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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 25, 1961)
o O oO MEDFORD ML TRIBUNE, MEDFORD, OHEdfeR WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, mi A 3 me Fields and Barbed I'Jire ale Iron Curtain An Ugly Reality Today Vienna - iUPD - The "Iron Curtain" seen close up is more than a politician's phrase -It is an ugly reality. The "Curtain" over much of its length consists of two lines of wire entanglement, mine fields, control strips, sig nal wires, defense ditches and watch towers. Its average width is 550-650 yards. It is found on all boundaries where the eastern Communist satel lites touch the West. The wire entanglement con sists of stretched out barbed wire. The 4-foot-tall posts are set in concrete in the earth 6-8 feet east of the border. A second row of barbed wire is seven feet from the first. Be tween the border marking stones and the wire fence is a path which the Communist border patrols use for their "control" walks. Many of the mine fields were newly sown In 1957 with tread mines which explode with the slightest movement. They are very had to locate, as they are camouflaged with clumps of earth.. Any one of them will explode when dis turbed by a weight as little as six pounds. Where the bor der crosses a lake, the barbed wire continues into, the water. Mines are attached to the permanent buoys. Objective Patterns The mines are planted in the earth in so-called "objec tive patterns." Sometimes they are in three row mosiacs, sometimes in lopsided rows, and sometimes in no discern ible pattern. Every mine field belongs exclusively to the plan of a mile-long border strip. The end of each mine field is marked with white or red flags. Every so often there is a small space of three or four yards between the flags leav ing a narrow exit across the minefield. A taut wire three yards behind the barbed wire marks the limit of the mine field and touching it sets off signal rockets. Next is a narrow field call ed the "silent field" into which only officers are allow ed to enter, and then only in special cases. Patrols enter only when a man has been discovered attempting to flee. East of the "silent field" run the control strips, a part of the Iron Curtain which is kept unsown and carefully raked. Specially trained offi cers are concerned only with reading the traces left in this soft strip of earth. The line of watch towers is the next part of the death strip. Sometimes they are built touching the border of the control strips and other times they are from 50-250 yards away. The distance de pends on the visibility and the contour of the land. The watch tower is eight to ten yards tall-a simple wooden cabin perched on a rickety wooden scaffolding. The watch cabin is outfitted with four small rectangular peep holes, and is surrounded by a narrow balcony. The struc ture, when viewed from afar, looks like a factory whistle stuck in the middle of no where. The border soldier, a mem ber of the state security serv ice, is taught that his enemies -i.e. the "imperialists," "fas cists" and "capitalists" - may approach under the earth and along secret ways in order to snuff out his life and that of his country. Secret Infiltration He learns that although there are no watch towers, no mine fields and no barbed wire on the other side, the "neooles democracies" must be protected from secret infil tration. Thus he iaces ms western neighbor with a real hate and is ready to fire at anyone who comes from there. To protect the actual Iron Curtain from infiltration from 'Sleeping Beauty' Mother Sentenced Cleveland, Ohio - (WD - A judge Tuesday told the mother of the "sleeping beauty" sis ters she was lucky she was not on trial for murder and gave her the maximum sen tence of one year in jail for drugging her daughters into mysterious comas. Juvenile Court Judge Al bert A. Woldman told Mrs. Lillian Fratantonio, 29, one of her daughters almost died in a New- York hospital from drugs she gave the children. Emergency mouth - to - mouth resusitation saver Bernadette, 3, from dying. Woldman said there was no evidence that she was mental ly ill. He accused her of con tinuing to drug the children because she enjoyed the na tionwide publicity surround ing the case. Woldman said Mrs. Fratan tonio, after she began drug ging the girls, Bernadette and Venitc, 8, knew they were undergoing great pain in medical tests such as spine and brain taps but continued giving drugs because of the publicity Q surrounding the either direction, there are Communist patrols of two or three men each. They move along two lines - one next to the cleared con trol strips, the other between the numerous watch towers. Their duty hours are so ar ranged that patrols along the same line meet one another once an hour. If any sort of border violation is discovered, the patrol remains standing and one of the soldiers reports to the watch tower, which contains a telephone with a direct line to the next post. This post can, in turn, call the defense department. The defense department will be notified if as lew as 10 men have been discovered. When the band consists of only two or three it is cause enough to seal the six to 12 mile wide military border. This is done by doubling the patrols, controlling all roads with soldiers and noti fying civil agents and inform ers. Blood hounds are brought into the trouble area and the Iron Curtain becomes an iron belt, completely under mili tary control. Little Chance The intruder (or, as one says in the "peoples democra cies," the "enemy") has little chance of success. His traces, which are impossible to con ceal in the carefully smooth ed control strip, usually will be found by the patrols within the hour. It is hard to find refuge anywhere because nobody knows who is an agent of the secret police. A person feels he is so closely guarded that he wouldn't even risk hiding members of his own family. If the mtrudei escapes the border patrols and astonish ingly many do - he probably will be discovered before get ting too far. Everyone who lives inside the 12 mile border area is given a so-called "border-area pass" which must he renewed every three months and presented for inspection to the local police chief once a month. Grange Notes Central Point Grange The Central Point Grange and friends watched a demon stration of judo before the meeting Friday, Jan. 20. Tom Ball, instructor of Medford, and his team,' which included Lee Garrett, Edwin Stuart, Mike Byrne, and Larry None, presented various types of throws. Ball gave a brief history of judo, and empha sized the point that judo is a safe, relaxing sport for any one of any age. Preceding the demonstra tion, Mr, and Mrs. Arnold Bohnert presented a short skit. Lecturer Dee Hendrick son plans to have other Grange members give skits at each meeting. During the business session, committee reports were dis cussed. One resolution was referred to the resolutions committee for further study, and will be considered at the Feb. 3 meeting. Reports of bills in the state legislature is of importance to Grangers. Mr. and Mrs. Omar Culy of Upper Applegate Grange were visitors. The charter was draped in memory of Fred Sanders, who was a lifetime member of the Central Point Grange, Serving committee for the evening included Mr. and Mrs. Lester Gorden, Mr. and Mrs. Gaston Floux, and Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Keenan. These facts would make it appear that the Iron Curtain is impenetrable. But, as law statutes have holes, so has this system. For example, in a few places, as in Deutschkreute, Austria, the Iron Curtain runs between the houses of the vil lage, turning neighbors into citizens of hostile countries. In Eisenstadt, Austria, the cur tain divides the town grave yard into East and West. There also is a part of the military area which is not mined. This Is a "hole" where trains cross the border into the West, The control here, however, is most careful. At night the trains are lit with floodlights from below, so that nobody can hide between the axles. Every inch of the train is then searched before it crosses the border. There are, however, numer ous cases where flight into the West has been successful. But excepting the cases where the border officers can be bribed (at prices ranging from $1,000 to $5,000), taking a chance on crossing the mine fields safe ly is like playing a game of roulette. And the stakes can go no higher - freedom or death. Memorial Urges Uniform Time Salem - (UPS - Rep. Carl Fisher (R-Eugene) says he is introducing a House joint memorial urrjing Congress to pass legislation for uniform time applicable to all states in their respective time zones. Fisher said all or part of 28 states observe daylight saving time five months out of the year and this disrupts orderly travel, communications and commerce. He said the memerial's pur pose is not to create daylight saving time in Oregon or any other state. "I am merely seeking a means to end what amounts to a national inconvenience for airlines, railroads, travel ers, shippers and any business engaged in interstate com merce, whose livelihood and daily routine is directly af fected by the present lack of u n i formity in designating time." Field Review Set ByBLMon Monday A field review for prospec tive bidders on the west branch of the Elk creek access road project, has been sched uled by the Medford district of the bureau of land man agement for Tuesday, Jan. 31. Persons planning to review the project should be at the Medford office at 7:30 a.m., Tuesday. Invitation for bids on construction of the road are now being accepted by the Portland office of the bureau of public roads. . The road will be 5.33 miles long and will be constructed on a lump-sum basis. An esti mated volume of 1,363,000 board feet of timber ap praised at $33,528 is located on the right of way across BLM lands. An estimated volume of 366,000 board feet of timber appraised at $13,397 is located on the right of way on controverted O and C lands administered by the Rogue River National forest. BOYS CLUB HEAD DIES Palm Beach, Fla.-fflPO-Wii-liam Edwin Hall, 82, New York and Connecticut lawyer and industrialist famed as president of the Boys Club of America, died Monday. TAX RETURNS 2.00 up Save Taxes. Find out your deducts. AH Returns prepared on comparative basis and fifed in accordance with Infernal Revenue Code. Fast Service. OREGON BOOKKEEPING SERVICE 212 Fluhrer Bldg. SP 3-6874 OPEN SATURDAY Till 1 P.M. OREGON'S LARGEST TAX SERVICE Quotes From the News BY UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL Stillwater, Okla, A London telephone operator, after she was connected with a home here instead of one with the same number in Monteal: "Blimey, I've got me the wrong stale," Washington Russian born choreographer George Balan chlne, after having tea with Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy: "She's like a fairy queen . , the beginning of a new inspiration lot the United Stales," Hollywood Eleanor Powell, in announcing her plans for a comeback as a dancer: "My 14-year-old son Peter bet me I couldn't do H, He lhinks I'm still from the horse and buggy era," Chappaqua, N.Y. Tommy Manviile, on learning that his ninth wife is suing him for $1 million: "1 am very discouraged thai she didn't sue me for $5 million," Portland Man To Talk For Senior Citizens J. M. Burk, regional direct or of the National League of Senior Citizens, Portland; will be guest speaker at a meet ing of the league in the old Grants Pass library, Wednes day, Feb. 8, at 2 p.m. The Senior Citizens club, the 4Sers and all other inter ested persons have been in vited to attend. Wall Street Chatter New York-iTO-Many of the technical factors which are sii-'nais for an approaching buying climax have been evi dent for the past week and a correction of sorts would come as no surprise, particularly with the historically bearish month of February close at hand, according to R. E. Buschbaum of W. E. Hutton & Co. He notes that low-priced speculations are now attract ing more attention and are fol lowing in the wake of the so called quality cyclical issues which have dominated the up side since the first of the year. The revived enthusiasm could naturally reach danger ous proportions, Buschbaum says, but for the moment it does not appear to have gotten out of hand. Moody's stock survey sug gests sale of Caterpillar Trac tor, Great Northern Railway, and Joisiis-ManvHle. It also would switch U, S. Pipe & Foundry into Sunray Mid-Continent Oil. Martin Gilbert of Van Aiys iyne, Noel & Co., says he would expect an eventual test of the all-time highs of a year ago, but on the way up, how ever, not only must the 645 area of the Dow-Jones indus trials be penetrated but also the 863 area of that index. These prior tops will provide a strong hurdle to overcome, he says. Tlie weaving of rugs, car pets and tapestry was a sub stantial industry in Egypt as long ago as 1300 B.C. Independent Liechtenstein, a principality between Swit zerland and Austria of 15,000 inhabitants, is mostly agricultural. Missionary To Conduct Services in Phoenix Dick Cochran, missionary from the Near East will con duct a series of evening serv ices at 7:35 p.m. today and tomorrow in the Phoenix First Presbyterian church, the Rev. William A, Saladin has nounced. A potiuck dinner will ha held at 6:15 p.m. Thursday a which Cochran will show films cf the Near East. Ik "liobilheat" America's Largest Selling Heating Od MEDFORD FUEL 00. Court & MeAndrewt Tel. SP 2-2111 JUST smaii deposit will hold your purchase 'tif you are ready for delivery OUR 69th ANNIVERSARY SALE POSITIVELY ENDS SATURDAY at 5:30 HURRY! OUR ONLY STORE-WIDE SALE THIS YEAR! Good Selection Sectional REDUCED UP TO AH Item Cut At Least 10 Except Beauty Rest, Perfect Sleepr and Tentlon Eat Marrrew art if Springs? SALE $ PRICED 199 95 MORE BIG VALUES IN OUR 1 V : r nor aim 2 JM WINDOW! JUST ARRIVED! Large Shipment of Sturdy Unfinished Furniture Many Sizes Chests Desks BookSheiyes Night Stands PRICED LOW! EXTRA SPECIAL! 8-Pe. Living Rm. Group Daveno Matching Chair 2 Step Ind Tables 1 Coffee Table 3 pc. Matched Set of Lamps 2iaife, 1 floor) 2 Sets Only 1 Red 1 Browfl See these! BEDROOM SETS! SALE fRiCEO 8995429S0 OPEN STOCK EASTERN MAPLE By Kemp Co. Sunk Beds Beds Canopy Beds Chests Dressers Over 30 Pieces to Select From ALL SALE PRICED! Mattress Clean-up TWIN BED SET With 6 Drawer Dresser Twin and Full Size! Only Piastre no-mar tops on aif pieces, 28x40 plate mirror, cnarcoa) finish. $ 107 50 look These Overi Many other fine BUYS . , , loo Numerous to mention. SHOP NOW Easy Terms No carrying charges or interest. We carry our own contracts There is no extra charge added to year payments. Shop at Southern Ore gon's oldest established Furniture Store where you find fine quality at lowest prices! WIEIEIKS & . (OMR 114 West Main Phone SP 2-9351 Remember This Sale Ends Sat, at 5:30 O
