Evening star. [volume], June 09, 1940, Page B-4, Image 20

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

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F. C. C. Acts to Curb
Possible Radio Use
By'Fifth Columnists'
Steps Being Taken to
Revise Forms for
Operator Applications
By WILLIAM J. WHEATLEY.
Concern over possible use of the
radio for "fifth column" activities
in this country has moved the Fed
eral Communications Commission to
Initiate plans for blocking such ac
tivities. Its program includes a
study of international broadcasts
beamed at foreign countries and
broadcasts from foreign stations into
the United States.
It also was learned last night that
steps are being taken to revise the
application forms for radio operator
licenses, both commercial and ama
teur, to require definite proof of
citizenship, rather than the mere
statement to that effect required by
the present forms. Commercial
operators on shore and on ship
board, it was pointed out, are in a
position to transmit information
in code to foreign agents and there
fore there should be more definite
proof as to their citizenship claims.
“Fifth columnists,” it was pointed
out, would undoubtedly be willing
to swear they were citizens. Even
if they were later found to be aliens,
it is doubtful if they could be found
for indictment for perjury.
Warning Is Issued.
The commission yesterday took
another step to block possible "fifth
column” communications when it
issued a sharp warning to all United
States radio operators and ship
station licensees that superfluous,
unnecessary and unidentified com
munications from ship stations to
other ships or to shore stations will
not be tolerated, and added that
violations in this respect will be
Vigorously prosecuted.
Both the general radio regulations
annexed to the International Tele
communcations Convention, adopt
ed at Madrid in 1932 and the Com
munications Act of 1934 specifiically
prohibit the transmission of such
communcations. Moreover, the com
mission announced, both the inter
national regulations and the Com
munications Act place the radio
service of a ship under the supreme
authority of the master. This was
taken as an indication that ship
masters must keep a more stringent
check on radio transmissions and re
ceptions or suffer the penalties,
along with their radio operators, for
violations.
International broadcast stations,
licensed to broadcast to particular
countries, usually use foreign an
nouncers because of their linguist
ability. Although the broadcasting
companies check closely on such an
nouncers. the questoin has been
raised as to whether veiled messages
might be sent. These broadcasts
could be checked by the commission’s
monitoring stations, and it has been
suggested that recordings be made
of such broadcasts so there would
be a permanent record to be check
ed by governmental agents.
Problem of Reception.
One of the serious communica
tions problems, which at this time
appears to be insurmountable, Is
the reception of broadcasts in this
country from foreign stations, many
of which are believed to contain hid
den messages to “fifth columnists”
in this country. The only way of
checking this is for close observa
tion by Federal and local authori
ties of activities of individuals fol
lowing such broadcasts.
Another problem is that of for
eign language broadcasts over do
mestic stations. These are per
med and it is realized that mes
sages to large groups of foreign
listeners could be carried by using
a language code, which would
mean nothing to the casual listener,
but would contain orders to those
with the code key. .
In planning a more thorough
check on radio operator's licenses,
the F. C. C. is comparing present
application forms with application
blanks of the Bureau of Marine
Inspection and Navigation for sea
men and officers of ships. In order
to obtain a seaman’s certificate the
applicant not only must certify that
he is a citizen, but must furnish
proof in the way of a birth certifi
cate, baptismal certificate or dis
charge from the Army and Navy,
must furnish a picture to be at
tached to the records in the bureau
and to the certificate and also fin
gerprints.
It was indicated this system un
doubtedly would be used in appli
cations for radio operator licenses.
These licenses are for periods of
three years each, so the commis
sion soon would be able to get a
thorough check, even If it did not
call for a complete relicensing in
order to obtain proofs of citizenship
in all cases.
The prohibition in the communi
cations statute against the com
mission’s censoring or in any way
interfering with programs is re
garded now as one of the obstacles 1
in Its efforts to dig into the “fifth
columnist” problem. If the F. C. C.
should undertake to order a sta
tion not to have a foreign language
broadcast or to say w’hat should be
broadcast to foreign countries, it
would undoubtedly be faced with
the cry’ of censorship.
Police Probing Theft Seize
Seven on Lottery Charges
Six colored men and a white man
were arrested on charges of con
spiracy to operate a lottery yes
terday afternoon after detectives,
Investigating a robbery, noticed a
suspicious character emerge from
what appeared to be a grocery store
In the 2800 block of Georgia avenue.
Sergts. A. S. Bradford and Ar
thur Fredette of No. 10 precinct
saw a colored youth leave the store
with what appeared to be numbers
slips. They entered the place and
found it crowded with persons,
many of whom fled.
Those arrested and held under
$1,500 bond on the conspiracy charge
were Willie R. Pridgen, 39, of the
600 block of New Jersey avenue
N.W.; William Mitchell. 32, of the
2900 block of Georgia avenue N.W.:
Elbert R. Holmes, 52, of the 3300
block of Sherman avenue N.W.:
Exton T. Frazier. 36. of the 700
block of Hobart street N.W.; Thomas
W. Thompson, 58, of the 1500
block of Columbia road N.W.: Wil
liam W. Ricks, 26. of the 2900 block
of Elvans road S.E.. all colored, and
Pat D. Hogan. 28, of the 900 block
of Twentieth street N.W.
The detectives said a few gro
ceries and signs in the place were
only a ''front.” The officers report
ed seizure of $130 and a quantity
of numbers slips.
A
I
Japanese Claim Capture
Of Shasi, Yangtze Port
By the Associated Press.
SHANGHAI, June 9 (Sunday).—
Japanese military authorities today
claimed capture of Shasi, important
Yangtze River treaty port west of
Hankow.
Capture of Shasi was regarded as
a major gain in the drive on Ichang,
another port on the Yangtze which
is the principal present objective
of the campaign In Western Hupeh
Province.
Two Seriously Hurt
in D. C. Traffic
Accidents
Boy, 6, Is Injured in
Collision; Bicyclist
Knocked Down by Car
Two persons were seriously hurt
in traffic accidents here yesterday
afternoon and two children received
lesser injuries.
Marvin M. Dearstine, 18, of Blad
ensburg, Md., suffered internal in
juries when a coal truck on which he
was a helper pinned him against a
house in the 5800 block of Eastern
avenue N.E. His condition was de
scribed as undertermined at Casu
alty Hospital.
Run over by a truck while at work
at the District incinerator at Second
and N streets S.E., Ernest Griffith,
49, colored, an employe of the City
Refuse Department, was admitted to
Providence Hospital, where he was
treated for a crushed chest. His con
dition was serious.
Six-year-old Hampton Murphy,
colored, of 624 B street S.E. was
thrown from an automobile yester
day afternoon in a collision at Sev
enth and A streets S.E. He was
treated at Casualty Hospital for a
broken collar bone and a lacerated
tongue.
William J. Kellinger, 13, of 4508
Iowa avenue N.W., suffered cuts and
bruises when knocked from his bicy
cle by an automobile in the 1100
block of Allison street N.W. He was
treated at Garfield Hospital.
A pedestrian believed to be
Willie B. Berry, an Army private
stationed at Port Belvoir, was struck
by a hit-and-run motorist at Duke
street and Diagonal road in Alex
andria, Va„ last night. He was
taken to Alexandria Hospital, where
it was said he had leg injuries. His
condition was not considered serious.
Ten persons were injured, none
seriously, when a southbound bus
of the Virginia Stage Coach Lines
ran off U. S. route 1, 11 miles north
of Fredericksburg, Va„ yesterday,
the Associated Press reported.
All were treated at Mary Wash
ington Hospital in Fredericksburg
and later released with the excep
tion of Willie Walker, 22, colored, of
Arlington, who suffered an injury
to his right shoulder and foot.
Lord Lothian Sees
Need for Unity
By the Associated Pre«*.
- WASHINGTON, Pa.,. June 8.—
The task before the democratic
world today “is to set our own dem
ocratic house in order,” Philip
Henry Kerr, Marquis of Lothian
and British Ambassador to the
United States, said here tonight.
A commencement speaker at
Washington and Jefferson College,
he received the honorary degree of
Doctor of Laws.
"The democratic world is suffer
ing from the moral and other sick
nesses which always arise from
selfishness,” he said.
"If we could overcome the weak
nesses of our own liberal and dem
ocratic world, so that it offered
to the rest of the world a spectacle
of unit, order and peace, of equal
work and sound prosperity for all,
of private freedom balanced by uni
versal public service, totalitarianism
would soon be conquered, not by
war, but by example.”
Lord Lothian said in an inter
view that arms and materials from
America "will mean the difference
between winning and losing” for
the Allies.
“We lost most of our equipment
in the Flanders drive,” he con
tinued. “We rescued our mer, but
left our war machinery behind.”
British soldiers will have to be
rested and refurnished with tanks,
guns and artillery before they could
be returned to French battlefields,
he said.
Discussing the possibility of
Italy's entering the war, he said
“ _ reference to Premier Musso’ini:
"He’s told us he’s going to come
in. But I think he's awaiting the
outcome of the present battle. If
the French win, it might deter
him.”
He expressed belief that “Hitler
now will try to finish France before
turning to invade England.”
Yankee Clipper Takes Off
After Being Forced Back
Ej the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, June 8.—Forced back
by headwinds on its first start, the
Pan-American Airways Yankee Clip
per left for Europe again late today
with 14 passengers and 3,421 pounds
of mail.
The plane took off Friday after
noon. but turned back 835 miles out.
Although 21 passengers were
aboard when the plane returned
early today, an increased mail load
totaling 3,421 pounds forced seven
to await the Atlantic Clipper, which
leaves tomorrow.
Among those who departed were
Rear Admiral David M. Le Breton,
to take charge of the European
squadron of the United States Navy
at Lisbon, Portugal, and Gen. Ste
fano Cagna, director of civil avia
tion in Italy.
Palestine is unable to export its
big crop of oranges.
SWAT THE FLY
Take advantage of an early
start by an aggressive war on
the fly at the beginning of the
seoson.
The Star has for free dis
tribution wire-handl* fly swat
ters.
Ask for one at the main
office of—
®f)t &tar
11H> end P«. Avt. H.W.
Programs Friday
To Climax Observance
Marking Flag Week
Senators Will Speak
At Two of Exercises
Scheduled Here
To promote national unity and the
ideals ■ embodied in the Stars and
Stripes, Washington will Join the
Nation Friday in celebration of Flag
Day.
Many of the city's patriotic or
ganizations have planned elaborate
programs to mark the day, and
several members of Congress will be
among the speakers.
The activities will climax Flag
Week, which began yesterday under
the sponsorship of the United States
Flag Association. In a prepared
statement, Col. James A. Moss, presi
dent general of the association,
called on the American people to
display flags in homes and other
suitable places, “thereby giving pub
lic expression of our love of our
country, our allegiance to its glorious
banner and our determination to
guard and defend now and always
the ideals and Institutions of Ameri
can democracy for which that ban
ner stands.”
The Governors of 35 States have
issued Flag Week proclamations and
mayors of 500 towns and cities have
appointed special committees to
handle the celebrations.
Exercises Here.
In the District, the Woman's Re
lief Corps, auxiliary of the Grand
Army of the Republic, will sponsor
exercises at 8 p.m. Friday at the
east front of the Capitol. Senator
Capper of Kansas will be the princi
pal speaker.
Mrs. Addie Wheeler Hickman,
patriotic instructor of the corps,
will lead the pledge of allegiance
to the flag. The Rev. Howard E.
Snyder, department chaplain of
the American Legion, will pro
nounce the invocation and bene
diction.
More than 1.000 school children
will parade down Constitution ave
nue from Seventh street to the
Departmental Auditorium, at ll
am. to open the exercises sponsored
by the Department of Labor Post
No. 42 of the American Legion,
assisted by the National Guard of
Honor.
Senator Gillette to Speak.
The principal address will be
delivered by Senator Gillette of
Iowa. The guests will be welcomed
by Robert L. Duvall, commander
of the Labor Department post.
Another feature of the program
will be a solo by Mrs. Mildred M.
Gardner. Among the guests will
be William T. Slattery, commander
of the District department of the
Legion, and commanders of other
Legion posts in the city. The in
vocation will be pronounced by the
Rev. Francis E. Garner, and the
benediction by the Rev. John C.
Palmer. Labor Department em
ployes will be excused from the
duties to attend the exercises.
Employes of the Justice Depart
ment also will be excused from
work at 4 p.m. to attend the exer
cises in the department’s Great
Sail, sponsored by the Justice Post
Ko. 41 of the American Legion.
Federal Security Administrator
McNutt will be the speaker.
Lewis and Wheeler Talk
On Defense Problems
By th« Associated Press.
John L. Lewis, C. I. O. chieftain,
conferred yesterday with Senator'
Wheeler, Democrat, of Montana.
Senator Wheeler declined to com
ment on the conference other than
to say that Mr. Lewis expressed him
self as “wholeheartedly” for neces
sary defense appropriations, but
urged that no steps be taken that
might tend to involve the United
States in war.
Mr. Lewis has been represented as
opposing some recent efforts of the
Roosevelt administration to aid the
Allies, and was said to have told
friends he might support a Republi
can for President if the party con
vention in Philadelphia this month
takes a strong stand against Ameri
can involvement in the European
war.
Senator Wheeler was invited to
address the C. I. O. convention last
spring and Mr. Lewis has indicated
that he would like to see the Mon
tanan receive the Democratic presi
dential nomination.
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Preparations for Opening
Camp Letts Nearly Done
Preparations are nearing comple
tion for opening Camp Letts, thy
Y. M. C. A. boys’ camp on the Rhodes
River near Annapolis, June 24.
A camping program is being ar
ranged by R. H. Gaber, boys’ work
director at the Central Young
Men’s Christian Association, who
will be this year’s camp director.
Bicycling, special motion pictures
and a two-day Ashing cruise on a
three-masted schooner are among
new activities planned.
As a preliminary to the opening,
approximately 40 boys left yesterday
for a week end at the camp, under
the heading of the annual senior
boys’ trip there. In the group are
members of the newly organized
Hi-Y Council, members of the Sen
ior Boys’ Council and the officers of
the Cleveland Park branch of the
Y. M, C. A. During the week-end
trip the Hl-Y group la to elect four
delegates to represent this city at
the National Hl-Y Congress to be
held in Overlln, Ohio, June 21, 22
and 23.
The season will be the 34th con
secutive one of the camp, named for
the late John Cowen Letts, its prin
cipal benefactor.
Assisting Mr. Gaber, the camp
director, will be Palmer Rutherford,
director of athletics at the Abing
don (Va.) High School, associate
director, while Bruce Etchiaon, sec
retary of the Cleveland Park Y. M.
C. A. branch, will be junior program
director. Others on the staff include
Robert Douglas, William and Mary
College athlete, who will be water
front director, having charge of
swimming Instruction, etc.; Robert
Hurley, Maryland University, who
will coach baseball.
Lecture Series Closes
The Rev. Joseph V. Buckley, pas
tor of St. Francis Xavier’s Church,
was the principal speaker at the an
nual luncheon of the Literary Com
mittee of the Washington Sodality
Union yesterday at the Gordon
Hotel. The meeting marked the
close of the lecture series sponsored
by the group during the past year.
Miss Mary F. Walsh, chairman,
presided.
Make Yourself Comfortable
This Summer
Coot, colorful Summer Furniture is so really in
. expensive that you can make yourself luxuriously
comfortable for a very little outlay. The pieces
pictured here are merely suggestive of dozens and
dozens of delightful pieces in our Summer Furniture
display. Make your selections tomorrow and get
the full season's benefit from your Summer Furniture.
{Summer Rugs
Temptingly Priced
LOUNGE . • . white enamel with
spring mattress and 3 pillows . . .
rust or blue piped in white . . .
adjustable head .-*49”
EXTENSION CHAIR . .
stick rattan with wineberry
color seat and back
* pod_$19.50
TABLE. . . wh ite finish . . . glass
top 36x36 inches_$19.75
SIDE CHAIR . • . white, green
pad _ $6.85 '
ARM CHAIR • • . white with
pad _$7.95
Rattan Arm Chair, $7.95
Stick rattan in natural with seat pad
. . . a comfortable chair.
.. — -
LAWN CHAIR ...
white enomel with
green enamel J
curved seat and
bock or blue seat
and back, very
comfortable, 57.95
LAWN CHAIR ... a smart chair in
enamel . . . colors—green, white,
natural or dubonnet_ .$5.95
SUN TAN LOUNGE . . .
rubber tired wheels . . . ad
justable back, blue or green
fabricoid, tufted_$16.75
SUN TAN LOUNGE
' . . . adjustable back
. . . heavy awning I
stripe . . . rubber ^
tired wheels, $13.95
GLIDER . . . an attractive
coil spring model with
removable seat and back
cushions . . . water re
pellent fabrics_$26.75
Chinese Peel Choir $3.95
A comfortable arm chair, light
and cool for porch, sun room
or lawn. Many others shown.
USE YOUR
CHARGE ACCOUNT
METAL CHAIR . . . high
back, sea shell design,
contrasting frame and arm
rests.....$4.95
MAYER <& CO.
Seventh Street Between D and E
HOUSE OF LIFETIME FURNITURE