mmm.
COMMUTER TRAINS COLLIDE HEADON-RaUroad wrecking crane to background helps clear the
(racKs 01 tne Long Island Railroad at Rockville Center, N. Y where two commuter trains collided head
on when one train sped through a red warning signal light onto a single track. At least 29 persons were
killed and 116 injurei in the disaster. Motorman ol the one train has been charged with manslaughter.
Engineman Dazed
Alter Rail Wreck
On New York Line
Rockville Centre. N. Y., Feb.
20 (U.R) The engineman
blamed for the Long Island rail
road wreck which killed 29 per
sons and injured 115 still was so
dazed and "grief-stricken" today
he could not tell how it hap
pened. His son said Jacob Kiefer, 55,
a veteran of 32 years of railroad
ing, has had only rare "minutes
of clear thinking" since the Fri
day night disaster. He repeat
edly lapses into a dazed stupor,
his son said.
Arraignment Delayed
Because of Kicfer's condition,
his arraignment on a manslaugh
ter charge, originally scheduled
for this morning, has been post
poned until he recovers himself.
The state public service com
mission and the interstate com
merce commission, and the Long
Island railroad meanwhile start
ed injuiries into the disaster. Au
thorities began to interview all
known passengers on the two
electric tiins which smashed in
a head-on collision on a gantlet
stretch of track.
Nassau District "Attorney
Frank A. Gulotta accused Kiefer
of running "through a red light."
Liz Taylor To Wed
Hotel Scion May 6
Hollywood, Feb. 20 (U.R)
Luscious Liz Taylor, curvaceous
18-year-old screen star, win
marry hotel heir Conrad Hilton
May 6 in a "big church wed
ding," her mother announced
today, but the actress is disap
pointed because her announce
ment party has been spoiled.
"Elizabeth wanted to surprise
the girls, poor little thing," said
Mrs. Francis Taylor. "We're
having a tea tomorrow after
noon and she wanted to surprise
everybody, but Mr. Hilton in
New York let it out to some
columnists. He asked the col
umnists to wait a couple of
weeks, but they didn't."
Miss Taylor broke her en
gagement to William D. Pawley
Jr., several months ago, and pre
viously was reported engaged
to army football star Glenn Da
vis. Her name also was linked
romantically with Howard
Hughes, but her mother said
there was nothing like that.
WEATHER .
FOttEt'AST: Partly cloudy to
night with valley foic early
Tuesday morning. Increasing
cloudiness Tuesday with some
light rain.
Temp.
Highest Yesterday 51
Lowest this Morning 33
Prec. to 4:30 A.M. Today 01
'Are You Happy?' Phrase
Sparks Fast-Growing Club
Are You Happy? was ceas
ing to be an impertinent query
and was becoming something
of a catch-phrase in Medford to
day, as the city's newest and
fastest growing organization
continued to collect new mem
bers. More than 300 men have
joined the group since it was
formed Valentine's day, and
President - organizer Joe Neil
said this morning that the mem
bership includes men in Los An
geles. San Francisco, Sacramen
to, Salem. Portland and Seattle.
Slogan Given
"The slogan of the club 'No
women: no dues: no problems:
no mail: you stay happy.' is
catching on Mike wildfire." Neil
said. "There is only one duty
which club members must per
form, and then only if it makes
them happy. They simply say to
another member once in awhile.
'Are you happy?' That's all The
other member has the right to
answer the question in anv way
he wishes, taking all the time he
wants. Thus he can get anv
small gripe he mav have off his
chest and be happier," Neil ex
plained. All members of the club are
vice-presidents. Even Neil, who
is president, is also a vice-president
He explained that there
fAcm Telephoto)
29 DIE IN RAIL DISASTER Passengers struggle to get free from
tangled seats minutes after two Long Island R. R. commuter trains
collided headon at Rockville Center, suburban town 20 miles irom
downtown New York City. At least 29 persons were killed. 78 criti
cally Injured and scores of other passengers suffered less serious in
juries In the disaster that Involved approximately 1000.
Gasoline Rrice War
Spreads Over Nation
Los Angeles, Feb. 20 (U.R)
A budding gasoline price war
spread slowly across the nation
today and gleeful motorists in
the west and middle west were
getting the benefit of savings up
to five cents a gallon.
A spokesman for one major oil
company said competitive prioc
cutting at California gasoline
stations resulted from a local
surplus. He predicted it was
"part of a trend that gradually
will affect the entire product."
Four Months Old
A United Press survey shows
that price cutting began at some
cities four months ago.
In the Indianapolis area, one
company has cut 5.4 cents from
the price of regular grade. In
most affected areas, reductions
Suicide Reported By
Coroner Early Today
Herbert M. Hadley. 38, took
his own life by hanging early to
day at his home on Beall lane,
according to Coroner Carlos
Morris, who said he was told
Hadley had been despondent
over ill health.
According to Morris, the man s
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Albert J.
Hadley. left the home for town
about 8:30 a.m. When they re
turned about 9:30 a.m., the body
was hanging in a closet.
Conger-Morris funeral home
has charge of funeral arrange
ments. are no dues, and no women.
When a man joins, he is pro
vided with a membership card
at a nominal cost to cover print
ing and mailing. The card certi
fies membership as long as the
member remains happy, but
Neil said if he becomes unhap
py, he has to tear up the card
and resign.
Don't Have To Sign
Applicants for membership do
not have to sign their names,
one of the 300 vice-presidents
said today. They can print, type
or code their names, or send it
in Braille, in English.
There are only two reasons
for the existence of the club, it
was explained: Haoov men
sometimes forget they are hap
py and need a reminder, and
when they are asked "Are You
Happy?" they can get rid of
gripes and become happy again.
Neil, who as president and
vice-president claims to be the
happiest man in the world, said
that since there are no problems
in the club, no meetings have
been scheduled unless the mem
bership feels later that it would
make them happy to have a
meeting.
"You don't even have to read
the president's mail if it would
make you unhanpv to do so."
ieu said.
(Aemm Ttteahoto
of one to two cents on both reg
ular and premium grades pre
vailed. The "price war" is confined in
most instances to the big cities
and surrounding areas, and oil
company spokesman sa.y that
even there it is on a "block-to-block"
basis "to meet local com
petitive conditions."
Metropolitan areas reporting
signs of the price war include
Los Angeles, San Francisco Salt
Lake City, San Diego, Milwau
kee, Wis., Miami, Fla.; Phoenix,
and Tucson, Ariz., Minneapolis
and St. Paul, Minn.; Indianapolis
and Seattle.
"Very little" price cutting was
reported in Chicago. Kansas City,
Mo., New York, New Orleans,
Portland, Ore.; Dallas, Tex.; Om
aha, Neb.; and Atlanta, Ga.
Oil company spokesman were
hesitant to forecast a widespread
war, and only one company
would acknowledge officially
that it has become directiy in
volved. General Petroleum Corp., is
sued a formal statement saying
that It was granting "a day-today
competitive allowance" to
any of its retail dealers "suf
fering extreme hardship due to
price-cutting by competitors in
their immediate vicinity.
Other companies were refus
ing such allowances, and dealers
in many instances protested that
they were forced to cut prices
but were refused any assistance
from the manufacturer.
Alleged Illegal
Practices Rapped
Washington, . Feb. 20 (U.R)
The federal trade commission
called a halt today in allegedly
illegal practices by a group of
ladies' wear manufacturers and
retail stores.
The order applied to a num
ber of nationally-known stores
such as Arnold Constable & Co.,
new York; The Hecht company,
Washington, and Best's Apparel,
Inc.. Seattle, Wash.
The FTC found that the manu
facturers were paying the retail
ers either directly or through
two New York corporations for
exclusive services the corpora
tions gave to the retail stores.
It said the stores were stock
holders in the corporations which
provided such services as devel
oping, popularizing and advertis
ing the "Carolyn" and "Jeanne
Barrie" trade names. The stores
paid the corporation for the
services and got the money back
from the manufacturers.
FTC said this violated the
Clayton act's prohibition against
payment of "brokerage" fees.
Fairfield, Calif., Feb. 20 (U.R)
Alexander MacDonald, 71, of
Seattle, was held for observation
here today after he allegedly
threatened the lives of workers
on a ranch near Dixon, Calif.
Medford
44th Year 10 Pages
Hope Gone for 1950 Basin Action
Prospects Dim
For Heading Off
Telephone Strike
New Mediation
Conferences Eyed
Washington, Feb. 20 (U.R)
Government officials said today
the prospects for heading off a
nationwide telephone strike this
Friday "are not too good."
They said spokesmen for the
CIO communications workers
and the telephone industry may
be summoned to new mediation
conferences tomorrow.
Walkout Voted
About 100,000 members of the
union have voted to walk out
Friday. Another 150,000, whose
contracts expire soon, are ex
pected to respect the picket
lines.
The strike originally was
scheduled to start February 8,
but was postponed at the request
of Federal Mediator Cyrus S.
Ching.
During the "truce," negotia
tions were held with Bell System
companies across the country.
Industry and union negotiators
as well as federal mediators
were to report to Ching today on
(he status of bargaining efforts.
China Silent
Ching-was noitalking..about
his next move. Bin oincr guveru
ment officials said new meetings
with some union and industry
officials may be scheduled to
morrow. The new mediation efforts
probably would be directed es
pecially toward the Western
Electric company's dispute with
installation and sales personnel.
Cal-Ore Holdup Men
Sought By Officers
Klamath Falls, Feb. 20 (U.R)
Police in two states today sought
a pair of armed gunmen who
robbed the Cal-Ore tavern of
S3.000 Saturday and locked
Proprietor Mike May in a re
frigerator. May was released an hour
later by an employee who was
away when the robbery oc
curred. The tavern, situated on the
Oregon-California boundary, is
18 miles southwest of here.
May said the two gunmen
drove up in a 1938 sedan. One
was about 5 feet 8 inches tall,
heavv set. wore a mustache and
thick-lensed glasses. His com
panion was six feet tall and
weighed about 180 pounds. Both
men wore army clothes.
Don Haynes Finishes
Year Sealed In Car
Ashland, Feb. 20 It was a
vear ago yesterday that Don
Havncs self-styled "Marvel
Man" and "Seaman of the Sealed
Car" allowed himself to be
welded into an auiomoDiie iui
a stay of more than a year.
Since that time he has traveled
many thousands of miles, from
coast to coast, in pursuit of pub
licity. This he has received, and
today he is thought to be some
where in West Virginia as part
of a nation-wide tour which has
included radio and television
appearances, conferences with
the governors of many of the
states and publicity tie-ups with
newspapers, magazines and film
companies.
Maybe He Should Have
Sent Press Agent
To Arrange Details
Mexico City, Feb. 20 (U.R)
Movie Star Van Johnson
claimad ihi diltinction today
of having seen what experts
termed lht worst bullfight of
tha season.
The blond actor and his par
ty of six watchad yesterday
while three top-flight toreadors
did everything they could to
goad six sweet-tempered
beasts into a light.
Aftar lht fifth bull met his
death with stole calm, John
ion want impatiently down to
tha ring to talk with Toreador
Raul Ochoa.
Movie fans wert as lacka
daisical at lht bulls. None
aikad Johnson for his autograph.
MEDFORD, OREGON, MONDAY, FEBRUARY
Death Penalty Asked
For Robert
Budapest. Hungary. Feb. 20
w.ki The state demanded today
"the most severe punishment"
death for Robert A. Vogeler,
American business executive,
who, in a last statement to the
people's court, pleaded for a mild
sentence.
Vogeler, 39, assistant vice
president of the International
Auto Registration
Building Location
Told By Newbry
Secretary of Slate Earl T.
Newbry today announced that
he has selected the location and
the contractor for the new sec
retary of state's building which
is to be constructed in Medford.
He said he hopes the building
will be completed and open for
business not later than May 15.
The property selected by New
bry is owned by the Schcffcl
and Gilman Construction com
pany and is on highway 09
south of Medford, adjoining the
Bear Creek orchards property.
Laased To State
vfhe- builrimg will- be-- con
structed bv Fred Scheffcll. New
bry said, and will be leased to
the state at $150 per month. The
lot is 1,100 square feet in area,
all of which will be paved and
landscaped. The building will
be constructed on the same plan
used for other similar buildings
now in use in other Oregon
communities, Newbry added.
"Out of this office the regis
tration of motor vehicles will
be handled," Newbry said. "Re
newal tabs likewise will be is
sued over the counter. Our driv
er license examiner will work
out of this office. It is antici
pated that in the future all busi
ness pertaining to motor ve
hicles will be handled through
these field offices. It is also my
hope," Newbry continued, "that
tourist information will be
made available in these field of
fices, and that is one of the rea
sons for locations on the major
highways throughout the state."
Gets Cooperation
The secretary of state also
said that he had received "com
plete cooperation" from the
chamber of commerce in Med
ford, as well as Ashland.
Considerable discussion re
garding the location of the
building, and the contract to be
selected to construct it, ever
since announcement was first
made that such a structure was
planned here. The chamber of
commerce here was requested
by Newbry to provide a "screen
ing" committee to interview
those who wished to furnish the
land or the construction.
This committee, composed of
Mavor Diamond Flynn, Walter
Jones and Otto Bohnert, sub
mitted the names of those thev
felt were oualified. and Newbry
made the final selection.
Empire Man Missing
In Boat Wreckage
Coos Bay, Feb. 20 (U.R) Gor
don Gage, 58, Empire, is missing
and feared dead after the wreck
ing of his 36-foot fishing boat
Bertha last night on the outer
end of the North Coos jetty.
Danny McCoy, Charleston, who
made his way ashore after nar
rowly escaping being caught in
the wreckage, said he last saw
Gage in the water with an air
mattress and that he feared Gage
has been injured. McCoy said
that a "sneaker" wave had over
turned the boat as they neared
the jetty.
A coast guard lookout who
saw the boat's light disappear
suddenly at about 8 o'clock gave
the alarm and a lifeboat was
launched at Charleston and a
jeep dispatched from the direc
tion finder station on the north
spit. The lifeboat crew found
the wreckage but no sign of
Gaec. They said the boat was a
total loss. McCoy made his way
to the direction finder station
while the rescue crews were en
route to the scene of the wreck.
Salem, Ore., Feb. 20 (U.R)
Articles of incorporation were
on file here today for the Grants
Pass American Legion conven
tion commission of 1950.
Vogeler
Telephone and Telegraph com
pany, spoke briefly after the
prosecution demanded' the ex
treme penalty for him and six
co-defendants in a three-day spy
trial.
Sentence Tomorrow
After hearing the last state
ments of the defendants, court
recessed until 1 p. m. (3 a. m.
PST) tomorrow, when sentence
will be pronounced.
With the evidence in pleas
by the defendants and testimony
by nine witnesses, seven of them
under arrest Prosecutor Gyula
Alapai summed up. He asked the
court to give all seven the "se
verest penalty," which for es
pionage is death m Hungary,
A little later Vogeler went to
the stand for the customary last
statement and said:
Confession Made Freely
"I wish to refer to my state
ment Saturday (in which he
pleaded guilty) and repeat that
I regret sincerely my undermin
ing activities.
"I do especially as I was sent
by a big country, America, to a
small one, Hungary, to under
mine the work of reconstruction.
I wish to use the right of last
words to state that I made my
confession freely without any
pressure or insult.
"I wpuld like also to state
(hat 1 was "well treated during
the investigation, and also in the
court, and I hope that my con
fession proved I regretted what
I did. I know I have to suffer
punishment, but I hope that the
court will consider my request
for a mild sentence and also the
arguments of my lawyer."
Doctor Cheered
As 'Mercy Killing'
Trial Takes Place
Manchester, N. H., Feb. 20
!U.R) Townsmen cheered Dr.
Hermann N. Sander today when
he entered the court house and
went on trial for his life on a
charge of murdering out of
"mercy" a patient on the verge
of death from cancer.
His loyal wife, Alice, though
ill with a cold, was at his side
in a little yellow court room
when his case was called to trial
at 10:12 a.m.
The first juror was picked In
seven minutes. He was Harry
Wright, the first venireman ex
amined. Names Read
In a 14-minute opening cere
mony before Superior udge Har
old E. Wescotl, the clerk droned
off the names of 145 Hillsbor
ough county veniremen includ
ing seven women. Many oi me
names were of French extrac
tion in a city where French
Catholics predominate.
Judge Wescott told the venire
men they were "entering upon a
most important public duty."
"Each of you when examined
will keen in mind the import
ance of your duty as an Ameri
can citizen," the Judge said.
"Under our American system
of trial by jury, we do not de
termine the guilt or innocence
of a defendant on hearsay from
persons outside the court or
from radio or newspaper stories,
whose authors are not under
oath."
High Court Refuses
Occupation Tax Review
Washington. D. C. Feb 20
:U.R) The supreme court today
refused to review a ruling that
Washington state's wholesalers'
occupation tax is unconstitu
tional when annlicd against re
ceipts from orders filled direct
ly from out-of-state stocks.
The previous ruling, made py
the state supreme court on Sep
tember 3, 1949, is now final.
The business and occupation
tax is levied on everyone doing
business in Washington. For
wholesalers it is one-fourth of
one per cent of gross sales.
ACCEPTS NEW POST
Bend. Ore., Feb. 20 'U.R)
George Simerville, Bend city re
corder and treasurer for the past
10 years and prior to then a
member of the Bend lugn school
commercial department, has an
nounced his resigna'.ion to ac
cept the position of re-irricr-
treasurcr for the city of Cor-vallis.
Tribune
20, 1950
No. 280
Next Congress
May Take Action,
Official Reports
Detailed Steps Taken
By Reports Revealed
Hope of approval for the
Rogue basin report at this ses
sion of congress was completely
dispelled today with the public
release of a letter addressed to
Congressman Harris Ellsworth
by C. Girard Davidson, assistant
secretary of the department of
the interior.
After a recital of all the steps
which ,the project will have to
go through, Davidson told Ells
worth that "it is possible, how
ever, that the over-all basin re
port and one or more project re
ports would be ready for trans
mittal to the next congress."
Steps Dotailed
First step in authorization of
the project is the completion of
the so-called Information re
port, Davidson said. A "task
force" working on various as
pects of this ronort "has promis
ed to transmit its report and
rccommcndntions early this
month, he continued. "... It
is hard to anticipate how long
it will take us to review the mat
ter here In the department,'
Davidson's - letter continued, al
though he said that should be
completed "within a matter of
a few weeks" after the commit
tee report is received.
Following department appro
val, and any changes which
might be made, the report goes
to the commissioner of reclama
tion, who would then send it to
the secretary of the interior be
fore It is transmitted to the
states and interested federal
agencies for review, Davidson
explained. These agencies have
90 days in which to make com
ments and recommendations.
After these comments have been
"coordinated," the reclamation
bureau again sends It to the sec
retary, and then to the presi
dent through the budget bureau.
"Naturally review by the bureau
of the budget takes a reasonable
amount of time," Davidson said.
"If the rcnort is found to be
in accord with the program of
the president, it is transmitted
to congress," the letter stated.
But Davidson pointed out that
this report is "an over-all infor
mation report . . . and it is not
anticipated that it will request
authorization of any projects . . .
It is apparent from tho chain of
events noted above that it is
hardly likely that the informa
tion report on the Rogue River
basin would be presented to the
congress during this session."
In addition, separate project
reports, which would carry with
them authorization for the work
but not appropriations, to pass
through the same channels as the
information report.
Appropriations would require
additional action by congress,
after the project reports arc
approved.
Bonneville Employees
Fail In Rescue Try
Bonneville Dam, Ore., Feb. 20
U.R) Off-duty employees of
Bonneville dam spent several
hours yesterday rescuing a young
deer from a cake of ice float
ing down the Columbia river.
The deer was finally roped
and hauled ashore when but 30
feet from the dam. But attempts
to save the animal, weakened by
hunger and exposure, failed. The
deer died this morning.
Congressman
For Slapping
Upper Marlboro, Md., Feb. 20
(U.R) Rep. Fred L. Crawford.
(R., Mich.), ended a two-day sit-
down strike in the county jail to
day by paying a $25 fine for slap
ping a former fighter who work
ed for him.
The 62-year-old congressmen
pleaded guilty to assault, paid
his fine and went home.
Crawford also paid S3. 50 for
court costs.
Crawford readilv admitted he
struck Ray Hanburg, 23-ycar-old
ex-boxer who works for the con
gressman, in an argument "of a
personal nature.
Hanbury said Crawford struck
him while he (Hanbury) had
both hands on a ladder during
an argument Saturday on the
Workers Beaten
By Pickets In
Violence Renewal
UMW Sits Tight In
Contract Dispute
Pittsburgh, Feb. 20 (U.R)
Striking United Mine workers.
defying John L. Lewis "official"
order and a government injunc
tion, kept the soft coal mines
closed today. Violent picketing
was reported.
At Barbourville, Ky., a band
of 100 men. carrvine arms, raid
ed a processing plant of the Rich
land coal company, beating five
workers and wrecking machin
ery and office property.
Dynamite Used
Pickets also were reported
active in Pennsylvania and West
Virginia. A mine engine room
was dynamited in Mineral coun
ty, W. Va., Sunday and in Nicho
las county, pickets closed a mina
where the UMW local favored
ending the two-week ecneral
strike,
All maior soft coal mine. were
closed except a few whose oper
ators have met the union's de
mands and some manned by the
progressive miners union. The
nation's stockpile dropped to
less than a week's sunnlv with
a cold wave aggravating short
ages in the east.
The miners were determined
not to work until they get a con
tract from the operators.
noma l,oi tvaryihing
"We'll lose evervthinsr. If we
go back now," a miner in Penn
sylvania's Allegheny valley dist
rict said. "We're going to stay
out and we're going to win."
in oi a aarn soul showed up
here," a watchman at the Kyle
mine of U. S. Steel Corp. in
southwestern Pennsylvania said.
"I didn't see anybody around
when I came down to the mine
this morning," a maintenance
man at a crucible steel mine at
Ricos-' Landing, Pa., reported.
Miners met in the local union
halls throughout the week-end
to hear Lewis' telegram read. It
told them the UMW president
"requested and expected" them
back to work. No big locals voted
io comply, one 125-man group at
Victoria, III., decided Saturday
to work, then changed their
minds yesterday.
Wallace Plans To
Seek Governorship
Portland, Ore., Feb. 20 (U.R)
Democratic gubernatorial candi
dates were beginning to square
on in Oregon today tor the com
ing May 19 primary election.
Lew Wallace, twice-defeated
candidate, announced at Bend
that he would run again and
that set off a report in the Ore
gon Journal that State Treas
urer Walter J. Pearson "Will
get into the race."
Voters can be prepared for
another (Pearson's) announce
ment at any moment." the
Journal said.
Other Candidates
Two other possible candidates
have been mentioned in party
circles, including State Sen. Aus
tin Flegel and State Party Chair
man William L. Josslin, who has
asked leading democrats wheth
er they will order him "into
battle." Josslin said he had re
ceived many affirmative replies
to his query.
Wallace announced his can
didacy at the end of a two-day
meeting of the state democratic
central committee in the Pilot
Butte inn.
The committee voted 2-1 to
ask National Committeeman
Monroe Sweetland to run against
Republican Senator Wayne
Morse, who will be up for re
election. GETS DIVORCE
Hollywood, Feb. 20 (U.R)
Film Actress Marguerite Chap
man, 29, got a divorce today
from Attorney G. Bentley Ryan
on her testimony that he con
tinually criticized her during
their year of marriage.
Pays $25 Fine
of Employee
congressman's Maryland farm.
Hanbury, who lives and works
on the farm and also works in
Crawford's office, said the argu
ment concerned a matter "of
office routine."
He told a reporter that Craw
ford's stenographer, Ruth Peters,
told a "distorted" story about
him. When Crawford took it up
with him, Hanbury said, Craw
ford told him "You or any other
sob Is not going to talk about
that girl that way." The con
gressman then struck Hanbury
in the face.
Crawford made no comment
during the court hearing.
Crawford was arrested Satur
day on an assault warrant .
I sworn out by Hanbury.