G3
STATEHoHIsj
Gov. Mark Hatfield's knockdown-drag-out
fight with the
State Public Welfare Com
mission has burst upon the
Oregon Legislature and the
public - as predicted in this
column two weeks ago.
Much is at stake in the out
come of this very serious dis
pute. Proud and powerful men
have taken public positions
from which it will be difficult
to retreat.
Of these, the governor, who
made known his wish to get
rid of four members of the
commission (who have refused
to resign) at the same time he
announced his "definite" in
tention to run for reelection
nftt year, hns the most to
gain - or lose.
His decision to condemn
Oregon's welfare administra
tion at a time when many
Oregonians are "on welfare,"
appears to be a calculated risk
designed mainly to get the
public stirred up in favor of
Hatfield's government reor
ganization plan which is now
in -the hands of the legislators.
The governor's appeal to
the public to rally to his sup
port came in a press release
at the end of the Legislature's
third week. It includes the
following paragraph:
"I call upon all citizens who
have knowledge of welfare
abuses to contact their legis
lators, the Speaker of the
House or the President of the
Senate. I believe the Legisla
ture is the only place correc
tions can be achieved in view
of the present administrative
chaos and the shackles on the
Governor."
This poignant picture of the
governor in shackles sur
rounded by administrative
chaos contains some back
ground color which may ex
plain why the chief executive
of a sovereign state feels he
must resort to such dramatics
in order to win over the first
major threat to his heretofore
almost unchallenged position.
Here are some angles to
help clarify a muddied situa
tion: 1. Governor Hatfield's plan
for reorganization of Oregon's
government from a system of
semi-independent boards and
commissions (loosely coordi
nated within the executive de
partment) to a system of cabi
net officers dominated by a
strong chief executive, is one
of the major issues before this
Legislature.
2. Support for much of the
Hatfield plan already has
come from the top Democratic
leadership including former
Gov. Robert D. Holmes, House
Speaker Robert B. Duncan,
former Senate President Wal
ter Pearson, Democratic State
Chairman Robert Straub, Sen.
Alfred Corbett, and others.
3. Opposition to some key
points in the Hatfield plan is
being heard from some of the
top Republican leadership, in
cluding State Treasurer How
ard Celton, Secretary of State
Howell Appling, and others.
4. The Democrats' challenge
to Hatfield to round up Re
publican support for the Re
publican governor's own pro
gram is an embarrassment, es
pecially when the Legislature
is controlled by Democrats
and only as much of Hatfield's
own program will pass as the
Democrats allow to pass.
3. Rather than have his re
organization plan remain at
the mercy of the Democrats
and Republican legislators
who are under pressure from
both sides, it would be much
more expedient and politic if
the governor could arouse
great public interest in and
support of his program. The
most stubborn lawmaker will
tremble before an avalanche
WITH MEDFORD TRADE IS MEDFORD MADE
Counsel With . . .
Mr. Insurance Fred Brennan
f '.ft" ;
Fred R. Brennan, C.I.A.
MEDFORD INSURANCE
Agency
PHONE SP 3-7343
27 North Holiy Street
By
Marguerite W. Wright
o
of lettefc from his constitu
ents! o o
6. But it is hard to get peo
ple excited about something
that seems so far away from
homers the dimly-understooS
governmental set-up. The av
erage Oregon citizen is about
as much concerned about the
bureaucratic organization of
his government as the average
soldier is concerned about the
chain of command at the Pen
tagon; it all seems too remote
and impersonal. At that dis
tance, who knows, the good
guys from the bad?
7. The welfare commission,
whoever its members may be,
is not a popular image. Hard
working citizens usually bear
an instinctive resentment at
having their tax money used
to support other people who
are not working - regardless
of the reason for such unem
ployment, whether they be a
depressed economy, illness,
old age, or sheer perversity
and laziness. It dies hard: the
old unreasoning suspicion that
poverty is a sin and unem
ployment is a result of lack of
initiative and hard work by
the unemployed. This feeling
of resentment is easily trans
ferred to welfare workers, so
cial workers, and other "do-
gooders." Hence, "nobody
likes the welfare commission."
Hence, he who criticizes the
welfare commission has a
good chance of getting auto
matic support from the pub
li (Welfare recipients are not
li.. :ly to come to the defense
of the hand that feeds them.)
8. Time and again, the gov
ernor and his staff have indi
cated that the problem with
the welfare commission is an
example of "what is wrong"
with the whole present gov
ernmental board-and-commis-sion
system which Hatfield
wants changed.
9. Once people have accept
ed the idea that the welfare
commission is at fault for
everything, it will be fairly
easy to accept the idea that
the governor s plan is right.
10. And if the public re
sponds to the governor's plea
to "do something about" the
welfare situation by applying
pressure on the Legislature,
the battle may be half over.
This, admittedly an over
simplification of an extreme
ly complex situation, explains
why saner heads among the
legislators fear that the wel
fare commission duel may en
danger basically desirable gov
ernment reorganization legis
lation by bringing in raw,
tough politics.
However, the blow-up was
bound to happen, and perhaps
it is better for the public to
know what it's all about than
to remain in the dark while
wrangling continues behind
the scenes, as it has for
months.
Welfare commission mem
bers whom the governor said
he had asked to resign (all
four appointees of ex-Gov.
Holmes and three of them
Democrats), express ed
"shock" at the headlines.
Three of them said it was all
news to them! All of them in
dicated they had no intentions
of resigning. (They can't be
fired except for "cause
which might lead to court
tangles.)
Governor Hatfield said their
basic disagreement was over
"welfare philosophy." Com
mission members said they
had never been adequately in
formed about the governor's
welfare philosophy. They said
they didn't know what he
wanted them to do.
There has been a break
down in communications, one
member said, meaning there
has been no direct contact be
tween the governor and the
BUY LOCACIY! KEEP
PROFITS AT HOMEI
Even if we hove a sharp
upturn in the economy, it
behooves all of us to buy
from local merchants, and
as many products of local
processors as are avail
able. This vill support
more local payrollsl
Insure with
MEDFORD
Five-Year Plan
For Teachers Hit
Salem - (UPU Rep. Carroll
Howe (R-Klamath Falls) said
Monday HB 1056 that would
require a five-year training
period for elementary teach
ers would result in discourag
ing youngsters from middle
and low income families from
entering the teaching pro
fession. This would add to the
present shortage of grade
school teachers, he said, and
also create a number of "sub
standard" certificates now in
the hands of present elemen
tary teachers.
-commission in months. Com
mission members did not feel
that contact with Hatfield's
underlings was a satisfactory
substitute for a real under
standing with the governor
himself.
An illustration of the lack
of understanding is that both
sides (governor and commis
sion members) claim credit
for originating certain pro
grams which have proved
popular with the public.
One is the program to give
county jobs (cleaning up road
sides, etc.) to able-bodied wel
fare recipients. Hatfield said
he wanted this program but
that the commission "dragged
its heels" in putting it into
effect.
According to the minutes of
commission meetings, the
work program was proposed
at a meeting June 26, 1959, by
Commissioner Gerson Gold
smith (one of those Hatfield
wants to get rid of). The com
mission sent out "neutral" let
ters to county welfare depart
ments about this program, giv
ing both advantages and dis
advantages as revealed in
other states, and left the de
cision of going ahead with the
counties.
Some counties did go ahead.
The governor says the
"work projects were under
taken only after my insist
ence." Hatfield also says he spark
ed the move to get federal sur
plus food to needy Oregon
families. On Jan. 13, this
year, a Portland paper quoted
the governor as saying the
welfare commission had
thrown up "road blocks" in
the way of distributing surplus-
foods. Yet, the commis
sion's records say that the
first word from the governor
to the commission in regard to
the surplus food program was
a letter dated Jan. 17, 1061,
written by the governor after
U.S. Rep. Edith Green said
she was disturbed that Ore
gon wasn't using surplus food
for welfare recipients.
Wherever the truth may lie,
the main fact now is that both
work programs and surplus
tooa distribution are the com
ing thing in Oregon. Food,
such as butter, corn meal,
flour, dried milk and rice,
will be brought to Portland
at the federal government's
expense and then transported
around the state at the coun
ties expense.
Cost estimates of distribu
tion (including handling, pack
aging, record-keeping, etc.)
vary from less than one per
cent of the wholesale value of
the food up to 10 per cent
depending upon figures from
different states. It's possible
that the distribution work
could be part of the welfare
"work for relief" program, es
pecially if women come under
that program, or that volun
teer agencies may aid in food
distribution.
Surplus food cannot be used
as a substitute for welfare
food allotments already made
it is a supplement or addition
to such allotments. That means
that many Oregon children
who now are not getting an
adequate diet for health and
growth, because welfare al
lowances have not been in
creased enougn to meet ris
ing costs of food, will have a
chance to get more and better
food.
Th'e reason food allowances
were not increased per famrly
is because the number of fam
ilies needing welfare aid in
creased; there was only so
much money to go around and
it had to be spread out thin
ner. A rise in unemployment
in Oregon has meant that
those already on welfare have
to tighten their belts still fur
ther.
(This situation is another
issue between the governor
and the commission. The gov
ernor favors a "closed-end'
welfare budget which limits
the amount of money avail
able; the commission favors an
"open-end" budget which
maintains certain minimum
standards of aid and allot
ments, regardless of the in
crease in welfare cases.)
Commission memoers are
worried that publicity about
this intra - goOrnmental dis
pute will harm Oregon's en
tire welfare program, as well
as seriously hurt morale Oi
the understated and under
paid welfare department.
Governor Hatfield says, "A
democracy functions best
when its citizenry is alert to
abuses, violations and miscar
riages of justice. . . . Know!
edge of these instances must
be made known to responsible
officials who will have the
courage to act.
MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD,
Bills Approved
By Senate, House
Salem -IUPD- Measures ap
proved Monday:
By the Senate-
SB59-Sen. Yturri and oth
ers; making three volumes of
Oregon law dupli.ue origi
nals.
SB135 - Oregon employees
association; retirement.
SB154 - Public employees
retirement system - rights of
beneficiaries.
SCR2 - Legislative rules.
By the House -
HB1053 - Rep. Van Hoomis
sen; penalties for false swear
ing. HB1062 - Rep. Layman;
business names.
HB1112 - Rep. Whelan; con
tracting by port of Portland.
Signed by the governor -
HB2001 - Finance depart
ment allotments.
Banker's Daughter
Awaiting Sentence
Sioux City, Iowa - IUP1I -Mrs.
Burnice Geiger, 58, con
fessed embezzler of more than
S2 million, calmly pleaded
guilty Monday to 35 counts of
embezzling funds from her
father's bank.
The banker's daughter,
speaking in a clear, distinct
voice, solemnly replied "guil
ty" 35 times as federal Dist.
Atty. F. E. Van Alstine read
off the list of charges.
Sentence was delayed pend
ing investigation and Mrs.
Geiger was returned to the
Woodbury County jail where
she has been held since Jan.
16, steadfastly refusing to post
the $10,000 bond under which
she was held.
She could be sentenced to a
175-year prison term since
each count carries a maximum
penalty of 5 years in prison, a
$5,000 fine or both.
4-H News
The Griffin Creek Dairy
club held its first meeting Jan.
26, at the home of the leader,
Ed Goodwin.
The meeting was called to
order by President Marthanne
Goodwin. We elected officers.
They are president, Marthan
ne Goodwin; vice president,
Steve Clark; secretary and re
porter, Margaret Goodwin
and junior leader, Peppi
Clark .We set goals for the
coming year.
The meeting was adjourned
and refreshments were served.
The next meeting will be
held at the home of Peppi
Clark on Madrona lane, Feb
9, at 7:30 p.m.
Margaret Goodwin,
Reporter ,
Phoenix SaddlcR'es
The . Phoenix Saddlelites
4-H club held an executive
board meeting at the home of
Verna Adams in Griffin Creek
recently.
Plans were discussed for
the meetings in 1961. The new
leader, Gale Hammond, at
tended, as did her advisor,
Sharkey Anderson of Phoe
nix. Other officers for the new
year include Verna Adams,
Griffin Creek, president; John
Hughes, Medford, vice presi
dent; Donna Welch, Jackson
ville, secretary; Sue Griffin,
Jacksonville, reporter; and
Chris Prentice, Medford, jun
ior leader.
All members are urged to
attend the next regular meet
ing Thursday, Feb. 2, at 7:30
p.m. at Verna Adams' resi
dence. Sue Griffin,
Reporter
Applegale Sheep
The third meeting of the
Applegate Sheep club met re
cently at the home of C. H.
Elmore for the 1901 club year.
Officers were elected and
Mr. Elmore demonstrated how
to check sheep wool. The
meeting was closed and re
freshments were served by
Mrs. Elmore.
Mary Petrie,
Reporter
Desert Pegasus
The Eagle Point Desert Pe
gasus Horse club will sponsor
a film at the Eagle Point Ag
riculture building Saturday,
Feb. 4, at 7:30 p.m.
The event, open to the pub
lic, will include films pertain
ing to horse club members.
A short business meeting
will be held first.
Lauramay Noble,
Reporter
Grange News
Phoenix Grange
At the regular meeting of
Phoenix Grange, Jan. 24,
plans were discussed for a
ham dinner to be held April
23.
Lloyd Whiteride was at the
master's station during the ab
sence Of Master and Mrs.
Lloyd Lacy, who were unable
to attend due to the recent
death of Mrs. Lacy's mother.
Mrs. Olin Poe was in charge
of the lecturer's program with
readings and singing for the
entertainment.
On the serving committee
were Mr. and Mrs. Clarence
Hunter and Mr. and Mrs.
Charles Hockcrsmlth.
i
ORE.
Prior Unmet Needs in County
Being Met, Inter-Agency Told
Many of the 11 needs unmet
in Jackson county in 1958,
when the Jackson County
Inter-Agency Council was es
tablished, have been met or
are being met, Mrs. Laura
Porter, council chairman, re
ported at the group's annual
meeting recently.
Representatives of 18 organ
izations attended the meeting,
at which a program for the
year was outlined.
Mrs. Porter reviewed the
history of the Council, noting
that it was established in 1958
in an effort to acquaint or
ganizations with the limita
tions and policies of various
agencies to promote intelli
gent referral and counselling
of persons needing assistance
and guidance.
The Council, she said, is in
the process of revising its di
rectory of social welfare serv
ices, which was first publish-
SEEK SUDAN ACCESS
Moscow - lllfll - Russia has
asked Sudanese Premier Ibra
him Abboud for permission to
send food, medicine, and 20
trucks through Sudan to the
pro-Lumuniba areas of The
Congo, the Soviet news agen
cy Tass reported today.
(
One (out of 647,700) of Oregon's wage
about Oregon. But while you're
sweet-talking new industry into the state,
let's don't forget our Oregon job-makers like
the guys I work for. Why dontcha' run an ad saluting
my company? Look, in just 12 short years, we've.. "
OK, OK, OK-don't gel excited! Wc under
stand how you feel and we auree. After all, wc
employ a few (6,087) people ourselves, and
we've been Oregonians since Lewis and Clark.
We'd be daft lo suggest that anyone forget
the job-makers who arc already here. We agree
that the first csscnli.il to growth is to "start
with what you have." Attracting new industries
(and new people) is important because it brings
cd after the Council was or
ganized. Financing for pub
lishing the revised edition is
being sought, sue added.
Reviews Unmet Needs
Mrs. Porter reviewed the 11
unmet needs in the county
in 1958 They included lack
of financial support for exist
ing social services; a need for
medical care Jor marginally
indigent persons not eligible
for help from welfare or vet
erans' benefits; a need for a
qualified person to collect in
formation about needy per
sons relevant to Christmas
basket distribution, and giv
ing by groups in the area;
and the need for special serv
ices for children.
Other unmet needs in 1059
included a lack of a travelers'
aid agency; lack of a substan
tial winler payroll and social
problems relating lo the com
munity economy; a need for
vocational training facility for
young people with appren
ticeship opportunity with com
pensation; a need for city or
county park and year-round
recreation program; a need
for cooperation between em
ployers of migratory workers
and the community to help
seasonal workers find a sat
isfactory life here and to help
the community accept them;
a need for greater rehabilita
J-'T
tion program and facilities for
physically disabled persons
not taken care of by existing
programs; and the need for
a family counselling service.
Mrs. Porter pointed out that
since the list was drawn up,
many of the needs have been,
or are being, met.
Lindsay Vinsel. director of
adult education for the Med
ford public schools, reviewed
the vocational training pro
gram conducted by the school,
and Capt. William Ricken of
the Salvation Army explained
the Christmas bureau project
handled by the . Salvation
Army, the public welfare com
mission and the Red Cross.
Explained Next Meeting
The family counselling serv
ice will be explained by
Thomas Guff at the next meet
ing, and Jim Sullivan will re
view the parks and recreation
program in the area.
A list of new or different
unmet needs in the county
was asked for by the Inter
Agency Council. The next
Council meeting will be in the
Red Cross building Tuesday,
Feb. 21.
Attending Ihe recent meet
ing were representatives from
the United Medford Crusade,
Salvation Army, YMCA, soci
al security administration,
board of parole and probation,
- earners mildly stimulated by our recent ads had this to say:
s, words!
the world
balance into the economic b.ne of our com
munity, and in our book industry that is
already here deserves top billing, tix).
Wc have aimed most of our whimsical news
paper drum-beating at getting new people and
new industries into Oregon because Oregon
needs tourists and industry. The job-makers
who are already here arc proud of Oregon,
and are doing their own brand of promotion.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 31. 1961
juvenile department, the child
guidance and family counsel
ling clinic, the Jackson county
health department, Medford
public schools, the county ex
tension service, Southern Ore
gon college, Washington
AIDEN F. MOYER
Frigidaire Salesman, Says
My customers like Frigidaire
because the Automatic Soak
Cycle give them the flexibility
to wash denims, diapers and
even woolen blankets sately.
A SWIITHIART
Ot A PAIR AT
MpI'Mk A SWEETHEART
LEONARD ELECTRIC
"Medford's Leading Appliance
309 EAST MAIN STREET
Your company probably is, too.
No matter what size, every company plays
an important role in Oregon's continued
growth. Just for fun, here are three interest
ing for-inslances:
Omark Industries, Milwaukie. Founded in 1947
with four employees in the founder's basement.
They now huve more than 500 employees and
make about o all tlte world's sawchain, as
well as related products.
Lamb-Weston Inc., Weston. Founded in 1934,
they pioneered "Shelled-at-the-l'lant" pea han- '
dling and dehydro-jreeiing of peas, carrots, and
diced potatoes, and extended agricultural out
put. Current peak employment is 1000 exactly
double the number of employees in 1955.
Iltlithy llmise Inc., Medford. Started in late
1959 with nothing more than an idea on how
lo make better vacation-type travel trailers. By
the end of I960, they employed 85 people and
are starling production of an all fiberglass model.
Before you are tempted to sit down and
write an irate letter
tion your great company, let us point out that
these three firms were picked at random by
Gus, our statistician. He picked them out of
his Stetson with his eyes shut. But each of the
unchoscn ones nonetheless is an essential
partner in the future of Oregon.
Cut this ad out and make a few points with
youfc Boss. If you've got two Bosses (shudder),
call your Telephone Business Oflice and we'll
send you additional copies. And now, we'd
better gel back to work. Our phone is ringing.
P.S. Let's tell the world about Oregon!
PACIFIC TELEPHONE
Of !Hl NftllftN riOL
A 5
school PTA, Hedrick Junior
High school PTA, the Jackson
County Council of PTAs, the
city coordinating council ot
PTAs, the Medford Minister
ial association, the Red Cross
and the welfare commission.
Exclusive Automatic Soak
Exclusive Somersault
Washing
Exclusive Flowing Heat
Four Automatic Drying
Cycles
Budget Priced . . . S Year
Warranty
COMPANY
Dealer for the Past 30 Years"
PHONE SP 3-4541
)
asking why we didn't mcn (
NORTHWESTff A)
IILL DIIIK VT"Vv
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