Evening star. [volume], January 15, 1932, Page B-1, Image 17

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_WASHINGTON, D. C., FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 1932._***_ PAGE 6-1
COMMERCE STAFF
HITS NEW ROOMS,
HEBERT ASKS PROBE
Senator Calls for Inquiry
After Workers Protest Con
ditions in Basement.
CLERKS FEAR HEALTH
WILL BE ENDANGERED
Dampnes*, Ventilation and Light
ing Regarded as Menace to
Lives and Efficiency.
charges of dampness and poor venti
lation of the basement working quar
ters in which 40 men and women clerks
of the Patent Office have been assigned
In the Commerce Department's new
building today drew a request from
Chairman Hebert of the Senate Com
mittee on Patents for an investigation
by departmental officials.
At the same time Secretary Lamont
received letters of protest from Senators
Tydings of Maryland, Walsh of Massa
chusetts ana Glass of Virginia. They
objected to the placing of these clerks
12 feet underground, and it was pointed
out by them that many of the women
clerks were past middle age and that
such quarters would be injurious to
their health.
Room Has Eight Windows.
All of the clerks, 30 white and 10
colored, will occupy one room in the
basement, directly beneath the beauti
fully decorated and spacious search
room in the Patent Office section of
the building. The room has eight win
dows on the Fourteenth street side of
the structure, but they open into a
concrete walled areaway extending
down from the street level.
The clerks are members of the pub
lication division of the Patent Office
and have supervision over approxi
mately 173,000,000 copies of patents,
which the Government sells for 10
cents per copy. About 20,000,000 copies
are sold daily. The filing room for
these copies also is located in the base
ment where many boys are to be em
ployed.
The means of ventilating the huge
filing room is by electrical blowers, one
of which is to be located in a room
adjoining that of the 40 clerks.
Interested in Efficiency.
Senator Hebert said today that his
committee’s jurisdiction in the matter
extended only to whether or not the
efficiency of the personnel of this
division would be cut down as the re
sult of working in such quarters.
In a petition signed by the majority
of the clerks, the committee was in
formed, in part, as follows:
“There is no doubt but that the un
healthy location will work Injury to
manv of the elderlv people in this
division, with the result that many
clerks will be necessarily absent on sick
leave, which will contribute to the im
pairment of the smooth running and
effieiency of this division.
“Also the great number of electric
lights necessary for this room will un
doubtedly cause injury to those who
are required to sit under this artificial
light all dav. and the result is bound
to manifest 'itself in the quality of the
work produced.”
Motor’* Noise scored.
“The noise from the motor, which is
located in the end of the room, is bound
to cause harm to the nervous system of
all these people to be located in this
room, and the result is bound to be
shown in their work.
“The depressed feeling which this
room provokes has already been shown
in the attitude of the clerks, who have
seen the conditions under which they
will be forced to work, and we believe
that this spirit of depression is bouii'S
to increase after they are actually at
work in this room, and consequently the
morale of the clerks will be greatly les
sened and the efficiency greatly im
paired.”
This division is expected to be moved
Into the new building tomorrow night.
Commissioner Thomas E. Robinson of
the Patent Office said today he had not
replied to Senator Hebert's letter and
had taken no action for the time bring.
He said he had conversed with members
of Senator Hebert's office staff.
Believes Quarters Ideal.
The commissioner described the room
as a "beautiful one, 100 feet long and
14 feet high, with 6-foot-high windows.”
”1 would rather work in this room
than in many offices on the first floor
of the Patent Office section of the
building." the commissioner asserted.
"Because of the length of the big search
room, many offices on the first floor will
have to be lighted artificially.”
PLAQUES TO BE GIVEN
ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNNERS
Mrs. Hobart, D. A. R. President
General, Will Present Three
Trophies to Adams.
Mrs. Lowell Fletcher Hobart, presi
dent general of the Daughters of the
American Revolution, arranged to pre
sent to Secretary Adams thLs afternoon
three trophy plaques, to be awarded an
nually to the battleship, heavy cruiser
and iight cruiser of the fleet standing
first in anti-aircraft gunnery.
Lieut. Ralph S. Bamby. Construction
Corps, U. S. N., on duty in the Bureau
of Aeronautics, Navy Department, the
first license holder given to glider pilots,
submitted the basic design of the trophy
cup. The design shows an anti-aircraft
gun firing at a group of planes and has
a series of small shields around the bor
der for engraving the names of winning
ships and the year in which the trophy
Is won.
NICARAGUAN OFFICIAL’S
WIFE DIES IN CAPITAL
Mrs. Ar.ne Jordan Lindberg Suc
cumbs—Husband Is Customs Chief
for Central American Nation.
Mrs. Anne Cornelia Jordan Lind
berg, wife of the collector general of
customs and high commissioner of the
Republic of Nicaragua. Irving Augustus
Lindberg, died yesterday at Emergency
Hospital, after a long illness, Mrs
Lindberg formerly lived in Minneapo
lis, where she had been prominent in
social, club and literary work.
She left Managua, Nicaragua, after
the earthquake and was joined by her
husband here in October, when he was
sent to this city on a financial mission
and as an official delegate to the
Fourth Pan-American Commercial Con
ference from the Nicaraguan govern
ment.
The body will be taken to Minneapo
lis, where funeral services will be held
Monday at 126 Oak Grove street,
Heat Record Broken
BLOSSOMS UNFOLD AS TEMPERATURE RISES.
THE unseasonal warmth unfolded these blooms, which nominally appear in
April, on a Japanese quince tree in the front yard of the home of Mrs.
G. W. Vinal, 3810 Jenifer street. For 10 years past the tree has been
putting forth these deep pink shading to red blossoms of waxy texture,
but only in the early Spring. ■—Star Staff Photo.
In the lower picture are seme of the 40,000 pansy blooms that have come
out in all their Springtime glory in the beds of Walter A. Barnes, an employe
of the Department of Agriculture, at Kenilworth, D. C.
Washington flower gardens blossomed
today as all records for warm weather
on January 15 in the history of the
Weather Bureau were shattered for the
second time this week with a tempera
ture of 76 shortly after noon.
The previous high mark for January
15 since establishment of the bureau in
1873 was 69 degrees, touched in 1928.
Indications were that the thermometer
would soar even higher as afternoon
progressed. The mercury stood at 66
at noon yesterday and Wednesday, both
record-breaking days also. The maxi
mum on those days was reached around
3 pm.
The all-time high for January was
tied yesterday, when the temperature
registered 76' at 3:30 p.m. This had
been equaled in 1890, 1907 and 1927.
A break in the "heat wave" was pre
dicted for tonight, however. The fore
cast:
"Light rain this afternoon, partly
cloudv and colder tonight. Saturday
fair and much colder. Lowest tempera
ture tonight 44 degrees.”
Encouraged by recent record-breaking
warm weather, narcissus and pansies
blossomed forth in all their glory. De
partment of Agriculture officials said a
few more days of mild temperatures
would hasten the opening of buds on
1 peach, plum, sweet cherry and pear
trees. Thev added if the trees blos
somed a light frost later would be fatal
to their fruit.
Narcissus bloomed in Chevy Chase,
while pansies made their appearance in
mid-April fashion in Agriculture De
partment beds at Fourteenth street and
Constitution avenue. Other pansies
made their debut just south of the Inlet
Bridge in Potomac Park near the High
way Bridge. Tulips sprouted in Claren
don. Van., several weeks ahead of time.
Because of the warm weather of the
last few days many people are alarmed
about the growth of flowers, such as
tulips, hyacinths and daffodils, the De
partment of Agriculture said today.
Speaking for this region, Dr. David
Giiffiths, bulb specialist of the depart- j
ment. says that unless this weather
continues there will probably not be so
much damage to the stock as many
anticipate. Tulips, hyacinths and
daffodils out of the ground an inch or
two will not likely be injured, unless
temperatures drop exceedingly low.
These plants are very hardy and with
stand temperatures down to 20 above
zero without much danger.
In case very low temperatures are
predicted, householders may cover their
bulbs until the cold snap has passed.
Any light, dry mulch which will not
pack down too tightly is all right for
this. Dr. Griffiths advises a hay or
straw mulch or pine boughs if they are
available.
It will not do to cover the bulbs
with mulch while the w'eather is warm
nor to leave the mulch on after the
ccld snap has passed on account of
forcing them still further. Another
thing to look out for, Dr. Griffiths says,
is not to allow the plant to come up
through the mulch. The best plan is
to watch the weather predictions and
if very cold weather is coming cover
with mulch. Then uncover as soon as
the cold snap is past.
MESS 10 PUTS’
1 -
Revenue Bureau Looks for
Evidence to Back Tax
Debt Claim.
Continuing their efforts to seize assets |
of G. Bryan Pitts, former head of the J
F. H. Smith Co., in satisfaction of in
come tax claims, the Bureau of In
ternal Revenue today appealed to Dis- j
trict Supreme Court for permission to
examine his books and records.
A great many documents belonging
to Pitts were seized several months ago
in his Florida home and impounded by j
the court. The bureau wants to ex-1
amine these records to check on the j
incomes of various subsidiary corpora- ,
tions of the Smith company, believing'
that from this source may come evi- I
dence supporting their claim that Pitts :
owes more than $2,000,000 in back taxes, j
Justice Peyton Gordon today signed
an order requiring Pitts, now in the
District Jail, to appear before Justice
Daniel W. O'Donoghue January 21 and
show cause why these records should
not be made available to Internal Rev
enue agents for examination.
The petition was brought by Nugent
Dodds, Assistant Attorney General.
-•- *
Three Sisters Ambidextrous.
CHICAGO (N. A. N. A). — Three
daughters of W. H. Killian of Chicago
can write equally well with either left
or right hand.
Police Criticized
For Serving Traffic
W arrants at Night
Judge Iliit Dismisses
< barge Against Man
Routed From Bed.
Judge Isaac R. Hitt in Traffic Court
toda” criticized police methods of serv
ing warrants for small traffic offenses
at late hours of the night, and dis
missed a charge against a man who was
routed from his home at nearly mid
night last night and escorted to a pre
cinct station house to deposit collateral.
Several days ago Stanley D. Willis,
an attorney, of 1723 Varnum street, was
given a ticket for passing a stop sign
at Sixteenth and Upshur streets. He
failed to deposit collateral and police
secured a warrant and called at the
Willis home at 11:30. He said he was
compelled to accompany the officer to
the precinct.
Willis denied the charge in Police
Court and protested vehemently to the
judge about the time of the police visit.
Judge Hitt promptly dismissed the case.
He admonished the officers that except
in cases of extreme necessity warrants
should be served at ‘ a reasonable hour.”
—-• —-■ -
ROAD PROMOTES PRINCE
The Southern Railway today an
nounced the promotion of Sydney
Prince to the office of general counsel
of the system Since 1918 he has been
its general solicitor.
Mr. Prince succeeds the late >L. E.
Jeffries, general counsel and vice presi
dent, who died last Wednesday, when
stricken at a hearing before the
Interstate Commerce Commission.
HEARINGS ON D. C.
TAXATION BILLS
Careful Study Will Be Given
Increases Before Action in
Senate, He Says.
SENATOR HITS “ORGY”
OF U. S. TAX SPENDING
Levies Without Representation Are
Assailed in Speech Given at
Trade Board Meeting.
There will be no hasty action by the
Senate on the group of proposals of the
House of Representatives calling for a
$4,000,000 boost in taxes here. Sen
ator Hiram Bingham of Connecticut
told the Washington Board of Trade
and the District generally last night in
an address broadcast from the trade
body meeting at the Willard Hotel.
“Very careful study” will be given
these bills by the Senate District Com
mittee, following receipt of an analysis
of them now being made by the Bureau
of Efficiency, prior to Senate action,
the speaker predicted.
Furthermore, Senator Bingham re
ported, Washington taxpayers will be
given an opportunity to express their
views on the proposed measures at. pub
lic hearings before the Senate District
Committee, headed by Senator Capper
of Kansas, before that legislative group
reports its conclusions. Senator Bing
ham is a member of the Senate Appro
priations Committee and chairman of
the Subcommittee on Appropriations for
the District of Columbia.
An unusual anu paiLicumi iraiiu*™
biiity is placed upon Congress in the
drafting of tax measures for the Dis
trict, in order to insure equitable treat
ment for residents of the National Cap
ital. who are disfranchised and de
prived of a voice in their government,
he asserted.
“Taxation without representation is
unjust. It has led to rebellions, upris
ings and revolts in many lands and was
the inspiration of our own Boston Tea
Party that led to our break from Gre3t j
Britain. I still believe in that princi
ple." he said.
Later in his address, Senator Bing
ham. who is regarded as one of the
leading economists of the Senate, lashed
out at extravagance in governmental
expenditures by Federal, State and mu
nicipal governments, declaring the
whole country "has been on a spending
orgy.” He declared taxpayers in locali
ties throughout the country now are
developing a spirit of rebellion against
excessive tax burdens and will force
economies.
Earlier in the Board of Trade pro
gram, William Tyler Page, former clerk
of the House for many years and still
an employe at the Capitol, struck also
at mounting governmental costs and!
urged elimination of scores of agencies;
i of the central government.
Led Lump Sum Fight Last Year.
Senator Bingham last year led the
fight on behalf of District residents
which brought about a compromise be
tween the Senate and the House which
resulted in appropriation of an addi
tional $500,000 by the National Govern
ment toward the operation of the Dis
trict. This raised the Federal lump
sum appropriation from $9,000,000 to
$9,500,000.
The bills rushed through the House
at the opening of the current session
of Congress, at the urging of the
Mapes Committee, propose an income
tax for the District, a doubling of the
gasoline tax, an inheritance tax, estate
tax and elimination from substantive
law the provision that 60 per cent of
costs of the National Capital be paid
out of Federal funds.
While not a member of the District
Committee, Senator Bingham assured
his audience that Senator Capper and
his Legislative Committee would make
a thorough and careful study of the tax
bills before they report their findings to
the Senate.
Discussing the disfranchisement of
District residents, he brought out that
Chairman Capper plans to call public
hearings on the bills and is awaiting a
report on them by the Bureau of Effi
ciency.
•’The days of the 50-50 proportional
arrangement apparently have gone by,”
he said in reference to the Mapes Com
mittee action to do away with the
60-40 divisional plan, which though
still substantive law, has been set aside
by restriction of appropriations to lump
sums
Senator Bingham praised the District
for being free of bonded debt, and
added that "some of my friends who
want to increase the tax burden of the
District seem to forget that it is not
necessary to take large sums out of
District revenues to pay for the huge
bonded indebtedness that other cities
have.”
Here ne warned oi me on nuns ui
dollars of bonded indebtedness of
States and municipalities of the
country. This practice of borrowing
huge sums, he pointed out, has placed
great additional burdens on taxpayers.
Swinging into the broader questions
of governmental taxation and expendi
tures, Senator Bingham urged much
more economical procedure, as to the
Nation, States and municipalities.
Pointing out that the House had
prescribed in the deficiency appropria
tion measure that no funds be spent
for the razing of the District Building,
in the Federal development area here,
he reported that the Senate Appropria
tions Committee had written into this
measure that there shall be no such
expenditure “in this or any other bill.”
He referred also to the costly new
Municipal Center project.
“When we are prosperous, he con
tinued, "there are requests for many
big projects of all kinds, but when
times are hard we do not ask for works
of art. , . ,
"These are days when we are hard
uo I have just noticed advertisements
of a tremendous list of properties which
are posted for tax sales. People are
out of work and are losing their homes.
"We have been on a spending de
bauch The Nation has been engaging
in an orgy of spending. The time has
come to prune Federal expenditures
until if hurts. The taxpayers will force
this action if our Legislatures do not
act first. ... _
"To meet the deficit in the Federal
Treasury there must be heavy slashes
in expenditures, or increases in taxes,
as proposed by Secretary Mellon. Both
may have to be adopted.
"Money does not come out of thin
air. Borrowing only postpones the evil
to some future day.”
Giving a picture of the national
“spending orgy, ’ Senator Bingham de~
dared the country had been “most ex
travagant,” describing high schools
equipped with hair-drying machines,
purchased so that girl students could
take a swim in the school pool between
study sessions.
The Federal Government, he asserted,
“has been spending a lot of money for
foolish things,” adding that the Na
tional Government has been getting
"more and more paternalistic."
Here he described a "costly” pam
Bridge Statue Models Reach Col. Grant
“ _
UNUSUAL EQUESTRIAN FIGURES TO ORNAMENT WASHINGTON TERMINUS OF MEMORIAL BRIDGE.
SMALL models of the equestrian
statues which will grace the
Washington terminus of the Ar
lington Memorial Bridge today
reached the office of Lieut. Col.
U. S. Grant, 3d, executive officer of the
Arlington Memorial Bridge Commis
sion, and represent a further stage in
the development of plans for the
project.
Maj. D. H. Gillette, assistant execu
tive officer, explained that these models
(shown above) represent further ex
pansion of the program, as succeeding
Association Suggests Parley
of Groups Opposing
Mapes Bills.
An invitation to call a conference
of delegates of afll organizations which
pian to oppose the Mapes bills looking
to tax increases for the District was
extended to “one of the older and
larger” civic bodies today by the Com
phlet printed by the Federal Govern
ment in large quantities “for free dis
tribution at the cost of the taxpayer,'
which opened with the statement that
“babies of 5 or 6 months need clothes
of particular patterns'' and closed with
the injunction that “toys are not the
only things with which to encourage
manipulation.” .
Senator Bingham also criticized the
expenditure of tax funds for publication
of a pamphlet under the name of the
Department of Commerce on “The Love
Life of the Frog,” prepared by the Bu
reau of Fisheries.
He described also how a Government
scientist, who had spent 15 years in
a study of lightning bugs, thanked a
foreign student for asking him about
his work, saying it was the first re
quest for information he had received
in the 15 years’ service.
Referring to another expenditure, he
scored the distribution by the Bureau
of Public Roads of thousands of cards
to motorists entering Washington,
which asked where they were going
and where they came from, this being
a traffic survey project. “Now what
business is it of the Federal Govern
ment where these motorists are going
in Washington?” he asked.
Some of these things may be worthy
in themselves, he concluded, “but why
should the taxpayers have to pay for
them?”
Some advocates of such expenditures,
he said, seemed to have believed they
could make the rich pay for them, only
to find that the wealthier taxpayers
have been investing their funds in tax
exempt Government bonds. This has
raised a question in some quarters, he
said, as to whether the Constitution
could be changed so that these bonds
may be taxed.
"We are taxing many things almost
out of existence,” he said in conclusion,
“and there are tax rebellions in prog
ress in small measure all over the
country.”
Mr. Page in an inspirational address
on the ideals of the United States Gov
ernment declared that this country has
departed widely in the past quarter
century from the original concepts of
the American form of government, and
“to the great detriment” of the country.
Underlying all our troubles, he said,
is the indifference of the franchised
citizen to carry out his right and duty
to vote. This, he said, has led to ex
travagance in expenditures, to creation
of loud clamoring by minorities and
organized propagandists, with resulting
influences upon officials. This has cre
ated stronger central, State and Federal
governments, which have been gradu
ally extending their powers over the
lives, activities and even the homes of
the citizens. He called such centraliza
tion of government powers a “Franken
stein.”
Mr. Page particularly assailed the
growth of Federal and State agencies,
independent boards, offices and commis
sions, “which have grown up like mush
rooms.” Many of these, he asserted,
could be entirely dispensed with and
the functions of others could be trans
ferred to already existing departments,
directly responsible to some responsi
ble official.
“The only way to economize,” he de
clared, "is to use the knife sharply.”
Another speaker was Elwood Street,
director of the Washington Community
Chest, who outlined the business poli
cies being carried out by the Chest
organization and its 65 member or
ganizations. He pointed out that the
cost of the current campaign would
amount to but 6 per cent, because of
efficiency in the organization and the
valuable volunteer service given free of
charge by workers. This economy has
been effected, he said, in the face of a
$600,000 increase in the Chest budget,
occasioned by the depression and con
dition of unemployment.
George W. Offutt, president of the
board, presided, with Charles W. Morris,
secretary, assisting. Harry H. R. Helwig
announced completion of arrangements
for the annual banquet meeting of the
board February 6. A musical program
was given by Charles Trowbridge Titt
mann, accompanied by George Wilson.
[ models will be made increasingly larger
until they become full size. The two to
be placed on the bridge represent the
] valors of war and were executed by
: Leo Friedlander, New York artist,
while the two to be erected on the
bridge plaza at the Rock Creek and
Potomac Parkway approach, depicting
the victories of peace, were done by
James E. Fraser, New York sculptor.
As the progressively larger models are
studied, Maj. Gillette explained, changes
mercial Motor Vehicle Owners’ Associa
tion.
The invitation was contained in a
letter addressed to the leading organ
izations of the District of Columbia,
including the Board of Trade, Wash
ington Chamber of Commerce, Federa
tion of Citizens’ Associations. Merchants
and Manufacturers’ Association and the
American Automobile Association.
In its appeal for concerted action
opposing the Mapes bills, the Vehicle
Owners’ Association pointed out the
weakness of any unorganized action
against the measures.
Procedure Suggested.
“In view of congressional criticism in
the past of the failure of Washington
interests to get together in mutual
agreement with respect to District of
Columbia legislation,” the letter asserts,
“we suggest that one of the older and
larger organizations take the initiative
in arranging a conference of represent
atives of all organizations that are
planning to oppose the Mapes bills.”
The association made it clear that
while it was determined to fight the
motor vehicle weight tax bill “in so far
as it affects trucks and busses” and the
gasoline tax increase, it would not give
any attention to the other Mapes bills.
Concerted Effort Urged.
"By assigning the detail work of the
various phases of the situation to those
organizations best qualified to develop
the facts, agreeing upon a program and
reaching a mutual understanding with
regard to the principles involved, it
should avoid duplication of effort, in
sure the most formidable presentation
of the opposition and impress the Sen
ate committee with the unanimity of
opinion of all interests," the associa
tion contended in its letter. Continu
ing, the association wrote:
"Nothing will harm the cause as
much as a conflict of opinion, and
success will be endangered by an un
necessary waste of time of the members
of the Senate District Committee.”
The letter was signed by Jerome
Fanciulli, executive secretary of the
association
Members of the Board of Governors
who attended the meeting of the
association at its meeting yesterday in
the United States Chamber of Com
merce Building were John W. Hardell,
president; A. G. Herrmann, W. Spencer
Brenizer, Edgar Brawner, C. E. Fries,
Ford Young, A Biedermann, P. R.
Bailey, W. N. DeNeane, Charles P.
Maloney, William E. Humphreys, P. T.
McDermott, Charles B. Buck, Arthur
C. Smith, Joseph B. Trew and Paul
Lum.
MAPES TAX BILL ASSAILED.
College Park Group Also Hits Radio
Crooning.
By a Staff Correspondent of The Star.
COLLEGE PARK, Md.. January 15.
—Condemnation of radio "crooning”
and objection to the provision of the
Mapes tax bill pertaining to the pay
ment of income tax by all persons work
ing in the District of Columbia fea
tured the January meeting of the
Progress Club of College Park at the
home of Mrs. T. B. Symons.
In expressing their disapproval of
radio "crooning” members of the club
adopted a resolution declaring the or
ganization "shares the point of view
and is in complete sympathy with the
sentiment on the subject expressed in
the editorial entitled ‘Immoral and
Imbecile Slush’ which appeared in The
Evening Star January 11.”
The resolution also invites the Prince
Georges County Federation of Women’s
Clubs and other civic organizations to
concur in the club's action and directs
that copies be sent to all radio stations
in this vicinity.
U. S. WORKERS START
PAYING $1,007,000
_
First Installment for Community
Chest and Other Relief Agencies
Paid to Collectors Today.
Government employes today paid the
first installment on their contribution of
more than $1,000,000 to the Washington
Community Chest and relief agencies in
nearby Maryland and Virginia.
Succeeding payments will be made on
the 15th of February and March, under
the plan by which the workers are giv
ing one day's wage in the first three
months of the year.
The contributions are being handled
through divisional chairmen at the head
of the soliciting units in each Govern
ment establishment.
The Washington Chest is to get a to
tal of $1,007,000 and the out-of-town
agencies $73,616.96. The amount to go
to each of the latter will be announced
shortly.
; will be made. Alongside the horses are
men, those in the war group portraying
the warrior going forth to battle, while
in the peace group the pursuit of the
arts is represented.
The inscription to be placed at the
base of the equestrian groups has not
yet been decided upon.
While Col. Grant and his associates
were studying the models arrangements
w’ere being made today to throw the
bridge and the Mount Vernon Memorial
Highway open to public travel, tempo
rarily, tomorrow.
MAPESREPORT HIT
Citizens’ Group Sounds Plea
Against Added Taxes
for District.
Unqualified disapproval of the Mapes
report proposing additional taxation
for the District was voted Wednesday
night by the Columbia Park Citizens’
Association.
The organization adopted the follow
ing resolution:
"Resolved by the Columbia Park Citi
zens’ Association in regular meeting as
sembled, That this association expresses
its unqualified disapproval of the so
called Mapes District of Columbia tax
ation bill and its disapproval of the
hasty and unfair manner in which this
resolution w»as passed by the House of
Representatives without public hearing.
And, be it further,
Senator Capper Praised.
“Resolved, That it is the recommenda
tion of this association that this bill re
ceive no consideration in the United
States Senate until a further study is
made of it and opportunity given to the
taxpayers of the District of Columbia
to be heard. And. be it further
“Resolved, That this association
commends Senator Capper for his in
terest in affairs pertaining to the Dis
trict of Columbia and it is our con
viction that Senator Capper will see
that such unfair legislation will not
be forced on the District of Columbia.
And be it further
"Resolved, That copies of this reso
lution be sent to the committees of
the House and Senate on District of
Columbia Affairs, the Commissioners
of the District of Columbia and to the
Federation of Citizens’ Associations.”
Firearms Bill Barked.
The organization indorsed the fire
arms bill for the District sponsored by
Senator Capper.
E. J. Matchett. secretary, was in
structed to request installation of re
flectors at the beginning and end of
the center parking on Kansas avenue
north and south of Sherman circle,
due to several recent accidents.
Herbert S. Wood urged support for
the Community Chest.
“ALFALFA BILL” BARS
FORMAL AFFAIRS
Women’s Democratic Club Changes
Dinner to Buffet Supper
as Result.
Formal affairs are “out” so far as
Gov. William H. Murray of Oklahoma
is concerned.
That was the word conveyed here to
the Women's National Democratic Club
in response to an invitation to the
picturesque “Alfalfa Bill” to be the
honor guest and speaker at a dinner.
In consequence the club has arranged
a buffet supper Sunday evening, when
the Oklahoma executive will be enter
tained.
Gov. Murray, viewed as a potential
candidate for the Democratic presiden
tial nomination, bars political speeches
on the Sabbath, but has promised to
talk informally and “reveal the secrets
of his political philosophy," according
to an announcement from the club.
The Governor's appearance is set for
4:30 at the club house, 1526 New Hamp
shire avenue. He will be introduced
by Mrs. Emily Newell Blair.
On Sunday night Gov. Murray will
speak at Ingram Memorial Congrega
tional Church and on Monday night at
the Anti-Saloon League convention at
the Mayflower Hotel.
JUDGE’S RECOVERY SLOW
Wheat Expected to Be Away From
Post Several Weeks.
Chief Justice Alfred A. Wheat of the
District Supreme Court, who fell and
broke his arm in New York during the
holidays, is not expected to return to
his post for several weeks. He is con
fined to a New York hospital, where
the broken arm is being treated.
The break has not mended as
rapidly as was expected, and phy
sicians have not yet deemed it ad
visable to place his arm in a cast.
MOO AUTOS LACK
TITLES IN RUSH
OF REGISTRATION
Van Duzer Surprised by
124,000 Applications Filed
Since July 1.
30.000 OWNERS MUST
GET TAGS BY FIRST
14.000 Trucks, but Only Eight
Electric Cars Among Record
Applications.
Six thousand motor vehicles remain
to be titled before the Traffic Depart
ment completes the gigantic task im
posed on it by Congress of titling and
registering all of the cars in the Dis
trict, according to a tabulation today
by Traffic Director William A. Van
i Duzer.
Thus far, certificates of title have
been issued for 118,000 vehicles, 14,000
of which are trucks. Piled up in the
Traffic Department are 6,203 applica
tions for title which Mr. Van Duzer
hopes to clear away before the close of
next week so that car owners will have
sufficient time in which to procure 1932
tage before February 1, the date follow
ing expiration of 1931 tags.
. Registration Is Largest.
The title applications filed since last
July 1, showing there are more than
124,000 motor vehicles in the District,
completely surprised Mr. Van Duzer
and other traffic authorities, and indi
cates the largest registration in the
history of the District. Based on the
registration in previous years, and the
normal annual increase, the traffic di
rector estimated the total registration
for 1932 would not exceed 120,000.
Already Mr. Van Duzer’s estimate has
been exceeded by more than 4,000, and
indications are that a number of other
car owners have not filed applications
for title. Belief is now expressed that
the total registration will range be
tween 125,000 and 126,000.
Another interesting sidelight on the
registration cited by Mr. Van Duzer
is that of the 118,000 title certificates
issued, only eight were for electric pro
pelled vehicles.
Although the titling of cars has pro
gressed to the satisfaction of Mr. Van
Duzer, he is disappointed over the de
lay of many drivers in procuring 1932
tags. Of the 118,000 car owners to
whom certificates of title have been
issued, 88,000 have 1932 tags, showing
that 30.000 have put off making appli
cation for the plates.
Expiration This Month.
The date fixed for the expiration of
the 1931 tags—midnight, January 31
will not be extended, Mr. Van Duzer said,
and unless these 30,000 car owners pro
cure 1932 tags within the next 10 days
a rush at the tag distribution bureau
will be inevitable.
The tag bureau is located in the Ford
Building at John Marshall place and
Pennsylvania avenue and the tags can
be procured now without delay. If a
rush develops at the last minute, how
ever. Mr. Van Duzer predicted, appli
cants for tags may be required to stand
in line for several hours.
WOMAN IS FATALLY
BURNED BY HEATER
Daughter Also Treated at Hospital
After Attempt to Beat Out
Flames.
A 70-year-old woman was fatally
burned today, despite her daughter's ef
forts to save her after her clothing had
been ignited by a coal-oil stove. The
daughter, who attempted to beat out
the flames with her hands, also was
burned.
The woman, Mrs. Nellie Smith, was
in the bath room of her home at 800
A street southeast when her daughter.
Miss Elizabeth Smith, about 40, heard
her scream.
Miss Smith ran into the bath room
and found her mother’s clothes ablaze.
After a futile attempt to beat out the
flames. Miss Smith, assisted by other
occupants of the house, muffled the
blaze with blankets.
By that time, however, Mrs. Smith
was severely burned from head to foot.
A Casualty Hospital ambulance was
summoned and Mrs. Smith, after re
ceiving first aid from one of the insti
tution’s emergency physicians, was tak
en to Providence Hospital. She died
several hours later.
Her daughter also was treated at the
institution, but afterward was permit
ted to return home.
According to Policeman George Deane,
fourth precinct, who investigated the
case, neither Miss Smith nor any of ihe
other occupants of the house was able
to explain how the woman's clothing
caught afire.
BUSINESS MEN FLAY
MAPES TAX BILL
Central Association Luncheon Told
No Occasion Exists Here for
Increases.
The Mapes tax bills were opposed
vigorously yesterday by the Central
Business Men’s Association at a luncheon
meeting at 1403 L street.
A report of a special committee in
dicated that there was no necessity for
the proposed increase and that the
increase was greater than increases in
certain whole States.
It was pointed out that the higher
taxes would place a burden on the
shoulders of those who at the present
time are carrying additional burdens
to help stabilize conditions.
Opposition again was voiced to the
plan for cutting through Thomas Circle
to facilitate traffic. Members of the
association charged that utility corpora
tions are the indirect backers of the
plan and that it would not be to the
best interest of the general public.
Change in Charter Sought.
FALLS CHURCH, Va., January 15
(Special).—The Falls Church Town
Council has sent a request to State
Senator John W. Rust and Delegate
Edmund H. Allen to secure an amend
ment to the town charter authorizing
the town to extend its water mains and
eventually its sewer connections into
territory contiguous to the town to
serve county residents who desire such
service.