Argentine Sovernmefit Takes Over T
Church e
s as lift
tag
Dedication of
Air Force Academy
Attracts Officials
Temporary Homo
At Lowry Air Baso
Denver (U.R) Top Air
Force officials turn their fond
est dream into reality today
when they were to dedicate the
United States Air Force academy
t 3 p.m. (PSD.
Gen. Nathan Twining, Air
Force chief of staff, and Air
Secretary Harold Talbott were
to dedicate the new academy at
its interim site on Lowry Air.
-Force base here. Then, the first
class of 306 hand-picked cadets
were to be sworn in by Co.
Robert Stillwell, commandant of
cadets, while planes of the Stra
tegic Air Command and the
crack Air Force "Thunder
birds" perform an aerial salute.
Mora Specialised Training
Twining, who arrived here
Sunday with his wife and Gen.
Carl Spaatz, (ret.), emphasized
that the academy would not im
prove the caliber, of Air Force
dfcicer .material. "It's already
good," he said, "but the academy
will give them more specialized
training."
He said the recent Soviet dis
play of airpower over Moscow
"didn't frighten the United
States, but it showed Russian
plane production was farther ad
vanced than we realized."
Talbott was accompanied by
Haj. Gen. Ralph Royce (ret),
when he arrived Sunday. Royce
commanded the first squadron of
U. S. planes in France during
world War I.
Arnold's Widow Present
Included also among the early
arrivals was Mrs. Henry H. Ar
nold, widow of General (Hap)
Arnold, considered the father
of the modern U. S. Air Force.
In addition, attaches from 47
foreign countries and many Air
Force and, other dignitaries were
to be on hand for the dedica
tion. The temporary site consisting
of 60 buildings at a cost of $1,-
000,000, will be used until 1957
when the $126,000,000 perman
ent site north of Colorado
Springs will be ready.
Mrs. Clara
Drowning Victim
Clara Belle Thomen, 40, wife
of Robert C. Thomen, 1240 Wood
land ave., died suddenly at about
4 p.m. yesterday, apparently by
accidental drowning, according
to state police and County Cor
oner Carlos Morris.
The couple was fishing on Mill
creek about five miles south of
Union Creek, when Mrs. Tho
men went upstream around a
bend and out of sight. Several
minutes later her husband found
her face down in shallow water.
She apparently fell and was
knocked unconscious, striking
her head on a rock. '
Funeral arrangements are
pending at Conger-Morris funer
al home.
Lava Flow Continues
Down Alaska Mountain
Anchorage, Alaska (U.R)
A flaming river of lava poured
down the slopes of Mount Shish-
. aldin on Unimak island today
after the 9,978-foot peak erupt
ed for the third time in the past
two weeks.
The commanding officer of the
Coast Guard station - at Cape
Carichef, 75 miles to the west of
the mountain, said the peak was
in a state of "intermittent ' erup
tion. Fire and huge, plumes of
smoke belched from the cone
-eJt intervals all day yesterday.
Gordon Gay, agent for Reeve
Airways at Cold Bay, said there
was no apparent danger for the
about 200 residents of Unimak
island, most of them natives.
EMIeUp
Washington UR) Presi
dent Eisenhower today order
ad immediate steps to term
inate the controversial Dixon
Yates contract.'
Morse, Wcuberger Join in
Fight for Rights of Women
Washington (U.R) Oregon's
two Democratic senators joined
with six other members of the
Senate Post Office and Civil Serv
ice Committee today to intro
duce a bill to "equalize the treat
ment accorded men and women
in government service."
Sen. Wayne Morse said the
bill would rectify the. "curious
inequality" of the civil service
retirement act, which permits an
nuity payments to surviving chil
dren of male employees of the
federal government, yet makes
bo such provisions for surviving
PRESIDENT
FRIDAY FOR GENEVA
Washington (U.R) Presi
dent Eisenhower started a busy
work week today in preparation
for his Friday night departure
for the Big Four meeting in
Geneva, Switzerland.
Mr. Eisenhower, fresh from
a week end of golf and rest at
his Gettysburg, Ga., farm, re
turned to the capital Sunday
night by automobile. He was
accompanied by his son, Maj
John Eisenhower, the major s
wife, and Mrs. Elvira Doud, mo
ther' of the President's wife:
Going to Geneva
The First Lady remained at
the farm, along with the three
Eisenhower grandchildren, Bar-
Fire Cause Probe
Continuing, Fire
Chef Barker Says
An investigation of the pos
sible causes of Friday's fire
which gutted the upper floor
ofthe Medford Furniture store
is continuing, Fire Chief Gor
don Barker said this morning.
The investigation is being con
ducted by city and state police,
including members of the state
arson squad, and the fire de
partment.
Barker said that four firemen
have been assigned to limited
duty for several days, to permit
them to recover from effects of
inhaling smoke during the fire.
No official estimate of the
amount of damage has been
given, but original estimates of
"more than 1100,000" are be
lieved to be low.
Transient Held
Gene Wallace Lauderdale, 29,
a transient who has been staying
at the Lake hotel, Medford, was
arrested at 11:15 pan. Saturday
on a charge of being drunk in
public. He was employed by
the Medford Furniture store two
days before the fire. .
He was seen helping firemen
and store employees during the
early stage of the fire, but con
cern for his safety was express
ed lated when he was missed, j
Police finally located him in a
tavern Saturday evening.
He appeared in municipal
court this morning, entered a
plea of guilty to the charge,
and was sentenced to 30 days
in jail. He may be released after
being questioned by fire investi
gators, police said.
Hood River, Wasco
Oficers Probe Death
The Dalles U J?) Authorities
in Wasco and Hood River coun
ties today investigated the death
of a man identified as Robert
Easley, who died in a local hos
pital yesterday afternoon.
The sheriff's office at'Hood
River said that it appeared there
had been a fight in a boxcar
at Hood River involving several
fruit pickers. About 9:30 p.m.
Saturday Easley appeared at the
railroad depot asking help, say
ing a -friend had kicked him in
the ribs. City police took him
to a hospital where he was ex
amined. Attendants said his con
dition did not appear serious
and he was not admitted for
treatment,
Later, he was picked up on
the highway by some people
from The Dalles who took him
to the hospital here. At that time
his condition was worse, pos
sibly through exertion.
The sheriffs office at Hood
River had in custody five per
sons for questioning and investi
gation.
Stevenson To leave
Illinois ' Hospital
Lake Forest, I1L XUiO Adlai
Stevenson, former Illinois gov
ernor and 1952 Democratic pres
idential candidate, was expected
to leave Lake Forest hospital
today.
Stevenson entered the hospital
Thursday for treatment of bron
chial pneumonia, hospital offi
cials said. His condition never
was serious, they said.
children of female government
employees.
Morse co-sponsored the bill
with Senators Richard L. Neu-
berger (D-Ore.), Olin Johnston
(D-S.C), Thomas Hennings CD
Mo.), William Langer (R-NJJ.),
Mike Monroney (D-Okla), Mat
thew Neely (D-W.Va.), John Pas
tore (D-RJ.) and Kerr Scott (D-
N.C.).
Sen. Morse said the "very fact
that a woman with children has
worked for the government is a
strong indication of financial
need.-'
TO LEAVE
bara Anna, Dwight David II,
and Susan.
Mrs. Eisenhower will accom
pany the President to Geneva
when he departs Friday night
after delivering a nationwide
television-radio address.
The Chief Executive gave his
7-year-old grandson a lesson in
war Sunday. He took David on
a personally-conducted tour of
the historic Civil War battlefield
near his farm.
Mr. Eisenhower stopped sev
eral times to explain to his
young grandson events of the
bloody battle that marked the
high tide of the Confederacy.
At' Communion Services
Earlier, the President and the
other men of the family attended
communion services at the his
toric Gettysburg Presbyterian
church where Abraham Lincoln
once worshipped. The women
did not attend.
The Rev. Clyde R. Brown, dur
ing the services prayed that Mr.
Eisenhower always have the
"knowledge that our prayers and
hopes go with , him."
Large crowds lined the streets
in front of the church for a
glimpse of the President.
Oveross Acquittal
Verdict Refused
Salem (U.R) A directed ver
dict of acquittal was denied the
defense by Marion County Cir
cuit Judge George Duncan today
in the first degree murder trial
of Casper A. Oveross of Silver
ton. Judge Duncan handed down
his decision after an hour's ar
gument by Defense Attorneys
Bruce Williams and Otto Skopil
Jr., and Special Prosecutor
Charles Raymond. The defense
contended the state had failed to
prove its objectives in opening
arguments.
Defense of Oveross, who is ac
cused of the ambush-slaying of
Ervin Kaser as the Silverton hop
grower sat in his automobile in
his driveway last Feb. 17, was
scheduled to begin' after a short
recess.,;....,, . .
The state countered the de
fense arguments for acquittal on
the grounds that if there is any
reasonable evidence of guilt, it is
up to the jury to decide whether
that evidence is sufficient.
Final state witness was Dr.
Homer Harris, head of the state
police crime laboratory at Port
land, who identified two .30-.30
calibre cartridge cases which he
said he had received from Ralph
Prouty.-critne laboratory ballis
tics expert. No testimony was
given to link the cartridges with
the murder case.
Bear Creek Danger
Varnjng Is Issued
Medford parents were warned
by county health officials to keep
children from wading and play
ing along banks of Bear creek in
and near the city.
Dr. A. Erin Merkel, Jackson
county health officer, said he
has received complaints from res
idents and city officials that
children have been wading in
Bear creek. He said danger of
children cutting themselves on
broken glass and cans in the
creek is high, and infection
would follow quickly.
Water in Bear creek is stag
nant, he said, because there is
not enough flow to keep it clear.
Spraying has been done by coun
ty equipment to control mosqui-
tose along Bear creek, he said.
Dr. Merkel reminded parents
that children up to 10 years old
may use a free wading pool at
Hawthorne park. .
Pendleton (U.R) Clar
ence Ringey, superintendent of
the Umatilla Indian reservation
here, will be transferred to Ev
erett, Wash., to become head of
the, Western Washington Indian
agency. -
Eagle Point Girl
Writes Sir Winston
' TwelT-year-oldMollyGregg
of Eagle Point sent a letter
to Sir Winston Churchill last
Mar. and since has-been get
ling more publicity than many
a member of the sleepy House
of Lords.
Molly heard of Sir Win
ston's retirement, and ten a
little not saying she was
"sorry ' that he retired." On
May It she received a reply:
"Thank you for the kind
message. It gave me much
pleasure." signed,- Sir, Win
ston Churchill.
: Sine that time Newsweek
magasine, in the May 30 is
sue, noted the correspondence,
and recently, the Comfessa
Brenda Helser de Morelos of
France sent Molly a quotation
. from ' London newspaper
selling of the incident,
Fire Hoses, Clubs
Used To Break Up
Demonstrations
Churches To Be Rebuil
As National Shrines " -
Buenos Aires 4U.R) The Ar
gentine government today, over
the protests of churchmen, took
possession of two Roman Cath
olic churches damaged in the
June 16 revolution and said
they would be rebuilt and pro
tected by the state as national
shrines.
The government move was
the latest in a 48-hour resurg
ence of tension between the
government and church authori
ties. Government officials said that
yesterday's anti-government out
burst in Plaza de Mayo brought
the church-state rift back into
the open after a period of com
parative quiet.
Some 60 persons were arrest
ed in yesterday's outbreak which
followed 11 o'clock mass.
Police used fire hoses, clubs
and chemicals mixed with water
and a brown dye to break up
the demonstrators who massed
in front of . government house
shouting anti - government and
anti-Peron slogans.
Churches seized today were
San Francisco and Santo ' Do
mingo. Catholic sources predicted
that two others, Our Lady of
Mercy and St. . Ignatius, also
would be taken over by the
government.
All four were damaged byvfire
which President Juan D. Peron
charged were set by Commu
nists taking '. advantage of the
situation arising from the revolt.
Priests In charge of San Fran
cisco and Santo Domingo
churches drew up formal pro
tests' against -the seizure and
said Catholic authorities wish
to rebuild the churches them
selves with their own resources
and alms contributed by the
faithful.
It was not known how many
of the 60 persons seized in yes
terday's outbreak still were
held. It was disclosed, however,
that many young persons and
some women had been released.
Truce Broken
'The riot yesterday and the
noisy -demonstration by Cath-
lics Saturday night before the
Buenos Aires Naval Club height
ened the tension between church
and state in Argentina. There
has '! been a "truce" between
Peron's government and the
church since the revolt and
riots last month.
But the week end develop
ments, condemned by Santiago
Luis Cardinal Copello, arch
bishop of Buenos Aires and other
Roman Catholic authorities,
brought the eight-month-old bat
tle into the open again.
There had been signs of at
tempted . conciliation by both
church and state in the past
week, but the week end develop
ments blasted hopes by aurthori
ties on both sides of an imme
diate settlement.
Planning Commission
Sets Meeting Tonight
A public hearing on a request
of a set back for Homer J.
Bringle at the corner of West
Eighth and Orange sts. will be
held at the planning commis
sion's 7:30 p.m. meeting today.
Also on the agenda is consid
eration of a sewer connection for
the Congregational church at the
east city limits of Medford,
changing a set back on Reddy
st.i and reconsideration of zone
changes on East Jackson st. and
in the Queen Anne addition.
The planning commission also
will receive a report on changing
wording governing "structural
change" in ordinances connected
with zoning.
Malicious Cause Seen
Possible in Rural Fire
Central Point A grass fire in
front of the Jake Myers prop
erty on Upton rd. north of Cen
tral Point yesterday afternoon
may have been set maliciously
Central Point Rural Fire Chief
Richard Krupp reported.
He said that the fire started
about 3 p.m. in two spots and
burned about 1,500 feet along
the ditch and fence.
Rural firemen with three rigs
were at Medford Gun club along
with forest patrolmen yesterday
morning to help burn grass.
On Saturday two rural units
were called to Gulf Red Cedar
company to extinguish a blaze in
bark and chips of a log deck
area J Cause was not determined.
Veaf her
. FOKICAST Fsir -witli Httla
tampcrsturs ehaat Uirouf B
; TmMUt. Low tsnlshtfi. Bisk
Tnssdsjr ti.
..Temp.
Hlthett yesterday . St
Lowest this aomins
- o
FORD
cued Wire
8 Pages
Ml Tata
mm
Even Death Said
Better Than Life
With Communists
'Disillusioned' Trio
Refuse Cooperation
Hong Kong (U.R) Three
American turncoats, disillusion
ed with Communism after 18
months in Red China, sailed for
the United States this afternoon
convinced that even an American
prison is preferable to life under
Communist rule.
The three, who refused repatri
ation from North Korean prison
camps in August, 1953, and chose
instead to live in Red China,
were hustled aboard the Ameri
can liner President Cleveland 10
minutes before its sailing time.
The trio, who came out of Red
China yesterday with the com
ment that "even death is better
than Communism" had one-way
travel documents good only for
a direct trip to the United States
and an uncertain fate.
Refuse Interviews
. They were escorted aboard the
liner by American consular of
ficer S. M. Backe, a member of
the political section of the con
sulate here, and by Robert Ayl
ward. . '
The " three, William Cowart,
22, Dalton, Ga.; Lewis W. Griggs,
22, Jacksonville, Tax., and Otho
G. Bell, 24, Hillsboro, Miss.,
were sullen when they . were
shown into the big, barracks-like
third-class dormitory in. which
they will make the Pacific cross
tag. ,
They refused to cooperate with
news photographers and movie
cameramen who wanted to take
pictures of their departure. .
All were former soldiers dis
honorably discharged from the
U. S. Army when they embraced
Communism and refused repat
riation at Panmunjom after hav
ing, been taken prisoner by the
Reds in the Korean war.
Worked in Farm.' Factory
They had worked for a time on
a state farm and then in an agri
cultural implements factory in
Red China before changing their
minds about Communism and
asking to be returned to their
own country.
When they crossed the border
into Hong' Kong Sunday they
seemed happy and cheerful. They
were held temporarily by the
British as prohibitive immi
grants" until it bad been deter
mined by the U.S. consulate that
they had not. given up their
American citizenship.
The American consulate paid
for their passage and hotel room
here, but the three turncoats
signed promissory notes to re
pay the money when they could.
Their accommodations aboard
ship were third class.
Reasons Given.
During a press conference
Sunday night the three gave
what they claimed were their
reasons for refusing repatria
tion. All claimed .they were dis
appointed at what they found in
Red China.
Cowart said it would "take
several volumes" to tell what
happened in Communist China.
When asked why . he had de
cided to stay in Red China, he
replied: "A child decided not
to come home; a man decided to
go home."
He said he had "never accept
ed Communism" and added that
all had experiences which proved
that the free world was better
than Communism.
"We would welcome Hitler
back rather than have Commun
ism," he said. , .
He said he stayed with the
Reds ' because of - his fear of
"political persecution."
Commenting on his experi
ences under the Peiping regime,
Cowart said that "the places in
China which the world does not
see can only be described as
hell."
'Just A Poor Fool'
uriggs said he was "just a
poor fool" for having refused
repatriation in the first place
MEDFORD, OREGON,
v iflg sjsssaaew
rS S?'"'
EN ROUTE TO STATES Convinced that an uncertain fate in
the United States is better than life in Communist .China, three
American turncoats, sailed today from Hong Kong aboard the
American Liner President Cleveland. They are William Cowart,
Monticello, Ark., left, and Otho
is Lewis Grigg, Jacksonville, Tex.
Murder Trial Opens;
Four Jurors
Four prospective jurors, weire
temporarily approved by defense
and prosecution attorneys tnis
morning as the cricuit court trial
of Bernice Hampton (Tex) White,
37, of 228 Hartley rd., began.
White is charged with first
degree murder in the death of
Eugene Raymond Birk, 32, Phoe
nix, last March. A grand jury
returned the indictment against
White, who is accused " of fat
ally injuring Birk by striking
him on the head with a two-by-
four piece of lumber.
One Challenged
The four prospective jurors
included one who was challeng
ed by Defense Attorney Robert
Duncan. The challenge was suc
cessfully resisted by Prosecut
ing Attorney Walter Nunley.
Another prospective juror was
challenged successfully by Dun
can. : The sixth person questioned
this morning as a prospective
juror was dismissed on agree
ment by both Duncan and Nun
ley that serving on, the . jury
would be a hardship. The pros
pective juror said he would thave
to work most of the night if
he served on the jury- ''v
To Resume
Circuit Judge H. K. Hanna
recessed the trial until early
this afternoon, at which time
questioning prospective jurors
was to continue.
At least eight more prospect
ive jurors will have to be selec
ted. In this morning's questioning
Duncan indicated he would pre
sent evidence attempting to
TO OPEN BIDS
Central Point Bids on a
pumper, a tank truck, hose and'
other equipment for the new
White City station will be open
ed by Central Point Rural Fire
Protection district officials at
noon tomorrow: The board will
act 'on the bids at a - Tuesday
evening meeting.
v.
He said he now was "facing
reality" and was "proud to be
an American I am going back
to my country." .. ;. -
Bell, whose wife is in Olym
pia, Wash., said the ' people of
China "hate Communism," but
they also "hfte Chiang Kai-shek.",-,,
. ' . :.-. V; "
They were among 23 'Ameri
can prisoners of war who- orig
inally elected to stay in Red
China rather than return to the
United States. Two, Edward S.
Dickenson, of Crackers : Neck.
Va., and Claude J. Batchelor, of
Kennit, Tex., returned to U&
custody last year and were tried
and convicted of collaboration
with the enemy. Batchelor was
sentenced to 20 years imprison
ment, Dickenson to 10 years. :
(Salto-T an Pse 8)
MONDAY, JULY 11, 1955
SodD
BelL Olympia, Wash. Also involved
show that White was temporar
ily insane, and evidence to prove
White has epilepsy.
Attorney William Duhaime is
assisting Duncan as defense at
torney. -
Identity Said Made
In Meier-Frank Case
Portland (U.R) A Portland
detective . today reported that
"some of those responsible" for
the bombing and attempted ex
tortion plot against the Meier
and Frank department store here
have been "tentatively identi
fied." v
Captain of Detectives William
D. Browne declined to name the
suspects turned up by his inves
tigation. But he said the $28,000
reward money offered for infor
mation leading to thearrest of
the person responsible was
"helpful."
The detective said more than,
100 ' persons have been ques
tioned in connection with the
"Friday Surprise" bombing,
which occurred in a third-floor
restroom while the store was
crowded with bargain day shop
pers. --.
Aaron Frank, partner in the
huge retail establishment, was
given an extortion note demand
ing $20,000 at about the time the
bomb exploded.
The store subsequently offered
a $25,000 reward for the extor
tionist, and the Oregon Bankers
Association offered another
$3000. V
Hells Canyon Plan Said
Economically Feasible
- Washington U.PJ Five gov
ernment officials told a feuding
House Interior Subcommittee to
day: that construction of the
controversial Hells Canyon Proj
ect is practical and economically
feasible.-
, The five, all from the Interior
Department, i testified at the
opening of a four-day hearing
on a bill to authorize the dam
on Snake. River on the Idaho
Oregon border.
Slough
in Good
Lebanon flJ.- A 3 W-year-
old girl submerged for five min
utes. in a muddy slough yester
day was in "fair', 'condition at a
hospital here today after being
rescued . and revived by her
father. : - !: '
The girl was Deborah Egan,
daughter of James Egan.' She
was playing on the bank of the
slough on the farm of her grand
parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Egan,
when she lost her balance and
toppled down the four-foot bank.
United Press Full Leased Wiie
Price 5c
No. 95
Guardsmen Join
All-Out Search;
FBI Agents Confer
Parents Watching TV .'
As Child Abducted
' Sioux City, la. (U.R) All ..
available police and 20 national
guardsmen were called out today
to search for two-year-old Donna
Sue Davis who apparently, was
IrtHnfinMl fmm hat i(H 1a4 mll-
as her parents watched television
in an adjoining room. - " ' .
Police Chief James - O'Keefa
said FBI agents were conferring
with police today, but have given .
no indication whether they will
enter the case.
House-by-House Check
He said the police and national
guardsmen were making a house
by house check of the area whera
the girl lived with her parents
in half a one-story duplex. Sheds,
garages, culverts and sewers
being given special scrutiny by
the searchers. .
The girl's father, James Davis.
caiiea puuee hi iu.uo pan. to re
11 3 1 1 t. . -
port his daughter missing. A
short time earlier, Lais Fjedos,
a neighbor living across the alley
behind the Davis's, called police
to report he bad seen a man run
ning down the alley with what
he thought was a bundle of stolen
uiciuiauuue uuua inn.
Fjedos said he cornered the
man, but the man got away.
Seen in South Dakota
The neighbor described tha
man as about 29 years old, and,
wearing a white T-shirt and'
khaki trousers.- .
Police- said a man answering
that description was later re
ported seen at Elk Point, S-D
but they have been unable to
check the report. '
Davis and his wife were given
sedatives and put to bed early to-
uajr.
They have two other, children.
Mary, 11, and Timothy, 7, who
were sleeping in another bed
room. Donna was put in her crib -in
her parents' room about 8:30
p.m. ' " : ' . '.
Davis said when he went into
the bedroom, he noticed the girl
was missing and a screen on a
window was open. . .
No Ransom Notes
Davis, a clerk for the Chicago
Northwestern railroad, said there
were.no notes in the room and
ho one has contacted him for
ransom.
He said his daughter was wear
ing pink pajamas and was bar-
fOOt . ; ( '
ruuee nave nov yci uucu jb
the FBI, but were expected to do
so soon.- ,-.
-It was the second kidnaping
in the Missouri river town in re
cent months.
Last Aug. .31, Jimmie Brem- .
mer, 8, disappeared while on his
way from. a movie. His mutilated
body was found a month later
in a field north of here. . -
AMBULANCE SUMMONED
Medford Ambulance service
was summoned to an accident in
the McKee . bridge' area of tho
Annleffatsv vallov at Bhmit 1Z:45
p.m. today. It was reported that
a logging truck went ever a
bank, but no further details war
available at press time. :
Washington . (U.R) - -Tha
Senate has approved unanimous
ly President Eisenhower's horn
ination of Former Gov. Wilbur
M. Brucker of Michigan to be
secretary of the Army. He suc
ceeds Robert T. Stevens.
jn Mir
A seven-year-old cousin. Mer
lin Egan Jr., sent his younger
brother for help, and tried to ex
tricate the child with a stick. Tha
father, who rushed to the scena,
dove into the 5Vi -feet of water
and, after five minutes' of grop
ing around, stumbled over tha
child on the creek bottom.
Artificial respiration was im
mediately applied. By the time
the Albany fire department ar
rived, she was reported out off ,
danger. " '