Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989, December 16, 1955, Image 1

Historic Oregon Newspapers

Medford mail tribune., December 16, 1955, Image 1

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Newspaper Page Texto o Russia' Ml tepiDinsibte' For MgMs Mi . iewsiSf As ' . RUSSIA JOINS IN WELCOME The Soviet United Nations delegation, left to right G. N. Zarubin, A. A. Sobolev, Jakob Malik and V. V. Kuznetsov applaud the admission of 16 new nations to the UN at a dramatic night session in New York The new members Albania, Jordan, Ireland, Portugal, Hungary, Italy, Austria, Romania, Bulgaria, Fin laud, Ceylon, Nepal, Libya, Cambodia, Laos and Spain. Japan and Outer Mongolia were excluded. Portland Bomb-Extortion Plot Admitted by Blind Ulan Bus Company Plans To Cancel Holiday Service To Ashland Evergreen Bus Lines filed with Oreeon Public Utilities commissioner yesterday sched ules cancelling all Sunday and hoiiday service between Med foMl aad Ashland, Ralph B. Mat thewsrmanager, said today. The new schedule also elimi nates a 9:45 p.m. trip to Ash land nightly, Matthews said. The schedule will be effective Sun day, De 25, under normal pro cedure, he said. - Regain Listed Matthews said reduction of service is the result of lack of patronage of night, Sunday and holiday schedules. He pointed out that during an average week, revenusrfrom the 9:45 trip varied from $rl5 to $3.20 for the 30 mile round trip. Three of seven trips failed to earn driver's wages, Matthews said. Sunday's five day-time round trips showed revenue ranging from $1.42 to $3.92, averaging $2.10, he said. "Under present conditions," Matthews said, "typical use of jpublic transportation is as a cond automobile, and the re duction in service reflects "the absence of demand from one car families when the family car is at home." . Last Bus at 6 P.M. The neP schedule lists the last bus for Ashland leaving Medford at 6 p.m. week days. The 9:45 p.m. trip now is the only night-time schedule to Ash landQ Matthews said schedules be tween Medford and Camp White will be adjusted soon to provide evening departures from Med ford at 7:20 p.m. and ,10 p.m. instead of 7:45 p.m. and 11 p.m. The Sunday morning trip be tween Medford and Camp White will be eliminated, he added. The company, at the next Medford city council meeting, will request approval of route changes which will eliminate the present South Holly-King st. loop route, Matthews said. The route changes will include ex tensions of service on East Main stO and Orchard Home drive routes, he said. rfa additional change is plan ned in week day service be tween Medford and Ashland, or in service to Jacksonville and Central Point, Matthews said. Oregon High Court Considers Tax Case The Oregon Supreme Court has taken under consideration arguments conducted before it this week in Jackson county's tree assessment case. Attorney Philip B. Lowry, rep resenting fruitgrowers who are seeking to have their commercial orchards t exempted from prop erty taxes, said the arguments were over procedural matters, with the state tax commission moving to dismiss the case, and the fruitgrowers moving that the court take testimony in the case The long and complicated legal proceedings in the case stem from the tax commission's action in placing commercial or chard trees on tax rolls for the first time. The matter is before iiie high court after it assumed Jurisdiction in a plea filed with it by the Medford Pear company aeaihst the commission and County Assessor Robert Fowler, 1 ilJ K' . jjfag Youth Injured When 'Cannon' Explodes Michael Bruce Walker, 15, of 1405 West Main St., was slightly injured yesterday when a home-made "cannon" exploded, driving a piece of metal into the boy's left cheek. Walker was visiting at the home of William Lee Evans, 17, of 304 Boardman St., when the two boys decided to con struct an artillery piece from a section of bicycle frame and the contents of two shotgun shells. The tubing exploded first time the "cannon" was fired. Walker was taken to Osteo pathic hospital where he was treated by a doctor and re leased. Authority Of Soil Committee Stated Attorney General Robert . Y. Thornton ruled today that the State Soil Conservation commit tee has authority only to hold hearings on additions to districts for which petitions have been presented. He also ruled that petitions cannot be -consolidated unless they request addition to the same district. The opinion was requested by the State Soil Conservation com mission in connection with the Sams Valley-Beagle soil conser vation district and the Rogue soil conservation district. Petitions were circulated - in the Upper Evans Creek-Wimer area in northwestern Jackson county asking that that area be joined with the Sams Valley Beagle district. It is the only area in the county not in a soil conservation district, according to the local soil conservation office. ' . - The petitions were accepted by the state committee early this month. Later a number of the signers felt their locations would'be more adaptable to the Rogue district and asked that they might join that district without circulating a re-worded petition. The ruling, however, would require a new petition for addi tion to the Rogue district. First In Series Of Storms Passes Area First of a' series of storm fronts from the Pacific ocean brought .46 of an inch of rain to the Medford vicinity up to 10 a.m. today and a forecast for western Oregon, and western Washington indicated intermit tent rains at least through next Wednesday. Precipitation today reached its heaviest between 7 and and 9 a.m. and the weather bureau station at the airport measured .25 of an inch between 8:15 and 9:15 a.m. The weather prediction for Medford and vicinity was for occasional shower-; tonight and rain Saturday. A heavy total amount of pre cipitation for the ,. interior val leys of western Oregon and west ern Washington was indicated in'the five-day outlook. Amounts were forecast at one to three inches. Columbus, O. (U.R) The John W. Galbreath Co. has announced purchase of townsites and 2600 houses owned by Kennecott Cop per Corp. in New Mexico, Ari zona,, Utah and Nevada.. Meier and Frank Confession Links Sister-in-Law Portland U.R) William Clarence Peddicord, 38-year-old blind father of ' five children who once won national praise for his courage, has confessed using his sister-in-law for "eyes" to carry out a $50,000 bomb-extortion plot against a depart ment store executive. Peddicord admitted late last night setting off 12 sticks of dy namite in a third-foor washroom at the Meier and Frank depart ment store last April 15, Detec tive CaptJ William Browne said. The blast rocked the store al most at the same time AarOn M. Frank, store " president, was reading a note demanding $50, 000. . It hurled shattered glass into the street, injuring a passer by. No one in the store was hurt. Implicates Woman Peddicord, who was arrested yesterday, implicated his sister- in-law, Joyce Keller, 38. They were booked on a charge of in jury to persons and properties by explosives. Bond for each was set at $75,000. Peddicord told police he en gineered the plan. "She was my eyes," officers quoted him as saying. Police said Peddicord was connected to the bombing be cause samples from a typewriter he had used in a chemical labo ratory matched those used on the extortion note. Peddicord told officers he used a 10-inch fuse for a 10-min-ute margin ot safety and that he and the woman were in the street when the explosion oc curred, j No MoneyVObtained A stand-in for Frank followed instructions and took a night ride to Eugene and back, a 240 mile round trip. But no one ap peared to pick up- the money. Peddicord lost his sight in an explosion 19 years ago. He was blinded when sulphur and am monia fumes from a refrigera tor blew up. He drew national attention in 1948 when he began hitchhiking to New York, with $7 in his pocket, to seek an operation to restore his sight. When he reached Detroit a radio program paid his train fare the rest of the way. The operation, which consist ed of transplanting a cornea in Peddicord's right eye, was con sidered a success but he was blinded again by a tragic stroke of fate. Shows Little Emotion A United Press story in De cember, 1948, said "for an in stant there was sunlight on the ceiling" but Peddicord jerked his head as the scissors descend ed "and darkness closed in and once more he was blind." Police said money was the motive for the elaborate bomb plot. Peddicord showed little emo tion when questioned and show ed no inclination to discuss the bombing with reporters. Weather FORECAST: Mostly cloudy" with occasional showers to night. Rain SaturdayXow to night 38-40. High Saturday 47. Temp. Highest Yesterday -46 Lowest this Morning 41 Prec. to 10 a.m. Today 50 Medfof 50th Year 26 Pages Syria Accuses Israel of New Border Attacks Security Council Considers Protest United Nations, N. Y. (U.R) Syria today accused Israel of new border attacks even before the U.N. Security Council could act on Syrian demands that Israel be punished for a raid last Sunday. A United Press dispatch from Damascus quoted Syrian mili tary sources as saying Israeli forces launched a new border attack against Syrian units last night. The sources said the attackers were driven back. No casualties were reported. An Israeli military spokesman, however, denied the Syrian re port that there had been a 15 minute exchange of gunfire on the border. The spokesman said there was no shooting on the Syrian-Israeli frontier during the past 24 hours. The Security Council was meeting this afternoon to con sider a strong protest against the Israeli attack last Sunday near the Sea of Galilee.'- The raid cost 49 Syrian lives. The United States,. Britain and France expressed grave con cern over the attack. Syria, terming the raid "a flagrant violation and an act of open aggression and provocation by Israel," was expected to de mand economic and military sanctions against, ,,. the ..Jewish state. . Egyptian Premier Gamal Ab del Nasser informed U.N. Secre tary General Dag Hammarskjold that: "In view of the Security Coun cil's failure to prevent a repeti tion of Israeli aggressions, I'd like to inform you that the Egyptian government is forced to take matters into its own hands and won't hesitate to ,use its land, air and sea forces to protect its security and maintain peace in the area." Nasser cited six incidents of Israeli "aggression," five of them against Egypt and the sixth Syria, His warning was consid ered serious in light of the recently-concluded Syrian-Egyptian mutual defense pact. Oregon Demos Wait Word From Kefauver Portland (U.R) Oregon Dem ocrats today awaited word from Sen. Estes Kefauver (D-Tenn.) on whether he would enter the Ore gon primary next May. Kefau ver today announced his candi dacy for the Democratic presi dential nomination. . Monroe Sweetland, Demo cratic national committeeman, said he had not heard what can didates would enter the primary. He said he personally favored a Stevenson-Kefauver ticket. Ad lai Stevenson, 1952 candidate, also has thrown his fiat in the ring. "They both have a great many supporters in Oregon," Sweet land said, "but it is difficult to say at this time whether they will oppose each other, next May." Harry Dorman Resigns as Oreqon Finance Director Salem -4U.R) Harry S. Dor man has submitted his designa tion as director of Oregon's De partment of Finance and Admin istration offective next March 1, Gov. Paul Patterson said today. Gov. Patterson, . who praised Dorman's work for the state, said that twice before he had re fused to accept the designation. But he said he felt he had to this time because Dorman had reached retirement age and had requested to be relieved of the job. Began State Work in 1949 Dorman began work for the state in May of 1949 and became director of the department when it was created. Before he enter ed state government, Dorman operated a Portland packing company which he sold at the start of the second World War. Ha was. a lieutenant colonel in MEDFOiw, OREGON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1955 ecomes Candidate West Agrees on Counter-Offensive Against Cold War Political Ties To Be Strengthened Paris i(U.R) The West agreed today 'at a meeting of the 15 North Atlantic Treaty Organiza tion foreign ministers to strengthen the political ties of the Atlantic Alliance for a coun ter offensive against the Soviets' new cold war moves. The NATO Allies already had agreed to beef up their military defenses against the Soviets. Today the foreign ministers de cided in a secret three -hour meeting to bolster their political action. New Tactical Air Force In another move to strength en the West's military power in Europe, the NATO powers an nounced they will build a brand new tactical air force with American units based behind the Alps in northern Italy. The new' move will widen the spread of Allied air bases now clustered in mid-Europe. It will strengthen the continent's air shield against Soviet aggression p with .U.S. aircraft . .and pilots to serve notice that no American withdrawal is planned. More Propaganda A NATO spokesman said the new defense air fleet will be known as the Fifth Allied Tac tical Air Force. He said new U.S. air units would fly to join it on the northern Italian bases. They also agreed to step up NATO propaganda at home and abroad to counter the steady barrage poured out by Moscow radio and Soviet spokesmen at home and abroad. Delegates said the ministers made, such progress at this sec ond day of the three-day session that they might be able to wind up the conference with a com munique tonight. The foreign ministers meet ing, which excluded most of their aides, was called specifical ly to plan strategy that could win in the "new cold war front" in the Middle East and South east Asia. Terrorists Set Fire To British Building Nicosia, Cyprus (U.R) Anti British terrorists set fire to a government office building in Myrphou 20 miles northwest of here early today and caused ex tensive damage. A few hours later, another ter rorist threw a homemade bomb at a military Jeep at the rear of the Gr.eek gymnasium at Fama gusta on the coast. The driver was injured. Also in Famagusta, 200 school boys, formed a mob outside their school and British troops broke it up by firing over their heads. the Army during the war. No successor has been picked. The governor said Dorman had agreed to stay until his suc cessor is appointed in order to familiarize the new director with the operations of the de partment. No Definite Plans Dorman said he had no defi nite plans for the future, but said he expects to take an ex tended rest. After his appointment as di rector of the Department of Fi nance, Dorman organized the de partment and later, at the di rection of the Legislature, or ganized the state motor vehicle pool which has been 'operating successfully for -more than a year. ' Gov. Patterson said it might be several weeks before he nemes Dorman' successor. I WW x I SEN. ESTES KEFAUVER His Hat Now in the Ring Four-Car Accident Injures Two Here, Neither Seriously - Alf Bennet Mekvold, Jackson county school superintendent, 120 Freeman rd., Central Point, and Maxwell L. Cottom, 35, Grants Pass, were injured in a four-car accident at the intersec tion of West Main and Fir sts. about 1:30 p.m. yesterday. Mekvold suffered rib injuries and shock. Cottom, who was a passenger in a car driven by James Westcott, Grants Pass, re ceived head injuries. Both men were taken to Osteopathic hos pital by Medford Ambulance service where they remained for observation today. Traveling South According to city police West cott was traveling soutfr on Fir st. and struck the car driven by Mekvold which was going west on West Main st. The Mekvold car then went into the opposite lane of traffic and struck two cars stopped for a red light. The stopped cars were operated by Earl S. Tumy, 705 Park st., and Robert D.. Bernardi, 208 Haw thorne ave. Mekvold was cited by city po lice for failure to stop at- a red light. Westcott was cited for not having an ' Oregon driver's li cense. A tax study meeting of. the chamber of commerce at which Mekvold was . to have been the speaker was not held this morn ing because of his injuries. Other Accidents Two other accidents yesterday involved cars operated by Ber tha Lea McKenzie, 416 Board man st., and Jesse Austin Mitch ell, Grants Pass, which collided at the intersection of East -Ninth st. and South Central ave., and cars operated by William Victor Kidson, Central Point, and John Marshall Thomas, 2307 North west Hoyt st., which collided' at the corner of North Bartlett and East Third sts., according to city police. Mitchell was cited, by police for failure to yield the right of way to oncoming traffic. No one vas injured in either accident.. Price War Drops Milk Down To 15 Cents Quart Miami Beach, Fla. (U.R) A price war may be giving Miami Beach housewives the cheapest milk in the nation. Two food stores, next door neighbors, are battling it out while the customers cheer. One of the stores has milk down to 15 tents a quart. . The Department of Agricul ture in Washington said it knows of no other city where milk is being sold so cheap. The competition here is a los ing thing. Both stores said they are paying the producer 25 cents a quart, Tribune Price 5c No. 229 Tennessean Plans Fight in Number Of State Primaries California Election To Provide Showdown Washington U.R) Sen. Estes Kefauver announced formaliy to day that he is a candidate for the 1956 Democratic presiden tial nomination. The lanky Tennessean told a crowded news conference he again will wage a "vigorous cam paign" for the highest office in the land even though he failed to win his party's nomination in 1952. Kefauver said in a prepared statement that he will fight for the nomination in "a number of state primaries ... as many as I can." The statement did not identify these primaries, how ever. To Enter California Primary Kefauver later told newsmen he definitely will enter Cali fornia's primary June 5. This will provide a direct showdown with Adlai E. Stevenson who already has announced he will enter the contest. -The senator also made it clear that he win enter "the primary in New Hampshire where he launched his 1952 drive for the Democratic nomination by de feating then President Truman. On other primaries, however, Kefauver said he wasn't yet ready to announce his intentions. Kefauver is the third Demo crat to announce formally for the party's 1956 nomination. The others are Stevenson, the 1952 standard bearer, and Gov. Frank J. Lausche of Ohio, who announced- this week that he will enter Ohio's presidential primary as a favorite son candidate. Gov. Averell Harriman of New York also has announced that his name will be placed in nomina tion at the National Convention, but he insists he is not an 'active' candidate. Kefauver pledged in his nomi nation statement that, as a can didate, he will "seek to maintain the spirit of unity which now permeates our party." . But he added that he will, as in the past, attempt "to advance the forward-looking, progressive traditions of the Democratic party which characterized the administrations of Presidents Roosevelt and Truman." "We must continue to seek solutions to great social prob lems in human terms, something which the Republicans . have signally failed to do," the sena tor said. In his statement, Kefauver attacked GOP policies as they affect business and the farmer. Central Point Church Provides Bible Service The Community Bible church of Central Point has installed an automatic telephone answering device to provide a Bible verse for the day. The Bible verse may be heard by dialing NOrmandy 4-1616 day or night. The Rev. Paul ,0. Kroon, pastor, said anyone was welcome to dial for the daily Scripture selections. Road Conditions Prospeet Pavement bare; - raining. Siskiyous Carrying chains advised; half-inch new snow; 3Vi inches roadside; snowing; plows working. Green Springs Slush on pavement; snowing; one inch roadside. Crater Lake National Park. Chains advised on Highway 62;- chains or snow tread tires required Annie Springs to rim; snowing; 4 inches ' new; 56 inches present depth; skiing conditions good. . Allied Statements Affirm Western Right To Berlin West German Dealers7 Truck Confiscated Berlin (U.R) The Wern Al lies said today in a statement they will hold the Soviets re sponsible for four power agree ments on Germany despite the Soviet grant of sovereignty-, to East Germany. , . O The American, Briiish and French embassies in Bonn issued separate statements affirming their right to Berlin soon after -West German scrap dealers dis closed the Communists had seized 11 westbound trucks worth $183,000 in another ef fort to force recognition of the East government. Soviet Contention Rejected The Big Three statements re jected the contention of Soviet Ambassador G. M. Pushkin that East Germany can limit Western Allied rights in Berlin as threat ened recently by. both the So viets and the German Commu-' nists. The embassies said the West ern powers made itfclear to the Soviets in their note to Moscow Oct. 3 that "they continue ' to hold the Soviet government re-. sponsible for the obligations as sumed by it in four power agree ments regarding Germany." They said this remains the position of the West. A spokesman for the scran- dealers association said Commu nist customs guards were hold ing the trucks at the Commu nist Marienborn checkpoint at the Western end og the 110-mile highway from isolated Berlin. He said the dealers were told they would have to pay "huge fines" or face outright confisca tion of their trucks. He said the scrap shipments ther contained already have been seized by the Reds. Documents in ord ine action is strictly politi cal," the spokesman said. "There was nothing wrong with the truckers shipping documents. When we inquired at the East German customs office about the matter we were told "You will : have no trouble if your ministry ' talks to our ministry.' " Mrs. Fong, Reyes Given Life Terms Portland (U.R) Sherry Fong today was sentenced to life in prison for "the 1954 slaying of 16-year-old Diane Hank. She was convicted last week of second degree murder. Irvin Goodman, Mrs. Fong's attorney, was granted 10 days in which to file motions to set aside the verdict and obtain a new trial. - & Mrs. Fong showed little emo tion when Circuit Judge Alfred P. Dobson pronounced sentence. Her husband, Wey Him Fong, ' . faces trial later on a murder charge in connection with the girl's death. torvallis (U.R) Martin B. Reyes, 23, Seattle, today was sentenced to .life imprisonment for the Oct. 24 slaying of James ' R. Appelgate, 39-year-old Ben ton county posseman. . Reyes was found guilty earl ier this week of second degree murder. He took sentencing with a calm external appearance which marked his week-long trial. Reyes and Sonny Shadd had escaped earlier from the Eugene jail. Shadd was captured in Cor vallis before the shooting. Reyes was captused in Monmouth 24 hours after Appelgate was shot. DOW-JONES AVERAGES New York U.R) Dow-Jones final stock averages: 30 indus trials 482.08 up 1.36, 20 rails 161.36 up 0.36, 15 utilities 64.37 off-0.25, and 65 stocks 171.07 up 0.26. Sales today were about 2,310,000 shares compared with 2,260,000 yesterday. ...Help Fight TB ... i Byy Chmfmot Seek,-;