Evening star. [volume], May 31, 1935, Image 1

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

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weather. The only evening paper
(V. 8. Weather Bureau Forecast) • , • . • ,£
Pair and cooler tonight; tomorrow fair. 111 Washington With the
Sunday probably showers: gentle to mod- Associated Press NeWS
erate northwest and north winds. . ,_r. ,
Temperatures—Highest, 75, at 5 p.m. and Wirephoto Services,
yesterday; lowest, 63, at 5:30 a.m. today.
Full report on page A-11. - ...
-:-- Yesterday’s Circulation, 115,716
Closing N. Y. Markets Pages 17, 18, 19 ___ Some Returns Not Yet Received.
No. 33,267. WASHINGTON, D. C., FRIDAY, MAY 31, 1935—FIFTY-SIX PAGES. *»* op) M..n. Associated Pr.». TWO CENTS.
ROOSEVELT SEES BLOW AT U. S. RULE
30,000 KILLED IN QUAKE
LEVELING INDIAN CITIES;
AID RUSHED TO QUETTA
Three Terrific Shocks Spread
Damage Over Wide Area
in Northwest.
44 ROYAL AIR FORCE MEN DIE;
COMMUNICATIONS WRECKED
People of Towns Run Out of Doors,
Many Remaining All Niglit
to Pray to Gods.
Bt th* Associated Press.
KARACHI, India. May 31—An estimate that 20.000 persons
were killed early today in the Province of Quetta alone by an earth
quake which jarred Northwest India was contained tonight in a
wireless message from the Quetta wireless station. The total
for the entire district previously had been placed at 30.000.
The message was one of the first complete estimates to reach
here since the earth shock wrecked all land communication lines
throughout the district. Quetta reported that the number of
injured was thus far estimated only as "in the hundreds.”
Earlier reports had told of the Royal Air Force garrison being
badly hit with the death of 44 men. This last message said that
most of the other garrisons of soldiers had escaped the most
serious damage and that various troops had been ordered into
service digging through the debris of the city and extricating the
injured.
The earthquake hit around s a m '
With three violent shocks.
The soldiers at Quetta were bearing
the brunt of the rescue work, for the
majority of the police force was killed.
The main military barracks escaped
the worst damage, but the rear quar
ters. some distance away, were leveled.
Hundreds Trapped in Debris.
Hundreds of victim* ware trapped in
the congested districts of the city
when they ran into the streets at the
first shock. Buildings, collapsing,
buried them in debris.
Although the offices of the governor
general and the staff college and mili
tary headquarters escaped serious
damage, most of the other sections of
the town, including the thickly popu
lated native districts, were destroyed.
Among those reported killed were
Meredith Jones of the political de
partment and his wife and her
mother. Mrs. Bradford: an irrigation
engineer named Francis and also his
wife. The aviators reported killed in
cluded Flying Officer Charles Paylor.
Previous reports that railways suf
fered heavy damage later were believed
to have been incorrect, as it was said
relief supplies and workers were able
to penetrate the quake-hit sections
The punjab government was active in
recruiting physicians and nurses.
A brief message by wireless, the only
means of communication, said that
relief work had been started at Quetta
with hospitals and camps set up on a
race course and the grounds of the
residency. Supplies were said to be
sufficient for the present.
Sir Norman Carter, the agent of I
the Governor General, sent through
one short message to Simla, confirming
the intensity of the earthquake and
made an urgent request that physi- ,
cians and nurses be rushed.
Four out of five of the population
between Quetta and Kalat. 100 miles
to the south, were reported to have
been killed. Every building in the i
(Continued on Page 2, Column 8.)
STRIKERS INJURED
IN RIOTS IN OHIO
Violent Fighting in Columbus
Marks Day—Man Killed
in Cincinnati.
*r the Associated Press.
COLUMBUS. Ohio. May 31—Vio
lent fighting between strikers and
policemen at Columbus marked Ohio’s
turbulent labor situation today. Dozens
of strikers and four officers were in
jured. and 22 strike sympathizers were
arrested.
At Cincinnati the recent strike in
the Norwood Chevrolet-Fisher body
plant was echoed with the fatal shoot
ing of William Williams, 30. by Police
Sergt. Charles Fritz. Patrolman Oak
ley Wilson said the shooting occurred
when Williams, armed with a butcher
knife, attempted to resist arrest after
police attempted to break up a strike
argument.
A peaceful atmosphere prevailed,
however, in the strike of hundreds of
steel workers at Canton, following re
peated outbreaks of violence on sev
eral previous days. City officials there
made plans to conduct a vote of em
ployes on a proposal to end the strikes
The threat of a new strike hung
over Toledo. Union electrical workers
there will quit work at midnight to
night. J. E. O’Connor. Federal medi
ator said he was informed, unless
mediation efforts are successful. The
workers are asking a 20 per cent wage
Increase.
The Regional Labor Board at
Cleveland took the lead today in an
attempt to settle the strike of ap
proximately 2.000 clay workers of
Tuscarawas and Stark Counties.
Settlement of a strike at the Weide
man Co. in Cleveland was effected,
union labor leaders said today, when
the company granted a 10 per cept
wage increase.
Swindling Suspect Arraigned.
NEW YORK, May 31 OP).—Samuel
Rosen. 40, sought by Pittsburgh au
thorities on a swindling charge, was
arraigned today on a fugitive warrant
in Jefferson Market Court. The hetr
ina adjourned nnt.il Mnnriav pend
IN LUER KIDNAPING
Alleged Ringleader Yields
to Federal Agents in
Kansas City.
BY REX COLLIER.
While one group of agents of the
Federal Bureau of Investigation was j
centering its attention today on the !
latest big-time kidnaping at Tacoma. ;
Wash.. J. Edgar Hoover, director of
the bureau, disclosed that another
squad has raptured Walter Holland,
alias ••Irish” O'Malley, alleged ring
leader in the kidnaping two years ago
of August Luer, aged Alton, 111., bank
president.
O'Malley, declared by Hoover to
have been one of two men who |
dragged the 77-year-old banker from !
his home on the night of July 10, j
1933, and held for a week in a cave
in a vain effort to collect $100,000
ransom, has been in secret custody of i
the bureau at Kansas City, Mo., since
Monday.
Although armed with a .38 caliber
automatic pistol, O'Malley made no
effort to use it when special agents i
seized him as he was about to enter
his apartment in the Missouri city.
Identified in Bank Holdup.
Hoover said that O'Malley also has
been identified as a member of g
band of robbers who simultaneously
robbed two national banks in Oke
mah. Okla.. on December 22 last,
escaping with more than $17,000 in
cash and bonds.
O'Malley was indicted on a charge
of complicity in the Luer kidnaping
on August 10, 1933. He had been
the object of a Nation-wide search
since the arrest and conviction of
five men and a woman for the ab
duction. Percy "Dice Box Kid” Fitz
gerald. Randall Norvell and Lillian j
Chessen are serving life terms for the j
crime. Mike Musiala was sentenced
to 20 years, and Charles Chessen and
Christ N. Gitcho were given five years
each.
According to Hoover, O'Malley was
with Fitzgerald and Grace Chase, the
latter still a fugitive, when Luer was
grabbed as he sat beside the radio
in his home.
Telephone Wires Cut.
Fitzgerald, O'Malley and the Chase
woman had entered the house under
pretext of inquiring the way to a
neighbor’s house. Advised by Mrs.
Luer that the neighbor lived down
the street, the woman asked permis
sion to telephone. Instead of phon
ing. she cut the wires. The two men
ran to the living room and over
powered Luer. hauling him backward
i Continued on Page 4, Column 5.)
SOVIET SHIP BURNS;
27 LIVES ARE LOST
Flames Engulf Vessel With Cargo
of Highly-Inflammable
Oil in Caspian.
By the Associated Press.
BAKU. U. S. S. R.. May 31—The
Russian steamer Sovietsky Azerbaijan
was reported today to have burned
in the Caspian Sea the night of
May 27 with a loss of 27 lives.
News of the tragedy was brought
by the S. S Soviet, which rescued two
of the vessel's crew and picked up
two bodies. Lack of a radio prevented
it from making an earlier report.
The engineer of the Azerbaijan, one
of the survivors, said an explosion
occurred at 2:15 am. on board the
oil-laden vessel and that he had bare
ly tftne to shut off his engines before
leaping into the sea.
“The fire seemed to engulf the rfiip
instantaneously.” he ^aid “I rerifpi
■*r ssiasi sis cm ists “*
20 TROLLEY ROUTE
Six New Connections to Be
Set Up to Aid Flow
of Traffic.
Sharply warning the Capital Transit
Co. its success and very life de
pend upon its management, progres
sive action and "a will to serve,” the
Public Utilities Commission today or
dered a general rerouting of street
cars directly affecting 20 lines and
creating a half dozen new sectional
connections.
In its long awaited statement, the
commission seized the opportunity to
discuss mass transportation generally,
stating as its policy:
Adoption of at least a modified skip
stop plan, which will eliminate many
"unnecessary” street car stops.
Broad extension of the use of bus
operations, as supplements to rail
service, but continuation of street car
service at least through congested
areas.
Development of a new artery par- !
alleling Connecticut avenue to relieve
congestion on that highway, and
other highway improvements.
Parking Rule Enforcement.
Rigid enforcement of parking re- ;
strictions on major highways where
street cars are located, as essential
to free movement of mass transporta
tion equipment.
Purchase of additional faster, more
comfortable, quieter, modern street
cars, to make passible abandonment !
ot "antiquated, underpowered, un
comfortable and slow-moving cars."
Twenty such new cars have been or
dered, and will be in service soon.
Speedy completion of a broad pro
gram of replacement of worn-out
street car tracks, recently ordered by
the commission.
Shortly alter the order was made j
public the Capital Transit Co. filed a
petition asking permission to abandon
the Chevy Chase car line from Cal
vert street to Chevy Chase circle and
Chevy Chase Lake. Three types of
bus service weie suggested to replace
the line.
The commission frowned on pro
posals for development of a subway
system, as suggested by People's
Counsel William A. Roberts, declaring
that the cost, difficulty of financing
and the possibilities of other expedi
ents make this a matter for future
consideration.
The rerouting was anticipated and
made possible by a series of 27 or
ders already issued for changes in
tracks and their connections, on some
of which work is now proceeding. The
new routes will become effective as
the various track projects are com
pleted.
Present Lines Preserved.
For the most part present lines of
travel were preserved, the changes
consisting of a different, hook-up be
tween lines running to the dow'ntown
area.
Some Chevy chase cars will be
routed to Brookland. Catholic Uni
versity and to the new loop at Sixth
and C streets as a result of the new
order. The first two of these are
made possible by orders for a new
connection in tracks from Adams
Mill road into Columbia road at
Eighteenth street.
En route to Brookland. Chevy Chase
(Continued on Page 4, Column U
■ -» ..
TWO BOYS REPORTED
KIDNAPED IN CANADA
"
Police Send Out General Alarms i
After Car Picks Up Pair
in Ontario.
FISHERVILLE, Ontario. May 31
(4’).—Two children of W. C. Tudhope,
manager of the Union Gas Co., were
reported kidnaped today near this
village, six miles south of Cayuga
in Haldimand County. The two chil
dren, both boys, are 5 and 9 years
old.
Police sent out general alarms when
it was reported that a car had stop
ped beside the boys as they were
on their way to Rainham School, near
Fisherville, picked them up and sped
away.
How many persons were supposed
to be in the car was not immediately
reported.
HERBERT PRATT RETIRES
FROM SOCONY-VACUUM
John A. Brown Elected President
of Oil Company, Succeeding
Charles E. Arnott.
By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK. May 31.—Herbert L.
Pratt, a veteran executive of Stand
ard Oil units and former associate
of John D. Rockefeller, today an
nounced his retirement as chairman
of the board of the Socony-Vacuum
Co., Inc.
With his withdrawal, Pratt termin
ated a 40-year connection with
Standard Oil enterprises, most of it
spent with the old Standmd Oil Co.
of New York, now a part of Socony
AM I GLAD
to See you
BACK AGAIN
Vv -Poc/ y
i
OF SMC HINTED
Weyerhaeuser Family May
Offer It if Ransom
Is Uncollected.
<O PTr'eht 1995 by the Associated Press '
TACOMA. Wash.. May 31.—A
$25,000 reward may be offered within
a few days if kidnapers fall to ex
change 9-year-old George Weyer
haeuser for a $200,000 ransom, a
trustworthy source reported here
today.
This angle was Injected into the
case as the Federal agents prepared
to take over under the Lindbergh law,
which provides that after seven days
a kidnap victim is presumed to have
been slain or taken across a State
line. The curly-haired scion of the
wealthy timber and lumber family
was abducted last Friday noon.
Although prepared and ready for
the child stealers, the demanded ran
som has not been claimed. The offer
of a reward, it was believed, might
hasten George's delivery through the
old adage of “money talks,” in buying
information. It was indicated its pur
pose would be first to gain release of
the boy.
The child's young parents, Mr. and
Mrs. J. P. Weyerhaeuser, jr., still were
in seclusion.
17. S. Agents at Work.
It was not known whether a reward
if one is posted, will be announced
until after the Federal agents have
been able to effect recovery of the lad
through their own technique.
The reward angle immediately caused
watchers to wonder if a conference
over such a move was the reason lights
blazed behind drawn shades in the big
sun room and elsewhere throughout
the Weyerhaeuser house until 2:30 a.m.
Usually, since little George failed to
come home from school for lunch a
week ago today, the lights have been
turned out by 1 o'clock, except in the
sick room of his paralyzed grand
mother, Mrs. George Walker.
Another development was the revela
tion that Ed Bentz, 40. former Tacoma
boy and onetime associate of George
(Machine Gunt Kelly and of Albert
Bates, may be the No. 1 suspect In the
case. This fact was disclosed when a
Government agent remarked, "We
would like to talk to Bentz.”
Gang Coalition Seen.
Even earlier it was known author
ities here have theorized over the
possible connection of the 40-year-old
Bentz with the disappearance of the
curly-haired, 9-year-old scion of the
wealthy lumber and logging dynasty.
Some of them believe that Bentz,
last of the Bates gang, may have
teamed with the remnants of the
Karpis mob to stage the Weyer
haeuser $200,000 ransom plot. Bentz
is a former_ Tacoman. _The Karpis
(Continued on Page 13, Column 1.)
FIVE CHILDREN DIE
WHEN HOME BURNS
Father, Mother and One Son
Escape Morning Blaze
at Toronto.
Br the Associated Press.
TORONTO. May 31—Five of the
six children of Mr. and Mrs. Harry
Scott were killed early today when
fire destroyed their frame residence
at Alderwood. a suburb. The chil
dren ranged in age from 15 months
to 19 years.
The whole family was asleep when
the flames, starting from an unknown
source, swept up Into the house.
The father leaped from the second
story wrindow to the ground and the
mother threw an Infant to him. She
herself then leaped into his arms
through billows of smoke. It was im
possible to reach other members of
the family.
The children who perished were::
Victor, 19; Vera. 12. Bohpy, 8; Dor
othy. 4. and Sadie. 15 mofiths. Doug
las. the only child to be rescued, is j
Cliff Berryman 111,
Tradition Goes On
As Son Substitutes
For the first time since Clifford
K. Berryman joined the staff of
The Star. January 28, 1907. with
the exception of a brief period in
1928, when he was taking a vaca*
tioh in the Western National
Parks, where he could not, as on
other occasions of absence, make
his daily drawings. The Star to
day goes to press without a car
toon by Mr. Berryman, who is ill.
Pending his restoration to
health the cartoons will be drawn
by his son. James T. Beityman,
whose work appears today.
Thu* the sequence of a "Ber
ryman Cartoon” dally on the
front page of The Star, which
has been maintained during near
ly twenty-eight and a half years,
with the single lapse noted, will
continue until "Cliff” returns to
duty.
ran asked
Program Includes Belts of
Trees to Protect Wind
swept Areas.
B» the Associated Press.
A plan to spend $156,298,000 of
work-relief money in the Nation's
forests, and on wind-swept plains
where shelter belts of trees are con
templated. was put forward today by
the Forest Service of the Agriculture
Department.
Asserting that the projects involved
could be started without delay, and
that they would draw workmen par
ticularly from relief rolls in the cities,
officials submitted the program to the
Applications Division of the work
relief organization.
The work proposed would be done
in 47 States. Alaska. Puerto Rico and
the District of Columbia. Rhode Is- j
land was the single State not included. |
but It was explained that activities
would be carried on there with regular
Forest Service funds.
A statement accompanying the ap
plication said the program primarily
concerned national forests and other -
lands under the jurisdiction of the
Forest Service.
Shelter belt planting w’as one of the |
activities proposed, but the extent of
expenditures planned in this direction
W’as not disclosed. During the drought
(Continued on Page 13, Column 4.)
THREE REBELS KILLED
Mexican Officials Report Outbreak
in Estanito. '
MEXICO, D. F.. May 31 (A*).—Three
rebels were killed in a I no-hour bat
tle with Federal forces in Estanito.
Guanajuato, the war department an
nounced today.
The rebels retreated after the
fighting. leaving their three dead and !
a number of wounded and prisoners.
Readers' Guide
Page.
Amusements.C-4
Comics .C-7
Cross-word Puzzle.C-7
Editorials.A-10
Lost and Found. A-11
Paul Mallon.A-2
Radio.B-12
Serial Story..B-15
Short Story...C-l
Society.B-2-3-4
Sports.D-l-2-3-4
This Changing World.A-3
Vital Statistics... +.A-11
Washington Wayside.A-9
BWir.* r.-S.a
RUMORED IN PARIS
- !
Bouisson Unable to Take
Control After Flandin
Is Defeated.
(Copyright 1935 by the Associated Press t
PARIS. May 31—With Piemier
Pierre-Etienne Flandin forced out by
an overwhelming parliamentary vote
of lack of confidence and with the
premier-designate, Fernand Bouisson, |
apparently unable to form a cabinet. ;
political quarters said todav that
Edouard Herriot probably would be
called upon again la serve as p.emier.
Herriot. who already has held the
premiership three tunes, would be
called upon to iace the financial
emergency which resulted in the
Chamber of Deputies voting against.
Flandin. 353 to 202. early this morn- '
ing. Herriot, himself, was overthrown
after four davs as piemier ’n 1926
when the collapse of the franc caused
Raymond Poincare to be called to the
rescue
(Herriot first became premier in j
1924. He served ir. mat office again !
in 1926 and in 1932. bring overtnrown
in the latter year because of ms stand
that the French war debt should be ;
paid to the United States.)
Bouisson, 60-year-old President of
the Chamber of Deputies, was asked
by President Leorun to form a gov
ernment succeeding that of Flandin.
Coalition Demands.
Bouisson undertook ihe task against
his own wishes, but made such de- !
mand; for coalition support that
friends said he expected to fail
While the government crisis ruled,
gold flowed out from the Bank of
France in a ceateiess stream. The
bank has last about 13.000 000.000
francs i S858.000.0001 in gold since the
rush of withdrawals started Maich 29.
An official statement shows that
during the week ending May 24 3.166.
000.000 francs in gold were withdrawn
and, since then, it was officially an
nounced in the chamber, the losses
have exceeded 1.000.000.000 francs
daily.
The high point of withdrawals, as j
stated by former minister of finance, j
Louis Germain-Martin. was 1.500.000.- |
000 on Tuesday alone but since then, !
it was stated, withdrawals have been
' undiminished.” and in some quarters
it was said they have been increased.
Gold Taken Away.
Gold buyers lined up at the bank's
counters by the score and carried
away bars of the metal, sometimes
wrapped in newspapers.
The difficulties Bouisson encounter
ed removed ail hope for construction
of a new cabinet overnight.
The premier-designate insisted he
must have full powers and that Her
riot enter the government.
The Socialists, on whom Bouisson
depended for support, refused to par
ticipate in a coalition government and
declared they would not support the
new cabinet If former Premier Andre
Tardieu were Included.
Herriot's radical Socialists offered
objections to the requirements Bouis
son presented, although there was
hope they might modify their attitude
if Herriot was brought into line.
Menwhlle, Herriot, who said yes
terday he would not enter a new
cabinet if Flandin were overthrown,
was reported to be anxious to replace
Bouisson as president of the chamber.
The Flandin cabinet was overthrown
by a 353-to-202 vote of non-confldence
early this morning after the former
premier made a futile personal appeal
for approval of his program to defend
the franc through measures promulgat
ed by decree.
The bourse opened a* usual today,
but trading was moderate. The high
discount rate of the Bank of France
(Continued cm Page 2, Column 4.)
Cavalcade Hurt, Out for Weeks.
NEW YORK, May 31 (JP) —Mrs.
Isabel Dodge Sloane's Cavalcade,
which stumbled yesterday at the start
of the Suburban Handicap «t Bel
mont Park won ay Head Play, *'H be
out of training fff two or three weeks
because of superficial cuts suffered in
the „ishan
HOLDS STATES GAIN
CONTROL OF NATION
BY DECREE ON N. R. A.
Fears A. A. A. and Securities
Board Are Killed bv Decision.
J
Alcohol Unit Seen Doomed.
FINDING TAKES NATION ‘ BACK
TO HORSE AND BUGGY,” HE SAYS
President Uncertain on W hether Issue
Points to Constitutional Amendment
to lnerease Congress* Power.
By the Associated Press.
President Roosevelt today accepted the Supreme Court N. R. A.
decision as focussing the issue whether the Federal Government or
the 48 States shall have control over national social and economic
conditions.
It raised the question whether the Agricultural Adjustment
Administration and the Securities Commission were legal, he said,
and meant the end of the Federal Alcohol Control Administration
as now constituted.
Asked if the issue did not point directly to a constitutional
amendment to empower Congress to deal with national commercial
conditions, he said not necessarily.
He did not elaborate, but apparently was exploring possibilities
of other laws to reach New Deal objectives, laws that would be
upheld by the highest court.
As to the A. A. A., he said the question now before the country
was whether the Federal Government has any valid power to reg
ulate crop production.
The issue was up to the people, he added, indicating an expec
tation that it would be focused determinedly in the years imme
diately ahead.
“Back to Horse and Buggy Stage.”
He told his crowded press conference the court's interpretation
of the interstate commerce clause of the Constitution took the
Nation back to "the horse and buggy stage.”
The issue drawn, he said, was that of taking away from the
Federal Government control over national economic and social
conditions.
Evidently administration thought on the subject had not matured com
pletely, as It considered what steps to take immediately to meet the prob
lems raised by N R. A.'s passing.
With Mrs. Roosevelt and his secretaries nearby, the President spoke
calmly and deliberately as he outlined the situation in part to the note-taking
audience.
He had a copy of (he decision in his hand and referred to it occasionally.
Outlining the "issue,” Mr. Roosevelt said in using the word he wanted it
emphasized that he did not consider it a "partisan issue."
He said it would have to be settled by a vote of the people—not necessarily
this Summer or Fall, or Winter, but probably in the next four or five years.
Describing the court ruling as perhaps the most important in the his
tory of the Nation. Mr. Roosevelt said it was up to the people to decide now
whether there shall be 48 different State attempts to regulate the econonfic
and social life of the Nation, or whether this shall be a function of the Fed
eral Government.
Gravity was in his voice as he sat behind his desk for more than an hour
and a half in conference with representatives of the press that crowded Into
the warm room.
The Implication of Monday's epochal decision, he said, as he flicked a cig
arette ash and scanned faces before him, removed any Federal jurisdiction
over such major human activities as farming, manufacturing, mining and
construction. That he had been in serious reflection over the historic signifi
cance of this week's developments was manifest.
In his view the unanimous Supreme Court interpretation of interstate com
merce takes the Nation back to 1789, when the interstate commerce clause
was put into the Constitution.
Hopes Spirit of ('odes Will Be Maintained.
Voicing the hope that the spirit of the voided codes for fair practices
would be maintained on a voluntary basis, the President intimated he was
ready to act next week in an attempt to counter results flowing from the
court ruling. The nature of his plans was withheld.
As to ' pending cases.’' which were undefined, he said there would be an
announcement today or tomorrow. Presumbaly this referred to cases on the
N. R. A. dockets at the time it was outlawed
There will be other announcements along the same line over the week
end and early next week.
The President referred at the outset of the discussion to a batch of
telegrams and letters lying on his desk, most of which, he said, asked that
N. R. A. be restored in some fotm or other.
He said he did not believe the people fully appreciated the vast Implica
tions of the Supreme Court decision, or such suggestions for renewal would
not be made.
Attorney General Cummings and Solicitor General Reed were asked by
him to receive and go over the vast pile of appeals and suggestions.
Speaks With Considerable Keeling.
Mr. Roosevelt, who at times spoke with considerable feeling, disavowed
speaking in criticism.
In some ways, he thought the decision was the best thing that has hap
pened because it clarifies "the issue."
With the Federal Government viewed by him now as unable to exercise
control over the economic and social conditions of the people, the President
said this was the only Nation in the world without such authority.
In several ways, he emphasized, he feels the issue is the biggest question
ever before the country in a time of peace.
Reading from the decision, the President said thf issue was brought about
bv the ruling of the court that the Federal Government has no power to regu
late goods not actually in transit between States.
As to the court's assertion against the delegation of power by Congress
to the President, declaring this unconstitutional in N. R. A., Mr. Roosevelt
believed that problem could be met.
His worry was clearly -over the ‘‘interstate Commerce” sections of the
decision, to the effect ‘.hat the goods must directly affect interstate commerce
to be subject to Federal jurisdiction.
Origin and Purpose of Interstate Clause.
When the interstate commerce clause was inserted in the Constitution
by the framers, the debate showed one of the impelling reasons was to
prevent States from erecting tariff barriers against each other. He pointed
out there was no problem then of unemployment and no social questions
such as those of today.
In the years that have passed since, he said, the hope had been held
out that interstate commerce clause could be interpreted in the light of new
things, and that it could be recognized by legislation that a harmful practice
in one part of the country could be prevented by the Federal Government,
on the theory it is working harm on another section.
This has been done on the theory that the Federal Government through
the interstate commerce clause has control over affairs indirectly affecting
interstate commerce.
Returning power over the economic and social conditions of the people
to the 48 different States, as it is seen by him. will mean "sectionalism.”
Reading from the messages, the President said he had selected those from
business men—asking him to help. He expressed hope the voluntary efforts
to maintain the fair practice agreements of the codes would succeed, but
believed the thought somewhat naive.
Suggestions Impossible.
The messages read were from all sections and contained nil manner of
suggestions. Nine out of every ten, he continued, were impossible to carry
out under the court decision.
Mr. Roosevelt talked sharply about the ruling that extraordinary con
ditions calling for extraordinary action did not enlarge constitutional power.
He referred to the war days of 1917 and 1918. Much of the legislation
enacted in that emergency exceeded the Constitution more than any enacted
In 1933, he said, but that emergency legislation was never brought before
the court. . .
His views were not long in reaching Capitol Hill. Legislators In general
deferred comment.
With sentiment there still confused, various ways of meeting the sit
uation with at least temporary legislation were being considered. Friends of
the Black-Connery compulsory 30-hour-week bill were growing more active.
ChairmanwConnery. a member of the House Labor Committee, planned
to Introduce Sunday a revision of the measare r^de in the light of the
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