Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989, March 09, 1961, Image 4

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MedfordWTribunb
THURSDAY. MARCH 9, 19B1
MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE, MEDFORD, ORE
'Everyone in Southern Oregon
Read! The Mall Tribune"
Published Dally except Saturday by
MEDFORD PRINTING CO
33 North Fir 8t Ph SPJMl
ROBERT""W RtfHL. Editor
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OLIVE STARCHER Women's Ed'.tor
DAU ERICKSON Circulation Mgr
An Independent Newspaper
Entered aa iecond class matter at
Medford. Oregon under Aot of
March 3. 1897
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Flight o' Time
Medford and Jackson County
History from the files of The
Mail Tribune 10, 20, 30, 40
and 50 years ago.
10 YEARS AGO 1
March 9. 1951 (Friday)
Jackson county's flu epi-
demic "definitely appears to
be letting up," Dr. A. Erin
. Merkel, county health officer,
said today despite a record-
breaking report of 809 new
flu cases here during the past
week.
Flu and winter weather
have knocked the props out
from under the 1951 drive for
Red Cross funds it was report
ed today,
20 YEARS AGO
March 9, 1941 (Sunday)
Only 400 persons attended
the opening mass meeting of
the Southern Oregon Chris
tian mission school held at
the senior high school here
last night.
From Arthur Perry's "Ye
Smudge Pot" column: "The
legislature cast the proposed
sales tax Into outer political
darkness. The measure reeked
witli common sense, some
thing no statesman will tolerate."
30 YEARS AGO
March 9, 1931 (Monday)
The Mcdford Milk produc
ers have changed their name
to the Jackson County Dairy
men's association and hope to
enlist all 1,200 dairymen in
the county as members.
Local farmers are spread
ing more than two tons of
poison in the county to com
bat ground squirrels.
40 YEARS AGO
March 9, 1921 (Wtdntiday)
The Ashland Chamber of
Commerce has begun consid
eration of proposals on how
the 4th of July should be
celebrated this year.
The Mcdford Chamber of
Commerce forum yesterday
heard a speaker call for the
use oi uregon products as
much as possible.
SO YEARS AGO
March 9, 1911 (Thursday)
the Pacific and Eastern rail
way between Mcdford and
Work is being rushed on
Butte Falls; service Is sched
uled to start April 1.
Vou I Q.7
Nine or ten correct il superior,
seven or eight is eaceilenr; ttve oi
ti Is good.
1. Ceyloncsc is tho name
for a kind of synthetic fabric;
true or false?
2. Did General Douglas
MacArthur ever serve as sup
pcrlntendcnt of the U. S. Mill
tary Academy at West Point?
3. The Iron frame at the
front of steam locomotives.
designed to throw obstruc
tions from the track is known
as n c- r.
4. A majority of the popu
latlon of Australia is of Amer
ican, British or Latin origin?
5. Surgery of the nervous
system is known as what?
6. Is there a chemical dif
ference between sugar pro
duced from beets and that
produced from sugar cane?
7. The number of disabled
veterans of W. W. -II exceeds
two million; true or false?
8. What slate rivals Vir
ginia for the title "Mother of
Presidents"?
9. By whom was the Amer
ican colony of Georgia
founded?
10. What is a mantilla?
Answtrst 1, Fall. 2, Yes.
3. Cowcatcher. 4, British. S.
Neurosurgery. 6. No. 7. True
(24 million). 8. Ohio. 9. James
E. Oglethorpe. 10. Headdress
worn by Spanish womesu
Hodges and the BAC
The business advisoiy council, a largely secret
panel of top industrialists, will probably near
suggestions for reorganization wnen oommeice
Secretary Luther Hodges appears before it for
the first time. An earlier get-togetner, scneauieu
for Jan. 26, was postponed because Hodges had
to attend the first meeting of President Ken
nedy's Cabinet.
In the meantime, BAC has lost its chairman,
Ralph J. Cordiner, who resigned on Feb. il,
nominally to devote his time solely to the altairs
of General Electric as president and chairman.
High administration officials had let it be
that Oordiner's continued chair
manship of BAC would be an embarrassment to
the government inasmuch as his company had
been fined half a million dollars and three of its
nffiViala harl been iailed in price-fixing cases.
Hodges is understood to want to give BAC
a broader representation, iviemoersnip now comes
from all industry and from the sciences and
military. The roster has at one time or another
isted as memoers uen. ueorge tj. raarsnaii, Aam
Emorv S. Land, Vannevar Bush, Cyrus S. Ching
Amhassador Henrv F. Gradv. But the Council
has been criticized as being weighted in favor
of heavy industry, as excluding small industry,
and as not adequately representing distribution
and services.
DAC was established in June, 1933, under an
act authorizing the Commerce Department
to "foster, promote, and develop foreign and
by the Secretary, but expenses of the Council are
met by individual, tax-exempt contributions from
the members, with a ceiling of $1,500 a year per
member. What records the BAG keeps are ad
ministered by an executive director who main
tains an office in Commerce and is paid $25,000
a year out of BAC funds.
There are 60 active members, who serve one
year terms without government compensation.
They then may be reappointed for four successive
terms, after which they become "gratitude" mem
bers. At present the active and graduate total is
174 members.
BAC has been a continuing target for Chairman
Emanuel Celler (D-N.Y.) of the House Anti
Monooolv subcommittee as allegedly a lobby for
big business. It is also criticized for its secrecy
particularly by locked-out reporters.
Hodtres at a Dress conference of Feb. 14 said
that he wouldn't decide whether to open the
doors until his first meeting with the Council, but
said also that he disapproved of a special group
of businessmen getting information from gov
ernment officials that is not available to the
nublic.
BAC's defenders contend that whereas its
discussions and reports rive government valuable
inside information on industry, its members get
no inside stuff from trovernment. The controversy
seems somewhat academic; BAC's doings
are usually pretty thoroughly leaked to the press
bv comDlaisant members. And BAC's auguries of
economic trends have established no high reputa
tion for accuracy. BAC's real value would appear
to be, as one financial writer puts it, as "one
of the most useful bridges which the federal gov
ernment has built between itself and the com
munity." E.R.R.
Farmers Come to Washington
The annual convention of the National Farm
ers Union, starting March 13, in Washington,
may coincide with the final push m Congress lor
an emergency corn and feed grains bill. The Ken
nedy Administration has asked for passage by no
later than March 15 of the one-year grains prop
bill so it can apply to this year s crops.
The National Farmers' Union, a general f arm
organization representing 300,000 farm families,
has solidly support the feed grains legislation.
The bill would permit establishment of high price
supports tor corn and grain sorghums in return
tor drastic reduction m acreage and production
In general, the Farmers Union is in favor of "sup
ply management" which means more federal
controls over farmers and their production.
CEVERAL of the new Cabinet officers are ex-
pected to speak before the convention, and
President Kennedy probably will make an ap
pearance, too. If the feed grains bill is stalled
in Congress at the time, he could use the occasion
to put on last-minute pressure for passage. If
passed, he will take his bows.
Farm policy is hot one of Kennedy's strong
points, and he seems to have some doubts about
whether the federal government can outwit the
fecund farmer, who defies mathematical precepts
by growing ever more crops on ever less land.
The President is well aware that he suffered
grievous election day setbacks in the rural areas.
But he has not wavered from his campaign prom
ise to give the farm problem top priority m the
opening weeks of his administration, and in the
Farmers Union at least, he has found a friend.
1S.K.K.
Dennis the Menace
L 1
1
Cardenas Emerges As Dominant Figure
In Mexico City Left-Wingers Meeting
'AIOM.I GOTTA PROBLEM! VIOUUO YOU TRADE A WHOLE BUNCH O' .
RUBBER BANDS FOR TWOPRETT GOOD CRAYONS AN' A FStWOK?
Communications
Letters to the Editor must bear the name and address of the writer
although under certain circumstances the use of a pen name or iniial
tor publication is permissible. The Mail Tribune reserves the right to
edit all letters with a view to clarification and condensaton. Letters
submitted for publication must not exceed 400 words .The letters
printed in his column do not necessarily represent the views of the
paper; in tact the contrary is often the case.
Yields To Woodsman's Saw-
To the Editor: A 75-year-old
grape- vine which played a
part in the naming of Grape
st. yielded to the woodsman i
saw this week.
The heavy winds had ren
dered it, and the large oak
that supported it, dangerous
The vine had grown to a cir
cumference of 30 inches and
was about 40 feet tall. It hung
downward from the very top
of the oak. It was the Mission
(wine) grape which was orig
inally brought to California
by the Spanish Padres; from
there to Jacksonville's early
vineyards and on to Medford
A grape cutting was given
by C. C. Beekman of Jack
sonville, who also owned land
here. It was planted by Med
ford's first mayor, J. S. How
ard, and I. J. Phipps, who
owned land here. Its location
was at the then George and
Elizabeth Wilson farm which
had been newly converted
into two city lots (Original
Town). This location is now
'The .Flower Garden," 343
North Grape st., which is
starting its 40th year this
spring under ownership of
Mrs Eva L. Daley who came
to Medford in the spring of
1886.
Many people, en route to
work in the mornings have
paused to view the vine( tree
and old fashioned "box type
house which made a pretty
scene silhouetted darkly
against the vivid, red sun
rises.
Miss Venita Daley,
343 North Grape,
Medford, Ore,
Red China Must Alter Farm Policy
Washlngton-dOT-A govern
ment expert snys thai Com
munist China must change Its
farm policy If the Communist
regime is to survive.
In ' the past, the Chinese
Communist policy has been to
stress the development of
heavy Industry pouring most
of the country's capital Invest
ment Into Industry, leaving
with the fertilizers and other
tools It needs to feed a grow
ing population.
Now, according to Hughes
H. Spurlock of USDA's For
eign Agricultural Service,
there seem to be hints of
change In the Chinese policy.
Spurlock says the logic of
events mny force the Chinese
little to provide agriculture i to make this change.
Beware of Power
To the Editor: As long as I
already have one barrel load
ed and aimed at Speaker Bob
Duncan, I have decided to
load the other, aim a little bit
higher and take a shot at Con
gressman Durno.
I do not know what sci
ence the Congressman's Doc
torate is in, but it certainly
cannot be in Political Science.
For proof of that statement
look at the Editorial in Sun
day's Tribune, March 5,
signed E. A. entitled Quote
Unquote. I think an unexperienced
Congressman would have done
well to have stayed in the
middle of tho road or to have
played both ends toward the
middle.
Here is some advice from a
fool-Beware of the Power of
ihc PRESS.
Malemule Slim,
White City, Ore.
High Coconut Tree
To the Editor: The first
thing the monkey said when
he got out of the rocket wuz:
'BQY! Wuz that ever a high
coconut tree."
Everett Acklin
Ashland, Ore.
Expresses Thanks
To the Editor: Please put
this message in your paper. I
realize It is lute In the yenr to
say a "Big Thank You" to all
of the many friends and or
ganizations who have made
the year 1960. and so far 1061
so very happy because of their
thought fulness, love and visits.
All through the year the
4-H groups, who surprised the
ladies In my home with Ice
cream and cake on Valentines
day a year ago, visit us. There
are also visits from the Scouts,
and Blue Bird groups, who
remember us at various times
with favors and greetings. We
especially appreciate the calls
made by the various pastors of
our communities: Rev. Kroon,
of the Community Bible
church, Dr. West of First Pres
byterian church who called
when members of his church
were in my home. Also Pastor
H. C. Coovert of Zion Luth
eran church who calls regu
larly, and serves communion
and made birthday cakes
were the ladies of First Pres
byterian church in Central
Point. Mary Harsh's Sunday
School class who brought
Scripture favors at Christmas
time, and gave other gifts to
tne ladies. The Grandmother's
club of Central Point made
beautiful swags for our door
at Christmas, and they were
much appreciated.
The Mary Circle of Zion
Lutheran church who brought
Thanksgiving favors, and the
Ruth Circle who brought gifts.
And through the years, we
thank the wonderful ladies
from the Apostolic church
who sing for - us the first
Thursday of each month, and
tne salvation Army who hold
a service for us the first Sun
day of each month in our
home. They also remember
the shut-ins at Christmas time
and other days as well.
The First Church of Naza-
rene which held their mission
ary meeting with us in Feb
ruary, the Dixon Chapter, was
a real blessing.
Lest we forget the many
friends who have called on
the ladies, and brought sun
shine and blessings as they
entered these doors, we want
them to know that we do ap
preciate all of these kind
nesses. If I have forgotten any
group, I take this time to say
lhank You" one and all for
all that you have done to
make others happy who look
forward to your visits and
kindness.
Bernice E. McCue
134 Laurel st.
Central Point, Ore.
By PHIL NEWSOM
UPI Foreign News Analysis
Gen. Lazaro Cardenas is one
of a string of military men
who served as presidents of
Mexico in un
broken succes
sion from the
revolution in
1911 through
35 hectic
fm years ending
in 1940.
He is also
the man who
in 1938 expro
priated Amer
ican and British oil companies
valued at about $450 million
touching of a dispute which
dragged on for nearly 10
years before final settlement
was reached.
This week, he emerged as a
dominant, if somewhat mys
terious figure, in a Mexico
City meeting of hemispheric
left-wingers called the Confer
ence for National Sovereignty,
Economic Emancipation and
Peace.
Castro Kin There
Besides Cardenas, other
worthies at the meeting were
Vilma Espin de Castro, sister-in-law
of Fidel and leader of
the big Cuban delegation, and
a Mexican labor leader nam
ed Vincent Lombardo Tole-
dano.
Toledano is noteworthy be
cause his Communist-dominat
ed Confederation of Mexican
Workers provided Cardenas'
main support in the election
which Cardenas won in 1934
and because Toledano long
Too High A Price
To the Editor: Most people
think of revolution as the
violent overthrow of govern
ment and cannot conceive
that it can be just as com
pletely destroyed a little at a
time from within.
In my opinion the United
States is not too far from the
final stages of just such a
revolution which started as
the new deal in 1933.
We are turning our repub
lic, which was probably the
finest system the world has
ever known into one similar
to the totalitarian govern
ments which have prevailed
in ' many foreign countries
from ancient times.
A few of those responsible
were true revolutionaries
working for the international
Communist conspiracy and
have been following a bril-
iantly conceived and superla
tively executed plan for the
Communist conquest of the
world, but the vast majority
arc misguided intellectuals
who believe they are building
a new order where all people
will enjoy a happier life, free
from want, with security for
all. To accomplish this the
wealth of our country is be
ing redistributed through ex
cessive taxation and vast
spending programs
While these architects of
the new order vehemently
deny they are socialists, they
arc following quite closely
the socialist plan, which does
not create new wealth, but
will only be successful until
the wealth produced by the
free enterprise system is
squandered, and then human
nature being what it is. com
pulsion becomes necessary to
insure production. Bureaus
must be set up to make and
enforce the thousands of rules
nnd regulations Inherent in
this system, which, when it
reaches this stage is changing
from socialism to a bureau
cratic dictatorship.
These bureaus are constant
ly enlarged, become hard to
control, and finally become so
complicated that one bureau
may be carrying on projects
in direct opposition to another
A good example of this is the
farmers. While some of them
are being paid to retire land
others are paid to put land
into production. At the same
time vast sums are spent on
irrigation and reclamation
projects.
While all this is going on,
farmers are being subsidized
in raising surplus crops and
billions of dollars of the tax
payers money is spent by the
government in acquiring and
storing these surpluses.
After more than 20 years
of this fantastic mess, the
bureaucrats are still rushing
ahead with new schemes, and
the farm problem is farther
from solution than ever.
"Had the farmers been left
alone, the law of supply and
demand would have taken
care of their problem long
ago. Many people in our
country, myself included,
have changed occupations sev
eral times, without any help
or interference from the gov
ernment, as changing condi
tions made the one we were
engaged in no longer profit
able.
We have gone so far down
the road to ruin that it will
take a tremendous effort and
require great sacrifice from
all of us to turn our country
back to sane, constitutional
government but it is still
within our power to do so.
When they fully under
stand all the implications of
what has been happening to
our country, I believe most
Americans will agree that
loss of freedom is too high' a
price to pay for "security
from the cradle to the grave."
Lyle Hartzell
Box 35 ,
Florence, Ore.
Wants God-Love
To the Editor: The Bishop
Pike is a wise man in step
with universal evolution. If
religion eventually benefits
man, it will be based upon
concepts of social responsibili
ty, man to man, simply show
ing that if I am kind to you
and you are kind to another,
and so on, someday, in some
way, it will all come back
and someone will be kind to
me. Such task is quite enough
for religion, which must leave
other decisions what man is
and what is best for him to
science.
The utility of man-created
God, each to li is own require
ment, cudgel in the hand pow
ered largely by atavism while
restrained by civilization
(laws) in their peculiar dis
criminatory battle is under
standable, but the angry man
steps upon his own tail for he
created the laws preventing
him from overt actions.
But when he asks me to be
lieve in his God-creature there
is immortality in him for he
subjects himself to alien
despotism and wishes me to
submit also. If I believe, I
also fear the consequences of
disbelieving all the other gods.
To believe at all is to believe
all and therein lies nothing
but chaos. Far simpler would
have been a Bible of three
words, "God is Love," for if
this is true then the remain
der of the book is useless
subterfuge, and if it is un
true then the remainder Is
hopeless subterfuge.
Who really cares when I
rest or when I shop or what
course of action I may pursue
in the privacy of my cham
ber? I will rest when I am
tired. I will shop when my
supply fails my demand, and
what I do in private will be
of no more consequence to
you a hundred years from now
than is the blood of countless
nameless religious "martyrs"
was regarded as international
communism's No. 1 man in
Latin America.
As had been anticipated,
this week's conference consis
ted primarily of vitriolic at
tacks against the United
States, with Toledano declar
ing: "The greatest evil in Latin
America and even in the
whole world is North Ameri
can imperialism. . .Let's fight,
let's fight this imperialism."
Cardenas, an admirer both
of Red China and Castro,
hailed Cuba's "incorruptible
leaders," and fell in easily
with the current Cuban line
that any dispute between the
United States and Cuba can
be negotiated. The moderate
tone of his speech, however,
brought somewhat less than
wild acclaim from his audi
ence. But Senora Castro brought
them to their feet later with
a rousing attack on the Uni
ted States in which she also
said:
"We are ready to make
peace, but on equal terms."
President Kennedy made
his position clear in his State
of the Union message. He
said:
"Questions of economic and
trade policy can always be
negotiated. But Communist
domination in this hemisphere
can never be negotiated."
'Speech-Questions' Prepared
By New News Service in Capitol
By DICK WEST
Washington - IUPD - In a
recent issue of Roll Call, Capi
tol Hill's weekly newspaper,
a journa list
named Patrick
McMahon an
nounced the
opening of a
new type of
press service
here.
Its purpose
is to assist
mem bers of
the Washing
ton press corps in the prepa
ration of "speech - questions"
for use at President Kennedy's
televised news conferences.
I firmly guarantee my abil
ity to stretch the simplest,
most asinine little questions
!MI
Into Dunchv speeches, com
Dlete with epigrams, redun
dancies and appropriate ges
tures," McMahon said in his
nrosDectus
"My speech - questions are
calculated to baflle not oniy
the President, but also the
entire press conference. More
over, mv modest fees are
sealed accordine to the num
ber of seconds those lovely
TV cameras focus on the beam
ing faces of my nappy cli
ents."
Alrnadv Skilled
If you have watched any of
the President s news comer-
ences on television, you are
aware that a number of re
porters already are skilled at
syntax stretching ana nave uu
need of McMahon s service
Matter of Fact v ai.p
McNAMARA'S DEFENSE
EXERCISE
Washington - Behind elab
orately closed doors, the Pres
ident and his personal staff
are now
studying the
r e commenda
tions for mu
ni e d i ate de
fense improve-
m e n t, which
were present
ed by Secre
t a r y of De
fense Robert
Aisop McNamara af
ter his first hard look at the
Eisenhower defense program
Certain results can be pre
dicted with fair confidence,
The Minuteman ICBM pro
gram is likely to be increased
The Strategic Air Command is
ikely to be given the means
for a serious air-borne alert.
The Nike - Zeus program is
likely to be intensified, if
only to avoid Soviet exploita
tion of a first anti-missile-mis
sile test on the pattern of
their exploitation of the first
Sputnik.
Then a serious effort to
provide fully ready forces for
distant, localized military
emergencies can certainly be
expected; and other, lesser
mprovements are also in the
works. But counter-balancing
economies, some of them of a
politically painful nature, will
probably allow the President
to keep the net increase in
defense appropriations within
fairly modest limits.
T this stage, however, peer
ing into the future, which
wholly depends on the Presi
dent's unmade decisions, is
very much less rewarding
than having a look at what
to the shut-ins
Other groups who visited us i meddling with the American
shed in the interval since the
mess caused by government i beginning of recorded history.
Man has boon good, bad,
saved", "unsaved", moral,
immoral. Man also passes, and
it all adds up to nothing, or
anything to a balance.
Nothing was lost, nothing was
gained. Every neutron, proton,
electron, fused or fissioned,
remains mass-energy as it al
ways was, and if anything re
mains to show these men ex
isted, it is man's thought pro
cesses. Whether better or
worse, no matter; each man
picks up quanlums of thought,
adds to, clarifies, embellishes,
and by death time puts these
back into the space-time con
tinuum, his immortality, if
ny there be, thus assured.
Roosevelt's famous words
are infinitely true "We have
nothing to fear but fear, but
while man fears that which
he does not understand and
while he continues to create
even more fearful stuff with
which to fill that unknown,
he is a miserable slave. Such
masochism is the essence of
immorality and if there is the
nforgivable sin it is com
mitted when many purposely
spreads this fear among im
pressionistic vulnerable youth
and less educated peoples.
Such fear pads the pockets of
the merchant at Christmas
time and brings tears to the
eyes of the children of the
poor, while countless robber
ies mental, material, psycho
logical are committed by
fear in the name of religion.
When God is no longer used
as something with which to
beat my senses insensible
through every medium fic
tion, song, drama, radio, tele
vision, billboards, by word of
mouth, in my home, in public
places, in politics, in the
street, in every quarter, and
when that infernal God-fear
is replaced by a mighty God
love then 1. too, shall worship
with the great nd small.
Virginia Card.
Route 2, Box 197B
Central Point, Ore.
has happened to date.
Spec ifically, McNamara's
method of preparing his
recommendations for the
President was quite without
precedent in the Defense De
partment. The interesting
feature of the new method was
the bold assumption of per
sonal responsibility by t h e
formidable, aloof, almost ma
chine - minded man whom
President Kennedy recruited
from the Ford Motor Co.
Dispersal of responsibility,
between the Secretary of De
fense and his staff, and the
service secretaries, and the
Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the
Joint Staff, and the staff of
the three services, has always
been the basic condition of
life in the Pentagon. The
Pentagon's business has been
done in an unending round of
committee meetings and form
al briefings. And the com
pleted business has generally
lacked any coherent, compre
hensive design, except the de
sign haphazardly imposed by
ouctget-iirst-as-usual.
VERY early after his first
' exposure to his gigantic
new tasK, becretary McNam
ara chose another way of do
ing business. With the Presi
dent pressing for new defense
recommendations, McNamara
divided the defense problem
into four main areas, and
named a special task force to
explore each area.
Thus a task force headed
by the new, Rand Corp.-train-
ed Comptroller, Charles
Hitch, was charged with esti
mating our strategic and de
terrent needs. Another task
force headed by Assistant Sec
retary of Defense Paul Nitze
had responsibility for brush-
fire wars and conventional
forces. A third group .headed
by Dr. Herbert York, tackled
the area of research and de
velopment; and a fourth group
under the Assistant Secretary
of Defense for Supply and
Logistics, Thomas Morris dug
into base requirements, supply
requirements, and the likes.
As can be seen from the
character of the men chosen
to head them, these -task
forces were the personal in
struments of the Defense Sec
retary. To be sure, each of the
armed forces was asked to
name one man of Colonel's
rank to each task force; and
the Joint Staff also attached
an officer to each task force.
But the Joint Chiefs did
not directly participate, as a
body or as Individuals. The
service staff had no direct
role, except through the offi
cers attached to the task
forces. In sum, each major
problem was looked at as a
whole, instead of being exam
ined in the compartmented
manner that is unavoidable
when problems, arc studied
through the eyes of the com
peting services.
TN the same fashion, when
1 the task forces had com-
pleted their week of intensive
toil, Secretary McNamara and
his Chief Deputy. Under Sec
retary of Defense Roswell Gil
patric. began by studying the
recommendations, in council
with the three service secre
taries. Only thereafter, when
the Defense Secretary had
ended these consultations and
decided what the overall de
sign ought to be, were the
Joint Chiefs of Staff formally
called in.
The Secretary and Under
Secretary spent a day and a
half presenting their revised
program to the Joint Chiefs,
item by Item. When the whole
had been explained In detail
by McNamara and Gilpatrie.
the Joint Chiefs were also
siven the program in written
I, however, had some doubt
about my ability to ask a
question in the form of an ora
tion. So, before going to Wed
nesday's news conference, I
went to McMahon for a con
sultation. Under his guidance, I was
able to enter the conference
room armed with a question
that read like this:
"Mr. President, a hamster
is any one of several old
world rodents of the crictus or
allied genera resembling
white-footed mice but having
large cheek pouches and a
short tail.
"The two pet hamsters be
longing to your daughter Car
oline escaped from their cages
recently and ran loose in tire
White House until they were
captured in the solarium.
"I wonder if you could tell
us, Sir, what methods were
used to track down the ham
sters and whether you have
any advice that might be use
ful to other parents who have
hamsters at large in their
homes?
"Specifically, is there any
thing in your experience that
might indicate how children
can be made to remember to
close the door to the hamster
cage?"
Long Enough
I figure this question would
have kept me on camera so
long I would have been
eligible for a Hooper rating.
Therefore, I do not blame
McMahon for what happened.
It was not his fault that I
never got a chance to ask it.
That was the fault of the other
reporters who kept leaping up
in front of me so that I could
n't catch the President's eye.
At one point, Kennedy was
asked what he thought of the
jack-in-the-box system of get
ting his attention. His reply
indicated that he saw some
drawbacks in it, but had no
plans for adopting another
method.
That being the case, I have
decided to drop McMahon's
service. There is no need for
me to hire a speech-question
ghost writer until I find some
one to give me jumping les
sons.
Court Rules on
Malpractice Suit
Salem - IUPD - The Oregon
Supreme Court Wednesday re
versed Lincoln County Cir
cuit Judge Richard Anderson
and ordered a malpractice
suit to "proceed on its merits."
Judge Anderson had dis
missed the complaint of Hazel
Gwynn against Dr. Virginia
Wilhelm, ruling that an ear
lier judgment was in conflict
with the malpractice suit.
Dr. Wilhelm had earlier
sued the Gwynn woman to re
cover a bill and had obtained
a judgment by default.
Chief Justice William Mc
Allister wrote that the two
cases involved different
causes of action and the ques
tion of malpractice has not
yet been litigated.
COMPLETES TRAINING
Marine Pvt. Thomas E. Bur-
nctte, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Ray Burnette, route 1, Talent,
has completed four weeks of
Individual combat trainini? at
the Marine Corps base, Camp
Pendleton. The course includ
ed the latest infantry tactics,
first aid, demolition, field for
tifications and advanced
schooling on weapons.
EX-CHANCELLOR DIES
Sewanee, Tenn. (UPn Fu.
neral services will be cnnHnrt.
ed today for the Rt. Rev. R.
Bland Mitchell, 73, former
chancellor of the Universiiv
of the South and retired Epis
copal, bishop of Arkansas. He
died Tuesday.
form; and they were invited
10 appena their comments,
whether approving or disap
proving. This combination - McNam
ara's program with the Joint
Chiefs' added comments - waj
the document sent forward to
the White House. In the mat
ter of assuming personal re
sponsibility, the President is
no more reluctant than his
Secretary of Defense. He may
make changes, great or smali.
But this time, at any rate, the
real authors of the defense
design will be two highly
identifiable individuals, in
stead of a faceless swarm of
members of committees and
coordinating boards,
(c) 1961 New York Herald
Tribune Inc.
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t