Recommended
A ronndnp of top Jackson
eounty news during 1954 v ap
pears on Page 12 of today's
Issue of The Mail Tribune, and
roundup of the year's top
Ports news appears on Pace 1.
Weather
FORECAST Scattered after
noon showers In valley today
with snow in mountains. Oc
casional rain Monday. High
today 42, low tonight 28.
Temp.
Highest yesterday 44
Lowest yesterday 36
To It p.m. yesterday
United Press Full Leased Wire
49th Year 26 Pages
MEDFORD, OREGON, SUNDAY, JANUARY 2, 1955 -
Price 5c
No. 245
Si C3 United Press Full Leased Wire
;
R
eviem
Office
Dm
(Editor's note: Diamond L. Flynn, who has been mayor
of Medfoid for mora than six years, relinquished that office
to Earl Miller yesterday. In a final report, addressed to the
city council and to the people of Medford, Flynn reviewed
the accomplishments of his administration and pointed out
problems which are still facing the city. He delivered the
report at the year-end council meeting Friday, and will also
give highlights of it at a Chamber of Commerce Roundtable
session at noon at the Jackson hotel tomorrow. Slightly
edited, the report follows.)
By DIAMOND L. FLYNN
Retiring Mayor of Medford
I feel that I should refresh our minds of some of the projects
and incidents that have taken place during the last six years.
1 Completed Hawthorne swimming pool and park. (Bond issue
of $125,000 to do this.)
2. Installed modern radio equipment for Police and Fire de
partments. 3. Capt. Leo Weidner of the Portland Fire Department hired
in expansion of the Fire Department. New equipment purchased
' ,
V ft
I "
D. L, FLYNN
Issue Report
' 6. Construction of the Jackson street bridge, . which cost ap
proximately $40,000. The estimates of cost were near $140,000 on
this project. Construction also took: place on a nw annex to the
Public Library at a cost of approximately $102,000. "
; 7. Reorganized city superintendent's office and modernized the
bookkeeping system in recorder's office. The office : of public
works director was created which greatly improved our . Depart
ment of Safety and our street and sewer construction. Under this
arrangement all departments are under , the superintendent's of
fice5 with the exception of the city attorney, treasurer, recorder.
and city police judge.
Street Paving Completed
8. To get the residents of the
approximately 11V4 miles of paved streets -were constructed. An
extensive program of storm and sanitary sewers was inaugurated
with approximately 5.9 miles of storm sewers and 18.7 miles of
sanitary sewers installed during this period. Most of the storm
sewers were installed in West Medford due to a more serious.
drainage problem.
,' 9. The police department was
was added. Modern equipment
partment. It was through the help of the Berkeley police depart
ment and Sgt. Beall that this was accomplished.
10. We have annexed a number of additions to the city limits
of Medford, among them being Verde Hills, West Side Heights
additions, Eastwood subdivisions and tne Fairgrounds property
south of town. A total of 178 acres has been added to the city
through these annexations. - : ' '
11. The city hall has been remodeled to some degree and is
a much better office building for the needs of Medford. Much
more should be done to keep it in good repair. The heating system
needs some improvement. Most of the outside windows and doors
should be replaced. .These repairs would : save a lot in heating
. (Continued on Page 2)
Traffic Mishaps Near
New High; 150 Killed
Chicago U.R) Traffic acci
dents killed five persons an
hour Saturday night and safety
experts said the nation's motor
ists would record a new high
in deaths for two-day New
Year's holiday.
At 10 p.m., with the holiday
23 hours old 150 persons had
been killed on streets and high
ways. Fires claimed 12 lives,
four persons were killed in plane
crashes and, 11 in miscellaneous
accidents for a total of 177 acci
dental deaths, since a United
Press tabulation started at 6
p.m. Friday.
New York Tope List
New York had 12 traffic fa
talities, Texas 11 and Ohio nine.
Safety experts said the rec-
SATURDAY
SCORES
SHRINE GAME
East 23, West 12
ROSE BOWL . t
Ohio State 20, USC 7
SUGAR BOWL
Navy 21, Mississippi 0
COTTON BOWL
Georgia Tech 14, Arkansas
6 , '" .
ORANGE BOWL
Duke 34, Nebraska 7
SUN BOWL
Texas Western 47, Florida
Stale ! - ' ' l
Flynh
Six Years-'
off Mayor
and put in use, including sud
station in West Medford and
temporary station on the East
side on Keeneway. .
4. Twelve additional traffic
signal lights and modern light
ing on Sixth, Main, Central and
Bartlett sts., through the coop
eration of the State Highway
commission and lighting by the
California Oregon : Power com
pany were installed. A modern
-Police-Fire telephone alarm sys
tem has ' also been installed
throughout the city. ' ; . ;
5. Acquired sewage treatment
plant, from the government (War
Assets- administration) - and - the
installation . of approximately
eight miles of 36 inch concrete
trunk main from the city to the
plant. Shortly after this, treat
ment of sewage was made avail
able to Central Point, also ac
quired appsoximatv. 1,000
acres at Camp White roJwar
bage disposal and industrial usC
(
city out of the mud and dust,
reorganized. More manpower
was installed throughout this de
ord for a two-day New Year
holiday was set in ; 1948 when
216 persons died in traffic acci
dents. "
"It appears now. that our pre-
holiday estimate of a 240-person
death toll for this year was too
conservative," said Ned H. Dear
born, president of the National
Safety Council.
. He said traffic deaths were
mounting at a "disturbing rate"
and unless there was a sudden
slow-down would easily reach
the 300 mark.
Near Christmas Mark
"The traffic toll so far is run
ning half again as high as last
New Year, and is virtually equal
ling the shocking Christmas toll
of a week ago," Dearborn said.
"This is an incredible and dis
graceful price to pay for a holi
day that hopefully welcomes a
new year' in which the whole
emphasis is on peace . and
security."
Last week end's Christmas
holiday saw 380 killed in traffic
mishaps. .
New Earthquake Hits
Eureka; No Damage
Eureka, Calif. (U.R) A
"fairly sharp" earthquake rocked
this quake-conscious area at 6:49
p. m. Saturday, but no damage
was reported.
The temblor lasted only a short
time but caused a quick flurry
of excitement since it was the
seventh shock-felt here since
Dec. 21 when the area was
shaken by a severe jolt
-
y " '' f !
iVfrki J I i -
,
OFF TO CHINA Secy. Gen. of the UN Dag Hammar
&jold (left) is on his way to Peiping to seek the release
of 11 imprisoned American airmen in a showdown with
Red Chinese Premier Chou En-lai. In his party is William
J. Ranallo, 32(rir. at), of Pittsburgh Pa., bis personal aide
who has served i chauffeur and bodyguard. Ranallo is
the only America in the group.
U.N. Secreiairy Talks
mm
Paris (U.R) United Nations
Secretary General Dag Ham
marskjold stopped off on his
way to seek the release of Amer
icans jailed in Red China for a
one hour, secret conference Sat
urday with Premier Pierre
Mendes-France.
Government quarters specu
lated they might have discussed
MOD Drive Starts
Today With Pickup
Of Christmas. Trees
A Christmas tree pickup will
kick off the January March of
Dimes campaign in Medford this
afternoon.
Members of Medford Lodge
178,. Loyal Order of Moose, are
sponsoring the project. Med
ford residents are asked to place
their old Christmas trees in their
front yard or on their porch
prior to noon today.
Volunteers driving trucks do
nated by several used car deal
ers in the city will pick up the
trees during the afternoon. A
contribution to the March of
Dimes is requested to be placed
in a sealed envelope and fastened
to the tree. Boy Scouts from
city troops will assist with the
project.
Of necessity, the project is be
ing confined to the city limits,
according to Leo Webster, lodge
governor. Webster said those
outside the city who wish to fake
part in the project1 may bring
their trees into the city and leave
them in the yard of a friend.
The city has been divided into
11 districts for the pickup,Web
ster said. The pickup trucks
will take their cargo to two cen
tral locations where the trees
will be transferred Jo larger
trucks for transportation to the
old gymnasium site at Camp
White.
There the trees will be burned
at 7:30 p. m. this evening and
the public is invited. The Cen
tral Point Rural Fire Protection
District will dispatch a pumper
to the scene to stand by during
me Burning, Webster said.
Reds Raise Threat
Of New Blockade
Berlin (U.R) The Commun
ists raised a long range threat
of a Berlin blockade in reprisal
for West German rearmament
Saturday by refusing to renego
tiate an expiring agreement on
Western Barge .. Traffic to this
city.- .
The agreement with the Rus
sians on the use of waterways
through the Soviet zone which
carry 20 per cent of West Ber
lins supplies expired at mid
night.
Soviet authorities notified the
British Commission Saturday
that the matter had been re
ferred to East German authori
ties. The barge traffic, mostly
in coal from the Ruhr to West
Berlin, was normal, at east for
the time being. a -
, But Western authorities
agreed that if the Communists
wa'nted to seize upon the issue
at a time when they were fight
ing the Western plans to rearm
West Germany, they could cause
trouble. - ,
French recognition of the Peip
ing Regime some time in the
future. Others suggest Mendes-
France was taking the oppor
tunity o seek relief from East-
West tension. .
Refuses Comment
The Premier, fresh from the
struggle over German rearma
ment and under pressure on the
home front to try to do business
with the Communists, refused
to say what he and Hammarsk
jold talked about.
"M. Hammarskjold is engaged
on a mission of peace on this
first day of the new lyear,w he
said - in -fais-only s. oommentr -"In
the. name of the p.eople of
France, I wish him success in
his mission."
After a brief stop, Hammar
skjold flew on toward China.
He was due to talk today in
New Delhi with Prime Minister
Jawaharlal Nehru of India. '
Deplores U. S. Methods
In Calcutta Saturday night,
Nehru deplored the method of
the United Nations handling of
the case of 11 American airmen
held in China. Hammarskjold
will seek their release, as well
as other U. N. nationals in Chin.i.
Nehru voiced regret that the
U. N. itself had "decided the
case" of the U. S. Air Force cap
tives "without going into the
question." He said the "manner
of dealing with the case was
unfortunate.
At his press conference on his
way home from the Indonesian
conference, Nehru said Red
China attached great importance
to some thousands of Chinese
war prisoners sent to. Formosa
from Korea.
New Year's Eve Shot
Clips Power Line
Some overzealous New
Year's eve celebrators severed
a power line in the Eagle Point
area early yesterday by a gun
shot and service wasn't fully
restored until four hours later,
The California-Oregon Pow
er company reported yester
day that a 12,000-voIt primary
line into' the city and adjacent
area was'severed at 12:03 a.
apparently while some cele
brants were fixing a gun into
the air. The line dropped to
the ground and no injuries or
damage was reported.
Officials said service was
restored to city residents about
2:45 a. m., and to the whole
affected area by 4 a. m.
The line was severed near
the Eagle Point grade sehool
rhey added. ,
Ike Orders Return of Veteran Benefits
To Peacetime Basis Effective Jan. 31
Augusta, Ga. (U.R) Presi
dent Eisenhower Saturday' or
dered the nation's veterans
benefits put back on a peace
time basis, effective Jan. 31. The
move will eventually save bil
lions of dollars. -
Mr. Eisenhower., winding up
a yuletide holiday, issued - an
executive order and proclama
tion : ending these benefits for
future servicemen: :
Benefits Listed V 'v
1. . Free college scholarship
worth up to $5,760. . )
2. Mustering-out pay up to
$300. . '
3. Special veterans unemploy
ment insurance.
4. Loan guarantees on homes,
farms and businesses.
5. Snecial hospital privileges
and pensions fox those whose
Request for Funds
For Talent Project
In Federal Budget
Local Backers Deny
Reports of Cut
Press reports from Washing
ton speculating that funds for
the Talent reclamation project
may not be included in the fed
eral budget this year are in
accurate, it was reported here
Saturday.
Report Quoted
A United Press dispatch yes
terday said:
"No funds are included in the
administration's budget to begin
construction of the newly-authorized
Talent . division reclama
tion project in southern Oregon,
reports here indicate.
"Initial construction funds for
the $22,000,000 Talent project
were requested by the bureau of
reclamation and the Interior De
partment. "But when the requests for
funds reached the budget bu
reau, evidence indicates the
money was eliminated on the
supposed . grounds that White
House policy was against any
new starts in the field of reclam-
mation in the next fiscal year,
"Oregon lawmakers ' inter
vened, obtaining a White House
statement that there was no
presidential policy against new
reclamation projects, but appar
ently the Talent funds were left
out anyway.
Source of the United Press
story was not given.
Includes S350.000 Request
A check in Medf ord yesterday
with supporters of the Talent
project who have kept in close
touch with the progress of the
project indicated that the bud
get specifically includes a re
quest for $350,000 to start work
of rehabilitating the canal sys
tems of the Medford and Rogue
Valley Irrigation districts, an
integral part of the overall plan.
In addition, it was reported,
a supplemental request for $2,-
645,000 will be included with
the funds to be used for initial
construction of the irrigation
and power project itself.
The Talent division project
was authorized by the Congress
near the end of the session last
year, and the bill was signed by
President Eisenhower. It re
ceived the support of all of Ore
gon's Congressmen, and Senator-
elect Richard Neuberger also
has said he favors the project.
84th
Opens Wednesday
Washington (U.R) The
84th Congress convenes Wednes
day for a session which will test
President ; Eisenhower's ability
to press his "moderately progres
sive" legislative -: program
through a House ' and Senate
under Democratic control.- -
As of now, there is no assur
ance - of too much bi-partisan
harmony. Both Democ r ts and
Republicans will be shooting for
a legislative record aimed at
capturing the White House in
1956.
On foreign and defense
policies, where there is much
overlapping of administration
and Democratic party views; Mr.
Eisenhower's chances of success
are deemed fairly good. But he
faces greater conflict on a num
ber of domestic issues --
ailments are not due to military
service.
The order puts compensation
payments for service-connected
disabilities on a peacetime basis
which is 80 percent of the war
time basis. .
It does - not : affect any war
time rights which anyone already
may have or may accumulate
between now and Jan. 31.
No Exact Estimate ; , .
The exact saving to the gov
ernment can not be determined.
But experts in Washington fig
ured war .veterans benefits even;
tually would cost an extra $5,
000,000,000 to $6,000,000,000 for
each year they were continued.
The little White House here
pointed xmt that the order does
not . impair peacetimes veterans
benefit.- -
Congress
Duff wmA
wn
M
Robert Duff, 53, Medford's
city superintendent since 1951,
has been named the city's first
city manager. The appointment
became effective yesterday.
The city council vote was un
animous. Former Mayor D. L.
Flynn stated that the appoint-
: ROBERT DUFF
Named by Council
ment probably will have, to. be
confirmed, by the new council
at a regular meeting Tuesday.
. Flynn -stated after the meet
ing that . several other men had
Rolls Triplets Get
Names; Girl First
1955 Medford Baby
. James Thomas Rolls, Robert
Jonathan Rolls and William Da
vid Rolls celebrated New Year's
day yesterday by receiving
names. !
The triplets, sons of Mr. and
Mrs. James W. , Rolls, .512 Sum
mit ave., are four days bid to
day. . .
Babies Gaining Weight ' '
' James, the smallest and first
born of the three, has been the
liveliest. of the brothers so far,
and proved it Saturday by reg
istering a weight gain of two
ounces. Robert, the middle one,
gained one ounce, and William,
the biggest and youngest, gained
an ounce and a half. -
The boys are ' named after
their father and the two doctors
who assisted in their delivery,
They probably will ' be known
as Jim, Bob and Bill.
Sisters at Sacred Heart hos
pital reported Saturday that two
babies were born New .Year's
eve, to bring the total number
born at the hospital during 19o4
to 605, or 75 more than the year
before. Among them have been
three sets of twins and the trip
lets..,-
Sharon Kay First
A girl, Sharon Kay, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Clem
mer, route 1, box 477, Central
Point, was the first baby born in
Medford on Jan. 1, 1955. The
baby was born at 10:45 a. m. in
Community hosp ital and
weighed 8 pounds and 12 ounces.
The infant has an older sister,
Charleen Ann, 1, and. tne father
is employed at the Continental
Lumber company, Central Point.
"Persons serving in the armed
forces will continue to receive
entitlement to substantial peace
time veterans' benefits provided
by the Veterans Administration,
the Department of Defense, and
other agencies, it said.
Emergency Not Elided ;
These apply mostly to com
pensation and hospital and med
ical care for tservice-connected
disabilities,' retirement insur
ance and death gratuity."
The order; does not end" the
state of national emergency pro
claimed for the Korean fighting
in 1950 by then President Tru
man. Such an order would af
fect too many other laws enacted
in : connection with the Korean
fightin ' : . --
Firs Cuaft
First
m
rffiir
applied for the job and were
considered by the council.
Duff, as the city manger, will
be responsible for the executive
branch of government. The po
sition was created by the voters
at the November election.
To Name Department Heads
He will appoint all depart
ment heads, including city re
corder and treasurer, formerly
elective offices.' Duff announced
Friday that there would be no
change in incumbents of eitMer
of the positions for the present.
However, he stated he will ask
the council for authorization to
secure a financial consultant to
analyze the city's financial ar
rangements, and : make recom
mendation for efficient fiscal
operations in the government.
Combination of the two positions
under one financial director is
a possibility, he added;
' Twhe new manager re-appont-ed
the following city officials,
effective yesterday: Administra
tive Aide Clatous McCredie, City
Attorney Frank Farrell, Record
er Neva Samuels, Treasurer Dar
ell Huson, Police Chief Charles
Champlin, Fire Chief Gordon
Barker, Vernon Thorpe, director
of public works and traffic en
gineer;' City Engineer Edward
McKinstry, Building Inspector
Herbert Mackie, Airport Mana
ger Ralph Pierce, Sewage Plant
Supt. Raymond Fish,' Park Supt.
Leo Thomas, Lester Anderson,
general foreman streets and
roads; Electrician J. A. Wolff
and Health Officer Dr. A. 'Erin
Merkel. Huson was also named
director of parks and recreation.
With City 30 Year
Duff has been employed .by
the eity of Medford for almost
30 years. He began as a drafts
man in the water commission in
1925, during construction of the
old water pipeline. In -1931, he
was named - water superinten
dent, a position he 1 has held
since. He will continue as water
superintendent under the new
system, with Robert Lee as as
sistant superintendent. Duff as
sumed the broader duties of city
superintendent in July, 1951.
Duff attended the University
of Santa Clara in California and
graduated in 1925 with a bach
elor of science degree in civil
engineering. He became a reg
istered professional engineer in
Oregon in July, 1932.
The new manager was born
in Yavapai county, Arizona, on
April 23, 1901. He moved to
Medford with his parents in
1906 and has resided here ever
since, except ; while attending
the university. He is married and
resides at 2316 East Main st.-
Mayor Earl Miller, who re
ceived the gavel from Mayor
Flynn at the meeting, told the
council that Duff had "served
the city well and is qualified be
yond any reasonable doubt to
serve as its first city manager."
Duff thanked the council for
their confidence and stated that
"with the help of all . the city's
employees, I will try to give the
council a progressive and. effi
cient administration."
West Discounts
Malenkov 'Feeler'
London (U.PJ Soviet Pre
mier Georgi Malenkov's New
Year; feeler on talks with the
West about Far Eastern affairs
was taken in the capitals of
Western Europe Saturday to be
another move in 'the Kremlin
campaign to block West German
rearmament. i
Official quarters in London,
Paris and Bonn found little
nourishment in the message an
swering questions by an Amer
ican television newsreel con
cern. ' - ;.'" '
"It is unlikely that a confer
ence to discuss Far Eastern af
fairs in general would make
progress at this stage," a British
foreign office, spokesman said.f
Her majesty's governments
policy, has throughout been to
reduce tension in the Far East,
and as soon as all concerned are
agreed that a specific question
is ripe for further discussions, a
conference might prove useful
once again." . r
(See Story ea Page 2)
General Ridgway
To Be Asked for
Testimony on Plan
Hearings Scheduled
dL:1 ! . I r
Bcninu uosrs
Washington - (U.R) Sen.
Richard B. Russell (D.-Ga.) Sat
urday promised a prompt and
"thorough" Senate investigation
into administration plans for
slashing the armed forces by
403,000 men during the next 18
months. , : j n .
Among those who will be
asked to testify, he said, will be
Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway, who
is reported to have protested to
President Eisenhower against
orders for a sharp reduction in
the size of the army.
No Date Fixed
Russell said the manpower re
view will be conducted by the
Senate Armed Services Commit
tee which he will head when the
new Democratic. Congress con
venes next week. The hearings,
for which no date has been
fixed, will start behind closed
doors, but may be thrown open
to the public later, he said.
"We expect ' to have a full
briefing by the Joint Chiefs of
Staff on proposals that affect the
strength of the military serv
ices," Russell said in an inter
view. ' '
"We're certainly going into
this very thoroughly and get the
views and the reasoning of those
who are proposing the reduc
tion." ...
Release Planned
The A rmv TuViifW wrml4 Vnv
the brunt .of the "manpower re
duction, has announced it would
release about 44,000 draftees
ahead of schedule, next spring
to meet lower- manpower ceil
ings set by Mr. Eisenhower and
the Defense Department.
The : Army -Navy -Air Force
Journal reported that Ridgway,
as one of the President's "mili
tary advisers," had protested
personally to . t h e " Fresident
against the sharp cuts. The Army
- Russell made it clear that he
was not yet passing judgment
on the proposed plans. He added
there is nothing Congress can
do if President Eisenhower
should., be determined to carry
out the plans. -
The Defense Department plans
call for trimming the armed
forces by 403,000 men to 2,815,
000 by the middle of 1956.
Suez Traffic Jam
Said Getting Worse
Port Said, Egypt U.R) A
seagoing traffic jam at the
blocked Suez Canal grew worse
by the hour Saturday night.
About 100 ships were piled
up in and at both ends of the
shipping bottleneck between the
east and west. That many more'
were approaching,
. Canal authorities appealed to
shipping companies to order
their vessels to slow down their
approach to the Suez, one of the
busiest , waterways in the world.
It has been blocked since Friday.
Canal officials announced that
engineers would take three more
days to unplug the canal. They
cabled the Suez Canal company
in London that it was expected
to be open for traffic Tuesday
morning. '
The 10,892-ton Liberian tank
er World ; Peace, laden with
17,000 tons of crude oil from
Kuwait, knocked down the El
Firdan railway bridge over the
canal Friday. " V
Ralph Bunche Starts
As Hammarskjold Aide
Umted Nations, N.Y 0J.R)
Dr, Ralph ' J. Bunche of., the
United States and Ilya Tcherny
chev of Russia took over Satur
day as 'the principal assistants
to United Nations Secretary
General. Dag Hammarskjold. .
Both began VA year contracts
as undersecretaries of the world
organization, without specific
assignment. . .
Tchernychev is acting secre
tary general while , Hammar
skjold is on his mission to Peip
ing and Bunche is in charge of
arrangements for the scientific
conference to be held next year
as part of President Eisen
hower's "Atoms-for-Peace" plan
which gained Assembly ap
proval last month..