Mebford
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50th Year 20 Pages
NUCLEAR T
Floods Threatened
In Four States
As Water Rises
Diver Joins Search
For Missing Vehicles
By UNITED PRESS
. Southland rivers, gorged by
three days of torrential rains
rose towards flood crests today
in Alabama, Mississippi, South
Carolina and Louisiana.
No new storms threatened
Dixie, but tornadic weather
'which raged across the nation's
southern half had left at least
11 persons feared dead and mil
lions of dollars' damnge.
In Mississippi, the Pearl, Pas-
cagoula, and Leaf rivers threat
ened to spill over thousands of
acres today. Alabama was
warned to prepare for the worst
floods since 1948 on the lower
Alabama, Coosa and Tombigbee
rivers.
Diver Joins Search
Meanwhile, a professional
diver joined the search of the
flood-swollen Homochitto river
in Mississippi, where at lea;
twe vehicles plunged off a bro
ken bridge. Two persons, and
possibly more, were feared dead
Elsewhere in the natirn, fog
still shrouded New York City
where an American tanker an-
British ship collided, officials
sa'd.
, In Texas and Oklahoma work
men repaired miles of blizzard
damaged communications and
power lines in summer-like tem
peratures. Ice, heavy snow, and
76-mile-per hour winis had
snapped the lines and temporar
ily marooned hundreds of mo
torists, but the eight-foot drifts
were practically melted away to
day. Cold Snap Threatened -
Farther west, mora blowing
dast was in store for farmers in
Eastern Colorado and parts of
New Mexico, and a threatening
cold snap prompted livestocs
warnings for extreme Northern
Wyoming.
The sodden Southeast was still
being doused with rain in some
portions today, including 3.03
inches at Augusta, Ga., and 2.17
inches at Macon, Ga. '
These rains, however, were
welcomed by drouth-plagued
farmers.
Robert Sage Selected
Washington Principal
Robert Sage, 35, principal of
the' Gold Hill elementary school
for the past six years, has been
appointed principal of Washing
ton school in Medford, it was
announced this morning.
He was offered the post fol
lowing a meeting of the board of
School District 49 this week, and
accepted today. He succeeds
Kenneth Hulbert, who will be
come principal of the new Jef
ferson school in September.
Sage, a native of Jackson
county, attended Table Rock ele
mentary school and Medford
High school, and received his
BS in education at Southern
Oregon college in 1946. From
1946 to 1949 he was teacher and
coach at Jackson school. He
earned the master of education
degree at the University of Ore
gon in 1954, and also has taken
graduate work in education at
the University of Boston.
He is married and the father
of sons aged 3 and 5, and a
daughter, 9.
DOW-JONES AVERAGES
New York (U.F2) Dow-Jones
final stock averages: 30 indus
trials 425.45 up 2.99; 20 rail
roads 158.30 up 1-43; 15 utilities
64.72 up 0.94, and 65 stocks
159.14 up 1.04.
Ellsworth Bill
Timber on Mining Claims
Washington (U.R) Rep Harris-Ellsworth
introduced in the
House yesterday a bill designed
to protect timber in federal for
ests from exploitation by mining
claimants.
The bill would allow the gov
ernment to continue to manage
and sell timber located on unpat
ented mining claims. At present
mining claimants can prevent
the Forest Service or Bureau of
Land Management from dispos
ing of timber on their claims.
Under the measure, drafted
jointly by the Interior and Agri
culture departments, the aim-
est
i liuntTf 3 J
' 1
BOATS HAVE RIGHT OF WAY Two stranded children
boat after thunder clouds dumped IZV2 inches of rain
flooded and hundreds of autos stalled. The one at right
pass. .
Demurrer
Suspect is
Circuit Judge H. K. Hanna has
overruled a demurrer to a first
degree murder charge against
Bernice Hampton (Tex) White,
37, of 228 Hartley rd., Medford.
White was ordered to appear in
court when he is recovered from
recent operation.
Five other men appeared in
circuit court for sentencing this
morning and two of them were
Injunction Hearing
Under Way in Court
A hearing was under way in
circuit court this morning on an
injunction sought by Kermit C.
Combes and Evelyn G. Combes
against Bert G. Harr, Christine
Harr, Art Brown, and D. B. Win
ningham. The Combeses seek an order
enjoining the defendants from
use and trespass on property
owned by Mr. and Mrs. Combes
along Squaw Creek rd. in the
Applegate area.
A complaint filed recently
charges the defendants have
taken earth from land owned by
Combes while widening Squaw
Creek rd., and are operating log
trucks on the property.
Combes was arraigned March
23 in district court on a com
plaint, filed by Bert Harr, charg
ing him with disorderly conduct.
The case is still pending.
US Refuses Visits
To 15 Jailed Flyers
Washington (U.R) The Uni
ted States, stood firm today
against Red China's renewed of
fer to let relatives of 15 jailed
airmen visit them in their Chi
nese prisons.
Officials said the Far Eastern
situation, if anything, has grown
worse since the end of January
when the United States first re
fused to let the relatives go o
China. Thus, they said, the U.S
government could not change its
stand now and let the kin visit
the fliers. , ,
The renewed offer came in a
letter from the Chinese Red
Cross to Mr. and Mrs. Harold
Fischer of Swea City, la., whose
son Harold is in a Chinese jail.
The Reds hold 14 other Ameri
can airmen.
To Protect
ant would have the right to use
timber directly for mining pur
poses and the government forest
agency could not interfere with
the mining operation in its tim
ber management.
The bill also would prohibit
any further mining claims based
on discoveries of cinders, stone,
sand, gravel, pumice and pumi
cite. Ellsworth said O & C lands
in western Oregon were exempt
ed from the bill. He said it
needn't apply to these lands be
cause they are protected in a
similar way by a 1948 act which
h sponsored.
MEDFORD, OREGON,
MM
of Murder
Overruled
given terms in Oregon state
prison.
. Those appearing were Earl
Howard Brown, 25, of route 1,
box 773, Grants Pass; Earl
Wayne Taylor, 17, Butte Falls;
Paul Ronald Holteen, 22, Win
ston, Ore.: John Silva, 27, of
route 1, box 191, Rogue River,
and Lincoln Eldred McFall, 35,
of route 1, box 215, Rogue River,
Terms Suspended
Brown and Silva received sus
pended one-year sentences on
charges of larceny. Holteen was
given ;,a suspended threemcrirfs4fenbolf ne rebellious sects
sentence and was, fined $50 on
a charge of assault and battery,
lay lor received a one-year
term in Oregon state prison on a
charge of larceny, and McFall
was given a one-year prison
term on a similar charge.
White has been charged with
first degree murder in the death
of Eugene Raymond Birk, 32,
Phoenix, who died after being
struck by a board which eye
witneses said was wielded by
White.
ine court already has over
ruled a motion to quash the
charge. .The demurrer, entered
by Robert Duncan, White's at
tprney, was overruled yesterday.
White underwent an emergen
cy appendectomy last week, and
will appear in court as soon as
attending physicians certify that
he is physically able to do so.
White House Aide
In Corsi Inquiry
Washington (U.R) A Senate
Judiciary Subcommitte invest!
gation of the controversial firing
of Edward J. Corsi will touch on
the role played by a top White
House aide, informed sources
said today.
The disclosure came ao,the
subcommittee prepared for
public airing of the politically
explosive question of why Corsi
was abruptly dismissed as State
Department adviser on refugee
problems.
Informed sources identified
one White House witness as Max
well M. Raab, presidential as
sistant on minority problems.
Corsi told reporters Thurs
day that Raab was "very anxi
ous to have me help" in the
refugee relief program and had
first invited him to take the job
as refugee adviser, in the State
Department.
COL. PAINE BETTER
Col. W. H. Paine, 84, of 56
North Orange st., who has been
at Community hospital since
Wednesday evening is reported
to have had "a good night," and
is in satisfactory condition. The
retired Army officer was taken
unexpectedly ill and is under
treatment for an acute respira
tory condition. He may not have
visitors as yet.
Weather
FORECAST: Mostly cloudy with
occasional light rain tonight.
Considerable cloudiness and a
.'few showers Saturday. Not so
, cold tonight. Low tonight 34.
. High Saturday 54.
Temp.
Highest Yesterday 48
Lowest this Morning 28
Prec. to 4:30 a.m. Today, Trace
FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 1955
are rescued by neighbors in a
on Mobile. Ala. Homes were
has stopped to allow boat to
Rebel Grenades
Hurled Into Saigon
Saigon, Indochina (U.R) Re
bellious bands staged . hit and
run attacks on local outposts in
the out-country and hurled gre
nades in baigon itself in a new
outburst of violence against the
government of American-backed
Premier Ngo Dinh Diem
One Viet Namese soldier was
killed and six others were
wounded in two grenade attacks
in Saigon. One of the grenades
was tossed at a group of govern
ment troops in the heart of Sai
gon's teeming suburb of Cholon,
The other exploded in front of
central police headquarters, ner
ve center of the incubating civil
war, but caused no injuries
Diem was forced today to can
cel his proposed trip to the Afro-
Asian conference at Bandung be
cause of the rising tension and
the threat of continued blood
shed in South Viet Nam
Southwest of this capital,
blockaded by rebels, guerrilla
warfare crackled anew through
out the rich rice country of the
lower Mekong.
Hank Girl Said
Marijuana Smoker
Portland U.P) A witness at
the Fong murder trial today
testified that Diane Hank had
said she took narcotics at the
Fong home.
Mrs. Shirley Macfarlane, 19,
told the jury she had been a
friend of the murdered Hank
girl since grade school days.
"She (Diane) told me that she
had taken dope at the Fong
house .She said Sherry and
Wayne (Wey Him Fong) and her
self had smoked marijuana,'
Mrs. Macfarlane testified.
Sherry and Wey. Him Fong
are on trial in circuit court here
for the first degree murder of
the 16-year-old Hank girl
January of last year.
in
Sen. Welker Collapses
But Recovers Quickly
Washington (U.R) Sen. Her
man Welker (R-Ia.) collapsed in
the Senate dining room today
for the second time ' in recent
weeks. He again recovered
quickly.
Dr. George W. Calver, Capi
tol physician, said Welker was
merely overtired and had been
"trying to do too much." He said
the 48-year-old senator is "all
right" otherwise.
Welker was lunching in the
main dining room when he col
lapsed. Eden To Call National
Elections on May 26
London (U.R) Prime Minis
ter Sir Anthony Eden announced
tonight he will call national gen
eral elections in Britain May 26.
In a television broadcast to the
nation, Eden said he had asked
the Queen to dissolve the current
Parliament May 6 and she had
agreed to do so.
Polling will take place May
26, Eden said, and the new Par
liament will be summoned June
7 to resume legislative business.
Newport, Ore. (U.R) Lincoln
county's recently completed
courthouse is to be dedicated
tomorrow.
IKIT
Items Subjected
To Savage Fury .
Of City-Killer
Pilotless Drone
Crashes on Takeoff
Las Vegas (U.R) A nuclear
device of city-killer size was ex
ploded in the Nevada desert to
day, its savage fury slamming
into more than a million dollars
worth of U.S., weapons and sup
plies in the biggest test this year
of military equipment beneath
the atom bomb.
A group of observers -rom
Canada and Great Britain
watched from five and one-half
miles away.
The nuclear device, second
most powerful detonated in tests
this year, packed a wallop
equivalent to 25,000 tons of TNT
stronger by one-fourth than he
bombs that flattened Hiroshima
and Nagasaki during World War
II
Costly Experiment
. Part of the income taxes
due from millions of citizens on
this deadline day go to pay for
atomic experiments and the
equipment subjected to its blast,
heat and radiation. By these
tests, the Atomic Energy Com
mission and the military get a
bearing on how best to protect
soldiers and civilians from the
horrors of nuclear warfare.
The blast, triggered at 11:15
a.m. (PST) atop a 400-foot tower,
was the 12th of the 1955 series
and the first set off at French
man Flat, 55 miles northest of
here, ince the first atomic can
non shot in world history was
fired there in 1953. AH deiona-
Jtionsjsin.ee thsn 4'javebeen fired
at nearby YuccVFlaV, also ISTSe"
Nevada Proving Grounds.
Minor Accident
A minor incident marred the
opening of today's test when a
pilotless drone Shooting Star
fighter plane scheduled to fly
into the atomic blast, crashed on
takeoff. No one was injured.
Today's was not as powerful
as a similar tower device ex
ploded earlier this spring, but
still wicked enough to blast to
smithereens some of the military
equipment ranged ground
ground zero at the base of the
tower.
This was the major weapons
effects test of the present series,
and only once before has there
been a more elaborate layout of
items put to the fission test .
Experiments Carried Out
Approximately 40 different
experiments were carried out be
neath this device the strength
of a bomb an enemy could be ex
pected to use against supply cen
ters in stategic cities where rail
road terminals provide handy
stockpiling facilities.
The latest combat clothing,
vehicles, road graders, tractors,
cranes and even defensive forti
fications were placed at varying
distances from the slender steel
tower which almost vanished in
the blinding blast.
Siskiyou County Business
Suffer Through Shortage of
Yreka, Calif. (U.R) R. W,
Bower, supervisor of Klamath
National Forest, said today the
shortage ' of rain and snow in
California could have serious
effects on Siskiyou county busi
ness and industry.
Bower said precipitation this
year is ranging from 68 per cent
of normal at Happy Camp to 35
per cent at Mt. Hebron. He said
all streams are low and that
many of the smaller creeks are
not running enough watery to
reach the rivers at this time.
Will Touch All
"This shortage of moisture
will no doubt effect many activi
ties in the county and will di
rectly or indirectly touch all of
us," he said.
Reports reaching here said
some wells in the Montague area
have gone dry and some farmers
believe it is already too late for
rain to help their lands.
Hans Karsterisson, office man
ager of the Federal Agricultur
al Stabilization and Conserva
tion County Committee, said the
water shortage will be critical
unless relief comes soon. He said
deep-rooted crops, such as alfal
fa, are practically beyond help
now. However, he said late rains
could save such shallow
rooted
BUM
United Press Full Leased Wire
Price 5c
No. 22
Russia, Austria
Sign Agreement
On State Treaty
Occupation Troops
Would Be Withdrawn
Moscow (U.R) Austria and
Russia signed today a new state
treaty agreement in which the
Soviet promises to withdraw its
occupation troops by the end of
this year if a formal treaty can
be put into effect by then.
In doing so Russia dropped its
insistence on keeping occupation
troops in Austria indefinitely
and thus removed one of the
major points blocking a treaty
agreement with the United
States, Britain and France.
The agreements signed today
in the form of an aide memoire
wiped out in four days of Aus-tro-
Soviet talks a 10-year-old
impasse in the cold war. Both
Austria and Russia appeared op
timistic the agreements would
be approved by the West.
To Release Prisoners
The Soviets also agreed to re
lease all Austrian prisoners of
war and civilians presently held
in the Soviet Union as soon as
Soviet troops are withdrawn
from Austria. This was another
of the major points blocking a
state treaty.
These and other treaty terms
agreed upon in the talks were
announced in an official com
munique issued shortly before
Chancellor Julius Raab and his
Austrian negotiators took off for
Vienna with the statement "we
return to Vienna a happy peo
ple."
Significant Move
The fixing of a deadline for
withdrawal of occupa tional
troops was regarded as one of
the most significant Soviet
moves in more than nine years
of treaty negotiations with the
western Big Three.
"Since - the"UlMteTi- States, 'Brit
ain and France also must sign
the state treaty, the next step
is for them to consider the
terms.
A call was expected soon for
a conference of the Big Four
with Austria with the aim of
meshing Western views with the
Austra-Soviet agreement.
State and Federal Tax
Deadline Is Tonight
Today is the deadline for fil
ing state and federal income
tax statements. Those post
parked prior to midnight tonight
will be accepted without pen
alties. The federal tax office in the
Federal building, 33 North Riv
erside ave., will remain open
until 7 p.m. today to aid in fill
ing out statements. Aid in fill
ing out state tax statements is
being given by representatives
of the state tax commission who
have temporary offices in the
courthouse.
Federal tax statements should
be mailed to Deputy Collector of
Internal Revenue, Portland.
State tax statements should be
sent to Oregon State Tax Com
mission, Salem.
plants as grain
Bower said the records show
the winter of 1923-24 most near
ly resembles this winter as far
as lack of precipitation is con
cerned. Bower said the snowpack at
low elevations is unusually light
on north slopes. On the south
slopes, he said, the ground is bare
Eisenhower Gets Backing From George
On Policy of Silence on Quemoy, Matsu
Augusta, Ga. (U.R) President
Eisenhower today received pow
erful backing from Democratic
Sen. Walter F. George for the
presidential policy against stat
ing publicly whether the U.S.
will fight to defend Quemoy and
Matsu.
Visit at Golf Club
The Georgia Democrat, who
heads the Senate Foreign Rela
tions Committee, visited Mr.
Eisenhower Thursday at the
Augusta National Golf Club
where the President is combin
ing work and play on a vacation
from Washington.'
George said a public state
ment by the President on U.S.
intentions regarding Quemoy
land Matsu would turn a tick
SalEt Vaccinations
Delayed for Week
The Salk anti-polio vaccina-1 Dr. Merkel said. This means that
tion program in Jackson coun
ty has been delayed a week and
will not start until Monday,
April 25, it was announced short
ly before noon today by Dr. A.
E. Merkel, county health officer.
Start of the vaccination pro
gram for first and second grade
pupils tentatively had been
slated to start next Monday. The
decision to set back the program
one week was made because of
lack of definite information as
to when the vaccine will arrive
here.
To Follow Salk Advice
Dr. Jonas Salk's recommen
dation on use of the vaccine will
be followed in Jackson county,
Talent Woman Hurt
By Hit-Run Car;
Driver Is Sought
Mrs. Ruby Bartley, 55, route
1, box 237, Talent, was taken to
Ashland hospital for treatment
of serious injuries last night aft
er being struck by an unidenti
fied automobile, it was reported
this morning.
State police., said that a two
state search is being conducted
for the driver of the car which
hit Mrs. Bartley some time last
evening. She was found in a
ditch south of the Talent junc
tion at about 9 p.m., and was
taken to the hospital. She had
a broken wrist, both legs were
broken, and the extent of her
internal injuries is not yet de;
termined.
Thrown Into Ditch
As state police reconstructed
the event, Mrs. Bartley was
walking north along Highway
99 toward a store. She apparent
ly was hit by a passing south
bound car, and thrown into the
ditch where she was later found
by Philip R. Turpin and two
companions. Their addresses are
not listed.
When officers tried to talk to
her in the hospital, she was in
no condition to tell them any
details they reported.
It is still uncertain as to just
what time Mrs. Bartley was hit.
Officers are conducting an in
tensive investigation this morn
ing, following up a few clues
which they have found. The
Calif drffia " highway - patrol has
been notified, and is on the look
out for a car which was describ
ed to officers here.
Underpass Project
Contract Awarded
Portland (U.R) A contract
for construction of a second un-
derpass beneath the Southern
Pacific raliroad just north of
Ashland, and widening the high
way into the city, was let by the
state highway commission late
yesterday.
Low bidder and winner of the
contract was Miller & Strong,
Inc., Eugene. The low bid was
$252,950.
Highway 99 now narrows to
two lanes just north of the under
pass, ine proposed project wm
widen the highway under the
railroad through the construction
of the separate underpass, and
will carry four lanes as far as
the city limits.
The commission also let a con
tract for construction of a cul
vert on Quartz creek and a
bridge on McNeil creek to E. W.
Construction Co., Eugene, on a
low bid of $13,470.
Expected To
Rain, Snow
up to 5400 feet in many places.
Snow surveyors in Klamath
National Forest gave these fig
ures from July 1 to April 1:
This Year Normal
Yreka
Oak Knoll ...
Happy Camp
Fort Jones .
Callahan ..
6.75
9.95
35.96
9.36
11.42
17.92
22.50
53.19
23
17.62
lish, dangerous issue into a
political football.
He said the cause of peace
could not be served by the Presi
dent declaring in advance what
this country would do in event
of a Red Chinese attack on the
Nationalist- held off-shore islands
in the Formosa Strait.
Views Conflict
George's views were directly
contrary to those of some equal
ly powerful Senate Republicans.
Sen. William F. Knowland (R
Calif.), Senate minority, leader,
and Sen. Styles Bridges (R-N.H.)
have urged that the Prssident or
the secretary of state make a
public declaration of what the
United States would do in event
of an attack oh Matsu and Que
a second shot will be given one
week following the first.
The third, or booster shot.
then will be given seven months
to one year later. The first two
shots will be paid for by the
National Foundation for Infan
tile Paralysis. The third shot
must be paid for by the indivi
duals. Dr. Merkel said this morning
that the Salk vaccine is expect
ed to be available to private phy
sicians in Jackson county about
as soon as it will be available for
the first and second grade inocu
lation program. Some private
physicians already are preparing
waiting lists for inoculations.
Under the new schedule the
inoculation program for first and
second graders in Medford will
start Monday, April 25, at Lin
coln school. The rest of the pro
gram in Medford will be: Tues
day, April 26, St. Mary's school;
Wednesday, 'April 27, Washing
ton school; Thursday, April 28,
Jackson school; Friday, April 29,
Roosevelt school.
This schedule supersedes that
published on Page 1 of Section
2 of today's issue of The Mail
Tribune, which was prepared
before the change in plans.
Orchard Heating
General in Valley;
Expect No Damage
Orchard heating was general
throughout the Medford area
early today as temperatures
dropped to an estimated 24 de
grees in the coldest spots. Little
or no commercial fruit damage
from the cold was expected.
Some orchards reported that
the temperature dropped twice
during the early morning hours.
Heaters were lighted after the
first drop, shortly after 3 a.m.,
and a smaller drop occurred at
about 5:15 a.m.
County Agent Don Berry said
clouds which came over the val
ley between 3:30 and 4 a.m.
helped the situation. "It could
have been a bad night," he said.
A feature of this morning's
heating was the fact that some
orchards were heated with wood
fires instead of the oil heaters
long used in this area. Kershaw
-orchard,-a 75-acre- tfETcTT' and
several-smaller blocks reported
ly were heated by Presto-log
fires this morning.
Smoke Said Less
The wood fires, together with
the increasingly large number
of return stack heaters in the
area, ; were credited by many
people for what appeared to be
less of the oily black smoke than
usually results from general
orchard heating.
This morning's cold was ac
companied by one bit of freakish
weather in the Ashland , area,
where snow on the ground was
reported by the owner of one
nteach orchard:
Low temperature at the weath
er bureau this morning was 28
degrees. Low tonight is expected
to be about 34, at which tem
perature heating is not needed.
Three Courses Open
In School Integration
Washington (U.R) The Su
preme Court today faced one of
the toughest decisions in its 166-
year history, how and when to
require Southern states to open
the same school door to white
and Negro children.
At the end of a four - day hear
ing on the momentous issue,
three courses were open to the
high court order gradual in
tegration, immediate integration
or a middle course.
If the justices had expected
some spirit of compromise be
tween opposing parties at the
hearings, they were disappoint
ed. Southern states remained in
their opposition to any order re
quiring immediate integration.
And the Negro groups were
equally insistent that color bars
in schools be abolished by next
fall or by 1956 at the very latest.
moy.
George expressed most of his
views on the Formosa Strait Is
lands in an address before the
Georgia Bankers Association.
George said he and the Pres
ident discussed the advantages
of Mr. Eisenhower's program to
exchange secret atomic informa
tion with NATO countries.
FOA Functions Discussed
He said he also talked with
Mr. Eisenhower about an im-
pending executive order to trans
fer functions of the Foreign Ope
rations Administration to the
State Defense Departments.
George predicted that the for
eign aid envisioned by the Presi
dent would be approved by
Congress without serious disagreement.