Evening star. [volume], January 30, 1932, Image 1

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

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
WEATHER.
(U. 8. Weather Bureau Forecast.)
Fair and much colder tonight; tomor
row fair and colder; lowest temperature
tonight about 24 degrees.
Temperatures—Highest, 61, at 3:30
a.m. today; lowest, 49, at 7:30 a.m. today.
Full report on page 4.
_Closing N.Y. Markets. Pages 13,14 & lT_ _Yesterday’s Circulation, 122,295
^ OO AXA Kntered as second class matter WASHINGTON D C, SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 1932—TWENTY-EIGHT PAGES. Means Associated Pres*. TWO CENTS.
^\Q. 0~,U'JU. post office. Washington. P. C.___7_7_7 _ _____
CHINESE TO DECLARE WAR ON JAPAN
u. S. AND BRITAIN JOIN IN PROTEST
AGAINST ATTACK ON SHANGHAI;
FLEET READY TO AIDjAMERICANS
Plea for More
Troops Made
1>\ Council.
FIRE ADVANCES
ON SETTLEMENT
Neutrality A iolation
Is Laid to Japan
bv Leaders.
NANKING. January 30 (A1).—
Marshal Chiang Kai-Shek and
several members of the govern
ment left Nanking this after
noon for an unrevealed desti
nation, but it was believed they
had gone to Shanghai.
It was understood the gov
ernment’s decision to declare
war on Japan would not be
made effective before tomorrow
at the earliest.
B.% the A iociated Press
'"he grim specter of war arose
over China late today as Gen.
Chiang Kai-Shek, the Chinese
military hero and former Presi
dent, sent telegrams to his lieu
tenants urging that they prepare
to defend China and fight for her j
national existence.
The Municipal Council was re
liably reported to have appealed
for American and British troops
to protect the foreign settlement.
At the same time a Reuter’s
News Agency dispatch to Shang
hai from Nanking said the high
est government officials, meeting
in a council, had decided to de- i
clare war on Japan.
Tokio Warns League.
The echo of the war cry was
heard at Tokio, where a war
office spokesman, referring to
China's decision to evoke more
drastic sections of the League of
Nations’ covenant at Geneva, said
the League Council “must bear a
terrible responsibility’’ if, through
its acuon, “a world conflagration"
snoulcl be precipitated.
The United States Marines guarding
ti.r X»:t:i national Settlement tonight
1 irked up 14 Japanese a in civilian
i .othes w ho had invaded the American
urea. All of them had pistols and some
cf them carried swords. They were
take* .n two groups, the first after a
Marine sentry on patrol neard two shots
whiz close to his head. Some distance
away he saw two groups of men run
ning. He chased after them, firing in
the air. and took them prisoner.
A few minutes later another group
cl eight, all heavily armed were ar
rested in the same vicinity.
Ail the captives were turned over
to the municipal police.
When they were questioned at Ma
rine headquarters the captives said
they had been sent into the American
area by the Japanese nava! authorities
with orders to proceed to a Japanese
cotton mill near the American area
for guard duty.
The American consular authorities
at Nanking ordered all American citi
zens to be ready to evacuate the city
within two hours.
At Shanghai,' in the meantime, the
bloody oattle which raged over the,
Chapei sector for 36 hours lulled dur- i
ing ihe afternoon and thousands of
bloody and torn Chinese refugees scut
tled out of the section to take refuge
in the International Settlement.
More Planes Arrive.
Two additional Japanese aircraft car
riers arrived in Shanghai Harbor this
afternoon.
British and American residents of
the International Settlement, shortly
be!ore the lull in the fighting, protest
ed to the settlement consular officials,
declaring the Japanese naval staff was
using the settlement as a base for its
a*tacl: upon the Chinese.
Sir Eric Drummond, secretary general
of the League of Nations at Geneva, of
fered the League Council a proposal
calling for an Investigation of the events
iCuntinucd on Page 3, Column 2.)
VANGUARD OF COLD
EXPECTED TONIGHT
Mercury Due to Fall to 20 Degrees,
Still Lower Mark Predicted
for Tomorrow Night.
Tomorrow will usher in the coldest
•week of the year, the Weather Bu
reau predicted today, adding that the
mercury might drop to 24 degrees to- I
night This would equal the “low1'
record of the Winter, established De
cember 8.
Tomorrow night, however, the bureau
thinks, this record will be shattered
with the official thermometer prob- ■
ably registering as low as 20 degrees. }
From then until next Saturday or
Sunday cold weather will prevail with
Blight variation.
The cold weather scheduled to hit
Washington tonight is part of a cold j
wave sweeping from the Northwest,
where extremely low' temperatures have j
prevailed for a week This morning
sections as far South and East as
Northern Kansas were in its grip. At !
Devils Lake, N. Dak., the mercury drop- j
ped to 28 degrees below zero. Frost was
predicted for as far south as Northern
Florida.
AMERICANS IN NANKING
ORDERED READY TO FLEE
Prepare to Evacuate City ^ ithin Two
Hours—Cliiang Calls on Chinese to
Fight for Existence.
By the Associated Press.
NANKING, January 30—American
consular authorities here tonight
ordered all American citizens to be
ready to evacuate the city within two
hours.
Gen. Chiang Kai-Shek, former Presi- 1
dent of China, sent a telegram to the
military commanders throughout the
country today urging that preparations
be taken to defend China and “to fight
for her national existence."
Trainloads of troops belonging to the
19th Chinese Army began leaving
here for Shanghai as fast as passible,
sent off by rousing cheers from thou
sands of onlookers who carried banners
inscribed: “Resist the Invaders!" “Hold
Shanghai at All Costs!".
In the meantime authorities were
strengthening the defensive works of
Nanking itself and troops were being
rushed here from other points to re
place those sent to Shanghai.
The government issued a vigorous
statement denouncing the Japanese at- (
tack on the Chapei sector and urging
the signatories to the League covenant,
the Kellogg pact and the nine-power (
treaty to take immediate and effective j
measures so that "justice and inter- :
national obligations may not be tram- ,
pled beneath the heel of Japanese mili
tarism."
Intense indignation was expressed by j
Gen. Chiang and other Chinese mill
I
—
tarv leaders, who previously advocated
a policy of moderation toward Japan,
as a result of the events of the last 36
hours at Shanghai.
Chiang offered his services "as a
citizen to light side by side with you
all" in a telegram to the government.
“The more we endure the more ag
gressive the Japanese become," his mes
sage said The fate of China is at
stake and any one with any sense of
patriotism can no longer endure the
Japanese oppression.
"Now is the time for all the govern
ments of China and all the armies to
defend the national honor and the
very existence of the Chinese people.
"We must prepare to fight and make
sacrifices rather than yield to the
Japantse. who have destroyed the peace
of the world.
"I have been w'ith you through thick
and thm. I am still willing to fight
side by side with you all.”
t’. S. DESTROYER AVAILABLE.
Ready to Take Americans From
Nanking If Necessary.
By the Associated Press.
The United States Government has
one destroyer—the Simpson—at Nan
king which would be available for the
evacuation of Americans from that city.
It carries 115 men and 6 officers, and
would be able to take about 100 civilians
out of the area.
RUSSIA PUIS RAIL
USE UP TO CHINESE
Replies to Tokio Request for
Permission to Transport
Troops to Harbin.
By the Associated Press.
MOSCOW. January 30.—The decision
whether Japan will be permitted to
transport troops to Harbin over the
Chinese Eastern Railway rested today
with China.
Russia, joint owner with China of the
railroad, has declined to allow troop
movements over the line without the
consent of China.
An appeal for use of the railroad was
made by Japan through Ambassador
Koki Hirota. who said Japanese troops
were needed in the region to protect
Japanese citizens and their interests
from a conflict between factions of
Chinese forces.
The Japanese government was ready
to pay an indemnity for use of the line,
M. Hirota said, explaining his govern
ment had no intention Of violating the
neutrality of the Chinese Eastern.
Russia's reply was communicated by
Assistant Commissar for Foreign Affairs
Karakhan. who said a "misunderstand
ing” already was probable over the fact
that Japanese authorities had appealed
to the Russian president of the board
of the railroad for permission to carry
troops 12 hours after soldiers had been
entrained at Kuanschentzu.
Whether that action could be ac
cepted as proper depended not only on
the Soviet government, but also on the
Chinese authorities, since the Chinese
Eastern passes across Chinese territory.
“If these Chinese authorities find it
possible to transport Japanese troops
toward the Harbin region, the Soviet
government, on its side, has no reasons
to create obstacles under absolute con
ditions that the interests of the Chinese
Eastern Railway will not be violated,”
M. Karakhan said.
HARBIN BATTLE NEAR.
TOKIO. January 30 UP).—A dispatch
to the Rengo New's Agency from Harbin,
Manchuria, today said a battle was
imminent south of there, where troops
of Ting Chao, commander of the
Chinese Eastern Railway guards, were
entrenching before a Japanese brigade
which had reached Kushsiangtun, the
first station south cf Harbin.
A dispatch from Changchun said
Gen. Jiro Tamon, commander of the
Japanese 2d Division, is contemplating
drastic action against Soviet employes,
whom they charged with tampering
with the southern extension of the
Chinese Eastern Railway between Har
bin and Changchun.
FAR EAST INQUIRY
|
Tokio Warns of League’s Re
sponsibility if Action
Goes Too Far.
By tne Associated Press
GENEVA, January 30.—A mutual
inquiry by the powers represented on j
the League of Nations' Council to in- ■
vestigate Japanese invasion of Shang
hai was launched by the Council today
and was met by the Japanese delegation
with an unexpected show of concilia- j
tion and a desire to co-operate in bring- I
ing about a peaceful solution.
The proposal was made by Sir Eric
Drummoryi. secretary general of the J
League, and was immediately welcomed j
by W. W. Yen, China's spokesman dn j
the Council, who suggested, however, j
that the inquiry "go to the root of the |
cause and eradicate it.”
Sato's Tone Changed.
M. Sato, Japanese representative, |
promised the cordial assistance of the j
Tokio government and emphatically as- i
serted that the Japanese forces acted
only in s«lf-defense and planned no
permanent occupation of the territory.
M. Sato’s tone was much changed i
from yesterday, when he had virtually
challenged the Council’s action under
article 15. His manner today was no
ticeably conciliatory and he seemed
even to plead for an understanding of
Japan's position.
Ambassador Yen said Shanghai is im
portant to China, but Manchuria is
still more important. China invoked
article 15, he said, not only because of
the situation in Shanghai, but because
of the entire Sino-Japanese dispute,
and he hoped Sir Eric would soon sub
mit a plan for an immediate inquiry
embracing the whole problem. China,
he said, had planned to invoke articles
10 and 15 even before the recent inci
dents at Shanghai.
Council Backs Proposal.
Sir Eric replied he was not making
a proposal to the Council, but directly
to the officials at Shanghai, under au
thority given him in article 15 of the
covenant. President Joseph Paul-Bon
cour announced that the Council was
in full agreement with the secretary
general’s plan.
The absence of an American repre
sentative from Secretary Drummond’s
Commission occasioned some surprise.
The French, Italian and British mem
bers announced their governments
had instructed their representatives at
Shanghai and the German and Span
ish delegates said similar action would
be taken by their governments.
M. Sato, the Japanese delegate, as
sured the council again that Japan has
(Continued oi Page 3, Column 3.)
EINSTEIN THINKS TELESCOPE
WILL PROVE SPACE CURVED
Scientists at California Institute Told Universe Seems to
Be Expanding and Contracting in Cycles.
By the Associated Press.
PASADENA, Calif., January 30.—A
proposed 200-inch telescope, twice the
size of the largest now in existence, may
give definite proof that space is curved
and that the unjverse is expanding and
contracting in cycles, in the belief of
Dr. Albert Einstein, noted German
physicist.
Addressing a group of scientists last
night at the California Institute of
Technology, Dr. Einstein said he is
certain that space is curved and he be
lieves such curvature will be revealed
ivhen additional observations are made.
The telescope is to be set up at the
Mount Wilson Observatory.
Discussing a discovery by Dr. Edwin
P. Hubble and Milton Hunason of
Mount Wilson that the velocity of neb
ulae away from the earth appears to
increase regularly with increasing dis
tance, Dr. Einstein said a mathemati
cal interpretation of the phenomena
does not yet require curved space to
account for it.
If space is "curved back on itself,”
as Dr. Einstein has theorized, it would
be supposed that even the most remote
nebulae ultimately would be forced to
stop running away and start back to
ward other nebulae, this being the
basis of his contracting and expanding
universe theory.
Hoover Is Kept
Advised of
Situation.
JAPAN REPEATS
ITS ASSURANCES
Dehuchi Sees Stim
son; Eight Blamed
on Snipers.
By the Associated Press
On the heels of vigorous pro
test by the United States and
Great Britain against the Japa
nese seizure of Shanghai, the
Navy today ordered its Asiatic
Fleet to stand ready_.to protect
American lives in strife-ridden
China.
"Our fleet," Admiral William V.
Pratt said, "will be ready to evac
uate our nationals or to protect
them if a crisis arises where mob
rule prevails.
"Our forces will go in and take
whatever steps are necessary to
protect our people.”
In the strongest move since the
horror of battle has strangled
normal life in the Chinese sea
port, the two nations applied
their protest specifically to the
Japanese seizure of the native
Chinese city, Chapei. at Shanghai.
Consul Forwards Reports.
Admiral Pratt pointed out that sev
eral United States naval ships are dis
tributed along the Yangtze River and
other points in the general vicinity.
He pointed out there are a large
number of women and children in
China.
He also said that the ships of the
battle force will leave San Diego Mon
day for Winter maneuvers off Hawaii,
as scheduled, but will not go beyond
those Islands at present.
Eight destroyers are now being pre
pared at Manila to leave at a moment's
notice, but no specific orders have yet
been issued for departure. Four are
now en route from there to Shanghai.
The formal protest was on the basis
of reports received from the American
consul at Shanghai. Edwin-S. Cunning
ham. to the effect that Japan—after
the Chinese had agreed to Japan s de
mands—had taken sections of the na- |
tive city by military force.
The State Department had before it
a general summary of the situation, as
it applied to the International Settle
ment as handed to Cunningham as se
nior consul by the Municipal Council
of Shanghai.
The decisive stand by this country
and Great Britain went much further
than earlier representations, which W’ere
based only on the safety of foreign cit
izens and property in the International
Settlement.
Further Protests Possible.
The summary forwarded by Cunning
ham to the State Department may be
the basis of further protests by the
United States and Gre'at Britain. It
contains a general protest •'against the
violation of the neutrality of the Inter
national Settlement.”
In a second point the Municipal
Council protested to the foreign con
suls at Shanghai against the Settle
ment being used as a base of opera
tions by the Japanese against the Chi
nese.
It protested against interference by
and the sending of Japanese troops
into parts of the International Settle
ment set aside under the Settlement
defense plan for other nations to de
fend.
It specifically mentioned Japanese
troops being sent to sections assigned
to American Marines for protection
and to the sections bounded by Honan
road, Range road and Hongjew1 Creek.
Japan Repeats Pledge.
Earlier today the Government re
ceived from Japan further assurance
that it “will scrupulously respect the
integrity of the International Settle
ment at Shanghai.”
Ambassador Debuchi, who had just
returned from a trip to Cuba, gave the
assurances to Secretary of State Stim- ]
son on instructions from Tokio. He de- I
scribed the Shanghai situation as "a I
serious incident.” 1
Prior to the visit of the Japanese
(Continued on Page 3, Column 3.) |
STEAMER IS RAMMED !
IN FOG OFF NEW YORK
The Roosevelt, Riding at Anchor
in Quarantine, Struck by
Roma—No One Hurt.
By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, January 30.—Ocean
bound through a dense fog, the steamer
Roma of the Italia-American Shipping
Corporation rammed the United States
Line steamer Roosevelt today in Quar
antine. The Roosevelt was riding at
anchor. . . .
The Romas bow was bent 6 feet
above the water line and broken near
the top. The Roosevelt suffered little
damage. No persons were injured.
The collision was reported to the
United States Coast Guard by Capt.
George Fried, hero of the Antinoe dis
aster and commander of the Roosevelt.
The Roma was commanded by Capt.
Mario Mupesce.
The Roma, which was outbound for
a Mediterranean cruise, will return to‘
her pier for repairs. The Roosevelt
was inbound.
f
V
X
CmYouJS
Beat itforJ
Preempted i
CURB VJ
>SPACE?L
^ TtJ//,
Single Day's Contributions of
$91,743 Show Marked
Improvement,
Community Chest donations are
soaring. Total gifts today in the drive
for $2.601.000 stood at $1,989,621 24.
Contributions reported yesterday at a
luncheon in the Willard Hotel totaled
$91,743.04, representing a marked im
provement over those of the day be
fore, but still below the average of some
$200,000 daily needed to put the drive
"over the top” Monday night.
H. L. Rust, jr., chairman of the
metropolitan unit, announced pledges
aggregating $38,355.11. The group so
licitation, headed by Lloyd B Wilson,
received $35,754 64. The special gifts
unit, under the leadership of Clarence
A Aspinwall, reported $14,560. The
schools unit, Sidney F. Taliaferro chair
man, collected $3,073.
Among organizations contributing 100
per cent were the Chest personnel,
Southern Building employes. Instructive
Visiting Nurse Society. Salvation Army,
Firestone Tire Co., Washington Milk
Bottle Exchange, Homer Building em
ployes. Acacia Mutual Life Insurance
Co., Commodore Hotel, Continental
Hotel. St. Joseph’s Home and School,
Wilkins Rogers Milling Co., Gude Bros.,
George A. Simonds, Associated Retail
Credit and Wahington Shopping News.
Ten Highest Are Listed.
Sections listed as the 10 highest In
the group solicitation unit included:
Section 2. division 103, J. E. Anderson,
captain, $15,538; section 4. division 102,
M. H. Rittenhouse, captain. $10,566;
section 6. division 102, Harry Blake,
captain. $8,446: section 13, division 103.
Dr. G. E McCann, captain. $5,929; sec
tion 5, division 102, Leo Eynon, captain,
$5,887; section 6, division 101, G. A.
Scott, captain. $5,389: section 5, divi
sion 106, L. P. McLauchlen, captain,
$5,252; section 6, division 106, C. R.
Kurtz, captain, $4,737; section 7, divi
sion 103. B. A Harlan, captain. $4,711,
and section 8. division 103, E. H. Frame,
captain, $4,486.
Leading groups of the metropolian
anit included: Division 223, region 23,
rhomas J. Groom, captain, $2,170; di
vision 221, region 22, John W. Hardell,
captain, $2,591; division 214, region 21,
Woodson Houghton, captain, $5,006.
These represented the collections for a
single day.
Methods under which the Chest has
seen operated were commended in the
highest terms by Dr. Herbert Brown of
the Bureau of Efficiency.
“We have found the Community
7hest adequately, honestly and efficient
ly administered by a director who is
keenly alive to his responsibilities to
the community and who knows his
job,’’ Mr. Brown reported.
Finds Criticism Unfounded.
“I am. pleased to say,” he added,
‘that most of the criticisms that have
come to us have been unfounded and
we are now suggesting to persons who
bring complaints to us that they make
their criticism direct to Elwood Street,
he director of the Chest, for we have
und from our contact with him that
h is a most reasonable person, looking
for helpful suggestions from every
source.
"I am pleased to say that our study
of the Chest office shows us its organi
zation is admirable. Our report on the
Chest office will be much freer from
criticism than reports of similar studies
that we have made elsewhere. We
have found Mr. Street a past master
of administration in his particular line.
To attempt any great improvement on
his work would be like carrying coals
(Continued on Page 2, Column 1.)
SHIP LINES MAY CUT
NEW YORK. January 30 (/P).—Un
less the transatlantic passenger busi
ness Improves before the opening of the
regular tourist season, schedules of
some of the major lines may be limited,
it was reported in marine circles yes
terday.
-«
Oil Contract Approved.
BOGOTA, Colombia, January 30 (>P).—
rhe council of state yesterday approved
i contract between the government and
the Tropical Oil Co. to establish a fuel
ing station at Buenaventura. It is un
derstood the station will be supplied
from Peru.
-•-.
Radio Programs on Page A-5
$1,315,690,467 TOTAL IN SALARIES
PAID 1.023.373 U. S..WORKERS'
Bureau of Budget Compiles Figures to
Give Facts m Agitation Over Pro
posed Wage Cuts.
Compiled for the purpose of giving
the facts in the agitation over proposed
Federal wage cuts, a survey of salary
costs in the Government made public
today by the Bureau of the Budget,
; showed that exclusive of the legislative
establishments, and judges, the Gov
ernment has 1,023,373 civil and mili
tary employes paid a total of $1,315,
690.467.12 annual salary.
Civil employes number 732,460. re
ceiving a total salary of $1,055,970.
1 635.55. the statistics show, while the
military group numbers 290.913, and is :
paid a total annual salary of $259,719.- ;
830 57.
The largest pay group in the civil
establishments of the Government re-1
ceives less than SI.000 a year and num
bers 124,678, receiving a total of $43,
309.021.57. while the highest paid per
sons in the civil group number 31. re
ceiving a salary of more than $15,000
a year. They get a total of $732,460.
There is only one person in the military
establishment receiving $15,000 or more
and he receives $21,500. His identity
was not made public.
The compilation was made by the
Bureau of the Budget as a result of nu
merous requests from many sources for
information in connection with the
proposal to reduce Federal salaries. The
statistics are for salaries of $1,000 or
less on up to $15,000 or more, but
there are several groups of Government
(Continued on Page 2, Column 6.)
e ng
Headquarters Structure May
Be Condemned as Unsafe.
Floors Sag.
Acting Engineer Commissioner
Donald A Davison today ordered a
detailed inspection of the Police
Headquarters Building. 462 Louisiana
avenue, to be made by Building In
spector John W. Oehmann. The in
spection will be made this afternoon
to determine if the building is safe
for further use.
Possibility that the Police Headquar
ters Building at 462 Indiana avenue
might be condemned as unsafe loomed
today as Building Inspector John W.
Oehmann received a report from two
of his subordinates that several of the
rooms in the old structure were over
loaded and that the furniture and file
cases should be shifted or the entire
building shored up.
According to reports made today by
Roy A. Price and C. W. Sherrier of the
building inspector's office, eight rooms
and the first and second storage base
ments show signs of overloading. The
room numbers given in the reports are
507, 508, 408, 406. 309. 206, 203 and 103.
Col. Oehmann called the attention of
(Continued on Page 2, Column 4.)
SMITH CO. SOES
FOR PIUS' ASSETS
Act on Information Property'
Seized for Taxes Is to Be
Returned.
Acting on information that the Bu
reau of Internal Revenue is planning to
return to G. Bryan Pitts all of the
property seized recently in satisfaction
of income tax claims, the F. H. Smith
Co. today asked District Supreme Court
to compel the bureau to turn over to
the Smith Company all the seized assets.
The company’s suit also asked that
officials of the bureau be required to
pay money damages to the Smith Com
pany for any loss it may sustain by
reason of the ’’wrongful seizure’’ of
property from Pitts. It is contended
that all of the assets taken from him
rightfully belonged to the company.
Justice F. Dickinson Letts was asked
to sign an order impounding with the
court nearly $1,000,000 worth of jewel
ry and other personal property taken
away from Pitts, former chairman of
the Smith company's board of directors.
Named as defendants in the suit
w'ere Galen L. Tait. Ralph S. Nagle and
David Bui net, officials of the bureau;
Pitts and his wife. Gladys T. Pitts. The
suit was filed by Attorneys Conrad IF
i Continued on Page 2. Column 3.)
LAMONT HAS PRIVATE ELEVATOR
WHICH COSTS U. S. $6.35 PER DAY
Woman Operator and Guard Attend Bronze-Doored
Commerce Department Lift, Hitherto Unrevealed.
A private elevator for the exclusive
use of Secretary Lamont is now in op
eration at the $17,500,000 new Com
merce Department Building. Its op
eration costs the Government in wages
$6.35 a day.
It is manned by a woman operator,
who draws $90 in pay a month, and
protected from the prying eyes of the
public by a heavy bronze door, which,
in turn, is watched over by a building
guard, whose salary a month amounts
to $100.
In order for Secretary Lamont to
reach his private lift on the main floor
of the building, he must pass within
5 feet of three public elevators. The
Secretary's and two of the public ele
vators are in the shaft.
The private elevator leads to the fifth
floor of the seven-story building, where
the Secretary’s walnut-paneled and air
conditioned suite is located. This lift
has no connection with the two other
elevators assigned to this suite. It is
understood the other two are to be used
only by special guests. They are in the
center of the vast public reception room
and their doors on this floor are fin
ished in American walnut to match
the walls of the vast room.
Instead, the exclusive elevator is on
, the south side of the suite, allowing
f
the Secretary the privilege of reaching
his office through the south end of what
the building contractors describe as a
“secret passageway,” which separates
the offices proper from the reception
room.
Department officials, in describing
the great temple of fact-finding, which
covers eight acres of ground, when it
was completed on January 4. failed to
say anything about the private lift.
Its whereabouts was not generally
known until yesterday, when the overly
polished bronzed door aroused the
curiosity of a newspaper man. Be
fore he could be stopped by the guard
he opened the door and walked into a
small marble-walled lobby.
The elevator girl, seated on a chair
inside the lift,' leaped to a rigid mili
tary attention. The janitor quit rub
bing the highly polished walnut-pan
eled sides with his rags and made a
hasty exit from the lift just as the girl
called out:
“Sorry, sir, but this is a private
I elevator.”
Before the reporter could question
J the janitor as to whether his duties are
confined to general cleaning or to the
elevator only, he was ordered out of
the exclusive elevator of the public
building by the guard.
RULE TO BAN PAY
INCREASES IN ALL
BILLS IS APPROVEO
House Committee Makes
Amendments in Order by
Special Report.
ALSO WOULD DEFER
FILLING OF VACANCIES
Chairman Pou Says Draft Will
Avoid Necessity of Nine Others
on Subject.
BY WILL P. KENNEDY.
Another drastic blow against the en
tire personnel of the Government em
ployment service was taken when the
House Rules Committee today reported
out a special rule making in order on
all appropriation bills amendments pro
hibiting any increases in salary and
the filling of vacancies until July 1,
1933.
The language of this resolution was
prepared by the parliamentarian of the
House to meet the intention of the
House Appropriations Committee to
place such prohibitions in all of the big
supply bills of the Government which
carry funds for payment of salaries on
the Federal pay roll.
Avoids Nine Rules.
Chairman Pou of the Rules Commit
tee said that the special rule was
drawn so as to avoid the necessity of
drafting nine separate special rules to
De applied to each of the appropriation
bills. Chairman Pou explained that it
would probably be necessary to vary the
language somewhat in the Post Office
and War and Navy bills because the
salary rates there are based on length
of service rather than on the struc
ture of salary ranges within grades
and classification of service.
Chairman Pou admitted that the
Rules Committee had not considered
the effect of such prohibition upon pro
motions, retirement in longevity pay
and such related questions in those
services where length of service is the
ruling factor. He explained that the
Appropriations Committee would prob
ably vary the wording in those particu
lar bills such as Post Office, War and
Navy bills, to meet those particular
conditions.
Wording of Rule.
The rule reported out today is as
follows:
"That in the consideration of the
general appropriation bills during the
first session of the Seventy-second Con
gress it shall be in order to consider
without the intervention of a point of
order any sections of all of the afore
said bijjs containing language which
prohibits, during the period from the
date of their respective enactments
until June 30, 1933. the use of appro
priations for increases in compensa
tion and the filling of vacancies, im
positions with such modifications in
such sections as may be necessary to
accomplish such purposes in order to
adopt them in the respective appropria
tion bills."
Army Cut Plan Startles Capital.
A proposal to cut off 2.000 officers
and 8.750 enlisted men from the Army
and to slash upwards of S20.000.000
from the budget estimate for support
of the War Department during the
coming fiscal year embodied in the bill
on w'hich the House subcommittee on
the War Department appropriation bill
has practically completed its work,
caused consternation in Washington
today.
It was authoritatively ascertained
that the subcommittee is prepared to
make these recommendations to the
House, even though several members of
the subcommittee protest that these
figures are merely w'ild guesses.
High Government officials, especially
in the War Department, and leaders in
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AIRLINER MiSSING
WITH EIGHT SOUGHT
Three Women Among Passengers
in California Desert and
Mountain Country.
By the Associated Press.
LOS ANGELES, January 30 —A fri
motored transport plane with three
women and five men aboard was the
object of an intensive search today in
the rugged desert and mountain
country, between Bakersfield, Calif.,
and Los Angeles.
The ship has been missing since 4 :50
p.m. yesterday when it was due from
Bakersfield 150 to the north.
Century Pacific Air Line officials an
nounced the plane carried the follow
ing:
Frank Dewar, chief deputy sheriff of
Los Angeles County; Pilot J. V. Sand
blom, Los Angeles; S. B. Swan, Elks'
Club. Pomona; Marie Combs. Bakers
field: Mrs. F. H. Fickerson. San Diego;
Miss Nita McGrath. Oakland; W. H.
Smith, San Francisco, and J. H.
Polhemus, San Francisco.
Four other transport planes, travers
ing the route over the Tehachapi Moun
tains. reported strong wind' and fog in
that territory yesterday arternoon.
Flares seen by residents of a district
adjacent to Mojave raised a gleam of
hope. The flares appeared about 15
miles west of Lancaster, desert town. A
relief expedition was formed at Lan
caster to investigate.
The only other clew was a report
from Frazier Mountain Store, near
Lebec. on the mountainous ridge route,
that a plane was heard overhead about
the time the sky liner should have
passed southward.
Air company officials said it was pos
sible the plane had been forced down
on the desert near Lancaster and that
the pilot had been unable to reach a
telephone.
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