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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 5, 1933)
The Weather Forecast: Occasional rain tonight and Friday. Slightly colder tonight. Temperature: Highest yesterday - 48 Lowest this morning 32 Medfo Mail Tri Paid-Up Circulation People who pa; (or theli nfiwsp.p.r. irt the beat prospectj for the adver tlsers. A. B. O. circulation la paid up circulation. Tbla newspaper la a. a o. Twenty-Seventh Sear MEDFOKD, OREGON, THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 1933. No. 244. n)fiwi" Ky uuuuu RD JUNE EB PSESlEKnr MUI96E F Comment on the Day 's News By FRANK JENKINS SENATOR BORAH, we read, la pre paring legislation "to reduce the purchasing power oi the dollar." Offhand, that dcesn't sound good. Moat of us wlil be Inclined to say: "I don't want the purchasing power of my dollar reduced. I want It INCREASED." WATT a minute. Reducing the purchasing power of the dollar means that It will take more dollars to purciSoae a given quantity of commodities. So, you see, If you have commodi ties for salo, reducing the purchas ing power of the dollar means that you will ge more dollars for your commodities. That sounds better. , SUPPOSE, for example, that you have wheat. Or potatoes. Or lambs. Or beef steers. The trouble Is that the purchasing power of the dollar Is now so high that It takes too few dollars to pur chase a given quantity of these com modities. So, we say, prices are too low. Or SUPPOSE your labor Is all you have to market. The same prin ciple holds good. The purchasing power of the dollar Is so high at the present moment that It takes too few dollars to purchase a given amount of your time. So we say that wages are too low. HERE Is one of the things that are troubling us: Back In good times, ahead of 1B20, we nearly all went into debt In one way or another. A lot of us haven't been able to pay off those debts we contracted In good times. The reason Is that we have been getting too few dollars In return for what we have to sell either labor or commodities. In other words, the purchasing power of t,he dollar Is too high. NOW let's see what has happened to us In the way of these debts. Suppose, back In 1928, you bor rowed 100, and that at that time you were getting 4 a day wages. What you really borrowed was 35 days work that Is to say, It took 25 days work to pay your debt. But now, let us suppose, you are getting only a a day. That means, you see, that it will now take FIFTY days work to repay your debt. For all practical purposes, aa far as you are concerned, you have to pay back twice as much as you bor rowed. That Is what happens when the purchasing power of the dollar ahlfts. NEARLY everyone who has any thing to sell will agree without argument that REDUCING the pur chasing power of the dollar or. In other words, raising prices would be good thing. Whether the legislation Senator Borah Is reported to be preparing will accomplish that purpose Is another story. Raising prices Isn't so simple a thing that It can be brought about with no more effort than passing a law. Prices are controlled chiefly by supply and demand. When there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. When there are more buy ers than sellers, prices tend to rise. We1 can't psss a law requiring that there shall be more buyers thsn sell rs. Even If we did. It would do no good. 0 PRICES, as expressed In money, are apt to be confusing, and they don't really mean as mucft as they seem to mean. Suppose, for example, that you . hare a farm and your neighbor a house, and that you want to trade. It makes no difference what price he puts his house In at If you put your f.rm In at a corresponding (Continued on Page Pour', Congress Formally Notified Of Death WASHINGTON, Jan. 5. (AP) President Hoover formally notified congress of the death of former Presl ont Calvin Conlidse thU afternoon. In a rfcial mcsMee which praled the deceased aa having spent a life tame of "devotion to our country," DEI FIB-OKI KlEflBT iSEfllE i , i i 1 WIFE DISCOVERS SUDDEN DEATH ON RETURN FROM SHOPPING TRIP; SUFFERED RECENT INDIGESTION o uuuy ruuiiu m nw iuaniJiuii iiuiiic uj nruo. uuuuuyu row Minutes After Ex-President's Return Home III From Office Secretary in House, Unaware of Fate Would Have Been 61 July A Was Only Living Ex-President NORTHAMPTON. Mass., Jan. 5. (AP) Calvin Coolidge, former presi dent of the United states, was found dead at his home by his wife this noun. Death was said to hare been due to heart disease. His body was dis covered by Mrs. Coolidge when she returned from a shopping tour. Mr. CoolldRe was believed to have been dead about 15 minutes when found. Mr. CoolldRe went to his office this morning but returned home, accom panied by his secretary, about 10 o'clock. Mr. CoolldRe had complained of Indigestion during the past two or three weeks but had not consulted a physician the past month. Harry Ross, his secretary, said there was nothing today to Indicate the former President felt indisposed. They sat talking for some time, he said, then Mr. Coolidge went upstairs. Ross waited for Mr. Coolidge to come down and dismiss him for luncheon, as was hLs custom. He was still waiting when Mrs. Coolidge came home from a shopping tour, went upstairs and found him dead. Apparently ho had been dead 15 minutes. Mr. Coolidge would have been 01 years old next July 4. The former President, who up to the tlm of his death, was the only surviving ex-President of the United States, had gone to his law office as usual this morning. After & short time In the office. Mr. Coolidge became distressed and decided to return home. Harry Ross, his secretary, returned to The Beeches with him. Mrs. Coolidge, meanwhile,, had gone to the center of the city shopping. Mr. Coolidge assured Ross that he would be all right after a short rest. After aiding the frmer President to the bedroom Ross returned to the first floor of the house to await the return of Mrs. Coolidge. When Mrs. Coolidge, 30 minutes later, returned and Ross' told her of Mr. Coolldge's Illness, she went Im mediately to his bedroom. There she found her husband's body. A doctor was quickly summoned, but the for mer President was beyond aid. The doctor said Mr. Coolidge hjjd been dead about 15 mlnuttf), so that he must have passed away within a few moments after Ross left the room. Born and reared In the humble surroundings of a Vermont farm, Cal vin. Coolidge was destined to go by successive steps to the highest and mightiest office of a great nation, to administer Its affairs for six years and to terminate his presidential ca reer virtually of his own volition. To the vice -presidency and to the presidency, he brought a shrewd com mon sense, a quiet personality in vivid contrast with some of his pre decessors, a keen native wit and many homely likes and dislikes retained from his New England boyhood. Among his supporters he inspired an ardent admiration and from his political opponents he often received the bitterest of denunciations. But there were, nevertheless, many In the latter group who valued his friend ship and liked to smoke a cigar with him and talk things over. Reaching the presidency upon the death of Warren G. Harding In 1923. Mr. Coolidge was confronted with problems of rehabilitation arising from the World War and the depres sion of 1621, and almost at once the country was shaken by the scandals (Continued on Page Three) Here Yesterday Lee Port, ranger at the Star ranger station In the Applegate district, was a business vis itor in Med$rd yesterday. President Orders Period Of Mourning for Calvin WASHINGTON. Jan. 5. (AP) President Hoover, In a public proc lamation, today praised Calvin Cool idge aa a man whose name was known "in'Shls own life time as a synonym for sagacity and wisdom." and de clared a period of mourning for 30 days. In addition to ordering that flag be kept at half mast on public build ings for the next month, the presi dent directed that military and naval honors be paid to the former presi dent on the day of his funeral, under ; the direction of the secretaries of war f and navy. Partial text of the president's proc lamation follows: "To the people of the United Stages: "I. beTmes my wtrt duty to an j nounee officially the death of Calvin Coolidge, which occurred at bis home NOTABLES VOICE CALVIN COOLIDGE WASHINGTON, Jan. 5. (P) The senate adjourned at p. m. today out of respect for the late Calvin Coolidge, former President. WASHINGTON. Jan. 8. (AP) President Hoover today announced through his aides that he would at tend the funeral of his predecessor, probably leaving the national capital tomorrow accompanied by represen attlves of other branches of the gov ernment. WASHINGTON, Jan. 5. (AP) President Hoover was said by . associ ates to have been "terribly shocked" when the news of the death of Cal vin Coolidge was given to htm at luncheon. The word reached the President from one of his secretaries who had been Informed but a moment before by the Associated Press. The shock extended Immediately to both branches of congress, where preparations were made to adjourn senate and house without delay. In respect to the late leader. Knots of legislates gathered on the floors of the chambers and In cor ridors, discussing the death. One fo the first tea comment was Speaker Garner, who told newspaper men "I was very fond of Mr. Cool idge personally, and knew him very well. He had many characteristics of an outstanding American." NEW YORK. Jan. 5. (AP) Former Governor Alfred E. Smith declared himself shocked and deeply grieved today when Informed of the death of former President Coolidge. "I had a strong admiration for him," said Smith, "Since he left Washington I have been pleasantly asKOCitaed with him. I am deeply shocked to hear of his death." E SPRING-LIKE DAY PORTLAND. Jan. 5. (AP) Port land today experienced Its warmest January morning In two years with the temperature at 60 degrees for the minimum, and one degree lower than yesterday's maximum. It was the "warmest morning of the season since November 17. In the city of Northampton, Mass.. on the fifth day of January, nineteen hundred and thirty-three, at twelve twenty-five o'clock in the afternoon. "Mr. Coolidge had devoted hla en tire life to the public service, and his steady progress from councilman to mayor of Northampton and thence upward as member of the state sen ate of Massachusetts, lieutenant gov ernor and governor of Massachusetts, to vice-president and president of the United States, stands as a con npieuous memorial to his private and public virtues, his outstanding abil ity, and his devotion to the public welfare. ' "As an expression of the public sor row. It Is ordered that the flags of the White House and of the several depart mentnl bulld!ii be dinVivd i at half staff for a period of thirty 1 days." Brilliant Career Closed i r . iy v ' S : v. Calvin I is S 7ft. Of- ' VI :A i MILESTONES IN CAREER OF CALVIN COOLIDGE Born July 4, 1872, at Plymouth, Vt. Received preliminary education in ungraded school at Plymouth and at Black River Academy at Ludlow and St. Johnshurg Academy. , Was graduated at Amherst College in 1895. In senior year won gold medal in national competition for best essay on causes of the Revolutionary War. Studied law in offices of Hammond and Field at North ampton, Mass., and began practice there. Entered politics as member of Northampton common council, 1900-01. City clerk of Northampton, 1904. Married Grac A. Gqpdhue of Burlington, Vt., October 4, 1905. Member Massachusetts House of Representatives, 1907-08. Mayor of Northampton, 1910-11. Member Massachusetts state senate, 1912-15, president of the senate in 1914 and 1915. Lieutenant-governor of Massachusetts, 1916-18. Elected governor of Massachusetts, two terms, 1919 and 1920. Elected vice-president of the United States in Novem ber, 1920. Became president of the United States August 3, 1923, upon the death of Warren G. Harding. Elected president of the United States in November, 1924. While on vacation August 2, 1927, issued famous state ment, "I do not choose to run for president in 1928." Retired from presidency March 4, 1929, and resumed residence at Northampton, Mass. IN 3 DAY BATTLE PEIPINO. Liilna, Jan. 5. (AP) Refugees pouring from Bhaahalltwan said today that 3.000 Chinese civil ian were killed In the three-day battle at the beginning of this week which resulted In the capture of that city by the Japanese. Scores of ho'nes In flhanhaikwan were destroyed by artillery fire, they said, and In some sections the bodies of the dead were plied In the streets. About 1.000 refugees are .here, but it was estimated tliat altocether 10000 hi-i left Shar.halKran tor the met r,f v.f.n hTM f.r Chin wp.r.iii. on the oit not far from the beleaguered otty. Soanhalkirao t I, , 1 i V lt' ki, l Coolidge. was reported to be quiet today but It was said that no concrete progress had been made In negotiations for peace. Pacific Co-Op Chief Passes PORTLAND, Ore.. Jan. ft fAP) E. J. Dixon, general manager of the Pacific Co-operative Poultry Co-operative Prociurers association, died this morning from influenza. He was 48 years old. He had been general manager of the poultry and egg as socita'.on since 1923. within that pe riod bringing that organization to the front ranks In co-operative cir cles. He was known throughout the nation. HAI.F.M, Ore., Jan, ft. (AP) The senate this morning adopted resolutions of rondo! nre for the late senator B. W. Jolmnn of Benton county, who died during fits term of of rice. Bench Warrants Issued by Fehl On Behest Howard Hill Signing of Court Journal Claimed Illegal Attorney William Brlggs, Jr., representing former County Judge J,:, ink in and former Comlssloner Nursed, this afternoon announced that his rllents would not appear fit court, because the bench war rant Issued for their appearance was Invalid In fhat It did not have the proper seal. Judge Fehl said this was correct, and that new bench warrants would be Issued. County Judge Earl H. Fehl this afternoon shortly before three o'clock ordered Sheriff Gordon L. Schermer- horn to bring Into court former County Judge O. B. Lamkln of Ash land, and former Commissioner Vic tor Bursell of Central Point. JudgJ Fehl informed ine snerur inac tne two former officials were In his cus tody and he was responsible for them. Deputy Sheriff Amos Walker was first detailed to find the two citizens but reported that he was unable to do so. The action came when at torneys 1m former Judge Lamkln and former Commissioner Bursell offered to appear for them without their presence. Judge Fehl overruled this motion. -- The small county court room wift packed with onlookers. Bench warrants charging former County Judge O. B. Lamkln of Ash land and former Comlssloner Victor Bursell of Central Point with "mutil ation" of county record and contempt of the county court, were Issued late yesterday. The warrants were signed by County Judge Earl H. Pahl, upon an affidavit made by Howard A. Hill, orchardlst. The warrants were placed In the hands of Sheriff Gordon L. schermer- horn for service, and were served this morning. Former Judge Lamkln ap peared at the courthouse early, with his attorney, W. M. Brlggs, Sr., of Ashland. Former Commissioner Vic tor Bursell was due to appear this afternoon. Delay Granted. ' Proceedings this morning were de Iayed to grant Lamkln's attorney time to prepare papers, and at noon court adjourned until this afternoon. Coun ty Judge Fehl presided. It Is the contention of Attorney M. O. Wllklns, who appeared as counsel for Judge Fehl and Hill, that the county court acted Illegally When It signed the court J Journal Tuesday. January S, and that the Issue not alone concerns the validity of the appointment as commissioner of R. E. Nealon of Table Rock, to succeed John Barneburg, resigned, but also (Continued on Page Three) Lone -Ran III SALEM. Ore., Jan. 6. fAF) Frank J. Lonergan, speaker of the last house of representatives and one of the leaders of the present session, was confined to his .hotel room to day with an attack of Influenza. He was taken 111 late yesterday. For Printing Economy. SALEM, Jan. 8. (AP) Character ising the plan as a further evidence of the legislature's determination to economize. Senator Joe Dunne today ! Introduced In the senate a resolution which would limit the number of printed measures and calendars to be distributed free. New Legislators Learn Ropes Fast at Salem By Mary (Irelner Kelly. SALEM. Ore.. Jan. 3. (Spt.) No flock of freshmen ever crashed a col lege with more bright-eyed eagerness than did the 40 Initiates In the house of representatives this morning. It was their first day at school and they were tht're to get matriculated as soon as i-osslbia and make way for the real fun. And did they matriculate! It wasn't but the matter of a couple of recesses until the youngsters were jumping up seconding motions along with the older boys. Sometimes they even beat them to It. It was really a great day. Every body and his stenographer flocked the outer halls long before the ses sion opened. One wondered what they were afraid of missing. Finally a number of the greyer haired (entry melted swag. The sen n 1 1 ni r-i ii-i Morning Paper Publishes Lies Asserts Nealon Commissioner R. E. Nealon, named to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of John Barne burg, this morning characterized as "false" and "political propa ganda," the statement attributed to htm In the Medford News. The morning paper alleged that Com missioner Nealon hud said during the controversy jfihterday: "To hell with the people, and to hell with the grand Jury." "I never said anything of the kind," Commissioner Nealon de clared emphatically. "It is a pure He. without any truth, and made out of whole cloth. It is Just like a lot of other propaganda that has been spread over the county the past year. 'I told Judge Fehl that I came to court with no promises or pledges to anybody, and that I was as free as a coyoflt on a chaparral ranch. That my conscience was my guide, and was prepared to do knvthlntr fnr t.ViA crnnrl nf .Intmon I county, as a wholo." TALK ABOLISHING STATE VETERANS Legislators Indicate Deep Study Will Be Made of Activities Millions Lost to State Is Contention SALEM. Jan. 8. P) Pour new tax measures were Introduced In the house today while the Oregon legis lature continued to mark time until the waya and means committees make a 48-hour aurvey of the atate budget In orftr to ascertain the financial condition of the atate before acting upon the general aalea tar proposal and other tax measures Introduced OAliBM. Ja. a. m Pertinent discussion of the World war veter ans' atate aid commission by the house taxation and assessment com mission late yesterday gave rise to definite Indications today an exnaus tlve atudy would besmade of the situ ation with a view of ultimate liquida tion of the commission's business and final abolishment of that department. Harry M. Hansen, budgot director, called before the committee to assist In a hasty survey of the budget, openly told the legislators that the half-mill levy for this department would have to be replaced next year; that the commission has lost millions of dollars In recent years because of depreciation of property and statutes providing only 4 per cent Interest to be paid by veterans; and that the state would lose millions more whether the commission were abolish ed or continued. SALEM, Jan. 8. (F) Definite knowledge of Oregon's need for In creased revenue and deflnlt steps looking toward the solution of the state's financial difficulty will result from the special session of the legis lature before adjournment Is taken A resolution will be Introduced to day directing the waya and means and taxation committees of the two houses to delve further into the needs for tax and other taz plans. These were the decisions of legis lative leaders called Into an infor mal conference last night, and after (Continued on Page Eight) ate opened. Then the handsomer (?) men disappeared. The house of rep resentatives was called to order. But those outer halls were still any thing but empty. Young girls and those not so young, young boys who looked as though they should be In school, and men of varying ages, paced the corridors which led to the two houses In session. Boms of them were lobbyists. Most of them were hoping for Jobs. The large auditorium which houses the representatives Is arranged some what like a court room, with the speaker occupying the Judges stand. The clerk and his assistants sit lit a row several feet down facing the same direction. The representatives occupy regular office desks and leather cushioned chairs facing the speaker. (Continued, on Page flve I i i ii 1 1 n in i IN BUDGET DATA FOR REAL FACTS Secret Emissary Prowls Bu reau to Gain Low-Down Clique Fearful Garner Stung by Sales Tax Action By PAUL MALLON. (Copyrighted by MoCIure Newspaper Syndicate.) WASHINGTON, Jan. ft. A Roose velt emissary has been prowling se cretly through the budget bureau re cently. He is trying to establish the real concVlon of federal finances for the President - oleot. Apparently, Roosevelt mistrusts the figures made public The Incident la causing a sttr among the big boys. It shows Roose velt la not relying on even his con gressional advisers, but Is tryln to find out things for himself. Coming after the sales tax repudi-' atlon, It makes the Washington clique feel the new deal may not tv-?" them. ' i The Roosevelt-Gar ner sales U, dl ' ' pute looked like a stage play-out y. wasn't. , . , The Vice-President-elect wan struck to the core by Roooevelt's repudtsV tion,. He waa particularly, hurt be- " cause It came through the newspa pers. He thought he had an agree ment with Roosevelt to keep hands off. The way his friends say he really feels about It now la that if Roose velt wants to mess with it, let him go ahead. The only Immediate effect la to break up Garner's little poker game with the Republicans. The Democratlo gang here confi dentially think Roosevelt does not know as much about federal finances as they do. Garner has been In that business for 30 years. There was enough peculiar busi ness behind this Philippine indepen dence bill to fill 10 volumes. (Continued on Page Eight) - n BEVERLY HILLS, Cal., Jan. 4. "Hello, mister, was you ever asked t make a New Year's prediction!" "Say, I never been asked to cat on New Year's." "Have you ever been appointed on a commission?" "No, nor In Jail, either." "Do you read prominent men's pre- dirt Ions?" "No, I never read fiction. "Hare you a Job?" "No, I am on a diet." "What does the New Year hold hi store for you? "Wtiat New Year? Hare they rot another one." ILL ROGERS xQk "says: "Do yon think the world leaders can get us out of this?" "They might. Ignorance got us In. "What do you think of tech nocracy ?" "Nothing vmi cant spell will erer work." "What about the debts?" "Well, I hear England paid 00 mil lion, but It's only hearsay as far as the unemployed Is concerned." "Do you think we 'will get out of this depression Just because we got out of all the nthef?" "Lots of folks drown nhat'i been tn the water before," "What will give the unemployed employment?" "If somebody wM throw a monkey wrench Into the machinery." "Won't light wines and beer be big nld to the poor?" "They will If they will give 'em away." "Won't '33 see a change for the better?" " don't think so; we havent suf fered enough. The Lord Is repaying us for our foolishness during prosper ous days. He Is not quite ready to let us out of the doghouse yet." "I will haul you down the road tf you like," "What's down the road? I been to both ends; one place li as good as aliot her." "Well, good lurk to you." "Yes. that's what my congressman said." 8l!l MtrtuiM8rnjlloil