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WEATHER. --- <U 8 Weather Bureau Forecast.) Mostly cloudy tonight and tomorrow; TVip nrtlv ptmulhir noone not much change in temperature; gentle . .L, ®Yening. paper shifting winds, becoming westerly. Tern- 111 Washlllgton with the peratures—Highest, 51, at 6 p.m. yester- AsSOciatPfl PrP«?«t Npw? day; lowest, 45, at 3 am. today. hb&UUdiea rreSS INeWS Puii report on page a-9. and Wirephoto Services. _ Closing N.Y. Markets Sales—Page 20 _ Yesterday’s Circulation, 142,009 — " 11 ' ' 1 - 1 ■ ■ — _ ___(Some returns not yet received.) Soth YEAR. No. 33,964. ‘a.tTg_WASHINGTON, D. C., TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 1937—THIRTY-EIGHT PAGES. K *** on M..n. A.soci.t.d Pr.,.. TWO CENTS. 1,300 MEN CALLED TO BOLSTER CAPITAL FLOOD DEFENSES AS NEARBY AREAS ARE HARD HIT Crest of 14 Feet Is Expected at 10 A.M. DYKES TO SAVE ROSE GARDEN Scores of Families Near Bridge Move Out. »■ ■ Full page of flood pictures, Page A-7 Prepared for any unexpected de velopments when the Potomac reaches Its crest tomorrow, Washington’s “flood control army"—1.300 strong— will swing into action this afternoon to throw up sand bag levees along the park waterfront. Protective measures were decided on despite the Weather Bureau's pre diction that the high water, due about 10 a.m. tomorrow, will be several feet below the peak levels here during the damaging inundations in March, 1936. The flood battlers will concentrate on protecting plant material in the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway and the rose gardens and pansy beds in West Potomac Park, which were ravaged by the river last year. Water to Be Lower. A bulletin issued by the Rivers and Harbors Division of the Weather Bu reau this morning stated the crest at Sycamore Island, Md.. due about 9 or 10 a m., would send the water up to 23 or 24 feet, as compared with the 1936 peak of 28.5 feet above the low- | water mark. When it hits the foot of Wisconsin avenue, the Potomac is expected to reach a peak of about 14 feet, more than 3 feet below' the highest level there during the last flood. Meanwhile. residents, business houses and canoe clubs on lower K ' street, from Virginia avenue to a point ;ust below Key Bridge, also were tak ing precautions against any eventual ity. remembering the previous disas trous effects of the overflowing river. K street was still clear at noon, ex cept for the intersection at Thirty-first, where the river almost covered the street after having flooded the plant of the Super and Maloney Concrete Cos At Key Bridge flood waters lapped at the edge of K street, while Balti more & Ohio engines were busy mov- , ing freight cars out of the area. There | was about a foot of water over the lower track just below the bridge. Families Move Out. Police estimated between 150 and 200 families residing on the District side in the vicinity of the bridge gath ered their belongings and vacated last night and today, and employes of the Potomac Boat Club, Dempsey’s Boat House and the Washington Canoe Club started moving canoes from their flooded boat houses to high ground. A big. modem house boat, torn loose from its moorings above Wash ington, floated under the bridge shortly after 1 pm. At Sycamore Island at noon the river stood at 19.2 feet, having risen slightly more than a foot since 8:15 a.m.. when the reading was 17.9. At the Wisconsin avenue gauge it was 10.8 at noon, a rise of 0.8 of a foot since 8:15. Before the "flood strategy commit tee.’’ consisting of Army Engineers and park officials, met today the Weather Bureau forecast cessation of the rain by tonight. Showers had been seen as possible this afternoon, but the sun broke through shortly after the forecast was made, giving the Capital its first real sunshine since last Saturday. During the past four days more than 4 inches of rain has fallen here. Menacing winds, which, if they (See-d7 cT FLOOD,-Page A-6.) BRITISH COLUMBIA MAY ABSORB YUKON Dominion and Provincial Parlia ments’ Approval Sought on Annexation. VICTORIA, British Columbia, April’ 27 (Canadian Press).—British Co lumbia will push her frontier to the Arctic Ocean by absorbing the vast, gold-bearing Yukon Territory, if the Dominion and provincial Parliaments give their approval. Premier T. D. Pattullo announced yesterday federal government authori ties have agreed to the plan, which would make British Columbia second in area only to Quebec among Can ada's provinces. It would add about 4,000 persons to British Columbia’s population of approximately 750,000. Yukon’s creeks and hills still are the haunt of prospectors who seek the metal that has totaled some $200,000,000 since 1897. SLAYING HELD CLEARED DETROIT, April 27 (*>).—Police In spector Paul Wencel said today that a young man who had been detained for investigation had made a detailed confession of the attack-slaying of Bernice Onisko, 17-year-old Ham tramck girl, near her home on March 6. The man’s name was withheld. “He appears to be mentally un balanced,” Inspecter Wencel said. “He could have learned the details of the ^slaying from newspaper accounts and ^make a plausible confession." View, looking down the rising Potomac toward Key Bridge, showing the water lapping around the loxcer floor of the Wash ington Canoe Club. r——- ■ i" ■■—— .. .. The waters of river above the bridge forced these people and many others to abandon their homes. They are, left to right: Logan Cline, jr.; Nellie Cline, Carl Baggett (in carriage) and Bill Stout, with what household goods could be salvaged from the flood. —star Staff Photos. PITTSBURGH SAFE, % Threat 6f Inundation of “Golden Triangle” Is Ended. By the Associated Press. PITTSBURGH, April 27.—Pitts burgh's three rivers began receding today, ending the threat of another inundation of the downtown “golden triangle,” where flood waters caused millions of dollars’ damage on St. Patrick’s day, 1936. Weather Bureau officials reported the waters at “the point”—where the Monongahela, Allegheny and Ohio converge—reached a crest of 35.1 feet and then receded at one-tenth of a foot an hour. The rate of recession was expected to increase rapidly. Flood stage is 25 feet. The suburbs of Sharpsburg and Etna turned to the work of sheltering more than 400 refugees, including many children. Streets of both com munities were under water. Waters from the swollen streams surged over river front streets on the fringe of the “golden triangle,’’ but caused no damage in the down town proper. Merchants worked most of the (See~ PITTS B URGH, Page A -67) --- • A. F.L. REVOKES CHARTER — OAKLAND, Calif., April 27 OP).— Charter of the Alameda County Cen tral Labor Council was revoked by the American Federation of Labor today because the council refused to seat new delegates of the Oakland Teamsters’ Union, Local 70, appointed by the A. F. of L. officers. HUNDREDS KILLED IN BASQUE CITY Waves of Planes Swoop Over, Dropping Bombs and Hand Grenades. BACKGROUND— interest in Spanish civil war is chiefly international in scope; that is, whether political and economic balance will be upset, perhaps plunging Europe into another war. Patrol policy of neighboring powers was designed to prevent interfer ence by nations favorable to either side. By tilt Associates Press. GUERNICA, Spain, April 27.—Hun dreds of civilians were killed and this ancient city, once capital of the Basque country, was left a mass of biasing ruins today after a three-and a-half-hour insurgent aerial bombard ment. The raid started at 4:30 p.m. (11:30 a.m. E. S. T.) yesterday, when bomb ing planes, identified as of German manufacture, roared over the city in groups of seven, accompanied by large detachments of pursuit planes. Besides regular aerial bomb.., scores of hand grenades were hurled into the city, while the populace scrambled for shelter. Hundreds of persons ran into open fields, where they became targets for swooping machine gunner 1,000 Bombs Hit Town. The first wave of attack was con fined to grenade throwing and ma chine gunning, but the next relay of planes dropped high explosive bombs. It is estimated more than a thousand (See SPAIN, Page President Acts to Give Aid To Stricken in Flood Areas President Roosevelt moved quickly today to have the various agencies of the Federal Government in readiness to cope with any emergency that might arise because of the present high waters in the Potomac River Valley The President, preparatory to de parting from Washington tonight for a fishing vacation in the Gulf of Mex ico, conferred at noon with the group who directed the forces of relief during the recent Ohio Valley floods, and during this conference he gave this group full authority to act in his ab sence to meet any crisis that might arise. In this group were Rear Admiral Cary Grayson, chairman of the Ameri can Red Cross; Gen. Malin Craig, chief of staff of the Army; Surg. Gen. Thomas Parran, jr., of the United States Public Health Service; Harry L. Hopkins, works progress administrator, and Rear Admiral R. R. Waesche, chief of the Coast Guard. The President was kept advised last night and this morning of the extent of the nearby floods. It is understood that the advices today, while not alarming, indicate that there is every reason for the various agencies of the Government and the Red Cmss to be in readiness to act quickly. T* » ■ ■ Two Dead,F our Missing in Virginia. MAN IS DEAD IN MARYLAND Fredericksburg Is Damaged by Waters. Flood waters In Maryland and Vir ginia, which rose to all-time records in some sections as a result of two days of continuous rains, receded today, leaving a toll of three dead, four miss ing and believed drowned, and damage to crops, live stock and property esti mated at several millions of dollars. Richmond was the only city threaten ed with further serious damage, bar ring additional heavy rains during the day. The danger of a destructive flood at Cumberland and Hagerstown ap peared to have passed, and the Rappa hannock River, which yesterday rose to approximately 45 feet above normal at Fredericksburg for an all-time record, was receding today. Damage appeared to be heaviest at Fredericksburg, where townspeople spent the night in darkness, isolated by the rising waters, and threatened by fire from gasoline from two wrecked gasoline tanks, which poured 64,000 gallons of the inflammable fluid over the muddy water. Prompt warnings against lighting fires prevented danger of a gasoline blaze on the flood surface. While the James River at Richmond was expected to reach the 26-foot level today, floods In other sections were falling. Three Spans Washed Away. At Fredericksburg, where the busi ness district, industrial plants and the Virginia Electric & Power Co.’s plant were flooded yesterday, the falling river level gave residents a chance to check up on the damage, estimated to be the worst the city has suffered in modern times. Three spans of the free bridge across the Rappahannock which connects with the Northern Neck of Virginia were washed away last night. The Falmouth Bridge, crossing the Rap pahannock a mile above the city, was Intact with the exception of a wash out of the fill at the northern end, which will take several days to repair. Debris was piled high on the structure. _The worst damage at Fredericksburg (See FLOOD, Page A-6.) AMELIA EARHART TO GO TO COAST SATURDAY Aviatrix Will Begin Preparations ior Second Start on World Flight. B.v the Associated Press. NEW YORK, April 27 —Amelia Ear hart planned today to go to Bur bank, Calif., Saturday in prepa ration for a second start on her con templated world flight. Her first at tempt ended in a wreck while taking off at Honolulu. Miss Earhart said the flight would start from Oakland, Oalif., but not “for several weeks ” "I need rest, and my week's stay here is part of the rest program I mapped out for myself,” she said. 1 Study to Cut All-Night Parking \ Ordered by Commissioners Committee Will Consider Requirement of Garage Space for One Car Per Apartment, BACKGROUND— j Growing traffic congestion has spurred District officials to plan street-widening programs, extend no-parking zones and consider sub way construction. Extensive apart ment house and flat developments are called one cause of neighbor hood congestion. Regulations were amended some years ago to permit, but not to require, garages in apart ment buildings. -- Seeking a means of reducing the use of streets as "open-air garages." the i Commissioners today named a special committee to consider regulations or legislation to require provision of ga rages or private parking lots in con nection with flats or apartments. Study was ordered because of the increasing traffic congestion which has been found to have been caused by lack of off-street parking for the tenants of apartment houses and flats. The committee will consider a re quirement of garage or parking space, to be provided on private property, for at least one car per apartment. Vernon E. West, assistant corpora tion counsel, was named chairman of <See PARKING Page~A-2.) WAGNER ACI Nil; Declared Unfair to Manage ment by Chamber of Commerce Speakers. The Wagner labor relations act was criticized as unfair to management, and its revision was demanded by speakers today before the Chamber of Commerce of the United States. Conceding that the act might form the basis for “a definite labor policy, fair alike to employer and employe,” James W. Hook of New Haven, Conn., president of the New England Council and of the Geometric Tool Co., said the “trouble with it now is that it as sumes that the employer in every case is not only as strong and able a bar gainer as the majority of his employes, but also as his employes and the Fed eral Government combined.” "It defines the right of employes,” i See CHAMBER, Page A-5.) SUE OF MEMORIAL HELO ONLY ISSUE Contract Already Made,Says Keller—Erection Sure, Declares Boylan. The Thomas Jeflerson Memorial will be erected in Washington and dedi cate# by President Roosevelt before his I term expires. Representative Boylan of New York, chairman of the Memorial Commission, declared today at hear i ings before the House Library Com I mittee. I His declaration followed announce ment by Chairman Keller of the com i mittee that there is a definite contract between the Memorial Commission and | John Russell Pope who was selected to design the marble tribute to the third President. The only question which can prop erly be considered by the committee, Chairman Keller asserted, is the pro posed location of the memorial. Strong Objection Voiced. Strong objection to constructing the memorial on the proposed Tidal Basin site, a move which would entail de struction of hundreds of cherry trees, was voiced at the hearings. Representative Boylan came directly from the White House to the commit tee room. Before leaving the Execu tive Mansion he said he had failed to see the President but had left a com plete report on the status of the con troversy over the memorial site with Marvin McIntyre, presidential secre tary. The President has said the fu ture question is up to Congress. Meanwhile in the Senate a resolu tion proposing establishment of a school of American Government at the University of Virginia as a substitute for the proposed Jefferson Memorial here was introduced by Senator Schwellenbach, Democrat, of Wash ington. Arno D. Cammerer, director of the National Park Service, the agency selected by the Memorial Commission to take charge of the construction of (See MEMORIAL, Page A-3.) D. C. HEADS ASK THREENEWTAXES 3-Cent Gas Levy, Increased Auto and Insurance Imposts Urged. BACKGROUND— Special subcommittee of House District Committee undertook study to develop tax program to offset an ticipated i6.000.000 shortage in Dis trict revenues m coming fiscal year. The subcommittee also uas author ized to study proposals for reorgan izing municipal government in in terest of efficiency and ecenomy. BY JAMES E. CHINN. A preliminary program of taxation estimated to yield $2,800,000 in addi tional revenue was recommended by the Commissioners today at a hearing before the Special Tax Subcommittee of the House District Committee. The recommendations were em bodied in a series of three proposed tax bills, patterned somewhat after three of the nine Collins bills pending before the subcommittee. One provides an increase from 2 to 3 cents per gallon in the local tax on gasoline. Another would place a weight tax on motor behicles. lower than the scale set up in the Collins bill, but continuing the present personal prop erty tax on motor vehicles. The third is virtually the same as the Collins bill, imposing a 2 per cent tax on policy, membership fees and net premium re ceipts of insurance companies. • Revenues Are Estimated. The Commissioners estimated the weight tax on motor vehicles would produce $1,500,000 in additional reve nue, the 1 cent increase in the gaso line tax $1,100,000 and the increased (See TAXES, Page A-2.) MOSCOW HEARS PLEA FOR ANTI-TOKIO MOVE Letter to Izvestia Suggests Renun ciation of Siberian Fish ing Grants. By the Associated Press. MOSCOW, April 27.—Renunciation of Siberian fishing grants to Japan because of Japanese militarists' “ag gressive attitude” was suggested today in an open letter to the officially in spired newspaper Izvestia. The letter was addressed to Foreign Minister Maxim Litvinoff and urged that Russia itself exploit the conces sions which were extended to Japan through 1937 by limited renewal of an expired five-year grant. The government often uses letters to Izvestia to enunciate new policies. -• NATS ARE IDLE Cold Weather Causes Postpone ment at Boston. BOSTON, Mass., April 27 UP)The base ball game between Washington and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park today was called off because of cold weather. The Griffmen return to the Capital tomorrow for a three-game series with the New York Yankees. Summary of Today’s Star Page. Amusements B-16 Comics _B-ll Editorials _._A-10 Financial A-19 Lost & Found A-3 Obituary_A-12 , Page. Radio .B-12 Society _B-3 Short Story. B-6 Sports_A-16-18 Woman’s Pg. B-10 FOREIGN. Hundreds killed in Basque city by rebel bombs. Page A-l 6,000 flee homes as flood hits London, Ontario. Page A-6 NATIONAL. Logan to ask court proposal vote in two weeks. Page A-l Roosevelt moves for aid for flood stricken. , Page A-l Judiciary group reaches voting stage on court bill. Page A-l Supreme Court to review security act questions. Page A-2 Revenue Bureau to study Harlan sheriff’s income. Page A-2 Wage-hour legislation held up pend ing studies. Page A-3 Roosevelt to leave tonight on Ashing trip. Page A-3 Larger Federal fund for flood control urged. Page A-4 Sibley offers platform to U. S. Cham ber of Commerce. Page A-5 Two Congress leaders predict unex pected deficit. PageA-12 Charge of jury tampering delays Parker trial. Page A-22 WASHINGTON AND VICINITY. Commissioners present tax plans to House group. Page A-l House group opens Jefferson Memo rial hearings. Page A-l Thirteen hundred men called to work on D. C. flood dykes. Page A-l Study ordered to reduce all-night parking on streets. Page A-l Sleep analyzed before Sciences Acad emy meeting. Page A-l Flood damage in Maryland and Vir ginia put at millions. Page A-l Crest of D. C. flood expected tomor row; no alarm felt. Page A-l Mrs. Krieger may take stand in black mail trial. Page A-S Funeral services for Bishon McDowell set tomorrow. * Page A-> District Airport Commission plane I meeting soon. Page B-l Cathedral and six other Institutions get Rust bequests. Page B-l Directed verdict of acquittal denied in blackmail trial. Page B-l EDITORIAL AND COMMENT. Editorials. Page A-10 This and That. Page A-10 Political Mill. Page A-10 Stars, Men and Atoms. Page A-10 Answers to Questions. Page A-10 David Lawrence. Page A-ll Paul Mallon. Page A-ll Mark Sullivan. Page A-ll Jay Franklin. Page A-ll Delia Pynchon. Page A-ll FINANCIAL. Bonds improve (table). Page A-19 U. S. Steel meeting awaited. Page A-19 Cotton mills hold pace. Page A-19 Stocks move up (table). Page A-20 Curb list higher (table). Page A-21 Cities Service net gains. Page A-21 SPORTS. Nationals mystified by Lewis’ slump at bat. Page A-16 Marathoners look to Star race on June 12. Page A-16 Cincinnati Reds, "left at post,” are undaunted. Page A-16 Keefer trophy golf tournament draws 130 women. PageA-17 Early date for P. O. A. title golf handicaps pros. Page A-17 Touring tennis pros suffer from “rasslers’ curse.” Page A-18 London rates Doyle-Levinsky bout even money bet. Page A-18 Kayo over Mader is meal ticket for Bob Tow. Page A-18 MISCELLANY. Washington Wayside. Page A-2 Dorothy Dix. Page B-10 Betsy Caswell. Page B-l# Nature’s Children. Page B-9 Bedtime Story. Page B-9 City News in Brief. Page B-5 Shipping News. Page B-5 Young Washington. Page A-15 Crossword Puzzle. Page B-ll Letter Out. Page B-12 Vital Statistics. Page B-5 Traffic Convictions. Page B-5 Service Orders. A Page B-5 Windsor Files Suit for Libel Despite Withdrawal of Book Bs the Associated Press. LONDON. April 27—Edward of England pressed a libel suit against the publisher and author of the book "Coronation Commentary” today in the face of apologies from both, de termined to protect Wallis Simpson, his bride-to-be, from unbridled com ment by British writers. His writ for unspecified damages and an injunction against publication of the best seller was filed today by Allen & Overy, his London solicitors, against Author Geoffrey Dennis and Publisher William Heinemann. This was despite the fact that apologies have been preferred and the book, a critical commentary on Edward’s reign and abdication, with drawn from circulation. None of the principals in the furore would comment for publication today. But, it was understood, the indirect reason for the Duke of Windsor’s de termination to press the action was a desire to discourage its circulation in the United States, homeland of his betrothed. M As is usual in English libel actions, no specific damages were asked. That j will be up to the jury, if the case ac tually comes to a hearing. (Although the Heinem&nn firm took the book “out of print” in England, Dodd, Mead it Co., American publish ers, announced they would release it in the United States despite the British suit.) The Issuance of today's writ was normal procedure in England, for the essence of libel under the law is pub lication. The withdrawal of the book merely Indicates good faith and lack of malicious Intent and does not cancel the libel, although it may mitigate the damages. In the main, the difference between such cases in England and the United States is that court procedure is quicker in England and Englishmen are quicker to file suit Thus the duke’s action, in the role of the private citizen he now has be come, is not unusual. Some legal authorities did not be (8ee~WINEjlORTPage 4-40 LOGAN WILL ASK COMMITTEE COURT VOTE IN 2 WEEKS Judiciary Body Holds First Meeting on Proposed Change in Tribunal. “NO RECOMMENDATION” MAY BE VERDICT ON BILL Senator Suggests Advisability of Thus Avoiding Ballot in Controversy. BACKGROUND— The President's court bill, from which he would derive authority to name six new justices to the Su preme Court unless present justices over 70 retire, was submitted to Congress February 6, and has been a source of bitter controversy since. Senate Judiciary Committee, after seven weeks of public hearings, takes up bill in executive session today. Among matters awaiting committee action are a number of compromise proposals, most pop ular of which is one to give Mr. Roosevelt power to add two justices instead of six. BY G. GOULD LINCOLN. The Senate Judiciary Committee will be asked by Senator Logan of Kentucky to agree, by unanimous con sent, to vote on all amendments to President Roosevelt’s court bill and on the bill itself two weeks from today. The Senate Committee held its first meeting on the court bill behind closed doors today. Senator Logan will make his request for unanimous consent when the committee meets at 10:30 am. tomorrow. He expressed the opinion that an agreement would be reached. However, a number of the committee members were not present at the meeting today. If the Logan proposal should be adopted the day the committee would take final action on the court bill, under which President Roosevelt would be authorized to appoint a maximum of six new justices to the Supreme Court, would fall on May 11. ‘No Recommendation' Hinted. Senator Logan also suggested at the meeting today that it might be ad visable to report the bill to the Senate “without recommendation.” In that event a vote to report favorably or unfavorably might be avoided. The committee is very closely divided, par ticularly over the section of the bill dealing with increase in the member ship of the Supreme Court. There was no expression of opinion today from the committee over the proposal for a report without recommendation. Senator Logan has been a supporter of the bill. He expressed today the belief that the committee should dis pose of it without long delay, pointing out that the committee has many other important bills before it which need attention. Opposition to Senator Logan's plan to fix a date for voting on the court bill developed this afternoon. Sena tor Connally of Texas, an opponent of the President's bill, and Senator McGill of Kansas, who has been re garded as a supporter of the measure, both said they believed it would be better to let the discussion run along for some days before seeking to fix a time to vote on it. If a single Senator objects to the unanimous consent agreement at to morrow's meeting. Chairman Ashurst said, the agreement would fail. Senator Van Nuys of Indiana, strong opponent of the court plan, today re newed his motion to separate the court bill into two parts, with one dealing exclusively with the Supreme Court. He did not ask a vote on his motion today, but plans to do so later. Norris Proposal Considered. All of today's meeting was given over to a discussion of various amendments to the court bill and to a proposal by Senator Norris of Nebraska to require a 7-to-2 vote in the Supreme Court to declare an act unconstitutional, which may be offered as an amend ment to the pending bill. Among the amendments discussed, principally by their proponents, was that by Senator McCarran of Nevada, providing for a straight-out increase in the Supreme Court membership of two justices only. Senator McCarran, on leaving the committee room, said he might ask for a vote on his amend ment tomorrow. However, if the com mittee gives unanimous consent to the (See-JUDICIARY, Page A-27) SIMPSON DIVORCE ‘PROBATION’ ENDS Only Legal Technicalities Neces sary to Clear Way for Marriage. Ev tlje Associated Press. LONDON, April 27.—Mrs. Wallis Warfield Simpson completed today the required six months of “good be havior” in her divorce action and be came all but free to marry the former King of England. Only legal technicalities were neces sary before her divorce from Ernest Aldrich Simpson became final and these, it was expected, would be ful filled within a fortnight. Then the Duke of Windsor, who has not seen Mrs. Simpson since she fled from London at the height of the ab dication crisis, will be legally privi leged to marry “the woman I love.” Mrs. Simpson’s attorneys—she re mained in seclusion at Chateau de cande, .near Monts, Prance—expected the decree would be made absolute either May 3 or May 10. (No date for their marriage has been disclosed and it was believed un likely it would occur during the height of the festivities attendant on the coronation of the duke’s brother, King George VI, May 12.)