Evening star. [volume], March 01, 1937, Page A-2, Image 2

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

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
PEARSON’S WIDOW
CONFIRMS SCUFFLE
Account of Death Scene Up*
holds Accident Theory,
Sheriff Says.
•t the Associated Press.
RIVERSIDE, Calif . March 1.—Mr*.
Humphrey Pearson's first hospital
statement. Sheriff Carl Rayburn an
nounced early today, ‘ partly substan
tiates" the theory her scenarist hus
band was shot to death as they scuf
fled for possession of a revolver at her
Palm Springs home Wednesday night.
Pearson, said by authorities to have
become "gun conscious” whenever he
drank, was accompanied by his wife
on a gay round of night club parties
prior to the shooting, but she pre
viously had been unable to give a co
herent story.
"She said they both had been drink
ing,’’ Rayburn related, "and when she
entered Pearson's room, she found
him with a gun in his hand. They
struggled for it as she feared he
might commit suicide.
Hid Gun in Bathroom.
"Pinally she got It away from him
and hid it in the bath room on the
opposite side of their house. When
she returned, she saw him lying un
conscious and thought he had passed
out front the effects of liquor. She
was rubbing his hands and arms, she
said when she discovered he was dead.
Then she ran into another room and
tried to telephone for help.
"She says she does not know when
the gun was discharged and who held
It at the time. She insisted she was
surprised to find her husband
wounded.
•'Their ride home in a taxicab from
a Palm Springs resort before the
shooting last Wednesday evening 1* a
blank in her memory." she said.
"Mrs. Pearson's statement leads me
to believe she was unaware, because
of her own condition, that the gun
was discharged some time during the
scuffle for it." Rayburn said.
"Her recollection of the events of
the evening are very ha*y. The gun
in the bath room was the one with
which Pearson was wounded Ob
viously he was not wounded when his
wife first found him with It.”
Widow Is Questioned.
The sheriff and a deputy, W. W.
Walrath, questioned Mrs. Pearson last
night at a hospital here, where she
has been treated for hysteria aince
her husband's death. Her attorney
was present.
Stenographic notes were made. Ray
burn said, but she did not sign any
paper.
"Her account seems to bear out
the theory the shooting itself was ac
cidental.” the sheriff declared. “The
disposition of the case, of course, is
the responsibility of District Attorney
Earl Redwine."
Mrs. Pearson's condition prevented
her from testifying Saturday at a
coroner's inquest, which returned an
open verdict because of insufficient
evidence.
Pearson, 43-year-old author of
numerous screen plays and a former
advertising agency president In Co
lumbus, Ohio, was found lying dead
In his wife's arms at the desert cot
tage.
Roosevelt
(Continued Prom First Page )
Texas, chairman of tha House Judi
ciary Committee, who is personally
handling the bill for the President In
the House The President conferred
also during the day with Senators
Bulkley. of Ohio, and Reynolds, of
North Carolina, and Representative
Jones, of Texas.
The President today completed the
message he will send to Congress to
morrow accompanying the report
made by the commission he appointed
nearly a year ago to study the results
of the N. I. R. A. This commission
was composed principally of non
partisan and non-political members,
and according to the White House,
the President s message, which will
be transmitted tomorrow, will contain
no recommendations, but will merely
advise Congress of the results of the
long study made by this commission.
In addition to the Secretaries of
Commerce, Agriculture and Labor,
other members of the commission are
John M. Clarke of Columbia Uni
versity, William H. Davis. New York
lawyer, and George M. Harrison, pres
ident of the Brotherhood of Railroad
and Steamship Clerks, who served as
labor's representative, and George H.
Meade, representative of the manu
facturers.
President Roosevelt arranged his
morning schedule to permit a 15
minute chat with G. L. Spratt, mayor
of Poughkeepsie, N. Y„ the county
seat of Duchess County, in which the
Roosevelt home is located. Spratt has
the distinction of being the first Demo
cratic mayor elected In Poughkeepsie,
a strong Republican stronghold. In
many years.
The President also saw during the
forenoon MaJ. Gen. Markham, chief
of the Corps of Engineers, U. S. A.,
and has his customary Monday lunch
ton conference with Secretary of the
Treasury Morgenthau.
Congress in Brief
TODAY.
Senate:
Begins debate on neutrality bill.
Interstate Commerce Committee
gtudies Gulley coal bill.
Agriculture Subcommittee resumes
hearings on crop insurance.
Judiciary Subcommittee holds open
hearings on OMahoney federal in
corporation bill.
Bouse:
Considers minor legislation.
Merchant Marine Committee begins
hearings on proposed repeal of con
tinuous discharge books for seamen.
TOMORROW.
Senate:
Probably will continue debate on
neutrality legislation.
Interstate Commerce Committee re
lumes hearing on railroad investiga
tion.
Bouse:
Considers bills on private calendar.
Rivers and Harbors Committee meets
SO:30 a m.
Territories Committee meets 10:10
g.m.
Agriculture Committee meets 10:30
».m.
Judiciary Committee meets 10:30
ajn.
Subcommittee on Appropriations in
Charge of District supply bill resumes
bearings, 10 a m. ^
Washington
Wayside
Tales
Random Observations
of Interesting Events
and Things.
DIE-HARD.
Edwin c. tribble, a Wash
ington newspaper man of
great faith in official state
ments and. shall we say. a
tenacity in holding to a position, read
that the record day’s attendance at
Mount Vernon occurred on an Easter
Sunday, when 80.000 persons, accord
ing to the statement he read, visited
the shrine during the seven hours if
was open to the public.
A skeptic sprung the following sta
tistics: Seven hours total 420 min
utes. Four hundred and twenty, di
vided into 80.000. would five as a re
sult 190. or 190 visitors per minute.
Taking it to an even smaller unit,
the figure would indicate that 33
persons passed through the turnstile
every second, and this in spite of the
inevitable delay in paying 25 cents
to enter the grounds.
These data were laid before Mr.
Tribble, but the effort to convince
him was about as successful as lifting
one's self by the boot straps.
* * *
SPEED.
Mrs. Marye B. Fusco, who lives
at Clifton Terrace, gets a big kick
out of watching automobiles zoom
up the Thirteenth street hill at
Clifton street during the 4 30-9
p.m. one-way traffic hour.
The cars. Mrs. Fusco opines, go
“lickety-split’’ up the incline and
it's a wondrous thing to watch
them.
"‘I'm convinced." she said, "that
a toists fear that unless their cars
go up the hill at a speed of 50
miles or more it doesn't count and
they’ll have to go back and start
over again."
* * * *
CIGARS
ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GEN- j
^ ERAL JAMES W. MORRIS is in !
a tough flx, all on account ol a box
of cigars.
Morris is from Tampa. Fla , and
very much of a booster for that
Southern city. So is the Tamp* Cham
ber of Commerce.
When “the folks back home" read
in the newspapers that news men
covering Attorney General Cummings’ I
press conference were disgruntled at !
the brand of cigar Cummings was
passing around, the Chamber of Com
merce rushed a box of choice Tamoa
cigars up to Morris, with a request
that Cummings try them out on the
“boys ” If they liked them, the cham
ber said, more would be forthcoming, i
The Attorney General readily
agreed to pass around the Tampa*,
and even made a very pretty little
apeech about their origin. He didn't
mention the name of Tampa, though,
and when new* men wrote funny
paragraph* about the incident, they,
too. omitted the name of the Florida I
city. Net result: News men got free j
cigars. Tampa got no publicity.
But the local chamber can take it. I
apparently. This week they sent up ;
two more boxes.
* * * *
HOSSES.
Now that Bowie it getting ready
for iti opening in a few weekt, the
boys and gait are brushing up old
racing stories.
Joseph Berneby, who contends
he't the original hard luck guy,
says he got disgusted one day out
there and decided to do some high
and fancy betting in one race.
There were seven horses in the
race and Joe picked four, betting
them each across the board.
The other three horses came lit
—end Joe didn't cash a ticket.
* * * *
GESTURE.
A LITTLE pantomime enacted In
front of one of the downtown
hotels recalls the story of the man
who nodded to an acquaintance In a
public auction room and found he had
bought a costly Oriental rug.
It was a windy, blustery day when
a well-dressed guest stepped out of
the front entrance and threw up his
arm In making a quick gesture to save
his hat from a trip into the street.
Presto! Three taxicabs drew up to the
curb In response to his signal.
* * * *
NEWS.
^EWS does travel. If you don't be
lieve it ask Dorothea Wassamann.
young attorney. Seems that Miss
Dorothea was taking a little sail down
to Havana via the good ship Fatumia
and as the band swung into action who
appeared but Bill Owens, that sophisti
cated singer of snappy songs who for
merly entertained nightly at a local
night spot. After Bill had finished his
song quota he and Miss Dorothea
started in on the folks back home.
"And just think,” chirped she, “I had
to go to Havana to learn that my good
friend, Irene Juno, who lives right
around the comer, was very ill.
■ .— •
HEADS UNIVERSITY
Rev. William M. Mages, 8. J. Suc
ceeds President of John Carroll.
CLEVELAND, March 1 <*>>.—Rev.
Benedict J. Rodman, S. J.. announced
last night his retirement as president
of John Carroll University and the ap
pointment of Rev. William M. Magee,
8. J„ president of Marquette Univer
sity, Milwaukee, to succeed him.
Father Magee is in Cleveland to take
over the office immediately.
Under Father Rodman's leadership,
John Carroll has completed an exten
sive building program. The college was
moved from Its west side location to a
new site on the eastern outskirts of the
city.
Rev. Raphael C. McCarthy, professor
of psychology at St. Louis University,
succeeded Father Magee as president
of Marquette.
INSURGENTSSPLIT
BY LOYALIST DRIVE
Rebels Map New Battle to
Regain Strategic Coastal
City.
BACKGROUND—
Spain's civil war, which started
last July, continues to rage bit
terly, with the loyalist government
forces centralising the defense of
Madrid under Gen. Jose Miafa,
while new internal troubles threaten
to split the ranks of Gen. Franco,
head of the rebel forces.
Franco's troops have been bat
tering at Madrid since last No
vember, but capital which was ex
pected to fall quickly has held on.
Repulsed, rebels have retired to
positions in outskirts and mapped
plans for big new offensive to cut
road between Madrid and Valencia,
where government officials now are
stationed. Fighting in this sector
has been heavy in recent weeks.
Bt the Associated Press.
ALMBRIA. Spain, March 1 — A
government attack in force was re
ported today to have driven a wedge
between the southern insurgent main
army on the Mediterranean and “the
Italian and German reinforcements
of the rear guard.”
Large scale government operations
against the conquerors of Malaga, dis
patches from the front said, had
checked the advance of the coastal
column and driven the enemy from
strategic positions with heavy losses.
Heavy reinforcements, the report
said, had been ordered up by the In
surgents, so severely had they suffered
in the fighting to recapture vital
Motril. communication* center on
the southern coast.
A strong government column, ad
vancing on the coastal city, which
was taken only a few days after
Malaga fell, was reported to have cut
the road between Motril and Velez
Benaudalla. a few miles to the north
To the east the strongly fortified
government positioas north of Castell
de Ferro were declared to have thrust
back an Insurgent push.
Iasurgent defenders, the front line
reports said, were driven from the
strategic heights In the Sierra Nevadas
at Trevelez and Portugoz, northeast
of Motril.
Still another government column,
operating almost due north of the key
communications point in the Malaga
Granada sector, was reported to have !
prevented a junction between columns j
in Orgiva and Capileira and the main ,
body.
It was this operation, government
officers said, which cut off the in
surgent advance from “the Italian and
German reinforcements of the rear
guard."
FEAR WARSHIP'S ATTACK.
VALENCIA. Spain. March 1 OP).— I
Government quarters expressed fear
today that German and Italian war- •
ship', participating in the scheduled
neutrality blockade of Spain, might
attack the eastern seacoast of gov
ernment-dominated provinces.
The prospect of the Italo-German
coastal patrol, arranged by the 27
nation Neutrality Committee to begin
March 6 in an attempt to halt men
and munitions bound for the civil war,
resulted in bitter disappointment and
foreboding in government circles.
German and Italian co-operation
with the insurgent armies has been
at least partially responsible, govern
ment sources assert, for the recent I
air raids and naval bombardments of
the eastern coast.
The London Non-Intervention Com
mittee assigned Italy and Germany to
guard the coast of government ter
ritory. stretching from the French
frontier to a point north of Malaga,
while France and Great Britain will
guard the balance of the coastline.
Portugal and Russia, also members of
the six-power neutrality subcommit
tee, withdrew from active participation
in the blockade.
An appeal from Premier Francisco
Largo Caballero for greater unity
among government force, brought
from leaders the government's new
slogan, "Less word' and more action.”
In Madrid, Foreign Minister Julio
Alvarez del Vayo. addressing a mass
meeting only a few blocks from the
battle lines, accused Premier Mus
solini of Italy of sending 60,000 troops
to war cm the Spanish government.
Well-informed sources expected an
intensive government drive to solidify
all factions and tighten battle lines
for a fortnight, to be followed by a
major offensive against the insur
gents of all fronts.
Sugar
(Continued From First Page.)
from sugar more nearly commensurate
with that obtained during the period
1922-1929."
"Quotas," the President said, "in
fluence the price of sugar through
the control of supply; consequently,
under a quota regulation of the sup
ply of sugar, a tax may be levied with
out causing any adverse effect, over a
period of time, on the price paid by
consumers,”
The President asked special safe
guards, In any legislation, for the
rights of small producers to assure
them "an equitable share of the bene
fits offered by the program.”
"In this connection." he said, "I
suggest that you consider the advisa
bility of providing for payments at
rates for family-sixe farms higher
than those applicable to large operat
ing units.”
With regard to fixing standards of
labor he said:
"I recommend * • • that the pre
vention of child labor and the pay
ment of wages of not less than mini
mum standards be included among
the conditions for receiving a Federal
payment."
The Interests of the consumer j
should be protected, he said, by a
provision “to prevent any possible re
striction of the supply of sugar that
would result in prices to consumers
in excess of those reasonably neces
sary. together with conditional pay
ments to producers, to maintain the
domestic industry as a whole and to
make the production cf sugar beets
and sugar cane as profitable as the
production of the principal other ag
ultural crops.”
He asked that no decrease be made
in other countries’ share in the total
sugar quota “In order to protect the
expansion of markets for American
exports.”
Under his recommendations, he said,
it has been estimated the income of
foreign countries from sales of sugar
here ‘‘would not be less than that ob
tained during 1935 and. like the total
income of domestic sugar producers,
it can be expected to increase In future
years as our consumption requirements
expand,*
STRIKE DISOHS
SPR DOVERII.S.
Little Headway Is Made by
Mediators of Labor
Disputes.
Bt the Associated Press.
Uncompromising demands by dis
putants congealed efforts to solve labor
disputes today as fresh discord de
veloped in scattered parts of the
country.
Relatively little headway was made
by mediators who sought to effect an
amicable adjustment between employe
and employer.
Detroit, its major motor corporations
involved in negotiations with United
Automobile Workers of America repre
sentatives, became a focal point of in
dustrial unrest with the F. W. Wool
worth Co. drawn Into the picture.
Salesgirls, demanding wage and
hour concessions, remained in a Wool
worth store as„offlcials temporarily
abandoned their avowed Intention of
closing all their storea in the Detroit
area.
Aircraft Plant to Open.
Operations were resumed at the
Douglas aircraft plant at Santa Mon
ica, Calif., following a six-day suspen
sion caused by a "sit-down" strike of
300 employes. U. A. W. A leaders re
ported more than 1.000 had/ilgned for
picket duty, but promised there would
be no disorder.
A strike at the Fisher body and
Chevrolet plants In Janesville, Wis.,
presaged a longer conference between
General Motors Corp. and U. A. W. A.
leaden than they had anticipated.
The union chieftains were scheduled
to open negotiations with the Chrysler
Corp. Wednesday, with recognition of
the U. A. W. A. as the sole bargaining
agent for employes the paramount
lastie.
Strikes sprang up as old ones con
tinued or npared settlement along
the extensive front.
In Cleveland operation ot all mov
ing vans and warehouses halted at
midnight as Van Drivers' Union lead
ers broke off wage negotiations.
Sinkers planned mass picketing of
the Fansteel metallurgical plant in
North Chicago, 111., despite warrants
issued for the arrest of 80 strikers.
Meyer Adelman. C. I. O. organizer,
who directed the "sit-down" 10-dav
protest which ended in a tear gas
eviction, was arrested last night in
Kenosha, Wis.
Conciliation Attempt.
Rev. Francis J. Haas. Federal con
ciliator. was In St. Paul to try a d
reconcile the disputant union electri
cal workers and the Northern States
Power Co.
In Reading. Pa . officials of the
American Federation of Hosiery j
Workers announced they were ready
to tie up all but two Berks County
mills, with 12 000 workers likely to
be affected. Union recognition and
settlement of previous controversy
were the factors.
Union spokesmen and employers’
representatives in Providence. R I.,
hoped a conference today would stave
off a threatened strike of 2.000 Rhode
Island truckmen.
Union heads announced settlement
of a month-old strike at the Star
Peerless Wallpaper Co In Joliet. 111.,
with 350 men scheduled to resume
work within a few days.
ARRESTS ARE ORDERED.
Strikers Determined to Prevent Re
opening of Steel Plant.
WAUKEGAN, 111.. March 1 (4>) —
The avowal of strike leaders to pre
vent reopening of the Fansteel Metal
lurgical Corp. plant by mast picketing
heightened tension today in the labor
dispute already marked by riot* and
arrests.
“Not a single worker will get into
the plant.” Jack Rusak, field man
for the Steel Workers' Organizing
Committee, told a mass meeting of
strikers and sympathizers. He said
500 pickets would be in the line.
Orders for Arrests.
To combat the move, company of
ficials made plans to petition for an
injunction to prohibit mass picketing
Sheriff Lawrence A. Doolittle sent
deputies out to arrest about 80 strikers
named in contempt of court citations
after they refused to leave two of
the company's plants.
A tear gas attack last week drove
61 sit-downers from two factories
after a 10-day siege. They struck
for recognition of the Amalgamated
Association of Iron, Steel and Tin
Workers of North America Union.
The first strikers to be arrested In
the drive were Frank L*tz, 34. and
his brother. Harry. 32. Previously
officers arrested three of nine strike
chieftains named in warrants charg
ing conspiracy to prevent execution of
an eviction writ. One of them, Meyer
Adelman, 300-pound organizer for the
Committee for Industrial Organization,
was seized in'a Kanosha <Wis.) hotel
to which he had come after eluding six
Illinois police squads.
Adelman, dominant figure in the
strike, was jailed on a fugitive war
rant when he declined to waive ex
tradition. Hunted since last Friday,
he made a dramatic appearance at
the mass meeting here yesterday and
after departing by a rear doorway
managed to reach the Wisconsin State
line before pursuing police cars. The
sheriffs office professed advance
knowledge of Adelmans appearance
but kept deputies from the mass
meeting for fear of a riot.
Petition for Writ.
Paul Glaser, a union attorney, said
he would petition the Cir uit Court !
at Waukesha, Wis., for a writ of
habaes corpus to free Adelman.
Leo Krzycki, vice president of the
Amalgamated Clothing Workers of
America and regional C. I. O. or
ganizer, also named in the warrants,
telegraphed from Pittsburgh he would
surrender.
Meanwhile, police studied a report
from Geno Palmeri, a Highwood, 111.,
excavating ontracto- and 8] .clal
deputy, that he had received an
anonymous letter threatening the
bombing of his home for his part in
the strike.
DEMANDS ABE ANNOUNCED.
O. A. W. A. Draws Up Program for
Chrysler Conference.
DETROIT, March 1 (JP).—A strike
at the Fisher Body and Chevrolet
plants in Janesville. Wis., placed a
new problem before negotiators for
General Motors Corp. and the United
Automobile Workers of America today.
After conferences between the man
agement of the two plants and .union
leaders failed to settle the dispute,
Wesley Van Horn, president of the
U. A. W. A. local at Janesville, said
it would be turned over to the De
troit conference.
Then was ^a possibility that this
i
Most Outstanding at Teachers College
Students at Fredericksburg State Teachers’ College have chosen these six classmates as "most
outstanding in undergraduate life:’ They are (li Virginia Ann Lipscomb, Clarendon, student
body president; (2> Margaret V. ‘‘Peggy" Smith. Fredericksburg, athletic association president;
(s) Fay Christina Luther. Danville, glee club president; (A) Mary Ellen Lee. Vineland. N. J year
book editor; (S> Ella Gordon Roice. Norton, Frances Willard Hall president, and (6) Frances Gray
Nash, Fredericksburg, Y. W. C. A. president. _a. P Photo
might delay the completion of the
conferees' work. Both sides had pre
dicted they would be finished by to
morrow night. The union was espe
cially desirous of this because It opens
negotiations with ths Chrysler Corp.
Wednesday.
When the U. A. W A. requested a
meeting with Chrysler executives it
said the chief demand would be
recognition as the sole collective bar
gaining agent for the corporation's
employes. Over the week end it an
nounced its other demands.
They are a blanket wage increase of
10 cents an hour, seniority on a de
partment basis and according to work
classifications, establishment of a 30
hour week before any employes are laid
off for a slack period, dismissal of no
employe without a hearing before
a joint committee of the union and
shop management, that all decreases
and increases in the number of em
ployes' seniority lists shall be observed,
and that ahop stewards and members
of the local union executive commit
tee shall head the seniority list.
Chrysler now operates on a 40-hour
week. In announcing the demands.
Richard T. Frankensteen. organiza
tional director for the union, said
"there will be no compromise" on the
demand for exclusive recognition.
The set of demands was approved
Sunday by locals in four of the six
Chrysler plants at Detroit. The others
will vote tomorrow night.
The F. W. Woolworth Co., whose
dow-ntown store has been held by ait
down strikers since noon Saturday,
abandoned, temporarily at least, its
Intention of closing all of its stores
in the Detroit area today.
"We have no intention of not oper
ating unless the strike spreads." said
A. J. Dahlquist, Detroit superintend
ent for the company. Previously he
had said that none of the chain's
stores here would open today unless
the 100 clerks evacuated the main
store.
The strikers, mostly young women,
showed no intention of doing this.
Just after midnight callers were in
formed thst "there is no news.” Doors
were locked, only a few lights were
burning, counters were covered, a few
men guarded the doors, and three
policemen stood on the curb in front.
The union demands a wage increaae
of 10 cent* an hour, elimination of
overtime, a 48-hour week for woman
employes and a 94-hour week for
bakery and kitchen men. The man
agement declined to deal with the
union unless the strikers vacated the
■tore.
AIRCRAFT PLANT REOPENS.
Douglas Factory Picketed by 564
Without Disturbances.
SANTA MONICA, Calif.. March 1
W>.—The huge Douglas Aircraft fac
tory, closed six day* after a sit-down
strike that caused more than 300 ar
rests, reopened quietly today amid
picketing.
There was no disturbance. The
pickets, estimated by Chief of Police
Charles Dice at 500 or more, sang
and paraded around the factory en
trances, but officers cleared a path
for the returning workers.
It was estimated unofficially that
several thousand men returned to
work at 7 am. (coast time) company
officials said 3,800 would be at their
jobs before the end of the day. The
plant normally has 5.600.
Chief Dice said a majority of the
pickets were not employes of the air
plane factory. One picket was a*
woman carrying her baby.
A meeting has been set for next
Friday for Dr. Towne Nylander, re
gional director for the National Labor
Relations Board, to consider demands
for designation as labor representa
tives in the two plants.
SOUND CROP INSURANCE
POSSIBLE, SAYS EXPERT
B> the Associated Tress.
A. V. Oruhn of Chicago, speaking
for a group of private insurance com
panies. told a Senate Agriculture Sub
committee today he believed the Gov
ernment could develop a "sound
system of crop Insurance.”
Private experience has been "gen
erally unfavorable," he testified, add
ing that large-scale Federal operations
might overcome mpay of the most
serious difficulties.
Gruhn said that experts of the
Mutual Alliance, which he represents,
had been "much impressed" by care
ful preparatory work done by Govern
ment economists. Success of the crop
insurance scheme "will depend almost
entirely on Its administration.” he
■aid.
Montgomery System Be
lieved to Eliminate Chance
of Escaping Tax.
By a Staff Correspondent ot i*ne S*ar.
BETHESDA. Md . March 1.—A new
system of checking construction of
new home* and other property im
provements, Instituted in January,
1935. has practically eliminated the
possibility of their escaping taxation,
county official* claimed today.
Nothing but a reaasessmem. how
ever. will reveal the amount of taxes
the county is losing annually because
of methods in use prior to that time,
which resulted in many improvement*
not being recorded on the tax rolls at
all a auney revealed.
County Commissioner Paul M.
Cough lan. Silver Spring, last week
revealed that 33 homes valued at $72.
000 and a $9,000 garage not on the
tax rolls, were discovered by accident
while making a routine search for
other information.
Five-Fold Cheek.
The new system, inaugurated by
John Gray, head of the county build
ing inspection service when he took
office in January, 1935, provides a
five-fold check on all new construc
tion and improvements.
"A building permit has been re
quired for new construction or im
provements ever since I can remem
ber.” Gray explained. "However, w?
believed that not all contractors and
subdividers were complying strictly
with the regulations and established
our own system of checks.
"Whenever a sewage or water con
nection is made, or an electric or gas
meter installed we are notified by the
respective authorities and make our
own investigation and report to the
county assessors office. The same
procedure is followed when a permit
for installing a sceptic tank is issued.
Reassessment Held Needed.
"We believe that these checks, and
other routine investigationa made by
the office, are making it practically
impossible for an unscrupulous con
tractor to build a new house or make
any considerable improvements on an
old one without our knowledge, which
is given immediately to the tax
assessor.
"This system wss not In effect. I
believe, before 1935 and what methods
were used I am unable to say. The
only way to find out how many prop
erties have escaped being listed on
the tax roll, of course, would be to
have a reassessment.”
The 33 homes and the garage which
have escaped taxation, some of them
for as long as 10 years, were cited by
Coughlan to emphasize the need for
a reassessment this year. The last
assessment was In 1937.
Vidal
(Continued From First Page.)
and experienced aeronautics officials
In the country.
In announcing the reorganisation,
Secretary Roper said:
"Development of air commerce In
the United States during the last
four years has been nothing short of
phenomenal.
“The extensive development of the
industry requires larger expenditures
at home. The time also has come to
extend our studies into the world trade
field. Aviation is one of the industries
which is not bound by 8tate lines or
international frontiers.”
Vidal's resignation, announced at 3
p.m. yesterday at the Commerce De
partment, took effect today and Vidal
left at once for a vacation. He is not
expected to announce his future plans
until early in April. •
Copeland lipwn Regret.
Senator Copeland of New York,
chairman of the Senate Committee
which recommended reorganiaation of
the Bureau of Air Commerce and
criticiaed Vidal, expressed regret that
Vidal had resigned. Vidal, he said,
was not responsible for the “mess'’ in
the Bureau.
“Vidal,” Copeland said, “had his
hands tied by the political situation
In the Commerce Department.
Oopalaad at the aaoa Uaaa dasaaad
ed reorganization of the Bureau, voic
ing the opinion that "there will never
be successful operation of the Bureau
until the present system is changed "
In his letter of resignation to the
Secretary of Commerce. Vidal said: J
"As you know, I have desired for
some time to be relieied of my duties
as director of air commerce in order
to take advantage of some very at
tractive offers from the aviation in
dustry which also will permit me to
contribute to aviation's progress I
have remained in the Government
service this long because I was eager
to accomplish a number of objectives
which I had established for myself
when I entered the bureau nearly four
years ago.
"I wish to express my appreciation
for the continued friendship and sup
port of yourself and your assistants,
and my desire to be called upon at
any opportunity to be of service."
Vidals last official act before leav
ing the bureau was to organize a
safety research and development sec
tion which will embrace all safety
research and development work of
the bureau. This section also will
include a committee representing all
phases of Federal, commercial and
private aviation, which will advise the
bureau as to the projects most urgent
ly in need of investigation, research,
experimentation and development.
Vidal is an Army and civilian pilot
of more than 15 years’ eiperience and
a former airline organizer and execu
tive. He was appointed an assistant
director of the Bureau of Air Com
merce in June. 1933. and four months
later waa elevated to the post of di
rector.
He spent five years in the Army Air
Corps after his graduation from West
Point, where he had a notable record
as an athlete, especially in foot ball.
He was a vice president of Trans
continental Air Transport, the original
"Lindbergh Line.” and later was an
organizer and vice president of the
Ludington Line, between Washington
and New York; the first "every-hour
on-the-hour” air transport service in
the world. This line later was absorbed
by Eastern Air Lines
Vidal is credited with the establish
ment of a separate airline inspection
service within the bureau and with
obtaining enactment by Congress of
an amendment to the air commerce
act authorizing the Commerce De
partment to regulate airline opera
tions for safety reasons Under his
direction there was promulgated a
whole new set of airline regulations
covering all phases of operations.
With the view of aiding the air
craft industry. Vidsl obtained con
gressional authority to engage in de
velopment work on aircraft, engines
and accessories. Most Important was
the work on types of aircraft suit
able for the novice in aviation; a pro
gram which has resulted in four new
and different types being put into
commercial production. The pro
gram also resulted In development of
the "caster-wheel” type of landing
gear which is expected to revolution
ize the landing and taking off of air
craft. Equipment for keeping aft- ;
craft free of ice also has been de
veloped. The radio teletypewriter was
developed for airways communications.
Hearing* in Accidents.
Vidal also sponsored the congres
sional amendment authorising the
Commerce Department to hold public
hearing* and make public the probable
causes of aircraft accidents.
He Is credited with having been in
strumental In bringing about a $60,
000,000 Works Progress Administration
program of construction at 950 air
ports and with airmarking of towns
and cities throughout the country.
Under his leadership the entire United
States has been mapped for aviation
purposes.
During the period he was in office
the number of student pilots 'holding*
active licenses Increased from 7.500 to
32,400; production of private aircraft
has increased and the price has de
creased.
As a result of the recent airline
safety conference called by the de
partment, a number of specific steps
have been initiated by Vidal to pro
vide for greater safety. Within the
past three days orders have been
promulgated requiring Installation of
directional and homing radio devices
on airliners and the provision of anti
static shielded loop antennae.
■ » ■ ■ ■■ •
Dance for Flood Fund.
A dance for the benefit of flood
sufferers will be held In the Masonic
Hall, 3030 Rhode Island avenue north
at 0 pjn. tomorrow.
0
l
Morgan Expects ‘Victory'
Dinner to Yield $350,000.
Eyes on 1938-40.
By the Associated Pres*.
W Forbes Morgen Democrats
treasurer, called the $430000 party
deficit virtually wiped out today and
concentrated on plan* for financing
the 1938 and 1940 campaigns
"We expect to raise at least «3>0,00fl
by the ‘victory dinners' in 43 State*
on Thursday," he said Additional
contribution* probably will even the
book* and leave a bit over before I
step out as treasurer March 15 "
Morgan met with Chairman James
A Farley to work out final detail*
for the new national program by
Which $10,500,000 will be sought to
finance local. State and presidential
campaigns during the next four year*.
Contribution quota* may be estab
lished on a county basis, regional and
State finance directors will be ap
pointed, and fund* will be redis
tributed to the States and communi
ties from a central office as needed.
Morgan said 1,192 dinners would
commemorate President Roosevelts
first inauguration on March 4. Up
to 1.800 persons are expected to pay
$100 a plate for the main dinner here,
which the President will address.
Vice President Garner will speak
to the $50-a-plate dinner In New York.
Mrs Roosevelt and member* of Con
gress will be honor guest* at a $10
dinner here for hundred* of "young
Democrats.”
A special guard will be established
to make *ure that all who attend the
"No i" dinner have their «100
tickets. Five dollars will go for the
mea! and the rest into the party
treasury. Six months will be allowed
for payment by installment*.
MARCH MAKES BOW
UNDER BRIGHT SUN
Lamb-Like Entrance Called Typ
ical of ••Unuiuil" Condition
Throughout Nation.
March's lamblike entry into Wash
ington under a smiling sun with the
mercury in the upper 30's Is typical
of weather conditions throughout the
United States today.
Forecaster Charles L. Mitchell, of
the Weather Bureau, termed the uni
formly mild weather throughout the
United States "very unusual" and
added quickly there is no well ground
ed proof that the end of the month
will not be as pleasant as the flrat,
animals' fur to the contrary.
Mitchell said it was reported fur
bearing animals are wearing unusually
heavy coats "But it'* not because of
thl« lion business at the end ot the
month.” he declared "Animal* are
smart but not that smart. They have
no more idea of what the weather will
be four weeks from now than we do.
It doesn't take an animal expert to
know that."
A maximum of about 3ft degree* is
predicted today, with a low of 36 to
night. Tomorrow should find the
mercury in the high 40*. according
to the District forecast. Low tem
peratures prevail In some portion* of
the conntry, particularly the eouth
east.
LIQUOR DEFENDANT
HELD IN $500 BOND
Police Charge Violation to Bert
Watson, 23. Seized in Baid
on Garage.
Bert Watson. 23. of the 1300 block
of F street northeast, declared by po
lice to have been the possessor of the
largest amount of untaxed liquor
seized here since prohibition, was held
under $500 bond for grand Jury action
today by Police Judge Edward M.
Curran.
Members of the police vice squad.
headed by 8ergt. Oeorge C. Deyoe,
claimed they seized four 5-gallon eans
from the defendant and 31 additional
cans from the garage in which they
arrested him. making a total of 170
gallons.
Deyoe said he rented a garage In
an alley between Twelfth. Thirteenth.
C and D streets northeast last Friday
night. At 3:30 a.m.. he said, a man
drove into the garage and left with a
half-gallon jar under his arm. At 7
am. he added. Watson drove in and
made two trips to a waiting car. each
time carrying two 5-gallon cans.
$3,668,869,282 SPENT
IN LIFE OF P. W. A.
Statistics Show 7,000.000.000
Man-Hours of Labor Fur
nished in 45 Months.
B» thr AuociiMd Press.
The Public Works Administration
passed Its forty-fifth month of exist
ence yesterday with the claim of
having created more than 7.000.000,
000 man-hours of employment.
P W. A. statisticians arrived at this
figure on the basis of the ratio that
25 men are employed away from the
site of construction for every 10 at
the site and that an additional 30
men are given employment In manu
facturing goods necessary for the 35.
Congress has been asked to extend
the life of the administration 34 more
months from June 30 next.
Expenditures as of February 1 to
taled S3 668.869.282. the P. W. A. said.
There remains allotted, but unex
pended. $705,257,426.
Expenditures of $1,001,248,290 In
grants and loans on non-Federal pro
grams and $2,667,620,992 for lta Fed
eral program were listed. Including
all statutory, special and regular al
lotments made to Federal depart
ments. bureaus or agencies and hous
ing
Loans exceeded grants during 1934
and 1935, the accounting showed, but
during 1936 and 1937 "because of ths
improved condition of the municipal
bond market there were fewer Allot
ments made for loans.”
Pastor Found Dead of Ballet.
GENESEO. N. Y , March 1 I**).—
Rev. Stephen J. Byrne, 53. pastor of
8t. Mary's Catholic Church, was
found dead today In his bed rn. m at
the rectory with a bullet wound bi
the head. Coroner Tracy Swan Mid
the wound "appeared to be sell-In
mUA."