Veaihsr
Recoiiimended
Fetnr atariaa tha Maa-
fara Proa Nat elaa, artta
farai aaadt," a w caaatrac
Moa awt-aa asd at Bear Crack
rrkari aaa ather Ject
aapcar aa Fata 14 af tay
iataa af Tha Mall trtaaaa.
FOKBCAST CMdml fair
t-raafh M toy. Hlfk Mif
n t is, tow u. ruga MMttf
M.
Tma.
lfknt yartar-a ts
Lawaat ymUraar SS
United Preae Full Leased Wire
United Prcas Full Leased Win
48th Year
30 Pags
MEDFORD, OREGON, SUNDAY. SEPTEMBER 13, 1953
No. 150
Oatis
ITitKoiit Beatings
(Editor's aetot Following Is the first 1st a saris of Of
arrlclas tailing af William Oatis experiences ia Csachoslo
vaUa prior to and during tha time ba was bald ia prisoa
ea espionage charges).
New York U.R William N. Oatis, Associated Press corres
pondent who was imprisoned ia Czechoslovakia for more than two
-a-, aairf twtav nrisoners make "fantastic" confessions to the
WILLIAM N. OATIS
Released News Correspondent
another prisoner that would say
any signs of it
NO DRUGS USED .
"As for the Injections' reputedly used in Communist countries,
I was given no injections of anything besides what was described
correctly, I believe as a sugar and vitamin solution for my
health. I heard of no other prisoner that was drugged.
"Prisoners make fantasic confessions primarily, I think, be
cause they feel tnat is what the
unless they do what the police want them to, they are lost.
"They are left in little doubt
them to say. On that score, the system is practically foolproof: The
police simply write it out for them and they sign it, and then, in
court, they recite it. It is a gesture
SIGNED FAKED STATEMENTS
In his case. Oatis said, the
he had done "unofficial reporting." This consisted of gathering
information on an informal basis, largely as background data, ha
said, but the Czech police regarded such activity as espionage:
"So I signed a statement to the effect that I had gathered mili
tary information in Czechoslovakia, and that .thereby I had com
mitted espionage," Oatis wrote. "
This was a low-level crime, however, so in order to lodge a
more serious charge, the Czech authorities trumped up an accusa
tion that he had given military information to the military attache
at the U.S. embassy in Prague.
' The police wrote a statement for his signature, Oatis said, and
"I haggled about it and rewrote it."
"... Though I had been awake for something like 42 hours,"
he said. "Al I could think of was that I must sleep. They would
not let me sleep till I had signed it, and so, I signed it."
RECITED 'CONFESSION .
The "confession" was re-written into a "weird statement" that
wound up with Oatis saying he had given the attache information
because be knew he was a spy,
fused he did not realize the statement was a "boobytrap."
"I signed that statement," Oatis said. "Then they rewrote all
my previous factual statements, hopping them up, needling fact
with fancy, painting me as black as they cculd. i
"And by now I was so used to signing papers, so conscious of
my absolute helplessness, so convinced that my only hope lay in
- playing their game, that on every page I wrote, 'I have read this.
I have approved it. I have signed it. William Nathan Oatis."
Finally, he said, he got up in court and recited nearly all of
it, "just the way they wanted me to recite it."
"That is how the police got me," Oatis said, 'and how they
stuck me."
(Next: How bo gathered news).
1907 Paper Oldest Entered
In 'Bargain Days' Contest
Mr. and Mrs. Dixon Saltsgrav-
er of Willow Springs District,
Route 1. Box 524, Central Point,
turned in the oldest issue of The
Medford Mail Tribune, January
4. 1907, which was the 243rd is
sue of the first year of publica
tion. They win a year's free sub
scription to The Mail Tribune.
Mr. J. M. Potter began pub
lishing the Medford Daily Trib
une March 22, 1906. The equip
ment was moved from Ashland,
as Mr. Potter believed Medford
would become the hub of Jack
son County.
Man Issues Saved
The issue turned in by the
Salts gravers had been mailed to
O. S. Blackford, father of Mrs.
Salts graver. Mrs. Saltsgraver's
grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. John
W. McKay, settled under the
Donation Land Claim Act in
1852.
Mrs. Salts graver reported that
many back issues had been saved
which contained items of inter
est to the family, and were
stored in various places.
George Marino, 718 Pennsyl
vania, had the oldest copy of the
MEDFORD MAIL, published
February 1. 1905; followed by
Fred Luy, 101 Crater Lake Ave.,
with a copy of the MEDFORD
MAIL, published March 9, 1908.
Mrs. George Carter, 821 East
Jackson, entered a copy of the
Medford Daily Tribune dated
July 3, 1909, which contained a
story regarding her marriage to
George C Carter.
Other entries were submitted
by the following persons: Louis
Oliver, 415 Woodstock, Medford
mm
communis in an enon
to
the
"save . sometmng
wreckage."
out of.
Oatis told the story of his
arrest and imprisonment in the
first of series of copyrighted
disoatches written for the AP.
He was sentenced to 10 years
in prison for espionage on July
4, 1951, 72 days after he was
arrested. He was pardoned and
released last May.
After 42 hours of questioning
by police following bis arrest,
Oatis said he confessed to the
chargest against him.
"It is through such interroga
tions that prisoners are induced
to make the fantastic .confes
sions that are the hallmark of
a propaganda trial," he wrote.
"They confess, most of them,
not because confessions are beat
out of them. I should hesitate
to say no suspect ever was beat
en in Czechoslovakia. But never
in my two years in prison was
I beaten, and never did I meet
he had been beaten or showed
"
police want them to do, and that
of what the police would like for
of despair, a grab for a straw,
police easily established the fact
Oatis said. He said he was so con
Mail Tribune, Nov. 2, 1909:
Laura Livingston,. 513 King,
Medford Mail Tribune, April 28,
1910; H. J. Court, 134 So. Ivy,
Medford Sua, July 11, 1911; Ed
ward Jones, Box 54, Central
Point, Medford Mail Tribune,
Aug. 4, 1911; R. H. Singler, 27
Rose, Medford Sun, April 7,
1912; Edward Leach, Rt. 2, Box
391, Medford Mail Tribune, Jan.
I, 1914; Charles D. Wiley, 712 W.
2nd. Medford Mail Tribune, Nov.
II. 1918.
Many copies bearing dates
1920 through 1940 were submit
ted. A few copies dated 1940 to
1950 were entered. One copy
with date January 13, 1952, was
sent to.
In most cases the papers had
been saved because of items of
personal interest, although few
copies contained news of world
or national interest
Thre? Persons Hurt
In Martinez Blast
Martinez (U.R3 At least
three persons were reported in-
lured last night as a blast rocked
the Shell Oil refinery here and
blew out the lights of the city.
Injuries were undetermined
at the county hospital for the
injured three. "
- All of the city's fire-fightinc
equipment was rushed to the 1
mile square refinery which is at
the tip of Suisin bay and is about
10 miles from Port Chicago,
which was levelled by a cisantic
explosion in 1944. ,
tell
IS
; ft fciS i
tMWWW N
A SOLDIER COMES HOME President Eisenhower clutches arm
President's wife, Mamie, looks on at right after John and his wife,
by plu from San Francisco. John returned recently trom Korea.
Glasses Set To Start
At Grade,
It will be school tomorrow
for Medford boys and girls, with
the exception of the high school,
which will open Sept. 21.
Students for grades one to six
will report to their respective
grade schools for registration at
8:55 a.m. Junior high school will
open at 9 a.m. Classes for the
handicapped will also -open at
Washington school.
Following completion of reg
istration of elementary students.
they will be dismissed until 1
p.m., when they will be given
permanent room- assignments,
textbooks and orientation pro
cedures. Regular classes will
start Tuesday.
Abbreviated Program
The Monday junior high, pro
gram-will be abbreviated, with
regular classes starting Tuesday,
Students have been registered
previously. ' .V
Both' elementary and junior
high school cafeterias will, begin
serving - lunches Tuesday.
Textbooks are furnished to
elementary and junior high boys
and girls and will be distributed
at the time of registration. In
the high school a rental system
for textbooks is maintained.
Medford city schools provide
Gold Star Mothers
Reeled Eugene
Woman President
Mrs. Elizabeth Gimpi, Eugene,
was re-elected president of Ore
gon state department, Gold Star
Mothers, during a state conven
tion of the group held here Sat
urday.
Mrs. Mildred Curtis, Grants
Pcss and Mrs. Marion Cech, Med
ford, were elected first and sec
ond vice-presidents respectively,
Re-elected to the office of record
ing secretary was Mrs. Leona
Baker, Springfield, and reelected
S3 treasurer was Mrs- Ruth Lick-
lider. Elkton. Mrs. Sadie Pro,
Salem, is the new chaplain.
Color guards elected are Mrs.
Alice Shober, Medford and Mrs.
Rose Decker,1 Portland. Mrs.
Vesta Banton, Albany, is his
torian; Mrs. Irene . Hamilton,
Albany, custodian of .records.
Appointed to office were Mrs-
Lyda Jensen, Eugene, corres
ponding secretary; Mrs. Barbara
Brumbaugh, Toledo, state hos
pital chairman; and Mrs. Artis
McChesney, Springfield, parliamentarian.-
, -
Thirty-nine delegates and four
alternates registered and 12 vis
itors.
During a business session the
department adopted new 'de
partment bylaws as revised at a
national convention of the Gold
Star Mothers held June 8 at Chi
cago, ILL - -. "
The group pledged to continue
their hospital work which in
cludes work at Camp White'
domiciliary, Medford, and Rose-
burg veterans hospital, both
state projects of the department
At Camp White women visit vet
erans, do mending, give parties
and do other work.
The department Saturday also
was awarded a certificate for
faithful work at, Camp White.
The department has received the
certificate for two previous years
and now is in permanent posses
sion. .
Two hospital workers were
awarded individual certificates
Saturday, Mrs- Cech, Medford
for giving, over 1,000 hours of
service at Camp - White; and
Mrs. Minnie Noyer, Roseburg,
for over 100 hours at Roseburg
veteram hospital. -: . ,
Junior High
several forms of special educa
tion to serve the needs of the
handicapped boys and girls of
the district. The room for the
physically handicapped at Wash
ington school serves the entire
city and those unable to walk
are transported to and from the
center. Three other special ad
justment rooms are operated,
one at junior high for grades
seven through nine, one at Lin
coln and one at Jackson for
grades one through six. Those
not in walking distance are
transported.
Transport Students
Two elementary school dis
tricts will transport their chil
dren to Medford. The . primary
grades in the Dewey district will
be placed in Jackson school this
year. Those of the same district
iq grades four through six will
probably continue to. attend
Roosevelt Kenwood will deliver
firsthand second grade students
to Jackson school, with grades
three through six scheduled for
Lincoln school.
The Evergreen bus will run a
line to El Rey, picking up stu
dents at the junction at Char
lotte Ann rd. and South Pacific
highway at 8:15 a.m. Transporta
It - f v
MORSE DECLINES BID
TO BIG DEMO RALLY
By A. ROBERT SMITH
Mail Tribune Correspondent
Washington Sen. Wayne
Morse, the Oregon Independent
snd four Northwest Democratic
senators have each received in
vitations to' the Democratic ral
ly in Chicago Monday and Tues:
day but none has plans to at
tend.
Those who sent regrets were
Washington state's Warren Mag-
nuson and Henry Jackson and
Montana's James Murray and
Mike Mansfield, as well as
Morse. The three other senators
from' the Northwest Guy Cor
don of Oregon, and Idaho's Hen
ry ' Dworshak and Herman
Walker are all Republicans. '
The five who supported Adlai
Stevenson s bid for the presi
dency last fall, but are now turn
ing down invitations to welcome
him home from his recent round-
the-world trip, are not staying
away in any fit of pique, as is
Gov. James Byrnes of South
Carolina and other Dixiecrats.
- But it is clear that the four
Democrats and Morse place less
importance upon cheering for
Adlai in the Windy City than
cultivating their own political
gardens.
a ' a
Senator Morse is on a speech-
making itinerary which will take
him into Oregon the latter part
of September for talks already
announced at Baker and Port
land. In recent-weeks he has ap
peared on rostrums in Wisconsin
Ohio and Montana.
Senator Magnuson anticipates
a new waterfront probe by the
Senate Interstate and Foreign
Commerce Committee at Seattle,
Portland and California ports
this month, after which he may
go to Europe to find out how
foreign nations subsidize their
merchant fleets so successfully
as to undercut the U- S. merchant
marine.
Senator Mansfield, ' too, is
planning an overseas journey, on
his own, if no congressional
duties can be found to conduct
on foreign soil. A veteran who
hat Men tha world as sailor.
V af:
of son, Haj. John Eisenhower, as
Barbara (above), arrived at Denver
Tomorrow
... i
Schools
tion is furnished at a student
rate of 10 cents when tickets are
purchased in books of 10.
Rbosevelt, Lincoln, Jackson
and Washington schools will
house grades one "through six.
Roosevelt serves a 1 1 - territory
east of Bear Creek. Lincoln will
serve that portion of the city
west of Bear. Creek and east of
the Southern Pacific railroad
track. Jackson serves the north
west part of the city, including
the part which lies west of the
SP tracks and north of the cen
ter line of West Main st. and the
Jacksonville highway. Washing
ton will take in the southwest
part of the city, the portion ly
ing west of the railroad tracks
and south of the center line of
West Main and . Jacksonville
highway.
Serves Entire City
The junior high school serves
the entire city for grades seven,
eight and Whey1. The senior high
school' serves- all the 'ity -pjcJ
grades 10, 11 and 12.
' AH elementary students
should report to their own
schools tomorrow morning as
determined by their residence.
No regular pupils living inside
the school district are transport
ed by the district.
soldier and marine, Mansfield
just loves to travel.
. Senators Jackson and Murray
aren't going anywhere. . Both
have recently returned from
statehood hearings in Alaska and
have speaking engagements
lined up in their respective home
states.
In the absence of these top
politicos, the region will be rep
resented only by the Democratic
national committeemen and com
mittee women. Oregon's part in
the rally will be played by Mon
roe Sweetland, national com
mitteeman; Howard Morgan,
state chairman; Mrs. Lilian Bur
ton, national committeewoman;
and Mrs. Gladys Last, state vice-
chairman.
While the speeches by Steven
son and former President Tru
man have received notice, the
two-day activities at Chicago
are to run as follows:
Monday closed door regional
conferences; women's division
workshops; discussion of rules
and by-laws at which the south
ern and northern wings may
have another go a one another
over the so-called loyalty oath
which was a controversial issue
in last summer's national conven
tion. At the main dinner Monday
night Stevenson will speak only
briefly- Truman will deliver the
main address, which one tele
vision network and another radio
network will carry. '.
Tuesday discussion of agri
cultural policy; meetings of the
executive committee and the na
tional committee; conference on
political problems at the state,
county and city level.
The climax will come Tuesday
night when Stevenson makes his
full-dress appearance, which is
to be carried on all TV and radio
networks.
Sports Bulletin
Central Point . Phoenix
high defeated Jacksonville
40. to 0 in a football game
here last night The Pirates
lad 20 to 0 at half -Una.
Dugllinidl Clhiiirge-B
Philbrick Asserts
Seven Clergymen in
Secret Commie Cell
-. Second Witness Swears
600 Pastors Are Reds
Washington (U.R) Herbert
Philbrick, former FBI under
cover agent, said in testimony
published Saturday that seven
or eight .clergymen were "dedi
cated, hardened, steeled Com
munists" in a supersecret cell
in Boston.
He was not sure of their exact
identity because, "operating in
a completely, deeply under
ground way," they used code
names to conceal their real iden
tities, even from othea Commun
ists. v :
The House un-American Ac
tivities committee released his
testimony. It also released testi
mony by Archibald Roosevelt,
son -of the late Theodore Roose
velt who said he was "horri
fied" by the extent of Commun
ist infiltration of the churches.
"I am prepared, with the help
of some others, Roosevelt said,
to give you documentary and
testamentary proof that there
was a deep laid plot, which has
been quite successful, to poison
the minds of good people, un
suspecting and fine people, in
furthering the Communist pro
grams." .
The testimony was based on
closed committee hearings in
New York last July: It supple
tnentad that-of four other wit
nesses all past party members
who said the Communists
have infiltrated the churches
with "great success."
Joseph Zack Kornfelder, who
broke with the Communists in
1934, said in sworn testimony
published Friday night that 600
American ministers are "secret"
Communists and 3,000 to 4,000
others are in the "fellow-traveling
category."
Van Fleet's Son
Among Prisoners
Held by Chinese
Washington (U.R) The Air
Force said Saturday it hasan un
verified report that Capt James
A. Van Fleet Jr., son of the
former Eighth" Army command
er, survived the crash of his B-26
bomber in North Korea and may
now be a Chinese prisoner.
The United States has de
manded that the Communists
account for 944 missing Ameri
cans whom it believes to be in
Red hands but who did not show
up in the prisoner of war ex
change. Young Van Fleet's name was
on the list. He was the pilot of
a two-engine bomber which took
off on a night combat mission at
1 a. m. on April 4, 1952, from
Kunsan airdrome, not far from
his father's headquarters in Ko
rea. The Air Force said his plane
reached its target but ran into,
unfavorable weather. Van Fleet
was ordered by radio to aban
don that target and attack sup
ply routes between Haeju and
Changnyon, North Korea.
Acknowledgement of that mes
sage was the last contact with
the plane. An extensive, but
futile, search for Van Fleet fol
lowed. Saturday, however, the Air
Force revealed it later received
an unverified report which a
spokesman called "a 'very ques
tionable item" that the plane
crashed at dawn near Haeju, and
that one of the three-man crew
perished.
Two Fires Put Out By
Two grass and brush fires
brdke out on the North 'River
rd. along Rogue river yesterday
and were brought under control
by state forest dept. crews, ac
cording to Ted Maul, district
warden. -. , "
The largest, about four acres
west of Rogue River, was con
trolled by crews from Grants
Pass, Wimer and Medford. The
other was about one-tenth of an
With moratoon
OH ILoiLaDTKSlfD
t-vy ... I
.) .
EVELYN AY
Takes Top Honors
ma
New Miss America;
Oregonian Finalist
Atlantic City, N. J. (U.R) -
Miss Pennsylvania, Evelyn Ay,
was named "Miss America of
1954" Saturday night at the. an
nual beauty pageant here.
The green-eyed, ash-blond
beauty won over 51 other con
testants.
In second place was Joan
Cecilia Kaible, Miss New York
City. Third was Miss Virginia,
a polio victim, Anne Lee Ceglis,
of Norfolk.
Fourth was Virginia McDavid,
Miss Alabama, of Birmingham.
In fifth place was Susanne Dug-
ger. Miss Mississippi.
The competition in the final
night was rough, but the winner
had what the judges ordered.
The coy Miss Pennsylvania
carried her 132 pounds with
trained bearing. She is 5 feet,
8 inches in height, and from top
to bottom measured 37-24-36.
Those specifications made the
bathing suit competition a snap
for her. She was a preliminary
bathing suit winner earlier in
the week.
Evelyn picked up a $5,000
scholarship.
The rest of the kids in the
first 10 get scholarships, too,
not to mention awards for Miss
Congeniality and the talent
award for a girl that finished
out of the big money.
Miss Oregon Finalist
The non-winners went home
with a $100 bill, plus a couple
of evening gowns, a suit case
and memories. x
The five finalists were: Miss
Pennsylvania, Evelyn Ay; Miss
Alabama, Virginia McDavid;
Miss New York City, Joan Kai
ble; Miss Virginia, Anne Lee
Ceglis, and Miss Mississippi, Su
sanne Duccer.
The eliminated five other fi
nalists:. Miss California, Patricia
Johns; Miss Delaware, Lois
Alava; Miss Oregon, P a 1 1 i
Throop; Miss South Carolina,
Miriam Stevenson, and Miss Wy
oming, Elaine HoiKenorinx.
Forest Patrolmen
acre in size near uoia nm.
Cause was not yet verified, but
there was some indication they
had been' set by smokers, Maul
said.
Also yesterday, state crews
put out two sleeper fires from
last Saturday's electrical storm,
he noted. One was aboufan
acre,, west' of Shady Cove, and
the other, reported late last
night was a spot on Roxy Ann
butte. '
Pennsylva
Lenient Attitude
Toward Red China
Ended by Britain
Communists Silent
On Unprovoked Attack
London (U.R) Britain
dropped her lenient attitude to
ward Red China Saturday with a
blistering note accusing the
Peiping government of a
"Wanton" attack on a Royal
Navy launch off Hong Kong.
The gloves-off note handed to
the Communist Chinese Foreign
Ministry this morning protested
"most strongly against the
wanton attack on one of her
majesty's vessels" on Sept 9 in
waters adjacent to Hong Kong.
Responsible for Deaths
"Her Majesty's government
hold the Chinese government re
sponsible for the tragic ap
propriate compensation," tha
note said. -
Seven members of the crew
of the motor launch were killed
and five wounded in the attack
wnen the Chinese vessel opened
fire with "weapons of heavy
calibre," it said.
The foreign office said Red
China has remained silent so far
on the unprovoked attack. Nor
mal Communist propaganda
broadcasts would try to put tha
blame on the British vessel.
Further moves were expected
to follow when Britain may state
the nature and extent of compen
sation demanded from the Com
munist government for the losses
of First Acts
Ironically, the protest was oW
of the first acts of office per
formed by Britain's new charge
D'Affaires in Peiping, Humphrey
Travelyan. He arrived there last
month as a goodwill gesture oa
part of London.
Some diplomats had antici
pated an improvement in rela
tions with Peiping to follow the
appointment of Travelyan. His
arrival last August was ac
companied by unofficial specu
lation he might attempt to es
tablish full diplomatic relations
with Red China. Peiping has no
representation in London.
Four More County
Polio Cases Listed
Jackson county health de
partment Saturday reported four
more cases of polio, bringing the
total in the county to seven so
far this year.
Only one case is severe, the
office reported. A 4Vi-year-old
Phoenix boy has the bulbar type
of the disease. His 6-year-old
brother also is ill with the dis
ease but the case is not paralytic,
so far. The younger boy became
ill about September 7.
A Prospect man and his
daughter became ill with slight
cases about September 1, it was
said. Those two .cases have just
been reported.
Morse Asks Probe of
General Motors Pacts
Washington (U.R) Sen.
Wayne Morse (Ind-Ore.) urged
Saturday that Congress look into
the latest contracts awarded to
General Motors Corporation by
the defense department
The Army announced Friday
it had ruled out bids of Chrysler
Corp., and awarded GMC and
its Fisher Body division $285,
000,000 of tank and truck
contracts-
"Apparently," Morse told, re
porters, "these new contracts
demonstrate once again that the
tisenhower administration feels
that what is good for General
Motors is good for the country.
A thorough investigation is
needed to see how wrong the
I administration may be."
Panmunjom, Sunday (U.R)
The U.S. Army announced
today it would court martial an
American soldier accused of
striking a Swedish member of
a neutral nations inspection
team ia Korea.