Reno Gazette-Journal from Reno, Nevada • Page 13

RENO EVENING GAZETTE PAGE THIRTEEN RENO, NEVADA, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1956 PHONE FA 3-3161 Move to Tighten Initiative Petition Law Is Under Way Tightening of the provisions pertaining to Nevada's initiative petition law will be sought in an initiative to be filed with the 1957 session of the Nevada legislature by a volunteer Committee to Safeguard Nevada's Constitution. Announcement of the petition was made by Donald M. Leighton of Winnemucca, a former Humboldt county assemblyman and chairman of the volunteer group represent- 98,554 Voters Turn Out for 1955 Election Supreme Court-Prepared to Finish Canvass Nevadans turned out 98,554 strong to help re-elect President Eisenhower by a margin of 15,409 votes in this year's general election. His margin in 1952 was 18,814. The vote totals compiled by Secretary of State John Koontz for submission to the state supreme court for its official canvass next Wednesday show Eisenhower had 56,049 votes to 40,640 for Democrat Adlai Stevenson.

SOME UNMARKED Ballots cast outnumber the total vote for president by 1,865 because that many persons did not mark their presidential choice. That race drew the greatest number of votes, however 96,689. Democratic Sen. Alan Bible was Bombing Range Survey Complete Bryant to Make Early Report On Navy Gunnery Area Study Survey of the Tonopah bombing range by Floyd Bryant assistant secretary of defense was completed Thursday, and Bryant has returned to Washington, D. to write his report.

Other members of the survey party, George W. Malone, Sen. Alan Bible and Smith, administrative assistant to Malone, and Smith's son, Brig. Gen. Dale Smith, on duty with the defense department, accompanied alive oi ine enure siaie.

1 fe-T hit 0 t-wsj 1 4 i 1 rm jMaJKito, 7) 7 "Ttiinmi'ii Hfii- 1 Lion and Air Defense official, left and Richard Emerich look on. Roberts explained the working of the filter center to the Lions and showed them a special film on air defense activities. (Christensen photo) RENO LIONS CLUB members are greeted as they visit Reno Air Defense Filter Center following regular club meeting Thursday noon. Lt. Col.

Maurice B. Alden pins visitor's badge on Lion Sonny Burke, center above, while Sam Roberts, Tours Nafion As a Guest Man Finds Credit Card, Ends up in Reno's Jail For Albert Donahue's black 1955 sedan, it was nothing but the best: Premium grades of gas and oil, frequent wash and grease jobs and constant attention. And why not? It was all on Kenneth Heslin. For Heslin owned the gasoline company credit card which Donahue found in a New Britain, bar and with which he rented a Mr. Leighton said that the petitions will be circulated throughout all 17 counties, commencing approximately Dec.

1. He said the necessity for such action became apparent to a number of interested persons throughout Nevada as far back as two years ago when at least two initiatives were qualified by signatures from one or two sections of the state, and did not appear to be representative of the entire state. "Qualification of such petitions by a meager number of signatures, representative of only one or two areas in Nevada, poses a possibility of abuse of the initiative law unless steps are taken to tighten its provisions," Mr. Leighton said. The initiative petition presently to be circulated will seek a constitutional amendment to provide that henceforth initiatives must contain signatures of 10 percent of the qualified voters, as based 'jnon the total vote at the election immediately preceding circulation of such petition, and, further, that a minimum of three fourths of the counties in the state must be represented by such a ten percent of the total.

In explaining the basis for such a constitutional amendment, Mr. Leighton, said that the current law provides ten per cent of -the total vote for justice of the supreme court, and that these have been instances in which a supreme court justice is unopposed, and therefore the total vote is light, enabling the qualification of an initiative by a meager number of signatures. The current law does not provide any geographical distribution for obtaining signatures. Under the proposed petition, if adopted, an initiative would be harder to qualify and would reflect the thinking of at least a majority of the counties in the state, thus making it a true initiative, reflecting the desires of a large portion of the state's residents. Three-fourths of the counties was the figure selected by the Committee to Safeguard Nevada's Constitution since it parallels the federal government requirement for ratification of a federal constitutional amendment in which three-fourths of the states must ratify, following similar congressional action, in order for the constitutional amendment to be adopted.

"The petition in no way seeks to limit the right of the people to resort to the initiative as a final power of the people," Mr. Leighton said, "but it does tighten the initiative to the extent that thinking in one or two counties can not be forced upon the people." Committees are now being organized in each county, Mr. Leighton said, to obtain qualified signatures on the petition, in order that it may be presented to the secretary of state by Dec. 21. Further information relative to how and where the petitions will be made available to the voters will be announced through public media as quickly as possible.

Mr. Leighton further urged Nevada voters to sign the petition "as a safeguard, under our state constitution, of the rights of, the individual." He mentioned Question No. 3 on the Nov. 6 ballot, an initiative coming primarily from the southern section of the state, calling for adoption of the Pear body Report in full, which, if adopted, would have nullified the whole system put into effect by the 1955 Legislature and currently the law. He pointed "also to the qualification of petitions in 1954 and 1956.

and the possibility of a repeat a sain this year, seeking repeal of the Right to Work law which petitions apparently were qualified on a minimum number of signatures from only one or two of the state's seventeen counties. The ease with which such petitions can be filed under the current law apparently failed to give a true picture of the feelings of the voters, Mr. Leighton said. HUBCAPS TAKEN Frank Etchison, 403 Fifteenth Sparks, told Reno police he parked his car in the lot at the Washoe Medical Center and returned to discover four hubcaps valued at $50 gone. Bryant from Las Vegas to start the survey Monday.

Senator Malone went from Tonopah to Ely to address the Nevada State Farm Bureau's annual convention. DETAILED STUDY Returning to Reno, Senator Bible said today that Bryant made a thorough inspection of the bombing range and had made a detailed study of the situation from defense department records in Washington prior to the trip." Bryant can be expected to make his report in a short time, Eible said, adding that he had given no intimation as to its possible nature. The group conferred with navy officials in Fallon Monday. Malone said from Ely that final congressional approval of the navy's plan to establish its extended gunnery range in Nevada hinges on Bryant's survey report. The report will come before the armed forces committees of both houses and will be used as a guide in the introduction of subsequent bills on the subject.

The navy has said 2,245,000 acres of land in Pershing, Humboldt and Washoe counties is needed to step up its jet fighter gunnery training program. If the request is granted it would result in the expansion of the Fallon Naval Auxiliary Air station. Ranchers in the affected areas object to aerial activity over lands that are being used to graze sheep and cattle. Acquisition of these areas will also create hardships on miners and prospectors. MCST PROVE STAND The resurvey will require the navy to prove it cannot jointly use the old Tonopah bombing-gunnery range before it gets congressional authority to establish the extended one and a half million acre Black Rock gunnery-range in Washoe and Humboldt counties.

The Sahwave range in Pershing county has already been approved for the navy's acquisition. Last September Malone was successful in getting the resurvey postponed until this month because he felt the land acquisition was "too hot" at that time and had become a political issue. Malone originally urged an October survey, but later said he felt the matter had turned into a "political football." Bomb Warning Proves 'Dud' Washoe county sheriff's depu ties received an anonymous tele phone call this morning that bomb had been placed in a local high school, Policemen ana snenri aepu- ties searched the three high schools, Reno, Sparks Ma- nogue, without uncovering any: dangerous mechanisms. I Classes were not dismissed and there was no disruption of rou-i tine. Superintendent of Schools' Earl Wooster said that such calls are a common attributing them to students seeking a respite from the day's classes.

Reno Resident Dies In a lid a John Marmet, 1025 Ralston Street, died Wednesday in the Denver, Rio Grande and West ern Hospital at Salida, where he had been since Novem ber, 1955. Mr. Marmet, 81, was a retired railroader and moved to Reno in 1952. He will be buried in the Four Mile cemetery in Humboldt, Monday. Farmers Hear Warnings on Federal Control Two major speakers at the 37th annual convention of the Nevada Farm Bureau Federation being held in Ely warned the state's farmers of the dangers of govern ment controls over agriculture.

Keynote speaker Roger Flem-ming, secretary-treasurer of the American Farm Bureau Federation in Washington compared federal price supports with Russian action against Hungary. He told the assembled delegates that government efforts to control agriculture prices and production "will lead to the loss of freedom and to the "socialistic levelling of farm income." Sen. George W. Malone appeared uhexepectedly to urge the bureau to oppose the entry of Ne vada cotton growers into the federal soil bank program. He said that cotton gin activity would be lost, otherwise.

Sen. Malone also reported on the1 progress of various- flood control irrigation projects presently underway in the state. He mentioned the Pine and Mathews dam in Lincoln county, which received 450,000 for: the first year of construction ii the fiscal year 1937 and the $43 million Washoe power irrigation project and the Truckee-Csxson flood program. No money has been appropri ated for the Washoe project, Ma lone said, but reclamation is in the advanced planning stages. The Truckee-Carson irrigation project may be included in the Depart ment of the Interiors report to the budget bureau, he said.

Malone also mentioned the new-federal highway program as well as work on the Las Vegas Wash flood control program. The bureau delegates named young Patricia Schofield of Alamo winner of, the annual teen-age speaking contest, the theme of which was "Why I'm Glad to Be an American." The convention concludes today with the election of officers and a vote on resolutions to be adopted by the state bureau. Leaders of FFA Meet Saturday Officers of the Nevada State Association of Future Farmers of America will convene in Reno at University of Nevada's Max C. Fleischmann College of Agricul ture Saturday to lay plans for coming FFA activities. Presiding over the all-dav meeting will be Steve SewelL Elko, State FFA president.

Officers to be in attendance are James Sloan, Fallon, vice president; Cecil dinger, Lovelock, secretary; Alfred Tamagni, Yering-ton, treasurer; Clinton Perkins, reporter, Overton and Clayton Frehner, sentinal, Bunkerville. John W. Bunten, Carson City, state advisor and Howard Chris-tensen, Reno, executive secretary will also participate in the planning meeting. Plans for holding the annual State FFA convention and contests will be the major item of business. The annual state FFA officers goodwill tour and district FFA convention will also be discussed.

The Future Farmers of America is an organization of farm boys studying vocational agriculture in high school. Sellers to Ask For New Trial ELKO, (JP) Defense Attorney George Wright said he will ask for a new trial today before the scheduled death sentencing of Clark Sellers, 22, for the' pickax slaying of a touring carpenter. Sellers, a former Utah State Agricultural College student and adopted son of a noted handwriting expert', was found guilty of first degree murder last week. The verdict carried an automatic recommendation of capital punishment. The youth is charged with killing Paul Brooks, 45, Mountain View, in a Wells alley July 7 in an effort to rob him.

The state said the murder was a climax to a drinking bout. Defense Attorney Wright has subpoenaed at least four jurors to aid his fight for a new trial. In addition, the defendant's foster father, J. Clark Sellers of Los Angeles, has retained the Reno law firm of Bert Goldwater and Harold Taber. Taber is a former district judge.

car in Rutland, and drove miles around the country. From Reno Det. Capt. William Brodhead's office Friday morning, Donahue told his story. It began last Summer in Connecticut when he was paroled from a prison.

There he had met Dwight S. Smith, 33, a driller, and the pair teamed up. It was Donahue who found Heslin's credit card and who suggested a trip to Rutland. There, they rented the car in Heslin's name and began their tour. New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, Chicago and westward to Nevada.

Then to Crescent City, where Donahue cashed a fictitious check in a night-club. That was his undoing, for Friday morning Officers Richard James and Gordon Flinn, Det. Sgt. Francis Rea and Lt. Anthony Cardon arrested the pair in a local motel.

The Crescent City night-club owner had taken the precaution to record the Vermont license number of the black sedan. Donahue, 43. a meat cutter, said he and Smith lived since they left the east early last month by asking gasoline station owners for cash advances on the strength of the credit card. It was not a luxurious existence for them, he said, and many times they slept in the car to save money. But the sedan got the best of care.

Donahue was quick to add. In Carson, for example, he broke the key in the door lock, and a friendly policeman helped him find a locksmith. And the bill for 12,000 miles of rented travel, plus the gas. oil, grease and wrashings. plus the cash advances what if Heslin had to pay them? he was asked.

"Oh, that poor devil." Donahue said, envisioning the luckless Heslin opening the bills. "I'll bet he's going crazy." Actually, a local gasoline company spokesman said today, if Heslin reported his card lost, the responsibility for Donahue's bills would not be his. The company would absorb the loss, he said, "but not before trying to make a collection." Board Decides To Conduct Two Vegas Sessions LAS VEGAS The Nevada tax commission, in a routine meeting here Thursday, agreed to hold two sessions annually in Las Vegas, instead of one as has been the policy in recent years. Gov. Charles Russell, chairman of the commission, told the group that numerous requests have been made by Las Vegas interests that the commission meet in the south more frequently than once a year.

Norman Brown, veteran member of the commission, said he and the other commissioners "would be delighted to schedule two meetings a year one in the Spring and one in the Fall but we'd just as soon avoid your heat in July and August. During the brief session, much shorter than had been expected, the commission quickly followed recommendations of the three man gambling control board on gaming license applications. Principal application given conditional approval was that of Mrs. Vera Krppp von Bohlen Und Halback, estranged wife of former German munitions tycoon Alfred von Krupp. Writh two asso ciates.

Mrs. Krupp applied for a license to purchase 17.2 per cent of stock in the New Frontier Hotel for $301,000. Secretary Robbins Cahill explained that the Krupp group has a voting agreement covering an additional 42 per cent of the stock, giving the control of the hotel operation. The Krupp group is permitted to participate in the management for the purpose of taking over control, but may not put the $301,000 into the hotel without permission of the state agency. Cahill explained this unusual arrangement was approved to, keep the New Frontier from closing, wrhich he said had been likely; due a lengthy feud between twT groups of stockholders.

Under the Krupp set up, the $301,000 is in escrow and Louis Manchon will become president, of the company, with Sid Bliss taking over as general manager, ana Hugn conway as casino man ager. Outgoing officers Maurice Friedman and T. W. Richardson have an application before the tax commission to reopen the casino of the hotel Royal Nevada. The complicated ownership of two hotes is interlaced with same partjes the Royal Ne vada presently serving for "over- accommodations New Frontier, for the DEPUTIES GET DROP ON GROUP OF MANN I KINS McGILL.

CT) Deputies got the drop on several man-nikins last night as they prowled through a clothing store in search of a burglar. The officers, led by Deputy Sheriff Richard Greemvell, were called by a night watchman who heard noises in the store. They found both safes battered open with a pick and a crowbar. After ordering several dummies to raise their hands in the darkness, Greenwell admitted, they found 21-year-old Athanasios Batianis under papers In the basement. The Kennecott Co.

employe was charged with first degree burglary. 1 the National Poetry association, sajd "the ethology is a compila- tinn rf thp finpst noptrv written 0f America." Mross has been a frequent con tributor to the campus newspaD- er, The Sagebrush, and the cam pus literary magazine, The Erushfire. A limited edition of the anthology is being printed. It will be available to students, teachers, and librarians only. I re-elected 50,677 to 45,712 over Republican Rep.

Clifton Young, a majority of 4,965. Democrat Walter Baring mar gin over Republican Richard Hnr-ton in the race for the state's only house seat was 7.946. Barin? had 51.100 votes and Horton 43,151. Koontz' official vote tabulation shows Dr. Fred Anderson of Reno was elected to the board of res ents with 49,926 votes and Archie Grant of Las Vegas was re-elected with 40,175.

Of the defeated can didates, Grant Sawyer of Elko had 37,552 and William Elwell of Las? Vegas had 33,327. EUREKA HIGHEST The voter turnout in Nevada averaged 81.4 per cent of the 984 registered voters. Eureka county had the highest turnout with 92.5 per cent and Esmeralda county the lowest with 69.3 por cent. Here is the final vote on the eight ballot questions: No. 1 Repeals of the right to work law: Yes 42,337, no Margin 7,248.

No. 2 Constitutional proposal to ban future right to work laws: Yes 38,554, no 51,047, margin 493. No. 3 Adoption of school finance plan already mostly in state law: Yes 34,843, no 38,166, mar gin 3,323. No.

A Making office of superintendent of public instruction appointive instead of elective: Yes 40,244, no 32,896, margin 7,348. No. 5 Amending constitution to require armed forces members to register in order to vote: Yes 54.959, no 16,554, margin 38,405. No. 6 Amending constitution to permit state taxation of certain federal property if congress approves: Yes 54,303, no 15,895, margin 38,408.

No. 7 Putting constitutional limitations on Nevada industrial commission funds: Yes 53,724, no 18.316, margin 35,408. No. 8 Retaining state sales tax: Yes 60,685, no 27,499, margin 33.1S6. Courtesy Mail Box Installed One-way traffic plans 'sierra and Center streets for are even benefiting Reno already, though the streets won't be oneway until after Jan.

1. The benefit is a new "courtesy" mail box, the kind that can be used by a driver without getting out of his car, on the west side of the Sierra street bridge. Postmaster Pete Petersen said the new mailbox is to serve" motorists who have been using the "courtesy box" on Center street, at the post office, on their way south. Only northbound traffic will be allowed on Center street hen the one way system goes into effect. Parking is now prohibited on the west side of the Sierra street bridge, so that motorists should have no trouble getting to the new box.

Peterson said the courtesy boxes handle more mail than any other mail boxes in Reno. The city now has four, one at the Washoe county courthouse, one on the west side of Wells avenue, opposite the Peavine post office, and the two boxes on Center and Sierra streets. Open House At St. Mary's Completion of the third floor of the west wing of St. Mary's Hospital will be observed ith an open house at the hospital Sunday from 2 p.

m. to 5 p. m. The new addition, which was financed through the Max C. Fleischmann Foundation and the Ford Foundation, provides the hospital with 26 more beds, 12 for adults and 14 for children.

It a( iwas furnished by St. Mary's Hos puai uunci assisiea oy r.eno ihit chants and friends The hospital has also opened a neuro-psychiatric ward with ten beds during the last year. Cost of the new wing and its furnishings was approximately $115,000. Ferris and Erskir.e were the architects and the W. II.

Wine Co. was the contractor. PSC Secretary Post Opened To Applicants Applications for the post of secretary of the Nevada Public Service Commission are being accepted until Dec. 21, the state personnel department announced today. The post is now held by Lee Scott, who has been in ill health.

Inspector John Whitacre of the Nevada Highway Patrol has been substituting for Mr. Scott for several months. 7764 TO START The position pays an annual salary of $7764 to start with annual increases to a maximum of $9444. Permanent residents of Nevada will be given preference on the eligible list. Graduation from college with a degree in engineering, law or business administration, and at least four years of progressively responsible experience in connection with public utilities, motor carrier or railroad industries involving ratemaking or industry regulation, or graduation from high school with six years of experience in these fields or a combination of equivalent education and training is required.

Applicants must also have a thorough knowledge of Nevada's public service commission act, a general knowledge of the federal communications act and a good knowledge of rate making practices. WEIGHT GIVEN. Education and experience will be weighted 30 per cent, and an oral interview will be weighted 70 per cent. Further information may be oV tained from local offices of the employment security department and the state personnel headquarters in Carson. The personnel department also announced that examinations will be given in early January to fill openings on the staff of the employment security department.

Applications will be accepted until Dec. 17 for positions as employment interviewers and unemployment claims examiner. Starting salary is $302 a month. Nevada residents also will be given preference. Bids on River Clearance Set Clearing of Truckee river by the U.

S. Army engineers is expected to begin soon, with opening of bids on the project scheduled for Dec. 7. The engineers have allocated $95,000 for completion of the project, which should take several weeks, according to estimates. Under an agreement between the army engineers and the city, the city is to provide access so that heavy equipment can reach the river, and the Reno city engineer's office will work in cooperation with the army men.

E. L. Pine, reserve army engineer colonel and secretary ofthe Associated General Contractors here, has been asked to participate in the project, and has told Reno coimcilmen that he will be glad to give any assistar.ee possible. Pine and his reserve engineer organization aided in preparations to lessen damage done when the Truckee flooded in December of 1955. MESSAGE Police hold a message for Daniel J.

Taylor. Saturday LOADED TRUNK TURNED OVER TO POLICE Mrs. Frank Chartier, the "lucky" lady who bought a trunkful of burglar tools and loaded dice at an auction here a week ago, gave the whole works to the Reno police department this week because the crime equipment made her "nervous." Fearing -that her home would be entered by someone interested in putting the tools and other cheating equipment back in circulation, Mrs. Chartier called the police and had them cart the gear away. No one had yet tried to steal any of the things, Mrs.

Chartier said, but she has been bombarded with telephone calls and other prospective buyers who called in person. Cars were circling her home, she said, and strange men were staring at the place. The dice and marked cards were fun at first, Mrs. Chartier admitted. She tried the dice and got nothing but winning sevens and elevens.

She tried the playing cards too, and said they were "wonderfully marked." None of Mrs. Chartier's phantom callers have bothered to call the police station. Police Chief T. R. Berrum said he will add the burglar tools, dice and cards, to his growing collection of crime equipment for eventual display at the station.

Auto Accident Injures Two Two men, Kenneth and William Martin, their kinship, if any. unknown, were injured Thursday night when the car in which they were riding blew a tire and left the rod noi-th of the California border on highway 395. Kenneth, 27, of 444 Spokane suffered knee and nose injuries. He was released from the Washoe Medical Center following treatment. William, 22, 437 Quincy suffered a broken jaw and other facial injuries.

He was admitted to the hospital, where authorities today listed his condition as "good." Both were brought to the hospital in a Washoe county sheriff's car. Some 3000 children already are going to school in double shifts and 1100 others are housed in what authorities call sub-standard school buildings. Russell will make the Washington trip with Clark county school Supt. R. Guild Gray.

On the agricultural front, the governor will seek federal money to help purchase hay for drought-stricken ranchers in Clark, Nye and Lincoln counties. His office said he will offer to make up to $30,000 in state funds available to niatch the federal money. Aid for Ranchers, Schools To Be Sought by Governor Poem by Nevada Student Published in Anthology Road Project Contracts Let Directors of the Nevada highway department awarded two road construction project contracts in Carson Thursday. Holcomb and Saxton Construction of Reno were the winners of a contract from improvements orw Peckham and Huffaker lanes south of Reno, with a low bid of $25,477. Other bidders on this contract were Pyramid Construction Reno, McKenzie Construction Reno, Thayn Construction Salt Lake City, Utah, Silver State Construction Fallon, Nevada Contractors, Reno, $36,627.

Silver State Construction Co. was the low bidder on a contract to widen an overpass on highway 93 north of Wells in Elko county. The low bid was $167,844. Other bidders were Gibbons and Reed Salt Lake City, Utah, Dodge Construction Fallon, Hoops Construction Twin Falls, 9 m. A poem by a University of Ne vada student.

Georee A. Mross of Reno, will be puDhshed orra Governor Russell's office announced today that he will fly to Washington over the weekend to seek federal help for Southern Nevada farmers and school children. Governor Russell will try to gain approval of a $6,400,000 federal school construction loan for Clark county schools. The appeal will be based on arguments that one-fourth of the area's school population stems from parents working for the fed eral government or its contractors on military, atomic or power installations. Annual Anmoiogy or uoiiege Poetry this year.

The poem was chosen recently by the National Poetry associa tion, Mross' poem, Children's Games, was chosen from thousands of entries from college students all over the country. Dennis Hartman, secretary of Reno Stores Open Until for Christmas Shopping.