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\ WEATHER. ------ (tJ. 8. Weather Bureau Forecast.) _ .. . , Generally fair and cooler today, prob- r Ull ASSOCiated PreSS ably preceded by showers this morning; vr„„_ T‘ i tomorrow, fair with moderate tempera- INeWS and WirephOtOS ture. Temperatures—Highest, 91. at 2 Sundav Wnrnintr onrl p.m. yesterday: lowest, 66. at 9 p.m. yes- . o untidy JiOming and terday. Full report on Page B-5. Every AftemOOn. OP) Mean. Assoc.ted Pr.aa. WITH DULY EVENING EDITION - _WASHINGTON, D. G, SUNDAY MORNING, MAY 23, 1937-120 PAGES. ** FIVE CENTS TEN CENTS - ' i .—. . —.. - ... I - ; -- UT. WAgHINQTQN AND ftUBURBB yn-KETWTDTMr PRESIDENT WORKS TODAY ON FINAL WAGE-HOUR DRAFF Message Goes to Congress Tomorrow After Parleys With Leaders. BLACK AND CONNERY READY TO OFFER BILLS Measure Described as Flexible, Designed to Avoid Errors of N. R. A. BACKGROUND— The national industrial recovery act. declared unconstitutional by a unanimous vote of the Supreme Court, marked President Roose velt's first attempt to regulate mages and hours on a national scale. Following that failure, the problem has been approached in directly, but with little success. Tn the shade of an awning over the afterdeck of the presidential yacht Potomac. President Roosevelt, some where on the Lower Potomac River today will try to finish the writing of the special message he will send to Congress tomorrow- containing his ideas regarding wages and hours legis lation and child labor. While the President never has re vealed in detail just what he will ask for in higher minimum wages and shorter working hours, it is generally felt that he approves of a 40-hour week as a maximum and a 40-cents an-hour minimum wage, with pro visions for flexibility to meet the problems of individual industries. Given Serious Thought. Probably no message or recommen dation sent to the Congress by Mr. Roosevelt has been given more serious thought than this one. which will have such a tremendous effect upon indus try and the millions of workers. Before the message is ready to be transmitted to Capitol Hill Mr. Roose velt will read it to Senators Robinson of Arkansas, the Democratic leader of the Senate, and Black of Alabama, chairman of the Senate Labor Com mittee. whom he has summoned to the White House for a conference late this afternoon. Senator Black is co-author with Representative Connery of Massa chusetts, chairman of the House Labor Committee, of a bill which covers this subject in a way believed to be satisfactory to the President. Mr. Roosevelt held a conference yester day with Co-author Connery, who was accompanied to the White House by Representative Rayburn of Texas, Democratic leader of the House. Connery to Introduce Bill. Connery said that soon as the Pres- I •dent's message has been read in the House at noon tomorrow he will in- I troduce his bill, and Senator Black j will act accordingly at the other end I of the Capitol. It is also significant that Mr. Roose velt is known to favor sidetracking, temporarily at least, the so-called El lenbogen bill providing for minimum wages and maximum hours for the j textile industry. These provisions are | taken care of in the Black-Connery ! bill. Mr. Roosevelt has frequently had ' representatives of organized labor at j his elbow during the preliminary ! stages of drafting this message, and In the past two days has read every word he has written on this subject ■ to William Green, president of the American Federation of Labor: John L. Lewis, president of the United Mine Workers of America and. chairman of the Committee for Industrial Organ- 1 ization. as well as Sidney Hillman, ! president of the International Amal gamated Clothing Workers. Service Trades Not Affected. The Black-Connery bill will not 1 reach the service trades and other I purely local activities and will not ap ply to employers of fewer than 15 or 20 employes. The measure will pro hibit automatically the shipment or sale in interstate commerce of the products of piersons under the age of 16. On a finding by the Children's Bureau that a particular occupation is hazardous or inimical to the health and w-ell-being of children, the age in sptecific instances may be raised to 18. Congressional leaders and others who have read the bill assert that it is cne of the most carefully drafted measures that the administration has ever worked out and that it will go be fore Congress not only w’ith the back ing of all the appropriate Federal agencies, but with the Informal ap proval of representatives of labor and of several large industries. Based on the experience of the N. R. A., the National Labor Relations Board, the Department of Labor and other Gov ernment agencies, it is described by those who have seen it as conservative " (See MESSAGE, Page A-5.) THREE DIE AS STORM HITS WEST VIRGINIA Crops Damaged by Rain and Wind Reaching 52 Miles an Hour. S* tn* Associated Press. CHARLESTON, W. Va.. May 23 —Violent wind and rain storms In West Virginia caused three deaths and destroyed crops through the cen tral part of the State tonight. Two men were electrocuted near Clarksburg when a falling tree threw a power line against a truck in which they were sitting. They were Howard Ellison, 27. and J. Paul Jen kins, 24. At St. Albans, lightning killed 18 year-old Arnold Arbaugh as he worked in the family garden. His parents were knocked down by the bolt. In Morgantown, during a college base ball game, part of the stands were blown down by the wind, re ' ^rted in some parts of the State to be $2 miles an hour, a r Boats Capsized, Damage Heavy As Storm Buffets Capital Area 52-Mile Wind, Rain and Hail Uproot Trees and Level Power Lines—Pas sengers on River Craft Saved. Striking with sudden fury, a ter rific thunder storm, accompanied by wind of gale proportions, swept the Capital area yesterday afternoon, im periling passengers in river boats, scat tering debris of uprooted trees over the city, and causing heavy property damage in nearby Maryland and Vir ginia. The wind reached a velocity of 52 miles an hour, lashing the Potomac and necessitating the rescue of three sailing parties. One sailboat cap sized, but all passengers were saved by attendants of the Capital Yacht Club. Five persons were prostrated be fore the storm broke the heat, which had reached a maximum of 91 at 2 p.m. This was the second highest temperature of the year, exceeded only by the unseasonable 93 of April 18. Fair and cooler weather was fore cast for today and tomorrow. Marchers Caught in Storm. Ten thousand marchers in the school patrol parade, and 15.000 spec tators at the ball game In Griffith Stadium were exposed to the sudden gusts of wind that swirled clouds of dust over the city. The parade had just ended at Constitution avenue and Fifteenth street when the storm broke. School boys and girls found shelter in nearby Government build ings. The storm struck at ♦ p.m., driving clouds of dust before it. The wind nearly snapped the center-field flag pole at Griffith Stadium. Spectators scurried to shelter under the stands, but many were drenched by the rain. Dr. Albert Pagan, 3407 Lowell street, his daughter Alice and son Oliver were saved from being dashed against the Occoquan Wharf in Washington Channel when the crew of a Capital Yacht Club launch threw them a line and pulled their small sailboat to safety. Dr. Pagan, his son and daughter had lowered their boat's sails when a sudden gust of wind swept them across the channel toward the wharf. Several small boats farther down the channel reached safety be fore the storm. Sailing Sloop Towed In. The harbor police boat towed in the sailing sloop of Paul E. Holmes, had been disabled by wind and 5702 Nevada avenue, after the boat water. There were five passengers with Holmes, three women and two men, but none was injured. Another sailboat capsized in the channel, and the crew of the yacht club launch pulled the occupants from the water. The passengers were not identified. Two boats in the channel broke from their moorings and were pulled back from Hains Point by the police boat. The Fire Department reported about 60 trees uprooted throughout the city. A number of fire alarms were received, but none was serious. Firemen were called to the home of H. H. Preston, 729 Fairmont street, where a portion of the roof was blown off. Radios in police cat* were temporarily put out of order, but (See STORM, Page A-3.) COURT BILL’S FOES BIT COMPROMISE Set to Bar Any Modified Plan—Johnson Assails Expansion Aim. BACKGROUND— Proposal by President to revamp Supreme Court has occupied Con gress since February. Following long hearings, Senate Judiciary Committee voted down plan the same day Associate Justice Van Devanter announced resignation. Despite court’s "liberal” attitude in recent rulings on New Deal laws, Mr. Roosevelt is reported firm in intention to put through plan. BY G. GOULD LINCOLN. Believing that they have the Pres ident's Supreme Court reorganiza tion bill on the way to defeat in the Senate, opponents of the measure are now doing their utmost to prevent the adoption of a "compromise." Senator Hiram Johnson of Cali fornia, who originally was a strong supporter of President Roosevelt, is sued a statement last night denounc ing any compromise—and particu larly a compromise which would give to the President the right to ap point two additional members of the Supreme Court. "This contest,” said Senator John son, “so far as the Supreme Court is concerned, has degenerated into an effort, on the part of the proponents, to obtain an increase of two rather than six justices (the President's bill calls for a maximum increase of six). All sorts of specious argu ments are being used in behalf of this 'compromise.' Assails “Compromise.” “The compromise, of course, is quite as bad as the original scheme; in deed, infinitely worse. Every ques tion of principle vanishes, and the 'compromise' becames a mere face saving device. If adopted, it would be disgraceful and humiliating to both sides. The proponents of the plan will have removed every alleged reason for the original proposition, and the scheme would be in its naked ness simply a bold effort to grab control of the court; and the scheme, by acceptance of the ‘compromise,’ would be absolutely forgetful of the fundamental principle involved. “The opponents have been upon solid ground, fighting for a prin ciple upon which there can be no compromise. It must be fought to a finish.” While the White House continues to scout the idea of a compromise on (See JUDICIARY, Page~XT) SPEED SAVESUFE CHELSEA, Mass., May 22 OW._ The fact that Ernest Nelson, 42, Works Progress Administration em ploye, moved faster than a falling flagpole probably saved his life today. Nelson was working at the top of the 75-foot pole when it began to topple. With all speed he slid half way down the pole, grabbed a guy rope and swung unharmed to the ground as it crashed, narrowly missing several pedestrians and automobiles. TO ‘WRECK’ STRIKE Molesting by Pickets Is Charged—Walkout of 80,000 Hinted. BACKGROUND— For weeks, behind the scenes, workers in the movie industry have been on strike. More recently, be cause an independent accord was reached, the craftsmen have, been irked at the Actors' Guild for not joining hands to help the workers after the thespians had gained their own ends. By the Associated Press. HOLLYOOD. May 22.—Film artora, charging strike pickets were molest ing them, declared today they would drive them from the studios. ' Lav off molesting, intimidating or attempting to intimidate actors or we will get out a ‘wreck crew’ and run every picket away from the studios.” was ‘the ultimatum issued by the Screen Actors' Guild. The actors declared their threat was prompted by incidents which oc curred yesterday at Paramount Studios. One actress said the gasoline tank of her automobile was drained and another reported a window in her car broken. The threat of another film strike, by the powerful International Alli ance of Theatrical Stage Employes, was made today as labor leaders ex changed heated charges. Strike of 80,000 Threatened. George E. Browne, international president of the I. A. T. S. E„ de clared that he might call a strike of the 80,000 members of his group if the striking federation of motion pic ture crafts and film producers came to an agreement not approved by the I. A. T. S. E. Also, he said, peace on the Holly wood labor front will not come until the F. M. P. C. retracts its anti strike charges made against the stage employes. "There will be peace in Hollywood— and soon,” he said, "but It will be a peace of our dictation.” MAN KILLED BY CAR ON BALTIMORE PIKE Rescue Squad Rushes Victim of Berwyn Accident to D. C. Hos pital—Neck Broken. Ps a Stall Correspondent of The Star. BERWYN, Md„ May 22— Fred A. Savage, 59, of Norfolk, Va„ was in jured fatal# when struck by a car on Baltimore Pike here tonight. Taken to the Casualty Hospital, Washington, by the Bladensburg Bescue Squad, he was pronounced dead. His neck was broken. Savage was waiting while his son, Allan Savage, of 1024 Seventeenth street, Washington, repaired the lights of his truck at the Gingell Garage when he was struck by a car operated, police said, by William H. Harrison, jr., 3282 N street, Washington. Har rison was released on $500 bond. CASH PRIZES * * * * * Boys and Girls . . . Enter The Sunday Star’s DIORAMA CONTEST TODAY! Turn to the Comic Section, make the cut-out diorama of "THE WORLD MUSEUM” The following prizes are offered for your cut-out and a short essay: First Prize, $5 Third Prize, #3 Second Prize, £4 Fourth Prize, $2 Eleven Honorable Mentions, each ^1 For further details see the advertisement on Page A-4 HULL SEES PERIL IN NATIONS’MOVES TO ISOLATE TRADE Address Seen Aimed at Im perial Parley of Brit ish Dominions. ROOSEVELT MESSAGE READ BY SECRETARY Cabinet Member Speaks in Ob servance of Maritime Day and Trade Week. By the Associated Press. In what was interpreted by many as a message aimed at the imperial conference of British dominions, Sec retary of State Hull last night warned “nations or groups of nations" against measures leading to self-sufficiency and isolation from the rest of the world. At the same time he called on the nations of the world to demobilize “moral, political, military and eco nomic" armaments in the Interests of durable peace. The Secretary spoke in a Nation wide broadcast in observance of Mari- | time day and Foreign Trade week. I He also read a message from President j Roosevelt pledging the United States ! to promote peace by doing its share ! toward expansion of international commerce. Conference in Progress. Hull's address was delivered while Great Britain was playing host to its dominions in a conference deal ing wuth future inter-empire eco nomic relationships. Nations of the British Empire now operate under an economic agreement reached at Otta wa, scene of the last imperial con ference. They give each other prefer ential tariff treatment, and the con ferees in London now are considering possible extension or alteration of this arrangement. The United States has a vital in terest in the outcome as one of the “outsiders" compelled to pay higher tariffs on goods it sells to the Ottawa group. The President, in the message read by Hull, said: “Four years have now elapsed since I had the pleasure of proclaiming the first national Maritime day. created by act of Congress to honor the Savannah, piorft-er transoceanic steamship. I am glad to send once more my hearty felicitations to all who are participat ing in its observance. Observance* Combined. “Martime day has now been com bined with another observance—For eign Trade week. This is a logical de velopment, for without the exchange of goods 8mong nations, there would be no economic reason for the main tenance of an adequate merchant marine. Foreign trade is the lifeblood of shipping. It is an indispensable part of prosperous economic activity throughout the land. “Maritime day and Foreign Trade week, dedicated to the single objective of a greater exchange of goods, dem onstrate the active interest of the United States in foreign trade and the determination of this country to do its part in restoring and expanding international commerce and thus in building the foundations of enduring world peace.’’ Instead of isolation. Hull urged (See- HULlT Pag<TXdT) -• THOMAS A. EDISON, INC., HIKES PAY OF WORKERS Increase of Per Cent An nounced, Bringing Total Since December to 18 Per Cent. Br the Associated Press. NEWARK. N. J„ May 22 —Thomas A. Edison, Inc., announced today a 7% per cent wage increase affect ing nearly 3.000 employes in its Orange, Silver Lake and Kearny plants. C. S. Williams, executive vice presi dent, announced all employes earn ing less than $75 a week would re ceive the increase. Hourly paid em ployes who have been with the com pany since last September 1 will re ceive a week’s paid vacation, he said, and those who have completed five years’ continuous service will receive two weeks’ paid vacation. Arthur L. Walsh, vice president, said the pay increase meant an ad ditional $500,000 annually for em ployes, and brought the total in creases since December to 18 per cent, or approximately $1,250,000. Classes for Occupational Education Planned as Test Dr. Ballou Has Named Committee of 22 Admin istrators to Begin Immediate Study > of Problem. BACKGROUND— Despite improved vocational training and equipment in the District schools and instruction in secretarial work, very little prepa ration is given for employment in distributive trades. Supt. Ballou, back from a study of occupational education in eight cities, is con vinced helping to get and keep fobs for youth is a school problem. Experimental classes in occupa tional education will probably be started in one or two District schools next Fall, if space and teachers are available, it was learned yesterday. Dr. Frank W. Ballou, superintend ent of schools, has appointed a com mittee of 33 school administrators un der Mrs. Florence H. Rogers, super vising- arinoipal at the sixth division, i to begin almost immediate study of the problem. Although there is considerable vo cational training offered in the spe cial vocational schools and in the commercial high schools, school offi cials declared that outside of a few general courses in salesmanship, there is scarcely any preparation for the distributive trades. It 1s expected that the experimental classes will take the line of ducation in specialized sales manship, such as clerks in stores of different types, and in retail work. Necessity for such education was made apparent to the superintendent as a result of a recen eight-city tour of occupational education study and from a report, prepared for him by Dr. Earl W. Barnhart of the Federal Office of Education, based on census .CBM EDUCATION, Sms 4-1?-). Henry, iThoughtm HAD AN EVER NORMAL) SENATE BUT it didn't/ V^WORK RIGHTrO[ SOVIET EXPLORERS Four Men and Dog Will Make Camp at North Pole. BACKGROUND— Culminating long, careful prepa ration, picturesque, black-bearded. Dr. Otto J. Schmidt, director of Soviet "Northern sea route," and party of ll landed their plane on North Pole yesterday, preparatory to establishing base to study weather conditions. D<jk will be used in establishing c\nmercial United States-Russian air service over the top of the world. Seven teen men had spent long Arctic Winter on Rudolf Island preparing for final flight. Br the Associated Press. MOSCOW. May 22 —Eleven Soviet Russians waited tonight on an ice floe near the North Pole for the equipment that will enable four of thpm to spend the Summer and Winter at the top of the world. Three planes were awaiting a sig nal at Rudolf Island, 560 miles from the pole, to take provisions and a warmly-lined, easily-carried house to the party which flew over the pole yesterday and made camp on the ice 13 miles away. Seven will be brought back to Rudolf Island. Four men an a dog will establish the first permanent North Pole air base as the initial step in a plan for airplane flights between Russia and the United States across the top of the earth. The dog, a small pet animal, is expected to help by giving warning of bears or other polar animals that approach the camp. Russia to Claim Region. Moscow newspapers indicated Soviet Russia intends to claim ownership of the polar region as a result of the flight, even though no land exists there. Headlines said the red flag would continue to wave over it. (In Washington. State Department officials said earlier the fact that Admiral Robert E. Peary planted the American flag in that region in 1909 does not mean the United States claims it. They declared no question of sovereignty ever has arisen because there is only ice-filled sea.) Iir the first detailed report of the expedition's activities. Dr. Otto J. Schmidt, the black-bearded leader, reported late today: "Everything is excellent. The men spent their first day on the ice erecting five tents and putting the radio antennae in operation. "Some of the instruments already have been installed and meteoro logical observations have begun. • • • "The weather is comparatively warm—10.4 degrees above zero, Fah renheit. The sun is shining and a light wind is making the snow drift. "The airplane is unloaded and every one had a good sleep In warm bags.” In an earlier message, the first since yesterday, Schmidt said: “All the men are in good health and good spirits. "The four who are to spend the (See-RUSSIANS, Page A-13.) Bridal Pair Use Mail to Out iv it Strike Pickets By th* AsaociatPd Pr*s*. SAN FRANCISCO, May 22 — Francisco Llach of San Salvador and his bride. Marian Hall, coffee heiress, discovered their proposed wedding breakfast today had caused an in crease of from 6 to 100 pickets around a hotel. So they mailed their food supplies, which promptly were delivered by Un cle Sam. Pickets, balked by a law forbidding interference with mail trucks, disbanded. --- ARAUSTICE PLAN British Ambassador in Ber lin Says Reich Eager to End Spanish War. BACKGROUND— Spanish rebels bristle at talk of ending citril war before revolt, has succeeded. Gen. Millan Astray broadcast any one who even "pro nounces the word armistice will be considered a traitor." This at titude. waxing white hot under inference of outside interference and influence, has been ignored by London peacemakers. By the Associated Press. LONDON. May 22.—Great Britain won Germany's approval today of her proposal for discussion of an armistice in the Spanish civil war. Sir Neville Henderson. British Am bassador in Berlin, informed his gov ernment that Germany—which, like Italy, has recognized the Spanish in surgents—was "sympathetic” with the plan for halting hostilities while all foreign troops are removed from Spain. Diplomatic sources said France, Belgium and the Holy See had sanc tioned the truce proposal. The plan is scheduled for discus sion at a meeting of the 27-nation Non-Intervention Committee Monday; and informed persons predicted it would gain general approval. An early visit of Marshal Werner Von Blomberg, German minister of war, to Rome, informed sources said, would result in British and Italian viewpoints being brought together, be cause Von Blomberg's recent confer ences with British Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden are said to have re sulted in complete understanding. Some well-informed quarters be lieved, however, that Juan March, wealthy Spaniard, whom the Spanish government has accused of financing the insurgent cause, may prevail on Premier Benito Mussolini of Italy to maintain Italian support of the insur gents. Italian charges that Prance is aid ing the government troops, the in formants said, will not figure in the armistice discussions. Officials in London, hoping to halt the spread of the Spanish wars are heartened by the fact that Yvon Del bos. French minister of foreign affairs, is seeking to prevent execution of two German aviators in Bilbao. A meeting this week end of the Polish and Norwegian foreign min isters with King Leopold III. Premier Paul Van Zeeland and Foreign Min ister Paul Henry Spaak, all of Bel gium, encouraged reports they may join the armistice pleas as strict neu trals and friendly powers. At Berlin its was pointed out to day that Von Blomberg, just re turned from London, has had oppor tunity to convince himself of the seriousness of Britain's purpose to rearm on a great scale. Total 100 Since August, With Many More Facing Sabotage Trials. B? the Associated Press. MOSCOW, May 22.—Execution of more than 20 anti-government plot ters at Tiflis, in the Georgian Socialist Soviet Republic, was reported tonight. One of those put to death was Bydy Mdivani, once reported related to the "marrying Mdivani princes,” said the account from Laurentius Beria, Com munist party leader in Georgia. (Prince David Mdivani, surviving member of the famous three brothers, last January denied Bydy was his brother. He said his only two brothers were Alexis, killed in an automobile accident in Spam August 1. 1935, and Serge, killed in a polo accident near Delray Beach, Fla., March 15, 1936. (Prince David's attorney said Bydy might be related more distantly. Remembered by Trotzky. (Leon Trotzy. exiled former Soviet leader, declared in Mexico City in January that Bydy Mdivani was "an old bolshevik who, since 1922, led an important faction of Georgian bol sheviks which fought against the bu reaucracy and sought greater auton omy for Georgia.) The Tiflis executions raised the known total of those who have paid the death penalty in the Soviet Union since last August close to 100. Sixteen persons were shot after the first of the major treason trials in August, 13 more in January and 44 two weeks ago at Svobodny in the Far East. The newspaper Pravda, Communist party organ, predicted a forthcoming trial of "train wreckers" will be "even bigger than the Svobodny trial." Beria, in his account of the Tiflis executions, said that “Trotzky-Fascist terrorists who aimed at establishment of an independent republic under pro tection of a certain capitalistic power have been completely destroyed." Treason Trial Testimony. Testifying at the January treason trial, Karl Radek, famous newspaper man, linked Mdivani with a con spiracy to overthrow communism by helping Germany and Japan defeat Russia at war. The plot also in jived assassina tion of Beria, it was alleged. Until today there had been no re ports of a trial at Tiflis. but Moscow authorities generally believed the al leged conspirators appeared before a military court. Pravda served a warning that none of those arrested as "train wreckers" can expect mercy in the forthcoming trial. "Spies, wreckers and diversionists will continue to be exterminated mer cilessly,” the newspaper said. HURT WOMAN FOUND UNCONSCIOUS ON ROAD Victim IMscovered on Mt. Vernon Boulevard Says She Was Pushed From Auto. Found unconscious at the side of the Mount Vernon Boulevard 2 milee south of Alexandria, Va„ early today. Miss Ethel Bradford, 2*. of Franconia, Va., was taken to the Alexandria Hospital, where she told physicians she had been pushed from an automobile. The young woman was treated for cuts on her head and knees. She re covered consciousness soon after she was brought to the hospital by a pass ing motorist. Road Maps Inclosed With Bids To Wedding of President’s Son By the Associated Press. WILMINGTON, Del., May 22 —In vitations to the wedding of Miss Ethel du Pont and Franklin D. Roose velt, jr., on June 30 have been mailed, it was announced today. The invitations fix the wedding for 5 p.m. (daylight time) at Christ Church, Greenville, near the home of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene du Pont. A reception will be held at their home after the ceremony. President and Mrs. Roosevelt an nouaced in Washington recently thegr would attend the wedding and re ception. Two cards, one a road map show ing the location of the Du Pont home and the church, and another giv ing railroad train schedules to Wil mington, were Included with the re ception invitations. Christ Church, founded by the Du Pont family, will accommodate about 300 guests at the wedding cere mony. No Information was avail able on the number of invitations issued to the reception. The Rev. Frederick T. Ashton, rec tor of the church, will perform the oagemony. SALES TAX FOR D. C. GAR APPROVAL OF RE GROUP Six Members of Unit Prefer It to One on Income. Seven Undecided. CITY HEADS INCLUDE LEVY IN 5-POINT BILL ■ Commissioners Would Insure Its Enforcement by Imposition of a “Use" Tax. Details o) the five-point "stop dap" tax program adincated by the Commissioners, and elements of the proposed 2 per cent sales tax bill, will be found on Page AS. BY JAMES E. CHINN. The latest plan of the Commissioners for a general sales tax rather than an income tax as a means of keeping the wolf away from the door of the mu nicipal government in the new fiscal year appeared to be gaining approval yesterday among members of the House District Committee, whose job it will be within the next week to de termine the fate of one of the pro posals. Obviously headed several days ago toward the congressional graveyard, the sales tax plan now needs only a few more supporters to assure its suc cess as a part of the tax increase pro gram the tax subcommittee of the Dis trict Committee will write to raise more than *6.000,000 needed to offset the 1938 budget deficit. A poll of the District Committee shows that all but seven of the 21 mem bers have definitely made up their minds, and of these, six favor the sales tax and seven the income tax. Doubts I of the constitutionality of a District I income tax has clouded its prospects, j One member. Representative Bigelow. Democrat, of Ohio does not favor either ' the sales or income tax plans. Sales Tax "Stop-Gap" Plan. Formal approval of their five-point tax program, announced yesterday by the Commissioners, was coupled with a definite decision that the sales tax bill would be drawn to provide for termination of the levy at the and of the next fiscal year. The city head* i classed the whole program as a "stop ; gap" plan, intended to meet the cur rent emergency, a permanent program to be framed prior to the next session of Congress. Reinforcement of the five-point pro gram by the adoption of a sixth meas ure. a "use" tax, designed to prevent evasion of the proposed sales !bvy, was recommended last night by Corpora tion Counsel Elwood H Seal. This tax is intended to provide for "poliein^J•• of the sales tax by making that levy applicable to products purchased out side the District and brought in here for use. Seal plans to submit such a I bill to the Commissioners as soon as he ran draw it. Seal has been advised by officials of the California State Board of Equali j station that the “use" tax provision is - essential to proper administration of a sales tax California has had a I sales tax since 1934. Group Is Devided. It is significant that the House subcommittee drafting the new tax program is now equally divided on the two principal revenue-raising plans—three favoring a sales tax and three favoring an income tax. There is a decided tendency, however, on the part of two members to swing over to the sales tax, leaving Repre sentative Dirksen, Republican, of Illinois, as the sole subcommittee ad vocate of an income tax. Once out of the subcommittee, which meets Tuesday to determine the new program, the sales tax plan, it Is believed, will be given the approval of the full committee. The survey of the full committee shows the following members, headed by Chairman Norton, ready to support the sales tax: Representatives Ken nedy of Maryland. Nichols of Okla homa, McGehee of Mississippi and Randolph of West Virginia. Demo crats. and Arnold, Republican of Illinois. Kennedy, Nichols and Mc Gehee are members of the Tax Sub committee. The income tax supporters, in ad dition to Dirksen, are: Representa tives Allen of Delaware, Schulte and Jenckes, both of Indiana. Democrats; Cole of New' York and Bates of Mas sachusetts, Republicans, and Hull, Progressive of Wisconsin. Allen and Cole are members of the Tax Sub committee, and both of them, it is reported, may shift their support to he sales tax in view of the growing sentiment in favor of the plan. Sales Tax Receipts Jump. Popularity of the sales tax has in creased rapidly in recent years. In 1930 only two States had adopted this form of taxation and in 1935 the number had increased to 05. Thirty States have an income tax, a* compared with 19 in 1930, but the adoption of such a plan in the District has not been pressed for fear it would be held unconstitutional, since the salaries of Federal employes would have to be taxed to produce the de sired amount of revenue, "nie States have no authority to tax the Income of Federal workers. Treasury Department figures reveal that while the revenue accruing fwun income taxes in 1930 grossed $240, 000,000, in the 19 States which used such levies, the receipts in 1935 had dropped to $164,700,000 in 1935, al though by that time 30 States had in come taxes. The Treasury figures also show the reverse as to the sales tax. In 1930 two. States having this levy collected but $1,200,000 and in 1935 a total of $284,400,000 was collected by the sales tax method in the 25 States then hav ing such levies. This total greatly ex TSee"TAXES, Page A^V) Radio Programs, Page F-.4 Om»M« lute, 9mm A-S