Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989, February 25, 1960, Image 1

Historic Oregon Newspapers

Medford mail tribune., February 25, 1960, Image 1

Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR

About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 25, 1960)

Page of 34 Next Prev Issue Next Text PDF JP2 (4.5 MB) Clip/Print Image

Return to Top

Page of 34 Next Prev Issue Next

Newspaper Page TextRogue Valley Edition 54th Year Price 10 Cents Tribune 34 Pages Section A MEDFORD, OREGON, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1960 No. 286 Preps Public Welfare Chairman Says Plan Mentioned Photostatic Copy Of Letter Offered Coos Bay (DPD Robert Straub, chairman of the Ore gon Democratic Central com mittee, charged Wednesday night that Gov. Mark Hatfield had suggested sterilization of unwed mothers on public wel fare. Straub produced a photo static copy of a letter he said was written to J. H. Luihn, chairman of the Public Wel fare commission, dated Oct. 8, 1959, which he said sug gested the plan. Hatfield was not immediate ly available for comment. He was flying from Salt Lake City to Denver today. . In Portland, Luihn would not disclose contents of the letter. However, he said that only a brief reference was made on the proposal and that several plans were proposed by the governor for cutting welfare costs. Straub said the letter sug gested sterilization as "one way to discourage abuse by recipients" of the state wel fare program. Hesitates Making Public Speaking before the candi dates meeting of the Coos County Democratic Central committee, Straub said Hat field also included among other considerations the pos sibility of de-emphasis of the "very highly developed" child welfare program. Straub said Hatfield pro posed vigorous enforcement of the relative responsibility provisions of the welfare law. Straub told the meeting he hesitated to make the letter public, but "because of the seriousness of the sterilization proposal" he felt the public had the right to know. Straub said, "Can you con ceive of such a lack of com passion shown towards mem bers of our society who have already experienced such trouble and unhappiness. "Who does Governor Hat field think he is that he would suggest this shocking proposal to tamper with nature as one of his ideas for saving money? "What offices does Hatfield think he occupies? I can as sure the governor that if he dares to make a request to the next Legislature for legal ...thni-iti, tn imnlpmpnt such auuiviij - t a scheme that he will receive 1 the most decisive repudiation f that any governor of Oregon i. ' lias evci io-cv-ia. Said Above Politics Straub added, "I predict this will happen regardless of which party controls the Leg islature. This is a matter that is above politics. I am sure this thought of Gov. Hatfield"s must be as loathsome to Re publicans as I am sure it is to Democrats." Straub also rapped Hatfield for delays in getting a sprinkl ing system started at the form er tuberculosis hospital in The Dalles. Straub said the improve ments were ordered last May and Hatfield had promised completion by January. Straub said the improvements were still not in. One Appointment Made for Blood Only one appointment had been made this morning for the emergency visit of the Red Cross Bloodmobile at the Jackson county chapter house, 60 Hawthorne ave., tomorrow morning. Red Cross officials said today. No nuota has been set for the visit, but Red Cross of ficials here expressed hope of a good turnout 01 wauc-in Hnnnrs to helD meet the states need of 600 pints of blood. Hours for tomorrow's visit are between 10 ajn. and 1 p.m. The emergency for blood developed when soldiers at Ft T.pwis. Wash., where nor mally 150 pints are collected daily, went on a lour-aay maneuver. s Storm al Charge . jZi,, ,i S. ' A "Vv JACK HOFFBUHR PATRICIA NOVAK Winners of Elks Scholarships Med ford, Phoenix Seniors Win Elks Lodge Scholarships Miss Patricia Novak, a sen ior at Medford High school, and Jack Hoffbuhr, a senior at Phoenix High school, are winners of Elks lodge scholar ships, Exalted Ruler William E. Ruck, has announced. Miss Novak is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred J. Nov ak, 429 North Holly st, Med ford, and Hoffbuhr is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Hoff buhr, 555 Murphy rd., Bed ford. Candidates for the Elks scholarship are judged on scholarship, financial need, extra curricular and out of school activities, personality and leadership, and perserver ance and resoucefulness. Second Place Winner Second place winners were Miss Alice Thompson, Crater High school, Central Point, and Robert Hamilton, Med ford High school. Honorable mention went to Miss Joyce Hunter, Phoenix; Miss Mary Gregg, Eagle Point High Shop Destroyed by Fire at While City Central Point A small shop building behind the Rob ert Nelson home, 214 Adjax st., in the White City area was almost completely destroyed by fire yesterday evening, ac cording to Central Point rural firemen. The blaze was confined to the shop and was thought to have started from a heating stove. Alarm was given about 8:10 p.m. The fire occurred on a rural fire district drill and about 17 volunteers answered the call Washington-OJPD-The House Public Works committee has approved a bill designating Detroit dam in Oregon as Douglas McKay dam. Today's Young People Should Belike 'Adamantine Today's young people should be like John Milton's "adamantine chain," a link between the past and the fu ture, Thomas Vaughan told approximately 3 7 5 persons who attended the Student Government Day banquet at the Elks' temple last night. When they are made aware of the past, they then acquire a sense of responsibility for the future and transmit what they have learned forward, he said. One of the things that youths are receiving from the past today, according to Vaughan, is a personal, indi vidual, and at the same time collective, government, which, because of them, will go on with meaning for many years to come. Vaughan, director of the Oregon Historical Society and past member of the state cen tennial commission, paid trib ute both to the students par ticipating in the 12th annual Student Government Day and to the City of Medford on the 75th anniversary of its city charter. school; D u a n e Anderson, Eagle Point; William Anhorn, Crater High school; and Don ald Davy, St. Mary's High school, Medford. Winners of the local schol arship will be submitted for consideration in the district event, which includes lodges in Coos Bay, Coquille, Brook ings, Roseburg, Myrtle Creek, Grants Pass, Ashland, Kla- maths Falls and Lakeview. District winners will compete for a state scholarship. Marvin F. Trautman is chairman of the Medford Elks youth activities committee, which was in charge of the contest. Active in Organizations Miss Novak has been active in many high school organ izations, both here and in Woodlake (Calif.) Union High school, which she attended prior to moving here. She has been active in science club, the band, Future Homemak ers of America, Torch Honor Society, Bi Phy Chem, and has participated in 4-H work, including being a junior lead er, and in Sunday School and church activities. Hoffbuhr, a member of the National Honor Society, was elected the most valuable player in football at Phoenix last fall, was a member of the state champion debate team, and has been active in Future Farmers of America activities. He was selected to attend the Junior Engineers' and Scien tists' Summer Institute in 1958, and has been active in church and other activities. Judges for the contest this year were Don Hansen, and Past Eaxlted Rulers Dick Woodcock, Carl Norris, Mur ray Gardiner and Frank Van Pelt. Winners last year were Miss Elaine Kroon, Crater High school, and Bob Pond, Med ford High school. Chain', Vaughan Notes He said the Elk's club and the community itself are to be commended for the program which has gained national reknown for Medford and Jackson county. Seth Bullis, who is in charge of the city's charter anniversary celebration, and Earl Gaddis, the oldest living former Mayor of Medford (1919-1930), were introduced at the dinner by the master of ceremonies, Councilman Jim my Dunlevy. Bullis and Gaddis cut a large birthday cake for Med ford and passed out pieces to everyone attending last night's banquet. Mayor John Snider and County Judge Earl Miller both said a few words and intro duced their student counter parts, Pat McLaughlin and Bob Gardiner, respectively. The 85 students who are participating in the program, for the purpose of gaining direct knowledge of how local government operates, register ed and were administered the ed Spokesman for Governor Claims Charge 'Untruth' 'Same Old Gimmick Assistant Declares Salem - (UPD - A spokesman for Gov. Mark Hatfield de clared today that a claim by state Democrat party Chair man Robert Straub that Hat field suggested sterilization of unwed mothers on the wel fare rolls "is a complete un truth and distortion." Warne Nunn, the gover nor's administrative assistant, said "there was no such 'pro- Denver -anD- Gov. Mark Hatfield of Oregon said to day a charge by Oregon Democratic Chairman Rob ert Straub that Hatfield ad vocated sterilization of un wed mothers on welfare "is a false, distorted statement." Hatfield said, "I have not advocated it but I have dis cussed it with the Welfare Commission." posal. The governor has nev er at any time proposed to the welfare commission a plan for sterilization of un wed mothers." Topic Discussed He confirmed, however, that the topic had been "dis cussed" at a meeting last-fall. Nunn said he talked this morning with Welfare Com mission Chairman J. H. Luihn," who recalled "that " "it was mentioned in passing, as a review of what had. been discussed by others around the state. But it certainly did not take the form of a recom mendation.'?" Nunn said "it's the same old gimmick of taking some thing out of context." He termed Straub's making the letter public "political she nanigans in the night." 'Outline of Matters' In the Oct. 9, 1959, letter from Hatfield to Luihn, the governor said it constituted "an outline of matters which I felt were of major concern." The letter followed the meet ing with the commission. The outline was broken down into four parts and under a sub-heading in the third item was: "What can be done to discourage abuse by recipients of the system of welfare programs." Four Subsections Under this heading were four subsections: "(1) Sterilization of unwed mothers. (2) Statement on back of welfare check. (3) Vigorous enforcement of relative responsibility pro visions. (4) Program of public works - Perhaps on a volun tary basis, then caseworkers could focus attention on free loaders, weeding them out when justifiable." oaths of their respective of fices yesterday afternoon. The students will meet with the officials whose places they are taking and visit points of interest in the city and county today. Tonight at 7:30 p.m. the student councilmen and wom en will conduct a city council meeting in the council cham bers at the city hall. Elks Exalted Ruler William E. Ruck said last night the Elks shared pride with the community in this student program and gave the Elks, appreciation to the city and county officials and the schools for their cooperation which has made student gov ernment day possible. He said the program is a great educational activity but its actual success depends on the students themselves who must put forth the work and energy necessary to get some thing out of it. The Rev. John Ilg, Sacred Heart church, gave the invo cation and benediction at the banquet. ROBERT Y. THORNTON '. . . a Forthright Campaign' Salem -(UPD- Attorney Gen eral Robert Y. Thornton an nounced today he will seek election to a third term. He said he will "actively cam paign" for the Democratic nomination in the May 20 pri mary election. Thornton said he expects "to make a forth right campaign to keep the office of attorney general strong and independent, elect ed by and responsible to the people rather than appointed by the governor." Short Weight on Pre-Packaged Meats Charged Salem-(UPI)-The Oregon De partment of Agriculture said today that short weight pre packaged meats have been uncovered the past month in a number of Portland mar kets and court complaints have been filed against seven retailers. O. K. Beals, chief of the Department's division of foods and dairies, weights and measures, said this was the first such meat check made by the state in Portland. Checking of package meats outside Portland has - been conducted intermittently since 1956, he said. Beais said 870 of the 1,950 test weights made at 50 Port land retail meat counters the past month ranged from one fourth to two ounces under the net weight on which con sumer prices should be based. Overcharges Claimed He declared that in some of the cases where complaints were filed, overcharges rang ed from six to 10 cents per package. Milan Gilman of the divi sion, who actually checked the Portland meats, said he found correct net weight la bels on 52 per cent of 1,010 packages tested. Three per cent of the packages were overweight from one-fourth to one-half ounce. .Beals said "what is happen ing in most instances is that the price is based on the gross weight, which includes the tray or cardboard and cello phane used in wrapping." He estimated that in some markets, short weights cost the consumers "conservative ly $25 to S40 a day in collec tive pennies, nickels and dimes. Committee Favors Federal Building The House public works committee yesterday author ized construction of a new federal building in Medford, according to Representative Charles O. Porter. Porter said the bill now goes to the independent of fices subcommittee of the committee on appropriations of the House. If the proposal is approved by the subcom mittee. the general services administration can proceed with construction, according to Porter's office. It has al ready received Senate com mittee approval. Previously, the GSA rec ommended to the public works committees of both the House and Senate that a new federal office building be con structed here. Cost of the building, in eluding site, design and con struction, is estimated at $2, 365,000 by the GSA. It would contain 81,700 square, feet of gross floor area. The building would house the post office and provide space for the de-partment of agriculture, defense, health, education and welfare, jus tice, labor and treasury, the civil service commission, the housing and home finance agency, selective service and veterans administration. Medford Police Investigate Death Of T. E. Semisch Three Possibilities Noted by Officers Medford police are investi gating the puzzling death of a 54-year-old laundry truck driver who was killed by two pistol shots at his home yes terday afternoon. The victim, Theodore El mer Semisch, 1051 West 13th st., was found by city police lying lifeless, face down on the floor of his home, at 1:13 p.m. Two .45 caliber bullet wounds were in his chest and stomach. Police say the death may have been a suicide, an acci dent, or a murder, and are investigating all three possi bilities. They were notified of the shooting by Dale Robert Wal- termire, a Medford Ambu lance Service driver, who in turn was notified by a tele phone operator. The operator later told police that a man called about 1 o'clock and said nothing more than "get me an ambulance please. Not Excited She said the man did not sound excited but dropped the phone after he spoke. The operator notified her super visors who called the ambu lance service and listened in on the open connection until police arrived at the scene. They told police that they heard some heavy breathing for a while, but then it stopped. They also remem bered hearing some "squeak ing" noises, but nothing else, they said. A missing $500 is an added puzzle in the case, police said. Semisch reportedly drew $350 out of the bank about 11:30 a.m. and was seen to have another $150 on his per son. But police were unable to find the money on Se misch's body or in his home. A doctor - arrived - at 1:27 p.m. and pronounced Semisch dead as soon as he saw him. Also Investigating Sheriff's deputies and the district attorney are also in vestigating the death. Police found the death wea pon, a .45 caliber English Webley pistol, lying on a nearby table, with a leather holster and belt, a screw driver, pliers and oil can. These items, they said, indi cated that Semisch was clean ing or repairing his gun be fore his death. There were four unfired shells still in the revolver, they said. They further noted that the two bullets had been fired from the first and third chambers of the gun, skipping the bullet in the second cham ber. They do not know how this occurred, they said. Although there was a lot of blood on the table and floor there was nothing to indicate any kind of a struggle, they said. The front door was locked and the back door un locked. In Good Mood A neighbor, Norma Jean Kahl, 529 Hamilton st., told police that Semisch came home about 12:30 p.m. and brought her some bones for her dog. She told police he appeared to be in a good mood and even joked with her about mowing his lawn. Neither Norma Kahl nor any of the other neighbors heard the shots nor saw any one else besides the victim near his home. Semisch's wife was work ing as a nurse at the Rogue Valley Memorial hospital at the time of her husband's death and knew nothing about it until police con tacted her. She could give police no reason why he might have killed himself or why he might have been murdered, they said. According to an autopsy, one of the bullets entered his stomach, passed through his kidney and out of his back. The other bullet went through his chest, clipping one of the main veins of his heart and also passed out his back. Doctors Report Doctors said that neither of the wounds should have caused instantaneous death, police reported. One of the bullets must have struck Semisch while he was sitting in a chair, po lice said, because there was a bullet hole through the back of a chair, in which he was probably sitting. Both bullets were recovered, they added. Semisch had lived in Med ford for a number of years and drove a laundry truck for Reliable Cleaners, 1826 West Main st. Police do not know of any survivors other than his wife. IKE'S GREETING RETURNED A young back to President Eisenhower during a pa Brazilian woman, braving rain without an rade through Sao Paulo, Brazil, today, umbrella, runs out into the street to wave (UPI Radiotelephoto) Thousands Ireet Ike's Arrival in Sao Paulo Sao Paulo, Brazil (UPD President Eisenhower re ceived the largest and most enthusiastic welcome of his South American trip in this sprawling industrial city to day. 1 Hundreds of ..thousands ..of workers, their families and shrill, flag - waving school children braved a soaking rain and cheered Eisenhower as he rode through the city in a triumphal procession from the airport to the Governor's Palace. Left Undaunted The rain left Eisenhower undaunted. He merely pulled on his plastic raincoat and dark fedora and remained on his feet in the open section of his bubbletop limousine, wav- Morse Endorsed by Josephine Demos Sen. Wayne Morse was unanimously endorsed for president on the Democratic ticket in a resolution passed last meeting by the Josephine County Democratic Central committee in Grants Pass. The action is the only such action taken in southern Ore gon for Morse by a Demo cratic Central committee. Pe titions for Morse have receiv ed more than 200 signatures in Josephine county. In Jackson county, Morse's presidential candidacy peti tions received nearly 300 sig natures, which are part of the 7,000 signatures received throughout the state. The campaign for Morse in Josephine County was han dled by Cliff Driscoll, chair man of the Josephine County Democratic Central commit tee. In Jackson County, Bruce Manley, local attorney with offices in the Leverett build ing, is chairman of the Morse for President committee. Retail Clerks Vote For AFL-CIO Union Grocery clerks in Ashland, Medford and Grants Pass yes terday voted 96 to 79 to affili ate with the Retail Clerks Un ion, AFL-CIO, dropping their bargaining represe n t a t i o n through the Teamsters Union, Local 962, Medford. Elections were held yester day in grocery stores by the national labor relations board. Retail Clerks Union repre sentatives said there were 220 eligible voters, and three of the 178 votes cast were against representation by ei ther union. The Teamsters Union has 10 days in which to file a protest to the election with the NLRB, Portland. Retail Clerks officials are planning an election next week to name a negotiating committee ing constantly for 40 minutes through one heavy shower af ter another as the yelling crowds dumped rainbow-tinted clouds of confetti and ser pentine tape on his car. Eisenhower flew into this super-modern city, sometimes called the Chicago of Brazil, aboard the propeller - driven Columbine III plane' this morning from Rio de Janeiro, News Briefs Washington - (IPD - The Armed Services Committee today approved authoriza tion of $56,000 for naval reserve training facilities in Medford, Ore., according to Rep. Walter Norblad (R Ore.). Rio de Janeiro, Brazil-(BPU-A U.S. Navy transport plane carrying Navy bands men to a reception sponsor ed by President Eisenhower collided over Rio with a Brazilian commercial air liner today, killing at least 61 of the 70 persons aboard both planes. Washington - (IPD - The nation's living costs de clined for the second month in a row to the lowest level since last September, the government announced to day. Lower prices for cloth ing, eggs, meat and new cars contributed to a drop of one-tenth of 1 per cent in the Labor Department's consumer price index. Salem-(UPD-Victor D. Wolfe, chief locating engineer for the State Highway Depart ment, has been named admin istrative assistant to State Highway Engineer W. C. Wil liams effective March 1. Camp White To Become White City The name of the post office at Camp White will be chang ed to White City, Ore., effec tive April 1, Congressman Walter Norblad (R-Ore.) noti fied the Mail Tribune this week. Congressman Norblad last month made the recommenda tion to the post office depart ment. He noted that during the past several .years resi dents have been referring to the vicinity as White City. . In addition to the majority of the businesses using the White City address, the tele phone listings also designate White City. Norblad said that the name change would help eliminate confusion in long distance telephone calls and the incon venience of having mail re V i where he had received i somewhat smaller and less spectacular welcome Wednes day. General Holiday Heavily industrialized Sao Paulo proclaimed this a gen eral holiday. With most of the factories shut down, workers by the hundreds of thousands spilled into the rain-soaked streets to cheer their Ameri can visitor. Eisenhower planned a five hour stay in Sao Paulo, the third stop in Brazil in as many days. He landed in Brasilia, the new capital, Tuesday. When he stepped from his plane here, the President was greeted by Gov. Carlos Al berto Carvalho Pinto, Mayor Adhemar De Barros, U. S. Consul General William P. Cochran and high church of- ficials. Bus Leaves Road Near Crescent City Crescent City, Calif.-OT-A Greyhound Lines bus crash ed down a 50-foot embank ment 35 miles northeast of here today and early reports said eight or nine persons were injured. The accident occurred on Highway 199 about two miles east of the community of Idle wild. WEATHER FORECAST: Partly cloudy to night and Friday. Colder to. night. Low tonight 25. High Fri day 47. Temp. Highest Yesterday . 57 Lowest this Morning 41 Prec. to 10 a.m. Today, Trace Our Skies Tonight Sunset today 5:55 p.m. Sunrise tomorrow 6:53 a.m. Moonrise tomorrow 6:44 a.m. New Moon Feb. 26 PROMINEVT STAR Alphard, due south .11:16 p.m. This is the brightest star of the constellation. Hydra. Hydra extends eastward and south ward from Alphard more than one hundred degrees. Post Office turned to senders since White City is not listed in any post office directory. The name Camp White orig inated during the early days of World War II, when a train ing camp was established there and named after Maj. Gen. George A. White, com mander of the 41st National Guard division. Later, the same name .was applied to the Veterans Ad ministration domiciliary cen ter which uses the hospital facilities of the former Army camp. The "White City- name grew up as a separate desig nation to describe the indus trial area established nearby, and has since been in general usage for the entire area, aside from the domiciliary.