Medford mail tribune., May 18, 1952, Image 1

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Medford
United Preii Full Leased Wire
47th Year
Steel Strike Wanted, HST Says
ADA Convention
Hears Truman Rip
'Big Companies'
GOP Comes in for
Attack in Speech
Washington (U.R) President
Truman, in a wide swinging at
tack on the Republican party
and opponents of his administra
tion in general, Saturday in
jected into a thumping political
speech his belief that the steel
industry wants a strike.
Speaking to the fifth annual
convention on the "Liberal"
Americans for Democratic ac
tion, Mr. Truman tore into the
"big steel companies" for not
agreeing to what he considered
a fair' settlement of their dis
pute with the CIO United Steel
workers. Situation Misrepresented
He said the big companies had
misrepresented the situation and
had stated flatly what the gov
ernment must give them "a big
price increase or else."
At this point Mr. Truman de
parted from his prepared text
to add: "And I think they want
a strike."
The President also bluntly
pledged a "No Compromise"
election-year fight for his civil
rights program, and risked the
possibility of a Southern bolt
from lite Democratic party.
Feels GOP To Beat Selves
He predicted the election of a
liberal Democratic presidential
candidate and said he was equal
ly confident that the Republi
cans, as usual, will defeat them
selves in November by their own
blunders.
Ma nUn asserted without nam
ing Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower,
that "even if the Republicans
get a presidential candidate with
a good record In foreign affairs,
he will not be able to drown out
the raucous isolationist cries of
the rest of the party."
He added that "the prospect
is beginning to scare the voters
as it certainly should."
As he spoke the President was
flanked by such Democratic
presidential hopefuls as W. Aver
ell Harrlman and Sen. Estes Ke
fauver. He emphasized repeatedly his
belief that a Democrat can win
the White House again if he
sticks to the basic policies of the
New Deal and the Fair Deal.
Group Denounced
Ticking off names of Republi
can opponents in the Senate-
McCarthy, Cain, Welker, Mundt,
Hickenlooper, Schoeppel,
Bridges and Ferguson the. Pres
ident used a technique that was
unusual even for his "give 'em
hell" tactics, he denounced this
group of senators as being "Re
publicans before they are Amer
icans." The President received prob
ably the greatest ovation of the
evening when he told his au
dience of about 1,000 persons
that the Democrats should not
back down on the issue of Civil
RiRhts.
Kefauver joined in the out
burst of applause.
Declaring the discrimination
was contrary to true American
Ism, the President recalled that
he made a similar statement to
the Jefferson-Jackson day. din
ner March. 29 when he an
nounced that he would not run
again.
He interpolated that he hoped
the March 29 speech and the one
he made Saturday night would
be "the fundamental basis of
the Democratic platform this
year."
Repeated Jibes
He threw repeated jibes at
congressional opponents of his
program, ad libbing one particu
lar swat at proponents of a con
gressional inquiry to investigate
brow-beating of witnesses by the
Justice Department.
"I am not casting any reflec
tion on any Senator or Repre
sentative," Mr. Truman said with
a wry smile, "but they better
investigate themselves."
Weather
Korft AST Fair ind wirm
Minrtiv; partly rleudT and
lifhtlv ronler Monday: hih
lemppraturt Sunday o-$J,
low Monday morning 45-38.
Temp.
Hlihent yeiterday S3
Lowest yesterday - 47
32 Pages MEDFORD, OREGON, SUNDAY, MAY 18, 1952.
COUNCIL BACkS
FAST TIME VETO
The Medford city council yes
terday unanimously upheld
Mayor Diamond L. Flynn's veto
of daylight saving time for Med
ford. In a brief, specially -called
meeting, five members present
indicated they had changed their
minds on the basis of informa
tion gathered by the mayor, and
on the basis of checks of their
own constituents.
Voting to sustain the mayor,
and to put the question of DST
at rest in Medford for the sum
mer, were Councilmen Harold
Frye, Frank Runtz, Dwight
Houghton, Earl Miller and Elmer
Childers. Absent were Council
men Paul Selby, John Snider
and Stanley Jones Jr.
Three Reasons
The mayor's three principal
reasons for vetoing the daylight
time measures, passed unani
mously May 8 by the council,
were quoted favorably by coun
cilmen in telling their reasons
for reversing themselves. These
were the fact that Jackson coun
ty residents in 1950 voted to
ban DST in the county; the fact
that the state's voters also passed
a law under which the governor
would have the responsibility of
deciding uniform time through
out the state, and the fact that
Medford's action would have an
affect on nearby communities,
and might make the city an "is
land" of fast time.
. Other communities might fol
low along relunctantly, Hough
ton pointed out, but if so Med
ford would be the "big, bad
wolf" that made them do so.
Cites "Organisation"
Frye pointed out that at the
council meeting when DST was
approved, the organized opposi
tion to standard time appeared,
but the unorganized majority
which approve standard time did
not appear. It was only due to
the mayor's delay in signing the
measures which permitted the
majority sentiment to be made
known to the council.
Miller said that sometimes
councilmen are apt to lose sight
of the fact that "Medford was
incorporated from the county,"
and he said the city should work
along with county-wide interests.
He and Frye joined in request
ing that the League of Oregon
Cities be asked to take action in
bringing the matter before the
legislature for a final determina
tion which would make time uni
form. Frye's resolution to that
effect was passed unanimously.
Said "Not Fair"
Runtz stated he feels it is not
fair to ask eight men and the
mayor to make a decision on
Tentative Pact
In Medco Strike
A tentative agreement to set
tle the strike against the Med
ford corporation by some 150
members of the International
Woodworkers of America, CIO,
was reached at a meeting Friday
evening, it was announced yes
terday. A committee of local union
No. 6-221 met with company rep
resentatives. The agreement will
be put up to the union for a vote
of approval Wednesday night.
But B. L. Nutting, Medco man
ager, said that it is expected
work will resume Tuesday morn
ing. The union men involved are
all woods and railroad employ
ees of the company. Mill work
ers at the Medford plant are
members of AFL unions.
Nutting reported that the set
tlement provides for an hourly
increase of 7V4 cents per hour,
three additional paid holidays
yearly, an additional 2 cents dif
ferential for nightshift work for
a total of 6 cents for one-half or
more ot a shift working between
6 p.m. and 6 a.m., andj a two
week vacation after three years
employment, instead of five
years as in the past. Health and
welfare benefits, which were
among the disputed issues of the
strike, were not mentioned in
the settlement.
The final terms of agreement
are similar to those offered the
union through the Pine Indus
trial Relations council when the
strike first started several weeks
ago, Nutting said.
time which affects the entire
county, and "it is not up to us
to go against the governor's de
cree. Time should be uniform
throughout the state," he said.
Mayor Flynn pointed out that
he is aware that continuation
of standard time is harmful to
most businesses, but that the de
cision was made without malice,
and on the basis of his consider
ed judgement of what is best
for the majority.
Gangster Named
As Brink's Robbery
'Brains' Murdered
West Warwick, R. I. (U.R)
A prohibition era gangster nam
ed as the "brains" behind the
fabulous Brink's Inc., robbery
was shot to death Saturday a
few hours before he was to have
been questioned by the FBI
about the $1,219,000 holdup.
Carlton O'Brien, 49, a one
time rumrunner turned road
house operator, was shot down
in a burst of shotgun and pistol
fire in an ambush in front of his
modest home. Authorities be
gan an immediate gangland
roundup. They said the shoot
ing broke the Brink's case
"wide-open."
Suspects Grabbed
Two suspects were quickly
grabbed one by West War
wick authorities and another by
Providence police. Neither was
identified. But one was reported
to be the man identified along
with O'Brien as one of the two
"principals" in the Brink's rob
bery. Alfred Gagnon, a would-be
jewel thief turned informer at
Providence county jail in Cran
ston, put the finger on the pair
Identified only as a former
Michigan man, he was said to
have been with O'Brien last
night.
Guard Ordered
Police Chief Arthur Groleau
ordered a 24-hour guard around
O'Brien's home after question
ing the victim's widow. Groleau
quoted her as saying she knew
"nothing" about her husband's
activities.
Gagnon also was receiving
"special attention" at the jail
because of fellow-prisoners' re
sentment against informers, au
thorities said.
Gagnon reportedly told de
tectives he knew the plans of
the Brank's bandits in advance
and helped count some of the
loot, receiving $15,000 as his
share. He is also said to have
complained that he was held up
and robbed immediately after
getting his "payoff."
San Diego (U.R) Rear
Adm. Charles E. Ekstrom, Coro-
nado, will relieve Rear Adm.
Herbert E. Regan as commander
of Carrier Divison 17 in cere
monies Monday, it was announ
ced Saturday,
Young Man
By Dynamite
Hollywood, Calif. (U.R) A
handsome young self-styled ac
tor stumbled from his hotel room
Saturday and hysterically told
of "dynamite sticks" being fast
ened to each of his arms and set
off by "two men who strapped
me to a bed."
Police said no complaint had
been filed and they were Invest
igating the case as "a possible
attempted homicide but also
with the possibility it may have
been a suicide attempt."
From San Francisco
The victim of the early mor
ning explosion was identified as
Paul Curtis, 28. who checked
into the hotel Friday, saying he
was an actor from San Fran
cisco. The explosion severed one of
Curtis' arms and shattered the
interior of his room, waking
guests in adjoining rooms.
Fred Hartung, 34, in the hotel
lobby when the resounding blast
was set off, met Curtis his
mouth taped on the second
floor. Hartung said blood was
Tribune
United FrewFull Leaied Hut
No. 49
Corpus Christi
Fire Extinguished
After 17 Hours
Oil Blaze Threatens
Industrial Section
Corpus Christi, Tex. (U.R)
A thousand firefighters put out
with chemicals Saturday a ra
ging, wind-driven oil fire that
threatened for 17 hours to turn
the entire industrial section and
harbor of Corpus Christi into an
inferno.
They smothered the fire with
six truckloads of foamite, rushed
from Houston, Tex., 240 miles
away, behind a state police es
cort that cleared the highway
with screaming sirens.
The foamite covered the burn
ing fuel oil, crude petroleum and
kerosene with a white blanket
that looks like beer suds and
which cut off the fire's supply
of oxygen. It died out in less than
an hour.
But a partial assessment of the
damages showed that the fire,
since it started at 1:47 p.m. (PDT)
yesterday, had consumed a tank
filled with 80,000 barrels of
kerosene, a medium- sized tank
filled with fuel oil or crude oil
and six smaller tanks of oil.
It also burned a two-story of
fice building that belonged to
the General American Tank
Storage Co., as did the tanks, and
a small refinery that belonged to
the Southwestern Refining and
Oil Co., which owned the oil in
the tanks.
The fire Injured SO to 60 per
sons, the majority of whom were
singed or blistered by the fire.
Ten had to go to hospitals for
treatment, but their conditions
were noj serious. The others
were treated on the spot by
nurses and physicians.
Fire Chief John Carlisle of
Corpus Christi estimated dam
ages "at well over $1 million."
Officials of Southwestern Refin
ing and General American de
clined to make an estimate.
School Budget.
Vote Tomorrow
Residents of Jackson county's
23 rural school districts will vote
on a school budget in excess of
the six per cent limitation for
the 1952-1953 fiscal year tomor
row between 7 and 9 p.m. Pol
ling places are located in grade
and high school buildings in the
various districts.
The proposed budget amounts
to $1,081,652.21. It exceeds the
six per cent limitation by $819,
77.12 and last year's budget by
$140,646.10. The increase from
the 1951-1952 fiscal program is
caused by an increase in salaries
for teachers and by various
school building projects.
If the county-wide budget is
defeated In t h e Monday elec
tions, fiscal plans for the coming
year will go back to the Individ
ual districts, according to County
School Superintendent Alf B
Mekvold.
Badly Injured
Tied to Arms
spurting from the man's sever
ed arm.
Curtis told police "two men
from Pennsylvania" wanted him
to "pull a job" with them, and
he refused. He said they then
strapped him to the bed and
fastened the explosive to his
arms and left.
Police said no timing device
was found in Curtis' room, but
the window leading to the fire
escape was unlocked. The night
clerk said the fire escape en
trance usually Is locked.
Footsteps Heard
A guest in the room directly
below Curtis' told officers he
"heard footsteps going up the
fire escape outside my window"
before the blast.
Curtis, a handsome six-foot,
one-inch blonde, refused to give
police details about his alleged
would be slayers. He told offic
ers, "never mind, I'll take care
of them myself."
The actor was taken to Gen
eral hospital where his condi
tion was described is serious.
District Attorney,
Coroner Removed
In Primary Vote
Other Incumbents
Given Nomination
By ERIC ALLEN JR.
Mail Tribune City Editor
Two Jackson county officials
were swept out of office in Fri
day's primary election. But in
other county races, incumbents
were given their party's nomina
tion, or a substantial vote of
confidence.
District Attorney Paul W.
Haviland was defeated in his bid
for the Republican nomination
for reelection by Walter Nunley,
33-year-old attorney who cam
paigned on the issue of gambling,
charging Haviland with failure
to enforce the anti-gambling
laws of the state.
Coroner Ousted
Dr. M. P. Voget defeated In
cumbent Carlos Morris in the
race for the GOP nomination for
county coroner. He had cam
paigned by saying the coroner
should be a physician.
In neither case are there Dem
ocratic candidates, and barring
unforeseen developments before
the general election November
4, both Nunley and Vogel will
automatically go into office next
January.
Saturday afternoon, after the
returns were sufficiently com
pleted to indicate conclusively
his defeat, Haviland issued a
statement which said:
"I would like to express my
sincere thanks and appreciation
to those who have supported my
candidacy. I shall continue to
strive to merit the faith and con
fidence of these people."
In the presidential preference'
vote, Jackson county went along
with the rest of the state, giving
both Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhow
er, in the Republican column,
and Sen. Estes Kefauver, Demo
crat, overwhelming majorities
against their mostly-unwilling
opponents.
California's Governor Earl
Warren, who opened his Oregon
campaign in Medford, ran a poor
second to General Eisenhower in
county returns.
Coleman Nominated
In other county races, County
Judge J. B. Coleman was given
the Republican nomination for
reelection to his third term. He
defeated young Robert "Bob"
Brantley, a relative political un
known making his first try for
public office. The judge will
have no Democratic opposition.
The three-way race for state
representative In the legislature
found the two incumbents.
Robert Root and Ed H. Mann,
returned to office by substantial
margins. The third candidate,
Osteopathic Physician and Sur
geon G. A. Dicrdorff, trailed
from the start of tabulation. Root
and Mann are without opposi
tion in the fall.
R. G. "Bob" Fowler, former
county agent, was a walk-away
winner in the triangular battle
for the Republican nomination
for county assessor. He outdis
tanced Constable W. P. Tucker
and J. H. Tizckker by a wide
margin. The Democratic nom
inee, Andrew Hawver, Talent,
was unopposed.
Nip and Tuck Battle
In the only county contest on
the Democratic side of the
ledger that for the county com
mlssioner nomination, Loyd W.
Whitney, Jacksonville, and C.
L. Hockersmlth, Phoenix, were
staging a hot nip-and-tuck battle.
They were separted by only 24
votes at the last count with Whit
ney leading, and the missing
precincts could change the lead
when they are counted. The win
ner will face Incumbent L. G
"Shy" Morthland In the fall
general election.
Experienced political observ
ers said that the tabulation of
returns was the slowest In many
years, due to the massive size
of the ballot, particularly that
for the Republicans.
Tabulation of county returns
was not completed by late Sat
urday, and complete and final
returns on the major races will
not be available until Monday.
Several precinct county hoards
were still figuring up totals late
Saturday afternoon, and other
ballots and tabulation forms
were locked In the county court
house, where they could not be
checked and added to the avail
able totals.
However, results by late Sat
urday were sufficiently complete
so that no reversals in trends and
election outcomes would be pos
sible from the few isolated re
turns still not compiled, except
for the Democratic commissioner
nomination.
GOP, Votes 60.5 Per Cent
Judged by the returns which
were available, some 11,000
Republican voters out of 18 174
registered, about 60.S per cent
Pit, jry
f I)
t S fy :
.- 4
WALTER NUNLEY
LOVD WHITNEY
voted Friday. Between 6,000 and
6,300 of the 13,985 registered
Democratic voters cast their ballots,-
about 44 per cent.
With 78 precincts complete
out of 84 in the county, here is
how local races stood Saturday
evening:
Slate Representative Root
7.410; Mann 6,467; Dierdorff
5',274.
District Attorney Nunley
6,663; Haviland 4,616.
County Judge Coleman
5,976; Brantley 4,618.
County Commissioner
(Republican) Morthland 8,783;
(Democrat) Hockersmith 2,293;
Whitney 2.317.
County Clerk Carter 9,366.
County Assessor (Republi
can) Tucker 2.351; Tizckker
1,480; Fowler 6,544; (Democrat)
Hawver 3,925.
County Treasurer (Repub
lican) Cope 7,680; (Democrat)
Sweeney 4.313.
County Coroner Vogel
5,886; Morris 4,956.
County Surveyor Rynning
8,587.
Here's how Jackson county
voted for president:
Eisenhower 8,960; MacArth
ur 674; Morse 256; Schneider 10,
Stasscn 145; Warren 1,257.
Douglas 440; Kefauver 4,152;
Stevenson 477.
Robinson Complimented
Jackson county gave a high
compliment to Fred Robinson,
Medford, a candidate for the
GOP nomination as stale treas
urer, giving him 6,998 votes
compared to 2.470 for Sig Un
ander and 1,425 for Jack Lynch,
although Robinson was trailing
In late statewide returns.
Congressman Harris Ells
worth also drew a strong vote
from this county, garnering
7,968 votes compared to 2,05(1
for Mrs. Barbara Draper, Al
bany, in the race for Republi
can nomination for congress
from the fourth district.
Leonard Lindas of Clackamas
county won the county's prefer
ence for the GOP nomination
for attorney general. The vote
was Lindas 3.917; John McCourt
2,255; Alex Barry 1,589, and E.
O. Stadter 2.220.
Vote Favors Gard
The county also preferred
Jess Gard for national GOP
committeeman, with 5,191 votes.
Glenn Jack got 1,222 and Low
ell Paget 1.905.
In Democratic balloting. Jack
son county voters showed a
strong preference for Monroe
Swectland for national commit
teeman, giving him 3,644 votes
to 1,798 for Mike DeCicco.
Walter Swanson, Springfield,
led In votes here for the Dem
ocratic nomination for congress,
with 3,005. Louis Wood, Eu
gene, gained 1,970.
In the race for Democratic
nomination for state treasurer.
Francis Lambert led with 2.771.
to 2,165 for Lew Blakeslee.
Write-ins Delayed
Compilation of write-In votes
had to await the reopening of
the county clerk's office on
Monday. Mrs. Lula Watson had
staged a last-minute campaign
..V i'y, '
ML
Election Leaders
it J, 4 .
M. P. VOGEL
C. L. HOCKERSMITH
to obtain the Democratie nom
ination for county clerki and
some Democrats were planning
to write in the name of Walter
Nunley for the Democratic nom
ination for district attorney.
There were many unusual
votes, among them ballots for
"Little , Daisy": for various of
fices, and at least one vote for
R. W. Ruhl for vice-president.
(See Story On Page 9)
Portland, Ore. (U.R) G e n.
Dwight D. Eisenhower swamp
ed four major candidates In the
popularity vote for the Repub
lican presidential nomination to
day on basis of returns from
Oregon's primary election and
the slow count of voles for the
state's 18 GOP delegates indi
cated Eisenhower would make it
a grand slam.
Eisenhower polled more than
twice the total of his competi
tors while the top 10 in the field
of delegates went to Eisenhower
supporters and the next eight for
the General were leading an
insurgent slate for Sen. RJbert
A. Taft of Ohio, whose name was
not on the ballot but whose sup
porters attempted to "steal" dele
gates from Eisenhower by use
of an ancient law.
1408 Precincts
Returns from 1408 of the
slate's 2269 precincts gave;
Eisenhower 76,393; Gov. Earl
Warren of California 18,454;
Gen. Douglas MacArthur 8,840;
Sen. Wayne Morse of Oregon
3,743; Harold E. Stasscn 3,107,
and William R. Schneider 331,
On the Democratic ballot, Sen.
Estes Kefauver far outdistanced
his nearest rival and won the
state's 12 Democratic delegates.
Kefauver captured 55,443 votes
to 11,138 for U. S. Supreme
Court Justice William O. Doug
las and 8,383 for Gov. Adlai
Stevenson of Illinois.
Sig Unander, Portland, held a
widening lead Saturday in the
race for Republican nomination
of state treasurer, and Francis
Lambert, also of Portland, was
in front for the Democratic nod
for the job.
With 1188 of Oregon's 2269
precincts heard from, the Re
publican vote was:
Unander 40,579; Fred E. Rob
inson, Medford, 27,906; Jack
Lynch, Portland, 27,165.
Tii3 Democratic count was:
Lambert 33,030; L. W. Blakes
lee, Portland, 24,540.
Multnomah county District
Attorney, John B. McCourt was
in front in the race for Repub
lican nomination for slate attor
ney gnernl. The vote was:
McCourt 32,704; Clackamas
county District Attorney Leon
ard Lindas 25,411; Deschutes
county District Attorney L. O.
Stadter 21,105: Alex G. Barry of
Portland, 13,995.
Jesse Gard, Portland, was
leading by more than 1,500 votes
in the race for National Republi
can Committeeman.
In 582 of the state's 2,269
precincts the vote was:
Gard 15,710; Glenn R. Jack,
Clackamas county, 12,541; Page,
Multnomah county, 12,342;
Paine, Multnomah county 13,779.
Mrs. Marshall E. C o r n 1 1,
r I
t " , ' n ' fie k ,
t -
ROBERT ROOT
E. H. MANN
J. B. COLEMAN
Klamath county, received 2,708
votes as the sole candidate for
National Republican Committee
woman, i
Monroe Sweetland, Clacka
mas county, was ahead about
two to one in his bid to succeed
himself as Democratic National
Committeeman. The vote in 615
of the 2,269 precincts was: Mttce
M. De Cicco, Multnomah county,
19,037, Sweetland 26,249.
For Democratic National Com
mltteewoman the vote was: Mrs.
Lillian M. Burton, Multnomah
county, 17,777; Margaret Ca
wood, Multnomah county; 15,.
658.
Congressmen Walter Norblad,
Harris Ellsworth and Homer D.
Angell won the Republican nod
for reelection by large majorities
while Sam Coon, Baker, was
out in front for the Republican
nomination for the seat repre
senting the 2nd Oregon district.
In the 1st congressional dis
trict, 260 of 585 precincts show
ed: Norblad 20,555; Kenneth A.
Brown, Marion county, 3,302;
Earl Fisher, Washington county,
3.202. Norblad is from Clatsop
county.
In the 2nd district: Coon 7.210;
Giles A. French, Sherman coun
ty 4.364; Ernest Hinkle, Wasco
county 2,512.
In the 3rd district: Angell 18,
747; A. W. Lafferty, 5.456; John
F. Reichlein 3.627. All are from
Multnomah county.
In the 4th district: Ellsworth, .
Douglas county, 18,858; Bar
bara Draper, Linn county, 4,890.
The Democratic count by con
gressional districts is:
In 1st district: Robert B. Jones,
Clackamas county, 2,619,
In 2nd district: John G. Jones,
Union county, 8.499; Ben Musa,
Wasco county, 4,111.
In 3rd district: Alfred H. Cor
bctt, Multnomah county, 14,.
506; H. H. Stallard, Multnomah
count, 5,119.
In 4th district: Walter A.
Swanson, Lane county, 7,674;
Louis A. Wood; Lane county,
5,802.
Bo Scouf Circus
Draws About 2,500
Approximately 2,500 persona
attended the annual Boy Scout
Circus last night at the Medford
high school stadium .according
to persons witnessing the event.
More than 1,000 boys took pert
in the circus, they stated.
P'HJ "J Ul' IPUij ,ll ..u,j, Mim
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