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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (April 11, 1952)
MINI ill . ' WEATHER FORECAST: lncrmtnf cloutJI nesi through Saturday. Wide ly scattered ihowera Saturday and Sunday. Ml Id tempera ture!. Lowt tonight 35-3S and high Saturday 0-5. Temp. Higheit Yesterday ... 74 Loweii thU Morning 34 Medford Tribune United Pren Pall Leaietf Wlr Urate prtu .Fa'l Leued wl 47th Year 20 Pages MEDFORD, OREGON, FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 1952 No. 18 lyjiMiyiLiyj it-A JLT Registry Democratic Party Chairman Assails 'GOP Registrars' 'It's a Dirty Trick,' Mrs. Mary Kelly Says Charges that registrars are using undue influence to per suade voters to register as Re publicans were made today by Mrs. Mary G.. Kelly, chairman of the Jackson County Democratic Central committee. Mrs. Kelly said that County Clerk George Carter has ap pointed only Republican regis trars in Medford most of them active organization workers in the Republican party including Mrs. Bereth Hopkins, head of the county Republican organization. Her repeated protests to the county clerk, a Republican, have resulted in no change, she said, and added that she and others in past years have appealed to the clerk for appointment of "walk ing registrars" through some such group as the League of Women Voters. But he has denied the request as making for inefficiency, Mrs. Kelly said. She added, however, that some active Republicans have been named registrars, and have gone to individuals' homes to take their registration. She named specifically Col. Ben Stafford, who is manning a registration booth at Barker's Men's store this week, and Dick House, who, she said, has been taking home registrations. Her demands that Democratic "walking registrars" be appoint ed have been denied, she said. "I don't feel that Mr, Carter ' Is dishonest," she said, "but I do feel they have 'put it over on him' through overwhelming him by desperate partisan enthusi asm. I think he is an unwilling victim of the situation." She said that Republican block workers are "steering" those reg istering to partisan registrars where they are unduly influ enced to register Republican. "I think it's a darned dirty trick," she said. Idea Presented for Money Questionnaires! Washington (U.R) House cor ruption hunters Friday consid ered using financial question naires like those which figured in the double-firing of J. How ard McGrath and Ncwbold Mor ris. The idea was advanced by Rep. Patrick J. Hillings, R-Calif.. as a House Judiciary subcommit tee questioned Morris about his angry feud with McGrath that blasted both men out of the gov ernment. Morris offered a new explana tion Thursday night as to why he was fired. Appearing on the Mutual Broadcasting System's Reporter's Roundup radio pro gram, he said he had seen the axe falling when President Tru man announced he would not seek reelection. Morris said it was "probably a fair supposition" that Mr. Tru man wanted to "escape a pos sible revolt in his own Cabinet" because of Morris' investigative methods. Victoria, B. C. (U.R) Resi dents reported here Friday that "sharp" earth tremors had been frit in areas surrounding the city. No damage was reported. The quake, occurred before 6 a. m. HST's Civil Service Plan For Postmasters Opposed Washington (URi Sen. Wal- Jer F. George said Friday that President Truman's plan to put 21,000 postmasters, customs of ficials and federal marshals under Civil Service would "con centrate more power" in execu tive departments. The Georgia Democrat said he didn't favor the plan "at all" and didn't believe Congress would go along with him. Led Unsuccessful Fight George Ird an unsuccessful fiuht to block the President's re organization of the Internal Revenue Bureau last month. He said tax scandals prompted Con gress to agree to Civil Service in stead of political appointment of revenue collectors. But, he said, no reason has been shown to change the meth-j Influence Charged, Denied CITIZENS IN PIERRE STUNNED BYDISASTER OF SWIRLING WATERS Pierre, S. D. (U.R) The tragic stillness of disaster hung over Pierre. The muddy waters of the Mis souri river boiled waist-deep down its main street and almost one-third of its population was homeless. -Traffic Light Winks An automobile traffic light winked its amber warning down on a street where only boats could travel. Policemen in fish ermen's waders directed the boats shuttling the stunned resi dents around their ruined city. Everywhere was the muted sound of gurgling water. It New York-Bound Airliner Crashes; Ten Persons Dead San Juan, P.R. (U.R) A four engined New York-bound Pan American Airways plane with 69 persons aboard was ditched in the Atlantic off San Juan har bor Friday. Coast Guard ships and planes picked up 23 surviv ors and counted at least 10 dead. The Coast Guard reported that it had picked up five bodies and counted five others in the water. Some Critically Injured Some of the rescued were injured critically and were flown here in amphibian planes. Other Injured persons were brought in by Coast Guard vessels. The plane was ditched in the open sea about five miles north west of the entrance to San Juan harbor. High seas made rescue work difficult. The pilot of the plane was identified by Pan American as Capt. John C. Burns, husband of singer Jane Froman whom he rescued from the ocean after a plane crash off Portugal in 1943. Aidad Singer's Rescue Burns was co-pilot of a plane carrying a USO troupe to Eur ope in 1943. The plane ditched in the water off Lisbon while coming in for a landing. Burns supported the beautiful singer for hours in the water until they were rescued, despite his own severe injuries. Miss Froman was confined to a hospital and a wheel chair for seven years recovering from her multiple injuries and married Burns March 12, 1948. Federal Action Seen In Thefts of Gravel Federal action will be taken against persons who are beliaved to have stolen gravel fiw- gov ernment - owned pits near 'he Military bridge over the Rogue river, it was reported today by Henry Gault of the special serv ices administration. The Federal Bureau of Inves tigation has been called in on the case, Gault said, and while he stated that he could not di vulge further details at this time, he added that prosecution through the federal courts is ex pected soon. od of appointing customs offic ials, postmasters and marshals "except to concentrate power in the executive branch." "Congress should be more re sponsible, rather than less, for appointments," he said. Plans Sent to Congress Mr. Truman sent thiee reor ganization plans to Congress Thursday to eliminate gradually political appointment of first, second and third class postmas ters, U. S. marshals and customs collectors, comptrollers, survey ors and appraisers. All now are named by the President and con firmed by the Senate. Under the President's plan, present officials would serve until their terms expire. Replace ments then would be chosen through civil service. poured through broken win dows, through smashed doors, soaked into furniture, ruined merchandise. The air was loaded with the smell of rotting sandbags, spoil ed food and spilled gasoline. River Rushes Southward Along the west border of the city, the raging river itself rushed southward, carrying de struction with it into Iowa and Nebraska. On the opposite side, the city of Ft. Pierre was "wiped out." Some houses were chimney- deep in water. Only three city blocks remained dry. Refugees were living as many as 20 to a house in those few homes that remained dry. The two cities counted more than 2.400 persons whose homes were uqliveable. "The people are dazed," said Dr. Carmen H. Sutley, a Ft Pierre dentist. Great Courage Shown "They have shown great cour age, but they are now so tired and nervous that it will be sev eral weeks before they are ad justed to their great loss." Residents looked at the river gauge which showed the level to be 24.8 feet about 9 feet inches above flood stage. Mrs. Clarence Paulsen, who ordinarily lives on a ranch 30 mile west of Ft. Pierre, came to town to get away from the bliz zards which pounded the area only a few weeks ago. She was caught in the flood. Ed Mullally, a Pierre mer chant, said, "it's one of those things; it's like a bad dream. It couldn't happen here but it did v"We were set for 7V4 feet above flood stage, but when it came up another 2Vi feet we were swamped, just swamped The crest of the worst flood in 71 years passed at just under 25 feet. Sioux City, la., braced for a 24-foot river level 5 feet above flood stage and 18 inches above the tragic height of 22.5 feet set in 1881. The crest was due next Monday or Tuesday. (See Story on Page 4) 20 Kansas Delegates Handed to Eisenhower Topeka, Kan. (U.R) Kan sas Republicans have handed home-state boy Gen. Dwight D, Eisenhower proof of their sup port 20 of the state's 22 dele gates to the GOP national con vention. Jubilant Ike-for-President di rectors in Kansas even predict ed they would win over the two delegates who went -to Sen. Robert A. Taft before presiden tial nominating time. The addition of 20 Kansas delegates to the Eisenhower camp brought to 80 the num ber of presidential convention votes pledged to the NATO su preme commander. The Kansas delegation which was completed at state Repub lican convention Thursday tech nically is uninstructed. But mem bers' sympathies were well known and 20 of them were sol idly for Ike. Light Patrol Clashes Mark Action in Korea Seoul, Korea (U.R) Light pa trol clashes in rain and fog marked Good Friday's ground action on the Korean battlefront. A UN patrol early Friday charged up a Communist-held hill west of Yonchon,' killing four of the enemy and wound ing five others. Then the patrol withdrew under a furious mor tar attack by the Communists. BULLETIN Washington (U.R) Sleel wage negotiations recessed Friday until Monday with the wage-price deadlock apparent ly still unbroken. Representa tives of the CIO Steelworkers' union and management re fused to comment on the talks which have been under way since President Truman seis ed the steel industry Wednesday. Favoritism Denied By County Clerk; Reports Said False No Affiliation Questions Asked County Clerk George Carter today heatedly denied charges by the head of the county's Dem ocratic party, Mrs. Mary G. Kelly, that he had shown favor itism in appointing registrars. He .also said he had checked on reports that individuals were being registered in their homes, and found that the charges w re untrue; except in one or two isolated cases where shut-ins were registered as permitted by law. No Influence Used Carter stated that he had checked with both Col. Ben Staf ford and with Dick House re garding Mrs. Kelly's charges, and both had assured him they were not using undue influence to persuade voters to register Republican in fact they had made no efforts at all to suggest with which party the voter should register. Carter, in appointing regis trars, has in all cases told them that it is a violation of law "even to suggest" what party to regis ter with, he said. As a matter of fact, he added, he has never asked anyone his political affil iation when appointing him a registrar. "Had Little Joke" "Two years ago," he said, appointed a woman as registrar at the request of Mary Kelly. I did not ask to which party she belonged. But afterwards,, the. womaribld me she had a little joke on Mary Kelly, because she was a registered Republican Carter said. "I like Mary Kelly," Carter stated, "but I haven't done one single thing for the Republicans that I wouldn't have done for the Democrats. Now she comes in at the tail end of things with a list of proposed registrars, when we have more registrars than we've ever had before. "There's not a word of truth in her charges," he concluded. Easter Egg Hunt Prizes Increased ' Chairman E. K. Peterson; to day announced an increase in the number of major prizes that will be offered in the ..annual Medford Kiwanis Easter egg hunt which Is scheduled for 9 a.m. at Hawthorne park tomor row, "rain or shine." He said that there will be 24 major prizes, including a grand prize and first, second and third prizes, for a boy and a girl in each age group, in addition to 270 minor prizes. Youngsters of Medford and vicinity, ages 1 to 3, 4 to 6. and 7 to 9, will hunt in three roped-off areas. Special help is planned for toddlers un able to find eggs. Concerning the mystery "su per grand prize, Peterson said that the object involved may prove difficult to find and may take days to locate, but all boys and girls in Jackson county 15 years of age or under are eligible to participate for this special prize. Legal Eagle Doubts Legality of Wedding Of Abner, Daisy Mae Olympia 'U.R) Leave it is the legal mind to think of things like thin Lyle Werson, bachelor as sistant attorney general, lays he seriously doubts the legal ity of the comic strip marriage of Lil' Abner and Daily Mae. "I know doggoned well he didn't have a marriage li cense." SOLDIER RETURNS The United Press said today that Sgt. Phil H. Blood. Med ford, Ore., was one of 1.432 oth er passengers aboard the Navy transport USS Antolak which landed In Seattle today from Korea. No one by that name is listed in city directories in Med ford, and the sergeant is not re lated to the only fan'ily named Blood In the Mediord telephone directory. Pattern Provided For Settlement of Telephone Dispute Michigan Company, Union in Agreement Detroit (U.R) Michigan Bell Telephone company and the CIO Communications Workers announced "basic agreement" on a 12.7 cent hourly pay in crease Friday to end a five-day strike, providing the pattern for settlement of the nation-wide telephone dispute. Official announcement of the strike's end in Michigan was de layed until the new contract, covering 18,000 workers, was formally written and signed. Key to Dispute The Michigan Bell negotiations are believed to hold the key to the nationwide telephone dis pute, involving 15,000 Western Electric employees and Bell workers in Michigan, Ohio, Northern California, New Jer sey and Nevada. It was the first break in the communications tie-up that came at a time when telephone serv ice already was overburdened by the nation-wide walkout of Western Union telegraphers. Cyrus Ching, chief of the Fed eral Mediation service, consid ered the Michigan talks so im portant that he sent his ace me diator, E. Marvin Sconyers, here to try to effect a settlement. The CWA's top negotiator, Vice President A. T. Jones, directed the union s bargaining. Strike Will Be Over Walter Schaar, district CWA director for Michigan and Ohio, said "the strike will be over as soon as we get the word out after official agreement is reach ed." Sources at the negotiations believed picketing in Michigan would end at midnight. Western Electric strike lead ers refused comment on the De troit developments. But negoti ators for the two CIO Commu nication Workers districts repre senting the telephone installers and distributors were understood to consider the 12.7 cent for mula unacceptable. Officials of Ohio Bell and CWA there dneied that the De troit talks provided the key to settlement there. However, Schaar directs union affairs for both Michigan and Ohio. Washington (U.R) Federal Mediator J. R. Mandelbaum met with President Adolph Brungs of the AFL Commrecial Teleg raphers' union again Friday but there was no sign of a break in the strike of 30,000 Western Union employees. Allies Prepared To Prolong Truce Talks Panmunjom, Korea (U.R) The United Nations said that it is prepared to prolong armistice I negotiations through another summer and winter rather than accept Russia as a "neutral" truce inspector. A UN spokesman told news men after a 90-second meeting between Allied and Communist negotiators that the UN stand against the Reds isirrevocable." "It's going to be a hot summer and a cold winter if they're go ing to try to outwait us, the spokesman said. Friday's meeting was the shortest on record. The Reds read a statement of only 60 words. It reiterated that Russia must be on the neutral six-nation inspection team and reserved the right to reconstruct military air fields during an armistice. Blood Donors Sought For Next Visit Here An appeal for blood donors for the visit of the mobile collection unit here next week was issued today by those in charge of the American Red Cross collection program in Jackson county. . They said that the response to the request for donors has been slow. A goal of 250 has been set. The blood collection unit will be at the Elks temple from 1 to 5 p. m. Tuesday and 10 a. m. to 2 p. m. Wednesday. Appoint ments may be made by telephon ing 3-3813. Members of the Osteopathic association reportedly will go in a group to give blood. ' Dishman. Wash. (U.R) Mrs. Sarah R. Freeli, 66, died from burns Thursday night af ter she fainted snd i M into a bonfire it her Spokane valley home. GEN. DWlGHT Resignation as Sen. Kefauver Visits Portland in Portland (U.R) Sen. Estes Kefauver, D-Tenn., hit the cam paign trail again Friday, flying on to Boise, Ida., for more con ferences with his western sup porters. Before leaving Portland at 10:30 a.m., PST, the presidential hopeful announced he was leav ing behind Judge Weldon White of Nashville, Tenn., to set up Oregon campaign headquarters. Judge White is assistant national campaign director for Kefauver, Opens New Theater Kefauver completed his visit here with an official part In opening of a new newsreel thea ter and said he would return about May 10 to "cover the state of Oregon" in his quest for the 'state's 12 delegates to the Demo cratic national convention. In ah address last night before about 800 persons, Kefauver said he favored federal programs for the development of the country's natural resources. Heritage of People "Our natural resources are a heritage of all our people," the democratic presidential nomina tion aspirant said. "We hear much these days from the spokesmen of 'big interests' of the dangers from 'creeping socialism'," he said. Tentative Date Set For Budget Session First meeting of the Jackson county budget committee has been tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, April 15, County Judge J. B. Coleman said today. The committee, which includes Tom Wray, Medford; Roger Rath, Ashland, and Arnold Bohnert, Central Point, will meet with the county court to discuss some 40 departmental estimates of funds needed for the next fiscal year. Budgets will also receive the attention it residents of rural school districts on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 15 and 16. Public hearings have been slat ed on those days on final budgets for all county school districts except those in the Medford, Central Point and Ashland dis tricts, which are first class dis tricts and not under rural school board Jurisdiction. Rain Showers Seen For. Easier Week-End Widely scattered showers are foreseen for Medford and vicinity on Easier Sunday, the weather bvreau office here re ported today. Mild tempera tures are forecast. By UNITED PRESS A forecast of showers damp ened hopes r.f a sunny Easter weekend for Pacific Northwest residents Friday. The weathen bureau said the Gulf of Alaska was "filled up" with another storm system, with the "front" expected to move into the region Saturday. General showery conditions were forecast west of the Cas cades for Saturday with a few mountain showers in eastern portions. The Easter Sunday outlook was for cooler air, clouds and a few showers. Salem (U.R) The legisla tive tax interim and fiscal re vision commi'.teo will meet here Monday at 10 a.m., Sen'. Eu gene E. M -r.sh , f McMinnville, chairman, said Friday. D. EiSENriOWER NATO Head Told Campaign "But I say to you unequivocally that if by 'creeping socialism' our opponents mean the Bonne ville project, full development of the Columbia river, TV A, rural electrification and other Democratic programs along this line, then the danger we must watch out for is not 'creeping socialism' but' 'insidious reac tion' cloaked in soft words and high-paid advertising." Part of Social Gains He declared his party's natural resources program was just part of the social gains the nation can realize, adding that the gains already made must be ex tended. "We' must find some way to improve the national health. We, must enlarge federal aid to edu cation so that every citizen has an equal opportunity to equip himself for a useful and profit able life." Registration Pace Continues Rapid Registration of voters contin ues at a near-record pace with only four days remaining before the April 15 deadline, the coun ty clerk's office reported today. In addition, they stated that large numbers of persons are changing registrations this week is about the same as last week when there were 499 new regis trations and about an equal num ber of changes. The next exact computation of total registration by parties will not be made un til after the Tuesday deadline, they stated. A deputy clerk will be on duty at the main Medford fire station, Front and Third streets, between noon and 5 p. m. Satur day to accept registrations from any persons outside Medford wishing to register. The clerk's office will be closed Saturday afternoon and other registrars In the city are able to accept registrations from Medford pre cincts only. TAX DEADLINE NEAR State income tax officials to day reminded that Tuesday, April 15, is the deadline for fil ing state income tax returns. Representatives of the Oregon tax commission will be' in the first floor of the county court house on April 14 and 15 to aid in preparation of returns. Russ War Threat Warning Doesn't Inspire Big Three Washington (U.R) Officials said Friday Russia's warning that 'ncorporation of German troops in the Atlantic Pact Army could "engulf Europe in a third world war" failed to inspire any enthusiasm for a Big Four con ference .on German peace treaty The Kremlin, in a note given to American, British and French envoys in Moscow on Wednes day, said Germany should be allowed to build its own army rather than "create in West Ger many hireling troops . . . headed bv Fascist-Hitlerite generals . . ." Note Calls for Talks Aiming directly at inclusion of West German troops in the Allied European Army, Russia called for prohibition of Ger man participation in any "group of powers directed against any kind of peace-loving state." The 1.000-word Russian note was made public by the State Department Thursday night It General Requests Relief From Duty On First of June Early Return to States Expected Washington (U.R) The White House has announced that Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower had asked to be relieved June 1 as supreme commander of the Allied power in Europe. Eisenhower sent a request dated April 2 to Secretary of Defense Robert A. Lovett, ask ing that he be relieved by June 1 and placed on inactive status upon his return to the United States. Return Date Not Told The general, however, did not give the date when he expects to return to this country and take an active hand in his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination. Presumably he would return in earty June, The White House announce ment at noon Friday was made on the day and hour selected by Eisenhower. Successor Not Made White House Press Secretary Joseph Short said President Tru man is not yet ready to announce the selection of a successor. "I don't know how long that will take," Short said. The White House disclosed that on April 10 Lovett, acting with the approval of the Presi dent, sent this brief reply to Eisenhower: "Dear General Eisenhower: ' "In accordance with your re quest contained in your letter of 2 April and with the approval of the President, I am taking ap propriate action to secure your release from assignment as su preme commander. Allied pow ers Europe, effective 1 June, and have you placed on inactive status upon your return to the United States." Ample Time Left Eisenhower in his letter to Lovett. said his request for re lief conformed with an under standing he had when he ac cepted the original appointment in Europe, in December, 1950. He said the June 1 relief date would leave "ample time for the appointment of a successor and , for any preparation and counsel that he may desire from me." Eisenhower stated that he felt the specific purposes for which he was recalled to duty in 1950 and sent to Europe had been "largely accomplished." Paris (U.R) Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower will announce Satur day his plans to return to the United States, his headquarters said Friday after the White House announced his resigna tion. Eisenhower knew the an nouncement would be made but declined to make any comment before Saturday's press conference. Indian Land Office Employees Suspended Washington (U.R) Secretary of Interior Oscar L. Chapman Friday suspended two employees of the Portland office of the Bu reau of Indian affairs on charges involving the sale last August of 800 acres of Indian timber lands in Oregon. The suspended employees are Clyde W. Flynn, area land offi cer at the Portland office, and Francis L. La France, assistant area land officer there. Chapman would not specify the charges. He said the investi gation has not been completed. Salem (U.R) The State Board of Control has formally accepted the new tuberculosis building at Oregon State hos pital hft again called for Big Four talkl on Germany, but did not mention the Allies' demand for free Ger man elections as a condition tor a German peace conference. The Kremlin accused the West ern powers of stalling a decision on the treaty. It said now is the time to decide whether Germany shall be "reestablished as a united. Independent, peace-loving state" or whether the occupation will continue "and with it the threat of war." Commission Suggested The only new thing Russia came up with was a suggestion that the United States, Britain, France and Russia set up a com mission to study the chances of holding free, all-German elec tions. U. S. officials said this was the tip-off that Russia still apparent ly Is unwilling to lift the Iron Curtain In Eastern Germany to permit creation of a free, unified German government. 9