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Kussia Cuts Airmedl Strength
West Challenged
To Match Soviet
'Act of Good Will'
East Germany
Cutback Planned
Moscow IP) The So
viet government announced
a cut of 300,000 men from its
armed forces tonight and
challenged the Western Big
Three to match "this act of
good will."
A government communi-.
que said the cutbacks will in- j
elude withdrawal of 41,000 1
men from East Germany and
17,000 from Hungary.
Cut No Surprise
The reduction was no sur
prise to Western observers.
Last month the Supreme So
viet "recommended" that the
Soviet government consider
reductions in view of the im
proved international situa
tion. Soviet Communist party
boss Nikita Khrushchev in
dicated later that the sug
gestion was receiving favor
able consideration because of
the December Paris NATO
summit conference's assur
ances of peace.
The reductions were noth-1
ing more than a token. West- j
ern intelligence esfimates the
Soviet armed forces total
about 425,000 men in Eastern
Europe alone. Of these barely
one-seventh would be pulled
back to the Soviet Union.
.Account for Reduction
It was believed in the West
that reorganization of the
Red army for atomic tactics
would just about account for
the overall cut of 300,000 men
just as U.S. forces are be
streamlined. This was Russia's third
claimed cutback in recent
years. It announced a cut of
640,000 in 1955 and 1,200,000
in 1956.
At no time in reporting
these force reductions has
Russia indicated overall
strength.
But this is estimated in the
West at "slightly below" four
52nd Year
MEW
50 4 U-fr-
Price 10 Cents
Tribune
-oON, MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 1958
1A D
I II
No. 220
BURN TREES About 1.200 Christmas
trees, collected in several Jackson county
communities in the Moose lodge 178's "Tree
Lift," wete burned yesterday about 6 p.m.
near the junction of Antelope rd. and Cra
ter Lake highway at Camp White. Keeping
warm as they watch the trees go up in
flames, are left to right, Ronald Knechtel
of Phoenix, Richard Lacasse, Darryl Sum
merfield and Tommy Gibbons of Central
Point. All of the boys except four-year-old
Tommy was active in collecting trees in
their communities. A total of $317.94 was
raised by the project, which has already
been turned over to the March of Dimes,
according to general chairman John Keen
er. Medford Mayor John Snider was on
hand to see the trees ablaze. Of the amount
collected, $270.17 came from Medford;
$18.18 from Jacksonville, $57.38 from Cen
tral Point; $18.80 from Phoenix, and $6.70
from Ashland and Talent.
Reports Satisfactory
On Sno-Cat Tractors
Used In Antarctic
Medford-built Sno-Cats now
being used in the Antarctic
million Tvirr tr antlVA Hll tv j
AJ1111AVS11 "vu v v. t ' : r , - . . -, i
iMrtini thp satellite I ior WOrK in connection wiui
not
forces.
175 Divisions
NATO sources put the
Communist strength at about
175 divisions, about 30 of
them on the front line in
East Germany.
The last previous Russian
cutback came in the midst of
last year's disarmament con
ference in London.
The Western answer then
was that Western forces had
been cut back to almost
nothing right after World
War II, while the Soviet
Union maintained its vast
military machine in fighting
form.
Dave Epps Elected
To Succeed Boyer
Portland 0PI Dave Epps,
Sweet Home, was elected
chairman of the Oregon State
Democratic Central Commit
tee Sunday at a meeting here.
The 50-year-oldfurniture
""dealer succeeds Robert Boyer
of Medford, who resigned.
Epps won on the first bal
lot and drew 36 of 69 votes
cast by members of the com
mittee to defeat Richard
Croener, state representative
from Milwaukie, and Pat Da
vis. Baker, and employee of
Union Pacific.
Epps has been an Oregon
delegate to the Democratic
notional convention twice and
in 1946 was Democratic nom
inee for. the office of secre
tary of state.
the International Geophysical
Year are "operating very sat
isfactorily," according to un
official reports received here
by the Tucker Sno-Cat cor
poration. J. M. Tucker, general man
ager, said he does not know if
any of the snow tractors are
being used by Sid Edmund
Hillary's New Zealand group
now at the South Pole. Eng
land bought four of the big
freighter models and may
have given some to Hillary,
Tucker said. The unofficial
reports are based on radio
grams relayed through ham
operators, the general man
ager said.
The freighter models are
equivalent to 12-passenger ma
chines in size. Tucker said.
France and Belgium are using
the freighter model also, he
added.
The general manager esti
mated 51 Sno-Cats are now
being used in the Antarctic in
connection with the interna-1
tional scientific work. The
United States has 40 of the j
machines 20 of the freighter i
models and 20 of the standard
four-drive model used in work
close to the base. The latter is
equivalent to a six-passenger
machine in size, he explained.
The Sno-Cats shipped this
summer for the work now
being carried on in the Ant
arctic have improvements
made as the result of a pre
vious two years' use in the
frozen north, Tucker added.
Hillary had remarked Sun
day after his race to the South
Pole ended Saturday that his
trek proved tractor trains to
the South Pole are practical.
The New Zealander had
left his dog teams behind in
the race to the South Pole
which started Dec. 27. The
fast march ended Saturday
when the five-man team pull
ed into the U.S. Navy base.
Snow tractors proved su
perior to dog teams except
when crossing treacherous
crevasses, Hillary said. Dogs
can cross crevasses without
breaking through. Heavy trac
tors cannot, the explorer said.
Hillary estimated he and
his party traveled 1300 miles
since leaving New Zealand's
Scott base near McMurdo
sound Nov. 13. Coldest wea
ther encountered was 32 be
low zero and near zero tem
perature the warmest.
Hillary's job was to set up
supply dumps along a route
from Scott to Station 700 and
meet Fuchs there. However
Fuchs was delayed and Hil
lary abandoned the original
plans and pushed to the South
Pole in tractors.
Three Mothers in Canton
En Route To Visit Sons
Canton, China (By tele
phone to Hong Kong), HP
Three American mothers
reached this Communist
China city today en route to
see their sons who have been
held in red jails for five years
as American "spies."
Traveled by Train
They crossed the border at
Hong Kong this morning and
traveled to Canton by train.
San Francisco attorney A. L.
Virin made the same journey
on a separate mission a short
time afterwards. Acting as an
officer of the San Francisco
Federal Court, he hopes to
collect evidence that will free
John and Sylvia Powell of
U.S. charges that they com
mitted sedition during the
Korean war.
Mrs. Ruth Redmond, Yonk-j
ers, N.Y. told the United Press
in Hong Kong by telephone
that she was anxious to con
tinue her trip to Shanghi,
where she hope to meet her
son.
She said the Chinese Reds
had arranged a sightseeing
tour of Canton for her before
she leaves for Shanghi by air
Tuesday.
Slaying at Hotel
She said that she, Mrs.
Mary. Downey, New Britain,
Conn., and her son, William,
and Mrs. Philip Fecteau,
Lynn, Mass., all were staying
at the Oi Kuen Hotel in Can
ton, each in a separate room.
She said she had not seen
Wirin who arrived in Red
China at the border town of
Shumchun after them, mis
sing the same connection to
Canton.
Texas Reels Under
Floods and Snow
By UNITED PRESS
Texas reeled today under
the combined blows of flood
ing rains which forced the
evacuation of more than 1,000
persons in the southern part
of the state and a 17-inch
snow storm that stranded
motorists in the West.
The floods t't the lower
Rio Grande Valley Sunday
in the wake of 36 hours of
steady rain which dumped
more than eight inches of
water at Corpus Christi,
Tex.
About 400 persons fled
their homes in Edinburg
where flood-waters inundated
some 16 city blocks. Oficials
said about 500 persons were
evacuated in Bishop, north of
Edinburg, and about 350 per
sons in the Robstown-Clark-wood
area near Corpus
Christi.
West Texas and southeast
ern New Mexico were buried
under as much as 17 inches
of snow Sunday, stranding
motorists under deep drifts.
Stathos Elected
County Chairman
Of Republicans
Donald L. Stathos, Medford,
was elected chairman of the
Jackson County Republican
Central committee at a recent
executive ooard meeting, a
spokesman announced.
He fills the vacancy left by
the recent resignation of Mrs.
Frank C. Bash, also of Med
ford. Stathos was chairman
of the Jackson County Youth
for Eisenhower-Nixon organi
zation during the last election.
"The executive board elect
ed Stathos because of his ac
tive interest and work in pro
moting participation of all in
dividuals in better govern
ment," a spokesman explained.
Stathos, a local insurance
agent, is 33 years old and a
native of Oregon. He is an
Oregon State college gradu
ate. He lives with his wife,
Barbara and son, Geoff, at
100 Sundial rd., Medford.
Other officers elected dur
ing Friday's meeting were
Mrs. Kenneth G. Denman,
Medford, vice chairman; Otto
A. Ewaldsen, Medford, alter
nate chairman; Mrs. Stephen
G. Nye, Medford, alternate
vice chairman; Ed H. Sing
master, Ashland, secretary;
and E. A. Piazza, Medford,
treasurer.
D. H. Barber, Trail, and
Mrs. Edward Bolt, Gold Hill
were named national commit
teeman and committeewoman.
These officers will serve until
after the primary election in
May, it was explained.
Security Council,
1 Eisenhower Talk
Cold War Strategy
Stassen's Future
Could Be Decided
Washington (IP President
Eisenhower met with the Na
tional Security Council today
to map cold war strategy and
discuss military aspects of the
State of the Union Message
he will deliver to- Congress
Thursday.
There was advance specu
lation that the meeting could
decide the future in the gov
ernment of Harold E. Stassen
the President's disarmament
advisor. Stassen's associates
said he might seek a show
down today on his policy dis
agreements with Secretary of
State John Foster Dulles, who
opposes further concessions
or new U.S. moves to reopen
talks with Russia on check
ing the arms race.
The issue was raised by
discission of the President's
proposed reply to Soviet Pre
mier Nikolai Bulganin's bids
for new East-West truce talks
and British Prime Minister
Harold MacMillan's endorse
ment of a favorite Soviet pro
posal a non-aggression pact
between the Communist and
Western blocs.
The President opened the
meeting immediately after re
turning to the White House
from his Gettysburg farm
where he had spent most of
the past two weeks.
Eisenhower arose at 6 a.m.
and : left - his 190-acre state
before dawn on the two-hour
drive back to Washington.
DOW-JONES AVERAGES
New York UP! Dow
Jones final stock averages:
30 industrials 442.56, off
2.00; 20 railroads 102.39,
off 1.14; 15 utilities 69.32.
off 0.14, and 65 stocks
148.94, off 0.78. Sales today
were about 2,500,000 shares
compared with 2,440,000
shares Friday.
Gaulf Won't Run
For Reelection
Sheriff Howard Gault said
today he will not be a candi
date for reelection this year.
He has served in that office
for the past 13'2 years, in
cluding three full four-year
terms, and under appointment
for 1V years after the death
of the late Sheriff Sid Brown,
in 1945.
Gault, a Republican, has
been in the sheriff's office
since 1934, when he was chief
deputy. His home is at 3426
Delta Waters rd.
The sheriff said he finally
decided against seeking re
election because he agrees
with many people it is not
good to "stay in the same of
fice for too many years nei
ther for the person nor the of
fice." He said, "I just figured
I'd been here long enough."
He plans to enter another
line of- work, but said his
plans are not yet ..definite
enough to announce.
The sheriff commented
that, throughout the time he
has held office, he has had
fine cooperation from both as
sociates and friends in his
handling of the office, and de
clared he greatly appreciates
it.
His announcement leaves
the race for sheriff "wide
open" in both primary and
general elections. No one has
announced his candidacy as
yet, although political gossip
has mentioned several men as
potential candidates.
i. -
TWO SERIOUSLY INJURED IN ACCI
DENT Etta Irene Phillips, 36, of 1257 Sis
kiyou blvd., and her passenger, LaVerne
Barger, 39, of 195 Skidmore st., both of
Ashland, were seriously injured Saturday
about 9 p.m. when their car (above) struck
the second light pole in the northbound
lane of the Bear Creek intersection of High
way 99, according to state police. Sacred
Heart hospital authorities reported Mrs.
Barger in satisfactory condition this morn
ing suffering from head injuries and lacera
tions. Mrs. Phillips, driver of the car, was
reported in serious condition by Rogue
Valley hospital officials this morning. She
suffered a fractured skull, jaw and left arm,
and multiple cuts and bruises, officials said.
Police said the Phillips car was apparently
traveling at high speed in the fog when the
accident took place. Northbound traffic was
limited to one lane for a short period until
wreckage was cleared, police said. They
added the car traveled about 100 feet after
the impact which tore off the left front
fender and door.
Safe Robbed Of
$1,500 In Cash
At O.K. Market
DONALD L. STATHOS
Heads County Republicans
Portland HP) The take
off of a United Air Lines
plane, Flight 676, for San
Francisco and Los Angeles
was delayed this morning
after a telephoned bomb
threat was received.
Ashland Company
Has Safe Robbery
Ashland City police re
ported the Ashland Lumber
company's safe was drilled
some time around 4:30 a.m.
today and $186 in small cur
rency was taken.
Police there said they are
still puzzling over how the
burglars broke into the build
ing , located, at . 384 Oak St.,
Ashland. All doors were lock
ed - when Manager Charles
Hodges discovered, the safe
door open at 8 a.m. today.
"It was a neat professional
job with drills and other tools
from the lumber yard used,"
police said. "Nothing else was
disturbed."
The safe had been punched
on April 1, 1956 and little
money has been kept in the
company safe since then, po
lice said. Owners of the lumb
er yard are John, 'Neil and
Grace Collins, Medford.
About $1,500 in cash was
taken from the safe in the
OK Market, 1202 North River
side ave., during Saturday
night according to Medford
police.
Thieves broke into the rear
storeroom door of the OK
Market between midnight and
Labout 6 a-m.po.Uce-said.JThey
said the theft was discovered
by Albert E. Eitemiller, 3705
Roberts rd., when he arrived
to open the store Sunday
morning.
The safe, which was in the
produce section of the mar
ket, had been moved to the
rear of the building behind
several counters, police said
The safe hingepins and the
dial had been tampered with
but the thieves finally
'pealed" the safe door and
forced the latch, using the
same tools as they did to enter
the building.
Several checks, also in the
safe, were found on the floor,
police said. Although the of
fice desk had been ransacked,
nothing was missing, they
added.
Medford police also report
ed the United Radio Supply
Inc., 301 South Front st., was
broken into during Saturday
evening.
The front door had been
forced with a pry bar and
about $10 in small change
taken from the cash register,
police said. Police explained
about $165 was overlooked by
the thieves apparently be
cause of their haste.
An attempt to break into
the Anderson Super Thrift
Market, 711 South Central
ave., was reported by police
after an officer saw too many
ghts in the building early
Sunday. Police reported a
50-gallon drum of molasses
had been spilled in the park
ing lot and the fence to the
storeroom had been cut.
A check of the storeroom
and main building failed to
produce evidence thieves had
gained entrance, police said.
Columbia Gorge Gets
Strong East Winds
Portland IIP) Strong
east winds buffeted the Co
lumbia gorge and the Portland
area today and power out
ages were reported.
Wind was blamed for an
outage which affected Park
rose and Russellville custom
ers of Pacific Power & Light
Company for an hour to 90
minutes. A 57,000-volt line
failed.
Washington IP) Congress
headed back to work today
with one wary eye on domes
tic economic troubles while
it prepared to tackle more
pressing problems involving
missiles and national defense.
The gavels will bang at
noon Tuesday in the House
and Senate to signal the start
4 of-the-1958-session. The at-
Economic, Defense
Problems To Face
Congress Session
House Trailer
Fire Burns Man
A house trailer and its con
tents were a total loss in a
blaze at 1380 Sweet rd. Satur
day evening, city firemen re
ported.
They said the trailer be
longed to William A. Gifford,
who had been residing at 515
Boardman ave.
Firemen said Boardman
told them he had been burned
on the face and left hand
about 6 p.m. by an explosion
of butane gas. A leak in the
fuel line at the rear of the
stove had caused the explos
ion. Gifford said he waited
around for about a half hour
to be sure there was no fire.
He then went to have his
burns dressed at a hospital.
Gifford was unaware until
9:30 a.m. Sunday that the fire
had occurred, firemen stated.
Firemen had been called to
the 'scene at 7:30 p.m.
Minor damage to a wall and
ceiling resulted from an over
heated flue at the home of
Mrs. Maude Walch, 402 Board-
man st., about 4 p.m. Sun
day. Fire damage to a wall be
hind the stove and smoke
damage from a flue fire at the
E. D. Grimes home, 715 Alder
st., about 10:25 a.m., also was
minor, according to firemen.
Smoke in the residence of
Herbert Roberts, 622 Stewart
ave., about 4:30 a.m. today
was traced to floor joists and
girders. They had ignited
from the heat of a blaze on
the fireplace hearth above
them. Damage reportedly was
confined to the floor.
WEATHER
Forecast Cloudy through
Tuesday with slight chance
of light rain late Tuesday.
Valley fog tonight and un
til about noon Tuesday.
Low tonight 27. High Tues
day 38. Temp.
Highest Yesterday 32
Lowest This Morning 26
Our Skies Tonight
Sunrise 7:41 a.m.
Sunset 4:54 p.m.
Moonrise 6:29 p.m.
Last Quarter Jan. 12
EVENING STAR
Venus, sets 7:09 p.m.
Today it begins to move
westward among the stars.
In a few weeks it will leave
the evening sky, to return as
a morning star in February.
Thornton May
Oppose Norblad
Salem (W Attorney Gen
eral Robert Y. Thornton in
dicated today that he may
seek the Democratic nomina
tion for U.S. representative
from the 1st congressional
district.
Thornton, who was elected
to his second four-year term
in 1956, said:
"I have been urged by a
number of people to become a
candidate. I am considering
the prospect but I have not
come to a decision."
Thornton said it was a per
sonal decision that involved
several factors. -
The post is now held by
Republican Rep. Walter Nor
blad, Stayton.
Salem (W Ice and
ground fog were the main
hazards to highway travel in
Oregon today.
mosphere will contrast like
black against white from the
economy mood of the session
which adjourned four months
ago because the Soviet Union
has since launched two Sputniks.
Now the mood is for a big
ger budget, particularly to
provide more money for mis
. sile, development.
Senate Democratic Leader
Lyndon B. Johnson told re
porters it was "important to
realize the necessitiy of main
taining a prosperous econ
omy" to support the defense
program. While pointing to
defense and foreign policy
as the chief problems facing
Congress, he said gains made
by the American people
should not be destroyed "in
the name of missiles." j
Johnson said he expects
Congress to pass legislation
this year dealing with small
business, farm, housing and
other economic problems.
Many returning members
have shown some restiveness
over the economic outlook
because farmers still seem to
be in trouble and there is
rising unemployment in the
cities.
GOP Sees Business Upswing
The administration and Re
publican line is that a busi
ness pickup by midyear will
correct the situation and
brighten the picture.
But the Democrats, who
form the majorities in the
House and Senate, have long
given much attention to
bread-and-butter issues which
affect the voters' pocketbook.
Because the once powerful
farm bloc has spliit into piec
es there is still some doubt
about passage of a general
farm bloc has split into piec
issues, some Democrats want
to wait and watch to see
if increased military spend
ing and gathering momentum
in the highway program will
give the economy a shot in
the arm.
Macmillan Plan
Meets Opposition
From Partners
Pact Could Only
Be Part of Package
London (IP) Britain back
ed down today on Prur. Min
ister Harold Macmillan's plan
.for an East-West non-aggres-ion
pact in the face of strong
apposition from its allies.
The chief spokesman of the
Foreign Office told newsmen
that the pact suggested Satur
day by Macmillan could only
be part of a "package deJ"
including agreement on "con
crete issues such as disarma-'
ment."
Sharp Turnabout
In his radio address Satur
day, the Prime Minister sug-
i gested at the time that "we
could start by a solemn pact
of. non-aggression," as pro
posed by Soviet Premier
Nikolai Bulganin in a letter
to Macmillan last month.
The Macmillan plan ran
into immediate heavy wea
ther. It was a sharp turnabout
on past Western policy and
observers said it could cause
a serious break between Brit
ain and the U.S. Washington
apparently told London so
.over the week end. The Eu
ropean allies, too, were con
cerned because Macmillan
spoke without consultation.
Cabinet Meetings Held
After two special Cabinet
meetings Sunday night, Mac
millan authorized an official
"commentary" on . speech
which the Foreign Office re
leased today. "This passage in
the Prime Minister's speech
should be read as a whole,"
the commentary said. -
"It is the relationship be
tween words and deeds which
he was seeking to bring out
"What he was really saying
was that we must continue to
work for agreement which,
would be followed by deeds,
the fulfillment of which will
be proved by actions taken.
"If it would assist in arriv
ing at such agreements to
have a non-aggression pact,
then her majesty's govern
ment would feel that such a
pact, to complement the
agreements, might do some
good."
Thus the door was till left
open for a non-aggression pact
as the first step toward a new
East-West accord.
But the Foreign Office
spokesman went on to under
line that Macmillan's sugges
tion was "for a package deal
including a non - aggression
pact together with agreements
on concrete issues such as dis
armament.". The spokesman emphasized
that "nothing basically new"
was intended in the Macmi
llan speech.
Nevertheless, the Prime
Minister had struck a sympa
thetic note in most West
European capitals where sen
timent was growing daily in
favor of early summit talks
with the Russians.
Montgomery Ward
Clerks Go on Strike
Washington (in AFL
CIO Retail Clerks went on
strike today against an undis
closed number of Montgomery
Ward stores to enforce their
demands for shorter hours and
higher pay.
The union had demanded a
general increase of 10 cents
an hour, a five-day, 40-hour
work week, and other benefits.
There is no evidence of a
strike at the Montgomery
Ward store in Medford, it was
indicated today.
'Don't You Ever Have Anything Fresh?"