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FORD
Full Associated Press
XI United Presa
Thirty-fourth Year
MEDFORD, OREGON, MONDAY NOVEMBER 13, 1939.
Io.ln.
MfiTPY
0 nS P
uuu
MED
j No. 201.
ABI AREA
DIME d&tlS
t
i . ATTHE
jo,
Washington, D. C, Nov. 13.
American sailors on the Pa
cific and Atlantic coasts are in
sisting on a congressional invest
igation of the federal maritime
commission, accusing the agency
of "cooperation, connivance and
collusion" with ship owners. By
coincidence, the investigation
was requested a few days before
the fact leaked out that the com
mission was ready to sanction
the legal subterfuge of the
United States Lines in trans
ferring eight ships to the Pan
ama flag to chisel on the neu
trality law.
Two rival unions on the Pa
cific have a common grievance
(.gainst the commission, one be
ing the commission's denial of
collective bargaining rights and
Its attempt to ignore the union
hiring halls. When union mem
bers picketed a ship operated
by the- commission in Pugct
Sound, the government agency
extricated itself from a tight
Bpot by leasing the vessel to a
private operator who promptly
obtained a crew from the hiring
hall. Incidents like that have
caused seagoing union men to
distrust the commission.
Notwithstanding the Pacific
coast is an important shoreline;
that its harbors are visited by
the ships of the seven seas, and
that the vast commerce between
the United States and the orient
flows through its ports, the Pa
cific coast is not represented on
the maritime commission, but
Kentucky is.
COMMISSIONER Max O'Rell
Truitt is son-in-law of "Dear
Alben" Barkley, of Kentucky,
Democratic leader of the senate.
While father-in-law Barkley was
urging passage of the neutrality
bill to keep American ships out
of the war zone, son-in-law
Truitt was favoring circumvent
ing the law by the ruse of using
the Panama flag.
J7AR-sighted President Roose-
velt predicted chiselers three
years ago in a speech at Chatau-
(Continued od Page Pour.
U. S. WILL KEEP
Washington, Nov. 13. (IP)
A state department official said
today the United States did not
contemplate following the ex
ample of Great Britain in with
drawing troops from North
China.
Officials pointed out that
Britain already had diminished
her military establishments in
China since the present war
broke out without influencing
the United States' position.
New York Has Snow.
New York, Nov. 13 Pi
Light snow, driven by a stiff
wind, fell today the first of
the season here.
SIDE GLANCES
by
TRIBUNE REPORTERS
Iva McHcnry thinking some
one had pushed her into the
Chetco river until she noticed
that the bottom of the boat was
covered with salmon eggs.
Notice of the arrival of rail
way expressed dog intended for
Morris Fox being delivered to
the wrong guy, Morry, however,
(jetting the dog all right.
Enid Funk and the othci gals
of the forest service installing
vn extra heater to boo5t the of
fice tempe rature to "2.5 degrees
ir thereabouts.
Wcbfoot Grad Frank Reinhart,
unable to attend the home-coming
game, doing the next best
thine by Hissing a portable radir.
into the grandstand at the Med
fnrri-Ahland fracas and thus en
joying bull-
ILLS CRACKED,
Sharpest Tremor in 15 Years
Centers in Grays Harbor
Region None Injured
Seattle, Nov. 13. (Pi An
earthquake, sharpest In 15 years
scismographic records here, was
believed by University of Wash
ington geologists today to have
centered 50 to 30 miles east or
west of Seattle, probably in the
Grays Harbor area, on the south
west coast.
Prof. George E. Goodspeed
said the most severe shock came
10 seconds after the quivering
earth jarred the seismograph
needles into action at 11:47 p.
m. It lasted 30 to 40 seconds
and was followed by lesser trem
ors until 12:08 a. m. He laid
it to slippage in one of the
state's several active faul lines.
He said after-shocks were ex
tremely unlikely.
Today officials and business
men in Portland, Tacoma. Se
attle, Vancouver, B. C, and
other cities surveyed damage
caused by the shock that lasted
for approximately one minute.
The damage, however, is not
expected to be high, consisting
mostly of cracked walls in some
buildings, broken water mains
and broken power lines.
None Injured.
A check by state and other
officials indicated no one .was
injured.
In Seattle a near panic was
averted in one theater' when
patrons, alarmed as a heavy
glass chandalier in the center of
the ceiling began to sway, rush
ed toward the exits. Calm
headed patrons and others quiet
ed the throng and they filed
from the theater in orderly
fashion.
Other Seattle theaters report
ed their patrons left the build
ings quietly.
In all parts of Seattle resi
dents rushed to the streets in
their night attire and some spent
the remainder of the night
auto camps.
Bank Corner Falls.
A corner section of the Na
tional Bank of Washington in
Tacoma, weighing approximate
ly 150 pounds, crashed six floors
into an alley at the rear of the
bank. Some plaster damage was
reported in the state capitol at
Olympia.
The epicenter covered an
area from the Portland district
north through Longview, Cen
tralia, the Grays Harbor cities,
Olympia, Everett, Bcllingham,
Victoria and as far north as
(Continued on Page rwo )
43 Die In Train Crash
Oppeln, Germany, Nov. 13.
((IP)) Forty-three persons were
known today to have been killed
and 60 injured in a collision be
tween two passenger trains last
night between Langlicben and
Rosengrund. The accident was
believed to have been caused by
negligence of a switchman who
ran the two trains onto the same
track.
Saw 17 Murdered in Asylum
Is Claim of Former Inmate
Sacramento, Nov. 13. (IP)
A letter from a former inmate
of the Stockton state hospital
for the insane, who was recently
judged sane and released, ad
vised the governor's office to
day that the writer had seen
17 persons murdered In the in
stitution. The letter was signed Eugene
Higgenbotham, 301 Channel
street, Stockton, and copies were
sent to District Attorney F. G.
Clowdsley of Stockton and Dr.
Aaron Rosanoff. director of state
institutions.
Clowdsley wrote the governor
that while the story was wierd
and unbelievable, yet he could
not take the responsibility for
pigeonholing it, and suggested
the matter by Inquired into with
out necessarily conducting a
formal investigation.
Iliggcnbotham's letter Ha id
Portlanders Think
Jarring Caused by
Burglars In Home
Portland, Nov. 13. (IP)
Thousands of Portland resi
dents have been wondering
for years what it would be
like to experience an earth
quake, but when it came,
many ow the mdidn't know
what it was.
Scores of persons, roused
from deep sleep, telephoned
the police bureau that "burg
lears were in the house."
Police radio and prowl car
operators didn't know much
about quakes either and for
a frantic few minutes sirens
screamed all over the city as
the bluecoats chased down
"burglar" alarms.
Sacramento, Calif., Nov. 13.
(IP) A proposal to pay $50 a
month or more to citizens over
60 years was Governor Culbert
L. Olson's direct reply today to
the clamor in California for in
creased old age pensions.
Olson, threatened with recall
action by supporters of the twice.
rejected "ham and eggs scrip
pension plan, declared California
must "take the lead" in efforts
to persuade the national govern
ment to lower the pension age
from 65 to 60 and raise the pay
ments to $60 a month.
To Offer Plan Soon
In the meantime, the governor
announced in a radio address
last night, he will submit the
$50-at-60 pension program to a
special session of the state legis
lature expected to meet shortly.
California now pays a maximum
of $35 monthly to needy aged
past 65.
Olson's proposal immediately
was denounced by Dr. Francis
E. Townscnd, the California pro
moter of the $200-a-month Town-
send old age plan. Interviewers
in Nashville, Tenn., the elderly
pension leader termed it "fu
tile," "unfair," "just a waste of
public money.
U. S. Senator Sheridan
Downey of California, speaking
in Los Angeles, urged sponsors
of an Olson recall movement to
"forget" their grievances against
the governor for opposing the
"ham and eggs" proposition.
Italy
Calls Second
Draft Within Week
Rome, Nov. 13. (IP) Italy
began calling 5000 non-commissioned
career officers and 18,000
volunteer specialists today to
strengthen her already large
standing army.
The expansion, ordered by
Premier Mussolini, was the sec
ond decreed within a week. Last
Monday II Duce directed 1500
officers and a similar number of
non-commissioned officers be
added to the army.
(The Italian army has been
estimated at about 1,300,000
men.)
he expected to be sentenced to
San Quentin soon and having
been released from the hospital
he felt free to divulge the facts
concerning "one of the greatest
wholesale murder scandals in
history of this state.'V
He said one of the custodians
would place the mouth of a
large bottle down the throats of
patients. "At first I though!
it was just an aid to old men
who were dying." Later, he
said, he observed the patients
would be dead the following
day and "the boys in the yard"
would remark. "Well, anothei
man got the black bottle."
"I saw seventeen men mur
dered." he wrote.
The governor's office discount
ed the man's narrative, but In
view of the fact he was recently
dismissed as sane, said that the
letter would iC referred to the
director of institutions.
Finns Break Off Moscow Negotiations;
Reds Open Tress Pressure' Campaign
L
Helsinki, Nov. 13. (IP) The
Finnish foreign office announced
today that its delegation in Mos
cow would leave for home to
night, suspending the lengthy
negotiations by which Russia has
been seeking concessions . from
Finland.
Previously Foreign Minister
Eljas Erkko had said that only
"last minute" modification of
soviet demands for territorial
concessions could prevent recall
of the Finns from Moscow.
The negotiations were ini
tiated October 7 after Russia had
won concessions from Latvia, Es
tonia and Lithuania, strengthen
ing her military position in the
west and north.
Finance Minister Vaino Tan
ner early this afternoon advised
the foreign office of the decision
to return.
Liltlo Hope
"There are no indications that
further progress through nego
tiations is possible." Erkko said
in an interview. "There is a last
minute chance, but we have
come so far it is difficult."
i - -
The foreign minister did not
specify the points on which the
negotiations were stalled. Ob
servers expressed belief, how
ever, stumbling blocks were Rus
sia's demands for a naval base
on Finnish territory at the en
trance to the Gulf of Finland
and revision of the southern bor
der between the two countries
on the Karelian Isthmus.
Erkko hinted at this interpre
tation when he said to an Amer
ican newspaperman:
"I believe there is a place
called Sandy Hook outside New
York harbor. How would you
like to hand that over to some
one?"
E SPEAKS 10
U. S. IN BROADCAST
Vatican City. Nov. 13. (AP
via "Radio) Pope Pius XII,,
speaking today by radio to the
people of the United States, said
"the Christian education" of
youth was never "more vital or
important than it is today."
The pontiff spoke on the occa
sion of the 50th anniversary
celebration of the Catholic Uni
versity of America, Washington,
D. C, from his private studio.
He talked approximately seven
minutes.
His address was directed par
ticularly to the gathering of pre
lates, priests and distinguished
laymen at the university, and he
told them of his "pride in the
great work you have accom
plished for the glory of God and
the welfare of your country."
FOOTBALL INJURY IS
FATAL FOR FRESHMAN
Niagara Falls, N. Y., Nov. 13.
(U.R) John M. Korcak. 21. St.
Bonaventure freshman football
player, died today from an in
jury suffered In a game with
Niagara college freshmen Satur
day. Dr. Harry R. Ehmes, Niagara
county coroner, said death was
due to shock and a ruptured
kidney.
What to Do
Seattle, Nov. 13. IIP)
Right at the height of the
near - panic following 1 a r I
night's earthquake one val
ron yelled above the hubbub
in the Olympic hotel's jam
med lobby:
"I'm from Los Angeles!
Everybody stand in the door
ways!" Shouted another: "I'm
from Chicaeo. What the
dvil should I do?"
Netherlands Premier Denies
Nation's Neutrality Periled
The Hague, The Netherlands, Nov. 13. (A') Premier Dirk
Jan de Gcer told The Netherlands today "there is not a single
ground for uneasiness" in the nation or empire despite "many
rumors causing aiarm" in the past
Making his first radio speech
since he became minister last
summer, de Geer said the fear of
imminent dangers for The Neth
erlands was caused by reports.
circulated abroad and by "cer
tain measures of our govern
ment." He urged Holland not, to court
danger by nervousness and thus
risk losing "the blessings which
God has given us the vocation
of stimulating peace and thus
serving others."
It was this vocation, de Gcer
declared, which led Queen Wil
helmina and King Leopold of
Belgium to make their peace
mediation offer. (Britain and
France answered the offer yes
terday by saying the issue was
up to Germany.)
"Should these endeavors again
fail," he added, "we and the gov
ernments of other countries for
which peace is preserved, will at
a later date be able to take new
steps in the same direction."
KUHN'S LOVE WIRES
READ 10 JURORS
FUND THEFT HEARING
New York, Nov. 13. (IP) A
note of romance entered the trial
of Fritz Kuhn, German-American
bund fuehrer, today when
the Jury heard several telegrams
sending "love and kisses to
woman friend.
Telegraph company employes
identified the messages as hav
ing been charged to the account
of the bund newspaper.
The heavily built leader who
is charged with stealing $5,641
I from his own organization,
I smiled and blushed as he was
i pictured as the writer of the
messages to Mrs. Florence Camp,
whom Kuhn has termed a "cas
ual friend."
The slate charges that of the
funds allegedly misappropriated,
Kuhn used $716 to pay for the
transportation of Mrs. Camp's
furniture from New York to
California and thence to Cleve
land. Assistant District Attorney
Herman J. McCarthy did not
read the signature on the tele
grams but earlier, through the
testimony of telegraph company
employes and an officer of the
bund newspaper, he attempted
to establish they were sent by
Kuhn.
HELD IN SLAYING
Klamath Falls, Nov. 13. (A')
Earl Williams, 44, colored, was
held In the county jail today
after the gunshot death of his
wife, Zeola, Saturday at their
roadside hovel near here. No
charge had been filed.
According to officers, Wil
liams said the Woman was fatal
ly injured as she dragged a shot
gun from the dwelling which
had caught fire. He hailed a
passing car to take her to a hos
pital where she died.
The couple's home, a timber
lined cave dug in a dirt bank.
was burning when investigators
arrived, but Dr. George Adler
coroner, said an autopsy indlcat
ed the charge that killed Mrs.
Williams had been fired from a
distance of several yards.
Emign Brantley.
Washington, Nov. 13. (AP)
The navy announced selection
today of 42 officers for flight
training In a school beginning
about March 31. 1940. Among
them was Ensign William E.
Brantley of A?hland, Ore. nov.
Rssigncd to the U.S.S. Salt Lake
' City
few days.
L INSIST
UPON REPARATION FOR
S
London, Nov. 13. (IP) Au
thoritative British quarters as
serted today King George's re
ply to The Netherlands-Belgian
peace move meant Britain would
"insist on full reparation of
wrongs done by Germany to her
small neighbors."
It was also reported British
Russian trade negotiations have
reached the point of exchange
of lisW of commodities to be sold
under any agreement reached.
Britain showed no sign of
hope a peace-making Germany
would step through the door
technically left ajar by the king's
response.
A caustic speech by Winston
Churchill, first lord of the ad
miralty;- just a few hours after
the king replied, showed how
slender the present chances for
peace were considered. The press
again recited Britain's broadly
stated aims and called attention
to a more specific proviso in
French President Albert Le
bru'n's answer to Queen Wilhel
mlna and King Leopold that
Germany should repair "the in
justices which force has Imposed
on Austria, Czecho-Slovakia and
Poland."
Their answers to the proposal
of King Leopold and Queen Wll
helmina just one week ago that
they help the embattled powers
find a way to peace were made
yesterday by King George and
President Lebrun.
Berlin, Nov. 13 (IP) Author
ized sources said today the Brit
ish and French replies to the
Belgian-Netherlands offer to me
diate in the European war were
In line with recent public utter
ances in London and Paris and
have caused no surprise here.
Inspired press comment In
both Britain and France during
the past two days forecast
clearly, these sources said, what
the reply would be namely a
further indication of the will to
war.
$1 Watch Killer
Chief of Police Floyd M.
Crichton of Lincoln Parte. Mich.
announced George McClelland
(above), confetied stabbing How
ard Rucker. a chum, to death In
an argument over a dollar watch
and then fixed the crime to ap
oear at if Rucker had been
killed by a robber (AP Photo).
E
i
SAYS NEWSPAPER
Moscow, Nov. 13. (IP) Rus
sia wagea a campaign of "press
pressure" upon Finland today
after disclosure of widespread
Russian naval demands upon the
Finns.
The newspaper Trud, organ of
the soviet trade unions, warned
Finland she was playing a "dan
gerous game" which may have
grave results.
Soviet newspapers printed a
long official news agency dis
patch from Helsinki painting a
gloomy picture of conditions
there and predicting that the
iinnlsn government would re
ject Russian "offers."
The dispatch alleged there had
been frequent conflict between
the men of the regular Finnish
army and reservists because the
reservists favored agreement
with Moscow.
Can't Stand Long
The news agency, Tass, pre
dicted the Finns could not stand
the economic and financial strain
of the present situation "longer
than from four to seven months."
The newspaper Red Fleet, or
gan of the soviet nnvy, disclosed
yesieraay lor me iirsi lime kus-
sin s sweeping naval demands.
Red Fleet said Russia must
gain control of the Finnish areas
west of Nurmansk In order to
protect this Arctic ocean port,
Russia's northernmost ice-free
harbor. Finland now has access
to the Arctic through a narrow
strip of land between Norway
and Russia.
The navy organ also said Le
ningrad, soviet port at the head
of the Gulf of Finland, could
not be safe unless Russia con
trolled both sides of the gulf.
The northern side is Finnish.
-t
FLY OVER PARIS
Paris, Nov. 13 (IP) Shrilling
air raid sirens sent the civilian
population of Paris to cover
early today for the seventh time
since the war started and mili
tary sources announced later
German reconnaissance planes
had flown over the area.
The announcement said the
planes had been driven off by
anti-aircraft fire but did not
specify the number Involved.
Following the warning, sound
ed at 4:20 a. m., (10:20 p. m.,
Sunday, E.S.T.) and In effect for
an hour, there was anti-aircraft
gunfire this afternoon, begin
ning at 3:20 p. m. (9:20 a. m.,
E. S. T.)
The guns, which ring Paris,
fired Intermittently for 20 min
utes, but no alarm was sounded
in Paris.
London, Nov. 13. (IP) The
admiralty announced tonight
German aircraft made two at
tacks on the Shetland islands to
day but "were driven off by
anti-aircraft gunfire."
"The bombs dropped did no
damage," the communique said.
COUNTY WARRANT DEBT
AT RECORD LOW MARK
General county warrants un
called up to November 10
amount to $4,346.38, according
to County Treasurer Ralph
Sweeney. This is the lowest
mark In many years.
Total net debt of the county,
Including bonds, warrants and
all other purposes, is $48,772.54,
as of November 10.
S. Ft Turkey Prices
San Francisco, Nov. 13. (IP)
Net prices paid producers for
live poultry delivered San Fran
cisco. Turkeys, young toms,
under 18 lbs., 1717V4; 18 lbs.
and over. 17-17 Vi: young hens
21-22.
YOUTH IS MAULED
NEAR BLUE LEDGE
John Wall of Medford Has
Narrow Escape While Cut
ting Yule .Tree in Wilds
Attacked by an enraged black
bear which he thought he had
killed with a bullet from his 25
35 calibre rifle, John Wall, 21-ycar-old
son of Mrs. A. M. Wall
of McAndrews road, miraculous
ly escaped serious injury yester
day afternoon.
John, with his brother, Albert
and a friend, Bill Milhoan of
the Four Corners road, were cut
ting Christmas trees at the Blue
Ledge mine in the upper Apple-
gate country, about 40 miles
from Medford, when John spot
ted the bear on a ledge about 75
yards distant.
Hoisting his gun to his shoul
der and taking careful aim, John
fired. The bear, a medium-sized
brute, dropped to the ground,
apparently struck in a vital spot.
Thought Bear Dead
"I thought sure I had killed
him," John related today. "It
appeared the bullet had hit him
squarely in the head, and after I
saw him drop I ran to the spot.
"He was lying on his sido
when I reached him, and just as
I got there he raised up on his
hind legs and whacked ma
across the face with one of his.
big paws. The bullet had only
creased his skull, and he was'
fighting mad."
The terrific blow knocked
John unconscious, Inflicted num
erous long, deep gashes on his
face and gave him a black eye.
The impact of the blow turned
the youth over in a complete
flip-flop and he landed on his
right side on a sharp rock, bruis
ing his ribs.
Yells Frighten Bruin
"Just before the bear socked
me I yelled," John explained,
"and Al and BUI wasted no time
in getting there, they told me
afterward.
"Al threw his axe at the bear
but missed and the axe was
broken against a rock. They
yeljed at the top of their lungs
and the bear ran off through the
brush."
Today, John's only reminders
of his narrow escape are some
sore ribs, a well-sliced face and
the black eye. He is mighty
thankful Al and Bill were on
hand for the occasion, for they
told him that the bear was pre
paring for another attack Just
before it took off through the
brush.
Boston, Nov. 13. (IP) Ad
miral Richard E. Byrd decided
today to start the U. S. Antarctic
expedition's ship, North Star, on
the first leg of her voyage at
noon tomorrow, shortly after the
expedition's gigantic snow cruis
er rolled into Boston after its
mishap - interrupted cross-country
trek from Chicago.
An attempt to place the cruis
er aboard the vessel will be
made early tomorrow when the
tide brings the deck of the North
Star level with the army base
dock.
EIGHTY ALLIED PLANES
DOWNED IS NAZI CLAIM
Berlin, Nov. . 13. (At Ger
man army statisticians asserted
today that 80 British and French
planes had been destroyed from
the beginning of the war to No
vember 10, a period during
which the Germans said they
lost only 17. The Germans said
the French had lost 84 planes
and the British 16.
Radio Highlights
By the Associated Press.
Tonight: Europe W ABC-CBS
S:33, 8; MBS 6, 6:13; WEAF-NBC-East
8.
Tuesday: Europe NBC-Chains
3 a. m.; W ABC-CBS 3 a. m., 3:30
p. m. .