Kennedy
Requests $2 Billion
in Defense Budget
nerease
AT LUNCHEON Dr. Edwin R. Durno,
fourth district congressman, shakes hands
with Gene Rossman, Portland, executive
director of the Portland Housing authority,
who, with Medford Mayor John W. Snider,
Congressman Durno Airs
Federal Building, Other Items
Congressman Edwin R. Dur
no said here Monday that the
government has decided to
erect the new Medford federal
building on property south of
10th st and he has been in
formed that if the government
can't get the property by ne
gotiations it will condemn it.
Durno's comments were di
rected toward a 40-unit motel
that is apparently proposed
for construction on some of
the property wanted by the
government. The site is locat
ed directly south of 10th st.
between Riverside and Cen
tral aves.
The federal building and
other items of local and na
tional interest were discussed
by the congressman at yester
day's Medford Chamber of
Commerce roundtable lunch
eon attended by about 100
persons. Durno will be in the
fourth district this week and
part of next while Congress
is in Easter recess.
Noting that-he personally
Merkel
Court's Statement
Cats cannot be compared to
dogs concerning a rabies prob
lem, Dr. A. Erin Merkel, Jack
son county public health of
ficer said today.
He reaffirmed statements
made to County Judge Earl
Miller at a public health de
partment budget hearing last
week.
Dr. Merkel said he is not
against control of cats, and
said it Is desirable. But stray
cats don't provide the same
rabies problem that dogs do
since they tend to retreat
from association with humans.
"They are not a public
health menace," the doctor
emphasized.
"I realize there might be
some problem in areas where
people can drive out a country
road and drop the cats off to
fend for themselves. And I
do feel there should be a
place to take the cats, either
for disposal or for return to
their owners or placement in
new homes."
Dr. Merkel said this morn
ing that he would probably
act as advisor to a board in
vestigating the stray cat prob
lem, if he is requested to do
so by the county court. The
county court has not yet de
cided appointment of the
board.
WEATHER
FORECAST: Fir throuah
Wednesday. Low tonight 30.
lllCh Wednesday (I.
Temp.
Ililhest Yeiterdty S
Lowest this Morning 2S
Prec. to 10 a.m. Today 03
Our Skies Tonight
Sunset today 6:32 p.m.
Sunrise tomorrow .... 6:00 a.m.
Moonset tomorrow .... 5:54 a.m.
Full Moon Friday night
mnMINKNT STAR
lleculus, near the Moon.
VISini.F. PLANETS
Venus, sen 8:07 p.m.
Mars, In (he west ... 10:33 p.m.
JupHer and Saturn, In the
southeast , 4:47 a.m.
Astoria Seeks
For 150th Birthday Party
Salem - WD - The West s
oldest city asked for a present
today, and legislators indi
cated Astoria may get $25,000
to invite the rest of the world
to its 150th birthday party.
Started in 1811
The community, first perm
anent American colony in the
vast Oregon territory west of
the Mississippi, started when
John Jacob Astor floated the
American flag over a tiny fort
and fur trading settlement
April 12. 1811.
Astoria evolved as a trading
and shipping center, fishing
area, and vacation spot. To-d.-,
although numbering only
had nothing to do with the
federal building, Durno said
he agrees that there will be a
need for the $2,360,000 struc
ture here, particularly with
the expansion of the southern
Oregon area.
Durno implied that builders
of . the motel should have
known that the federal gov
ernment wanted the site for
its federal building and de
clared: "I am very unhappy
about what is going on down
there." If they do decide to
build the motel, he said, it
probably will bring litigation
which -"ill cost the taxpayers
money. (The motel is not yet
under construction although a
city building permit has been
issued.)
Walter Jones, a local ap
praiser, was at the meeting
and told Durno that the lease
for the motel was taken out
on Nov. 7 but it was not defi
nitely known untih January
that the same property was
wanted by the federal govern
ment.. Favorable Impression
On another subject, Durno
declared that John F. Ken
nedy has made a "very favor
able" .impression as President
of the United States, and add
ed that in the field of foreign
affairs, Kennedy and his ad
ministration "will get 100 per
support from the Republican
and Democratic members of
Congress."
Congressman Durno, who
said he has recently been
briefed in our nation's defense
capabilities, declared that
there is no missile gap as tar
as the destructive capabilities
of the missiles are concerned.
He said: "We are prepared for
the worst, but are expecting
and hoping for the best.'
On Laos, Durno called tne
situation there "lousy," and
added that anything might
'Red' Thomas To
Resign from Post
Ashland Harold (Red)
Thomas has announced he will
retire as U.S. Forest Service
Ashland Ranger next month,
Carrol Brown, supervisor ot
Rogue River National forest,
said yesterday.
Thomas has been chief Ash
land ranger since 1946. He has
had a series of illnesses in
recent years and has under-
eone surgery, tie nas oee
transferred to the Rogue River
National Forest office in Med
ford pending his retirement.
In making the announce
ment, Brown, said Robert Tay
lor has been named acting
Ashland ranger. He has been
an assistant to Thomas since
1958.
By retiring, Thomas con
cludes a 27-year career of for
estry work, interrupted only
by service in World War II.
He graduated from Oregon
State college in 1933, and
worked for the forest service
until 1935. He worked for the
state forestry department un
til 1941.
$25,000
11,000, it is a major Oregon
port.
Astoria Sen. Dan Thiel told
a Ways and Means subcom
mittee the city should get
$25,000 to use in Inviting
tourists to join in the celebra
tion of the first 150 years.
100-Day Celebration
The city plans "100 days of
real celebrating." Thiel said.
Including a pageant that will
reproduce scenes from Astoria
history.
Lord Astor of England, a
dependent of the founder,
will launch the celebration
when he arrives in Astoria
wl'V; his family April 10.
center, attended yesterday's Medford Cham
ber of Commerce roundtable luncheon. Ross
man spoke at a meeting of the Rogue Val
ley Council on Aging yesterday afternoon.
(Knackstedt Photo)
happen. He said Laos is the
first real testing ground of
Kennedy and his administra
tion. He called it a "symbolic"
as well as a "physical" crisis
Not Backing Everything
But, while Durno backs the
administration's foreign pol
icy in such places as Laos, he
made clear that the same
backing is not accorded all of
the administration's domestic
policy.
The congressman declared
that, "you are going to be con-fronted-you
are already con-fronted-with
a lot of social
welfare legislation." Through
this legislation, he said, the
federal government is at
tempting to "interfere" in the
affairs of state government
and "intra-slate" commerce.
At the same time, Durno
claimed that he has supported
anti-recessionary measures to
date.
Minimum Wages
Regarding Kennedy's $1.25
minimum wage bill which he
helped defeat last week, Dur
no said he received 222 tele
grams and letters opposing the
bill, while he received only
two telegrams-from the AFL
CIO and the Oregon state
Democratic central committee
-favoring the bill.
Other issues discussed by
Durno:
-Rogue Basin development.
As far as Durno knows it is
proceeding on schedule. Funds
to complete the corps of engi
neers study are assured, and
it is hoped a hearing can be
held on their , report by sum
mer or late fall.
-Agate dam. He called it a
small project to provide sup
plemental water and irriga
tion for new acreage, to cost
about $1,800,000. He hopes re
ports on the project will be
submitted to the committee on
interior and insular affairs, of
which Durno is a member,
within a month or two. The
administration is anxious to
get projects like this sitrted.
Status of Wilderness Bill
-Wilderness bill. Durno
said $22 million has been ap
propriated by previous admin
istrations to a special commis
sion to study the overall
long-range recreational and
wilderness programs in the
country. The study is sched
uled to be presented to com
mittee on Jan. 1, 1962, and he
expects little action on it be
fore then.
-Oregon Dunes. Durno sug
gested that his statements re
garding the Oregon Dunes na
tional seashore proposal have
been distorted. He said all he
ever said about it was: "I
didn't feel that the Oregon
Sand Dunes was in the same
category or same level of
plane as Crater Lake, Grand
Canyon, Yosemite or Yellow
stone national parks.
Durno said the omission of
the Oregon dunes from the
President's message on natur
al resources, while three oth
er seashore proposals were
mentioned, "was not inadver
tent, nor was it a slip of the
pen . . ."
More Opposed to It
He said it was somebody
other than himself that was
responsible for keeping men
tion of the Oregon Dunes out
of the President's message.
Also, Durno said he has re
ceived "five" letters favoring
the Oregon Dunes seashore
bill, and "hundreds and hun
dreds and hundreds" against it
from both individuals and or
ganizations. .
In this same vein, he de
clared: "I have come to the
conclusion that we should
give serious consideration to
the proper maintenance and
rehabilitation of the existing
29 national parks before we
acquire a lot of others.''
-Peace Corps. A "noble
Idea" and a "wonderful thing"
If the right kind of youth can
be found. It should be ap
proarhed carefully and it may
be aYjjittle ahead of its time.
Kennedy's Space
Budget Calls lor
Spending Increase
Lyndon Johnson To
Head Space Council
Washington -IUPD- President
Kennedy today proposed a
space budget boost - which
could hasten manned flight
around the moon by at least
a year.
The President sent Con
gress a revised space budget
recommending a $125.67 mil
lion increase in appropriations
for the fiscal year starting
July 1 and a jump in actual
spending of $85 million.
The appropriation boost
would increase the Eisenhow-
e r administration s request
11.3 per cent, from $1.10 bil
lion to a new figure of $1.23
billion.
The spending jump would
be 8.8 per cent, from $965
million to $1.05 billion.
Vigorous Space Effort
James E. Webb, director of
the National Aeronautics and
Space administration, told re
porters that in the opinion
of the President" the revised
budget "represents a strong
and vigorous space effort."
Webb said it will speed
development of powerful
rockets "for both named and
unmanned exploration of
space."
He said the new figures
were arrived at after a care
ful appraisal of the U.S. space
effort, in relation to Russia's,
by President Kennedy, Vice
President Lyndon B. Johnson,
and "all appropriate offic
ials."
Johnson will head the Na-.
tional Space Council, and
NASA spokesmen said even
further charges in the pro
gram may be ordered after
the council goes to work.
In Stern Chase
Webb conceded that as far
as big rockets are concerned,
"we certainly are. in a stern
chase", in the space competi
tion .with Russia.
Deputy NASA Administra
tor Hugh L. Dryden said the
new budget represents- "a
major decision" to speed de
velopment of the so-called C2
version of the Saturn which
will be capable of launching
45,000 pounds into an earth
orbit, 15,000 pounds to the
moon, and 10,000 pounds on
probes of Mars and Venus.
Orchard Heaters
Lighted in Area
First orchard heating of the
season started about 3 o'clock
this morning, County Horti
cultural agent Clifford B.
Cordy said today.
Average temperature was
26.3 degrees with 25 to 26 de
grees recorded in some of the
coldest spots in the valley.
Bud development on pear
trees is not far enough along
to be hurt much by frost,
Cordy said. However, one Ash
land peach grower reported
frost damage in his orchard.
Individual pear orchards
which have some white show
ing have a 27-dcgree limit,
otherwise 25 degrees," Cordy
said. "Orchardists who wanted
to save all their buds heated
at 27 degrees depending on
the -variety of pear tree and
the location of each orchard. 1
"Bud development has not
been rapid recently due to
the cool weather. This makes
them a little hardier," Cordy
said. "Some years we have
heated as early as March 1.
We heated on March 16 last
year," he added.
Orchardlsts are living up to
their agreement to convert to
less smoke producing heaters.
However, this is being offset
somewhat with considerable
new acreage coming under
heater protection, including
the higher elevations which
were hard hit by frost last
year.
Jewelry, Records
Taken in Burglary
Jewelry, cosmetics and an
estimated 100 phonograph rec
ords were taken Monday eve
ning in a burglary at the resi
dence of Dorothy Margaret
Clithero, 425 Haven St., ac
cording to city police.
Entry to the home was gain
ed by breaking open a back
door window and unlocking
the door from the inside. Po
lice said the crime took place
between 5:30 and 9 p.m.
In addition to the records,
other items stolen include 10
tubes of lipstick, four or five
beetles of perfume, a necklace
ast an engagement ring.
Regional Edition
Medford
18 Paget
West Remains Hopeful of
Solution To Laos Crisis
Allies Differ on
How To Pressure
Communists
Russia Expected To
Accept Cease Fire
By PHIL NEWSOM
UPI Foreign News Analyst
The Western world remain
ed hopeful for a peaceful solu
tion to the crisis in Laos today
although differences were re
ported on how to put allied
pressure on the Communists.
U.S. officials in Washington
expressed cautious optimism
that the Soviet Union would
accept a cease fire in Laos
and settle the crisis there by
negotiation.
And in Bangkok, Thailand,
Secretary of State Dean Rusk
predicted that the eight South
east Asia Treaty Organization
member states would reach an
"acceptable agreement" o n
curbing Communist aggres
sion in Laos despite reports of
a split in SEATO ranks.
SEATO Memberi Divided
Such an agreement must be
endorsed unanimously before
the SEATO council meeting
ends on Wednesday. But right
now, its members are split,
The United States, backed
by Thailand and the Philip
pines, wants a strongly word
ed statement warning the
Communists to cooperate or
face Free World military in
tervention if necessary. The
French are reported opposed
to such a stand. The British,
backed by Australia, New
Zealand and probably Pakis
tan, want a moderate middle
ground approach to the prob
lem. Pote Sarasin of Thailand,
secretary general of SEATO,
said no one could expect eight
countries to have Identical
views, but pointed out they
all have the same objectives.
He added that the current
Bangkok meeting is not de
pendent on either a reply or
lack of one from Moscow.
Khrushchev Delays Reply
Soviet Premier Niklta Khru
shchev has delayed in re
sponding to a British note
asking a cease fire, reactiva
tion of the International Con
trol Commission for Laos and
a later multlnatlon conference
to work out a neutral status
for Laos.
He was reported conferring
with his Red Chinese ally on
the next moves to make in the
Laotian-crisis, and seemingly
is keeping the Peiplng leaders
as much as possible in the
background of the current
Laos situation.'
Diplomatic sources in Bang
kok said the eight Southeast
Asia Treaty Organization
members would go ahead with
plans for military interven
tion because of continued So
viet silence and in the belief
the Communists might be stal
ling to consolidate their mili
tary position. Partition of
Laos was believed to be their
ultimate aim.
Klamath Woman
Choked To Death
Klamath Falls-IUPD -A sub
urban housewife was found
apparently choked to death in
her bed early Tuesday.
Police were seeking her
husband for questioning.
The body of Morcne Ruth
Phelps, 40, was found at the
family home by a sister-in-law.
Mrs. Floyd Phelps.
Mrs. Floyd Phelps told po
lice she got a telephone call
about 6 a.m. saying that she
"had better take care of the
children." She went to the
home and found the woman's
body In bed.
Two children, Curtis 9, and
Douglas, 10, were asleep In an
adjoining room.
The husband, Arthur Ar
nold Phelps, 43, an electrician,
was gone.
State police said they found
a letter in the home, appar
ent written by Phelps.
MEDFORD, OREGON,
PINEAPPLE SHIPMENT
f a I if t i Ml
I V, ' (; . , i f I 1 tti
pSU v&r j, i ,y & . t All M 1;
fresh pineapple, shipped from Hawaii in a Month club,
special refrigerated ' container, arrived at a series of
Bear Creek Orchards packing plant yester- loaded with
day monlng. Inspecting the
it was being unloaded, above, are A. D, them again
Roach, assistant plant manager of the firm ed here, Harrison said. They crossed the
(left) and Executive Vice
Harrison. . The pineapple, weighing five to ,. Francisco via
six pounds each, will be distributed by Bear
i : : :
Ml. Ashland Area
Recommended for
Ski Development
J. Herbert Stone, regional
forester, U.S. forest service,
Portland, has recommended
to the Washington, D.C., of
fice that the proposed Mt.
Ashland ski resort be de
veloped. Congressman Edwin R. Dur
no, Medford, said yesterday
that he talked with Stone in
Washington, D.C., recently at
which time Stone said he
would recommend the Mt.
Ashland development.
The forest service's partici
pation in the development
would involve construction of
access roads to the site, and
issuing a permit to operators
of a ski resort.
" Forest Supervisor -Carrol
Brown said the forest service
has under contract now an
access road. to within three
miles of the proposed site, and
a contract for the distance to
the lodge site is included in
the forest service's program
this summer. The road now
under contract may have to
be improved some, he said.
The decision to recommend
Mt. Ashland as a winter sports
area came after the forest
service evaluated four pos
sible locations in southern
Oregon. In addition to Mt.
Ashland, forest service per
sonnel considered Brown
mountain, Pelican buttc and
Mt. McLoughlin.
The forest service studied
snow conditions, the terrain,
economic aspects, community
Interest and the benefits to
the community In considering
the sites.
Thomas Parker, Ashland
contractor, and associates
have proposed a $165,000 ski
resort at Mt. Ashland. The
site is about 15 miles from
Ashland.
Jackson county's portion of
the road probably will be in
cluded In the county's road
program this summer, accord
ing to Commissioner Chester
Wcndt.
887 Register on First
Day at SO College
AiMnnrf A Inlnl nl AR7
students enrolled at Southern
Oregon college on the first day
of registration for the spring
term yesterday.
The total Is 4.2 per cent
more than enrolled on a com
parable date a year ago, col
lege officials said. Registra
tion ,vwlll continue through
AprifO.
TUESDAY, MARCH 28, 1961
i tm&mJLmj VflpiaJ. imtSt efffmal
Seven tons ot Creek to members ot the firm's Fruit of the
choice fruit as Hawaii and
President Glenn ocean by Matson lines and arrived in San
Me dfo rd Man Found
G u i I ty of Burgla ry
At Happy
Yrpkn-flIPII-Il Innlr fl suncr-
Inr rnnrt lurv nnlv an hour
Monday to find a 26-year-old
Meaiora man guiny oi secona
degrce burglary, climaxing a
trial that lasted for one week.
Judge J. E. Barr ordered a
pre-sentence investigation be
fore sentencing David Albert
Hoffer on the charge which
carries a penalty' of 1 to 14
years In prison.
Hoffer, who formerly re
sided at a hotel In Medford,
had been charged along with
three other Medford men with
the Dec. 30 snfe burglary of a
Happy Camp, Calif., clothing
store in which approximately
$1,000 was taken.
During the trial, six persons
from Medford, including three
members of the city police
force, testified.
Hoffer S) three accomplices
all admitted the crime. They
were Vcryl Leroy Blggens, 28,
of 122 Kenwood ave.; Lester
Hurst, 39, of 1125 West 10th
St.; and Jerry Leander Stew
art, 23, of 829 West 11th St.
Hurst had turned states evi
dence in the trial and received
court immunity. Stewart was
sentenced to six months In the
Siskiyou county jail and re
ceived a seven-year probation
ary period.
Blggens, who did not face
trial in Siskiyou county, was
one of District Attorney A. H.
Newton's key witnesses. How
ever, because of some of his
testimony during the trial he
has since been charged with
perjury.
Blggens pleaded guilty two
School Budget
Prepared in Ashland
Ashland Final preparation
of the 1081-02 budget for the
Ashland school district will
be made at the regular meet
ing of the school board April
3, according to Stanley Jobe,
district superintendent.
The school board and dis
trict budget committee were
scheduled to complete the
budget Monday night. How
ever, Jobe said the meeting
was postponed In order to
give additional study to school
requests. Final estimates will
be ready April 3, he said.
He said he anticipates a
public hearing on the final
budget will be held in late
56th Year Price 10 Cents
Tribune
No. 5
Harrison said. It is the first of
shipments. The container was
fruit fresh from the fields in
it was not necessary to touch
until the container was unload-
Consolidated Freightways.
Camp
months ago to the Ill-fated
safe burglary attempt of the
Oakdale Big Y Market In
Medford. He and three other
Medford men were caught In
the act by a Medford police
man on Jan. 8. It was these
arrests that led to the appre
hension of the men wanted for
the Happy Camp burglary.
Hoffer was arrested by
Grants Pass police on a Sis
kiyou county warrant on Jan.
10. Stewart and Hurst were
arrested at their homes the
same night by Medford police.
Returned to Medford
Blggens was to be brought
back to Medford today where
he will- be reconfined In the
county jail, awaiting sentenc
ing ori the burglary charge
here.
Hoffer is not yet through
with the law. He Is, and has
been for several months, out
on ball from Payette, Idaho,
where he is also charged with
a safe burglary. On April 10,
he will again como to trial In
Yreka for another Happy
Camp burglary, committed on
the night of Dec. 30. He also
faces a Siskiyou county con
spiracy charge.
Among those testifying dur
ing the trial were Detective
Lt. Lyle Perkins, Detective
Kicth Gildersgard and Po
licewoman Hilde Prom, all of
the Medford department.
Sen. Pearson
Out-of -State
Salem (UPI) Sen. Walter J.
Pearson complained today
that tho State Board of High
er Education did not choose an
Oregon man to become new
president of the Unlvers ly of
Oregon and Indignant sena
tors rose on the floor to de
fend Appointment of Arthur
Flemming as head of tile
school.
Flemming most recently
was U.S. secretary of health,
education and welfare. He as
sumes his new duties at Eu
gene July 1 and is visiting
the campus this week.
Sen. Monroe Seri:and iD
Mllwauklc) took Pearson to
task and said It is a tribute to
the slate to have Flemming
here. Senate Republican lead
er Anthony Yturrl agreed.
This brought an attack from
Son.kLyndol Newbry (R Tal
ent), -who said Flemming "did
Biggest Share
o Mass-Produce
Polaris Subs
Missile Programs
Would Be Boosted
Washington -IUPD- President
Kennedy asked Congress to
day to vote a $2 billion in.
crease in defense funds, mosl
of lt to mass-produce a "for
midable deterrent force" ot
Polaris submarines in tha
next four years.
Declaring that "the sooner
they are on station, the safer
we will be," Kennedy called
for assembly-line construc
tion of the Polaris subs until
they reach a one-a-month pro
duction rate by June 1963.
Miitile Increases
He proposed increases in
all missile programs which,
would arm the nation with
more than 1,300 combat-ready
ballistic missiles by 1965.
The big Polaris build-up
was set forth In a revised de
fense budget in which Ken
nedy proposed actual spend
ing of $43.8 billion during
fiscal 1962. The administra
tion said this was a net in
crease of $650 million over
the spending figure proposed
by former President Dwight
Eisenhower for the year
starting July 1. The Eisen
hower spending figure was
$42.9 billion, but Kennedy's
message said this did not in
clude ' "underestimates" of
some $235 million, including
$48 million in fire damage to
the carrier Constellation.
Funds for Future
Kennedy's budget called on
Congress to vote nearly $43.8
billion in "new obligationai
authority" for fiscal 1962-
funds that would be voted in
the next fiscal year but ba
spent in future years. This
compared to the $41.8 pro
posed by Elsenhower thus
accounting for the proposed $2
billion boost In hew defense
funds sought by Kennedy.
Kennedy said his defensa
program would make tha
United States so. strong that It
it received a surprise nuclear
attack it could retaliate "with
devastating power."
More. War Equipment .
But at the same time he pro
posed more equipment, rang
ing from planes to rifles and
bullets, for conventional- and
limited wars. - He asked for
only, very little extra man
power, however.
He said ' the strength and
deployment of our forces in
combination of those of our
allies should be sufficiently
powerful and mobile to pre
vent the steady erosion of
the Free World through lim
ited wars; and it is this rola
that should constitute the pri
mary mission of our oversea
forces."
(Continued on Page i)
Bill Would Alter
Primary Election
Salem - IUPD - The Housa
Elections committee Monday
agreed to draw up a bill for
movement of the Oregon pri
mary election from May to
September.
House Speaker Robert Dun
can of Medford said moving
the primary to September,
only two months before tha
November general election,
would shorten political cam
paigns. Duncan proposed the Ore
gon primary be held the third
Tuesday In September.
He said the longer cam
paign subjects the public to a
"continuous bombardment of
propaganda from all sides for
the better part of a year."
Critical of
Man at UO
more to hurt the cranberry
Industry" In Oregon than any
other person in the nation.
Flemming was criticized by
cranberry growers for a
"scare" two Thanksgivings
ago when his department an
nounced that cranberry-eating
rats had contracted
cancer.
Not Being Critical
Pearson said he was not
being critical of Flemming
but questioned whether tha
board had to go out ot tha
state to find a new university
president.
Pearson made the sama
statement about the new su
perintendent of schools in.
Portland, also out ot state.
Sweetland said in both in
stances, the boards Involved
should be left to their own
decisions and the. Senate
"tend to our bushiest hera."