Evening star. [volume], December 26, 1939, Image 1

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

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Weather Forecast 1R-0
Cloudy, followed by light rain or snow Jince l O04
late tonight or early tomorrow; slightly
colder tonight, minimum about 30. _ “A Welcome Visitor
Temperatures today—Highest, 39, at 1 - n, . .
p.m.; lowest, 3G, at i a m. In Washington Homes
From .he United Staten Weather Bureau report.
Full details on Page A-2. __
Closing New York Markets, Page 10. *#) M,,n* Associated Press.
88th YEAR. No. 34,937. WASHINGTON, D. C., TUESDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1939-THIRTY . PAGES. *** THREE CENTS.
Russians Renew
Bombing Raids,
Shell Viipuri
Finns Cross Border
In Drive Toward
Vital Rail Line
Bv LYNN HEINZERLING,
Associated Press Foreign Correspondent.
VIIPURI, Finland, Dec. 26 —Long
range artillery shells burst through
out the night on this seacoast cit>
previously abandoned by most ol
its citizens.
Numerous fires were started anc!
homes in the southeast section wert
destroyed, but the damage was com
paratively slight.
(Helsinki had a 30-minute air
raid alarm today when four
planes were sighted, but no bombs
were dropped inside the city. Dis
tant detonations indicated a
probable Russian attack on out
lying points. The clear signal
was sounded at 1:05 p.m.l.
The Soviet Russian forces ap
peared to be concentrating in thi;
area by long-range hammering ant
air raids as the Finns took the wai
Into Soviet territory in another sec
tor. driving toward the Murmansk
railroad. Russia's main supply lint
to the far north.
Viipuri firemen kept a constant
vigil, fighting flames started by th«
shells, apparently fired from bat
teries 25 miles away.
This would place the Russian ar
tillerv about 18 miles within Finnisr
territory on the Karelian Isthmus
Firemen Battle Flames.
As firemen battled flames in the
eouthwest section of Viipuri a shel
ripped a big hole in a nearby back
yard. The size of the crater, about
seven feet deep, led military experts
to believe the Russians had brought
up heavier batteries than previously
Used.
Russian warplanes in a four-houi
raid over the ancient city yesterday
bombed a workers’ section but the
only casualties known were, twc
women and a girl injured. The few
remaining residents huddled intc
bombproof shelters at intervals
throughout the day. Public gather
ings for Christmas celebrations were
quickly dispersed.
At least 30 warplanes flew over
the city and one was shot down by
anti-aircraft Are. Approximately
200 bombs shook the city, including
four or five 200-pound missiles and
incendiary bombs.
Shrapnel tore holes in many
homes in the workers’ district. Elec
trical and telephone service was in
terrupted periodically, gas was cut
off completely and water pressure
reduced.
Although the Russians apparently
were aiming at a railway line
through the area, the tracks thus
far had not been damaged.
War Carried Into Russia.
Finnish troops pressed within 75
miles of the strategic Murmansk
Railway, as the war carried into
Russian territory in the Lieksa
area, approximately 190 miles
northeast of Viipuri.
“East of Lieksa, military opera
tions are taking place on the other
side of the frontier,” said the Fin
nish communique which noted for
the first time that Finnish troops
had entered Russian territory.
Christmas Day Finnish successes
included an advance in the Kuhmc
district on the Vaara River, where
the Finns said "our troops have
defeated two enemy companies and
the remainder of the enemy forces
are retreating.”
Russian air raids were reported
at Turku <Aboi, Riihimaki, Porvoo
Kuovola, Helsinki and Tampere, a
Finnish munitions base. Three
enemy planes were reported brought
down at Tampere and at least 10
buildings were bombed in raids on
Riihimaki.
In sea warfare in the Gulf of
Finland the Finns reported shell
ing the 23,606-ton Russian battle
ship Marat by coastal batteries at
Koivisto, "which at the same time
were attacked by an enemy plane.'
German Patrols Repulsed;
British Over Helgoland
By the Associated Press.
PARIS, Dec. 26.—The French mil
itary reported today the repulse of
pre-dawn Christmas raids by Ger
man patrols east of the Moselle
River.
The heaviest skirmish, which the
French officially described as "se
rious.” began at 4 a.m. on Christ
mas with artillery and mortar prep
aration.
They said the French did not
suffer a casualty in routing the
Germans in an hour-and-a-half
fight.
BERLIN, Dec. 26 (fP).—Machine
gun volleys beat off British air at
tacks on German "vanguard" Doats
in Helgoland Bay Christmas Day,
the German high command report
ed today, adding that the German
Army participated in no fighting
on Christmas.
Gifts and Pet Dog Save
Family From Hillside Drop
Br the Associated Press.
UNIONTOWN, Pa., Dec. 26.—
Christmas gifts and a pet dog saved
the Clarence B. Sisley family from
What might have been violent death.
Mr. and Mrs. Sisley and their
8-year-old daughter Joan were driv
ing from Pittsburgh to nearby Con
fluence for Christmas when a car
rammed their machine toward a
guard rail.
Their car turned over and came
to a stop precariously on top the
rail, the weight of the dog and gifts
in a rear seat preventing it from
tumbling over a 20-foot embank
ment.
The three hardly dared move for
several minutes then squeezed out
the front seat to safety, using the
utmost caution lest the car lose its
balance.
v
Hitler Reported on French Soil
On Christmas Visit to Front
Crossed Border in No Man's Land
With Gifts for Front-Line Troops
By tlie Associated Press
BERLIN, Dec. 26.—Authoritative
sources reported today that Adolf
Hitler had walked across the frontier
into France while he was spending
Christmas with German forces in
the Westwall fortifications.
It was the first time since 1918
that the Fuehrer had set foot on
French soil, these informants said.
Then he was a corporal with the
16th Bavarian Reserve.
The authoritative account said
that on Christmas Eve, with orderlies
carrying gift packages, Hitler crossed
the frontier which now is a no
man s-land, but which until a few
: weeks ago was occupied by the
French.
He spent “some time" in the
vicinity of Spicheren Heights, be
tween Saarbruecken and Forbach.
Led by the captain commanding
that sector, he visited French con
structed concrete dugouts now in
German hands, and then walked
through woods to the extreme front
line. The informants said he would
have made an easy target for
French guns.
During his visit Hitler promoted
the captain, his guide, to the rank
of major.
About dusk the Fuehrer departed.
He ‘distributed gifts to soldiers on
watch, and as he walked away the
church bells in nearby Spicheren
village pealed their customary
Christmas music.
Though Spicheren village is out
side the German lines, a patrol
entered the town merely to ring the
bells.
British Steamer Sunk
By Torpedo With
Loss of 14 Lives
Stanholme Is Attacked
Only Two Hours Out
Of English Port
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, Dec. 26—The British
steamer Stanholme, 2,473 tons, was
reported today to have been tor
pedoed and sunk with a loss of 14
lives off the west coast of Eng
land.
Ten survivors said the ship had
been torpedoed without warning
Christmas Day.
Most of the crew was below decks
when a terrific explosion sank the
ship, only two hours after she left
port.
The only uninjured survivor was
the captain. There was one woman
aboard, Mrs. Mabel Jenny, wife of
the chief engineer. He drowned.
Seaman E. L. Evans said, "We had
no warning and no time to launch
a lifeboat. I pushed a small raft we
had on deck into the water and
scrambled onto it.
“We were picked up by a lifeboat
of a Norwegian steamer, whose crew
had heard the explosion.”
Damage Repaired,
Ship's SOS Canceled
THOMASTOWN. Me.. Dev. 26 UP).
—The crew of the Norwegian steam
er Tana won a battle with the stormy
North Atlantic today, repairing a
broken rudder in midocean and can
celing a call for assistance,
First fragmentary radio messages
picked up by the Mackay Radio
station indicated the Tana's distress
was acute and that one of her life
boats had been swept away by board
ing seas An hour later the 5,535
i ton vessel advised the damage had
been repaired and that she had re
sumed her course. The Tana gave
her position as 1,350 miles east of
Voir VArlr
Janitor Admits Slaying
Policy Operator
By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, Dec. 26.—Deputy
Chief Inspector John J. O'Connor
said today Majoe Greenfield, 34,
colored janitor, admitted the slay
ing of James Cangro, 44, a small
time policy operator, whose stabbed
and strangled body was dumped on
a vacant lot in the Bronx Christmas
morning.
Homicide Bureau detectives said
Greenfield confessed the slaying
after all-night questioning, explain
I ing he felled Cangro with a claw
1 hammer in a quarrel over a colored
j woman known as Annabelle.
The alleged confession countered
earlier reports that Cangro was slain
: in the beginning of a war of ex
termination for control of the policy
| racket in the Bronx.
Cangro was convicted in 1926 on a
policy racket charge and had been
arrested at other times. On another
policy charge he was convicted and
fined $50 in 1937.
He was married, a brother said,
and had three children.
15,000 Chinese Killed,
Japanese Claim
By the Associated Press.
SHANGHAI, Dec. 26.—Japanese
dispatches said today that 15,000
Chinese had been killed in recent
fighting north and south of Han
kow, in central China, at present
the most active sectors in the con
flict.
The Japanese reported heavy
fighting in North, Central ind South
China and said their counter
attacks in six provinces had fore
stalled a winter offensive by the
Chinese.
It was admitted that the Chinese
had made a number of bombing at
tacks late last week in the southern
war zone, but, the Japanese said, all
Chinese air bases in Kwangsi prov
ince were bombed and destroyed in
retaliatory raids.
Chinese reports said that fighting
still was in progress around Pao
touchen, terminus of the Peiping
Suiyuan Railroad in Suiyuan Prov
ince in the Far Northwest.
Moscicki Is Permitted
To Go to Switzerland
B> the Associated Press.
BUCHAREST, Dec. 26.—Ignace
Moscicki, former President of Po
land, left Rumania today for a
sanatorium in Switzerland seeking
treatment for heart disease.
Moscicki was interned when he
fled into Rumania as the Russian
and German Armies occupied Po
land, but permission to leave this
country was granted after con
sultation with physicians.
He was accompanied by his wife
and daughter.
• > 1 i
Deterioration of Rails
Blamed for Recent
German Wrecks
Little Done to Improve
Roads Overburdened
By Military Traffic
Bv FRANK SMOTHERS,
Chicago Dally News Foreign Correspondent.
BERLIN, Dec. 26.—The war on the
economic front, within and without
Germany, is increasingly gripping
attention following recent disastrous
train wrecks and the series of trade
agreements concluded between the
Reich and Rumania, Denmark, the
Netherlands and Sweden.
The first reaction in economic cir
cles to the trade agreements is that
the fresh arrangement with Ru
mania is a moderate—but very mod
erate-gain for Germany, not ac
cording with her previous hopes, and
that the arrangements with the oth
er states do not notably alter the ex
isting situation.
Friday night's train wrecks, with a
death toll of at least 132 killed and
109 injured in the first and 50 killed
and 30 injured in the second, have
riveted attention on the condition
of the German rails, which increas
ingly looms as one of Germany's
most difficult home problems.
Deterioration Long Admitted.
It is impossible to tell to what ex
tent the deterioration of German
rails specifically accounts for eight
train wrecks within the last five
weeks—nine, if one includes the
killing of 19 persons in a bus which
was hit by a train at Linz, Austria,
December 11.
In any event, this deterioration in
the Reich’s rolling stock long has
been an admitted fact. In economic
circles, it is pointed out that it
started before the taking over of
Austria, as the Nazis' economic pro
gram put new burdens on the rails
without a commensurate railroad
extension and repair program.
Since the taking over of Austria
and subsequent to the annexation
of Czecho-Slovakia and Poland, the
burdens placed on the rails mounted
further still. Great troop move
ments in the crisis before the pres
ent war added to the strain, and the
movements of soldiers and war sup
plies in the war have added, of
course, a great deal more to this
burden.
Rolling Stock Scarce.
Rolling stock and equipment are
admittedly scarce. Many express
passenger trains were moved from
service after the war started as a
result of the overburdened condition
of the lines.
Such facts would not appear to
be an adequate explanation for the
overlooking of stop signals on the
part of engineers, as was reported in
the case of both of last Friday's
wrecks, but wrecks are inevitably
associated with the state of rail
equipment. The blackouts under
which trains operate also are popu
larly blamed.
(Copyright, 1030. by Chicago Dally News,
Inc.)
British Losses 2,511 Men,
Three on West Front
By the Associated Press
PARIS, Dec. 26.—Military sources
today said that official figures, ap
proved by the British, disclosed
only three British soldiers had been
killed on the western front since
the war began, with 2.070 killed in
naval service and 438 in the air
force.
The total of 2,511 compared with
a French death total of 1,434.
Hull Welcomes
Trade Inquiry;
Hits High Tariff
Secretary Blames
Hawley-Smoot Act for
Pre-New Deal Ills
By BLAIR BOLLES.
In strong language Secretary of
State Hull, announcing he wel
comed a public investigation of
the reciprocal trade agreements pro
gram. today launched an attack on
the Hawley-Smoot tariff of 1930 and
the advocates of a high protection
policy.
In his counter-assault on the
trade agreement opponents Mr. Hull
at his press conference said he
wished it recalled for the people
of the United States “the sorry
mess" into which the Hawley-Smoot
Act plunged the economy of this
country. He attributed to that nine
, year-old tariff bill most of the ills
which were besetting the United
States when the Roosevelt adminis
tration came into power in 1933.
Mr. Hull made his statement less
than an hour after he returned from
the White House, where he and As
sistant Secretary of State Grady
conferred with President Roosevelt
on developments in the negotiations
for a reciprocal agreement with Ar
gentina. Mr. Hull was unwilling to
discuss the exact nature of the
White House talk. The Argentine
; negotiations have been proceeding
much slower than the administra
j tion expected when the hearings
began here in October.
Authority Expires in June.
The vigorous opposition to the
trade agreements program first be
came publicly apparent during the
Argentine hearings, when a number
of members of Congress gave warn
mat wicj nvuiu mi CA
tension of the administration's au
thority to make these agreements.
The authority expires in June. 1940.
Senator Vandenberg. Republican, of
Michigan, one of the most vocal of
the agreements' opponents, said
Sunday that he felt the Senate
Finance Committee, of which he is
a member, should investigate the
program.
Until today. Secretary Hull, who
used the Vandenberg suggestion as
a springboard for his counterattack,
had been content to argue the case
i for the agreements on what he con
sidered their own merits. However,
today he said:
"The press of yesterday quotes a
leading legislator as insisting upon
an exhaustive investigation of the
Government's reciprocal trade
; agreements policy.
Wants Fair Inquiry.
“The more comprehensive and
j searching an examination is made,
j the more pleasing it will be to the
: friends and supporters of this pro
gram of restoration of our agricul
j ture. commerce and industry—pro
vided it is undertaken in an earnest
desire to secure information.
“It would hardly be useful, how
ever, to entrust this investigation
exclusively to those who supported
and voted for the Hawley-Smoot
embargo policy as a sure road to
permanent prosperity to all-in
stead of which, as w'e all know, uni- j
versal depression promptly over
whelmed all of business, agriculture i
and labor.
"The groups responsible for this
failure may well be asked for more j
convincing qualifications before they
are considered as fitted to criticize, j
much less to obstruct, those who are I
now seeking to restore the Nation
from f.hp snrrv mp«
I the embargo tariff policy chiefly
• plunged it.”
Senator Vandenberg is one of the
few remaining Senators who voted
! for Smoot-Hawley tariff.
Meanwhile. Senator Clark, Demo
! crat, of Missouri announced he would
give "wholehearted support” to ad
ministration efforts to renew the
Reciprocal Trade Treaty Act.
Senator Clark, who often has been
(See TRADE, Page A-3.)
Ruby Keeler Granted
Divorce From Jolson
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 26 (IP).—
Actress-Dancer Ruby Keeler ob
tained a divorce today from A1
Jolson.
The one-time film dancer and her
mammy singing husband parted Oc
tober 19. Subsequently she charged
him with "extreme cruelty and . . .
grevious mental and physical suffer
; ing.” They were married Septem
ber 21, 1929.
The action asked custody of their
son, Al, jr„ 4. A property settlement,
understood to provide Miss Keeler
with $400 a week or $50,000 cash
if-she remarries, has been reached.
Summary of Today's Star
Page. Page.
Amusements Financial .. A-9
B-16 Radio _A-14
Comics B-14-15 Society - . B-3
Editorials A-6 Sports A-12-13
Lost, Found B-12 Woman’s
Obituary ... A-8 Page _B-12
Foreign
Hitler reported to have been on
French soil. Page A-l
British ship torpedoed, 14 men
lost. Page A-l
Deterioration of rails blamed for
German wrecks. Page A-l
Two Finnish battalions routed, Rus
sians say. Page A-2
De Valera urges war settlement
now. Page A-5
New Japanese diet session opened
by Emperor. Page A-5
First Australians landed at British
port. Page A-5
National
Ambassador Davies appointed spe
cial assistant to Hull. Page A-l
Roosevelt starts draft on message to
Congress. Page A-2
Norris says he will never seek pub
lic office again. Page A-2
Hopkins reports gains In U. B. econ
omy for 19S8. Page B-8
*
Washington and Vicinity
Holiday over, city returns to its nor
mal business routine. Page B-l
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
G. Gould Lincoln. Page A-7
Lemuel Parton. Page A-7
Constantine Brown. Page A-7
Sports
Mize pressed by Card teammate for
hitting honors. Page A-12
Trojan basketers threaten lengthy
L. I. U. win streak. Page A-12
Bowlers open roll-off in biggest D. C.
pin tourney. PageA-13
Garfield High thrills grid fans with
Health Bowl victory. PageA-13
Miscellany
City News in Brief. Page A-S
Nature’s Children. PageA-14
Bedtime Story. Page B-14
Crossword Puzzle. Page B-14
Letter-Out. Page B-14
Winning Contract. Paga B-l#
Uncle Ray’s Comer. Page B-ll
The Red Santa Claus
Davies Is Appointed
Special Assistant
To Secretary Hull
Will Deal With Trade
Negotiations and War
Emergency Problems
By the Associated Press
Joseph E. Davies. American Am
bassador to Belgium, was designated
by President Roosevelt today as a
special assistant to the Secretary of
State, to deal with war emergency
problems and international trade
negotiations.
Mr. Davies recently returned from
Brussels to report at the State De
partment and White House.
Today's announcement said:
"The President and the Secretary’
of State have asked Ambassador
Joseph E. Davies, recently instruct
ed to return from Belgium to the
United States, to accept a post in
the Department of State: to under
take certain duties having to do
with war emergency problems and
policies, and to serve as an adviser
on affairs concerning international
trade and trade negotiations.
"Ambassador Davies will be desig
nated as special assistant to the
Secretary’ of State. He was in
formed the President and Secretary
Hull of his willingness to accept.”
Mr. Davies went to Brussels last
year after a tour of duty as Ambas
sador to Soviet Russia. There was
no indication who Mr. Davies' suc
cessor at Brussels w’ould be.
Neutrality Reservation
Is Made by Uruguay
B\ the Associated Press.
Uruguay, which has an important
seaport but an insignificant navy,
made a reservation in signing the
pan-American protest against viola
tion of the Western Hemisphere
neutrality zone.
That official information was
joined, however, to a statement to
day that the reservation does not
invalidate the force of the protest,
with which Uruguay agreed in prin
cipal.
It is understood here that Uru
guay wants assurances of mutual
support In case she is obliged un
der any future decision of the Amer
ican republics to take steps that
might place her in danger of reac
tion from European belligerents.
Further consultations are to be
entered into by the American re
publics to decide specific steps to
be taken by them in case of future
violations of the zone.
Steps under contemplation include
prohibition against American ports
helping to supply or repair war
ships, which have committed warlike
acts within this hemisphere’s se
curity zone. Another advanced by
several Latin American nations is
internment of such a warship seek
ing refuge in an American port.
Maryland Exercise Boy,
Kicked by Colt, Dies
B> the Associated Press.
BERLIN, Md„ Dec. 26.—Horace
Clogg,, 30, exercise boy at Samuel
D. Riddle’s Glen Riddle Farms near
here, died today of injuries suf
fered when he was kicked by a colt.
Dr. F. S. Nichols, who examined
the body, said Clogg, whose home
was in Berlin, died instantly. Wit
nesses said Clogg was working ^ith
six other exercise boys leading
yearlings around the stables when
he approached too close to the heels
of a Man-o-War colt and was kicked
in the chest.
Mr. Riddle’s string of horses in
cluded Mar-o-War and War Ad
miral.
Brentwood Woman
Held in Auto Death
Mrs. Dorothy M. Fiste, 29, of
Brentwood, Md., was held for ac
tion of Police Court under the Neg
ligent Homicide Act today by a
coroner’s Jury inquiring into the
trade death of Robert E. Fetner,
42, of 2231 Douglas street NB.
Mr. Fetner was struck late Fri
day by an automobile operated by
Mrs. Fiste in the 2800 block of
Seventeenth street NB. He died
early Saturday in Casualty Hospital.
Girl, Paralysis
Victim,GetsNote
From President
By the Associated Press.
RUNNEMEDE, N. J., Dec. 26.—
One of 14-year-old Myrtle Eliza
beth Smith's most enjoyable Christ
mas presents is a letter from Presi
dent Roosevelt wishing her speedy
recovery from infantile paralysis.
Ill since she was 14 months old,
Myrtle Elizabeth js just now learn
ing to walk and her parents hope
that she might sometime enter the
Warm Springs, Ga.. sanitorium in
which the President is interested.
President Roosevelt wrrote:
"One of our friends informed me
that you have infantile paralysis.
I do hope that you will keep up
your courage and that you will soon
be greatly improved. With this note
I send you my best wishes for a
merry Christmas and a happy new
year."
Man Dies in Plunge,
Woman From Gas
In Washington
Former Real Estate
Salesman Leaves
Three Notes
The deaths of two persons—a man
who plunged from a gas-filled room
on the fourth floor of his residence
and a woman who was found over
come by gas in the kitchen of her
home—were under investigation by
police today.
Francis M. Wallace, 47. a former
real estate salesman, was found
critically injured in front of 1326
Fairmont street N.W. early this
morning. He died a short time later
at Emergency Hospital.
Mr. Wallace, a roomer at that
house, left three notes in the room.
His body was discovered about 7
a.m. in the front yard by Mrs. Lu
cille Mtirphree. a nurse at Garfield
Hospital, who lives in the rooming
house.
He was removed to the hospital,
where he died about 8:30 am. of
injuries received in the fall.
Note Addressed to Woman.
Police said that gas was coming
from three jets in a stove in the
room. The room is in the front
of the house and Mr. Wallace's body
had struck a bench in the front yard.
One note, addressed to a woman
who rooms at the same house, said,
according to police: “I’ve decided
this is the best way out.”
One of the notes, police said, was
dated December 22 and the others
had been written subsequently.
Mr. Wallace, friends at the room
ing house declared, formerly sold
real estate here. Lately, he had
been making electric cords for elec
tric irons and selling them in Wash
ington.
He had lived in Washington about
11 years, coming here originally from
Milford, Conn. For the past sev
eral davs friends said, he had an
peared depressed.
Body Found by Brother.
Mrs. Frances May Payne, 25, of
706 Nicholson street N.W. was found
dead in the kitchen of her home
this morning by a brother who had
come to pay a Christmas visit. A
gas jet on an oven was open. She
was pronounced dead by an Emer
gency Hospital ambulance physi
cian.
Alone at the time, her body was
discovered by Robert Rosson of
5815 Fourth street N.W., who de
tected gas on entering the home.
Police said they found a note ad
dressed to “Harry.” Her husband,
Harry W. Payne, a gasoline sta
tion operator, was at work at the
time, police said. They would not
divulge the contents of the note.
The woman had been dead about
four hours when discovered, a phy
sician said.
Turkish Freighter, Crew
Of 24 Lost in Hurricane
Bi the Associated Press.
ISTANBUUL, Dec. 26.—The Turk
ish freighter Klzilirmak, 2,794 tons,
Struck rocks near Sinope during a
violent Black Sea hurricane and
went down with her entire crew
of 24.
Scores of trawlers and other light
craft were missing today after the
storm. It was feared some of them
were lost with all hands. Lifeboats
searched for survivors.
i
President Wants
Action This Session
On D. C. Reorganizing
Allen, After Parley, Says
Roosevelt Not So Much
Concerned by Details
Commissioner George E. Allen,
after discussing with President
Roosevelt for nearly an hour the
Seal plan for reorganizing the Dis
trict of Columbia government, said
the President made it very evident
he was anxious to have the legisla
tion enacted this session of Con
gress.
Mr. Ailen said the President was
not so much interested in details
as he was in getting action.
The question of local suffrage was
not touched on. he said, adding that
he doubted very much if anv provi
sion for it w'ili be included in the
bill the Commissioners will draft.
The Commissioner indicated the
President favored the proposed ad
ministrative assistant to the Dis
trict Commissioners, as well as re
taining the Public Library and the
Board of Education in the present
status free from control by the
Commissioners.
Mr. Allen represented the Presi
dent as especially interested in im
proving health and sanitary condi
tions in the District. He gave the
impression that when the Commis
sioners meet again this afternoon
he will be in a position to present
some definite ideas advanced by tha
President.
Mr. Allen was of the opinion that
a final draft of the bill should be
ready for transmission to the Capi
tol within a week.
It wras his impression that the
question of local suffrage will be
taken up separately.
American Mudent Union
Meets at Wisconsin U.
B\ the Associated Press.
MADISON. Wis., Dec. 26—The
American Student Union, recently
described by some members of the
Dies Congressional Committee as a
“breeding ground for Communism.”
began a five-day meeting on the
University of Wisconsin campus to
day.
Union members, representing “lib
erals” of colleges and universities
throughout the Nation, came here as
guests of the University League for
Liberal Action. About 600 delegates
were expected.
Donald Thayer, president of the
league, and editors of the Daily
Cardinal, campus publication, ex
changed comments on the Dies Com
mittee report in advance of the
convention. Stating it was not pass
ing judgment on the activities of
the Student Union, the Cardinal
emphasized the convention was not
sponsored by the university. Thayer
declared there had been a verbal
agreement to allow the meeting on
university grounds and that there
was no proof the conclusions of the
Dies Committee were “correct or
valid.”
Delegates planned to discuss the
Russian invasion of Finland, the
British-French-German and Sino
Japanese wars and proceedings of
the Dies Un-American and La Fol
lette Civil Liberties Committees.
Mrs. Caraway Receives
Yule Gifts at Hospital
Flowers and gifts from scores of
friends, among them the President
and Mrs. Roosevelt, made Christ
mas merry for Senator Hattie W.
Caraway of Arkansas, even if she
did spend it in a hospital.
“I’m feeling fine,” she reported,
"but I’m flat on my back, of course.
They may let me sit up for New
Year Day.”
Mrs. Caraway entered Emergency
Hospital December 9 for a stomach
operation Her physicians have
not indicated when she may leave,
but she said she expected to be at
her desk in the Senate “in a very
few weeks.”
* -
James J. Britt Dies
ASHEVILLE, N. C., Dec. 26, OP).—
James J. Britt, 79, former Republi
can Representative from the 11th
North Carolina district and former
chief counsel of the Federal Pro
hibition Bureau in Washington, died
at his home here early today.
f
4
White House
Explains Status
Of Taylor's Post
Agent to Vatican to
Function as Did
Norman H. Davis
(Texts of the church leaders’
replies to Mr. Roosevelt will he
found on Page B-10.J
Bi the Associated Press.
Stephen Early, White House press
secretary, expressed the belief today
that when the few who have ques
tioned President Roosevelt’s ap
pointment of a personal representa
tive to the Vatican “learn the facts
they will be satisfied.”
Mr. Roosevelt announced Satur
day .night that he had chosen
Myron C. Taylor, retired chairman
of United States Steel and present
ly head of the Intergovernmental
Refugee Committee, to go to Rome
in the interest of more closely co
ordinating efforts for world peace.
Simultaneously the Chief Execu
tive invited Dr. George A. Buttrick,
president of the Federal Council of
Churches of Christ in America, as
a Protestant leader, and Rabb!
Cyrus Adler, president of the Jew
ish Theological Seminary of Amer
ica, as a leader of the Jewish faith.
to confer with him here "from time
to time” on the problems of peace.
Some Questioning.
Favorable responses to the Presi
dent's action in many quarters of
Government and organized religion
were tempered in some instances by
expressions of hope that Mr. Roose
velt was not working toward re
establishment of formal diplomatic
relations with the Vatican. Such
formal relations were severed in
1867.
Among others, the Rev. Louis D.
| Newton, Atlanta Baptist clergyman,
j and Bishop Paul B. kern of the
I Methodist Church at Nashville.
Tenn., questioned the action chiefly
on that ground.
Mr. Early, informally discussing
such questions, said Mr. Roosevelt
had the constitutional right to ap
I point Mr. Taylor and added that
I he never had held and does not now
held any intention of according dip
; lomatic recognition to the Vatican.
Reviewing the responses Mr.
! Early said that of more than 400
telegrams received at the White
House not more than four "might be
called critical.”
Not Recognizing Vatican.
These four, he said, were ”wTrit
| ten on the basis of a misunder
| standing of the President's plans
■ and motives in that they assumed
the United States was officially rec
ognizing the temporal status of the
: Vatican.”
“That is not the case,' he con
tinued, recalling he had made a
similar statement Saturday when
: the President's action was an
nounced.
"I am quite certain,” he added,
with reference to the questioners,
' "that when they learn the facts they
will be satisfied."
Mr. Early said Mr. Taylor would
have the rank, but not the official
title, of an Ambassador, and would
be paid out of the State Depart
ment's general fund if he requested
I any salary, which he has not yet
uune.
Like Davis Arrangement.
Mr. Taylor will take the post, Mr.
Early explained, on exactly the same
arrangement as that of Norman H.
Davis, who worked as an Ambassador
at large in Europe, first under Presi
dent Hoover and later under Mr.
Roosevelt, until he was appointed
chairman of the American Red
Cross.
Mr. Davis never drew any salary,
; Mr. Early said, although under the
I law ,he could have been paid had
! he requested it.
The secretary also said that the
President would have made similar
appointments to the Protestant and
Jewish faiths if they had had a
central headquarters like that of
the Catholic Church.
Referring to the letters the Chief
I Executive sent Dr. Buttrick and
Rabbi Adler, Mr. Early said the
President would see these church
men "any time they want to see
him ”
"The President holds himself
open to them here,” Mr. Early said,
“just as we hope the Vatican will
hold itself open to the man we send
there, Mr. Taylor,” Mr. Early said.
President Restores
Sugar Marketing Quotas
By the Associated Press.
President Roosevelt issued a proc
lamation today restoring marketing
quota provisions of the Sugar Act.
“I have issued a proclamation to
day,” the President said in a state
ment, "terminating the suspension
of marketing quotas on sugar, which
suspension was made necessary on
September 11, 1939, by the extraor
dinary purchases of sugar by con
sumers immediately after the out
break of the war in Europe and the
excessive speculative activity and
advancing prices which accom
panied such purchases.
“Since that time, consumer
hoarding of sugar has ceased and
the price of raw sugar has declined
to the price which was in effect
before the war.
“It should be noted that under
the law the quotas may again be
suspended if such action becomes
necessary to protect the consumers.”
Under a newlv neeotiated aeree
ment with Cuba, the United States
agreed to return to the duty of 90
cents a hundred pounds on Cuban
sugar, which was in effect before
the quotas were suspended. Dur
ing suspension of the quotas the
duty was raised to $1.50.
Pope Sends Aid to Finns
VATICAN CITY, Dec. 26 OP).—
The Vatican announced today.that
Pope Pius had sent "a large offer
ing” to William Cobben, Apostolio
Vicar at Helsinki, to be used to help
Catholics in Finland.
k
Page.
Amusements
B-16
Comics B-14-15
Editorials A-6
Lost, Found B-12
Obituary A-8i