Evening star. [volume], August 16, 1939, Image 1

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87th YEAR, No. 34,805._WASHINGTON, D. C., WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 1939—THIRTY-TWO PAGES. *** K THREE CENTS.
i ' ------ -- .
Polish Soldier
Slain by Danzig
Frontier Guards
Clouds Burckhardt's
Effort to Obtain
Settlement
BACKGROUND— \
Germany lias been strii'ing to
recover Free City of Danzig since
last March after Reich's absorp
tion of Bohemia, Moravia and
Memel. Poland insists that Dan
zig is vital to her existence and
has expressed determination to
«- fight rather than yield Free City,
with which she is united in cus
toms union. Danzig question dis
cussed with Hitler by Prof. Carl J.
Burkhardt, League of Nations
high commissioner for Danzig.
By the Associated Press.
The European scales tilted sharp
ly toward an impending showdown
today as the killing of a Polish sol
dier by Danzig frontier guards
clouded the efforts of Prof. Carl J.
Burckhardt. League of Nations high
commissioner, to clarify the grave
Danzig situation in a meeting with
Danzig Nazis and Polish officials.
Against a background of rumors
which lacked tangible clues, but
with the feeling prevailing in most
Old World capitals that something
W’as in the wind, different indica
tions came from the two ends of
the Rome-Berlin axis over a possi
ble early settlement of the German
Polish dispute over Danzig.
In Berlin a stiffening of the Nazi
attitude towards Poland and other
signs of tension heightened the con
viction among observers there that
the Danzig issue was shaping up
for an autumn solution.
Italians Urge Negotiations.
In Rome direct negotiations be
tween Germany and Poland for the
German acquisition of Danzig
emerged as the apparent Italian
plan for settlement of the prob
iam. The controlled fascist press
--proposed such negotiations with a
unanimity of expression that
seemed to indicate official inspira
tion.
Premier Mussolini's preparations
to give Generalissimo Franco of
Spain an elaborate reception late in
September led to the conclusion in
the Italian capital that II Duce
expected neither a major crisis nor
the likelihood of war next month.
The closing of a section of the
Silesian frontier between Germany
and Poland was attributed officially
to Germany in Warsaw and inter
preted by the Polish press as a step
to camouflage German fortification
building and troop movements. A
atrip along the frontier estimated
at 70 miles was involved.
In Berlin, Nazi newspapers ac
cused Polish police of taking the
’ Initiative in the closing.
Third Serious Incident.
The shooting of the Polish soldier,
Aleksander Rozanovske, was the
third serious incident which has
marked the bitter Danzig quarrel
between Nazi Germany and Po
land in recent months.
Polish and Danzig versions of the
shooting differed, as they did in the
previous cases. Two Poles and one
Danziger have been killed in three
border incidents.
Danzig police said that Roza
novske, carrying a rifle, was some
• 300 yards within Danzig territory
when he failed to heed a command
^ to halt and was shot.
The Polish version was that the
Polish soldier was only ii> meters
(about 16 yards), from the border
after having lost his way in the
darkness. The shooting occurred in
the early morning hours.
. When Danzig police claimed that
Rozanovske had fired at least one
Ehot, the official Polish version was
that the Polish soldier had not fired
at all.
Half-hour Conference.
Prof. Burkhardt had Arthur Grei
ser. president of the Danzig Senate,
and Marian Chodacki, Polish com
missioner general, in his office
here for a conversation which
lasted barely a half-hour. Chodacki
planned to leave late today for War
saw.
The meeting was described in
• Polish circles as merely a “contact.”
Danzig officials declined to make
any comment on the meeting with
Prof. Burckhardt.
Foreign observers, viewing the
conversations in the light of Prof.
Burkhardt’s recent meeting with
Adolf Hitler, attached great signifi
cance to them.
Prof. Burkhardt denied yesterday
In a communique that he intended
to go to London.
“I was not in Geneva.” the com
missioner's communique said. “I have
not had any meeting with the gen
eral secretary of the League of
L Nations, and I shall not go to
London.
"I have had, in Germany, a short
conversation about internal Danzig
questions.”
“Tempest in Teapot.”
In Paris French officials called the
furore over Prof. Burckhardt's visit
to Hitler a “tempest in a teapot.”
They declared Prof. Burckhardt
(See DANZIG. Page A-4.)
Nazi Refugee, 73,
And Wife Found
Dead Arm in Arm
By the Associated Press.
BALTIMORE, Aug. 16.—“Have
courage,” wrote two German refu
gees to a son still in the old coun
try and unable to leave.
They penned another note: “We
seek happiness together in eternity.”
Police today found Dr. Julius
Veith, 73, ophthalmologist in Goet
tingen until seven months ago, and
his wife dead • beside an open gas
burner.
Both notes were on a desk near
Where they died, arm in arm.
John E. Veith, a son, told police
they came to this country to escape
racial laws against Mrs. Veith, who
wras Jewish His father and mother,
‘ Mr. Veith said, had been “unable to
» adjust themselves to a new life in
America.”
*
20,000 Pay Dues, Bund Books
Destroyed, Kuhn Tells Dies
Fritz Kuhn, German-American Bund leader, as he appeared,
unexpectedly, before House Un-American Committee today.
—A. P. Photo.
By tne Associated Press.
Fritz Kuhn estimated dues-paving
members of the German-American
Bund at 20,000 persons today after
testifying membership records of the
organization had been destroyed at
his order because of prospective in
vestigations.
The bespectacled bund leader, ap
pearing unexpectedly before the
House committee investigating un
American activities, said he had only
partial records of dues payments.
Destruction of the membership rec
ords, he said, was ordered when in
vestigation seemed likely by the Dies
Committee and a New York State
legislative group.
Mr. Kuhn said the bund came into
existence at Buffalo in March, 1936,
after he had determined to form a
political organization composed only
of American citizens.
When Chairman Dies, Democrat,
of Texas, demanded to know why
Mr. Kuhn wished to form a political
organization Independent of the
“friends of new Germany.” which
included German citizens, Mr. Kuhn
displayed emotion for the first time
during an hour or more of testi
mony.
“Mr. Dickstein (Representative
Dickstein, New York Democrat)
was raising hell about us down here
in Washington ” Mr. Kuhn shouted.
“We wanted to shut his mouth.
He was making wild charges against
us—trying to smear us.”
Mr. Dies cut the witness short
with the admonition that he had
answered the question, adding that
the committee wished to have no
voluntary statements.
The stocky bund leader was ques
tioned closely by Rhea Whitney,
committee counsel, and committee
members, about the possible con
nections of the bund with the Nazi
government or German officials.
Mr. Kuhn steadfastly denied that
(See UN-AMERICAN. Page ~A^TT
Fish's Truce Plan
Will Be Weighed
By Oslo Congress
Excursion Tomorrow Is
Canceled to Study
Peace Proposal
By the Associated Press.
OSLO, Norway, Aug. 16.—The In
terparliamentary Union Congress
will hold a special meeting tomor
row to consider indorsing a 30-day
“truce” proposed by Representative
Hamilton Fish of New York.
Mr. Fish said his proposal was de
signed “to secure time for interna
tional negotiations about problems
which threaten to push the world
into catastrophe.” He had told re
porters he feared war might break
out August 20.
Excursion Canceled.
The congress’ Executive Commit
tee obtained cancellation of an ex
cursion planned for tomorrow so
Mr. Fish's proposal could be dis
cussed in a special session.
Mr. Fish flew here after a visit to
Germany's foreign minister.
As a delegate, Mr. Fish came be
fore the Interparliamentary Union
Congress today with suggestions foi
easing the thorny problem of reset
tling refugees from Central Europe
As chairman of the United States
delegation, he hurried to lunch as
guest of the British delegation.
The Republican Congressman and
Roosevelt .critic vigorously outlined
his views to newspapermen last
night.
Must Act Quickly.
These were his salient sentences:
“If something is going to be done tc
prevent war, it must be done within
a week. I have seen men on both
sides of the two camps. The people
really want peace, but the situation
has developed to a point where peace
talk is considered to be defeatism.
“The United States will keep out
nf urar if ic rtnf atfarlrpH 1
cannot see how anybody can beat the
British navy, but likewise I cannot
see anybody defeating the German
and Italian armies.
“If we could gain 30 days peace
war might be avoided this time
During such a truce, the foreign
ministers of Germany, Italy, France
and Britain should meet and seek
a way out. If they fail, then arbi
tration should be attempted.”
Arbitration Nominees.
The Fish nominees for arbitrators:
King Leopold of Belgium. King Haa
kon of Norway and Philippe Etter
president of Switzerland and a;
alternative arbitrator, "if the pow
ers would accept him,” Premier
Eamon de Valera of Ireland.
Members of the United States
delegation, which held its first cau
cus this morning, made it clear Mr
Fish would be acting as a private
individual in furthering his peace
prescription before the congress and
not in his capacity as delegation
chairman.
The United States delegation is
made up of four Senators and 24
Representatives.
Hitler Marks Entry
Into Army 25 Years Ago
By the Associated Press.
BERCHTESGADEN, Aug. 16.—
Adolf Hitler celebrated today the
25th anniversary of his entry into
the German Army as World War
volunteer.
Some of his old comrades in arms
as well as delegations from the
German armed force made a pil
grimage to the Obersalzberg, Hitler’s
Bavarian mountain retreat, to felici
M
Roper, Minister
To Canada, Resigns,
Effective Monday
Was Sent to Ottawa
May 1; No Successor
Named Yet
Daniel c. Roper, former Secretary
of Commerce, has submitted his res
ignation as United States Minister
to Canada, effective next Monday, it
was learned today.
Mr. Roper was appointed to the
diplomatic post May 1 to fill the
vacancy caused by the transfer of
Norman Armour to Chile. He took
office in time to represent the United
i States at the arrival of the King and
'■ Queen of England in Canada.
A native of South Carolina. Mr.
Ropier is 72 years old. His appoint
ment to the diplomatic post came as
a surprise to official Washington,
since it was said at his retirement
from the cabinet that he wished to
return to private life.
The ministry to Canada pays
$10,000 a year, and expenses are es
timated at $25,000. As yet no suc
j cessor has been named.
10,000 Crowd to Register
For 600 Cleveland Jobs
Ey the Associated Press.
CLEVELAND. Aug. 16—Ten thou
sand men and women, some of
whom waited more than 24 hours,
besieged Cleveland Stadium today
to register for 600 city jobs. One
man was injured in the crush.
Throughout last night scores slept
in chairs and cots set up on walks.
Fifty policemen went to the sta
dium as the crowd started to grow
from about 1,000 early arrivals to
6,000.
A deputy police inspector said the
number of applicants swelled to
10,000 in less than two hours after
25 clerks started to register the job
seekers.
The jobs were made available un
der a city charter amendment plac
ing all unclassified city positions
under civil service.
Retail Business
Billion Ahead
Of Last Year
Big Advance Is Made
In 6 Months Despite
Fall in Prices
By the Associated Press.
The Commerce Department an
nounced happily today that retail
business was about $1,000,000,000 bet
ter in the first half of 1939 than it
was the first six months of 1938.
Not only that, it said, but the in
crease was achieved despite a fall in
prices.
Prices of general merchandise
were about 2.5 per cent under a year
ago, while retail food costs were
off about 3.5 per cent. Thus, unit
sales increased even more than
the dollar volume.
Retail trade for the first six
months of this year totaled about
$17,900,000,000, a gain of 6 per cent
over the first, six months last year.
Rise Holds for Each Month.
The rise over last year was held
for each month of the half year
period with largest relative gains
>eing scored during the second quar
ter when sales averaged an increase
of about 7 per cent over the like
period last yeat.
This compared with a gain of 5
uer cent for the first Quarter.
Sales of department stores, ap
parel shops, variety stores and mail
order houses totaled about $3,800,
000.000, or 5 per cent ahead of the
first six months of 1938.
Mail Order Sales Gain.
Department store sales totaled
more than $1,600,000,000, a rise of
about 3 per cent over the 1938
period, while mail order sales, which
showed the largest relative improve
! ment of the general merchandise
group, totaled about $230,000,000, a
1 gain of 14 per cent.
Total food sales amounted to $4.
| 500,000.000, only slightly above the
dollar volume of the like period of
1938,
Sales of consumers' durable goods
were estimated at $4,300,000,000,
about one-fifth larger than for the
i comparable period of 1938. The larg
est comparable gain for this group
was recorded for new passenger au
tomobiles, dollar sales of which rose
about 40 per cent.
Retail Trade in District
Shows Marked Increase
The Commerce Department's an
nouncement of a billion-dollar In
crease in the country's retail busi
ness includes a chart of District de
partment store trade showing a
marked increase here.
Based on figures reported to the
Federal Reserve Bank Of Richmond,
the chart takes the 1936 monthly
average 100 and shows the 1939 index
running from 80 to better than 100
between January and March, about
a month before this level was
i reached in 1938. After a slight drop
j below 100 between March and April
th#» inripy chnt almnQt tn 19fi hv Wav
Last year at that time it was below
100,
Between May and June a slight
drop was registered this year to
about 115, while last year it rose to
about 105.
L. Seth Schnitman, consulting
economist specializing in District
economics, forecast in a recent series
of articles in The Star that the de
partment store trade for the final
half of the year will be larger than
in any similar half-year period.
Mother, 19, Is Slain;
j Husband Is Arrested
By the Associated Press.
PEARISBURG. Va„ Aug. 16
Clarence Epling, 22, was arrested to
day on a warrant charging him with
the killing of his 19-year-old wife,
Hannah, who was fatally shot as she
lay in bed with her infant baby at
the home of her parents near Nar
rows, Va., last night.
The warrant was issued on com
plaint of Commonwealth's Attorney
J. L. Dillow.
Epling was surrendered to police
at Narrows by his father, Charley
Epling.
Mr. Dillow and Sheriff Johnston
said Epling denied any connection
with the killing.
The Eplings had been married
about a year and a half, Mr. Dillow
said, and were living with her par
ents, Mr. and Mrs. Irving Kast.
Mrs. Kast was asleep in a bed on
the other side of the room at the
time of the slaying. Mr. Kast was
in the adjoining room listening to
a radio. He told the prosecutor he
heard the shot and rushed into the
bedroom to find his daughter mor
tally wounded.
The mother’s body protected the
child and It was uninjured.
Summary of Today's Star
Page. Page.
AmusementsB-16 Radio__.B-9
Comics _ B-14-15 Society_B-3
Editorials .. A-6 Sports ..A-10-12
Finance_A-13 Woman’s
Lost, Found . B-9 Page_B-6
Obituary ...A-10
Foreign.
Fish’s truce plan to be weighed by
Oslo Congress. Page A-l
Polish soldier is slain by Danzig
frontier guards. Page A-l
Mexican senators to urge deadline
on oil firm claims. Page A-3
U. S. consul general protests to
Japan on slapping. Page A-4
Fearful of crisis, Zionists cut short
Geneva sessions. Page A-4
Japanese cutting supply lines from
China to Hong Kong. Page A-4
National.
Investigators hear bund records de
stroyed. Page A-l
Half of Nation’s oil supply cut off
to stabilize price. Page A-l
Senator Logan says Democrats may
lose six Senate seats. Page A-2
Washington and Vicinity.
Two girls and father burned to
death in Baltimore. Page A-l
New drive opens on law-violating
motorists. Page B-l
*
Zoning Board hears case involving
Georgetown mansion. Page B-l
Test case of police detaining prison
ers over six hours seen. Page B-l
Sports.
Case holds own with new diamond
stars. Page A-10
Southpaws still poison to Griff
men. Page A-10
Johnstown promised hot competi
tion in Travers. Page A-ll
D. C. to be host to national print
craft golf tourney. Page A-12
Editorial and Comment
This and That. Page A-6
Answers to Questions. Page A-6
Letters to The Star. Page A-6
David Lawrence. Page A-7
Alsop and Kintner. Page A-7
Franklin Waltman. Page A-7
Lemuel Parton. Page A-7
Jay Franklin. Page A-7
Miscellany
Service Orders. Page A-5
Vital Statistics. Page B-9
Nature’s Children. Page B-9
Bedtime Story. Page B-14
Cross-word Puzzle. Page B-14
Letter-Out. Page B-14
Winning Contract. Page B-15
Uncle Ray’s Comer. Page B-15
'Blacks' Seize Gen. Woodcock,
Other 29th Division Officers
Attackers Are Between
Defending Army
And Washington
Bv ROBERT A. ERWIN,
Star 8tafT Correspondent.
BRISTOW, Va„ Aug. 16.—Brig.
Gen. Amos W. W\ Woodcock of the
58th Infantry Brigade; Col. Fred
erick H. Vinup, head of the 104th
Medical Regiment, Maryland Na
tional Guard, and several other 29th
Division officers, all of the “Blue'
forces, were captured today by in
vading “Black " tanks of the Regular
Army.
Executing a wide and fast flank
movement from the west, the
“enemy” came down State highway
No. 28 to its intersection with the
Bristow-Brentsville road, and turned
southward to make the captures
They came on Col. Vinup first and
captured him. In the car Just be
hind they found Gen. Woodcock
Federal prohibition director dur
ing the Hoover administration and
later president of St. John's College
at Annapolis.
Lt. Col. Medoren Crawford, Jr.
Regular Army officer attached to the
i Maryland National Guard, acting in
j his capacity as umpire for the ma
| neuvers between the National Guard
BRIG. GEN. AMOS W. W.
WOODCOCK.
and the Regular Army, upheld the
captures. Gen. Woodcock and Col.
Vinup and others taken by the
“enemy” were released within a few
minutes.
The tank attack occurred within
50 yards of the 104th Medical Regi
(See DISTRICT GUARD, Page A-3)
Vain Attempt to Save
Her Family in Fire
Is Fatal to Mother
Husband and 2 Girls Die;
Woman Breaks From
Restraining Friends
(Picture on Page B-l.)
Special Dispatch to The Star.
BALTIMORE, Aug. 16—A heroic
mother broke away from neighbors
who sought to restrain her and
rushed into her flaming home early
today in a futile effort to save her
two daughters and her husband.
She died a few hours later, as much
of heartbreak, doctors said, as of the
burns about her body.
The dead are Mrs Gertrude Par
naby. 45; her husband, Bert Par
naby 45, a shipfitter, and their
daughters. Ethel, 16, and Margaret,
8. The tragedy occurred before dawn
on one of the hottest nights of the
season in an old brick row house.
The blaze, said by firemen to have
started in an attached frame build
ing used as a summer kitchen, was
under control in less than 30 min
utes after it was discovered.
Two Saved.
Only two of the couple's children
were saved. They were Gertrude,
10 and Charles, 19, who dropped
from a window in the rear of the
two-story house.
Mrs. Parnaby was brought out by
a fireman after she had dashed
uiiuugu iiwucs in an cuun to save
her two daughters.
Ethel was found smothered in bed,
and beside her was the body of Mar
garet, also asphyxiated by smoke.
Their father was found dead of1
burns in a second-floor bedroom.
No signs of flames were found in the
girl's bedroom.
Mrs. Parnaby, screaming “Save
my children,’’ broke away from a
group on the street and into the
blazing building. She appeared at
an upper floor window, pleading for
some one to help her find the chil
dren. Her dress was afire. She had
broken through the wall of fire in
the stairway wall which her hus
band had been unable to penetrate
in seeking safety.
Neighbor Gets Her.
Firemen erected a ladder to the
window where Mrs. Parnaby could
be seen occasionally through the
black pall. Albert Uriahs, a neigh
boring firemen off duty, offered to
climb up first because he knew the
floor plan of the row of houses. He
brought her down in a few minutes.
Physicians at City Hospital said
shock at the death of her children
and husband was as much to blame
for her death as the burns.
The surviving son, Charles, told
Police Lt. Ezekiel Williams: “I think
the wiring probably caused the fire.
Mother had to put bulbs in the
kitchen socket three times in a
week.”
He was treated for slight burns
suffered when he tried to douse the
flames with a garden hose.
Hundreds of Gallons
Of Milk Dumped by
New York Strikers
200 Pickets Block Roads
With Spiked Planks
And Halt Trucks
By the Associated Press.
UTICA. N. Y.. Aug. 16.—Striking
dairy farmers were reported to have
dumped hundreds of gallons of milk !
in New York's milkshed today as
the dairy farmers’ union boycott for I
higher prices went into its second
day.
The first major violence was re
ported at Mount Upton, N. Y., where
James Gray, superintendent of the
Dairymen’s League plant, said 200
pickets, using spiked planks, blocked
roads leading to the plant, halted
trucks and dumped the milk.
At Buskirk, N. Y., Sheriff Daniel
Carhart said pickets blocked roads
leading to the Gold Medal Farm
plant and dumped hundreds of gal
lons of milk. He said the only man
to pass tlK picket line was a farmer
brandishing a pitchfork.
Madison County Sheriff Timothy
D. Thomas asserted two farmers
were arrested at Hubbardsville after
a melee in which considerable milk
was dumped.
Archie Wright, chairman of the
farmers’ union which is seeking to
raise prices by withholding milk
from the big New York City market,
said the boycott is “rolling along in
fine shape.”
However, New York's commission
er of health. Dr. John L. Rice, said
the strike had not affected the city’s
supply “to any appreciable degree.”
New York Cloudburst
Kills One, Hurts Two
By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, Aug. 16.—A man
was killed and two others badl\ in
jured today after a sudden down
pour whi:h assumed cloudburst pro
portions, partly inundated four sta
tons of the Independent subway in
Queens and flooded numerous cel
lars.
The men were taking shelter be
hind a retaining wall m Astoria
when it suddenly collapsed.
Half of Nation's Oil
Supply Cut Off to
Stabilize Price
Other States Expected
To Follow New Mexico,
Oklahoma and Texas
BACKGROUND—
Major oil companies reduced
prices of crude oil 20 cents a bar
rel last week. Railroad commis
sion ordered wells in Texas closed
for 15 days in effort to stabilize
prices ana a further shutdown in
other States was decided on yes
terday at meeting in Oklahoma
City.
By the Associated Press.
OKLAHOMA CITY, Aug. 16 —
More than half the country's crude
oil supply was cut off today as three
States took the lead in a fight
against a threatened collapse of the
industry’s price structure.
Following an historic meeting of
the Oil Compact Commission yes
terday, New Mexico and Oklahoma
joined with Texas to close down
145,200 wells producing more than 51
per cent of the country’s output.
Today, at the recommendation of
Oov. Payne Ratner, the Kansas Cor
poration Commission ordered that
State's 19,268 flush and stripper oil
wells shut down at noon for a period
of 15 days.
Crude oil prices Began to toppie
last week as the Sinclair Prairie Co.
posted a general 20-cent-per-barrel
cut and some of the smaller com
panies followed suit.
A collapse of the whole structure
began when the Humble Oil & Re
fining Co. reduced prices from 5 to
32 cents a barrel in Texas.
The ultimate effect of the shut
downs on the price of gasoline was
uppermost in the minds of the Na
tion's motorists. Some oil men pre
dicted an early increase.
Officials of the co-operating States
banked on a depletion of crude
stocks to force the price of oil back
up to $1 a barrel.
Observers were not able to deter
mine at once how many employes
would be affected, since many were
being given vacations with pay,
some half-time pay. Many firms
said they would have their men
clean up and recondition properties
during the period.
First Shutdown Attempt.
It was the first shutdown of the
midcontinent area ever attempted
on such a wide scale. Only certain
fields have been closed in the past.
The oil compact itself took no di
rect part in the fhutdown maneu
vers, representatives met lor two
hours yesterday and then announced
each State would "handle its own
particular problem in its particular
way.”
Gov Leon C. Phillips immediately
announced the 15-day shutdown of
Oklahoma's wells at 7 a.m. today,
and a few hours later Gov. John E.
Miles of New Mexico said he would
issue a 15-day closing proclamation
today.
Gov. Earl K. Long was consider
ing a 10-day close-in of Louisiana's
wells. He wired the compact com
mission :
"We're willing to do what we can
to help.” 4
States represented at the confer
ence produce 77.44 per cent of the
Nation's oil.
Accuses Standard Oil.
As the shut-down orders were be
ing issued, Jerry Sadler, Texas rail
road commissioner, charged that
Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey was
operating in Texas in violation oi
anti-trust laws and asked Attorney
General Gerald C. Mann to investi
gate. Sadler turned over to Mann
a photostatic copy of what he said
was a contract between the Stand
(See OIL, Page A-3.)
Water Gate Concerts on WMAL
A portion of the 11th of the season's “Sunset Symphonies”
by the National Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Guy
Fraser Harrison, guest conductor, will be broadcast over a Nation
wide network by the National Broadcasting Co. this evening.
Through the co-operation of the National Broadcasting Co. and
The Star the program will be heard locally over WMAL.
Tonight’s program will be broadcast from 9 to 9:30 o'clock. By
all means attend the concert tonight if you can. The music and
the setting provide a combination that you shouldn’t miss. If you
cannot attend, tune in the concert on WMAL at 9 o’clock.
In arranging these broadcasts the National Broadcasting Co.
and The Star are co-operating with the Summer Concert Com
mittee of the Symphony Orchestra in its effort to further apprecia
tion and support of the orchestra which contributes so greatly to
the musical life of the National Capital.
Tickets for the concert can be purchased at the Water Gate
tonight.
m
Smoot Shutdown
Threatens Half
Of Building Here
Federal, D. C. Jobs
To Be Stopped Soon
Unless Strike Ends
All operations of the strike-bound
Smoot Sand & Gravel Co. virtually
ceased this afternoon, thereby
threatening complete shutdown of
construction on most of the major
Federal and District projects in the
city.
An official of the company, source
of most of the concrete materials in
the District, said a few small de
liveries would be made later in the
day to exhaust materials on hand,
but that the company would be
closed completely by tonight.
Construction engineers on most of
the major building projects here
agreed that their work would be
halted within a few days unless the
strike is settled or operations of the
Smoot concern are resumed.
The spokesmen for the company
said the outbreak of violence in
picket lines at the concern's main
plant in Georgetown late yesterday
caused officials to decide to cease
operations.
Among big construction projects
affected are the Lafayette Building,
which will house the Reconstruction
Finance Corp.; the new Social Se
curity Building, the Thomas Jeffer
son Memorial, construction at Naval
Hospital and the navy yard and nu
merous District highway projects,
including the new Pennsylvania
Avenue Bridge, the Thomas Circle
underpass and the K street over
pass.
To Affect Street Work.
Pont U C’ Tin,
I —' • * ' •xvvtiUl OV, iv.1/
director of highways, said repair
work on the city streets will be an
operation “most seriously affected.”
He added that concrete construction
under his department will come to a
standstill in a few' days.
Capt. Whitehurst said the District
j would refuse further permits for
paving and that a number of street
widening projects would be aban
| doned temporarily. Eleventh street
N.W., he said, is a major example of
the latter.
“This office will do nothing of a
specific nature to curtail work until
later in the week or probably Mon
day,” Capt. Whitehurst said, adding
that District officials were awaiting
developments in the strike.
The chief construction engineer at
: the Lafayette Building—typical of
several Federal building projects
here—commented that stoppage of
the concrete materials supply would
bring work there to a standstill.
I “We can't lay tilings without con
i crete and we certainly can't build
i foundations without tilings,” he
commented.
Lack of Protection Blamed.
The Smoot spokesman blamed
yesterday's violence, which resulted
in injuries to "at least three men.”
on “inadequate police protection”
in Maryland, Virginia and the
District.
The official stated that the com
pany realizes that, due to its “scat
tered'’ operations in Maryland and
the District, police protection is not
as easily afforded as it would be
otherwise.
The strike is the first in the
company’s 39-year history, it was
stated.
One of the workers on duty, John
Williams, 30, colored, 106 L street
ii.vv., was an on me neaa Dy a
stone hurled near the Georgetown
plant and required treatment for a
concussion at Emergency Hospital.
Names of other injured were not
| reported to police, although the
company spokesman said "several
'■ others were beaten up and run away
I from the plant.”
The official said that during the
afternoon a number of fights and
repeated stoning of substitute crews
| occurred.
More than 200 employes are strik
ing for higher wages, shorter hours
and a closed shop. They are mem
bers of the Sand and Gravel Work
ers’ Union, No. 22075, a new Amer
ican Federation of Labor affiliate.
The company spokesman said to
j day that "we were so close to an
' agreement and then the question of
| the closed shop came up.” Union
spokesmen referred to the latter as a
“secondary issue.”
Meanwhile, a scheduled meeting
between the warring factions in
the strike and Labor Department
Conciliator Howard T. Colvin prob
ably will be postponed. Mr. Colvin
said the parley planned for this aft
ernoon probably will be held at 2
p.m. tomorrow.
*
Yankees Leading
Nats, 1-0, in Third
Br > Stan Correspondent of The 3tar.
NEW YORK, Aug. 16 —Successive
doubles by Charley Keller and Joe
Di Maggio in the opening inning
gave the Yankees a l-to-0 lead over
the Nationals here this afternoon
in the second game of a series.
Charles Edison
Is Top-Ranking
Official in City
B, the Associated Press.
Charles Edison holds the title of
“Acting Secretary of the Navy,” but
at present he is the top-ranking
Federal official in Washington.
President Roosevelt is vacationing
at sea in the North Atlantic, and
Vice President Garner is in Texas.
The first five cabinet members—
Secretary Hull, Secretary Morgen
thau, Secretary Woodring, Attorney
General Murphy and Postmaster
General Farley—also are away.
Congress authorized Mr. Edison
to act as Secretary of the Navy until
the President chooses a successor to
the late Claude Swanson.
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