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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 8, 1955)
o D : .1 - r. I Medford United Presi Full Leased Wire 50th Year 14 Pages IFyir Atomic Energy Harnessing Seen Within 20 Years Atoms for Peace Congress Convenes Geneva (U.R) The first in ternational congress on peaceful usfj of atomic energy opened to day with a dramatic prediction that man will harness the hydro gen bomb within 20 years and make available the limitless power of the sun itself. And, the United States an nounced that it is ready now to sell atomic fuel for use in peace ful research. The two announcements under scored the vast strides already made in harnessing the atom and the limitless possibility that lies ahead. Adm( Lewis L. Strauss, chair man of the Atomic Energy Com mission, told newsmen here that lSe United States is ready to sell or lease enriched uranium, the stuff that runs atomic power plants, for research purposes. He said the Atomic Energy Commis sion will announce a price list shortly. The prediction that the vastly greater power of the hydrogen bomb will one day be harnessed was made by Dr. Homi J. Bhab ja, distinguished Indian physi cist who is president of the con ference. In a message to the opening session of the congress, President Eisenhower reaffirmed U. S. de termination to find ways by which "the miraculous invent iveness of man shall not be dedi cated t3 his death but conse crated to his life." Bhabja's prediction of the fu ture of hydrogen bomb power meant that the atoms for peace congress, bringing the first cracks in the Iron Curtain of atomic secrecy, was outdated be fore it really began. Klamath, Lake Fires Controlled KUmath Falls (U.R) A total of 18 forest fires in Klamath and Lake counties were reported under control today by John MacDonald, supervisor of the Fremont National Forest, and QHal Ogle, superintendent of the Klamath Forest Protective Asso ciation. The Klamath county fires, mostly on private land, totaled 200 acres, Ogle said. The largest blaze was still be ing fought by 100 men. It was on the property of the White Pine Lumber Company in Lake coun ty between Yokum and Green River. The fire had covered some 200 acres and was man-caused, MacDonald said. Fiv of the Lake fires were caused by lightning, MacDonald said. Lake County Clerk Zane Gray said if the fires continued, min ers on uranium claims might be forced to leave the area until the i-e danger is over. Winners Listed in Jacksonville Jubilee Parades and Contests During Week End Jacksonville The Medford Lions club float in the Grand parade of the eighth annual Jacksonville Gold Rush Jubilee yesterday won the grand prize of $75. A float titled "Golddig gers of 1955" won in the Kid dies parade, and Mrs. A. E. Reinking, Vearing a blue 1880 dress, won in the Old Fashioned parade. Hot weather during the two day event kept attendance down from what it was last year, ac cording to Ike Dunford, general chairman of the jubilee, .but he added he was satisfied with the number of people who turned cut. Other Winners Other winners in the grand parade yesterday included the Eagle Point Teen Age club's float, best float; the sheriff's posse, best riding individual or group; Roxy Ann Grange, best costumed individual or group, and Elmer Parker, oldest person riding on a horse. MEDFORD, OREGON, MONDA. irofimed cat dresceonft Ci4y LEAVING New York for tour of Europe, Margaret Truman boards SS United States. She'll meet her traveling companion, Gurie Lie, daughter of Trygve Lie, in SalzburgXlnternational) Lightning Strikes Mountain Lookout; Two Fires Put Out Lightning yesterday afternoon struck the lookout station on top of Soda mountain, according to the state forest patrol. Mrs. Thelma Sims, Jackson ville, the veteran lookout who is spending her sixth or seventh year on the mountain, which is lpcated south of the Green Springs highway, was uninjured. The cabin-lookout station is equipped with a lightning pro tector, and the only damage was to the telephone system, which was burned out. Two Fires Set The recurring and scattered thundershowers over the week end set at least two fires in the Grizzly prairie area near the Dead Indian, but both were con trolled by state forestry depart ment crews last night. At least two other fires were thought to have been set by lightning, but they had not been located this morning, and they may have been put out by rain which was fairly general in the south and southeast portions of the county. The Rogue River National for est had received no reports of lightning fires in its borders, and rain was light and scattered. Fire Danger High The showers were not enough to ease the extremely high fire hazard general throughout the forested areas of the county, ac cording to the state patrol and the forest service. Humidities the past few days have been far down into the danger area, run ning between 15 and 20 per cent. Anything below 30 per cent is considered in the hazardous class. Continued fair weather, with maximum temperatures in the 90s and low humidities is fore cast through Tuesday. Participants receiving honor able mention were Ashland Kilty band, and a four-horse team of Sandy and Clara Smith. Second place in the Kiddies parade Saturday went to an "Old Fashioned Family" com posed of Mrs. Iris Chastain and three daughters, and third place went to a float, "Jacksonville or Bust." Bliss Heine's Junior baton corps and clowns received honorable mention. Old Clothes An old suit, with an 1885 cane and an 1890 watch and chain, worn by Rollin F. Taylor of Rogue River was second in the Old Fashioned parade. Gayle Of fenbacher, 9, Jacksonville, wear ing her great grandmother's 90-year-old dress, was third. M. F. Pence of Jacksonville, who is over 75 years old, won the Old Fiddler's contest. John Gritsch won the grand prize of a beef on the hoof. Second prize of a wardrobe went to Sue Bis mark, and third prize, a coffee jf 1955 Overturned Skiff Found Off Coast; One Body Located Searchers Comb Beach For Arizona Fishermen Crescent City, Calif. (U.R) Four members of a prominent Phoenix, Ariz., family were missing and presumed drowned today after their light fishing skiff was found overturned in turbulent water off the northern California coast. Del Norte county sheriff's dep uties identified the skiff yester day as one rented early Saturday by Dr. Fred W. Holmes, his fa ther, Dr. Fred G." Holmes, and two sons, aged 10 and 8. A rescue party sighted a body, tentatively identified as that of Fred W. Holmes, late last night and brought it in to the beach. But rugged and treacherous ter rain prevented the party from bringing the body into town for positive identification. Three search parties of almost a dozen men each combed the beach for miles along the coast south of here while a Coast Guard cutter and a Coast Guard patrol plane searched the chop py, windswept ocean off shore. The four fishermen, all of Phoenix, disappeared early Sat urday while fishing in a dense fog near the mouth of the Kla math river. By UNITED PRESS A 1 3-year-old . boy.. AncL. a 33-year-old man drowned while an other 13-year-old boy was saved in separate Oregon water mis haps during the week end. Jimmy Steinborn, 13, Browns ville, drowned in about 15 feet of water in the Calapooya river Saturday afternoon while swim ming. Robert Fields, 33, Rose burg, drowned in the North Ump qua river Saturday night. Craig Nasmyth, 13, Portland, became exhausted while" swim ming in the Clackamas river at Haaten Beach park Sunday. Har old Kaarhus, 9, Portland, swam 45 feet to reach him and when he ran into difficulty, 16-year-old Ellen Ollar of Beaverton jumped into the water. The two brought the boy ashore. He was treated at an Oregon City hos pital for shock. Blood Donor List Still Far Below Area Needs The number of blood donors that have made appointments for Wednesday has not risen above the 35 reached Saturday, Red Cross officials reported this morning. The Red Cross office said Medford's quota is 250 donors. The need is particularly great at this time, as Portland has in formed this area it cannot sup ply blood to meet any shortages. Appointments, may be made by phoning 3-3813 today and to morrow. The bloodmobile will be here from 1 to 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Elks temple. pot, went to R. Smith. Winners of the gold panning contest were LaRue Morris of Hidden Valley Ranch, Kessinger, and Bob Mitcheltree. Leonard Cookson of Medford won the chopping contest followed by Don Mayfield of Williams and Burdette Holroyd of Medford. Other Contests Estle James of Ashland won the ax throwing contest, with Robert Kinsey of Ashland sec ond and Cookson third. Johnny Minor of Shady Cove won the power saw over 40-pounds class contest, James was second and Cookson third. Minor, James and R. L. Clowder of Phoenix won the power saw under 40 pounds class contest in that order. Dannie Ashley of Los Angeles won the pie eating contest, and Jack Rich-arson of Medford was second. Richard Griffin of Jack sonville won the watermelon eating contest, and Robert and Tommy Ashton won second and third, respectively. . 9 '..iBUNE United Press Full Leased Wire Price 5c No. 118 Charges off Torture By Released Airmen fySay Go Before U.N. Tachikawa Air Base, Japan '(U.R) Charges that 11 American airmen were tortured and beaten by the Communist Chinese prob ably will go before the United -Nations, informed sources said today. The world body will attempt to determine to what extent the alleged brutal treatment was used to wring confessions from the airmen, the sources said. The charges may affect Red China's hopes of joining the United Nations, the sources added. The airmen, freed by the Reds last week after more than two years in prison, told of their torture, beatings and solitary con finement at a press conference Sunday. In Geneva, members of the Red Chinese delegation meeting with U.S. representatives denied the charges and said they were "sheer fabrication." Want Hometown Reunions with Families The men are to leave Tachikawa Air Base Wednesday for Travis Air Force Base, Calif., an Air Force spokesman said. The men have asked that their families not be brought to the west coast. They prefer to go home individually for reunions. The airmen went through more rigorous physical examinations today to determine if their health suffered during their forced stay in Red China. - One of the men, Daniel C. Schmidt, Redding, Calif., finally talked by telephone with his 21-year-old wife who remarried in the belief he was killed in Korea. The modern-day "Enoch Arden" refused to disclose details of the conversation about their tangled marital affairs. Col. John Knox Arnold, leader of the airmen whose B29 was shot down over North Korea in January. 1953, repudiated all statements and "confessions" wrung from the men by Communist physical and mental persuasion. He fought back tears as he told how the Reds treated him and his crew. His thin face twisted with emotion and his voice break ing occasionally, the Silver Springs, Md.,' flier admitted he gave the Communists military information under torture. One Not Forced To Sign 'Confession' All the fliers except, Map. William H. Baumer, LeWisburg, Pa., said Jth'ey made "confessions" of illegally invading Communist China and in some cases espionage. Baumer said he was not forced to sign, apparently because of his physical condition. He was wounded in the foot when the B29 was shot down and later frostbite added complications and the foot was amputated. Capt. Elmer F. Llewllyn, of Missoula, Mont., navigator of the plane, vehemently insisted they were well south of the Yalu river on a leaflet dropping mission over North Korea when they were shot down; The other airmen were: Capt. John W. Buck, Armathwaite, Tenn.: Capt. Eugene J. Vaadi, Clayton, N.Y.; 1st Lt. Wallace L. Brown, Montgomery, Ala.; T-Sgt. Howard W. Brown, St. Paul, Minn.; Airman 1-c Steve E. Kiba, Akron, O.; Airman 2-c Harry M. Benjamin Jr., Worthington, Minn.; Airman 2-c John W. Thompson 3rd, Orange, Va. Talks for Release of Prisoners Deadlocked Geneva (U.R) The United States and Red China became deadlocked today in their nego tiations for release of 41 Ameri can civilians and China's de mands for return of Chinese stu dents, now in the United States. Despite their failure to find an acceptable formula, they agreed to continue the talks, which today entered their sec ond week. A U. S. spokesman said, after today's meeting, that the Chi nese and American ambassadors have become stuck on the first item of their agenda, the return of civilians. He said they agreed, how ever, to continue their study of that problem at their next ses sion Wednesday. Secrecy Maintained Both sides have agreed to maintain secrecy on the details of their talks. They issued a noncommittal joint statement after today's meeting which said only that they have considered nothing but the question of returning civilians in the four sessions held thus far. The only positive results of the meetings, the release of 11 imprisoned U. S. airmen by Red China, was announced by the Chinese an hour before the first meeting was held. The United States has refused in the subsequent meetings to yield on the principle of volun tary repatriation of nationals, a principle established in the long negotiations for release of Korean war prisoners. Conference sources said the United States retained unpleas ant memories of Communist at- Baseball NATIONAL Brooklyn 0 4 1 Chicago 16 0 Newcombe and Campanella; Jones and ChitL ... Weather FORECAST: Fair through Tues day. Little change in temper ature. Low tonight 55. High Tuesday 95. Temp. Highest yesterday 9" Lowest this morning 57 tempts in Korea to cajole Chi nese prisoners in United Nations hands to return to Red China. There will be no repetition of this on United States soil, the sources said. Chinese Students Free Secretary of State John Foster Dulles has said repeatedly the Chinese marooned in the United States by the rise of Communism must be completely free to choose their own future. The United States stood firm ly on this principle during the Korean negotiations, and the peace talks almost foundered. The issue arose when Re China proposed a third party be named to investigate the willing ness of Chinese students to re turn to mainland China. Peiping apparently did not believe for mal U. S. assurances they are free to do as they please. , : The U. S. -Chinese talks last week on the means of repatriat ing 'some 41 U. S. civilians in Communist China and Red China's insistence that Chinese students in the states wanted to return to Peiping. Chartered Boat Runs Aground; 20 Saved Netarts Bay, Ore. (U.R) Twenty persons waded ashore safely here Saturday after their chartered fishing boat ran aground and was pounded to pieces on a spit at the south end of Netarts Bay. Harold G. Lantz, skipper of the 50-foot Morning Star III, said his boat ran aground in a heavy fog as it was heading out to sea. He valued the craft at $8500. A Coast Guard lifeboat from Garibaldi was called to the scene, but found that salvage was impossible. The skipper and his mate, Paul G. Graske, ordered the 18 fish erman over the side in life jackets and they waded ashore through knee-deep surf. Army Compounds In Korea Cities. Under Near-Siege South Koreans Stage Demonstrations Seoul, Korea (U.R) U. S. Army compounds in four major cities were under near-siege to day because of violent demon strations by South Koreans against neutral nations truce in spectors. In Pusan, more than 2000 screaming Koreans ripped down the main gate to the U.S. Army's Hialeah compound where yes terday they formed a bloody, human bridge through 400 feet of barber wire. The U.S. Army denied Korean reports that American soldiers had bayonetted some of the dem onstrators at Pusan and Inchon. Soldiers Injured The Eighth Army said at least four soldiers were injured yes terday and six more Americans were hurt today when Koreans threw stones and bottles. Gas-masked GIs had to toss 200 tear gas bombs into the mob and drench it with heavy streams of water from fire hoses before the demonstration was quieted. Some 5000 demonstrators marched on the U.S. Army Com pound at Taegu yesterday and a live hand grenade was tossed through the fence to a Korean employee. The Army said the Korean employee turned the un exploded grenade over to a soldier. Cities Surrounded Besides Pusan, U.S. com pounds at Wolmi-Do Island at Inchon and at the port cities of Kunsan arid Hangnung were sur rounded today. Many of the demonstrators carried banners and shouted for the removal of the neutral na tions truce inspectors, who act as watchdogs of the uneasy Ko rean armistice. The outbreaks were the latest in a series of demonstrations against the Neutral Nations Commission " whose" Czech 'and Polish members the South Ko rean government has accused of being Communist spies. Damage Heavy In Oregon Fires By UNITED PRESS Fires in Oregon Sunday claim ed one life- caused an estimated $100,000 damage to a grain ele vator near Lebanon, heavily damaged a Grants Pass lumber yard and destroyed 1000 tons of hay near Hermiston. A man died in a fire at a Cas cade Locks hotel which was blamed on a cigaret. The flames were confined to the victim's room. The sheriff's office tentatively identified the victim as James T. Plummer, about 35, Yelleville, Ark. Some 500 tons of stored wheat and barley and a grain elevator were destroyed yesterday five miles west of Lebanon by fire of undetermined origin. Fire Chief Vern Reeves of Lebanon estimated loss at $100,000. At Grants Pass, a three-hour blaze burned two storage build ings of the Grants Pass lumber yards with damage estimated at $35,000. The offices and stacked lumber were saved. A brisk wind fanned a fire near Hermiston in which hay valued at $30,C00 was lost. Spon taneous combustion was blamed for the blaze. Chandler Claims Kentucky Victory Louisville, Ky. (U.R) For mer baseball Commissioner A. B. (Happy) Chandler claimed vic tory today over the state Dem ocratic party machine in his bat tle for the gubernatorial nomin ation but his opponent refused to concede. . Chandler, Kentucky's govern- nor 20 years ago, led his admin istration opponent, Bert T. Combs, be a 11,397 margin with returns in from 1,861 precincts of a total of 4,165 precincts when the vote count halted at midnight Saturday. Chandler had 139,924 votes, to Combs' 128,527, the combined total representing more than 40 per cent of the state vote. The Louisville Courier-Jour nal, which opposed Chandler in its editorials almost from the outset, conceded victory to the former baseball commissioner in its editions Sunday. Monmouth (U.R) Some 175 state educational leaders were attending the seventh annual meeting of the Oregon Educa tion Association here today. lis, . . . . .v; mm ltV- SEEKING $10,000 prize, Bev erly Jansen, Providence, R. I., is entry in New York "Miss Exquisite Form" contest. She measures 35V, 23, 35 from north to south. (International) Neuberger Calls For Resignation Of Douglas McKay Washington (U.R) Oregon's two Democratic senators have accused the Eisenhower adminis tration of "depredation" of natu ral resources and "economic rape" for its handling of power development in Hells Canyon. Sen. Richard L. Neuberger called for the resignation of In terior Secretary Douglas Mc Kay for the "depredation" of natural resources under the Re publican administration. Morse Hurls Charge Sen. Wayne Morse accused the administration of "raping the resources" of the nation and pushing it toward "economic fascism." The charges were brought on by the recent Federal Power Commission's authorization of the Idaho Power Co. to build private dams in Hells Canyon on the Snake river. Neuberger said the adminis tration's handling of natural re sources was "going to be one of fhe major issues, if not the ma jor issue, of the 1956 campaign." James H. Duff (R.-Pa.) coun tered that the administration is taking the position that the gov ernment should not do what the public can do for itself. Decision" Reversal Seen Morse predicted that foes of private power development of Hells Canyon will overturn the FPC after a long court fight. He said an appeal will be made for an FPC rehearing, but fore cast that what he called the "rigged" commission will con tinue to rule against public power development of the Snake river. Baker (U.R) The Hells Can yon Development Association has appealed to the State Hydro electric Commission to refuse an application by Idaho Power Company to build three low dams on the Snake river. The appeal was issued by Al bert Ullman of Baker, president of the association. Applications by the company for the dams, which would be located at the Idaho-Oregon border, were pend ing before the commission. MEETING POSTPONED The regular meeting of the Medford planning commission set for tonight has been post poned until Monday night, Aug. 15, because of the death yester day of .Mrs. Bertha May Wray, wife of Commission Chairman M. T. (Tom) Wray. Heat Wave in East States Broken by Thundershowers By UNITED PRESS Thundershowers broke the back of a scorching heat wave in the East today. But the price was high. Accompanying storms killed at .least 12 persons, terrorized coastal dwellers and cut power lines. In Albuquerque, N.M., mean while, heavy rains sent roaring flash floods into residential low lands and chased 25 persons from their homes. The residents were still digging out from un der a million dollar flood which struck when similar rains fell last week. Temperatures Drop The cool air spread southeast ward into New England, the Middle Atlantic states and fringes of the deep south. Temperatures dropped from 10 to 20 degrees from the Northern Trains Make Lost Runs on Week End; Court Order Asked Attorneys Conference Slated This Afternoon o Southern Oregon todav was without railroad passenger ser vice for the first time since the 1880s, when the old Oregon and California line was completed through here. The Southern Pacific railroad. successor to the earlier line, Sat urday night and Sunday conduc- . ted what they maintain will be the last runs of the Rogue River trains Nos. 329 and 330 O north from Ashland and south from Portland. Earlier they had instructed station agents to accept Pullman reservations after Aug. 7,the scheduled end-of-service date, but on Saturday announced the trains would be discontinued as announced. In Salem. State Public Utilit ies Commissioner Charles Helt zel today sought a court order to force the SP to resume the service. Circuit Judge Val D. Sloper, in whose court the action is to be filed, catied a confer ence for this afternoon for at torneys from the PUC and the railroad. Announcement of SP's clan to discontinue rail passenger ser vice was made by the company on July 7. after months of ru mors and denials concerning the plan, ine announcement was greeted by immediate protests from organizations, individuals, and newspapers, and the state senators from Jackson, Josephine and Douglas counties filed a for mal complaint with HeltzeL ask ing him to order the SP not onlyj to continue service, but to im prove it. Heltzel's order for the SP to continue service pending a hear ing was based on the senators' complaints. The order was ig nored by the SP in stopping the trains. The railroad maintains the commissioner does not have authority to order continuance ' of service, without a hearing, although it has scanted he does have the authority to order re sumption of service after it has been stopped. Among the protests d&inst ending of th service has been that of organized labor. The Ore gon State Federation of Labor, at its recent convention here an- proved a strongly-worded protest to the action. Today. Mvrle M. Merriman of the Medford Central Labor Coun cil reported that he has been named as a committee of one to do what he can on behalf of the council to enforce the passeng er service to be resumed. Merriman pointed out that the council's action is based on its concept of civic rAponsibility, and that it is hoped the SP can be forced either to "give back the service" which it has gradu ally eliminated over the years, or be forced to open its tracks to common use by other rail carriers, who could provide the service. . Merriman declared that the railroad has "not kept its bar gain" made in the days when it received alternate sections of land in Oregon as a subsidy for construction of the rails, a bar gain which gave it exclusive rights in this area with an obli gation to provide adequate ser vice. The union spokesman also said that if through service. Portland to San Francisco, were provided on this line, it would be iust as profitable as that over the Na tron Ime completed in 1928, and pointed out that populous south ern Oregon would provide more , patronage, if this were still a through line, than does the sec tion east of the mountains. Plains to as far south as the Carolinas and the northern por tions of Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. In the southeast, leery coastal residents kept a close watch of) hurricane Connie, which was moving west-northwest past the British West Indies. 'Sleeping' Weather O The cool air brought the first decent "sleeping" weather last night to the midwest and east in weeks. But it had its costly side too. Thunderstorms killed at least three persons at Newark, N.J., and lightning killed a 23-year-old golfer at Bethpage, N'&. At Wolfeboro, N.H., Coun Judge William E. Fuller, 57, Fall River, Mass., was killed by a bolt of lightning as he camped in a tent.
