Evening star. [volume], April 24, 1937, Image 1

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

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WEATHER. --—
(O 8. Weather Bureau Forecast.)
Occasional rain tonight and probably The Onlv evening nanor
tomorrow morning; slightly warmer to- ; If. evening paper
day; fresh winds, mostly easterly. Tern- ^ W aSningtOn With the
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terday; lowest, 46, at 6:45 a.m. today. IT to- ° , Vo iN.eWS
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8oth YEAR. No, 33,961. tTlmtl 'sStta11£_WASHINGTON, D. C., SATURDAY, APRIL' 24, 1937 —FORTY PAGES. *** on M..n. Associated Pres.. TWO CENTS.
IN FORD’S COAST
FACTORY IS BRIEF
600 C. I. 0. Unionists Leave
11 Hours After Start of
Trouble.
CHARGE DISCRIMINATION
IN WORKERS’TRANSFER
U. A. W. Leaders Claim Assurance
a High Official Is Coming
From Detroit.
BACKGROUND—
Sit-down strikes, first introduced
into labor disputes in America in
General Motors plants last Fall,
finally spread to Chrysler, Packard,
Reo and Hudson factories and
since have retarded automotive
production in the United tSates
and Canada.
Launched by the United Auto
mobile Workers of America, an af
filiate of the C. I. O., in its fight
for bargaining rights, strikes have
been absent from Ford plants, al
though leaders recently declared
attempts would be made to organ
ize Ford uxirkers. Charges of dis
crimination closed Ford’s Kansas
City plant for a brief period sev
eral weeks ago. Yesterday strikers
occupied the Richmond, Calif.,
plant, but it likewise was brief.
By the Assoclateo Press.
RICHMOND. Calif., April 24—Six
hundred sit-down strikers evacuated
the Ford Motor Co. assembly plant
early today to the accompaniment of
tooting automobile horns and shout
ing.
Quickly ending the second such
strike to close a Ford plant in the Na
tion. the C. I. O. unionists began their
exodus 11 hours after workers took
possession, charging discrimination in
the transfer of 12 men.
Officials of the United Automobile
Workers’ Union said they had been as
sured that a high Ford official from
Detroit would arrive today, and that
settlement was but a matter of a day
or two.
Frank Slaby, president of the local of
the U. A. W. A., declared he was satis
tlmi with the prospects of settlement.
Another union official, who declined
to be named, said:
“We don't consider this a retreat: we
could hold the plant forever.”
Plan Demonstration.
Workers started for Richmond's
business section, and nearby Oakland
to hold a demonstration before going
home.
Immediate plans were made to re
open the welded side gates and turn
over the property to the company
guards. The strikers left by the front
gate which had not been welded.
The strike was one of the most
short-lived in the turbulent labor
history of the San Francisco Bay
district. Pow»er was shut off at 1:12
p.m. yesterday, as 1,200 day shift
employes were called from their jobs.
By midnight, union officials had
advised the men to leave the plant.
A general vote on the proposition
practically was unanimous in the
affirmative.
In all, 1,800 men were involved, in
cluding 600 on the night shift, but
(See STRIKE, Page A-2.1
ARKANSAS STORMS
KILL 2, MANY HURT
Tornadic Winds, Lightning and
Hail Cause Extensive Damage
in Widely Separated Areas.
By the Associated Press.
BENTON. Ark., April 24.—Tornadic
winds, lightning and hail left two
deod, more than a score injured and
thousands of dollars worth of property
damage today in widely separated sec
tions of the South.
The dead are Herman Zinn, 50,
Benton, Ark., and J. H. Howard, 46,
Cullman, Ala., both farmers.
Zinn died when a tornado de
molished his home and swept through
the north section of thir town of
3,445 population last night, leaving
approximately 30 persons injured and
a block of Benton's residential sec
tion in ruins.
Howard was killed by lightning yes
terday near Cullman, bringing Ala
bama's ApriJ storm death toll to 11.
Severe hailstorms were reported in
other sections of Alabama.
The tornado here mowed down a
row of 10 residences and damaged
about 12 others. Benton is midway
between Little Rock and Hot Springs.
PARTICULARS REQUIRED
IN CURLEY LIBEL CASE
Former Governor Asking $500,
OOO of Harper's Must Cite
Statements in Article.
By the Associate!. Press.
NEW YORK, April 24.—Former
Gov. James M. Curley of Massachu
setts, suing Harper & Bros, for $500,
000 for alleged libel in an article oi
Harper’s Magazine, was ordered bj
appellate division yesterday to serve t
bill of particulars specifically desig
nating the statements he believes li
belous.
Curley previously had called tht
whole article libelous. It appeared ir
last September's issue of the maga
zine.
In its ruling the appellate division
by a vote of three to two; upheld a de
cision of Supreme Court Justice Sam
uel I. Rosenman, who had said:
“Obviously many of the statement!
in the article which referred to the
plaintiff are true, and it would impose
an undue and perhaps Impossible bur
den upon the defendant to prepare ar
answer to each and every statement
contained in the article in total ignor
ance of the particular statements re
lied upon by the plaintiff as » fama
lory and false.”
American Resigned to Ax Death
For Alleged Plot to Kill Hitler
State Department Investigates Facts on
Learning Hirsch Is Citizen Through
Father’s Naturalization.
By the Associated Press.
BERLIN, April 24.—Helmuth Hirsch,
young German son of a naturalized
American, told United States consular
authorities in Ploetzensee Prison today
he had ho hope of escaping the head
man's ax for an alleged act which
might have involved an attempt on
the life of Adolf Hitler.
Hirsch has been sentenced to die.
The United States Government in
terested itself in his case yesterday,
when it became established he held
American citizenship through the
naturalization of his father.
The state’s attorney who prosecuted
the case, Dr. Volk, declined to divulge
the exact nature of the alleged offense
except to state that Hirsch had vio
lated the explosives law. (Trials on
such, treasonable charges are con
ducted secretly.)
In informed circles, however, it was
an open secret that Hirsch was ac
cused of intending to use explosives
for an attempt on "a very high gov
;rnment official”—presumably Hitler.
United States Consul Raymond H.
Deist and Dr. Volk visited Hirsch in
the prison today. They said they
found him completely resigned to the
extreme penalty, and unhopeful of any
favorable action on a clemency plea
which his attorney has presented.
Hirsch, who is Jewish, is 21 years
old. He said he had a "non-citizen
ship” passport until 1933. when his
father’s status as a naturalized Amer
ican citizen was established. That
made him also an American.
Hitler has not yet considered the
Hirsch clemency plea and the state’s
attorney told Consul Geist that at
(See AMERICAN, Page A-21
Council of Anti-Fascist Par
ties Suceceds Gen. Miaja
in Capital.
BACKGROUND—
Climax of Spanish civil war was
drive last Fall on Madrid after
rebel victories in many provinces.
Gen. Franco's Fascist forces were
met by strong opposition from
Loyalist Leftists and capital did not
fall. Fighting lulled during Winter
months, but about two months ago
rebels again launched attacks on
capital, attempting to cut off food
supplies. Air raids have been fre
quent, with casualties ranging into
the hundreds. But Madrid defend
ers have clung to city.
Ey the Associated Press.
MADRID, April 24,—Civil rule was
restored to Madrid today after nine
months of martial law in the besieged
city.
Gen, Jose Miaja. who had been given
virtual dictatorial power in the capi
tal's co-ordinated defenses, was lim
ited to "strictly military affairs” to
j enable him to concentrate his atten
tion at the war front.
In his place a democratic "ayunta
miento”—a city council government
composed of representatives of various
anti-Fascist political parties—took of
fice immediately.
The decree dissolving the all-power
ful defense junta was signed by
Premier Francisco Largo Caballero at
Valencia, temporary seat of the gov
ernment.
Heavy rain clouds hung low over
the capital and provided a respite
from the 12 successive days of insur
gent artillery attacks, which had taken
a toll of more than 250 lives, had de
stroyed whole blocks in the center of
the city and had caused untabulated
injuries in the hundreds.
The new City Council of 18 mem
bers is headed by Socialist Rafael
Enche de la Plata, who was unani
mously elected Mayor of Madrid by the
popular front.
Six members of the Union de Tra
bajo, whose ranks include Socialist
Communist trade unionist, are to be
counsellors with five Communists, six
Socialists and one member of a
socialist youth movement.
Miaja, elderly, bluff general from
(See SPAIN, Page A^3j
NEW ‘BRACES’ PROMISED
British Sailors to Get New Type
Suspenders Soon.
LONDON, April 24 (JP).—His majes
ty's seamen are to get better support
for their pants.
An admiralty fleet order today con
tained a solemn pronouncement that
“requests for better quality braces"
would be met with the introduction of
a new type "in due course.”
-•-——
Hirohito Decorates Colpitts.
TOKIO, April 24 CtP).—Edwin Henry
Colpitts, vice president of the Bell
Telephone Laboratories, was decorated
today by Emperor Hirohito with the
Fourth Order of Merit of the Sacred
Treasure in recognition of his promo
tion of electrical engineering in Japan
and his furthering of good relations
between Japan and the United States.
BELGIUM FREED
FROM AID PACT
Britain and France Waive
Pledge to Fight if Either
Is Attacked.
BACKGROUND—
The Locarno treaty, nullified by
Germany's remilitarization of the
Rhineland, was between five pow
ers—Britain, France, Italy, Ger
many and Belgium. Under its
terms, Belgium would have had
to go to France’s aid if the latter
were attacked by Germany.
Bt the Associated Press.
BRUSSELS, April 24.—Belgium was
released today from her promise to!
fight for Prance or Great Britain if
either were the victim of aggression.
Two documents, releasing the na
tion from her mutual assistance obli
I gations under the nullified Locarno
I treaty, were signed at the foreign
j office at 11 a m. (6 a m. E S. T.).
! Paul Spaak, the Belgian foreign min
ister, and the British and French
Ambassadors, Sir Robert Clive and
Jules Laroche, signed the documents.
The first document was an Anglo
French declaration freeing Belgium
from her treaty obligations, and the
second a Belgian acknowledgement of
receipt of the release.
Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden of
Great Britain was cheduled to arrive
from London by plane tomorrow for
further discussion of Belgium's status
In the changing European pattern.
The foreign secretary will confer
with Belgian statesmen and is ex
pected to have an audience with King
Leopold before returning to England
Thursday.
HONOLULU AWAITS
AIR FORCE ‘ATTACK’
“Enemy’’ Conquers Hawaii Is
land With Strategic Air Bases
in War Games.
£> the Associated Press.
HONOLULU, April 24.—Honolulans,
taking the United States war games
seriously, gazed skyward anxiously to
day for sinister signs of potential
winged destruction.
Capture of the Island of Hawaii
yesterday when the outnumbered de
fenders "withdrew" gave the “enemy”
possession of land air bases of great
strategic importance for the expected
attack on Oahu Island, Pearl Harbor
and Honolulu.
Hilo, a city of 20,000 population 200
miles from Honolulu, was reduced to
a theoretical shambles in the attack
on Hawaii Lsland. Eight warships,
firing blank shells at the rate of two
a minute, and 35 planes participated
in the attack. Two battalions of In
fantry’ were landed.
Leaving 18 planes and the land
forces, the ships withdrew toward
Oahu Island.
An armada of 111 warships and more
than 400 planes manned by 40,000
officers and men under the command
of Admiral Arthur J. Hepburn is
arrayed against the islands. Deploy
ment of this mighty force has been
veiled by the greatest secrecy.
Robbery Leads to Dismissal
Of Veteran Treasury Workers
Accused or achieving the “impos
sible"—robbery of the United States
Treasury right under the noses of an
elaborate guard force—four veteran
woman clerks today were without their
jobs in the currency redemption divi
sion.
Their system of pilfering small bills
from bales of currency received for re
demption and destruction worked well
but for one minor detail—and this
slight oversight spoiled a “perfect
crime" and brought the Secret Serv
ice on their trail.
The system, Treasury officials ex
plained, was to slip into their own
pockets any bills in excess of the
number listed on the bale they were
counting. Banks sometimes make mis
takes in counting contents of the bales
of worn currency sent to the Treasury.
Sometimes they send 999 dollar bills
in a bundle marked $1,000, and some
times they send a dollar or so too many.
Officials grew suspicious when they
observed that the mistakes always
involved shortages—never a surplus.
Secret Service agents then began an
inquiry. They planted marked bills
in carefully counted bales, so there
would be an excess over the amount
listed officially for the bale.
In every instance—and the trap
was set several times to make sure—
the clerks reported the bales con
tained the exact amount listed on the
outside. On examination, the agents
found the marked bills were missing
from the bales.
The marked money was found on
four of the woman clerks assigned to
the counting. Officials said their
total "loot” probably did not exceed
$100. Because of the age of the
women and the inconsequential
amounts stolen, Treasury officials in
dicated they would not press criminal
charges. The quartet was dismissed,
however.
Pinal decision with respect to prose
cution will rest with United States At
torney Leslie C. Garnett, to whom the
Treasury transmitted its evidence in
the case.
The only other theft from the
Treasury reported in recent times was
that of $30 in gold coins stolen in
1934 from a showcase in one of the
main corridors. The coins were not
negotiable, as gold had been with
drawn from circulation. The thief has
never been identified.
The Treasury has surrounded its
money and employes with a compli
cated system of protection and sur
veillance. As a further safeguard, the
Treasury recently moved a huge store
of gold to a newly constructed vault
at Port Knox, Ky.
*
4
PEACE NEGOTIATED
AFTER 50 ARE HURT
California Governor Meets
With Company and Labor
Representatives.
INDICATIONS OF EARLY
ACCORD ARE EVIDENCED
Doctors Battle to Save Lives of
Two Men Wounded in Yes
terday's Riot.
By the Associated Press.
STOCKTON, Calif., April 24.—The
bloody Stockton cannery strike moved
today from a field of rioting, where
50 persons were shot, clubbed and
gassed, to peace meetings at Sacra
mento.
There a conference of canners’ and
labor representatives with Gov. Prank
P. Merriam. broke up early this morn
ing amid indications of a tentative
agreement between factions over de
mands for wage increases and union
recognition.
A joint statement said canners and
workers believed they were "not far
from a satisfactory solution," but ex
plained conferences with their indi
vidual groups ^iould be necessary be
fore resumption of the peace confer
ence.
Doctors, meanwhile, battled to save
the lives of two seriously wounded men
injured in rioting which flared savagely
here yesterday when strikers attempted
to halt a spinach-laden truck being
taken to a plant reopened in defiance
of the strike.
John Drake, 22, a picket whose left
eye was destroyed by a shotgun blast,
and Henry Monroe were in a critical
condition after the hour and half of
rioting, A volley of buckshot mangled
Monroe's legs.
Pickets Suffer Most.
The heaviest casualties appeared
among the pickets who attempted to
halt the truck.
Sheriff's deputies and State officers
bombarded the pickets with tear gas
and shotgun fire. The strikers replied
with swinging clubs and flying rocks.
Finally, J. C. Fitzgerald, Labor Coun
cil member, mounted a loud speaker
truck and appealed to the strikers
to disperse.
Quickly a truce was arranged. Gov.
Merriam obtained renewal in Sacra
mento, 30 miles away, of peace con
ferences which collapsed last Wednes
day.
Representatives of the canners, who
operate four big plants here, and the
Agricultural Workers’ Union convened
in Sacramento last night.
A State Assembly committee, created
by special resolution, came here to
investigate the strike, promising to
"make peace and take no action that
would create further bitterness.”
The committeemen questioned news
paper men who witnessed the rioting,
conferred with District Attorney F. C.
<8ee“STOCKTON, Page A-2.)
freightwaIkout
BY 25,000 FEARED
Railway and Steamship Clerks
Threaten to Quit at
Noon.
Ey the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, April 24 — A strike of
the 25,000 members of the Brother
hood of Railway and Steamship
Clerks. Freight Handlers. Express and
Station Employes was threatened at
noon today in the metropolitan area
of New York. No strike was voted,
but union oflcials said a walkout was
almost certain.
The chairmen of 125 local unions
met yesterday in conference over an
alleged refusal by eight railroads to
grant a wage increase of 20 cents an
hour and discussed a plan to tie up
the movement of freight in and out
of New York.
MV DEArA r3131 You PROMlSElTA
vnnrtWT /To support me IN THE \
YOU UANT l STYLE To WHICH (HAVE 1
KEEPTHIS/ 1 BECOME ACCUSTOMED' )
'DIVINE’ BUILDING
RUINED BY FIRE
“Branch Heaven’' at New
Paltz, N. Y., Hit by Mys
tery Blaze.
BACKGROUND—
Father Divine, most noted Har
lem evangelist, was arrested in Mil
ford. Conn., Thursday night and
brought back to New York to face
charges of having injured a white
man during the serving of papers
in a civil suit at "Heaven No. 1" in
Harlem. He was relaesed on bail.
(Picture on Page A-6.)
By the Associated Press.
NEW PALTZ, N. Y„ April 24 —Fire
drove 15 of Father Divine's "angels’’
from a newly-purchased branch
| ‘‘heaven" today, less than 24 hours
after the Negro cult leader who is
; known as “God” to his followers was
arraigned in New York City on a
charge of felonious assault.
The office of Sheriff A. F. Molyneaux
at Kingston announced an immediate
1 investigation. The fire destroyed the
i 22-room, two-story structure.
Residents of Ulster County protested
the Negro's purchase of 22 parcels of
land in the vicinity when the sales
occurred, and recently attempted to
preclude the sequestering of minor
“angels” in houses which Father
Divine calls his extension heavens,
"So far* as we have been able to
learn,” an attache of the sheriff's
office said, "the fire started in the
rear of the building. What that
would indicate, if anything, remains
to be determined.’
Hampered by lack of water, volun
teer firemen from New Paltz were
unable to check the fire.
Fire Chief Elting Clearwater, who
estimated the damage in excess of
$25,000, said the cause of the fire was
undetermined. He said the homeless
angels took refuge in another “heaven”
about a mile west of New Paltz.
“None of them was burned,” he
said. "Some got their hair singed
but that was all.”
-•
Miners Win Hunger Strike.
KATOWICE, Poland, April 24 (JP).—
Hunger strikers at the Moscicki mine
returned to the surface yesterday w-hen
an arbitrator yielded to their demands,
including higher pay, removal of cer
tain officials and improved working
conditions. Hunger strikers remained
in the Siemainawice mine, however;
more than 20 of them were taken to
a hospital suffering from exhaustion.
Summary of Today’s Star
Page.
Amusements C-16
Art .B-3
Books _B-2
Church News,
B-5-6-7
Comics _A-15
Editorials A-8
Financial ..-A-13
Lost & Found A-3
Page.
Music -B-4
Obituary _A-6
Radio _C-10
Real Estate,
C-l to C-9
Society_A-7
Short Story _ B-7
Sports -..A-10-11
Woman's Pg. B-8
STRIKE SITUATION.
Rioting ends as peace is sought in
cannery strike. Page A-l
Sit-down strikers quit Ford plant in
California. Page A-l
FOREIGN.
American in German prison is re
signed to ax death. Page A-l
Madrid regime reorganized as rains
stop attacks. Page A-l
Belgium freed from pledge to aid
France, England. Page A-l
NATIONAL.
Hearings on President's court proposal
close. Page A-l
Warrant issued for "spy” in Lindbergh
kidnaping case. Page A-12
Senator Bachman dies suddenly in
rr»artment here. Page A-3
WASHINGTON AND VICINITY.
Unsettled wewier to greet new blos
som visitors.^. Page A-l
Appropriations \(t proposals gain
support. \ Page A-l
Doctors may examinK. Richmond sus
pects in drunk driviM- Page A-3
Congress ended, D. A. » prepares for
triennial election. 1 Page A-4
Discharged Greenbelt workers to seek
hearing. \ Page A-f
New Location proposed fol Pan-Amer
ican Union annex. I Page A-12
Lack of funds held threat to hospi
tals here. Page A-16
House group to hear opponents of pro
posed memorial site. Page A-16
Proposed homes for disabled Govern
ment employes indorsed. Page A-16
EDITORIALS AND COMMENT.
Editorials Page A-8
This and That. Page A-8
Questions and Answers. Page A-8
Stars, Men and Atoms. Page A-8
David Lawrence. Page A-9
Paul Mallon. Page A-9
Mark Sullivan. Page A-9
Jay Franklin Page A-9
Delia Pynchon. Page A-9
SPORTS.
Nats’ failure to hit is puzzling their
followers. Page A-10
Fist fight on field marks Bucs' win
over P.eds. Page A-10
Indiana U. tracksters get Penn relays
spotlight. Page A-10
Hubbell records seventeenth straight
win in 1937 debut. Page A-10
District links women adopt rigid tour
ney rules. Page A-ll
Western High’s stock rises with win
over Roosevelt. Page A-ll
College netmen here showing poor
form on courts. Page A-ll
MISCELLANY.
Washington Wayside. Page A-2
City News in Brief. Page A-5
Traffic Convictions. Page A-5
Service Orders. Page A-5
Shipping News. Page A-6
Vital Statistics. Page A-6
Bedtime Story. Page A-6
♦Jature’s Children. Page A-6
Young Washington. Page A-9
Crossword Puzale. PageA-13
Betsy Caswell. Page B-8
Dorothy DU. Page B-8
Letter-Out PageC-10
Violation of Baton
Rule Costs Texans
Victory in Relay
Bt the Associated Press.
PHILADELPHIA. April 24 —
North Texas Teachers College's
crack sprinters, after finishing
first in record-smashing time in
the final of the 880-yard relay
championship race today, were
disqualified for violating the
baton-passing rules. The ruling
automatically gave first place to
Indiana in the opening feature
race on the last half of the
Pennsylvania carnival program.
The Texans were stunned by
the setback, especially as it came
after they registered the best
performance of their careers at
the half-mile relay distance.
Elmer Brown, one of the twin
brothers on the team, got away
to a good lead on the first fur
long, but overstepped the 10-yard
zone limit before handing the
baton to A Chrisman. The
Texans still v^ere in command
when Capt. Stovall missed legal
connections by at least five yards
before turning over the stick to
Delmer Brown, the anchor man.
DEBUGS HEN!
Offers to U. S. to Be Re
vealed by Senator if
President Accepts.
By the Associated Press.
Senator Lewis. Democrat, of Illinois
said today he would urge President
Roosevelt Monday to accept offers of
foreign debt settlement, which he told
reporters he "understood" to be "in
the possession of the State Department
and the President.”
Lewis explained that he had been
informed the settlement offers were
in the nature of "a tender of goods,
together with other suggestions of a
reconsideration or a readjustment of
the remainder of the fund due."
He suggested that acceptance of the
offers would aid in solving problems
presented by relief and the need for
economy.
Lewis added in a statement that if
the President agreed writh his views
he would "address the Senate as to the
full terms and details as proposed by
the debtors.”
GOERINGTOSEEDUCE
Conference Set on Policy on Aus
tria and Spain.
ROME, April 24 UP).—Col. Gen.
Hermann Wilheim Goering, No. 2
Nazi, and Premier Benito Mussolini
will meet Monday to discuss the Italo
German attitude toward Austria and
Spain.
The meeting of the two Fascist
statesmen, announced today, climaxes
important conversations II Duce has
held in Venice with Chancellor Kurt
Schuschnigg of Austria.
-•
Nazi’s Slaying Confessed.
BUENOS AIRES. April 24 UP).—
Police announced today a small-time
bandit had confessed killing Josef
Riedel. 37, a German Nazi foreign
organizer, whose death Berlin had
charged to ‘‘Communists.” Police said
Felix Bucci, 25, confessed he and
another man fired at Riedel when the
leader of the Villa Ballester group of
Argentine Nazis attempted to resist a
hold-up. Riedel's watch was found
on Bucci.
HEARINGS ENDED
ON COURT CHANGE
Seven Weeks of Testimony
Appears Not to Have
Moved Committee.
BACKGROUND—
President's proposal to add six
new justices to Supreme Court
unless present members over 70
retire, submitted to Congress Feb
ruary 5, has, for the moment at
least, landed the Democratic ship
of state on rocks.
The plan aroused the ire of
liberal Democrats in the Senate
and has virtually tied up congres
sional business during long hear
ings by Senate Judiciary Commit
tee. Various compromise proposals
have been made, but to date all
have been turned down by White
House
BY JOHN H. CLINE.
Finishing their protracted hearings
on the President’s Supreme Court bill,
members of the Senate Judiciary Com
mittee, still almost evenly divided for
and against the measure, prepared, to
day for the more important fight be
hind the scenes when executive ses
sions are started Tuesday.
Seven weeks of open testimony,
bringing forth the views of scores of j
witnesses, apparently failed to cnange I
the vote of a single committee mem
ber. When the hearings opened the
committee was reported divided 9 to
9 on Mr. Roosevelt’s request tor
authority to name, six new justices
to the court unless those over 70 re
tire.
When Chairman Ashurst, "with
great reluctance and unfeigned re
gret,” declared the meetings adjourned
yesterday, nine Senators were reported
opjx>sed to the bill, eight for it and
one uncommitted.
This close division increased the
belief that the committee members
may ultimately compromise on a bill
adding only two justices to tne tri
bunal, which, both sides agree, could
be passed in the Senate.
Democrat Attacks Plan.
The last witness to appear before
the committee was J. F. Smith, chair
man of the Democratic State Central
Committee of Connecticut.
Smith, the first member of a Demo
cratic State organization to appear in
opposition to the measure, attacked
the bill on its merits and severely
criticized Postmaster General Farley
and Secretary Ickes for attempting to
force the rank and file of the party
into line behind the proposal.
‘‘The great Democratic victory in
Connecticut in 1936,” he said, “may
not soundly or upon any basis of fact
be construed as a popular mandate
for any such radical measure as the
pending bill.
Disagrees With Farley.
‘‘I find it completely impossible to
agree with statements by Postmaster
General Farley. Mr. Farley raises
the question as to where politics ends
and patriotism begins. He then re
solves this question by stating that he
believes that those members of his
party who refuse to 'go along’ with
the President are straining at a gnat."
Also criticizing Ickes, he asserted:
“I believe that Mr. Ickes takes in
too much territory when he joins Mr.
Farley in an effort to blanket in as
natural opponents of the President
and of liberalism all those people who
cannot 'go along’ with the administra
tion's idea of proper judicial reform.
“If I may be personal about it, I
must say that I find it impossible
to find myself under any of the heads
of ‘deserter-decoy,’ ‘reactionary geo
graphical Democrat’ or 'piqued profes
sional. liberal,’ to quote the phrases
coined by Mr. Ickes.
Cherry Blossom Visitors Face
Possibility of Bad Weather
Unsettled weather conditions are in
prospect for visitors arriving tomorrow
for the second of the Capital’s cherry
blossom displays—the double variety.
Although the railroads reported
travel into the city “heavier than
usual’’ and motor clubs said the high
ways probabily will be somewhat
crowded, the influx is not expected to
approach that experienced here the
last two Sundays.
The double blossoms are now in full
bloom around Ha ins Point, in East
Potomac Park, but some horticulturists
claim their splendor is not so great
aa in previous years.
Unlike last week end, park police
have made no special plans to cope
with traffic difficulties, believing mo
torists will not become entangled as
before.
The Weather Bureau says showers
may develop this afternoon and that
occasional rain is due tonight and
probably tomorrow morning. Tomor
row afternoon, however, is expected to
be clear and “slightly warmer," with
fresh easterly winds.
Hie mercury climbed to 67 at 4:15
p.m. yesterday and fell to 46 at 6:45
am. today. It had risen only one
degree at 10
PROPOSALS TO CUT
APPROPRIATIONS
Senate Group Would Accept
Horizontal Slash to Bal
ance Budget.
FARM BILL BACKERS
IN DETERMINED STAND
$927,421,996 Agriculture Bill Ap
proved With Item for Wool
Marketing Studies.
BACKGROUND—
Failure of tax revenue to reach
estimated levels, accompanied by
pressure for increased relief ex
penditures and an expensive farm
aid program, has caused concern
to administration leaders. Situa
tion makes virtually certain defeat
of President’s hopes of early budget
balancing.
Thus far in session, assurance has
been voiced that no new tax legis
lation is contemplated this year.
Increase in relief appropriation
above SI,500,000,000 requested by
President, however, might be fol
lowed quickly by request for new
taxes immediately.
By the Associated Press.
Proposals to slash all Federal ap
propriations by 10 per cent and to
slice $500,000,000 from President
Roosevelt’s relief estimates gained
fresh support today in the Senate Ap
propriations Committee.
Although some committee members
described a fixed horizontal cut as un
scientific. a majority said they would
accept it if it proved the only means
of b&Hwiting the budget by July, 1938.
Backers of agriculture legislation
served notice, however, they would
not abandon pending farm bills with
out a struggle. Senator Bankhead,
Democrat, of Alabama, expressed the
opinion that President Roosevelt, in
urging economy, did not intend to
withdraw his support from the Bank
head-Jones farm tenancy bill.
‘‘I have had sufficient conferences
with the President in the last two
years on the proposed farm tenancy
legislation," Bankhead said, "so that
I am firmly of the opinion he will not
abandon it.”
A $927,421,996 appropriation to run
the Agriculture Department in th#
next fiscal year was approved lat#
yesterday by the House, which held
close to the President's budget esti
mates.
The members accepted a proposal
by Representative South. Democrat,
of Texas, to add $23,348 for wool
marketing studies, but defeated on#
by Representative Taber, Republican,
of New York, for a 10 per cent cut
in the department's funds.
Before the appropriation measure
brought the economy issue to the
House floor yesterday, congressional
leaders of both major parties issued
("See APPROPRIATIONS, Page A-12.)
WOMAN HIT BY SHOT
THROUGH WINDOW
Wife of Virginia Merchant
Wounded About Face—Assail
ant Eludes Sheriff.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
HARRISONBURG. Va.. April 24 —
Mrs. Jacob Kiser, 50, wife of a mer
chant living at Briery Branch, an
isolated section west of Harrisonburg,
is in Rockingham Memorial Hospital
here with wounds in her head and
face as the result of a shotgun charge
| fired through the window of her
j kitchen last night. Her condition is
i not regarded as serious.
Sheriff Joseph Bazzle and other of
ficers searched the countryside for the
assailant without success and then
called for bloodhounds. Mrs. Kiser
and her sister-in-law. Mrs. Pearl
Hussey, and Mrs. Hussey's daughter,
Cora, were seated in the kitchen talk
ing when the shot was fired.
Miss Hussey fainted, while her
mother went to summon aid. Mr.
Kiser, who was at his store when the
shooting occurred, found the empty
shotgun shell at a wood pile about
15 steps from the window. No motive
for the shooting has been reported.
WINDSOR BOOK THREAT 1
SPEEDS UP ITS SALE
Counsel for Duke Says Legal Steps
Will Be Taken if It Is
Not Withdrawn.
B> the Associated Press.
LONDON. April 24—The Duke of
Windsor’s threatened legal action
against publishers of the book "Coro
nation Commentary" caused the vol
ume to sell like hot cakes today. The
duke's attorney. A. G. Allen, threat
ened legal steps unless the volume la
withdrawn and the publishers, Wil
liam Heinnemann. Ltd., discussed with
attorneys the 48-hour ultimatum.
The book, discursing the brief reign
of Edward VIII and his abdication,
accused him of “muddling, fuddling
and meddling” and referred to reports
Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin had
other grievances against him than the
King's determination to marry Mrs.
Wallis Warfield Simpson. It was writ
ten by Geoffrey Dennis, chief of the
document service of the secretariat of
the League of Nations.
The ninth and final
installment of “The Kid
naping of Gen. Chiang
Kai-shek,” from the diary
of the Chinese war lord,
will be published in The
Sunday Star tomorrow.