Woather Forecast ^ . r-—-—
Fair and somewhat colder; lowest about
-* 18 degrees tonight; tomorrow increasing Established ill 1852
cloudiness with slowly rising tempera- ^
ture. Temperatures today—Highest, 38, Most people in Washington have The
at 2 p.m.: lowest, 26, at midnight. 8tar deliVered to their homes every
Prom the United States Weather Bureau report. , . _
pun details on Paae A-2. evening and 8unday morning.
Closing New York Markets, Page 22. V
* ■" ... ..— ■ _ tff*) Meant Associated Press.
88th YEAR. No. 34,988._WASHINGTON, D. C., THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1940-FIFTY-TWO PAGES. *** THREE CENTS.
Finland Calls Up
More Reserves;
3,500 Reds Slain
Second Class—1896,
Mobilized; Russians
Down Own Plane
t >7 the Associated Press.
HELSINKI. Feb. 15.—Finland to
day called another class of reserves
to the colors—the second in 24
hours—as furious fighting on the
Karelian Isthmus was reported to
have cost the invading Red Army
3,500 dead.
The class of 1896—men 43 and 44—
was called up for service against the
Russians, who sent a squadron of 27
planes droning over Helsinki today
to cause the capital's first air raid
alarm in weeks. No bombs were
dropped, however.
Instead, they were reported to
have roared to the town of Riihi
maki, about 20 miles north of Hel
sinki, and bombed it heavily, start
ing numerous fires.
A Finnish communique described
heavy fighting on the isthmus front,
now in its 15th day of battle, and*
declared Russian attacks had been
repulsed on numerous sectors.
Reds Down Own Plane.
The Finns shot down 16 Soviet
planes yesterday and Russian flyers,
fighting among themselves, dowmed
one of their own aircraft, the com
munique asserted without shedding
any further light on the incident.
Fnnish front-line troops reported
they saw Soviet planes suddenly turn
against some of their own bombers.
A few moments later a Russian
bomber crashed behind the Finnish
lines.
A thousands Russians were killed
While attacking over the ice at Muo
lojarvi and 2,500 in a series of blows
near Taipaie. at the Eastern end of
the isthmus front.
In one of the attacks the Finns
said they captured two tanks, turned
them around and put them into im
mediate service against the Rus
sians. Thirteen Russian tanks were
said to have been wrecked alto
gether
Reds Repelled at Summa.
On the Summa sector, where the
Russians have concentrated some of
their heaviest blows against the
battered Mannerheim Line, con
tinued enemy attacks were repelled,
as were other assaults northeast of
Lake Ladoga, the communique said.
A supply column of 100 vehicles
was reported destroyed on the
' Ladoga front.
In the Kuhmo sector farther
north Russian detachments were
reported dispersed, "more than 500
killed” and quantities of equipment
captured.
Night air raids on Soviet troops
incircling compfires and daylight
attacks on supply bases and troop
concentrations were said to have
been carried out.
Russian air activity in the war
cone was described as “extraord
inarily lively,” and raiders went
behind the lines to bomb Viipuri
and Lappeenranta. After the bomb
attacks Russian pursuit planes were
accused of machine-gunning Finns
trying to extinguish fires.
Finns Admit Reverses.
Finland, avowedly with no choice
but to fight to the last man against
Odds of 50 to 1, hoped that suc
cesses in the north might force
eome diversion of Russia's trip
hammer blows on the forts of the
Karelian Isthmus.
In the 10-mile strip of inferno at
Bumma the Finns acknowledged
that relentless Russian assaults had
caused abandonment of some of
the Mannerheim Line’s advance
fortifications.
(A Soviet Army communique
today reported capture of 16
more Finnish positions, bring
ing to 100 the number claimed
within a week. 'The Finns are
falling back with "heavy losses,”
the communique said.)
The main line still holds, how
ever, the Finns reported, and every
where else, on the isthmus, north of
Lake Ladoga and on Finland's
•‘waistline’’ front, the Finnish story
Was one of success.
Russians Pay Dearly.
The Russians bought the Summa
outposts at high prices in men,
munitions and machines, the Finns
said. A communique related that
“thousands of enemy fallen and
dozens of ’wrecked tanks’’ were
heaped before the Finnish lines.
Russian infantry still stormed over
the isthmus’ shell-cratered fields of
snow to be met in many cases with
Finnish puukkos (hunting knives) in
hand-to-hand combat to the crash
ing accompaniment of shells and
bombs.
The Finns indicated hopeful belief
that the Red Army could not main
tain this terrific pace much longer
and that delivery of food and muni
tions through Leningrad to the Rus
, sians massed on the narrow isthmus
must be an ever-increasing problem.
Added to this possibility were
Finnish reports that the 54th Rus
sian division was in serious trouble
(See FINNISH, Page A-67)
U-Boat Explodes
While Preparing
For Attack
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, Feb. 15.—A Reuters
(British news agency) dispatch
from Oslo reported today that an
explosion occurred in a German
submarine about to lire a torpedo
at a Norwegian vessel bound from
America to Norway.
The dispatch said it was believed
the submarine was sunk by a Brit
ish dsstfoyer, but details were not
known. The British admiralty an
nounced last night the sinking of
two U-boats.
The crew of the ship which the
submarine was about to attack took
to their boats after the submarine
sank, said Reuters, which added
that the ship had aboard survivors
of the Norwegian ship Snest&d, sunk
by mine or torpedo Sunday while
en route from Norway to Phila
'llelphia.
Blue Plains Head Blames
Commissioners Reluctantly
Old Army Surgical
Equipment in Use,
Doctor Testifies
By JAMES E. CHINN.
Frank B. Haskell, veteran super
intendent of the Home for the Aged
and Infirm at Blue Plains, reluc
tantly placed on the District Com
missioners today blame for some of
the unfavorable conditions at the
institution.
Testifying before the Public Health
Subcommittee of the House District
Committee, now in the midst of an
investigation of various public wel
fare institutions, Mr. Haskell dis
closed that the Commissioners had
for years cut his annual budget
estimates despite their knowledge
of conditions at the home.
"Every one thinks Congress is
lesponsible for neglecting these old
people.” declared Representative
D'Alesandro, Democrat, of Mary
land. temporary chairman of the
subcommittee. "I do not want to
lay tiie blame on the Commissioners
or any one else, but this subcom
mittee wants to find out where it
lies. Welfare Supt. Bondy (Robert
E. Bondy, director of Public Wel
fare) won't tell. Two of the. Com
missioners are out of town; I can’t
find out from them. You’re a civil
service employe and have nothing
to fear from the Commissioners
from talking frankly.”
Physician Testifies.
Mr. Haskell was preceded on the
witness stand by Dr. Arthur N.
Meloy, the only physician at the in
stitution, who works on a part-time
basis ministering to the ailments of
the 270 inmates, 130 of whom are
bed-rtdden in the infirmary. He
disclosed the only surgical equip
ment at the home is “old Army stuff
that’s been thrown away.”
Every year, Mr. Haskell said, he
FRANK B. HASKELL.
—Star Staff Photo.
and officials of the Board of Public
Welfare had asked for funds to
make improvements at the institu
tion, and had received appropria
tions from 30 to 50 per cent below
the estimates. ’The 1941 budget for
the home, he explained, came from
the Budget Bureau slashed more
than 50 per cent. Under the prod
ding of Chairman D’Alesandro, he
admitted the Commissioners “made
most of the cuts."
“We should take better care of
these old people but we can’t do it,”
he declared. "We should give them
eggs every day.
“We could do a lot of things if we
had the money, but we have to get
along on what’s given us. If we
had more money we would have a
better institution.”
At the close of the hearing Mr.
See BLUE PLAINS, Page~A-14.)
Japan Is Believed
To Have 'Shot Its Bolt'
In Invasion ol China
Plea to Chiang Seen as
Showing Invasion Has
Reached Its Limit
By CLARK LEE,
Associated Press Foreign Correspondent.
SHANGHAI. Feb. 15.—Foreign
military sources said today they
Saw unmistakable signs that Japan
had reached the limit of her ability
to Win and hold Chinese territory.
In their view, the Japanese “have
stopped winning the war without
achieving their objectives” and now
are incapable of striking an effec
tive blow to China's resistance.
The invaders' men and mate
rials are beginning to wear out, they
said, and their strength is so
scattered over thousands of miles of
China that their punch has lost its
snap.
These statements were made in
comment on the Japanese procla
mation yesterday urging Generalis
simo Chiang Kai-shek to surren
der, These foreign sources regard
ed it as a significant admission
that Japan already has made her
maximum military effort.
The part of the proclamation de
claring that Japan will not extend
her operations further “but will await
your offensive,” they interpreted
also as a confession that the in
vaders were unable to carry out
their oft-repeated vow “to crush
Chiang, even if we have to pursue
him to Tibet.”
Willing to Deal With Chiang.
Through the proclamation and
Japanese Premier Admiral Mitsu
masa Yonai's statements to the Diet,
it appeared to foreign observers that
the Japanese would be more willing
to deal with Chiang if a lace-saving
formula could be found.
One expert, who has followed the
fighting since the first shots in July,
1937, declared that “from a strictly
military point of view the Japanese
have almost shot their bolt and have,
stopped winning the war.”
The Chinese have not started to
win but, in his . opinion, their
chances of ultimate victory are im
proving. If Chinese morale stays
up and China s resistance continues,
he said, there are growing signs
that the Japanese will find they
have "tackled a task too immense
for their human and economic re
sources.”
The military developments of the
past year, and especially of the past
three months, are partly the basis
for this judgment.
Lost a Million Men.
Since the capture of Nanning,
Kwanksi Province capital in Far
Southern China, last November 24,
the Japanese have launched three
major operations: One northeast of
Nanning, one in the vicinity of Can
ton and another deep into Suiyuan
Province, part of Inner Mongolia.
Although it is true that they gave
(See JAPANTPage A-14J
Mme. Luisa Tetrazzini
Gravely III m Milan
By the Auodited Pres*.
MILAN. Feb. 15 —Mme. Luisa Tet
razzini, lyric soprano who long
thrilled opera lovers all over the
world is gravely ill.
Dr. Vittorio Mattel, who is treat
ing her in a private clinic said her
condition was “very grave” and that
she had difficulty in speaking.
Mme. Tetrazzini, who is 66, is
suffering from heart inflammation
and hardening of the arteries.
$100,000 Stolen at Airport
CARACAS, Venezuela, Feb. 15 (JP).
—Police announced today that $100,
000 consigned to the Standard Oil
Co. at Caripito had been stolen from
a safe of Pan-American Airways at
Malquetia Airport. Twelve airport
employes were detained for ques
tioning.
U. S. Cool to British
Offer of Convoys
For Neutral Ships
Acceptance Believed
Certain to Invite
German Attacks
By GARNETT D. HORNER.
The United States turned a cold
shoulder today to a semi-official
British offer of convoy protection for
neutral ships passing through Allied
contraband control ports in view of
an implied German threat to sink
such vessels without warning.
Acceptance of allied convoy pro
tection by a neutral vessel would
give Germany the clear right under
international law to attack it just
as she would a hostile warship,
while she has no such right to at
tack an unconvoyed neutral vessel
merely because of it being forced
into a control port, it was pointed
out.
Britain was said authoritatively,
the Associated Press reported from
London, to be prepared to offer con
voy protection to all neutral ship
ping passing through her contra
band controls in view of the threats
coming from Berlin yesterday and
the day before.
Pressure Put on British.
The German assertion of a right
to sink any neutral ship going to
or from an allied port voluntarily
or involuntarily, while branded by
Chairman Pittman of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee as a
"violent and illegal threat," had
stirred renewed pressure here on
the British to cease forcing Amer
ican ships into their ports.
Secretary of State Hull discussed
the matter late yesterday with Brit
ish Lord Lothian, who said after
ward that progress was being made
on a method to keep American ves
sels from being sent into British
control ports within the European
combat area.
me Ambassador . said his gov
ernment was discussing with Can
ada the possibility of establishing
a control port at St. John, New
Brunswick. It. was doubtful if this
procedure would be Satisfactory to
the United States, however, since
Secretary Hull has protested that
the British have no right to force
•our ships into any port.
An official warning that the
United States will hold Great Brit
ain responsible for any "losses or
injuries" resulting from any in
fraction of the asserted rights of
American shipping, coupled with
public indignation here at British
interference with United States ves
(See SHIPPING, Page A-16.)
Dies Hears
Hollywood Has
Secret Report
Says Film Producers
Even Know Names
Of Inquiry Witnesses
BACKGROUND—
For almost two years. Dies
Committee has been investigating
un-American activites. Critics
have accused it of being unfair
and of blackening reputations;
defenders have asserted it per
formed indispensable function of
bringing to light activities which
could be exposed in no other way.
Bj the Associated Press.
Chairman Dies of the House
Committee Investigating Un-Amer
icanism declared today he was look
ing into a report that "the Holly
wood film industry” had obtained
mysteriously a confidential commit
tee report on "subversive activities”
in the movie colony.
The chairman, Just returned to
the Capital after a two-month ill
ness in Texas, said the report was
made to the committee by one of
its investigators last year and was
submitted privately to each of the
committee’s members. He said he
knew of no other copies.
“I'm not prepared fully to say It
Is there.” Representative Dies told
newsmen, “but I understand the
producers have copies of it and have
mimeographed it and even know
who the witnesses are going to be.”
The report laid the groundwork
for a committee investigation on
the Pacific Coast, which Mr. Dies
said he hoped would be started
soon with “no pussyfooting, no back
tracking, no crawling."
Can’t Speak for Committee.
“I can't speak for the committee,”
Mr. Dies said. “It has been charged
that I have been speaking for the
committee. But the Bill of Rights
doesn't prohibit me from saying that
I will recommend to the committee
that we go to the West Coast and
expose Hollywood thoroughly, in
vestigate consumer organizations
further and investigate Communists
in Government ”
Emphasizing repeatedly that he
was speaking only for himself and
not for the committee, he asserted
that his first recommendation
would be that hearings be started
within 30 days so that most of the
committee’s work could be cleared
up before this year’s presidential
nominating conventions.
T will recommend that when the
campaign gets under way." he said,
“that there will be no public hear
ings.
“It would be difficult to avoid the!
charge that we are trying to influ
ence the presidential election,
whether there was any truth to it
or not.
“My plan is to start hearings right
away and try to conclude them be
fore the presidential saviors get into
the field.”
Has Legislative Program.
He asserted that if there were any
committee meetings during the cam
paign he would urge that they be
confined to the committee’s legisla
tive recommendations. He said that
personally he had a nine-point legis
lative program which he thought
would do much to rid this country
of subversive influences. Mr. Dies
added that he would make public the
program later.
In 1938, the committee was crit
icized for investigations bearing on
political campaigns. Frank Murphy,
present Supreme Court justice, was
defeated for Governor of Michigan
after testimony adverse to him be
fore the committee.
Chipper and in good humor, Mr.
Dies touched on many subjects. He
said that, among other things, he
wished to “expose” British and
French lecturers offering their serv
ices free to American lecture bu
(See DIES, Page A-4.)
Nine Communists Jailed
By French Army Court
By the Associated Press.
PARIS, Feb. 15.—A military court
today imposed prison sentences
tanging from one to five years upon
nine members of the banned Com
munist party arrested February 9
at Vigneux sur Seine for propaganda
activities. Two others were ac
quitted
Those convicted included Henri
Charron, mayor of the town, who
was sentenced to five years.
Summary of Today's Star
Page.
Amusements,
C-4-5
Comics . C-H-ll
Editorials.. A-12
Finance... A-21
Lost, Found. C-7
Page.
Obituary.. A-14
Radio_ C-U
Society_ B-3
Sports_ C-l-3
Woman’s Page,
C-«
Foreign ‘ i
Finns call new reserves; 3,500 Reds
slain. Page A-l
Japan believed to have “shot its
bolt" in China. Page A-l
50 subs sunk in war as British claim
two more. Page A-l
Bulgarian cabinet falls, reportedly
. over Soviet relations. Page A-3
Nads say 58,000 tons sunk in
day. Page A-l
Notional
U. S. cool to British offer of convoys
for neutral ships. Page A-l
Storm moves out to sea after 30
die In East Page A-l
G. O. P. committeemen, here for par
ley, talk finances. Page A-3
Congress rebuffs Navy efforts to get
fund cuts restored. Page A-3
Secrecy surrounds Roosevelt vaca
tion trip plans. Page A-4
Preliminary report for Wagner Act
changes foreseen. Page A-7
Prison break plot had outside aid,
probers believe. Page A-7
Bridges says trade policy is hie issue
in campaign. PlftA-lS
Barton says New Dealers would de
stroy advertising. Page B-1I
Washington and Vicinity
Blue Plains head puts blame on D.
C. Commissioners. Page A-l
Maj. Brown gives Congress commit
tee confidential data. Page A-l
Snow and ice make Washington
streets hazardous. Page A-3
Commission, announces final pur-,
chase of Shepard Park Page B-l
Susan B. Anthony ceremony sched
uled tonight. ' Page B-l
Gen. Marshall speaks before Reserve
officers. Page B-l
Editorial and Comment
This and That. Page A-12
Answers to Questions. Page A-12
Letters to The Star. Page A-12
David Lawrence. Page A-13
Alsop and Kintner. Page A-13
G. Gould Lincoln. Page A-13
Lemuel P. Parton. Page A-13
Constantine Brown. Page A-13
Miscellany
Vital Statistics. Page B-5
8ervice Orders. Page B-5
City News in Brief. Page B-7
After Dark. Page B-S
Nature’s Children. PageB-li
Bedtime Story. PageC-1#
Cross-Word Puzzle. PageC-lC
Letter-Out. PageC-ll
Winning Contract. Page C-ll
Uncle Ray’s Conifer. ^weC-11
••I
Can You Really Get Away From It, Mr. President?
British Sink 2 Subs, Total 50;
Foe Claims 58,000 Tons in Day
England Moves to
Speed Volunteers
To Finland
By the Associated Press.
LONDON. Feb. 15—Welcoming
home victors in one great sea battle,
Britain today counted four more
German submarines as victims of
the past six days of warfare and
turned attention toward speeding
volunteers on their way to Finland.
First Lord of the Admiralty Wins
ton Churchill voiced the nation’s
welcome to the cruiser Exeter which
steamed into Plymouth scarred by
her victorious fight with the German
battleship Admiral Graf Spee off
Montevideo December 13.
The Exeter’s crew was congratu
lated especially for fighting a battle
in "the old style instead of the long
and intricate struggle with, mines
and U-boats.”
An admiralty statement said two
more Oerman submarines had been
sunk, making four In six days and
(See LONDON. Page A^l*.)
Reich Mollifies
U. S. on Rule for
Sinking Ships
By the Associated Press.
BERLIN, Feb. 15.—The high
command today reported 58,000 tons t
of shipping were sunk yesterday in |
"a particularly successful day for i
German sea war.”
Authorized sources at the same
time sought to dispel some fears
precipitated by yesterday's refer
ences to American shipping submit
ting to British contraband control
by saying no suggestion had been
made that American ships under
certain circumstances might be sunk
without notice.
A spirit of optimism over the Ger
man counter-blockade against Bri
tain pervaded government quarters
over the reports of successes in the
sea war. particularly by submarines.
The press and sources authorized
to comment Joined in charging that
Britain was striving to involve neu
' <See BERLIN, Page A-14.)
Goering Exhorts
Farmers to Prepare
For 'Great Effort'
'We Have Enough' in
Reserve, but Must Live
Off Land, He Declares
By thy Associated Press.
BERLIN. Feb. 15 —Field Marshal
Hermann Wilhelm Goering tonight
called on Germany's farmers to
prepare for “the battle of produc
tion in 1940.” .
A winter of extraordinary severity
is not yet at an end. the Reich’s
economic chieftain said in a broad
cast, but the farmers must prepare
for a great effort to contribute to
victory in the war.
"Great achievements are expected
of you,” he declared.
Fuehrer Hitler, Goering said, lifted
German agriculture from misery and
doubt to a new sense of purpose
which will wrest victory from Ger
many’s enemies.
“The World War taught us no folk
is secure unless it is able to sup
port itself from its own land,” the
field marshal went on.
He said the last two years brought
record crops and livestock breeding
prospered.
We Have Enough.”
He said the accomplishments of
German agriculture enabled 140
persons to live on a square kilometer
(.386 square mile* of land.
These peacetime achievements
will be a decisive factor in the war
which "lying agitators have started
against us,” he said.
"The narrow and limited block
ade imposed by our enemies now is
up against an invincible agricul
tural economy,” he continued
“We cannot be defeated—certain
ly not in battle and also not on
the economic field. Even the Eng
lish seem to have given up the
thought of starving us. We are
not living luxuriously but we have
enough.
“Soldiers especially are well nour
ished. The English, beginning to
appreciate what we have accom
plished, now copy our methods—
even introducing rationing for which
we first were ridiculed.”
Won’t Depend on Reserves.
“Our enemies learned that they
cannot build armaments and planes
over night. Now they are learn
ing it is even more difficult to cre
ate a sound agricultural economy
at once.
“We d6 not doubt that England
has great reserves scattered over
the world. It is another question
whether she ever will be able to
use these reserves. Much English
grain already lies at the bottom
of the sea.
"Germany has reserves which
cannot be destroyed but it would
be a mistake to depfind entirely on
them. We must draw riches from
the soil. That, fanners, is a Job
which the Fuehrer assigns to you.
The way before you is long and dif
ficult, but it is your responsibility.”
The field marshal made a spe
cial appeal for the co-oneration of
German farm women. ^
,'fwk <
James Roosevelts
Reported Planning
Divorce in California
Papers Expected
To Be Filed Saturday
In Los Angeles
BULLETIN.
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 15 UP).—
James Roosevelt, film executive
and son o£ the President, filed
suit for divorce today from Bet
sey Cushing Roosevelt.
Br the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, Feb. 15.—The New
York Times said today that James
Roosevelt, eldest son of the Presi
dent, and his wife, the former
Betsy Cushing, to whom he was
married 10 years ago, are planning
a divorce action in the California
courts.
It was understood from mutual
friends of the couple, the Times
said, that papers in the divorce suit
are to be filed Saturday in Los An
geles.
Mrs. Roosevelt is the daughter of
the late Dr. Harvey Williams Cush
ing, internationally-known brain
specialist of Boston and New Haven.
The Roosevelts have two children,
Saro Delano, 9, and Kate, 4.
Mr. Roosevelt, who is 32, has
formed a motion picture producing
company in Hollywood, which he
now heads. Previously he had been
an insurance broker, secretary to
his father and a widely-discussed
political figure.
He turned away from politics after
a serious illness in 1938* He and the
former Miss Cushing met while he
was a student at Harvard. They
were married in St. Paul’s Church
at Brookline, Mass., on June 4, 1930,
two days before Mr. Roosevelt's
class was graduated.
They made their first home, after
a European honeymoon, in a cot
tage in Cambridge. Mr. Roosevelt
entered Boston University Law
School but soon gave up his studies
and devoted his entire time to busi
ness,.
Storm Moves to Sea,
Leaving 50 Dead
In Eastern States
Winds of 'Great Intensity'
Lash Nantucket Area;
Helpless Tanker Adrift
Bt the Associated Press.
Lashing gales at sea brought a
new menace to life and property to
day in the wake of winter’s heaviest
snowstorm, which left 50 known
dead, scores injured and drifts piled
high throughout the East.
rhe Weather Bureau in Washing
ton sent out a bulletin warning that
a storm of “great intensity attended
by gales over a wide area” was rag
ing in a focus about 150 miles east of
Nantucket, Mass.
Hearts overtaxed by shoveling
snow or battling through snowdrifts
accounted foi a majority of the
storm fatalities, with hard-hit Penn
sylvania registering eight deaths,
upstate New York eight, New Jersey
eight, New York City six, Maryland
three and New England 17.
In Metropolitan New York, where
an official fall of eight inches was
recorded. Deputy Commissioner of
Sanitation Edward C Nugent called
out 23,000 extra men in addition to
the regular force of 12,500 to tackle
the job of snow removal.
Inland Shipping Harassed.
Although the major force of the
storm, which came as a valentine
day "gift" from the South, has
blown itself out to sea, high winds
still harassed shipping in inland
coastal waters.
A Coast Guard cutter, a fireboat
and police launch struggled for more
th- n an hour in the ice-choked Hud
son River before finally retrieving
seven derelict lighters which broke
away while loading the Furness Ber
muda liner Eastern Prince at the
foot of West Fifty-fifth street. Fer
ryboats had to dodge the drifting
Taft.
The storm crippled highway traf
fic and grounded air traffic from
Ohio to Boston.
At sea. the tanker Aztec, caught in
the blizzard, was drifting helplessly
50 miles southeast of Sandy Hook
Coast Guard cutters were close to
the ship. Elsewhere, a score of fish
ing craft encountered high seas.
Pennsylvania, New Jersey and
New York’s southern tier bore the
brunt of the storm.
At least eight deaths were attrib
uted directly or indirectly to one of
(See WEATHERTPage A-3.)
______________
Bodies of Erie 'Ice-Bridge'
Victims Are Sought
Br the Associated Press.
SANDUSKY. Ohio, Feb. 15.—Coast
Guardsmen today sought to recover
the bodies of two of four drowning
victims, carried to their death as an
automobile plunged through « lake
Erie "ice-bridge” into 30 feet of
water.
Dr. George J. Edam, 33, of Put-In
Bay; his wife, Loretta, 29, and their
two children, Barbara, 2. and George,
Jr., 3, were in the car that sank off
Middle Bass Island, 5 miles north
of the Ohio mainland.
The bodies of the physician and
his wife were recovered. The chil
dren were believed trapped In the
machine.
Middle Bass is a mile and a half
from Put-In Bay, the only town on
South Bass Island.
Lightship Blown Away by Gale
Fights Way Back to Hattera?
By the Associated Preu.
The Diamond Shoals Lightship,
its lights and foghorns turned off,
was fighting its way back today to
its station off Cape Hatteras, N. C„
after being blown away by yester
day’s gale.
Coast Guard headquarters had no
information whether the ship was
damaged or whether it had broken
its 6-tan anchor chain. However,
officials said the 475-horsepower
steam engines should bring the 146
foot ship back to station without
help.
As soon as the gale forced the
ship away from its station, it sent
out radio wamlngaato all ships in
the vicinity telling Aem not to look
for the ship’s lights for the time
being.
Officials said that in stormy
weather it was not unusual for light
ships to be forced off station, since
the force of the wind could drive the
ships away from their posts even
without breaking the heavy anchor
chains The anchor, in heavy seas,
might drag.
The Diamond Shoals Lightship
has a crew of IS. It was built in
1922 and bears the number 106. indi
cating ft was the 105th lightship
built in the 150 yean that the serv
ice has been operated. Formerly a
part of the Commerce Department,
(See LIGHTSrijp, Page A-2.)
Secret Session
Hears Brown
In Liquor Probe
House Committee
Holds 'Confidential'
Data of Police Head
Information about the liquor sit
uation in Washington regarded as
so “confidential” no one would dis
cuss it was given to a special con
gressional investigating committee
today by Maj. Ernest W. Brown,
superintendent of police.
Behind closed doors, withodl the
presence of an official stenographer,
Maj. Brown testified for more than
an hour this morning, and is sched
uled to return to the witness stand
again this afternoon at 2:30 o'clock.
The investigating committee is a
supecial group created by the House
District Committee to make a com
prehensive survey of the liquor sit
uation in Washington and par
ticularly the policy of the Alcoholic
Beverage Control Board with respect
to the issuance and renewal of liquor
licenses Representative Eberharter,
Democrat, of Pennsylvania, is the
chairman.
The investigating subcommittee,
headed by Representative Eberhar
ter, Democrat, of Pennsylvania plans
to have an all day executive meeting
today at which liquor dealers and
tavern owners will be given an op
portunity to voice their complaints
against the Alcoholic Beverage Con
trol Board.
Mrs. Mason Heard.
The subcommittee so far has held
two executive meetings, ostensibly
to develop a program for the public
hearings that are to follow. Yes
terday it heard behind closed doors
the testimony of Mrs. Agnes K.
Mason, vice chairman of the Alco
holic Beverage Control Board, and
an unidentified witness who is re
ported to have been refused a license
to sell liquor by the drink in a
place he planned to open near the
Riverside Stadium not far from
Potomac Park The daughter of a
prominent United States Senator is
said to have accompanied the ap
plicant for this license at the secret
hearing before the investigating sub
committee.
Three other witnesses—all re
ported to be employes in liquor
establishments—waited outside the
committee room, but were not called
on to testify. Chairman Eberharter
said their testimony would be taken
later.
Seeks Background.
No stenographer was present
when Mrs. Mason and the unidenti
fied witness testifiM. Mr. Eber
harter said, however, the purpose
of their appearance before the sub
committee was to build up a back
ground for the disclosures to be
made by the subcommittee when
it begins public hearings on the
liquor situation next week.
Mrs. Mason, according to Mr.
Eberharter, devoted her testimony
to the general practices of the
Alcoholic Beverage Control Board
in the issuance and renewal of
liquor licenses.
While Mr. Eberharters subcom
mittee was questioning Mrs. Mason,
Representative Nichols, Democrat,
of Oklahoma, introduced a bill in
the House to permit an appeal to
the Commissioners from liquor deal
ers whose licenses are not renewed
by the A. B. C. Board. Under ex
isting law there is no board of
review or appellate body in such
cases.
Mr. Nichols, a member of the
House District Committee, intro
duced the bill to prevent a repe
tition of the case of Leo J. Rossi
ter, a Georgia avenge sea food
restaurant proprietor, whose license
to sell liquor by the drink was not
renewed. A few days after the
committee ordered the investiga
tion. the A. B. C. Board held a re
hearing on the Rossi ter case and
renewed his license for another
j year
Virginia Senate Votes
To Tax U. S. Employes
By the Associated Press.
RICHMOND, Va„ Feb. 15.—A
House bill to tax the salaries of
Federal employes passed the Senate
today.
The measure was sponsored by
Delegates S. D. Rodgers, Huff and
Baldwin. It would impose taxes on
salaries of officers or employes of the
United States, including members of
legislative bodies, judges and officers
of courts and persons in the armed
forces.
Pensions on account of military or
naval service in armed forces are
exempted from taxation under terms
of the bill, which would be effective
for the taxable year 1939 and there
after.
Bulletin
ABOARD U. S. S. LANG. Feb.
15 (A*).—President Roosevelt re
marked cryptically at a press
conference today that it might be
fair to assume his pending sea
trip would, as so often happens,
combine business with a vaca
tion. That statement aroused
all sorts of speculation, since Mr.
Roosevelt did not choose to deny,
in response to a question, a pos
sibility that he might be in con
tact with French, British and
Italian authorities ‘during the
course of a cruise on the cruiser
Tuscaloosa.
-(Eearlier story on page A-4.)
Bar Exam Results
Two hundred and lixty-nine
applicants were successful in
passing the examination lor ad
mission to the District her, held
last December, it was announced
today.
The complete list of the suc
cessful applicants appears on
Page A-14.
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