Evening star. [volume], April 17, 1936, Image 1

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

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WEATHER.
(V 8. Weather Bureau Forecast.) The OTllv PVPTlintr nanPF
Fair. slighUy colder tonight, with mini- • ii, l- evening paper
mum temperature about 36 degrees; to- in Washington With the
morrow fair; gentle to moderate west and Assnriatprl Prp«jd Mpwo
northwest winds. Temperatures-Hlgh- . U , , o . WS
est, 57, at 1:30 p.m. yesterday; lowest. 42, ana WirephOtO Services,
at 6:15 ajn. today. Full report on page A-7.
n- u v i m i i d i o Yesterday’s Circulation, 140,334
closing New York markets, Page 15 (some mum, notreceived»
— ■ ' -- M * - ' "
No. 33,589. 8Wa°6nhlnCgton,IDttcr WASHINGTON, D. C., FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 1936-FIFTY-EIGHT PAGES. *** OP) Means Associated Pr«.. TWO CENTS.
RITTER GUILTY
ON 7TH CHARGE;
CLEARED ON SIX
_ A
Exact Two-Thirds
Vote Convicts on
“Scandal” Count.
AUSTIN CHALLENGES,
BUT IS OVERRULED
[Verdict Automatically
. *
Removes 65-Year-Old
Jurist From Bench.
By the Associated Press.
Federal Judge Halsted L. Rit
ter of Florida was convicted by
the Senate today on a House im
peachment charge that he had
brought his court “into scandal
and disrepute.”
The verdict automatically re
moved the 65-year-old jurist
from the bench.
Conviction came on the seventh and
last ballot when the vote was 56 for
conviction to 28 against, exactly two
thirds of those voting, which was re
quired under the Constitution for a
conviction.
Acquitted on Six.
On the first six articles Ritter was
acquitted, although on the first charge
—that Ritter allowed an excessive fee
of $75,000 to A. L. Rankin, former
law partner, in a receivership case and
“corruptly” accepted $4,500 from Ran
kin afterward—the vote was 55 to 29,
needing only a single switch to change
the result.
Ritter had sat with arms folded
across his chest during the seven roll
calls, to which Senators answered
“Guilty” or "Not guilty.”
Ritter walked slowly from the cham
ber after the roll call. Removing a
wrapper from a cigar, he said:
“I have nothing to say. God, you
can see why I have nothing to say.
I’m going back to Florida.”
He shook his head wearily as he
tnade this comment to reporters.
The last article combined all the
previous six in one and charged the
actions complained of had brought
Ritter’s court "into scandal and dis
repute.”
Austin Challenges Vote.
Senator Austin, Republican, of Ver
mont immediately challenged the final
vote, making a point of order that
Ritter could not under the law be con
victed of an “omnibus” count when he
had been declared innocent of the
charges separately.
Austin contended such conviction, if
Upheld, would be “monstrous.”
Senator Robinson, the Democratic
leader, held Austin was not in order
when he began a legal argument, and
Senator Pittman. Democrat, of Ne
vada, who was presiding, vpheld Rob
inson.
Pittman then ruled Austin’s point
was not well taken and Austin sat
down. Pittman said the last article
charged “general misbehavior” and
was a separate count in itself.
Ritter, who sat throughout the vot
ing near the Vice President’s rostrum,
apparently was unmoved by the de
cision.
The Senate rejected unanimously a
proposal that Ritter be disbarred for
life from holding any “position of
trust or honor.”
Party lines were shattered both on
the first and final ballots. On the first,
the most serious charge, 6 Republicans,
47 Democrats, 1 Progressive and 1
Parmer-Labor voted for conviction.
Sixteen Republicans, 12 Democrats
and 1 Parmer-Labor voted for ac
quittal.
Ritter sat with his attorneys as the
Senate voted. A large gallery was on
hand. Before each ballot, the im
peachment article was read.
The second article charged Ritter
with conniving with Rankin and others
to bring on the Whitehall Hotel litiga
tion and then dissipating the Palm
Beach hotel’s assets through fee al
lowances and other orders.
On this ballot, the vote was: For
conviction, 52; for acquittal, 32. Five
Senators changed their votes, four
from conviction to acquittal, and one,
King of Utah, from “not guilty” to
“guilty.’’
The third accused him of violating
the Judicial code by practicing law,
(See RITTER, Page 2.) *
' _ _
Ritter Vote
Party Lines Split in Bal
loting on Ousting.
The roll call on which Judge Hal
ated L. Ritter was convicted today on
the last of seven House Impeachment
charges follows;
For conviction:
Democrats: Adams, Ashurst, Bach
man, Bailey, Bilbo, Black. Bone,
Brown, Bulkley, Bulow, Byrd, Caraway,
Chaves, Clark, Connally. Coolldge,
Dieterlch, Donahey, Duffy, Fletcher,
Oeorge, Glass, Guffey, Harrison,
Hatch, Hayden, Holt, Lonergan, Ma
loney, McAdoo, McGill, McKellar,
Minton, Murphy, Murray, Neely.
O’Mahoney, Pittman, Radcliffe, Rey
nolds, Robinson, Russell, Schwellen
bach, Sheppard, Thomas, Utah; Tru
man, Wagner, Walsh, Wheeler.
Total, 49.
Republicans; Borah, Capper, Cou
lens, Frazier, Norris—Total 5.
Progressive: La Follette.
Farmer-Labor: Shipstead.
Total—56.
For acquittal:
Democrats: Burke, Copeland, Ger
ry, King, Long, Moore, Overton, Smith,
Thomas, Okla., Van Nuys—Total, 10.
Republicans: Austin, Barbour, Carey,
Davis, Dickinson. Gibson, Hastings,
Hale, Johnson, Keyes, McNary, Met
calf, Nye, Steiwer, Townsend, Van den
berg. White—Total, 17.
Farmer-Labor: Benson.
Total for acquittal—28.
J >
JUDGE RITTER.
HELD UP BY SEVEN
Baggage Car Safe Rifled of
$900 After Bandits
Swing Aboard.
By the Associated Press.
NUTLEY, N. J., April 17.—Seven
bandits, armed with sawed-off shot
guns and revolvers, looted the baggage
car safe of an Erie Railroad train to
day in a daring morning robbery at a
tiny station in the heart of a resi
dential section.
First reports, obtained from Newark
detectives, set the amount of the loot
at $58,000, but subsequent official in
formation was that the gunmen ob
tained only $956.55 for their trouble.
This figure came from State police,
who said the loot was composed of
one $500 package of coins, two $200
packages of coins, one $50 package
of bills and another package of $6.55
in coin. State police said a package
of X-ray equipment, valued at $50,
also was stolen.
Railway Express Agency officials
said the money was en route to the
People’s National Bank of Belleville
from the Federal Reserve Bank in
New York. They said it was carried
by train to Paterson and there trans
ferred to the Newark branch of the
Erie.
Robbers Work Swiftly.
Witnesses said the robbery, staged
at the Walnut street station at 9:49
a.m., took only a few minutes.
The gunmen, hidden behind shrub
bery on either side of the station, came
out in the open when the train pulled
in and covered the train crew and
Station Master William Sutherland.
Two of them entered the baggage car
and disarmed George F. Duffy, the
messenger-guard. Three remained on
the station platform and the other two
waited in the automobile in which the
gang escaped.
“I went out to meet the 310 (the
train’s number),” Sutherland said
later. ‘‘Duffy had the baggage car
door partway open to hand some let
ters to me. The first thing I knew,
a man came up from behind and
shoved a sawed-off shotgun into my
ribs and told me to ‘stick up my
hands.’ Two others covered Duffy,
He didn’t have a chance.
Passengers Not Bothered.
‘‘Two men got in the car, and one
went to the rear and turned off the
angle cock to prevent the train’s mov
ing. They didn't bother the passen
gers. After they rifled the safe they
fled in their big car.”
Robert Cummings of Jersey City,
crane engineer for the Erie, was board
ing the train at the station.
“A fellow with two silver revolvers
told me to stand back,” he said.
He described the gunman as a man
about 36 years old, 5 feet 10 inches
tall, with blond hair and a long, nar
row face. He said he wore a light
brown suit. Another of the group, he
said, carried a half dozen small can
vas bags to carry the loot and wore
smoked glasses.
Clerks See Crime.
John Super of Clifton and Edward
J. Murphy of South Paterson, clerks
employed at the Walnut Street Sta
tion, alighted from the train in time
to see the hold-up.
‘‘As the train came in, Murphy and
(See HOLD-UP, Page 5~J
PRICE WO
Commission Gives Notice
After Rejecting Capital
Transit Plea.
BUS STOCK LIMITED
TO $7 PER SHARE
Total Would Be $475,912, In
cluding Car Company Note
Owed North American.
BY DON S. WARREN.
Before the Public Utilities Commis
sion will approve merger of the Capl
tal Transit Co. and the Washington
Rapid Transit Co., the two concerns
controlled by the North American Co.
must slice $63,000 off their latest con
solidation agreement and make other
important changes in the plan.
Notice to this effect was sent to the
Capital Transit Co. today by the
commission—after a special meeting
at which the company petition of Feb
ruary 6 was rejected. The commission
outlined briefly what proposals it stood
willing to accept.
The street car company will be per
mitted to pay no more than $7 per
share for stock of the bus concern, in
stead of $10 and this added to pay
ment of a note of the W. R. T. owed
to the North American Co. for $327,
253.87, would raise the total cost to
$475,912.87.
This figure deals only with the 21,
237 shares held by J. E. Baker of New
York. Purchase of 375 minority
shares would raise the total to $478,
537.87.
$539,623 Proposition.
The Capital Transit Co, sought two
months ago to pay $539,623 for the
stock, plus assumption of the North
American note. In September, 1934,
the first contract proposal since the
street car merger was for payment of
$843,000, or about $367,000 more than
the commission said today it was will
ing to approve. That price the com
mission promptly rejected.
Whether the companies will agree
to the commission’s plan could not be
ascertained today. President John H.
Hanna of the street car company was
out of town as was his principal aide,
J. E. Heberle. Commission advisers
anticipate approval.
An important provision on which
the commission will insist, if the Capi
tal Transit Co. agrees to amend its
proposal, is that physical merger of
the properties must take place at once
so the riding public may have inter
changeable use of the Sixteenth street
bus lines and the operations of the
street car company.
Details will be incorporated In the
final commission order, but members
said today they would require free
transfers to the extent they exist be
tween lines of the Capital Transit Co.
In other words, a passenger boarding
a Sixteenth street bus, paying 10
(See MERGER, Page 5j
DOUBLE BLOSSOMS DUE
TO BE DISAPPOINTMENT
East Potomac Park Cherry Trees
Damaged by Water, Sur
vey Reveals.
The double-blossom Japanese cherry
tree display in East Potomac Park will
be disappointing this year, park au
thorities predicted today.
Examination by horticulturists yes
terday revealed damage by the flood
and cold rains indicating that scarcely
more than 20 per cent of the normal
number of blossoms will appear during
this week end.
DESTROYER COLLISION
PROBERS ARE NAMED
by the Associated Press.
MANILA. P. I., April 17.—A board
of inquiry to investigate the collision
between the destroyers Whipple and
Smith Thompson was named today by
Admiral Orin G. Murfln, commander
in chief of the United States Asiatic
Fleet.
The board, with Rear Admiral Ed
ward J. Marquart presiding, will meet
Monday at the Olongapo Navy Yard.
The destroyers collided Tuesday
night 45 miles northwest of Negra
Point, at the northwestern tip of Luzon
Island. Navy officials said no one
was injured.
The Whipple, commanded by Lieut.
Comdr. T. G. W. Settle, stratosphere
balloonist, proceeded to Olongapo un
der its own power, while the Smith
Thompson, its engine room flooded,
was towed by the U. S. S. Parker.
Beauty’s Tip Jails 2 in Paris
For $1,507,938 U. S. Theft
State Department Asked to Aid Efforts
to Extradite Supposed Members
of Bond Bandit Ring.
NEW YORK, April 17.—Police of
ficials sought a tighter grip today on
two men, under arrest in Paris, as
suspected members of an International
bond theft ring which dealt in mil
lions of dollars’ worth of stolen se
curities.
An official representing Police Com
missioner Lewis J. Valentine an
nounced the detention of the men last
night and requested co-operation of
the State Department to make cer
tain Paris authorities would hold
them. Information from a beautiful
woman with a villa in Monte Carlo
and the Prince of Monaco, be said,
led to the arrests.
The commissioner’s representative
said It was believed this was the ring
wrucn stole (i,450,000 in united states
Treasury notes from a runner of the
Bank of Manhattan January 28, 1935.
Eight Treasury notes valued at
(440,000 were In possession of the
pair when they were taken in cus
tody, the New York police report said.
French authorities have not reported
the names of the men, but designated
one as a Czechoslovakian and the
other as a Hungarian.
The arrest of a third man In New
York on March 31, following a "tip”
from the Monte Carlo woman, led .to
the expose, the police disclosed.
Booked as David Frank of New
York, the third man was charged with
conspiracy In an attempt to sell (245,
000 worth of stolen securities.
The police said they expected the
(See 3KAUTY, Page 6.)
A
AH 11*0
The HARDEN I
W ORK'. ’
— V
GETTING READY FOR THAT CLEVELAND FISHING TRIP.
OF RENT MEASURE
House Starts Consideration
of Special Rule for
Early Vote.
BULLETIN.
By a roll call vote of 198 to 90,
the House today adopted a special
rule designed to check further fil
ibustering against the District rent
control bill.
BY JAMES E. CHINN.
Charges that the only purpose of the
Ellenbogen rent control bill for the
District is to create “nice, juicy jobs,”
were made today by Representative
Taber, Republican, of New York, as
the House began consideration of a
special rule designed to bring the
measure to an early vote.
Taber described the bill as an
“orphan” and declared in the three
days it had been debated In the House,
not a "legitimate argument” had been
advanced in its favor. He urged the
members not to vote for it because of
their resentment against any one.
Cox Glad Issue Is at Head.
Representative Cox, Democrat, of
Georgia, said the bill was “repugnant”
to his sense of justice, but in spite of
that he was glad the rule had been
reported to bring the issue to final de
termination.
“I am astounded that such a pro
posal is presented,” he said. "Nothing
worse ever came out of Russia.”
Representative Hoffman, Republican,
of Michigan, said he could not under
stand why, if the District is properly
governed, members of Congress and
others who came here can’t get ac
commodations at “reasonable" rates.
He declared at the last session of Con
gress he lived in “a ohle in the wall,”
and paid twice as much rent as the
former tenant.
The rule was granted by the Rules
Committee at the request of Chairman
Norton of the District Committee to
prevent Representative Blanton, Dem
ocrat, of Texas, from continuing his
filibuster against the bil'.
Actions Held Regular.
Blanton today defended his action,
declaring everything he did was in
strict accordance with House rules.
He said the rent measure was closely
linked with the Sisson bill to repeal
the "red rider” to the 1936 District
appropriation act, which would “put
Communism back into 175 District of
Columbia public schools.”
Chairman O'Connor of the Rules
Committee explained that the rule was
granted to expedite the business of the
House, pointing out that an “arduous
filibuster” had been carried on against
the rent bill which already had taken
three days. He declared, however, that
that rule was not intended as a prece
dent, and that it was not the purpose
of hia committee to grant special rules
in the future for consideration of Dis
trict legislation, since the District has
two regular days each month in the
House.
"This is not strictly a gag rule,”
O’Connor said. “There has been more
debate on this bill already than given
an ordinary bill.”
Debate to Last an Hour.
Debate on the special rule was to
last an hour. If it is adopted, the
Ellenbogen bill will be considered
immediately, and its fate determined
an hour and a half later.
O’Connor Is Forced
To Obtain Roll Call
To Stop Roll Calls
House Republicans had a good
laugh today at the expense of
Chairman O’Connor of the power
ful Rules Committee.
O’Connor had reported a spe
cial rule designed to stop roll
calls and other filibustering tac
tics by opponents of the District
rent control bill. He said the
rule was Intended to expedite the
business of the House.
But after an hour’s debate on
the rule the House, on a division
vote, turned it down, 50 to 49. In
a final and desperate effort to
prevent its ultimate defeat,
O’Connor was forced to make a
point of no quorum and force a
roll call, requiring 40 minutes.
A roar of laughter came from the
Republican side. The rule was
adopted on the roll call, 198 to 90.
1
Belgian Cobbles
Lose as Progress
Moves VpP Street
D. C. Commission Di
rects Paving Program
to Proceed.
Setting aside sentimental considera
tions, the Commissioners today di
rected the Engineer Department to
proceed with its program for replace
ment of the Belgian cobblestones on
P street, between Twenty-eighth street
and Wisconsin avenue, with modern
paving, thus rejecting protests from
numerous Georgetown residents.
Former Commissioner Sidney F.
Taliaferro, John Ihlder. Constantine
McGuire and other Georgetown resi
dents earlier this week pleaded with
the Commissioners to preserve the his
toric pavement, contending it en
hanced the value of one of the Capi
tal’s historic residential streets.
They asked that at least the work
be delayed until some future time
when the Rock Creek and Potomac
Parkway and the proposed drive along
the Virginia side of the Potomac were
completed, figuring those two develop
ments would lighten traffic congestion
in Georgetown and lessen the need
for a traffic type of pavement on the
four blocks of P street.
Plane for repaving P street were
approved last month by the Com
missioners. Today they directed their
secretary. Roland N. Brennan, tr re
turn the files to the Engineer Depart
ment. which means the work will be
started in due course. Commissioner
Hazen explained that the new P Street
Bridge, built at considerable cost, was
a part of the plan to improve the
street for traffic purposes.
Fears that the paving plan would
mean cutting down of numerous large
trees were allayed by Engineer Com
missioner Sultan, who declared there
was no provision in the plan Involving
street widening.
The cost of replacment of the old
paving was estimated roughly at
$32,500.
MING OF NINE
Enraged Croat Peasants Kill
Alleged Provocateurs
Near Zagreb.
By the Associated Press.
BELGRADE, Yugoslavia, April 17.—
Intense excitement reigned through
out Yugoslavia today following the
killing of nine persons, including a
woman and girl, by enraged Croat
peasants at Kerestinets, near Zagreb,
yesterday.
The slayings were regarded as due
to the friction between Croats and
Serbs, which caused the assassination
of a deputy April 10 and other kill
ings.
The peasants of many villages in
Lika Province attended requiem
masses for these victims.
Returning From Mass.
On its way home from mass at the
village of Svetanedelya, one group
learned that seven men supposed to
be Chetniks (provocateurs) were in the
castle of Anton Miehajlovich, former
governor of the province.
The peasants went to the castle
gates and demanded that the former
governor give up the men, saying they
feared the seven wanted to kill a
certain Croat deputy.
Negotiations lasting several hours
ensued. The former governor, al
though 75 years old, refused the peas
ants permission to enter his castle in
search of his guests.
The peasant group was reinforced
with several hundred more people as
the day wore on, and, finally, shoot
ing started.
Swelled to a mob, the group smashed
its wstf into the castle.
Former Governor Clubbed.
Its members clubbed the former gov
ernor and pursued their quarry
through the ancient, rambling resi
dence.
The seven Chetniks finally were cor
nered in a bathroom. Six of them
were killed outright and their bodies
thrown from windows. The seventh
was seriously injured.
Then the mob left the castle and,
on its way home, passed the home of
a former Chetnik who, mob leaders
alleged, fired into the crowd.
i
SHE IN MADRID
AFTER FATAL RIOT
Workers Protest Fascist
Provocations—3 Dead
in Disorders.
Bv the Associated Press.
MADRID. April 17 —Madrid work
ers declared an unofficial general
strike, affecting transportation and
construction, today, in protest against
"Fascist provocations.”
The strike followed an open threat
by Socialists and Communists to take
reprisals against “Fascist terror” as a j
result of a fresh conflict late yesterday, j
in which at least 3 persons were [
killed and 40 wounded. The capital
was guarded heavily.
Although Socialist headquarters said
there would be no general strike, the
workers left their jobs apparently of
their own accord. Street cars and i
taxicabs disappeared from the streets
and workers who had reported on their
jobs went home.
Decide on Unofficial Strike.
Labor officials opposed the strike,
but when the workers arrived for duty
this morning they talked the situation
over and decided on the unofficial
strike, probably to last 24 hours.
Stores began to close gradually,
chiefly In the workers’ districts, while
housewives rushed to put in supplies.
The basic services, such as water, light,
gas. telephones and railroads, were not
; affected.
Special measures were taken to as
sure the populace of bread, gas, water
and electricity, with military services
delegated to those tasks.
The workers threatened to continue
their strike longer than 24 hours if
the government failed to take meas
ures against the Rightist elements ac
cused of provoking yesterday’s dis
orders.
Although officials of the General
Workers’ Union, which Is Socialist, op
posed the strike, the Syndicalist Na
tional Labor Federation favored it.
Police reports said several shots
were fired on workers in the Cuatro
Caminos district, but that no one
was injured.
By noon normal life In Madrid was
paralyzed.
The iron shutters of shops along
the main streets were closed and iron
grills were rolled down over store win
dows.
Shortly after noon the subway was
shut down, forcing thousands to walk
home.
A small truck carrying copies of the
monarchistic newspaper ABC was
burned in the Calle de La Aduna, and
(See SPAIN, Page A-9.)
WEATHER TO STAY COOL,
WITH 36 HERE TONIGHT
Skies to Remain Clear for Next
48 Hours, According
to Forecast.
With the mercury expected to drop
to 36 degrees tonight continued cool
weather Is In prospect for the Capital
during the next 48 hours, the fore
caster said today.
Under clear skies the temperature
probably will not go much above 50
this afternoon, while tomorrow, also
scheduled to be fair, will be about the
same.
Yesterday’s maximum was 57 re
corded at 1:30 p.m. A gusty north
west wind, that reached a velocity of
more than 40 miles an hour at times,
detracted from the sun's warmth.
I
ETHIOPIA’S FALL
NEAR AS EFFORT
AT PEACE FAILS
—1 — ■■■■■
League to Convoke
Council Monday
on Problem.
DUCE’S PROPOSAL
FLATLY REJECTED
France Makes Appeal
to Italy to Halt
Hostilities.
(Copyright. 1936, by th« Associated Press.)
GENEVA, April 17. — The
League of Nations Committee of
Thirteen agreed today that at
tempts to effect a conciliation in
the Italo-Ethiopian War have
failed.
It is this committee which, for
months past, has tried to effect peace
in East Africa through diplomatic
channels.
Its decision came after the Ethiopian
delegation had rejected modified peace
proposals submitted by Premier Mus
solini of Italy.
The committee decided to convoke
the League Council to extraordinary
sessions next Monday to discuss the
Italo-Ethiopian conflict in the presence
of the representatives of the two bel
ligerents.
(While Italy is a member of the
Council and Ethiopia is not, on sev
eral previous occasions during the
Italo-Ethiopian controversy both na
tions have been represented at Coun
cil sessions. However, the Italian
delegates usually have withdrawn
when the Ethiopians entered )
Rejection Is Complete.
The rejection was described as
“complete.”
The Ethiopian action followed an
Italian offer to let the League have
the right to keep constantly in touch
with direct negotiations between the
Italian high command and the Ethio
pian government for a settlement of
the war in East Africa.
Early in the day, France had ap
pealed to the Italian government to
consent to a cessation of hostilities in
order to permit peace negotiations.
Several members of the committee
of 13, arriving for that body's meet
ing, said that in view of Ethiopia's
rejection there seemed to be nothing
to do except declare that conciliation
efforts had collapsed.
It is the committee of 13. compris
ing every member of the Council ex
cept Italy, which is entrusted with
the effort of bringing about a concili
ation between the combatants.
The League announced, as the com
mission went into session shortly after
gram direct from Addis Ababa in
which the Ethiopian government de
clared the capital had been attacked
by Italian airplanes which fired on
the city with machine guns.
Paul-Boncour Urges Truce.
French Minister of State Joseph
Paul-Boncour earnestly told Baron
Pompeo Aloisi. II Duce’s Geneva
spokesman, that an Italian concession
—even If it meant only an armistice
for a limited period—would have a
most helpful effect upon world opin
ion and contribute to easing the tense
situation.
Baron Aloisi promised to telephone
Rome. He told Paul-Boncour that
Premier Mussolini was ready to make
concessions of form in his peace pro
gram. to meet the wishes of the
League of Nations and Great Britain,
but would find it difficult to change
essentials of his plans.
While the Italian and French rep
resentatives conferred, Salvador de
Madariaga of Spain, chairman of the
League’s Conciliation Committee of
13, and Joseph A. C. Avenol. secretary
general of the League, met members
of the Ethiopian delegation.
Ethiopia Reserves Reply.
The Ethiopians reserved their reply
after being presented with the Fascist
program for peace procedure, as modi
fied by the Italians late yesterday,
still calling for direct negotiations but
with contact to be maintained with
the League.
League sources forecast that this
Italian modification would be judged
insufficient by the Ethiopians, headed
by Wolde Mariam, Emperor Haile Se
lassie’s minister to Paris and delegate
to the League.
The Italian amendment gave the
(See LEAGUE, Page 4.)
PLANE CRASH KILLS 3
German Military Ship Cracks Up
Near Biel, Switzerland.
BERLIN, April 17 <&).—The Ger
man air ministry announced today
three men were killed and two seri
ously injured in the crash Thursday
night of a German trimotored mili
tary plane near Biel, Switzerland.
The communique explained the
plane, on a training cruise, got over
Swiss territory by mistake through a
fault that developed in its directional
apparatus.
-,
Tribal Chieftains
Meet in Secret,
Study Crisis.
ITALIAN BOMBERS
FLY OVER CAPITAL
Haile Selassie at the
Front With Son in
Last Stand.
BACKGROUND
What appeared to he Italy's final
drive of the war of Ethiopian con
quest was launched yesterday when
a “flying column" of hundreds of
troop-laden motor trucks and tanks
rushed onward over the 175-mile
road from Dessye toward Addis
Ababa. Simultaneously, another
column was reported moving to
overtake Ethiopia’s Ras Nasibu and
his troops to cut them off at
Harar, second city of Ethiopia.
Italy predicted victory within three
days.
(Copyright. 1838, by the Associated Press.)
ADDIS ABABA, April 17.—
Tribal chieftains and cabinet
ministers of Ethiopia met In a
secret session at the imperial
palace today, as government of
ficials conceded that the situa
tion on the northern front was
critical.
Foreign Minister Bellaten Gueta
herouy, acting head ol the govern
ment in the absence of Emperor Haile
Selassie, summoned the leaders of the
beleaguered nation to the meeting.
Government officials said the situa
tion was serious, In view of advances
by the invading Italian armies, but in
sisted it was not yet hopeless.
“The government today is more ac
tive than ever." one high official told
the Associated Press
The exact location of the general
Ethiopian headquarters on the north
ern front was not disclosed, but Em
peror Haile Selassie was known to be
in communication with Addis Ababa.
Two Italian bombeis flew over the
capital during the day and dropped a
number of rockets which the populace
at first feared were gas bombs. The
planes departed after a half-hour rec
onnaissance flight, however, dropping
no bombs.
Fears lTse of Wireless.
Emperor Haile Selassie and crown
Prince Asfa Wosan still were leading
the troops in the north, the govern
ment officials said, but were not using
wireless to communicate with the cap
ital for fear it would disclose their
■ whereabouts to the Italians, but were
| using a telephone line instead. The
Emperor telephoned the capital yes
j terday after several days of silence.
The Dessye-Addis Ababa road was
said to be in such bad condition from
; early rains and the fact that virtually
all the wooden bridges were destroyed
last November that th journey by au
tomobile was estimated to require
eight days.
(Dispatches from Rome yesterday
(See ETHIOPIA, Page 4.)
BRITAIN TO DISCUSS
TURKISH FORTIFYING
Agreement Regarding Darda
nelles Depends on Replies
From Dominions.
BULLETIN.
PARIS. April 17 UP).—'The Ha
vas (French) News Agency corre
spondent at Istanbul reported to
day that a Turkish army entered
the demilitarized zone of the Dar
danelles yesterday. The alleged
military movement (which would
be In violation of the Lausanne
treaty) was decided upon, said the
Havas correspondent at a meeting
Wednesday of President Kama!
Ataturk and his cabinet.
dy tbe Associated Press.
: LONDON, April 17.—Great Britain
agreed today to enter discussions on
Turkey’s request to remilitarize the
Dardanelles.
The agreement was given In a note
handed the Turkish Ambassador. In
it. the British government stated that
although it must first consult its do
minions. it was prepared to enter into
discussions without delay thereafter.
In what was interpreted as an ob
lique reference to Reichsfuehrer Hit
ler of Germany, the British note made
an appreciative reference to Turkey’s
method of approach.
It expressed gratitude that the Turk
ish government had used legal Instead
of other means of attaining its ob
jective.
Authoritative quarters said that the
words "without delay" were inserted
deliberately.
Remilitarization of the Dardanelles
was denied to Turkey by the Lausanne
treaty, signed in 1923, to supplement
the original treaty by which Turkey
made its peace with the allies at the
end of the World War.
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