Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (March 14, 1950)
People of Leipzig Awaiting Moving In of American Forces Bv Lvl C. Wilson UnlUd Press Correspondent Leipzig, Russian Zone, Ger many, Mar. 14 KU.R) The resi dents of Leipsiz are hungry, they do not like the Russians, they wish the Americans would move into the Soviet sector but they don't expect it and likewise they don't see much future for them selves or their city. That in general is the attitude the traveler discovers when he takes a trip behind Russia's Euro pean iron curtain. Together with three other Americans, I motored from Frankfurt northward approxi mately 100 miles through the United States zone to the first Soviet Russian road block. Papers Examined It was about 115 miles from that first Russian check point to Leipzig. Eight times we were halted for examination of our papers. The principal stop lasted nearly an hour for a thorough, polite but not cordial going-over. That included a complete state ment of any money we .happened to have along. Everything was noted in our papers for reference when we sought to leave German Russia for the west. The Russians, and their Ger man police representatives, were especially interested in the sum of American dollars or travel lers' checks we might have. They hoped we would spend them in the American zone'. That is a part of American capitalism they like. Twice a year foreigners arc permitted by the Russians to penetrate beyond the iron cur tain as far as Leipzig. The occa sions are the spring and autumn trade fairs in that once great commercial city. Red stars, red banners, red propaganda by loud speaker and pamphlet dominated the commercial exhibits of Euro pean manufacture, most oi it from communist eastern Europe. People Interesting The people of Leipzig proved to be far more interesting than the fair. As we loaded our car to depart for Berlin a group of German men and women waved and shouted loudly enough for every one nearby to hear: "Can't we go along with you?" Our appearance and automo bile tags identified us as Ameri cans. If Leipzig is a fair sample of Russia's new democratic world, the people of eastern Germany would swap instantly for the old democratic world of the west. The average Leipziger has no hot water. So far this year the head of each household has re ceived about 350 pounds of coal for heating and for cooking. Our party was billeted in pri vate homes. With two Swedes I'd never seen before, I was billeted in a fifth floor apartment belonging to two elderly women. They must have needed the money badly, or perhaps they were compelled to take us in, because both of them sat up all night so that we might sleep. Neither would dis cuss the Russians or anything about living conditions. Best insight into their lives was the apologyvone made next morning for not offering me breakfast. She had nothing to offer, no tea, no coffee, nothing. Not Afraid But the Leipzigers do not seem to be afraid. A woman en countered in one of the fair ex hibits said quite loudly: "In our hearts we hope the Americans will come. Do you think they ever will?" There was a liberal display of anti-American propaganda, but also a great window show of 1 VICTOR Says: My wife, Virginia, our shampoo-tint expert, says that I talk too much anyway, so this week I'll iust say, ONE APPOINTMENT WITH US GIVES YOU MORE THAN A THOUSAND WORDS COULD! Thanks so much for a very busy past week. CRATERIAN BEAUTY SALON 41 S. Central Ave. Med. 2-4830. world flags which included the stars and stripes. Fair visitors received a color ful pamphlet called "The U.S.A. in Word and Picture." The cover girl was described as Mrs. Frank Herderson. an aging woman. shown with her leg lifted to the top of a table at a Metropolitan ODera nremiere during an inter view with an American gossip columnist. A smaller pamphlet contained an HDK-likp cartoon of an Ameri can with tall silk hat marked bv the dollar sign. A pretty Ger man girl dressed in the uniform of Soviet service handed me mine. I inquired if I really looked like that. The girl laugnea and said I did not. We were hav ing some friendly conversation about the cartoon when an offi cial called -the girl away and gave her a lecture which brought a blush and pernaps a tear or two. Leipzigers call the food store displays for the fair, the food in the Russian intounst noiei, "propaganda food." We were told that lor tnree nionuis De fore fair time Leipzigers had nothing much but bread and po tatoes, and not much more than that for several months there after. In that way the Russians make up for food deficit caused by fair visitors. Shortaae of Caviar With dollars or travelers' checks we ate well. But there was a shortage of black caviar even for the fair. The vodka was ample and powerful. All food is rationed. But there is not even the pretense of a ra tion for coffee, tea, milk or cook ing oils. Supplementary food may be bought at official. Rus sian-run black market stores at from seven to 15 times ration prices. Butter, if available, costs 30 to 32 eastmarks in such a store. The rationed butter price is three and one-half marks. But try and get it. For comparison, a skilled factory worker in the brave new Soviet world around Leipzig makes slightly more than one eastmark an hour Officially the westmark backed by the French, British and Americans and the eastmark backed by the Russians are of rciual value. Actually the ex change rate is approximately seven eastmarks tor one west mark. In American money a westmark is valued at slightly more than 24 cents. One of the privileges conferred COLONIAL Daveno and Chair Set Hardwood frame, finished in rich mapli reversible cushion on chair sear and back for added long wear. Upholstered in GREY TAPESTRY $139-95 $28.00 DOWN $ 9.00 MONTH OCCASIONAL PIECES Coffee Table End Table Book Case Cricket Rocker Floor Lamps Bridge Lamps Radio Record Cabinet Desks Dining Set with or without Buffet 5 Choose The Pieces You Need Use Our Budget Plan l MEDFORD GRANTS PASS You're Probably 1 Too Dumb To Fill Out Income Tax Chicago, Mar. 14 (U.R1 Chances are two to one that you're too dumb to fill out your income tax form properly. Dr. David P. Boder, psychol ogy professor at Illinois Institute of Technology, said that roughly 30 per cent of the population has the mental ability to understand the forms. It takes an I.Q. of 110, he esti mated, to understand the govern ment's instructions for filling out the longer tax forms "so you're lucky if you have it all taken out by withholding tax." Mentality Lacking More than 65 per cent of the population "simply does not have the mentality to follow the legal, technical language," he said. That's not all. Even persons with the mental ability to under stand the instructions may fall down because they lack "num bers facility" or suffer from re pressions. It is the "tendency to repress unpleasant experiences" and not laziness that makes people put off their income tax figuring un til the last possible minute, Boder said. Boder had sonic suggestions that might make the annual or deal easier. Get Several Blanks 1. Get several blank forms, not just one, "so you can tear it up if you make a mistake." 2. Keep your old returns as a future guide. 3. Don't try to do the whole job at once; that only increases nervous tension and makes it more difficult. 4. Follow the directions "me thodically and step-by-step as you would a cooking recipe." If you don't understand the direc tions yourself, buy a tax guide or consult a government tax adviser. Death Of Man, 110, Withheld From Public Chicago, Mar. 14 (U.R) Fear that curiosity seekers would dis turb the funeral caused a rail way mail clerk to suppress un til today the fact that his second cousin died at the age of 110. William Williams, born Oct 10, 1839, in a log cabin in what is now Chicago's Lincoln park, died March 8 of a heart ailment. But Hugh B. Holcomb, his sec ond cousin, did not tell the pub lic until after the funeral. Williams died in the Holcomb home, where he was interviewed on his 110th birthday. Williams attributed his long life to herb juice, and after newspapers car ricd the stories the old man was besieged by telephone calls from people who wanted to know where they could get some. Herbs for many years were Williams' source of income. At the age of 10 he began assisting his father in a medicine show and learned how to compound the medicines. He estimated, Hoi- comb said, that he sold more than 1,000,000 bottles of herb juices. Holcomb said army records authenticated Williams' age. He said he served in the Indiana na tional guard during the civil war. Williams up to the time of his death was clear-eyed and smooth skinned. The undertaker said he looked like a man 30 years younger. by the communists on east Ger- mans is working at "voluntary' i community jobs such as street clearing or erecting government buildings. This work is done on Sundays on call of Soviet offi cials. It must be done without pay. From time to time Leipzig ers do additional unpaid labor for such special events as Stalin's birthday or the red October revo lution anniversary. East German! Left Cold ' All of this leaves the east Ger mans colder than the cold war. The Russians long have been howling for unification of Ger- ! many. U. S. High Commissioner Jonn .1. McCloy began last month to call their bluff. He told the Rus sians in effect: "Okay, let us have unification. But first let us have free elec tions throughout Germany to discover whether the Germans want unity under the Russians or under the western democra cies." Now McCloy is banging away at the sound propaganda claim that the Russians are blocking nation-wide unity elections. Con ditions in Leipzig probably are a l good example of why the Rus ' sians dare not risk a free elec tion among their captive sub jects. Dead line on dimmed Attn 8 30 ' m. for following day; 10 a m Mon--lay. noon Saturday for Sunday a.m u mi int tnAiiuNi mm MIRACLE Wl $369 Acme HARDWARE CO. "Spacialiitt in Horn Warai" 3 Wait Suth Phsnt 2-5201 i ONLY MIRACLE WALL FINISH AllOH Tuesday. March 14, 1950 MEDFORD (OHEOON) MAIL TRIBUNE THREE 1 tl lwMEy 0 bOu ...Thrifty Penney's Easter store is ready with the smartest styles in town! NOW. ..1000 Hats to Choose From Tiny Flowers ON STRAW BRAID FOR OUR EARLY SOUTHERN SPRING V 2 IN SPRING'S DARK AND LIGHT TONES The word is 'dainty" . , . the word is "pretty" , , . for the very feminine look of these rough-textured straw braid hats with their delicate small flowers, their ribbon or sheer malines trimming. Definitely styled for flattery, in spring's dark and light tones. MILLINERY FASHION FLOOR Smartest Signs of Spring SATURN Straw Braids . . . and Finds at Off-Face Flatterer Crisp Sailors Dark or Light Colors 498 Not just straw braid . . . but saturn straw braid, so sleekly handsome ... In shapes as new as Spring 1 950! Pick a deep-crowned bonnet ... a beribbon ed off-face flatterer . , . a crisp sailor ... In dark or light colors . . . you've a hat to catch compliments! MILLINERY FASHION FLOOR 1 V New! New! New! 998 HANDBAGS Plastic m Ravnn Fdille Sueded Rayon Tax Plastic Patents Pouches Under Arms Top Handles Shoulder Bags STYLES GALORE NOW... Sheer Nylon Gloves 98c Sheer nylon , . . looks so fragile, acts so tough, washes and dries in a hur ry! Ruffle-cuffed shorty in black, white. . . 6-8. SPECIAL! 600 Pair Only 51 Gauge 15 Denier NYLONS Buy 3 Pairs Triple the Vw Wear x5fil Box of 3 Jk 77 Absolutely f Perfect MM Pr. Wisp-sheer beauties in new shades to blend with that Eas ter outfit. Low, low special feature priced. Hurry tomor row, 9:20 a.m. NOW.. Just Unpacked Misses Unlined1 Butcher Weave Rayon Suits 7 10 to 20 990' Navy White Maize Dacia Jade Green Aqua Red Biege Pink Imagine a beautifully tail, ored unlined butcher weave rayon suit for only 9.90. Its the material everybody loves. Come in and see these lovely suits tomorrow. FASHION FLOOR at Feme
