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EDFORD
DniUd Presi Full Leased Wire
50th Year 24 Pages
Veteran M
E. C. Ferguson Dies
E. C. Ferguson, 64, managing
editor of the Mail Tribune since
1923, died at Sacred Heart hos
pital at about noon today. He
had been there for several
months, and had been ill since
last spring.
. t Mr. Ferguson was born in
Ord, Neb., on Jan 9, 1891, the
son of Frank and Clara Fergu-
Ev C. FERGUSON
Joined Staff in 1928
son, whose parents were pioneer
merchants in Nebraska.! The
family early moved to Oregon,
and Mr. Ferguson was educated
in public schools in Oregon.
Was a Telegrapher
He was married in September,
1910,. to Abbie McBride, of Sa
lem, and started his career with
Bodyof Meclford 9
Woman Recovered
From Flood Area
The body of Mrs. Vera, John
son, 60, of 244 South Grape st.,
who drowned in the Yuba City,
Calif., flood Saturday, Dec. 24,
has been identified. The body
was recovered Tuesday. , .
Mrs. Johnson was visiting her
sister, Mrs. Charles Bartlett, in
Marysville when evacuation or
ders were given Dec. 22. She
and the Bartletts sought refuge
in Yuba City with the Robert
Bartlett family, but were caught
in the flood..
Search Continues
Robert Bartlett, a nephew of
Mrs. Johnson and -of Mr. and
Mrs. R. L. Harris, 330 O'Gara
st., Medford, still is missing, and
" the search for his body, contin
ued, according to Mrs. Harris.
Mrs. Johnson was the 32nd
victim of the Yuba City flood,
according to Coroner B. W. Ull
rey of Yuba City. She was identi
fied by her clothing and a ring.
Mrs. Harris said funeral ar
rangements for Mrs. Johnson are
not complete, pending the out-
ivcome of the search for Bartlett's
body. She said the family would
like to have a double funeral,
but if Robert's body is not found
today, funeral services will be
held in Marysville, Calif., and
interment will be in Roseburg
either Friday or Saturday. Mrs.
Johnson requested to be buried
in Roseburg prior to her being
reported missing, Mrs. Harris
said.
Sending Flowers
Medford residents wishing to
send flowers have been asked to
send them to Roseburg.
Mrs. Harris said her nephew,
Robert, was wearing hip boots
at the time of the flood, and rela
tives feared the boots may have
filled with mud and are anchor
ing the body. .
Besides Mrs. Jonnson's sister,
Mrs. Charles Bartlett, and sev
eral grand nephews, she is sur
vived by her husband, Bruce
Johnson, who went to Yuba City
from his home in the Coos Bay
Oregon Ships 4687 Cars
Of Fruit, Vegetables
Salem (U.R) Oregon shipped
4687 carloads of fruits and vege
tables during November, the
State Agriculture Department
said today.
The total was 1300 more than
in November, 1954. Fifty-four
per cent of the shipments were
potatoes, 13 per cent onions and
6 per cent walnuts and filberts.
its '
MEDFORD, OREGON, THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 1956
- T Editor
Western Union as a telegrapher,
maintaining ,an interest in code
telegraphy all his life. He at
tended a convention of "old-
time" telegraphers shortly be
fore being stricken with his
final illness.
"Ferg" was Western Union
office manager in Salem in
1910, one of the youngest in
the nation, and later joined the
Associated Press as a telegra
pher, holding similar positions
in Aberdeen, Wash., and in Med
ford, where he moved in 1914.
During the first World War, he
joined the Navy and was com
missioned an ensign in commu
nications work, serving overseas
in France for part of his tour
of duty.
Joined Paper's Staff
As an Associated Press telegra
pher in Medford, he was assign
ed to the Mail Tribune office,
copying from the Morse wire
the national and international
news each day. In 1928, he left
the Associated Press apd joined
the staff of the newspaper as
managing editor.
During Ms early years of resi
dence in Medford, Mr. Ferguson
was active in- organizational
work, as a member and officer
of the local post of the American
Legion, of the old Crater club,
and other groups. He was long
a member of the Jackson Coun
ty Chamber of Commerce. " In
recent years he was one of the
leading members of the South
ern Oregon Historical Society,
Inc., and was instrumental in
the move to have the old court
house in Jacksonville 'made a
county museum. As a Society
director, he was one of those
responsible for its proper'a'dmm-"
istration.
"E.C.F." Well-Known
As managing editor of the
newspaper, Mr. Ferguson : was
responsible for the day-to-day
administration of the news and
editorial departments. His edi
torials, signed with the initials
"E.C.F.", were widely read and
were frequently quoted or re
printed in other newspapers. His
editorial interests were wide,
ranging from small amusing in
cidents on the local scene to
thoughtful essays on problems
of local government.
Long ago he ceased using his
first names, Everett Carl, and
to friends, was known as "Ferg"
or "Fergie."
Survivors include Mrs. Fergu
son, who is remaining in the
couple's apartment on North Ivy
st. for the time being; a daugh
ter, Mrs. Ford Knutsen, of As
toria; two grandchildren, Mary
and Barbara, and a sister, Mrs.
Esther Newton, Los Angeles.
The Knutsens visited here dur
ing the Christmas holidays and
the week following, and Mrs.
Knutsen is still here.
Funeral services are pending,
and Perl funeral home will be
in charge. "
Flood Emergency
Period Ends Here
The end of emergency civil
defense aid in the Rogue River
area was discussed yesterday
with the county court by L. H.
Webb, civil defense director,
and City Councilman Harold
Sanders; both of Rogue River.
Major Gen. Joseph Hicks,
Jackson county civil defense di
rector, said that because the
emergency period had ended in
both Shady Cove and Rogue
River areas, further civil de
fense expenditure is not neces
sary. Webb and Sanders told the
court ' that they felt the work
remaining in the areas was now
individually responsibility, or
through assistance from other
sources.
It is expected that the $4,000
cost of emergency work carried
on by civil defense will be paid
from county emergency funds,
with some reimbursement from
the federal government possible.
Sanders said an estimated $500
damage occurred within the
Rogue River city limits.
DOW-JONES AVERAGES
New York (U.R) Dow-Jones
final stock averages: 30 indus
trials 484.02 up 0.02, rails r60.
55 off 0.36, 15 utilities, 63.64
up 0.12, 65 stocks 170.80 off
0.06. Sales today were about
.2,110,000 compared with 2,290,
000 yesterday. '
1
I .
-JP ' -If
CASUAL Returning to Paris from voting in his home
district, French Premier Edgar Faure (left) and his wife,
Lucie (in slacks), learn partial election results from aide
Jacques Duhamel (center). Surprise strjenth of Far-right
Poujadists and Communists rule out any chance that Faure
or Mendes-France can rule alone. ;
RY Memorial Hospital
Funds Get Under Way
The general money-raising
campaign for the proposed
Rogue Valley Memorial hospital
started last night with a "school
of instruction" dinner at the
Six Persons Are
Injured In Two
Accidents in Area
' Five persons were injured in
a four-car accident about a quar
ter of a mile south of the Rogue
River junction on Highway 99
about a 'quarter of a mile south
of the Rogue . River junction on
Highway 99 about 3:35 p.m. yes
terday. Injured were Archie P. Boyd,
57, Illahe, Ore.; H. E. Boyd,
Kennewick, Wash.; Ethel Boyd,
47, Roland Archie Boyd, 16, and
Mary Ann Boyd, 6, all of Illahe,
Ore. They were taken to Grants
Pass hospital by a Grants Pass
ambulance. Extent of their in
juries were not known early to
day, state police said. N
Slides . 122 Feet
Police said Archie P. Boyd
was driving the car which slid
122 feet into a panel truck op
erated by Robert John Albiecht,
25, of Portland. The impact
pushed the Albiecht vehicle into
cars operated by Arthur Gar
land Leap, 40, of Ft. Lewis,
Wash., and Lillian M. Finster,
45, Grants Pass.
All three vehicles were stop
ped on the highway by a flag
man halting traffic where the
state highway department was
making repairs, police said.
The only injuries were to pas
sengers and the driver of the
Boyd vehicle, police said. The
Boyd vehicle was towed away.
Wilma Joan Daras, 19, 249
South Riverside ave., suffered
an injured ankle and other min
or injuries last night in an acci
dent on South Central ave. in
Medford. '
Miss Dares was a passenger
in a car driven by Arnold C.
Thompson, 2550 Jo Jack rd.,
which collided with a pickup
truck operated by Harold K.
Trunnell, Eugene, according to
Medford police. Thompson's car
hit a power pole after the col
lision and the pickup truck hit
a neon sign, police said.
Another passenger with
Thompson, Sgt. Warren K. Lund
quist, 220 Portland ave., was
uninjured.
OT"DTTAT"D
United Press Full Leased Wire
Price 5c No. 245
Medford Elks club.
Eugene Thorndike, chairman
of the advance gifts committee,
reported that 615 subscriptions
totaling $549,026 have been ob
tained for memorials thus far by
his committee. He added that
the committee's "work is not
half completed." ,
: The advance gifts committee
will join the general organiza
tion, which will conduct an all
out campaign for funds.
Goal for the overall campaign
is $850,000, according to Otto J.
Frohnmayer, general chairman.
The proposed hospital at the "cor
ner of Barnett and Murphy rds.
will cost about $1,900,000. Of
the total, about $600,000 was
donated prior to the advance
gifts campaign, and federal Hill
Burton funds will Be available
for about one-third the cost. A
recent Ford Foundation grant
added another $26,300.
Frohnmayer pointed out that
the campaign goal has been in
creased because of revised plans
for the building and special
equipment necessary "to make
Jackson county a great medical
center," and to meet possible
increases in building costs.
The general organization will
hold daily breakfast . meetings
at 7 a.m. in the Elks temple base
ment" to report progress and re
ceive instructions. Walter Gar
ner is chairman of the general
organization, and James J. Dun
levy is associate. Garner intro
duced division chairmen Robert
D. Dames, John Graff, Dwight
Houghton and Victor Milnes.
The general organization is
composed of 10 groups of work
ers of 12 men each.
Frohnmayer, who presided at
last night's meeting, praised the
advance gifts committee, and ex
pressed appreciation for the 192
volunteers who attended. A get
acquainted period was included
in the program.
Talent Woman Dies
Of Gunshot Wound
' Mrs. Olive May Bray, 31, of
314 South First st., Talent, died
at a local hospital about 6:20
p.m. yesterday of a gun shot
wound in her head. State police
and sheriff's officers said the
wound was self-inflicted.
Mrs. Bray apparently shot
herself in the right side of her
head about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday,
and was listed as in critical con
dition at the hospital yesterday.
Conger-Morris Funeral home
is in charge of arrangements.
Weather
FORECAST: Cloudy with occas
ional showers tonight and Fri
day. Low tonight 34-36. High
Friday 42.
TEMPERATURE
Highest Yesterday Si
Lowest this Morning 32
PRECIPITATION
To 4:30 a.m. Today
...25
Oregon Braces for
Another Storm;
Streams Watched
Transportaion
In Bottleneck
Portland (U.R) Oregonians
braced themselves for another
storm today ; in the wake of
heavy rains which caused dam
aging slides, high water and
transportation bottlenecks.
The weather bureau warned'
that more rain was expected,.be
coming heavier tonight and Fri
day. It was hoped that the rain
would not be heavy enough to
cause a repeat of flood condi
tions of. two weeks ago. River
Forecaster Elmer Fisher predict
ed a slow fall in tributary
streams which t surged upwards
yesterday.
Highway traffic on the main
route between Portland and Se
attle was being detoured around
a bridge about six miles north
of Vancouver which was under
mined by swollen Salmon creek
last night.
Slide Hits Freight
Union Pacific's main line to
the east was blocked yesterday
evening by a slide in the Co
lumbia gorge near Multnomah
Falls which caught ; a passing
freight and derailed five cars.
The slide was to be cleared to
day. .
Portland counted untold dam
age to homes and businesses
after numerous slides and high
water. Some hillside homes were
evacuated and five industrial
plants in the northwest section
were closed because of surface
water yesterday. Johnson creek,
which spilled over its banks, iwas
going-down today:' ' ,c '-'-'"--'
The Willamette river was'-still
well below flood stage but one
home at ' Jennings Lodge was
evacuated because of rising
water and four families in 'the
Oregon City and West Lyn areas
also left their homes yesterday.
Fisher predicted a slight rise in
the Willamette from Corvallis
to the mouth followed by a slow
fall after tomorrow morning.
The Willamette was not, expect
ed to reach last month's, level.
Mrs. Jack Lewis To
Head Mothers' March
Mrs. Jack Lewis, 136 High
land dr., today was named Med
ford chairman of the Mothers'
March, a March of Dimes fund
raising effort, it was announced
by Gerry Gastineau, city. drive
chairman. The Mothers' March
will be held on Jan. 31 from 7
to 8 p.m. when block workers
in all sections of the city will
call at houses displaying light
ed porchlight as an invitation to
the worker to call for a contri
bution to the fight against polio.
"I am glad to have been asked
to have a part in such a worth
while project as the March of
Dimes," Mrs. Lewis told Gasti
neau; "Although development of
the Salk vaccine has raised our
hopes that polio soon, may be
wiped out, we must realize that
the big fight has just begun,"
she added. ,
The new chairman said she
plans to start the first of next
week to lay out city maps and
to appoint captains in the var
ious sections of the city in an
effort to make the Mothers'
March the best ever held here.
Mothers desiring to assist Mrs.
Lewis may telephone " her at
2-8402. . . ' ? -
Medford Area Records
Its Wettest December
Medford weather . last month
was the wettest for any Decem
ber and the second wettest for
any month , on record, Bob
Church, of the Medford Weather
Bureau, said yesterday.
Precipitation for the month
totaled 8.77 inches, which is 5.64
inches above normal. Previous
high precipitation for December
was 7.94 inches in 1941. The all
time high 'for any month was
October, 1950, when 9.16 inches
of rain fell.
Records Since 1911
Records at the Weather
Bureau office at Medford air
port have been kept since 1911.
Temperatures in December
averaged three degrees above
normal. Average temperature
was 41.5 degrees with a high of
60 degrees Dec. 22 and a low of
Topical Summary
Of Eisenhower's
Congress Message
Tax Relief Deemed
'Not Justified'
' Washington (U.R) Topical
er's State of the Union Message
summary of President Eisenhow
to Congress:
TAXES
No tax relief for the present.
No tax cut can be "deemed jus
tifiable" until the budget is bal
anced and a "modest" start is
made toward trimming the $280,
000,000 national debt. He ex
pects the federal budget to be
in balance by the time the cur
rent fiscal year ends, next June
30.
FARM "
The special farm message he
will send to Congress Monday
will propose "a new attack on
the surplus problem" including
a "soil bank" plan under which
the government would pay. far
mers to divert lands from crops
to a "conservation reserve."
FOREIGN POLICY
Communism still "poses a ser
ious threat to the free world."
Red tactics have shifted since
the Geneva . summit meeting
from "reliance on division, to
enticement and duplicity." The
United States must have a "dy
namic, flexible" foreign policy
to meet this "dangerous though
less obvious threat." .
FOREIGN . AID
To assure America's friends
abroad of "continuity" in U.S.
economic aid, he asked "limited
authority" to make long-term aid
commitments for projects that
will take several years to com
plete. Present foreign aid is doled
out on a year-to-year basis and
the administration has no auth
ority to promise any nation help
beyond the current year.
DEFENSE
The United States, will "per
severe in seeking a general re
duction of armaments under ef
fective inspections, and. control."
"But' - until Russia" agrees "to a
workable program we have no
alternative but to maintain pow
erful armed forces to deter ag
gression. SCHOOL AID
He will send Congress de
tailed Tecommendations for a
five-year program of federal aid
to the states for school construc
tion. '
HIGHWAYS
The need for a big highway
building program, which he pro
posed last year, is "even more
urgent this year." In an appar
ent bid for compromise, he did
not repeat last year's controver
sial proposal for a special bond
issue to pay- for the roads, but
said only that "there must be an
adequate plan for financing."
FLOOD AID i
. The government should un
dertake "an experimental pro
gram of flood -damage indem
nities" and otherwise overhaul
its programs for aid to disaster
victims. He'll make detailed
recommendations later.
HOUSING. ,.. .
Congress, should j authorize
construction of 5,000 new public
housing units a year for the next
two years, and "liberalize" other
existing federal housing pro
grams,, including FHA loans for
permanent home improvement.
OTHER PROPOSALS .
He requested, or renewed pre
vious requests for, amendment
of the Taft-Hartley labor man
agement law; extended cover
age of the minimum wage act;
further expansion of social se?
curity coverage; . higher mail
rates and new post office build
ings; a "substantial increase", in
funds or the U. S. Liformatibn
Agency to tell America's story
abroad; authorization ' of "an
atomic powered -exhibit vessel"
to demonstrate peacetime use of
nuclear energy for ship propul
sion. - ' " ; .
21 degrees Dec. 31. -
There was only one clear day
during the month, 7 days partly
cloudy and 23 cloudy days.
Grants Pass Welter
December weather in Grants
Pass was even wetter and warm
er than in Medford. Precipita
tion totaled 12.85 inches, 7.35
inches above normal there. The
average temperature was 43 de
grees, 3.5 degrees above normal,
with a high of 61 degrees Dec.
21 and a low of 22 degrees Dec.
29 and 30.
Precipitation in Ashland totaled
6.48 inches during December,
3.35 inches above normal. The
monthly average temperature
was 41.5 degrees,. 2.8 above nor
mal with a high of 62 degrees
Dec. 22 and a low of 17 degrees
Dec. 29.
G0H6RESS CUM
UfJIOPJM
Washington U.R) President Eisenhower today declared
against. any tax cut now. . . - '
He said in his State of the Union Message to Congress that he
expects a balanced budget this year and next. He acknowledged
that present taxes are "very burdensome" and should be reduced
"when we prudently can." . But he saicf there should be some
reduction of the $280,000,000 national debt before, taxes are cut
: Mr;' Eisenhower was even more emphatic on the subject of
taxes'in summarizing his message for newsreel and TV cameras
at his Key West, Fla., vacation retreat.
Asks New Spending at Home, Abroad ;
"We will not talk about reductions of .any other kind until
we have begun to make some modest payments" on the national
debt.
But some members of Congress, Republicans and Democrats
alike, thought the President left the door open to a possible con
sideration of a tax cut later in this election year.
' Mr.-Eisenhower not only rejected a tax cut now but laid down
a series of recommendations that added up to more spending at
home and abroad. .
Mr. Eisenhower's views and recommendations were set forth
in a comprehensive message which glowed with promise of even
greater prosperity than the present "unparalleled level." But it
also carried a sober warning that the cold war has takena turn
for the worse since the Geneva summit conference; that Russia
and Red China still pose "a serious threat to the world."
He said all excise taxes must ; .
be continued at their present
rates. And the corporation in
come tax must be continued at
the present rate of 52 per cent
for another year. Unless Con
gress acts, these taxes are sched
uled for reductions April 1.
As for the personal income
tax, and taxes in general he
said:
"Under conditions of high
peacetime prosperity, . such as
now exist, we can never justify
going further into debt to give
ourselves a tax cut at ; the ex
pense of our children.
Fiscal Integrity
"So, in the present state of
our financial affairs, I earnestly
believe that a tax cut can be
deemed justifiable only when it
will not unbalance the budget,
a budget which makes provision
for some reduction, even though
modest, in our national debt. In
this way we can best maintain
fiscal integrity."
The President said "the out
look is bright with promise" but
warned, that .Russia as ".demon
strated conclusively" '-.it- is not
yet willing to create the indis
pensible conditions for a secure
and lasting peace.
This country, therefore, he
said, must remain . strong at
home and . abroad although he
promised that, "We shall perse
vere in seeking a general reduc
tion of armaments under effec
tive inspection and control . . ."
Outlines Legislation
This was Mr. Eisenhower's
fourth State of the Union Mes
sage, but his first to be read
to Congress rather than deliver
ed in person.
In it he outlined a broad pro-,
gram of legislation in both do
mestic and foreign fields. , ,
If approved, he said, his pro
gram would contribute to build
ing an "ever-stronger, ever-better
America." The President ask
ed for continued, cooperation
with our allies, and recommend
ed a new program of economic
aid. He said we must "sustain
and fortify" our existing mutual
security program. ' " " "
On the home front, the Presi
dent called for: '.-' .
"Constant improvement" of
our defense structure. ' -
A new program to help farm
ers, including a double-barreled
"soil bank" plan to reduce acre
age and cut big government sur
pluses. He urged that farm legis
lation be kept out of politics.
A- broad new -highway pro
gram. -
A new system of .federal as
sistance in natural disasters, in
cluding an experimental plan to
pay for flood losses.
Schools and Medicine
A new five-year program of
federal aid in building schools.
He said he would recommend
later "further expansion" of
social security coverage.
He asked for a stepped up pro
gram of federal aid for medical
research and said he would
recommend later a new plan for
assistance to medical schdols.
He said the government
should take steps to cushion the
heavy and rising costs of illness
and hospitalization. He said this
should be done either by federal
reinsurance of voluntary health
insurance policies or by some
other method.
The President asked, again,
for expanded coverage of the
wage-hour laws. He disclosed
that the administration will ask
later for legislation to require
public disclosure of the financial
affairs of union pension and wel
fare funds.'
The President said the nation
has made great progress in the
past three years and has reason
to be grateful to providence for
its many many bounties.
"Our country is at peace. Our
security posture commands re
spect. A spiritual vigor marks
our national life. Our economy,
approaching the $400,000,000,-
000 mark, is at an unparalleled
level of prosperity.
Tne national income is more
widely and fairly distributed
than ever before. The number
of Americans at work has
reached an all-time high. As a
people, we are achieving ever
higher standards of living '
earning more, producing more.
building more and investing
more than ever before."
The President said "virtually
all" segments of the economy
are sharing in the good times.
Farm families, if we act wise
ly, imaginatively and promptly,,"
can also look forward to shar
ing equality in the general pros
perity.' "Our farm people are not shar
ing as they should in the general
prosperity," the President said.
"They alone of all major groups
have seen their incomes decline
rather than rise."
: He said he will send Congress
later, Monday, according to Key
West reports, a special message
on his farni nronosals. .. - i vi -.
O ni.AMMa JhASmm. ....
The President also made the
following recommendations:
Statehood: "I urgently request
this Congress to grant statehood
for Hawaii. I trust that progress
toward statehood for Alaska can
be made in this session ",
Postal ratfs: Recommenda
tions for new post office facil
ities and a boost in postal rates
will be submitted later.
Immigration: "I again point
out to the Congress the urgent
need for revision of the immigra
tion and nationality laws..:. I
recommend that the number of
persons admitted to this country
annually be based not oh the
1920 census but on the latest,
the 1950 census," he said. He
recommended greater flexibility
to the use of quotas so-that if
one country does not use its
share, another country can use
it. " -: -, -,- . "
Civil rights: The President
called for a bipartisan commis
sion to be created by Congress
to investigate charges that Ne-
groes are being deprived of their '
right to vote and subjected to
"unwarranted economic pres
sures" in some localities. He
said the administration will rec- '
ommend soon to Congress a pro
gram to advance the efforts of
the government in the civil
rights field.' ,
. Pay raise: A pay raise for gov
ernment executives, including
adjustments of pay in top career
positions, is "essential to effic
ient governmental management.
Monopoly: The Government
must try to keep open "the door
of opportunity to new and small
enterprises," , check monopoly
and preserve a competitive en
vironment. (See Stories on Pages S and 10) ,
Ashland Girl Suffers
Burns On Body Today
Ashland Glenda Nelson,
five-year-old daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Glen Nelson, 1551
Webster st., Ashland, suffered
second and third degree burns
over most of her body about
8 a.m. today. She was taken
to Ashland' General hospital,
where her condition was report
ed as good this noon.
.The girl's attending physician
said she apparently was play
ing with matches when her
dress caught fire. She suffered
burns on about 70 per cent of
her body. Facial burns were
reported as second degree.
Portland x (U.R) M and M
Wood Working Co. announced
here that earnings had increas
ed 55 per cent and sales more
than 17 per cent during the first
nine months of 1955. .