Evening star. [volume], April 12, 1935, Image 1

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

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
WEATHER. The only evening paper
Ram tonJhtttan^prob»wy*toinorrow in Washington with the
morning; continued cow, Associated Press News
«ture tonight about 42 degree*; moderate ,
winds. Temperatures—Highest, 54. at and WirephOtO oerVICeS.
2:30 p.m. yesterday; lowest, 40, at 1 a.m.
today. —
--- Yesterday’s Circulation, 130,612
Closing N. Y. Markets,Pages 17,18&19 Some Return* Hot Yet Received.
No. 33,218. ce swa"hinKatonmDUlc. _ WASHINGTON, D. C., FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 1935—SIXTY-TWO PAGES.__<*> M™n* Ataociafd Praaa. TWO CENTS.
14 DEATHS IN SCHOOL BUS PROBED
---—- *
WILLIAMSPORT PUPILS KILLED
AT ROCKVILLE GRADE CROSSING
__ A I I A --
Driver, Teacher and 13 Chil
dren Escape Deatlj When
Fast Train Rams Car.
RAILROAD, I. C. C. AND COUNTY
ORDER THOROUGH INQUIRIES
• Driver Held on Manslaughter Charge
and B. & O. Summons Crew of
Express to Testify.
(Two pages of pictures on the bus tragedy will be found on pages A-S-7.)
BY JAMES E. CHINN.
Bodies of 14 high school children, victims of a grade crossing
crash between a school bus and a fast Baltimore & Ohio passenger
train last night at Rockville, Md.. were to be sent today to their
grief-stricken homes in Williamsport, Md.
Meantime, steps were taken by the Interstate Commerce Com
* mission and the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad for a thorough
Investigation of the disaster—the most tragic that has shocked
Washington since the Knickerbocker Theater collapse.
The fast express train, bound from St. Louis to Washington,
tore into the bus about 11:30 o’clock last night as it attempted
to clear the dangerous railroad grade crossing on the outskirts
of Rockville, crushing 11 children to instant death. Three others
were so seriously injured they died a short time later.
Twenty-nine Aboard Bus.
Twenty-nine persons were in the bus. 27 of them happy high
school boys and girls en route to their homes from a special
chemistry demonstration at the University of Maryland at College
park.
The two others were their teacher. Miss Louise Funk, 27, and
the bus driver. Percy Line, 33. All but two of those who escaped
death were only slightly injured and were sent home soon after
the accident. _ . ..
The driver. Line, is being held by Montgomery County police
on a charge of manslaughter. Bond was fixed at $1,000. His
relatives in Hagerstown, Md., are reported to be on their way to j
Rockville to furnish the required bail. _ , , , .
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad officials were the first to take
action and ordered an inquiry to begin tomorrow in the offices
of Charles M. Shriver, division superintendent. Members of the
train crew will be summoned. Preliminary to the official railroad
investigation, C. H. Norris, division train master, made a careful
check at the scene of the accident^_
County Orders Inquest.
Montgomery County officials a few
hours after the crash ordered an in
quest to be held in the Montgomery
County court house Tuesday at 10
a.m. Shortly before noon today the
Interstate Commerce Commission di
rected G. V. Loveling, an investigator,
and T. P. Smith, an engineer, both
connected with the Bureau of Safety,
to determine responsibility.
A short cut acrocs the Maryland
roads led the bus to its doom in Rock
ville. Observers point out that had it
taken the longer route through Wash
ington and over the Rockville Pike it
would not have had to cross the dan
gerous B. & O. tracks.
Crash Near Intersections.
The scene of the accident is barely
within Rockville, not far from where
the Baltimore road intersects with the
Washington highway.
In a driving rain, the bus. loaded
with carefree children, was about half
way across the railroad tracks when
the train, known as the Metropolitan
Special, rounded a curve and plowed
Into the rear of the vehicle, tearing
away about one-third of the right side.
Two of the bodies of the children were
caught on the cowcatcher of the lo
comotive and carried several hundred
yards. Another body and the top of
the bus were hurled 75 feet, landing
on an embankment on the grounds
of the St. Mary's Catholic Church at
Rockville.
Bodies Strewn Along Tracks.
Other bodies, horribly mangled,
were strewn along the road bed for
several hundred yards.
Escape of the others in the bus
was almost miraculous.
When the train struck it the bus
was carried several hundred feet, but
through a strange coincidence it did
not overturn. Rescuers found it rest
ing against a high bank near the
grounds of the church.
Only four seats were left in the
bus. The others had been carried
away by the speeding train. The
right rear dual wheels were sheared
off at the hub.
The train went about half a mile
beyond the crossing before it stopped.
The crew, after aiding in the rescue
work, brought the train into Wash
ington half an hour late.
As soon as B. & O. officials heard
of the accident, D. B Fawcett, 1213
Crittenden street, assistant foreman
of engineers for the railroad, ordered
the train crew sent to Camden Sta
tion in Baltimore for the railroad
Investigation.
Firemen Rush to Scene.
-Within a few minutes after the
•rash fire trucks from Rockville,
Bethesda and Kensington hurried to
.Aid in the rescue work. Ambulances
Vnd every available physician for miles
•round were pressed Into service.
Children suffering mainly from shock
were taken to the Rockville home of
Albert M. Bouic, lawyer and a former
State’s attorney.
Nine of the lifeless bodies were
taken to the undertaking establish
ment of Reuben Pumphrey in Rock
ville. One was brought to Mont
gomery County General Hospital in
Sandy Spring, and two more taken
to Georgetown University Hospital
Two of four seriously Injured chil
dren rushed to Georgetown subse
quently died.
As the train crashed into the bus
Line was wedged against the steering
wheel. Miss Punk, who was sitting
behind him, was only slightly Injured,
but children in the rear were badly
mangled. Screams and moans of the
dying children could be heard for sev
eral hundred yards.
Miss Funk was daaed temporarily
►
when her head hit the top of the bus.
Immediately, however, she regained
command of herself and aided in the
rescue work.
Although railroad officials said the
crossing was guarded by a bell and
red light. Line told newspaper men he
did not see the train until he was on
the track.
"I heard the whistle just as it hit
us," he sobbed afterward. "I didn't
see the train until I heard the bell of
the engine as I started over the track.”
The official report of John A. Berry,
Montgomery County policeman, who
investigated, quoted the bus driver as
saying he did not hear the whistle of
the train nor the ringing of the cross
ing bell. Berry also reported that the
driver said the children were making
practically no noise, and that when the
bus crossed the tracks it was running
between 17 and 20 miles an hour.
Eye Witness Tells of Crash.
As the express thundered toward
Washington, Edward L. Stevens, 807
Maple avenue, Rockville, assistant
golf professional at the Manor Club,
driving from the opposite direction
with his wife, crossed the tracks. His
graphic story is an eye-witness picture
of the disaster:
“I saw the train coming, but I
crossed anyway. I passed the bus, just
as It came on the track. I grabbed
my brake, and just as I stopped I
heard the Impact.
"I jumped out of the car. There
was a young fellow there on a laundry
truck. I told him to run to the corner
and blow the fire siren. By that time
Wilson Carr of Rockville had appeared
and we started taking the girls out of
the ditch. We had scarcely begun
when the Rockville firemen arrived.
"We saw arms and legs and a girl's
head. There were bodies all over. We
found one girl 60 feet away in the
cemetery. Bodies were strewn all
along the track for 200 yards.
Found Many Dated.
“(As I ran up to the bus, one of the
boys came up to me and said:
“ Hold me up. I am going to fall’
“He didn’t appear to be hurt, so I
sat him down on the roadside and
went to the bus. Most of the injured
children were dazed.”
Within a few minutes after the ac
cident Father Cecil J. McNeal, Catho
lic University priest, visiting Father
Charles R. O’Hara, pastor of St.
Mary’s Church, administered condi
tional absolution to the dead and
(Continued on Page 6, Column 1.)
REPORT OF DAMAGE
TO GRAF DENIED
Business Agent for Zeppelin An
nounces Start for Europe Will
Be Made Tonight.
By the Associated Press.
RIO DE JANEIRO, April 12.—The
civil aeronautics department of the
Brazilian ministry of communications,
answering queries today as to whether
reports from Pernambuco that the
Graf Zeppelin had been damaged, re
plied:
"The Graf Zeppelin was moored at
8:10 a.m. without mishap.”
The Condor Syndicate, business
agents for the Graf Zeppelin, said the
report of an accident waa "absolutely
false’ and announced: "The Graf
will start for Europe from Pernam
buco at approximately 8 pa."
I
The Bus Driver
- I
PERCY LINE.
—Star Staff Photo.
Crash Casualties
List of Dead and Seriously
Injured in Tragedy at
Rockville.
The list of dead and seriously
injured in the Rockville bus crash
(their ages ranging between 15
and 18 years) follows;
The dead;
Carl Brindle.
Bertha Castle.
Mary Louise Downs.
Norris Downs.
Pearl Emerson.
James Flurie.
Phoebe Kelly.
Leroy Kendle.
Elva Harsh.
Paul McElroy.
Claude Myers.
Virginia Myers.
Lois Winters.
Margaret Eva Zimmerman.
The injured;
Margaret Kreps, internally hurt,
condition critiral.
Jane Staley, fractured arm.
Both of the injured are at
Georgetown Hospital.
- - -»■■■■■ ■ —
SCHOOL SUGGESTED
FOR GROUP FUNERAL
Williamsport Parents of Bus Vic
tims Confer on Plans for
Services.
By a Staff Correspondent of The Star.
WILLIAMSPORT, Md.. April 12.
The Board of Education here late to
day suggested that the Williamsport
High School auditorium be used for a
group funeral service for the victims
of the bus accident at Rockville. Md.
Members of the board pointed out
that no church In the community
would be large enough for the serv
ices. At a late hour today the parents
of tlye 14 boys and girls who met
death were conferring on the funeral
plans.
The lcfcal unit of emergency relief
has offered to provide grave diggers.
This offer, it was explained, was more
in the spirit of courtesy than from
any lack of funds on the part of the
parents
The 14 students will be buried In
three or four cemeteries in this vicin
ity. There was a possibility that some
services would be held before Monday.
BUDGET OF DEFENSE
ADOPTED IN BELGIUM
Minister Expresses Satisfaction
With France’s Frontier
Fortification.
By the Associated Press.
BRUSSELS. April 12 —The Cham
ber of Deputies adopted the national
defense budget for 1935-38 today after
an all-night session in which the de
fense minister expressed satisfaction
with France’s fortification of the
frontier.
Minister Albert Deveze. replying to
the questions of Flemish extremists,
emphatically denied that Belgium was
any nation’s vassal or had contractual
obligations toward any nation.
He said there was no question as
yet of Increasing the term of com
pulsory military service, but the gov
ernment would consider the question
should a period of serious interna
tional disquiet eventuate.
French Air Crash Kills Three.
BORDEAUX, France, April 12 UP).—
Three persons were killed and two
Injured today in the crash of a mili
tary airplane near Lesparre.
Australia Feels Qnake.
BRISBANE, Australia, April 12 (JP).
—Severe earth tremors caused build
ings to sway dangerously today, but
no serious damaae occurred.
t
Schools Close
in Bereaved
Community.
BODIES STREWN
ALONG RAILWAY
Young Survivors
Still Numbed
by Shock.
BY W. H. SHIPPEN, JR.,
Staff Correspondent of The Star.
WILLIAMSPORT. Md., April
12—Grief struck into virtually
every home in this bereaved
community today with the re
turn of the bodies of 14 high
school students who rode away
so gayly with their comrades
yesterday afternoon, singing as
their bus rolled along.
It had been a fair afternoon
after inclement weather and the
students were in high spirits.
They sang and pranked while
the bus bore them to the Uni
versity of Maryland, where they
visited a chemistry exhibit.
Returning home last night, tired
after their outing and a little sleepy,
the bus load of students had become
quiet. Some were dozing when a
sudden crash occurred.
The shock was numbing in its
power. Few outcries were made as the
students were strewn along the road
bed by the impact. Some of the boys
began Immediately to extricate their
friends from the wreckage.
Shock Numb* Their Tongue*.
Few of the survivors were willing to
describe the crash. Many of the boys
and girls were still suffering from
nervous shock. A few boys hobbled
downtown on crutches this morning
and were quickly surrounded by fel
low townsmen.
All school children were dismissed
for the day and Dusiness in the town
itself was at a virtual standstill. A
tolling of bells was heard as ambulance
after ambulance pulled into town,
freighted with the bodies of the young
victims.
School children dismissed from their
classes this morning and townspeople
were gathered around the undertak
ing establishment to which the bodies
were brought. Every one in the crowd
had a brother, a sister, or a friend
among the victims.
The town was thrown into the ut
most confusion last night with the ar
rival of first reports of the disaster.
The news spread with incredible speed
and soon a large crowd of distracted
parents waited for the arrival of the
first automobile coming from the
scene of the accident.
List of Survivors Jumbled.
In some unexplained manner, the
list of survivors became confused with
the names of the fatally injured. Par
ents, forewarned of the deaths of their
children, were thrown into hysteria
when the children they thought were
killed stepped from the first automo
bile.
Another side of the picture was pre
sented by parents who hurried to
Rockville, hoping their children had
been spared. One small group of white
faced men and women presented a list
of four names to the desk sergeant at
Rockville.
“These are our children, sergeant,”
said the spokesman. ‘‘Can you tell us
if they are all right?"
The sergeant took the list from the
(Continued on Page 4. Column 2.)
FIRE AT HAVERHILL
LAID TO INCENDIARY
Leather Plant Building Destroyed
at $75,000 Loss and Three
Firemen Hurt.
By the Associated Press. ■
HAVERHILL. Mass., April 12.—Fire
believed by Chief Rufus A. Crittenden
to have been of incendiary origin, de
stroyed the Lennox & Briggs Leather
Co. building and damaged other struc
tures in Haverhill’s leather district.
Crittenden estimated the loss at
$75,000.
Exploding barrels of lacquer,
crumbling walls and embers and
sparks that rode on a brisk wind for
a time threatened the entire district.
Local apparatus responding to a gen
eral alarm was unable to check the
flames, and aid had to be summoned
from 10 surrounding communities.
The comparatively small loss was
explained by the fact that the build
ings which previously housed valuable
shoe machinery had recently been
converted Into storage places and con
tained only Inexpensive chemicals.
Three firemen were injured, none
seriously.
CHINESE REDS CRUSHED
2,000 Reported Slain, Including
Leaders, in Fighting.
HONGKONG. April 13. UP)—Relia
ble sources here confirmed reports to
day that Gen. Chiang Kai-Shek had
Inflicted a crushing defeat cm the
Communist forces after two days of
fighting 10 miles south of Kwelyang.
The government claims that 2,000
Reds were slain, including many no
torious leaders. g
V
(1 USED TO HEAR THE tuc^£iv\
I WORD, ECONOMY LOST IN THE EARLY j
1 FREQUENTLY IN THE NEW DEAL DAYS )
Vj93Z CAMPAIGN ■"■
)
SAYS TREADWAY
G. 0. P. Spokesman Charges
Democratic Attempt to
Delude Court.
By th* Associated Press.
In an assault on the social secur
ity bill a Republican spokesman to
day accused Democrats of attempting
to “delude” the Supreme Court and
told the House that a vote for the
measure would be a "vote to prolong
the depression indefinitely.”
The O. O. P. spokesman was Rep
resentative Treadway of Massachu
setts. first Republican to debate the
security bill in the House. As he
talked the so-called “liberal” bloc was
summoned to a meeting late today
to determine Its attitude toward the
measure.
Bill Called “ Lemon.”
Treadway called the administra
tion's bill a ‘‘lemon" and said the com
mittee report presented by the Demo
crats failed to show any connection
between the old-age annuity taxes and
old-age annuity benefits because the
Democrats “know that the Supreme
Court is eventually going to look at
that report to see what the Intention
of Congress was in setting up these
titles.”
“They purposely omitted any ref
erence to the connection between the
two because they wanted to try to de
lude the Supreme Court.” he continued.
“Personally, I think this attempt to
delude the Supreme Court is rather
childish.”
Treadway and other Representatives
—Including a number of Democrats—
hope that, when the amendment stage
Is reached next week, it will be possible
to strike from the bill the section levy
ing taxes on employers and employes
for old-age annuities.
Minority Report View.
In their minority report on the bill
A1__U... _s 4k.
Ways and Means Committee said:
"On account of the deplorable con
dition In which the employer finds
his business at this time: the tragic
condition in which the employe finds
himself due to the ever-mounting cost
of the necessaries of life and the
failure of wages to keep pace with
these costs: and the fact that the
number of unemployed Is constantly
increasing, there is doubt in our minds
that the legislation • * • will result
In a general national benefit at this
time.”
Meanwhile an avenue appeared
open through which advocates of the
Townsend old age pension and Lun
deen social security plans could get a
vote on at least the essence of their
proposals. They contended that un
der House rules their complete bills
cculd not be offered as amendments
to the administration's bill.
But today they found that they
could, for example, propose to in
crease from $15 to $100 a month the
maximum Federal contribution to
ward a pension paid under a State
law. They could even offer an amend
ment to make the Federal Govern
ment bear the full burden of a pen
sion of $200 a month.
Transactions Tax.
There was a possibility, too. that
they would suggest an amendment
under which the money to finance
pensions would be raised by a 2 per
(Continued on Page 5, Column 3.)
CUTTER CANCELS CALL
WHEN FIRE IS PUT OUT
Vessels in Vicinity Asked to
Stand By When Blase En
dangers Champlain.
By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, April 12.—The Coast
Guard cutter Champlain wirelessed
early today that It was afire and asked
all ships in the vicinity to stand by.
Fifteen minutes later it reported:
"Fire Is out”
No details were given other than
the ship’s position, 26 miles west of
Nantucket.
The Champlain Is a 250-foot cutter
operating out of the Staten Island
Coast Guard base. It carries a com*
pleasant of • officers and 90 men
uato Lieut Comdr. Gordon Mar Lean,
25 Operations Make
Baby Champion in
Better Baby Show
By the Associated Pres*.
GAINESVILLE. Tex.. April 12.
—A 26-month-old baby, who has
had 25 operation*, today had won
first prize in a better babies con
test at Stephenville. Tex.
The baby is Margibeth Carter,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. D. R.
Carter of Gainesville. The op
erations have ranged from a rib
resection to brain fluid from a
lung after pneumonia to punct
uring an ear drum.
STUDENT ‘STRIKE’
Counter-Demonstration'
Greets Peace Move at
One University.
Less than 500 Washington college
and high school students took part
today in the students strike against
war and Fascism, and approximately
half that number staged a somewhat
hilarious counter strike at one uni
versity.
At George Washington University,
where perhaps the largest demonstra
tion was staged. Representative Mav
erick of Texas, scheduled to make the
principal address, acted on a sug
gestion from Dr. Cloyd Heck Marvin,
president, and failed to show up.
Maverick said he withdrew when the
college head asserted the strikers
were violating discipline and cutting
classes.
Respect for Authority.
“I respect Dr. Marvin’s administra
tive powers," the Texan said. “I am
willing to speak to the students any
Hmp ot inv nlorp hnt. T rin nnt. U’ftnt
to oppose the university's constituted
authority.”
As a substitute, Chester Williams,
former executive secretary of the
Student Federation of America, had !
difficulty in drowning the cat-calls
and noisy, good-natured jeers that !
greeted his remarks or cut them off
in the middle of sentences.
Plea for U. S. Flag.
Williams, nevertheless, braved the
noise and the rain and pleaded for
the American flag to “stand for life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Instead of death, destruction and
tyranny.”
At American University, approxi
mately 200 students heard Mbs Jean
nette Rankin, first woman member of
Congress, plead for the outlawry of
war. The students adopted a resolu
tion expressing alarm at "the wave
(Continued on Page 3. Column 2.)
ROIDERER ACQUITTED
IN ESPIONAGE TRIAL
Nazi Judges Rule Arms Notes
Not Necessarily Sent Out
of Country.
Br the Associated Press.
BERLIN, April 12.—Richard Rold
erer, pale, nervous naturalised Amer
ican linguist, shouted his opposition to
war and dictatorships, and was ac
quitted today of espionage charges by
five stern-faced Nazi judges of the
Peoples’ Court.
The session, open to the public,
lasted 5 hours and 20 minutes, and
the judges deliberated for another 45
minutes. The warrant against the
former Cleveland and Chicago man
was quashed and the state was ordered
to bear the costs of the proceedings.
Rolderer smiled when the verdict
was read.
The language teacher had been
specifically charged with taking notes
on Nad military matters, damaging to
the Reich. The judges held that the
prosecutor had not proved that Rold
erer sent the damaging material out
of the country, but that they still en
tertained strong susplc^m against Ala.
H f
1
Sloan Tells Senate Quiz
Manufacturers Favor Two
Year Extension.
Bt the Assoeleted Prwi.
Manufacturers of consumers goods,
such as food and clothing, today
strongly supported an extension of
N R A. with the warning that Its
abandonment would lead to "finan
cial chaos."
George A. Sloan, chairman of the
Consumers Goods Industries Com
mittee and of the cotton textile
code authority, presented the Sen
ate Finance Committee with a reso
lution adopted by the consumer group
urging continuation of N. R. A. “for
a further trial period of two years.”
The resolution warned that to
"abolish the codes now would check
recovery, destroy confidence and prob
ably create another downward spiral
of bottomless deflation and financial
chaos.”
Before Sloan took the stand. John
E. Edgerton. Nashville woolen textile
manufacturer and president of the
Southern States Industrial Council,
testified the majority of Southern
business men wanted N. R. A. ex
tended.
Gives du Pont’s Views.
Sloan said Lamont du Pont, a mem
ber of his committee, did not approve
the resolution, but had authorised
him to say he would not object to
one more year for winding up N. R. A.
However, the chemical manufac
turer, Sloan said, opposed authority
to impose codes on industries in which
the majority of members did not want
them.
McCarran Drafts Substitute.
A substitute for the administration's
N. R. A. bill was being drafted mean
while by Senator McCarran. Democrat,
of Nevada, recovery law critic, to per
mit only voluntary codes.
The measure was expected to prove
a rallying point for many of the con
gressional oponents of N. R. A. who
have contended it was crushing the
little man and fostering monopoly.
McCarran, one of the authors of the
resolution under which the current
Senate inquiry into N. R. A. is being
conducted, was the first member of
Congress to attempt to draft a substi
tute for the recovery law.
While his measure was still in a
tentative shape, he said it would leave
the whole business on a voluntary’
oasis. Industries which wished would
oe permitted to get together and draft
agreements for certain specified pur
ooses The Government regulatory
agency would be set up only for those
industries which wanted codes.
Will Continue Section 7-A.
Under the McCarran proposal, there
would be no distinction between in
trastate and interstate commerce.
With the whole arrangement volun
tary, there could be no issue about
the constitutionality of regulating
businesses entirely within State lines.
McCarran said he would continue
Section 7-a. the collective bargain
ing section, though he did not con
sider it very effective, and would
attempt to tighten up the enforcement
of the anti-trust laws.
“I think we can enforce the anti
trust laws and yet permit voluntary
association of business for certain
stated purposes," he said. "But I
think the anti-trust laws are more
important than N. R. A."
Before completing his final draft,
McCarran will confer with Senator
Nye, Republican, of North Dakota,
who jointly proposed the Senate
Inquiry with him, and with others
who oppose extending N. R. A. in
its present form.
Members of the Senate Committee
hoped to complete the inquiry within
another week or so, but they still had
hundreds of applications to be heard
from small and big business. The
wind-up-will come with Hugh S. John
son, former administrator, and prob
ably other_witnesses_to_answer_the
(Continued on Page 4, Column 1.)
Ten Greek Officen Degraded.
ATHENS, April 13 Ten officers
who took part in the recent Greek
rebellion, and were convicted by a
court martial, were degraded today in
the court yard of the military school.
Tha public m
GERMANY READY
TO ENTER PACT OF
NON-AGGRESSION,
STRESA REPORTS
Communique Says Hitler Will
Join Eastern European
Agreement in Spite of
Other Powers’Stipulations
DELEGATES AT PARLEY
CONCUR ON GENEVA PLAN
Willing to Pursue Course of Har
mony in Program to Be Worked
Out at League of Nations
Council Next Week, Laval
Says.
(Copyriiht. 1935. by the Associated Press i
STRESA, April 12.—An official
communique stated today that Ger
many had informed Great Britain.
Prance and Italy she is ready
to enter an Eastern European pact of
non-aggression even if some other
signatories “stipulate among them
selves accords of reciprocal assist
ance."
many was conveyed to the conference
this afternoon by Sir John Simon.
British foreign secretary.
He announced that this offer was
made today in Berlin by Foreign Min
ister Konatantin von Neurath to the
British Ambassador there.
An agreement among the repre
sentatives of France, Great Britain
and Italy as to the program they shall
follow In next week's League of Na
tions' Council session at Geneva was
reached today. Pierre Laval foreign
minister of France, Informed the Asso
ciated Press.
Premier Mussolini of Italy and
Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald of
Great Britain were represented as be
ing in complete agreement with Laval
on the procedure of action to be taken
at the Council, which was called into
session on representations by France
that Germany, by rearmament had
violated the military clauses of the
Versailles treaty.
France Drops Protest.
Previous to the announced agree
ment. France had agreed to refrain
from asking the Council to condemn
Germany, in return for a British
blessing on the French idea of regional
European pacts within the framework '
of the League.
A French spokesman said the agree
ment had been reached on ‘‘measures"
to be applied against Germany or any
other power which violates treaties in
the future.
The spokesman further said that
Great Britain and Italy also had
agreed to support France’s protest to
the League against such treaty repudi
ation as had been made by Reichs
fuehrer Hitler thus far. He added,
however, that any motion eventually
i to be adopted would be left to the
i League Council.
Before the agreement with England
was announced, France already had
prepared a resolution of condemnation
! of Germany's rearmament as in viola
tion of the military clauses of the
Versailles treaty, and this was t» be
submitted to the extraordinary Coun
| cil session.
But Premier Flandin of France and
Laval during the second day of their
1 conferences here decided not to sub
mit the resolution to Geneva.
Authoritative British sources Mid
| Great Britain does not plan to engage
in a general European security pact,
despite previous indications that such
would be the British program. In
stead. Great Britain was described as
giving her approval to the French idea
of regional pacts—such as the pro
posed Franco-Russian treaty—operat
ing under the League covenant,
Overture to Germany.
It was indicated that efforts would
be made to get Germany into the
peace system and back into the League
of Nations.
The assembled statesmen discussed
today what measures might be taken
against nations which scrap treaties.
A British spokesman summarised
! the session as devoted “to a detailed
discussion of the general questions of
the unilateral repudiation of treaties.”
He added: “Following that, there was
a discussion of such measures as
might be taken if treaty repudiations
occur in the future, having due re
gard to the main question, which is
the maintenance of peace in Europe.”
The official said the exchange of views
naturally was caused by Germany’s
repudiation of the Versailles treaty,
but that “the measures" referred to
(Continued on Page 3, Column 6.)
Bandits Get $4,438 Fay Boil.
MEMPHIS. Tenn., April 12 OP).—
Three bandits obtained <4,438.25 In
a daring pay. roll hold-up today. Two
messengers for the American Finishing
Co., textile finishing company, were
robbed In the heart of the city.
Guide for Readers
Page.
Amusements . C-6
Comics .. D-5
Finance .A-17-18-19
Lost and Found .A-ll
Radio .C-5
Serial Story . C-8 ..
Short $tory ....... —:. C-2
Society .B-2-3
Sports . D-l-2-3-4
Women’s Fea^irea .... D-8-7