Evening star. [volume], March 31, 1937, Page B-1, Image 19

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

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Washington News
WASHINGTON, D. G, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 1937., ***,PAGE B—1
ROOSEVELT SPURS
RETURN OF WAGE
LAW IN DISTRICT
Backs Application of Pay
Minimum for Men, Women
and Children.
QUERIES CUMMINGS ON
STATUS OF OLD ACT
Seal Reassures Business That No
Precipitate Action Will
Be Taken.
Declaring himself in favor of a
District minimum wage law that would
benefit children and men as well as
women. President Roosevelt announced
late yesterday that he would ask At
torney General Cummings for an
opinion as to whether the legislation
Invalidated by the Supreme Court in
1923 is still on the statute books.
If the law has been removed from
the books, the President told his press
conference, he intends to take steps at
once to have it returned, with any
necessary amendments. And if a new
law is needed, he added. Congress
should begin ork on it immediately.
From Corporation Counsel Elwood
H Seal, however, eame assurances
that, there will be no precipitate action
in re-establishing the old District
Minimum Wage Board. He made his
statement in response to inquiries
from many business concerns anxious
to know what effect, if any, the
Supreme Court's ruling Monday on
the Washington State minimum wage
law would have on the situation here.
Commissioner George E. Allen said
he was ''whole-heartedly in favor" of
Mr. Roosevelt's suggestion that any
minimum wage law should apply to
men, as well as women and children.
His attitude indicated the Board of
Commissioners would consider seri
ously such a recommendation in the
event it was definitely decided to in
troduce a new minimum wage bill for J
the District.
Commissioner Melvin C. Hazen was
Confined to his home with a cold and
could not be reached for a statement.
sees Need of New Measure.
Seal was inclined to the opinion
that a new measure should be drafted.
At the direction of the Commissioners
he is preparing a formal opinion,
which probably will be submitted with
such a recommendation within the
week.
The corporation counsel's office
meanwhile was being flooded with
calls from hotel and restaurant men
and heads of other business estab
lishments employing a great number
of women. The Hotel Men's Associa
tion was in session yesterday and
wished information from the corpora
tion counsel's office for guidance.
Seal assured them that the Su
preme Court decision would not have
a retroactive effect and there is no
likelihood of the old law. which has
never been repealed, being made ef
fective immediately.
He is making a careful study of the
Children's Hospital action, which
caused the Supreme Court to declare
the District minimum wage law un
constitutional. The Supreme Court i
ruled then that Children's Hospital
could not be compelled to comply with
the law and issued a permanent in
junction against the Minimum Wage
Board.
Could Refuse to Comply.
It would be possible for Children's
Hospital again to refuse to comply
with the orders of a board if the old
law is re-enacted without change. If
the hospital should raise the question
of res adjudicata, claiming exemption
under a 14-year-old injunction, Seal
Indicated that it might prevent en
forcement of the law so far as the
Institution is concerned.
He brought up the issue to point
out the possible need of revising the
present law.
There is also the question of fixing
new minimum wages as a standard
in protecting the "health and morals”
of women workers, as prescribed in
the old law.
Much water has passed over the
flam in the 14 years since the Mini
mum Wage Board was dissolved. Seal
pointed out, and a $16.50 minimum
wage in 1918 or 1923 might not be
considered sufficient under changed
conditions today. These and other
matters must be considered, as well
as the preparation of an "air-tight”
bill before the law can be made oper
ative again.
Mr. Roosevelt is of the opinion that
the new law should be so phrased as
to “go the whole hog and include men
as well as women.” The President
added that children workers also
should be provided for in such legis
lation.
-■ ' ■■■ •
DR. WILLIAM A. WHITE
WILL FILED IN PROBATE
Assets Valued at $9,000 in Addi
tion to Interest in Publish
ing House.
Dr. William A. White, late superin
tendent of St. Elizabeth’s Hospital,
Who died March 7, left an estate
valued at $9,000, in addition to his
Interest in a New York publishing
concern, it was revealed in District
Court today. His will, which was filed
a few days ago, designated Mrs. Lola
White, his widow, as his sole bene
ficiary.
Through Attorney Frederick A. Pen
ning, Mrs. White told the court her
husband owned real estate in Eastern
Massachusetts worth $3,000 and had
$6,000 due him from the Government
retirement fund and back pay.
She said he was a partner with
Smith E. Jelliffe in a New York book
publishing business, the value of
which was not estimated.
302d Snake Bite Fatal.
John Henry Gordon, who was snake
expert at the Empire Exhibition in
Johannesburg, South Africa, defied
the bite of a snake once too often.
The other day he got his 301st bite,
this time from a speckled cobra. Still
he laughed and survived. Back among
his snakes, he was bitten again by tw
cobra. The 302d bite was fatal. W
CHURCHES ASKED
TO HELP DRIVE
Requested to Give Support
to Citizens’ Mass Meet
ing Sunday.
CAMPAIGN OPENED
BY NEWBOLD NOYES
Associate Editor of The Star De
scribes Plight of Those
Denied Relief.
Washington’s churches were asked
today to give their support to the
“citizens’ mass meeting on behalf of
the unemployed.” to be held Sunday
at 4:30 p.m. at the First Congrega
tional Church, Tenth and G streets.
A request to bring the plight of the
“able jobless” before their congrega
tions was contained in letters sent out
to pastors of churches of all denomi
nations, both white and colored.
The clergy also was asked to dele
gate representatives to attend the
meeting, at which the problems of the
unemployed will.be presented in the
hope of alleviating their distress.
Acceptances Reported.
Meanwhile, it was revealed by
Canon Anson Phelps Stokes, in charge
of arrangements for the meeting, that
acceptances have been received from
at least 40 of the Capital's leading
citizens.
They represent social agencies, busi
ness organizations and civic groups
of all kinds. Not a single person who
has been asked to sponsor the meeting
has declined.
Service groups throughout the city
are co-operating. Charles M. Fyfe laid
the plan before the Optimist Club yes
terday, and Canon Stokes will present
the situation to the Rotary Club to
day. Clark Corliss will speak before
the Junior Board of Commerce to
morrow, and Harry Hites will bring the
matter before the Cosmopolitan Club.
The Soroptimist and Kiwanis Clubs
will be addressed by their respective
presidents.
The campaign was opened last night
by Newbold Noyes, assocfate editor
of The Star, in an address over
Station WMAL on “Radio Joe” Kauf
man's program.
Plight of Jobless Told.
Mr. Noyes told of the plight of 3,000
employable men and women not eligible
for public relief and unable to obtain
work. He explained how private wel
fare agencies, already aiding as many
families as their limited- budgets would
permit, were compelled to turn away
these 3.000 employables, who, with
their families, represent approximately
10.000 persons.
The speaker described in detail the
problems of these persons—insani
tary living conditions, with entire fam
ilies crowded into one room; their lack
of food, fuel and even clothing which
would permit their children to attend
school.
Recalling his own research work of
several years ago. when he was presi
dent of the Community Chest, Mr.
Noyes deplored conditions that made
some “scavenge” the city’s garbage
pails for remnants of spoiled food.
He urged Washington's citizens, for
the sake of these people and for their
own sakes, to turn out for the mass
meeting and help the committee do
something to mitigate a desperate sit
uation.
Chairman Coleman Jennings has
called a meeting of the entire com
mittee at 4 p.m. today, at the Family
Service Association, when further
plans will be discussed.
-•-*
CONFESSION IS CLAIMED
IN IMPORTANT THEFTS
Cases Involving Robberies Total
ing $3,000 From Fashionable
Homes Thought Solved.
Donald Ward Prendergast, 23, ar
rested at his home on Sherman Cir
cle Blaster Sunday in connection with
a series of residence robberies in the
last month, last night confessed to
seven of the housebreakings, police
said, after one of his victims, Justice
William J. Graham of the United
States Court of Customs and Patent
Appeals, identified about $350 worth of
property stolen from his home.
Detective Sergt. Robert Bryant, one
of the officers who arrested Prender
gast, said the youth confessed to rob
beries totaling about $3,000 from
fashionable homes in the Northwest
section.
Police said other victims included
Henry Berliner, president of the En
gineering & Ftesearch Corp., 2841 Til
den street ; John P Morris, 5719 Kan
sas avenue, and Claude A. Smith, 3532
Park place.
TELEGRAPH PROMOTION
Bruce R. Allen Made Western
Union Superintendent.
Bruce R. Allen, for five years gen
eral sales manager of the Western
Union Telegraph Co., has been ap
pointed to the newly-created office
of superintendent and executive rep
resentative of the company here, it
was announced today. The appoint
ment will become effective tomorrow.
A native of Kentucky, Allen en
tered the company service at Cin
cinnati and has served continuously
for over 20 years, with the exception
of a period of service in the World
War.
“BIFF” JONES TO RETIRE
Will Leave Army to Become Ne
braska Athletic Director.
Maj. Lawrence McC. (Biff) Jones,
Field Artillery, will be retired from
the Army at his own request May 31,
the War Department announced to
day.
He is retiring to take the post of
foot ball coach and athletic director
at the University of Nebraska. Maj.
Jones has had 20 years of milltagy
service. ®
Fort Myer Historical Pageant Takes on Regal Air
Left: Mrs. James T. Duke, in the role of Empress Josephine,
as she will appear in the pageant, ‘‘Hoof Prints,” to be staged at
Fort Myer tomorrow. Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.
Right: A group of actors. Kneeling. Peggy Tuckerman.
Standing, left to right—Lucy Proctor, Natalie Southerland, Alice
Frink and Barbara Koenig.
Lower: Some of the clowns who will appear in the pageant.
Photos taken last night at dress rehearsal. —Star Staff Photos.
Shot Employer
MISS HAZEL IRENE TADLOCK.
—Star Staff Photo.
EMPLOYER SHOT;
GIRU9JS ED
Wages Two Weeks Overdue,
She Tells Police After
Capture.
Accused of shooting her employer,
John S. McCauley, 32, moving com
pany operator, through the arm in
a quarrel over back wages, Miss Hazel
Irene Tadlock, 19-year-old stenog
rapher, is being held at the Women’s
Bureau today pending the outcome of
his injuries.
McCauley, who was shot yesterday
in his office, at 1762 Columbia road, is
in Garfield Hospital. Physicians said
the bone in his right arm was shat
tered by a .32-cabiler bullet, but they
do not consider his condition serious.
Police arranged to have an X-ray
examination made at Gallinger Hos
pital today to determine whether Miss
Tadlock's jaw was fractured in the
quarrel. She was treated, following
her arrest, for bruises on her Jaw and
arms.
Miss Tadlock came to Washington
recently from Briceville, Tenn., and
was engaged by McCauley as a ste
nographer during the day and as a
nursemaid for his 3-year-old child
in the evening, she told Detective R.
L. Jones of the tenth precinct.
Her salary was two weeks overdue,
she said, and when she asked Mc
Cauley to pay her yesterday, he struck
her, the girl told Jones. She grabbed
the revolver and fired one shot, she
said.
After the shooting Miss Tadlock
fled. McCauley, his arm streaming
blood, was in close pursuit, police said.
She was captured at Ontario and Co
lumbia roads by Jones.
Mrs. McCauley was not at home
when the shooting occurred, and Jones
said he intended to question her today.
HEADS LAW REVIEW
Washington Man Honored at Uni
versity of Virginia.
William L. Williams of Washington
has been elected editor-in-chief of the
University of Virginia Law Review at
Charlottesville, Va., it was learned to
day.
Williams is the son of Mrs. W. W.
Williams of the Wardman Puk Hotel.
He is a graduate at Yale UUMorsity.
I
I
TO SEE BLOOMS
—
City Heads Ask Citizens to
Extend Welcome to Fete
April 8.
Indicating the »cope of Washing
ton's annual cherry blossom festival
April 8. the Commissioners today is
sued a proclamation addressed to "the
citizens of the United States of Amer
ica,’’ containing an invitation to the
Nation to attend the annual celebra
tion.
Meanwhile, C. Marshall Finnan, Na
tional Capital Parks superintendent,
announced that continued cold
weather probably would delay the best
showing of the single blossoms until
April 11. He added, however, that the
change would not alter plans for the
festival unless unseasonably cool
weather prevails for the next week. In
a long-range prediction, parks au
thorities had originally set the height
of the blossom season between April
4 and 11.
•ine commissioners proclamation
follows in part:
"In furtherance of this proclama
tion, we invite the citizens of Wash
ington to extend a welcome to their
relatives and friends without Wash
ington to visit the Nation’s Capital
during the period of Cherry Blossom
week. It will be quite fitting that each
of our citizens constitute himself a
committee of one to this end and
further manifest enthusiastic interest
by the flying of flags, the setting up
of displays and other outward mani
festations of welcome to our fellow
Americans, giving them assurance that
there is always a welcome and ac
commodations In plenty for the new
comer within our gates.
"It has been our further pleasure
to advise the municipal authorities of
the City of Tokio of this celebration
and of our continuing happiness with
their bounty of Japanese cherry blos
soms.”
Copies of the proclamation were
sent to all trade, civic and labor or
ganizations in the District which are
co-operating in making Cherry Blos
som week, April 4-11, the most suc
cessful in its history.
The Advertising Club of Washing
ton announced today it had approved
a program of co-operation in the festi
val. It issued suggestions to members
for window displays and other
measures emphasizing Cherry Blossom
week.
CHARLES SHOEMAKER, 84,
BANKER’S FATHER, DIES
Services Will Be Held at Gawler’s
Tomorrow—Burial in Oak
Hill Cemetery.
Charles Edward Shoemaker, 84, of
4848 Wisconsin avenue, father of C.
Wendel Shoemaker, manager of the
Potomac branch of the Hamilton Na
tional Bank, died yesterday in a local
hospital. He had been ill several
months.
A native of Montgomery County,
Md., Mr. Shoemaker engaged in farm
ing until about 25 years ago, when he
retired and moved to Washington.
Besides his son he leaves his widow,
Mrs. Elisabeth Wendel Shoemaker; a
sister, Mrs. Margaret Dean, American
University Park, Md., and a brother,
William Shoemaker, residing in Mont
gomery County, near Bethesda. He
also leaves two granddaughters.
Funeral services will be held at 2
p.m. tomorrow in Gawler’s chapel,
1750 Pennsylvania avenue^Burial will
be in Oak Hill Cemetery. ™
Oldest Grocer in V. S. Calls
On Roosevelt at White House
Maine Tradesman Re
calls Visit to D. C. 63
Years Ago.
The oldest grocer In the United
States called on President Roosevelt
today. He comes from Maine, but
skirted the question of politics and
confined his talk to a description of
the days when the grocery store was
the neighborhood meeting house and
the grocer sold 10 barrels of molasses
to one barrel of granulated sugar.
Albert A. Cole is the name of this
patriarch of his trade. He is 84 years
old and has been at the business of
selling coffee, tea and other com
modities for 73 years and 8 months—
in fact, ever since July 4, 1863, when
Abraham Lincoln delivered his Gettys
burg address.
Cole, who talks quietly and leisurely,
looked out of his Willard Hotel room
before he went over to the White
House and recalled that he came to
Washington 63 years ago for his 21st
birthday anniversary.
“Stayed right in this hotel,” he said,
"although it’s been changed a good
bit.”
He came to Washington on the
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad from Jer
sey City after crossing the Hudson
by ferry, the same route he used last
night.
When he made that first trip,
during some miserable December
weather, he had been in the grocery
business 10 years. He went to work
for his father, Rotheus M. Cole, when
he was 11, for $1.50 a week. Now
he arises every day at 6 am. and
thrice weekly visits his store, half of
which is modernized and half of
which retains a cracker-barrel at
mosphere.
"He does all the bookkeeping,” said
Hiram, his 260-pound son, who 10
years ago followed in his father's foot
steps by serving a term in the Maine
Legislature.
"But I tell you,” went on Hiram,
the chief prop in the Cole grocery
business of the 1930's, “pa likes to
putter around home. He likes to mend
chairs. I tell you, we must have 60
old chairs around the house. I go out
and buy them up so pa can mend the
seats, and they certainly do ac
cumulate.”
"Yes, I don’t really work very hard,”
said the elder Cole, “but I have got a
good memory.”
Cole was designated as the oldest
grocer after a three-month search by
the National Retail Grocers’ Associa
tion, which Is paying bis expenses on
his travels. Tonight b». returns to
New York with Hiram,*who knows
ALBERT A. COLE.
—Star Staff Photo.
Washington pretty well because he
went to school at Episcopal High
School, in Alexandria.
-—-•-——
Five-Year Plan to Start.
South Africa will launch immedi
ately a five-year plan involving the
expenditure of between $20,000,000
and $25,000,000 for the development of
telegraph and telephone communica
tions.
FLAYS MEMORIAL
Jefferson Project Would Be
Misfit, Says Architec
ture Staff.
The staff of the School of Archi
tecture at Columbia University today i
joined critics of plans for the projected
Thomas Jefferson Memorial, declaring
the structure as now proposed would
be a “lamentable misfit both in time
and place.”
The New York architects declared
the design for the memorial should
have been selected through a na
tional competition to “give the creative
genius of America an opportunity of
expressing itself."
The letter, addressed to Charles (
Moore, chairman of the Pine Arts j
Commission, follows:
“My dear Mr. Moore:
"We, the undersigned members of
the staff of the School of Architecture,
; Columbia University, herewith register
an emphatic protest against the erec
tion of the Jefferson Memorial in Po
tomac Park, Washington, D. C., ac
cording to the present proposed plans.
“We protest especially the fact that
the design of this great monument, to
be built with national funds for a na
tional hero, was chosen without a
Nation-wide competition or series of
competitions. Only by a system of
open competition can the creative
genius of America find an opportunity ;
of expressing itself as to what the
character and form of such a monu
ment should be. Only in this way can
architects, painters and sculptors for
this magnificent enterprise be chosen
on a basis of merit and creative ability
rather than by arbitrary and restricted
preference.
“We protest also because we feel i
that the chief objective of any such |
memorial is to express and to com
memorate the character of Thomas
Jefferson, the great statesman and
educator, who was such a powerful
and liberating influence during the
formative period of America, not only
as a liberal Democrat, but also as a
progressive architect. We believe that
the monument, if built as now pro
jected, would be a lamentable misfit
both in time and place.
“(Signed) Leopold Amaud, acting
dean; C. C. Briggs, Carl Feiss, Donald
Fletcher. Talbot Hamlin, William H.
Hayes. John C. B. Moore. Eugene Ras
kin. Kenneth Smith, Edgar I. Wil
liams.”
BALL IS TOMORROW
Sons of Confederate Veterans In
vite Distinguished Guests.
Many distinguished guests have
been invited to the annual benefit ball
of Camp No. 305, Sons of Confederate
Veterans, at the Willard Hotel to
morrow night. The dance will be the
camp's twenty-ninth annual celebra
tion.
Proceeds will go to a Confederate
Memorial Hall fund and for general
relief. Those in charge of arrange
ments include Gordon W. Wilkins,
commander of the camp; W. F. Van
Swearingen, W. W. Prioe, Elton O.
Pillow, Benjamin Grady and Mrs.
Fred Louis Volland.
Die in Traffic Crashes
Left to right: Sally Jennings, John Grassi and, Jack Persh
ing Boone, whawere killed in two traffic crashes in the District
and nearby V^ginia last night. 4
TRIO DIE AS TOLL
OF TRAFFIC HERE
Youth and Girl Victims of
Motor Cycle on Mount
Vernon Boulevard.
STREET CAR KILLS
CHEF IN NORTHEAST
Inquest Today in Death of Fire
man Richardson, Victim of
Engine-Taxi Crash.
Three Washingtonians were killed
last night as a result of two traffic
accidents, one of them in the District
and the other in nearby Virginia. The
District fatality brought the traffic toll
to 37.
Jack Pershing Boone, 20, of 1520
Sixth street, and Sally Jennings, 17,
of 824 B street northeast, a senior
at Eastern High School, died at
Emergency Hospital soon after their
speeding motor cycle crashed head-on
into an automobile on the curve in
the Mount Vernon Boulevard at Capi
tol Overlook.
Boone, who was one of 11 children,
was driving, and Muss Jennings was
riding on one of a fleet of seven south
collided head-on with the automobile
driven by Franklin A. Huguley, 22, of
30 Rhode Island avenue, a plumber's
assistant.
Connecticut Girl Hurt.
Miss Ellen Schappa, 21. of Hartford.
Conn., a passenger in Huguley's car,
received minor cuts.
Huguley was exonerated at a hear
ing today before United States Com
missioner John Barton Phillips in
Alexandria.
John Grassi, 40. of 630 Orleans
place, a chef, died in Casualty Hos
pital a few minutes after he was
struck by a street car as he crossed
the street in the middle of the 600
block of H street northeast.
Daniel M. Crockett, 63, motorman
of the tram, was released in custody
of officials of the Capital Transit Co.
pending an inquest.
Grassi is survived by his widow.
Josephine, and two children, Orlando
and Doris.
In another mishap today. 8-year
old Joseph Foley, 13 Sixth street
northeast, was cut severely by flying
glass when an automobile operated
by his grandmother, Mrs. Lena Mae
Holloman. 50. and an Army ambu
lance collided at Eleventh and B
streets southeast. The boy was taken
to Casualty Hospital.
The ambulance, driven by Pvt. Al
bert W. Coombs of the Army Medical
Center, was en route to Bolling Field
to pick up a patient.
An inquest into the traffic death
March 9 of Sergt. V. C. Richardson.
39, of 2811 Myrtle avenue northeast,
fireman attached to No, 17 engine
company, was being held today.
Injured in Collision.
Richardson died as a result of in
juries received in a collision between
a fire engine and a taxicab at Thir
teenth and Irving streets northeast.
The engine was speeding to answer
an alarm in the 1200 block of Rhode
Island avenue northeast.
Bernard Brown. 23. of 3105 Four
teenth street northeast, driver of the
cab, has been free in $1,000 bond on
charges of reckless driving.
—-•
RETIRED HORSEMAN,
B. F. M’CAULLY, DIES
Native of Pennsylvania. Wlv
Came Here as Young Man,
Well Known.
Benjamin Franklin McCaully, 81, ol
2006 Columbia road, well-known deal
er in horses here many years ago.
died early today after an illness of
about two weeks.
Funeral services will be held at 2:30
p.m. Friday at Chambers’ undertak
w-mr-wHoe ■■
B. F. McCaully.
i n g establish
ment, Fourteenth
and Chapin
streets. Rev. W.
M. Michael,
chaplain of
Stansbury Ma
sonic Lodge, of
which Mr. Mc
Caully was a
member, will of
ficiate.
Born in Leb
anon, Pa., Mr.
McCaully came
to Washingt o n
when a young
man and engaged
in the livery Business, as a driver
of fancy horses and rigs, he won
many prizes in the horse show rings
of those days. As a dealer, he fur
nished many handsome spans of
horses for the social and diplomatic
set. He later engaged in the garage
business, but had been retired for
some time.
Mr. McCaully was an active mem
ber of the Association of Oldest In
habitants, and one of its vice presi
dents.
He is survived by his widow, Mrs.
Annie S. McCaully; a son, William
H. McCaully, Winnetka, HI.; two
daughters, Mrs. James H. Collins,
Hollywood, Calif., and Mrs. H. M.
Krarup of this city, and a grand
daughter, Vita Krarup.
SPELLERS TO GO ON AIR
Seventh and Eighth Grade Cham
pionship Saturday Night.
Launching a series of spelling
matches to pick the champion spell
ing team of Washington and vicinity
from among seventh and eighth grade
pupils, a contest will be broadcast
over Station WOL Saturday night
from 7 to 8 o’clock.
The matches are being arranged by
E. C. Helm, president of the Capital
City Spelling Club. Any school is eli
gible for participation.
The first contest will be between a
team from the Mount Rainier-Brent
wood School ^nd representatives of
Langley Juni^f High School.