ST-
Tribune
1 PRIORITIES ORDER
PLACEDJNEFFEGT
50 Per Cent of Scarce Con
struction Material Must
Go to Low Cost Dwellings
United ! ? Jl Leased Wire
United Press Full Leased Wlr
Fortieth Year
MEDFORD, OREGON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1945.
NO. 232.
H
met
W 3
Washington, Dec. 21 (U.PJ
The government today ordered
into effect Jan. 15 a program of
priorities that will ieserve 50
per cent of scarce construction
material for low and moderate
cost housing and will give hous
ing preference to veterans.
Civilian Production Adminis
trator John D. Small announced
r a list of 10 scarce housing ma
terials. Under the program only
veterans who wish to build
houses for themselves, or build
ers who agree to sell or rent the
houses to veterans, would be
eligible for priorities to obtain
these materials.
Sell Under $10,000
Each house built under this
plan must sell for not more than
. $10,000, including land and im
provements, or must rent for not
more than $80 a month.
Builders will receive priori
ties for the following materials:
Common and face brick, clay
sewer pipe, structural tile, gyp
sum board, gypsum lath, cast
iron pipe and fittings, cast iron
radiation, bath tubs, lumber and
millwork.
The 52 field offices of the
I Federal Housing administration
; will Issue priorities to builders
willing to set a $10,000 ceiling
price on new construction or an
S80 ceiling on rental construc
tion. The builder must give veter
ans preference in buying or rent
ing during the period of con
struction and for 30 days after
completion.
To June 30, 1948 '
Small said that under this pro
gram priorities for materials
will be granted frnm .Tan 1 5 .m.
til June 30, 1946, when the sec
ond war powers as amended ex
pires. Small said he hoped the
act would be extended by con
gress next year so that this
priorities regulation could re
main in effect throughout 1946.
Small also pointed out the
program does not mean the gov
ernment will guarantee materi
als to a builder. OPA will do
spot checking to find out wheth
. cr more priorities have been is-
sued than materials are avail
able to fill them. He said, how
ever, that about 50 per cent of
the supplies of the 10 critical
items will be set aside for this
program. .
Anyone who buys a house
built under the program must
sell at the ceiling price estab
lished under the regulation. No
sale or re-rent can be above that
approved by FHA.
Millions Need Homes
Small said he expected 40 per
cent of the 400,000 homes to be
built next year will be started
before July 1.
He estimated that between 2,
000,000 and 3,000,000 veterans
and their families will need
housing in 1946, so that the pro
gram will only partially fill the
need.
" Small SalH that tt mlnkf U
necessary to set quotas geogra
phically to assure all parti of
the country a supply of new
homes.
He also emphasized that "if
an undue proportion of applica
tions are for construction right
at the ceiling," OPA may set up
quotas to assure a proper
amount of conduction below
$10,000.
"FHA will not approve appli
cations for homes costing $4,000
which a builder plans to sell for
$10,000," he said.
E
y
Lt. Col. Harlan Bosworth,
who during 27 months duty In
f Europe was decorated by the
American, British and Nether
lands' governments, has return
ed home and is now on terminal
leave from the army engineer
corps. Col. Bosworth holds the
Netherlands "Order of the
Orange-Nassau," the "Order of
the British Empire" and the
United States "Legion of Merit."
Col. Bosworth, whose duties
with the engineer corps were
concerned with utilities, aided
the Netherlands' government in
rc-cFtabli.hmcnt of the nation's
utilities and with rebuilding of
dikes. After the first of the
year Col. Bosworth. formerly an
employe of the California-Oregon
Power company here will re
turn to his duties as manager of
t the firm at Klamath Falls.
During Bosworth's absence
his wife and four children Ime
resided at 23 North Orange
street in Medford. The family
will move to Klamath Falls at
the end of the current sciiool
term.
mm
PERILED TROOP CARRIERS
BEING TOWED IN PACIFIC
San Francisco, Dec. 21 (U.R)
The 7,000-ton army motorship
U; S. S. Imperial, carrying 700
service personnel to the main
land, flashed a call for assist
ance off the storm-swept north
ern California coast today and
was taken in tow in a 50-mile
gale by a coast guard cutter.-
Another ship which had been
in distress was being towed to
port. The landing craft LST 224,
on a routine ammunition-dumping
assignment from Port Chi
cago, Cal., was in danger of
foundering for several hours
during the night when her ramp
door jammed during the rescue
of two crewmen who had been
SANTA CLAUS 10
ARRIVE HERE BY
Santa Claus will arrive in
Medford Saturday evening on
the train and all kiddies of the
district are invited to be at the
depot at 6:55 p. m. to meet him.
Junior Chamber of Commerce
committee members announced
this morning that all arrange
ments had been . completed at
the North Pole for Santa's visit
here
At tho train in meet the lolly
old .man will be the. Accordion
Band aneV drum and bugle
corps. Santa will be taken to
the park in a police motorcycle
and there will be met
by the high school band. After
community singing oi . carois,
Santa will distribute gifts of
onri,r onH nuts to children. The
party at the park will probably
be over about e:3u p. m. since
Santa Claus is very Dusy aim
must hurry back to the North
Pole.
Today kiddies may talk to
c.nti hv Hialine 9156. 9157 or
9158 between 9 a. m. and 9
p. m. and 9 a. m. to o p. m.
Saturday. The telephone ar
also made by
JayCee members. It is feared
Santa Clajs may be suffering
from a cold since one youngster
reported after his call that
"Santa's voice sounds different
from last' year."
FACT FINDERS GET
NTO PAY ABILITY
Washington, Dec. 21 (U.tt
The administration today gave
government fact-finding panels
extensive authority to inquire
into a company's ability to pay
when recommending a wage
boost for settlement of an in
dustrial dispute.
The authority was granted in
a directive to the oil industry
fact-finding board for the office
of reconversion, the office of
price administration and the
labor department. The prin
ciples laid down will apply to
other fact-finding boards.
The only limitation imposed
wa that a" panel "ought not to
recommend a wage increase
which it believes will require
the employer after six months
to obtain price relief."
Price Hike Okeh Needed
Under present government
policy, employers may increase
wages by any amount u un-.v
not seek office of price adminis
tration approval to raise prices. I
The are permitted, however, to;
make such application if. after,
a six months' trial, they find
that such wage boosts have fore-
ed them into unprofitable oper
ations. The directive gave the panels,
no power to subpena books or j
to enforce their recommenda-j
tions. It was grafted for the i
panel hearing the dispute overj
a demand by the oil workers ;
union (CIO) for a 30 per cent
wage rate increase from 10:
major oil rcfinir.g companies. I
washed overboard.
Neither the Imperial nor the
LST 224 were believed in im
mediate danger. The coast
guard cutter Shawnee, from
Eureka, Cal., secured lines to
the Imperial after a two-hour
struggle with heavy winds blow
ing down from Cape Mendocino.
Tr3ops aboard th-2 Imperial were
headed for discharge at Fort
Lewis, Wash.
The door of the LST 224 was
repaired and the vessel was be
ing taken into San Francisco by
a coast guard tug. The attack
transport 236 was standing by
in event further assistance was
necessary.
MIS TRIAL IN
DAMAGE SUIT
A mis-trial In the $5000 dam
age suit of Billy Skeetcrs
against Fred Svinth was order
ed yesterday by Circuit Judge
H. K. Hanna, upon motion of
the defense, when it was
brought out that during a recess
a statement regaiding the case
had been made by one of the
plaintiffs in the presence of one
of the Jurors.
Before the recess Judge Han
na cautioned all concerned
against making statements
while mingling in the hall. It
developed the husband of the
plaintiff, also a party to the
suit, said to the defendant,
Svinth:
"I'm not mad at you. I'm su
ing the insurance company."
A juror was nearby.
Attorney John Gearin of
Portland, representing Svinth.
heard the remark. When court
re-convened he filed a motion
for a mis-trial and it was grant
ed. Judge Hanna re-set the trial
of the action for opening day of
court In February. The court
will be in Josephine county
most of January.
The suit is based on an auto
accident on the Crater Lake
Highway near Prospect ' last
summer In which a truck driv
en by an employee of Svinth
and an auto driven by the
plaintiff collided. Husband of
the plaintiff is also party to the
suit seeking payment for dam
age to and loss of use of the
auto.
Today Is Shortest
. And Marks Advent
Of Official Winter
In spite of the fact that valley
thermometers fell to 16 degrees
several days ago, winter hasn't
started yet. Scientifically and
officially, winter sets in at B
p. m. tonight when the sun
reaches a certain spot.
This makes Dec. 21 the short-:
est day of the year and from i
now on the days lengthen. The
sun rose today at 7:38 a. m. and
sets at 4:43 p. m., making the
day but nine hours and seven
minutes long according to weath
er bureau officials.
Forecast locally Is for slightly
cooler tonight with showers to
morrow. Woodshed, Garage
Damaged by Fire
Considerable damage by fire
at about 6:45 o'clock last night
was caused a woodshed, garage
and sedan at the residence of
Mrs. Eudora Smith, 516 West
Jackson street, city firtmen, who
extinguished the fire, reported
today. Windshield, headlights
and interior of a Ford sedan
belonging to Mrs. Smith, were
damaged by the flames of un
known origin.
Earlier last evening firemen
extinguished a flue fire at the
home of John J. Walter, 36
Chestnut street. No damage was
reported.
San Onofre, Cal., Dec. 21
U.PJ Two persons were killed
and 16 injured when a Santa
Fe Trailways bus skidded off
the highway over a three-foot
embankment a mile and a half
south of here today.
GIVEN JAPANESE
FOR FUTURE RULE
MacArthur Spokesman Says
Lack of Qualified Leaders
Will Be Country's Trouble
Tokyo, Dec. 21 (U.R) Princi
pal directives for Japan's future
government already have teen
handed down, and further direc
tives "most probably will be
limited to those necessary to se
cure full understanding and
compliance with basic premises
already set forth," a spokesman
for General Douglas MacArthur
said today.
-The spokesman pointed out
that lack of sufficient qualified
leaders will be Japan's main ob
stacle in establishing a sound,
acceptable state.
Need Leaders
"Lack of leaders Is the main
obstacle to the full impact of
the occupation, he said. "Lib
eral leaders and educators have
never been allowed to grow or
live in the nation.
"War criminal suspects that
have been placed in custody con
stituted the directing genius that
formerly guided, shaped and
provided leadership to run the
government their removal
cleans out the top of the govern
ment. We must now provide
leadership to cultivate new lead
ers to direct the education and
guidance of suitable substitutes."
Diorce uhintoism -
Impetus has been given to the
torm the new government snail
take with the recent issuance of
a directive outlawing state
Shintoism, the spokesman added.
The Japanese people and their
leaders, he explained, must di
gest organic changes in govern
ment structure as ordered to
make. them, effective in the
framework of their new govern
ment. The announcement came as
Allied investigators continued
search in the home island of
Shikoku for violations of direc
tives forbidding military train
ing in schools.
The investigation was touched
off by discovery at Matsuyama
of "large stores" of wooden
training rifles, sabers, spears
and bayonet stacked in elemen
tary school houses. Propaganda
books, maps and charts were
also found in sixth-grade text
books. In the yard of another
school investigators found an ob
stacle course and straw dum
mies for bayonet practice. The
equipment was destroyed.
Dr. Kotaro Tanaka, chief. of
the school bureau of the Minis
try of Education, said that new
Japanese textbooks will be com
piled to comply with directives
abolishing state Shintoism. It
will be simpler, he said to make
new textbooks than to remove
widespread references to Japan
as a divine country, and to her
people as a superior race. Chil
drcn will be taught to respect
uieir emperor, not as a god, but
as head of their country, he said.
Camp White Listed
As Training Spot
Camp White, recently re
activated with the arrival of
more than 2000 engineer troops,
w'll be retained permanently for
training of between 2000 and
3000 men pending decision by
congress of the size of 'the post
war army. This information was
furnished Senator Guy Cordon
by the war department accord
ing to a Washington dispatch to-1
day.
The engineer troops have:
been arriving for the past sev-j
eral days, coming here from
Texas. Mississippi and Kentucky!
camps. Many of the men now!
stationed at the camp arc vet-;
crans of overseas service.
FOR A MERRY CHRISTMAS i
Santa Barbara, Calif.. Dec. 21:
UR' Ten years' experimental;
study was wasted today when I
vandals, after a Christmas tree,
stole into the botanical gardens
here and cut down a priceless
white fir. The tree, a six-foot-ten-inch
specimen which botan
ists had watched grow from a
25 inch slip planted in 1935, was
chnpped down and carried away,
authorities said.
mum
AFTER EULOGIES
Both Houses Adjourn Until
January 14; Regret Pass
ing Great Military Leader
Washington, Dec 21 (U.R)
The 79th congress adjourned
today until Jan. 14 after hear
ing eulogies in both houses of
the late Gen. George S. Pat
ton, Jr,
The house adjourned at 2:11
p. m. and the senate followed
suit at 3:47 p. m.
Members recalled that Patton
contributed greatly to victory
in four important theaters of
that war North Africa, Medi
terranean, French, and German.
Rayburn Regrets
Speaker Sam Rayburn ex
pressed his "very deep regret
at the passing of a very great
soldier and a very great man."
With tears in his eyes. Rep.
John E. Rankin, D., Miss., said
Patton "deserves to take a place
among the greatest of them
all."
"He Is the heir of all eternity
the hero of this and future
generations," Rankin said.
Rankin compared Patton to
Stonewall Jackson, Gen. Na
than W. Forrest, Napoleon, Han
nibal and Caesar."
E
FOR UNO FADES
London, Dec. 21 (U.R)
San Francisco's chance of be
coming permanent headquarters
for the United Nations organlza
tion faded today when the Bri
tish delegation began mustering
opposition to the selection of
any American west coast city.
Professor C. K. Webster, Bri
tish delegate on the UNO
preparatory commission, dial
lenged San Francisco's candi
dacy on the ground that it was
too remote from Europe.
"Chivalry and sound judg
ment are dead in the world if,
after the narrowness of the vote
on Europe, tli UNO seat is put
2,000 miles farther from Eur
ope," Webster told the commis
sion, $25,000 In E Bonds
Needed For Quota
Purchase of an additional
$25,000 in "E" victory loan
bonds will bring Jackson county
up to the quota set for the cur
rent bond drive according to
Henry Zachnrisen, chairman of
the county war finance commit
tee. Sales have now reached $500,
127 according to the latest
figures released by the federal
reserve bank, which is 95.3 per
cent of the quota. Zachariscn
stated today that the committee
is now hopeful" that sales the
few remaining days of December
would put the drive "over the
top."
Japanese People Said In No
Danger of Starving For Year
Tokyo, Dec. 21 (U.R) Col.
Crawford F. Sams, chief of the
public health and welfare sec
tion of Allied supreme head
quarters today accused the Japa
nese government of falsely rep
resenting the country's food
situation in an attempt to get
the United States to furnish
food.
He asserted that the Japdnc?c,
are in no danger of starvation
this winter.
"The Japanese will have rela
tively more food this winter ,
than the peoples of defeated !
European nations," Sams said, j
He pointed out that Japanese:
sources estimated their own food
production will furnish 1,375
calories and 41 grams of pro
teins dally for each person in
Japan for the next calendar
year
Strikes in Brief
By United Press
A total of 431.000 U. S. work
n were away from their jobi
in labor disputes today, accord
Ing to a United Press survey.
The major highlight:
Automotive The CIO auto
workers' nationwide t r i k e
against General Motors entered
its second month as company
and union officials met in Wash
ington to decide whether to re
sume collective bargaining.
Transportation Government
labor officials still awaited as
surances from union and Grey
hound bus officials that they
would resume operations and
allow a fact-finding board to
study the wage issue which hat
curtailed service in 18 north
eastern states.
Utilities CIO United Elec
tric workers went ahead with
plans to strike Jan. 3 at 21
Western Electric plants in north
ern New Jersey and New York
to back up wage demands.
Lumber 30,000 AFL lum
ber workers remained away
from their jobs in Pacific north
west pine mills, pressing for an
industrywide $1.10 minimum
hourly wage.
NEW SNOW FALLS
OVER CORN BELT
AND LAKES AREA
By United Pren
New snows spread eastward
across the corn belt and great
lakes region today with the of
ficial arrival of winter.
Winter becomes official at
11:02 p. m. (CST), when the sun
reaches a point 22V4 degrees
south of the equator.
H. S. Kenny, U. S. weather
forecaster at Chicago, said the
new snow moving into the mid1
west froi.i the Dakotas and
Minnesota will continue its east'
em course and reach the Atlan
tic coast in 24 to 48 hours.-
Midwest Cold
Sub-zero temperatures con
tinued throughout most of the
midwest, with Pembina, N. D.,
reporting a low of 20 below. But
it was warmer in Colorado,
Nebraska, Missouri and southern
Illinois.
Local warm winds drove the
mercury up 65 degrees at Chey
enne, Wyo., from a low of 13
below Wednesday morning.
The mercury stayed near or
below zero In most of New Eng
land today, but temperatures In
the middle Atlantic states rang
ed from 10 to 25 above. Tem
peratures returned to normal
today throughout most of the
south and nlong the west coast.
7. E. Wade Injured
When Hit by Car
T. E. Wade, 712 West 12th
street, was reported in fair con
dition In Community hospital to
day, where he was taken by a
Conger-Morris ambulance yester
day for treatment of Injuries
sustained In a traffic mishap.
Wade reportedly was struck
by a car operated by F. O. Liv
ingston, 513 King street, at
about 5 o'clock yesterday, while
crossing the King street and
Oakdale avenue intersection.
He said Allied figures Indicat
ed that enough food is on hand
to furnish "well over" 1,500
daily calories until April or M.iy.
"Even In 1042, with Japan
importing foods from her stolen
empire, the per capita food al
lowance was only 1,872 calorics,
49 grams of protein. The Ger
man population will have to get
along this winter on a per capita
allowance of 1,550 calories," he
said.
He added that the Tood re
quirements of Orientals is at
least 20 per cent less than that
for Occidentals.
"The main problem In J.ipan
Is poor distribution," Sums
added. "We propose to sec that
the Japanese correct this to as
sure the 'little man' he go's his
fair chare of available food.
Otherwise, people with money
will et it all."
LUNG INFECTION
IS AFTERMATH OF
SHIP INJURY
Turn for Worse Comes After
Long Series of Optimistic
Bulletins From Bedside.
Heidelberg, Dec. 21 (U.R)
Gen. George S. Patton, "Old
Blood and Guts," died In the
army hospital here today.
Brig. Gen. John M. Willems,
chief of staff of the Seventh
army, announced that Patton
died peacefully at 5:50 p. m.
(11:50 a. m., EST).
Patton will be burled In
Europe as the result of a deci
sion made tonight by his wife.
Patton lost his fight against
Injuries suffered Dec. 9 when
his car collided with an army
truck as ho was motoring to
hunt pheasants not far from his
headquarters.
Partially Paralysed
The tough and stormy army
veteran suffered a broken neck
In the accident and was partial
ly paralyzed. But a little more
than 48 hours after being rush
ed to the hospital he was pro
nounced "out of danger" unless
unforeseen complications set in
Those complications. In the
form of a bronchinl infection
suddenly developed Wednesday
night. Yesterday and last night
his condition rapidly worsened.
Patton's death was fore
shadowed by an afternoon medi
cal bulletin from the Heidelberg
army hospital disclosing that his
heart had been affected by the
strain, and that secretions were
accumulating in his lungs.
Long Optimistic
The turn for the worst came
after a long series of optimistic
bulletins reporting steady Im
provement in Pattons condi
tion. After the Initial shock of the
brokon neck, the tough soldier
who led the U. S. Third army
across western Europe In the
victorious drive against Ger
many rallied rapidly and began
edging back from the shadow
of death Into which he was cast
by the collision of his automo
bile and an army truck a week
ago Sunday.
Mrs. Patton left Washington
tho night her husband was in
jured and made a dangerous
flight to Heidelberg, Her arrival
bucked him up, and she pro
fessed confidence he would pull
through.
Plans already had been an
nounced to fly him back to the
United States In a month or six
weeks for treatment at an un
specified hospital on the eastern
seaboard.
SILVER THAW HITS
Portland, Ore., Dec. 21 uJ.R)
State police announced today
the Upper Columbia River high
way east of Portland was closed
because of ice and snow as the
western part of the slate labored
under a near silver thaw.
Portland, was undergoing its
second Icy session within a week
with the city's wires, trees, and
automobiles taking on sheets of
ice.
Weather Bureau spokesmen,
however, had a hopeful outlook
of rising temperatures later to
day to counter the freeze.
Most interurban buses were
maintaining schedules, but those
from Spokane, Yakima and oth
er communities In eastern Wash
ington were delayed because of
ice on highways.
Several schools were closed
throughout the area due to the
cold spell as principals reported
unprecedented absences due to
the flu.
RATIONING AUTHORITY
CONTINUED UNTIL JUNE
Washington, Dec. 21U.R)
Congress has given President
Truman authority to continue
emergency rationing until June
30.
The senate passed a House
approved bill late yesterday ex
tending his war-time powers for
six months. They were sched
uled to expire Dec. St-
1
PATTON ESCAPED
DEATH THRICE IN:
(The writer of the following
dispatch was assigned to the
U. S. Third army during the
last nine months of the
European war a,nd was with
Gen. Goorge S. Patton from
Le Mans, France, to Pllsen.
Ciecho-Slovoklo.)
By Robert Richards
United Press Staff
Correspondent
New York, Dec. 21 U.R) .
Lots of people expected Georgia
Patton to get killed. He even
talked about it, himself, In the
wild days when his Third army
swept hell-bent across Europe.
But no one thought it would
happen like this.
No one expected to see him
killed in peacetime the vic
tim of a traffic accident.
Gen. George S. Patton, Jr.,
had at least three brushes with
death, back In the times when,
his Shermans and tank destroy
ers were still hurling their
shells and all good G. I.'s called
Germans "Krauts."
A German 380 millimeter
railway gun Just missed hie
headquarters at Nancy, France.
Once it even hit the headquart
ers, but Patton wasn't home,
Dud Lands 'Near
Another time a large shell
landed within 10 feet of Patton'i
parked jeep, but it was dud.
"If it had gone off, I wouldn't
be here," ne said.
Then near Nuernberg, it the
end of the war, a German fight
er attacked Patton'g tiny liason
plane. The skilled pilot managed
to dive close to the ground and
the fighter, unable to pull out,
crashed In flames.
At the height of the Ardennes
bulge battle, It was rumored
that picked German troops had
si ecial orders to come after
Patton.
The general always patted hie
pistol when he talked about pos
sible capture. "They won't take
me alive," he said, and he meant
it. His eyes always lighted up
while he talked, as If he might
enjoy such a fight.
"Officers should never let
themselves be captured," he
said.
Men Liked Him
I followed the Third army
from the Le Mans area, in
France, to Pilsen, In Czechoslo
vakia, on V-E day. I saw the
thirders' doughfeet close-up, day
after day, and I think the vast
majority of them liked Patton.
And most were proud to be In
his army.
Why?
I think It was because he had
such tremendous vitality, and
such complete self-confidence.
And, despite his reckleje
reputation. In battle he seldom
wasted Mves. He took big
chances only when he knew it
was reasonably safe to take
them.
He thought that the Third
army wns the best in the world,
(Uid he made his men feel It.
He once said, "why, Julius
Caeser wouldn't have been but
a one-star general In the Third
army." '
lie always admired skilled
and daring fighting. Speaking of
one armored division lieutenant,
he said: "He's a good man, and
he'll get killed. All the good
ones get killed."
It was not always easy to tell
whether Patton was Joking or
serious.
Good Actor
He prefaced each press con
ference with the remark, "all
right, boys, don't quote me un
less you want me to go home."
He knew the full value of
acting. Once some SHAEF cor
respondents came down to inter
view Patton at Nancy. At his
normal press meetings he usual
ly wore only one pistol, swung
low in westtrn fashion.
This time he came in loaded
down with at least three. He
proceeded to pull them out and
elaborately laid them on a near
by table. You could almost hear
the SHAEF boys, saying: "Gee,
just like we expected."
- r
& 1 1 ' Z, a. i
Gen. George S. Patton