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LARGEST CARRIER At Newport News, Va., the USS Forrestal, largest aircraft carrier
in the world, is eased into an outfitting dock by tugs where it will be fitted with elec
tronic and ordnance equipments
Medford Armory Due
For Completion Late
Next Year, Is Report
n
The new Medford armory
building will probably be fin
ished some time in late fall next
year, one of the architects told a
chamber of commerce group here
yesterday. --'
; Jack Edson, of. the firm of
Xeeney and Edson which holds
the architectural contract for the
iuilding, said that planning is
about . three-fourths completed.
It will be finished probably by
mid-January or early February,
he said, and then must be ap
proved by the National Guard
' bureau in Washington, D. C.
. After this it will take about
three more weeks to obtain bids,
and construction will take about
eight months, Edson estimated.
Describes Structure
: In describing the structure as
now planned, Edson said it will
have some 37,000 square feet,
with about 30,000 available for
all purposes, National Guard
training as well as general pub
lic use. The rest of it would in
clude office and storage space
for Medford's two Guard units.
The building will be centered
around a 100 by 120 foot multi-
pie-purpose assembly area,
which is being designed to pro
vide the greatest possible flexi
bility of use. Basketball, danc
ing, convention assemblies, dis
plays and other gatherings could
make use of the area. Folding
bleachers will accomodate up
ward of 3,000 persons, he said,
depending on its use.
It is planned to have maple
floors. Balconies, also with fold
ing bleachers, will add to the
seating and display space.
Plan Classrooms
Adjacent to the assembly area
will be National Guard class
rooms which can be expanded
or made smaller through the use
of folding partitions for commit
teeroom use, or for a dining
area, or which can be opened into
the mam area.
Edson said that the possibil
ity of its being used for conven
tions has been kept in mind in
the design, and, a snack bar,
lounge, toilets and a big kitchen
are part of the plan. Some of
the areas will be used by the
National Guard, and others both
by the Guard and by others. A
rifle range is incorporated into
the basement, as are dressing
rooms for possible use by ath
letic teams.
The building will be largely of
reinforced concrete "construc
tion, with wood and plaster used
also.
May Be Changes
Edson, who spoke at the week
ly "Koundtable" gathering of
the Jackson County Chamber of
Commerce, said there, may be
Weather
FORECAST: Generally eloudy
through Wednesday with
- occasional rain beginning to
night. Low tonight 40, high
Wednesday 48-50.
Temp.
Highest Yesterday 44
Lowest this Morning
Prec. to 4:30 a.m. Today.
37
.01
United Fund Drive Reports
Only 2 Per Cent From Goal
The United Medford Crusade
is within about 2 per cent of
reaching its $102,000 goal, it was
reported today.
UCA officials issued an appeal
to all who have not yet contrib
uted to send their contributions
to Post Office Box 500, so that
the goal can be achieved. A total
of $98,629 has been given or
pledged, leaving only $3,371 to
be collected.
Proud of Showing
I Bill Prentice, chairman of
the UMC drive, said today that
he is proud of the showing made
. in iMedf ord this year, and
credited both his . volunteer
workers and the generousity of
Medford residents with a record
of giving which he said com
pares well with many others on
the. Pacific Coast.
He pointed out that the Unit
ed und drives in other cities
vXZh.'" v
some lew minor changes in
planning before the construc
tion gets under way. The city,
county, state and federal gov
ernments are sharing the cost of
the building,
Control of the building, when
completed, will be vested in a
three-man board, including rep
resentatives of the city, county
and National Guard. The build
ing will ' replace Medford's old
armory which was damaged and
largely destroyed by fire about
two years ago
It will be located on former
fairgrounds property just off
Highway 99 south of Medford,
which recently was annexed to
the city of Medford. It will be
adjacent to a'big shopping center
to. the north, plans for which
were announced today.
Labor Decision
Not Announced
Seattle U.R) A decision has
been made on unfair labor prac
tices charges filed against the
Red Blanket company of Eagle
Point and Prospect by the Na
tional Labor Relations board, it
was announced today.
But NLRB officials said the
decision will not be announced!
until later in the week. The for
mal decision has not been writ
ten as yet, and until an NLRB at
torney can draft it formally it
will not be made public, the an
nouncement said.
The charges were filed last
summer by Local Union 6-122,
International Woodworkers of
America, CIO, in connection
with a strike at the company's
plants.
The strike ended this fall after
most company employees had re
turned to work.
Natural Gas Pipeline
To Be Launched Soon
Vancouver, B.C. - (U.R) A
$100,000,000 pipeline to trans
mit natural gas from the rich
Peace river country to West
Coast markets will be launched
early in the new year, Premier
A. C. Bennett anonunced yes
terday. A statement by the Premier
and Robert E. Somecs, provinci
al minister of mines, disclosed
that agreement has been reach
ed between three huge natural
gas concerns for joint develop
ment of the Peace River market.
Frank McMahon, president of
West Coast Transmission Ltd.,
Ray Fish, president of the Paci
fic Nerthwest Pipeline Corp.,
and Paul Kayser, president of
the El Paso Natural Gas Co.,
reached the agreement in Tulsa,
Okla., the statement said.
Hollywood U.R) Ex-actress
Cathy Downs said she plans to
file suit in January to divorce
Joe Kirkwood Jr., the "Joe Pa
looka" of television. '
have concluded short of 100 per
cent, but that it is still the am
bition here to have a completed
drive.
Those who gave amounts
smaller than they did last year
are being asked to increase their
gifts to equal last year, he said.
If this is done, and if those who
have not yet given will do so,
the drive will go over the top.
Report Made
Since the last report about
two weeks ago, the UMC has re
ceived the final report from the
employees and management of
Bear Creek Orchards, which
brought the total to 98 per cent.
Benefiting from the drive are
the Boy and Girl Scouts, the
Camp Fire Girls, the Salvation
Army, the Medford YMCA, the
Red Cross, the Oregon chest, and
a number of health agencies. - -
v..yss2ri!twi'S&.',YSMYyia&.'A,-A
Demos Want More
Foreign Policy,
Defense Details
Washington (U.R) Demo
cratic congressional leaders said
after a bi-partisan legislative
conference with President Eis
enhower today that they wanted
more details before commiting
themselves to support the ad
ministration's foreign policy and
national defense programs next
year.
The Democrats described the
White House meeting as cordial
and constructive.
Senate . Democratic Leader
Lyndon B. Johnson (Tex.) said
the Democrats recognized the
need for action at the next ses
sion of Congress on a long-range
foreign trade program, improve
ment of the defense manpower
situation and a pay raise for the
military.
Johnson also indicated Demo
cratic sympathy for some form
of economic aid to Asia, but
he said Mr. Eisenhower and his
advisors had reached no decision
on such a program.
In such a situation, Johnson
said, the Democrats would have
to await further information.
Republican and Democratic
leaders 'of both houses, plus
ranking members of the Foreign
Affairs, Armed Services and Ap
propriations committees, confer-
recLwith the President, key Cab
inet" members and the White
House staff from 8:30 a.m. to
11:50 a.m.
'Some Improvements'
Johnson, speaking for the
Democrats, said the administra
tion of 1955 legislative needs in
the foreign and national defense
fields was in such general terms
that he felt . that congressional
committees would require much
additional detailed information.
Johnson said he thought the
administration plans discussed
today were constructive and
would be received by Congress
in that light. But he added that
some of the administration plans
"may require some improve
ments" Farm Bureau Head
Resigns From Office
New York - (U.R) Allan B.
Kline, president of the American
Farm Bureau Federation, an
nounced his resignation from the
leadership post today for reasons
of health.
Kline has been president since
December, 1947. He said at the
conclusion of his' annual address
to the Farm- Bureau meeting
here that his doctor had told
him to get away from the pres
sure of his presidential office
duties. '
A successor will be elected
Thursday.
Kline, whose home is in Vin
ton,' la., had been living recently
in the Chicago area where the
Farm Bureau headquarters are
located. -
Stepfather Confesses
To Beating of Girl
San Bruno (U.R)- The step
father of a young Negro woman,
found dying in a roadside ditch
with her throat slashed and her
clothes afire, admitted to police
today he had beaten and stabbed
her last night following an argu
ment. But longshoreman S. J. Curry,
40, the stepfather, denied he
poured gasoline on her and set
fire to her. N - '
(See story on Page 4)
Central Point Girl
Flown to Portlaid'
Cindy Herndon, five-month-old
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roy
L. Herndon, route 2, box 157A,
Central Point, was taken, to
Portland today by Mercy Flights
air ambulance. The child was the
305th patient carried by the
non-profit air ambulance service.
The little girl is scheduled to
undergo treatment at Doern-
becher hospital for spinal menin
gitis. The plane was piloted by
Lee Flink and George Milligan. -
Peiping Hints at
Consideration of
Possible Trade
Detention of Students
Claimed Law Violation
United Nations, N.Y. (U.R)
The United States will not enter
any "deal'' with Red China for
the release of 11 American air
men jailed as "spies," diplomatic
sources said today.
Peiping Radio hinted that it
might consider trading the 11
Americans, princpal subjects of
a United Nations' demand for
the freeing of illegally held war
prisoners, 'in exchange for 35
Chinese students refused exit
permits by the United States.
Return Refused
The United States has refused
to let the 5 students, who were
in the country when Communist
China entered the Korean war,
return to their homeland be
cause they are experts in elec
tronics, chemistry and physics.
All three fields are important in
development of atomic energy.
The American position was
disclosed shortly after a state
ment by Gen. Mark W. Clark,
former supreme commander for
the United Nations in Korea, in
which he said that he knew the
Chinese Reds were holding at
least 944 Americans as hostages.
Claimed Law Violation
Radio Peiping called the de?
tention of the students "a flag
rant violation of international
law."
The Red broadcast appeared
to observers to be a possible ef
fort by the Communists to form
a parallel case because the
United Nations has condemned
Red China as a Korean truce
violator for jailing the. uniform
ed airmen as spies.
Diplomats speculated that the
Red Chinese would dwell on
this subject before replying, to
U.N. Secretary General Dag
Hammarskj old's cabled bids for
a meeting in Peiping on the fate
of the imprisoned fliers.
Most of the Chinese students
who have been refused exit per
mits do not wish to leave the
United States. The others are not
being permitted to return to Red
China at this time because 'of
valuable scientific knowledge
they have acquired in their stu
dies and research.
Request Ignored
The Peiping broadcast again
ignored the Hammerskjold
cabled request for a meeting in
the Red capital with Premier
Chou En-Lai. The message left
New York , last Friday at 2:08
p.m. (PST) and arrived in Peip
ing four hours later, but it was
not known whether it was de
livered to Chou.
- U.N. officials refused to be
discouraged by the lack of a
quick reply from Peiping. They
reasoned that if Chou were go
ing to reject ' Hammerskj old's
proposal outright, he probably
would have acted by now. -
Instead, these diplomats be
lieved Red China was framing
a conditional reply to Hammers'
kjold. .
... -. ,
Savage Rapids Dam
Work Completed
Portland (U.R) Renova
tion work at Savage Rapids dam
on the Rogue river near Grants
Pass has been completed and as
a result upstream fish will have
a better lease on life in the fu
ture, the State Game commission
said today .
Cole Rivers, fisheries agent
for the commission, said "the
construction company was most
cooperative in providing ade
quate fish passage at all phases
of construction."
The problem of screening the
irrigation intake at the dam re
mains, the commission said. .
Handicapped Students
To Give Away Presents
Children in one of the;
rooms for handicapped chil
dren in a Medford public
school will mail Christmas
presents to children in Fair
view home, Salem. . In past
years the children have ex
changed presents this year
ihe. presents, will be sent to
Fairview instead.
The plan was made in re
sponse to a plea from Mrs. W.
P. Stevens, Portland, chair
man of the Christmas present
project of the Oregon Mental
Health association. Her appeal
was for gifts for inmates of all
of the state's mental institu
tions. '
DOW-JONES AVERAGES
' New .York 4U.R) Dow-Jones
final stock averages:. 30 indus
trials 387.03 off 2.76: 20 rail:
roads 136.58 ud 0.13: 15 utilities
61.37 off 0.01, and 65 stocks
143.49 off 0.52. Sales today were
about 2.650.000 shares, compar
ed with 2,750,000 shares traded
yesterday. - - -
United Press FuU Lea
49th Year v 24 Pages
Accident-Free Day
Throughout Nation
Asked by President
Chief Asks Medford
Drivers To Cooperate
Jackson county authorities to
day called upon all drivers to
make the 24 hours of Safe Driv
ing day, December 15, tomor
row, accident-free.
In a special appeal, Medford
Police Chief Charles Champlin
stated that he wants to see Med
ford "get up there with the best"
in proving that it can go one day
in a year with no accidents.
He added; "S-D. day is being
observed all over the country.
It is sponsored by the President's
action committee for traffic safe
ty and hundreds of other local,
state and national organiza
tions." Average Two Daily .
In requesting particular driv
ing caution tomorrow, the chief
said that in Medford on an aver
age week-day the city has about
two traffic accidents of all types.
For Jackson county, the goal
for tomorrow is six less than
Dec. 15 of last year. This was
the number of accidents in the
county on that day.
Jennings Pierce, president of
the Jackson County Highway
Lif esavers committe, which co
ordinates highway safety local-
Salem (U.R) A last
minute appeal to motorists to
lake it easy on the highways'
tomorrow but , to report any
accidents immediately was
made today by Secretary of
State Earl T. Newbry on the
eve of S-D day.
Newbry urged motorists to
file reports either at a city
police department, county
sheriff's office or branch of
fice of the secretary of state,
in the county in which the
accident occurs.
Immediate reports are nec
essary so that Oregon's part
in the national Safe - Driving
day proclaimed by President
Eisenhower can be quickly
evaluated and forwarded to
national agencies.
ly, reported that S-D day would
be the beginning of a concerted
year-round effort to reduce acci
dents on county highways. .
A number of local groups
have announced they will par
ticipate fully in S-D day here
tomorrow.
Robert A. Shaw, secretary
treasurer of Teamsters Local
Union 962, said the Internation
al Brotherhood of Teamsters,
AFL, is cooperating in the at
tempt to make the day accident
free throughout the United
States.
Medford and Ashland empoly
ees of the Pacific Telephone and
Telegraph company who drive
vehicles also have been urged
to make an extra effort toward
safety on the highways Wednes
day, according to Jack Creager,
local company manager.
Medford lodge No. 83, IOOF,
announced that it has joined
with the President in his safe
driving campaign and urged all
its members to join in keeping
S-D day free from accident. H.
A. Vincent, noble grand, and
Tom Banks, secretary, are di
recting the local safety cam
paign for the lodge.
Other firms and groups have
also pledged cooperation.
Highway Chief Here
James A. Pryde, chief of the
Washington Highway . Patrol,
was a Medford visitor yester
day and today, speaking on traf
fic safety. He was a guest of the
Medford Rotary club today, fol
lowing a meeting with the High
way Lifesavers group. :-
A story on Chief Pryde's
Knife and Fork club talk ap
pears on page 2 of today's Mail
Tribune. . .
By UNITED PRESS
Midnight tonight will be H
hour for S-D Day : a day when
the President has challenged the
nation's motorists to get through
24 hours r without a single traf
fic accident.
Safety experts, police, - and
city and state officials aimed
new appeals to drivers through
out the country to face up to the
presidential challenge and set an
SMFE IMMI
ted Wat
--.v. MF.DFORD. -EGON, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14 1954
Best Yule S
Ever tieporte
The Medford area appears to
be headed for the best Christmas
shopping season it has ever ex
perienced. - ;
That is the concensus of a
number of leading retail merch
ants and bankers in the city,
queried this week by the Mail
Tribune. Each one indicated that
business is good; most of them
said it is the best Yuletide sea
son Medford has ever had.
Here is the gist of some of
their comments:
Department store -There has
Hew Firm Announces
Plans for Shopping
District Near City
Preliminary work on a 10-
acre shopping district south of
Medford has begun, according
to M. O. Bessonette, one of the
originators of the enterprise.
He said the Bear Creek De
velopment company has been
formed to handle the project. It
includes a number of Medford
businessmen.
The work which started last
week is confined to sewage and
drainage control, channeling the
two streams which flow through
the property, which is located
on the east side of Highway 99
between Barnett rd. and Stewart
ave. It is just north of the site
for the proposed new armory.
In 'Doodling Stage'
Bessonette said that actual
construction plans are still in
the "doodling stage" and no ar
chitect has yet been retained to
lay out detailed designs. As de
scribed by the company spokes
man, the development may ex
tend over a long period of time,
5 to 10 years, with additional
units of the final shopping cen
ter or district being added from
time to time.
Polio Workers'
'School' Scheduled
A one-night "school" for Jack
son county volunteer workers in
the January March of Dimes
campaign will be held at the
Jackson hotel tomorrow night,
starting at 8 o'clock, it has been
announced. The "school" will be
under direction of Bob Smith
and Van Purdy, co-chairmen of
the county campaign. .
Mrs. Frederick Young of Port
land, state adviser on women's
activities, will be the prinicipal
speaker and a film on polio work
will be shown. Various phases of
the anti-polio fund raising pro
gram will be discussed and the
workers will be given opportun
ities; to ask questions regarding
various problems expected to be
faced in their communities.
Mrs. Earl Leever, Medford,
who last year directed the city's
most successful "M others'
March" campaign, will speak on
that activity.
all-time safety record Wednes
day. ' '
S-D Day short for Safety
D Day was thought up by a
man who alniost died in a traffic
accident last March Albert
J. Veglia, registrar of motor
vehicles for the- state of Calif
ornia.
Common-Sense Rules
It was sponsored by the Pres
ident's Action committee ; for
Traffic Safety and Mr. Eisen
how told : the nation's drivers
that if they practice common
sense rules, Wednesday "can be
a day without a traffic accident
in all America." ,
Safety experts doubted if the
record will be spotless. But
they hoped for a dramatic dem
onstration of how safe the na
tion's highways can be with a
little special effort.
On the comparable day ' last
year Wednesday, Dec. 16
there were 4,907 traffic . acci
dents in the United States. Six
ty persons were killed and 1,807
were injured.
United
hopping Season
i in TMfoird
been no change in the business
trend, which is generally lip
every year. It still is up. People
are buying with an eye toward
utility and sensible direction,
principally clothing.
Women's wear store Med
ford people started shopping
early this year, about three
weeks earlier than usual. Sales
are holding up well, and are
ahead of last ye'ar. There is much
spending on luxury items this
year, and money seems to be no
object. Customers generally are
He said it might be possible
to get construction started in the
spring.
The plans as now contemplat
ed do not include one big store,
but rather a series of stores and
shops laid out in a shopping dis
trict, with streets and' adequate
parking facilities provided
throughout.
Besonette said that more de
tails of the plan will be an
nounced as they become more
definite and as more progress
is made.
Pope's Progress
Declared Halted
Vatican City U.R) A team
of doctors found today that
Pope Pius XII is weaker and his
recovery was halted.
Five specialists consulted at
the bedside of the ailing 78-year-old
Pontiff in an atmosphere of
urgency resulting from a recur
rence of the hiccups which have
plagued . him repeatedly for
many months. It was the third
examination in five days.
The Pope was suffering from
a mild case of anemia in addi
tion to the new attack of hic
cups, it was disclosed. The proc
ess which brought, him back
from a brush with death 12 days
ago had halted, doctors said.
His pulse was reported fluc
tuating slightly.
Authoritative sources said the
doctors decided during a 45
minute conference at the Pope's
bedside this afternoon to speed
up efforts to take x-rays for
diagnosing his ailment..
CHRISTMAS SEAIS
160 More Blood Donors for
Tomorrow's Visit Said Need
. One- hundred sixty more
blood donors are needed by to
morrow,; it was announced this
morning. '
The monthly visit of the Red
Cross bloodmobile here will be
tomorrow, and 300 persons are
needed to give blood to furnish
the qupta needed, workers in
the ' blood program said. Only
140 have made appointments to
give blood so far,, they said.
'Drop-Ins' Welcome -
' The blood donation operation
will be held from 1 to 6 pjn. at
the: Elks temple, and "drop-in"
donors will be welcome, in ad
dition to those who have made
appointments. The . telephone
Press Full Leased Wire
Price 5c No. 229
spending more freely than they
have in the past two or three
years. .
Women's wear store Snoo
ping is better than last year.'
Luxury goods, jewerly, furs and
other "froufrou" items coins
well.
Chain department store So
far November and December
have been very good. Shopping
started earlier and is holding
up; compares favorably with
1953 and is a little better, if
anything. Selections are better
this year, and people are buying
better merchandise of a more
practical type.
Banker Reporti to Mm
show that the shopping season
is good, ranging from a low of
4 to a high of 8 or 10 per cent
better than at the same time last
year. A good volume of business
is anticipated between sow and
Christmas.
Gift shop manager Busin
ess is good; heading for a record
year.
Photography studio Busin
ess about the same as last year.
People started shopping for pho
tographs a bit later than last
year. Customers from some areas
(particularly Yreka and Central
Point) seem to be spending more
freely than others.
Another photography studio
Business this year about 15 to
18 per cent greater than last
year, .Last year had to stop tak
ing Christmas pictures on Dec,
10; this, year had to do so a
week earlier to permit them to
be finished on time. Retail sales
on cameras, projectors and oth
er equipment are high; lots of
it sold before it arrives for sale.
The average photographic order
this year about 5 or 8 per cent
bigger than last year's average.
Prices are about the same.
Jewelry store Not as many
big items being sold as last year.
but overall volume is about the
same as in 1953. Diamonds and
watches are the big items ' this
year; last year it. was costume
jewelry and silverware.
Banker Banking activity is
brisk, and deposits are increas
ing as they usually do at this
tune of year, although in great
er proportion than usuaL "Not
so many requests for credit.
Things seem pretty busy, al
though ' no comparison made
with last year.
Men's clothing store Cus
tomers seem to be looking for
quality merchandise,; and don't
mind spending money for good
items. -
Jewelry store Silverware,
diamonds and costume jewelry
are moving well, and customers
seem to be spending more money
than last year Christmas shop
ping started earlier than usuaL
Gift shop Business about
the same as last year. People
seem to be working harder at
shopping, with more emphasis
on utility. .
Road Conditions
Chains were required for
- driving over the Diamond lake
warned.
On the Siskiyou mountain
pass there were spots of ice,
well sanded, and ice also was
springs route. ''
number to use in making an ap
pointment is 3-3813. - ,
The blood is used in local hos
pitals, and some is sent to the
regional blood bank in Port
land for distribution to areas
needing it. Jackson county has
received jsuch blood in recent
months, because not enough has
been given here recently to sup
ply this area's needs. ;
No Fatty .Foods - ; 1
Those giving blood tomorrow
are reminded not to eat fatty
foods for four hours before ap
pearing at the blood center. The
process of giving blood is quick
and painless.-
The bloodmobile is in Rogue
River today at the Grange halL
VOICE