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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (April 11, 1950)
Boy Scouts Found Dead; Louis Budenz Summoned WEATHER Medford Tribune FORECAST: Cloudy with occa sional light rain and frtia outherly wtndi thli avonlng. Showeri and cooler Wednes day. Temp. Highest Yesterday , - .- 10 Loweit this Morning , 31 45th Year. 14 Pages MEDFORD, ORE' I TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 1950 NO. 17 Youngsters Perish Aboard Raft on Stormy Lake Erie Airmen Spot Bodies After 17-Hour Hunt Cleveland, O., Apr. 11 (U.R) Four young Boy scouts were found dead in their tiny life raft today, 17 hours after they were blown out into stormy Lake Eric. The coast guard said the boys first sighted by a B-17 engaged in a gigantic ship and plane search, were found on their rubber ran ana transferred to a picket boat. A coast guard official said the boys "definitely were dead when found" and that families of the youths were oemg notified. Dressed in Jeans The four victims, David Lee Mann, Kicnard Bauer and Roland Riemer, all 13. and William Vnn Hot. 14, climbed into their raft last evening dressed only in blue juctna ami sinris, DUl Without coats or shoes. One coast guard officer said the youths probably "were al most killed by exposure and ex haustion in the cold waves, then dropped down in the bottom of ineir ran ana drowned." I he picket boat, which took them aboard some 25 mil northeast of Cleveland, was rush ing the bodies to Fairport Har- Dor. east oi nere. The captain of the tug Alfred S., Anthony Laurnoff, one of tne iirst at tne rescue scene, said there was no life in the boys. The coast guard took them aboard and told me they were all dead. ' 17-Hour Search He told United Press by ship-to-shore radio that "no one could have lived through last night on Lake Erie in the open." The tragic discovery brought an end to one of the most in tensive rescue efforts ever made in this part of the lake. For 17 hours, military planes and ships had searched the choppy waters for the youths In their tiny craft. The boys, all belonging to a Boy scout troop in suburban Eu clid, were whipped out into the lake about 6 o'clock last night when they were trying to re trieve a canoe. Had Broken Paddle They had only a broken paddle in the raft to battle the 30-mile wind that swept them offshore, Up to the last minute hopes were high that the youths would be found alive and well. A dozen planes and all avail able coast guard boats had cov ered Lake Erie for miles out of Cleveland since dawn in an ef fort to locate the war-surplus raft. One Week Left for Voters' Registration Only one week remains for unregistered voters to get their names on county poll books. April 18 is the deadline for re gistering for the May primaries. Voters who have failed to vote in the past two years, those who have changed their party, or chanced their names through marriage, and those who have moved from one precinct to another must re-register if they are to vote May 19. The county clerk's office said this morning that the renumber ing of precincts in the county would have no effect on those voters already registered. Refil ing of cards has been handled at the office. PLAY DATE CHANGED Prospect, Apr. 11 The play which Prospect Parent-Teacher association had announced for Friday, April 14, has been post poned until April 21, it was an nounced today. The postpone ment was made necessary by ill ness of a member of the cast, it was stated. Spring Flood In Columbia Portland, Ore., Apr. 11 !U.Rj Possibility of a spring flood of the Columbia river was voiced today by the United States weather bureau in its water sup ply forecast for the Pacific north west. The weather bureau said its forecast for the Columbia river basin Indicated "above normal" .water runoffs. The forecast said damaging high water was poss iolc along the Columbia river and its tributaries above the mouth of the Snake river. Resi dents of the area were warned to take preliminary precautions against flooding, seepages and damage to irrigation works throughout the entire area, par ticularly around Bonners Ferry, Ida., on the Kootenai river: im mediately above Flathead lake on the Flathead river, and near St. Maries. Ida., on the. St. Joe river. Reduce Peak Flow Unusually high temperatures in April and early May would distribute snow melt runoff over a longer period and tend to re duce the peak flow, the bureau said. In it's summary of forecasts up to April 1. the weather bureau said precipitation was much above normal in the Skagit. Rogue, L'mpqua and Klamath basins. Runoff forecast based on The Moral fo This Story Is Just This Don't Cose Your Desk Painters, redecorating lav ral office suites in in court house, caused more than usual confusion in the county exten lion agents' ofiice this morn ing. To protect his effects from dripping paint, one of the agents closed his roll-top desk for the iirst time in about four years. It was not until his telephone, reports, and other urgent papers were safely covered inside that he discov ered that the key to the desk has long been listed among the missing. Persons calling County Agent Rufus Cate should be prepared to wait until he can get to another telephone in an adjoining office. A canvass of competent lock-pickers is to be made. Medford Fruifmen Advocate Changes In Pear Controls Portland, Apr. 1 1 Four Med ford fruit men gave testimony here yesterday at the first of three district hearings called by the department of agriculture to consider proposed amendments to the winter pear marketing agreement ana order. Shelby Tuttle, Medford. man ager of Southern Oregon Sales Inc., chairman of the winter control committee, said that changes in the agreement and order are necessary because of the increased production of win ter pears, and changes in the in dustry and the national econo mic picture since 1939, when the existing market agreement and order went into effect. Costs Rise Tuttle said that costs of pro duction, handling and marketing have risen 55 per cent in the last 11 years, and freight rates have increased 24 per cent. Other Medford men testifying included Robert W. Root, mem ber of the committee; H. B Murphy, pear packer, and Ray mond R. Retcr, grower. Their statements were similar to the one made by Tuttle. R. A. Patterson. Portland, man ager of the committee, said that improved insecticides and better production methods are chiefly responsible for increased produc tion, amounting to more than 1,500,000 boxes In the three western states during the past five years. Propose Amendments Amendments proposed by the control committee would author ize separate regulations for ex port shinments. and permit the establishment of minimum stand ards of quality. They also would change the method of committee voting on recommendations, authorize the group to perform duties not now permitted, and would allow it to make other changes designed to facilitate ad ministration of the pear control program. Ulen J. Gilford, department of agriculture specialist from Washington, D.C., presided at the meeting. Postmaster Issues Chain Letter Warning Acting Postmaster Moore Hamilton today reminded post office patrons that the mailing of chain letters is distinctly against the law. Any person found guilty of mailing one, he said, is subject to a severe penalty. Hamilton said that one cur rently popular chain letter in volves a fictitious airline, and pertains to "generals who receiv ed so much money." Anyone receiving one of the chain letters is asked to turn it over to the post office here so that it can be forwarded to the postal inspection service. Possibility River Voiced assumption of near normal pre- cipitation through the end of the water year range from slightly below normal in the Klamath and Rogue basins to above nor mal in the Umpqua and Skagit basins. Parts of the Columbia basin had more than 200 per cent of normal precipitation, particu larly in portions of the Spokane and lower Pend Oreille basins, the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon and a large part of southern Idaho. The only areas in the United States portion of the basin with less than normal precipitation were a small area in the Deschutes basin and an area extending from the Grande Ronde basin eastward through the middle Salmon basin into the upper Clark Fork basin. The forecast of water year runoff were for near normal to much above normal runoffs throughout most of the area. Peak spring flow forecasts for the Columbia basin include: Snake river near Clarkston. Wash.. 200.000 cubic feet a sec ond; Columbia river at Trinidad, Wash., 475.000 cfs; and the Col umbia near The Dalles. Ore.. 650.000 cfs. These flows, the weather bureau said, would re sult in peak stages at Portland and Vancouver, Wash., of 23 to 24 feet. Former Communist Editor Subpoenaed By Senate Probers Owen Lattimore To Be Topic of Testimony Washington, Apr. 11 (U.R) Louis F. Budenz, a former com munist editor, was subpoenaed today to tell senate investiga tors next Monday what he knows about Owen Lattimore, Lattimore, a far eastern ex pert and university professor, is charged by Sem Joseph R. Mc- v-artny (K.t wis.) with being communist spy. Budenz was sum moned at McCarthy s request. In Public Session . He will testify in public ses sion under oath and will be fol lowed on the witness stand by Lattimore, if Lattimore requests another hearing. Lattimore al ready has denied McCarthy's al legations under oath. There was no immediate indi cation as to what Budenz, now a Fordham university professor will say in his testimony. Mc Carthy has identified Budenz as the number one witness he previously mentioned in the sen ate. That witness, McCarthy said then, will testify that he knew Lattimore as a communist who was under party "discipli nary" powers. Former Editor Budenz was president and managing editor of the commu nist newspaper. The Daily Work er, from 1940 to 1945. In that year he renounced communism and rejoined the Catholic hcurch Budenz, repeatedly questioned in New York regarding his pros pective role in the case, has de clined all comment. Sen. Millard E. Tydings (D. Md.) said that Lattimore s re quest to cross-examine Budenz has been rejected. He said there has been "no change in commit tee policy" in that regard. Southern Oregon City Officials To Gather Wednesday Medford city officials today were completing arrangements for a League of Oregon Cities regional dinner meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Medford hotel. Mayor Diamond Flynn an nounced the appointment of City Councilman Dwight Hough ton and City Superintendent Vernon Thorpe to a reception The Medford delegation at the session will include the mayor, councilmen, water superintend ent and board of water commis sioners, and the city superin tendent, engineer and building inspector. Members of the coun ty court will attend. To Discuss Problems An exchange of idcase and ex periences on mutual problems will be afforded by the meeting. Budgets, improvement planning and proposed state legislation are among anticipated topics but much of the discussion will de pend upon what problems vari ous city delegations present. The cities of Ashland. Butte Falls, Cave Junction, Central Point, Eagle Point, Gold Hill. Grants Pass. Jacksonville, Phoe nix, Rogue River and Talent are expected to have representa tives here in addition to Med ford. Kansas Governor Pressed for Probe Kansas City. Mo., Apr. 11 (U.R) The city council and a re publican spokesman put pressure today on Democratic Gov. For rest Smith to launch a thorough investigation of law enforce ment here, as a result of the murders of Charles Binaggio and Charles Garotta. While police continued ineir routine inquiry by questioning underworld characters, Murray Thompson, defeated by Smith, who had tne support or uinag gio's 30,000 North End votes here, in the 1948 state election, demanded Smith fire the local police board. Then the city council unani mously adopted a resolution ask ing Smith to conduct forthwith "a thorough Investigation of law enforcement by the police de partment of Kansas City." Blaze Destroys Home In Upper Applegafe Jacksonville. Apr. 11 A fire yesterday destroyed the home and most of the belongings of Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Childcrs and family in the Upper Applegate community near McKee bridge. The property was not insured, according to reports. The fire was discovered by Carmen Evans who was in the home with several children. He saw the blaze spreading over the roof of the home but was unable to extinguish it. The house was owned by Mrs. Flossie Meyers. The Childcrs family will live with Mr. and Mrs. Ora Phillips HutU a new horn it found. , Un'Sn9 isyss 4 KIWANIANS AWARD EGG HUNT PRIZES A portion of the throng which turned out for the Kiwanis Easter egg hunt last Saturday is pictured crowding about the truck where prizes were awarded to finders of lucky eggs. E. Ron Rice (wearing overcoat), master of ceremonies, is shown on the truck, microphone in hand. Leaning forward in front of him is Tom Shcpard, egg hunt chair man. Karen Ballancc, 32 Eastwood drive, won the grand prize, a stuffed rabbit almost as big as she is. The hunt was held at the high school baseball field. It attracted more than 1,000 youngsters who were accompanied to the field by several hundred parents and older brothers and sisters. (Braincrd photo). Kogap Withdraws Request for Preliminary Attorney Frank J. Van Dyke, representing Kogap Lumber in dustries, yesterday withdrew the firm's request for a preliminary injunction against the Medford Building and Construction Trades council and others to prohibit them from picketing the Kogap plant on the south Pacific high way. Appearing before Circuit Judge Orval Millard, Grants Pass, Van Dyke said he was withdraw ing the request because the "de fendants are no longer picketing plaintiff's premises with the charge that plaintiff and Its em ployees are 'Unfair to Medford Building and Construction Trades council'." Present signs carried by pick ets are to the effect that construc tion workers at the plant are not members of construction unions and are not paid union scales. 1 ne firm continued its request for a permanent injunction and for alleged damages amounting to $100,000. Van Dyke's state Explosion Rocks Norwegian Freighter New York, Apr. 11 (U.R) A Norwegian freighter was rocked by an explosion 680 miles south east of St. Johns Newfoundland today and her crew of approxim ately 30 men went into life boats. One coast guard cutter and a number of merchant ships raced to the scene within minutes after the 5,113 ton "Geisha flashed word of its plight by radio. its sua said: "Explosion on board. Need help. We are going into the life boats." The SOS was received at 12:35 p.m. (EST). The freighter had a crew of approximately 30 men on board. The cutter Ingham, which yes terday went to the rescue of the burning freighter American Producer was ordered to the scene. Highway Priorities To Be Discussed Tomorrow Boards of directors and high way committee members of the Ashland. Jackson County and Grants Pass and Josephine Coun ty Chambers of Commerce will hold a joint meeting here tomor row beginning at 7 p.m. at the Rogue Valley country club. Prin cipal topic of discussion will be relative priorities given to sev eral highway improvement pro jects needed in the areas repre sented by the three chambers. Navy Reservists Set Meeting Wednesday Medford s naval reserve com posite unit 13-11 will meet at 8 p.m. Wednesday in the Federal office building, 33 North River side avenue, according to Lt. R. William Clark, commanding of ficer. It will be open to all ex members of the naval service. Processes of activation of the "moth-ball" fleet will be the sub ject. Washington, Apr. II (U.R) Senate democratic leaders voted unanimously today to set up a special live-man committee to conduct broad-gauge investiga tion of Interstate crime. Picket Injunction ment said the plaintiff's with drawal of the injunction request is "subject to its right to renew this request . . ." Attorneys B. A. Green and Donald S. Richardson, of the Portland law firm of Green Landye and Richardson, repre sented the union'council, its af filiated unions and individuals named in the original complaint. As yesterday's hearing was for the purpose of hearing argu ments regarding the preliminary injunction, additional proceed- Retrenchment Period Predicted for Mining St. Louis. Apr. 11 (U.R) James Boyd, director of the U. a. Bureau of Mines, today predict ed a "period of retrenchment" for the mining industry. Speaking before the American Zinc institute on the future of the metal mining industry, he said long-range prospects are good but he could not "present too optimistic a picture" for the next few years. He said three factors saturat ed domestic markets, lowered demands abroad, and the end of stockpiling combined to place the industry in a bad spot. Some mine operators "may get out of business," he said, be cause they may be unable to stand higher costs. He said that from a long-range point of view "one need not be pessimistic about the future of the mining industry." Loss of Bridges' Citizenship Asked San Francisco Apr. 11 4J.R! The United States government today demanded that CIO Long shore Leader Harry Bridges be stripped of his American citizen ship for lying about his commu nist party membership at his 1945 naturalization hearing. The government's demand was contained in a revocation order submitted to Federal Judge George B. Harris this morning, less than 24 hours after the Australian-born union chief was sen tenced to five years In nrison for neriury and conspiracy. The court however, ordered the matter continued until May 9 for "mature consideration." The action, initiated by U. S. Attorney .Robert B. McMillan was Immediately protested by Defense Attorney Vincent Halli nan. who claimed the move was coupled with his client's convic tion and should be held in abey ance until a final ruling is made on the conviction by higher courts. City Budget Group To Meet Thursday Mcdford's city budget commit tee will hold a preliminary meet ing on Thuridav at 7:311 p.m. at the city hall, J. R. Woodford, city recorder and budget officer, reported. The group, made un of coun cil and citizen members, will elect a chairman and secretary. Woodford said that it import ant that all committee members attend. It will not be. a public meeting. 4 ings were delayed pending the filing of an answer to the com plaint by the unions. H was in dicated that Green and Richard son would file a demurrer and a motion with Judge Millard, and then would have 15 days to pre- wra a bnci in support oi both. Time for Rebuttal Plaintiffs (hen will have 15 days for an answer to the brief, and defendants will then have an additional 10 dHys for rebuttal. As a result, oral hearings on the case will probably not be held for more than a month. The original dispute arose out of Kogap's employment of pro duction workers on construction jobs during slack seasons. The unions demanded that these em ployees join unions affiliated with the construction council. and Kogap refused on the grounds that it could not legally agree to the demands. The complaint was brought under provisions of the federal labor management relations act of 1947 (Taft-Hartley law) in asmuch as Kogap contends that some 90 per cent of its produc tion goes into interstate com merce. Oregon Hospitals May Raise Rates Portland, Ore., Apr. 11 (U.R) Hospitals throughout Oregon may have to raise daily rates as much as $1.50, effective about July 1. Ralph Nelson, chairman of the Portland council of hospitals, said today that proposed wage increases for professional and non-professional workers in hos pitals will leave the various in stitutions with cost increases that must be met. Although no finpl decision has been reached, the Hospital asso ciation and the Nurses' associa tion have agreed to Increase the salary of nurses in Oregon hos pitals from about $1.10 an hour to $1.21 an hour, with compara ble increases of about 10 per cent for all hospital employes. Nelson said the Oregon Hospi tal association and the Oregon State Nurses association pro posed the effective dote of July 1 for increases from $190 to $210 a month for a 40-hour week. Salem, Forest Grove On Daylight Saying By United Pran Salrm and Forest Grove Mon day night adopted daylight sav ing time for the summer, leaving Albany as the only major Ore gon population center west of the Cascades still to make the lime decision. Alderman O'llora registered the onlv nceative vote when Salem's eity council volod 8 to 1 for the time switch, effective as elsewhere from April 30 through September 24. O'llora said sim ply that he didn't believe in day light saving time. Forest Grove's city council also took formal action to bring the eity Into line with other communities in the area. Albany is expected to take similar action, nut its city coun cil has slated Wednesday for its meeting on the matter. mm mm RUSSIA REPORTS SHOT EXCHANGE Moscow, Apr. 11 (UP) An American bomber and Russian fighter planes fought in the skies over the Soviet Union Saturday, the Russian government said today. Russia filed an angry protest to the United States against this "gross violation of the Soviet frontier." It said a United States Superfortress was intercepted by Soviet fighters 13 miles inside the Soviet republic of Latvia. When the fighters ordered the bomber to land, the note said, the American B-29 opened fire on them. The leading fighter returned the fire and the B-29 flew out over the Baltic sea, it said. (In Washington the air force said it "has no knowledge of such an incident.") 1 he Russian note did planes was hit. Navy Privateer Missing With 10 Crewmen Aboard (U. S. air force headquarters in Wicsbadenj Germany, said the only American plane in the Bal tic area at the time was a U. 5. navy Privateer, which has been missing since Saturday with 10 crew members aboard. A spokes man said the Privateer easily could have been mistaken for a B-29 in the air. (However, he said the Priva teer was unarmed except for a uistol carried by the pilot. A crew member who was left be hind on the Privateer's last flight said the gun barrels of me plane naa Dcen nismounica. (The Russians said the incident occurred about 5:39 p. m. Sat urday or about S'i hours af ter the Privateer last was heard from.) Vishinsky Carries Note Foreign Minister Andrei Vish insky personally handed a formal note of "resolute protest" against the incident to U. S. Am bassador Alan u. Kirk at tne Kremlin. The note denounced the inci dent as "a gross violation of the Soviet frontier" and "an un heard of violation of the ele mentary rules of international law. Kirk said he had no comment at the moment. He said he would send all information to Washing ton. Exchange Follows Order The note said the B-29 first was sighted south of Lepaya, a Lat vian port eity across the Baltic from Sweden. Soviet fighters took off from a nearby airdrome and demanded that the B-29 fol low them to the airport and land, the note said. An exchange of maehlnc-gun fire was said to have followed. Radio Moscow reported the nrolest note said in part: "The plane penetrated the ter ritory of the Soviet Union a dis tance of 21 kilometers (13 miles). Plane Disappears "Owing to the fact that the American plane continued to nenctrate into Soviet territory, a flight of Soviet fighters took off from a nearby airdrome and demanded that the American iIhiic follow il and land at the airdrome. ' "The American plane not only fniled to comply with this de mand, but opened fire on the So viet planes. "Owing to this, an advance Soviet fighter was forced to open fire in reply, alter wnicn the American plane turned toward the sea and disappeared." Game Commission Charged With Public Fund Misuse Portland Ore. Apr. 11 (U.R) State Game Master Morton Tompkins has accused the Ore gon state game commission wun misuse of public funds. The charge was printed in the early April Issue of the semi monthly Grange bulletin, lomp kins asserted that the game com mission was "getting out of its field" by using its own bulletin to "attack" the plan a reclama tion project proposed for the up per Rogue River basin. Project Endorsed ToniDklns pointed out that the commission's March bulletin con tained the article written by Cole Rivers, field agent for the com mission in the Rogue river dis trict, and was mailed at state expense, free of charge, to any one asking to be placed on the mailing list. The State Grange has indorsed the Rogue river project at its last two state conventions. "The game commission is mora not say whether any of the Grants Pass Man To Head Knights Templar of State Eugene H. Tardy. Grants Pasi. was selected and installed as grand commander of the Grand Commandcry of Knights Tem plar of Oregon masons at the conclave of the order here yes terday. He succeeds John A. Ncwbold,. Portland. The knights also acted on leg. Islatlon pertaining to the com mandcry yesterday, and heard an address by William C. Gor don of Missouri, deputy grand master of the Grand Encamp ment of the United States. The annual banquet and ball of the order were held last night. umcers named Other officers nnmpH wph Lyman C. Palmer. Eugene, dep uty grand commander; Herbert C. Staples, Bend, grand general, issimo; Harold P. Davidson, Port land, grand senior warden: M. Patrick Dunn, Ashland, grand, junior warden: Albert H. Trego, i-oniana, treasurer (reelected); Richard T. Tusant, Portland, grand recorder (reelected): George F. Ostrom, Astoria, grand standard bearer: Edwin M. Hazelwood, Portland, grand sword bearer: Earl W. Froebe. The Dalles, grand warden, and the Rev. W. A. McArthur. Rose- burg, grand prelate. the annual state meeting of the second York Rite body began this morning when the Grand Council of Royal and Select Mas ters convened in the Masonic temple. They were to hear an address by General Grand Mas ter John M. Littleficld of Mama who is paying his official visit to the Oregon body today. Med ford will confer the super excel lent degree for the council to night. The last of three meetings, that of Royal Arch Masons, will begin tomorrow. Phoenix May Festival Committee To Meet Phoenix, Apr. 11 O. E. Fraizer, coordinator of the Phoe nix May festival, wishes all com mittees to meet at the Grange hall on Wednesday, April 12, at 8 p.m. There are many plans plans and announcements to be marie on what has been done, he said. than a little presumptuous In at tacking this project in view of the action of the 1949 legisla ture," Tompkins said. "To do it through the game commission bulletin, which is printed and distributed at public expense, il clearly a misuse of public funds." Balloting Underway The legislature passed an en abling act to allow the bureau of reclamation to build a mul tiple purpose dam in the upper reaches of the Rogue river, about 142 miles upstream from the river's mouth. Meantime, the Grange an nounced that balloting is under way in subordinate Granges throughout the state for State Grange offices, including that of Grange master. Tompkins, of Dayton, and Elmer McClure, Miiwauklo, are running for the top post. Clarence Carter, La Grande, and William G. Howes, Medford, are contesting the State Grange overseer's post 1
