Evening star. [volume], March 06, 1937, Page A-2, Image 2

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

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r AGENCY SLATED
La Follette Committee Will
Quiz Officials on Indus
trial Espionage.
BY JOHN C. HENRY.
Preparing to begin examination on
Monday of officials of the William J.
Burn* International Detective Agency,
the Senate committee Investigating
violation* of civil liberties was In re
cess today.
Industrial espionage service by the
Burns agency will be principal concern
of the committee. The group re
cently concentrated on similar activi
ties by the Pinkerton bureau. The
committee hopes to complete its open
examination in about two days. At
tention then will be turned to the
vigilante practices in Harlan County,
notorious anti-labor district of the
Kentucky coal fields.
Yesterday the committee completed
hearings on the business of Federal
Laboratories, Inc., of Pittsburgh, one
of the Nation'* largest manufacturer*
and distributors of industrial arma
ments.
Among ine days disclosures was me
fact that Federal Laboratories has a
close working arrangement with Rail
way Audit &. Inspection Co., strike
breaking organization now under
charge ol contempt ol the committee,
and that guards furnished by the
latter to the West Point Manufactur
ing Co. of Alabama and Georgia car
ried on a reign of terror throughout
that region during the textile strike
Cf 1934.
Four Thompson submachine guns
•old by Federal Laboratories were used
to arm this vigilante patrol and one
witness before the committee yester
day, Ester Groover of Lannett, Ala.,
told of being covered by one of these
guns while a member of the strong
■ arm squad beat him up for labor
•'agitation.”
The committee also revealed, through
correspondence of Federal Labora
' tones, that the company employed the
'^familiar device of Communist alarm
as an argument for sale of their gas
.land equipment.
• Included in the correspondence was
a letter from one salesman telling of
the "fun” he had shooting at striking
longshoremen in San Francisco in
11934, of his belief that he killed one
Communist, and his regret that "I did
not get more.” and of the increase in
“business brought by his "skill."
ICON FERENCETODAY
ON JUVENILE COURT
Senators King and Copeland and
Elwood Seal to Atetnd.
Hearing Called Off.
A conference on the District Juve
nile Court bill Is slated for this after
noon. to be attended by Chairman
King of the Senate District Commit
■ tee Senator Copeland of New York
and Corporation Counsel Elwood Seal.
It is probable Seal will give the Sen
ators a report on the detailed provi
sions of the measure, which already
has passed the House.
Originally a hearing on the bill was
Hated for 10 o'clock this morning, but
had to be called off because all mem
bers of the subcommittee could not
be present.
PRIMARY BARRED
One Election to Determine Suc
cessor to Buchanan.
AUSTIN, Tex., March 6 (4P).—'The
Democratic Executive Committee for
the tenth congressional district de
cided yesterday not to hold a primary
to choose a successor to the late Rep
resentative James P. Buchanan of
Brenham. Eight candidates had an
nounced and others were expected.
The committees decision meant
there would be only one election. A
primary and a run-off between the
two highest candidates had been con
sidered.
Congress in Brief
TODAY.
Senate:
In recess.
Bouse:
In recess.
Veterans’ Committee considers com
pensation legislation.
Your
Income Tax
y
__________
Definition of Term “De
pendent” Under Fed
eral Levy Law Given.
v.
J In addition to the personal exemp
tion of $1,000 for aingle persons and
. $2,500 for married persons living to
gether and for heads of families, a
taxpayer is entitled to a credit of $400
for each dependent, defined by income
tax law and regulations as a person
under 18 years of age or incapable of
* self-support because mentally or phys
> ically defective. The term “mentally
1 or physically defective” means not
•only cripples and those mentally de
* fective, but persons in ill health and
'the aged.
’ In order to be entitled to the $400
Credit, the taxpayer must furnish the
* dependent his or her chiei support.
1 The credit is based upon actual finan
cial dependency and not mere legal
^dependency. Tor example, a father
! whose children receive half or more of
J their support from a trust fund or
.'other separate source is not entitled
{t the credit.
. Neither relationship nor residence is
i a factor in the allowance of the $400
; credit for a dependent. The taxpayer
> and the dependent may be residents
] of different cities. If husband and
1 wife both contribute to the support
! of a dependent, the $400 credit may
j be taken by the one contributing the
chief support, and may not be divided
i between them.
A aingle person who supports in his
home an aged mother is entitled not
only to the $400 credit ft a dependent,
but also to the personal exemption of
$2,500 as the head of a family. A
widower supporting under similar cir
cumstances a dependent child under
18 years of age also Is entitled to the
personal exemption of $2,500 as the
head of a family, plus the $400 credit
for a dependent.
Under the revenue act of 1938 both
the personal exemption and the credit
for dependents are required to be pro
rated where the status of the taxpayer
changed during the year.
4
Washington
Wayside
Tales
Random Observations
of Interesting Events
and Things.
REVIVAL
ONCE * highly developed art in
the days of the Great Fool
ishness before 1921, gate
crashing is coming into its
own again. As in the past, the most
ardent practitioners are college boys,
who used to give themselves fantastic
titles, assume beautiful and rich
names or just climb through open
windows in order to crash debutante
parties a decade ago. Now, in harmony
with a code of youth that frowns upon
the debutante chaser and favors the
lad who shaves his head and strokes
the crew, the boys are devoting their
energies to crashing sports festivals.
A checker-upper reports, for ex
ample, that at the recent Southern
Conference boxing matches at the
University of Maryland, four visiting
firemen got in by putting on turtle
neck sweaters and pretending to be
trainers, six walked in carrying a
water bottle in one hand and a sponge
in the other, claiming to be seconds
to some fighter or the other, and five
lads merely entered the hall early
in the day, scooted under the ring
platform and sat there munching on
a pocekt luncheon until time to emerge
to watch the fights. In the latter
technique we denoted another modern
note—the sit-down crash.
* * * *
PESSIMIST.
While the populace went about
the streets singing like birds and
whistling all through the Spring
like days o) this week, a gloomy
window-dresser in a down town
hardware store sneaked out and
put three snow shovels in his show
window. They are still there,
grimly crossed end ghoulish as a
death's head.
* * * *
SLIPS
VL^ILL the Department ol Commerce
grammarian please note that on
a large, handsome plaque in a glass
case just outside Secretary Roper's
office there is the inscription, in both
English and Chinese, "Presented by
the Chinese Commercial Commission
to the Department of Commerce,
U. S. A., as a token of appreciation
of the courtesy shown to them tsic)
during their isict tour of the United
States in the year 1915”? We
wouldn't guarantee what the Chinese
I says (it may be right as rain) but as
; for the King's English, how’s about
it, plaque-masters?
VISITORS.
j 'T'HE martyrs of the week are Mr.
and Mrs. Leonard J. Rogenmoser.
who spent four hours trying to have
a 15-minute tryst with some out-of
town friends—an attempt in which
only Mrs. Rogenmoser succeeded. Mr.
Rogenmoser's friends were here for
a day, had a full calendar almost up
to ihe hour their train was to depart
at midnight.
In a telephone conference, it was
decided the Rogenmosers would meet
the visitors at Union Station at about
| 11:45, have a chat and speed the
parting pals on their way. The Rogen
mosers arrived in their car. Mr. R.
turned the key to lock it. The key
broke. A small sliver sticking out en
abled him to get the key loose and
remove it. Then he started home to
get a duplicate. Mrs. R. went in the
station. Mr. R. said he would hurry
back.
He took a street car, connected with
• bus, finally arrived at his home, on
Massachusetts avenue near the Dis
trict line. Went in the house, found
the duplicate key. and remembered
the last bus had left for town. Waited,
fumed, wondered how he might get in
touch with his marooned wife. Was
contemplating either a long walk or
an expensive taxi trip, when a neigh
bor returned home from a party and
consented to drive him to the station.
Mr. R. found his wife at the station.
It was only a trifle after 3 am. lie
asked, how were his friends. She said
fine, and probably enjoying New York
very much by that time. The Rogen
mosers returned home in their neigh
bor's car, at least an hour before the
first cock crow of mom.
PUZZLE
'T'HE patron* of a dine-and-Uance
spot over in Virginia have been
trying to figure this one out for weeks,
and finally have decided it must be
left to the imagination of the individ
ual. Printed on the menus of the
establishment, in bold black type, is
the notice:
TUaT s
"Before leaving the room, gentle*
men guests must first make arrange*
ments with their waitress.”
* * * *
OPPORTUNITY.
Thursday night when it was
murky and the streets were spotted
with rain, a newsboy down at Thir
teenth and K streets northwest saw
a couple come out of a motion pic
ture house, walk to the corner and
look up inquisitively at the sky.
"Peppah!! Peppah!! Getcha
mawnin’ peppah heah." he shouted,
holding out a paper enticingly.
"Mawnin' peppah set Us gonna
rain. And 1 set its gonna miss a
mighty fine chance if it don’t.
* * a *
FAUX PAS.
TRV1N BENDIMER, Philadelphia
insurance magnate, was riding the
elevator the other day up to the tenth
floor of a downtown hotel, where he
was to be the guest speaker before the
District Life Underwriters’ Associa
tion. There were two other men in
the car, strangers.
"Wonder what the guest speaker will
talk about today?" said one.
"Dunno, same old bromides. I sup
pose. I'm beaming Immune to those
fellows,” said the other.
The three got off at the same floor,
ATTACK SUSPECT
One Man Believed Respon
sible for Series of Crimes
in Montgomery.
Bv a Staff Correspondent in The Star.
BETHESDA, Md., March The
young white man wanted for a crimi
nal attack on a Chevy Chase woman
Thursday night also is suspected of
at least one other similar stuck and
half a dosen pocketbook' snatchings
during the past several weeks, it was
learned today as Montgomery County
police intensified their search.
The man, apparently between 25
and 30. whose distinguishing char
acteristic Is a low, well-modulated
voice, has been operating with a
handkerchief tied over the lower por
tion of his face, making identification
difficult, but has been described identi
cally by several victims, even to the
i language he used when he encountered
them.
His latest victim, a young cnevy
Chase matron, who was robbed of her
pocketbook. containing about $20, and
then attacked near the Leland Junior
High School about 10:30 p.m. Thurs
day, within a few blocks of her home,
was under the care of a private physi
cian today. Her condition was not
serious, but she was suffering from
shock and nervous strain.
Descriptions Tally.
During the investigation of the case
by Detective 8ergt. Theodore Vollten
and Officer Jack Berry of the county
police, it was learned that description
of the attacker tallied with descrip
tions furnished bv victims in several
other esses to Officer William Craw
ford, another county police officer.
Investigation has been made diffi
cult by the nature of the crime. The
other attack victim, who lives only
a few blocks from Chevy Chase Circle,
first reported only that her pocketbook
had been stolen. Several days later,
while en route to Rockville to view a
suspect in the county jail, ahe re
vealed to a member of the county
police force that she had been attacked
before the thief fl?d with her purse
Except for location, the stories of
the two women were much the same.
The man approached and pressed a
revolver against their ribs He used
practically the same words In warn
ing them:
'You don't want to die, do you?
One bullet and all will be over.”
Would Recognise Vs ice.
The man was described as about $
feet 10 inches talk well dressed in a
dark suit and gray felt hat. and be
tween 25 and 30 years of age. While
both women were unable to see much
of his face, partially covered by an
ordinary white handkerchief, botn
stressed his low. even voice, speaking
in perfect English, and stated they
would be able to recognise it again
if they heard it.
Police said the description also fits
the man who snatched a purse from
the hall of the home of C. L. Wolcott,
19 West Ktrke place. Chevy Chase.
February 15. after setting three fires
in the basement to distract attention
of several guests. Although he did not
speak when he was seen by one of the
guests he was well dressed, and for a
time mistaken for the brother of Miss
Helen Wolcott until it was recalled
that he was in Baltimore.
The description is the same as that
given by a Woodside resident w’ho was
accosted by a young white man only a
few feet from her front porth late last
month and robbed of her purse, con
taining about $20. In that case, and
also in the case of the woman who was
attacked several weeks ago. the bandit
whistled as his victims approached,
evidently to allay suspicion.
Police admittedly are without def
inite clues, but are investigating sev
eral leads which they hope will dis
close the Identity of the attacker.
Plaster casts of footprints found in
the soft ground at the scene of the at
tack Thursday night have been made.
Police suspect other attack cases have
occurred in the county in recent weeks,
but the victim preferred not to make
any report.
BOOKS COMPROMISE
AVERTS SHIP STRIKE
Seamen's Union Gains Bight to
Carry Certificates of
Identification.
By the A*sori»tM Pres*.
Possibility of another maritime
strike by seamen who seek to avoid
carrying Government issued continu
ous discharge books apparently had
been averted today as a result of an
agreement between members of the
House Merchant Marine Committee
and leaders of the seamen’s union.
The agreement was based on a
compromise which would give sailors
a choice between the discharge books
I and a certificate of identification,
also to be issued by the Government.
The certificate would not carry any
continuous service record such as is
required in the books. They would
bear the seamen's signatures, photo
graphs, thumbprints, nationality and
other data. No references to charac
ter or ability would be included.
Representatives of some maritime
unions had told the committee thou
sands of seamen on both Atlantic and
Pacific Coasts would quit rather than
accept the continuous discharge
books, They contended the books
could be used as blacklisting weapons
by shipowners.
Harry Lundeberg, leader of the
sailors' union of the Pacific, told re
porters he believed the organizations
he represented would be satisfied
with the compromise. A similar ex
pression came from Joseph Curran,
one of the leaders of the recent mari
time strike on the Atlantic seaboard.
DISTRICT IS ASSURED
OF LEGISLATIVE DAY
The legislative program of the House
next week, as planned by its leaders,
assures the District of its regular day
Monday unless an emergency arises
in the meantime.
Majority Leader Rayburn reported
to the House late yesterday that Mon
day would be devoted entirely to the
consideration of proposed District leg
islation. There are 12 District bills on
the calendar.
Chairman Norton of the District
Committee hopes to clear the calen
dar of these 12 bills to pave the way
for consideration March 22, the next
District day. of the controversial meas
ure designed to legalize horse racing
under the pari-mutuel system.
went in and sat down at the same
table, where Mr. Bendimer could fix
the pair glaasily with his eye as he
arose to begin his address.
WIFE, a ENDS LIFE
ON ANNIVERSARY
“This Is My Present to You,”
She Said in Note Left
Husband.
Leaving a note to her husband that
described her act as "my present to
you" on their second wedding anni
versary, Mrs. Helen Rosina Bennett,
21. wife of a taxicab driver, put her
pet poodle dog outside at dusk yester
day and then ended her own life by
turning on the gas in the kitchen of
her apartment at 1109 Mount Olivet
road northeast.
Mrs. Bennett had been dead for sev
eral hours when her husband, John M.
Bennett, returned home at midnight
to discover his wife lying on the
kitchen floor clad In her pajamas. Al!
the windows were closed and every
jet on the gas stove was open. The
dog was whining at the door when he
reached the apartment.
Police said-Mrs. Bennett left on the
door a note tp her husband that read:
"This is our second wedding anniver
sary. This is my present to you. I
hope you enjoy it.”
Mrs. Mary P. KoUey. who lives above
the Bennett apartment, said she
smelled gas at '6 p.m. yesterday and
called the gas company service man,
who fixed her central gas-beating unit
which had been smoking. At S:30 p.m.
another tenant In the apartment house,
Allen Newsome, smelled gas. He, too,
telephoned the gas company and was
informed a service man already had
been sent to the house.
Neighbors said the Bennetts had
lived in the apartment house only a
short time.
Coroner A. Magruder MacDonald
issued a certificate of suicide. Bennett
i awaited word from his wife's parents
before making funeral arrangements.
i
Actor
(Continued Prom First Page.)
said she and Vosper became acquaint
ed on the voyage from New York.
Miss Oxford went to New York some
time ago with a group of chorus girls.
She previously had done small film
parts in London and was a mannequin
before she was chosen "Miss Great
Britain ”
When she reached London on the j
boat train from Plymouth, she gate
her firat detailed statement of the
incident.
"We were just friends. There was
no question of a love affair between ;
us. In America the newspapers had
engaged me’ several times It was
just talk. Mr. Vosper and 1 were j
nothing more than friends."
A sister of Vosper was at the Pad- i
dington Station when the boat train
arrived. At first she refused to believe !
the reports her brother was missing.
She searched madly through the
coaches: then burst into tears.
“It's awful." she sobbed. “I had a I
feeling he would be on the train.”
The 23-year-old brunette actress,;
who competed unsuccessfully in 1135 1
' for the title of "Miss Europe." con
tinued her statement of Vosper » dis
appearance: i
I “Everybody was celebrating the
final night on shipboard. About 2 or
i 3 a m I threw a small party for some
of my friends in my cabin. Vosper
was one of the party. Several people
were there all the time. We were
drinking champagne and everybody
was happy.
“I talked for some time with Mr.
Vosper on the veranda outside my
cabin. Then I returned to the cabin
1 and joined the others.
"After a time. I missed Vosper."
Miss Oxford went on.
“He was not on the veranda, we
could not find him in his cabin.”
“Then I told the steward that Mr.
Vosper was apparently missing. It is
impossible to say what has happened.”
“For all I know he may have gone
off to some other part of the ship and
overslept. I don't know.
"A general alarm was given and the
ship was stopped. We put back on
our course. I think, but I really don't
know what happened. 1 was so ter
ribly upset.
"I don't know w hether they lowered
a boat or not. Anyway, we couldn't
find Mr. Vosper.
“The window on the veranda over
looking the sea is quite a small one.
There are marks on the paintwork
around it but they may have been
there some time.
“Tile window was open, I think. I
have made a statement to the English
police at Plymouth.”
Miss Oxford's father, who ia a Gov
ernment employe, with a male friend
of the actress met her at the station.
The friend presented her with a bou
quet of flowers.
Vosper’s sister, accompanied by
Wiles, departed separately.
Voeper's favorite role was Shake
speare's '‘Romeo” and his portrayal of
Henry VII in "The Rose Without a
Thorn” was hailed as one of the great
est stage triumphs of London's West
End since the World War.
Russia
(Continued From First Page.)
lng election of a council which will be
the Soviet Parliament.
Other reform measures were de
signed to re-establish criticism within
the party ranks, restore control by
the rank and file over lesser officials
and abolish election abuses.
The election of minor officials, here
tofore appointed, must be held annu
ally, except provincial party elections
which must be held every 18 months,
the Central Committee ordered, stat
ing at the same time that the Com
munist party would continue leader
ship of national affairs.
Correction of abuses, which the
committee said were rife in all pro
vincial organizations, may quiet the
discontent among rank and file mem
bers. observers believed.
The move also was believed to ex
plain, at least in part, the motives be
hind the two sensational treason trials
and executions which stripped the
nation of an able body of opposi
tionists.
> MISS DELANO MARRIED
_
Cousin of President Bride of A. W.
Patterson, Philadelphia.
NEW YORK. March « UP).—Miss
Leila Delano, a cousin of President
Roosevelt, was married at the Church
of the Incarnation yesterday to Arthur
Willing Patterson of Philadelphia.
The bride Is the daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Lyman Delano of New York and
Tarrytown * on * the - Hudson. Her
father is Chairman of the Atlantic
Coast line Railroad.
Waiting in Line to Pay Income Tax
This shows part of the big
crowds which filed through
the office of the deputy col
lector of internal revenue, at
Twelfth street and Constitu
tion avenue, today to file their
income tax returns and, if
necessary, pay their taxes.
This office will be open next
week for an extra half hour,
until 5 p.m. daily, except Sat
urday, when the closing time
will be 1 p.m., in order to
assist taxpayers. Returns are
due Monday midnight, March
15. —Star Staff Photo.
MILLIONAIRE HP
BIGGEST IN YEARS
Income Tax Figures Indi
cate Upturn in $1,000,000
Bracket.
Br the Associated Press.
Treasury officials forecast today
that the biggest crop of millionaires
In six years would file Income tax
returns this month.
Although they will not know defi
nitely until clerks have thumbed
through 1936 returns, officials said
the accelerated pace of the Nation's
business machinery last year Indi
cated an upturn in *1,000.000 incomes.
Forty-one millionaires were among
the 4,500.000 persons filing returns
last year If the millionaire class
was increased by 10 this year, it
would be the largest since 1931.
Classed by Incomes.
Millionaire*, as the Internal Rev
enue Bureau refer* to them, are per
sons with incomes of more than a
million dollars a year.
Altogether, officials estimated about
6,000,000 returns would be filed by
the March 15 deadline, including
500,000 or so from corporations. Of
the total returns, only about 55 to 60
per cent will be taxable.
All single persons with net income
of *1.000 or more and married per
sons with *3.500 or more must file
returns, regardless of whether they
are allowed sufficient deduction* to
avoid any tax payments.
4.806.660 in *5.000 Class.
If the recent trend is continued,
about 4,800.000 returns will be on
incomes of *5,000 or less. This group,
comprising 89 per cent of all indi
vidual returns, will account for only
about 7 per cent of tax collections,
however.
About 400.000 will fall in the (5,000
to $10,000 bracket. They also will
pay about 7 per cent of the aggregate
receipts from individual*.
The heaviest contribution is ex
pected from the class having incomes
from (50,000 to *100.000. There
probably will be only about 10.000 of
these, providing close to 17 per cent
of the total taxes.
-. ■ »
China to Use Waste Land.
To increase its rice production 30
per cent Kwantung Province f China
has authorized the utilization of waste
land through improved Irrigation.
Simpler U. S. Tax
Forms in Prospect,
But Not This Year
BT ih« Associated Press.
The Treasury sought yesterday
to take some of the headache out
of income tax returns.
Through the Internal Revenue
Bureau, it created a special com*
mittee to consider simplification
of the tax forms. The revenue
experts also will try to give the
taxpayer better information on
how returns should be made out.
Returns for 1938 are due by
March 15, and no changes in the
forms could be effective until
next year.
Monks on Strike
For Social Life
Defy Ultimatum
Steadfast in Demand
for !%#>!<' Abbot and
More Freedom.
| By the Associated Press.
CAIRO. Egypt. March 6 —Embat
tled monks of the Deir-el-Moharrak
Monastery rejected today an official
ultimatum to aurrender their desen
retreat and end a "stay-in” strike for
more social life and a new abbot.
More than 100 of the Coptic breth
ren. anus In their windowless, high
walled monastery, refused even to ad
mit a magistrate, who sought to cross
( their draw-bridge to confer.
First, the monks demanded, the un
popular abbot must resign.
Officials were faced apparently with
the alternative of ordering police to
attack the frowning 15-foot walls—a
move they had threatened.
The outcome of the strike was anx
iously awaited by another band of dis
satisfied monks at Deir-el-Anton lous.
on the Red Sea. If the atrike was suc
cessful. the second group of brothers
indicated they might try the same
tactics.
Social circulation of the Dier-el
Moharrak monks was recently cur
tailed by Abbot Sidarous when neigh
boring Moslem and Bedouin villagers
complained.
SUIT CONSIDERED
BY ESTEL TRADER
—
Son Say* Official* Were Negli
gent in Treating
■other.
BT Associated Prwu.
STOCKTON. Md.. March Ektel
i Trader, eldest son ot Mrs. Jeann»tte B.
j Trader, announced today he will con
! fer with his attorneys concerning the
: filing of a damage suit against the
; Worcester County authorities as a re
’ suit of his mother's death.
Trader was quoted In a Baltimore
Evening Sun dispatch as saying the
county authorities were guilty of
criminal negligence in their treat
ment of her and that negligence con
tributed to her death.
Mrs. Trader died on Wednesday
in a Salisbury hospital following an
abdominal operation. She had been
held In the Worcester County Jail un
til last Saturday on an indictment
charging her with the slaying of her
husband. Clarence J. Trader. Stockton
utility operator.
Trader also was quoted as saying
he had been informed by doctors that
if his mother had been hospitalized
sooner her life might have been saved
or at least 'her chances would have
been much better if the operation had
been performed sooner."
The son said he would confer about
the suit with Godfrey Child, former
State's attorney of Worcester County,
and John L. Sanford. Jr. The two
attorneys had been retained by Mrs.
Trader as counsel for her murder
trial. Child said any action would be
delayed until after the Inquest at
Salisbury next Saturday.
Charles J. Butler, chairman of the
State Board of Welfare, announced
he planned to ask permission to in
vestigate conditions In the county
J*ll.
Flames Burn Out on Vessel
Carrying Dynamite and Oil
BT th* AuoelitM Brets.
SAN FRANCISCO, March 8.—Fire
left the grounded ocean freighter
Ohioan a blackened hulk today when
flames in midship holds, fought all
night by a two-man bucket brigade,
burned out.
At daylight firemen were withdrawn
from their watch.
Capt. E. J. Mitchell, who bought the
wreck for salvage after It went
aground at Point Lobos in the Golden
Gate last October, made no estimate
of the loss. The salvage price was
83.SOO.
Mitchell said there were 130 sticks
of dynamite, a lame quantity of caps
and some 9.000 gallons of oil aboard.
By breeches buoy, the two reached
the freighter from nearby cliffs.
Only a hundred yard* away, on the
cliffs near the Sutro Baths, were many
of the city'a firemen, but Mitchell and
Phillips fought unaided.
Fire Chief Charles J. Brennan kept
his men on duty to guard the bath
buildings. Police, who feared a pos
sible blast on the vessel from the ex
plosives, kept watches several hun
dred yards from the point on shore
nearest the Ohioan.
In the clear night, breakers could
be seen washing over the stern.
The fire was started deliberately in
a refrigerator hold to destroy some
rotted meat. Watchman George
Mitchell came ashore last night over
the breeches buoy to sound the alarm
i when flames got beyond his eontraL
Asks Court to Halt Practice
of Law by American
Trust Co.
Pending in District Court today was
a suit on behalf of the District Bar
.association to enjoin the American
Security and Trust Co. from the un
authorized practice of law and to hold
It in contempt.
The action, filed late yesterday, was
the first move by the city’s independ
ent lawyer! against a trust institution,
although talk of a battle to restrict
the legal field to private practitioners
has been rife for some months.
Accompanying the trust company
action were two simitar injunction
suits, one against the Motorist Pro
tective Association and one against the
Metropolitan Motor Club, which also
were charged with invading the pro
hibited domain of legal practice.
All three suits were filed by the Bar
Association's Committee on the Sup
pression of the Unauthorized 'Practice
of Law, headed by Richarc L. Mer
rick. and were specifically authorized
by the board of directors.
The directors also empowered the
committee to investigate the activities
of the city's other trust companies with
a view to similar action if It is found
any one of them guilty of unauthorised
practice. A suit, however, must be
approved by the board before it is filed.
The American Security was charged
with holding out to the public by
means of newspaper advertisments
that it "possesses an intimate knowl
edge of tax laws and how to deal with
them, and many other complexities
which surround the settling and man
agement of estates of living persons
and decedents.”
ay means oi sucn representations,
the trust company has "induced" many
persons to consult It on matters of
law relating to estate, inheritance
and other taxes, the handling of es
tates and the provisions of trust
agreements and wills, the committee
told the court.
Believing that the trust institution
was invading the realm of iega' prac
tice, which is barred to corporations,
the committee warned the concern,
the suit stated, but American Se
curity refused to "cease and desist."
The court was asked to enjoin the
corporation from practicing law "either
directly or indirectly" and to hold it
In contempt of court for past offenses.
In addition, the attorneys asked for
a declaratory judgment defining the
proper sphere of such an institution.
Both motor clubs were charged with
telling contracts by which they agreed
to provide legal services fo.- motorists
in traffic law violations and in dam
age suits arising out of automobile
accidents.
The committee asked that both be
held in contempt and enjoined.
-•
HAZEN AND ALLEN
WILL BE HONORED
District Employes to Hold Ban
quet at Mayflower Hotel
March 22.
Commissioners Melvin C Hazen and
George E. Allen are to be honored
by District employes at a banquet
at the Mayflower Hotel March 22, at
7:30 p.m., in celebration of their re
appointment tor second terms.
More than 600 District workers and
their guests are expected to attend,
according to report* of the early de
mands for tickets. The number of
guests is to be limited to 650.
The thought of the celebration came
from numerous employes of municipal
departments, shortly after President
Roosevelt nominated the two for sec
ond terms in January.
Special guests invited are Senators
£*g of Utah, Thomas of Oklahoma
and Capper of Kansas, and Repre
sentatives Norton of New Jersey and
Collins of Mississippi. It Is expected
they will make brief talks. E. Barrett
Prettyman, former corporation coun
sel. will be toastmaster.
An entertainment program is being
planned by MaJ. E. W. Brown, superin
tendent of police.
1H ATTACKS
COURT PUN FOES
Lawyers and Technical
Phrases Blamed for Be
wilderment.
By 'trlaied Press.
NEW YORK. March 6 —Gen. Hugh
3. Johnson, in a strongly-worded in
dorsement last night of the President *
contemplated Supreme Court changes,
declared the purpose was to prevent
an evil fetred by makers of the Con
stitution.
"They were seeking first to pre
vent any dictatorship," the former
N. R. A. administrator said, referring
to the constitutional system of checks
and balances controlling powers ol
the three branches of Government.
Most of the argument against the
proposed changes, he added, has been
made by lawyers "and on a branch
of law where not one out of 10 law
yers, and not one layman out of a
million, has practical experience.
"Therefore, the air can resound
with technical phrases and profes
sional prophesies of disaster and the
bewildered layman cant call the
bluff. Yet. honestly stated, the const!
tutional question is not too difflcu)
for the simplest schoolboy.”
Pewer Over Court.
The outspoken retired Army office!
said makers of the Constitution gave
power to Congress to Impeach th<
President, power to the President t'
veto an act of Congress and power
to the court to invalidate a statute.
"But what power did they give to
Congress and the President to check
the court? They gave power, all right
They made it even more clear than the
power of the court to check the Con
gress. That power was to Congress to
fix the number of Judges in the court'
Gen. Johnson said the Supreme
Court, "especially recently, often
throws an act of Congress into the
ash can ’ and had seriously retarded
the Roosevelt administration's liberal
legislation, which he said was wanted
by a majority of the people.
"It is no change of the rules that is
being proposed," Gen. Johnson said
regarding the President's proposals.
'It is applying the very rules laid down
by the Constitution to be used in
exactly this case and to prevent exactly
this evil.”
Troth Between Extreme*.
"The President * plan to liberalize
the court is getting more words than
the Lindbergh kidnaping. According
to its enemies, it couldn’t be worse if it
were a bill to abolish mothers, change
the flag to red and burn the Bible.
"According to some of its friends.
it is Moses coming round the moun
tain with the tables of the law—not
Intended to influence the court at
*11. but only to sort of boost it along
so it can get its Spring chorea done.
As usual, the truth lies in between the
extreme ballyhoo on both sides. The .
President's proposal is simply that, if
a judge gets to be more than 70 yean
old, he can retire on full pay.
’’Now, no judge is compelled to re
tire. He can sit there deciding thf
fate of the Nation until he is as old
as Methuselah and as ready to fail
span as the one-horse shay.
"If judges choose to stay altar then
allotted span of life, the President
can nominate an additional judge for
each stayer—not exceeding six—and.
if the Senate says he u okay, be will
be appointed—not to replace or in
terfere with the older man—but to
make up for his failing powers and
bring in a fresher view point. It
certainly is important to keep that
court alert and alive to developments
In this country." he declared.
YOUTH HELD KEY
TO U. S. DEMOCRACY
Dr. Bohn Says Fascism to Follow
Unless Younger Generation
Thrives.
If America! youth doesn't get bread
andr butter under democracy it will
turn Fascist. Dr. Frank Bohn, lec
turer and writer, told his audience in
the Mayflower Hotel yesterday.
Speaking under the auspices of the
Lecture Guild. Inc, Dr. Born opened
his senes of Friday morning lectures
with "The Revolutionary Triangle."
communism, fascism and democracy,
as his topic
Citing the example of Huey Long
and the more recent sit-down strikes,
he asserted that democracy must be
rebuilt organically and urged his
listeners to have as great faith In
democracy as youth in the dictator
ship countries has in its dictators.
Dismissing Russia and Italy, Dr.
Bohn thought Germany, with its "sol
dier socialism,” the main danger to
peace.
"Communism is a passing phase."
he said. "Russia is now between
fascism and democracly. In my opin
ion. it will be Fascist in five years if
we have a period of peace. The theory
that communism will strike at the
heart of the United States is pre
posterous. The doctrine, as I have
said, is a passing phase.”
Dr. Bohn also depicted the terrorism
employed against the enemies of Hit
ler, the older people and the churches.
Sailor
(Continued From First Page.)
couldn't pay for any of the articles—
either now or at the time he ordered
them
Detective William Peters arrested
Lonas on the basts of the big grocery
bill. Investigating, Peters said he
found Lonas had given the staggering
list tc the store manager, to be paid
by check on delivery to the new home
today. Lonas had put down $40 on
the $10,000 home, the detective said.
Further investigating, Peters added,
disclosed the remaining articles the
tailor had ordered. The automobile
salesman said Lonas disliked the color
of the new sedan—and the salesman
obligingly had it repainted.
Lonas told police first they said,
that he came from New Orleans, and
repeated the story the merchants
attributed to him—that, today, he
would receive a $33,000 "inheritance"
from his "wife’s” people.
In his possession, when he was
arrested at a local hotel, were several
false mustaches and a blackjack. His
automohile tags were traced to his
Annapolis address.
The tractor purchase interested De
tective Peters. He questioned Lonas
and learned the sailor had planned
to use the tractor and the farm im
plements to fix the lawn around his
new home.
Police here turned Lonas over to
naval authorities who returned him
to Annapolis.