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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (June 6, 1941)
... . run u a weau- Weather w Buru "p tojia Forecast: Partly cloud? to night and Saturday with ecae tonal llrht thowera. Cooler tonliht. Hl(beit seeterdar It Loaeit thli mornlnr fl7 Sunday Want Ads Prepara your copy now for tha Sunday morning edition. Want Ada are drunj Una work these days. Glie them an opporta nltjr ts work for yon. They ara Inexpensive, yet they pra dnee pleaslnf resnlta. r Medford 1 RIBUNE Full Atiocltted Press Unlt.d Praaa Thirty sixth Year MEDFORD, OREGON, FRIDAY, JUNE 6, 1941. No. 66. TALK ram KKfflia Mr Kelly' Comment From Washington Communist Tinge Seen in Strike Unionists Form Counter Group General Strike Plan for Coast Br John W. Kelly Washington, D. C, June 8. Gradually government officials are becoming aware that many of the strikes on the Pacific coast (and midwest and in the east) are being brought about by communists; that these strikes are for the purpose of handicap ping the national defense pro gram. Up to now Madam Per kins, secretary of labor, and Sidney Hillman, former vice president of CIO and now as sistant director of OPM, con V vinced President Roosevelt that the strikes were of no conse quence, that they were small and only a few thousand involved. The president passed this view on to his press conference with out knowing or explaining that the so-called Insignificant strikes were In vitally key plants. Secretary Perkins now reports more than eight million man days lost by strikes in April (no compilation for May yet.) At S3 a day this means a loss to workmen of $40,000,000 in one month; money they can never re cover. Last week the army pre pared a list of strikes affecting the war department program. Listed were 36 strikes and of these two were in Washington and one in Oregon. . The spikes In the Pacific northwest are in I the lumber industry, and lumber is Important in the defense plans for cantonments, airports, ship yards and housing. Also on the west coast strikes are crippling the aircraft industry. . THERE are union men who re loyal Americans, as is the general run, and they have sec retly organized a counter-espionage group in California, Oregon and Washington for the purpose of combatting the communists. Government agencies have fought to discourage vigilante organizations, recognizing that enthusiasts in such groups cause trouble by unjust accusations. But the federal government's ad vice has been disregarded and a very live and very active as sociation of workers is watch ing the communists from San (Continued on Page Ten) TEXTBOOK VOTE f nn irwrn in i rn DtUtVtU MLLlu Salem, June 6. !P) The ref erendum movement against the bill to provide free textbooks for private schools was virtually killed today when the state su preme court ordered changes made In trie ballot title which had been prepared by Attorney General I. H. Van Winkle. The high court's decision which Invalidates all petitions whiah have been or are being circulated, means that new peti tions must be prepared, and that they must contain 13.866 signa tures by next Friday. Election officials here considered this an Impossibility. (More on textbooks on page 9) Portland, Ore., June 6.IPt Temporary suspension of North west Airline service to and from Yakima because of airport re construction was announced to day by Guy W. Talbot Jr., dis trict traffic manager. It will be rriimv1 about July 1 SICE GLANCES Br TRIBUNE REPORTERS Arnel Butler and John Moffat viewing the rain clouds with Jaundiced eyes on account of having to forego a long-planned boat trip down the roaring Rogue. Virginia Lindley wearing out a fortune teller so she couldn't tell Jeanne Hamilton's fortune Elsie Carlton Strang on her 'y to choir practice after the I-edj Elks dinner. ROOSEVELT DENIES I BROUGHT Executive Accuses German Agency of Putting Out Ru mors Thru Fascists Here Bevin Confident London, June 6. (JP) La bor Minister Ernest Bevin, speaking tonight at Wimble don, declared that Adolf Hit ler "has acknowledged he cannot bring Britain down before 1942 and that brings to the Germans the fact that by then the whole weight of the United States will be thrown into the struggle." Then he added: "I do not believe Britain will ever be conquered by the nazi dictator." Washington, June 6. (JPh President Roosevelt declared to day that Ambassador John G. Winant had brought from Eng land not even "a tenth cousin of a peace offer," and added that German propaganda was responsible for peace talk. The chief executive was asked at a press conference whether he cared to say that Winant had brought no peace terms and he authorized this direct quotation: "Not even a tenth cousin of a peace offer or anything like that or any discussion of peace. "Absolutely nothing like It, provided you use this not as a denial by the president but as an accusation by the president." Dupas Spread Rumors Asked whom he was accusing, Mr. Roosevelt said persons be ing duped by Germany. He volunteered the informa tion that he had on his desk two orders which he had been issued by the official German propa ganda agency In Berlin to what he called nazis and fascists in this country. j The first order, Mr. Roosevelt said, told them to stress the idea that Germany had no thought of ever doing anything against any country of the entire Western Hemisphere. The second, he said, ordered nazi and fascist sympathizers, as soon as Winant arrived back in the United States, to spread the story that Jie was bringing a scarehead story that Britain was about all in and was talking peace. Mr. Roosevelt asserted furth ermore that it was an amazing coincidence that stories of the types recommended by Ger many had appeared in a certain type of newspaper in the United States. Not From London Told by a reporter that there was an impression being spread that Britain had said she could not last more than a few months without increased American help, the chief executive de clared that this never had been said unless it was by Berlin! It did not come, he added, from a responsible source. Asked about published re ports that the Japanese ambas sador. Admiral Kichisaburo No mura, had been discussing the I possibility of a non-aggression pact with Secretary Hull, the president said he knew noth ing about it Ambassador Winant was In conference with Secretary Hull whi'e the White House confer ence was in progress. Appealers Rapped The chief executive launched into a criticism of what he call ed a portion of the press. He said he was not talking about all of It but of certain types of papers In whose columns there appeared what he termed a most amazing coincidence. He said he characterized it only as coincidence and hoped that was the correct term. The president went on to say that Just before Winant came back he had been given the two memos on orders issued in Berlin to sympathizers in this country and to what he termed various grades of people In fa vor of appeasement The president said he could nnt reveal how he did it. but (that he got pretty darned good 0PM Condemns, Lease -Lend Supplies for Ntxil.rf mf. f. I - ltLU 111 American "lease-lend" material for tha British far eastern stronghold of Singapore b ar riving there on American freighters. Recently arrived Indian soldiers pats along a dock be tween a freighter and cases of American material consigned to "Ministry of Supply. Singapore." idea of what orders were com ing from Germany to sympa thizers in the United States. ' In referring to an order to stress the idea Germany had no thought of doing anything against a western hemisphere nation, Mr. Roosevelt said this was carried again this morning by some newspapers. The New York Times, for ex ample, he said, printed an art icle by John Cudahy, former ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg, relating an inter view he had had with Adolf Hitler. But he said the Times also had carried an editorial today, which he thought was good enough for the press of the country to repeat, evaluating past German assurances and ex pressing the hope . that . there would not be a large number of persons duped in this coun try. The Times editorial con cluded with a line saying, "He (Hitler) is always the best friend of the next nation on his list for plunder."' GOLFERS HIT BY Fort Worth, Tex., June 6. (IP) With Paul Runyan in the shel ter of the club house holding the temporary 36-hole lead in the U. S. open golf championship with a score of 145, a veritable cloudburst broke over the Colo nial club course at 2:45 p. m. (CST) today and threatened to wash out the entire round in spite of the U. S. Golf associa tion's efforts to keep it going through two hours of morning rain. Mott Says F. R. Attempting To Scuttle Road Program Washington, Jun 6. (IP) President Roosevelt "is attempt ing to scuttle the federal-aid road program by fostering legislation to give him blanket authority to use hiehwav aoDroDriations as he sees fit," Rep. Mott (R-Ore.) said today. Mott asserted that the presl- dent's message of Monday to who is in favor of the president's bank of Spokane, had been re Congress ignored defense high-1 recommendations." said Mott. j leased earlier yesterday from a way recommendations of Thomas I "The MacDonald report is spe- Colfax sanitarium, to which he H. MacDonald. head of the pub-'cific and acceptable; the presi-:had gone for treatment two lie roads administration, and the advice of the national awocia tion of state highway officials. Mott added that he would op pose passage of two bills which he said, were intended to carry out the president's wishes "to, curtail congressional Jurisdiction distributed and the tax burden two months ago to accept treat over the federal-aid program, on the people, for roads already 1 mint for condition bordering initiated by congress." lis heavy." on a nervous breakdown." U.S.O. OVER TOP WITH ETO Medford's three-day drive to reach its United Service Organi zations' campaign quota of $1000 has gone over the top and when all solicitors have reported may reach $1,100, according to Ralph Sweeney, treasurer of the local U. S. O. committee. Mr. Sweeney said this after noon that he had $970 cash on hand, the sum having been turn ed in by solicitors In the city, and that when all the workers in the outlying districts reported, the total amount raised was cer tain to be $1,000 or more. Frank Hull, manager of the Jackson county Chamber of Commerce, said he had been in formed that the $500 Ashland quota also had been reached, thereby winding up the county's campaign to raise its $1,500 quota. Mr. Sweeney said that he would contact Oregon state headquarters of the U. S. O. in Portland for information as to the disposition of the money which will go into a national fund of $10,765,000 to be used by the U. S. O. to staff and oper ate clubhouses which will be constructed by the government adjacent to training camps and naval bases. Portland, June 6. (IP) A few sales during the week end ing June 5 reduced supplies of 1940 hops sharply in Oregon, the agriculture department an nounced today. Prices ranged from 23 to 24 cents per pound net to growers. MacDonald recommended $287,000,000 for the first year for the defense highway plan. The states would be required to contribute only a small sum toward $100,000,000 for strategic roads. The other $187,000,000 not require matching would funds. "1 know of absolutely nobody - dent's proposal is not. This is an important matter to the west, particularly, be cause out there the federal gov ernment owns large percentages of the land, long roads are re- quired, the population Is thinly Denounces Pacific Coast Walkouts Singapore NEEDS OF FRANCE E IS Vichy, Unoccupied France, June 6. (IP) An official French note Issued by the foreign of fice spokesman tonight In answer to U. S. Secretary of State Hull's declaration against French co operation with Germany said Washington misunderstood France's needs In a difficult situation. "The French government for its part wants to preserve friendly relations with the United States, but the federal government cannot understand that the first task of the French government In the particularly difficult situation in which it finds itself, is to safeguard the vital Interests of France," the statement said. "It is surprising to see the American secretary of state de scribe as a policy of aggression and oppression one which is di rected against nobody and harms the interests of no other power." This answer to Hull's state ment of yesterday that French cooperation with Germany would be "utterly inimical to the ust rights of other coun tries" came at a time the govern ment of Marshal Petain was call ing on its forces for a stern de fense of Syria against any Brit ish move. GRANGE HEAD SUICIDES BY HANGING SELF WITH LOOPED CHAIN IN BARN Pullman, June 6. VP) 111 and overworked, Ervln E. King, master of the Washington State Grange, was found hanging from a looped chain In a barn near here last night. Sheriff C. J. Walker said he had Jumped from a ladder to jtake his own life. King, 48, who had headed the Grange since 1933 and was also i a director of the federal land months ago. Carl King, his brother, said early today: "Ervin had been working overly hard on grange and bank work during the last year, and the family prevailed upon him TO Polite But Firm Reply Says War Essentials Not to Be Increased From Indies By - Associated Prats Dutch-Japanese negotiations, officially described by the Jap anese previously as teetering on a "precipice, reached an im passe whrn the Dutch returned a reply which the chief of the Japanese delegation said was "disappointing." It was understood that the Dutch said politely but firmly that Japan s annual quota of imports from The Netherlands East Indies would not be en larged, and that none would go to Germany. Rubber, oil and tin are the Indies' chief war pro ducts. On the fighting front, British middle east headquarters re ported that RAF bombers at tacked Italian planes yesterday at Aleppo airdrome, in Syria the first official British disclos ure that fascist aircraft were in the French middle east col ony. One plane was destroyed, It was said. The Turkish government-controlled radio said Germany was moving troops into Syria "by land, sea and air almost dally." Italian bombers were report ed today to have attacked Brit ain's great rock citadel of Gib raltar, guarding the western en trance of the Mediterranean sea, while the Germans forecast aerial blows at the Suez canal in the east. Linked with Wednesday night's heavy assault on the main British naval base at Alexandria these reports indi cated that an axis campaign to bottle up the British Mediter ranean fleet may already be in I motion. RUSH TO BUY AUTOS, BEATS All RECORDS New York, June 6. UP) Re tail trade this week continued at a volume close to the near record levels of previous weeks. the Dun & Bradstreet weekly business survey reported today. "In many centers," said the review, "the rush to buy auto mobiles, electrical appliances and other home furnishings was at a pace unequalled in history "Sales comparisons with dol lar trade volume In 1940 held to a margin of 16 to 20 percent, although the sales curve at this time a year ago was beginning to point upward after spot tiness during day. "Gains widened somewhat In the southern area where the In crease over last year was estl mated at 18 to 24 percent for i the south and 14 to 23 for the ! southwest. New England again scored one of the best compar isons, with an average Increase of 20 to 23 percent "East and middle west were ! above the year-ago level by 13 i to 20 nerrrnt. nnrlhwe.t h u 'to 16 percent and Pacific coast by 17 to 23 percent." Deer and Salmon In Columbia Net Astoria, Ore., June 6. OP) A buck deer and three sal mon were netted yesterday by fishermen In the middle of the Columbia river be tween Fort Stevens, Ore., and McGowan, Wash. Aldrick Forsteman said the xhausted deer was roped ind hauled aboard, but promptly leaped overboard igain. It was hauled back and was turned over to tste po lice for liberation In the baseball I National (1st game) Pittsburgh 5 8 1 New York 4 6 1 Butcher and Lopez; McGee, Adams, Bowman and Hartnett. R. H. E. St. Louis 3 9 1 Boston 16 2 Warneke and Mancuso; Salvo, Sullivan and Masl. E W. E. Thomas, manager of the Oregon Finance company, today confirmed a report that he had bought, subject to title investigation, the Pottenger building at 123-123 West Main street. The price was not di-1 vulged. 1 bought the building for In- vestment purposes," M r. Thomas said. He added that he I considered the purchase a good I investment under present con ditions regardless of whether the proposed army cantonment here is ever erected. If the can tonment is built or economic conditions Improve because of other factors, the investment Will be so much the better, he said. Mr. Thomas related that the transaction, subject to delivery of a clear title, was completed yesterday with T. E. Pottenger as agent for Mrs. Elmlra May Cox, owner of the building. Both Mrs. Cox and Mr. Potten ger reside in San Leandro, Cal. The building was once owned by L. A. Banks, who is serving a life sentence in the state pen itentiary for murdering George Prescott, a peace officer, during the county's turbulent political period eight or nine years ago. The building is a two-story brick structure with a frontage of 50 feet on West Main street. The ground floor, occupied by the Baldwin Piano Shoppe and the Carl Y. Tengwald real estate agency, is 140 feet deep. The second floor, composed mainly of a lodge hall now va cant, is not so deep as the first floor. The building was erected about 1905. The Thomas estate owns the corner building at 135 West Main street at Grape street which is separated from the Pottenger building only by the Flynr Electric Service building, owned by Thomas K. Flynn, at 131 West Main street The corner building was the first brick structure erected on West Main street and Is believed to be the only piece of property on Main street still owned by the original family. It was built In 1903 by I. W. Thomas, grind father of W. E. Thomas. The grandfather bought the two corner lots for the build ing from the Oregon and Trans continental company for $140 in 1888, it Is shown In the orig inal papers In possession of W. E. Thomas. There has not been a title transfer In the 53 years that have since passed. Pur chase of the lots was effected October 7, 1888, the papers be ing signed by Paul Schultye, second vice president, and T. H. Tyndale, secretary of the Oregon and Transcontinental company which had laid out the Medford townslte. The lots were number 15 and 16, block 43 In the original townsite of Med ford. The deal was recorded In the county clerk's office Novem ber 17, 1888, the paper bearing me name or, Dave Miller as county clerk. DEATH WATCH POSTED AT WILHELM'S BIER Doom, the Netherlands, June 6. P) Princes of the house of Hohenzollern kept the death watch today beside the coffin of the later former Kaiser Wll helm II. Over the casket was the old imperial standard. Among the recent arrivals were the Princes August Wil thelm and Adalbert, , DEFENSE EFFORT Roosevelt Planning In terference While Media tion Board Considers Case A Seen in Italy Rome, June 6 (IP) Amer ican strikes were held up to day by Virginlo Gayda, fas cism's No, 1 editorial com mentator, as the first phase af civil war which, he said, would break national unity and threatens "the fortune ind prosperity of the United States." Gayda cited the new strike Df the North American Avia tion corporation, saying it "retards execution of orders made by the governments of the United States and Britain to the value of $106,000,000." ' He said 2.253.216 man working days had been lost In defense industries since January 1 as a result of itrikes, adding: "Thus the North American war plan enters history with the advance guard of na tional civil war which divides the American people from the government and workers from the capitalists and loses national unity in a fatal clash of feelings and interests, not without danger to the fortune and prosperity of the United State." Washington, June 6.- The office of production man agement, through its labor pol icy advisory committee, today "condemned and denounced" three strikes on the west coast which it said were hindering the defense program. The strikes were: In the ship yards In the San Francisco bay area, at the North American Aviation company plant at Inglewood, Calif., and of lumber workers In the Fu- get sound area of Washington. Sidney Hillman, associate di rector of OPM, made public the text of a resolution adopted by the committee. The group is composed of representatives of the CIO, the AFL, and the Rail way Executives Association, and has 16 members. Hillman's aides said that a majority of the com mittee signed the resolution, al though they did not disclose, which members were present The resolution termed tha strike of the International As sociation of Machinists (AFL) and of the Steel Workers Or ganizing Committee (CIO) In tha San Francisco bay area as one "seriously retarding" the con struction of ships "crucial to na tional defense." President Roosevelt said to day he was considering new steps to reduce labor stoppages in defense Industries but was not prepared to do anything now while the defense media tion board was working on tha matter. The OPM resolution said that the aviation company strike had been "instigated" by the offic ers of local union 683 of the United Automobile Workers (CIO) "in complete and irrespon sible disregard of proper trad union practice." Seattle, June 6. (IP) A un ion business agent, denouncing what he called attempts by a "minority faction" of tha Art. Machinists' union to causa a shipyard tieup here, commented stingingly today on union lead ers "responsible" for disrupting national defense work. Dave Baser, Machinist-Welders' union (also AFL) business agent said the machinists' un ion executive board proposal that double pay be demanded for a sixth day's work violated the coast wise master agreement covering new ship construction. The contract calls for time and a half and has been signed by the machinists' local and 12 oth er union here, he (aid,
