Newspaper Page Text
Federal Price-Fixing As Aid to Farmers Broached at Hearing Chairman Jones Believes Plan Would Be Constitutional By the Auoclatfd Press. Chairman Jones of the House Agriculture Committee gingerly raised the Idea at a hearing today that a form of governmental price fixing to aid farmers might be bet ter than any other form of Federal assistance. “I'm not advocating it," he said during committee discussion of Sec retary Wallace’s certificate plan for self-financing benefit payments. “I’m Just talking. But we are going into consideration of a plan that in a sense carries this phase. We might as well lay our cards on the table and discuss the whole thing." Representative Jones prefaced his remarks by saying that in view of recent Supreme Court decisions that “we can regulate commerce even to the point of prohibition” a price fixing plan might be considered con stitutional. “So might it not be simpler to forbid more than a certain amount of any of these major commodities going into commerce at all?” he asked. Cites Cotton Example. He cited this example for cotton: Compel manufacturers either to buy the staple from farmers at, say, 1514 cents a pound or from the Gov ernment at 16 cents. “What difference is there between your proposition and price-fixing?” Representative Cooley, Democrat, of North Carolina asked. “Well, it’s about the same thing,” Mr. Jones replied. “It is in effect price-fixing. But why isn’t the cer tificate plan price-fixing?” The present farm program, he said, “has done some mighty fine things and unless we get something better I'm not in favor of chasing rainbows.” R. M. Evans, A. A. A. adminis trator, who was called to explain the certificate pl&n, said the idea Mr. Jones advanced might lead to a form of regimentation which the people would oppose. Meanwhile, it was reported that an increase of $200,000,000 or more in farm appropriations has received tentative approval of a Senate Ap propriations Subcommittee. Three Senators, who asked that their names not be used, said the committee favored a $72,678,812 item for disposal of surplus commodities, and between $125,000,000 and $225. 000.000 for parity payments. No funds for these purposes were in cluded in the House-approved bill which totaled $713,896,084. An increase of $200,000,000 in the farm bill would wipe out two-thirds of the reductions Congress has ef fected in appropriations measures, as they stand now. Planes (Continued From First Page.) reconnaissance flights over enemy territory. “These included standing patrol of the Frisian Islands for the pur pose of restricting activities of enemy minelaying and aircraft and recon naissance patrols over the Baltic ports of Kiel and Luebeck. "Our aircraft further reconnoitered a number of important towns in Northwest Germany, including Hamburg, Bremen and Hanover and the ports of Cuxhaven and Bruns buettel in Helgoland Bight. “In addition our aircraft again penetrated Central Germany and reached Berlin.” Attempt to “Bleed Britain.” Burgeoning of aerial activity in the half-year-old w'ar lent point to the comment of a British aviation source which said German air at tacks on shipping “apparently are part of a long-term attempt to bleed Britain white.” “The essence of the German plan,” said the British aviation authority, “seems to be to strike at Britain in a way in which Germany cannot well be struck in return and to re frain from measures which would invite immediate and overwhelming counter-attack.” German hopes for success of such a program may be dispelled, how ever, he said, in recalling that last month Lord Chatfield, minister for co-ordination of defense, declared British air power would be brought into play at the right moment. Advantage for Allies. The comparatively late start made by the British and French ia "se rious air rearmament” was de scribed as paradoxically an ad vantage. Germany’s big air fleet already is built, said a British aviation ob server, and consequently it is be coming obsolete, while the allies “have gained in modernity of de sign what they lacked in numbers.” Already, it was asserted, “crack fighters and bombers in service on both sides are outmoded by newer types on the stocks” of factories, and “Germany is faced with rap idly growing obsolescence of thou sands of aircraft so far use^ only as threats.” In an effort to keep abreast of design, Germany is reported to have developed a new Heinkel plane powered with new-type Daimler Benz motors producing 4,500 horse power and 350-miles-an-hour speed. British designers say they will have an answer to this or any new German craft, “just as our Vickers Spitfires and Hawker Hurricanes have mastered existing Heinkels and Dorniers.” More Entering Service. Meanwhile, the war office expects the army to absorb about 25,000 men monthly throughout the summer. Some of higher medical rating than required for the army will be draft ed into tne air force and the navy. Many will be kept in vital civilian Jobs under a national registration program. However, plans are being made to employ at least 1,000,000 women in munitions factories and other war industries. The extent of expansion of the fighting forces on land, sea and in the air, is cloaked in wartime se crecy, but the navy is known to be Increasing its strength at a rate in excess of the “one new ship every week” program disclosed last year. It has borne the brunt of the war thus far, with 30 naval vessels acknowledged lost and aoout 3,000 men killed in a three-dimensional struggle against mines and sub marines, surface craft and aerial raiders. A merchant ship convoy system, adopted in the first week of the war, was described as a success, A NEW MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE BRIDGE STARTED —This view, looking westward from the north bank of the Massachu setts avenue fill over Rock Creek, shows where work has started on the new stone bridge, which is to increase the span over the creek from its present 50 feet to 150 feet. Heavy timbers at left are the beginning of a temporary wooden bridge, which is to be constructed at the avenue level, in a semi-circle upstream of the present highway. Temporary bridge will be three lanes wide, to carry two lines of traffic eastbound in the morning and two lanes westbound in the afternoon peak of traffic, beginning about April 1. Machines at work on the bank are an excavator and power grader, preparing level place from which to build up the temporary bridge on wooden piles. Here is the present narrow 50-foot stone arch over Rock Creek, a bottle-neck to traffic in the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway. The new stone bridge will arch high above it to the avenue level and will be three times a£ wide. The new bridge will be large enough to accom modate beneath it a four-lane divided highway, a walkway for pedestrians, a bridle path and Rock Creek itself. The parkway pavement, laid long ago, is shown swinging to left—eastward— in line with what will be the new traffic lane under the bigger bridge. —Star Staff Photos. i i with only ft score of ships lost out of about 9,000 convoyed. British Warships Attacked, Say Nazis BERLIN. March 1 UP).—DNB, of ficial German news agency, said German air bombers attacked "nu merous” British warships, convoys 1 and armed merchantmen this morn ing and that several large vessels were reported sunk. The place of the attack was not given. The agency said direct bomb hits “caused the sinking of several ships, another was set afire, and one con voy was dispersed.” The return of a German subma rine credited with sinking 80,000 tons of shipping, the subject of a DNB (official news agency) announce ment yesterday, was featured in to day's high command communique, which follows: "Local patrol and artillery recon naissance in the west. “As already revealed in a special communique, a German submarine, returning from a long cruise under the leadership of Capt. Werner Hartmann, sank 45,000 tons. "This submarine has thus sunk 80,000 tons in the course of two raids. “The air force on February 29 carried out scouting flights over Eastern France and the North Sea despite bad weather.” Loss of 2 Cargo Boats Reported by French PARIS, March 1 OP).—1The loss of two cargo boats by German sub marine and mine action, the scat tering of a small German troop con centration on the western front, and a German-French exchange of scouting flights were reported today. The freighters, both sunk in mid February, were the 3,754-ton P. L. M 15. torpedoed with 15 crewman lost, and the 5,391-ton P. L. M. 25, which struck a mine and lost four men. This morning’s French com munique said: "A quiet night on the whole. Pa trol and firing activity in the Lau ter region.” Expert on Earthquakes Leaves Federal Service Charles E. Van Orstrand, nation ally known expert on problems re lating to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, retired yesterday from the Geological Survey of the Interior Department after almost 39 years of continuous services. Before joining the Geological sur vay, he served three years in the United States Naval Observatory. During his early work with the sur vey, he gained recognition as an outstanding mathematician, some of his work having been published by the Smithsonian Institution. From 1910 to 1932 he served as lecturer at the graduate school of George Washington University. He also is a member of many of the leading scientific societies. Mr Van Orstrand came here from Illinois after graduating from the University of Illinois and specializ ing in mathematics at the Univer sity of Michigan in 1898. His home is at 3609 Morrison street N.W. Thomas Circle Underpass Will Open March 14 The Thomas Circle underpass will be opened to the public at 10 a.m. on March 14, it was learned today from Capt. H. C. Whitehurst, direc tor of highways, who has been su pervising the $530,000 project. The District Commissioners will be invited to witness the first flow of traffic through the underpass. There will be no formal ceremony, Capt. Whitehurst said. The underpass has been one of the most unusual projects for shift ing traffic in the history of the District. Respite the complex job of digging the tunnel, resurfacing the street above, and relocating the street car lines around the circle, the work has been accomplished without blocking either vehicular or street car traffic. The hour of 10 a.m. was selected for opening the underpass because it will be after the peak morning traffic rush and will allow the com paratively light flow of traffic at that time to start moving through the new lines without difficulty, officials said. A large circular trench has been dug around the statue in the center of the circle, District officials said, for the purpose of "waterproofing” the base of the statue. This job was described as part of the original contract and is one of the final stages of finishing the circle project. Racing (Continued From First Page.) him,” the Commissioner responded, adding: “I think racing is bad for me— bad for anybody—and I don’t think my stupidity should be forced on the residents of the District.” Explaining that a man who loses on a certain horse Thursday wants to go back to the track and try to win on him Saturday, Mr. Allen said, "If I thought there was any way of beating the races I might change my mind about the bill.” “You enjoy the races and intend to continue going?” Senator Rey nolds queried. “What about other people who might like to go?” “No, you’re wrong there,” the Com missioner interrupted. “I’ve sworn off definitely now. I may change my mind when they come back here.” When Senators Reynolds and Overton, Democrat, of Louisiana, in quired how much revenue the Dis trict Government would get from 54 days of racing annually, Com missioner Allen said: '“If its revenue you want, you ought to add dog races at night and a lottery during the week. Then we would really go places in avoiding a deficit.”'' Contending that there are too many racing meets at the present time, Mr. Allen said if “you could get Maryland to agree to only 30 days of racing a year in this area, it would be all right, and I might change my mind about the bill.” “I can say that easily,” the Com missioner added, "because I know h May land wouldn't agree to that. Estimating the tax revenue from 30 days of racing at $180,000. the Commissioner observed, “Why, it costs more than that to run the zoo." When Senator Reynolds suggested it would attract visitors, who would spend money at the hotels, drug stores and other places, Commis sioner Allen replied: “If they play these horses long, of course they don't eat regularly.” Senator Reynolds pointed out there is racing in and near Balti more and asked if Baltimore eat regularly. The Commissioner said he supposed some of them do. Points to Track Touts. When it was suggested that patrons are not forced to spend their money at the races, Mr. Allen asked the chairman if he ever heard “one of these race track touts, who gives you out of the corner of his mouth the name of the horse that is sure to win.” They are “irresistible,” the Com missioner added, as the spectators again broke into laughter. Senator Overton wanted to know if there is any gambling on horses going on in the District now, with out a track. Commissioner Hazen said there “is some,” and Commissioner Allen added, “If there isn't it's the only city in the country where it doesn't go on.” Mr, Allen said that if there are bookmakers here, “they will tell you their business falls off 50 per cent when the races leave this sec tion.” Mr. Hazen said he has been crit icized for being interested in horses in Virginia and opposing racing in the District. He insisted there is no comparison, because in Vir ginia the chief interest is in breed ing horses. The information of the racing proclivities of the two city heads was volunteered yesterday by Justin V. O'Conor, a spectator who said he was a farmer. uroup ravors Dili. Miss Etta L. Taggart, representing The Washingtonians, told the chair man the organization favored racing here. She added that it "riled” her to see District officials go to the races and oppose the bill. Evan H. Tucker, veteran in civic affairs, opposed the measure, but said it would do no good for him to make a statement since Senator Reynolds was the only subcommittee member present and was committed to the bill. He finally took the stand and charged that the move to set up racing here was sponsored by outside elements seeking to get into the District and “fleece the Government employes.” “There is no move on the part of District people to have this,” he said. Mrs. Elizabeth T. Sullivan of the Georgetown Progressive Citizens’ Association testified that her group favored the bill. Mrs. Elmer Tru man also spoke for the measure, as did Mrs. Margaret H. Worrell of the Columbia Heights Citizens’ Associa tion. Profit Motive Charged. William L. Ford of the Columbia Heights Citizens’ Forum opposed the proposal, saying it was sponsored only by those who expected to make a profit on It. Mrs. Lester Bu chanan said the was not narrow A minded and she wanted to see more revenue for the District, but did not believe in catering to weaknesses of human beings. “I heartily back up everything Mr. Tucker has said,” she declared. Clinton N. Howard of the Inter national Reform Federation told Senator Reynolds he thought Police Supt. Ernest W. Brown would be the most competent witness on the proposal. The question of morality caused several interchanges among wit nesses." Miss Taggart asked Mr. Ford if he believed in legislating morality, and William C. Murphy, representing the Central Labor Union, asked if it was not a per sonal matter with the individual whether he went to the race track or not. “Is it any of your business if I go to the races?” he demanded. “You are not affected by it.” The members of the subcommittee are Senators Bridges of New Hamp shire. Overton of Louisiana and Chairman Reynolds. Maj. Reed Davidson Dies; Former Red Cross Official Word was received here today of the death in St. Petersburg, Fla., of Maj. Reed M. Davidson, one-time Red Cross relief director and hus band of the former Miss Rebekah De Lashmutt of W’ashingTbn. Mrs. Davidson is an employe of the State Department. Maj. Davidson, who returned to the United States last year after serving as director of relief in vari ous European countries for 16 years, formerly lived in Ashland, Ky., and Ironton, Ohio. He was a newspaperman from 1911 to 1919. prior to joining the Red Cross, which sent him to Albania, Russia, Turkey and Greece as direc tor of relief. In 1922 he left the Red Cross and became associated with the Near East Relief organization in evacuating Armenian refugees. He was a veteran of the Spanish-Amer ican War. Funeral services are to be held at the Grace Reformed Church here tomorrow at 2 p.m. Burial will be in Frederick, Md. Besides his widow', Maj. Davidson is survived by four brothers, all of Ohio. Finland (Continued From First Page.) no area unscathed, blazed a trail of death and flames over a wide area. The attacks occurred yesterday and included three alarms, but no bombs, in Helsinki. Many civilians died and many others were injured. At least 10 were killed at Savonlinna, island town in Komonselka Lake 80 miles north of Viipuri, which Finns said was defenseless. Dozens of fires devas tated the town, site of the medieval fortress of Olavi, hitherto one of the oest preserved relics in North ern Europe. Fires were reported to have raged far into last night after five attacks on Riihimaaki, 40 miles north of Helsinki. Repeated raids by fleets ranging from 50 to 80 planes were made on Kuovola, but details of casualties there and at Riihimaaki were not known. One person was killed at Turku, much-bombed Gulf of Bothnia port; two at the little village of Inkeroinen and one at Hamina. Defense planes prevented a bombing of Kaajani by 64 Russian craft. Two Finnish notes to the League of Nations charged last night that Russia had violated the rules ‘‘even for this kind of war” in seven ways: Bombardment and machine-gun ning of civilian areas outside the ^fighting zone, “misuse of the flag of truce’’ to break up Finnish at tacks and then.counterattack “im mediately afterward,” shelling and bombing of hospitals and refugees, use of incendiary bombs outside the war zone, bombardments of the neutralized Aland Islands, declara tion of a blockade without ability to enforce it, use of explosive ma chine gun and rifle bullets. The Finnish withdrawal to strong, prepared positions from the Bay of Viipuri east to the Vuoksi River was gradual and from the river to Taipale, at the eastern end of the Mannerheim Line, the Finns said they still held their original line. In three months, therefore, the Russians have advanced in Karelia about 38 miles in the western sector and about 12 ifriles in the east, mostly during the heavy offensive of the past month. Watch the road. Inattention Is the caose of many accidents. Studebaker Favors 1 Controversial Topics Discussed in Schools Education Head Debates Issue With Western Educator By the Associated Press. ST. LOUIS, March 1.—Should controversial subjects be discussed In the schools? No, said C. Harold Caulfield, president of San Francisco's Board of Education. Yes, said United States Commissioner of Education John W. Studebaker, in debating the subject last night (on the Town Meeting of the Air radio program) at the concluding session of the convention of the American Associa tion of School Administrators. Favors Developing Habits First. Mr. Caulfield declared he would prepare children for controversial discussions \ater in life by develop ing their habits of thbught and rea soning and by giving them a basic knowledge of the principles behind economic, political and social problems. “Shall we throw our children into the maelstrom of controversial life before teaching them the bare es sentials and before they can dis tinguish between fact and propa ganda?” he asked. Mr. Studebaker asserted he ac cepted “the maxim in education that we learn a skill or habit or develop an ability by practicing it.” “The most practical and workable means of teaching youth to discuss controversial issues,” he said, "is to give them well-guided practice in the discussion of the controversies most interesting to them and most appropriate to their respective age levels.” Warns of Propaganda. Mr. Studebaker asserted a teach er who handled questions of in terpretation and controversial sub jects as if there were but one opin ion is "a propagandist, an authori tarian’’ and "is engaged in the proc ess of indoctrination, of dictating conclusions.” "That is a good way to stifle in itiative and imagination,” the char acteristics which have made Amer ica gr|at,” he added. Mr. Caulfield declared, however, "The root of the American system” would be attacked by involving youngsters in the welter of problems of present-day social and political life, and said bringing controversy into the school would bring with it propaganda. Mr. Studebaker replied propagana in the schools could "best” be an swered by “helping pupils to com pare the propagandas" and by en couraging "critical thinking on the part of students.” r 1 1 -- Cotton Broker Lauds Program of Trade Agreements Clayton Says Policy Has Helped Growers And Dealers Br tht Auoclstcd Preu. W. L. Clayton, Houston cotton broker, testified today that abandon ment of the administration's trade agreements program would be “a step backward” toward closing the markets of world trade. Representing the American Cot ton Shippers’ Association, the Texan told the Senate Finance Committee it was his opinion that the program provided a “modest effort” to keep alive the principle of International division of labor with resulting free exchange of goods between countries. He said reciprocity had helped cotton growers and dealers by in creasing the world shipments of goods to this country, thus provid ing other nations with funds to purchase cotton here. He added, however, the European war had caused foreign buyers of cotton to turn more and more to other nations for their purchases, because they could effect an ex change of goods with those nations, whereas they must liquidate their securities to buy needed war mate rials in this country. \ andenberg Agrees. Senator Vandenberg, Republican, of Michigan said he agreed with Mr. Clayton that unimpeded exchange of world goods should be promoted, but said he did not want this country to be the only one re taining the ideal while others adopted methods of blocked ex change and barter. *'I want to be an idealist and keep these principles alive, but I don't want to be a sucker,” Senator Van denberg said. He asked Mr. Clay ton whether he thought the close of the war would find this country left standing alone. “When the war ends it’s either ijoing to be a totalitarian or a Demo cratic world,” Mr. Clayton replied. "If it's totalitarian, the barter prin cipal will prevail. If it's Democratic, I thing it means going back to a fairly free exchange of goods.” Oscar Johnston of Memphis, president of the National Cotton Council, also indorsed the trade agreements program, which is up for consideration as to whether Con gress should extend it for three years. Opposed by Capper. In a statement issued through the Republican National Committee, Senator Capper of Kansas declared himself opposed to the trade pro gram on a basis of his conviction —— that It “will work ruin if continued." 1 - While six witnesses, divided in * <* sympathies, appeared yesterday be fore the Senate Finance Committee rt considering the trade pacts exten-' f ' sion bill, Senator Brown, Democrat, of Michigan, proponent of the pro- — gram, was preparing for possible,; introduction an amendment pro viding that unless both Houses adopted a resolution disapproving a trade agreement with another nation, it would become operative within a specified time. Opponents want to require Sen ate approval of each pact. The House rejected such a provision, but * Senator Brown predicted the Senate committee would be closely divided on the question. German 'Peace Terms' Published in Britain By the Associated Press. LONDON, March 1.—A document purporting to embody German peace terms was published today by the British press, which described it as “amazing” and "dubious.” , * The Daily Herald said official* were unable to regard it as a gen uine peace offer from Germany. It said the document was sponsored , by the British Council for Christian Settlement in Europe, was supposed to have come through the German Minister in Dublin, and contained the following terms: Agreement by Germany to an in dependent “reconstructed” Poland: freitfcm for reconstituted Czech and Slonx states: general disarmament: membership in a reformed League of Nations: return of all or some of Germany’s former colonies or some other method of providing Germany with adequate raw ma terials. Horse Racing Is Opposed By Southwest Council The Southwest Neighborhood Council yesterday voted its opposi tion to a congressional bill to legal ize horse racing in the District and also to the proposed child labor law amendment which would permit children to appear on the stage in Washington at night. * The council, which met at Barney Neighborhood House, 470 N street S.W., went on record in favor of a menal hygiene clinic for the Dis trict Health Department. Three church leaders who took part in a panel discussion of "The Relation of the Churches to the Southwest Area" were the Rev. John L. Mixon, director of social welfare, Washington Federation of Churches; the Rev. Richard T. Scholl, pastor of Gorsuch Methodist Church, and the Rev. Harry V. Porter, pastor of - Westminster Presbyterian Church. Watch the road. Inattention is the cause of many accidents. .. 1 I S-’ ? ?j . i i . E A-Genuinewatersnoke Beige . and brown..Or navy and light blue. Or patriotic red, white and blue. B-Genuine watertnake pump of beautiful beige ekin*. ■u C-Gonuine Java ring lizard or gpnuino baby python. Spar kling black patont loathor trim. 6-Go nuino boigo irmino snako tandal. Al*o in paztol bluo. E-High-riding pump of gon uino boigo watorsnako with boigo gabardino. ' ! ' 1 I