Evening star. [volume], January 26, 1932, Page B-1, Image 17

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
.. .1= .. - ■ . J j '
Washington News | Society and General
~ ' _WASHINGTON, I>. C„ TUESDAY, JANUAKV 26, 1932._***_ '_PAPE' B-l
HOUSE DOE 10 ACT
TODAY ON FEDERAL
PERSONNEL ISSUES
Promotions, New Employes
and Increases in Salary
Involved.
PASSAGE OF AGRICULTURE
FUND BILL SCHEDULED
Simmons Plans Motion to Recom
mit Providing for 5 Per Cent
Reduction in Force.
BY WILL P. KENNEDY.
Late today the House is expected to
take definite action on several ques
tions affecting promotion of Govern
ment employes, appointment of new
employes in the Government service,
and the proposed cutting down of the
personnel in the Department of Agri
culture, to be followed by similar ac
tion in other branches of the Federal
service.
The agricultural appropriation bill is
expected to be passed late today. In
this bill the two final sections concern
Government employes, both as regards
a prohibition against any increases in
salary due to promotion, and another
prohibition against any new appoint
ments to the service before July 1,
1933.
When action has been completed in
the committee of the whole, and the
bill is brought into the House itself
for final action. Representative Robert
G. Simmons, Republican of Nebraska,
ranking minority member on the sub
committee that drafted the bill, has
served notice that he will offer a mo
tion to recommit providing for a 5 per
cent reduction in the force of the de
partment.
Proposals Bitterly Fought.
These proposals for interference with
the Government employes have been
bitterly lought, but it seems probable
the two sections in the bill which have
been safeguarded by a special rule
making them in order are likely to be
approved. The prospects are that the
Simmons amendment for a 5 per cent
reduction in force will be rejected as
it has been opposed strenuously by
Chairman Bryns of the Appropriations
Committee.
The two sections in the bill made in
order by the special rule, provide as
follows; ,
"No appropriation under the Depart
ment of A.griculture available during
the fiscal years 1932 and 1933—which
means up to July 1. 1933—shall be used
< first) to increase the compensation of
anv position within the grade to which
tuih position has been allocated under
th» classification act; (second) to in
crease the compensation' of any posi
tion in the field sendee, the pay of
which is adjustable to correspond, so
far as may be practicable, to the rates
established by the classification act;
(third) to increase the compensation of
any position under the classification
act htrough reallocation; (fourth) to
increase the compensation of any per
son in any grade through advancement
to another position in the same grade,
or to a position in a higher grade, at a
rate in excess of the minimum rate of
the higher grade, unless such minimum
rate would call for an actual reduction
in compensation; (fifth) to increase the
compensation of any other position ol
the Federal Government under the De- ,
partment of Agriculture.
Treasury Would Get Savings.
The bill carries a provision that all
of the appropriations saved by such
procedure shall be impounded and re
turned to the Treasury and that a re
port on this amount shall be submitted
to Congress on the first day of the next
regular session.
The other section written into the
bill directs that no appropriation for
the Department of Agriculture, avail
able up to July 1, 1933. shall be used
to pay the compensation of an in
cumbent appointed to a position under
the Federal Government which is va
cant on the date the act is passed, or
any such position which may become
vacant after that date.
There is a provision that this inhibi
tion shall not apply to absolutely es
sential positions, the filling of which
may be approved in writing by the
President. The saving in appropria
tions under this section would also be
returned to the Treasury.
“Big Business" Accused.
Efforts to slash salaries of Govern
ment employes and to order a wholesale
reduction in personnel without study as
to how such action might cripple the
work of the various Federal activities
were vigorously fought on the House
floor yesterday by Chairman Byms of
the House Appropriations Committee,
Representative William P Connery of
Massachusetts, chairman of the Com
mittee on Labor, and Representative
James M. Fitzpatrick, Democrat, of
New York.
Representative Connery declared the
members of the House are still under
the impression President Hoover does
not favor cutting anybody's salary,
statments by former Chairman Wood
of the Appropriations Committee to the
contrary notwithstanding. He charged
there is a pay-cut conspiracy, engi
neered by "big business,” which, he em
phasized. had already slashed wages
$12,000,000,000 and desires the Federal
reduction program as an excuse to still
further take the dollars out of the
pcckets of those who do the work
Representative Fitzpatrick put Repre
sentative Simmons on record as opposed
to a wholesale slashing of the Federal
pay roll when he asked him, as cham
pion of the farmers, if he thought Fed
eral pay reductions would help the
farmers.
Mr. Simmons replied that he "re
peatedly had said that it would not.
I do not favor reductions in salaries,”
said Mr. Simmons. "I ask anly elimi
nation of personnel not doing essential
work
Personnel Cut Move Fails.
Byrns repulsed another attempt by
Representative Simmons to insert a
legislative rider ordering a reduction
In personnel throughout the Agricul
ture Department.
"There is no evidence in this record,”
said Mr. Byms—"not a scintilla, which
would justify the gentleman's reduction
In personnel.
"I shall support the gentleman,” ex
plained Chairman Byrns, “in any prop
osition he makes to cut these est mates,
provided he has the proof and provided
he does not in that connection cripple
the administration of this Government.
I am a Democrat, but I do not want
to see the President of the United
States and his departments crippled in
the administration of the affairs of
the Government, and I say that if we
blindly go along and cut the personnel
of these departments without the
(lightest evidence 6 per cent, we are
going to cripple many of the bureaus
and divisions down there in this de
Col. Young’s Plane (.rashes
ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF COMMERCE SLIGHTLY HURT.
COL. CLARENCE M. YOUNG,
Assistant Secretary of Com
merce for Aeronautics, was in
jured slightly this morning
when a plane in which he was
making radio tests near the College
Park, Md., Airport, made a forced land
ing about a mile from the field when
the motor died.
The plane landed in a truck garden
and crashed through a hedge fence be
fore it brought up at a 45-degree angle
against a dirt bank. The landing gear
was carried away. Col. Young and the
pilot, M. S. Boggs, a Department of
Commerce inspector, quickly crawled
out of the wreckage. Col. Young sus
tained a skinned leg, which did not re
quire treatment. The pilot was unhurt.
The tvreek of the plane is shown above;
Col. Young below. —Star Staff Photos.
EMPLOYES’ LEADER
AGAINST NEW BILL
Miss Gertrude McNally Says
Proposals Will Injure Effi
ciency of Workers.
Vigorous opposition to the two sec
tions affecting Federal employes in the
agricultural appropriation bill, now be
fore the House, was registered today by
Miss Gertrude McNally, Secretary-treas
urer of the National Federation of Fed
eral Employes. She declared that if this j
legislation is passed administrative offi- I
cers will be handicapped in not being
able to get the work done efficiently.
“The policy sought to be adopted by
these sections,” said Miss McNally, “is
now in effect throughout the Federal
service by executive order, and the leg
islation therefore proposes no new thing.
This is just an additional contribution
that the Federal employes are asked to
make during the present temporary con
dition of finances.
"The Saturday half-holiday law has
not yet been fully complied with,” Miss
McNally continued. "Many employes
are being refused the benefits of the
Saturday half-holiday act because of
lack of appropriations, even though
Saturday half holidays for Federal
workers is new the law of the land.
“In the opinion of the federation, the
adoption of sections 2 and 3 of the ag
riculture appropriation bill are a greater
detriment to administration officials
than to the individual Federal employes,
inasmuch as they make difficult, if not
impossible, the efficient carrying on of
the activity of the department.”
AUTOIST STRIKES TREE,
AVOIDING PARKED CAR
William H. Jennings Injured in
Crash on Park Road, Rock
Creek Park.
His automobile was demolished early
last evening when William H. Jen
nings. 35, of the 1100 block of F street
northeast struck a tree on Park road.
Rock Creek Park, when he swerved
his car to avoid striking a parked car.
The operator of the second car,
George R. Diggs, colored, 40, of the
2700 block of Bruce place southeast,
told United States Park Police that his
motor stopped and his lights went out
on a curve Diggs told police he parked
his car and was trying to fix his lights
when Jennings’ car crashed into the
tree.
Jennings, whose condition is reported
as being not serious, was taken to Gar
field Hospital and treated for contusion
of the right leg and wTenched back. No
arrests were made.
-- ■ . ..#«■ . -■ - -
RETIREMENT ORDERED
Capt. Plemmons Will Leave Service
January 31.
Capt. Caney L. Plemmons was ordered
retired by the District Commissioners
today, effective January 31. The retire
ment was ordered because Capt. Plem
m ns has reached the age of 64, under
which retirement is compulsory under
th" department’s rule.
He was bcrn January 28 1868. and
appointed to the police force January
18. 1893, and consequently has more
thin 39 years of continuous service.
Capt. Plemmcns was granted a pen
sion of $150 per month.
partment and In others, and tor one I
am not going to be responsible tor it.”
His position regarding the amend
ments made in order under the special
rule to prevent filling of vacancies or
granting pay increases until July 1,
1933, was given by Chairman Byrns in
reply to this question by Representative
Simmons:
"If death or vacancies occur in a
bureau, and the gentleman from Ten
nessee is not in a position to anticipate
where those are going to occur, if it is
required that they be not filled except
the Presid-mt finds mat the filling of
them is "absolutely essential,” then are
we not "blindly” possibly crippling those
activities, just as much as my amend
ment would "blindly” cripple them?"
In response. Chairman Byrns said:
"Certainly not, because we are safe
guarding that possibility by giving the
President of the United States the au
thority to direct mat they be filled, and
that is me whole object of that provi
sion in the bill, which gives him au
thority, whenever he thinks they should
be filled, to fill them."
C. OF C. CELEBRATES
Bicentennial Film to Be
Shown Tonight at D.nner
Attended by Curtis. ^
With Vice President Curtis as guest
of honor and principal speaker, the
Washington Chamber of Commerce will
celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary
of its founding with a banquet in the
Mayflower Hotel tonight.
Final preparations were being made
for the event today and a Reception
Committee headed by Acting President
George A. G. Wood will be on hand at
Union Station this afternoon to greet
a group of executives of Warner Bros.
Pictures, Inc., producers of the George
Washington Bicentennial film spon
sored by the chamber, which will have
its world premiere at the banquet.
The executives of the film company,
headed by Harry M. Warner, president
of Warner Bros., will be guests at the
banquet tonight The group will in
clude Clarence Whitehill, baritone of
the Metropolitan Opera Co., who plays
the role of George Washington in the
Bicentennial talking picture.
A distinguished gathering of public
officials, including members of the
cabinet. Senators and Representatives
in Congress, has been invited to be
guests of the chamber at the anniver
sary affair.
Showing of the Bicentennial film, for
which extensive preparation has been
made In the ball room of the May
flower, will be the featured event of
the evening. The film entitled “Wash
ington, the Man and the Capital.” re
cently was completed, with local set
tings, at a cost in excess of $60,000.
It will be distributed all over the coun
try during 1932 as the film company’s
contribution to the Bicentennial. In
itiated by the local chamber, It has re
ceived the Indorsement of the United
States ar.d District of Columbia George
Washington Bicentennial Commissions.
PRIZES ANNOUNCED
FOR TEMPLAR DRILL
Cas1’ Awards of $300, Medals and
Pennants Will Be Distributed
Among Winners.
Prizes to be awarded at the com
petitive drill, inspection and grand ball
of the Washington Knights Templar,
at the Washington Auditorium Feb
ruary 9, were announced last night by
Dr. Frank E. Gibson, chairman of the
Prize Committee.
Cash awards will total $300. and there
will be numerous medals and pennant*.
The winning team in the competitive
drill is to receive $125 in gold and a
purple pennant. Second prize will be
$75 in gold and a gold pennant
The six commandcries will b-< rated
for general excellence, based on their
showing in the inspection and in at
tendance at the inspection and at the
drill and ball. Attendance at the drill
and ball must be in uniform the com
mittee announced. The first prize in
this class will be $100 in gold The
second-place w inn dr will receive honor
able mention.
A blue pennant will go to the com
mandery given the best rating in the
inspection and in attendance at the
inspection. Second prize will be a red
pennant and the commandery placing
third will be given honorable mention
The winner of the sword contest
one of the features of the affair wili
receive a gold medal, with silver and
bronze medals to be awarded for sec
ond and third places, respectively
Besides Dr. Gibson, members of the
Prize Committee include Irving Hall
Charles W. Shericr, George w’ Ross'
Maj Edwin B. Hesse and Fred E
Blood.
------
Will Discuss Candidates.
The Round Table at the Jewish Com
munity Center tonight will discuss
“Presidential Possibilities.’' Allan
Fisher, local attorney, is to be guest
speaker and will lead the discussion
after his address.
OF NEW HIGHWAY
Joslin Refers Plea to Hoover
on Mount Vernon Route
to Attorney General.
IMPAIRMENT OF FUNDS
FOR WORK IS-FEARED
Whether Road Is Completed When
Paved and Where to Jail Pris
oners Still Undecided.
A number of legal problems that have
arisen over the prospective transfer of
the Mount Vernon Memorial Highway
from the Bureau of Public Roads, De
partment of Agriculture, to the Office of
Public Buildings and Public Parks, may
delay the permanent opening of the
Arlington Bridge and highway on Feb
ruary 1, as has been planned. The
Department of Justice is studying the
questions.
Included in the problems being pro
pounded are those of whether the tak
ing over of police jurisdiction by Dieut.
Col. U. S. Grant, 3d, director of Pub
lic Buildings and Public Parks, Will
impair expenditure of funds by the
bureau, in the completion of landscap
ing and grading along the riverside
highway, and to what jails the prisoners
arested on the Mount Vernon Highway ,
will be taken, in Virginia. One of the
big points up for decision by Mr.
Mitchell is just w’hen a road is com
pleted—when the paving of the high- j
way proper is finished or when the
project is topped off by landscaping
and all the surrounding park land has
been acquired?
Hoover Asked to Open Road.
President Hoover was approached by ;
interested authorities with a view to
having an executive order issued, offi
cially transferring the Mount Vernon
Memorial Highway from the Bureau of
Public Roads to the Office of Public
Buildings and Public Parks, at least for
the purposes of traffic handling and po
licing.
Theodore G. Joslin, one of the secre
taries to the Chief Executive, thought it
better to refer the whole question to
the Department of Justice, so that there
W'ould be no legal hitch in the pro
ceedings. so the bundle of questions was
sent over to Attorney General Mitchell.
Bridge Could Be Opened.
As a matter of fact, motorists have
been using the Arlington Memorial
Bridge and the Mount Vernon Highway
for the past two week ends now, and
tentative arrangements have been made
to throw' the highway open permanently
on February 1. There is no qursticn
about the ability to open the Arlington
Memorial Bridge, as this is under the
jurisdiction of the Arlington Memorial
Bridge Commission, but the (Vfficulty is
that there is no suitable traffic outlet
on th? westward side if the Mount Ver
n:n Memorial Highway is not opened.
Some time ago the Bureau of Public
Roads wanted to refer the legal prob
lems to Controller General J. R. Mc
Carl for decision, but this plan later
was abandoned.
-•
LOW BID ON LIBRARY,
LATE, WAS DELAYED
—
Chicago Contractor's Airmail Held
Up by Bad Weather, Mooney
Advises Lynn.
--
The bid of Jacobson Bros. Co. of Chi
cago for erection of an addition to (he
I Library of Congress, which was sent by
airmail from Chicago and arrived at
i the Capitol the morning after the for
mal opening of the bids for the project,
was delayed by weather conditions,
Postmaster Mooney today advised Ar
chitect of the Capitol Lynn. The Ja
cobson Co. submitted the low bid of
$1,123,000.
Officials of the architect's office
pointed out todaj that the standard
form for handling bids on Government
work provides that when bids arrive
late due to delay in the mails over
which the bidder had no control, such
bids can be considered.
The various bids for the library
project are being studied and will be
submitted at a later date to the joint
commission in charge of the Library
building program for decision. The
formal opening of the bids was at 3
o’clock last Friday afternoon, January
22. The Jacobson bid was sent by spe
cial delivery airmail and postmarked
Chicago, 5:30 p.m. January 21.
According to the postmaster’s letter
to Mr. Lynn, “it was due to arrive in
this city at 7:10 a m. January 22, and
should have reached your office before 3
pm. the same day. Owing to weather
conditions, this letter was received by
rail instead of airplane, which accounts
for the delayed receipt at your office.’’
Heads Game Association.
BERRYVILLE, Va., January 26 (Spe
cial).—Creighton T. Hall was elected
president of the Clarke County Game
Protective Association at its annual
meeting last night; Ralph Dorsey, vice
president, and Grover Carter, secretary
treasurer. The Executive Committee is
composed of William D. Garvin from Bat
tletown district; H. A. Clevenger, Long
marsh district; Beverley Mackay,
Greenway district, and Jetson Spates,
Chapel district It was voted to hold the
annual banquet early in March.
Capital a Winter Resort for Ducks
FIRST CENSUS BY AIRPLANE A SUCCESS.
SEVERAL hundreds of ducks (if you want to be accurate, count them your self! are shown in this photograph, taken
from an Army Air Corps plane on the Potomac River near Fort Humphreys, Va., as a part of the first duck
census survey undertaken by air. The first flight, made under direction of F. C. Lincoln, United States Biological
Survey, yesterday, showed thousands of ducks wintering near Washington. Lieut. David W. Goodrich flew the
plane and Sergt. Andrew E. Matos was aerial cameraman. —Army Air Corps Photo.
One of Victims May Have
Fractured Skull—Driver
Is Detained.
Six persons were injured in automo
bile accidents early today and yesterday.
Haywood Thomas, 48, of 476 F street,
received severe injuries to the head
when struck by an automobile operated
by George Moore, 37, 914 Twelfth street,
at Dupont Circle shortly before 8 o'clock
today. Thomas was treated at Emer
gency Hospital, where X-rays were to
be taken to determine if he received a
fractured skull. Moore was detained at
No, 3 police station.
G. T. Smallwood, 33, of 4201 Fessen
den street and Lester J. Barrett, 25, of
1014 B street southwest, were slightly
injured when automobiles they were
operating collided at Seventeenth street
and Massachusetts avenue early today.
Both men went home after being treat
ed at Emergency Hospital.
William H. Jennings, 35, 1114 F street
northeast, was treated at Garfield Hos
pital last night for injuries received
when the automobile he was driving ran
into a tree on Park road near Piney
Branch road. Jennings told police he
was trying to avoid striking a parked
automobile
An unidentified pedestrian was
knocked down yesterday, according to
G. W. Stilson, 20, of Takoma Park,
Md., when another automobile ran into
the rear of his car on Seventh street,
forcing his machine into the pedestrian.
The other motorist and the pedestrian
left the scene, according to Stilson.
Policeman J G. Russell, 46, of 1221
Pennsylvania avenue southeast, was
treated at Providence Hospital for in
juries to his knee received when struck
by a truck while directing traffic at
Twelfth and Water streets southwest.
Ernest R. Davis, 40, of Fairfax, Va.,
was the driver of the truck, police say.
RED CROSS TO RECEJVE
BEQUEST OF $10,000
The American Red Cross is to receive
a bequest of $10,000 under the will of
Miss Julia V. Simpson, formerly of
Washington, which was filed for pro
bate in the District Supreme Court to
day.
Miss Simpson, who was 74 years old,
died last week in Kingston, N. Y.
The will, filed through Attorney An
drew B. Duvall, also leaves $5,000 to the
Salvation Army, $5,000 to the Young
Men's Christian Association, $5,000 to
the Young Women's Christian Associa
tion, $5,000 to Mrs. Sally Hodges of
Takoma Park, Md.; $500 each to Mrs.
Hodges’ four children, Mrs. Louise Judd,
Mrs. Margaret Ray, Rogers Hodges and
Virginia Hodges; $1,000 to Julia Davis
Shaw of Montgomery County, Md.;
$1,000 to Mrs. Lucy Uhler, Alexandria,
Va.; $1,000 to Jennie Fawcett of Mont
gomery County, and $150 to Laura Ma
son of Washington, a servant;
The Eloist Ministry, Inc., of Brook
line. Mass., is given $20,000. The rest
of the estate is left in trust to a niece,
Marguerite Simpson Claiborne, and a
grandniece, Katherine L. Hayward, both
of New Orleans.
TWO NATIONAL CHRISTMAS TREES
PLANNED FOR SHERMAN SQUARE
Heat of Colored Electric Bulbs and Weight of Ornaments
Too Much for One Tree.
%
Washington will have two national
Christmas trees, instead of only one as
heretofore, if plans being discussed in
the Office of Public Buildings and Pub
lie Parks materialize, for the present
vnie tree in Sherman Square, south of
♦he Tveasurv Department, is failing.
The £at o? the holiday-colored elec
tric bulbs and the weight of the orna
ments have been too much of a strain
f°Under the new program, there would
he two Christmas trees in Sherman
el,.ire but they would be used on al
ternate' years. Constant efforts are
being made to reduce the weight of
the ornaments and the heat from the
liehts vet it has been found that, de
in ite this. utilizing the same tree year
after vear is too much of a shock.
The' President lights the national
Christmas tree, in Sherman Square, and
there is a pretentious ceremony in con
junction with it. The result has seemed
to be that everybody enjoyed this ex
cept the Christmas tree, for the tree
shows marked signs of being on the
decline.
Ways and means are now being dis
cussed to secure two entirely new trees,
one of which would be used in Christ
mas, 1932, the other at the 1933 Yule
tide celebration and so through alter
nate years.
The present tree is the second to suc
cumb to the burden of bearing the
brunt of the Capital’s Christmas cele
bration. It was planted in its present
position in 1929 and has served for
three years. The first community tree
also succumbed to the heat of the lights
after several years’ service.
Drowned
POLICEMAN R. L. COFFREN.
DEATH OF OFFICER
HELD ACCIDENTAL
Policeman Robert L. Coffren
Drowned in Canoe Upset
Near Occoquan.
A verdict of accidental death by
drowning. was returned by a Princ3
William County coroner's jury late this
afternoon following an inquest at Oc
coquan in the case of Policeman Robert
L. Coffren of the Traffic*Bureau, whose
body was recovered from Neabsco Creek
this morning some 12 hours after Cof
fren fell into the water while fishing
with two other Washington men near
Occoquan Bay.
The 34-year-old traffic policeman, who
had been stationed for some time pre
ceding his death at Twelfth street and
Pennsylvania avenue, failed to win the
shore with his companions when the
canoe from which they were fishing
overturned last night.
The canoe upset, fellow officers here
learned, when one of the men reached
for a paddle which had slipped from
his hand. The other two officers—
Pvts. P. M. Cox and Lester Collins of
No. 1 precinct—swam ashore in the
darkness and learned later that Coffren
had gone down.
A searching party was organized to
hunt for the body as soon as daylight
permitted, and it was recovered about
9 o'clock and brought to a funeral
parlor at Occoquan for the inquest.
Capt. Benjaniin A. Lamb of the
Traffic Bureau left Washington this
morning to appear at the inquest. Both
Cox and Collins were off duty today
and remained in Virginia until the in
quiry could be completed.
The three policemen drove to the
fishing grounds yesterday, expecting to
spend last night and today trying for
bass.
Coffren, who lived at 1276 Morse
street northeast, is survived by his
wudow, Mrs. Julia Coffren; two chil- J
dren, Robert, 7 years old, and Barbara, I
4 years old, and his mother, who made
her home at the Morse street address. :
He had been on the police force about j
10 years.
DRIVER IS RELEASED
IN ACCIDENTAL DEATH
Identification of Man Who Died
After Arrest Sought Through
Fingerprints.
A verdict of accidental death was
returned by a coroner's jury, which to
day investigated the death at Gallinger
Hospital early Monday morning of a
man who gave his name as Charles E.
Williams, 38, of Pottsville, Pa. Williams
was taken to the hospital after police
had held him 24 hours on a drunk
charge.
Walter Roland Ellis, Cheltenham, Md.,
held under $3,000 bond in connection ;
with Williams’ death, was exonerated
by the jury.
Meanwhile, police were endeavoring
fix accurately Williams' identification
through comparison of Police Depart
ment fingerprint records with those of
the War Department.
Ellis testified that Williams stepped
from a street car loading platform into
the side of his machine, and that the
accident was unavoidable. Other wit
nesses substantiated his story.
NEW NIGH SALARIES
Federation Calls Special
Meeting to Consider Over
lapping Jobs in District.
A special meeting to consider what
action it should take “looking to the
protection of the public from the crea
tion of new high-salaried positions, and
also the causing of confused or over
lapping responsibilities in the municipal
service of the District” was called by
the Federation of Citizens’ Associations
today for next Saturday at 8 p.m.
The meeting was called by Dr. George
C. Havenner, president of the body, fol
lowing receipt of a letter signed by dele
gates from five member associations re
questing the special session.
The subject to be discussed primarily
at the meeting was described as follow's:
“What, if any, action should be taken
by the federation looking to the pro
tection of the public, both in the mat
ter of efficiency and expense, from the
creation of new high-salaried positions,
and also the causing of confused or
overlapping responsibilities in the mu
nicipal service, without giving District
citizens any opportunity to know about,
or express themselves concerning, such
serious change in advance of the same
being actually adopted and put into
effect by the District Commissioners.”
Reports of committees also will be
heard at the meeting, which will be
held in the board room of the District
Building.
Signatories to the request for the
special meeting were George E. Sulli
van of the Citizens’ association of Ta
koma, Henry I. Quinn of the Sixteenth
Street Highlands Association, William
McK. Clayton. Brightwood Citizens’
Association; William J. Neale of the
North Cleveland Park group, and
Thomas E. Lodge, delegate from the
American University Park Citizens’ As
sociation.
NAVY CLOSES HANGAR
TO GUARD NEW PLANES
Action to Secrete Details of Fight
ing Ships Is Taken by
Officials.
Determined to carry out to the letter
naval regulations safeguarding the se
crets of construction of the Navy's new
combat airplanes, the Navy has closed
to the public the hangar of the flight
test section at the Anacostia Naval Air
Station, it was learned today.
This hangar is to be kept closed to
all persons except those authorized to
enter by the Navy Department.
Closing of the hangar is the climax
of a long series of efforts by the Navy
to prevent leakage of details of its new
fighting planes.
Closing of the flight test hangar is
the result of the publication recently
of a description of the sensational new
Navy two-seater fighter, now complet
ing flight tests here.
-•
FOUND UNCONSCIOUS
Street Car Motonnan, Gassed, Is
Treated by Rescue Squad.
De Witt Brown, 47, of 223 Eighth
street northeast, a street car motor
man. was found unconscious in his
room this morning, with gas flowing
from a tube attached to a wall jet. The
end of the tube, according to his wife,
Mrs. Stevie Brown, was on the bed
where her husband lay when she dis
covered him, shortly after 10:30.
Members of the fire rescue squad and
a staff physician from Casualty Hos-:
pital were called and early this after
noon were making efforts to revive the
man.
Woman Finds $10
Left by Burglar
W ho Spurns Loot
Any number of burglars like
the last one would be greatly wel
comed by Mrs. John Van Dome
len, 537 Ninth street northeast.
Her house was broken into and
ransacked yesterday, but nothing
was taken. Instead, the invader
dropped a $10 bill.
Mrs. Van Domelen reported to
police when she returned home
the place had been ransacked, but
that nothing was discovered miss
ing. While making a careful
check she found the $10 bill under
a table.
KEECH WILL FILE
PETITION ASKING
LOWED GAS RATES
Action Tomorrow Will Be
Based on Company’s In
creased Earnings.
$500,000 INCREASE CITED
DESPITE NEW SCHEDULE
Counsel Says Cut Was Not Dis
cussed at Hecent Conference
in New York.
People's Counsel Richmond B. Keech
said today he would file his petition for
a reduction in gas rates tomorrow or
the next day. Mr. Keech had planned
to present such a petition today, but
owing to the unexepected length of the
hearings for the electric rates for 1932
he has been forced to delay his pro
jected action.
The petition will be based on the al
legation i»\t the Washington Gas Light
Co. during 1931 increased its net earn
ings by approximately $500,000 instead
of reducing them $400,000 by the intro
duction of new rates in October, 1930.
Local officials of the Washington and
Georgetown Gas Light Cos. had no com
ment to make this morning.
Wilton J. Lambert, counsel for the
gas concern, said today he recently had
discussed the condition of the Wash
ington gas concerns with New York
financial interests, associated with the
ownership organization, but that the
matter of rate reductions had not been
considered.
CLARK TAKES STAND
IN BRUTALITY TRIAL
Policeman Chirged With Beating
Colored Youth Denies
All Charges.
Hollis H. Clark, one of two sus
pended policemen on trial in the Dis
trict Supreme Court on third-degree
charges, took the stand in his own *
defense today and made positive de
nials that he and Policeman Charles
R. Bremmerman had beaten, struck or
abused any colored prisoners last June
in the locker room of the old Second
Precinct Station.
The accused officer was the first of
the two defendants to take the witness
stand and was subjected to question
ing ior two hours by defense and Gov
ernment attorneys in connection with
all the incidents that are alleged to
have occurred on the days of June 25,
26 and 27, as charged in the indict
ment. He has been under suspension,
with Bremmerman, since October 16,
when both patrolmen were charged
with assaulting Thomas McKeever Wil
liams, 17-year-old colored prisoner, to
force confessions of housebreaking.
Clark was still under cross-exam
ination when court recessed for the
noon period. He will be followed on
the stand by Bremmerman and it was
expected the case would go to the jury
tomorrow’. Fourteen witnesses were
heard yesterday in order to expedite
the proceedings, which have been con
tinuing for 10 court days.
U. S. SALARY REPORTS
REACH BUDGET BUREAU
Data to Be Used in Agitation for
Pay Reductions Virtually
Completed.
Reports from Government depart
ments and establishments on salaries
of Government employes have virtually
all arrived at the Bureau of the Bud
get, which requested reports in con
nection with the proposals in. Congress
to cut Federal pay.
The figures are being summarized and
analyzed at the present time, it was
learned, and a digest of the whole Gov
ernment situation will be made, to show
the number of persons in each salary
scald.
This is the latest and most up-to
date survey attempted with a view to
getting accurate information to use in
the agitation for pay cuts.
The reports will be submitted to
President Hoover, who will decide what
disposition is to be made of them.
-•
CITIZENS’ FEDERATION
FILES MAPES PROTESTS
Recommendations of Two Groups
Submitted to House District
Committee.
The Federation of Citizens’ Associa
tions today laid before the House Dis
trict Committee its recommendations on
two subjects. It recorded opposition to
the Mapes bill, repealing provisions of
the organic act calling for propor
tionate appropriations from the Na
tional Government and the District of
Columbia for the expenses of the Na
tional Capital on a 60-40 basis.
The federation requested that imme
diate steps be taken to install a traffic
light at Rhode Island avenue 'and
Twentieth street northeast.
The Federation of Civic Associations
presented its indorsement of the bill
“to refund to the so-called assistant di
rectors of the public schools all that
portion of their salaries erroneously and
illegally deducted and withheld under
the orovisions of the act of June 20,
1906.’’
The Washington Council of Social
Agencies, through Miss Grace Abbott,
its president, laid before the District
Committee a list of more than 25 or
ganizations which indorse the Bowman
bill for elimination of alley dwellings.
HAWAIIAN’S BILL ASKS
WOMAN JURY SERVICE
A bill to permit women to serve on
juries in Hawaii was introduced in the
House yesterday by Delegate Houston,
representative of the islands in Con
gress. The same measure was passed
by the House at its last session.
Houston explained that, in view of
the present situation in Hawaii, he felt
the time was opportune for the legis
lation.
Belle Sherwin, president of the League
of Woman Voters, has called attention
to the fact that Mrs. Granville For
tescue, held with three other Americans
on charges of slaying a native, would
have to face a male jury of varying
races and urged the organic act be
changed to permit women to serve oa
juries,
’ ,«v