Evening star. [volume], May 15, 1937, Page A-16, Image 16

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

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
DISAPPEARANCE OF
REAL ESTATE MAN
Detectives Delve Into Affairs
Seeking Motive for Mur
der or Suicide.
C. F. KEENE MISSING
FROM NORFOLK BOAT
Bloodstains Are Found in State
Room and on Handrail
of Vessel.
Detectives today delved into the af
fairs of Charles P. Keene in an effort
to shed some light on the elderly real
estate broker’s disappearance from his
cabin on the steamer District of Co
lumbia early yesterday under circum
stances which indicated murder, with
robbery as a motive.
Investigators also were exploring the
possibility of suicide, while ship’s of
ficers said it was possible Keene might
have wandered ashore unnoticed and
In a mental daze, at either Old Point
Comfort or Norfolk, prior to the time
he was missed.
The boat docked at Norfolk early
yesterday and returned here this
morning.
enable to Locate Body.
Meanwhile, Maryland authorities
had been unable to locate Keene’s
body in the mouth of the Potomac or
In Chesapeake Bay near Smiths Point,
where the passenger was believed to
have gone overboard. Shifting tides
In this area made the search difficult.
Only a 5-cent piece was found m
the disarrayed cabin, about which
Keene’s clothing was strewn. There
were small amounts of blood on the
lower bunk, on the carpet and on the
washbowl beside an open window
which looked out directly on the water.
Keene occupied a cabin next to the
Bfterdeck.
Blood on Handrail.
Police at Norfolk found bloody fin
gerprints on a handrail just outside
Keene's window and on the afterdeck
rail, about 10 feet aft of the window.
The handrail is set in the outer wall of
the cabins above a small ledge along
which a man can easily walk.
Detectives said the fingerprints
might have been made by Keene as ne
clung to the rail and worked his way
aft for a few yards before plunging
Into the water, or they might have
been made by a murderer returning
along the ledge and over the deck
rail after throwing the body of his
Victim through the window.
Detectives at Norfolk took the finger
prints to check them with criminal
files and wjth Keene's own prints
should the body be recovered.
Members of Keene’s family said he
rarely discussed his personal affairs
and they had no idea how much
money he had with him when he left
Thursday night. Keene had explained
he was going to Norfolk to close a real
estate deal, but gave no details of the
transaction.
Son Aids Investigation.
Keene's aon, Charles Keene, jr., an
Annapolis graduate who recently
resigned from the Navy to go into
business in New York, came to Wash
ington to assist with the investigation.
He met the District of Columbia when
she returned here this morning and,
with headquarters detectives, went
over the case with ship's officers.
Keene's ticket was taken up after
the boat left Alexandria. No pas
sengers could be located who remem
bered seeing him later in the evening.
At about 1 a m. yesterday, when the
boat was off Smiths Point, Watchman
William Bowden thought he heard a
muffled explosion from the direction
of Keene's cabin.
Bowden could nor be certain, How
ever. The boat was in motion, the
water was somewhat rough at that
point, and the radiators sometimes
banged and popped when steam was j
turned off or on. Bowden heard no
further suspicious sounds and did not j
try the doors of the cabins near where !
he stood in the after salon.
On the following morning, a woman |
who occupied an adjoining cabin re- j
called hearing a muffled report during
the night, but she could not identify
it as a gun shot.
Charles Osborne, In whose office In
the Union Trust Building Keene
rented space, said he did not believe
Keene had much money or any val
uables on his person when he left
Washington. Osborne and members
of Keene's family said he was in ex
cellent spirits and had no reason for
committing suicide.
Keene's wrist watch and broken eye
glasses wrere found in the cabin. His
suitcase had been opened and clothing
was strewn about. The lower • berth
was still made, but the top berth
looked as if someone had slept in it.
From the clothing found in the
cabin, investigators were convinced
that Keene was dressed only in
trousers and underclothing when he
went through the window. Police
found his automobile driving license,
a receipted bill from the Fairfax
Hotel, where he lived here with his
wife, and a business letter relating
to an old Texas estate in Vice Presi
dent Garner’s family. Keene’s bill
fold was missing.
Keene, who was about 65, had been
in the real estate business here for
many years.
Keene's wife is well known in social
eircles here as a bridge expert. She
was near prostration when notified of
Keene’s disappearance. Her husband
had expected to return to Washington
today.
In addition to his wife and son,
Keene is survived by a brother in
California.
U. S. PARKS IN WEST
TOPIC OF ADDRESS
Dorr Yeager, assistant chief of the
Museum Division of the National Park
Service, Interior Department, will
speak on "The Popular Interpreta
tion of the Story of the National
Parks in the West” at 8 p.m. Wednes
day in the auditorium of the new
Interior Department, Eighteenth and
C streets. The public is invited to
this free lecture, which will be il
lustrated.
In conjunction with long-range
museum planning, Yeager is in Wash
ington for a few weeks, although he
is regularly stationed at Berkeley,
Calif., where he has charge of West
ern museum activities. He has been
t ranger and park naturalist in Yel
lowstone, Yosemite and Rocky Moun
tain National Parks. He has -rltten
t popular aeries of books.
*
Architect’s Sketches of Navy’s New Basin for Testing Ship Models
Power and speed of Uncle
Sam's ships can be predicted
by means of tests with steel or
wood models in the experi
mental basin, sketched above,
to be built at Carderock, on
Conduit road, near Cabin
John, Md. The basin will be
equipped with the latest de
vices for testing models of
ships, seaplanes and amphib
ians. It ivill replace the
existing model basin at the
Navy Yard, which has long
been considered obsolete.
TRAFFIC DEATHS
REACH® HERE
Man Killed in Striking Pole
When Hurled From
Door of Auto.
Thrown to the street when the door
of an automobile In which he was
riding flew open, Elmer L. Barham,
39, of 102 Ridge road southeast, was
almost instantly killed late yesterday.
It was the forty
seventh traffic fa
tality this year.
Barham, police
said, was a pas
senger in a ma
chine oi>eratecl by
Arthur Boan, 30.
of 4002 D street
southeast, when
the accident oc
curred on Ana
costia road south
east, near Blaine
street.
When he fell
from the car,
Barham struck a
Elmer L. Barham.
telephone pole. He was dead on ar
rival at Galinger Hospital, where he
was taken by a passing motorist.
Less than five hours after he re
ceived severe head injuries in a fight,
Ellis Styles, 28, colored. 200 G street
northeast, was knocked down by an
automobile.
Styles was struck on the head with
a brick, near Second and G streets
northeast, about 6 p.m., and was
treated at Casualty Hospital. Police
said he refused to stay at the hospital
after treatment.
Skull Fracture Feared.
About 10:30 p.m. he was injured
about the head, when, according to
police, he stepped into the path of an
automobile beneath the H street via
duct. He was again taken to Casualty,
where it was said his skull may oe
fractured.
Seven other persons were injured,
two perhaps seriously, in accidents
during the last 24 hours.
Ellen Coleman, 34, colored, 1824
Eleventh street, was seriously injured
when a truck ran over the sidewalk
and struck her following a collision
at Eleventh and R streets.
The truck, operated, police said, by
James Carrington, 21, colored, 2420 K
street, was in collision with an auto
mobile driven by Chimes Sowers, 26,
of the 1000 block of M street.
Fannie Cuthberton, 44, colored, 1311
C street southeast, was taken to Casu
alty with head and spine injuries re
ceived when she was struck by a street
car at Pennsylvania and North Caro
lina avenues southeast. Her condition
also is considered serious.
Youth’s Leg Fractured.
Robert T. Surine, 18, of 1326 Kal
mia road, suffered a compound frac
ture of the leg when struck by an
automobile on Cedar street, near
Fifth. He was taken to Walter Reed
Hospital.
Marshall Jackson, 12, colored, 2321
Champlain street, received a broken
leg when his coaster wagon struck a
parked car on Florida avenue near
California street. He was taken to
Casualty.
Other traffic victims and their in
juries were Pauline Carroll, 40, colored,
1439 T street, internal injuries; Rob
ert C. Kent, 77, of 1627 D street
northeast, cuts and bruises; Mrs. Ade
laide Jamison, 58, of 2633 Fifteenth
street, back injuries, and Madeline
Sutton, 38, colored, 424 First street,
shoulder, leg and wrist injuries.
At an inquest yesterday, Floyd
Little, 35, of 24 M street northeast,
a street car motorman, was exonerated
in the death, May 4, of Henry J. Kit
tinger, 71, of 911 First street north
east. Kittinger was struck at First
and H streets by a street car oper
ated by Little.
SPEAKERS CHOSEN HERE
Bisgyer and Janus to Address
Jewish Welfare Session.
Maurice Bisgyer, executive secre
tary of the International B’na: Brith,
and Shimon Q. Janus of the Depart
ment of Hebrew Education, both of
this city, will be guest speakers at
the thirty-eighth National Confer
ence of Jewish Social Welfare, to
be held at Indianapolis, from Wednes
day through next Sunday.
Local delegates who will attend the
conference include, besides Bisgyer
and Janus, Isadore Hershfleld, Miss
Myrtle Cohen, Miss Ruth Green, Mrs.
Marguerite Mayer and Morris Klass,
director of the Jewish Social Service
Agency..
Ex-Judge in China to Speak.
Charles S. Lobingier, former judge
of the United States Court for China,
will addres the Oriental Culture Group
at 8:15 o’clock tonight at the home
of Miss Ida Hoyt Chamberlain, 2737
Cathedral avenue, t
This is how the completed basin will look from the exterior. The work here will include development in the design and speed
of ships, various aeronautical problems and provisions for precision apparatus. Few ships of importance are ever undertaken
anywhere without careful study of power requirements by testing.
D. C. RELIEF FIGHT
STATUSINDOUBT
Hazen Says He Personally
Will Not Ask Million Above
House Figure.
Doubt prevailed at the District
Building today as to whether the Com
missioners would make an aggressive
fight for the provision of an extra
millian dollars for direct relief here
next fiscal year, when they appear
before the Senate District Subcom
mittee on Appropriations next week
on items in the 1938 budget.
Commissioner Hazen made clear to
day that, so far as he personally is
concerned, he would not campaign for
an increase of so much as $1,000,000
above the figures of $1,411,000 for re
lief, approved by the House.
He went further to insist that his
recollection was that the Board of
Commissioners never had voted for
mally to seek an Increase of $1,000,
000, which the Board of Public Wel
fare has recommended as a means of
affording relief to some 3,000 families
in which there are “employables" who
now cannot get on the direct relief
list.
Commissioner Allen, who supervises
relief operations, has said the Com
missioners were committed to request
an additional $1,000,000. But he has
indicated that relief officials will have
to carry the burden of proving the
need for the increase.
About two weeks ago, Hazen an
nounced that the question of the size
of the relief appropriation of the
District, which should be approved
for the next fiscal year, would be dis
cussed before the Senate Subcommit
tee headed by Senator Thomas of
Oklahoma. He said that the conflict
ing views of several organized groups
would be laid before Thomas’ sub
committee.
The Federation of Citizens’ Asso
ciations has gone on record opposing
any increase in the relief item above
the sum recommended by the Budget
Bureau, or $1,465,000. Directors of
the Board of Trade also opposed the
$1,000,000 increase, but since then
have been making a survey of the
problem. The request for a mlllion
dollar increase was supported by a
civic committee, representing religious
and social work groups.
OIL PLANT DAMAGED
Blaze Breaks Out in Refinery
House Above Key Bridge.
Fire breaking out in a Worthington
Oil Refinery house on the Potomac
River, a short distance above Key
Bridge today, was limited to an ap
proximate $100 loss in machinery as
companies from Cherrydale, Claren
don and Ballston fought in dense
smoke to keep the fire from spreading
to nearby tanks containing about 6,000
gallons of oil.
Chief A. C. Scheffel of the Arling
ton County department, said damage
was limited to filtering machinery.
Cause of the fire was undetermined.
Straw Hats Take
Fashion Stage for
Males of Capital
Shop Window Sugges
tions Hard to Resist
on Bright Day.
Today is an annual milestone In
fashions for men—it’s the “red-.letter
day” of hat*. Except for Easter, it
is practically the only day when a
man can put on something new and
say, "See, I know what to do today,
and I did it.”
Not that a man could help know
i what to do today. Store windows
are full of suggestions—almost com
mands. To walk by a men's shop with
your chin held high m the air and a
felt pulled low will take a lot more
nerve than to ease inside the first
store and get the whole matter off
your mind once and for all.
Today is May IS, a day of character
molding. The old felt will continue
to grace the thatches of our indi
vidualists. Some will sidestep by
going bareheaded the rest of the
Summer. Most of us will sport a
bright, new straw hat.
If the weather plays a part in your
decision, today will be fair and con
tinued cool, according to the Weather
Bureau. Rising temperature is fore
cast for tomorrow, with no rain in
eight.
Return of “Teacher” Bankhead
Ends House Scene of Confusion
Members Debate Quitting for Day as
Speaker and Rayburn Pay Visit
to White House.
Br the Aseocleted Press.
Like schoolboy* throwing spitballs
when teacher steps out of the room.
House members cut up yesterday when
Speaker Bankhead and Representa
tive Rayburn of Texas, the Demo
cratic leader, went to the White House
to talk over the legislative situation.
Before they had completed their
conference with President Roosevelt
a telephone call brought them hus
tling back to the Capitol to restore
order.
They stepped into a scene of con
fusion.
The $115,971,265 Interior Depart
ment appropriation bill had been
under consideration and a battle over
reclamation and irrigation projects
had threatened to delay action on
the measure until long pest dinner
time.
Decide to Quit.
Some members decided it was time
to knock off for the day, and, amid
a din of chatter, hooting and ap
plause. there were half a dozen mo
tions designed to end oie session.
Finally, when Representative Mc
Reynolds, Democrat, of Tennessee re
marked that the House was "in no
condition to do business with all this
fuss and disorder," the chamber voted,
116 to 21, to stop work on the Inte
rior bill.
Representative O'Connor, Democrat,
of New York took over as Acting
Speaker.
There were more motions to ad
journ.
Representative Boland, Democrat,
of Pennsylvania, the Democratic whip,
dashed in.
“I just got through talking with the
Speaker at the White House," he said
breathlessly. “I told him of the situ
ation. I'd like to see the House not
adjourn until he gets here."
Michener Gets in Dip.
Representative Michener, Republi
can. of Michigan couldn’t resist a
chance to get a dig about the two
leaders wanting to “return and tell
us what the President wants us to
do.”
O’Connor stood up on the Speaker’s
dais, looked around, spotted Repre
sentative Maverick, Democrat, of
Texas.
“Does the gentleman from Texas,
Mr. Maverick, desire recognition for
10 minutes?" he asked.
Maverick grinned, walked down into
the well and started stalling for time.
He talked about anything that popped
into his head—“wasting time," “heart
to-heart talks,” Secretary Wallace's
“running for President,” putting
through the Roosevelt court bill and
the Democrats’ having a “few caucuses
and getting together and finding out
why we're here."
Speaker and Rayburn Return.
Smiling, Bankhead and Rayburn
walked in. The Speaker took the
chair.
Maverick immediately demanded
and received permission to "revise,
extend and eliminate certain portions
of my remarks."
There waa a burst of laughter.
Bankhead banged down his gavel.
Members who had been standing and
shouting and jostling a few moments
before sank into seats.
‘‘It appears,” Ray bum observed,
‘‘that we are not in as good humor
as we usually are. I wonder if it
would be satisfactory to adjourn to
Monday and meet at 11 o'clock?”
The House thought it would.
C. 1.0. ENTERS SMALL
INDUSTRIAL FIELDS
Scores of Local Unions Being
Nationalized, Committee
Announces.
By the AstoeUted Press.
The Committee for Industrial Or
ganization said today it is enterting
many small industrial fields to nation
alize scores of local unions.
Some 40 charters have been granted
local groups, the C. I. O. said, to give
them C. I. O. standing until the in
dustrial workers they represent can
be organized on a national basis.
Asked if the plan was designed to
"combat the American Federation of
Labor,” officials said this was not the
Intention and it was merely a way
to give the local units, upon thier
request, membership in the C. I. O.
Officials said the small groups char
tered were in such industrial units
as cork, distillery, highway, cereal,
brick and clay, furniture and other
industries where the number of work
men is small compared with the
“heavy” industries.
G. F. GEPHART RITES
IN BALTIMORE TODAY
Funeral services for George Frederick
Gephart, 43, mechanical engineer
with the Chesapeake & Potomac
MR. GEFHART.
Telephone Co.,
who died Thurs
day at his home,
18 11 niirty
seventh street,
are being held
this' afternoon in
Baltimore.
The services
are scheduled to
be held at the
home of his
sister, Mrs.
Eugene Hayden,
5720 Cross County
boulevard, Mount
Washington, with
Rev. James Moore
of Mount Washington Presbyterian
Church officiating. Burial will be in
Qreenmount Cemetery.
A veteran of more than 20 years’
service with the telephone Company,
Mr. Gephart recently was elected a
member of the Alexander Graham Bell
Chapter, Telephone Pioneers of Ameri
ca, made up of employes with more
than 20 years’ service. A native of
Baltimore, he was a graduate of
Baltimore Polytechnic Institute and
of Cornell University.
DR. BALLOU RETURNS,
HAILS SCHOOL STUDY
Classes Trip as Valuable to Pro
mote “Occupational
Education.”
Back in his office after a two-week
educational tour through eight cities
studying vocational education and job
placement, Dr. Frank W Ballou, su
perintendent of District schools, today
classed the trip as "an outstanding
educational experiment to promote oc
cupational education.”
Although he admitted several tech
niques had been revealed in the study
that might be applied in the District
schools, he was unwilling to comment
specifically until the report to the Na
tional Occupational Conference, which
sponsored the tour by the 13 super
intendents, is completed—probably
about June 1. He did call atten
tion to the fact that, due to the non
industrial nature of the Capital, many
techniques contained in the report
would be inapplicable here.
“We all agreed that we found no
single school system meeting all the
occupational adjustment requirements
necessary for a complete and ideal
program,” he said, "but we studied
the operation of many features new
to us to enable us to outline an all
around program toward which each
city can aim for best results in aiding
youth to overcome occupational diffi
culties.”
He will report to the board on the
matter as soon as possible.
Police Benefit Tickets on Sale.
Tickets for the boxing contest to be
held June 2 for benefit of the Metro
politan Police Relief Association were
placed on sale today at all station
houses. Police Supt. Ernest W. Brown
said officers off duty could sell tickets
In uniform, providing their badges are
not exposed.
Stock Purchase Approved.
An Interstate Commerce Commis
sion board recommended yesterday
that the Richmond (Va.) Greyhound
Lines, Inc., be authorised to acquire
control of the Peninsula Transit
Corp. by purchase of capital stock for
$32,000.
Beer Glasses Found Unclean.
CULVER CITY. Calif. (JP).—Healtn
authorities said lipstick imprints of
women found on glasses indicated they
had not been washed properly. Com
plaints were tiled against the owners
of 30 b^p and beer parlors.
I,ION OUTING
Trade Board Party Includes
Congress Members and
Officials.
Some 1.200 Washington business
men and their guests from Congress,
the Federal and District Governments
and the judiciary left the city this
morning to attend the forty-third an
nual shad bake of the Board of Trade
at Bay Ridge, Md.
Boxing matches, base ball, swim
ming and a floor show were scheduled
on the all-day program.
Among those attending the func
tion were:
Senators William H. King. J. Ham
ilton Lewis, Elmer Thomas. Gerald P.
Nye, F. Ryan Duffy, Theodore F.
Green, Henry F. Ashurst and Guy M.
Gillette; Representatives Paul W.
Shafer. Ralph O. Brewster. Everett M.
Dirksen, W. Sterling Cole, Leon Sacks,
Laurence F Arnold, Ross A. Collins,
R P. Hill, Norman R. Hamilton and
Allard H. Gasque.
Col. Daniel I. Sultan. Engineer
Commissioner; Capt. H. S. Bishop, jr.,
assistant engineer commissioner; Capt.
Patrick H. Tansey, assistant engineer
commissioner; Capt. Don G. Shingler,
assistant engineer commissioner;
Chief Justice Alfred A. Wheat of Dis
trict Court. Arthur H Kent, James G.
Strong, assistant treasurer. Home
Owners’ Loan Corp.; Frank Bell, com
missioner, United States Bureau of
Fisheries; Charles E. Jackson, deputy,
United States Bureau of Fisheries:
William N. Rehlander. assistant di
rector, Procurement Division. Treas
ury, and Paulo &. Hasslocher, Bra
zilian Embassy.
John S. •Bleeeker, jr., president,
Junior Board of Commerce; Fred B.
Linton, executive secretary. Junior
Board of Commerce; Robert B. Swope,
president, Rotary Club; David A.
Skinner, secretary, United States
Chamber of Commerce; Willard M.
Kochenderfer, secretary. Hotel Men's
Association; Ma.i. Ernest W. Brown,
superintendent of police; William A.
Van Duaer, director of vehicles and
traffic; C. Marshall Finnan, superin
tendent, National Capital Parks; Ken
nedy Rea, clerk, Senate Committee on
Appropriations; Ro6s Haworth, sec
retary to the Commissioner; Emil
Press, assistant to director of sani
tary engineering; George C. Shinn,
John F. Victory, W. W. Wheeler,
Frederick P. H. Siddons, Granville
Gude, C. Hayward Marshall, Ray
mond M. Florence. James C. Wilkes,
Odell S. Smith, George E. Keneipp,
John J. Esch. John A. Remon, George
V. Graham. Col. L. C. Crawford, Harry
King, Harry Blake, Col. Leroy W,
Herron. W. L. Beale and guests, Fred
East. William F. Raymond, George
H. O'Connor and H. M. Brundage, jr.
“Bad Medicine”
POISON MISTAKEN FOR
COUGH SIRUP.
DWAYNE MANUEL,
Seven-year-old son of William
I. Manuel, 923 Fourteenth
street southeast, who had a
close call late yesterday when
his father inadvertently gave
him a dose of poison, which he
mistook for cough sirup. Gal
linger Hospital physicians said
the boy was not seriously af
fected. Dwayne, shown with
his pet dog, Barr, agreed that
it was “bad medicine.”
—Star Staff Photo.
-fc
A close-up sketch of the
main building for the $3,500,
000 project. An option already
has been secured on 100 acres
at Carderock for the model
basin development and the
construction will take about
two years. Inset: Rear Ad
miral David W. Taylor, chief
constructor during the World
War and eminent naval archi
tect, in whose honor Presi
dent Roosevelt has sanctioned
naming the basin the “David
W. Taylor Model Basin.”
r
l 1
Reorganization Effective To
day, With Increase in
Plain Clothes Men.
Reorganization of the Police De
partment’s detective force, increasing
the personnel of plain clothes men in
the precincts and combining their op
erations under a so-called “partner”
system, became effective at 8 a.m.
today.
The changes, which involve transfer
of eight detectives, were announced
yesterday by Inspector Bernard W.
Thompson, chief of detectives.
Under the “partner” system, detec
tives of the fourth, fifth and eleventh
precincts will be held responsible
Jointly for clearing up cases in their
areas. In cases of felonies they will
be equally responsible with the head
quarters robbery squad. Heretofore,
they have not been responsible unless
specifically assigned.
Similar Combinations.
The same arrangement became ef
fective for combinations of the sixth
and tenth precincts, the seventh and
eighth and the ninth and twelfth.
It calls for an interchange of assign
ments within the respective precinct
divisions. For example, detectives in
the fourth and fifth precincts will re
ceive copies of assignments made to
those in the twelfth.
“The change.” said Inspector
Thompson, “is hoped to prove a means
of securing better results. Working
men as partners allows them to keep
familiar with all assignments. There
is no reflection on any of the men
changed.
Purpose of Changes.
"The transfers were made in the in
terest of the department to step up the
work. The increase in personnel was
made in districts in which a weakness
had been disclosed."
The following detective sergeants
are transferred under the reorganiza
tion;
R. S. Bryant, robbery squad; W. S.
Beck, homicide squad, and Bari Baker,
ninth precinct, all to the second pre
cinct; W. V. Christian, robbery squad,
and M. J. Mahaney, second precinct,
both to the third precinct; V. D.
Hughes, twelfth to ninth precinct;
R. J. Barrett, robbery squad to twelfth
precinct; T. E. Ambrose, pick-up
squad to robbery squad.
--•
PRINCETON CLUB HEARS
PROF. POOLE AT BANQUET
Faculty Member Urges That More
Graduates Go in for
Public Affairs.
More Princeton graduates should
go into public affairs, Prof. DeWitt
Clinton Poole, chairman of the School
of Public and International Affairs
at Princeton University, told alumni
last night at the annual banquet of
the Princeton Club of Washington,
held at the Chevy Chase Club.
Approximately 80 persons attended
the banquet, at which P. Moran Mc
Conihe, newly elected president of
the alumni group, presided.
Rod Davison of the current senior
class, make-up editor of the Daily
Princetonian and debater, outlined
the relationship of undergraduate
life to that after receiving a degree.
He also traced the accomplishments
of his class, 1937.
McConihe introduced the two oldest
Princeton graduates in Washington,
Victor Kauffmann and Charles Henry
Butler.
Charles Titman of the Gridiron
Club quartet ana a Princeton gradu
ate, entertained those present with
j several vocal selections following
1 dinner.
HENRY ALVIN BINGMAN
EXPIRES IN HOSPITAL
Retired Treasury Department Em
ploye Had Lived in Capital
30 Years.
Henry Alvin Bingman, 78, of 1801
K street, retired Treasury Depart
ment employe, died late yesterday
in Emergency Hospital after an illness
of several months.
A native of Pennsylvania, Mr. Bing
man had been a Washington resi
dent about 30 years. He was a mem
ber of Harmony Lodge of Masons.
Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. John
R. Hogan, this city; three sons. Dr.
Harry Bingman, dentist, and G.
Steuart Bingman, both of this city,
and Dr. Carroll E. Bingman, physician
in the Coast Guard Service at Point
Barrow, Alaska, who formerly practiced
here, and three grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 8
o'clock tonight in Gawler’s temporary
chattel, 1908 H street. Burial will
he at Laurelton, Pp„ Monday.
RETAIL SALES IAX
MAY BE ENACTED.
HAZEN INDICATES
Support Likely to Follow
Dropping Income Levy
Plan, He Says.
PROPOSAL ATTACKED
BY THREE SPEAKERS
Representative Warns Capital
City Forum Congress Prob
ably Would Approve.
Support for a retail sales tax In the
District was indicated today by Com
missioner Melvin C. Hazen in the
wake of condemnation of such a levy
by three speakers appearing before
the Capital City Forum last night.
The Commissioner’s expression on
the sales levy was based, he explained,
on the anticipation that proposals for
a local income tax will be abandoned
and the necessity will remain for rais
ing about $3,000,000 in revenue.
The attack on the sales levy, mad#
during a scheduled discussion of
"Taxation Without Representation”
before the forum, came from a mem
ber of the House, an economist and
an educator. The House member,
Representative Bigelow. Democrat, of
Ohio, qualified his criticism with a
warni* that the Congress probably
will pass the gales tax if requested to
do go.
"We haven't decided anything riefi.
nitely yet,” said Hazen. “The who!#
picture is somewhat confused, becauf#
opposition has developed from vari
ous groups over points involved in tha
variety of tax revenue programs which
have been considered.
May Be Necessary.
"However, it may be that we will
have to have a sales tax, with ex
emptions for food, clothing and cer
tain other necessities, and it mav
be that we also will have a business
privilege tax, under which physicians,
lawyers, jobbers, agents and others
would be b»ught within levies. I
do not know as yet what the details
of such plans would be."
His statement followed a similar
expression of views by Chairman Nor
ton of the House District Committee
as to the possibilities of adoption of
a sales tax. Mrs. Norton said she
regarded a sales tax as the most
painless form of taxation.
Any sales tax plan is destined to
meet some opposition in the Special
Tax Subcommittee of the House Dis- '
trict Committee. Two members, Rep
resentatives McGehee, Democrat of
Mississippi, and Dirksen, Republican
of Illinois, are opposed to such a
plan.
When a sales tax was discussed at
the last meeting of the subcommittee
Dirksen announced his intention to
oppose such a plan. At that time he
said he preferred an income tax to a
sales tax because the latter would
"hit’’ the poor man and the rirh
man equally. He argued that such a
proposal would be inequitable.
Suggested by Seal.
Suggestion of a sales tax was of
fered by Corporation Counsel El wood
H. Seal last Tuesday during an ap
pearance before the Tax Subcommit
tee of the House District Committee,
which is preparing to formulate a new
tax program for the District. His
suggestion came after he had ques
tioned the constitutionality of a Dis
trict income tax because it would ap
ply to Federal employes. He explained
that the Supreme Court has held that
Congress acts in the capacity of a
State legislature when it enacts laws,
for the District, and. he added, the
States are barred from taxing the
incomes of Federal employes
‘‘Tf you don't get a sales tax.” Rep
resentative Bigelow said, "it will be
because Congress can't think of any
thing more foolish."
“You can't put a tax on anything
labor produces," the Representative’
continued, “without raising prices."
Suggests Land Value Tax.
"But you can put taxes on land
values without raising the price of
land," he said, stating that he had
proposed to Congress a bill embody
ing the principles of exclusive land
value taxation as a means of raising
revenue. "Take taxes off everything
man makes and sock them on land
values,” he reiterated.
He stated further that it is not
necessary to change the social and
economic order of this country to
solve its problems. *
“The more I see of government with
its futile efforts and follies, the more
I distrust saving the world by letting
the Government do everything," he
remarked.
John H. Gray, former president of
the American Economics Association,
declared the sales tax is "the most
vicious of taxes"
The financial problems of the coun
try cannot be solved through taxa
tion, Gray said, “until we break the
rule of Wall Street."
"We can’t stabilize prices and in
dustry,” he continued, "bis long as
we have speculation."
“The sales tax will produce a peasan
try," declared Dr. Charles M. Thomas,
head of the social science department
of the Armstrong High School, in dis
cussing the effect such a levy would
have on the colored population.
Commenting that such taxation
"would increase the downward pres
sure" on the colored race, Dr. Thomas
also expressed confidence that Con
gress would pass the sales tax.
"We are now getting to the climatf
of a system of exploitation that has
been here since the country began,”
he said.
ARCHIVES DANCE SET
Association to Meet at Broadmoor
Next Friday.
The National Archives Association
will hold a dance at the Broadmoor
Apartments next Friday night. Flani
are in charge of the Social Commit
tee, including Emmett T. Leahy, Miss
Nadene Russell, William C. Keegan
and Mm. Nellie M. Spink.
Sponsors for the event are Mr. and
Mm. Thad Page and Mr. and Mm.
Doney W. Hyde, jr„ and the officers
of the association: Nelson M. Blake,
president; Blanche M. Hyde, vice
president; Suzanne Waters, secretary,
and Raemey A. Burton, treasurer.
-9 . . — .
Bridge to Be Rebuilt.
Famous Menai Suspension Bridge,
opened In 1826 at Anglesey, Scotland,
Is to be reconstructed at a cost of
*1,140,000. .