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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 24, 1939)
1 The Weather Forecast Take This Tip Take plenty of time thll morn ing to read tha Flaiitfled AUrt. Many timet there are eurprlftei that put Italian In one' porket. Take this tip. Art quickly when you (Ind what you n-aut. Tribune Unsettled today and tomor row; not much change In temperature. Temperature Hlglient jesterday 43 Lowert jerterday 9 EDFOR Full Anociaied Press Full United Preii Thirty-fourth Year MEDFORD, OREGON, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1939 No. 236. M AT ATHE Washington. D. C, Dec. 23. Santa Claus Roosevelt is pre paring to gladden the hearts of , scores of good boys. Upon his desk, In a basket, is a stack several inches' high containing the names of appointees he will send to the senate for confirma tion. These include all the va cancies which have occurred since congress adjourned its regular session last August. These nominations, dozens of them, will be submitted Jan uary 4 the same day that the president sends his budget to congress.- The nominations range from a United States supreme court justice down to U. S. marshals. Although Oregon is not repre sented in the list, so far as known, there are two judicial jobs to be filled in Washington state, and the governor of Alas ka. Parenthetically it may be noted that Mr. Roosevelt dur ing his incumbency has appoint ed 60 percent of all the occu pants of the federal judiciary. There is a quiet movement to urge the president to nom inate Fred W. Catlett, of Wash ington's first congressional dis trict, to the federal district judgeship at Tacoma, vice Judge E. E. Cushman. Mr. Cat lett is now a member of the HOLC board of directors, is a Republican but has support of some substantial new deal Dem ocrats in high places. Catlett's present job and the judgeship carry the same pay, $10,000 a year, but the position on the bench is a lifetime job. PRESIDENT Roosevelt has 12 judicial nominations to send up to the hill; one member of the supreme court, two for the circuit court of appeals; seven federal district judges; two for the U. S. customs court in New York, of which bench Walter Evans, formerly of Portland, is a member, appointed by Hoo ver. There is rising wrath in Alas ka against appointment of Ernest H. Gruening (pronounced Greening), as governor to re place John W. Troy, who has tendered his resignation on ac count of ill-health. Businessmen, politicbs and newspapers of the territory are united in protest ing against Gruening. One such petition has already been filed (by request) by Republican leader Senator McNary who however, never votes against the confirmation of anyone pro posed by the administration, re garding such appointments as a y strictly Democratic affair. (Continued on Page Six ) T I Pittsburgh, Dec. 23. (IP) Roy A. Hunt, president of the Aluminum Companw of Amer ica, announced tonight a "sev eral million dollar" metal pro ducing plant will be built at Vancouver, Wash., to "take care of an increased demand for alu minum on the west coast." Construction will begin with 4 In the near future, he said, and the plant will be finished "in about a year." It will have an initial producing capacity of 30.000,000 pounds of aluminum annually, boosting the c o m pany's total annual peak capac ity to more than 400,000,000 pounds. The company has four other aluminum-producing plants, at Alcoa, Tenn., Badin, N. C, and Masscna and Niagara Falls, N. Y. Hunt said arrangements had been completed for the purchase of a 200-acre plot of land In Vancouver and a contract has been signed with the Bonneville power administration for 32,500 kilowatts of electricity. Construction work will be done by the company's own or ganization, the president an nounced, because of "the spe cialized metallurgical operations involved." , Company officials estimated the new plant would cost "sex era! million dollars," REPEL RUSSIANS, Red Planes Continue Bomb ings Capture Men And Guns Soviet Retreats In Arctic. Helsinki. Dec. 23. (IP) A savage battle at Aglajarvl on the southeastern front in which a surrounded Russian force was practically destroyed before it surrendered was reported to night in the Finnish high com mand communique. While Finnish troops were reporting a series of successful offensive operations along the eastern and southeastern fronts. Russian air raiders, for the fifth consecutive day,f bombed stra tegic Finnish cities. Finnish ad vices, however, said there were no casualties. "The Aglajarvl region is now wholly in our hands and our advance continues," the com munique said, adding that more than 600 prisoners were cap tured in the fighting at Agla jarvl and nearby Tolvajarvi. These towns are in the fron tier zone about 50 miles north of Lake Ladoga. The Finns said they also seized six cannon, eight tanks, eight anti-tank guns, a number of machineguns and other equip ment in the Aglajarvi opera tions. First Major Drive South of Lake Ladoga on the vital Karelian isthmus, the Finns launched their first major counter offensive, reporting it resulted in destruction of five Russian tanks and the capture of a number of prisoners, ma chineguns and other war ma terial. The Russians were said to have been repulsed when they attacked on the isthmus last night. The invaders also were reported driven back when they attacked at Kitala, railroad town on the north shore of Lake Ladoga and about 25 miles from the border. The communique said the Russians lost 2,000 men at Suomussalmi, killed in fighting in that sector, which is about 250 miles north of Lake Ladoga and 30 miles from the frontier. There a Russian column which tried to smash across Finland's "wasp-waist" is being thrown back, the Finns asserted. Towns Attacked Points attacked by Russian bombers included Tampere, site of a large munitions base north west of Helsinki. Bombs also (Continued on Pago rwo ) EARLY THIS WEEK Northern California: Sunday generally fair; snow over the mountains; cool; strong south erly wind oft coast, shifting to west and northwest by night. Oregon: Unsettled Sunday and Monday; local snows in mountains Sunday; colder east portion: moderate changeable wind off the coast, mostly north erly. Outlook far western states period December 24-26 inclu sive: Rain in the Pacific north west and first and last of period in extreme northern California; otherwise fair weather; normal temperature. 25 SET FOR San Francisco, Dec. 23. (IP) The , Golden Gate exposition will reopen in 1940 with more and larger exhibits than In 1939. Saturday, May 25, was set tentatively as the opening date and it will remain open prob ably until Sunday, Septem ber 29. The decision that assured a revival of the $55,000,000 show on Treasure island was made yesterday In federal bankruptcy court where Referee Burton J Wyman approved a plan sub mitted by Randell Larson, at torney for individuals and cor porations to which the fair owes more than $4,000,000. Graf Spee Prisoner Freed This British seaman, one of EI prisoners aboard the nazi pocket battleship. Admiral Graf Spee, to be liberated at Montevideo, is shown as he cheerily wanders among Urugu ayan policemen. The battleship later was scuttled and the cap tain killed himself. I OF Will Sponsor Children Of - Soldiers Who FaIMn War To Replenish Race. Berlin, Dec. 23. (IP) Two Nazi leaders in pronouncements stressing the importance of con tinued vitality for the nation gave assurances today of care for children born out of wed lock whose fathers die in the European conflict. Heinrich Himmler, head of all German police organizations and leader of the SS (elite guard), urged on SS men the need for children and advised them: "Special sponsors will be ap pointed by me for all children of good blood born in or out of wedlock whose fathers fall in the war." Himmler issued his views in an "order to the entire SS and police" in which he observed: "Every war means letting of the best blood. Many a victory of arms was at the same time a devastating defeat for the nation's vitality." War's worst aspect, he said, is not the death of soldiers but "the absence of children who were not begotten during the war by the living nor after the war by the dead. "The ancient saying that only he can die peacefully who has sons and children must be trans lated into fact during this war by the SS. "Beyond the limits of bour geois laws and customs which ordinarily are probably neces sary it can become an exalted task even outside of wedlock for German women and girls of good blood to become not frivolously but imbued with deepest moral concern moth ers of children begotten by sol diers moving to the front with out knowing whether they will return or die for the father land." He then recalled how during the World war many soldiers decided against children so as not to burden the mothers in case they failed to return. Reamei Will Talk Portland, Dec. 23. (P) Dr. Floyd F. Smith, president of the Jackson club of Oregon, said today A. E. Reames of Medford. former U. S. senator, would be principal speaker at the 30th annual Jackson day dinner here January 8. Market Holiday New York, Dec. 23. (IP) All local commodity futures mar kets, led by the New York cot ton exchange, began a three-day Christmas holiday today that will keep them closed until Tuesday, December 26. AMERICA AND 20 PROTESTRAIDI Promise New Measures To i Prevent Repetitions - Of Recent Violations. Washington, Dec. 23. (IF) The 21 American republics, act ing in unity, protested to Eng land, France and Germany to day against naval engagements within the American "neutral ity zone," and advised them that consultations were being carried on looking toward penalizing future violations. Among steps under consider ation, the note said, was adop tion of a rule which' would pre vent belligerent vessals from supplying themselves ind re pairing damages in American ports "when the said vessels have committed warlike acts within the zone of security." The protest was sent to the three belligerents by the presi dent of Panama, Dr. Don Au gusto S. Boyd. It was signed by all the 21 republics signa tory to the declaration of Pan ama which set forth the "in herent rights" of the American republics to establish the zone for their own protection. The protest was based on the naval battle between the Ger man pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee and t'nrce British cruisers off the Uruguayan coast, the "suicide" of the Ger man warship in the River Plate, and the seizure or sinking of German merchant ships by Brit ish warships In American waters. Aside from the reference to possibly closing American ports to warships which engage in belligerent acts within the neu trality zone, the note did not disclose what steps were und.T consideration, to tighten the neutrality zone. It declared, however, that the American nations were resolved "to strcngthen'flie system of protection in common through the adoption of adequate rules." Nice Officer Miami, Fla Dec. 23. (IP) Apparently overcome by the Yule spirit, a Miami traffic po liceman is placing Christmas seals on the "tickets" he leaves on automobiles. French Planes Down Berlin, Dec. 23. (IP) Two French pursuit pianes were shot down northwest of Metz yester day, the German high command reported today. Cold Halls War Paris, Dec. 23 (II Military sources reported Intense cold on the western front caused temporary suspension of patrol activities by both sides, but that opposing aerial forces engaged In numerous flights and dog fights over the lines, ALLIED WARSHIPS Nazi Ships In Neutral Ports Ordered To Sail For Home At Any Cost. Paris, Dec. 23. (IP) Allied warships took extra precautions tonight to intercept nazi ship ping as French naval sources declared approximately 500 Ger man merchantmen In neutral ports had been ordered to try to return to the reich, cost what it may. These ships, with estimated cargoes totaling 1. 800,000 tons, have been called back "by all possible routes" because Ger many wants the raw materials they carry, these sources said. Most of the craft have been tied up in neutral ports all over the world since the war started. The French said they under stood nazi crews had received orders to scuttle their ships if intercepted. Naval nulhu. s said they believed many of the German merchantmen already had left neutral haven and the rest were preparing to leave. The latest official French fig ures reported 27 German ships had been captured since the war and 23 had been scuttled by their craws with an estimated 157,000 tons of merchandise. In addition, allied contraband controls and warships have seized 870,000 tons of German merchandise, the French re ported. On the western front, military dispatches said intense cold had suspended even patrol activity although opposing aerial forces tangled in numerous dog fights. The morning French army communique merely said: . "Nothing Important to re port." Premier Daladier spent one and three-quarters hours with the cabinet outlining what aid France has given and will give Finland. There was no official an nouncement on what Daladier said but the newspaper L'lntran- sigeant said the aid was of all kinds." Juneau, Alaska, Dec. 23. (IP) Returning from a trip to the Sitka naval airbase yesteruay, Gov. Ernest Gruening severely criticized contractors on pro jects there and at Kodiak for what he termed a "violation of the expressed policy of the navy department" by failing to give Alaskans preference or an "even break" in filling jobs. He de clared he had found gross dis crimination against Alaskans in the company employment poll cies and expressed the opinion that contractors in employing the bulk of their labor from the states were nullifying part of the administration s purpose in establishing the extensive bases He said he believed the ad ministration sought to Increase the population of the territory in part at least by aiding set tlers already here in earning a livelihood. The governor said he would make a trip to Washington, D. C next month and would per sonally discuss the employment policies with the acting secre tary of the navy. PEACE COMES TO PALESTINE AREA Bethlehem, Dec. 23. (IP) Palestine prepared today for Its first peaceful Christmas In three years. Last year 20,000 British sol diers kept an uneasy peace in a land torn by Arab-Jewish strife. This year the war In Europe has submerged at least temporarily Palestine's differ ences. The Holy Land still Is well garrisoned with British troops buot no soldiers awere on guard along the winding route from Jerusalem to Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, focus of the Christmas observances which will open tomorrow. Sandbags and machine-gun emplacements have been re- moved from the little town. r (NITE REPORT New York Times Writes Sees Chance For Presi dent To Change Mind. New York, Dec. 23. (IP) The New York Times says "def inite information that President Roosevelt has told friends that he does not wish to run for a third term" is "current in po litical circles." "Although information con cerning , President Roosevelt's desire not to run again is defi nite," the Times says, in an article by James A. Hagerty, "there is doubt among Demo crats that his present intention is irrevocable. "It is believed that the inter national situation and a popular demand for his candidacy at home might conceivably cause him to be a candidate. "Should he so decide, there is little or no doubt that the Democratic convention would renominate him." STATE'S MIGRANT FAMILIES 2,675 REPORTREVEALS Washington, Dec. 23. (IP) Oregon, Washington and Idaho need $1,602,772 for subsistence and medical care of destitute families, Rep. Hill (D.-Wash.) said today. The farm security administra tion made a survey of the states in cooperation with local wel fare and employment offices. - Oregon needs $222,200 for sub sistence and $62,000 for med ical care, Washington $1,039, 584 for subsistence and $144,- 238 for medical care, and Idaho $106,000 for subsistence and $28,750 for medical care, he said. The survey showed there were 2,675 migrant families in Ore gont and that 1,783 planned to spend the winter there. The state has 2,296 families unable to provide for themselves due to inadequate farms and 570 families destitute because of crop failures. COASTTOlED FOR ALIEN RINGS Orange, Texas, Dec. 23. (IP) Chairman Martin Dies (D Tex.) of the house un-Amerlcanlsm committee asserted today the most "serious and sensational conditions" involving Commu nist, Fascist and alien rings have been uncovered on the Pacific coast. - Dies abandoned efforts to get Leon Trotsky to testify In Texas about Communism in Latin America. Dies said the new dis closures involved, among others, motion picture actors and the C. I. O. Hearings in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle are planned, the chairman added. The committee, which expires January 3, must have congres sional authorization before it can continue its work next year. Dies said he would ask con gress to appropriate funds to deport more than 7,000,000 aliens employed In American industries, to the detriment of unemployed natives. 182DIU39HURT IN NAZI WRECKS Karlsruhe, Germany, Dec. 23 IIP) Two disastrous collisions on Germany's war-stralncd rail way system yesterday claimed 182 lives and Injured 139 per. sons, officials announced today. The second occurred between Marksdorf and Kluftern when a passenger train and a freight train struck head-on at top speed. It killed SO persons and injured 30. One hundred and thirty-two persons were killed and 109 In jured when two passenger trains collided at Genthin European Christmas By the Anociaied Preit, Europe's lot Is another war time Christmas, but one way or another, it will be cele brated according to the tra ditions of each belligerent. French and British troops got ready for such feasting and gayety as their duties would permit; across no-man's-land Germans bright ened their bunkers with ever greens d tuned up for Christmas caroling. The Finns, fighting in a snow - covered, pine-clad country where every vista was worthy of a Christmas card, had little prospect of any Christmas observance at all. The Russian Invaders don't observe Christmas. SNOW FALLS AND MERCURY SLIDES TO SEASON LI Portland. Doc 53 I1P Snow fell in parts of Oregon to day and thermometers dropped to season lows In several cities. Baker and Pendleton had light snow flurries. A heavy frost accompanied near freezing weather in Port land, which experienced the coldest day of the season. Port land's minimum temperature was 34 degrees. Tillamook, where flowers were blooming recently, shiver ed as the thermometer dropped to 23 degrees. The state's cold est spot was Burns with a mini mum of 13 degrees. Minimum temperatures In cluded Baker 20 degrees. Ronrl 21, Lakeview 21, Pendleton 29, Eugene 29, Roseburg 33, Med ford 33, Newport 32, North Bend 37, Brookings 42. The forecast: "Cloudy Sun day with showers in southwest portion -and -snow in east por tion and over mountain! linht rain probable in northwest por tion; moderate changeable wind off coast, becoming fresh north erly. YULE GREETINGS Salem. Dee. 23 OPi r.nvr. nor Charles A. Sprague wished his constituents a merry Christ mas todav in a atnfompnt urhlfh commended "the generosity be ing snown to the unfortunate and distressed." "Mrs. Sprague joins me in wishing a very merry holiday season to all the people of Ore gon, the governors greeting read. "We are deenlv annrpcln. tlve of the many expressions of gooa win wnicn have come to us at this season, indicating the Rinuiy spirit or our Oregon folk. "I am also particularly pleased to note the generosity being shown to the unfortunate and distressed. I rcrnonWn thai Dublin nRdiatnnfa In . ii iiivo. I.UBCO is inadequate for more than the necessities or me. There Is there fore, plenty of room for private charitv. and I am o-inH in ... the spirit of Christmas still lives as snown in the contributions being made tn mak-p rhricfmB a happy time for all." CASH INCOME FOR Washington, Dec. 23. (IP) Farmers' cash income from mar ketings and government benefit payments totaled $740,000,000 last month compared with $707, 000,000 In November, 1938, the agriculture department reported today. The income for the first 11 months of the year was reported Bt $7,075,000,000 cnmnarsH with $6,900,000,000 in the same pe riod last year. Receipts from marketings this year, however, were smaller, totaling $6,360,- uuu.oou compared with $6,457, 000,000 In 1938. Increased government benefit payments more than offset the decreased income from mar ketings. Await Answer Portland, Dec. 23. (IP) Ore gon lumbermen awaited the gov ernment's answer today to a British plan to buy American vessels for lumber shipments to the United Kingdom. BEST CHRISTMAS TRADE IN YEARS, Last Day Rush Of Buyers Boosts Sales Purchas ing Power Increases. By the Anociaied Press A last-day surge of Yuletlde shopping swept over retail coun ters in the nation's best Christ mas trade in years. The United States department of commerce said the holiday buying generally was the heav iest since 1929. A powerful autumn industrial upswing had added many hun dreds of millions of dollars to the public purse through ex pansion in payrolls and dis bursements to shareholders. Uncle Sam's trade observers noted there was ample evidence of improvement in purchasing power in the demand for fur niture and more expensive mis cellaneous gifts. A nation-wide survey brought reports of record sales from some stores. Most merchants said the shopping season mads a strong finish after a slow start. Opinion was divided as to whether the earlier Thanksgiv ing date, observed in half the states of the union, influenced trade Importantly. Traditionally Yule shopping gets going after Thanksgiving. Washington, Dec. 23. (P) Secretary Hopkins estimated to day that national income for this year would total $68,500,- 000,000, an increase of $4,500, 000,000 over 1938. Income payments to individ uals In November were placed at $5,800,000,000, which the commerce department chief said was the largest for the month In any year since .1929. The November figures, he said, Indi cated that the current income flow was at a rate of more than $72,000,000,000 a year. YULE ACCIDENTS CLAIM 87 LIVES By the Associated Press Pre Christmas Knturrinv semi-holiday In many cities, brought violent death to 87 per sons in 25 states, 71 of whom perished in traffic accidents. Eight persons ' suffered fatal burns and eight of the traffic victims were killed by trains. Five members of one family died In a head-on automobile crash in New Mexico, and Kansas mother and her three children met death In a train auto collision at a street cross ing in Wichita. Georgia lprl In anlrinntnl deaths with six traffic fatalities including two train deaths, and one death by gunshot .wound. Ohio reported five traffic fatal ities and one in a hunting mis hap. An electrocution In MisdnnH a blinding snowstorm which causea an automobile crash in Nebraska, and the collapse of house in Illinois accounted for one death each. Four Massachusetts residents died from burns, two in an overturned automobile. New York, Dec. 23. (IP) Anthony H. G. Fokker, first man In the aeronautical indus try to become a millionaire through aviation, died today from pneumococcus meningitis. He was 49 and had been ill three weeks. Dr. Robert M. Cushlng, his personal physician, said death "came peacefully" after the known methods of combating the disease had been tried. Five blood transfusions wore made, but during the night Fokker sank Into a coma and then died. No Paper Monday In order to permit Mall Tribune employes to enjoy the Christmas holiday the newspaper will not be pub llshed Monday.
