' Medford
United Press Full Leased Wlra
Thirty ninth Year.
SENATE REJECTS
WORK OR JAIL
LABOR CONTRO
Proposal For Manpower
Amendment to Rule Men
18 to 23 Defeated 60-23.
Washington, March 7 (U.R)
The senate today overwhelming-
ly rejected a "work-or-Jail"
amendment to pending manpow
er legislation.
The vote, 60 to 23, came on
proposal to require every man
from 18 to 45 not qualified for
military service to take an es
sential war job under threat of
$10,000 fine and five years im
prisonment Like House Bill
The amendment, . offered by
Sen. Josiah W. Bailey (D., N. C.)
would have written into the sen
ate bill stringent manpower con
trols comparable to the "work
or else" measure already passed
by the house.
The amendment's one-sided
defeat was believed to indicate
that the senate ultimately will
favor a measure stressing volun
tary appeals to labor and con
centrating on elimination of la
bor hoarding.
The manpower bill passed by
the house contained compulsory
provisions similar to those pro
posed by Bailey for the senate
measure.
GOVERNOR SIGNS
FORESTRY BILL
- Salem, Ore., March 7 U.R)
A bill allowing the Board of
Forestry to establish a revolv
ing fund for the acquisition of
forest land and to manage cer
tain classes of such land has been
signed into law by Gov. Earl
Snell. .
The governor also signed 16
other bills, among which is one
(HB266) which permits school
districts to take out liability in
surance and medicaland hospi
tal benefits for students engaging-in
athletics.
Another school bill (HB206)
signed allows a maximum of
five days a year devoted to teach
ers' institutes to count as actual
school attendance days. Another
(HB322) lowered the age at
whlcji students must attend
school from eight to seven years
and raised the maximum amount
of school attendance required.
i
RETURNING DAILY
Washington, March 7 (U.R)
Soldier casualties are arriving
in the United States from over
seas at the rate of 1,200 a day,
the Army Surgeon General's of
fice announced today.
About 35,000 arrived last
month and 40,000 more are ex
pected next month. The number
of natients In army hospitals in
creased from around 87,000 last
October to 140,000 at the end of
January.
Doctors Give Up
Affiliation With
Ashland Hospital
Ashland, March 7 Drs. C. A
Haines and R. E. Poston, who
have operated the Community
hosDital for the past eight
months, have given the city of
Ashland, owners of the instl
tution, 30 days notice that they
will relinquish their contract at
that time.
The present lease provides
that either party may cancel the
contract with 30 days notice,
i and the physicians decided this
arrangement was too uncertain.
it was stated.
George Smithy who has man
aged the institution for the dura
tion of the doctors' contract, has
been called back as a civilian
employe of the military hospital
service, leaving the hospital
without management, the doc
tors said. City officials have an
nounced no, plans for operation
of the hospital.
Charles Green, ' famous Eng
lish balloonist, planned the first
trans-Atlantic (light by balloon
but gave it up as being too dan
gerous. He retired in the early
1800s at the age of 67, after his
sooth balloon ascent.
City Buys Olds Park Tract;
$20,000 Purchase Price Is
Donated By Citizens. Firms
First step towards realization!
of a plan which has been the
dream of certain civic, minded
Medford ' residents for many
years was taken by the city
council at its regular meeting
last night when the group pass
ed an ordinance providing for
the purchase of approximately
15 acres of land, known as the
Olds tract, lying along the east
banks of Bear Creek between
the East Main and Jackson
Boulevard bridges, for a munici
pal park.
Purchase price of the tract
was $20,000 and this sum was
contributed by 22 Medford resi
dents and firms who paid the
money into the city treasury be
fore the negotiations were com
pleted. "I've been waiting for
this moment for 14 years" de
clared Mayor Clarence A. Meek
er as he signed the ordinance,
the mayor having been a coun
cilman 14 years ago when the
city at first attempted to buy
the tract for a park. "We are
very glad to receive this gen
erous gift towards a project for
which we have looked forward
to for so long. I am sure that
it is the intent of the council
to develop the park as quickly
as possible." The mayor added
that the municipal swimming
pool, for which a special tax
levy has already been passed,
would probably be placed in the
new park and that it would also
contain a Softball court and oth
er recreation facilities as soon
as it was possible to develop the
site.
Many Contribute
The list of contributors to the
park fund are Timber Products
company, C. A. Winetrout for
the Crater Lake Garage, George
A. Hunt - Theaters, M. M. De
partment store, Neff & Frohn
mayer, Robert W. Ruhl, Hubbard
Brothers, Inc., Mann's Depart
ment store, Gates & Lydiard,
Crater' Lake Lumber company.
Harry Holmes and David Holmes
of the Bear Creek Orchards,
Pinnacle Packing company.
Kampfer's, Medford Ice & Stor
age company, Fluhrer's Bakery,
R. H. Parsons, Medford coroora
tion, Trowbridge and Flynn. El
mer Childers, Huson's Confec
tionary, Arthur M. Cannon. .,
a citizens committee handled
the matter of soliciting funds
for purchase of the park site
Under the chairmanship of Ar
thur M. Cannon, the Rev. George
K. Turney, E. E. Kofoed, Dr. E
S. Phillips, C. C. Leonard, Eino
Hemmila, Lester Harris and Dr.
L, D. Inskeep made up the com
mittee.
According to Mayor Meeker,
a master plan of the proposed
pant is Deing drawn for the city
by Ben Evans, director of re
creation for Seattle, who came
to Medford at the request of Mr.
Parsons and surveyed the site
and discussed proposed develop
ment with various city officials.
This was done without charge to
the city. Best location of the
swimming pool, game courts,
buildings and the laying of
drives and pathways was studied
by Mr. Evans.
. Underpass For Children
It was stressed that an under
pass between the present chil
dren's playground and the new
park would be built under the
East Main street bridge as part'
oi tne early development In or
der that children need not cross
the street.
Included in the city's planning
Jackson Co. Judge
Pay Freeze Sought
Salem, Ore., March 7 (U.R)
The Senate County Affairs com
mittee today amended house
bill 406 and sent it to the floor
with "do pass" recommendation
to prevent the Jackson county
judge from taking a salary cut
A salary raise passed two
years ago was renewed in
HB406 but inadvertently the
judge was omitted, so the new
amendment kept him at $2,760
instead ef dropping back to
$2,400.
WATZEK REPLACES RUHL
ON BOARD OF EDUCATION
Salem, Ore., March 7 (U.R)
Aubrey Watzek of Portland to
day was confirmed as a member
of the state board of higher
education, succeeding Robert
Ruhl, Medford publisher, who
had asked to be relieved from
duty when his term expired.
Ruhl had served nine years.
The appointment by Gov. Earl
Snell, was given unanimous ap
proval by the Oregon senate.
MEDFORD, OREGON, WEDNESDAY, MAR' 1945
is the evenutal construction of a
scenic drive the entire length of
the east bank of Bear Creek be
tween the Jackson bridge and
the small Scout camp ground
south of the city, the mayor
states. Land has been acquired
for this over a period of years
and filling and other work has
been done from time to time,
the mayor states.
Walter H. Leveretie (above)
owner of the Leveretie Inter
slate Theaters circuit, with mo
tion picture houses in Ashland.
Ore., and Yreka and Weed,
Calif., has announced the pur
chase by his concern of the
George A. Hunt theater inter
ests here.
LEVERETTE BUYS
T INTEREST It
THEATERS HERE
Purchase by Walter H. Lever-
ette of the Medford theater in
terests of .the George A. Hunt
estate was 'announced today. The
deal involves the - Craterian,
Rial to, Roxy and Holly theaters,
owned and operated by George
A. Hunt Therters, Inc., in which
Mr. Leverette had long been as
sociated with the late George A.
Hunt.
With the linking of the Med
ford motion picture houses, Mr
Leverette, Increases to nine the
number of theaters in his circuit.
the Leverette Interstate Thea
ters. Other holdings include the
Llthia and Varsity theaters In
Ashland; the Broadway and
Shasta, in Yreka, Calif., and the
New. Weed, in Weed, Calif,
Headquarters for the Leverette
circuit which has been main
tained in Medford, will remain
here and there will be few
changes in personnel, according
to Mr. Leverette.
The Leverette circuit Is now
believed to be one of the largest
operating In comparable coast
territory.
CP. Interests Sold
Coincidental with announce
ment of the Medford theater
transaction, it was revealed by
William von der Hellen that
Mrs. George A. Hunt, of Central
Point, and Mr. and Mrs. von der
Hellen, and A. Orin Schenck, of
Medford. have purchased Mr
Leverette's interest in the Grants
Pass Amusement Co. Inc., which
belonged to the George A. Hunt
estate and Mr. Leverette. The
amusement concern owns the
Rogue, Rivoli and State theaters
in the "Climate City."
Mr. von der Hellen said the
associate managership of the
Grants Pass theaters would be
taken over by Eino Hemmila
who has long been manager of
the Hunt theaters in Medford.
Mr. Hemmila also has theater in
terests In Roseburg.
More Oregonians
Freed From Japs
Twelve additional residents of
Oregon were listed today among
the names of civilian internees
released from Japanese prison
camps in the Philippine islands.
On the list were Alex J. Brock
way, Lake Grove; Herbert Det
rick, Dundee; Daisy F. Hendrlx
Newberg; Stanley R. Kloder.
Roseburg; Leila Boyce Nicholas.
Portland, and Mrs. Esther R.
Riffel, Rctta and Dorothy Rif
fel, all of Portland; Clarence
Beckman, Portland; Audray B.
and Patricia Landis, both of
Hood River, and John N. Butler,
Oregon City.
jT k 3
THOUSANDS i J
AS OHIO WATERS
Nine Known pead in Flooded
Area; War. Plants, Schools
Suspend Operations.
Br United Press
Flood waters of the Ohio riv
er spilled over lowlands from
Pittsburgh to Cairo, 111., today.
Thousands of families fled
from their homes along the
twisting course of the river
nearly 1.000 miles long.
Western Pennsylvania, West
Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky
were the hardest hit. Other flood
waters rolled across the rlvei
valleys of southern Indiana and
Illinois, and Mississippi and Ar
kansas. - Nina Known Dead
Nine persons were known
dead. High waters lapped around
war plants, forcing them into
idleness. Thousands of schools
were closed. ''.'
About 6,000 families were
homeless between Pittsburgh
and Louisville. Another 1,000
persons fled from their homes
in Indiana, and 1,700 evacuated
river bottom sections in Illinois
The high water forced coai
mines to close in some sections
In other areas armories and pub
lie buildings were used as dor'
mitories for flood refugees. At
Rosiclare, 111., grocery store em
ploye's carried the stock from
their flooded store and set up
shop in a hilltop church.
The weather bureau forecast
colder weather for the Ohio riv
er valley. The forecaster at Chi
cago said the temperature drop
probably would not be great
enough to check the flood, how
ever. , -
The flood in the Ohio valley
appeared to be the worst since
1937. V
BURMA JAPS IN S
By United Press
Two big allied offensives
were slowly crushing the Japa
nese on Iwo and in Burma today
and a third onslaught was being
prepared for the enemy by
American troops on Luzon.
The Jaoanese forces in those
three sectors possibly 125,000
to 150,000 men were cut off
from supplies and faced almost
certain annihilation.
The American 6th army on
Luzon was officially revealed
to be regrouping for the "final
phases" of a campaign to wipe
out - the last Japanese invader
from the island. U. S. troops al
ready were closing in on Baguio,
former Philippines summer cap
ital and once headquarters for
the Japanese forces. Tokyo
claimed that a full-scale battle
was Imminent in the Monta
balan area, 12 miles northeast
of Manila.
A general offensive already
was under way By three ma
rine divisions on Iwo.
Champ Meets Champ in Pacific
(Armt TrUphoto)
Comdr. Jack Dempsey, DSCO, and Captain James Braddock, USA, both
one-time holders of the world's heavyweight title, meet again In tha Ha
waiian Islands. Braddock Is stationed with the Army Transportation
Corps, Dempeey Is on tour ot Pacific bases. Both are directors cf recrea
tion aud PuywfAl education programs of their respective services. Coast
RIBUNE
United Pi
Insurance. Reappointment
Killed by State
Salem, Ore., March 7 (U.R)
"Three way" accident com
pensation and Senate reappoint
ment legislation were dead is
sues in the Oregon legislature
today.
The bills were killed after
long, bitter battles in both the
House and the Senate yesterday.
The "three way" bill would
have provided that an employer
must protect his employes in
one of three wars by self in
surance, by common insurance
carried or through the state ac
cident fund. The measure (HB-
232) came to the floor of the
House on a divided committee
report.
Talk New District
With ' the reappointment bill
defeated, 18 to 12, talk continued
that a joint resolution would be
sought to amend the constitution
by vote f the people to create a
new 31st senatorial district
Such a new district would give
the Deschutes-Crook-Jefferson-Lake
county area a senator, leav
ing Klamath county by itself.
Leaders it both factions on the
bitter redlstricting fight said
they favored the 31st district
idea, which would also serve to
avoid tie votes in the upper
House. There was also opposi
tion to any change.
. Two liquor bills came out of
the senate alcoholic traffic com
mittee, apparently headed for
defeat on the floor. One was
the Nebry Scrip bill (SB212) to
Dermit private clubs to pool
member permits and issue
drinks UDon receipt of scrip. It
received "do not pass" recom
mendation.
Alcohol Fight Looms
A House fight on a series of
NOT SO HOT SAY
With the 3rd Armored Divi
sion. Germany. March 7- (U.R)
Don't talk about the superiority
of American tanks to men of this
3rd armored unit.
"Our tanks are not worth a
dron of water on a hot stove,
said SSgt. Robert Jsaney.-oi
Fountain, Minn., who command
ed the 1st tank to enter Cologne.
We wants tanks to fight with,
not just to drive over the coun
tryside." V
"It makes us feel pretty Daa
to have everyone at home talk
ing about having. the best equip
ment when we know our tanks
lack a lot of being the best,"
chimed in Cpl. Charles Miller of
Kansas City, Mo.
In one field alone, this com
pany lost half Its tanks. Alto
gether, it has been assigned three
times as many tanks as normal
ly allotted a tank company.
UNAMERICAN PROBERS
FUND GIVEN APPROVAL
Washington, March 7 (U.R)
The house today approved, 314
to 64, a resolution giving the
new committee 'on Un-American
activities $50,000 to start its in
vestigations. '
full Leased Wire
NO. 293.
Legislature
Senate alcohol bills was slated
as a special order of business
late today. The bUb (SB's 117,
144 and 145) will come out on
divided committee reports, each
report recommending "do pass,"
each with different amendments.
Minority report signers feel
that the bills increase too dras
tically the powers of the Liquor
Control Commission, while the
majority report is In line with
the request of the commission
that its powers be Increased to
provide for more efficient en
forcement of the Knox JLlquor
Law.
Y
KILLS SON, SELF
IN LONELY CABIN
An apparent murder and sui
cide Involving a mother and her
son was uncovered yesterday on
Savage Creek, one and one-half
miles off north Pacific highway
near the Jackson-Josephine
county line.
According to state police offi
cers and Deputy Coroner Carlos
Morri3, who investigated the
tragedy, the dead are Mrs. Opal
Wheeler Mooter, 39-year-old
teacher at New Hope school near
Grants Pass, and her son, Lionel,
15.
According to Morris, the
mother and son made their
home in a cabin on Savage
Creek. Located across the creek
from the cabin is a house
owned by Mr, and Mrs. Ralph
DeLassle of Gold Hill. Yester
day they went to make an in
spection of their cabin and no
ticed the Mooter dog frequently
came to their cabin and then re
turned to the Mooter cabin. In
the afternoon Mrs. DeLassie de
cided to investigate. -J.',
Woman On Floor ' '
Loking in through a front
room window, she saw Mrs.
Mooter lying on the floor in a
pool of blood. She immediately
summoned her husband who en
tered the house but was unable
to locate the boy. He had not
been seen by neighbors since
March 1, police said. DeLassie
called police officers, who in
turn notified Morris and Walter
Relnking, whose wife was a
long-time friend of Mrs. Mooter.
Relnking discovered the boy's
body lying in bed with a 32
calibre bullet wound In the
head, apparently killed in his
sleep,
A Winchester rifle was found
across Mrs. Mooter's legs, Rein-
kin said.
Morris said Mrs. Mooter had
evidently killed her son and
then returned to the living room
where she placed the gun in her
mouth and pulled the trigger.
A cartridge was found in her
right hand which Morris said
was evidently used to push the
trigger.
Autopsy Held ;
An autopsy was held today on
the body of Mrs. Mooter and In
ternal organs were sent to Dr.
Joseph Beeman, state criminol
ogist, for routine investigation.
District Attorney George Neil
son.said today it Is possible an
inquest will be held when state
police and the sheriff's office
complete their investigation.
Mrs. Mooter, who is said to
have been divorced from her
husband for several years, la
survived by her parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Irvine Wheeler, Can
by, Ore., three brothers and two
sisters.
The bodies are at Conger
Morris Chapel awaiting funeral
arrangements. .
MILITARY WEAPONS ARE
FOUND IN CIVILIAN USE
Los Angeles, March 7 (U.R)
Hundreds of rapid-fire military
guns, stolen from army or navy
supplies, have found their way
into civilian hands in the United
States, Federal District Attorney
Charles H. Carr disclosed today
Carr said numerous" secret
indictments had already been re
turned against persons owning
government weapons. Mere pos
session of such guns is a felony,
he pointed out.
BAIT FOR ARGENTINA
Mexico City, March 7 (U.R)
A resolution which would offer
Argentina three ways to return
to the good graces of the Ameri
can nations came before the
steering committee ot the Inter
American conference today for
consideration. It expressed re
gret that Argentina was not pres
ent, '
Capture of Coblenz
Threatened in Drive
Of U. S. Third Army
By UNITED
The American 3rd army drove
today In a sweep which threatened the early envelopment of
Coblenz.
The lightning thrust had carried
In 48 hours. Vanguards of the army's 4th division were closing la
on Mayen, 15 miles from Coblenz and about 10 west of the Rhlna
city of Andernach.
The air offensive against Germany was carried on by more than
1,150 American heavy bombers and
railway targets in western Germany, Including the Dortmund,
Bielefeld and Soest areas.
COLOGNE REMNANTS PURSUED 1
Troops of the American 1st army pursued the remnants of the
Cologne garrison toward the river
south. The American 9th and Canadian 1st armies steadily
squeezed in the enemy pocket around Wesel, 50 miles north of
Cologne. The Germans there were pulling out across the Rhlna
under heavy land and aerial bombardment.
On the eastern front, the German radio reported that Marshal
Gregory K. Zhukov had opened his frontab offensive against Berlin
with a heavy artillery bombardment and an assault on the Oder
river defenses east of the capital.
were attacking on both sides of the
miles from Berlin, trying to gain
bank for the intended push.
REDS GAIN CONTROL ODER ESTUARY
The red army gained control of the Oder estuary and closed In
from three sides on the Baltic port of Stettin. The capture of Cam
mln to the northeast sealed off the port from the sea.
The German positions west of the Rhine were dissolving rap
idly under the hammer blows of the four allied armies sweeping
the Nazis back across the river.
Lt. Gen. George S. Patton's advance toward Coblenz left no doubt
that a general retreat had been ordered from that city, at the junc
tion of the Rhine and Mosel, to the Dutch border, 110 miles to the
north.
Patton's men had covered more than 37 miles since they Jumped
off from their Kyll river bridgehead east of Bitburg on Monday
morning. They drove through the hilly Eifel area against disor
ganized resistance, flanking the traditional invasion route of tha
Mosel valley. At least eight divisions of the 3rd army were rolling
toward the Rhine on a 35 mile front.
ISOLATED POCKETS CLEANED OUT
In the north, Isolated pockets of German resistance were being
cleaned out In the southeastern oorner of Cologne and along tha
river to the north and south, but the city Itself was firmly held by
the Americans. The greater part of it was in ruins, the ancient
cathedral being the principal building left intact.
Around Wesel the Germans held a dwindling are extending
about five miles to the west, southwest, and south. British mosqui
toes and heavy bombers blasted the crowded pocket all during tha
night.
On the Italian front, an allied communique reported new suc
cesses by the 5th army inthe Bologna area. American troops :i lzed
three more strategic heights in the mountains west of Bologna
Pistoia highway. The Brazilians on their right captured the key
town of Castelnuovo, 13 miles southwest of Bologna.
The communique disclosed that heavy casualties were inflicted
on the Germans and 1,200 prisoners taken in the last three days.
IN 22 TOWNS IS
UP TO GOVERNOR
Salem, Ore., March T (U.R)
Levying of a tax for post-war
construction of armories In 22
Oregon cities was given final
passage and sent to the governor
today by the Oregon legislature.
Only three senators voted
against the bill (HB362) which
would levy a tax of .45 mill each
year for 10 years, estimated to
raise about $450,000 annually.
The revenue would be used for
armories as funds became avail
able.
The general order of armories
to be constructed was Baker.
Bend) Portland, LaGrande, Ore
gon City, Pendleton, Ontario,
Roseburg, The Dalles, Hlllsboro,
Corvallls, Grants Pass, Forest
Grove, Hood River, St. Helens
Lebanon, Lakeview, Gresham
Prlnevllle, Hermlston, Newport
and Seaside. Other cities could
be added if necessary.
A series of Senate-approved
bills giving the Liquor Control
Commission more enforcement
power was a special order of
business In the House later to
day. Most other measures han
dled were of secondary nature
as members fretted over delay
with the goal of adjournment
only a week away.
WODEHOUSE RELEASED
Paris, March 7 (U.R) French
nolice have released P. G. Wode-
house, English novelist, from de
tention in a Paris hospital, lt
was learned today. He had been
held at the hospital since Decem
ber following Investigation of
his broadcasts from Berlin.
"White Elephant,, Shipping Base In
Alaska Never Used, Is Revelation
Headquarters, Alaskan De
partment, March 7 (U.R) Mili
tary authorities today lifted the
blanket of secrecy which for
more than two years has pre
vented mention In the press of
a giant 17,300,000 "white ele
phant" shipping base at Excur
sion inlet, 65 mites southwest of
Juneau.
The base, which was never
used and now has been abandon
ed, was constructed by order of
Lt. Gen. John DeWltt, dated July
31, 1042. It was to serve as a
transshipment point for Aleu
tian war supplies to be brought
by barge from Seattle and re
PRESS
to within 10 miles of the Rhlnst
the Americans almost 40 mile
fighters which attacked oil and
.
crossing at Bonn, 12 miles to the
The broadcast said soviet forcei
Oder stronghold of Kuestrin, 38
"broad positions" on the west
Field dispatches said the speed of
Slot Machines In
Churches Favored
By Idaho Senator,
Boise, Ida., March 7 (U.R)
Idaho State Senator George
Brunt believes the suggestion of
putting slot machines in churchea
isn't such a bad idea after all.
The opinion was expressed
during debate for a bill legaliz
ing operation of slot machine!
In non-profit clubs.
Brunt said that as long as the
slot machine profits were used
for charity a person should not
be denied the right to play them.
"Would you put one of thosa
machines in your church?" quer
ied a colleague.
Retorted Brunt:
"I'd just as leave, because
there are some people from
whom you can't pry a dime out
of with a crow-bar, but they will
play slot machines."
Elephant Boy Is
Given Air Award
V. S. Thirteenth Air Force
Hq., Somewhere In Pacific,
March 7 (U.R) Sabu, the for
mer elephant boy of the movies,
was awarded the Distinguished
Flying Cross today.
His award was for taking part
as the tail gunner in an attack
by a single Liberator on a Jap
anese convoy off Borneo. Tha
bomber flew through heavy an
tiaircraft fire.
WILLIAM DAVIS NAMED
VINSON'S SUCCESSOR
Washington, March 7 (U.R)
Chairman William H. Davis
of the War Labor Board will
succeed Frtd M. Vinson as Di
rector oi Economic Stabilisa
tion, the White House an
nounced today.
Vinson was confirmed by
tha Senate yesterday as tha
new Federal Loan Administra
tor, He will take over his new
duties tomorrow.
loaded into vessels shuttling be
tween Excursion Inlet and tha
Aleutians.
DeWltt then was head of the
western defense command and
in command of land and air
operations against the Japs on
Klska and Attu.
The installation was construct
ed on a cost plus fixed fee basLi
by the Guy F. Atkinson com
pany of San Francisco. It was
completed In 14 months but by
the time It was ready for use on
August 25, 1043, the last Jap
Invaders in the Aleutians had
been killed or had fled back to
their homeland.
A