Evening star. [volume], February 12, 1937, Image 1

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

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85th YEAR. No. 33,890. g0TX. cr_WASHINGTON, D. C., FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1937—FORTY-SIX PAGES. ** or M..n. A..oc:.t.d Pr..., TWO CENTS.
PLANT REOPENINGS
RUSHED BY G. M. C.;
FISIR UNIT HY
Full-Time Operation of
Cleveland Factory Is
Set for Today.
KO,000 WILL BE GIVEN
WORK WITHIN 12 DAYS
Firm to Be Operating at Capacity
in Short Time, Knudsen Says.
Victory Claims Differ.
BACKGROUND—
Last December United Automo
bile Workers presented demands to
General Motors Corp. for confer
ence to discuss wages, hours, work
ing conditions and recognition of
union as sole collective bargaining
agency. G. M. C. refused. U. A. W.
ordered sit-down strikes, which put
about 150,000 workers out of their
jobs.
Involved were problems arising
from introduction of sit-down prin
ciple on big scale in United States
and attitude of John L. Lewis,
C. I. O. leader. Both sides were
adamant. Federal labor officials'
attempts at conciliation*were futile.
Finally, after long negotiations.
Gov. Frank Murphy arranged peace
pact, which was signed yesterday.
B) the Associated Press.
DETROIT, February 12.—General
Motors Corp. speeded preparations to
day to start again the wheels of Its
mammoth industry and restore full
time work to 140,000 strike-affected
employes at Increased wages.
Full-time operation of the Fisher
Body plant at Cleveland will begin
late today, officials announced, as
other Ohio employes of G. M. C.
planned quick return to work in fac
tories at Toledo and Norwood, Cin
cinnati suburb.
Edward J. Gleason, assistant man
ager of the Cleveland plant, said pro
duction would begin on the afternoon
(3 p.m. E. S. T.) shift, returning the
employes to work considerably sooner
than others of the 10,000 employed in
the three cities.
"Our maintenance men went into
the plant last night to inspect the
machinery,” Gleason said. "They
found everything in fine shape. That
means we can resume production at
once.”
The Buick division of the world’s
largest automobile producer was the
first to announce its reopening. It
said 12,500 of the 16,000 workers at
Flint, Mich., would return Monday
and that the remainder would be
called back during the week.
Capacity in 12 Day*.
William S. Knudsen, executive vice
president of General Motors, said that
within 12 days after operations are
resumed the corporation would be
operating at capacity. This calls for
the production of 225,000 passenger
cars and trucks monthly.
•'Sit-down’’ strikers whose occupa
tion of three key plants at Flint—the
Fisher Body Nos. 1 and 2 and Chev
rolet motor assembly No. 4—had a
spectacular part In the paralyzation of
operations, jubilantly marched out last
night
Cheered by their families and
throngs of union members and sym
pathizers, the strikers paraded from
the factories six hours after General
Motors executives and the United Au
tomobile Workers of America had
signed in Detroit the agreement that
ended the prolonged dispute.
Plants to Reopen Soon.
Knudsen said as many as possible
of the corporation’s factories, scat
tered throughout the United States,
would reopen the first of the week. In
ventories of parts other than bodies
have been built up during the strike.
As soon as bodies reach the assembly
line the output of cars and trucks will
be speeded up to the 225,000-a-month
schedule
“Stop orders” issued at the peak of'
the strike were canceled yesterday,
Knudsen said, permitting resumption
of the flow of materials and para
supplied to the corporation by non
subsidiaries. He estimated General
Motors consumes 15,000 tons of ma
terials daily.
Trade observers predicted General
Motors will extend its high volume
production later into the Spring than
usual to compensate for the decline
In production during the strike. The
assembly of passenger cars reached a
comparative zero point just before the
strike was terminated.
A pay increase of 5 cents an hour
becomes effective when the workers re
turn to their jobs. Alfred P. Sloan,
Jr., corporation president, estimated
this will add $25,000,000 to General
Motors’ annual pay roll In announc
ing the wage rise yesterday simul
taneously with the signing of the
atrike-settlement terms.
Homer Martin, U. A. W. A. presi
dent, called representatives of every
local union in General Motors plants
to meet here today to consider de
mands to be presented the corpora
tion in the collective bargaining con
ference to open in Detroit Tuesday.
Morphy Helped Agreement.
These negotiations were provided
for in the agreement obtained
through the help of Gov. Frank
Murphy and Federal Labor Conciliator
James F. Dewey. The Governor will
not participate in the forthcoming
negotiations unless requested by both
sides.
Gov. Murphy, commended earlier by
President Roosevelt for his conciliation
efforts, received a telegram from Sec
retary of Labor Frances Perkins ex
pressing her "appreciation of your bril
(See STRIKE, Page A-4.)
FIRE LOSS $125,000
CINCINNATI, February 12 (JP).—
Fire believed to have started from an
overheated salamander destroyed the
four-story brick building of the Arthur
Baehr Wholesale Grocery Co. today
with loss estimated by Hre Chief
Barney J. Houston at $125,000.
Roosevelt’s Court Proposals ■
Fruit of 18 Months’ Study He
Began After JV. R. A. Reversal
Cummings and Reed Collaborated Upon
Plan—Constitution Route to Social
Legislation Spurned as Too Slow.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.
President Roosevelt’s Judiciary reorganization plan, frankly designed to
make It possible for Congress to deal with social and economic problems, Is the
result of a study running back for almost a year and a half, it was revealed
today.
The President became convinced right after the decision of the Supreme
Court holding invalid the national recovery act that something must be done
if these social and economic problems were to be met successfully. He believed
then, as now, that they cannot be handled by action of 48 separate State
legislatures and that they must be handled through the national legislature.
The selection of the plan for adding.;,
additional or new justices to the
Supreme Court, and so make it pos
sible to obtain a more liberal inter
pretation of the Constitution validat
ing the New Deal acts of Congress,
was made because it was regarded as
the quickest and surest method, and
because it could not be attacked as
unconstitutional. Congress has the
power under the Constitution to
change the number of justices of the
Supreme Court.
The final decision on the plan was
made by the President, In consulta
tion with the Attorney General and
the Solicitor General, after his re
turn from Buenos Aires.
Attorney General Cummings and
Solicitor General Stanley F. Reed
were designated by the President,
immediately after the election last
November and before he left for
South America, to go over the various
proposals for solving the problem
of making liberal legislation stand
up. They, and they alone. In con
(See JUDICIARY7~PagfT A-2/j
STRIKE RENEWAL
Union Demands for Delayed
Enforcement of Copeland
Act Sent President.
BACKGROUND—
The maritime strike began in
San Francisco October 29 last year
and quickly spread to Seattle and
to Eastern seaports. Agreement
January 4 that the American
Steamship Owners' Association and
the Federal Maritime Commission
should use their authority to ad
just the differences was the begin
ning of peace. John Lawrenson,
secretary of the Joint Maritime
Strike Council, appealed to the
commission to use its influence to
obtain a referendum on whether
the strike should continue or offi
cials of the International Seamen
should act as labor’s spokesmen for
Atlantic and Gulf coast workers.
Seven maritime organizations voted
in the referendum, and the agree
ments were accepted by a large
majority of the workers.'
fcl the Associates Press.
SAN FRANCISCO, February 12.—
The threat of another maritime strike,
growing out of union opposition to a
Federal hiring law, hung over Pacific
Coast ports, just recovering from a
98-day tie-up that cost an estimated
$686,000,000.
Officials of three marine unions in
volved in the recent strike telegraphed
President Roosevelt and Secretary
Roper that commerce “again will be !
paralyzed from the Pacific Coast” un- ;
less enforcement of the Copeland act
is delayed.
Specifically what action the unions
would take was not stated. Some union
workers have theatened "sit-down"
strikes if enforcement is begun before
maritime leaders present proposed
amendments to the bill.
Record Books Required.
The act provides that seamen must
carry books showing records of their
employment and ability. Sponsors
contend It will protect efficient workers
and assure them of jobs. The unions
declare it furnishes employers infor
mation from which they can blacklist
men for union activity.
Enforcement of the provision for
grading a seaman’s ability has been
suspended until February 20. Union
officials asked last night that the date
be extended to March 25. They said
the United States shipping commis
sioner here, acting on Washington in
structions, had informed shipowners
and unions no articles would be ap
proved unless crews accepted the dis
charge books.
“Would Paralyze Commerce."
“If shipping commissioner persists
in this stand it means that foreign and
intercoastal commerce again will be
paralyzed from the Pacific Coast.”
said the telegram to President Roose
velt from Harry Lundeberg, secretary
treasurer of the coast sailors: J. E.
Ferguson, secretary of the marine
firemen, and E. F. Burke, secretary of
the cocks and stewards.
They asked for presidential inter
vention "until full opportunity has
been presented to press both extension
and amendments in Congress.” The
message declared shipowners were in
accord with the request.
The recent strike tied up 239 ships
and affected nearly 40,000 men.
MURPHY COMMENDED
Roosevelt Silent, However, on
Workers’ Strike Methods.
President Roosevelt said today he
was very happy over the General Mo
tors strike settlement.
Asked to comment at his press con
ference, he said Gov. Frank Murphy
of Michigan had done a splendid job.
He refused to discuss the "sit-down”
methods adopted by the workers.
Italians Celebrate Birth of Boy
To Crown Princess Marie Jose
bj tne Associated press.
NAPLES, February 12.—A boy„ Who
may some day rule the Italian Empire,
was born today to Crown Princess
Marie Jose In the seventeenth-centijry
royal palace overlooking sparkling
Vesuvius Bay.
Naples and Italy began festive cele
brations in honor of the newest mem
ber of the royal family who follows
his father. Crown Prince Umberto, di
rectly In the line of succession.
The birth, characterized by palace
officials as "most easy,” occurred at
2:16 p.m. (8:16 ajn., E. 8. T.). The
Brst announcement was made almost
an hour later when a palace aide, fol
lowing Italian custom, hung a blue and
white ribbon on the door of the royaj
residence.
Although a birth is usually an
nounced by only a white ribbon, the
blue was added today because it is
the color of the royal house of Savoy.
The crown princess, attendants said,
was “resting comfortably” and “rejoic
ing because she had given Italy an
heir."
Even before booming cannon sig
naled the royal birth and newspapers
rushed extra editions, the news spread
(See PRINCE. Page A-S.)
RESCUERS BATTLE
94T. SNOWDRIFTS
Attempt to Reach 73 Iso
lated Miners in Northern
California.
E» the Associated Press.
SAN FRANCISCO. February 12
Rescuers plowed through 9-foot snow
drifts today at a rate of only 2 miles
a day. taking food and assistance to
73 snowbound miners and prospectors
in New River Valley, Northern Cali
fornia.
Many of the miners in the Trinity
County sector had their families with
them. Roland Daly, mail carrier,
needed a nurse for his 24-year-old
wife, an expectant mother.
Forest Ranger Wesley Hotelling said
the rescuers hoped to reach the miners
within three days. Food supplies of
the snowbound were feared to be run
ning low.
In Southern Idaho highway crews
struggled across drifted lava desert to
rescue two young men. blinded by the
sunshine on the snow, and to save 31
hungry horses from circling coyotes.
Thirty miles from the nearest rail
road and 80 miles from their homes at
Shelley, Sam Bradshaw, 22, and a
companion called “Webb" awaited the
rescue party.
Pilot Ralph Knapp of Pocatello dar
ingly landed with supplies yesterday
In the frozen badlands that extend
southeast from “Craters of the Moon.”
Leonard Cox, jr., 23, companion of
Bradshaw and Webb, returned late
yesterday to his home, in Shelley, 17
miles northeast of Blackfoot. He was
near exhaustion and suffering from
exposure.
The three young men went out last
week to round up the horses belong
ing to Leonard Cox, sr. Cox and
Knapp flew over the region Thursday
and dropped snow glasses, medicines
and ski roles.
“We sighted 18 of the lost horses,”
(See RESCUERS, Page A-3.)
AUTO OF NEWLYWEDS
DERAILS TRAIN
Two Killed and Six Injured at
Grade Crossing in
California.
ET the Associated Press.
SELMA, Calif., February 12.—Two
men wfere killed and six other persons
were hurt when the southbound "Owl”
passenger train crashed into the
stalled automobile of a honeymoon
couple here today. The train was de
railed.
The driver of the automobile, P.
K. Ritchie, 43, of Porterville, Wis.,
was held for questioning. Southern
Pacific officials said he was married
last night at Porterville and had
started on a honeymoon trip to Mor
gan HU1.
The couple Jumped from the car
Just before it was struck.
The dead were J. P. Milles of Bak
ersfield, engineer, and R. E. Brown,
fireman.
The injured, all Californians, were
W. A. Smith, express messenger: Mrs.
Hannah Mozelle, Mrs. W. H. Embler,
W. H. Embler, J. D. Buchanan and
Frank Bradford.
LAND NEAR CAIRO
CAIRO, Egypt, February 12 {IP).—
Col. and Mrs. Charles A. Lindbergh,
en route to Cairo from Tripoli, landed
at Mersa Matrouh, in the Western
Desert, at 3:25 p.m., Greenwich time,
today (10:15 am., Eastern standard
time).
They said they intended to remain
overnight in the town, approximately
300 miles from Cairo.
5 FASCIST PLANES
Land Forces Thwart Nu
merous Attempts to Break
Through Barricades.
VALENCIA HIGHWAY
STRUGGLE RENEWED
Artillery Backs Infantry in Halt
ing Insurgents Along Vital
Communication Lines.
BACKGROUND—
Insurgents began new activity on
the Madrid front following the
Malaga victory of the early part of
the week. Gen. Franco has indi
cated a desire to push to a conclu
■ sion the Spanish Civil War which
began last Summer, and many
German and Italian troops have
been found among this army of
20,000 at Malaga.
Bs the Associated Press.
MADRID, February 12.—Five Fas
cist fighting planes, engaged in furious
sky battles with Socialist pilots, were
shot down today on the outskirts of
Madrid.
Government defense officials said
•’some” of the insurgent flyers balled
out of their planes, landing In battle
zones below with parachutes.
Land forces of the opposing armies
were declared officially to have clashed
in numerous engagements during the
night as Fascist attackers sought to
break through government barricades
outside the capital.
An insurgent assault on the Uni
versity City sector forced the militia
men back from their advanced posi
tions in the northwest district of the
capital, reached during the past few
days of almost incessant, see-saw
fighting.
Renew Drive for Highway.
Simultaneously, strong Fascist col
umns opened attacks on the Usera
district and Vaciamadrid, south of the
capital, in a renewed drive to gain con
trol of the highway to Valencia.
Both southern attacks were unsuc
cessful, officials said. The war office
reported government artillery, but
tressing Socialist infantry along the
vital communications line, prevented
the insurgents from advancing.
(Fascist commanders declared their
cavalry forded the Jarama River last
night, followed by foot troops which
overwhelmed the defenses and reached
a point where side roads east of Madrid
join the Valencia highway.
(Bombing squadrons, artillery and
hard-riding Moorish horsemen ap
proached Arganda. 12 miles southeast
of Madrid, they said, after a devastat
ing attack which drove the Socialist
defenders from their trenches with
heavy loss of life.
(The officers said outposts were es
tablished and lines of machine guns
set up both along the highway and
secondary roads, tortuous detours
which, they declared, provisions mo
torcades have been using since the
direct route was severed earlier in the
week.)
Machine Gun Fire.
Before the insurgents swept back
into West Park, government officials
had reported a combined attack by
(See MADRID, Page A-3.)
JOHN LEWIS, 57 TODAY,
STILL CONFINED TO ROOM
Recovering From Mild Attack of
Influenza—May Leave De
troit Tonight.
By the Associated Press.
DETROIT, February 12.—John L.
Lewis observed his 57th birthday to
day, recovering from a mild attack of
influenza. Mrs. Lewis, who arrived
from Washington yesterday to make
certain that her husband obeyed his
doctor's orders, was with him.
The militant chieftain of the Com
mittee for Industrial Organization kept
to his hotel suite, although a member
of his staff said he would not remain
In bed. Under orders to “relax,” he
put aside all business.
Lewis’ tentative plans ware to re
turn to Washington this week end, al
though there was a possibility he might
leave tonight.
I ■“
Summary of Today’s Star
Page Page
Amusements -C-4 Radio _B-14
Comics_C-7 Short Story.B-12
Editorial_A-10 society _B-3
Financial .. A-17 Sports ....C-l-3
Lost & Found A-3 Woman’s Pg..C-5
Obituary ...A-12
FOREIGN.
Five Fascist planes shot down on out
skirts of Madrid. Page A-l
NATIONAL.
Pinkerton official ordered to produce
original reports. Page A-l
Rescuers press on to reach snowbound
miners. Page A-l
Labor and farm problems* sidetracked
by court plan. Page A-l
Seamen threaten strike renewal over
Copeland act. Page A-l
W. P. A. to drop 2,000 administrative
employes by July. Page A-2
Hope seen for 1937 adoption of child
labor amendment. Page a-5
Public debt found to have reached
$34,500,000,000 peak. Page A-9
WASHINGTON AND VICINITY.
Wheeler to push for outright repeal
of red rider. Page A-l
Flood loan corporation bill is signed
into law. Page A-«
Rabid dog scare allayed by Ruhland
and Blicott. Page A-t
Mass here celebrates 15th anniversary
of Pope Piux XL Pago B-l
Najjum case suspects to be quiaed on
other crimes. Page B-l
%H MALIC?!
TOWWD NONL,
WITH CHARITY
^FOR ALL.'
FEBRUARY 12, 1937.
LA FOLLETTE ASKS
, Pinkerton Officials Go to Get
Them in Place of
Copies.
BY JOHN C. HENRY.
Climaxing a stormy cross-examina
tion of 10 Pinkerton officials. Senator
La Follette today ordered Ralph Dud
ley, a vice president of the agency,
to procure immediately from a down
town hotel room 52 original espionage
reports of which only copies had been
! furnished the Civil Liberties Commit
tee
Dudley left at once, accompanied by
Robert Blazer, another Pinkerton offi
cial, and Robert P. Wohlforth and an
other agent of the committee.
The reports were originally turned In
to the Pinkerton office In New York
from the Detroit area and admittedly
had been "revised” and "corrected” be
fore being copied for the committee.
R. H. Peterson. Pinkerton's assistant
superintendent In Detroit and super
visor over much of the agency’s work
for General Motors Corp., told the
committee that he removed some of
the agency's records from its Detroit
office after a committee subpoena was
served last August.
Later, he said, he destroyed some
"personal” papers among the records,
but returned the rest to the office on
orders of his superiors.
The papers originally were passed to
1 nim through a sliding panel in the
Pinkerton offices while a committee
; agent was. there examining the flies,
he said.
Subsequently, Peterson testified,
much of the business of the Detroit
office was cleared through his apart
ment, with operatives' reports being
brought to him These papers were
examined and "corrected,” he said,
before being taken to the office. R. S.
Mason and A. Lawrence Pugmire, also
assistant superintendents, did most of
the "correcting,” Peterson said.
“The plan was for Pugmire and
Mason to take the designations of
(See PINKERTON, Page A-3.)
PRISONER TRIES TO DIE
Mexico Police Say Frenchman
Didn't Want to Be Deported.
MEXICO CITY, February 12 (&).—
Maurice Egiese. 30-year-old French
man, was in critical condition today,
police said, after he slashed his throat
and arms in a jail cell because he
wanted to avoid being deported to the
United States.
Egiese had been told yesterday the
government had decided to send him
to Laredo, Tex., where United States
authorities were reported awaiting him
as a narcotics smuggling suspect.
He asked for shaving materials and
an hour later, prison guards said, he
was found in his cell bleeding from
the throat and arteries of his arms.
President leads Nation In Lincoln
birthday observance. Page B-l
D. C. may get both auditorium and
Jefferson memorial. Page B-l
Social Security Board gets more office
space. Page B-l
Brief diary kept by Clarence Trader
may furnish evidence. Page B-2
SPORTS.
Major moguls are bothered by great
number of balkers. Page C-l
Rule that keeps Cooper out of Ryder
matches held unfair. Page C-2
Catholic U. ring team looms as real
threat to Terps. Page C-3
MISCELLANY.
Washington Wayside. Page A-2
City News In Brief. Page A-17
Traffic Convictions. Page A-17
Vital Statistics. Page A-17
Betsy Caswell. Page C-5
Dorothy Dix. Page C-5
Nature’s Children. Page C-6
Bedtime Story. Page C-6
Winning Contract. Page C-6
Crossword Puzzle. Page C-7
Letter-Out. Page C-8
Young Washington. Page C-12
EDITORIAL AND COMMENT.
Editorials. Page A-ll
This and That. Page A-16
Answers to Questions. Page A-16
Washington Observations. Page A-10
David Lawrence. Page A-ll
Paul Mellon. Page A-ll
Dorothy Thompson. Page A-ll
Jay Franklin. Page A-ll
Constantine Brown. Page A-ll
!r—
Privately Owned,
Japanese Phone
May Soar to $1,725
'
By (he Associated Press.
TOKIO, February 12.—Prices
of Japanese telephones, owned
outright by the telephone user,
are skyrocketing because the sup
ply is limited.
Some business men believe the
price may reach the 1920 record
of 3,450 yen (at that time $1,
725).
Japanese own their own tele
phones — the instrument, the
switchboard connection and all
rights of sale or transfer. Be
cause the supply is limited, busi
nessmen have become telephone
brokers, buying instruments that
come up for sale and reselling
them at a profit or renting them
on a monthly basis.
—
RED n REPEAL
Wheeler to Seek Substitute
- for Modified Wording
Passed by House.
Unshaken In his belief the “red
j rider" should be repealed outright,
Senator Wheeler, Democrat, of Mon
| tona. announced today he will ask
! the Senate to substitute repeal lan
guage for the modified measure passed
by the House Monday.
Back at the Capitol after an illness
of several days, Wheeler said either
he or Chairman Black of the Educa
tion and Labor Committee will call
up the question when the Senate re
convenes Monday. Substitution of the
complete repeal clause for the House
language will clear the way for a con
ference between the two houses for
final decision.
The Senate already has passed an
outright repeal bill, but the House
took up its own measure and amended
it to remove the ban only from the
teaching of communism. Thus the
bill still would provide that no salary
could be paid any one “advocating
communism or other un-American
doctrines, or treating any such doc
trine with favor or support.” The
only other change the House made
was to relieve teachers from the pres
ent requirement of filing statements
each pay day that they have not
taught or advocated communism.
Senator Wheeler said the difficulty
(See RED RIDER, Page A-2.)
-- .
PLANE GOES 80 MILES
WITH ONE MOTOR DEAD
%
Four Passengers Landed Safely
in Missouri After Blowing
of Cylinder Head.
B» the Associated Press.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo., February 12.—
Gene Stotts, American Airlines pilot,
brought his 14-passenger plane down
here safely last night after flying 80
miles with a dead motor.
One of the ship’s two power plants
blew a cylinder head near Waynes
\ He. Stotts said.
After bucking a 50-mile-an-hour
head wind as far as Springfield, he de
cided to come down.
Passengers were C. E. Coleman, New
York City; C. V. Malmgrem, Kansas
City; C. H. Morrill, New York, and
L. G. Moftet, Chi;ago. The plane *as
flying from Chicago to Fort Worth.
Probert Will to Aid Church,
Needy and Animal Leagues
The will of L. C. Probert, vice presi
dent of the Chesapeake & Ohio and
other railroads, who died in Los
Angeles, Calif., February 2, has been
filed for probate in the Orphans’ Court
at Rockville. Md.
Th estate Is valued at between $100,
000 and $125,000, of which $60,000 was
in life insurance, and the remainder
in real estate and personal property.
Including his 200-acre estate, Home
land Farms, near Olney, Montgomery
County.
Executed February 24, 1836, shortly
after his wife’s death, Mr. Probert re
queathed $5,000 each to Harriet N.
Butler, Lakewood, N. Y„ and Anna
Evans Reik. Washington; and $1,00C
each to George Roland Langlols,
H. 0. L Q. TO CLOSE
Officials Expect 70,000 To
tal Now to Reach One in
Six by July 1 of 1938.
The Home Owners’ Loan Corp. by
July 1, 1938, probably will have insti
tuted foreclosure proceedings against
160.000 of the 1,021,800 homes on
which loans have been made.
This was disclosed by officials tn
hearings before the House Appropria
tions Committee on the 1938 esti
mates. The independent offices ap
propriation bill, containing an appro
priation of $30,000,000 for the H. O.
L. C. for the next fiscal year, has
passed the House and now is in the
Senate Appropriations Committee.
Before the committee, officials of
the H. O. L. C. stated that more than
70.000 foreclosures already have been
authorized and possession had been
taken of 17,800 properties up to No
vember 30.
Take Over One of Every Six.
Asked for an estimate on the total
foreclosures expected, officials placed
the figure at 160,000 by July 1, 1938,
which would mean that the organiza
tion would take over about one out of
every six of those homes whose mort
gages were refinanced in the three
year period of emergency lending
which expired last June.
The H. O. L. C. estimate went to
Congress asking for $32,000,000 for
1938, an increase of $3,000,000 over
the $29,000,000 appropriated for this
year. The House committee cut the
estimate down to $30,000,000, and it
stood at that figure when the bill
was passed by the House and sent to
the Senate.
Expenses of H. O. L. C. totaled $35,
000.000 in 1935; $34,000,000 in 1936.
and the appropriation of $29,000,000.
It is said will not be enough. Further
requests for deficiency appropriations
to finish 1937 are expected.
V. S. to Be Largest Holder.
Outlining the extent of foreclosure
proceedings already closed, or pending,
Horace Russell, H. O. L. C. chief
counsel, told the committee:
"During the fiscal year 1938 the
corporation will own more individual
pieces of property than were ever in
a single ownership before.”
Chairman John H. Fahey said col
lections of interest and principal have
amounted to about 76 per cent of the
matured obligations.
"Subject to continued improvement
In general economic conditions, which
will enable borrowers to meet their
obligations in a more satisfactory
manner,” he said, "and subject fur
ther to adequate provision for admin
istrative expenditures necessary to
put acquired properties in condition
to produce income, the corporation is
practically self-sustaining.”
Fahey assured the committee that
no property would be sold "at less
than fair value,!’ and that no more
properties would be offered in any
one market than it could absorb.
VIENNA FEARS CLASH
Army Ready to Block Violence on
Dollfuss "Putsch” Anniversary.
VIENNA, February 12 C4>).—'The
Austrian Army was held in readiness
today to meet threats of Communists
and Socialists in their secret publica
tions that they would "revenge” the
death of their comrades on this, the
third anniversary of the bloody Doll
fuss "putsch.”
Although no disturbances were re
ported, police took into custody 276
former Socialist leaders.
Walter S. Jackson, Glenn W. Benson,
Ethel Stocks, Genna Stocks and Lillie
Stocks, the last four employes at
Homeland Farms. Francis Miller of
the Sandy Spring Bank was named
executor.
The will made the bequests "as
marks of recognition of devotion” to
the testator and his late wife and di
rected that his estate be sold within a
year after his death. All farm imple
ments. including wagons, machinery,
harness and tools, be given to Central
Union Mission farm in Howard
County, Md.. "as a bequest from my
deceased wife and me.”
The residue is left in trust, to be
divided equally into four funds—the
' (See PROBKRT, Page A-3.)
DELAY IN ACTION
ON PAY DILL ASKED ■
BY BUDGET CHIEF
Bell Reveals Comprehensive
Administration Study
Is Under Way.
REQUESTS CONGRESS
TO AWAIT RESULT
Letter Reply to Appeal for Report
on Measure Sponsored by
McCarran.
BY J. A. O’LEARY.
Revealing that the administration
is having a study made of the whole
subject of classification, pay and re
tirement conditions in the Government
service, budget director Daniel W.
Bell today recommended that Con
gress defer action on the McCarran
pay bill pending that study.
His position was made known In a
reply to the request of Chairman Bu
low of the Senate Civil Service Com
mittee for a report on the McCarran
measure, which seeks to establish
$1,500 as the minimum wage for full
time Government workers, with in
creases for the other salary grades be
low $3,600 a year. Bell's letter fol
lows:
"I have your letter of January 15,
: inclosing a copy of bill S.-741, Intro
duced by Senator McCarran (Demo
crat, of Nevada) and asking for my
comment thereon.
Study Being Made.
"A study of the general subject of
classification, compensation and re
tirement of Government employes Is
now being made with a view to making
a report to the present Congress em
bodying recommendations for the en
actment of legislation in the interest
of improved personnel conditions.
“In these circumstances, I feel that
action on this bill, and any other bill
of like character and import should
be deferred while this study is under
way, and until the President makes a
report to Congress on the subject."
Senator Bulcw indicated that the
course suggested by the Budget Bureau
ot waiting for the President’s report
probably would be followed.
Objects of Measure.
Although its primary object !s to
provide better compensation for em
ployes in the lower salary groups,
especially those receiving less than
$1,500 a year, the McCarran bill also
calls for important changes in the
method of determining how promo
tions should be made from one salary
step to another within the classifica
tion grades.
The bill would abolish the manda
tory, uniform system of maintaining
efficiency ratings under existing law
and substitute an elastic provision that
would allow the Civil Service Commis
sion to decide to what extent it is
practicable to record the quantity and
quality of fhe work of employes. If
such records were found desirable, the
commission would lay down the rules,
but any records so maintained would
be open to the inspection of both ths
commission and the employe.
If the commission decided such rec
ords are impracticable, employes would
be advanced one salary step within
their respective grades each year, until
the maximum was reached, provided
the head of the department certified
the employe's efficiency warranted the
promotion.
Shortly after he had introduced his
bill McCarran had a conference with
the President. Although he did not
reveal what took place, the Senator
indicated later he had received sym
pathetic consideration.
The McCanan bill did not touch
on the existing retirement law, but
there are separate proposals pending
to liberalize the age limits for op
tional retirement.
The budget director's letter indi
cates that retirement questions also
are being included in the survey
which he said is being made.
-•
DEAD MAN AND GIRL
ARE FOUND IN CAR
Carton Monoxide Fumes Blamed
for Death at Baltimore—Wom
an Semi-Conscious.
By the Associated Press.
BALTIMORE, February 12.—A dead
man and a semi-conscious young
woman were found today in an auto
mobile parked on a country lane near
Baltimore. Baltimore County police
said the couple apparently were over
come by carbon monoxide fumes.
The windows of the car were tightly
closed and the engine was running.
Chris Dietz, jr., Baltimore County
resident, brought the young woman
to a hospital here, where physician*
said her condition was critical.
A driver’s registration card and
other papers found in the dead man’s •
pocket bore the name of Franklin
Warms of Baltimore. Old mail in
the woman’s purse was addressed to
Miss Mary Umber ger, also of Balti
more.
Diets said he had seen the light*
of the car in the lane about midnight
last night. His father had noticed
the lights earlier. Today, when Diet*
started to drive his sister to a nearby
street car line, the sedan blocked the g
lane. •
Police said the sedan was equipped
with a heater, and that the fumes
from a broken muffler apparently
seeped into the car through the floor
boards, officers said.
BILL ASKS FLOGGING
RALEIGH, N. O., February 12 UP).—
Public floggings for drunken drivers
was proposed today to the North Caro
lina Legislature.
A bill was introduced for the erection
of the whipping posts at each of the
100 county seats. They would be used
exclusively for the drunken driver*.
Second offenders would get 10 to 8*
lashes.