Evening star. [volume], April 05, 1937, Image 1

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

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WEATHER. '
(U S Weather Bureau Forecast.) V The Only eVeTlillg Paper
Occasional rain tonight and tomorrow, 1 • nynriv;„ . fi
slightly warmer; lowest temperature to- ^ Washington With the
night ■ about 55 degrees; fresh winds, ■ \ ■ V_ Associated PreSS NeWS
mostly southeast. Temperatures—High- ■ ■ ■ _ j ttt-_v , r,
est, 58. at noon today; lowest, 46, at mid- ■ A' ■ ■ and WirephotO Services.
night. Full report on page A-10.
?.^T,,.*.,?AT',, llfi 14? SUNDAY’S 140 A91
Closing New York Markets t Page 16 (Some returns not jet'received.)
85th YEAR. No. 33,912. WASHINGTON, D. C., MONDAY, APRIL 5, 1937—THIRTY-FOUR PAGES. '***♦ <*> M„n. A..oci.t.d Pr..., TWO CENTS.
Substitute Directed Spe
cifically at “Stay-Ins” in
All Industries.
ROBINSON OPPOSED
TO NEW PROPOSAL
Says Issue Should Be “Considered
on Merits,’’ Apart From
Coal Measure.
Br the Associated Press.
Senator Byrnes, Democrat, of
South Carolina today withdrew his
controversial anti-sit-down strike
amendment to the Guffey-Vinson coal
bill and offered a substitute directed
specifically at sit-downs.
Byrnes’ new proposal would add to
other declarations of labor policy
In the bill a statement that “it is
the sense of Congress that the so
called sit-down strike is illegal and
contrary to public policy.”
The first amendment has been di
rected technically only against sit
downs in the coal industry.
The new one, broader in scope,
would have the restriction that Con
gress “only presumes to speak for
strikes in industries” within the juris
diction of the Federal Government.
Applied to Coal Industry.
The amendment which Byrnes of
fered last week and which resulted
In prolonged debate when an effort
was made to send it to committee
did not specifically limit the anti
sit-down declaration to industries
within Federal jurisdiction, but was
applicable exclusively to the coal in
dustry.
It did not mention the sit-down di
rectly, but would have made it
•gainst public policy for a coal em
ploye to remain on his employer's
property after having ceased to work
there and after having been served
with wrritten notice to leave.
Byrnes acted after leaders had pre
dicted, over the week end, that the
Senate eventually would vote a
•harp denunciation of the new strike
technique.
Robinson Seeks Withdrawal.
Majority Leader Robinson imme
diately sought withdrawal of Byrnes'
new proposal, arguing that the sit
down issue ought to be "considered on
Its merits" apart from the coal con
trol bill.
He promised that, if the two issues
were separated he would support de
bate of the sit-down question as soon
as the coal bill was out of the way.
Robinson declared “lawlessness is
not confined to the employes alone”
and that “employers also have resort
ed to practices not founded in law or
sound public policy.”
“Any declaration we may make
•hould consider these facts." he con
tended, adding that some employers
were now following "well-known"
.practices which "are not calculated to
promote peace in the labor world."
Bill unerea in Mouse.
While the fight over this question
was getting under way in the Senate,
Representative Hoffman, Republican,
of Michigan, introduced in the House
a bill to make illegal all sit-down
strikes In interstate or foreign com
merce.
He would force all unions in inter
state or foreign commerce to register
with the Secretary of Labor, elect their
officers by popular vote and submit
financial reports yearly.
The unions also would be subject
to execution of judgments and be
denied any right to seize property.
Hoffman proposed a maximum
penalty of $5,000 fine or one year in
Jail, or both, for violations.
At the same time, he issued a
statement charging Gov. Frank Mur
phy, of Michigan, with "standing be
hind the lawless element in the
strikes.” Murphy served as an arbiter
in Michigan's automobile sit-down
strike.
Explains Substitution.
Byrnes, explaining his substitution
action in the Senate, said he offered
the new amendment to meet objections
of Senators who wanted condemnation
of sit-downs to apply to all inter
state Industries, rather than to coal
alone.
Robinson warned the Senate if
Byrnes refused to withdraw his new
amendment he, himself, would vote
against it. He said, "there has been
fair progress in establishing peace in
(See”Sn^DOWNTPage' A-2.)
JOHN ROOSEVELT
ENGAGEMENT DENIED
Mother Explains Long Friendship
Between Her Son and Miss
Anne Clark.
Ths young debutante. Miss Anne
Clark of Boston, who appeared with
John Roosevelt at the Hasty Pudding
Club performance at the Belasco last
night, is an old friend of the Roose
velt family and played with John when
they were children. Mrs. Roosevelt dis
closed at her press conference today.
The President has known her family
for years, she said, since the parents
of Miss Clark's mother have a home
at Campobello, where the President's
family long have maintained a Sum
mer residence. '
Of rumors of an engagement be
tween her son John and Miss Clark,
she said:
“As far as I know, John is not en
gaged to any one.”
Ticket Deadline Set
Reservations lor the opening
game of the Washington base
ball club, on April 19 not called
for at the Seventh street and
Florida avenue office of the club
before 6 o'clock tomorrow evening
will be canceled, it was an
nounced today. The Nationals
will meet the Philadelphia Ath
letics in the first game.
Sculptor Branded Murderer
In Beekman Hill Slayings
18,000 Policemen Or
dered to Hunt Gedeon
Slaying Suspect.
BACKGROUND—
Veronica Gedeon, 20-year-old
New York model: her mother,
Mary, and a roomer, Frank Byrnes,
were found murdered Easter morn
ing in their apartment by the
father, Joseph Gedeon, who was
estranged from his wife. The
father since has been questioned,
as have others, but no definite
clues have been uncovered.
By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, April 5.—Police today
branded Robert Irwin, 29-year-old
sculptor and divinity student, the
murderer in the triple slayings Easter
morning on Beekman Hill as they sent
out a general alarm for his arrest.
"Arrest for triple homicide this city
Robert 'Bob’ Irwin, last known ad
dress 36 State street. Canton, N Y„”
said Police Commissioner Lewis J.
Valentine's general alarm to all 18.000
New York police officers as detectives
watched subways, railroad stations, air
fields and all transportation lines.
Irwin, recently ’’asked to lpave" St.
LawTence University at Canton, N.
Y„ after taking a mental treatment
three years in the Rockland State
Hospital at Orangeburg, N. Y„ was
last seen in the city on "Good Friday,"
two days before the murders in the
Gedpon apartment on East Fifty-third
street.
Irwin w’as believed hitch-hiking
to Philadelphia or Washington.
Dr. Russell E. Blaisdell, superinten
dent of the Rockland State Hospital,
ROBERT IRWIN.
said that Robert Irwin was admitted
to the hospital from Bellevue Hos
pital in July, 1933, and was discharged
in July of 1936.
Irwin made several busts of other
patients while at the Rockland Hos
pital, Dr. Blaisdell said, and discussed
with him his plan to study theology
at St. Lawrence University.
The police switched most of their
efforts to finding Irwin for question
ing as a report persisted that a
weapon, such as might have been
used in the killing of the third vic
time, Frank Byrnes, roomer in the
Gedeon apartment on East Fifty
(See GEDEOnTPage~A^2.)
Dentist's Attorney Says
Client Will Plead Guilty in
Sprouse Case.
By tie Associated Press.
CHARLOTTESVILLE. Va.. April 5.
—Commonwealth's Attorney W. O. Fife
announced today Dr. R. G. Miller,
Charlottesville dentist, would enter a
plea of guilty to second-degree murder,
in the death of 18-year-old Cleo
Sprouse in Albemarle Circuit Court
Wednesday morning.
Fife said Judge Lemuel Smith agreed
today to hear the plea Wednesday at
9:30 a.m. instead of today, as origin
ally planned.
He declined to say whether he had
reached an agreement with defense
counsel on the length of the dentist's
sentence, which, under Virginia law,
might be from 5 to 20 years for sec
ond-degree murder.
Judge's Sister Dies.
The prosecutor said the two-day
delay in the case was caused by the
death today of Miss Jane Smith, sister
of the circuit judge.
Fife had no further comment on
circumstances leading to the agree
ment between prosecution and de
fense attorneys for acceptance of the
second-degree murder plea, but de
clared last week if the ends of justice
could be met an agreement would be
‘‘better” for all parties involved.
Members of Miss Sprouse's family
conferred during the morning with
J. Tinsley Coleman, employed to assist
Fife in the case, but the attorney
said he was not at liberty to discuss
the views of the family in respect to
the proposed compromise.
Trial Was Set for April 12.
Dr. Miller, who had been held In the
Hemco County Jail at Richmond since
his arrest early last month, was
brought to the Albemarle County Jail
last night.
Prior to his announcement today,
Fife had declined to comment on a
statement of Robert E. Taylor, member
of Miller’s counsel, that arrangements
had been made for final disposition
of the case this afternoon.
Taylor said yesterday the middle
aged dentist would appear at 2:30
p.m. today to enter the plea of guilty
to second-degree murder in the death
of the high school girl.
Miller's trial was set for April 12,
but a compromise was reached with
the State “some time ago," Taylor
said, as “the publicity the trial was
bound to attract would be harmful to
all concerned.”
The body of the 18-year-old girl
was found near the University of Vir
ginia campus on March 2. Sheriff J.
Mason Smith said Miller, a dentist,
signed a statement saying the girl
died in a borrowed automobile when
he administered chloroform prepara
tory to an abortion.
Miller was arrested the day after
the body of the high school girl was
found. *
The indictment returned against
Miller by an Albemarle County grand
jury charged murder, which under Vir
ginia law is presumed to be second
degree, unless proved first degree by
the Commonwealth, or a lesser degree
by the defense.
CLUE SPURS HUNT
FOR MISSING PLANE
Arizona Rancher Reports
Big Craft Encircling Town.
8 on Ship.
• BULLETIN.
GALLUP, N. Mex,, April 5 (>P>.
—The sheriff's office at St. Johns,
Ariz., reported today the wreckage
of an airplane had been located a
mile and a half from Alpine, 60
miles from there. Searchers for a
Douglas airliner lost since Satur
day with eight persons asked for
quick details.
By the Associated Press.
WINSLOW, Ariz., April 5 —A pos
sible clue developed in the White
Mountains of Arizona today to the
fate of the giant Douglas airliner
which disappeared strangely Saturday
with eight or more persons bound for
New York from Burbank, Calif.
Kasu Laitis, T. W. A. airport radio
operator, said a rancher had reported
from near Greer, Ariz., that a "big
plane" circled twice over his home at
3 p.m. Saturday as if seeking a nlace
to land and then headed to the south
where a mountain range rises.
Greer is more than 100 miles south
east of Winslow in the foothills of the
White Mountains, and more than 75
miles south of the air route across
Northern Arizona.
The luxurious airliner, being ferried
to New York for transport to Holland,
has not been heard from since a taVe
off from Burbank Saturday morning
at 10 o'clock.
"It had rno radio transmitting
equipment aboard," said Maj. Carl A.
Cover, vice president and chief test
pilot of the Douglas Aircraft Factory.
It had receiving equipment only.
"It is one of those mysteries, com
pletely baffling. We have no idea
where to look for it,” said T. C. Mc
Mahon, secretary of the company.
“We have not determined just
where to start a search,” said Cover.
He said that the new transport, pi
loted by Glen Moser, would ordinarily
have taken a course similar to the T.
W. A. transcontinental course, across
Southern California, Northern Ari
zona, New Mexico to Albuquerque.
While the ship had no transmitting
(See PLANE, Page A-2.)
FREIGHTER “SAFE”
AFTER HELP CALL
German Ship Borkum in Heavy
Seas Off Azores, Relief
Vessel Near.
By the Associated Press.
CHATHAM, Mass., April 5.—The
German liner Bremen reported today
the disabled German freighter Borkum
was in “safe" condition as she drifted
helplessly in heavy seas off the Azores.
After standing by the freighter from
midnight until 2:30 a.m., unable to
take off her crew because of heavy
seas, the Bremen proceeded to Cher
bourg, leaving the S. S. Subaldo stand
ing by until the German naval train
ing vessel Schlesien arrived.
Dog Whose Tussle Cost Life
Of Master Killed as Menace
By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, April 5.—Policeman
Patrick Conroy and his faithful Ger
man shepherd dog, Paddy, were dead
today because Paddy had learned a
trick too well.
Conroy had trained Paddy to attack
any one drawing a gun. Returning
home from duty early yesterday, Con
roy removed his pistol from its holster
preparatory to putting it away in a
buffet drawer.
Paddy, upon seeing the weapon,
leaped upon his master just as he
had been trained to do. The pistol
went off, fatally wounding Conroy.
Conroy's fellow officers today shot
and killed Paddy, fearing that the
trick he had learned might make him
a dangerous pet.
Conroy went home from duty yes
terday morning, and, unthinking, drew
his service revolver to lock it in a
buffet drawer.
The 3-year-old dog leaped for his
master’s wrist and knocked him down,
just as he so often had done in prac
tice. The revolver discharged, the
bullet ripping through Conroy’s chest.
Mrs. Coproy ran to her husband’s
side. The dog licked his hand. Neigh
bors called an ambulance and the
police.
To his brother-officers, the wounded
policeman said: "Don’t blame Paddy.
He did what he thought was right.”
Conroy died a half hour later.
The investigators didn’t believe the
dying man’s story at first. Conroy’s
10-year-old stepson, William Dissert,
proved it was true.
He flourished a toy pistol. With
out even a growl, Paddy seized the
boy’s wrist, close up to the gun, in
his great fangs. Then gently shook
the toy loose.
STRIKE HON
Miners and Ford Workers
Back, While Chrysler Par
ley Continues.
GENERAL PEACE PLAN
IN AUTO PLANTS SEEN
Gov. Murphy Believes Controver
sy in Entire Motor Industry
Will Be Settled.
By the Associates Press.
Hundreds of thousands of wage
earners, idle temporarily because of
contract disputes, headed back to their
jobs today in a brightening national
labor picture.
Most of those resuming production
were soft-coal mine workers, away
from the pits four days because a one*
day shutdown was sandwiched by
three holidays. The Appalachian
contract agreement reached Friday
prevented a labor stoppage of work.
It directly concerned 300,000 miners.
Auto Workers Return.
Many thousands of automotive
workers were going back to machines
and assembly lines, with disputes
which cut production during the latter
part of the week settled. They in
cluded principally 15,000 in nine
Chevrolet plants at Flint, Mich., and
2,200 in a Ford assembly plant at
Kansas City.
Meanwhile, hope was strengthened
that a settlement was imminent in
the Chrysler Corp. strike, major labor
dispute in the Nation with more than
60,000 workers directly affected and
possibly half as many more indirectly
concerned.
A conference, headed by Gov. Frank
Murphy of Michigan, Walter P. Chry
sler, chairman of the corporation, and
John L. Lewis, union leader, worked
through Sunday on agreement details.
‘ The strike is virtually settled," an
authoritative source said.
W. P. A. officials at San Francisco
claimed indications were that a four
day-old strike affecting from 5,000
to 18.000 workers was near an end.
The demands included higher pay and
assurance there would be no layoffs.
Union sources, however, said the
strike would spread, in a sympathy
movement, to the Los Angeles area
and affect many thousand more.
Drive in Oil Industry.
The Committee for Industrial Or
ganization, disclaiming any intention
of sit-down strikers or a dispute with
the American Federation of Labor,
began its unionization drive in the oil
industry today for a potential million
recruits.
The A. F. O. L. rushed plans for a
compaign of its own April 15. The
head man of the C. I. O. drive was
(See-STRIKEsTPage A-2.)
SHIP CANAL DATA .
IN SHARP CONFLICT
Reports Referred to House Com
mittee on Florida
Project.
By the Associated Press.
Speaker Bankhead referred to the
House Rivers and Harbors Committee
today sharply conflicting reports from
the Army Engineers on the feasibility
of digging a ship canal across Florida.
Maj. Gen. Edward M. Markham,
chief of engineers, told Congress in
his report the canal should be com
pleted. He estimated the co6t of the
entire project at $197,921,000.
His decision reversed findings of
the War Department’s Board of Army
Engineers, which said the canal, if
dug to adequate depth and width,
would cost $263,838,000. The board
said “the reasonably assured present
and prospective benefits from a canal
across Florida do not establish the eco
nomic justification for the large ex
penditures necessary for its construc
tion.”
'HEY, CHIEF?
IDONT BELIEVE THEYfy
EVEN TRY/NG To HIT
v THE APPLE! ^
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TURN, 1
^CARTER,
WILLIAM TELL OVERTURE—
D. C. ME LAW
IN EFFEC1 NOW
Commissioners to Move at
Once for Board to En
force It.
The District minimum wage law for
women and minors “is now in effect"
and the Commissioners will Jhove to
morrow, to appoint a board to enforce
it. Commissioner Melvin C. Hazen de
clared today.
Commissioner George E. Allen
agreed with Hazen that no time
should be lost in appointing three
non-salaried members of the board
to replace the agency dissolved in
1923. when the Supreme Court held
the District's minimum wage law un
constitutional.
Since the first Minimum Wage
Board, which functioned from 1918
to 1923, received operating expenses
of only $5,000 a year, lack of funds
will not delay appointment of new
board members, Allen pointed out.
Employes May Be “Borrowed.*
Commissioner Hazen said other de
partments of the District government
may be able to “lend" clerical em
ployes to the board until It receives
its own funds.
Corporation Counsel Elwood H.
Seal has advised the Commissioners
that the recent decision of the Su
preme Court reversing the 1923 verdict
returned the local minimum wage law
to the same status It held when It
was enacted.
Commissioner Allen said that pro
posed amendments to the 1918 law
will be given serious consideration,
but enforcement of the minimum wage
act will not be held up to await
legislative action.
The Minimum Wage Board will have
authority to establish minimum wages
(See WAGE~Page~iV-37)
SCREAMS IN TRAILER
ATLANTA, April 5 (A>).—To cruising
police cars the word was flashed:
“There's a woman screaming in a
silver-colored trailer going out Ponce
de Leon avenue. Investigate.”
t Ten minutes later Patrolman W. P.
Sutherland and J. R. Palmer re
ported.
“Trailer stopped,“ they said. "Every
thing aboard okay. Just a drunken
woman locked in by her husband.
He's taking her to the country lor air.
No arrest.”
Summary of Today’s Star
Page
Amusements B-16
Comics_B-12
Editorials ...A-8
Financial __.A-15
Lost & Found A-S
Obituary ...A-10
Page
Radio_A-ll
Society-B-3
Short Story _B-6
Sports A-12-13-14
Woman's Pg. B-10
SUPREME COURT ISSUE.
Administration held responsible for
appeal denials. Page A-l
STRIKE SITUATION.
Thousands of strikers return to jobs
today. Page A-l
FOREIGN.
Insurgents’ army nears Durango in
Bilbao campaign. Page A-l
NATIONAL.
German freighter Borkum reported
safe, after help call. Page A-l
Arizona rancher reports clue in hunt
for plane. Page A-l
Federal Reserve policy hikes U. S.
bond market. Page A-2
Reserve Board acts to safeguard Gov
ernment bonds. Page A-2
President’s message urges a perma
nent C. C. C. Page A-3
Drive for 40-hour week begun at tex
tile parley. Page A-5
Brickbat killer of two is hunted in
Los Angeles. Page A-S
WASHINGTON AND VICINITY.
Hazen calls minimum wage law "now
in effect.’’ Page A-l
Dr. Miller to plead guilty in chloro
form death. Page A-l
Former Capital lawyer killed, police
question widow. Page A-2
Successful gonorrhea antitoxin is re
ported here. Page A-f
W. J. Nolan and two former aides in
dicted on 23 counts. Page A-2
F. J. Hill is indicted in $144,000
fraud. Page A-2
Bandit captured after taking woman
hacker's cab. Page A-3
Prominent sportsman arrested in
highway deaths. Page B-l
Seventeen men arraigned on gambling
charges. Page B-l
Four dead, six injured in D. C. and
nearby traffic accidents. Page B-l
EDITORIAL AND COMMENT.
Editorials. Page A-8
This and That. Page A-8
Washington Observations. Page A-8
David Lawrence. Page A-9
Paul Mallon. Page A-9
Dorothy Thompson. Page A-9
Jay Franklin. Page A-9
Lemuel F. Parton. Page A-9
SPORTS.
Griffs get. Simmons to plug hole in
outfield. Page A-12
Yankees breezing in “Grapefruit
League” lead. Page A-12
"Rubber” bout here tonight for Cam
arata, Ingram. Page A-13
Trainer expects Pompoon, favorite, to
win Derby. Page A-13
Ambers-Montanez bout lures New
York fans. Page A-13
Nelson, inspired by great shot, wins
Augusta golf. PageA-14
MISCELLANY.
Washington Wayside. Pag* A-2
City News in Brief. Page A-7
Young Washington. Page B-5
Bedtime Story. Page B-7
Dorothy Dlx. Page B-10
Betsy Caswell. Page B-10
Nature’s Children. Page B-ll
Winning Contract. Page B-ll
Crossword Puzzle. Page B-l2
Letter Out. Pag*
Miss Perkins Acts
As Guide for Four
Visiting Japanese
Pour Japanese here for the World
Textile Conference saw the sights of
Washington yesterday with a pleasant
woman who found them standing be
wildered on the steps of a George
town house, wondering how to reach
their hotel.
Not until the woman had delivered
them to their quarters did she re
veal that she was Miss Frances Per
kins, Secretary of Labor.
"A very democratic lady." remarked
Yoshio Kemii, a member of the per
manent secretariat of the Interna
tional Labor Office in Geneva, one
of the four.
She drove them to the Lincoln
Memorial, the Capitol, through Po
tomac Park, where the Japanese
cherry blossoms soon will be in full
flower, and to other points of in
terest.
The Japanese and Miss Perkins met
after a tea at the home of John G.
Winant, president of the conference.
While the visitors wondered where
they were, Miss Perkins emerged from
the house and offered them a ride.
APPEALS’ DENIALS
Government Sought Many
High Court Dismissals,
Hearing Told.
BY the Associated Press.
Senator Austin, Republican, of Ver
mont, produced a letter from the Su
preme Court clerk today which he
said showed the Government had
sought many of the dismissals of ap
peals by the court which President
Roosevelt has criticized.
The letter was placed before the
Senate Judiciary Committee which is
considering the President's court re
organization bill.
A few moment earlier the committee
had heard Prank H. Sommer, dean of
the New York University Law School,
denounce the measure as hostile to the
spirit of the Constitution. He pro
posed constitutional amendments in
stead.
The Chief Executive in his recent
message to Congress noted that during
the last year the Supreme Court
turned down all but 108 cases out of
803 applications in which the Govern
ment was not the appellant.
Letters From Court Clerk.
Austin said the letter, from Charles
Elmore Cropley, clerk of the court,
showed that in 143 of the cases denied
by the court, the Attorney General
had asked for the denials.
“Year after year,’’ Austin said, “the
Attorney General has been boasting
of denials of petitions cm his own
(See JUDICIARY, Page~A-3 )
WAGNERDECISION
District Police Court Opinion
Is Reversed in Clawans
Case.
BT JOHN H. CLINE.
Disappointing a large crowd ol
spectators, the Supreme Court ad
journed today without announcing its
eagerly awaited ruling on constitu
tionality of the Wagner labor relations
act.
The justices announced only one
opinion, reversing the conviction in
the District Police Court of Ethel
Clawans. who had been found guilty
of selling the unused portion of a rail
road ticket without a license.
Decision Widely Awaited.
The ruling in the five pending Wag
ner cases, which will determine the
constitutionality of this major piece
of New Deal legislation, had been
awaited anxiously, since the attitude
of the court on this important question
is expected to have an important
bearing on the outcome of the fight in
the Senate on President Roosevelt's
court reorganization plan.
The decision cannot be announced
before next Monday, and if not forth
coming then, it will be delayed at least
until April 26. due to a recess.
Delivering the 7-to-2 decision of
the court in the Clawans case. Asso
ciate Justice Stone held the woman
was not entitled to a jury trial, but
agreed with the District Court of Ap
peals that the conviction should be
reversed because her attorney was not
given sufficient opportunity to cross
examine witnesses called by the prose
cution.
The dissenting opinion of Justice
McReynolds and Butler agree that
the conviction should have been re
versed. but went a step farther and
held the woman entitled to a trial
by jury.
In its decision overthrowing the
conviction, the Court of Appeals held
she should have been tried by a jury.
Important Washington Case.
The case was important in Wash
ington. since a ruling by the high
court that a jury trial was mandatory
would have upset a number of Police
Court convictions and necessitated jury
trials in many cases now tried before
a judge.
The statute under which Miss
Clawans was convicted provided for
(See COURT. ;Page A-2.)
TREE HAULERS HELD
Trucks Carrying Big Sycamores
Over Length, Is Charge.
LANCASTER, Pa., April 5 In
state highway patrolmen arrested
three truck drivers hauling giant
sycamore trees to the site of the
World's Fair in New York. They
were fined for operating trucks that
were over-length.
More D. C. Interest at Capitol
Advocated by Mrs. Roosevelt
BY FRANCES LIDE.
Declaring that the District relief
situation seems to be “quite serious,”
Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt suggested
at her press conference today that if
members of congressional District
committees could feel a more per
sonal interest in local problems a solu
tion could be worked out.
The President's wife said that she
herself does not know of a solution,
but commented that proposals for
taxation to care for the relief burden
seemed a sensible solution.
Pointing out that more and more
people who travel are turning to
Washington as a point of interest, she
expressed the belief that living con
ditions in the Nation’s Capital may
become in time of as much interest as
the buildings and memorials here.
Creation of model conditions here,
however, she continued, is dependent
on the interest that members of Con
gress display in local affairs.
Commenting on the probability that
the Receiving Home for Children will
go out of existence July 1 with board
ing homes substituted as a means of
caring for its wards, Mrs. Roosevelt
pointed out the danger of such homes
without proper investigation and
supervision. If done well, however, she
expressed the opinion that private
homes provide a bettei*way for caring
for such children. Of the home as
It is operated now, she said:
"It is the same old thing here.
There is not the proper segregation.”
That the White House does not an
ticipate any difficulty in the appoint
ment of Mrs. J. Borden Harriman as
Minister to Norway was indicated by
Mrs. Roosevelt’s remarks today, when
she said:
"I think it will be very nice to have
another woman in the diplomatic
scheme.”
Mrs. Harriman, she continued, ought
to have a very interesting time in
Norway, since that country has for
years been making experiments which
have only recently been introduced in
this country. Norway’s social legis
lation is in many ways more advanced
than ours, she continued, and the
country is far ahead in the consumer
co-operatives movement which has
just been begun here.
While gratified at the thought of
a woman in this diplomatic post,
Mrs. Roosevelt said that such repre
sentatives should be chosen as people
rather than as women.
Mrs. Roosevelt also announced that
she would broadcast in the interest
of the emergency peace campaign at
10:30 tomorrow night following a
dinner at the White House.
Her calendar also includes a tea on
Thursday for the International Textile
Conference. She is interested in the
meeting, she declared, because of
future implications on trade and
standards of living.
IN BLASTING PLOT
Police Bare Conspiracy to
Make Fortress of Mar
ket, Hotel.
GRENADES AND BOMBS
DISCOVERED IN CACHE
Fish Peddlers Comprise Most of
Dozen Seized—Army Officer
Also Is Held.
BACKGROUND—
Civil war in Spain nearing end
of ninth month, with activity of
loyalist and insurgent troops in
creasing with the approach of
Spring. Tides of war ran in favor
of rebels at first, but recent weeks
have seen government counter
offensive forcing insurgents out of
many hard-won positions
“The Little World War" has split
all Europe, ranging Italian, Ger
man and Portuguese fascism on the
side of insurgents and Socialist
France, Communist Russia and
Great Britain on the side of the
government.
By the Associated Press.
MADRID, April 5—Madrid's war
time police seized a store of bombs
and arms in one of the capital's prin
cipal market places today and an
nounced they had broken up a plot
to convert the market and a nearby
hotel into Fascist fortresses.
Twelve of the alleged “fish market
Fascists” were seized, including Man
uel Ruiz Gonzales, 33-year-old fish
salesman, whom police accused ol
hatching the plot.
The plan police said, was to estab
lish fortresses at two buildings and
fire on government soldiers on the
day when—and if—Gen. Francisco
Franco's insurgents entered Madrid.
Most of the accused plotters, who
were turned over to military author
j ities, were fish peddlers. In addition,
police captured the proprietor of the
hotel, who had fled to Valencia. An
other seized was Romuaido Clavo, a
lieutenant in the government army.
A quantity of hand grenades was
found hidden under the stairs of the
: market. Rifles, daggers and a large
supply of ammunition also were seized.
Insurgent Flank Turned.
Meanwhile, the government's south
ern army turned the insurgent left
j flank north of Cordoba today, captur
ing the village of La Granjuela and
opening the way for direct attack on
the Penarroya coal mines.
The sweeping movement around the
northern end of Gen. Gonzalo Queipo
j de Llano's insurgent army cut the rail
| road running between Belmez, just
j south of the coal fields, and Castillo
de Almarchon, division point linking
| the branch lines that serves the fields
and the trunk line to the deeply held
insurgent territory to the west.
The successful maneuver, part of
a pivotal turning action against the
entire insurgent line, further ham
pered De Llano's communications
from his Cordoba base.
The fall of La Granjuela followed
the capture of Valsequillo, 3 miles to
the north, which had been the first
objective of the flanking columns.
Leave Breakfast Cooking.
So precipitious was the government
descent on Valsequillo yesterday morn
ing that the insurgent garrison fled
leaving their breakfasts still cooking
in the field kitchens.
More than 40 prisoners were cap
tured in the storming of the town.
A fleet of insurgent planes bombed
government trenches on the Madrid
front this morning, especially in th#
University City and EH Pardo sec
tions.
Five columns of the government's
southern army smashed against the
vital insurgent communication line
from Cordoba City to the Penarroya
coal mines, threatening to trap Gen.
Queipo de Llano's army of 15.000 men
and cut them off from retreat.
Pivoting on a base established by
direct attack of the two southernmost
columns, two northern columns from
Hinojosa del Duque swept around the
left flank of the insurgent command
in a broad movement to turn Gen.
Queipo de Llano's line, stretched al
most 40 miles along the highway from
Cordoba to Penarroya.
After capturing the town of Valse
quillo yesterday morning, one column
(See FASCISTS, Paie A-2.)
MAN SHOT IN HEAD
IN BED BESIDE WIFE
Forest Glen Mechanic Clings to
Life After Bullet Pierces
Temple.
E1 a Staff Correspondent of The Star.
SILVER SPRING. Md„ April 5.—
Shot through the head last night as
he lay in bed beside his wife, Robert
H. Vierling, 37, an automobile me
chanic of Forest Glen, clung to life
today in Washington Sanitarium in
Takoma Park with "one chance in a
million” to survive.
His wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Vierling.
told Sergt. D. L. Snyder and Charles
T. Barnes of the Montgomery County
police that he had seemed in good
spirits when they retired for the night,
and had been playing with their three
children, Barbara, 14; Jane, 10, and
Robert, 8, only a short time before.
Suddenly declaring that he "couldn't
stand it any longer," he reached under
the pillow, drew out a .22-caliber re
volver and fired one shot, Mrs. Vierling
said. The bullet went through his left
temple and emerged from his fore
head, she said.
Mrs. Vierling notified her brother,
H. M. Morgan, who lives next door
on Owl lane, and police were sum
moned. Dr. H. H. Howlett explained
that Vierling had a remote chance of
surviving. He was taken to the hospi
tal by the Silver Sprint rescue squad.