Evening star. [volume], September 26, 1937, Image 1

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

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. I
WEATHER. -—--■
OJ. S Weather Bureau Forecast.) Tn 11 a . . _ _
Mostly cloudy, followed by showers and X Ull ASSOClEtfid PreSS
cooler today; tomorrow fair and rather XT j -itt*
cool; moderate shifting winds, becoming INeWS Ella WlFephotOS
' Sunday and
ruu report on B-i,_| Every Afternoon.
(A1) Means Associated Press. WITH DAILY EVENING EDITION ' *
No. 1,697—No. 34,116. £n«roncV *£**«££..“d.11" WASHINGTON, D. C., SUNDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 26. 1937—114 PAGES * FIVE CENTS TEN CENTS
—.. : " - , - ' - P* WASHINgTON ATO SUBURB
BRITAIN AND FRANCE BID
ITALY TO TALK SOLUTION
OF SPANISH WAR ISSUES
Parley Suggested
in Joint Note
to Rome.
SEEK REMOVAL
OF VOLUNTEERS
Threat to Open Up
Frontier Paris’
Ace Card.
BACKGROUND—
Crisis arose in relations of Italy
With Britain and, France as result
of activities of piratical submarines
in Mediterranean and conclusion of
Nyon agreement for international
patrol to suppress mysterious at
tacks. Italy refused to participate
in patrol unless given parity with
France and Britain, which latter
refused to grant. Alleviation of
conflict follows informal discus
sions in Geneva and Rome.
By th* Associated Press.
PARIS, September 25.—Officials
confirmed today that Britain and
Prance have taken preliminary steps
to bring Italy into a tripartite con
ference to seek solution of the most
dangerous international issues arising
from the Spanish civil war.
A Joint note by Britain and France,
_ guggesting such a conference has been
gent to Rome, it was stated, and
the Italian government has been noti
fied that this note would be fol
lowed shortly by another proposing
that representatives of the three na
tions meet at the French foreign
Mussolini's Return Awaited.
A French spokesman said this sec
ond note probably would be dispatched
immediately after Premier Mussolini's
return from Germany.
, Although spokesmen declined to
discuss propositions to be made to
the conference, it was generally under
•tood that France and Great Britain
would try to bring about the with
drawal of foreign volunteers from
Spain.
Falling to obtain Italy’s consent
bo this, they would seek guarantees
■gainst the sending of more “volun
teer” troops into Spain.
Arms Halt Also Seen Topic.
The question of stopping the trans
portation of foreign arms and muni
tions to Spain also was expected to
Pa discussed.
A threat to throw open her frontier
lor such armaments shipments is an
ace card which France may play, ob
servers believed, In case Italy is un
willing to co-operate in the way France
»nd Britain desire.
It was announced here that Admiral
Pini, adjutant to the chief of staff
of the Italian Navy and head of the
Italian delegation, would come to
Paris Monday for a conference to
arrange for Italy to participate in
the Mediterranean “anti-piracy” pa
trol.
MADRID CLAIMS VICTORY.
Plot te Overthrow Regime Behind
Lines Also Spiked.
MADRID. September 25 1/P).—’The
Spanish government tonight an
nounced an important victory on the
North Aragon front near the French
border while behind the front officials
told of crushing a great plot to over
throw’ the Madrid-Valencia regime.
Two hundred persons have been ar
rested in the round-up of conspirators
the government accused of using the
Chilean Embassy for headquarters.
Other hundreds of insurgent sym
pathizers who have hidden under diplo
matic protection in Madrid legation
buildings since outbreak of the civil
MfAK Miava K/\l i Avn/l tn Ka in inonnr/iir
cause of disclosure of the plot.
Rebel Concentrations Annihilated.
Government dispatches from Aragon
said insurgent concentrations near
Huesca had been annihilated on that
middle-border front.
“Hundreds of truckloads” of enemy
Soldiers were trapped by aerial bomb
ers, declared the communique, at a
point where the insurgents were at
tempting to mass troops to stem gov
ernment pressure just, below the French
border.
[Insurgent dispatches to Irun,
near the frontier, confirmed a gov
ernment advance east of Jaca along
the towering Pyrenees, but did not
disclose the. exact extent of the
drive.]
Government bombers converged on
the insurgent troop trucks that were
so closely packed “not a bomb was
W’asted,” said the communique. “Men
and materials were blown to bits.”
The Huesca front, lying at the back
door of rich industrial Barcelona,
holds the key to the central Franco
Spanish border. Government dis
patches said capture of Jaca resulted
in a government push through a
dozen towns and villages of the region
along the Gallego River and the cap
mre of many prisoners.
Quick Punishment Demanded.
Disclosure of the widespread behind
the-lines plot led to immediate de
mands for quick punishment of con
spirators the government said were
headed by 17 army officers, all now
under arrest. Leading a force of
8,000, they were to attack Madrid's
t government defenders from the rear
while 2,500 cohorts took over Internal
control of the besieged city, according
to the plans disclosed.
The names of 125 civilian leaders,
Including many women, were pub
lished indicating they were already
under arrest.
The Argentine and Chilean Em
bassies were the only foreign head
quarters mentioned specifically in the
government's accusation, which said
that Falangists were principal sup
porters to the plot.
The communique disclosed that
many nationalized Argentines. Chileans
and Panamanians were under arrest
or were expected to be seized zoom
P
—
Hitler, Duce Go to War Games
After Brilliant Munich Fetes
Dictators Have Little Time for Talk
Amid Glittering Festivities Schmel
ing Steals Show at Tea.
o: in.isuuiucu nets.
MUNICH,- Germany, September 25.
—The brown-shirted and black-shirt
ed rulers of Germany and Italy had
their first meeting in three years
here today, and after demonstrating
they were brethren under their
shirts, moved on to Mecklenburg to
night for army maneuvers.
Premier Mussolini seemed well
pleased with the tremendous welcome
accorded him by Reichfuehrer Hit
ler in this gayly decorated, cheering
city, even though he may have missed
the shouts of “Viva 11 Duce,” which
have come from every crowd he has
faced in the last 15 years.
Most or tne shouting was tor Chan
cellor Hitler until Max Schmeling,
the heavyweight fighter, brought here
as part of the stage dressing for a
display of 400 of Germany's most
beautiful stage and movie stars, stole
some of the show.
Obviously embarrassed in his top
hat and morning coat. Max was the
center of attraction at a tea given
for Mussolini this afternoon. A bevy
of the actresses swarmed around the
big boxer.
Mussolini and Hitler had little time
for political talking, but their fol
lowers disclosed that they managed
(See MUNICH, Page A-5.)
BUCK CASE KILLS
SPECIAL SESSION
. -
Administration to Withhold
Legislative Program
Until January.
BACKGROUND—
Farm legislation, revision of tax
laws and labor standards bill are
three administration issues due for
consideration of Congress. When
last session ended in August, spec
ulation arose immediately over pos
sibility of President calling legis
lators back in November to hasten
action on some of these. Thus far.
Chief Executive has kept own coun
sel on matter.
Plans of the administration to call
a special session of Congress Novem
ber 9 have been shelved, it was learned
yesterday on good authority.
When President Roosevelt left Hyde
Park for a tour of the West last
Wednesday he gave congressional
leaders to understand that he had
given up the idea of a special ses
sion and would await until Congress
convenes in January to submit his
legislative program.
Administration confidants here did
not entirely discount the Dossibility
the President might succumb to pres
sure for a special session from farm
leaders in the West and. revive the
plan for a special session call for
November 8, but this was considered
doubtful.
here predicted the idea of a special
session would be abandoned a few
days after the publication of a series
of newspaper articles imputing Ku
KIux Klan affiliations to Associate
Justice Hugo L. Black. It would be
folly, so the argument ran, for the
President to provide his critics in
Congress with a forum for prolong
ing the uproar over the Black ap
pointment. What the President de
sires most, it was said, is an end of
the Black incident, and he is not
likely, his advisers say, to give Con
gress an opportunity to attempt im
peachment proceedings. While it is
doubted that impeachment would
succeed, nevertheless the President
realizes, it was said, that such a pro
ceeding would keep the Black ap
pointment in the public eye per
haps for weeks.
(Copyright, 19.1T. by New York Herald
Tribune.)
$300,000 MILL FIRE
Hundreds Temporarily Homeless
After Blaze in Massachusetts.
SOUTH ATTLEBORO, Mass., Sep
tember 25 (/P).—Fire tonight destroyed
the woodworking and lumber plant of
the Joseph B. Charpentier Mill & Fin
ish Co. here with a 106S Charpentier
estimated at $300,000.
Hundreds were made temporarily
homeless and all traffic on the main
line of the New Haven Railroad be
tween Providence and Boston was
blocked for hours as the flames raged
out of control.
Heavily rumbling explosions pre
ceded the outburst of flame in a half
acre storage shed of the lumber com
pany, filled with mahogany and other
expensive hardwoods.
Pilots New Craft Juno Over
15-Mile Course at 62.265
M.P.H. Average.
It took Jack Rutherford eight years
to win a President's Cup race, but the
popular Long Island sportsman last
night appeared headed for a repetition
of his victory in 1936 on the basis of a
record-breaking performance in the
first heat of the annual renewal of the
classic in the President’s Cup Regatta
yesterday afternoon.
Coming to the power boat wars
with a new craft, the Juno, Rutherford
covered the 15 miles in 13:47 3-5 min
utes, an average speed of 65.265
miles per hoar, which wasn't far
from 8 miles an hour better than
the previous mark of 57.692 m.p.h. set
by George Reis of Lake George, N.
Y., in capturing the cup race with
his El Lagarto In 1932.
Rutherfurd had a best lap time
of 67.669 m.p.h. for the 2Vi-mile
course off Hams Point and when he
got the checkered flag from the
judges aboard the Coast Guard cut
ter Apache, he had left in his wake
five competitors.
Closest to him, but not near enough
to threaten, were the Notre Dame,
President's Cup winner in 1935, owned
by Herb Mendelson of petroit and
driven by Clell Perry, and the Alagi,
owned and driven by Count Theo
Rossi of Turin, Italy.
m HI UCIIIIIU.
Far in the ruck were the Impshi,
owned by Horace Dodge, Detroit motor
magnate, and driven by Joe Schaefer,
and Miss Palm Beach, with Ruther
ford’s wife, Mrs. Maud Rutherford, at
the wheel.
Stalled on the course was Delphine
IX. another Dodge boat, driven by
grizzled Frithiof Ericson, whose ill
fortune is an old story in boat racing.
The way the opening heat was run
before thousands lined along the Po
tomac seawall and in pleasure boats
dotting the edges of the lane looked
like an unbeatable combination com
ing into the second and third heats
this afternoon, which will wind up tlie
gruelling 45-mile test.
This is particularly trfie in view of
the fact that Juno, as a curtain-raiser
for her President’s Cup appearance,
tore over the Potomac yesterday morn
ing in a mile trial on the straightaway
course at a speed of 84.6065 m.p.h. for
a new American record, far surpassing
old marks.
Has Made 90 M. P. H.
'J'HERE are too many “ifs”- in this
game to take anything for
granted.
Rossi's Alagi, which finished sec
ond to the Notre Dame in the De
troit Gold Cup, Labor day, has done
better than 90 miles an hour on the
straightaway, and members of the
racing clan say if the Italian boat ever
gets off in front, and has smooth wa
ter for her journey instead of taking
the wash of her competitors, some
body is going to know that they have
been to the races.
Rossi also has another potential
starter for the wind-up in the Ara
dam, which was kept out of the first
heat by magneto trouble. The Italian
nobleman, who is the first foreign
competitor in the history of the
President’s Cup, kept mechanics at
(Continued onPage B-6, Column 5.)
Clue to Two Missing Generals
Sought From Russian Singer
n* tk. _j_j -_
PARIS, September 25.—Baffled
Surete Nationale agents questioned a
veiled Russian singer for several hours
tonight seeking some clue to the mys
terious disappearance of two Russian
Czarist generals—one the singer’s hus
band.
Mme. Nadine Plevitskaia, wife of
missing Gen. Nicholas Skobline, was
placed under arrest after the ques
tioners failed to shake her assertion
she knew nothing of the strange case.
Orders were issued also for the ar
rest of Skobline after Surete agents
raided his suburban home.
Skobline dropped from sight Thurs
day morning after reporting that his
chief, Gen. Eugene de Miller, head
of emigres who belonged to the late
Czar’s armies, had vanished after
starting for a rendezvous he feared
was an ambush.
Surete officials worked on the theory
Skobline might have engineered hie
I 1
cnier s abduction. They asserted evi
dence supporting this theory was found
in the raid on Skobline's home and in
discrepancies in Mme. Plevitskaia's
stofy.
Investigators declined to disclose
whether they considered a foreign
Dower had plotted the abduction of
De Miller or whether his disappearance
was merely the result of a quarrel
within the Paris White Russian colony.
Gen. Constantin Erdelli, who pre
sided over a White Russian court of
honor in 1935, said that Skoblliie was
tried on charges of being a Soviet
agent since 1919 and of taking part
in the abduction of Gen. Alexandre
Koutiepoff in 1930. KoutiepofI was
never found.
“The court of honor acquitted Skob
line because of lack of proof but it
did not establish his Innocence,” Er
delli declared, adding that "his con
duct in the De Miller case confirms
the suspicions of many of us.”
\ t
JAPANESE RESUME
BIG SHANGHAI PUSH
ON MEE FRONT
Counter-attack by Chinese
Spurs “War’s” Heaviest
Use of Artillery.
RELATIVE OF HIROHITO
IS REPORTED WOUNDED
Invaders' Planes Spread Destruc
tion in Central and Southern
Cities in China.
BACKGROUND—
Their troops stalemated in
struggle with Chinese national
troops around Shanghai, Japanese
military leaders have taken to air
with their invasion of China. Pow
ers were warned week ago that Nan
king would be subjected to terrific
aerial bombardments and for
eigners were warned Japan would
not be responsible for their safety.
Last week Japanese planes bombed
Canton, Nanking and half dozen
other central and coastal Chinese
cities, killing and wounding thou
sands, despite repeated protests of
powers.
Br the Associated Press.
SHANGHAI. September 26 (Sun
day).—Japanese infantry launched
fierce drives today along a 40-mile
front from Lotien, north of Shanghai,
to the devastated Kiangwan civic
center on its outskirts.
(Prince Hiroyoshi Fushimi. com
mander of a Japanese destroyer
flotilla, was reported in Tokio to
have been slightly wounded in
fighting near the Shanghai water
front. The prince is the eldest
son of Prince Hiroyasu Fushimi,
a cousin of Emperor Hirohito.)
The new Japanese offensive ended
a week’s lull during which heavy
rain prevented infantry action. Firm
ly entrenched Chinese troops counter
attacked, forcing the Japanese to
^hrow newly landed reinforcements
into the fighting. Chinese sources
declared that the defense lines, al
though sorely pressed, remained in
to nf
The Japanese brought into action
the heaviest artillery they have yet
unlimbered on the Shanghai front
in a combined barrage with air bomb
ers and naval guns.
Foodstuffs’ Removal Allowed.
For the first time since the unde
clared war began, the Japanese per
mitted the removal of foodstuffs and
other merchandise from Japanese-oc
cupied areas of the International
Settlement. They had insisted until
now that the warehouses remain locked
to prevent any possibility of food or
material reaching the Chinese Army.
Hundreds of motor trucks brought
out more than $10,000 worth of Ameri
can and other foreign merchandise,
including medicines. The heavy file
of trucks caused a serious traffic jam.
At the peak of the congestion Japa
nese bluejackets opened rifle fire
among the trucks on what they said
was a Chinese spy who eluded them
by diving into the Whangpoo River.
Great Chinese Cities Devastated.
China’s greatest cities, except those
under Japanese occupation, were sub
jected yesterday to devastating bomb
ing by the Japanese air forces, rang
ing over nearly all the eastern
provinces of this invaded land.
Hundreds of Chinese non-combat
ants died. Property damage ran into
millions of dollars. Terror and anguish
ruled half a dozen great communities
with populations approaching or pass
ing the million mark.
Nanking, the capital, wras punished
by five successive waves of Japanese
air raiders, who remained over the
city a total of seven hours. Officials
said the death toll in the bombings,
part of Japan's announced campaign
to destroy the center of Chinese mili
tary resistance, would approach 200.
Wuhan Area Raided Anew.
Hankow, Wuchang and Hanyang,
the Wuhan citifes of the middle
Yangtze Valley, suffered a new series
of early morning raids, within a few
hours of the terrible air attack the
Japanese airmen made on these same
cities, comprising a great commercial
center, late Friday.
Chinese officials revised their esti
mates of the dead in Friday’s Wuhan
raid upward to nearly 1,000 and said
more casualties had been added when
enemy planes again attacked Hankow,
450 airline miles from the coast, before
dawn.
Nanchang capital of Klangsi Prov
ince and Chinese aviation center, was
heavily bombed, and Canton, the great
metropolis of the South, was subjected
to a series of minor raids.
Late last night the Chinese air force
struck back with a raid on the Jap
anese air field in Yangtzepoo, at the
eastern end of Shanghai’s Interna
tional Settlement. The attack was
made in heavy darkness, before the
moon rose.
In the North China campaign, Jap
anese army spokesmen declared the
columns which Friday captured Pao
tlngfu and Tsangchow, key points of
the main Chinese defense system
across Central Hopeh, were co-solidat
lng their positions preparatory to
fresh advances.
Down the Peiping-Hankow Railway
a vanguard was marching on Tingh
sien, 115 miles from Peiping, and the
Japanese hoped to reach the Yellow
River before snow falls.
In the Far Northwest the Japanese
claimed an important victory in the
capture of Pingtichuan, gateway to
Eastern Suiyuan Province and only
75 miles northeast of Kweisui, the
provincial capital.
Chinese forces driven from Tsang
chow were reported retreating rapidly
southward along the Tientsin-Pukow
Railway toward Shantung Province
and military authorities here believed
the way was opened for a Japanese
invasion of Shantung.
Radio Programs, Page F-7.
Oonplate late, Pi|« A*i
♦
ITS MORE
PERSISTENT
THAN MARYS
LITTLE LAMB'
BA-BA-BLACK SHEEP!
Hoofed Animals Must Go
Into Quarantine, Others
Coming by Express. .
(Pictures on Page B-l.)
BY WILLIAM H. SHIPPF.N. Jr.,
Staff Correspondent of The Star.
BOSTON, Mass., September 26.—
The Washington Zoo's collection ex
pedition to the East Indies was hurry
ing homeward today.
Delay might cost the lives of valu
able animals, and Dr. William M.
Mann, director of the Zoo and leader
of the expedition, was making every
effort to expedite the final phase of
the long voyage.
It seemed probable that the more
than 1,000 specimens could not be
unloaded from the S. S. Silverash at
Staten Island before tomorrow morn
ing. Most of the animals then will
go to Washington in two special ex
press cars on a fast passenger train.
Giraffes to Go to Quarantine.
The four giraffes and other hoofed
creatures are to be sent to Athenia,
N. J., for two weeks of quarantine, a
precaution against the possible im
portation of hoof and mouth disease.
Most of the expedition's big animals
are in this group, with the exception
of the tapirs.
Representatives of the National
Geographic Society, which financed
the expedition', in co-operation with
the Smithsonian Institution, are aid
ing Dr. Mann with the final arrange
ments.
Yesterday was a busy day aooard
the “ark.” Dr. and Mrs. Mann re
ceived many visitors on board the
Silverash and a throng of sight-seers
sought permission to inspect the cargo.
Among visitors was Dr. Harold Cool
idge. a zoologist at Harvard, and Mrs.
Coolidge, who returned only two days
ago from an expedition to Sumatra to
study the habits of native apes. Dr.
and Mrs. Coolidge were frequent guests
of Dr. Mann at the latter's base camp
in Sumatra, while on the Other side
of the world the Coolidges presented
the Washington expedition with two
nnnamvan oears.
Finds Bears “Grown Up.”
At that time the bears were cubs.
Yesterday Dr. Coolidge found his
pets aboard the Silverash. They
were as big as large dogs, but seemed
to remember their former master,
licking his fingers when he greeted
them.
Not so agreeable was a black leopard
presented to the expedition by an East
Indian prince. As the visitors strolled
by his cage on deck, the leopard shot
a paw between the bars, ripping the
trousers of the ship’s local agent.
The agent was not injured, however.
Federal regulations regarding the
animal shipment were many and va
ried. A Department of Agriculture
agent examined trie hay and grain on
board. Customs men questioned those
who went ashore with packages. The
Plant Quarantine Bureau sent an in
spector aboard. In addition, immi
gration men watched the gangplank to
prevent illegal entry of aliens.
Throughout the daylight hours yes
terday the Silverash unloaded hemp,
rubber and other East Indian products.
Guide's Time in U. S. Limited.
The immigration laws will prevent
Lyang Gaddi, veteran guide and a
native of Borneo, one of expedition’s
most valuable assistants, from re
maining in the States more than 30
days.
Gaddi talked to a Nation-wide radio
audience yesterday from a micro
phone aboard the Silverash. He spoke
bravely, although those who knew
him said he shook as he never had
at a tiger’s charge or the attack of a
python.
Dr. Mann and other members of
the expedition plan to show Gaddi
the time of his life before he leaves
for the East Indies. Meanwhile,
Gaddi is helping by studying Eng
lish. Only yesterday Dr. Mann asked
Gaddi, "Well, No. 1 boy, are all the
animals dead?”
A grin split Gaddi’s copper-colored
countenance and he bobbed like a
dory in a choppy sea.
“Yes sir, yes sir,” he cried, in his
new-found tongue, "all animals dead.”
-•
30 Drown in Danube.
BRAILA, Rumania, September 25
C4*).—Thirty Rumanian passengers
drowned today when the passenger
boat Lydia and the freighter Sema
vada collided and sank in the Danube
River.
The Lydia's oaptain and three crew
members were saved.
4k
• Dies Abroad
EDWARD A. FILENE.
EDWARD A. FILENE
EXPIRES IN PARIS
Boston Merchant Stricken
With Pneumonia on Way
to London—Was 77.
PARIS (Sunday), September 26
C45).—Edward A. Filene, Boston mer
chant prince and philanthropist, died
at the American Hospital here to
day.
The 77-year-old merchant waflered
a pneumonia attack last Saturday
while on his way to London after a
tour of Europe. Brought to the hos
pital here, his condition gradually be
came worse because of complications.
He died at 3:45 am. (9:45 p.m.
Saturday, E. S. T.).
His attending physician said a
“respiratory failure induced by pneu
monia” caused death.
Lillian Schoedler, Filene's secre
tary, a physician and two nurses were
at his bedside. A crisis had been
predicted for today.
Filene had been driving to Boulogne,
France, on his way to England when
he contracted a cold. He returned to
Paris and pneumonia developed rap
idly. Although he had been in good
health during his Summer vacation
in Europe, his strength was not great
enough to carry him through the
crisis night.
Devoted Life to Social Justice.
Edward Albert Filene devoted his
life to make realities of his concep
tions of social justice.
Son of an immigrant, the interna
tional financier who started life as a
store clerk preached the gospel of
low-ccet production, higher wages,
shorter hours, community service and
(See FILENE, Page A-14.)
NEED FORTAX CUT
Survey Reveals That Local
Businesses Will Pay 44 Per
Cent Bigger Levy This Year.
BACKGROUND—
A committee of District offi
cials has started study of revision
of city's tax structure and Com
missioners ivill recommend changes
to Congress in January. They plan
a $50,000,000 budget for 1939. If
finally approved, this would call for
continuation of the $9,000,000 addi
tional tax load adopted for this
year.
Renewing its demand for a reduction
in District taxes next year, the Board
of Trade revealed last night that a
survey of a variety of local businesses
shows their actual tax bills this year
will reach a total 44 per cent greater
than last.
These concerns—some large, some
small, and of dissimilar types and
methods—paid a District tax Mil last
year aggregating $671,356. This year
they will be called on to pay $968,729,
an increase of $297,373, the trade body
found from a tabulation of tax ac
counts.
Heaped atop the local bills are the
enlarged Federal tax burdens which
will mean, the trade body reported,
that whereas this group of business
houses last year paid a grand total
levy of $1,213,010. the 1937 bill will
mount to $1,745,252, or $532,242 more.
This likewise Is an increase of 44 per
cent.
Keminaing me commissioners ana
congressional committees that “there
is a law of diminishing returns.” the
board voiced fears that “to continue
to force an intolerable tax burden on
the people of the District will only
undermine the economic structure of
the community.” It warned that the
consumer ultimately has to pay the
taxes and that the mounting city
levies means a higher cost of living.
Average Increase Is 95 Per Cent.
To appraise the full force of the
$9,000,000 increased District tax load,
ordered by Congress to balance the
current year’s budget, the board an
alyzed returns from the tax question
naire it sent to the business houses
and reported that the average increase
in local taxes this year would be 95
per cent.
It found the average increase in
the Federal levies paid by these
same concerns would be 208 per cent.
The average increase in the Federal
and District levies, taken collectively,
would be 56 per cent.
The trade body fought at the last
session of Congress to lighten the
tax increase. It renewed its argument
as to the necessity of safeguarding
the economic stability of the Dis
trict when the Commissioners indi
cated they will sponsor a $50,000,000
budget for the next fiscal year. Such
(See TAX CUT, Page A-8.)
Merrill and Airline to Contest
$500 Fines on Airport Take-Off
Capt. Henry T. (Dick) Merrill and
Eastern Air Lines will contest charges
of violating the Federal regulation
limiting operations at Washington
Airport, it was learned last night.
They are expected within a day or two
to file with the Bureau of Air Com
merce a demand for hearings and re
mittance of *500 fines assessed against
each of them.
It is understood that contention
will be made that the Bureau of Air
Commerce had not notified the air
line or its pilots of the new regulation
officially at the time of the alleged
violation and that official notification
was not made until some time after
ward.
Merrill, interviewed in Miami at
the end of the flight during which
the alleged violation occurred, denied
any knowledge of a violation. He
said he had made a normal take-off
from Washington Airport upon the
customary signal from the airport
control tower.
Samuel J. Solomon, manager of
the airport, confirmed the fact that
a “go ahead" signal had been flashed
to Merrill from the control tower.
Airport officials, he said, had received
from the Commerce Department at
that time no instructions concerning
limitations on use of the airport
and have not yet received such offi
cial notice.
The only information airlines or
airline pilots had of the restrictive
regulation, it is said, was through
newspaper accounts and through a
mimeographed copy of a press release
on the subject issued through the
press section of the Commerce De
partment. This press release was
posted on a bulletin board at the air
port, it was said.
It was not until some time after
Merrill's alleged illegal take-off that
the three airlines operating out of
Washington received official notifica
tion, over the signature of Secretary
of Commerce Roper, that the regula
tion had been promulgated, it was said.
Merrill Didn't Know.
Airline operations officials imme
diately gave written notice of the
ruling to all of their flight crews. It
is the opinion of airline officials that
the new regulation did not become
effective legally until the official noti
fication had been received.
Merrill, it is said, had no knowledge
of the order at the time of his alleged
violation, on September 10. He was
en route from New York to Miami at
the time and did not stop here long
enough to have an opportunity to see
the press release on the bulletin board
or to read newspaper accounts of the
order, supposedly to have been effec
tive September 7, It was said.
ft
$48,000,000 LIMIT
FOR 0. C, BUDGET
HOUSE UNIT’S PLAN
Road Projects to Absorb
$2,000,000 Increase in
Current Figure.
EARLY START ON WORK
IS DESIRED BY COLLINS
Hazen Declares Commissioners
Are Determined to Fight
for More Funds.
BACKGROVNG—
Shrinking Federal contributions,
accompanied by increasingly ex
pensive municipal services, have
kept District budget makers in
trouble for past several years. Local
taxpayers now are feeling pinch as
Congress levies new and increased
taxes. During same period numer
ous desired construction projects
have been deferred because of fis
cal situation.
BY JAMES E. CHINN.
Irrespective of the size of the budget
the Commissioners may frame for the
1939 fiscal year, the House Subcommit
tee on Appropriations, which writes
the annual District supply bill, plans
to keep the total from exceeding $48,
000,000. The appropriation for the
current fiscal year was $46,000,000.
Commissioner Melvin C. Hazen has
indicated thg new budget might go as
high as $50,000,000, despite the protest
of the Washington Board of Trade and
a number of civic organizations against
any increase over the current appro
priations. The exact figure, however,
will not be known until the latter part
of the week when the Commissioners
complete the task of slashing the
&R5.000 000 hnHtrpt rw’nmmpnHat.lfin* nf
the department heads.
The $2i)00.000 increase over cur
rent appropriations to be allowed by
the subcommittee in the coming fiscal
year, it was indicated, will be absorbed
largely by highway projects which will
be financed with unappropriated rev
enue to be derived from the new’ motor
vehicle weight tax.
Outline of Projects.
Chairman Collins of the subcommit
mittee disclosed he is particularly
anxious that a start be made In the
coming fiscal year on the proposed
$20 000.000 five-year highway improve
ment program of Capt. H. C. White
hurst, director of highways. Already
Collins has made a tentative outline of
the projects he Intends to support.
Heading the list is a new headquarters
building for the Police Department,
which is to form the first unit In the
long-contemplated municipal center
development. The others, all designed
to remove traffic hazards and facilitate
the movement of traffic, follow:
1. Redesign of Dupont, Thomas
and Scott Circles.
2. Construction of an elevated
highway over K street as a by-pass
for traffic through Georgetown.
3. Construction of a new bridge
across Rock Creek from Connecti
cut avenue to Sixteenth street.
4. Widening of a number of
streets in the business section, par
ticularly Twelfth street from New
York to Massachusetts avenue, the
north side of New York avenue
from Fourteenth to Fifteenth
street, and Twelfth street from
Consitution to Independence ave
nue.
Listed in Program.
Nearly all these projects are listed
in the initial installment of Capt.
Whitehurst's five-year program. One
exception is the proposed viaduct over
K street w’hich Capt. Whitehurst
planned to delay later in the five-year
program.
Capt. Whitehurst included replace
ment of the Pennsylvania Avenue
Bridge over the Anacostia River in his
program for the coming fiscal year,
but Collins said the need for relieving
congested conditions on M street
through Georgetown is “more acute,”
and should take precedence over a
new Pennsylvania avenue bridge.
The proposed Pennsylvania avenue
bridge is estimated to cost $2,000,000.
Capt. Whitehurst suggested a starting
appropriaion of $650,000 in the com
ing fiscal year, a similar sum in the
1940 fiscal year, and $700,000 more
in 1941 to complete the project.
Cost of the proposed by-pass ex
press highway for Georgetown was
estimated at $1,800,000.
$600,000 Highway.
A new highway crossing Rock
Creek, which Collins is especially
anxious to see constructed, would
cost, according to Capt. Whitehurst,
at least $600,000.
Plans for revamping Dupont and
Thomas Circle call for construction
of underpasses for street cars to per
mit complete segregation of street
cars and vehicular traffic. New
traffic directional islands would be
built at Scott Circle.
Although the total amount of the
budget of the Commissioners is still
uncertain, Hazen insists it will not be
less than $50,000,000. He pointed out
the figure would be predicated on a
Federal payment of $7,500,000 in the
coming fiscal year, an increase of
$2,500,000 over the current ap
propriation.
“Of course, if Congress refuses to
increase the Federal payment,” he de
clared, “it will be simple for the
House Appropriations Subcommittee
to keep the total within the $48,000,
000 goal.
“But the Commissioners are deter
mined to fight for an increase in the
Federal payment, and I believe there
is some' hope of success. If we get
the additional $2,500,000, it probably
will be allocated to the public
schools.”
■ ■■ "■ ■ ■ •
Truck Strike Ends.
SYRACUSE, N. Y„ September 35
(JP).—Upstate New York’s truck strike,
which had kept 12.000 men idle since
Friday morning, ended today when a
majority of the larger operators agreed
to union demands for a contract pro
viding for a haulage rate of 2V2 cent*
a mile for all drivers.
k