edford Mail Tribttn
The Weather
Forecast Occasional rain tonight
and Thursday; moderate tempera
tun.
Blihest yesterday "
Lowest this morning 34
Paid-Up Circulation
People who pay for their newspapers
are the beat prospects for the adver
tisers. A. B. C circulation is paid
up circulation. This newspaper Is
A. B. O.
Twenty-eighth Year
MEDFOKD, OREGON, WEDNESDAY, MAY 3, 1933.
Amazing Web of Banks Plots Bared in State's Opening Statement
o No. 36.
Comment
on the
Day's News
By FRANK JENKINS.
IN A LETTER addressed to news
paper men. Karl A. Blckel, presl
dent of the United Press, recently
made this satement:
"For the first time In the experi
ence of present-day American news
paper men. economic news haa a
greater attention-compelling voltage
than sex."
MR. BICKEL, unfortunately, con
ceals an Interesting thought In
a fog of big words. So we might a
well translate. What he means to
ay la this:
"In these days, people are reading
business news more eagerly than they
read SCANDAL."
Had you stopped to think of thatv
IT IS TRUE.
If you want to prove It, checlc
up on the front page of your favor
ite newspaper. You will find It fined
with stories of business what con
gress la doing, how the markets are
acting, the latest developments
the Inflation program, eto.
Tou will find a LITTLE crime and
acandal, of course, but not much.
THE NEWSPAPERS. In other words,
print what INTERESTS PEOPLE
MOST. In these days, when people
are more Interested In business, and
what la going to happen to It, than
In anything else, the newspapers are
filled chiefly with NEWS OP BUSI
NESS. SPEAKING of 'news of business,
most of us have, come to believe
that we are suffering severely from
over-production from great sur
pluses piled up as a result of tre
mendous Increases In productive ef
ficiency per person.
O. F. Warren, professor of agri
cultural economic at Cornell Uni
versity. DOESN'T think so. He says:
"Total production of ALL com
modities per capita In the United
States Incressed for 78 years before
the war at he rate of 1.73 per cent
per year, but from 1915 to 1929 In
creased at the rate of only .84 of one
per cent per year." ,
Do you oet"that?
What he means to that for three
quarter of a century before the world
war production per person Increased
nearly THREE TIMES as fast as dur
.Ing and since the war.
That doesn't look like mounting
ever-productlon, does It?
fCITELL," you may say. "that may
W be true of ALL commodities,
but It certainly Isn't true of foods."
Professor warren claims It IS true.
He says:
"For 78 years prior to the war,
production of food and feed crops In
the United States Increased at the
compound rate of 3.02 per cent per
yesr. From 1915 to 1929. the Increase
ws only six-tenths of ONE PER
CENT per year."
WHAT he means Is that during and
since the war production of food
and feed crops In the United States
has SLOWED DOWN instead of in
creasing. If his figures are accurate, they
are certainly amazing.
FOR TEARS we have been telling
ourselvea thst ability to produce
! Increasing fsster than ability to
consume, with the terrifying result
thst we are being swamped under
growing surpluses of everything.
We MAT hsve been wrong about
that. We hsve been wrong about
other things In the past
THERE Is the theory, for example,
which for years nearly everybody
accepted, that the population of the
world was Increasing faster than
ability to produce food, so that In
time we must all STARVE.
We KNOW now that, this isn't
true, because we have proved It by
experience. The world hasn't learned
yet how to enable evrybody to earn ;
enough to buy all he wants, butj
most assuredly It has learned that
enough can be produced to feed every,
body If a way could be found to make
the supply go around.
So, you eee. It may be equally
true, as Professor Warren says, that
over-production Isn't really bother-
BROAD POWER TO
Five-Point Program Already
Adopted by Senate Re
publicans Overwhelmed in
Effort to Halt Move
WASHINGTON, May 3. (AP)
The senate today passed the
Musrle Shoals-Tennessee Valley
Development hill. It now goes
to conference with the house.
WASHINGTON. May 3. (AP) The
house of representative., today ap
proved the administration Inflation
program as already passed by the
senate.
Comparing with the Impressive 64
to 31 senate vote last week, the
representatives polled 307 in favor
and 86 opposed to the broad curren
cy powers to be vested in President
Roosevelt. This completed congres
sional action on the Inflation setup.
The roll call followed Immediately
on a voice vote to- differ with the
senate on amendments made to the
massive farm relief bill, sending the
measure to conference with the other
branch lor compromise on differ
ences. Six hours of debate were concluded
last night on the inflation proposal,
opposed by the republican leadership.
Democratic inflationists at every
turn trounced the drastic effort of
the republicans to defeat the propo
sal, already adopted by the senate.
The Inflation proposal gives Presi
dent Roosevelt broad powers to ex
pand credit and currency in a five
point program as follows:
Permits the federal reserve system
s (Continued on Page. Three) -
Mrs. Laura Blackburn, national
president of the American Legion
auxiliary who was a Medford visitor
this morning, was accompanied to
Roseburg by four cars of legionnaires
and Legion Auxiliary members from
Jackson county. Two were from
Medford and two from Ashland.
Among those from Medford who
Joined the caravan were Mrs. SC. D.
Ross, Mrs. Goodwin Humphries, Belva
Aiken, Mrs. C. E. Kunz. Mrs. Tim
Daley, and Mrs. Louise Cleaves. Ash
landers were Mr. and Mrs. John En
ders, Paul McDonald, Mrs. Sidney
George, of Eugene, state president,
Mrs. Guy Applewhite, Mrs. Frank,
Rush and Perry Ashcraft.
State Policeman William Ellens
burg led the caravan to Grants Pass,
where they were met by the Cave
men. s
OMAHA. Neb.. May 4. (UP) A
Jury awarded Mrs. Iva Baltzly late
yesterday $12,500 of the $25,000 ahe
sought in an alienation of affections
suit against Miss Gertrude Gruenlg.
Mrs. Baltzly charged her husband,
the Rev. Oliver D. Baltzly. formerly
Lutheran pastor here, renounced his
lifelong opposition to divorce and se
cured a decree from her laet year in
Arkansas as a result of Influence of
Miss Gruenlg.
Attorneys for Miss GruenU?. an at
tractive divorcee and member of the
church, announced they would ap
peal the award to the supreme court
if a motion for a new trial Is denied.
CONSTITUTION TIE
Late this afternoon word was re
ceived from Crescent City that the
exact time of the arrival of the Con
stitution could not be determined on
account of weather conditions In the
Pacific ocean.
The local Chamber of Commerce re
quests those who wish to go to Cres
cent City to ring the office early to
morrow morning when It is hoped
that complete information will be
available.
It 1. however, definitely sure that
the ship will be at the California city
some time tomorrow and those who
so desire to see the ship, can rest
assured that they will not be disap
pointed. Gasoline-powered railroad engines
are being use J widely on state rail
ways by 4&ft Italian, ernmen
Scenes at Banks Trial Openinjl
M--, Mi. t ' i " sXV' 7
tr, li IMrll W fell
To L. A. Hunks and his wife face
Judge and prospective Jurors. Mid
dleThe defense array of lawyers
B. PIilpps, Tom Enrlght of Med
ford. Frank Loner can of Portland and
Charles Hardy of Eugene (Banks Is
behind Phlpps). Joe Hammersly, an-
other Portland lawyer, Is behind Lon
crgan. Below The state's legal slece
guns G cor Re Netlson, George A. Cod
ding of Jackson county, Ralph Moodv
mi cl WHIlam Levens-. special prose
iutor,:,wbo died suddenlyyeiterdaiv.
Reporter Jn foreground with back
turned.
STORM IN SENATE
WAR DEBTS NOTE
By PA IT MALLOV
(Copyrighted by MoClure Newspaper
fly nd teste.)
WASHINGTON, May 1. The big
storm will break when Mr. Roosevelt
sends his war debt message to the
senate.
Professional rain-makers up there
are covertly preparing to shower down
on the administration with all the
fervor they have been holding back
so far.
Nearly anything Mr. Roosevelt rec
ommends will suit their purpose.
Even sn Innocent request for author
ity to negotiate would enable them
to raise a public hullabaloo. They
could amend it with embarrassing
restrictions or perhaps kill it entirely.
At least thnt Is what they have in
mind. The existing congressional
situation augurs well for their under
taking. A rebellion against adjourning con
gress will be hooked up with the
movement. Mr. Roosevelt has whis
pered to all recent visitors that he
wants congress out of town by June
L That would give him six months
to work his new powers without con
gress watching.
The boys on Capitol Hill have been
irked from the start about delegat
ing legislative authority to the Presi
dent. They have suppressed their
emotions only because Mr. Roosevelt
was too popular with the country.
The people h ave backed hJ m on
all the Issues for far inflation, the
farm bill, banking legislation and
whatnot.
They figure it will be different on
war debts.
The Republicans would rally their
full strength to this opposition call.
Even the Roosevelt sympathizers in
their ranks like Hiram Johnson
will oppose- doing anything on the
debts. How many Democrats they
could count on for aid remains to be
seen.
The prospects are that Mr. Roose
velt will win, but only after the
hardest fight he has had yet. He
(Continued on Page Se7en)
Drill Taken From
Blacksmith Shop
Thieve last night broke Into the
blacksmith shop of Walter Bergman,
at the corner of Holly and Eighth,
and stole 87 drill points and av drill.
The drill points were from three-sixteenths
to one Inch, and were con
sidered valuable.
Entrance was gained by opening a
mVF?S-
1A. 1 rXf- 'l2
Banks Is Subdued Figure
As Law's Wheels Travel
Toward Fateful Decision
Admiring Women Wait Opportunity for
Chat With Accused Former Publisher
In Murder Trial at Eugene
By ARTHUR PERRY
EUGENE, May 2. L. A. Banks, former editor snd orohardlst, now central
figure in southern Oregon's most sensational murder trial, since the no
torious D'Autremont trial of June, 1927; ts a subdued figure as he slta,
listening with something more than passing Interest, to the grim me
chanics of the law revolve, to decide his fate. At infrequent times there
are flashes of his old fire but always he returns very soon to an atti
tude of deep meditation.
In his seat, flanked on three sides.
by lawyers ajid friends, he is barely
visible to Jurors and spectators. At
times, Tuesday, Banks had to crane
his neck to see the Jury-box over the
heads of his own counsel. He wore
a suit of dark material with pin
stripes.
On one side, between the two de
fendants and next to Mrs. Banks, sits
Charles P. Moran of Cleveland, Ohio.
Banks' brother-in-law. On the other
side, at arm's length, alts Attorney
Thomas J. Enright, with whom he
frequently confers. Directly in front,
at a table Jointly occupied by the
state, sit Attorneys Hammers'.y,
Longeran and Hardy all masters of
legal crsft.
Banks shows no visible signs of
nervousness In the courtroom, but
there is a slight change In his man
ner whenever his counsel mentions
"persecution to the point of despera
tion." Outside the courtroom he ia
calm and respectfully pleasant.
He came to court Tuesday morning
under escort of the sheriff, a few
minute a after the arrival of Mrs.
Banks and the matron.
Banks spoke cheerily to the gath
ering of lawyers, officers and news
papermen in the anteroom. During
the morning recess, he conversed ani
matedly with Mrs. Ariel B. Pomeroy,
who was later Joined by her hus
band. He spent half of the 10-mln-ute
recess in the anteroom smoking,
and shook hands with a Medford
newspaperman attending the trial.
(Continued on Page Four)
EASTERN OREGON WOOL
IS DOUBLED IN VALUE
BAKER, May 3. (AP) -George
Spiropoloa of Huntington has sold his
wool clip of 30.000 pounds to Rosen
thal brothers of Boston for 17 cents.
Ths nrlos was announced as more
than twice what Bplropoioa receireo
last year. This Is the first Important j
taif nd.$ hero UUt fp"gr
1 f u
Sh Mr 9 4Cl J J
TAX TO BE PAID
Total taxes collected Tuesday
amounted to $54,340. according to
totals taken at the close of the day
at the tax collector's office, which
brings the total collected for the year
to 134.878.30. The check for the
California-Oregon Power company,
which will be $53,246.20, has not been
received.
The total collected at a correspond
ing dats last year was $206,787.45, or
$71,109.16 more than this year. Cop
cos check had not been received at
this date last year, which would indi
cate that unless payments Increase
definitely that this yesr's payments
will be around 70 thousand dollars
short of last year, officials said.
The California Oregon Power com
pany will make Its tax payment of
$52,246.20 Prlday, according to Jack
Thompson, local manager, and will
also pay taxes In Josephine county
amounting to $16,604.65.' Total tax
payments In Oregon will amount to
$342,785.53, Thompson said.
WASHINGTON Mny 3. (AP) The
government has said that It Intends
to proceed against gold hoarders, but
It has yet to reveal its course of ac
tion. Indications are that many
hoarders are waiting for treasury of
ficials to show their hand.
The time. limit for returning gold
expired Monday and It Is understood
that the treasury Is checking a list
of hoarders compiled by banks. Last
week there was approximately $700.'
w.vw in u.u un wu mtw.v.
still out. the bulk of It believed to
be In biding In this oountr&
Cold Blooded Murderer
Proud of Deed, Declares
Prosecuting Attorney
STREET PROPOSED
AT
Formal Petition for Modern
izing Thoroughfare From
Front Street to Bear
Creek Bridge Presented
Widening of Et Main street from
Front to Bear Creek bridge, sewage
disposal, bond refunding and atray
doga comprised the high apota of the
city council meeting at the city hall
last night.
A formal petition, presented by A
O. Hubbard, chairman of a property
owners' committee, asking for tne
widening and lighting of Eaat Main
street from Front street to the east
end ,of Bear creek bridge approncn,
was presented to the council. The
petition waa referred to the atrocts
and roads committee.
Several renters have moved from
East Main street locations recently,
because . of restricted parking space
and the narrowness of the street,
they reported, and a movement has
been - underway- for many months to
have the atroet improved.
More than 30 names of owners of
business property appeared on the
petition.
Annate Finance Possible.
Ben E. Harder, who la working with
the city finance committee on a plan
for refunding city bonds due Janu
ary 1, 1034, reported little progress,
due to legal tochnlcalltlea. Harder
also reported that It would be pos
sible, at this time, to construct
sewsge disposal plant on R. F. O.
funds, provided the city could re
fund part of the water bonda due in
1038 and take IS cent monthly from
water rentals to liquidate the in
debtedness Incurred in sewage con
struction, without raising water
rents.
Recently enacted laws have made
It possible for the city council to
Issue refunding bonds, to be trsded
to bondholders for city bonds coming
due, without referring the Issue to
tha votrs. Harder said. Bond at-
(Contlnued on Page Eight)
MOSCOW, May 8. (AP I 1 y a
Ivanovitch Ivanhov, Soviet professor
of experimental biology, has died
without having obtained any positive
results in his efforts to Interbreed
apes with the human species. It was
learned here today.
The eminent scientist, who had
sought by his racial experiment to
establish the "missing link" In the
origin of the human race,, died of
natural causes four months ago at
Tashkent, aged 60.
Pew details of the scientist's Inter
breeding experiments are known, ex
cept that two of his subject were
female chimpanzees.
Ivanov was widely known as an
authority on artificial recurvation,
upon which he published two trea
tises. 4
IN SALEM FRIDAY
SALEM, May S. (AP) Funeral
services for William 8. Levens, 60,
who died at Eugene yesterday, will
be held here Friday afternoon st
2:30 o'clock.
The chapel services will be con
ducted under auspices of the Chris
tian Science church and will be held
at the Clough-Barrlck funeral parlor.
Surviving are: Hit wife, Mrs. Leoda
M. Levens; brothers. H. W. Levens of
San Francisco and Le Roy .Levens of
Sslem: sistera Mrs. Stanley Pike of
Oakland. CVilf., and Mrs. L. L. Foster
of Tucson, Arts., and three nieces,
Mrs. R. D. Wood row of Sslem. Mrs.
Walter Monroe of Sbsstopol, Calif..
and Mrs. Oraos Smith of Los Angeles,
.CalU,
EUGENE. Ore.. May 3 (AP) With the stale claiming It can prove L.
li. Banks shot Constable (Irorce I'rescott as the culminating crime in a
series of cleverly dramatized political ploti, the trial of the rv-Mrdford
publisher and his wife got under way,this iirtrrnoon.
BANKS DEFENSE
WITNESSES ASK
SPEED FOR FEES
By AUTnrh PERRY
FIUOWNB, May 3. Twelve witnesses
for the defense all more or less ac
tive In the activities of the "Good
Government Congress," became pub
tic Tuesday, when they applied to the
clerk of Lane county for mileage fees.
Circuit Judge George F. Sklpworth
directed the Jackson county district
attorney to approve their mileage,
following the filing of a request for
same by Defense Counsel Thomas J.
Enright.
The defense wltneses are:
J. Arthur LaDleu, former business
manager for Banka morning news
paper, and at liberty under $7500
bonds for ballot theft.
Mrse. Henrietta B. Martin, presi
dent of the "Good Government Con
gress," catspaw of Banks, In the tu
multuous days of January and Feb
ruary, and at liberty on $2500 bonds
for "riotous conduct" 'In connection
with the buggy-whipping of Leonard
A. Hall, editor of the Jacksonville
Miner, .p
Walter Jones, mayor of Rogue
River, on liberty on $7500 bonds for
ballot theft, and one of the leading
figures in several of the courthouse
"d e m onstratlons .
L. O. VanWegan, long-time resl
dent of Jackson county, asserted aide
of Mrs. Martin In her street lashing
effort, reputed "congressman," and
at liberty on $1500 bonds for "riot
ous conduct."
Amos W. Walker, deputy sheriff
named by County Judge Esrl H.
Fehl, at hla home4 on the morning
suspended Sheriff Gordon L. Scher
merhorn waa sworn into office. Wal
ker was deposed s probation officer
for the county court, upon the rec
ommendation of the grand Jury.
Mrs. Ariel B. Pomeroy. Intimate
friend of Mr. and Mrs. Banks, and
active In "Oood Government con
gress" activities.
May Powell, Jackson county resi
dent and bondswoman for some of
those Indicted for ballot theft.
P. M. Morrison of the Ashland dis
trict, close friend of Thomas L. Bre
cheen, held In the county Jail await
ing long deferred bonds for ballot
theft. - -
Mrs. Mae Murray. Effle Iewls, John
Wheeler and B. A. Boyce, all resi
dents of Jackson county, are the re
maining defense witnesses.
According to state officials, a num
ber of the defense witnesses as above
listed have secured apartments i
block away from the courthouse.
Attorney William E. Phlpps of Metl
ford, of the defense counsel, said
Tuesday that "fifteen or sixteen wit
nesses maybe more would be called
In Banks' behalf." Attorney Phlpps
thought the trial would be conclud
ed by the end of the week.
Besides the above, the following
Medford snd Jackson county people
are attending the trial, as witnesses
or apectators:
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Fluhrer. The
Fluhrer plane landed here Sunday on
a return trip from Portland, and is
undergoing slight mechanical repairs
and waiting for the weather to clear,
before taking off for home.
George Hilton of Grants Pass, for
mer Medford resident, and Tom H.
Pankey of Central Point, County En
gineer Paul B. Rynnlng. Henry W.
Goger, former coroner, W. J. Looker,
court reporter, engaged In taking
stenographic notes; Ssm Carey, clerk
and former ad solicitor of the Banks
paper; Virgil Edlngton, Oold Hill
high school boy; Sheriff-Appointee
Walter J. Olmscheld. Attorney E. E
Kelly, Chief of Police Clatous Mc
Credle, County Clerk George R. Car
ter, County Physician C. I. Drum
mond and former County PhyslcUn
B. c. Wilson.
BASEBALL
Nat I on at
Cincinnati .....
Boston -.
Lucas and
Lombard 1; Cantwell,
Betts and Hogsn.
American.
R.
6
H. E.
8 1
Boston
St. Louis 3 6 1
Batteries; Andrews and Shea; H ad
ley. Hcbert and FerrelL
The first order of procedure follow
ing the reading of the indictment
waa the "opening statements." The
formal declaration of what each side
seeks to prove. Testimony taking
comes next. Ralph E. Moody, taking
the place of William S. Lovens (who
died suddenly yesterday) painted
startling ,icture of the chief defend
ant aa ."anatlcal roguo.
More Surprl.cs.
For the defense, Joe Hammersly
opened some more of the promised
nag or surprises" by meetlne the
state's charges head-on with the
statement that the defense would be
able to disprove every one of them
and show thnt Banka In defending
his home against assnult, put no per
sonal malice against Prescott behind
his bullets.
The aged Moody, former assistant
United States attorney general, en
tered the courtroom Wednesday after
noon armed with papera from Gov
ernor Meier appointing him assistant
state attorney general. He was aworn
in Wednesday morning by Judge O.
F. Sklpworth of the circuit court and
will be the state'a chief prosecutor
In the case.
Speaking without a prepared atate-
ment and taking each of the state'a
proposed proofs In their order, he
told the Jury that Ltowellyn A. Banks
and his wife. Edith R. 'Banks, know
ingly and willfully killed the Med
ford constable, Banks by pulling the
trigger of the ride and Mrs. Banka
by holding the door part way open
Mrs. Banks Unmoved.
Mrs, Banka appeared unmoved ae
the state's case was mapped out, but
Banks drummed nervouslv on the
arm of his chslr with hla fingers.
11,1 Jury or sis' men and sir women.
picked yesterday afternoon and Iso-.
lated from their friends and rela
tives until the case Is over, leaned
forward in the box as the state opened
c- rne packed courtroom, from
which many spectators had been
turned away, waa likewise tense w
Moody, still visibly shaken bv the
death of his friend and colleague,
dramatically presented the states
opening chsrges.
Insanity will not be the defense
plea. This wsa Indicated by Ham
mersly as he opened the defere
statement. The defense will seek to
prove that the shooting waa the de
fenalve gesture of a "cornered crea
ture In the defense of his home."
"Mrs. Banks? She la lust a wife
and mother who hod no part In the
affair. Hor presence here would be
ridiculous If It were not pathetic."
Banks was pictured by the state
as a cold-blooded murderer, proud of
his deed, and Mrs. Banks as his will
ing accomplice.
(Continued on Page Five)
WILL
ROGER?
NEW YORK, May 2 Every
body was happy here in New
York lust night. The market
went up yesterday. Spirits
here just go up or down ac
cording; to that day's market.
They think the whole United
States depends on what pocket
the little white ball rolled into
on the exchange roulette table
that day.
But our country has got' so
that each one of us have to
live up liy a "racket" of some
kind und none of us must be
too critical of tho other fel
low's "racket." When you fig
ure it right down, none of us
are in a really essential busi
ness but the farmer and he
raises so much that oven his
business is partly non-essential.
But wo got to he tolerant, for
these New Yorkers are likeable
rascals, even when they are
skinning you.
Yours,
S'fV"-