Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989, June 10, 1955, Image 1

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Medford mail tribune., June 10, 1955, Image 1

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Newspaper Page Textiffl by MS 0 Medford united Press Full Leased Wire 50th Year 22 Pages Atomic Energy Commission Dealt Financial Blow Ike's Private Power Proposals Hit Hard Washington (U.R) The House Appropriations Committee today denied President Eisenhower's request for ' $6,500,000 for the Dixon-Yates project. It allotted the money instead to a new pow er plant for the Tennessee Valley Authority. It dealt this sharp rebuff to the President's controversial pri vate power proposal in recom mending to the House a $1,276,- 216,242 money bill to finance federal power, flood control, and . rivers and harbors projects, plus the Atomic Energy Commission, in the 12 months starting July 1. The Atomic Energy Com mission was hard hit by cuts in the bill. The total was $512,948,758 less than the President requested, a cut of about 28 per cent. This was the sharpest reduction ap plied so far this year by the ap propriations group against any presidential money request. Unspent Funds Available One of the deepest cuts was made in operating funds for the Atomic Energy Commission. The committee' allowed 'the AEC $618,000,000 for making - A bombs and H-bombs and other activities, a cut of $427,000,000 below Mr. Eisenhower's budget requests. . The committee noted that with unspent funds still available, the AEC will have on hand for the year a total of $1,358,847,000, compared to the $1,525,251,000 contemplated in the President's budget. The lawmakers said they did not question the importance of the AEC's work but felt that "economies can be effected" to make up the cut. Other cuts were applied to TVA, Bonneville Power Admin istration, the Reclamation Bu reau, and the civil functions (riv ers and harbors and flood con trol) of the Army Engineers. Southwestern Power adminis tration got a $450,000 cut in its operating and maintenance funds but picked up $6,000,000 extra in a continuing fund for financ ing its contracts with co-operatives. Southeastern Power Ad ministration got by without any cut. Floor Fight Looms The bill, loaded with contro versy, comes up in the House next week, probably Wednes day. Republicans promised a fight on two main provisions: Elimination of the Dixon-Yates funds and the extra allotment for the Southwestern Power Ad ministration. The committee action on Dix on-Yates was hailed by TVA sup porters as a grievous and pos sible fatal blow to the Dixon Yates plan. Under the plan a pri vate power plant would be built at West Memphis, Ark., to re plenish 1VA power supplies drained by atomic plants at Oak Ridge, Tenn., and Paducah, Ky, In other sections of the bill, the committee allowed $21,100,- 000 for the Bonneville Power Ad ministration, a cut of $903,000 from the President's request. The Reclamation Bureau got $145, 090,442, a cut of $34,525,558. (See story on Page 9) DIXON Legislative Members Said Encroaching Upon State Administrative Functions Salem U.R) Members of the Oregon Legislature are in creasingly encroaching upon ad ministrative functions of the state. Secretary of State Earl T. Newbry said today, and in his opinion they are doing so illegally. He told the State Speed .Con trol Board here that he felt, for instance, that the law granting the State Emergency Board to give final approval to building contracts is unconstitutional. He said: Three Branches of Government "The constitution very clearly sets up three branches of state government executive, legis lative and judicial. And nothing in the constitution grants power to members of the legislature to direct executives of the state un MEDFORD, OREGON, -YATES FUNDS TUk,D BOOT Yolks Fiimafl " IrtloiLnirs Detroit (U.R) General Motors and the CIO United Auto Workers started a final drive to day toward a new agreement by Sunday's midnight strike dead line with 60,000 workers already idle because of wildcat strikes. Wage talks went into the White Murder Case Reset for July 11; Plan Examination A circuit court trial for mur der, in which Bernice Hampton (Tex) White. 37, of 228 Hartley rd., Medford, is defendant, has been postponed until July 11, it was reported today. Originally the trial was sched uled to begin June 14, but the continuance was requested by Defense Attorney Robert Dun can, and stipulated by District Attorney Walter Nunley. The delay was granted by Circuit Judge H. K. Hanna to permit ex aminations of White relative to his sanity. ' ' Unusual Order Judge Hanna's order, which Nunley believes is the only time such an order has been entered in an Oregon court, provides that all written and recorded statements taken from the de fendant since his arrest early in March be turned over to Dr. James C. Luce, Medford neurolo surgeon, to assist him in diag oses of the mental condition of White at the time of the alleged commission of the crime. Dr. Luce is instructed not to communicate any of these mat ters to anyone except the de fendant. Crime Accused The first degree murder indict ment accuses. White of killing Eugene Raymond Birk, ' 32, Phoenix, with a two-by-four piece of lumber during an alter cation at a Phoenix Mill March 4. . White was indicted by the grand jury, and later reindicted when the first indictment was found to contain errors. He has pleaded innocent. City Council Approves Hearing on Paving Plan The city council, at a special meeting yesterday afternoon, adopted ordinances calling for a public hearing June 21 and ac cepting plans and specifications for paving East Jackson st. be tween the bridge over Bear creek and Genessee st. A petition for paving EasJ Jackson st. between Hawthorne and Genessee sts. was tabled at Tuesday night's council meeting, and a petition for paving the street between the bridge and Genessee st. was prepared. The meeting was called to consider the new petition so work could proceed as soon as possible. less such directions are contain ed in legislation passed by the legislature and approved by the governor." ; Newbry expressed belief that if emergency board action on contracts called for by the Board of Control or Board of Higher Education should be challenged in the courts, such procedure would be held unconstitutional. He said: Becoming Habit "It is rapidly becoming a habit of members of interim commit tees to attempt to direct state executives in matters that are purely administrative." And, Newbry said, it has be come the habit of the emergency board," made up of members of the Legislature, to "promulgate conditions in regards to contracts V FRIDAY, . final 72 hours masked under a self-imposed "news blackout." But negotiators appeared con fident a new agreement would be worked out and a major strike prevented. 20 Plants Shut Down "Impatience" strikes earlier this week forced General Motors to shut down 20 plants employ ing nearly 60,000 workers today because of parts shortages. The last of the wildcat strikes came to an end today when 5000 voted to return to work. They removed their picket lines and workers returned to their regu lar shifts. Meanwhile, contract talks ap peared headed into the same kind of stretch drive that pro duced the union's first guaran teed wage pact with Ford Motor Company earlier this week. CIO President Walter Reuther recalled that the Ford talks went to the limit before an agreement was reached guaranteeing Ford workers between ,60 and 65 per cent of their normal take-home pay during 26 weeks of layoff. Prepared To Go Limit "We're prepared to go to the limit with General Motors too," Reuther said. "Where there's life there's hope and there's a lot of life here." Reuther voiced his optimistic outlook after a long bargaining session that broke up shortly be fore midnight. The UAW sched uled morning meetings to take up "local issues" today before meeting with the company in a formal session this afternoon. Roundup Here Set For July 29,30 The 13th annual Rogue River Roundup, sponsored by the Jackson County Sheriff's posse, will be held Friday and Satur day, July 29 and 30, at posse grounds west of Medford. Leonard Ward, former world champion bronc rider, is chair man of the committee in charge of the show, which will run a third day, July 31, if arrange ments can be made. Stock will be furnished by Don Miller, stock contractor from French Glen, Ore. Five main events are listed in the show, which is open to all per sons wishing to enter. Medford's saddle maker, Evert Gibson, will again furnish a hand carved saddle to the best all around cowboy. The queen will be chosen from four princesses of last year. A new princess will be selected when the queen is chosen. Radio Highlights The President of the United States and a former President will be heard in addresses over radio station KYJC (1230 kc) Saturday. - President Eisenhower will speak at 1 p.m. and former President Harry Truman's talk from Portland will be carried at 10:15 p.m. that are not contained in the authorizing legislation and which are the sole responsibility of the elected officials of the state. "I concede that the Legesla ture while in session has the power to enact laws governing state departments, but I serious ly question the right of members of the Legislature to attempt to dictate policies d urine the in terim between sessions." Operation of the state's busi ness is seriously handicapped, he said, by "this crowing tenden cy on the part of members of the legislature to interfere with administrative affairs. . . He expressed hope that court action might be initiated in the near future to settle the ques tion. fit? ONE Ai Leased Wire Price 5c No. 70 Spectacular Storm Causes Nine Fires; Weather Is Cooler Crews Dispatched To Combat Blazes Cooler weather today followed on the heels of a spectacular lightning storm that touched off at least nine forest fires in this area last night. The storm, which started short ly after dusk yesterday, rose to a pitch at about 9 p.m., when the eastern horizon was lighted almost continuously by light ning. Eight storm-caused fires were spotted on state forest patrol pro tected land, and patrolmen said that more might be found by aerial searches being conducted over this region. Two-man crews were being dispatched to all of the blazes. The largest reported fire, about an acre in size, was in the Thompson Creek area. Another was reported on Dead Indian creek, near Lake O' Woods road, and six others were in the Elk creek drainage, where Elk Lum ber company crews took care of a seventh fire last night. Rogue River National forest officials reported one fire at Sut ton ridge in the Applegate dis trict, and one man was sent out to handle it. Meanwhile, this morning cloudy skies and breezy weather brought a welcome drop in Med ford area temperatures. The wea ther bureau here predicted a high of 84 for today after four days of 95-degree plus tempera tures. " The maximum temperature yesterday was 98, equalling a June 9 record set in 1918. Only a breeze kept the temperature from climbing to a new record of 102 which had been forecast by the weather bureau. Despite cloudiness, which caused a brilliant sunset last eve ning, orly a small amount of rain fell in scattered areas. This, cou pled with expected thunderstorm activity again tonight, increased forest fire danger over the week end. Portland (U.R) A return to seasonable, 'springlike weather was forecast for Oregon by the weather bureau today and the weatherman promised that tem peratures for the state's biggest show, the Portland Rose Festival grand floral parade, would be a balmy 76. The low pressure trough blamed for a two-day record heat wave has moved inland, leaving space for cool, marine air but still sunny skies for most of the state. At least one death was blamed on the hot weather At Reedsport on" the Oregon Coast, temperatures in the high 90's apparently brought about the death of Andrew Knudson, 43-year-old logger. He collapsed Wednesday while at a logging operation. Motion for New Trial In Poirier Case Denied District Court Judge Rawles Moore has denied a motion for a new trial. in the case of Lee Poirier, Jacksonville, who last week was found guilty of prac ticing dentistry without a state license. Judge Moore set Monday at 2 p.m. for sentencing. . O. H. Bengston, Porier's at torney, filed the new trial mo tion recently and Judge Moore took the motion under advise ment, ruling on it yesterday. District Attorney Walter Nunley represented the state. ' Spark Beats Firemen To Prevention Task Central Point Central Point rural firemen planned to burn off grass in the White City area this week end be cause they realised a spark from a mill burner might start a blase when no one was around to control blase. However, the spark beat them to it yesterday after noon. A rural . department truck just happened to be in the area on an inspection trip at the time. It . was at the scene and in use on the fire before an alarm was turned in. Five or six acres of grass wen burned. - Eisenhower Signs Postal Pay Boost Of Eight Per Cent Measure Said To Be Great Step Forward Washington (U.R) President Eisenhower today signed into law a bill giving the Post Office Department's 500,000 field workers an average eight per cent increase in pay. The boost, which will add $160,000 to the department's an nual payroll, is retroactive to March 1. Under the terms of the new law, each postal worker will re ceive at least a six per cent pay boost. A reclassification feature in the measure will give the average worker an extra two per cent. . Two-Year Struggle Ends Mr. Eisenhower's action ended a two-year struggle between Congress and the White House on the question of postal pay raises. In signing the measure, Mr. Eisenhower stated that the bill provides "a fair pay increase" to every employee and "reprer sents the greatest step forward for our postal employees in more than a century." "The new law will bring about the elimination of in equities in the postal field serv ice which for years have vio lated the principle pay for equal work and discourage employees from seeking advancement," the President said in a statement. Two Measures Vetoed During the course of the con gressional - presidential contro versy over postal pay Mr. Eisen hower twice succesfully vetoed pay boot measures, a five per cent increase bill last year and an average 8.8 per cent last month. The Senate and House promnt- ly rushed through a compromise eight per cent measure after the 8.8 per cent bill was killed. Both houses sent the revised measure to the White House earlier this week. Hearing on Budget Complete Today The Jackson county budget committee planned an executive session early this afternoon . to give final approval to the coun ty budget for 1955-56. A public hearing on the bud get was held this morning with only about a dozen people, most of them county officials, in the audience. During the hearing, four changes were requested by de partment heads. Mrs. Bereth Hopkins, county clerk, requested that the com mittee reconsider three items which had ben disallowed. Su perintendent of Schools All Mek vold asked that salaries be in creased for two employees in his office. A petition from the Jackson County Bar association was pre sented, recommending that the county supplement the salary of the district attorney, 'increasing it to $7,500 a year, and that he have a first deputy, to be paid $5,000 a year, and a second dep uty, to be paid $4,000 a year. At the present time, the district at torney receives $5,000 a year, and his first deputy receives $4, 200 a year paid by the county. The petition of a second deputy for which the salary is only $3,000 a year, is unfilled. Sheriff Howard Gault asked for additional equipment. Truckers Voting on Pact Ratification Los Angeles (U.R) AFL Teamster members and trucking operators were scheduled to vote today on an agreement to end the more than three-week- old trucking strike which crip pled long-distance hauling in u Western states. Federal Conciliator John Fen ton indicated the strike was at last at an end late last night when he announced that repre sentatives of the union and the trucking industry finally had reached an agreement. Fenton said both sides had reached "a basis of settlement with mutual satisfaction," sub ject to ratification by both the union membership and trucking operators. Ratification meetings were scheduled for today throughout the Western states. Weather FORECAST: Considerable cloudiness with thunderstorm activity tonight. Partly cloudy and lUfhUy ZmeJ. ?TC i day. Low tonight CO. High ' Saturday 88. Temp. HiCheit Yesterday 2 Lowest this Morning; C7 Pre, to 18 a.m. Today. Trace. Mil e j o o o& I pT I 1 m itjit '-'':' J. ''v '::"?-:-::',-:.:i-":.:::"' - ':jgBreSSl i. :::::: -.:.s.;.;.:.:...;.L.;v;. . .. . ::. . .-v.- "' m FOOTLIGHTERS MOVING The building at the fairgrounds which for the past several years has housed the theater of the Footlighters little theater group here is undergoing a radical change, as is shown in the pictures above. The top picture shows it at its old location, with most of the underpart cut away. The lower shot shows it with the underpinning removed and in the process of moving some 2,000 feet almost due east, to a spot where a new foundation will be prepared for it. Major inside and outside renovations will change the theater, also. Other buildings are be ing moved in preparation for the erection of the new city-county-National Guard armory-auditorium building going in in the area. (Brainerd photos.) Medlford Armory ids ver Mew IPDan Salem (U.R) Architects will draw new plans for the proposed Medford armory because six bids submitted on plans already drawn exceeded the money avail able by 20 per cent or more, Lt. Col. . Paul Kliever, director , of armories f orf the adjutant gen eral, said today. The amount of money avail able, Col. Kliever said, was about $364,000, including feder al participation But the lowest basic bid, submitted jointly by the Wiley and McLaughlin firms of Ashland, was $401,500. This was in addition to architect's fees and other costs. New Plans Asked Col. Kliever said R. J. Keeney and Jack Edson, Medford archi tects who drew the first plans, have been asked to draw up new specifications that would bring the project more nearly within the range of money available and amounts bid. He said he had written Jack son County Judge Rodney Keat ing and Mayor Earl Miller of Medford advising them that the new plans are being drawn. Other basic bids were submit ted by H. Barnhart of Medford, $431,044; D. W. Knight of Al bany, $469,400; H. G. Carl of Salem, $402,901; J G. Watts of Portland, $465,917, and Smith Phillips Company of Portland, $424,700. Clearing Well Along Work to prepare the fair grounds for construction of the proposed Medford armory is well along, it was reported today by Earle Jossy, secretary of the county fair board. The Footlighters building is in the process of being moved, and yesterday work was to begin on the Eckerson building, being Guard Companies Leave at Midnight Tonight for Camp Headquarters Company and Company A of the Medford Na tional Guard, 171 strong, leave for Ft. Lewis, Wash., by special train at midnight tonight for a two week training camp. A vehicle convoy advance de tachment left Wednesday morn ing under the command of Capt. George T. Bennett, Ashland, as sisted by Sgt. D. Chaney of Headquarters company. Col. Donald Burke, Grants Pass, is in charge of the troop move to camp. Other Units - . Other units to be picked up on the way include Company JC of Grants Pass, Company D and Heavy Mortar ' company, Rose burg, and Company B of Cot tage Grove. All are part of the 1st battalion. 186th Infantry reg iment, 41st division. Training at Ft. Lewis for the battalion commences Sunday, June 12, with three lectures: "Character Guidance," by the regimental chaplain; "Supply Economy," by Captain Bennett, and "Uniform Code of Military Estimate: GecQuesteaS moved by R. F. Vinson, Med ford, to the 4-H area where it will be used as a cattle barn. Still to be moved are the two identical wings of a building being used by the Courtesy Chevrolet .company, -which will be moved to another fairgrounds site and used as a warehouse and garage for weed and mosquito control equipment. The Rogue Valley ballroom is now on a month-to-month rental basis, and no definiate plans have been made until the armory area proper is cleared. The ball room building extends about 15 feet on to the proposed parking area, and it is planned to move it later. . , , . ..-.. Deadline Hearing In School Elections The deadline for filing peti tions for candidates for election to district school boards is June 12, the county schools office said today. The last day for fil ing acceptances is June 14. Elections will be held in each of the county's school districts on Monday, June 30. This year, each of the second and third class districts will be electing three directors to bring their boards up to five members. The change is required by a law passed by this year's session of the state legislature. The deadline for filing peti tions and acceptances for the county non-high and rural school boards has passed with only one candidate for each of the three positions up for elec tion. In each case, the only can- didate is the incumbent. Justice," by Lt. S. J. Fagone. Headquarters ' Company will have specialists attending schools such as intelligence, communication,, engineer, and chemical- biological- radioactive. Company A will have a crew serve weapons squads firing. Saturday, June 18, the bat talion will participate in a Gov ernor's Day review for Gover nors Patterson of Oregon and Langlie of Washington. Another review will honor Maj. Gen. H. G. Masion, retiring, and General Cook, receiving command of the division. - Battalion Training ' The batallion as a "whole will receive its training in the final week, concluding with i inspec tion by regular army inspector teams. ,- - -- All units will leave Ft. Lewis Friday evening, June 24. The two Medford companies will ar rive here Saturday, June 25, at 12:30 p.m. Friends and relatives of the citizen-soldiers are "welcome to watch them leave for camp at the railroad station at midnight $150,000 Allocated For Local Project; Rehabilitation OKd Ellsworth, Patterson, Neuberger All Pleased A half-million dollars for planning and construction work on two phases of the Talent rec lamation project today received the approval of the house appro priations committee in Wash ington. The amounts are contained in a. $113,041,000 appropriations bill for construction of reclama tion projects throughout the nation. The bill was cut by $132, 220,000 from the amount re- ! quested by the administration. Most Significant The smaller of the two amounts approved for the Tal ent project is believed here to be the most significant. It is $150,000 for planning construc tion of the Talent project pro per, which, when completed, will provide added irrigation water for several thousand acres of land between Medford and Ashland, as well as some 16,000 kilowatts of power. The significance of the amount lies in the fact that it was not originally budgeted, due to an error "somewhere along the line" in the bureau of reclama tion. Ellsworth Optimistic Congressman Harris Ells worth, who telephoned the news of the money approval this morning to the Mail Tribune, said that he is "very optimistic" about the future chances of the Talent project, and believes that the amount will remain in the bill as approved by the com mittee. , "Naturally, we'd like to have had more," he said, "but $150, 000 will give us a good start on the job. And it means that we've got the project on an approved status." He added that the sum may be increased in the senate. and that the action makes it pos sible to request a substantial sum for construction at the next session of congress. Sen.' Richard L. Neuberger (D-Ore.) today expressed his gratification that the Talent' project had received the ap proval of the house appropria tions committee. , In a statement telephoned to the Mail Tribune by a mem ber of his office staff. Senator Neuberger said: "It is reassuring that the house committee has recog nized the merits of the Talent project and provided $150. 000 for completion of plan ning needed to start the proj ect "Early in January I called ' attention to the fact the ad ministration budget had ig nored Talent's obvious con struction needs." " The other $350,000 contained in the bill for the Talent proj ect is for the rehabilitation phase of the job, involving a total of $1,712,000 worth of work on the canal and reservoir systems of the Medford and Rogue River Valley Irrigation districts. Election Called ' - (An election by landowners in the two districts to approve ne- ' gotiations on a repayment con tract was called by directors of the two districts this week. It will be held July 15.) Ellsworth told the Mail Trib une that after the bureau of the budget discovered that the Tal ent project had been incorrectly listed as having a low benefit cost ratio, it had gone "all out" to assist in restoration of the $150,000 to the bill. In Salem this morning Gov. Paul Patterson, who local ir rigationists declare deserves much of the credit for restora tion of the amount to the bill, expressed his pleasure in the committee's action. "This means, the project will go ahead. I am sure that appro priations for construction will follow in due course,' he said. The governor's statement add ed: "Even though the amount specified in the appropriation bill presently does not provide sufficient money for construction purposes, I shall continue to exert every effort to increase the amount to a figure where con struction could start in the fiscal year 1956. The present amount is indeed a good omen." "I have followed this project very carefully, and have made two trips to Washington, during which I have urged the going ahead with the Talent project and its construction. "We all know the federal bud get -limitations in this period of necessary high defense spend ing, so the fact that $150,000 has :; been appropriated for bid sped- fications on the Talent project, clearly places it in an advan tageous position. As the prelimi- -nary step is completed, I am con fident that construction appro priations will follow."