Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (June 21, 1955)
fclX MEDFORD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBUNE Pentagon News Chi Says No 'Cover Up' Behind Secrecy Plea Br CHARLES CODDRY publication director at Bell Tele United Pre$ Correspondent ; phone laboratories and organiz Washington (U.R) R- Carl er of the Commerce Depart Honoman, Pentagon public rela-jment's office of strategic infor tions chief, hopes for a "vol-1 mation, is one of the focal points imtary effort" by editors to re strain publication of informa tion that is not secret but might prove helpful to Russia. Such data is called "strategic Information" by the man charg ed with carrying out Defense 'Secretary Charles E. Wilson's hew and tighter information pol icies. No effort to "cover up" official mistakes or other legiti mate news is involved, Hono man insisted in an interview to day. Editors of newspaper, business and trade magazines have pro tested that the new category of "strategic information" is one that cannot be precisely defined end might result in blacking out vital news with no security con potation, i Honoman, deputy assistant de fense secretary in chafge of pub lic affairs, was asked to describe the boundaries of "strategic in formation." Describes Boundaries "The boundaries," he said, "are what will help the enemy more than it will help us." Judgment on such matters is not the government's responsibility alone, he said. "Judgment can be made by editors as well." The point was raised in the Interview that critics fear new Pentagon rules, calling for infor mation to be "constructive" as well as free of help for an en emy, could be used to hide facts to which the public is entitled. Honoman took note of the criticism by saying "there is need for loyal opposition . . . vital principles are at stake." He called for an atmosphere tt "mutual trust" between gov ernment and press and appar ently visualized the two as more or less partners in informing the public. "Neither side is in a vacuum," he said. "Your interests (the press') and ours are not antago nistic. We ought to serve the public that pays the bills." - He said he hopes the press Would "scream" if any of the "horrendous" things feared by his critics came to pass. News 'Brownout .Honoman, 60-year-old former FemieyB u M ; 1 of complaints of a news "brown out" in this administration. He said that for" every hour spent at the Pentagon restrain ing information, officials put in 100 hours in a "positive effort" to make data public. But something must be done, he insisted, to prevent "grey area" information from being circulated. That is data which cannot be classified top sec ret," "secret" or "confidential" because too many people must know it, yet would be valuable to Russia. 'Mostly technical information is involved and restricting it, critics contend, would slow tech nological progress here, without really hampering the Russians. GSA Will Supply Anything Including 'Penguin Milk' By DEAN DITTMER United Press Correspondent Washington (U.R) The Gen eral Service Administration (GSA) prides itself on being able to supply anything a gov ernment agency wants includ ing penguin milk and body lice. GSA has the job of purchasing for other government agencies. Take body lice. Some time ago GSA got a requisition from an agriculture department experi ment station for "24 cooties of the type that infest humans." Never Stumped This order was referred to Lester Winfree, a purchasing of ficer who never had been stump ed by a request. He recently di rected the collection, packaging, shipment and. distribution of 3,592,000 food packages of needy families in underdeveloped coun tries for the Foreign Operations Administration. Winfree suspected a gag. He telephoned the agriculture ex periment station. Yes, they said, they wanted 24 live cooties of specified type for a research ex periment. Winfree pondered, then called the local calaboose. It just hap pened to have some overnight customers who were carrying r BAMBOO BLENDS GIVE YOU PRIVACY! CUT DOWN SUN GUUS! 1ST IN RZBSStKNG AIR! ALSO: 3x6', 95c 4x6', 1.19 8x6', 2.49 10x6', 2.98 New shipment at Penoey's, wonderful low price! Here is new decor for windows, ideal for sun porche and summer homes! Bamboo blinds have a welcome cool look combine perfectly with any room scheme. In natural, can even be painted. Made with brass pulleys, white cotton cord. Com plete with books aod wall cleateready to put up ! Tuesday, June 21, 19S5 Van Vector To Rule In Beating Case Klamath Falls (U.R) District Judge D. E. Van Vactor was ex pected to rule today in the case of Royde Crocktoot, 55-year-ola Beatty, Ore., laborer accused of complicity in the bea'ting of Wat son Duffy last May. Defense Attorney Pete Dris coll entered a plea of not guilty for his client yesterday, contend ing that since the original assault with a dangerous weapon charge was dismissed by the court last week, further prosecution under a reduced charge of assault and battery would be placing Chock toot in double jeopardy. Driscoll said the lesser charge was included in the assault with a dangerous weapon charge was dismissed by the court last week, further Drosecution under a re duced charge of assault and bat terv would be placing Chock- toot in double jeopardy. Driscoll said the lesser charge vas included in the assault with a dangerous weapon charge, fur thermore, and that once the more serious accusation had been dismissed the lesser one was dis missed by implication. around a sufficient number of the insects. The lice were col lected, packaged, and delivered. Wanted Penguin Milk A short time later, the same agriculture experiment station asked for two small cans of con densed Deneuin milk. Then he called Dr. William M. Mann, di rector of the National Zoo. When Mann stopped laughing, he ex plained that penguins don't give milk. But Winfree is a resourceful and imaginative fellow. He sent to a grocery for two small cans of regular condensed milk. Then he called on a GSA draftsman who is a spare-time artist. Authentic-looking condensed "pen guin milk labels" were prepared and the merchandise wag sent on its way. Winfree never did receive a note from the agricultural ex periment station expressing ap preciation for his efficiency and enterprise. MORE CHILDREN Washington There are about 54.5 million children in the U.S. under the age of 18. The total represents an increase of almost 13 million since the conclusion of World War II. 79: C 2'x6' Orange Trees Feet Below Surface in Mine Get Light from Electricity By RUSSELL R. NIELSEN United Press Correspondent Kellogg, Idaho U.R) Orange trees which sprouted from seeds dropped from a miner's lunch pail have survived for six years the hazards of existence 3000 f eet below the earth's surface and now stretch their limbs to ward the artificial sky which casts the only light into their bleak "orchard." The two trees are growing on the 202 level at the Bunker Hill and Sullivan mine here. Mine officials hope they will continue to grow even longer than the famed lemon tree which lived 15 years in the dark re cesses of the old mine. The seed for the largest range tree, a four foot leafy bush, was dropped prior to the labor strike of 1949. Seeds had been dropped in the mine many times before and no one thought another of the "lemon tree freaks" would sprout. Foliage Appeared 4 But, through the hard rock where the seeds had fallen, there soon appeared green foliage. Herman Heier, a shift boss, and James Allen, assistant foreman, found the sturdy little plant thrusting its way through the ground between track ties on the level. They transplanted it to a coffee can. It continued to grow and the plant was moved to a nail keg, then to a larger box. Heier brings plant food in his lunch for the tree that has never seen the sunlight. Its sun shine is the light supplied by 10 bulbs of 100 watts each. "I even carried angle worms down to put in the soil around the tree," Heier says. "They keep the earth from packing too tightly around the roots, 15 Years The old lemon tree lived 15 Standard Oil Growing 3000 years without so much as a sin gle ray of sunlight. It began to die a few years ago after it moved from the 17th level to a spot where caretakers thought the air was better. It reached a height of eight feet and had to be pruned constantly because it reached the ceiling of its ricky tomb-like home. One miner figured the tree died because it simply used up the life span of an underground existence. "But it's nice to come down to the level every day and see evidence of life where you would never expect to find any, except for us human beings," he says. "You might say there's some light, or hope, where none seems to be." In time there may be other plants adorning the tunnels of the big mine. There is no plant food in rock, but warm and hu mid conditions inside the mine make it possible for a seed to sprout. If the plant is cared for, it can reach full growth even though it is destined never to see the sun, a company biologist says, STILL AT RACES Louisville, Ky. (U.R) Take Wing, who earned $167,820 in his 12 years of racing, is .still going to the post at the age of 17, helping keep the "young sters" in line. Trainer Clyde Troutt uses Take Wing as his personal stable pony in condi tioning the thoroughbreds of Eu gene Constantin, Jr. Troutt claimed the gelding in 1942 and raced him through his season as a 12-year-old in 1950. FOOD LOSS Washington Almost one-fifth of the food planted by man is destroyed by diseases and insect pests before it is harvested and made ready for consumption. announces completion newest and finest gasoline refining facilities . ... to bring you the hi quality fuels we have Next? week watch Five Killed in New Somerville, N. J. (U.R) Five persons were killed Mon day night when a car in which they were riding collided with a tractor-trailer. James Cordick of Bradley Gardens, N.J., the surviving oc cupant of the car was in criti cal condition with multiple in juries. Police reported the truck, ft . I Cooking's easier with It xp f o phone in your kitchen I " And in every other room you use ; I ; a lot, extension telephones save Iwyjflt -w" time and steps. Call our business If Y office today. Pacific Telephone. ' """" IJK 1k" Take life easy . LY&rf jflv " !l och extension phone costs ( -" 1 "NsVsJi 'ess than a nickel a day xJ Company JL v. : " - " 1 jlf j Jersey Crash loaded with concrete and lead pipe, collided with the car on Route 206 near Somerville. Police said Ralph Horton, 19, driver of the car; Steve Chonko, 17; Francis Trout, 26; Robert Lawyer, 15, and Miss Lawanda Serafino, 17, all of Bridgewater, N.J., were crushed to death by the car's engine which was driv en into the back seat 1 " .eftjS of California 7 of the world's produced. ever for the (mm The truck driver, Herman B. Walsh, 30, of Rosendale, N.Y., was treated at Somerville hos pital and released. He was freed in his own recognizance by po lice on a mandatory auto-death charge. Police said the accident han- rpened when the southbound car pulled out to pass on a straight section of the two-lane highway and collided with the north, bound truck. mm
