Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989, March 21, 1956, Image 4

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    O
t
fOUR MEDFORD (OREGON)
MEDFORDtTRIBUNE
"Everybody m Soutnern Oregon
Reads TJrm Mail Tribune"
Published Daily Except Saturday by
MEDFORD PRINTING CO
17-29 North Fir St. Phone 2-6141
ROBERT W. R'JHL, Editor
HERB GREY. Advertising Manager
&ERALD LATHAM. Dusines Manager
W'-IC ALLEN JR.. Managing Sditor
EARL H. ADAMS. City Editor
HARRY CHIPMAN. Telegraph Editw
RICHARD JEWETT Sports Editor
OLIVE STARCHER Society Editor
DALE ERICKSON. Circulation Mgr.
An Independent Newspaper
Entered as second class matter at
Medford. Oregon, under Act ot
March 3. 1897
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
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DailtDand Sunday Six months 630
Daily and Sunday Three mos. 3.50
Sunday Only One year $3.50.
By Carrier In Advance Medford
Ashland, Central Point. Eagle Point,
Jacksonville. Gold Hill, Phoenix,
Shady Cove. Rogue River. Talent,
and on motor routes:
Daily and Sunday One year $15.00
Daily and Sunday One month 1A
Carrier and Dealers 5c per copy.
All Terms Cash in Advance
Official Paper of the City of Medford
Official Paper of Jackson County
United Press Full Leased Wire
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WEST-HOLLIDAY COMPANY INC.
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troit. San Francisco, Los Angeles,
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NATIONAL EDITORIAL
I ASSOCfATLQN
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NEWSPAPER
PUBLISHERS
ASSOCIATION
Flight o' Time
Medford and Jackson County
History from the files of The
Mail Tribune 10. 20. 30 and
10 years ago.
10 YEARS AGO
March 21, 194S
(It was Thursday)
C. E. Gates of Medford re
elected 'vice-president of Ore
gon State Motor association.
From Arthur Perry's Ye
Smudge Pot column: A few of
the Older Girls have their better-halves
putting up window
screens that fit perfectly when
they took them down last fall,
but don't now.
20 YEARS AGO
March 21, 193S
Oregon Highway commis
sion indicates that new Siskiyou
highway south of Ashland will
be completed by Aug. 1, 1937.
Temperatures in Medford
reaches 79; cool air forecast to
arrive.
30 YEARS AGO
March 21, 1926
City Engineer F. C. Dillard
making plans for new water sys
tem in Medford; approved by
voters recently.
Mason Motor company, Bart
lett and Sixth sts., offers new
Refined Star 4 for low price of
$636.
40 YEARS AGO
March 21. 1916
State health department" tests
show that mineral spring water
from Ashland is free of germs.
Medford Commercial club
and Jackscn county Business
men's club propose bond issue
to build railroad to Blue Ledge
R8ne.
What's the Answer?
Can You Gei 4 of the 7?
Copr. 1955. Editorial Research Report
1. Salary of a U. S. Senator
Is $15,000, $17,500, $20,000, $22,-
000, $22,500 or $25,000 a year?
2. Salary of a member of the
U.fe. House of Representatives
is $12,500. $15,000, $17,500, $20,
000, or $22,500 a year?
3. Napoleon. Bonaparte died
on Elba, Corsica, the field of Wa
terloo, St. Helena, or the site of
his present tomb in Paris?
4. U. S. city with most Ne
groes is Atlanta, Baltimore, Chi
cago, New Orleans, New York,
Richmond or Washington?
5. A' tendency to baldness is
or isn't often inherited?
6. The Panama Canal is slight
ly over (a) 15, (b) 50, (c) 150 or
(d) 500 miles long?
7. Average wind velocity is
higher or lower in Chicago than
in New York, or about the" same?
4 The answers: 1. $22,500. 2.
S22.500. 3. St. Helena. 4. New
York. 5. Often is. 6. 50 miles.
7. Lower in Chicago.
zwni
Relatives and Friends
Competition To Hotels
Milwaukee (U.R) The main
competition of hotels does not
0 come from hotels but "relatives
and friends," according to
Charles A. Horrworth, New
York, executive vice-president of
the Northwestern Hotel associa
tion which recently convened
here.
Horrworth said 38 per cent of
all motoring vacationists stayed
in private homes en route and
51 per cent stayed with friends
and neighbors when they got to
their destinations.
v . .
MAIL TRIBUNE
Spring Means Tourists
Spring began early yesterday. Sunday was the
first really good day for most office-workers to get
their hands dirty (and their muscles stiff) working in
the yard.
There are signs that blossoms will be in bud soon.
The grass is beginning to get a greenish (instead of
a yellow-brownish) tinge. Dogs are gamboling in
droves and throngs, to the distress of early-rising gar
den enthusiasts.
THIS BRINGS the thought that the tourist season
will soon be upon us, to the delight of the motel,
hotel, restaurant, resort, service station and chamber
of commerce people.
Last year was one of the best for the tourist indus
try in Oregon which, money-wise, is the state's third
largest source of income.
Throughout the three Pacific Northwest states, a
total of $425,000,000 was spent by tourists visiting the
region in 1955. Oregon's share of this is figured at
some $127,000,000, which is a sizeable addition to the
state's economy. There was no depletion of natural
resources associated with this income, either.
TTHE BENEFITS of tourists to the service industries
are obvious. -The benefits to the rest of the econ
omy are perhaps less obvious but are equally substan
tial. If a million or so dollars are spent in Jackson
county, which otherwise would not be spent here, the
entire population receives financial benefits as the
money circulates and recirculates. Everyone is helped.
The tourist trade has been growing steadily over
the years, and Jackson county has been getting its
share. Rather substantial promotional efforts have
been made to attract tourists, and to keep them long
er. These have been made by the local chamber of
commerce, regional groupings of chambers, the state
of Oregon itself, and the Pacific Northwest Travel as
sociation. HTHIS COMBINATION of facts serves to remind
us that it is time for our annual reminder to resi
dents that everyone can help keep the tourists com
ing, and coming back, by proper attention, by cour
tesy, and by being able to give adequate information
and advice when called upon to do so.
This sort of thing reacts to the credit of the area,
and not only with tourists, but with everyone en
tirely in addition to the fact that southern Oregon is
a splendid place to live, and it's fun to know about it
for its own sake. E. A.
Billboards
Newspapermen generally and editorial writers in
E articular are frequently far from the hard-boiled,
at-on-the-back-of-the-head characters described in
song, story and the motion pictures.
Many of them are inwardly sensitive to criticism,
and in some cases it takes a real effort of will to take
a strong stand on anything, particularly when their
motives may be questioned.
TTHIS MAY be one reason why so few newspapers
have had much of anything to say about bill
boards on the public highways. Since the lifeblood of
newspaper revenues is in the advertising which it is
able to sell, the papers are particularly vulnerable to
the accusation of self-interest if they so much as hint
that a big sign extolling the virtues of some variety
of beer may be slightly less attractive than a vista of
tree-covered mountainside.
The truth is, nevertheless, that Ogden Nash was
right when he remarked "I think that I shall never
see a billboard lovely as a tree."
His conclusion, while undoubted hyperbole, also
has the ring of poetic truth : "Perhaps, unless the bill
boards fall, I'll never see a tree at all."
OECAUSE OF their reluctance to speak out against
a competitive industry, newspapers generally
have left the fight for clean and uncluttered highways
up to the Roadside Councils of each state. The Cali
fornia council recently mailed out a brochure which
was convincing evidence that they have both esthe
tics and right on their side.
Among its pictures were two of the same locality
a sort of before and after effect and more con
clusive proof we've never seen.
JWf ORE RECENTLY, the news letter of the Oregon
Roadside Council points out that "every court
and practically every legislative body that has ever
considered the matter" recognizes billboards as a
menace to safe driving.
The 1955 legislature passed a bill which places
limits on billboard advertising. But it is far from a
flat ban.
Public opinion is the strongest force in keeping
the highways free from distracting signs. And we
say, at the risk of being classed as a ddg-in-the-manger,
that it would be a good thing if the public
demanded that its view of what can still be seen of
Oregon remain unimpaired. E.A.
Cyprus Liberation President Dies
Athens (U.R) Archbishop
Spyridori, primate of the Greek
Orthodox church and president
of the Committee for the Lib
eration of Cyprus, died here to
day at the age of 82.
Officials at Evangelismos
hospital said he was admitted
early this week suffering from
defective circulation of the
blood and that he died early to
day from tuberculosis and a
heart ailment.
His body will be embalmed
and taken to the cathedral
where it will lie in state.
Wednesday. March 21. 193S
The archbishop, an intense
Green nationalist, was a leader
of the Cyprus Enosis - union
with Greece movement and
was active in this country in
behalf of the Cypriots who look
upon Greece as their "mother"
country.
NYSSA MAN DROWNS
Baker (U.R) Robert Friend
of Nyssa, Ore., drowned in the
Snake river while he was fish
ing yesterday, authorities re
ported. He fell into the water
about one mile above the mouth
of Fowejpr river.
Russia's Leaders Attempting
Difficult Feat of Propaganda
By CHARLES M. McCANN
United Press Correspondent
The Kremlin evidently has de
cided to put its Communist
"thought control" system to a
historic
test.
Russians are
being asked to
believe that
Josef Stalin,
elevated to
Red sainthood
on his 70th
birthday in
1949, actually
was a general
Charles McCann no-good.
That ought not to be difficult.
It certainly was no secret even
from the people themselves.
They knew all about the secret
police. They knew about the
slave labor camps in which mil
lions of people were worked and
starved to death. They knew
about the police spies in their
own families.
The real test which the hand
ful of Russia's leaders have de
cided to risk is their attempt to
put over the idea that they, like
the people, were victims of
Stalin's lunatic dictatorship.
It is impossible not to be
lieve that people will ask about
Premier Nikolai A. Bulganin,
Communist party leader Nikita
S. Khrushchev and the rest: And
where were you all the time?
All the men in the presidium
of the Central Committee- of the
Communist party, the rulers of
Russia, were close collaborators
of Stalin.
The Helpers
It was they who elevated him
to sainthood, they who helped
to send Communists and non-
In the Day's News
By FRANK JENKINS
By Pacific Coast standards,
Southern Oregon and Far North
ern California have had a pretty
rugged winter. But we began
to get a break a couple of weeks
ago. Maybe it will hold and
maybe it won't.
At any rate, the East has had
and is still having a WORSE
winter, It always makes us feel
better to know that somebody
else is having it worse than we
are.
That isn't good ethics, but it's
Old Human Nature.
"POUNCING from the weather
to politics, Congressman Har
ris Ellsworth of the Southern
Oregon district west of the
mountains says Monday morn
ing that ANYTHING can happen
to the farm bill.
One possibility, he says, is a
deadlock between the two houses
of congress and NO FARM BILL
AT ALL.
rpHAT suggests a question:
Which would you rather
have a counterfeit dollar, or no
doUar at all?
PRESIDENT Eisenhower sends
to congress his foreign aid
program. He wants a shade under
five billon dollars and says it
will require that much to meet
and counter what he terms "the
new Soviet expansionism."
A GREEING generally with
Ike's ideas (with occasional
exceptions such as federal aid
for the schools) and having com
plete confidence in his integrity
and his sincerity, I can't help
wondering about this foreign aid
business.
It looks like Britain and
France, as great powers, are gone
to the races. In all the world
save in our own North America
and perhaps in Western Germ
any there seems to be no grim
determination to resist com
munism. One can't help fearing that in
the last final showdown when
it's a choice between fighting
to the death for freedom or ac
cepting communism the bulk
of the tired Old World will ac
cept communism.
If that is true and it may
not be true conserving our own
strength becomes immensely im
portant. If we're to use our
resources to strengthan other
peoples so that they may be
come dependable allies clear
through to the end of the road,
maybe we'd better do it in our
own hemisphere.
If the world is to be split half
communist and half free, we'd
better keen th Western Hemis
phere ALL FREE. During two
World wars, we've concentrated
our interest in the Old World
and have neglected bur neigh
bors of the . New World.
These, of course, are only
thoughts.
But one can't help thinking.
T EST we get too serious, let's
turn in conclusion today to
the guv in Miami who when he
pot off a commerical plane from
Chicago left behind in his seat
a book entitled "How to Stop
Forgetting.". In- its pages, as a
bookmark to show him where
he left off reading so that he
could start in again at the rieht
place, was a pamnhlet on MENT
AL CONCENTRATION.
We'd better take steps to find
him and hustle the book back to
him.
He NEEDS it. ,
Communists alike to the slave
labor camps, they who made
Russia itself a gigantic slave
camp.
Stalin's life in power is now
being divided into two parts.
First, the period between 1917
and 1934 when he collaborated
with Lenin, succeeded Lenin and
consolidated his own power.
Secondly, the period from 1934
until his death in 1953, when
he ruled as absolute dictator.
But Bulganin, Khrushchev and
the rest were Communists long
before 1934. They were co-directors
of the Red terror. They,
too, shared responsibility for the
famine of 1932-33 in which un
told millions died a famine
caused by ruthless farm collecti
vization. After 1934, Bulganin, Khrush
chev and the rest cooperated
with Stalin in the purge trials
of the mid-1930's, when he wiped
out the "old Bolsheviks" who
had been his closest colleagues.
Easy Job
It was relatively easy for
Stalin to concoct the evidence
Control of
Lies in 20
Washington (CQ) Twenty
of the nation's 435 Congressional
districts hold the key to the fate
of Republican efforts to recap
ture control of the House of Rep
resentatives in November.
These are the districts won by
GOP candidates in 1952, then
lost to Democrats in' 1954 by
margins of 50 to 55 per cent of
the vote.
The GOP must score a net gain
of 15 seats from its present 203
to 218 in order to wrest con
trol from the Democrats, who
occupy 232 seats. And it Repub
licans should lose any of the
seats they now hold, they would
have to oust Democrats in that
many more districts in order to
win a majority in the House.
Hinges On Ike
GOP prospects in the 20'most
likely" districts may hinge on
the personal popularity of Presi
dent Eisenhower, who led his
party's 1952 candidates in 15 of
these districts. But there is no
assurance that the President, if
successful in his bid for a second
term, can transfer his appeal to
GOP candidates in these critical
districts.
Eight of the 20 are "switch
districts." That is, they elected
Democrats in 1950, Republicans
in 1952, and Democrats again in
1954, all by narrow margins.
In 1952, President Eisenhower
won in these districts with an
average of 55.6 per cent of the
vote, while GOP House candi
dates averaged 52 per cent. Dem
ocrats squeaked in with 51.7 per
cent on the average in 1954. Sig
nificantly, the total GOP vote in
these districts dropped 26.2 per
cent from 1952 to 1954, while
the Democratic vote fell by 13.5
per cent, or only half as much.
The falloff in Republican vote
was even more marked in the
other 12 "most likely" districts.
These had remained in GOP
hands for periods of from six to
18 years before they elected
Democratic Representatives in
1954.
Democratic incumbents o f
these districts include Edith
Green, Oregon's Third district.
All But One
President Eisenhower carried
all but one of these districts in
1952, and averaged 55.5 per cent
of the vote. At the same time,
Republican candidates (including
nine incumbents seeking re-election)
won with an average of 53.7
per cent. Five of the GOP candi
dates actually got a larger per
Quotes From the News
By UNITED PRESS
Libertyville, 111. Adlai Stevenson on Sen. Estes Kefauver's
stunning Democratic victory in Minnesota:
"I congratulate Senator Kefauver. The unprecedented Demb
cratic vote in Minnesota overcomes any personal disappointment
I might feel."
Minneapolis Sen. Estes Kefauver on his upset victory:
"I am confident that the large vote cast indicates revolt in the
Midwest against President Eisenhower's farm program."
- London Prime Minister Anthony Eden when asked the cost
of the Bulgahin-Khrushchev visit:
"Much less than the millionth part of a hydrogen bomb."
Washington Rep. Donald L. Jackson (R.-Calif.) on the packed
committee room of the House Foreign Relations committee meet
ing oh President Eisenhower's foreign aid program: .
"Mr. Chairman, could we hot have larger quarters for this im
portant hearing? Twice I've reached for mr handkerchief, and
twice I have picked the pocket of Congressman LScompte."
London Arthur Thompson of the Humane Education society
in an address to the League Against Cruel Sports:
"To try to abolish the Grand National Steeplechase would be
like trying to do away with the British Royal Family."
Washington Robert D. Blasier, Westinghouse Corp. vice-president,
on the settlement of the Electrical Workers strike:
"We have come through a long and difficult period, and it is
now vital that bitterness and recrimination be forgotten."
London Deputy Soviet Premier Georgi M. Malenkov on his
visit to Shakespeare's birthplace at Stratf6rd-6n-Avon:
"Shakespeare has given nie much pleasure."
Washington Assistant Air Force Secretary Dudley C. Sharp
on development of a 2,500-mile-an-hour speed plane at sea level in
the not too distant future:
"At this speed an aircraft could beat the sun around the equa
tor by about 14 hours, or circle the eaita in Usi than half a day."
on which these men were judic
ially murdered. Also, the vic
tims themselves were dedicated
Communists. Though confes
sions were extorted from them
by.torture, many of them seemed
to cooperate in their own de
nunciation. They, too, were
thought-controlled.
It is not going to be so easy
for these men to convince Rus
sia's 200 million people or even
its 7 million members of the
Communist party, to swallow the
idea that they were guiltless.
Nevertheless, it is quite plain
that the men in the Kremlin are
convinced that they can get
away with it. Henry Shapiro,
chief U.P. correspondent in
Moscow, returned there last fall
after a stay in the United States.
Shapiro has spent most of the
last 23 years in Russia. One
of the first things he noted was
a new air of confidence among
the top leaders. Undoubtedly,
they already had decided to de
bunk Stalin' and had decid
ed the Russian people would
buy the new party line.
Congress
Districts
centage of the Congressional
vote than Mr. Eisenhower got
of the Presidential vote.
In 1954, the dozen winning
Democrats averaged 52.9 per
cent of the vote. Even more
striking is the fact that the total
Democratic vote was only 9.5
p.er. cent under that of 1952,
while the 1954 vote for Republi
can candidates was down by 30.4
per cent.
GOP prospects for victory in
these 20 districts may be gov
erned by many factors in addi
tion to the strength of the na
tional ticket. All of the Demo-
cratic incumbents intend to seek
re-election; their records in of
fice may strengthen or weaken
them. The relative efficiency Of
local Republican and Democratic
party organizations may be a
deciding factor. And important
local issues, like unemployment
in Wilkes-Barre or public power
in Portland could determine the
outcome.
But statistics alone suggest the
GOP may have a better chance
of winning back the eight seats
they won in 1952 and-lost in
1954, than of recapturing the 12
seats they held for two or more
terms before losing in 1954.
Tougher Time
In general, Republicans appear
to be gaining strength in the first
group, while Democrats are gain
ing in the second group. Presi
dent Eisenhower did equally
well in both groups of districts,
and might do so again in Novem
ber. But the disproportion in the
falloff votes in 1954 suggests Re
publican Congressional candi
dates will have a tougher time
winning in the second group.
Much of President Eisen
hower's popular appeal has been
credited to wide acceptance of
the view that he is a .national
leader above party. Thus the
President might be reelected
with the support of the same
voters who choose to back Dem
ocratic candidates for Congress.
Such split-ticket voting occurred
to a marked degree in 11 dis
tricts which elected Democrats
by narrow margins in 1952 and
in 1954.
If this pattern should spread
to the 12 districts where the 1954
Republican vote fell so sharply;
the GOP's chances to taking over
the House in the 85th Congress
would be slim indeed.
(Copyright 1956, Congressional
Quarterly)
ommuniCGfions
Letters to the Editor must bear the name and address of the writer, although
under certain circumstances the use of a pen name or initial for publication
is permissible. The Mail Tribune reserves the riqht to edit all letters with a
view to clarification and condensation.
not exceed 400 words.
Automatic Medication"
To the Editor: I'm confused.
Until the arguments for and
against fluoridation of our water
supply came up, I had believed
could thank the diet of my
mother before I was born, and
the good, wholesome foods that
my parents provided in my early
years for the good set of teeth
I've carried around for about 40
years.
Now, it seems that all that is
needed for good teeth is to spike
the water supply with fluorine.
If this be so why can't this in
gredient just as well be added
to the diet of those who need
it or wish it so as not to infringe
on the rights of those who do
not?
Also the comparison of sodium
fluoride with iodine is really a
far stretched comparison. Sure
iodine is a poison, but it isn't
poured down every one's throat
because some, myself included,
need more than others. Plain
salt sets on the same shelf as
iodized salt and we take our
pick. I've had to use iodine,
putting it drop by drop into a
glass of milk, and didn't notice
any great hardship or need any
great brain power to manage to
get it done every day.
Any mother who believes flu
orine will protect her children's
teeth could do the same with it.
It actually wouldn't take but a
second of time and there would
still be plenty of time for that
cigaret or- the gossip on the
phone.
It seems as though people get
lazier and lazier. Push-button
gadgets for so many uses. Now
some even want Automatic Medi
cation!
Mrs. Paul Elgin,
1221 Withington si,
Medford, Ore.
Start Living!
To the Editor: How does a
timid woman get active politi
cally is a question on many
women s minds today; As vice
chairman of my county Demo
cratic committee, I'm probably
asked that question more often
than the average citizen. I think
an answer at this time is par
ticularly timely.
I feel that becoming a precinct
committee woman in your own
neighborhood, be you Democrat
or Republican, is the quickest,
easiest way to "get into poli
tics.
Most precincts are composed
of approximately 300 voters. As
precinct committee woman, you
perform the service of calling
personally on your neighbors
telling them where and how to
register, furnish them with can
didates' literature and sample
ballots. In general, you become
the hub around which your vot
ers can revolve.
Timid souls will find the work
stimulating, informative and
one for which they'll receive
"many thanks" from neighbors
as well as candidates running
for office.
Filing for precinct work clos
ed March 9, but you can become
a precinct worker by writing in
your own name on the ballot at
the May primary under "pre
cinct committee woman." If you
want to make sure that you are
elected, ask your neighbors to
write your name there, too.
Take the first step, ladies;
you'll get lots of help. You will
soon be living! Hasn't everyone
said that more women should
take an active interest in poli
tics?
Beulah J.' Hand
2515 10th ave.
Milwaukie, Ore.
Standard Oil Reports
Income for Past Year
San Francisco (U.R) Stand
ard Oil Company of California
reports a net income of $231,
138,655 for 1955, equivalent to
$7.31 a share.
The 1955 earnings compared
to an income of $211,872,447 in
1954, equivalent to $6.70 a
share.
Sales and other operating
revenues during, 1955 were $1,
277,840,419 compared to $1,113,
342,594 for the previous year.
don't forget ,.
EASTER CARDS
r . i i i .
for cnimren
Easter bunnies . . . cure ducks
end chicles . . . gay-colored
eggs . . . you'll find all th
favorite Easter designs In our
new selection of Hallmark Easter
Cards for children. All the -children
you know will be
thrilled to receive these extlt
' ing Hallmark Cards designed
just for them.
Letters submitted for publication must
Two Victories
To the Editor: On March 1 the
House of Representatives passed
the Colorado River Storage
Project bill, minus Echo Park
dam which had been opposed
by the conservation groups of the
country as an invasion of the
national park system, by a
margin of 120 votes. Last July
an unofficial test vote showed
that the same bill with Echo
Park dam in it would have lost
by a margin of 50 to 60 votes.
Here is a good numerical mea
surement of the sensitiveness of
Congress to threats against the
national park system.
Another good measuring stick
6f conservation strength oh the
grass roots level is the three to
one vote by the people of New
York state last November against
the proposal to build Panther
Mountain dam in the state-own
ed Adirondack Forest Preserve,
in spite of the fact that the
proposal was backed by the lead
ing officials and politicians of
the state.
Two such impressive Victories
in one year should serve notice
on the would-be despoilers of the
public domain that the voters
are strongly backing the com
bined conservation forces of the
country.
C. Edward Graves
Western Representative
National Parks Association
Box SS
Carmel, Calif.
Capistrano' Miracle
To the Editor: How wonderful
it would be if the unpredictable
swallows did return to the old
Capistrano mission, as reported
ili the M-T, for they seldom do
arrive on schedule as Editor
Ruhl observed one time on a
visit there, and a questioned
youthful gas station attendant
there replied, "Aw, the swallows
almost never return on time; It's
just a gag."
For there are so many people
who prefer to believe what it
pleases them to believe, turning
unseeing eye and ari unhearing
ear to obvious facts and logical
reasoning. As mentioned, every
year since 1938 when your Writ
er was there but the swallows
were not, and neither on the day
following. When some grass
roots reporters got after the old
padre there, he replied that the
swallows had returned but were
scared away by" too many peo
ple. Yet the Los Angeles Titties
ran a three inch banner an
nouncing the return of the swal
lows and a picture of a fcock
sparfow atop att did swallows
nest. When taken to task, the
editor said something about his
photographer and reporter
"must have been over-enthusiastic,"
but he failed to print the
retraction in his paper. So the
false information went out to
be reprinted by the country's
press.
Last year, the Audubon Socie
ty came out on my side, saying
how the swallows vary consid
erable in their date returns and
it would obviously be the same
at old San Juan Capistrano. As
Ranger Naturalist Burns re
marked once, how could the
swallows figure out and make
allowance for the leap-year
change of date? If the Capistrano
publicity man and California
press would treat it as a joke as
we do ground-hog day, all well
and good. But given any leeway,
they'do go back as first reported
how old St. Joseph once fed the
starving swallows and so they
always returned that same day,
which is also obviously impos
sible, as swallows, like bats,
feed only at night.
' But the real miracle at Capis
trano is how the early Indians,
so allergic to sweat work, were
persuaded to help in the build
ing of the old mission work
house, as that's what it was, at
tested by the huge brick em
placements for tallow rendering
and drying of hides for ship
ment to Spain.
F. J. Clifford
1211 West Main st.
Medford, Ore.
I7TT.: .