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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 29, 1958)
Geophysical Year Ranks Most Significant Peaceful Activity Since Rennaissance (Editor'i note: TnU U tha first of two dlsDatchei reoortinc on tb accomplishments of tha Interna.' tional Geoobyiicai Year endin Dec. 31. Tha author 1 executive director of the committee which supervised U.S. participation In the IS-rnonth-lons global effort to improve man's basic aoderstandisf of tbe world in which he lives.) By DR. HUGH ODISHAW Executive Director, U. S. National Committee for IGY Written for United Presi International Washington-ftTD-The Inter- national Geophysical year, will rank as the most signifi cant peaceful activity of man kind since the Renaissance Remarkable results have been achieved in many fields of science besides the highly' publicized pen etration of space. The basic objective of the IGY was a mapping of our physical environment. Just as geographic mapping is neces sary before man can know region, geophysical mapping is a prerequisite to scientific understanding of the earth and its cosmic environs. Much of the lasting value of the IGY to science stems from the thoroughness with which some 30,000 scientists and technicians from 66 different nations carried out this funda mental purpose of acquiring vast amounts of precise data on weather, geomagnetism, the ionosphere, the aurora and other phenomena. Analysis Begun Analysis of these data has . already begun, but it will be years before research scien tists exhaust the full benefit of this unprecedented store house of facts. Along with the accumula tion of much-needed basic in formation, the IGY led to a number of specific new dis coveries of great significance. Let me enumerate a few of them: 1. Using seismic sounding techniques, IGY scientists have laid bare the nature of a considerable portion of the land mass of Antarctica. This region now appears as a com plex of island and mountain chains. There are increasing indications of a major divis ion between East and West Antarctica. These studies are for the first time in history establishing the character of the least known continent in the world, whose area is some 6,000,000 square miles. 2. Seismic measurements have also, given us a better measure of the amount of snow and Ice in the world. The old figure was about 3, 240,000 cubic miles. So much more ice has been found in Antarctica to depths of 14, 000 feet-that this figure must be revised upwards by about 40 per cent, to some 4,500,000 cubic miles. The revised fig ure is critical for the study of the delicate balance of the heat and water regimen of the earth. Counter-Currents Three major counter-cur rents in the oceans have been found and measured. One in the Atlantic flows beneath and opposite to the Gulf Stream, traveling at 'a rate of eight miles per day some 9,- 000 feet beneath the surface The second, at depths be tween 200 and 1,000 feet, flows against the surface equatorial current of the Pa cific, transporting a billion cubic feet per second. The third lies beneath the surface 200 miles north of the Pacific eauator. transporting 1.5 bil lion cubic feet per second These measurements add new elements to our under standing of the major circula tion systems of the oceans, which hold great significance for the dynamics of weather and climate and even for the location and quantity of food stocks in the seas. 4. In studying ocean bot toms, a vast mineral-rich re gion in the Pacific has been discovered. Millions of square miles of the southeast Pacific bear a surface-bottom sludge laden with nodules of manga nese and iron with up to one per cent of cobalt mixed with copper. The value of these minerals is estimated at about $500,000 per square mile, and the economics of dredging up the sludge appear promis ing. Lighten Climate 5. Studies of ice coverings in polar regions are shedding light upon weather and cli mate of the past. For exam ple, during the last 50 years or so the amount of precipita tion in the Arctic has averag ed twice that of the Antarc tic. These records are preserv ed in the ice layers, affording the opportunity to read them much as we read tree rings. The significance of these stud ies transcends historical inter ests: for these data are also clues to the future of weather and climate. 6. In meteorology, the IGY has provided the first census of Antarctic weather. Record- ng of temperatures to a low f at least minus 124 degrees .... ... itanrennen suggests the pos- ent of cold in world weather. Studies of temperature, pres sure, humidity and winds have provided data from which the influence of this re gion on world weather can be examined. 7. Sounding rockets dis covered solar X-rays low in the ionsphere. These X-rays, rather than th ultraviolet radiation responsible for the general electrifation of the ionsphere, extend downward to the lowest, D-region of the ionsphere and increase its ionization to such an extent that radio blackouts occur. These findings have marked value for ionospheric physics in general and radio com- municatioss in particular. Vast Region of Space 8. Discovery of the Van Al len Radiation Zone indicates that a vast region of space around the earth is populat ed with charged particles, probably replenished by solar emmissions. Trapped in the earth's magnetic field, these particles appear to be as sociated with geomagnetic variations and auroral dis displays. The discovery is of striking basic significance and of interest in terms of space exploration. 9. Throughout the IGY per iod the sun was kept under watch every minute. One pur pose was the detection of sol ar flares in whose wakes frequently follow important effects in the upper atmos phere. But in addition pho tographs in the light of hy drogen were taken each min ute, and sometimes more of ten. These provide a fabulous record of the history of the sun durilng the IGY period of sunspot maximum. The pro spects of research using this unparalled record seem im mense to astronomers. 10. The successful launch' mg of artifical satellites in the IGY program is a pioneer ing, and historic event. It has ushered in the space age. It will inevitably lead to greatly increased knowledge of the earth and solar system. (Next: What Lies Ahead) Democracy, Communism Take Beatinas in Asia in Past Year Tokyo -UPD- Democracy and communism took beatings in Asia this year as young na tions searched desperately for governments that would work. Democracy went by the bords in Burma, Thailand and Pakistan when military strongmen booted out the poli ticians one after another in a 25-day rash of coups. The gen eral promised to bring stabili ty to their nations, without elected officials around to mess things up. Communism lost ground, too, as a result of two armed flare-ups that left free Asia's nerves badly frayed. One the Indonesian rebel lion - was launched by army officers who feared that Presi dent Sukarno's "guided de mocracy" would guide the What Is The Law? This column is prepared as a public service by the College of Law, Willamette University, Salem, to explain basic legal principles, not to provide legal advice. The reader is cautioned not to apply these cases to his own problems without an attorney's advice, for differing facts may change the outcome. Itible role of this vast contin- Courts Will Not Require An Election Bet To Be Paid In the last election Peter son and Sax bet $100 on the election for governor. They each placed $100 in the hands of Bailey. After the election and before Bailey had turned the money over to the winner, the loser demanded the re turn of his money. Then the winner demanded that Bailey give him the $200. Bailey, the steakholder, does not know what to do. Gambling of this kind is against the public policy of most states. Therefore, the courts will not enforce a gam bling contract and the winner could not go to court and en force the stakeholder to pay him $200 although the courts will usually require the stake holder to return the money, if the loser demands its return before it has been paid over to the winner. Very Big Business There are many states that do not permit betting of this kind but permit certain other kinds of wagers or bets or games of chance. In many states it is legal to bet on horse races or dog races if the betting is done through a legally licensed person or corporation that conducts the races according to certain sta tuatory requirements. In fact, this sort of betting is a very big business in the United States and there are many well-known race tracks that take in millions of dollars per year and the races are tele vised. This race track betting is usually called pari mutuel, a form of betting on horses in which those who bet on the winning horse share the total stakes, less a small per cent to the management. Some, states permit non profit organizations to con duct a game called "Bingo", a form of gambling, in order to raise money. This game has been used by lodges, churches, clubs and other such organizations to raise money. Lotteries have been oper ated on an international basis, the best known one being the Irish Sweepstakes. Often Notorious There are certain cities and countries in which all kinds of betting are permitted and these have often become no torious. In the United States, Nevada is well known for its public policy of permitting gambling in nearly every form. , The advisability of permit ting the various forms of gam bling by state law has long been the subject of debate. The public policy of any state toward gambling is determin ed by the attitude of its cit izens toward the sociological, political end economic aspects of gambling. Is That So? By OLGA BURNS One of the anomalies about Americans and seafood is that with the, billions of , edible mussels we have on both our coasts we eat very few, us ing them mainly for bait or chicken feed. In Europe, how ever, the annual consumpt ion runs into the hundreds of millions of pounds. So why are they unpopu lar here? Probably because of bad press notices. In less turbulent times than these, r . such as back in the 1920s when Congress didn't sit in the summer months and life was less complex, there was little hot news. That meant reporters had to dig up new sources and one of the best was the mussel. During July and August es pecially, a microscopic ani mal, known as dinoflagellate, Gonyaulax, becomes abundant in the ocean. Mussels eat them in vast quantities, and with out ill effects. People, how ever, who eat those mussels at the time get very ill and many of them die. That is true apparently throughout the world in the temperate and frigid zones where mussels live, for the history of the shellfish shows plenty of fatal cases of poisoning from Alas ka to Germany, one in par ticular numbering 100 dead all Russians. Nonetheless, In all fairness to dinoflagellate G., it must be pointed out that a substan tial numoer oi mussel poi soning cases are due to peo ple taking mussels from foul water or from eating mussels that have been kept too long. That is true of clams and oy sters also and does not mean that the mussel is not nor mally as safe to eat as he is good eating. Good Food Value He is nutritious, too, having a food value that is equal to if not greater than any other shell fish. In fact, the mus sel s food value must be one of the reasons why walruses get so big. Mussels are their prinicpal article of diet. The walrus gets them by raking them off the floor of the sea with his long tusks. while some varieties of mussels spend much of their adult lives clinging to rocks. logs or ship bottoms, the ma jority of them are found in huge beds at various depths, some of them being two feet thick, the shellfish piled one on top the other. The area covered by these beds may ex tend for hundreds of acres. How the mussel maintains his position there is by his byssus, the only part not edi ble except the shell. The by ssus is a tuft of filaments that stick out of a gland located in the so-called foot, a fleshy substance by means of which he can creep or propel him self through the water. (Released by McClure News paper Syndicate) Sorry, I simply can't an swer your many friendly let ters individually, but I will be glad to answer letters of general interest through the column. Please address your letters to: Is That So! co Medford Mail Tribune, Box 1069, San Francisco, Calif. strategic archipelago straight to communism. By the end of the year the rebellion was crushed, but so were the Com munists. Reds Back Off The other the Quemoy crisis - was touched off by the Chinese Communists on Aug. 23 with a sudden, brutal ar tillery barrage. The guns are still firing, but not so often now. The Reds clearly have backed off - at least for the time being. Asia's biggest men were around at the end of 1958 but some changes were in the works. 1 India's Prime Minister Neh ru threatened to resign, then changed his mind. Red China's Mao Tsetung did resign from the government effective next March - but he still held supreme power as Communist Party boss. Syngman Rhee (83 years old) and Chiang Kai shek (71) continued to run things in South Korea and Nationalist China respective ly but both have promised to end their careers in 1960. Asia's statesmen covered a lot of mileage in 1958, on both sides of the Bamboo Curtain. North Korea's Kim U Sung visited his Communist com rades, Mao and Ho Chin Minn of North Viet Nam. Cambo dia's premier, Prince Norodon Sihanouk, made a pilgrimage to Peiping after he recognized Red China. But Mao's most important guest was Nikita Khruschev. boss of the So viet Union, who dropped in for a four-day visit to Peiping at the end of July. Japan's Premier Nobusuke Kishi was Asia's busiest host as leading politicians repaid him for his fence - mending swings through Southeast Asia in 1957. Presidents Carlos Garcia of the Philippines, Pajendra Prasad of India and Sularno of Indonesia came to Tokyo, as well as Premiers Tengku Abdul Rahman of Malaya and Souvanna Phou- ma of Laos. Old Feuds Continue Despite the endless wave of goodwill visits, however, some of Asia's oldest feuds re mained simmering in 1958 and a few new ones were tossed into the fire. Japan and South Korea struggled to establish diplo matic relations, but mutual distrust was a barrier. Indo nesia and the Philippines quarreled bitterly during the Sumatra and Celebes rebel lions. Cambodia was at odds with Thailand and South Viet Nam over border problems India and Pakistan growled at one another about Kashmir and the problem of the waters of the Indus River. Red China had trouble with just about everybody. Peiping broke off trade relations with Japan in April and with Ma laya and Singapore In Novem ber. Thailand and South Viet Nam were worried about Com- m u n i s t Chinese subversion and Burma was worried about border incidents. The cold shoulder was more fashionable than the hearty handshake in Asia's diplomtic dealings for 1958, but there were a few items on the credit side. Japan moved closer to mu tual friendship with the Phil ippines, Indonesia and some of the war - ravaged nations of Southeast Asia. The feeling was strong, nowever, xnax Japanese friendship was wel come as long as hard cash went with it. Further Trouble for West on Middle East Said Possible (During Next Year United Press International Teletypesetter circuits now operate in every part of the United States. This device sends news dispatches by wire and, linked to a typesetting machine, automatically sets them in type in newspaper offices. The Declaration of Inde pendence, the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights are installed in the National Archives Exhibition Hall where they were brought from the Library of Congress in December, 1952. Auto laundries in the U.S. will wash about 288 million cars this year. Cairo-flJPD-The West can ex pect further jolts in 1959 from the Middle East, where Unit ed States policy failed in 1958 with the rebellions in Iraq and Lebanon. President Gamal Abdel Nas ser of the United Arab Re public also -faces mounting problems in the year ahead, even though he is still riding high. But, as for Russia, its chanc es for penetrating the Middle East are even more promising than they were in 1958 - a successful year for the Sov iets in this strategic area. The kings still on their thrones Hussein in Jordan, Saud in Saudi Arabia and Id ris in Libya - know that they live at a time when military coups are fashionable in the Middle East. The former rul ers of Iraq, Pakistan and the Sudan found that out in 1958. Trouble also looms for the British, who can look forward to sporadic difficulties from the nationalists in Aden and Yemen and uneasiness in the oil-rich sheikhdoms along the Persian Gulf. Exihibiis Muscle In 1958, the U.S. exhibited its muscle by landing 14,000 troops in Lebanon and keep ing them there until the Leb anese patched up their differ ences. But, at years' end, Ameri can efforts to mend fences with Nasser's brand of nation alism had not yet proved suc cessful. The coming 12 months should show whether the U.S. has any chance of regaining its lost prestige and whether it has any real ex pansion for considering Nas ser as the most effective bar rier to Soviet expansion in the Middle East. Nasser is unchallenged as the Arabs' most popular lead er. He is the symbol of a long ing for power, prestige, unity and more to eat. One of his problems in .1959 will be Syria. The highlight of this last historic year for the Arabs was the formation of the United Arab Republic uniting that country with Egypt - at the Syrians' re quest. Just the same, Nasser has had trouble organizing the UAR along his own lines. De spite the dissolution of politi cal parties, potlicking goes on behind the scenes. Even Com munist leader Khaled Bakh- dash, who fled behind the Iron Curtain after the merger, is back at the old stand in Da mascus. Dam Scheduled In Egypt, construction of the Aswan high -dam is sched uled to begin late in 1959 and the site is being prepared. To build it will be a stiff test of the Egyptian economy in the years ahead. The dramatic decision to go ahead with the dam was an other example of Nasser's re liance on Russia for aid that has not been forthcoming from the West. He proclaims himself a "positive neutralist" who refuses to join either world bloc, and Western dip lomats believe his sincerity, But they fear someday he may accept one Russian gift too many. ' Nasser went to Moscow twice in 1958 - once on an Is Your Child College Material? That depends. By today's standards, he probably is. By standards ten years from now, perhaps not How can that be? Is his I. Q. likely to change? No. But conditions are. Many college classrooms are crowded today. By 1967, ap plications are expected to double. Low salaries are driv ing too many qualified teach ers into other fields. By the time your child reaches eighteen, there may not be any room for him in any college. This is a frightening situa tion. Now is the time to put a stop to it Help the college or university of your choice now. The rewards will be Greater than you think. ff yoo wont o know more about who the college crisis means to urn. writ for a free booklet to: HIGHER EDU CATION, Box 36, Times Square Sta. tion. New York 36. New York. Published as a public service in coopera tion with Tha A d-nert;; Council and the Newspaper Ad vertising Executive Association. elaborate state visit and again in haste and alarm to see Ni kita Khrushchev when Ameri can troops landed in Lebanon Received Promise Nasser's righthand man. Vice-President and War Min ister Abdel Hakim Amer, also went to Moscow and this time he came back with a promise of 400,000,000 rubles to help build the Aswan dam. Many Russians have' visited Egypt. But the real Communist danger in 1959 may be in Ir aq, which poses a threat to Nasser's Arab nationalism as well as to the West. Nasserism was one of the flames that fired Iraq's revo lution on July 14. The crowds chanted Nassers' name and its leaders hailed him as their brother. But things have been going differently since. Premier Kassem has sacked his revolutionary partner, Col. Abdel Salam Aref, the chief supporter of Iraqi unity with the UAR, and has relied 'Mafia Leader' Slayers Sought San Diego, Calif. - (UPD - A knife-wielding blonde and her male companion are being sought in the fatal shoot ing and stabbing of Tony Mir abile, described by police as California Mafia leader. The couple was seen Fri day night as they fled from Mirabile's apartment where he lay dying from several gunshot and knife wounds. They escaped in a late model Cadillac. - A nephew of the dead man Felipe Aquaro, a recent, arrival from Italy who can't speak English told police through an interpreter about the slaying. increasingly on the local Communists. Diplomats say they even hold two high posts in the army. Lebanon will spend 1959 trying to repair the damage of her rebellion. The Lebanese economy, once the most pros perous in the Middle East, suffered a blow from which it may never fully recover. The rebellion started last May against President Camil le Chamoun, a pro-Western but high-handed politician. Also involved were the con flict between the Christian and Moslem halves of the na tion and the increasing lure of Nasser's nationalism for the Moslem portion. But evidence was never produced to prove charges of "massive" UAR in terference. From the rebellion emerged a Lebanon which no longer leans toward the United Stat es. A former rebel leader is premier and Lebanon has re sumed a traditional neutrality tliat is not the same as Nas ser's. Hussein Courageous Elsewhere in the Middle East, 24-year-old King Hus sein of Jordan still sits coura geously on the throne of Jor dan, surrounded by hostile neighbors. He has already out lived many predictions of his imminent fall. But his future is uncertain. In Saudi Arabia, King Saud has been overshadowed by his brother. Crown Prince Faisal, who assumed full powers last March after Nasser's sensa tional charge that Saud tried to assassinate him. Faisal has worked hard to straighten out the country's tangled financ es and has patched matters up with Nasser for the time being. In Libya, King Idris is get ting old - 69. Nasserism is strong among the youth and Our Store Wifl Be CLOSED TOMORROW FOR INVENTORY Open at the Usual Time Wednesday WESTERN AUTO 101 SOUTH RIVERSIDE there are still the traditional differences between the coun try's newly welded halves. There is open speculation that the merger may disintegrate when Idris dies. In the Sudan, forecasts are difficult. Gen. Ibrahim Ab boud and his high command threw the government of Pre mier Abdullah Khalil out of office in a coup against the politicians. But no one knows if younger, more pro-Nasser Monday, December 29. 1931 SA MAIL TRIBUNE, MEDFORD, ORE. nationalist office might someday do the same to Ab-boud. SPECIAL BIG Double Load DRY WOOD McGinly Fuel Co. Phone SP 3-6297 M Vixen's fixln' to join U.S. National's Yo, Christmas Club! $ .50 1 $ 25 W(v . 2.00 100 Y?H vyi 5.00 250 JWm fr 10.00 500 Vtop, Vixen's pre-sold on prepaid Christmas shopping! He's starting now to save a ' little money each week, throughout the year. Come next November, Vixen will receive a Christmas Savings Club check from U. S. National for the entire amount plus interest! Small amounts saved weekly, plus interest, add up to a prepaid Christmas next year. Join U. S. National's Christmas Savings Club ou;lheresaplan for eveiy pocket and purse. 1 eb MEDFORD BRANCH Th United StotM Notlcnol Bank of Portland Mimfctr Ffrof Btpesff fniurane CmperaflM 3 MEMO TO ADVERTISERS E gout of (Circulation Qai In the same way that sterling on silver signifies a standard of known value, so is the A.B.C. em blem a symbol of integrity for the circulation of newspapers and periodicals. It means that circu lation so identified is measured according to the rules and standards of the Audit Bukeau of Circulations The A.B.C. is a cooperative and non-profit association of 3,450 publishers, advertisers and advertising agencies. Organized in 1914, these buyers and sellers of advertising brought order ' out of advertising chaos by setting up standards for paid circulation and establishing rules and methods for measuring, auditing and report ing circulations. Therefore, the work of the A.B.C., of which this newspaper is proud to ue be a member, provides you witn a direct and valuable service. You can buy advertising as you would make any other sound business investment on the basis of well known standards, known values. At regular intervals one of the Bureau's large staff of experienced circulation auditors makes al thorough audit of our circulation records. The' results of this exacting audit show: How much circulation we have; where our circulation goes; how it was obtained; and many other facts that you need in order to know just what you get for your advertising dollars. This audited information is pub lished by the Bureau in easy-to-read A.B.C. reports which are available to our advertisers on request. Ask 01 a copy of our latest A.BrCjreportjj MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE
