Evening star. [volume], December 23, 1939, Page A-9, Image 9

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

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Intimidation Effort
Charged by Judge
In Pendergast Case
Threats in Telephone
« Calls Disclosed
By Reeves
B» the Associated Press,
KANSAS CITY, Dec. 23.—Federal
Judge Albert L. Reeves, who ordered
a grand jury to "reach for the
highest" and later heard Democratic
boss Tom Pendergast sentenced to
prison, charged,, today “the most
corrupt and ruthless political ma
chine in America” tried to intimi
date him with ‘‘trigger men.”
Judge Reeves gave his "reach” in
structions to a jury which indicted
more than 200 persons in the 1936
Kansas City election frauds. Sub
sequent investigation of Pender
gast's machine sent the boss him
self to prison for income tax eva
sion.
First, Judge Reeves told a men's
Bible class he received telephone
calls from persons using "abusive
or threatening language.” Then he
said:
« “A man came to my office and he
said ‘the trigger men are charging
to go. They're anxious to get you.
You better stop all this.’
“ ‘You tell your trigger men,’ I
said, ‘that we're not going to
stop.’ * • •
"Later a woman called and saici
•you better not leave your office to
day.’ I did, and I took my usual
course.”
Another time, while he was hold
ing court in Springfield, Mo., a
"sweet-voiced woman” telephoned
• him at his hotel:
“I want to see you on personal
business.”
"What personal business?”
‘‘Oh, it is just personal.”
Judge Reeves hung up.
A Federal agent warned him "an
effort is being made to entrap you.
They tried it in Springfield but it
didn't work.”
A secret service agent told Judge
Reeves of a hotel room here wired
with a voice recording device and
prepared with photographic equip
ment. The jurist was to be taken
there by a lawyer acquaintance and
• "framed.”
'Treasure Hunt' Awards
Are Presented to 21
Cash, gifts and theater tickets
were distributed to 21 residents of
Columbia Heights and nearby neigh
borhoods last night as. rewards for
their efforts in a “treasure hunt”
sponsored by the Columbia Heights
Business Men's Association.
Mrs. John B Debnam of 1642
Monroe street N.W. received the
$23 first prize.
Contestants were required to ob
tain a business card from 28 busi
ness establishments and then write
a brief essay on shopping.
The awards werp made in cere
monies at the Tivoli Theater, a
part of which was broadcast. Wil
liam Gray, president of the business
men's group: George Ford, chair
man of the hunt, and a'chorus of
Powell Junior High School pupils,
under the direction of Miss Esther
Engling. participated.
The winners included: Robert N.
Cohen of 3500 Thirteenth street
N.W. and Richard Stickley of 2750
Fourteenth' street N.W.. both 11
years old: Mrs. C. Baughman. 1327
Harvard street N.W.: Rose L. Grant.
1740 Hobart street N.W.: Grahame
T. Smallwood. 3200 Sixteenth street
N.W.: Will F. Dunker. 2524 Seven
teenth street N.W.: Mrs. Philip F.
Zink, 722 Maple lane. Silver Spring.
Md.: Mrs. Len Bresler. 1435 Spring
road N.W.; Mrs. Eleanor K. Tougias,
1460 Irving street N.W.; Mrs. Arthur
H. Bissell, 2012 Perry street N.E.;
Mary A. Fowler. 1346 Irving street
N.W.: Mrs. P. S. Moorhead, 1214
Decatur street N.W.; Miss Janet
MacDonald, 3445 Oakwood terrace
N.W.; Miss M. Natalie Burger, 3441
Fourteenth street N.W.; Mrs. Mary
E. Grady, 1347 Monroe street N.W.:
Mrs. Carl Coblentz. 3421 Oakwood
terrace N.W.: Cecilia Carvel, 1315
Euclid street N.W.: Mrs. E. S. Rowe.
1362 Kenyon street N.W.: Mrs. Ger
trude Shenk. 6334 Georgia avenue
N.W., and Mrs. Emma T. Jackson,
3363 Sixteenth street N.W.
Woman Loses Jewelry
Valued at $500
Loss of jewelry valued at *500 was
reported to police today by Elizabeth
Watson. 3016 Warder street N.W.
She said she lost her purse, con
taining a diamond and sapphire
bracelet, a locket and a ring, near
her home yesterday. There also was
a small amount of cash in the purse.
John J. Walsh. 73. of 212 E street
N.W., was robbed of *15 and a $40
check by three colored men who
seized him about 9:30 o'clock last
night on Second street between E
and P streets N.W.
Argo Society to Elect
Members of the Argo Society will
elect officers at the next meeting at
8:30 o'clock Wednesday night in the
Jewish Community Center. Dr. Jack
Levin will act as moderator of a
forum on the subject of "Poisonous
Prapaganda, What Is It?—How to
Combat It.” Speakers will include
J. E. Bindeman. M. I. Baldinger and
B. H. Fischgrund.
I-1
New High-Powered
Pursuit Plane Ready
For Foreign Shipment
By the Associated Press.
BUFFALO. N. Y.. Dec. 23.—
The most highly powered pur
suit plane ever released for
shipment 'to foreign countries,
described as an improvement on
the American-built machines
being used by the French Air
Force, was announced yesterday
by the Curtiss Aeroplane Di
vision of the Curtiss-Wright
Corp.
Similar in design to other
planes in the “Hawk" series, the
new low-wing, all-metal mono
plane is equipped with a Wright
Cyclone engine which develops
1,200-horsepower. Engines in
the earlier Hawk models de
veloped approximately 1,000
horsepower.
The plane is similar to the
P-36 used by the United States
Army Air Corps. The company
declined any estimate of its
speed.
NEW CENSUS BUILDING ALMOST READY FOR OCCUPANCY
—Erected in record time, the six-story concrete building, that
occupies an entire city block—between Third and Fourth streets,
_ _ _ i
Virginia avenue and D street S.W.—will be ready for partial
occupancy January 1 by the men and women who compile
Uncle Sam’s population statistics. —Star Staff Photo.
I
New Census Building
Taking Form in Less
Than Seven Weeks
Much Time Saved
By Quick-Drying
Concrete Process
One of the most amazing pieces
of building construction ever at
tempted is swiftly taking shape just
below the Capitol.
It is a six-story building that oc
cupies an entire city block, with a
floor space of eight acres, and taking
form in less than seven weeks. Con
struction started on Armistice Day,
November 11. and detail work will be
done in time to turn the building
over to the Government for partial
occupancy on January 1.
It is the new Census Building.
According to an official of the
Public Building branch of the Treas
ury, the completion of the Census
Building in time to house employes
who must start the 1940 census is
the fastest construction of its kind
ever known—here or abroad. More
than 300 engineers have viewed the
work and expressed amazement.
“We built this mammoth build
! ing." the Government official said,
S “in less time than they can put up
I a tenement house in New York.”
Three Shifts of Workmen.
To bring about such speed it was
i necessary to employ hundreds of
workmen cn three shifts of eight
hours each. Also, the Government
brought into play a new process in
concrete placement known simply as
“vacuum concrete.” Its first bow
to the public was made on the
grounds of the Bureau of Standards
a year ago last August when the
inventor, Karl Billner, built what he
called a pill-box fortress in eight
hours. Government officials who
inspected the work then approved it
for general building construction.
The building now being completed
at the co ner r.f Third and D streets
; S.W. is the first big project under
taken bv the new method in Wash
! ineton.
One factor in the need for speedv
construction, according to Jacob
Creskoff, consulting engineer for the
vacuum concrete process, was the
recent strike by laborers working
on Government buildings. Time
lost because of the strike, however,
since has been made up.
Drying Process Speeded.
In common practice, it takes from
8 to 10 hours for concrete to dry,
depending on weather conditions.
Under the new process the concrete
is poured and mats are immedi
ately applied, with suction hose to
pump out air and water. Weather
does not interfere. In 10 minutes
the mats are removed. Men are
then able to walk on the concrete.
Eight hours later the weight of
another concrete floor can be added
to the newly finished concrete—and
all forms are stripped away after
three days.
The quick-drying process for con
crete is said to have many possi
bilities. In a war where cities might
be bombed from the air it would
enable Army engineers to construct
bombproof fortifications in record
time.
Dr. Gore Pleads Guilty
In Slaying; Gets 14 Years
By the Associated Press.
BENTON, 111., Dec. 23.—Dr.
George W. Gore, sr„ was sentenced
yesterday to serve 14 years In prison
for the murder of Carl Choisser, Ben
ton editor-attorney, when he plead
ed guilty to the charge a few min
utes after being granted a new trial.
Sentence was passed by Circuit
Judge Blaine Huffman of Law
renceville, who accepted the plea of
guilty immediately after having
ruled that Dr. Gore should have a
new trial.
State's Attorney Rea Jones said
he had made no recommendation
for punishment after the new trial
was granted.
The new trial motion was granted
after defense counsel presented af
fidavits charging two jurors had
said Dr. Gore should be given the
death penalty before they were ac
cepted as jurors.
The 65-year-old Benton physi
cian was convicted on the murder
charge November 16 by a mixed
jury, which decreed death as his
punishment
Drop in Trade With U. S.
Revealed by Argentina
By the Associated Press.
BUENOS AIRES, Dec. 23.—A
finance ministry analysis showed
today the United States had de
clined as a buyer and seller in Ar
gentine markets the first 11 months
of 1939, but still was second only
to the United Kingdom and Ulster
United States sales to Argentina
fell from 17.7 per cent of the total
in a comparable period of 1938 to
16.4 per cent this year, while United
Kingdom and Ulster sales rose from
18.3 to 20.1 per cent.
Germany held third place in sales
with 9.9 per cent, a drop of 1.1, and
was fifth in purchases, behind Hol
land and Belgium.
United States purchases were 160,
599,000 pesos ($36,696,871), 113 per
cent of Argentina's exports.
\
Santa Will Visit Eskimo Tots
At Barrow Despite Measles
By the Associated Presa.
BARROW, Alaska, Dec. 23.—
Measles have cheated the Eskimo
youngsters of this farthest North
American settlement of their cus
tomary Christmas festivities, but
they failed to quarantine old Saint
Nick.
The younger Eskimo tots believe
there's really a Santa, and the be
whiskered old fellow will drive
through the streets Christmas Day
with presents for every one of the
settlement's 75 homes. The Christ
mas packages are gifts of churches
in the States.
But the social gatherings that
really make Christmas a festive oc
casion—the school program, the
feasting and the program at the
church before the village’s lone
Christmas tree—will be missing be
I --
cause of the quarantine. Authori
ties reported only five cases of
measles in the village of 580 per
sons, but they ordered a general
quarantine because of the disease’s
serious nature and rapid spread
among the natives.
A poor hunting and fishing season
also has contributed to the bleakness
of the 1939 Barrow Christmas. Poor
weather conditions prevented the
natives from laying in their annual
supply of walrus and seal meats.
Fuel is scarce and offerings at the
church have provided heat for some
fuelless homesi
But even without their customary
Christmas celebrations and jollity,
i the youngsters are looking forward
to a big thrill when Saint Nick
drives in from over yonder at the
I North Pole.
New Library Building
Plans to Incorporate
Latest Ideas
Dr. Bowerman to Seek
Advice of Experts at
Chicago Meeting
The Capital's proposed rew main
public library will incorporate the
i most advanced ideas if library plan
ners, Dr. George F. Bowerman. libra
rian, declared yesterday as he de
parted on a combined business and
pleasure trip which will take him
to New York for the Christmas holi
days and then to Chicago for meet
ings of the American Library Asso
ciation.
Dr. Bowerman revealed several in
novations, now being tried in Eu
rope. are being considered for the
new building, but pointed out any
radical departures from conven
tional library interior plans would
have to be reconciled with the
, conservative type of building which
must be built to harmonize with
structures in the Federal Triangle.
The librarian said he intended to
seek further counsel from library
planning experts during the Chicago
sessions and emphasized final de
cision on plans would not be rushed.
He added actual construction would
not be started before November of
next year, since the District Na
tional Guard armory has been ac
corded precedence.
The new library will be built on
Pennsylvania avenue between John
Marshall place and Sixth street
N.W A fund of $350 000 was appro
priated by Congress last spring for
plans, and expenditure of $1,118,000
for the first unit was authorized but
not appropriated.
Dr. Bowerman plans to return to
the Capital January 2.
Television Rules Hearing
To Open January 15
Proposed new rules of tire Fed
eral Communications Commission
liberalizing experimental licenses
under which television stations now
operate will be the subject of a
public hearing opening January 15.
The commission announced it had
adopted the rules recommended by
the Television Committee, headed by
Comdr. T. A. M. Craven and of
which Commissioners Norman S.
Case and Thad H. Brown are mem
bers.
The commission has directed that
all interested parties desiring to be
heard give notice to the commission
not later than January 10, citing in
the notice the particular rules or
other specific recommendations of
the committee to which exception
will be taken.
One of the principal changes in
the rules is the allowance for pro
grams to be sponsored, with the re
striction. however, that the spon
sors are to pay only the cost of the
programs. It is this feature of the
proposed new rules which is ex
pected to be the cause of the greatest
objection from certain sections of
the industry.
Laura Ingalls' Pilot's
Certificate Suspended
By the Associated Press.
The Civil Aeronautics Authority
yesterday suspended the pilot’s cer
tificate of Laura Ingalls until she
proves her knowledge of air traffic
regulations.
Miss Ingalls, holder of the non
stop transcontinental speed record
for women, bombarded downtown
Washington with anti-wftr pam
phlets on September 26. The C. A.
A. said this was a violation of reg
ulations against flights over a re
stricted area and against dropping
articles from an airplane.
The C. A. A. said her pilot's cer
tificate was suspended "until she
shall pass an examination in those
parts of the civil air regulations
dealing with aircraft certificates,
pilot ratings and air traffic rules.”
Such an examination is required
of all pilots In the early stages of
their careers, but is not ordinarily
given to a pilot of Miss Ingalls' ex
perience.
/I
Amicable Relations
With U. S. to Remain,
Japanese Feel
Ambassador Horinouchi
And Hull Discuss
Points at Issue
Japanese reflections of the atti
tude taken by the State Department
; suggested today that the United
; States and Japan will continue to
have amicable commercial relations
after the expiration of the 1911
trade treaty between the two coun
tries on January 26. The United
States denounced the treaty five
months ago as a retaliatory' meas
ure against Japanese restrictions on
American trade in the Far East.
In Tokio, after Ambassador Jos
eph C. Grew held a fourth conversa
I tion on the treaty question with
! Foreign Minister Admiral Kichisa
; buro Nomura, Domei, the Japanese
news agency, quoted a spokesman as
saying that “relations between the
two countries have been assured of
a happy development, dispelling
whatever apprehensions may be en
| tertained by business circles on both
! sides."
Hopeful of Continued Relations.
At the Japanese Embassy here,
Ambassador Kensuke Horinouchi,
after conferring with Secretary of
State Hull, said he w'as hopeful
! trade relations between the two
countries would go on when the
treaty expired. The Ambassador
said he called on Mr. Hull to clarify
some of the points now under dis
cussion between Ambassador Grew
and Admiral Nomura.
For a while, at least, the customs
office will withhold invocation of the
10 per cent penalty tariff provided
by law since 1828 for imposition
against goods brought to this coun
try in foreign ships. The 1911 treaty
protects Japan from this penalty and
a rirnrlomniiAn DrOrirloMt riwn nt
in 1872 also suspends the penalty.
Applicable After January 26.
Basis Harris, commissioner of cus
toms, said the Grant proclamation
will be made applicable to Japan
after January 26. However, it is
pointed out that the President can
revoke the proclamation at any time,
The Japanese a week ago hinted at
their desire to approach the United
States in good faith for a new trade
treaty, when they opened the
Yangtze River in China to foreign
vessels after it had been closed al
most since the beginning of the Jap
anese occupation of that region of
China.
The congressional attitude toward
trade with Japan has yet to be dis
closed. There was some evidence
during the recent special session of
support for a legal embargo on com
merce with Japan. An exhibition of
strength for this point of view would
change the present trend of Tokio
Washington negotiations. Any treaty
replacing the denounced agreement
would have to be ratified by the
Senate.
Dartmouth Alumni Luncheon
Dartmouth undergraduates from
Washington will be guests at a
meeting of the Dartmouth alumni
here at a luncheon Wednesday at
12:30 p.m. at the Annapolis Hotel,
Class representatives will speak.
80 to 100 Warplanes
In North Sea Air
Battle, Say British
Greatest in History of
Aerial Warfare,
Statement Asserts
F> the Associated Press.
LONDON, Dec. 23.—An authori
tative British account of the air
encounter December 18 off Ger
many's North Sea coast called It
the greatest battle in the history’ of
aerial warfare and disclosed that
between 80 and 100 British and Ger
man planes were engaged.
British formation flying, said the
statement, withstood "a most cour
ageous and dashing attack of the
enemy" in the conflict which raged
in the leaden skies over Wilhelms
haven, German naval base, and 75
miles out to sea.
This account said a formation of
Britain's Wellington bombers fought
"clouds" of Messerschmitt 110s—
newly come from the western front
—and Messerschmitt 109s for an
hour ar.d completed a bombing raid
on a German port.
Nazis Claimed 36 Planes.
First German accounts of the air
battle described it as the largest
ever fought and reported 36 of 52
attacking British ships were shot
down, against the loss of two Nazi
; planes.
British sources at first minimized
j the size of the battle, denied that
| as many as 52 British planes were
i engaged and said 12 German and
7 British craft were destroyed.
The statement today said the
British planes were engaged from
the time they flew over the Helgo
land Bight until an hour later,
when they eluded pursuing Ger
mans in the mists over the North
Sea.
British strategy was to keep the
bombers in formation wingtip tc
wingtip and to close ranks when
ever one fell under the hail of ma
! chine-gun bullets and anti-aircraft
| shells.
Flying in this manner the British
planes encountered their first op
ponents. These, the account said
were easily disposed of and one
German plane which attempted tc
close in with the bombers was shot
down. The bomber that shot down
this plane later accounted for four
other Nazi planes, the statement
asserted. Two of its gunners were
wounded.
Sky Filled With Fighters.
Soon the sky was filled with Ger
man fighters seeking to break up
the British formations as they
neared their objective at Wilhelm
shaven. The main attack came, the
statement continued, when the Brit
ish had completed their task and
turned away from the objective.
One pilot told of fighting a Mes
serschmitt 110 when a Messer
schmitt 109 "flew straight into our
cross fire and blew up in midair."
There were about five Germar
fighters to each bomber.
One British plane's front gun tur
ret was blown away by shells anc
the ship caught fire, the statement
said. A gunner extinguished the
flames w’ith his gloved hand. The
plane was forced down near the
English coast but the crew was res
cued.
Boys' Club Gets Gifts
From Anonymous Donors
Several substantial gifts to the
Boys’ Club of Washington by anony
mous donors were reported to the
December meeting of the board ol
trustees yesterday by Charles M
Fyfe, director of the club.
The Georgetown Branch received
an automatic coal stoker, new li
brary furniture, new and complete
sound motion picture equipment,
basketball equipment, a set of ency
clopedias and gymnasium equip
ment.
The Southeast Branch was given
a set of folding bleacher seats to
accommodate 350 people, a type cabi
net for the print shop and a gift
of $350 to decorate the new audi
torium, cover the locker room floor
with tile and provide harmonicas
for the band.
Yule Star Gives Blind Woman
First Light in 36 Years
By the Associated Press.
WAKEFIELD, R. I., Dec. 23.—A
Christmas star atop a gay tree
biased forth behind the drawn
shades of her living room today and
its bright rays penetrated at last the
darkness in which Mrs. Gladys
Northup, 42, has lived for 36 years.
“Now turn it off, Frederick—I
must be sure,” the woman said.
Her husband, Frederick Northup,
whom she has never seen, turned a
siient switch connecting the electric
current with the Christmas star.
“The light has faded away,” Mrs.
Northup said.
Without waiting for her to give
the word, the husband silently
switched on the star again.
“I see the light again—I see the
n.
light,” said the woman. "It Is hap
pened.”
Word of the dramatic story was
telephoned to the woman's physician
in Providence, who had performed
last Tuesday the eighth operation
on her eyes.
He said it was altogether possible
that the light from the Christmas
star had actually penetrated the
curtain of darkness which had
isolated Mrs. Northup from the see
ing world since she was 6 years old.
"It now appears that Mrs. Northup
will regain her vision to the extent
that she can see large objects,” he
said.
In the last operation, the specialist
removed a cataract from one eye
and built an entirely new pupil.
Dies Reported Aiming
To 'Get' New Deal
Left-Wingers
Such Efforts Seen
As Aiding Garner
In Presidency Race
(Last of a Series.)
Br the Associated Press.
It’s as plain on the record as the
nose on your face that Martin Dies
and the Roosevelt administration
don’t trust each other.
The head of the committee on un
American activity has been dubbed
an outstanding zany by the admin
istration’s Secretary of Interior,
Harold L. Ickes. Mr. Dies has ac
cused administration favorites of
hrboring Communists and trying to
laugh him into the dunce’s corner.
There are whispers around Wash
ington that Mr. Dies is out get the
New Deal, or at least the so-called
left-wingers in it, which, if true,
would undoubtedly do no harm to
his friend Mr. Garner’s campaign for
the presidential nomination.
Trouble Over Money.
The trouble started with the first
congressional resolution authorizing
Mr. Dies to give the country $25,000
worth of subversive material,
“Not enough money,” said Mr.
Dies, which was quite true. Witnesses
alone cost $5 a day and transporta
tion, not to mention the lawyers, in
vestigators, statisticians, stenogra
phers and secretaries required for a
complete survey of any given subject.
Aware it was handing Mr. Dies
chicken feed, Congress requested the
Roosevelt administration to supply
experts from the Government de
partments. But none was forth
coming.
The Justice and Labor Depart
ments and the W. P. A. had nothing
but polite excuses to offer this friend
of "Cactus Jack” Garner's. In fact,
Mr. Dies said the only offer of
help he got came from the La Fol
lette Civil Liberties Committee and
he branded that an effort to sabo
tage his committee's work.
Shirley Temple Episode.
Then came the Shirley Temple
episode, wherein Witness J. B. Mat
thews. former national chairman of
the American League for Peace and
Democracy, testified Communistic
organs were using famous people as
decoys. Among these, he said, was
Shirley Temple.
“They've found dangerous Com
munists in Hollywood, led by little
Shirley Temple," guffawed Secre
tary Ickes.
“Perhaps it was fortunate that
Shirley Temple was born an Ameri
can," tee-heed Secretary Perkins.
"They're trying to hamstring and
S discredit the investigation," yelled
Mr. Dies. But there does seem to
| be general agreement now that the
committee's early work was pretty
! shoddy. Mr. Dies himself concedes
that 10 per cent of the witnesses
were crack pots.
Just before the November elec
tions in 1938, Mr. Dies swung the
spotlight of his investigation west
ward and the testimony began to
singe New Dealers fighting hard for
re-election.
Heat Put on Murphy.
When Mr. Dies let a witness oi
two turn the heat on Gov. Murphy
| for not stopping the Flint sit-down
( strikes, the President himself step
ped into the fray. He said the com
; mittee was un-American for letting
! witnesses say things to besmirch a
candidate just before election time
I That, he said, was influencing elec
| tions.
“The President hasn't read the
record," retorted Mr. Dies. "He s
misinformed." But anyway, a size
able section of the Democratic party
accused Mr. Dies of helping his own
party lose 70 seats in Congress in
1938, as well as the governorship of
Michigan.
More recently, Dies witnesses tes
tified that Communist “front or
ganizations" were using the names
of the President and Mrs. Roosevelt
to affect an aura of respectability
to influence wavering prospects,
Both the President and Mrs. Roose
velt considered the accusations unfit
for comment, although Mrs. Roose
velt indicated her willingness to
appear before the Dies Committee
“in the interest of truth."
Not long ago the committee read
into the record 565 names of Gov
ernment employes on the mailing
list of the American League for
Peace and Democracy. There was
no intimation that these people had
anything to do with Communism,
although Mr. Dies charges the
league is a front for Communism.
The league admits 10 per cent of
its members are Communists, and
Communist Earl Browder agrees
the Communists consider the league
a “transmission belt” fnr it* iriea*
Names Create Flurry.
At any rate, when the names
appeared, there was a flurry of in
digation among Government em
ployes.
“Sordid procedure,” said Presi
dent Roosevelt.
Mr. Dies went right ahead insisting
the Government departments ought
to “quit stalling” and give him help
for work he thinks is important.
Still, the help is not forthcoming.
Ask Mr. Dies about the politics in
his investigation, and he laughs
and shrugs his shoulders.
“I’m running for nothing more
than my own seat in Congress,” he
says. "And who says a fellow hasn't
got a right to do that?”
May be Candidate.
Whisper has it he’s a candidate
for Senator, .Governor of Texas,
even President or Vice President.
“He’s better than lots of presiden
tial nominees I've seen in the last
20 years,” said the late Representa
tive J. Will Taylor of Tennessee,
“and I don't mean Hoover.”
Martin Dies is pretty thick
skinned about it all.
“Hell, yes,” he says, “I’ve made
mistakes. Who could get hold of a
bearcat like this without making
mistakes? And I expect controversy.
But everything’s on the record.
I’ve proved all these ‘ism’ fellows
are violating a law. I’ve conducted
a non-partisan investigation. I’ve
never consulted Mr. Garner about
this investigation, and 90 per cent
of the American people outside the
cities want me to go ahead. It’s all
up to Congress.”
And it is.
W. C. T. U. Film Program
A series of stereopticon views and
motion picture films will be shown
tonight at Women’s Christian Tem
perance Union headquarters, 522
Sixth street N.W., beginning at 7:30
o'clock, It was announced. No ad
mission charge will be made.
REPRESENTATIVE JOHN A.
MARTIN.
—Harris-Ewing Photo.
Martin
(Continued From First Page.)
Congress as a Democrat, serving
from March 4, 1909, to March 3,
1913, when he declined to be a can
didate for re-election, resumed the
practice of law in Pueblo and again
was made city attorney there in 1916.
Served in World War.
During the World War, Mr. Martin
recruited a volunteer battalion, iij
which he enlisted as a private and
later was commissioned a major,
serving as commanding officer of the
115th Supply Train, 40th Division.
After the war he resumed private
law practice in Pueblo, being elected
to Congress in 1908.
He is survived by his widow, Mrs.
Rose Martin; a daughter. Mrs. Gor
don Spencer of La Junta; three
brothers, Thomas E. Martin of
Pueblo, Edward T. Martin of Turon,
Kans., and Hugh Martin of Decoma,
Okla., and a sister, Mrs. Anna Car
lile of Cincinnati.
i His body will lie in state at the
, Lee funeral home. Fourth street
and Massachusetts avenue N.E.,
until Tuesday, when it will be taken
to Pueblo for burial.
I -
Payments to Stale
Actuary Denied by
Insurance Official
Auditors' Error Claimed
In Disputing Testimony
Of S. E. C. Prober
By the Associated Press.
Testimony by an S. E. C. investi
gator that check stubs and an audit
showed a reinsurance company had
made payments totaling $1,500 to
an actuary of the Illinois State in
surance department was denied by a
company official yesterday at a
Monopoly Committee hearing.
Herbert Shimp. head of the
American Conservation Co., the
Chicago reinsurance organization,
told the committee that "not a dol
lar of this money” ever went to Ray
I R. Haffener. A. J. Leary, the S. E
; C. investigator, had identified Mr
I Haffener as the Illinois insurance
! department actuary’.
"Auditors’ Mistake.”
When Gerhard Gessell, counsel
for the Monopoly Committee, in
quired how Mr. Haffener's name
happened to appear on check stubs
and in the audit, Mr. Shimp replied
that it “must be a mistake of the
auditors.”
Testimony and committee records
indicated that "special commissions”
amounting to more than $50,000
had been paid to Raymond T.
Smith, vice president of Alfred M.
Best & Co.
Mr. Shimp testified that The pay
ments were in connection with two
reorganizations—reinsurance of the
Security Life Insurance Co. of
America. Chicago, by the Central
Life Insurance Co. of Illinois and
reinsurance of the Chicago National
Life Insurance Co. by the Pacific
States Life Insurance Co. of Cali
fornia.
Part of Testimony Denied.
Mr Gessell demanded to know
what services Mr. Smith had per
formed to warrant giving him a
share in the reinsurance commis
sions.
"He introduced me to some offi
cers of one of the companies,” Mr.
Shimp replied
(In a statement issued at Chi
cago. Mr. Smith denied portions of
Mr. Shimp's testimony.
(“He merely says that I intro
duced him to the officers of the
Central Life.” Mr. Smith said. "He
did not say that I carried on all of
the negotiations between the re
ceivers for the Security Life and
the Central Life of Illinois lasting
over a period of two years, nor did
he say that I actually negotiated
for the contract between the Ameri
can Conservation Co. and the Cen
tral Life of Illinois.”)
' '
Blair Coan, 56, Writer,
Dies of Long Illness
Blair Coan. 56, political writer and
former special writer for the Repub
lican National Committee during the
Harding administration, died yes
terday in Emergency Hospital after
a long illness.
One time aide to the late Senator
Scholl, Republican, of Minnesota,
Mr. Coan was the author of several
stories and a book, “The Red Wolf."
He had been making his home at
the Shoreham Hotel.
His body is at the Gawler funeral
home, 1756 Pennsylvania avenue
N.W., pending word from relatives in
Illinois and Pennsylvania.
Ready for Big Dinner
ALLENTOWN. Pa.. Dec. 23 C4>).—
William Kensey, 31, Thalmann, Ga„
lays claim to being the most eligible
for a big Christmas dinner. Ken
sey was found in a boxcar here two
days ago, near death after 13 days
without food or water. He was in
advertently imprisoned in the load
ing hole of the car when he climbed
aboard at Thalmann.
Thieves Shovel Coal
HARRISBURG, Pa., Dec. 23 UP.
The Samuel J. Worles awakened in
the middle of the night, rubbed
their eyes, listened to some one shov
eling coal.
A late delivery to neighbors, they
figured.
Next morning they discovered a
ton missing from their own bin.
*
Shushan and 4 Aides
Are Convicted in
Louisiana
Mails Use Charged
In $496,000 Fee
On Bond Case
By the Associated Press.
NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 23—Abra
ham L. Shushan, convicted of mail
fraud, is the second of the late
Senator Huey P. Long's lieutenants
to fall in the Federal Government's
far-flung investigations of Louisiana
political scandals.
The first was Seymour Weiss, once
a close adviser of Senator Long's,
also convicted of mail fraud. A
third, former Gov. Richard W.
Leche, faces trial next month.
Last night's conviction of Shushan
and four prominent Louisianans
added new fuel to the heated cam
paign for the governorship in the
January 16 primary in which Gov.
Earl K. Long, Huey’s brother, is at
tempting to salvage the wreckage ot
the Long empire.
Shushan, once president of the
Orleans Levee Board, was a trusted
underling of Huey's, who named the
airport here in his honor. Since the
present scandals broke the name
was changed to New Orleans Air
port and Shushan's name was torn
from a thousand places.
Shushan was convicted of using
the mails in an allegedly fraudulent
scheme in which he and four others
split $496,000 fee obtained in a $5
500,000 bond refunding contract, ob
tained improperly, of the Levee
Board in 1936.
Convicted with him were Herbert
W. Waguespack, former chairman of
the Levee Board's Finance Commit
tee; Henry J. Miller, accountants,
and Robert J. Newman and Norvin
Trent Harris, jr., partners in the
brokerage firm which handled the
refunding transaction.
Judge Wayne G. Borah said sen
tence would be imposed next Thurs
day. The maximum penalty is five
years and a $1,000 fine on each of
the seven of the eight counts of the
indictment on which they were
found guilty. The defendants re
mained free on bond.
Weiss has appealed his conviction
of mail fraud in the $75,000 sale to
Louisiana State University of hotel
furnishings which the Government
said L. S. U. already owned. He
was given a 30-month penal term
and fined $2,000. Four others, in
cluding L. S. U. President James
Monroe Smith, were convicted with
him.
Shushan and Weiss were charged
with income tax fraud in the 1935
political investigations. After Sena
tor Long was shot and killed, Shu
shan was acquitted. The Govern
ment then dropped cases against the
other Long lieutenants but Weiss
had to pay a civil fine.
Confederate Veteran
Honored at Party
Peter Pierre Smith of 4830 S -
teenth street N.W.. who is one c.
the few Confederate veterans in
the District, was a special guest at
J the Christmas party given by the
District of Columbia Division.
United Daughters of the Confed
eracy. at the Southern Relief Home
last night.
Residents of the home, which is
for widows and daughters of Con
federate veterans, were the honor
guests and a program was presented
by the Maj. Charles M. Steadman
Chapter. Children of the Confed
eracy. David Coulter, a member of
the children's organization, played
piano selections and the entire party
sang carols.
; Mrs. Livingston Vann, jr., newly
] elected president of the District
division, was in general charge of
the party, assisted by Mrs. William
F. Downing, third vice president,
who took the role of Santa Claus.
The women of the home all received
practical gifts as well as candy
canes and Christmas trinkets. Miss
! Ann Evans is president of the Maj.
Charles M. Steadman Chapter.
_
Capt. Walter A. Riedel
Dies at Walter Reed
! Capt. Walter A. Riedel. U. S. N.
retired, died yesterday in Walter
Reed Hospital. He served in the
Bureau of Engineering here in 1928
and in the office of the chief of
naval operations from 1937 to 1939.
A native of Trenton. N. J., Capt.
Riedel was appointed to the Naval
Academy in 1907. After various sea
duties, he was made executive officer
of the U. S. S. Ward, and later
commanded the U. S. S. Dahlgren.
In 1920 he was assigned to the U.
S. S. Sacramento in the Asiatic Sta
tion. He was retired July 1, 1939.
Surviving is his widow, Mrs. W.
A. Riedel, 1800 Shepherd street N.W.
Funeral services will be held Wed
nesday at 3 p.m. in Fort Myer
Chapel, with burial in Arlington
National Cemetery.
Program to Be Held
In Sligo Park Hills
The annual Christmas community
celebration will be staged tomorrow
at 7 p.m. in Sligo Park Hills, under
sponsorship of the Garden Club.
The celebration will be held at
Saratoga and Sligo avenues. Girl
Scouts from Troop 113 will enact
the .Christmas story and Phyllis
Howland will be their soloist.
Charles Mitchell will lead com
munity singing and Clayton Cun
ningham is in charge of the tree
lighting. Mrs. Delar Kimble is in
charge of arrangements.
Card for Gov. Price
RICHMOND, Va„ Dec. 23 (JP.—
Gov. Price received a Christmas
card addressed to “Mr. James H.
Price, care of the Squirrels, Capitol
Square.”
The card was from L. E. Looka
bill. Roanoke printer and old friend
of the Governor.
P. S—The card was delivered
promptly.
Flying Student Transferred
A. A. Fletcher, jr„ a graduate of
Western High School and a former
student of M. I. T„ has been trans
ferred from the Dallas Aviation
School in Dallas, Tex., where he has
been undergoing preliminary flying
training, to Randolph Field at San
Antonio, Tex. The Dallas school is
one of nine recently designated by
the Secretary of War as training
bases for flying cadets.