MEDFORDeJliii
Tribune
United Press FuU Leased Wire
United Pres Full Leased Win
26 Pages
MEDFORD, OREGON, TUESDAY, AUGUST 20, 1957
No. 130
1 'f fir
m
L.-,; -
COUNCIL TESTIMONY Dr. William J.
Thompson, righti reads a statement prepared
by the Medford Safety council at the hearing
this morning on regulating train speeds in
Medford. Seated at tables in the city council
chambers are. left to right: L. R. Smith, divi
sion superintendent. Southern Pacific rail
Witness Expected To Testify
On Crossing Accident Reports
Two witnesses were called by
the city this morning in a pub
lic hearing before examiners of
the Public Utilities Commission
on the regulationo of train
speeds in Medford.
Claude C. Haggard, 405 J st..
was on the stand first, followed
by Dr. Mary Jane Fowler, 49
Valley View dr. The hearing
was recessed fSrOone hour at
12.30 p.m.
Examiners were expecftd to
call one witness this afternoon
to present an analytical report
of grade crossing accidents,
compiled by the utilities com
mission for 12 Oregon cities,
covering 1938 to 1956.
L. R. Smith, Southern Pacific
railroad division superintendent
from Portland, an assistant SP
electrical engineer from . i
gene, and s Medford road tore
man were Tailable for testimony
If called.
The hearing was held at the
request of the city. City Attor
ney Eg R. Bashaw explained
that tnere are nine grade (street
level) railroad crossings in Med
ford, and that the city has more
accidents p- grade crossing
than any other city in the state.
Edwin' X. Graham, " Portland
attorney, represented Southern
Pacific. In his opening state
ment, Graham said Qwe have
no defense case . . . and have
had noOadvice as to what any
one thinks is a solution to any
problem."
Southern Pacific did not In
tend to present a case, but ex
plain its position where neces
sary, Graham indicated.
A statement was heard from
' the Medford Safety Council,
represented by Dr. William J.
Thompson.
The paper cited "complete
lack of uniformity of audio-visual
warning devices . . . ..bells
and signaling devices that cry
wolf . . . the practice of mak
ing drop switches across grade
crossings . . . restriction of vis
ion at crossings" as present
hazards.
The council recommended
that safe warning and traffic
control devices be installed, that
a 10 mile per hour maximum
speed be set for trains within
the city limits, and that the
Eleventh st. crossing be closed.
. Haggard related four obser
vations made by him sine June
28, each illustrating claimed
hazards at the Eleventh st. grade
crossing. These entered the reo
ord as exhibits.-
Haggard also told of two inci
dents on the Eleventh st. cross
ing which he and his family had
"extremely close calls" in the
family auto. One involved a
"flying switch" of a boxcar,
the other the approach of a
- train engine without a light
from a side track Haggard said
Dr. Fowler was on the stand
about two and one half hours,
testifying on behalf of the safety
committee of the 'Jackson Coun
ty Medical Society.
; She presented a cardboard
Shakespearean Festival
Featured En Life Thursday
Ashland Oregon's Shake
spearean Festival will be feat
ured in Life Magazine which
will reach the stands on Thurs
day, Aug. 22. The photographs
were taken opening night, Aug.
i.
: The article will stress the fact
that the plays of William Shake
speare are receiving more fre
quent production in North
America this summer than are
the works of any other play
wright. The six principal Shake
spearean production centers will
be covered.
The Oregon Shakespearean
Festival, which established
America's first Elizabethan
theater, is the pioneer among
these organizations. It was
founded in 1935, and was instru
mental in the beginning of the
great revival of interest in
poster exhibit, with attached
pictures of all Medford grade
crossings. She described alleged
hazards at crossings, from visual
obstructions or inadequate sig
nal devices.
At one point, she called Bruce
West, 18-year-old son of Dr.
D. Kirkland West, 52 Ross
Court, to the stand. West was a
passenger in an auto which was
struck by a train Dec. 1, 1950.
He said he received "no ser
ious injuries" from the incident.
Dr. Fowler presented a reso
lution and ordinance of Van
couver, Wash. The ordinance
controlled train speeds in Van
couver, and allowed none over
10 miles per hour.
She asserted thai an under
pass had been installed on
Twelvth st. in Salem, with city,
state and railroad each paying
one-third the cost.
This, was in connection with
Stories Not Obscene,
Libelous, Attorney
Claims During Trial
Hollywood (IP) An attorney
for Confidential magazine testi
fied today that stories on Frankie
Sinatras lovemaking technique
and Robert Mitchum's nude romp
at a party were "not even bor
derline obscenity."
Daniel J. Ross, New York at
torney for the scandal magazine,
told the court on cross-examina-
Reorganization
Bill Becomes Law
Salem (IP) The school district
reorganization bill passed by the
1957 Legislature became law to
day after an attempt to get it
referred to the people failed by
Aout 2.000 signatures.
The Oregon State Grange was
seeking 24,071 signatures need
ed by Monday night in order to
prevent the bill from becoming
law today.
State Elections Chief Freeman
Holmer said today only 620
names were actually filed in his
office by deadline time. But
Grange officials said they had
gathered all but 2,000 of the
needed number.
The-reorganization act even
tually is expected to reduce Ore
gon's some 700 school districts
into about 200 new administra
tive districts.
Districts which do not want
reorganization can avoid it by
casting a 60 per cent vote
against reorganization.
The school bill was one of
many which went into effect au
tomatically today 90 days after
the end of the 1957 legislative
session.
Shakespearean production that
is now sweeping the world.
Photos and text on the Ash
land organization will include
one large color photo depicting
the "Feasting of the Tribe of
Will," the opening night ban
quet in Lithia Park. The scene
shows houndreds of the cele
brants that dined in Lithia Park
prior to the play. Two black and
white pictures will also be print
ed, showing a comparative re
hearsal and performance scene
from "As You Like It." Depict
ed are David O'Brien and Mur
iel Eisenberg members of the
1957 acting company.
On the date of release, the
Festival will also be featured
coast-to-coast on Life Magazine's
ABC ragjio show, "Life and the
World." Producing Director
Angus L. Bowmer will be interviewed.
road; Edwin L. Graham, SP attorney; E. R.
Bashaw, city attorney; A. R. Straw, Public
Utilities commission assistant engineer; David
Don, PUC chief engineer; C. E. Jaqua, PUC
railroad engineer; and Irving Allen, commis
sion attorney.
her committee's recommenda
tion that an underpass be in
stalled at Medford's 10th st., and
that the Eleventh st. crossing
be closed.
Other recommendations were:
install electric gates and canti
levers at all grade crossings;
limit train speeds in city limits
to 10 miles per hour; ban all
"flying switching" inside the
city; and close Clark st. grade
crossing.
Graham cross-examined Dr.
Fowler as to the pertinence of
Vancouver and Salem railroad
problems to the local situation.
Referring to the Salem under
pass, he said "I don't think it is
the same problem at all."
Representing the Public Utili
ties commission at the hearing
were David Don, chief engineer;
C. E. Jaqu'a, railroad engineer;
W. A. Straw, assistant engi
neer; and Irving Allen, attorney.
tion that he believed none of the
stories he approved for Confi
dential were obscene or libelous.
Confidential and its sister pub
lication. Whisper, are on trial for
criminal libel and conspiracy to
print obscenity.
He drew a titter from the press
and spectators when he described
as "very humorous" the story in
Confidential on Sinatra s alleged
romancing in his Palm Springs
cottage between bowls of
Wheaties.
Names in stories he listed as
spproving of for legality before
publication included John Car
roll, Alan Dale, Eddie Fisher,
Corrine Calvert and, for the first
time mentioned in the trial, Elvis
Presley.
Court . opening was delayed
half an hour as attorneys wres
tled over some undisclosed legal
point before Superior Judge
Herbert Walker.
The San Francisco Bay Area
was pictured as a hot bed of the
"girlie" magazine publishing in
dustry in evidence introduced by
Crowley in his attempt to prove
"obscenity" is all the way you
look at it.
Crowley also brought into the
trial as evidence a copy of James
Jones' "From Here to Eternity."
His intention was clear: To show
that newsstands and bookshops
already are filled with material
he claims pales Confidential
stories.
Just before court reconvened,
the prosecution jubilantly claim
ed it had "trapped" the Confi
dential defense attorneys into
picturing actress Maureen
O'Hara in the arms of a lover
when actually she was 6,000
miles away.
Defense attorney Arthur Crow
ley challenged the prosecution to
call Miss O'Hara and have her
testify under oath where she was
when the scandal magazine said
she was cuddling in the arms of
a "Latin lover" m a Hollywood
movie theater.
Crowley also demanded to see
the "proof of her whereabouts
the passport the Irish-born
actress showed the'press Monday.
It bore customs' office stamps
putting her in Europe over the
period when the defense says she
was petting in a theater.
Sports Bulletin
Sacramento. Calif. TP
Sua Devoe of Medford, Ore.,
won her second round match
in the U.S. Women's Amateur
tournament today by defeat
ing Leila Fisher of La Jolla,
Calif.. 4 and 3.
Miss DeVoe was six over
par for the match. She meets
Ann Quasi of Seattle in a
third-round match Wednes
day. .
Mrs. Hoffa Owned
Companies to Lease
Trucking Equipment
i
Teamsters' Official
Testifies to Group
Washington (OT James R.
Hoffa, crown prince of the
Teamsters Union, told the Sen
ate Rackets committee today
that his wife owned companies
which leased equipment- to
truckers with labor trouble.
Hoffa said under questioning
that the wife of Bert Brennan,
another teamsters official who
is associated with Hoffa, also
held part of the stock.
He said the first president of
one of the firms was James
Wrape, a St. Louis attorney for
a trucking company which rent
ed Mrs. Hoffa's trucks.
Ask Many Questions
The cocky heir apparent to
the teamsters presidency insist
ed, however, "I did not set up,
nor did I run. nor have the
stock of Test Fleet," the busi
ress owned by Mrs. Hoffa and
Mrs. Brennan.
He said the Test Fleet did not
hire drivers but leased trucks
to a Flint, Mich., firm called
Commercial Carriers, which
hauled automohiles from fac
tory to dealer. Commercial Car
riers hired the drivers under a
standard area wide contract
with the Teamsters Union, he
said.
The committee , called Hoffa
for questioning about many
things, including charges that
he enlisted hoodlum Johnny Dio
to help set up seven phony
locals with a view to seizing
control of all teamsters in New
York City.
Admits Convictions
Hoffa read a statement in
which he said he would refuse
to answer questions he consider
ed outside the committee's au
thority. Committee Chairman John L.
McClellan (D-Ark.) hinted that
such a course might get Hoffa
in contempt trouble. The wit
nys dirt npjtl however, challenge
the committee's authority in
the early rounds of questioning.
At one point, Hoffa admitted
he once was accused of extort
ing more than $7,500 from groc
ers and butchers. He said the
charge was reduced to a "simple
misdemeanor, "The case was
settled on "a misdemeanor
plea," a?id he returned the mon
ey. Under questioning, he ad
mitted he had been arrested
"about 17 times" but convicted
only three times.
Five Fighting Fire
In Prospect Area
Prospect Five state for
estry pumpers and men and
equipment from the Elk Lum
ber company are fighting a for
est fire near Prospect, state for
estry officials said today.
The fire, first reported at
11:40 a.m. by the White Point
lookout, is believed to have
started in the dump across the
road from Prospect and has now
spread to the adjoining state
protected forest land.
YOUTH IN CUSTODY
A 14-year old Medford youth
has been released to the custody
of his parents after he was ar
rested by Sheriff's Deputies on
a charge of malicious mischief.
The boy admitted breaking
windows in five cabins at Bear
Creek Orchards July 31, officers
said. He was arrested Saturday.
Further investigation is pend
ing by juvenile authorities.
"All Right, Men Just Sing 'Auld Acquaintance'
And Walk Right Through"
Benson Would Meet
With Humphrey to
Discuss Affairs
Subpena Not Needed,
Secretary Declares
', .
Washington OPt Secretary
of Agriculture Ezra T. Benson
said today he would be "glad"
to discuss department affairs
with Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey
(D-Minn.).
Humphrey has threatened to
subpena Benson to testify before
the Senate Reorganization sub
committee on reports that he
has been exercising a veto over
Rural Electrification adminis
tration loans.
Benson said he didn't think a
subpena would be necessary.
"I've never refused to meet
with any committee or to meet
privately with any member of
Congress," Benson told a news
conference, his first since
June 25.
Humphrey has been trying for
several weeks to get Benson to
testify before the subcommittee.
Benson Returns
Benson returned to Washing
ton last week after a 50-day ab
sence. Benson said he wrote Humph
rey, dated today, informing him
that he would be "glad to visit
with you" when REA Adminis
trator David A. Hamil returns to
Washington. Hamil is now on a
field trip and is expected back
in Washington on Labor Day
week end.
Benson also told Humphrey
he had declined to appear be
fore the subcommittee "when
my schedule will permit." He
added that there are no facts
within his knowledge ' which
could not be testified to by
other officials of the depart
ment. -" '
Benson told his news confer
ence there has been no reorgani
zation of the REA despite the
fact that Hamil must now clear
loans of more than $500,000
with Kenneth L, Scott, director
of Agricultural Credit services.
Benson, explaining his long
absence,, said he had been in
specting the forest service since
June 26 and that from Aug. 1 to
Aug. 13 he was on vacation.
As for the REA, Benson said
the shearing of Hamil's author
ity was done "to achieve full co
ordination of all REA activi
ties." He said there had been a
tight budget situation, a greater
request for REA loans, and the
problem of low interest rates.
Time Re-scheduled
On Public Hearing
The public hearing before the
Public Utilities Commission on
California-Pacific Utilities com
pany requested rate increase
will convene at 3 p.m. tomorrow
in City Hall here and be re
cessed until 5:30 p.m., a PUC
spokesman said at noon today.
This is to give those who can
not appear earlier a chance to
attend the hearing, it was ex
plained. Other-hearings regard
ing the rate increase are sched
uled for Klamath Falls city hall,
Thursday, and the Roseburg po
lice and fire station Wednesday.
If granted, the increase would
mean a raise in rates to all cus
tomers receiving gas service in
the company's southern Oregon
division.
Plan
' I
W': 11 "
SETS ALTITUDE RECORD Maj. David G. Simons (left) an
Air Force doctor, has soared to nearly 21 miles into the sky to
set a new manned balloon altitude record. Major Simons is
shown adjusting his helmet prior to takeoff from an open pit
iron mine near Crosby, Minn. On the right is the launching of
an unmanned balloon from the same location last summer.
Balloon Carrying Air
Force Doctor Starts
Descent From Record
Minneapolis (IP) A balloon
carrying an Air Force doctor
finally headed toward earth to
day after a record-breaking
flight in the heavens.
Air Force officials said Maj.
David Simons started his de
scent at 9:15 a.m. (PDT) after
more than 26 hours aloft. Sim
ons had reportedly completed
the tests and experiments in his
pressurized capsule.
An AirForcesjpokesman said
trackTng crews were 'rioTcertain
of the area where Simons would
land. Weather conditions were
unsteady.
"He has a lot of cloud cover
age to break through yet," the
spokesman said.
Slight Variation
Any slight variation In the
winds could make a consider
able difference in where he
lands."
Simons had soared to a record
altitude for manned balloon
flights during his space voyage.
Air Force officials said they
believed his descent would take
about three or four hours.
Col. John W. McCurdy of the
Air Force said that after the
landing Simons might have time
for a brief chat with newsmen
at the landing point and then
would be whisked away for 24
hours. McCurdy said that after
his sleep, Simons would hold a
news conference, but that this
probably would not be held un
til Thursday.
An Air Force spokesman said
Simons reported the winds had
also boosted his balloon to an
altitude of 96,000 feet, and he
said it was still rising.
"Because of the opportunity
to complete extra tests and ex
periments," the spokesman said,
'Major Simons has been allowed
to remain up."
Weather Factor
Officials, however, were un
certain when Simons would be
gin his descent. "There is still
a weather factor involved," the
spokesman said. Should turbu
lent weather threaten to imperil
the landing, Simons would be
ordered down immediately.
The major had already begun
his descent when the wind gust
gave his flight new life.
Simons said it was "really
spectacular" . to watch a light
ning show from above. He also
was impressed by the "vast ex
panse" of the sunrise from that
high up.
Pendleton (IP A 1 ,200-acre
fire that destroyed grazing land,
timber, brush and stubble 25
miles northeast of here Monday
had been mostly brought under
control Monday night, officials
said, but 500 acres were expect
ed to burn throughout the night.
Weather
FORECAST Variable hUh
clouds thrnuEh Wednesday.
Low si, high Wednesday near
to.
TEMPERATURE
Richest Yesterday
Lowest this Morning 40
Our Skies Tonight
Sunrise 5:23 a.m.
Sunset ..7:06 p.m.
Moonrise Wednesday 1:05 a-m.
PROMINENT STARS
Fomalhaut, low ill southeast,
9:56 p.m.
Antares, low in southwest,
10:1)5 p.m.
VISIBLE PLANETS
Venus and Jupiter, low ia
west, 7:59 p.m.
Saturn, above Antaret.
Sill
Simons radioed early today
that one of his most impressive
astronomical observations was
that the stars overhead do not
twinkle as they appear .to do
from lower altitudes.
An Air Force official said it
was believed to be the first time
this had been determined.
Simons soared to a record
height of nearly 19 miles short
ly after he had took off Monday
Morning.
McKinsfry Resigns
As Cify Engineer
E. N. McKinstry has submit
ted his resignation as Medford
city engineer. .
A letter submitted the resig
nation was given to City Mana
ger Robert Duff yesterday. Mc
Kinstry stated that he has ac
cepted a position as public
works director and city engi
neer at North Bend.
McKinstry has been city engi
neer for Medford since Novem
ber, 1948. His residence is 744
Dakota ave.
Picking Hears End
For Bartlett Pears
The picking of Bartlett pears
will finish this week, according
to C, B. Cordy, county horticul
ture agent, with the first of the
D'Anjou pears scheduled to be
picked Wednesday. Full scale
picking of the D'Anjou crop
will be next week, Cordy said.
A good crop of D'Anjous, not
as large as last year, but still
above average is reported by
Cordy. He said that the Bart
lett crop was well under last
year's but the fruit size was
good. He added that cullage was
heavy due to frost marks.
The agent said that the Bart
letts were picked in good sea
son with the majority of the
crop in cold storage awaiting
shipment East.
Peaches will be picked in a
few orchards this week with the
major crop being picked next
week.
GOP Leaders
Fight for Stronger Bill
Washington (IP) GOP leg.
islative leaders told President
Eisenhower today that they will
continue their fight for a strong
er civil rights bill even if it keeps
Congress in session into Septem
ber. House Republican leader Jo
seph W. Martin Jr. said there
is "always room for compro
mise" on the stalled civil rights
measure "as long as we get
an effective bill." .
Martin said, however, that he
has detected no willingness to
compromise on the part of
"southern-led northern liberals"
in the House.
Senate Republican leader
William F. ' Knowland said af
ter the White House meeting
that it would take "a series of
satisfactory breaks" to permit
congressional adjournment by
Aug. 31, and he did not kaow
Evidence Mounls
Of Intention for
Station in Syria
Move Would Lessen
6th Fleet Effect
By WALTER LOGAN
Unitsd Press Correspondent
Official quarters in London
said today there was mounting
evidence the Soviet Union in
tends to establish a submarine
base in the Middle East as a fol
low up to its victory in Syria.
A Soviet submarine base in
Syria, or one controlled by Rus
sia, would outflank the Baghdad
pact powers, lessen the effec
tiveness of the U.S. 6th Fleet
and would change the strategic
picture in the Mediterranean.
The reports coincided with
growing fears in the Arab world
itself that the Soviets were be
coming too well entrenched.
Mideast reports said Syrian
President Shukri EI Kuwatly
was being approached for a
"last resort" Arab conference to
try and halt the Soviet advance.
Unconfimed rumors circulat
ing in Beirut, Lebanon, said the
Soviet was pouring in techi
cians and civilians to speed the
"take-over" of Syria. There was
no confirmation of these reports
in official quarters.
In Cairo? the government
newspaper ai uomhouria re
ported Syrian officers had.
trained in Poland to operate
two Russian submarines being
turned over to Syria by the So- ,
viet Union under their arms
pact deal. o
West Will Meet
Egypt recently received three
submarines from the Soviets,
but Al Gomhouria noted this
was not the same type of agree
ment reached in Moscow by
Syrian Defense Minister Khaled
Elazm.
United Press correspondent
K. C. Thaler reported in Lon
don that the NATO pact allies
were expected to confer In Paris
on this new threat to NATO
and the Baghdad nations Tur
key, Iraq, Iran,. Britain and
Pakistan.
British and American diplo
mats already were conferring
on the new threat, but Washing
ton dispatches indicated the ad
ministration had come to the re
luctant conclusion it could do
nothing because the Eisenhower
doctrine is not applicable in the
Syrian case.
Al Gomhouria said the Syrian
submarine officers first attend
ed the Egyption Naval academy
at Alexandria then went on to
Poland to learn how to handle
the submarines.
Rift Appears Healed
The Cairo press meanwhile
used a surprisingly mild tone
toward the western powers in
urging them to adopt a "concili
atory attitude'- toward the Syrian-American
crisis.
The Cairo newspapers also
hinted that the split between
Jordan and Egypt would end
soon and that Jordan would re
open its Cairo embassy Sept. 2.
The embassy was closed after
Jordan accused Egypt of plot
ting political assassinations in
Amman.
Report of Plane Crash
Being Checked by Dunn
Salem IIP) Bob Dunn, as
sistant director of the State
Bureau of Aeronautics, said to
day he was checking a report
that wreckage of a light plane
had been found in the Cascade
mountains near the Three Sis
ters. Say They Will
whether even that would be
possible. Martin spoke up and
observed wryly, "I hope to eat
Thanksgiving dinner in New
England."
Northern Democrats, led by
Speaker Sam Rayburn of Texas,
want the House to accept the
civil rights bill largely as it
was passed by the Senate. House
Republicans, however, are in
sisting that the bill's enforce
ment be toughened to make it
more like the version originally
passed by the House.
Martin insisted that any com
promise must be an ''improve
ment" of the Senate version.
Asked whether there was any
room for compromise on the
amendment providing for a jury
trial in all criminal contempt
cases, Martin said "there is al
ways room for compromise as
long as w get an effective bUl."