Evening star. [volume], April 28, 1937, Image 1

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

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WEATHER. '
(C 8 Weather Bureau Forecast.) .
Mostly cloudy tonight, showers tomor- The Only evening paper
*” Washington with the
southeast. Temperatures—Highest, 64, at Associated Pl'eSS NeWS
3.30 p.m. yesterday; lowest, 43. at 5:30 and Wirenhoto SerVlPPS
a.m. today. Full report on page A-19. 1 eynuiu OPI Vices.
Closing N.Y. Markets—Sales—Page 18 Yesterday’s Circulation, 142,905
__ __(Some returns not yet received !
85th YEAR. No. 33,965. post office, Washington, °D.ucr WASHINGTON, D. C., WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 1937—FORTY PAGES. w*) Mean* A*»ociated pr«»«. TWO CENTS.
DAMAGE IS SLIGHT
AS FLOOD CREST
PASSES CAPITAL;
FALL TO CONTINUE
Sandbag Brigade Is Halted
When Waters Fail to
Reach Expected Depth.
Trio Rescued in River.
WORK AT NAVY YARD
HALTED BY PRECAUTIONS
Air Travel Suspended as Field
Is Covered by Water—Homes
in Chain Bridge Area Escape
Destruction — Highways Still
Open.
A full page of pictures of flood
scenet urill be found on Page
A-7.
Further menace to the Capital’s
water front from the rain-swollen
Potomac appeared unlikely today
lifter the river reached its crest and
slowly started to recede, leaving a
minimum of damage and causing
'Withdrawal of a hastily assembled
handbag brigade.
Swirling down rapidly from the
Upper reaches, the crest—consider
ably below that experienced during
Khe disastrous overflow last Spring—
arrived around 3 a m.
High tide, between 9 and 10 o'clock
this morning, had little effect on the
condition of the river in this area.
An official bulletin from the rivers i
and harbors division of the Weather
Bureau, issued this morning, read:
“The Potomac River continues to
fall at all points above Washington.
At Sycamore Island. Md.. the crest i
atage was 23.7 feet and at the Wis- |
cnnsin avenue gauge 14.2 feet at 4
a m. today. In the ti<jal reach at
Washington the river will remain
stationary for several hours, followed
by a slow fall at increasing rate."
A survey of events directly linked
with the high water revealed one man
missing and the heroic rescue of a
woman and two men. swept down
stream when a canoe capsized.
Missing was Enoch Jenkins, 50
year-old White Ferry, Va., farmer,
who was last seen late yesterday after
a rowboat overturned and plunged him
into the river while he attempts to
make safe a scowload of sheep.
John Williams, 38, tender at Ar
lington Memorial Bridge, dared the
surging river to bring about the rescue
of the woman and two men who clung
to their capsized canoe. He swam to
their aid with a life line.
Activity at the Navy Yard ceased
temporarily today, all of the shops
having been closed last night in an
ticipation of high waters and ma
chines being "jacked up” or removed
to safe places.
The yard's power plant, immediate
ly on the water front, also was closed
and only skeleton crews were kept on
duty, several thousand workers being ,
relieved.
Navy Yard Damage.
Work, officials said, will be resumed ]
tomorrow. They said only minor dam
age has resulted.
Air travel also was at a standstill,
with Washington Airport almost com
pletely covered.
A tie-up developed on No. 1 high
way between Washington and Alexan
dria when several inches of water
flowed over the road and slowed traffic, j
The burden on this road was twice as
great as normally, the Mount Vernon ,
Memorial Highway, between Highway
Bridge and Alexandria, having been '
barricaded.
Alexandria also felt the effects of
the rising river, business along the
water front there being suspended j
when the overflowing Potomac filled ■
the first floors of many stores.
Shuttle bus sendee was started on !
Jower Seventh street last night after |
tubes of the street cars underground
lines were flooded. Cars had to be
towed from the Seventh street barn
to higher ground.
Meanwhile, President Roosevelt's
Statement that he expected Congress
to hold flood-control appropriations
within his $30,000,000 budget allow
ance was challenged by Chairman
Copeland of the Senate Commerce
" (See RIVER, Page A-2.) —
— ■ — —. •
51 SENATORS BACK
CLERKS’ PAY BOOST
Resolution Awaits Action in
Audit and Control Com
mittee.
A 25 per cent salary increase for
Clerks to Senators and Senate com
mittees, introduced jointly by 51 mem
bers of the Senate, is awaiting action
by the Senate Audit and Control Com
mittee, following its introduction in
the form of a resolution late yes
terday.
Belief prevailed in some quarters
at the Capitol today that if the reso
lution is approved it would improve
the chances for consideration of the
McCarran bill to raise the pay of em
ployes in the lower brackets through
out the Government service.
The McCarran bill seeks to make
$1,500 the minimum wage for full
time service, with smaller increases
tor those in the classification brackets
between that figure and $3,600 a year.
This bill has been side-tracked in ^ie
Civil Service Committee, at the re
quest of the Budget Bureau.
Included among the 51 Senators
who joined in proposing the pay in
crease resolution for Senate office per
sonnel are 11 of the 24 members of
the Appropriations Committee.
At present the basic salary rates of
clerks and assistant clerks to Senators
are $3,900, *2,400. *2,200 or *1,800.
Nearly all clerks to committees re
ceive *3,900 and some assistant clerks
$2,880. 1
SKIFF UPSETS,
MAN MISSING,
2 ARE SAVED
Trio Tossed Into
Potomac Trying
to Save Sheep.
The swollen waters of the Potomac
River are believed to have claimed
the life of Enoch Jenkins, 50, Masons
Island farmer and father of eight
children, who has been missing since
the boat in which he set out from the
Virginia shore shortly before dark
last night with his son and another
man to rescue his live stock over
turned.
The son, Richard, 19, and Ronald
Athey, 22. of Lucketts, Va., weak
from exposure, were rescued early
today from trees at the foot of Masons
Island, where they had clung during
the wind and rain that whipped the
river to foam last night.
The last they saw of the elder
Jenkins was when the skiff in which
j they set out to rescue about 30 sheep
they had managed to get into a
; small scow at the foot of the island
overturned. Searching squads were
scouring both sides of the river in the
hope Jenkins might have succeeded
in reaching shore, but little hope was
held today.
Jenkins, his wife and eight children
left the island late yesterday afternoon
(See FLOOD, Page A-5.)
- ■ •
I
I
TELLSOFATTEIfT
TO BUT SILENCE
Sheriff Offered Him $2,000
to '“Hide Out,” Says
Former Deputy.
BY JOHN C. HENRY.
Hugh Taylor, bullet-scarred former
deputy and coal miner of "Bloody
Harlan’’ County, Ky.. charged before
the La Follette Civil Liberties Com
| mittee today that High Sheriff T. R.
! Middleton offered him *2,000 to "hide
I out” in nearby Clay County during the
Senate group's investigation.
With both hands crippled by wounds
| during an attempt on his life on the
i night of February 20, Taylor said he
| had spent nearly two weeks in Emer
gency Hospital here in March after he
had been forced to flee the Harlan
Hospital.
The shooting, Taylor said, was per
petrated by Deputies Frank White and
Wash Irving after he had refused to
participate in the Mustek murder.
Only a ruse saved his life as he lay
bleeding in a roadside ditch, the wit
| ness declared.
Taylor testified that Middleton and
a friend, Clarence Poor, offered to pay
him if he would hide in Clay County,
adjoining Harlan.
"Did you accept?”
Belongings Recovered.
"Yes.” Taylor grinned.
He explained that his wife recov
ered from the sheriff’s office most of
the belongings taken from him the
night he was shot, and $62.50 of the
promised $2,000 was paid. He re
fused to consider that sufficient to
bind the bargain, however, he said.
A payment of $125 was made when
the proposition was advanced by the
sheriff, he added.
In describing the shooting of which
he was the victim. Taylor said only a
ruse—letting blood from wounds in
his hands flow over his chest, so it
appeared he was fatally wounded—
saved him from further shots.
Making his way to the Harlan Hos
pital after White and Irving had rifled
his pockets, Taylor continued, he was
warned by a deputy whom he refused
to name to get out of the hospital be
cause "Ben Unthank's gang” was go
ing to get him.
"Crawl if you have to,” he said he
was warned.
Getting himself removed to Pineville,
Taylor said, he finally was brought to
Washington and entered Emergency.
Earlier, the committee had been
I told how six heavily armed deputies,
j (See LA FOLLETTE, Page A-2.)
QUEZON SAILS
President of Philippines Will
Visit in Europe.
NEW YORK, April 28 (#•>.—Presi
dent Manuel Quezon of the Philippine
Commonwealth sailed today on the
Normandie for a month's visit in Eu
rope, accompanied by Mrs. Quezon and
his two daughters.
He plans to study co-operative farm
ing in Denmark and land tenancy in
Ireland.
President Quezon begged off on any
interview, saying "everything has been
said before and I haven’t anything
new to talk about."
He will return to the United States
late in May.
Final Decree to Mrs. Simpson
Likely to Be Granted May 4
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, April 28—Wallis War-!
field Simpson will be free on next
Tuesday, May 4, to become the
Duchess of Windsor, if her divorce
case keeps its schedule in the courts.
A final decree, making her divorce
from Ernest Aldrich Simpson abso
lute, will be granted on that date
unless there is some last-minute com
plication, which her lawyers believe is
now beyond the realm of probability.
Mrs. Simpson’s attorneys filed no
tice in Somerset House today that
an application for the final decree
was being made.
When Mrs. Simpson and former
King Edward VIII, who abdicated
his throne for her love, would marry
remained their secret, however.
A report in the Southern Dally
Echo, a Southampton newspaper,
that they might wed oa May 13,
s 4—
coronation day, was denied by Wind
sor's friends, who characterized such
a possibility as “fantastic.”
The newspaper said it learned “ex
clusively from most reliable sources”
that a coronation day wedding was
being considered, but had not been
decided on definitely.
The notice was filed in the ordinary
way by the solicitors’ clerk. It paved
the way for the final step in the ac
tion which began at Ipswich last
October.
There, Mrs. Simpson was awarded
a decree nisi, which necessitated a
six-month period before the divorce
could become absolute. The interim
ended yesterday, April 27.
The final step will be the routine,
formal Issuance of the final decree
during a session of the divorce court
six days after notice of the applica
tion is fllMt
M’CARRAN HITS|
COURT PROPOSAL,
Line-up Likely to Be 10 to 8
Against Measure to En
large Bench.
SENATE GROUP DECIDES
TO VOTE ON MAY 18
Unanimous Consent Given for
Comprehensive Ballot on Bill
With All Amendments.
BULLETIN.
Senator McCarran, Democrat,
of Nevada, the "balance-wheel'’
member on the Senate Judiciary
Committee, announced opposition
today to the President's court bill.
His action virtually assured an
unfavorable report to the Senate
on the measure, those close to the
committee said.
Previously, checks of the com
mittee membership had showed it
siood 9 to 9 on the bill. McCarran
made the tenth adverse vote and
assured a report against the bill,
provided no one should change.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.
By unanimous consent, the Senate
Judiciary Committee today fixed May
18 as the day on which to vote on
President Roosevelt's court bill and all
amendments thereto.
On by unanimous consent. Chairman
Ashurst explained, will it be possible
for the committee to vote on any
amendment or any motion in relation
to the court bill until May 18. This
seems to postpone for nearly three
weeks any test of strength in the com
mittee on the President's proposal to
increase the number of justices of the
Supreme Court.
The Senate Committee received to
day and placed in its record a letter
from Solicitor General Stanley Reed,
which defended the President's judici
ary proposal. Ten statements on each
side of the Supreme Court issue will
be printed in the Record. Reed's will
be included. Senator Burke, Demo
| crat. of Nebraska, an opponent of the
President's program, said a large num
ber of statements were in the hands
of the opposition members of the com
mittee and 10 would be selected today
! or tomorrow.
When the committee met this morn
ing. Senator Logan. Democrat, of Ken
tucky asked unanimous consent that
the committee vote on all amendments
and on the bill on Tuesday, May 11.
Senator Borah, Republican, of Idaho
and Senator King, Democrat, of Utah,
who are opposing the President’s bill,
suggested this did not allow sufficient
time for the committee. They suggest
ed that May 18 be fixed as the voting
date. Senator Logan, who is support
ing the President's bill, accepted the
amendment to his proposal and sub
mitted a request for unanimous con
sent to vote on May 18. This was ac
cepted.
The committee then settled down to
a desultory discussion of various
amendments which have been pro
posed. Senator McCarran, Democrat
of Nevada explained in some detail
his compromise amendment, which
would give the President power to in
crease the Supreme Court by two addi
tional justices. Amendments proposed
by Senators Hatch of New Mexico and
McGill of Kansas and the Norris bill,
each of which would require a seven
to-flve vote in the Supreme Court to
hold a law unconstitutional, also were
discussed briefly.
For nearly three weeks the commit
tee will meet an hour and a half each
day except Saturdays to discuss further
the President's bill and amendments
thereto. Unless the committee becomes
weary of this job and by unanimous
consent agrees to vote earlier than
(See^JUDICIARY, Page A-27)
RETAIL FOOD COSTS
HIGHEST IN SIX YEARS
Trend to Continue Upward Dur
ing May, Agriculture Records
Show.
By the Associated Press.
Federal food experts predicted today
the average family will need a little
more money in the next few weeks to
pay the grocer, butcher and baker.
Agriculture Department surveys
showed the general level of retail food
costs recently has been the highest
in six years. The economists said
the general trend "will continue
slightly upward during May and re
main above last year's level.”
Supplies of many food products are
smaller than a year ago, the econo
mists said, chiefly because of the 1936
drought. *
The survey said retail food costs
are 7 per cent above last year. Only
eggs showed a downward trend.
'ifwe.'d HAT)'
Fifteen men on the
COURT THIS NEVER
WOULD HAVE HAPPENED,
Assistant Labor Secretary
Addresses Chamber of
Commerce Session.
Edward F McGrady. Assistant Sec
retary of Labor, today urged the
Chamber of Commerce of the United
States to give the Wagner act a chance
to demonstrate its possibilities before
seeking to change it.
Coupled with this admonition was
the veiled implication that—if experi
ence justified—revision could be con
sidered, business now charging the
legislation is one-sided.
"Let us not forget," McGrady said,
“that at the time the Wagner act was
written the attitude of at least some
management as to the particular sub
jects it addressed seemed to be that
while there were prenty of duties on
the part of labor and rights on the
part of management, the reverse of
that did not exist.
"In other words, the Wagner art
Invaded a field so one-sided in its
practical application that its principal
concern was to strike a new balance
and rectify a condition unfair on the
other side. Perhaps this whole back
ground has now been changed, but in
these great fundamental changes we
must remember that Rome wasn't built
in a day.
"There has been no real experience
with the Wagner act and that, permit
me to say, was not the fault of labor.
It was the fault of some management
and the lower courts. In almost every
conceivable circumstance the lawyers
moved in on that law with the result
that the ink on it was scarcely dry
before the National Labor Relations
Board was paralyzed by injunctions
on practically every front. It remained
paralyzed until by the recent decision
of the Supreme Court in the Jones
<fc Laughlin, Associated Press and other
related cases it was restored to the
potency with which Congress had bap
tized it. Let's get a little experience
with the new' dispensation before we
begin to write new laws."
McGrady spoke at the second ses
sion of the twenty-fifth annual con
vention, which has heard a drumfire
(See CHAMBER, Page A-2.)
Summary of Today’s Star
Page. Page.
Amusements B-20 Radio -B-9
Comics _B-14 Society -B-3
Editorials -_A-1<> Short Story B-S
Financial . A-17 Sports A-14-18 .
Lost & Found A-3 Woman's Pg. B-12
Obituary ...A-12 j I
FOREIGN.
Basque forces at Durango fall back
before rebels. Page A-l
NATIONAL.
Senate committee to vote on judiciary
bill May 18. Page A-l
Killing of Musick boy described to
Senate gToup. Page A-l
Administration, leaders seeking ways
to curb prices. Page A-l
Roosevelt heads for New Orleans and
fishing trip. Page A-l
McOrady asks trial for Wagner act be
fore change is sought. Page A-l
"Adjustable” economy measure gets
bureau approval. Page A-l
President's economy move held bar to
flood control projects. Page A-l
Denhardt to tell story of tryst from
stand. Page A-3
Jury-tampering charge slows up Park
er trial. Page A-3
Ohio River Valley flood crest leveling
off. Page A-5
Federal corporation licensing bill in
dorsed by two witnesses. Page A-8
WASHINGTON AND VICINITY.
Keller to Inform House Jefferson Me
morial to C06t $5,500,000 page A-l
Gambling indictments sought against
100 persons. Page A-l
Man missing, two saved in attempt to
rescue sheep in flood. Page A-l
Flood crest passes, further danger
unlikely. Page A-l
First trial under S. E. C. act scheduled
here. Page A-2
Three Prince Georges areas reflooded
by Potomac's backwash. Page A-2
Byrd llentenant honored at National
Geographic ceremony. Page A-8
Prominent persons attend Bishop Mc
Dowell rites. Page A-12
Dog’s devotion to her master brings
near d is taster. Page B-l
Capital Auditorium Commission to
meet Friday. Page B-l
Iekes hits proposed abattoir as
"noisome offense ” Page B-l
Opponents of new auto tax plans to
be heard tomorrow. Page B-l
Blackmail trial nears end in District
Court. Page B-l
EDITORIAL AND COMMENT.
Editorials. Page A-10
This and That. Page A-10
Washington Observations. Page A-10
Answers to Questions. Page A-10
David Lawrence. Page A-ll
Paul Mallon. Page A-ll
Dorothy Thompson. Page A-ll
Constantine Brown. Page A-ll
Lemuel Parton. Page A-ll
SPORTS.
Spasmodic play factor in keeping
Griffs off stride. Page A-14
Noted men honor G. U. athletes at
dinner tonight. Page A-14
Vines, Perry top pro tennis show
here tonight. Page A-14
Late start piling up twin bills in big
leagues. Page A-14
Farr, now British ring idol, rates title
shot. Page A-15
Levinsky takes lacing in London from
Doyle. Page A-15
Weak U. S. tennis team picked to
beat Japanese. Page A-15
Women's bowling tourney gets under
way tonight. Page A-16
FINANCIAL.
U. S. bonds improve (table). Page A-17
Power production up. Page A-17
Oil output at new peak. Page A-17
Stocks go down (table). Page A-18
Curb list down (table). PageA-19
Union Pacific net jump*. Page A-19
MISCELLANY.
Washington Wayside. Page A-2
Young Washington, Page A-8
Nature's Children. Page B-2
City News in Brief. Page B-ll
Shipping News. Page B-ll
Vital Statistics. Page B-ll
Traffic Convictions. Page B-ll
Service Orders. Page B-ll
Dorothy Dix. PageB-12
Betsy Caswell. PageB-12
Bedtime Story. PageB-13
Men's Fashions. Page B-13
Winning Contract. PageB-13
Cross-word Puzzle. Page B-l4
LaMar Out. Page B-l*
7T
President Goes
T o Ncii' Orleans
On Fishing Trip
W ill Board Potomac
Tom or rote Right
After Day in City.
£j the Associated Press.
ABOARD ROOSEVELT TRAIN EN
ROUTE TO NEW ORLEANS, April
28. — President Roosevelt traveled
across rain-swept Virginia and the
Carolinas today toward the warm wa
ters of the Gulf of Mexico and his
long-planned rendezvous with tarpon.
He will embark on the U. S S. Po
tomac at New Orleans late Thursday
for 10 days of angling of! Louisiana
and Texas. He will return to Wash
ington May 13.
The President told his associates he
tSee ROOSEVELT, Page A-4.) '
PLANT AMID HOOTS
Ignore U. A. W. A. Pickets’
Cry for Closed Shop in
Indiana Rioting.
Br the Associated Press.
CONNERSVILLE, Ind , April 28.—
Eyes blood-shot from lack of sleep,
approximately 600 workmen marched
from the Rex Manufacturing Co.'s
plant here today amid hootr and cat
calls of more than 300 United Auto
mobile Workers of America who had '■
patrolled outside of the building.
Shouts of "We want a closed shop”
came from U. A. W. A. pickets.
The exodus from the plant was in
decided contrast to the hand-to-hand
combat last night, in which three men
; suffered injuries requiring medical at
i tention. Dozens of other workmen were
cut and bruised in the rioting which
! followed the calling of a U. A. W. A.
1 strike. Black eyes and bloody noses
| were numerous-.
I Elmer Davis, U. A. W. A. organizer.
I “ (See STRIKE, Page A-A)
WAYS TO CHECK
Administration Takes Cue
From Roosevelt—Wars
on Monopolies.
BACKGROUND—
Anti-trust laws, first enacted in
1890 and later expanded as Amer
ican business showed pronounced
trend to bigness, make it criminal
offense for companies in interstate
competition to establish monopolies
or fix prices.
Recently, Government considered
anti-trust action against steel com
panies submitting identical bids on
P. W. A. projects, but prosecution
was not attempted.
Tydings-Mtller bill would relax
anti-trust laws to extent of sanc
tioning resale contracts in States
where legalized. Purpose of con
tracts is to prevent underselling by
large retail organizations.
By the Associated Press.
Administration authorities, guided
by a restatement of President Roose
velt* views, cast about today for new :
means to check climbing prices and
prevent monopoly.
The President, before leaving on a
Southern fishing trip, expressed his
views in three ways:
1. He advised against speculation in
the stock market.
2. He made public a report from
Attorney General Cummings saying
revision of anti-trust laws was de- j
sirable “in the face of the present1
tendency to increase prices.”
3. He wrote Vice President Garner
of "the present hazard of undue ad
vances in prices,” voicing opposition
to a bill by Senator Tydings, Demo
crat, of Maryland, to legalize certain
price maintenance understandings.
Mr, Roosevelt's statement on stock
market speculation came as an after
math to his recent request that Gov
ernment workers should avoid securi
ties gambling.
Same Views “Since 1927.”
Asked whether this advice also was
good for the general public, he replied
he had been saying so since 1927.
Mr. Roosevelt cited a small New
York town in which most of the resi
dents lost their savings by playing the
(See PRICES, Page A-4 )
PRESIDENT SIGNS
LARGE NAVY BILL
Appropriation Only Slightly Be
low Current Year, Which Is
Record for Peace.
B? the Associated Press.
The White House announced today
that President Roosevelt signed the
*500,000.000 naval appropriation bill
for the 1938 fiscal year before leaving
early this morning for a fishing cruise
in Southern waters.
The appropriation was only slightly
below that for the current year, which
set a peace-time record. It carried
*130,000,000 for ship construction and
armament, including funds to continue
work on two battleships.
The money will be applied to 81
fighting ships already building and
will permit the laying down of eight
more destroyers and four submarines.
The act provides *14,000,000 for
aviation and authority to enter into
contracts totaling *15,000,000 more.
This will permit procurement of 397
planes and two non-rigid airships.
Jefferson Memorial Cost
Likely to Grow, Witnesses Say
BY WILL P. KENNEDY.
After testimony showing that while
the Thomas Jefferson Memorial struc
ture and terraces can be erected for
$3,000,000 at the Tidal Basin site, in
order to get a proper development
of the surroundings,, the cost may
run up to an additional $6,500,000.
Chairman Keller of the House Li
brary Committee declared today he
felt it his duty to report this to the
House for action.
Representative Secrest, Democrat, of
Ohio moved that before this was done
Keller and the ranking Republican
member, Representative Treadway of
Massachusetts, confer with John Rus
sell Pope, the architect, and report
back to the committee. When the
committee adjourned, no appoint
ment had been made with Pope. The
hearing is to be resumed tomorrow.
jf
Arno B. Cammerer, director of the
National Park Service, was the prin- I
cipal witness today. He emphasized
that ihe Tidal Basin site has the full
approval of the Pine Arts and National
Capital Park and Planning Commis
sions and all other officials who con
ferred with the Memorial Commission
If the surroundings are properly de
veloped as a setting for the memorial.
It was John L. Nagle, engineer for
the Parks Service, who told the com
mittee it is impossible as yet to esti
mate the costs for proper treatment
of the surroundings, but that what is
implied in the plans of Architect Pope
might cost from $4,500,000 to $6,500,
000 in addition to the $3,000,000 al
ready authorized.
Cammerer emphasized that in all
(See MEMCtftlAL, Page A-2.)“
15 PCT. RESERVE
ON FUNDS GETS
PRESIDENT O. K.
Resolution to Impound Portions
of Appropriations May Wait
Till All Bills Are Passed.
BANKHEAD REVEALS STAND
OF PRESIDENT TO AID CUT
Taber Asks Revision of Estimates With
Inflexible Method to Keep Budget
in Balance in Face of Deficit.
BACKGROUND—
Determined fight for economy in Federal Goivrnment has developed
in recent weeks as tax revenues fell below expectations.
House Republicans touched off drive by suggestion of flat 10 per cent
cut in appropriations. In Senate. Byrd and Byrnes took up cudgles with
proposals for economy through reorganization and through decreased relief
appropriations.
Principal criticism of flat reduction is that it fails to apply yardstick
of need to each item, an objection that might be overcome by Cannon's dis
creionary proposal.
Br th. Associated Pres.,
Speaker Bankhead said today he was authorized to state that
President Roosevelt favored impounding 15 per cent of all ap
propriations for Government departments and agencies for the
next fiscal year.
A resolution to impound that proportion of appropriations was
introduced yesterday by Representative Cannon. Democrat, of Mis
souri. None of the 15 per cent would be available for expenditures
unless released by the President.
Bankhead said he did not believe there would be any immediate
action on the resolution. He said he thought it should be deferred
until after all appropriation bills have passed.
Decimated by Advance of
Rebels, They Try to Halt
Drive Toward Bilbao.
BACKGROUND—
The outcome of the Bilbao offen
sive has been viewed by some as a
probable parallel of the outcome of
the protracted Spanish rebellion, in
the belief that capitulation of the
city would, permit Gen. Franco to
withdraw much of his northern
army and hurl it affainst Madrid.
By the Associated Press.
HENDAYE. Franco-Spanish Border.
April 28.—Grimly determined Basques
j turned a Durango Church into a
1 fortress today in a dramatic attempt to
] stem the march of strong insurgent
armies on Bilbao, their regional cap
ital.
The Basques, members of three deci
mated battalions, crammed the Church
of Santa Maria in Durango, just 16
; miles from Bilbao, dragged their can
1 non within the walls and blasted at in
i' surgent attackers in ferocious salvoes,
i But insurgent advices indicated their
stand might be in vain. These reports
said the vanguard of one of three in
surgent columns which are marching
to the sea had encircled Durango and,
i already, was hurrying, virtually un
opposed, along the broad highway
toward Bilbao.
Consider Evacuations.
In that Basque capital, seat of im
portant munitions industries and one
of the last government stands on the
Bay of Biscay on Spain's northwest
ledge, authorities began to consider
evacuation of every woman and child.
Intense fighting surged around the
once peaceful church in Durango.
Forces of insurgent Gen Emilio Mola
appeared confident they soon would
capture the edifice. But the Basques
believed a successful defense might
save both Durango and Bilbao.
Southeast of Durango, on the other
side from Bilbao, daring Basque raid
ers blew up a bridge and slowed the
movement of main insurgent forces
into the city. The span was being re
paired by Mola's sappers.
Ten small towns were taken by the
three advancing insurgent columns—
Marquina, Echebarria Urbernaga, Bol
ivar, Arrozola, Axpel, Apatamonasue
rio. Abadiano, Acarror and Bazter
rechea.
Before they got into the church for
their seemingly suicidal stand, the
Basques had opposed insurgent con
quest of Durango with armored cars.
Circling Movement Succeeds.
Then, it appeared, some of the in
surgents began an encircling move
ment to get to the Bilbao highway on
the other side of town and to gtarve
(See SPAIN,' Page A-4.)~
• "Frankly, if it goes through,” Bank
head said at his press conference, "it
will be left up to the President to see
what savings he can make.”
The Speaker said he. too, approved
the Cannon proposal.
It appears evident, he added, that
the President favors it in preference
to a horizontal 10 per cent cut in all
appropriations as suggested by Senator
Byrnes, Democrat, of South Carolina
and Representative Taber, Republican,
of New York.
“It is practically impossible ” th*
Speaker asserted, "to provide for an
absolute horizontal cut in all appro
priations. You just can't do it without
injustices in certain spots.”
Would Include All Funds.
If the Cannon measure went
through. Bankhead noted, there would
be specific appropriations that could
not be touched, such as those for na
tional debt retirement, compensation
for veterans and their widows and
wages of Government employes fixed
by law.
The Speaker added, however, that
Mr. Roosevelt has authority to dis
miss "a lot of employes if he thought
it necessary.”
Asked whether the President could
not effect economies now by with
holding appropriations from Federal
agencies, the Speaker said Mr. Roose
velt probably would not be seeking
the power now if he already had it.
The House Appropriations Commit
tee. spurred by the economy demands,
cut $18,828,605 today from the Budget
Bureau's estimates for the second
deficiency appropriation bill. Tha
measure carried a total of $79,206,943.
Taber, ranking Republican on the
House Appropriations Committee,
asked that the President revise his
estimates of Government expenses in
1938 to balance them with expected
income. Mr. Roosevelt said last week
the deficit probably would be about
$418,000,000.
Yesterday House committees ap
proved a *25.000.000 increase in
the Army's allotment for next year,
but rejected a $300,000,000 program
for aiding State school systems.
The Appropriations Committee,
which recommended $416,413,382 for
military services in the year begln
The Senate Appropriations Com
mittee sliced 25 per cent from an
earlier $1,655,000 deficiency appropri
ation bill affecting the Federal Trade
Commission, the Railway Retirement
Board and Bureau of Navigation and
the Mint. The House already had ap
proved the measure.
President Roosevelt discussed econ
omy efforts at his press conference
yesterday. Adivsed of efforts of in
dividual Congressmen to Ignore his
requests for economy, he smiled and
observed it all depended on whose
baby had the measles.
He said again he believes $30,000,000
will be a sufficient sum for present
flood control activity, although de
mands for much more are before
Congress.
He expressed doubt that $25,000,000
could be saved by merging the Home
Owners’ Loan Corp. and the Federal
Housing Administration, as Senator
Byrd, Democrat, of Virginia, sug
gested.
Opinions in the House on the likeli
hood of actually cutting costs ranged
from Bankhead's prediction that
the aggregate appropriations this
session would be substantially less
than the President expected, to the
comment of Representative Gifford,
Republican, of Massachusetts, that
talk of reducing expenses Is “just a
spasm of economy.”
Discussing the Army appropriation,
Speaker Bankhead said:
“It is unfortunate that we can't re
duce all appropriations. But the peo
ple are pretty strong for national de
fense. That is one thing that can be
said in this crisis in international af
fairs.”
Although the fund suggested for the
Army next year is greater than this
year's appropriation, it Is $358,079 be
low the budget estimate.
Boy, in Box, Hart by Car.
PHILADELPHIA, April 28 UP).—.
Seven-year-old John Johnson was in
jured seriously by an automobile that
struck a cardboard box in which tha
boy was aitting in the street yesterday.
The driver said he thought thb- box
i was empty.