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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (May 30, 1955)
1 4 to " s Medford urmea f ress tull Leased wire 50th Year 14 Pages Deaths Running 10 Per Cent Above Last Record Year Worst Yet To Come During Homeward Rush By UNITED PRESS Traffic deaths among motor ists and pedestrians mounted to day toward what the National Safety Council feared would be a new record for the Memorial Day week end. A United Press survey at 9 a.m. (PST) showed 292 deaths this year, almost 10 per cent more than - the 268 which had been recorded at the same hour last year. The holiday began at 6 p.m. Friday. The total of all accidental deaths was 425. including 98 drownings, two in air crashes, and 33 " from miscellaneous causes. The highest previous three-day Memorial Day traffic toll was 364, in 1954. "Unless the drivers slam on the brakes in the mad homeward dash during the closing hours of the week end, the nation will have established a new all - time high for the Memorial Day holi day," said Ned H. Dearborn, council president. "This seems a disgraceful way to utilize the freedom won by those whose memory we honor today." California had 26 traffic fatal ities, Ohio and Texas 21 each. Missouri and New York 15. The National Safety Council, which made the estimate of 360 deaths, said the traffic death rate was "proceeding tragically and needlessly on schedule." . Ned H. Dearborn, council president, abandoned earlier hopes that the toll might fall below 300. Instead, he issued a plea to "honor the dead on Me morial Day by protecting the living." Worst to Come - The worst traffic hazards were yet to come as tired motorists clog the highways on the trip home from holiday jaunts, Dear born warned. Meanwhile, showery weather was expected to end in large sections of the country today to provide a sunny setting for the parades and picnics of the spring holiday. Thousands of persons lined city streets to watch veterans parade in honor of the 1,128,393 Americans who have died in the nation's wars. More crowds went to military cemeteries to pay tribute to the fighting men who never came back. Guided Missiles on 'Nautilus Demanded Washington (U.R) Rep James T. Patterson (R-Conn.) has written the Navy that it is "downright absurd" not to arm the atomic - powered submarine Nautilus with nuclear guided missiles. In a letter to Navy Secretary Charles Thomas, Patterson, a member of the Senate - House Atomic Energy Committee, said: "I- have been assured that guided missiles carrying atomic and thermonuclear warheads could be launched from subma rines and this might even be done with submarines fully submerg er. "I wish to express to you my personal and deep conviction that the accomplishment of this deserves the utmost priority." Patterson told reporters that the men of our submarine fleet, because of lack of truly modern armaments, must approach with in a few thousand yards of an enemy convoy before launching their attack with convention tor pedoes. Weather FORECAST: Partly cloudy with a few afternoon showers to day. Partlv cloudy and slight iy warmer Tuesday. Breezy both days. High today 65. Low tonight 38. High Tuesday 68. Temp. Highest yesterday Lowest this morning 48 MEDFORD, OREGON, OBSERVING MEMORIAL DAT as suggested by President Eisenhower, with prayer for a just and lasting peace, Mrs. Henrietta Weist and grandson James Dunseith kneel in Cypress Hills National Cemetery, N. Y., before grave of Mrs. Weist's husband, killed In World War L (International) Veterans Honored in Morning Ceremonies Memorial Day ceremonies at Hawthorne park and at Bear Creek bridge this morning hon ored veterans who died for their country. The ceremonies followed a pa rade from Library park -which included Medford Senior and Junior high bands and veterans organizations and auxiliaries. Morris Speaker Carlos Morris, principal speak er at Hawthorine park, com memorated those who lost their lives during wars so the United States could continue its free dom and American way of life. Nathan Douthit, a student at Crater High school, briefly out lined the history of Lincoln's Oregon Mishaps Take Six Lives Portland (U.R) At least six persons have died in Me morial week end accidents in Oregon. Two of the fatalities occurred in Portland auto ac cidents. Killed in Portland Saturday were Paul Murray, 19, of Eu gene, and Nicholas S. Freund, 80. Driver of the car which hit Freund in a cross walk was Charles F. Pearce, 39, who was cited and held in lieu of $1000 bail. David Wayne Houser, 22, of Tygh Valley, was killed early Sunday when his car spun from Highway 197r 35 miles south of The Dalles. Two passengers were seriously injured. Harry B. Hussey, 48, a Madras salesman, died Saturday night near Brownsboro when his car left the road after he apparently went to sleep at the wheel. Drowning in a home fish pond cost the life of 22-months-old Pamela Lynn McCartney, daugh ter of Mr. and Mrs. Lennual Mc Cartney of Portland. James Palmer, 69, was killed on his farm about 20 miles north of Warm Springs when he fell from his tractor and was crush ed to death by the machine. . Hawthorne Park Pool To Open Week of June 6 Hawthorne park swimming pool is tentatively -scheduled to open the week of June 6 for the summer season, according to City Park Director Darell Hu son. He said that the opening prob ably will be toward the end of that week. Ed Knapp again will be pool manager and Phil Sanders will be one of the lifeguards. They are beginning their fourth sea sons at the pool. Swimming classes will begin some time after July 1, Huson stated. Wililamsburg.'Ky. (U.R) Senate Republican Leader vWil liam F. Knowland questioned to day whether the forthocing Big Four talks will include the Rus sian official who is actually at the "summit" of the Soviet regime. Tribu United MONDAY, MAY 30, 1955 Gettysburg Address prior to giv ing the address itself. Gen. Lo gan's Memorial Day- order was presented by Mrs. Elmer-Gott. Air Scout Troop 14 participat ed in flag raising ceremonies, and the Star Spangled Banner was played by Medford High .school, band at Hawthorne park. Roy Hudson was master of cere monies. Firs Salute A tnree-gun salute by mem bers of the Oregon National guard honored those who lost their lives while serving aboard ships in ceremonies at Bear Creek bridge. Flowers were strewn on Bear creek by members of veterans organization auxiliaries follow ing an invocation by the Rev. G Herbert Hillerman, pastor Zion Luthern church. of Blaze Damages Medford Home Fire, originating from a heat er placed too close to a bed, spread to the entire room and contents this morning at the Frank B. Konopasek home, 740 West McAndrews rd., firemen reported. Two trucks were sent out on the house fire alarm. The blaze occurred about 5 a.m. the Dean W. Pruett residence, Firemen were summoned to 206 South Orange'st., about 8:15 a.m. when a fan in a stovepipe stuck and overheated. No fire damage was reported. Truck Strike Idles Chrysler Plant in LA Los Angeles (U.R) The 11- day-old Western trucking strike today idled the big Chrysler Cor poration assembly plant, putting 4,800 employees out of work. Dan Ringis plant manager, said employees were instructed not to report for work until the strike had ended. Ringis said 2,000 new cars jammed all stor age space with no trucks avail able to haul them to dealers. It was the second auto plant idled. The Studebaker-Packard assembly plant, employing 650, was shut down for the same rea son last week. Meanwhile, Frank Brewster, president of the Western Confer ence of AFL Teamsters, said a new proposal by the California Trucking Association reached after three days of negotiations last week will be submitted to a vote of union members tomor row or Wednesday. Road Conditions Highway 230 from Union Creek junction to Diamond lake it still closed by snow, state police advised motorists today. They said the highway department may have the route open by late this week end. The route it open to the lake from Highway 99, how I. & '"' fresa full leased Price Big 3 Proposes Lausanne as Site Of July Meeting Washington (U.R) The Western Big Three have propos ed to Russia that the forthcom ing Big Four meeting be held at Lausanne, Switzerland, accord ing to authoritative sources. The exact date was. not dis closed but the sources said the proposed date is "in the vicinity" of the July 18-21 date previously "announced" by French Foreign Minister Antoine Pinay. One Possibility When Pinay said President Eisenhower had agreed to the July 18-21 date with Lausanne as the place, State Department officials were miffed. The White House replied at that time that Lausanne was only one possi bility under consideration. Russia has suggested Vienna, Austria, as the site for the talks. The United States was reported to be opposed to Vienna, partly because President Eisenhower would have to travel through a Soviet occupied zone to get to the meeting. Knowland Questions Meeting Meanwhile, Senate Republi can Leader William F.. Know land questioned whether the Big Four talks would include the Russian official who is actually at the "summit" of the Soviet regime. He indicated he was in doubt as to whether, Soviet Premier Nikolai Bulganin or Commun ist Party Leader Nikita Krush chev actually heads the Soviet Union. The California Republican ex pressed concern that the West might lose face throughout the Communist world if Russia sends "a man with a title but without power" to the Big Four meeting after sending the "de facto ruler" to, the Yugoslav meeting. Sen. Walter F. George told the reporters he thought chances for success in the Big Four talks have been strengthened by the large margin of victory of the conservatives in the British election. LBaOO Vukovich EDoes in 5 Car V Pileup in Indianapolis (U.R) Bill Vuko vich, Fresno, Calif., winner of the 500-mile race for the past two years, was burned to death in a five-car pileup on the back stretch in today's race. Other cars involved in the ac cident were driven by Ed Elisian, Rodger Ward, Johnny Boyd and Al Keller. Leading at Record Speed Vukovich was leading the race at a record speed when the acci dent occurred after 140 miles. Jimmy Bryan took over first place due to the crash. Spectators reported that Elisi an spun and rolled end over end. He hit the wall. Ward crashed into a bridge attempting to avoid Vrv Yugoslav-Russian Talks Seen Eyeing Long Range Goals Further Relations Appear To Be Bright Belgrade, Yugoslavia (U.R) A Soviet spokesman said today further relations between Russia and Yugoslavia appeared bright but he indicated there may be no immediate results in confer ences between the Kremlin's top leaders and Marshal Tito. "Our leaders dp not act only on immediate goals, they are thinking into the future and the future is bright," the spokes man, a Russian embassy official, said. He issued the statement as Communist party Chief Nikita Khrushchev and Premier Nikolai Bulganin went into retreat at Tito's resort villa on Brioni. They retired to the villa after almost a week of conferences here. The official statement was in terpreted here as an indication the Russians are seeking long range goals. But it was consider ed an admission that the Soviet leaders had thus far failed to win Tito back into, the Commu nist fold, i The Yugoslavs adopted a cool attitude toward the overtures of the Russian "leaders during the Belgrade me e t in g s indicating they were not impressed by the big names of the Soviet delega tion. But at the same time the Rus sians appeared to have cleared away a trouble spot on their Southern frontier and generated some feeling that they may be desirous of a "peaceful co-exist ence" with countries outside the Iron Curtain. The Yugoslavs also had cause to be pleased with results of the conferences. They refused to budge from the stand taken seven years ago when Tito broke with the Cominform and they received what amounted to a left handed apology from the Com munist leaders who once de nounced them as Fascists. Informed sources said Yugo slavia might also win important economic gains through the con ferences. Ellender To Seek Foreign Aid Fund Cut Washington (U.R) . Sen. Allen 'J. Ellender served notice today that he will make a "de termined fight" to slash the ad ministration's $3,408,000,000 for eign aid bill. The Louisiana Democrat, a member of the Senate Appropri ations committee, said "all this aid we have given has missed its mark" in many countries. Ellender said he will try to cut the $165,000,000 item in the bill for so-called "development assistance" aid and also will seek to trim the bill's biggest item, $1,278,000,000 in military aid. The Senate Foreign Relations committee approved the aid mea sure by a 13 to 2 vote last week. The Senate is expected to begin debate Thursday. nndDanapolis Eace him. Boyd, Keller and Vukovich crashed into the wreckage. Ward and Boyd turned over. Vukovich's car also turned over and burned in midtrack. Attend ants were unable to get through the flames to turn the car over and pull him out. Worst Since 1939 It was the worst pileup since 1939 when another former win ner, Floyd Roberts, was killed in a three-car crash on the south east turn, hardly 500 yards from today's accident. The death was the first during the 500-mile race since 1947 when Shorty Cantlon was killed as his car hit a wall on the southwest turn. OFFICIALS HOP OTD to m Washington JCU.R) The State Department said today it hopes the release of Four American fliers by the Chinese Communists signifies the Reds intend to act swiftly in releasing other Ameri can prisoners. The announcement that the four prisoners would be released within hours was made in New Delhi, India, by Indian Ambassa dor V. R. Krishna Menon who has been negotiating with Red Chi nese leaders. "Such action on the part of the Chinese Communist regime, the department said, "would eliminate one cause of international tension." It said "the U.S. government is gratified that the "prolonged and unwarranted separation which these airmen and their families have endured with such great patience and fortitude will soon be brought to an end." The four airmen were captured during the Korean war. Eleven other American fliers are still in jail in the Communist country, in addition to about 40 civilians. Sentences Assailed As 'Trumped Up" Charges Officials here believe the Reds chose the four fliers for release because they never have been sntenced to jail terms as far as this government knows They are Capt. Harold Fischer of Swea City., Ia.; Lt. Lyle W. Cameron, Lincoln, Neb.; Lt. Ro land W. Parks, Omaha, Neb.; and Lt. Edwin L Heller, Wynne wood, Pa. The other 11 fliers were sen tenced to long prison terms on what the State Department has assailed as "trumped up" spy charges. 'Sounds Wonderful' Fischer's , parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Fischer, told United Press Sunday that news their son would be released "sounds wonderful." The State Department said it hopes release of the fliers signi fies the intention of the Com munists "to act swiftly to re leas the other American citizens, civilian as well as military, whose continued imprisonment in Communst China has pro foundly aroused the American people." . Rebels in Saigon Under Heavy Attack Saigon, Indochina (U.R) Rebel Hoa Hao troops were re ported retreating into the Me kong river marshlands nortn of Saigon today under a heavy at tack launched 48 hours ago by forces of American-backed Pre mier Ngo Dinh Diem. Front reports said heavy fight ing was in progress throughout the Kekong river rice bowl in driving rainstorms. Hoa Hao Commander Gen. Oran Van Soai has abandoned his field headquarters near Cai dau, close to the Cambodian frontier, and transferred it to an undisclosed place in the Me kong river area. Six crack . army battalions lashed out against Gen. Soai's chief lieutenant, Gen. Ba Cut, who has been harassing govern ment troops in a wide arc from Hatien to Rachia on the. Gulf of Siam. Army sources said 40,000 men, including shock troops that fought the Communist Viet Minh, are involved in the strug gle against the Hao Hao sect's private, army which opposes Ngo Dinh Diem's efforts to establish a regime in Free Viet Nam. Sources placed the. Hoa Hao strength at 20,000 to 30,000, plus several thousand irregulars. San Francisco (U.R) George S. Mitchell, executive director of the Southern Regional Council, Atlanta, urged social workers to day to apply "three master rules" to speed up desegregation or. schools. After 80 laps, Bryan's speed was 121.755. That was well un der the record of 135.351. Behind him in order were Bob Sweikert, Art Cross, Cal Nidy, Pat O'Con nor, Don Freeland, Tony Betten hauser, Walt Faulkner, Sam Hanks and Jimmy Davis. Others Unhurt Jack McGrath, the other lead er, went out after 56 laps when mechanical trouble developed. The hospital reported that Keller, Ward and Elisian were unhurt. One of the race cars injured two soldiers slightly during the pileup. The soldiers were not identified and' the track hospital said they suffered no injury re quiring further treatment 1 rason RELEASED Nixon Says Failure Of Talks Will Rest With Communists Washington (U.R) Vice President Richard M. Nixon said today that if the forthcoming Big Four conference fails, it will be the fault of. the Communists. Surrounded by the dead of five wars at Arlington National Cemetery, Nixon said in a Me morial Day address that "there is no greater tribute we could pay to Amrica's war dead than to find the road to peace." He said Communist nations present the only real threat to peace today. In the face of this threat, he said, only "a policy of military strength and diplomatic firmness" will avoid war Nixon substituted for Presi dent Eisenhower in leading the nation's tribute to its war dead. He laid a wreath at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, on a height overlooking the Potomac river and the nation's capital, be fore proceeding to the Arlington Amphitheater behind it for his address. "The whole world should rea lize that the United States and our Allies will never block the road to peace," the vice presi dent said. Will Enter Agreements "We will enter into any agree ments designed to preserve peace, provide freedom for indi viduals, independence for na tions, and security from aggres sion is guaranteed to all peo ples. "The action of the Big Four conference, therefore, will de pend solely upon the good faith of the Communist leaders. Nix on said. "In the past- they have obstructed and scuttled. They have accepted well intentioned concessions of fre world leaders and cynically demanded more Must Never Cease Trying "People of the world have right to hope for and expect real progress towards peace from this conference. If it fails, the responsibility will rest squarely on the Communist leaders." Despite the Communist record in international conferences, he said, the United States will sit down with Red leaders again "because we must never cease trying to find a peaceful way to settle differences between na tions." Eisenhower Attends Memorial Services Gettysburg, Pa. (U.R) Pres ident Eisenhower decided to at tend Memorial Day services to day at historic Gettysburg Na tional cemetery, where Abraham Lincoln made his famous ad dress. Switching plans, the President decided to ride in from his near by farm after playing 21 holes on the nine-hole Gettysburg Golf course. He had intended to attend church services today in keeping with his proclamation of Memor ial Dav as a national day of prayer. But none of the local church es scheduled services, since most of the ministers were participat ing in the traditional ceremony on the Gettysburg battlefield. Foreign , Operations Adminis trator Harold E. Stassen, Mr. Eisenhower's special adviser on disarmament, was the day's prin cipal speaker. Amid the graves of Union sol diers killed in the great Gettys burg Civil War battle of July 1-3, 1863, Stassen said in his prepar ed text that the United Sta'-s must continue strong "until the immoral law of force gives way to the fore of moral law." , Broadcast Says Quartet Sentenced To 'Deportation' No Word Received At Hong Kong Border United Nations, N.Y. J(U.R) Red China announced today it was releasing four of the 15 American airmen held in Red China jails since before the end of the Korean war. An announcement carried by the Communist New China Newt Agency and broadcast by the of ficial Peiping Red radio said the four had been sentenced to "de portation" from Red China after being convicted of "such crimi nal actions as flying their mili tary aircraft into China's terri torial air to conduct harassment and provocation." The men are Lt. Col. Edwin L. Heller, Wynnewood, Pa.; Capt. Harold E. Fischer, Swea City, la.; 1st Lt. Lyle W. Cameron, Lincoln, Neb., and 1st Lt. Roland "W. Parks, Omaha, Neb. The announcement gave no In dication as to when or how the "deportation" order would be carried out. y Today's announcement issued by accident or design on the same day that America honors its war dead, came as a climax to UN Secretary-general., Dag Hammarskj old's dramatic flight to Peiping last Jan. 5 on the flier's behalf. It also came scarcely a week after the return to New Delhi of Indian Prime Minister Jaw aharlal Nehru's roving ambassa dor, V. K. Krishna Menon, from a mission to Peiping in which he discussed the case of the Am erican fliers with Red China's Premier and Foreign Minister Chou En-lai. No Mention of Others Today's announcement made no mention of 11 other American fliers shot down in their B-29 reconnaissance bomber 15 miles south of the Yalu river in North. Korea, Jan. 13; 1953, while on a leaflet dropping mission. Red China announced that on Nov. 23, 1954, the 11 were con victed on spy charges. The Reds exhibited photographs of alleg edly captured equipment which the Reds said proved the men were on an espionage mission. Also unmentioned were two American civilians also held on spy charges. They are John T. Downey, 24, New Britain, Conn., and Richard George Fecteau, 27, Lynn, Mass. Downey was sen tenced to life imprisonment by the Reds and Fecteau to 20 years. All Believed Well The Reds said their transport plane was shot down over North east China Nov. 29, 1952. The U.S. Air Force, however, said their aircraft discharged cargo in Seoul and was heading back to Tokyo when the two civilians hitchhiked a ride. It was presumed', however, that all still were in good health. American officials at the Un ited Nations welcomed today's announcement and a statement by Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., U.S. ambassador and chief representa tive to. the United Nations, cred ited Hammarskjold with most of the work that secured the men's release. No Direct Word However, it was assumed the men would leave Red China via Hong Kong, probably within the next few hours, according to the -pattern set up in the past when the Reds have released so - call ed political prisoners. However, there still was no sign of their arrival when the border between Red China and Hong Kong closed for the day, and Americans in Hong Kong said they had received no offi cial word of any kind. Of the four, Parks had been held the longest. He bailed out of his F86 Sabrejet Sept. 4, 1952, after reporting that his radio and gyro-compass were out and that he did not know his posi tion Cameron's F84 Thunderjet was shot down over North Ko rea Oct. 26, 1952. ' Heller's damaged F86 last was seen near the Yalu river in North Korea Jan. 23, 1953. Later, Peiping broadcast that he had bailed out over Manchuria. Fischer, a leading Korean war ace, was snot down April 10, 1953. The release of the four leaves 40 Americans known still to be held captive by the Chinese Reds and the fate of some 500 others still in doubt. (See Story on Page 14) Indianapolis Bob Sweikert won the 500 mile auto xaee here today.