinkled
old face was radiant.
As they entered his shop, they saw a
room made festive with holly and
evergreen, and the table was laden with
delicacies.
"Who is coming to visit you?" one
neighbor asked in surprise.
"Last nigh the Lord appeared to me
in'a dream and told me that He wanted
to be my guest on Christmas Day. I am
prepared for his arrival," Conrad
replied.
After the neighbors had left, Conrad
sat waiting for his hallowed guest.
While he waited, a beggar passed his
window, ragged, and half starved.
Conrad called him in, fed him and gave
him shoes fo his nearly frozen feet. Af
ter the beggar had left, an old woman
hobbled by carrying a sack of wood.
Conrad served her dinner, let her rest
before the fire, and then helped her on
her way.
Again he sat by the window waiting
for his important guest. Suddenly, he
heard the sobbing of a child. Whn he
opened the door, he saw a frightened,
cold youngster.
After some warm milk and soothing
words, he reunited the child with its
worried mother.
Once more he returned to his vigil,
but night, was falling fast. Where was
the promised guest? Anxious and
weary, Conrad dropped to his knees.
"Oh, Lord," he pleaded, "What has
delayed You?" Then out of the silence
came a voice:
"Conrad, be not dismayed, for
Three times I came to your friendly
door,
Three times my shadow crossed your
floor.
I was the beggar with frost-bitten
feet, I was the woman given food to eat,
I was the child in the lonely street."
Sifting through
the TIMES
Happy Holidays to all our readers. . .
Letters to the Editor
Praise given Posse for help
Where to write
Federal
Following is a list of Oregon and Eastern Oregon public
officials for the information of readers who want to
communicate with them :
U.S. Sen. Mark 0. Hatfield, Russell Senate Office Bldg.,
Washington, D.C. 2051O. Member of Appropriations
Committee, Interior Committee, Rules Committee and
Indian Policy Review Commission. Portland office , Pioneer
Courthouse, Rm. 107, 520 SW Morrison, Portland, Ore. 97204,
phone 221-3386.
U.S. Sen Bob Packwood, Dirksen Senate Office Bldg.,
Washington, D.C, 20510. Member of Finance Committee and
Commerce Committee. Portland office, 1002 NE Halladay,
Rm. 700, (P.O. Bos 3621), Portland, Ore. 97208, phone
233-4471.
U.S. Rep. Al Ullman, of the Second District, House Office
Building, Washington, D.C. 20515. Member of Ways and
Means Committee. Salem office, 150 N. Church, Rm. 219
(P.O. Box 247), Salem, Ore. 97310, phone 399-5724.
State
Gov. Robert Straub, State Capitol, Salem, Ore. 97310,
phone 378-3100.
State Sen. Ken Jernstedt (Morrow, Gilliam and other
counties), 311 Pine St.; Hood River, 386-1393.
State Rep. Jack Sumner (Morrow, Gilliam and other
counties), Route 1, Heppner, 676-5364.
Editor,
It gives me great pleasure at this time to extend
the richest and warmest "Thanks" to Simon
Winters, Bud Englert, Larry Fetsch, Grant
Weatherford, each and every member of the
Morow County Sheriffs Search and Rescue Posse,
and last but not least, to all the individuals involved
in the all night search of October 5, 1977, in the
Blake Ranch area for Mike Miller.
It was, beyond a shadow of doubt, the most well
organized, well planned, all out effort on the part of
each individual under extremely adverse
conditions, that anyone could expect.
A special thanks goes out to the two young
hunters, whose names are unknown, that located
Mike and contacted officials in charge of the search.
The manner in which the entire operation was
conducted was beyond reproach.
We are please to report that Mike is recovering
extremely well after undergoing two major
surgeries. He suffered a severe skull fracture and
quite extensive damage to the right eye. After
approximately three weeks of hospitalization and
additional recovery time at home, Mike has
returned to school and is progressing quite well.
It goes without saying that it is a true honor to
make this small donation to the Morrow Coundy
Sheriffs Search and Rescue Posse, in hopes that
they will continue their great efforts in future
problems that arise in the Heppner vicinity.
Again, Many Thanks,
Walt Scott and family
The prospect of a white Christmas in Heppner was
enhanced this week in 1967 when 2te inches of snow fell
overnight and temperatures dropped near zero. More of the
white stuff was expected later in the week.
Another sign of the holiday spirit was the awarding of
Christmas decoration prizes sponsored by the Chamber of
Commerce. Mr. and Mrs. Carl Spaulding were judged top
winners in the outdoor lighting contest and Mr. and Mrs. Glen
Ward were given the $15 first prize for the best residential
window and indoor display.
Also in the week, the Times featured a picture of Clifford
Williams accepting a trophy from Heppner Elementary
student body president Dean Wright for his selection as
Morrow County Teacher of the Year.
A decade earlier, the snow wasn't around but Santa was
right on time as he showed up in Heppner atop a horse drawn
buggy with Harold Johnston at the reins. Santa was greeted
by 500 youngsters on Main Street. And entertaining the kids
after Santa made his appearance was Mrs. Elaine George,
owner of the Star Theater, who invited all county youngsters
to the theater's 24th annual free Christmas show while the
parents finished up last minute shopping chores in town.
There was candy provided by the Heppner Elks Lodge to go
along with 'Boys Town' starring Spencer Tracy and Mickey
Rooney on the screen.
Business was picking up for Heppner merchants this
week in 1947 as the country was working to get its peacetime
economy flowing again.
"Signs of returning to normalcy are seen in the current
Chrstmas shopping season. Stores are laden with a greater
variety of items, making for larger quantity and the quality
shows improvement over goods offered in the immediate
past few years.
"Buying has been brisk the past two weeks and from all
indications will continue in that tenor right up to closing time
Christmas eve. This assumption is based on the premise that
there are two types of shoppers early and late. The early
shopper is the type that likes to paw over a complete stock,
making careful selection and getting the gifts tucked away at
home or into the mail, as the case may be, long before
Christmas eve arrives. The late shopper is the guy, or
person, as the case may be, who forgets all about gift
shopping until the night before Christmas and has to make up
the mind at a rapid rate or else not at all, taking this, that and
the other thing and putting pressure on harried clerks to get
the parcels Christmas wrapped before store closing time.
Most of us are acquainted with this guy because we meet him
almost every Christmas eve on our last rounds.
"The weather is as unpredictable as a drunken car
driver and there may be a white Christmas, and again the
guess is equally as good that there will be no snow. This has
not deterred people from lighting up Christmas trees in their
houses and otherwise manifesting the holiday spirit. At least
one tree has been set up in the yard amidst blooming flowers
and on lawn grass that needs cutting.
Such is the condition of things as we find them this week
before Christmas in the year 1947."
This week in 1937 the Times carried an ad from Ma Bell
who was pitching for a new type of Christmas gift the
telephone.
"To wife or mother, it will help lighten household duties
and bring friends and relatives with voice reach.
"For the yound folks, it makes the home a clearing house
for social engagements.
"With friends and relative nearby and in distant places,
it's a means of closer personal ties."
.New Social Securtiy Bill rapped
Politics has caught up with the politicians.
On a national scale.
And on the eve of an election year.
Oh, woe to those who now must convince voters that
paying new taxes equal to a third of the national debt is really
a good thing!
They'll be talking about the just-enacted Social Security
financing bill. And they'll be selling increases on top of tax
increases that in the next decade will amount to $227 billion.
Those taxes will be paid by workers and their employers in
Saiem Scene
THE
GAZETTE
TIMES
Published every Thursday and entered as second-class
matter at the Post Office at Heppner, Oregon, under
the Act of March 3, 1879. Second-class postage paid at
Heppner, Oregon.
The Official Newspaper of the City of Heppner
and the County of Morrow
G.M. Reed, Publisher Dolores Reed, Co-publisher
Terry M. Hager, Managing Editor
Jim Summers, News Editor
Eileen SaJing, Office Manager
Elane Blanchet, Reporter
Gayle Rush, Composing Chloe Pearson, Composing
Justine Weatherford Local Columnist
by Jack Zimmerman
Legislative Report from the State Capital
EXCLUSIVE to Oregon's Weekly Newspa
pers from Associated Oregon Industries.
an attempt to rescue the near-bankrupt system originally
designed to provide every working person with a modest
supplemental retirement pension.
Those taxes which already have increased a staggering
3.469.5 per cent in 40 years will triple again in the next 10.
By then, Social Security will require taxes equal to more than
14 per cent of all taxable payroll.
If you work for a living, you probably wonder how this
could possible have happened to you.
It's simple. You never see your Social Security taxes so
you don't miss them. They're withheld from your paycheck.
And the check stub probably doesn't even list a Social
Security tax deduction. Likely it's itemized under FICA,
which stands for Federal Insurance Contributions Act.
That's almost sneaky, isn't it? Accustomed as we are to
governmental alphabet soup, who would guess FICA really
means Social Security tax?
Maybe you ought to speak to your boss about this check
stub situation and suggest somethings like SOSEC be
substituted for FICA. He has a big stake in this, too. Just as
big as yours. Because he matches every dollar you pay with a
dollar from company earnings in equal taxes to support the
system.
Congressmen returning from Washington, D.C, for the
holidays will be telling us they had to raise taxes drastically
to save the system. But they probably won't care to dwell on
the .reasons behind the drastic increases. And they won't
appreciate it if you hint the newest raises actually threaten
the nation's economy.
They also won't like it if you suggest they've been playing
politics with the system by increasing benefits faster than
people can pay for them. Actually, Social Security benefits
have been enacted with such regularity they now are
recognized as substantial contributors to continuing
inflation. ,
The old ploy of increasing benefits during election years
and raising taxes to pay for them in off years has finally
caught up with self-perpetuating lawmakers bent on
returning to Congress at any price. Little wonder it took until '
the final hours before adjournment to get such a big tax
increase approved considering 1978's elections are just
around the corner.
They might try to ease your concern by explaining the
just-passed increases on top of increases won't apply until
1979. But that should satisfy only those who will retire next
year.
Are Social Security taxes really inflationary? It seems
everythings costs more. You don't have to be ancient to
remember when a cup of coffee cost a nickel or a dime.
Well, there are some folks still around and still employed
and paying Social Security taxes who can recall being taxed
$30 a year. That was in 1937. Workers paid up to $30 and their
Letters Policy
ALL LETTERS of general interest are welcomed,
providing they are in good taste and not libelous.
250 WORDS IS about the maximum length we can
accept, however, if you need more space, please use
it.
ALL LETTERS MUST be signed to be considered. If
you wish to have your name withheld for good
cause we will do so after contacting you for an
explanation.
TELEPHONE NUMBERS should be included. The
number will only be used by the Gazette-Times to
confirm it was you who wrote the letter.
THE GAZETTE-TIMES reserves the right to refuse
any letter it deems unfit for publication.
LETTERS SHOULD BE addressed to Editor,
Gazette-Times, P.O. Box 337, Heppner, Ore., 97836.
bosses paid up to $30, for a total of $60 in Social Security
taxes.
In 1978 the total tax will be as much as $2,141.70. And
that's an increase approaching "3,500 per cent!
An Oregon weekly newspaper published on Dec. 23, 1937
carried advertisements with prices for familiar merchandise
that make interesting comparisons.
You could buy a pound of coffee in 1937 for 28 cents. Using
the hottest advertised prices available today, your cost for a
pound of coffee has increased about 1,135 per cent in those
same 40 years.
On the same basis, potatoes are up 885 per cent; sirloin
steak, 1,573 per cent; three pounds of shortening, 170 per
cent; bananas, 300 per cent; salad dressing, 275 per cent, and
hamburger, 206 per cent.-
If that doesn't get your attention, consider a
three-bedroom home costing $4,500 in 1937. Its price tag today
would be no more than 1,000 per cent higher. Rents are up
about 733 per cent: in the mid-Willamette Valley.
And you can buy a new automobile in Oregon this year
for about 450 per cent more than you would have paid in 1937.
Who said Congress has been playing politics with Social
Security? To play used to equate with a pleasant experience.
Maybe playing with Social Security has pleased Congress.
But it's no fun for taxpayers.
OBITUARY
Wayne McMilan
Wayne D. "Pete" McMillan, .
65, died Dec. 13 by an
accidental drowning in
Grande Ronde.
Mr. McMillan was born in
Lexington July 25, 1912. After
graduating from Lexington
High School, he attended
Decker Business College in
Portland and later operated
his own shingle mill business.
From his marriage on Oct.
21, 1939 to Nellie Bishop came '
three children; Don, Jim and
Diane.
Mr. McMillan is survived by
the immediate family along
with brothers Robert, Hills
boro; Sam, Milwaukie; and
Jack, Redmond, sisters Eula
Markle, Newport; Naomi Hill,
Redmond; and Frieda Slo
cum, Heppner, and seven
grandchildren.
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