Soil Bank Threat
To livestock Men
in Area Discussed
The proposed "soil bank"
farm plan, now under discussion
by farm and governmental lead
ers, might affect southern Ore
gon ranchers, even though few
surplus crops are grown here,
livestock industry spokesmen in
dicated this weSk.
The feature of the plan with
which they are concerned is the
possibility that lands withdrawn
from growing any of the surplus
commodities might be used for
livestock grazing, according to
James Miller, Medford, presi
dent of the Jackson County
Stockmen's association.
Some supporters of the soil
bank proposal insist that with
drawn land be kept from any
agricultural use, except in emer
gencies. But others, Miller point
ed out, have advocated its possi
ble use for growing hay crops
or as grazing lands.
Competition Seen
If this latter proposal is made
a part of the plan, Miller said,
it would in effect subsidize mid
western farmers in the growing
of livestock in competition with
western ranchers, including
those in southern Oregon, who
raise stk with no subsidies or
government assistance. It is the
stockmen's fear that this would
be ruinously damaging to them,
particularly in view of the fact
that market prices for western
beef have declined by some 50
per cent in the past two years.
Miller said the stockmen are
taking steps to inform Oregon's
representative? in congress of
their feelings about the matter.
As far as other aspects of the
soil bank proposal are concern
ed, the livestock spokesman indi
cated, the ranchers are not in
a position to take a stand one
way or the other.
Betferfconomy
G Seen for Next Year
Washington (U.R)-0 Commerce
Secretary Sinclair "Weeks yester
day forecast a better economy
Oand balanced budget in 1956.
Weeks, wh appeared on the
MBS radio program "Reporters'
Roundup," said "industry can go
on expanding" and the "econo
my is growing continually."
During the first six months of
1956, Weeks predicted that the
' nation's economy "is going to be
on a somewhat higher plane than
it was in '55." He added that
farmers probably will benefit by
the rise.
Family Adopts Unique Plan To
Preserve Spirit of Christmas
ByA. Robert Smith
Mail Tribune Correspondent
Washington A young Wash
ington couple, deploring the hol
iday commercialization that has
all but trampled the religious
manifestations of Christmas here
in the nation's capital, has
adopted a unique plan for pre
serving the spiritual celebration
of the birth of the Lord Jesus
Christ.
Christmas, in the home of Bob
and Laurin Balkam and their
four children, will be celebrated
for two weeks starting Christ
mas eve with the trimming of
the tree and ending Jan. 6 with
the celebration of Epiphany, or
Three Kings day.
Presents of Clothing
Christmas morning found the
four little Balkams taking
down their stockings like most
other American youngsters.
They also received presents of
clothing, which they promptly
put on to go to church for the
highlight of the birthday of
Jesus a worship in which
thanks were offered to God for
the greatest Gift to them and to
all mankind.
This family centered their
Christmas day, in other words,
upon Him for whom it was
named, rather than that jolly old
pagan interloper with the red
suit and whiskers.
"I remember when I was a
kid," said Bob, who is a sales
man, "on Christmas day we all
marched into the living room to
open our presents. By 11
o'clock that morning the room
was full of trash that had to be
cleaned up. Everything had
built up to the opening of gifts,
nothing more, and suddenly it
was all over. We all felt that
terrible letdown."
Unwrapping Stretched Out
To help avoid making gifts
the focal point of Christmas day,
the Balkams have deferred the
"ift unwrapping until after
Christmas day and then stretch
ed it out over the 12 days be
tween Christmas and Three
Kings day, which is the celebra
tion that marks the baptism of
Jesus.
With relatives sending pres
ents to the children, the gift pile
under the Balkam tree looked
like it would probably hold a
dozen surprises for each of the
two boys and two girls. So they
will be opened one a day on
each of the 12 days of Christmas
as the family gathers around the
tree to sing the refrain and a
new verse each day of the sea
sonal folk tune, "The 12 Days
of Christmas."
The Christmas celebration
will reach its climax, not with
the opening of the last gift and
sweeping up the debris, but with
a family pageant on Jan. 6,
Three Kings day, in which the
family members will play out
the first Christmas.
Take Faith Seriously
The Balkams. it should be re
ported, are perhaps an unusual
family. They take their Chris
tian faith seriously. They had
some difficulty understanding
how some Washington congre
gations could dispense with
Sunday school on Christmas
day in order not to interfere
with the opening of gifts by the
children at home. They found
themselves equally out of tune
with ministers who held special
Christmas services the Sunday
Two Adult Classes
To Start at Local
High School Soon
Adult classes in school fi
nance and rocks and minerals
will start at Medford Senior
High school next month. The
class in school finance will start
at 7 p.m. Jan. 9, and the rocks
and minerals class will start Jan.
24.
Both classes are being held by
the general extension division
of the Oregon-State System of
Higher Education.
Dr. Bill A. Sampson, associate
professor of education at South
ern Oregon college, will instruct
the school finance course, and
Max Shafer, field geologist of
the department of geology and
mineral industry of Oregon, will
instruct the rocks and minerals
courses.
Major Problem!
The school finance course will
emphasize major problems of fi
nancing education, including
principles in budget - making,
school revenues, tax sources and
the unit cost of education.
The rocks and minerals course
will be centered around provid
ing a study of common minerals
and rocks and will consider the
economically important rocks
and minerals.
Registration for either course
may be made at initial meetings
or later by special permission of
the instructor. Details on regis
tration and other information is
available from Lindsay M. Vin
sel, director of vocational educa
tion for Medford public schools.
before Christmas day to accomo
date churchgoers who wanted
the religious aspect of this holi
day, but didn't want it to inter
fere with their secular plans for
celebrating Christmas day.
From Christmas to Three
Kings day, the Balkam family
plans to do its utmost to put
Christ back into Christmas and
into the lives of the children
as it was in the beginning in a
manger in Bethlehem.
Relief Expenditures
For Fiscal Year Told
In Red Cross Report
Washington (U.R) The Amer
ican Red Cross spent S87,539,503
for relief work in the United
States and overseas during the
fiscal year ended last June 30.
Even though World . War II
ended 10 years ago, 41 per cent
of the organization's funds went
to the armed forces and veterans
during the year, the Red Cross
said.
Fifteen per cent of the total
spent was for the Red Cross
blood program to obtain blood
needed for civilians. There now
are 47 Red Cross regional blood
programs operating in the Unit
ed States.
There were 300 Red Cross dis
aster relief operations in fiscal
1954-55, compared to 318 the
year before. But the severity of
the disasters more than doubled
the amount to eight per cent of
last year's total.
In floods, hurricanes and other
disasters, the Red Cross provided
emergency mass care for 91,000
persons and helped rehabilitate
14,400 families in 44 states, Alas
ka, and two territories.
The Red Cross said $11,221,
119 was spent for planning, ad
ministration, accounting and per
sonnel services. It said $1,953,
809 was spent for public infor
mation and . $4,140,877 to raise
funds, recruit members and train
volunteer fund workers.
It said these services were
provided by more than 23,000,
000 Americans who contributed
$1 or more to become Red Cross
members, 7,650,000 Red Cross
volunteers and 2,209,515 persons
who donated blood through the
Red Cross program.
Tuesday, December 27, 1955
MEDFORD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBUNE THREE
Las Vegas i(U.R) Nightclub
singer Sid Gary, 52, was mar
ried Sunday night to 39-year-old
Dorothy Petricoda at the Hotel
Riviera here.
iutpoifit ttotpoint flutpoiiit
0 1 EflTOES7
fCI We're Overstocked with
. ft-
mi k
B
Gallon
M
Gut They Go This Month!
Regular . . . . . . $129.95 Upright .
30.00 Discount
NOW ONLY.. $ 99.95
Regular . . .... $144.95 Table Top
35.00 Discount
NOW ONLY.. $109.95
THESE HOTPOINT WATER HEATERS
ARE STILL IN THE CRATE!
Inc.
"Jackson County's Exclusive 'HOTPOINT' Dealer"
127 North Central Avenue 137 East Main Street
Medford, Oregon-Phone 3-5306 Ashland, Oregon-Phone 9-5831
ftotprnjit ttotpaint -ttutpoutt
PRE-INVENTORY
WE ARE OVERSTOCKED IN ALL DEPARTMENTS, AND IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE CLOSE OUT A LOT OF
THIS MERCHANDISE AT ONCE . . . PRICES ARE SLASHED IN ALL DEPARTMENTS ...
LISTED BELOW ARE JUST A FEW OF THE MANY ITEMS THAT GO ON SALE TOMORROW AT GREATLY RE
DUCED PRICES . . . COME EARLY FOR THE BEST SELECTIONS ...
Semi-Annual Sale of Ladies Enna Jettick
Shoes - Reg. $10.95 - Now....$5.85-$6.85
Men's Oil Tanned Leather Boots
All Ladif s' Fall and Winter Coats - Prices
Slashed 1
Ladies' Sanforlan Wool Plaid Jackets
Ladies' Girdles and Bras - A Real Close-out
Large Assortment of Cannon Bath Towels
27" Diaper Outing Flannel - 3 Colors
80 Square Percales in Assorted Patterns
54" Wide Imported and Domestic Woolen
Yardage
5115 Sheer Nylon Hose - First Quality
Purified Genuine AcriSon Bed Pillows
This is THE Dress Sale of the year. Our New York Buying office has over-loaded us on dresses. We
have hundreds of dresses on the racks; in the stock-room, and even in the basement. These are all
late style dresses. We just have too many, so out they go.
Ana ftrftnn f QE nrl ft QK DDFQQFQ All Styles, Colors
VI1W UlVUp VI Vitfll OIIU UitfV HllhUVIiV
and Sizes w Vv
One Group of 8.95 and 10.95 DRESSES tesCo,ors How $8.00
V I
fpZffee? fiogg sal? UixmR
Men's Winter Weight Union Suits - Both
Cotton and Nylon Mix
Men's Sun Tan or Gray Twill Pants
Men's 17-oz. All Wool Whipcord Pants
Men's Gabardine Sur Coats-Quilted Rayon
and Nylon Lining
Men's All Wool Sport Coats. Prices Slashed
Ladies' Plastic Covered Train Cases
Boys' 8-oz. Double Knee Jeans - Sizes
4 to 12
Men's Plaid, Flannel Shirts. Sanforized
Shrunk
Men's Sport Shirts. Washable Rayons, Gab
ardines and Fancy Broadcloth Prints.
Boys' Corduroy Pants. Sizes 6 to 12 in Salt
and Pepper Mixes
Many More Items in All Departments