Evening star. [volume], July 14, 1935, Page A-2, Image 2

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

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Many Putting Cork Back in
Red Ink Bottle—U. S. De
mands Cut Savings.
By the Associated Press.
More and more States, convalesc
ing from their depression-born money
miseries, are putting the corks back in
the red ink bottles.
Some States have lowered taxes.
Many have sharply reduced expendi
tures. Taxpayers continue to groan
everywhere, but the pain—so far as
State governments are concerned—
Is less severe.
Budgets, so often the measuring
roads of solvency, are being balanced.
Comfortable cash balances are ap
pearing in the treasuries of several
States.
For the most part, however, a sur
vey today by the Associated Press
disclosed that appreciable savings for
the taxpayer’s pocketbook remain yet
to be accomplished.
Government Demands Heavy.
A sharp increase in the past decade
in Federal Government demands on
the citizen's dollars has nullified
what slender savings may have been
accomplished by State governments.
Municipalities, too. have been hard
pressed by the needs of the depres
sion. This has led to increased
municipal taxation is some form or
another, notably the 2-cent-on-the
dollar sales tax in New York City.
The State of Kansas shines among
the 48 States with a balanced bud
get. reduced expenditures and lighten
en property taxes. The Kansas Gov
ernor. Alf M. Landon. attributes his
State's sound financial position to "the
Kansas passion for paying bills at is
goes along.”
Florida has been under a balanced
budget for the past three years and
is operating pay as you go. The State
has an adequate balance, but its con
troller has expressed fear for the fu
ture because of increased legislative
appropriation and the possibility that
some of the State's revenue-producing
laws may be declared unconstitu
tional.
Washington Spreads I.oad.
The State of Washington cut its
tax on property almost in two last
year. To make up some $40,000,000
in revenue thus lost the Legislature
enacted retail sales and business-oc
cupation taxes. The effect, of course,
was to relieve property owners by
spreading the taxation. This State
was able to lop $5,000,000 from its
common school expenditures without
closing a school.
Property taxation shows a wide
variance among the States. Illinois,
for one. does not tax property at all.
Gov. Horner, who abolished the prop
erty tax. substituted a retail sales tax.
The State is considered in excellent
financial condition.
Nevada, on the other hand, has in
creased her property tax rate from
60 cents to 68 cents per $100. The
action was taken following a drop in
the State's property valuation.
Idaho has reduced her property tax
about half a million dollars, balanced
her budget and whittled her debt
down from a high point of $7,000,000
to $1,368,000.
Kentucky is another State that
sliced deeply into its property tax
rate, reducing it from 30 cents to 5
cents. A 3 per cent sales tax was
substituted. Kentucky ran more than
two million dollars into debt last year,
running the total debt up to $19,000,
000. The budget for the present year
is about two million dollars off bal
ance.
Delaware Budget Balanced.
Delaware proudly reports not only
a balanced budget and money in the
bank, but also notes that at no time
during the depression has it missed
or delayed a pay roll or made any
reduction in the number of its em
ployes. The same holds true for all
county, city and town governments in
the State.
Although Delaware added another
penny per gallon to the gasoline tax
this year, bringing it to 4 cents, vari
ous direct taxes were reduced. The
road tax of 30 cents a $100, which
had been collected in rural districts,
was abolished.
Indiana has no State debt, and goes
Into the new fiscal year with an esti
mated balance of more than $6,000.
000. The property tax is 15 cents a
$100—the limit allowed by law. In
recent years, however, valuations have
been sharply reduced, with a conse
quent saving to property taxpayers.
Rhode Island's State debt shows
an increase, blamed upon the emer
gency of unemployment relief. Taxes
have not been increased, however. The
State's tax on cities and towns,
amounting to more than a million dol
lars a year, has been abolished, and
this will mean a savings of $500,000
a year to the taxpayers of Providence.
Massachusetts hasn't balanced her
budget for several years.
Controversy in Vermont,
Legislative leaders in Vermont say
that State’s budget is balanced, but
others have expressed a contrary no
tion. The State’s bonded debt has
been cut, but current indebtedness
has increased.
The State of New York points
gloomily to the prospect of a $90,
000,000 deficit for the present fiscal
year. Unemployment has been a two
edged sword sawing at her financial
structure. On the one hand there
have been huge relief expenditures,
and at the same time her taxable In
comes and wealth has been reduced.
Oklahoma ended the fiscal year with
a deficit of nearly $10,000,000.
Virginia has a deficit of about
$2,000,000 for the year, but hopes
to wipe this out and balance the
budget by next June.
Texas has a budget deficit of about
$6,000,000. Her indebtedness was in
creased $20,000,000 two years ago by
a relief bond issue. There is no im
mediate prospect of a reduction in
the Texas property tax which for
several years has been at the consti
tutional maximum of 35 cents.
Wisconsin’s budget has been out of
balance for four years. The deficit
is now estimated at about $5,000,000.
Among States with balanced budgets
or the equivalent—Illinois, for one,
has no formal budget—are:
Kansas, Florida, Arkansas ('“prac
tically balanced,” State treasurer
says), Washington, Illinois, Nevada,
Idaho, Delaware, Indiana, New Hamp
shire, Vermont. Pennsylvania, Michi
gan, North Dakota, Iowa and Ohio.
Arrive for Inspection.
SAN DIEGO. Calif., July 13 f^P).—
Eleven Congressmen, members of the
House Naval Affairs and Appropria
tions Committees, arrived here today
after a flight from Washington, D. C.,
in two transport planes. They came
to Inspect local naval establishments.
4
Plans Laid for Early Tests
Of New Labor Relations Law
I -
Industry Fears Personnel of Board, Still
to Be Chosen, Will Favor Bargain
ing Units Dominated hy A. F.L.
This is the first of two articles
discussing some of the questions
raised by recent enactment of the
labor relations law. The second will
appear tomorrow.
BY JOHN C. HENRY.
While both industry and labor
await presidential appointment of the
three-man board to administer the
new labor relations law (known before
enactment as the Wagner bill), legal
ambuscades are being laid by both
sides. It is a certainty that admin
istration of the law and probably the
law itself will run afoul of this cross
fire as soon as one side or the other
can rush one of their strongest cases
into the courts.
Already the groundwork of a test
is being laid in Milwaukee, w’here
Cudahy Bros. Co. has declined to
recognize a meat-cutters' union as
sole bargaining unit for its workers.
In answer, the Meat Cutters' Union,
an affiliate of the A. F. of L.. has
filed a formal complaint charging
failure to grant the rights guaranteed
under the act.
The troubles which await the new
statute may be divided into two gen
eral classifications: First, the con
i troversy and wrangling which are
bound to arise over whatever inter
i pretation the board may place upon
; certain indefinite provisions of the
law; second, the firm intention of
j industry to force the law Itself or
some specific application of it to a
' test of constitutionality. Both issues
will reach common grounds even
tually. namely the courts.
As an indication of the points upon
which the aforesaid controversies will
center, the National Association of
Manufacturers, in an analysis of the
law, cites numerous words or phrases
which it terms vague and open to
I discriminating application.
Question on Employe Gifts.
Centering its attention first upon
that section of the law dealing with
unfair labor practices for employers,
i the association questions the exact
j meaning of "interference.'' "restraint”
i and "coercion.” From these it goes
' to the second of the unfair practices,
forbidding domination or financial
contribution by employers to employe
: unions. In this connection the ques
, tion is raised as to whether employer
| contributions to outings or athletic
organizations might be held under the
1 ban. That this doubt is not confined
i to the association alone was shown in
hearings on ihe bill when Senator
; Borah asked Senator Wagner, sponsor
of the measure, to advance his defini
' tion of these terms. Most of them,
j the latter admitted, are open to the
I discretion of the board and circum
i stances which surround the case.
Likewise, the association considers
1 the field of discretion open to the
board in the third of the listed prac
tices as unduly broad. This section
prohibits discrimination tending to
encourage or discourage membership
j in any labor organization. The true
definition of collective bargaining also
is asked, on the grounds that preced
ing boards have "practically construed
it to mean that a bargain must be
reached.”
The majority rule principle, always
opposed by industry, but established
as policy by the present board in its
ruling on the Houde case and per
petuated as law in the new act, is
i under fire on the grounds that insuf
ficient rights are reserved for the
minority, their only specific protection
being that of the privilege of present
ing “grievances” to their employer.
Can Select Bargaining Unit.
In that same section of the act is
found the most controversial, perhaps,
of all provisions and one that is tied
in with the majority rule principle.
This provision follows:
"The board shall decide in each
case whether, in order to insure to
employes the full benefit of their
right to self-organization and to
collective bargaining, and other
wise to effectuate the policies of
this act, the unit appropriate for
the purposes of collective bargain
| ing shall be the employer unit,
craft unit, plant unit or subdivision
thereof.”
Of considerable interest in this con
nection is the comment of Francis
Biddle, retiring chairman of the pres
ent board, as follows:
“The major problem connected with
the majority rule is not the rule itself,
but its application. The important
question is to what unit the ma
jority rule applies. Section 9 (b)
of the Wagner bill provides that the
board shall decide the unit appropri
ate for the purpose of collective bar
gaining. This, as indicated by the
act, may be a craft, plant or employer
unit. The necessity for the board
deciding the unit and the difficulties
sometimes involved can readily be
made clear where the employer runs
two factories producing similar pro
ducts: Shall a unit be each factory
or shall they be combined into one?
Where there are several crafts in
the plant, shall each be separately
represented?
“To lodge the power of determining
this question with the employer would
invite unlimited abuse, and gerry
mandering the units would defeat the
aims of the statute. If the employes
themselves could make the decision
without proper consideration of the
elements, which should constitute the
appropriate units they could in any
given instance defeat the practical
significance of the majority rule; and,
by breaking off into small groups,
could make it impossible for the
employer to run his plant.
Board Acta in "Third Place."
“Of course, you have to take a
chance to an extent on your board.
We have three choices, and the em
ployer obviously is not the person
to determine the unit. If your em
ployes determine it. any group can
break off from the main bargaining
union and constitute itself a little bar
gaining unit.
“Any arbitrary act of the board in
selecting the unit is subject to check
on review by the court. It is impos
sible. however, ta lay down a definite
rule for the determination of the ap
propriate unit, for such an attempt
would result in rigidity and confu
sion.”
From tms iranK admission oi me
wide discretion being vested in the
board in this most important point, as
I well as in others, is revealed the great
importance surrounding selection of
i the board's personnel. Industry fears,
of course, lest this personnel be un
i duly friendly to organized labor, that
j the bargaining units deemed • appro
priate” in too many instances will be
those of the American Federation of
Labor or one of its affiliates. The re
I suit of such an attitude, they contend
further, would allow the federation to
j capitalize this power in recruiting
membership and dominating all in
dustry.
Asked about this circumstance. Sen
1 ator Wagner declared he had no
knowledge of the makeup of the new
board, but pointed out that the admin
i istration of any law. however exactly
drawn, varies greatly with the per
sonnel doing the administering.
In connection with enforcement
powers of the board, declared by Sen
ator Wagner to be most necessary, the
attacks of industry thus far have cen
tered upon two points, in section 10 of
j the law. First of these is the provi
j sion that any complaint against an
employer for violation of the labor
practices section ‘‘may be amended
by the member, agent or agency con
ducting the hearing or the board in
its discretion at any time prior to the
issuance of an order based thereon.”
Desist Order Attacked.
! “In other words." the National As
sociation of Manufacturers says, “in
stead of making the proof correspond
to the pleadings as is required in all
I courts of law and equity, the board
may in its discretion modify the plead
ing to correspond to the proof.”
I A second point under attack in this
section is the latitude given the board
in the clause authorizing it to issue
a cease and desist order from the un
fair labor practice in point and to
order “such affirmative action, includ
ing reinstatement of employes with or
without back pay, as will effectuate the
policies of this act.”
Although these criticisms of the new
law by the National Association of
Manufacturers are not necessarily
valid and are themselves elements In
the controversies sure to arise, they
do indicate with certainty in what
directions the employers will question
interpretations of the act by the board.
LUKE LEA SMILES
AT PARDON DENIAL
--
"Thank You" Is Former Senator's
Only Comment When
Informed.
By the Associated Press.
RALEIGH. N. C„ July 13—Luke
Lea. former United States Senator
from Tennessee and a World War j
hero, today was refused a pardon from
the North Carolina State Prison by j
Gov. Ehringhaus.
When Lea was informed at the
prison this afternoon that his request
had been declined he smiled, said
“thank you," and had no other com
ment.
Lea entered prison in May, 1934,
to serve 6 to 10 years after his con
viction in Asheville for conspiracy to
defraud the Central Bank k Trust
Co. there before it failed in 1930. He j
was convicted in 1931, but fought his
case through every court available.
Usually the Governor merely an- j
nounces he has declined clemency j
petitions when he refuses them, but |
he issued a long statement In the Lea
; case and pointed out he had given
i the data presented in the prisoner’s
behalf "a laborious and thoughtful
study.”
The clemency petition asked for a
! full and complete pardon for Lea on
; the grounds that alleged "new evi
dence" presented In his behalf by
; J. M. Broughton. Raleigh lawyer,
“exonerated” him of the charges of
which he was convicted.
“We have been unable to discover i
any new evidence which is substan
tially different from what has been
heretofore brought forward,” the Gov
ernor’s statement said. On the re
quest for a commutation, it set forth
that it was “prematurely presented.”
Admiral Leahy in Command.
BREMERTON. Wash., July 13 (A1).—
Vice Admiral William 3. Leahy
U. S. N.. arriving today from Wash
ington. D. C., became commander of
battleships. Battle Force. United States
Fleet.
He succeeds Rear Admiral Thomas
1 T. Craven, who has assumed command
of the 13th Naval District and the
Bremerton Navy Yard.
k
Seat of Man’s Pants
In Lightning Path
Missing After Flash
By the Associated Press.
TALIHINA. Okla., July 13 —
Lightning split the seat of Bill
Dixon's pants and used his back
bone for a conductor when it
struck a tree under which he and
five other persons were seeking
protection from an electrical
storm.
Dixon, 60 years old. was seated
on a box leaning against the tree
when the bolt struck. He said
he could feel it course down his
spine, and when companions
picked him up. the seat of his
trousers was missing.
Dixon was knocked uncon
scious, as was Mel Armstrong,
another of the party. Both are
recovering.
RIOTING IN BELFAST
BREAKS OUT ANEW
Four Dead, 66 Hurt in Clashes
Between Catholics and
Protestants.
By the Associated Press.
BELFAST, Northern Ireland, July
13 —Two persons were killed and 20
injured in a second night of rioting
that began yesterday with the cele
bration of the 245th anniversary of
the battle of the Boyne.
In two days fighting between Cath
olics and Protestant Orangemen, four
have been killed and 66 injured.
Tonight’s outbreaks were in York
street, scene of the first day's dis
orders. The rioters defied curfew re
striction and a triple guard of Bel
fast and provincial police.
Authorities immediately sent out an
S O S for more police from ad
joining counties. One district was or
dered surrounded.
In the wake of a further burst of
firing, the police commissioner issued
an urgent appeal for police reinforce
ments. Sir Dawson Bates, the home
secretary, cancelled his plans to at
tend King George’s naval review next
Tuesday. The curfew was effective at
10 p.m»
A
NEW HEAT WAVE
HEADS EASTWARD
Cool Days May End After
Midweek—All-Time High
Hits Oregon.
While Washington enjoyed a defi
nite break in the heat wave last night,
with prospects of several d&ys of com
fortable weather, a new heat wave of
record proportions was building up
along the Pacific Coast.
The minimum temperature during
the night here was expected to be be
tween 66 and 68 degrees, with a max
imum today of about 85 or 86 de
grees. Decreasing humidity was ex
pected to contribute even further to
the comfort of District residents after
days of sweltering weather.
Although a slight rise in tempera
ture is due to begin tomorrow, it was
anticipated at the Weather Bureau
that Washington weather, until Wed
nesday. will continue "comfortable,”
with the nights "rather pleasant.”
There is little prospect of tempera
tures above 90 degrees during the first
half of the week.
Heat Prostrates Far West.
The heat wave which now is sweep
ing into the Far West, however, over
shadowed all interest at the Weather
Bureau in the developments here
For the first time in the memory of
present Weather Bureau officials the
reports from the Pacific Coast last
j night showed temperatures of above
I 100 degrees along the entire length of
I the United States West Coast, with
an all-time record high of 104 degrees
I in Portland. Oreg., and 80 degrees in
! Fairbanks. Alaska.
The "above 100 temperature line
last evening extended from Mexico
i across the United States and far into
i Canada, while the hot weather was
j spreading into Montana and Alberta,
Canada, which reported temperatures
| of above 90 degrees. Just how much
! of the new record heat wave will reach
■ the East, however, is still problem
atical.
Freak conditions accompanied the
heat wave, especially in California.
There airplane weather observers
found temperatures increasing with
altitude above the earth, instead of
decreasing. Above Sunnyvale, Calif.,
| the temperature at 400 meters alti
1 tude was 61 degrees, but at 900 meters
it had increased to 84 degrees, and
freezing weather was not encountered
i until the pilot had climbed 3 miles.
Similar conditions were encountered
at San Diego and other points.
May Reach East Coast.
The hot weather which last night
was spilling over the Rocky Mountains
into Montana and Alberta is expected
to continue down over the Dakotas
into Iowa and Illinois and. unless
some change develops, may come far
ther East.
Last night found the remains of
the Polar Pacifir air mass which
brought relief to most of the United
States bringing freezing air at com
paratively low altitudes. Airplane
observers climbed into freezing tem
eratures at only 3.700 meters above
Detroit and 3.500 meters above To
ronto last night.
Last night's 8 o'clock reports to the
Weather Bureau from its scattered
j observers showed freakish conditions
attended the rains which accomparled
the cool wave along Lite Atlantic
Coast. While Washington had a
1 total of 66 hundredths of and inch of
rain during the day. Baltimore had
i only 2 hundredths and Lynchburg.
Va., had 3.04 inches of rain. Mere
: than one inch of rain fell in Norfolk.
! Richmond and at other points. At
8 o'clock yesterday morning lain was
falling in only two places in the
United States, according to the re
ports. They were Richmond, Va., and
Port Arthur. Texat. The showers
which began in many places soon
afterward were strange!,- scattered.
Washington yesterday had a maxi
mum temperature of 84 degrees, at
4:15 p.m. This was 12 degrees be
low the year's record, established
Friday afternoon.
The principal Washington hospi
tals had no new heat cases to re
port yesterday afternoon or last night.
-•
ROOSEVELT TO FIGHT,
. CHANDLER DECLARES
Representative Says Business Is
Out to Boycott Him. and
He Will Battle.
By the Associated Press.
MEMPHIS. Tenn.. July 13 —Rep
resentative Chandler. Democrat, of
Tennessee, came home today with
word that President Roosevelt is in
"a lighting mood.'’
"Business has definitely broken
with Roosevelt,” Chandler said in an
interview’. “It is out to boycott him.
At the very time when things are be
ginning to pick up, it has sent the
word down the line not to put on any
extra help unless absolutely neces
sary. And Roosevelt Is in a fighting
mood. From now on. you are going
to see a leadership In national af
fairs that will arouse the support of
the great mass of the people as noth
ing has before."
NEW SOVIET PACT
BOOSTS U. S. TRADE
$30,000,000 in American
Goods Called for in Year
Under Treaty.
Ending 18 years of hit-or-miss com
mercial relations, the United States
and Soviet Russia yesterday concluded
a trade pact undeA which the U. S,
S. R. agreed to boost Its American
Imports by 150 per cent over the aver
age of the pas* three years.
In return for purchases of $30,000.
000 of American goods during the
neat year, the United States granted
wide tariff concessions to the Soviet.
Experts here forecast privately, how
ever, that the chief benefits to the j
Moscow government would be de-!
layed, rather than Immediate.
The Soviet, under the terms of the |
pact, is granted the benefit of all
tariff reductions and other conces
sions made in the trade pacts with
Belgium and Haiti, already effective,
and in the Swedish agreement which
becomes effective August 5.
Few of the duty reductions made In
those pacts are of practical value to '
the Soviet Union, since it produces j
and exports very few of the articles j
on which the tariff was cut. Russia J
w ill benefit, however, from trade pacts |
with other notions signed during the
life of the agreement.
No Loan Provision Carried.
Concluded through the exchange of
notes between Maxim Litvinoff. Soviet
commissar for foreign affairs, and
William C. Billitt, the American Am
bassador In Moscow, the treaty will
remain in force one year. Despite
Russian demands for a loan, which
balked past agreement efforts, the
pact provided no such arrangement.
Lacking any agreement covering
commercial relations, trade between
the United States and Russia has
averaged only about $12000,000 over
the last three years. The expecta
tion of officials here is that Russia
American trade will be approximately
trebled.
The agreement in no way relates
to Russian-American debt questions
and leaves the subject of negotiations
for a settlement of more than $700.
000.000 In debts contracted by former
Russian governments still open.
Protracted negotiation* for a debt
settlement ended some mont'i* ago
and officials said today they snow
of no plans to resume the discus
. slons.
Bank Not to Function.
It was assumed the Soviet's pur
chases will be made througn the usual
business arrangement* with American
firms. Although the Expori-Import
Bank, headed by George N. Peek, was
organized to facilitate Russian trade
through assisting American firms in
financing deals with that country, the
bank has never functioned. It* partl
cipation in future Russian trade is
contingent on a satisfactory settlement
of the old imperial and Kerensky re
gimes debts to the United States
Government.
Chief Russian purchases in this
country generally are expected to en
compass heavy locomotive and other
machinery and som* manufactured
goods. Chief Soviet advantages prob
ably will result from concessions under
the U. S.-Swedish treaty and under
the Canadian-American pact, now
under negotiation.
The Swedish treaty keeps on the
free list three types A wood pulp.
Three other types, now chiefly sup
plied by Canada, were not touched on
in the Swedish pact. Canadian ef
forts will be made In negotiations
now under way to keep on the free
list mechanical wood pulp, soda pulp
and bleached sulphite pulp.
, RAINS GROUND PLANES
Havoc Reported Along Glacier
Highway in Alaska.
JUNEAU, Alaska, July 13 <£>».—'Tor
rential rains wrought havoc along the
Glacier highway and forced cancella
tion of all airplane schedules in
Juneau today.
Several sections of the highway
were washed out and trees were up
rooted by a heavy wind.
Gold Creek was reported a raging
i stream after 2.01 inches of rain, the
heaviest since 1917, had fallen In 24
hours.
BAND CONCERT.
By the United States Army Band
in the Ampitheater at Arlington Na
| tional Cemetery at 6 p.m. Thomas F.
Darcy, conducting.
PROGRAM
I Unfinished Symphony" —Schubert
“Midsummer Night's Serenade,”
Albenii
Solo for saxophone, ‘'Elegie.”
Massenet
Eugene Hostetler, soloist.
Tone poem, "My Souvenirs."
Mainente
•Meditation" _Glazounow
"Prelude" _Beghon
Intermezzo from "Rustic Sym
, phony" _Goldmark
Group of flower melodies_Hadley
l "The Star Spangled Banner.”
Glass to Discuss Bank Bill
THE new banking bill will be*:
discussed by America's most
widely known authority on
bank legislation. Senator Car
I ter Glass of Virginia, in the National
Radio Forum Thursday at 10:30 p.m.
The National Radio Forum is ar-;
ranged by The Washington Star and j
broadcast over the network of the
National Broadcasting Co.
No piece of legislation has been
more praised or condemned during
the present session of Congress than
the administration Danking bill, as it
came originally to that body. Senator
Glass has been a critic of some of the
provisions of the first draft of the
bill, and of the bill as it passed the
House. He headed a subcommittee
of the Senate Banking and Currency j
Committee which worked and mulled j
over the measure for weeks and
finally brought it for.h in amended
form.
The Virginia Senator was the au
thor of the Federal Reserve act in
large part, when he was chairman of
the House Committee on Banking
and Currency during the Wilson ad-,
ministration He served later as Sec
retary of the Treasury in the same
administration. From that office he
became a Senator of the United
States.
He was offered the office of Secre
tary of the Treasury by President
Franklin D. Roosevelt when he was
forming his cabinet. Senator Glass,
however, politely declined.
Kven In those days it was clear that
%
SENATOR GLASS.
the fiery Virginian and the Roosevelt
New Dealers might not be able to
travel the same road. Their views of
money and banking began to diverge
almost from the inception of the
Roosevelt administration.
The Virginia Senator is a "sound
money” man. He has denounced
speculation and sought to curb it. At
the same time he is not of those who
believe that the Government shall be*
come a benevolent dictator.
*
Mentioned for Judgeship
$ _ __
H. WINSHIP WHEATLEY. JUSTICE JENNINGS BAILEY.
£. Barrett Prettyman. Leslie Garnett. Representative Harlan.
—Harris-Ewing Photos.
AIRPORT AC1N
SEENJB WEEK
Resolution to Close Military
Road to Be Pushed
by McSwain.
The fate of Washington Airport
probably will be determined this
week by action of the House on the
McSwain resolution to close Military
road.
Blocked in his plan to ask for pas
sage of the measure by unanimous i
consent when the Arlington County 1
Board notified Representative How
ard W. Smith of Virginia yesterday
of its unanimous opposition to closing
of the road. McSwain is expected to
go before the House Rules Commit
tee early this week to request con
sideration of the bill under suspen
sion of the rules.
Unless McSwain is successful in his
effort to jam the bill through in the
face of the Virginia opposition or
unless the demand of Secretary of
Commerce Roper for absolute pro
tection of landing and taking off air
liners is met by barricading of the
road. Commerce Department officials
are expected to made good an often
repeated threat to close the local air
port to air transport operations and
so wipe Washington off the air trans
port map.
Secretary Roper has called upon
Samuel J. Solomon, manager of
Washington Airport, to install at 24
hour guard to supplement the exist
ing traffic lights and sirens and to
install a traffic barrier at each light
"as soon as possible.”
Request for Barrier*.
Solomon ha* installed the guards
and ha* applied to Assistant Secre
tary of War Woodring for permission
to install the barriers, but up to yes
terday had received no reply from the
War Department to his request.
Should the barriers be installed and
prove adequate in the control of au
tomobile traffic, the Commerce De
partment probably will hold in abey
ance for the time being its threat to
close the airport to airline operation*.
In his letter of July 6 calling upon
Solomon to provide the guards and
barriers, Secretary Roper said: "If
these instructions are not carried out
immediately the Department of Com
merce will consider suspending all
air operations at Washlngton-Hoover
Airport."
Commerce Department officials last
night reiterated the stand taken by
Eugene L. Vidal, director of air com
merce. in a memorandum to an inter
departmental commission on the air
port situation early in the week.
In his memorandum Vidal pointed
out that the Military road crossing
now is a far greater hazard to safety
in air travel than at any time in the
past, because of the use of new high
speed airliners, which require longer
landing and take-off runs.
He pointed out that arbitrary re
duction of the pay loads of transport
airplanes using the local airport might
be ordered, leaving the barring of all
air transport operations as a final
measure.
Safety Is Demanded.
Commerce Department omciais iasi
night took the position that the de
partment is committed definitely to
a policy of prohibiting all air trans
port operations at Washington Airport
unless it is made safe for airline fly
ing.
The department has no power to
close the airport itself, it was pointed
out, but does have the power under
the air commerce act of prohibiting
interestate air transport planes from
landing there.
The Bureau of Air Commerce has
Invoked this power twice in the past
six months. About six months ago,
when it became apparent that the air
port at Greensboro, N. C., was un
safe for the operation of the new
high-speed airliners operated by
Eastern Airlines on its route from
Washington to the South.- the Com
merce Department ordered that the
airliners cease operations there until
the situation was remedied. Greens
boro today is oft the air transport
map.
Within the last month the big
Bowles-Agawam iArport at Spring
field, Mass., was closed and the prop
erty sold for use as a race track.
The Bureau of Air Commerce ruled
that the Springfield Municipal Air
port was inadequate for airline opera
tions and Springfield also has disap
peared from the air transport map.
Bank Bobbers Get $1,500.
MONONA, Iowa, July 13 <*>).—'Three
men h?ld up the Union State Bank
here shortly before noon today and
escaped with from 11,500 to (2,000 in
currency. |
*
I
-
Five Reported in Counties
Hitherto Clear of
Disease.
By the Associated Press.
RICHMOND. Va . July 13 —Ten new
cases of infantile paralysis were re
ported in Virginia today, five of them
from counties hitherto clear of the
disease, bringing the State’s total to
109 since June. And with an increase ;
in cases reported, Dr. I. C. Riggin.1
State health commissioner, warned
tourists and vacationists to follow his |
department's ruling against allowing
children to congregate.
Persons entering the State should
realize. Dr. Riggin said, that an "un- j
usual prevalence'1 of the disease exists, j
"There is an unusual prevalence of
poliomyelitis in the south-central sec
tion of Virginia.” Dr. Riggin stated.
"Motorists should observe this fact
and follow strictly our advice that
children be kept from congregating."
He has said the present outbreak has
not reached epidemic proportions
throughout the State.
Counties of the south side. In an
area along route 1. leading from
North Carolina, have reported the most
cases, although today's figures indi
cated a spread of the disease to other
sections.
Dr. W. Brownley Poster, director of
public welfare for the city of Rich
mond. has expressed the belief that
the outbreak is waning, citing the
diminishing number of cases reported
each day in North Carolina. A drive
lias been inaugurated by him in Rich
mond to substitute paper cups at soft
drink establishments as a means of
slowing transmission of the disease.
School authorities in Richmond closed
a ' vacation school” as a precaution.
FIVE CASES IN DANVILLE.
State Official Hill Address Physicians
of City.
DANVILLE. V«„ July 13 </P).—With
two new rases of infantile paralysis
reported here today, the total was
brought to five. No cases so far have
terminated fatally.
State Epidemologist McGinnis of
Richmond was expected to address a
meeting of physicians to be held In
the office of the City Health Office.
SHORT COURSE CANCELED.
4-H Session at Virginia Tech July
22-27 Is Abandoned.
BLACKSBURG, Va.. July 13
Purely as a precautionary measure,
the seventeenth annual State 4-H
boys and girls' short course scheduled
to have been held at Virginia Tech
July 22-27 has been canceled, John
R, Hutcheson, director agricultural
extension division here, announced
today. The action also applies to
the 4-H all-star conference July 19
22. But It does not apply to any of
the adult meetings.
BREWSTER PLEASED
BY QUODDY STAND
Grateful That TJ. S. Officials Will
Not Demand Special Legis
lative Session.
By the Associated Press.
Failure of the Maine Legislature to
set up an authority to handle the
Passamaquoddy tide-harnessing proj
ect after it is built was said yesterday
by Representative Brewster, Republi
can, of Maine, to be a condition which
automatically would halt work on the
$36,000,000 project.
But, Brewster added, the Maine Leg
islature does not meet until January,
1937, “and by that time the project
will be nearing completion.” He
called "gratifying” reports that Federal
officials would not ask for a special
session of the Legislature to set up
such an authority.
The project was the center of a row
over charges of lobbying by the ad
ministration in behalf of a strong
utility holding company bill. Brewster
charged that Thomas Corcoran, an
administration aide in the R. F. C.,
threatened to stop work on the project
if he did not vote for a provision to
end holding companies.
The Maine Representative said it
had been the understanding all along
that the project would be stopped If
the Legislature did not set up ma
chinery to administer it
Yonth$ Feast on Locusts.
Native youths in South Africa are
feasting on locusts.
POLITICS MAY RULE
BENCH SELECTION
Representative Harlan Rec
ommended by Ohio Sena
tors for Hitz Vacancy.
The prospect that politics might
dictate the appointment of a succes
sor to the late Justice William Hit*
on the District Court of Appeals de
veloped yesterday when it was learned
that Representative Byron B. Harlan
of the third Ohio congressional dis
trict had been recommended to Pres
ident Roosevelt for the vacancy. Har
lan has the backing of Senators Bulk
| ley and Donahey of Ohio.
| Meanwhile Associate Justice Jen
; nings Bailey of the District Supreme
Court and Winship Wheatley, presi
dent of the District Bar Association,
have been considered by local attorneys
as eligible for consideration. The
names of United States Attorney Gar
nett and District Corporation Counsel
Prettyman also have been suggested.
Representative Harlan comes from
Dayton. He is 49 years old and a
graduate of the University of Michi
gan. He is a member of the House
Rules Committee, which is now en
gaged in investigating administration
and power trust lobbying In connec
tion with the "death sentence” clause
in the public utility holding company
bill. Harlan was first elected to the
House five years ago and has been
twice re-elected.
Election Might Test Sentiment.
The Dayton district is a close one
between Republicans and Democrats.
Should Harlan receive the appoint
ment. thus creating a vacancy in the
third Ohio district, a special election
would be in order. Such an election
would provide a good test of political
sentiment as it is running in Ohio
today.
There Is no organized movement
among the local members of the bar
to secure the appointment of a local
man so far as is known. It has been
pointed out that Justice Hitz was the
only member of the bench of the Dis
trict Supreme Court to be moved up
directly to the Court of Appeals.
Justice Bailey is from Tennessee
and is regarded as a strong Demo
crat. Mr. Prettyman was active in
the Democratic party in Maryland
and his work as corporation counsel
has won favorable comment from
local officials.
Cummings May Have Man.
When Attorney General Cummings
attempted some time ago to create an
additional judgeship on the Court of
Appeals, he was understood to have
three men in mind for the judgeship
If Congress should agree to enlarge
the bench. No action was taken on
the proposal, but the three projected
candidates, none of them a Washing
ton man. are said to be still available
and some well informed local attor
neys believe the Attorney General will
recommend the appointment of one
of them to the vacancy.
BOULDER DAM WORK
HALTED BY STRIKERS
4.000 Walk Out as Truckers Join
Other Employes’ Demand
for 7y2-Hour Day.
By the Associated Press.
BOULDER CITY, Nev.. July 13 —
All work on the gigantic Boulder Dam
project came to a halt today as truck
and transport drivers joined the atrike
of carpenters and steel workers for
restoration of the seven and one-half
hour work day. The shutdown in
volved about 4.000 men.
The Central Labor Council, to
which the dispute between workers
and the six companies, including Gen
eral Contractors on the dam and pow
er plant projects, was submitted,
characterised the situation as one
that has been “smouldering for more
than a year, because of the refusal of
the contractors to consider wage in
creases."
The contractors’ new order requires
the workmen to report for work half
an hour earlier and to take their half
an hour lunch period on their own
time.
Union crafts which have not yet
voted to strike, the International As
sociation o' Machinists. Hoist Engi
neers and Dump Truck Drivers, are to
take action soon.
Fearing violence might climax the
strike, extra squads of heavily armed
poUce patrolled the streets of Boul
der City tonight.
Labor leaders, who declined to be
quoted, indicated they feared violence.
As an extra precaution sale of liquor
on the Government reservation was
stopped.
—
$25,000 BALM GIVEN
IN HOUR DELIBERATION
Physician'* Assistant Wins Suit
Against Fashionable Doctor
in Second Trial.
By the Associated Press.
PASADENA, Calif., July 13.—A jury
of seven women and five men spent
just an hour on a breach of promise
case today before awarding pretty
Dolores Young $25,000 damages from
Dr. Lawrence Butka, fashionable Al
hambra. Calif., physician.
It was the second trial of the suit.
The first jury was dismissed after
arguing two days.
Miss Young, a physician's assistant,
sued Dr. Butka, well known in local
social circles, for $100,000. She said
he asked her to marry him, but even
tually told her "it’s all over."
The physician’s letters to her, ad
dressing her as "Darling Dodo,” were
brought into evidence.”
SINCLAIR IS THROUGH
E. P. I. C. Creator Never Again
to Seek Public Office.
BUTTE. Mont., July 13 OP).—Upton
Sinclair, novelist and author of the
“E. P. I. C.” program on which he
waged a furious campaign for the gov
ernorship of California, declared em
phatically today he would “never
again run for public office.”
Sinclair's statement apparently put
at rest rumors that the silver-haired,
soft-spoken writer planned to “shoo'
a second time for the highest office in
California.”
Here for a Sunday speaking engage
ment, Sinclair attacked the adminis
tration’s work-relief program, con
tending It eventually would bankrupt
the United States. .
* *