Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989, February 01, 1950, Image 1

Historic Oregon Newspapers

Medford mail tribune., February 01, 1950, Image 1

Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR

About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 1950)

Page of 12 Next Prev Issue Next Text PDF JP2 (2.6 MB) Clip/Print Image

Return to Top

Page of 12 Next Prev Issue Next

Newspaper Page TextH-Bomb Seen VJithin Year; Statement To UN Suggested Atomic Experts Claim America Ahead 01 Russia Carriers To Limit Power Of Explosives Washington, Feb. 1U.R Atomic experts predicted today that this country will produce and test its first hydrogen super bomb within the year. Officials said, however, that it will not be ready for proving at the new atomic tests scheduled for this spring at Eniwetok island in the Pacific ocean. -Ahead Of Russia Still, they asserted, this coun try is far ahead of Russia in the atomic arms race. Physicists said the first "crude" H-bomb will be two to in titvtoe ae ntirATfn1 oc 4n1ai'e best plutonium bomb, itself the i. equivalent of nearly 200,000 tons of TNT. But the power of later "re fined" models will be limited mostly, they said, by the capa city of the airplanes or missiles built to deliver them. ' Bombs of the future conceivably could "fry" the largest city on earth in a matter of seconds. Officials familiar with nuclear developments said President Tru man's order of yesterday that H-bomb production "be carried forward" came in time to assure United States atomic supremacy for the present at least. But they emphasized that Rus sia knows the scientific theory involved in the H-bomb and can be expected to go all out to catch up. Mr. Truman's order said in ef fect that the atomic energy com mission must now take the hy drogen bomb off the drawing board where it has been per fected in theory and put it into the engineering mill at the AEC's bomb production laboratory In Sandia. N. M. Sandia is where the new weapon will be changed from theory into fact. Scientists said the first test bomb should be ready in something under a year. Weyerhaeuser Plans Expansion Of Mill Portland, Ore., Feb. 1 (U.R) Weyerhaeuser Timber company will increase capacity at its Springfield, Ore., sawmill 30 to An nnp'.nnnl In . an imrnnrliiiiii nv. ' .w.v ..... u.. -v. ... pansion program, according to an announcement by John R. Titcomb, manager of the com pany's timber division at Spring field. Cost of the enlargement was estimated at S100.000 by Tit comb for installation of a second head saw rig, and another edger and trimmer. Expansion of the sawmill will yield more waste material for use by the expanded pulp mill and container board mill at Springfield. The Weyerhaeuser pulp mill and container board nlant will be expanded to provide 30 per cent more production at a cost between 81,000,000 and $1,500, 000. More Details Needed For Building Project A three-man committee set up to screen contractors and build ers interested in building a Med ford branch office for the secre tary of state met without con crete result yesterday. Seven contractors, six from Medford and one from Central Point, met with the committee, composed of Mayor D. L. Flynn, Walter Jones, and Otto Bohnert, but had so many structural and legal questions for which the committee had no answers that the meeting had to be postponed until Friday. Secretary of State Earl T. Newbry was called at the Salem office and is expected to furnish the committee with further de tails about lease agreements, heating facilities, rental arrange ments, and other questions. SEEKS RE-ELECTION Salem, Ore., Feb. 1 (U.R Sprague H. Carter of Pendleton filed his candidacy with the state election bureau here Tues day for re-election as state rep resentative from Umatilla coun ty. He will seek the republican nomination at the May 19 pri mary election. Temperature Snow Makes Fair and slowly moderating temperatures were forecast for the Rogue valley today, after the mercury dropped to near zero for the second day in a row, this morning. The minimum tempera ture was six above, registered between 8 and 8:30 a.m. today. Four pipes which had burst as the result of freezing were re ported to the Medford water de partment up to noon today, but Manager Robert Duff said there undoubtedly would be more not ed when temperatures get high enough for ice-clogged pipes to thaw out. Many householders took care of frozen pipes them selves, or waited hopefully for them to thaw. The temperature did not rise above the freezing mark yester day, and the maximum was 28 Some thawing of snow and ice was noted, however, where the sun struck them directly. A S u V 2 Earl Warren Seeks Third Term Goy. Warren Bids For Third Term In California Sacramento, Feb. 1 (UP.) Earl Warren made a bid today for an unprecedented third term as governor of California. Warren, a republican and the party's vice presidential nominee in 1948, announced his re-election campaign in a formal state ment. He said he again would seek both republican and demo cratic nominations, as allowed by California law, in the state's June 6 primary. Opposed By Roosevelt His main opponent apparently will be Democrat James Roose velt, oldest son of the late pres ident. Roosevelt already has an ounced his candidacy. The California governor's an nouncement said he would dis tinguish between social progress and socialism. "If government is to truly serve the people," he said, "we must continually make social progress. I will shoulder every responsibility to, make such pro gress, but never to advance so cialism, to which I am opposed." Wants To Finish Work His announcement pointed out that he had been governor "dur ing the period of California's greatest growth and develop ment." It said some of the state's problems had been solved during his administration, but said he wanted "to complete the work that has been undertaken." Warren's candidacy for a third four-year term as governor was seen also as a bid to stay in the national political picture. He was keynote speaker and a "favorite son" candidate for the presiden-. tial nomination at the 1944 re publican national convention. Death OflikCreek Rancher Said Suicide Cleveland Hitchcock Storrs, Elk creek rancher, shot and killed himself at about 7 p.m. yesterday with a .38 caliber au tomatic pistol, it was reported today by County Coroner Carlos Morris. Morris said Storrs had been despondent and in ill health. Storrs. 49, retired from the army after World War II, during which he served in the intelli gence service as a major. He also was a veteran of the first World War. He moved to the Elk creek ranch, where he raised hereford cattle and chickens, in April of 1948, from Pasadena. Cal. Sur vivors include his wife, Ruth, and a son, Cleveland, three months old. An older daughter by a previous marriage also sur vives. Conger-Morris funeral home is in charge of funeral arrange ments, which will be announced later. Road Conditions Traffic was moving over the Siskiyous and Greenspringt mountain pastes today with out chains, state police laid. Packed snow on the routes was well sanded. Highway 99 north to Roseburg and the Redwood highway were said to be in good condition. Snow still covered many Oregon highways, according io United Press, which said motorists' should carry chains. to Moderate; Park Record house fire early today was attri buted to use of a blow torch in an attempt to thaw pipes. Snow Breaks Record Snowfall at Crater Lake dur ing January broke all-time rec ords. Park Superintendent E. P. Leavitt said this morning. Total fall for the month was 313 inch es of snow with a water content of 19.94 inches. Melting and thawing has left a total snow depth at the park today of 126 inches. Only a trace of snow fell In the park yesterday and the tem perature at 8:30 a m. today stood at four degrees. Maximum tem perature reading during the past 24 hours was 15, minimum was one degree. Roads are in good condition in in the park but chains are re quired, according to radio re ports received at headquarters here this morning, Vandenberg Plan Would Halt Work If Bomb Outlawed Ruthless Aggression Said Loose In World Washington, Feb. 1U.R) Sen. Arthur H.- Vandenberg (R., Mich.) suggested today that President Truman inform the United Nations that this nation will suspend all work on the hy drogen bomb "the first moment the use of these weapons can be dependably outlawed." He noted that Russia so far has blocked all our proposals for international control of atomic weapons. Aggression Loose The GOP foreign policy spokes man told a reporter that Mr. Tru man's go-ahead order on the H bomb was "unavoidable" be cause "ruthless aggression is loose in the world." Congress responded to Mr. Truman's decision to produce the H-bomb with almost unanimous support. But Vandenberg and some others expressed grave concern lest the U.S. foreclose further negotiations for effective world safeguards. "In view of the fact that ruth less aggression is loose in the world, I should say that the president's decision was un avoidable," Vandenberg said. "Obviously it is subject to con gressional referendum in respect to the appropriations involved. Reliance Prevented "I wish the president, how ever, would immediately notify the United Nations of our intent and purpose to suspend all of our activities in respect to mass destruction the first moment the use of these weapons can be de pendably outlawed. "Unfortunately the Moscow attitude has thus far prevented this reliance," Vandenberg said. Meanwhile, Rep. Henry M. Jackson (D., Wash.) said that Mr. Truman's decision to go ahead with the H-bomb puts the United States "on a knife-edge of history" between peace and war. Jackson, a member of the con gressional atomic energy com mittee, urged world statesmen to agree now on controlling atomic weapons, saying: "This may be our last chance to avoid a third world war." (See story page 2) Portland Construction Hits Ail-Time High Portland, Ore., Feb. 1 (U.R) Two large apartment building permits during January pushed Portland's construction activity for the month to an all-time high, a survey of the month's business activity showed today. However, cold and snowy weather appeared to have affect ed the city's bank clearings for the month. Only $547,904,432.43 was noted, the lowest figure since February 1949. By com parison, the January, 1949, bank clearings total was $605,468, 298.03. Construction of the Park Plaza and lone Plaza apartment buildings pushed the January building permit to $6,359,370, as compared with December's total of $3,398,345. and January, 1949's $1,818,595. The large apartment projects will cost about $4,208,000. 100 Million Fewer Chinese Seen Aim Washington, Feb. 1 (U.R) The Moscow meeting of Russian and Chinese communist leaders may produce a plan for "reduc ing" Chinese population by 100 million, a report reaching here said today. The report, relayed from Asia, is part of a growing pattern of rumors and whispers about the secret Kremlin conference. From them United States officials hope to fathom the truth. This particular report said Russia had suggested that China's 500 million population must be "reduced" by 100 mil lion. The Soviet contention was said to be based on a simple eco nomic conclusion that China's population could not be sup- fiorted on the resources cutrent y avajlable. One United States expert on the Far East, while inclined to credit the idea of Russia "reduc ing" China's population, said he thought the 100.000,000 figure was "too high." Cold January Chills Romance In Multnomah Portland, Ore., Feb. 1 (U.R The Multnomah county clerk to day said the coldest January on record had all but frozen ro mance. Only 170 marriage licenses were issued compared to 223 last January. It was the lowest num ber since January. 1941, when 128 licenses were granted. Coulee Dam, Wash., Feb. 1 Grand Coulee Dam is the first dam in the world to produce more than one billion kilowatt hours of electricity in a single month, the bureau of reclama tion reported here today. Oswego, Ore., Feb. 1 U.R) The home of Mr. and Mrs. V. F. Weber was destroyed here today by fire that broke out short after 7:30 a.m. Origin of the fire was unknown, Medfop 44th Year 12 Pages SIGNAL SPURS HUNT FOR 40 Klamath County Doctors Grossed $800,000 In 1948 Anti-Trust Suit Hears Defense Testimony Portland, Ore., Feb. 1 (U.R) A defense witness in the govern ment's anti-trust suit today testi fied that 40 of 41 Klamath coun ty doctors grossed $800,000 in 1948. Dr. Charles V. Rugh was call ed to the stand after Or. Ralph W. Stearns, Klamath Falls eye. ear and nose specialist, testified as one of the founders of the Klamath Falls Physicians' bureau. One-Third of Take The government is suing the Oregon Physicians Service, Ore gon Medical Society, eight coun ty medical societies and eight doctors for alleged anti-trust violations. Dr. Rugh, under questioning by Federal Judge Claude McCol loch, said the $800,000 was about "one-third of the bureau's in take." Yesterday Dr. Max E. Heming way of the Bend, Ore., Heming way Memorial clinic testified that the National Hospital asso ciation had substandard fees compared with the Oregon Phy sician's Service. Dr. Hemingway added that the NHA did not always pay doc tors what the doctors thought they should have received. Did Not Remember Other Oregon doctors told the court they accepted tickets from patients belonging to commercial hospital associations and did not remember any coercive influence by medical groups to refuse such tickets. In cross-examination, the Bend doctor was asked if questions arising in coverage under the NHA's contract created payment failures by the commercial hos pital association. "If I'm going to practice medi cine," Dr. Hemingway answered, "I can't spend spend my time reading a lot of silly contracts. I let my office girl do that." . . Dr. Cecil W. McCain, Portland, formerly of Hood River and pres ident for two terms of the mid Columbia Medical society, said he did not know of any medical society attempts to persuade doc tors in his area not to accept commercial hospital association tickets. Carol Paight Insane, Psychiatrist Claims Bridgeport, Conn., Feb. 1 (U.R) A psychiatrist testified to day that blonde Carol Ann Paight was insane when she kill ed her father because he was dying of cancer. Dr. diliord . Moore was tnc big gun of the defense in its attempt to prove that the 21-year-old college senior was driven by love of her father into a temporary insanity which im pelled her to give him a Quick death with a bullet rather than let him endure a slow one of pain. If the state cannot prove she was sane at the time the jury of nine mothers and three fathers must acquit her of a charge of second degree murder. Moore testified that the girl was in an "anxiety state" caused by a "cancer phobia." Retrial Sought For Alleged Slayer Los Angeles, Feb. 1 (U.R) Attorney John D. Gray filed a petition today for retrial of mur der charges against Fred Stroble. 67-ycar-old grandfather convict ed of the sex slaying of six-year old Linda Joyce Glucoft. Superior Judge Charles W. Fricke set arguments on the re trial motion for 9 a.m. Monday, February 6. Gray, who took over Stroble's defense from the public defend er's office after he was con victed of first degree murder, based his retrial plea on his con tention that Stroble did not know what he was doing when he waived jury trial on his insan ity plea. Judge Fricke heard the sanity issue and ruled that Stroble was sane when he brutally killed the girl November 14. Chinese President To Stay In This Country Taipei. Formosa, Feb. 1 (U.R) Acting President Li Tsung-Jen notified the Chinese nationalist government today that he will remain in the United States and would not return to Formosa in the immediate future. The presidential offices releas ed' the text of a cable from Li saying he was discussing with U. S. officials American aid to nationalist China and that he was not needed in Formosa. Washington. Feb. 1 (U.R) President Trumsn may campaign in Illinois this fall. ORD, OREGON, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY THEY GOT HER LOOSE The U.S.S. Missouri, the navy's mightiest battleship, was pulled loose today from a sand bar in Hampton channel where she has been stuck since January 17. Sub marine pontoons are shown above lashed to the side of Big Mo to help during floating operations. Mighty Mo Norfolk, Va., Feb. 1 (U.R) The U.S.S. Missouri, the navy's mightiest battleship, was wrench ed free today from a sand bar where she had hung captive for Winter Weather Stays On Into Second Month By United Press February took over where January left off with more broken weather records, sub zero temperatures, snow and frozen water pipes in the Pacific northwest. The mercury dipped Wednes day morning down to a level al most equalling the 62-year-old record set Tuesday. Spokane, Wash., had its ninth consecutive day of sub-zero weather, tying the record set in January. 1909. The minimum was 22.4 below in Spokane, 25 at Yakima, 33 below at the Moses lake U.S. development farm, and 28 below at Ellens burg. . Winter's grip held tight In Oregon, with Baker reporting 17 below, Burns 12 below, Pendle ton 18 below, The Dalles six be low, and Portland one above at the airport at 6:45 a.m. West of the Cascades, how ever, there was some relief. Eu gene had 14 'above. Medford 6, Roseburg 19. The outlook was for snow flur ries and variable cloudiness in Washington and Oregon this aft ernoon and tonight, with more cold wave in both states but slightly higher minimums. Snowbound Town To Be Helped By Army Chicago, Feb. 1 (U.R) The 5th army opened a miniature "operation snowbound" today to carry food and fuel to isolated communities and farms in the frozen Dakotas. Meanwhile, New York city was hit by the first heavy snow of the winter and a severe ice storm isolated 26 towns in north central Texas. The New York snow was ex pected to continue through the morning. Pavements were slick and airlines cancelled some flights. The inch-thick ice in Texas stretched from Wichita Falls cast to Paris and from Dallas north to the Red River. Treacherous pavements caused one death. About 260 phone circuits were broken. Fire Consultant To Arrive Here Today City officials said today that Senior Captain Leo Wcidner of the Portland fire department is scheduled to arrive in Medford this afternoon to assume his duties as fire consultant and act ing fire chief. His services were arranged for by the Medford city council after negotiations with the Portland council. He is assistant drill mas ter and instructor for the Port land department. Hearings Slated On Cotton Quota Measure Washington, Feb. 1 (U.R) The senate agricultural commit tee today scheduled immediate hearings on a house approved bill to add 1,400,000 acres to the nation's cotton quota. Chairman Elmer Thomas (D., Okla), announced that senate hearings will begin tomorrow with testimony from department of agriculture spokesmen. The hearings, Thomas said, will be concluded as quickly as possible. Williamson, W. Va., Feb. 1 (U.R) Rescue crews today reach ed the bodies of two miners killed under a slate fall in the Puritan Coal company mine 10 miles east of here and reported that there was "no hope'' that the third trapped miner was alive. Freed From Sand Bar 15 days as impotent as a row- boat. Sailors Cheer A great cheer "she's free" went up from a thousand sailors as scores of salvage vessels and tugs pulled the 45,000-ton battle wagon from Thimble shoals. Despite driving winds which threatened during a hectic hour's operations to push her aground again, the vessel was pulled by the stern to the channel only 1,000 feet from where she had been stuck in the sand and muck. Three times before the navy had failed to free the mighty Mo from its embarrassing predica ment. But today, aided by a 150-foot wide channel especially dredged, the giant ship was successfully Senate Approves Electoral Changes Washington, Feb. 1 (U.R) The senate today approved a pro posed constitutional amendment to make drastic changes in the 162-year-old electoral college system of electing the president. To become effective, the amendment still must be ap approved by two-thirds of the house and must be ratified by the legislatures of three-fourth of the states. The amendment, requiring a two-thirds senate vote, was aft proved despite fears among some republicans that it would weaken the GOP in presidential elections. The senate vote was 84 to 27, three more than the needed two thirds majority. While retaining the present system giving each state one electoral vote for each senator and representative, the amend ment would divide each state's electoral vote among candidates in proportion to the popular vote. A state's entire electoral vote now goes to the leading candidate in that state. Russia Proposes Trial Of Japanese Emperor Washington, Feb. 1 (U.R) Russia proposed to the United States today that Emperor Hiro hito of Japan be tried as a war criminal by an international court. The proposal was made in a note Soviet Ambassador Alexan der S. Panyushkin handed Secre tary of State Dean Achcson at a seven-minute conference at the state department. Upon leaving, Panyushkin said the Soviet note proposed also the trial of a number of .Japanese war criminals who were not un der Soviet control, including Hirohito. Panyushkin said the note re called the recent Soviet prosecu tion and conviction of a number of Japanese for planning bacter iological warfare against the So viet union. longshoremen Eligible For Hospital Benefits San Francisco, Feb. 1 (U.R) CIO longshoremen on the west coast today became eligible for hospital and surgical benefits under an insurance plan, the first of seven such welfare plans for west coast maritime union. The longshoremen each pay one per cent of their total wages and the Pacific Maritime asso ciation contributes three cents per man hour to a joint fund. The PMA said it was discuss ing similar hospital plans with six other coastwide unions. Portland. Ore., Feb. 1 (U.R) E. B. MacNaughton, chairman of the board of the First National bank, today said investments to day may become doughnuts to morrow if the nation's deficit spending program continues. Salem, Ore.,Feb. 1 (U.R) Charles K. McColloch of Baker today filed his candidacy for state representative from Baker county. Tribune 1, 1950 NO. 264 (Acmt Telephoto) torn loose from the sand bar and guided into the regular Hamp ton Road channel from which she strayed on January 17. Then the tugs began towing the vessel eight miles down the bay into the Norfolk navy yard for repairs. The navy wants a good look at her bottom. There were fears that it might have been damaged by a rock. The ship, lightened of thous ands of tons of oil, ammunition and other gcHr, floated high and skittish as she hit the deep water. A thousand salvage workers had labored through the night to prepare her for the big effort this morning. At 5:30 a.m. EST, the effort got underway. Tugs took their places. At a signal they began pulling fore ana aft. The Missouri, pride of the navy and on which the Japanese surrender was signed in Tokyo bay, began to rock. Vessel Movas Just as the eastern sky was beginning to brighten with the dawn, from deep within her bowels came a giant gurgling sound. "It sounded like a big rock was rolling around inside the mo, one salvage worker said. The vessel moved slightly. That did it. The suction which had held the battlewagon fast was broken. The mighty Mo moved out stern foremost to ward the channel. Second Big Hotel Fire Strikes Dakota City Dickinson, N. D., Feb. 1 (U.R) The second big hotel fire here In 13 months destroyed the St. Charles hotel today. The blaze routed 81 guests, most of them still in night clothes, as firemen battled the flames in below-zero weather. All but one of the guests were believed to have reached the street safely. The fire followed by a year and 10 days a blaze which de stroyed this western North Da kota town's Villard hotel. Firemen confined the blaze to the hotel building, although of ficials feared it would spread to an adjoining recreation par lor, theater and filling station. Junior, Senior High Pupils Enjoy Vacation Junior and senior high school students of Medford are vaca tioning today, Thursday and Friday, while teachers grade mid-term examination papers and prepare for the new semes ter which commences Monday, the city school office reported. There will be no classes for grade youngsters Friday but all students will pick up their re port cards that afternoon. WashinKtiTnTFeb. 1 (U.R) The senate has confirmed unani mously the nomination of Ed ward W. Barrett of Connecticut to be assistant secretary of state. Trial of Bridges Hears Character Recommendation San Francisco. Feb. 1 (U.R) A Catholic priest gave accused communist Harry Bridges a char acter recommendation today. Father Paul Meincke of Eur eka. Nev., testifying as a defense witness at the CIO longshore un ion leader's perjury-conspiracy trial, said he "knew" Bridges was not a communist. Accused of Lying Bridges is accused of lying at his naturalization hearing in 1945 when he denied he was or ever had been a communist. Thirteen government witnesses placed Bridges in the party over a 10-year period beginning in 1033. "There is a great difference between a militant trade unionist and a communist," the priest said. "Over the years, I knew Bridges as a militant trade un ionist he is not a communist." Asked if he were able to rec ognize a communist, Meincke WEATHER FORECAST: rtr with slowly moderating ttmper attires to night aud Thursday. Temp. H If he it Yesterday .... Si Lowest this Morning ..,u PLANE Doubt Expressed That Report Came From Lost Craft Search Continues After Six Days Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Feb. 1 (U.R) A faint radio sis- nal on the distress frequency to day centered the far-ilune six. day hunt for a missing 5-54 trans- yui v in me smiin Kiver-t on Nelson, B.C.. area 300 miles southeast of here. Three search Dlanes from Fort Nelson and seven from White horse were ordered into the sec-' tor again, although "consider-' able doubt" was expressed that the signal came from the lost plane. Forty-four persons were aboard the aircraft. Could Be From Boat Wing Commander Donald R. Miller of the RCAF said the ra dio signal "could possibly have been from a small fishing vessel - ir away. No report had been received at noon (PSTJ from the planes searching the area since 9 a.m. At the same time, a squadron of B-29 bombers was to search the towering peaks of St. Elias range, 175 miles west of here. Officers said today was ideal for search operations and a max imum number of scanners would be in the air. The signal, uncoded and of short duration, was heard in an' area extending along the eastern cna ot tne British Columbia Yukon border. That sector strad dles the route the lost C154 was taking on its ill-fated flight from Ancnorage, Alaska, to ureal Falls, Mont., Doubt Expressed However, RCAF Air Commo dore M. Costello who is coordin ator of the two-nation search, ex pressed doubt that the signal came from the missing plane. "Let me point out, he said, "that the signal was weak but iiuiu, ui very miuri uuiuuun aim not coded as it would have been If it had come from an automatic signal sent by a Gibson Girl type emergency radio transmitter. Costello said the report was "one of fifty we have received and of course must check thoroughly. Documents To Support Coal Order Request Washington, Feb. 1 U.R) The government submitted a pile of documents today to support its charges that John L. Lewis' contract demands are illegal, and asked federal court to order the coal miners back to full produc tion. United Mine Workers Presi dent Lewis was conspicuously absent in Federal Judge Rich mond B". Keech's court as the na tional labor relations board's general counsel asked for the court order. Lewis was preparing to meet with northern and western coal producers this afternoon in the first bargaining conference In two months. Russia Rejects French Indo-China Protest Paris. Feb. 1 (U.R) Russia to day rejected a French protest against Soviet recognition of the rebel regime In French Indo China. The Soviet embassy returned the protest to the foreign office with a note saying that the So viet Union "considers it impos sible to receive a note of this sort." The abrupt Soviet note took the foreign office by surprise. It had delivered the protest to the Russian embassy only last night. Radio Highlights Radio Station KWIN (1400 kc) will broadcast the amateur boxing .Hatches from the ar mory between 9 and 10 o'clock tonight. said, "not by seeing him, but let me talk to him, not an hour or a day but over a long period, and I can tell. "A communist would slip. But he (Bridges) never slipped. He never said anything which showed he was a communist. "If I had the slightest notion Bridges was a communist I wouldn't testify for him." Said Truthful Asked what was Bridges' rep utation for truth and honesty, the priest said: "I'll give you my personal opinion. It was the best. Not only was he a truthful, upright man. he was more ... I don't consider myself smarter than others, but you know as a priest that I wouldn't associate myself with Bridges if I had the slight est doubt about him." Father Meincke said he was an Intimate acquaintance of Bridges for 10 years.