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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (May 12, 1950)
WEATHER FORECAST: Filrt and mild through Saturday with after noon thundarihoweri In high er mountain!. Temp. Hlfihfit Yeiterday 85 Lowest thii Morning .,...... AO Gunmen Escape After Slugging 3 Brink's Guards $15,000 Payroll Taken In Morning Robbery Thompsonville, Conn., May 12 (U.R) Four gunmen wearing air raid warden masks slugged three armed guards of Brinks, Inc., early today and escaped with a $15,000 factory payroll. The robbery was staged about 100 miles from the scene of the SI. 500,000 holdup of Brink's Bos ton headquarters January 17. Boston detectives scoffed at the idea that it might be the same gang's work. Crew Ambushed The bandits crept into the fac tory of the Bigelow-Sanford Car pet company before dawn and ambushed the Brink's armored car crew when it arrived at 5:05 .a.m. with the payroll for 300 night shift workers. Another Brink s crew was scheduled to arrive later in the day from Springfield, Mass., with some $150,000 more for super visory employees and workers on the other two shifts. State police established road blocks throughout northern Con necticut and an alarm was is sued for a Massachusetts-regis tered automobile seen in the vi cinity of the factory which is within two miles of the state bor der. Police surrounded the factory in belief the bandits were trapp ed inside, but later abandoned the project when it appeared the gunmen had fled over a fence. Head Injuries Suffered John Truhell, Orville Latin ville and Joseph Flowers, the three Brinks guards who were to have paid off the night shift at 6 a.m., suffered minor head in juries when they were slugged with the revolver butts of the bandits. All three were hospitalized at Wesson Memorial hospital in Springfield. Physicians said none was hurt seriously and that all three would be discharged dur ing the day. Truhell said the four bandits swarmed into a small office after the guards within a few seconds after the Brink s men carried the payroll into the room. The mon ey, contained in individual pay envelopes was in metal boxes. "I looked up and just about that time I was hit by some thing," Truhell said. "I fell to the floor. When I came to, my hands and feet were tied. It must have been done in a hurry be cause it didn't take me long to wriggle out of the ropes." Leaving Latinville and Flow ers, who were bound but con sciout, Truhell ran to the fac tory guardhouse and informed the two company security offi cers of the robbery. Last Equalization Board Meet Saturday Tomorrow morning will be the final opportunity this year for discontented taxpayers to protest, officially, if they feel the assessed valuation on their property is too high. The countv board of equaliza tion will meet at 11 a. m. (DST) Saturday for the last time. Al ready they have heard more complaints from taxpayers than in many years in the past. The meetings of the board are nor mally attended only by members of the board, but this year the taxpayers apparently remem bered last fall's tax dispute when their protests came too late to accomplish much. They were told at that time that the board of equalization was the proper place to lodge complaints and more than 30 have been heard so far this week. There have been fewer written i applications for redress, how ever, since many of the com plaints were based on misunder standing. Budenz Attacked By New Mexico Solon Washington. May 12 U.R1 Sen. Dennis Chavez (D N. M.) attacked Louis F. Budenz today as an ex-bigamist and conspir ator who uses the Catholic church as a "shield" behind which he attacks the American wav of life. Budenz is the one-time com munist editor who renounced the party in 1945 and rejoined the Catholic church. He was a star witness for the government in last year's trial of communist leaders in New York, and for Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy in the current senate investigation of communists. In a senate speech. Chavez charged that Budenz is using his conversion from communism to spread doctrines of hatred. He called him "the fanatic enemy of the normal and accepted forms of our free society." Monte Carlo. May 12 (U.R) The principality of Monaco out lawed its branch of the French communist party today. Police seized the party's files and board ed up its headquarters. Los Angeles, May 12 'U.R) Joseph Smith Duncan, prom inent Chicago youth worker and inventor of the addreuograph, died her yesterday. Medford 45th Year. 20 Pages r sal MUX -Spg TRAINS CANCELED Gateman Stewart Cantrell chalks in a sign reading "All New York Central trains canceled on account of strike" on the bulletin board of the Union Terminal in Cleveland O as locomotive firemen and enginemen went on strike against four major railroad systems. Some 100,000 railroadmen are directly affected by the strike and 400,000 employes in other industries could be forced out of work. Warnings Result of Rising Temperatures Portland, Ore., May 12 (U.R) Warmer northwest temperatures this week brought floods, water shortages, and fire warnings into the news today. The U. S. weather bureau said the Snake river at Lewiston Ida., was up .3 of a fool, the Columbia at Vancouver. Wash up .2 of a foot and the Willam ette at Portland up .10 a foot. At Wenatchee, Wash., the Col umbia went up one-tenth of a foot despite a maximum tem perature of 84 degrees yester day. Control Work Underway During the evening the river began rising not from melting snow but because of the re lease of additional water at Grand Coulee dam. Jack Rogers, director of con servation and development in Washington state, said in Olym pia that emergency flood con trol work already was going on in Okanogan county on the Okanogan and Twisp rivers to meet expected spring floods next month. In California, the division of water resources said Shasta dam north of Redding had the most water storage behind it in history. However, a water short age threatened in the San Joa quin valley. Deficiencies of wat er supplies for the fifth consecu tive year were anticipated, de spite scattered April rains over snow pack areas. Near Chchalis. wash., me first major brush fire of the sea-1 son was controlled aiier u burned 10 acres. Ferni Burned In Olympia, State Forester Bernard Orell said the current warm weather was bringing on a rash of fern-burning through out the state. He said me Durn ing hurt the forest industry be- j cause it Killed mousanas oi young seedlings which need the shade of the fern for sun pro tection. Top northwest temperatures yesterday were: Oregon The DallPs 86. Med ford 85. downtown Portland 83 Portland airport. Pendleton, Eu gene. Bend and Redmond 80; Ontario 77, Baker, Klamath Fall and La Grande 76. It was 55 at North Bend. Washington Yakima 86, Kel so 81. Olympia 79, Spokane 76 and Seattle 73. Salem, Ore., May 1 2 (U.R) A serious flood threat faces Co lumbia river areas, particularly Portland and below. Gov. Doug las McKay said today. But army and civilian authorities from the federal to the local level are co ordinating plans to hold any damage to a minimum. Governor McKay said the Co lumbia basin interagency com mittee meeting in Kalispell, Gen. MacArthur Claimed Overstepping Authority Washington, May 12 (U.R) Russia today accused Gen. Doug las MacArthur of overstepping his authority and violating the international war crimes agree ment by creating a parole board to consider clemency for im prisoned Japanese war criminals. In a formal protest delivered to the state department through the Soviet embassy here, the Russians demanded that the United Slates "immediately" take steps to countermand Mac Arthur i action. MEDFORD, OREGON, FRIDAY, MAY 12, f 1 T.I L I Mont., this week was told that flood peak could be expected about June 15. More Snow There is more snow in the Co lumbia basin area, from Montana and Canada to Oregon, than there was two years ago, when disastrous floods destroyed the war-born city of Vanport at the north edge of Portland, McKay said, but experts watching the situation hope the runoff in all areas won't be so simultaneous as it was then. A crest of 25 to 26 feet at Portland is forecast. That would be a couple of feet under the peak that smashed through Van- port, then subsequently washed over Portland Meadows, the Al- derwood Golf club course and finally the Portland airport and adjacent army airport. Ashland Man Reports 'Deputy' Stopped Him Arnold Wilkinson, Ashland. reported that a man who claim ed to be a deputy sheriff stop ped him near Ash i and last night for having no tail light on the pickup he was driving, pulled a gun and also threatened him with a beating, according to in formation given to city police here. It was finally agreed, the re- port sain, mat wiimnson would drive on to a service station to nave ine ngnt iixea. wiwinson and the self-styled "deputy" then drove their respective cars to the Dutch Gus restaurant where the "deputy's" car stop ped. Wilkinson then proceeded. Wilkinson stated that the man who stopped him was small and middle-aged and wore a white shirt and bib overalls. The sheriff's office was in vestigating today. Navy 'Viking' Rocket Goes 706.4 Miles High Washington. May 12 (U.R) A navy "Viking" rocket has roared to a height of 106.4 miles over the Pacific, a new altitude record for American-built rock ets, the navy said today. The rocket was fired yester day from the deck of the Norton Sound, the navy's experimental guided missile ship. It was fired in the vicinity of Christmas island. 'Youth Day' to Open National Security Week Monday; Senator Morse to Speak United States Sen. Wayne Morse will make a principal ad dress in Medford next Monday, in connection with Youth day observances of National Security week. His talk will be at the Medford high school stadium at 2:30 p. m. and will be concerned with national defense. The sen ator is a member of the armed forces committee of the senate. Word Was received today from Brig. Gen. Thomas A. Rilea. Oregon's adjutant general, that a flight of three national guard planes will fly over Medford during the afternoon. The program at the stadium will also-include a flag raising ceremony, mime by bolh junior and senior high school bands and an inspection of the local CAP unit. Frank J. Van Dyke, speak er oi the Oregon bouse oi rep Truman Denounces Taft-Hartley Law In Butte Address Must Erase Statute, President Declares Aboard Truman Train. May 12 (U.R) President Truman today denounced the Taft-Hartley la bor law as "a substantial in fringement of the basic freedom to bargain collectively." Working eastward from the Pacific northwest. Mr. Truman selected Butte, Mont., to blast the labor law which he has used fremientlv tn pnnp with natinn- ! wide strikes, but which he has ! vowed repeatedly to wipe from the nation s statutes. Threatens To Destroy "The Taft-Hartley law hangs over the head of labor, Mr. Tru man said, "threatening to de stroy the gains of 15 years. There it will hang until we are able to replace it with a law that is favorable to management and labor alike." The president said: "That is something we must do not only for the sake of la bor, but for the sake of the whole country. I believe pro foundly that the Taft-Hartley law is a substantial infringement of the basic freedom to bargain collectively. I will not cease to fight for its repeal." Mr. Truman crossed the Idaho Montana border late last night. His train paused for several hours outside Missoula, then went on to Butte. He scheduled nearly a dozen other Montana speeches during the day, includ ing a 20-minute rear platform appearance at Helena. The president confessed disap pointment over the failure of congress to expand social secu rity coverage in closer conform ance with his recommendations. But he said he was confident "that the congress will complete action at this session on legisla tion which will do much to rem edy these shortcomings." The president also stoutly sup ported: ' 1. A modernized unemploy ment insurance program with benefit payments "brought up to date with today's prices." 2. More federally supported housing for middle income fami lies. (Ste story on page 6) Mysterious Submarine Seen Off New Jersey Philadelphia, May 12 (U.R) Thre crew members of an oil tanker sighted a mysterious sub marine about 30 miles off the New Jersey coast, the Philadel phia Inquirer said it learned to day. The newspaper said it was in formed that the periscope, pro truding about seven feet above the water, was sighted from the deck of the Socony-Vacuum oil tanker S.S. Mobligas about 35 miles south of Barnegat light ship. The location is 30 miles off the famous Atlantic City, N. J. beach. Navv sources in Washington said they had no information concerning the incident. They said, however, that U. S. sub marines from the New London, Conn., naval base have been in that general area recently. The tanker was en route from Beaumont, Tex., to Port Socony. Bayonne, N. J., when it passed only 50 yards away from the periscope at about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. Minister Refuses To Confirm Scouts Princeton, Was., May 12 (U.R) The Rev. Walter Strohschein to day stood firm on hii refusal to confirm Boy scouts or Girl scouts in the Lutheran faith. Strohschein s stand has caus ed a split among members of his congregation at at. .lonns church, a member of the Wiscon sin synod of the Lutheran church. All we object to is the re ligious training given in the Scouts," Strohschein said yester day. We believe religious training belongs in the church and in the church alone." resentatives, will Introduce Sen ator Morse. Other events during the day, "kicking off" the security week observances, will Include an eve ning parade and program, ac cording to Capt. William O'Bri en, marine corps reserve, who is community project officer for the week. The parade will be held in the evening and will include at least eight musical and march ing units. Line of march will be from the assembly point on South Riverside avenue to Main street, west on Main to Fir and north on Fir to Sixth. Following the parade an eve ning program, including presen tation of awards to national de fense essay contest winners by Senator Morse, will be held at a reviewing stand on the corner oi Main and Front itreeu. Tribune 1950 NO. 44 5 1 PJ- av ,StJV9S" JW Mme Tetephoto HARB0R1ZED This service garage In Emerson, Manitoba, Canada, is flooded, but not with business. Waist-deep water surrounding the station is part of the flood which haa plagued Southern Manitoba and Northern Minnesota for more than a week. It's hardly the place for cars, but motorboats couldn't ask for a better port Rain Ups Suffering In Flooded Winnipeg. Man.. May 12 (U.R) The worst thing that could hap pen to flooded Winnipeg hap pened today. It rained. Water from the skies length ened the odds against thousands of flood fighters winning their battle to save Canada s fourth city from the Red river. Premier Douglas L. Campbell cried despairingly: "It's the worst thing that could have hap pened. Rain Worst Enemy Campbell sloshed around in knee-high rubber boots, checking Talks Resumed In Rail Dispute Chicago. May 12 (U.R) Fed eral mediators have resumed at tpmpts to end the coast-to-coast railroad strike, It was learned today, in the face of sporadic violence, mounting unemploy ment and Industrial shutdowns. Informed sources said the na tional railway mediation board has resumed mediation efforts broken off shortly after 18,000 locomotive firemen and engine men went on strike against four big rail systems Wednesday. Comment Refuted Spokesmen for the railroads, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen and the mediation board refused to com ment on reports that settlement attempts were underway. "We're in the middle of an ex plosive situation right now and can't say anything." said Lever ett Edwards, mediation board member. The struck Southern railway system announced it is putting 42 passenger trains back into service and that "more than 90 per cent" of them would be manned by firemen who refused their union's order to strike. Surgery Restores Sight for Woman, 115 Washington, May 12 (U.R) The world was bright and pleas ant today to Mrs. Mary Brooks. And food the most pleasant sight of all. Mrs. Brook is 115, and had been blind for perhaps 30 years. She isn't quite sure. But the aged Negro woman'a sight in her right eye has been restored by removal of a catar act at Gallinger hospital. Vision has meant a big chance for Mrs. Brooks.'The doctors say she has improved mentally, is very alert and brightens Im mensely when food is shown to her to identify. Mrs. Brooks, who remembers her father as a slave in Prince Georges county (Md.), was brought to the hospital two months ago by officials of the Little Sisters of the Poor home whore she lived since 1942. A larger parade Is scheduled to be held on Saturday. May 20, Armed Forces day, during the morning. Other exhibits and ex hibitions of weapons and march ing will be given during the week. Further details of Youth day and "Operation High School" will be worked out at a meet ing between sponsors of the ob servance and student body lead ers at 10 a. m. tomorrow at the Medford armory. Medford Post 15, American Legion, will pro vide refreshments for Ihe stu dents attending and represent atives of the Boy and Girl scouts, civil air patrol and student body representatives from Medford, Ashland. Eagle Point. Phoenix, Jacksonville. Gold Hill and Rogue River high schools are scheduled to attend. General News Sports Society Personals Winnipeg the progress of muddy flood wa ters cutting the city into dozens of isolated sections and forcing evacuation of 40,000 persons. "Rain is our worst enemy now," he said. "More rain makes it a diisastcr." A radio announcer told the remaining residents of this pro vincial capital: "God have mer cy on us." Army flood relief officials set up an emergency committee with drastic power to act. thousands of residents still In : their homes prepared to flee the steadily rising torrents which already have inundated 12 square miles of greater Winni peg. The water level was up to 12 feet around scores of homes and flood officials kept warning the "worst was yet to come." Campbell said all the city's power facilities would be closed down If the river rose 2V4 feet higher and weather forecasters said it would. They said the Red would climb another five feet before the crest was reached, probably some time next week. Communist Leader Starts Jail Term Washington, May 12 (U.R) Communist leader Eugene Den nis was put in jail today to serve a one-year sentence for contempt of congress. Dennis' associates in the court room called "So long, Gene" as a bailiff snapped handcuffs on Dennis and led him away. He was taken to cell blocks in the courthouse basement to start one-year sentence for refusing to obey a house un-American activi ties committee subpoena In 1947, Federal Judge David A. Pine overruled two motions that would have delayed Dennis' committal. Defense Attorney Joseph Fo- rer asked that his client be al lowed to stay out of jail until June 27 so he could continue to act in his own defense before the court of appeals in New York. Dennis, general secretary of the U. S. communist party, and 10 other national communist of ficials, were convicted In New York federal court of conspir acy to preach violent overthrow of the government. Their case Is now before the appeals court. Agreement Near on Foreign Aid Bill Washington, May 12 (URI Senate-house conferees pushed toward final agreement today on the administration's $1,100,000, 000 foreign aid bill. Chairman Tom Connally (D., Tex.) of the senate foreign rela tions committee said he hopes a compromise bill can be complet ed today. President Truman sent both houses an urgent plea for speedy action yesterday, saving nromnt approval was needed to strength en the hand of Secretnry of Stale Dean Acheson at the London meeting of foreign ministers. The measure would authorize S2,850,0I)0,000 in third year spending unddr the Marshall plan for European recovery. It also would authorize $221,450,000 In aid for China, Korea and Pales line refugees. Lie Confers With Vishinsky in Moscow Moscow, May 12 (U.R) Trygve Lie. secretary general of the United Nations, talked for B0 minutes today with Foreign Minister Andrei Vishinsky. Lie called on Vishinsky es than a day afler he arrived to discuss east-west differences with Soviet officials Constantine Zinchenkn. as sistant UN secretary general in charge of security council af fairs, went to the Kremlin with Lie ior tbe conference. , Lor o I; A nY 7 OIL PRODUCERS FACE CHARGES IN ANTI-TRUST SUIT West Coast Companies In Government Action Los Angeles, May 12 (UP) The government filed an anti-trust suit today against the seven major west coast oil producers and asked the courts to force them out of the business of retailing gasoline and other petroleum products. In one of the most inclusive anti-trust actions ever filed, the department of justice accused the seven producers and their voluntary conservation committee, through which they limit daily California crude oil production, of setting up a monopoly. Named as defendants were the Standard Oil company of California, the Texas company, Shell Oil company, Tidewater-Associated Oil company, Rich field Oil Corp., General Petroleum Corp. and Union Oil company of California. The eighth defendant was the conservation com mittee of California Oil Foducers, a committee through which the government accused the producers of combining to limit the amount of crude oil pumped daily in California. The civil suit asked the court to require the seven companies to cease selling gasoline and other refined products except for wholesaling their products at vo. fineries and marine terminals. Companies Required To Dispose Of Bulk Of Retail Stations it also demanded that they be required to dispose of the bulk of their retail service stations. It accused them of monopolizing production, transportation, ' refining, and marketing of crude oil and refined producta in the five western states, which it described as a "self-contained area" for the production and refining of petroleum products. Ninety per cent of the petroleum refined in the west alto is consumed in the west, and virtually no petroleum producta are either imported or exported to the area, the suit said. Filing of the comprehensive action against the $3,500,000,000 California oil industry climaxed a two-year investigation conducted by William C. Dixon, west coast head of the anti-trust division for the department of justice. Methods Cited Assistant United States Attorney General Herbert Bergson, head of the anti-trust division, flew to Loi Angeles to direct the filing in person. The suit specified the following methods by which the com panies were alleged to have established a monopoly: 1. Limiting the amount of crude oil independent companies produce through the conservation committee. 2. Coercing independents to adhere to production auotai as signed. f . Refusing to let independents use pipelines on the same terms as were granted to the major producers. 4. Eliminating competition by nurchasing assets of Independent refineries and inducing them to d tmantle. Production Quotas Charged 5. Fixing production quotas of wells owned by Independent refiners so low that they deprived the independent firms of sup plies needed to meet their demand then refusing to sell them ad ditional crude oil. 8. Making reciprocal exchanges of crude oil among them selves, but not with the independents. 7. fleciiiirlng wholesalers and retailers to handle products ot the Individual major companies exclusively. The following public statement was made by Robert L. Mlnck ler, president of General Petroleum Corp., Los Angeles, in response to a suit filed today by the anti-trust division of the department of Justice: "General Petroleum is not part of any monopoly group or conspiracy to restrain trade. We conduct our business in a lawful and honorable manner. "We will resist these untruthful charges against us with all our strength. We will supply our employees and friends with further facts when we have had an opportunity to study the com plaint. . . General Petroleum Corp. produces, manufactures and market petroleum products in the seven western states. Phoenix May Festival To Open Tomorrow Phoenix, Mav 12 Community leaders said today there will be "a constant whirl of entertain ment" in Phoenix Saturday and Sunday, as the annual May res lival of this community gels under way at 11 a.m. tomorrow for two days. Crowning of the Festival queen 'Reunification' of Berlin Big Three Aim London, May 12 (U.R) The Big Three promised tonight to seek the "reunification" of Ber lin through free elections, and accused Russia of still holding large numbers of prisoners from Japan, Germany and other countries. American, British and French foreign ministers announced the first results of their conference here at the end of its second day. They issued two statements after a discussion devoted al most wholly to Germany. They accused Russia of a "grave disregard" for human rights on the German war pris oner Issue. The Soviets last week reDorted lhat all German pris oners had been repatriated. But West German authorities said 1,500,000 still were missing. British Destroyer Seized from Nationals Hongkong, May 1 2 (U.H) The British destroyer Cossack seized the 5B4-ton British steam er Ethel Mollcr from Its Chinese nationalist captors today the second such rescue within two weeks. The Cossack approached the steamer near Amoy, trained hrr guns upon it, and ordered it to proceed to Hongkong. The Aloi- ler was believed to be carrying 150 nationalist troops and two generals. Both ships were ex pected here tomorrow. (The admiralty In London said boarding parly from the Cos sack disarmed the troops, who did not resist). SHlem. Ore.. May 12 (U.R) The military Order of the Purple Heart will hold its state conven tion In Salem, June 4. will take place at 11 a.m. Satur day, when last year's queen will relinquish her crown to the new ruler. Booths and games at the Festival grounds will be open until late Saturday evening. Two dances, old lime and mod ern, will be. featured tomorrow evening. Dedication Sunday High point of the week-end celebration will be the dedica tion of the new community and Youth Center building at 1 p.m. Sunday, when Dr. Elmo Steven son, president of Southern Ore gon college, will speak. The last tabulation of voles for Festival queen before she is finally chosen was made last night. The contest will end to day at 6 p.m. Last night's tabulation showed that Miss Wanda Norton, spon sored by the Phoenix PTA, had moved into le lead with a total of J 0.3 1 1 votes. She moved up from third place, taking over the top spot from Miss Bonnie Terzenbach, sponsored bv the Lions club, who dropped to third place, with 8,668 votes. Second place was being held by Miss Shirley Dudley, spon sored hv the Neighbors of Wood craft Thimble club, who had B.872 votes. Other queen candi dates, their sponsors and their total votes were: Miss Rosalie Klassen, Phoenix Grange, 7.040: Miss Virginia Roberts. Phoenix Garden club, fi.078: Miss Barbara Barlow, Phoenix Youth group, 4.723, and Miss Sally Tripp, Thursday club, 2,002. Rear-View Mirrors Might Have Helped There were two probably embarrassed drivers and an addition to the year's total of odd mishaps hereabouts fol lowing a collision on Cottage street this morning. According to reports filed with city police, cars operated by John M. Lynch, 1805 East Main street, and B. F. Hose man bumped at they were simultaneously backing out of driveways on opposite sides of the street. Police said Utile damage occurred. 5
