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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 12, 1945)
.Price Ceilings On Rp Hences; Building Material Priorities Decided Weather FORECAST: Clear vnd coot tonight and Thursday Temp. Higheit Yesterday 43 Lowest this Morning 22 Fortieth Year 16 Bodies Found ( - -tf'.w.- v ... . ...... fiJi.J- . .. Officers remove charred bodies of 16 persons who died in C-47 Army transport plane crash near Billings. Mont., where plane skimmed topi of trees and nosedived Into plower field. Marshall Accepts Responsibility For Army's Failure to Realize Hawaii Defense Not Ready to Act Washington, Dec. 12 (U.R) Gen. George C. Marshall said to day he "accepted the responsibility" for failure of the army high command to realize before Dec. 7, 1941, that its Hawaiian de partment was not prepared to meet attack. San Francisco, Dec. 12 (U.R) Reports that FBI agents held a suspect in connection with the mysterious disappearance of 15-year-old Thora Chamber lain circulated here and In San Jose, Cal., today without offic ial confirmation. ; Joseph Connelly, assistant FBI director, who arrived here from Washington, D. C, last month to direct the searches for the San Jose school girl and 3-year-old Dickie turn Suden, who disappeared the same week from his Shasta country home, was not available for comment. The girl was last seen driving away from the Campbell high school In San Jose, with a man who, school friends reported, had asked her If she wanted to make "some money" by caring for his "sick children." NEW RECORD FOR WEST-EAST HOP New York. Dec. 12 U.R The official west-east transcontinen tal non-stop flight record was five hours, 27 minutes and 8 15 seconds today. The new record was set by Col. C. S. Levin and his nine man crew in the Superfortress "Dreamboat" last night as the climax to two record smashing days. Levine pulled ,the huge ship off the airstrip at Burbank, Calif., yesterday at 6:15.11 p. m. (EST) and "buzzed" Floyd Ben nett field here at 11:42.19 15 p. m. for an official National Aeronautical a.-'sociation trans continental record. Conchie Resumes Eating Routine Waldport, Ore.. Dec. 12 UR Lloyd Danziescn, last of 11 conscientious objectors at the Waldport camp who went on a hunger strike 20 days ago against peacetime conscription, resumed eating today. He end'd his fast on the rec ommendation of a camp doctor that he either break his hunger strike or be hospitalized and given forced feeding. SIX JAPS CONDEMNED FOR KILLING FLIERS Kwajalcin. Marha!I I.-lands. Doc. 12 iSJ P.' Six Japanese army and navy officers were condemned to urntli by hanging today for the decapitation of five American fliers on Mille Atoll in February, 1944. A U. S. military commission parsed the sentence, which -ill be reviewed by higher authority, No date was set for the execu-1 Uuo, . ' M United Press in C-47 Wreckage 11 v;r The former chief of staff en gaged in a spirited exchange with Rep. Frank B. Keefe, R Wis., in his sixth day of testi mony before the congressional Pearl Harbor investigating com mittee. Longest Statement Keefe's rapid-fire questions, asked in a booming voice, evok ed from the normally taciturn and soft-spoken general the long est statement he has yet made to the committee. "Do I understand that this strong statement is to be con sidered an extenuation of the failure of the general staff?" Keefe asked as Marshall con cluded. "I have stated," Marshall re torted, "that I accept the respon sibility." Earlier the committee had re leased conflicting and confusing "top secret" army reports both asserting and denying that Wash ington officials had evidence four days before Dec. 7, 1941, that a Japanese attack was com ing. Evidence Suppressed The assertion that such evi dence was available in the form of intercepted Japanese messages was made in a hith erto suppressed 18 -nap, rpnnri by an army board which investi gated the Pearl Harbor disaster last year. The denial was in memnrin. da by MaJ. Gen. Myron C. Cra mer, army judge advocate gen eral, based on a later investiga tion by Lt. Col. Henry C. Clau sen. The Clausen inquiry was ordered by former Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson. It dis closed that some witnesses be fore the army board subsequent ly changed their testimony. 7 HALL JWPROJECT, Jacksonville. Dec. 12 A community hall to be dedicated as a war memorial and a city j dump ground are the foremost! projects being considered by the chamber of commerce, accord ing to H. E. Lind, president of the organization. A small fund has been sub scribed, so far, for constructing the hall. At the last regular meeting: the following officers for 1946 were nominated: H. E. Llnd. president: J. McKim, vice presi dent: F. Hall, vice president and corresponding secretary; treas urer. Mrs. W. Kimball and re cording secretary, Roger Cram. BLUEBEARD SUSPECT MAY BE RE-BOOKED San Francisco, Dec. 12 'U.R) i ;id today they will re-1 lxj'j rtiiiL'd L.eunara line. do,, on suspicion of forgery, if ncces- j sary. to retain cuMody of him j while they continue to investi gate the deaths or disappearance of several well-to-do elderly women who had been romanti cally associated with him. Cline's attorney, J. H. (Jake) Ehrlich, had announced he will file for a writ of habeas corpus if a definite hold is not placed eu Ciuic by Uii altiriiuoa. j EDFURD Full Lasd Wlr TRUMAN TO PROBE GENERAL MOTORS STRIKE NO REAL POWER VOTESNEW LAW Ford of Canada Rejects UAW Offer to End Three Months Strike at Windsor Wahington. Dec. 12 (U.R) The home today passed a bill to make labor unions subject to federal anti-racketeering laws. By United Press President Truman appointed a fact-finding board to probe the General Motors strike to day, and Ford of Canada reject- ed the CIO United Auto Workers offer to end a three-months strike at Ford plants in Windsor. Ont. Mr. Tmman admitted that the board will have no authority to examine the books of General Motors, without the legislation he has asked congress to pass, but he said he expected coopera tion on both sides. Stacy Chairman He named Judge Walter P. Stacy, chairman of the labor- management conference, Lloyd K. Garrison, chairman of the war labor board, and Milton Eisenhower, president of Kan sas State College, as members of the board. ' " D. B. Greig, treasurer of Ford of Canada, said the UAW's offer to accept arbitration of its de mands for union security at the Windsor plants was "pleasing" but that details were "unaccept able." Across the river In Detroit, Ford and the UAW began wage discussions for the first time since the end of the war. CIO steelworkers inferentially invited steel manufacturers to renew negotiations. 469,000 Idl The wage issue, based on or ganized labor's campaign to maintain wartime pay levels, was responsible for the vast majority of strikes idling 469,000 American workers. Despite the union's action In ordering a general strike in the nation s steel mills, CIO Presi dent Philip Murray opened the way for further negotiations when he told a press conference that the union's $2-a-day wage demand was "a negotiable fig ure." 'We will negotiate it," Mur ray said, "but the industry has made no attempt to do so." The United Steel Workers (CIO) wage policy committee yesterday rejected President Truman's back-to-work appeal and scheduled a strike Jan. 14 in the nation's steel, aluminum and ore industries. Unless fore stalled, the work stoppage would Involve upwards of 700,000 workers in 27 states. Washington, Dec. 12 (U.R) Secretary of State James F. Byrnes left by plane for Moscow today to seek a Big Three under standing on atomic bomb con trols and the calling of a gen eral peace conference for Eu rope. Byrnes' big C-54 transport took off from Washington Na tional airport at 9:20 a. m. EST. The plane will fly to Moscow by way of the European route. It will make stops at Bermuda. The Azores, Paris and Berlin. It is scheduled to reach Moscow sometime late Friday night. Victory Lean Driv "E" Quota $525,000 "E" Sales to Data $435,669 Remainder to sell 189,331 MEDFORD, OREGON, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER NAMES FACT FINDING BOARD Christmas Tree And Santa Claus Junior C-C Plan Final plans for placing a decorated Christmas tree in the city park were completed by members of, the Junior Chamber of Commerce at a meeting held last evening. The group is also making arrangements to have a telephone connection for Santa Claus later this month in order that Medford kiddies may let Santa know about their Christ mas wishes. Entertaining at the meeting were Dolores Morris, Roger Hogstrom and Robert Lee Fish er from Apollo's studio. LUM SEEK AFL RATE Portland, Ore., Dec. 12 IU.R) Efforts to obtain a pay rise of 2'.s cents an hour in the CIO portion of the lumber industry were being made today in a spec ial session of fir operators and officials of the International Woodworkers of America, CIO. The 2V4 cent raise would lift the minimum wage to the 15- cent level already granted the AFL lumber and sawmill work ers. Meanwhile the AFL's strike committee was still driving for ward in its pine-belt demand in the areas of Oregon, Washing ton, Idaho, Montana and por tions of northern California. Earlier an agreement was an nounced in the Klamath basin area between the Moore Lumber Products company of Grants Pass and employes in two circu lar sawmills and a planing mill, for a 15 cent per hour raise to the $1.05 minimum establish ed for other areas. JAIL JAP PRINCE TO AWAIT TRIAL Tokyo, Dec. 12 (U.R) Prince Morlmasa Nashimoto, first Jap anese of court rank to be im prisoned by the allies, and 27 other Japanese were taken to Sagamo prison today to await trial as war criminal suspects. The 28 were included in a list of 59 suspects whom Gen eral Douglas MacArthur order ed arrested December 2. The prince, a field marshal in the Russo-Japanese war, a su preme war councillor and lord custodian of national shrines, will sleep on straw mats and eat Japanese food while In prison. He will receive the same treat ment as his companions. 1946 AUTO STICKERS READY BY SATURDAY Sale of 1946 auto license stickers will start at the sheriff's office next Saturday, Sheriff Howard Gault reports. Autoists are requested to buy early and avoid the usual final day rush. Under Oregon law all cars mast display cither stickers or license plates on and after January 1. VIOLENCE FLARES IN SHIPYARD WALKOUT By United Press Violence broke out today for the third successive day at the strike-bound Bethlehem ship yard at Alameda, Cal. Two workmen, flourishing drawn knives went through a CIO machinists' picket line at the Alameda shipyard, and a third employe was hit In the face as he reported for work. MORE CIVILIAN SUGAR HINTED BEFORE SPRING I Chicago, Dec. 12 U.P) Earl I B. Wilson, chief of the agricul ture department's sugar branch, hinted today that civilian sugar rations may be eased by spring. He told the annual meeting of the American Bottlers of Car bonated Beverages that no im provement In the sugar situation is foreseeable until April. Gunpowder was invented by Ui ChUicje. WORK-TO-DEATH Nazi Documents in War Crimes Trial Reveal Ruth less Fate Meted Slaves. Nuernberg, Dec. 12 (U.R) Hemrich Himmler Issued sped fic orders to the SS to "work to fleam concentration camp Inmates and Hermann Goering thought slave laborers should "supply their own food cats, horses, etc," evidence at the war crimes trial revealed today. Dachau. Dee. 12 (U.R) Forty Nail defendants in tha Dachau atrocity trial war found guilty of war criminal ity today. An American military gov ernment court deliberated two hours and 18 mlrutei be fore announcing tha blanket conviction of all tha guards and other attaches of tha notorious concentration camp her. Tha sentences will b an nounced later, probably to morrow. The evidence was provided from a mass of nail documents dlsclosingvjiow the millions of slave laborers in the aelch were rounded up by force r.nd driven to work for the naz! war ma chine under bestial conditions. Work To Death Hlmmler's order was issued to his staff Sept. 18, ig42. He directed that all Jews. Gypsies Russians, Ukrainians and Poles serving concentration camp sen tences of three years or more and all Germans committed to eight-year terms literally be worked to death. He laid down a policy of "ex termination through work" whereby the concentration camp inmates were forced to labor In arms factories without limit on their hours and little or no food. Simultaneously, the popula tion of the concentration camps was being greatly increased. Statistics showed that six con centration camps had a popula tion of 20,400 at the start of the war but grew to 44,700 by 1942. No Hour Limit Prisoners in the camps were sent to industries under special orders which called for "ruthless exploitation" and specified that the workers were to be given "exhaustive tasks without limit on working hours." Goering's ideas on treatment of workers included a recom mendation that Russians be used for clearing mine fields a dangerous task as well as providing their own food. Orders on the employment of Polish farm labor disclosed that they were forbidden to com plain about anything, forbidden to leave their working places, forbidden to assemble, uie bicycles, busses or railroads and forbidden to visit churches, theaters or restaurants. Male Poles were "forbidden to have sexual intercourse with women and girls." Women workers were allowed not moce than three hours off per week. An estimate that the Germans harnessed 6,691,000 foreigners to their war production system was placed before the tribunal. Mr. and Mrs. Cram Are Publishers of Jacksonville Paper Jacksonville, Dec. 12 Now In its sixth week of publication here Is the Jacksonville Press, weekly paper published by Mr. and Mrs. Roger W. Cram. Permanent offices of the paper are being Installed In the old U. S. lintel building which ho'ises the museum. Cram, war veteran who served with the 41st division, came to this area from Portland following his discharge last win ter. He is residing In Medford. A graduate of Crook county high school of Prineville, he has done wme abort story writing Tribune UnlUd Prs Full 12, 1945 HE SHOT IN SELF DEFENSE Ralph Tice On Stand in Own Behalf in Manslaughter Trial; Drink Was Factor. Judge Fee was completing his instructions to the Jury in the Tice case at 2 p. m. today and it was expected the 12 men would begin deliberations in a short time. Declaring that he shot In self defense and without Intent to kill, Ralph Wm. Tice, Chlloquln Indian being tried in federal court here for manslaughter in connection with the death last August 13 of Eugene Mecum, Chiloquin Indian, was on the stand for about an hour this morning. "I just meant to stop him" Tice testified, after hav ing told the court that he was afraid Mecum meant to kill him. Tice, 34, related how the Sun day evening preceding the death of Mecum the two had prepared to drive to a ranch where they were to Join a hay ing crew, stopping enrotite to get a quantity of shotgun shells and rifle cartridges from Me- cum's home. Later when Me cum prepared to sell some of the ammunition, Tice said, he declared part of It was missing and accused Tice of having stolen It, along with some whis key. Mecum Abuslv The two later called at the home of Roland Wnllupe, where Tice testified Mecum became profane and abusive and was finally ordered out of the house by Wallnpe. Tice remained for the night and was rejoined by Mecum and Kenneth Moore In the morning, the three men driving to the Klamath Indian agency and later to Ft. Klam ath where Tice said Mecum went to obtain liquor. Tice re lated that Mecum continued to drink, becoming more threaten ing and abusive, as the three were on their way back to Chll oquln, and that they finally stopped near the Paul Hendron home where he and Moore got out of the car. Took Gun Tice said he took one of two guns, laying on a shelf back of the car seat, out of the car be cause Mecum had been attempt ing to get possession of It dur ing the trip, and started away with the Intention of hiding it The defendant further related that Mecum said he was going to kill Tice and then "rushed at me" after rummaging around In the car as If looking for some thing and that after he had call ed two or three warnings that he would fire If Mecum didn't stop, he fired one shot from a crouching position. Tice said after he had calm ed down he went to the Hen dron home, told Mrs. Hendron "I have killed a man and want to turn myself in" and then waited for the arrival of offic ials. Story Confirmed Wnllupe followed Tice on the stand, relating much the same story of the incident at his home. He was followed by three defpnse character witness es, Lloyd L. Low, Klamath county sheriff, Orville Hamil ton, acting chief of police of Klamath Falls, and former In dian service employee, and John Arkell, Indian service em ployee. All three testified that Tice had a reputation for being law abiding and orderly while Mecum's reputation was de scribed as "bad". Yesterday afternoon fourteen prosecution witnesses were on the stand. Paul and Loretta Hendron related details of the shooting viewed from windows of their home and law enforce ment officials told of Invest! gating the shooting, of Tice's arrest and read statements made by the defendant at that time. Montana is popularly known aj Hie "UrcMuxa Mate." Laid Wlr NO. 224. Witness lM.ifl-, (Armm Ttlrphoto) Commander Tke Hashimoto, Jap skipper of submarine 1-58, which, according to Tokyo rcporta, sunk the cruLser Intlliinnpolls, pauses In Onklnnd, Cnllf., briefly on way to Washington, D. O., where he will testify at courtirmrtinl of Cnptnln Chnrtea B, McVny, Indlannpolls skipper chnrged with negligence and Inefficiency. JAP SUB SKIPPER MAY NOT TESTIFY Washington, Dec. 12 U.R) The Japanese submarine com mander who claims he torpedoed the cruiser Indianapolis will be called to testify tomorrow in the court martial of Capt. Charles B. McVay III, the cruiser's skip per. There still Is a possibility, however, that the enemy officer will not be allowed to testify if there Is an objection by McVay's counsel, and If the objection Is sustained. The Jap captain, Cmdr. Ike Hashimoto, was flown to Wash ington from Japan last week after he claimed that it was his submarine that sank the Indian apolis in the Philippines sen July 30. 25 FOR JURY DUTY Twenty-five county residents were listed today to report for circuit court Jury duly, Wednes day, December 19, at 9:30 a. m. The damage suit of Betty R. Skeetcr against Fred Svinth and Harold Swnnson. all of Pros pect, is set for trial that day. Eighteen of the Jurors are from this city, and seven from other points. Those from Medford are: Ina Dunn, Flora M. Harper, Helen Wilson, Francis E. Martin, M. J. Swing, Lucille Chapman, Paul V. Brav, John Demmer, Edna Pearl Clark, J. W. Fish, E. M. Drysdale. H. D. Prltchard, Sadie M. Koehler, Hortense Jennings, Hcssie M. Darby, Ethel Blsh, Evelyn J. Ellis, and Ruth B. Custard. Others are: Nellie Rankin, Eagle Point; Ivan L. Hale, Ber tha L. Bonney, W. C. Blanken ship, Edward W. Carlton, Cen tral Point; George Frohrcich, J. E. Gcttling, Ashland. Germans Get Cannot Escape Washington. Dec. 12 (U.R) The United Slates told the Ger man people bluntly today that thry cannot escape harsh peace terms and a period of hardships and privation. But it held out hope that German economic re covery can gradually get under way by next spring. The stale department outlined American economic policy to ward Germany In a lengthy statement clarifying this govern ment's interpretation of the Potsdam declarations on German reparations. Copies were sent to the war department for guidance of U. S. occupation authorities In Ger many and also to the other occupying powers Russia, Bri tain and France. Secretary of State James F. Cirucs founded the policy key TO SPIRAL Former Louisville Mayor Is Named Government Boss; Some Legislation Needed. Washington, Dee. 12 (U,B President Truman today an nounced the government would place price ceilings on old and new dwellings and would rein, state government priorities on building materials. He also announced that h was accepting the suggestion of Reconversion Director John W. Snyder, for the appointment of on over all government boss. He appointed Wilson Wyatt, former mayor of Louisville, Ky., to the job. Wyatt's title will be housing expediter. Inflation Curb The new housing program, aimed primarily at curbing in flation in the real estate market, was in the form of recommenda tions from Snyder to the Presi dent. The President said he ap proved the program and that it would be put into effect as rap idly hs possible. The program has three basic provisions. 1. Surplus housing units and building materials, including army and navy barracks and dormitories, held by the govern ment will be released immedi ately to the states and local com munities. 2. Priorities on building ma terials, which should ba in ef fect shortly. A regulation to thla effect is being prepared now. Single or multiple dwelling housing units costing $10,000 or less per unit, would be eligible for priorities on materials. The statement said this would put about half of all available build ing materials into residential construction. Legislation Nedd I. Ceiling prices on old and new housing. While some steps In this direction can be taken u . . .1.- rr f. . x-i : j i i ujr uib viute ui -iii.e nuiiuuis trillion and the credit agencies of the government, legislation ia necessary to provide for ceiling prices on the sale of old and new housing. Such legislation Is pending before the House Bank ing and Currency committee. ' Snyder told Mr. Truman that "such authority is essential if we are to avert further skyrocket ing of home prices, and the price control feature of the pending legislation appear workable and satisfactory." Pending adoption of this kind of legislation, the report said, credit agencies are working out ways to curb unsound lending practices and OPA Is placing lo cal do!lar-and-cents ceilings on construction materials them. selves and many related serv ices. Objectives Listed The six objectives of the co ordinated housing program list ed by Snyder are: 1. To increase the supply of building materials. 2. To strengthen Inventory controls to prevent hoarding. 3. To strengthen price con trols over building materials. 4. To discourage unsound lending practices and specula tion. 5. To enlist Industry's support in increasing production and fighting Inflation. 6. To p r o v I d information and advisory service on horn values to the public. Prepare now for the further modernization of America by putting your cash in Victory Loan Bonds. In ten years yoti are guaranteed thirty-three and one-third more cash than you invest in Victory Bonds TODAY. Blunt Warning Harsh Terms note In an accompanying state-' ment. He said Germany's futur must be considered in light of the fact that for. six years sh "ruthlessly imposed war and destruction on Europe and tlm world." At the same time, Byrnes ra affirmed the Potsdam pledga that the allies do not intend cither to destroy or enslave th German people but to allow them to "prepare for eventual reconstruction of their life on 4 democratic and peaceful basis." The winter ahead, Byrnes said, promises to be extremely hard for the German people, but "only slightly more difficult than for certain of the liberated areas of Europe." The victims of German aggression, he said, must and will have a higher piionty on Jtood and fuppb.
