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TRIBUNE
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Full Associated Press
Full United Presi
Thirty-fifth Year
MEDFORD, OREGON, FRIDAY, MAY 31, 1940.
No. 60.
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NfiiL: "SENSATIONAL"
MK' ANNOUNCEMENT
Washington, D. C. May 31.
He will not take the initiative
himself, but if "the people" de
mand it. Dr. Paul J. Raver, ad
ministrator of Bonneville, is will
ing to do what he can 'to have
congress amend the Bonneville
act so that the administration
can acquire distribution systems
and the generating plants of pri
vate power companies in Ore
gon and Washington. TVA has
such authority and has exercised
It, but the Bonneville act con
tains no such provision.
Another thing: Administrator
Raver is prepared to go to RFC
and have that federal lending
agency make loans to PUDs, thus
solving a problem which is caus
ing some difficulties in Washing
ton state.
In the opinion of dr. Raver,
public ownership of power Is
inevitable and opponents may
as well resign themselves to that
fact.
THE purpose of the Bonneville
act, contends the adminis-
trator, Is public ownership, yet
the act does not go far enough
to bring this about. Under the
act the administrator can build
transmission lines and acquire
transmission lines from - private
companies, but cannot take over
a distribution system, which car
ries electricity into the home.
. Private utilities, of course, do
not want to lose their distribu
tion system, leaving them with
generating facilities and nothing
else. The administrator thinks
that to carry out the objectives
of the Bonneville act it should
be amended, thereby enabling
the government agency to pur
chase the private utilities, lock,
stock and barrel at a price satis
factory to all concerned.. Any
(Continued on Pag Tan.)
AMERICAN FLIERS
WILL AID FRANCE
Paris, May 31. fP A "La-
Fayette Escadrille of 1940 soon
will be created with American
fliers and money to fight for
France, Humbert J. Clemente,
commander of the Paris Amer
ican Legion post, announced to
day.
It will be the successor to the
famous American air squadron
of the world war.
Meanwhile press reports said
that French pilots in nine Amer
ican-made Curtiss planes had
held off a wave of 42 German
Heinkels attempting to boanb a
railway station. The French
were said to have brought down
six of the Germans as against
a loss of two of their own.
Contractor Killed
Spokane, Wash., May 31.
(U.R) One of the most promin
ent contractors In the Pacific
northwest R. C. Alloway of
Spokane was killed today in
an automobile accident near
Superior, Mont. Alloway's car
plunged from the highway and
struck a tree causing instant
death.
SIDE GLANCES
TRIBUNE REPORTERS
Mno. nan John Lads and his
cousin, Vern Johnston, trying to
entice a white rat out of the
upholstering of the family auto
mobile. George Robertson and his new
robin egg blue roadster being
Just about the sportiest models
seen hereabouts in many a moon.
Demo Chairman Ward Spatz
emerging from the hinterland
long enough to be seen about
town Decoration Day.
Isobel flzryi Stuart having a
dreadful time trying to get con
firmation of a tad o nmor the
Allies had quit and an uprising
bad occurred in Germary.
Italian Journalists Leaving
Paris French Rearguard
Makes Way to Channel
Rome, May 31. (JP) Ital
ians close to the government
said today that any announce
ment of Italy's entrance into the
European war probably would
come only after the Italian
forces already had moved and
that the world probably would
learn of the first actions from
points outside Italy.
Widespread belief that Italian
participation was imminent
came from Premier Mussolini's
call for a cabinet meeting next
Tuesday to discuss "important
matters.
Italy assured Greece five
days ago that her neutrality
would be safe from any Italian
attack, a competent source dis
closed. Newspaper posters screamed
the theme that English and
French resistance is doomed
and that therefore it Is useless
to think Italy might desert Ger
many for the allies in the
eleventh hour.
Precautions were taken to
safeguard colonial frontiers
against counter-attack.
(By Associated Press)
' Italy's entrance Into the war
taking the long-awaited plunge
to Join her axis partner, Ger
many was generally considered
imminent by observers with the
German army on the western
front today.
Hitler was reported preparing
a "sensational announcement"
Involving Italy as word spread
that a communication "of the
greatest importance" had been
received from Italy by the Nazi
fuehrer.
Italian Journalists were leav
ing Paris today.
Rearguard Escapes
Paris reported two divisions
of the French rearguard cover
ing the allies' retreat from
Flanders have slashed their way
through German lines to the
English channel.
Half - starved, numbed with
weariness, but still wanting
"another crack at jerry," tens
of thousands of British tommies
and French poilus arrived at
English ports today while other
allied troops stubbornly defend
ed the port of Dunkerque to
cover one of history's greatest
mass retreats.
London reported about 90.000
soldier survivors of the bloody
battle of Flanders now in its
dying hours have landed in
England. About 58,000 were
British.
German Lost Heavy
The story of allied casualties
remained untold, but both Brit-
(Continued or. Page Three.)
Italian Entrance Would Add
Strength, Weakness for Nazis
By the Associated Press
Italy would add strength
and weakness to the nazi war
machine if she joined Germany
as a full-fledged war partner.
She would strengthen Ger
many where Germany is strong
estIn men and war material
and weaken Germany where
Germany is weakest in eco
nomic resources.
These are the Italian strong
, points:
Army Premier Mussolini de
clared March 30, 1938, that he
I could muster 8,000.000 men be
tween the ages of 18 and SS. of
j whom 5.000,000 would be first
, line combatants. Some, of rouse.
I would have to defend Italy's
i African empire a logical ob
jective for the allies.
Warplanes Estimates vary,
but conservative sources say
I Italy has about 8.000 warplanes
of which 2,180 are of first line
quality.
Navy Although Italy' navy
is relatively small 717.920 tons
as compared with Britain's 2,-
079,863 just before the war-
War Bulletins
London, May SI (IP) The
air ministry announced to
night the royal air force had
destroyed 12 enemy aircraft
and damaged three others.
One R. A. F. plane is missing.
London, May 31 (P) Brit
ish military observers said
tonight that it is diiiicult to
estimate Germany's casualties
in the 22-day-old "real war"
on the western front but that
a half-million dead, wounded
and missing would not be iar
wrong.
London. May 31. iVPV A
bomb dropped perfectly into
the funnel of a British war
ship exploded in the Interior
and sank the vessel, a reli
able source said today. Naval
men said the odds against
such a hit are millions to
one. Nothing was said about
the identity oi the ship.
COLEMAN AWAITS
CERTIFICATION TO
J. B. (Blin) Coleman, ap
pointed county judge by Gov
ernor Sprague last Wednesday,
following the resignation of
County Judge Earl B. Day, said
today he would not assume the
office until the certificate of his
appointment was received. Judge
Day asked that the resignation
become effective tomorrow, June
1. It was anticipated that the
appointment certificate . would
arrive by mail today.
Governor Sprague will be
away from his office for a couple
of weeks, and Speaker Fatland
will be acting governor during
his absence.
The county court was sched
uled to meet today and name an
acting assessor to fill out the
unexpired term of Assessor
Coleman, when he takes over
the county judgeship. The as
sessor's term ends next January.
There was considerable senti
ment that this honor be be
stowed upon Miss Linnie Hans
corn, a veteran and highly com
petent deputy assessor, who is
acquainted with all details of
the office. It is understood she
has been recommended for the
position by Assessor Coleman.
LOGGI
IS PICKETED BY CIO
Klamath Falls, May 31. JP)
Members of the International
Wood Workers union (C. I. O.)
established a picket line this
morning at the Lamm Lumber
company logging camp at Yam
say after expiration of the time
limit on a series of requests by
the union.
A meeting was called today
by Charles W. King, superin
tendent of the camp, to con
sider the union's request.
she has been building at top
speed, especially submarines
and motor torpedo boats, a new
weapon which the Germans are
using extensively in the Eng
lish channel. She is believed to
have more than 100 of these
craft and upward of 90 sub
marines. These are the weaknesses:
Resources Italy has been
struggling to pile up reserves
ui uii aim uliu'l viiai commo
dities, but she has barely
enough to meet her own needs
in a long war. If Italy were
a belligerent, furthermore, the
allied fleets would bottle up
the entrances of the Mediter
ranean, her trade lifeline.
Geography Italy is depend
ent on the Suez canal for com
munications with Eritrea, Ethi
opia and Italian Somaliland,
her east African empire, which,
therefore, would be Insecure.
Although less seriously men
aced, Libya, Italy's other Afri
can possession, lies between
Egypt on one side and French
and British territory on the
i other.
F. R. Increases Defense Fund Requirement;
Asks Authority to Summon National Guard
ET
BILL IS DEFENDED
Morgenthau Disputes Repub
lican Contention Funds In
tended for Ordinary Use
Washington. May 31. (&)
Secretary Morgenthau said to
day the administration's defense
tax bill represented a public
desire "to be taxed" for the
purpose, and disputed a Repub
lican contention that it was
intended to pay for "ordinary
expenses of the government."
An increase in the public
debt limit and additional taxes
both "are essential," the treas
ury secretary told the house
ways and means committee, to
meet expanded defense needs.
However, Representative Mc
Lean (R. N. J.) Interpreted the
tax measure as a "vehicle" to
finance ordinary peacetime ex
penditures as well, and drew
from Morgenthau an agreement
that part of the revenue was
to go for "all the expenses of
the war and navy" departments
for the fiscal year beginning
July 1.
Urging enactment of a $636,
000,000 defense tax bill, the
treasury head told the house
ways and means committee that
as things stood now, the treas
ury's borrowing power would
be "completely exhausted" by
the end of next February.
Also, he added, the working
balance of the treasury now
about $1.300,000,000 would be
"dangerously depleted" by that
time.
POSTAL MONEY ORDERS
NOW TABOO FOR LANDS
SNATCHED BY GERMANY
No postal money orders for
delivery In Belgiub, The Neth
erlands and Luxembourg arc
now being sold at United States
postoffices. Postmaster Frank
DeSouza announced today. These
three lands were put on the ta
boo list after the invasion by
Germany.
Other countries to which
money orders are not acceptable
for dispatch are Norway, Den
mark and Poland, Mr. DeSouza
said. a
On the other hand money or
ders may still be sent to Ger
many, England and France, prin
cipal belligerents in the Euro
pean war. as well as to Italy.
Switzerland. Russia and the Bal
kan countries in Europe and
Japan and China, gripped in a
war in the Far East.
Of course, Mr. DeSouza point
ed out, the postoff ice department
offers no guarantee of being
able to deliver the money orders
In any of the countries in the
war zones.
There has never been a great
deal of business In foreign money
orders at Medford postofflce. but
now it has dwindled to practi
cally nothing, the postmaster
said.
The Dalles Bings
Bring 7 Cents Lb.
The Dalles. Ore.. May 31 (IP)
The Columbia Fruit Growers'
Cooperative sold a "substantial
block" of Bing cherries today
to the Stadelman Fruit company
for 7 cents a pound.
The Stadelman firm an
nounced the price for Bings
and Lamberts would drop to
8 cents next Thursday.
Calcutta, May 31 'P Elghty
five Germans, including women,
most of them recently released
from- Internment, were arretted
today in a police roundup of
"undesirable elements."
AXATION
Tired, Bewildered Refugees of I
Part of the uncounted thousands oi refugees of war which hare streamed into France are
shown upon arrival in Paris from home in Belgium, Luxembourg or France, which they may
never see again.
DULAY OPENS
DISTRICT MEET
A DeMolay dls'.rlct conclave
will be held In this city tomor
row and Sunday and will be at
tended by members from Klam
ath Falls, a recently organized
chapter from Tule Lake, Rose
burg, Grants Pass and Medford.
Headquarters will be Masonic
Temple and the following sched
ule will be in order:
3 p. m. Saturday Registra
tion at Masonic temple.
6 p. m. Saturday Dinner
served by DeMolay Mothers
club. Temple.
9 p. m. Saturday Informal
dance, Steve Whipple's orches
tra.
10 a. m. Sunday Business
meeting in temple, presided over
by Bob Jester, Klamath Falls.
district master councilor.
Feature of the conclave will
be conferring of the DeMolay
degree by Grants Pass chapter
following the Sunday morning
business session.
Local members in charge of
the affair follow: Don Wood
nencral chairman: Bud Hoover
dance; Jim Elliott, dates; Bob
Childers, housing: Wilson
Church, banquet. Jerry Vawter
is deputy district master coun
ciler.
TO CRUISE TIMBER
A party of 10 men will take
to the field next Monday to be
gin a timber cruise In parts of
the Union Creek district of the
Rogue River national forest,
headquarters announced today.
The cruise will last at least
two months. It is for the pur
pose of determining how much
marketable timber lies in the
various stands of the areas so
that accurate plans may be
made to govern sales and con
servation. Ray W. McClane. Junior for
ester at the regional office In
Portland, will be In charge of
the work. The work will be
started, however, under the di
rection of Fred MaU of the di
vision of timber management,
Portland regional' office.. The
cruisers comprise school of for
estry students from various colleges.
Trap Survivors Tell Horror
Of Retreat From Flandeis
By the Associated Press
A Southeast Coast Port In England, May 31. German bomb
ing planes raiding the allied retreat from Flanders "attempted
to pursue our ships right up to the harbor," a soldier of the
British expeditionary force said on his arrival here today."
I never expected to get backl
alive," he said. "Our work was
carried out in a blizzard of
bombs and machine gun bullets.
Jerry attacked in waves every
10 or 13 minutes. Still they kept
coming.
"The fun began when we were
about six miles off the coast.
That's where we had to run the
gauntlet."
While the men waited to board
the long troop trains ready to
speed them to the haven of the
flowering English countryside,
bakers worked overtime provid
ing food. Women volunteers, re
gardless of fatigue and long
hours, cut mountains of sand
wiches and served rivers of tea
at makeshift canteens.
Many of the survivors had to
swim to the ships through a hail
of bomb splinters. They still
were wet and oil-soaked when
they landed here. But one of
their officers declared:
"Our losses in the last few
days have been far less than
might be expected. But the
slaughter among the Germans
has been Incredible. The Ger
man commanders seem to be
throwing away their men's
lives."
A lieutenant commander In
charge of one of the naval ves
sets bringing home troops said:
"I don't think we have
cnlmb of food or even a cup
i
cocoa left in the ship. My men
have been magnificent uncom
plaining In the face of bombing
and machine-gunning. We are
quite determined that not a man
shall be left behind for want of
a ship."
PARACHUTISTS TO AID
FOREST FIRE FIGHTING
Portervllle, Calif.. May 31
(IP) Parachute fire fighters will
protect the Inaccessible regions
tf Sequoia national forest from
the ravages of lightning fires
this year.
Forest Supervisor J. E. Elliott
announced that such fighters
would be dropped from fire pa
trol planes just as soon as blazes
are reported from lookout sta
tlons or the plane patrol.
Feet Still Paramount
San Diego, Calif., May 31 UP)
California chiropodists were
told that the human foot, despite
the lethal effectiveness of bomb
ers and tanks, still Is the "most
important instrument" in warfare.
SIX INDICTMENTS
Six Indictments, five of them
secret, were returned by the
grand jury, composed of four
women and three men, late
Wednesday, In a report signed
by Oris Crawford, foreman, the
grand Jury stated it has not com
pleted investigation In couple
of matters, but will do so later.
The district attorney'! office
reported all the indictments
would not be made public until
those named were in custody.
Warrants of arrest were issued
today.
Cordon Say re Little of Rogue
River, was Indicted for carrying
a firearm, while being an ex
convict. Little, found prowling
around an auto, last March, by
state police, allegedly attempted
to draw a gun.
The grand jury was excused
subject to further call.
G. PASS EKES OUT
GRANTS PASS. May 31. (IP)
Enumerator Herman Young
stayed on the job here after all
other census-takers 'quit, trying
to boost Grants Pass to the 8.000
mark from its total in 1930 of
4,flB8 names.
He hunted for the last man
three times, sent In a list of 88
names overlooked In the regular
check-up.
Then he was told the unof
ficial total for the regular enu
meration is 3.914.
That still unofficially adds
to exactly 8,000 population.
Albany. May 31. (P) Al
bany's preliminary population
estimate of 8,620 represents a S S
per cent gain compared with
1930, Mrs. Merle C. Stuart, dis
trict census supervisor at Eu
gene, reported today. Tha 1930
count was 8,323.
SPEC1AL MESSAGE
SEES POSSIBILITY
OF INVDU
Immediate Defense Program
Now Calls for Four Bil
lion and Half Dollar
Washington. May 31 (IP)
President Roosevelt told corv
gress today tha "speedy" en
largement of America's defense)
program by "over a billion dol
lars" was demanded by "tha
almost Incredible events of the
past two weeks" in Europe'!
war.
In a special defense message
the second in 15 days Mr.
Roosevelt said that "as long , . .
as a possibility exists that . . .
all continents - may become in
volved in a world wide war.
reasonable precaution demands)
that American defense be mad
mora certain."
$4,800,000,000 Asked
The request pushed the Imme
diate defense program near
84.100,000,000.
"The increased gravity of tha
situation indicates that action
should be taken without delay,"
the president said in the mes
sage which, in contrast to tha
one personally delivered May IS
was read to the house and sen
ate by clerks.
The chief executive made on
specific recommendation that
congreas grant him authority to
call tha national guard, and tha
reserve personnel of the defense
forces, into active service.
He needs this authority, ha
suggested, to "maintain our po
sition of neutrality and to safe
guard the national defense.
Future Cloudy
"No Individual, no group can
clearly foretell the future," tha
chief executive asserted. "As)
long, however, as a possibility
exists that not on continent op
two continents but all conti
nents may become involved in a
world wide war, reasonable pre
caution demands that American
defense be made more certain."
The one most obvious lesson
taught by the conflict raging
overseas, Mr. Roosevelt said, "ia
the value of the factor of speed."
'There is definite danger,"
Mr. Roosevelt said, "in waiting
to order the complete equipping
and training of armies after a
war begins.
"Therefore, I suggest tha
speedy enlargement of the pro
gram for equipping and training
in the light of our defense
ede."
The president mentioned no
specific figure and gave no
breakdown of the new program,
which follows by 13 days hi
oiiginal emergency request for
l. 182.000,000 for expansion of
the nation's armed forces and
shoves the defense bill total to
more than $4,300,000,000.
STARVES SEVEN DAYS
Klamath Falls, May 31. W
Exhausted after seven d5fl
without food or water, Frank
Crlley, about 83, was taken to
a hospital by state police last
night after he had escaped from
a locked box car at Midland.
He Is expected to recover.
Crlley, who was found un
conscious on the road to Klam
ath Falls, told Mrs. Altha
Urquhart. welfare worker, tha
he boarded his involuntary
prison at San Luis Obispo, Cal.
Tacoma, Wash., May 81.
(im Official census figure
show that the city of Tacoma
has gained exactly 70S persona
In the past 10 years. Mrs. Kath
ryn Malstrom, census supervis
or, said tha 1940 census count
for Tacoma is 107.320, com
pared to 106,817 in 1MB.