Evening star. [volume], August 06, 1940, Image 1

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

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Weather Forecast #
Local 6howers and thunderstorms this From Press to Home I
afternoon and tonight; tomorrow, gen- , ,,
erally fair and cooler. Temperatures Within the HOUT
today—Highest, 89, at 2 p.m.; low
est, 75, at 4 a.m. Most people in Washington have The
From the United States Weather Bureau report. Star delivered to their homes every
Full details on Page A-2. \ evening and Sunday morning.
Closing N, Y. MorkcH-Soles, Poge 16._ <*>) M..„. As.oci.t.d Pr...,
88th YEAR. No. 35,161._WASHINGTON, D. C., TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 1940—THIRTY-FOUR PAGES. *** THREE CENTS.
Belgium Facing
Winter Famine,
Cudahy Warns
: Must Receive Food
By Mid-September,
I He Says in London
*
th* Associated Press.
LONDON. Aug. 6.—John Cudahy,
• United States Ambassador to Bel
gium, declared today that unless
supplies of food from America
reach Belgium by mid-September,
people will be reduced to a condition
"close to famine.”
Mr. Cudahy said he would present
the situation when he returns to the
United States next week and
further present "the reality of deal
ing with force as the only power.”
- The Ambassador declined to
amplify this remark, leaving some
of his hearers with the impression
that he meant the United States
must be prepared to deal economi
cally and politically with Germany
as the dominant power on the conti
nent of Europe.
“When the truth is known about
King Leopold (of the Belgians),” he
said, “his decision to surrender will
not only be accepted but will be ap
plauded.”
It was recalled that during and
' after the World War the American
Relief Administration, under Herbert
Hoover, spent a total of $695,000,000
to prevent starvation in Belgium.
British Bar Shipments.
Mr. Cudahy declared the question
of United States supplies of food was
“academic" until “Britain knows
Where she stands.”
He said he understood the Min
istry of Economic Warfare at pres
ent would refuse to allow any sup
plies of food to reach the Belgians.
"Their situation is very, very se
rious,” he said. "Belgium imports
*75 per cent of her wheat. Present
supplies, with severe rationing—225
grams, or half a pound, of bread per
person per day—will last until Sep
tember 1, or at best until early Octo
ber.
“If you gentlemen think the con
tinent Is a howling hell now, what
do you think it will be this winter?”
The diplomat declared, “I knew of
not one authentic atrocity com
mitted by the German Army in Bel
gium. The Germans behaved them
selves with great restraint.”
Grim Picture of Belgium.
His picture of the industrial and
•gricultural conditions in Belgium
was grim.
“All industry has stopped. Thou
sands upon thousands of people left
the country and there are still more
* than 2,500,000 Belgians somewhere in
Prance.
“In their homeland harvests are
rotting in the sun.”
Comparing World War feeding of
• Belgium with the present situation.
Mr. Cudahy said German possession
of Channel ports “changes the sit
uation entirely.”
“I traveled constantly throughout
Belgium until the diplomatic corps
was dismissed by the Germans on
July 15,” Mr. Cudahy said. “Every
where I asked people if they had
been ill-treated. All said no, no
pillaging, no shooting of civilians.
I was a soldier in the last war and I
think these Germans behaved bet
ter than United States soldiers
would have done.”
Mr. Cudahy said he had many
talks with the German military gov
ernor and there was no basis for ne
gotiation on the problem of feeding
the Belgians “as yet.”
“The Germans told me they were
prepared to feed their armies from
Germany, but they were quite frank
in saying that if their lines of com
munication were disrupted, they
would expect to live off the coun
try,” Mr. Cudahy added.
Leopold War Prisoner.
King Leopold, Mr. Cudahy said, is
a prisoner of war in the summer
palace outside Brussels, having been
transferred there after “asking for
a simpler place to live.”
“I saw him just before I left. I
feel we should try and see both sides
of his predicament, not judge harsh
ly on insufficient facts.
“Put yourself in his place. He
commanded an army of half a mil
lion men which intermingled with
as many panic-stricken refugees.
He was haunted by the thought that
each hour he continued the resist
ance it meant death not only to his
soldiers but to those helpless people.
“Faced by the prospect of this
sacrifice ol human life, he had no
other choice.”
Mr. Cudahy declared the Germans
were “very confident” they could
successfully invade Britain. The
Belgians, he said, “know a British
victory is their only hope of salva
tion”
Wall Street Law Firm
To Hire President's Son
By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, Aug. 6.—Franklin
D. Roosevelt, jr„ 26-year-old son of
the President, has landed a job in
the Wall Street law firm headed by
Eugene L. Garey, who says he’s no
New Dealer.
. “After all,” said Mr. Garey, “the
kid wants to be a lawyer and we’re
not going to treat him any differ
ent from anybody else. He’ll have
to run errands and do everything
else that the job implies.
“Give him a year in the office and
I’ll tell you whether he’s going to
be a lawyer or not.’*
38-Year-Old Bridge,
Never Used, Demolished
By th» Associated Press.
STANLEY, Kans., Aug. 6.—The
“lost bridge”—never crossed by a
vehicle since it was built 38 years
ago—finally has been demolished
by workmen.
The bridge was constructed to
fulfill requirements of a rural mail
route but because a township board
feared the span would divert traffic
from a nearby main highway, ap
• proaches to the structure never were
built.
- Instead traffic used a nearby ford,
to cross the river.
British Somaliland Invaded
By Italians, English Report
Three Columns Are Declared Advancing;
Rome Claims Troops Enter Egypt
BULLETIN.
LONDON—British sources ex
pressed belief today that Pre
mier Mussolini has mobilized an
Italian army of 500,000 in Africa
in preparation for a major drive
against Egypt.
By the Associated Press. *
CAIRO, Egypt, Aug. 6.—Italian
forces have begun an invasion of
British Somaliland with three col
umns driving into that little British
possession adjoining Ethiopia, a
British communique reported today
British Somaliland, 68,000 square
miles in area and with a population
of 345.000, is wedged between Ethi
opia and Italian Somaliland, and
fronts on the Gulf of Aden.
(Italian forces already have
driven into another British pos
session. Kenya colony, from
Ethiopia, and the Italian com
munique today reported another
force had penetrated Egypt from
Libya.)
Today's communique said:
“The invasion of British Somali
land began August 4. The enemy
is operating in three columns, one
moving on Oadweina (near the
Ethiopian border), one on Hargeisa
(just west of Oadweina) and one
from Jire toward Gargara.
“Our land forces are organized
to resist these advances in spite of
the collapse of French Somaliland
(to the northwest).
“On other fronts, nothing to re
port.”
Italians Enter Egypt.
ROME, Aug. 6 (/P).—An advance of
Italian troops into Egypt from Libya
was reported by the high command
today.
Officials said the vanguard of
Italian troops put British forces to
flight after crossing the frontier
into Egypt from Cirenaica.
Two tanks were captured and two
others destroyed, the communique
added.
It said merely that the Italian
soldiers had penetrated “beyond”
the border in North Africa, but did
not mention either where, to what
extent or in what force.
(Authoritative sources in Lon
don said Friday that information
had been received that "a con
siderable force of Italians was
concentrated in North Africa and
was gradually advancing’’ toward
the Egyptian frontier with field
and anti-tank artillery.)
The communique reported one
Italian and one British plane lost
in African air operations.
Today’s communique said:
“In the course of armed recon
naissance over Malta our fighters
engaged enemy fighters in combat
(See ROME7 Page A-2.)
Willkie Will Keep
All Farmers' Benefits;
Favors Present Plan
Efforts to Create New
Jobs in Cities Also
Pledged in Statement
By J. A. O’LEARY,
Star Staff Correspondent.
DES MOINES, Iowa. Aug. 6 —
Wendell L. Willkie promised the
farmers today that if elected Presi
dent he “will not take away any
of the benefits gained by agricul
ture during the past few years.”
Shortly before he left by plane
to return to his vacation retreat at
Colorado Springs, the Republican
nominee made this definite pledge
in a formal statement:
“I do not favor changing the
present farm program unless a bet
ter one is gradually evolved. In
Edition, I recognize, as farm lead
ers have recognized, that the wel
fare of agriculture requires indus
trial recovery, too. I shall, there
fore, exert myself to the utmost
as President to create new jobs m
the cities and thereby produce more
purchasing power for American
farm products.”
His statement accords in general
terms with the farm plank platform
of the party platform, but observers
expect him to elaborate on the
question in his acceptance speech.
Blasts at Machine Politics.
Meanwhile, Mr. Willkie skillfully
sought last night to draw a line
of cleavage between Edward J.
Flynn, new chairman of the Demo
cratic National Committee, and re
tiring Chairman Farley.
He fired back without hesita
tion at the statement of Chairman
Flynn in New York, that Mr.
Willkie was once a member of a
Tammany district club and had run
for county committeeman on the
same ticket with Mr. Farley.
Mr. Willkie said:
"As a matter of fact, I did run on
the ticket for county committeeman
in 1935 with Mr. Farley, for whom
I have a great admiration and af
fection. But Mr. Flynn is not Mr.
Farley. I notice that Frank Hague
(mayor of Jersey City), who sought
to deprive the people of their civil
liberties, says Flynn is a great pal of
his. I have no doubt at all that
Flynn will work in perfect co
operation with Hague, the Kelly
Nash and all other machines. For
the type of campaign the Democrats
intend to run, he is a perfect selec
tion.”
Decentralized Industry Urged.
For eight hours yesterday the
dynamic Republican nominee moved
from one gathering to another, with
a succession of brief talks, the high
lights of which were:
A plea to decentralize industrial
development, particularly in build
ing up national defense, in order to
bring back to small towns their just
share of American industrialization.
An assertion that the downfall of
France was caused by the adoption
of "the candy-stick theory of gov
ernment.”
He also struck a blow at the third
term issue by telling a luncheon of
(See WILKIE, Page A-3.)
Streicher Out of Favor,
But Still Lives, Say Nazis
Bj the Associated Press.
BERLIN, Aug. 6.—German au
thorities said today that Julius
Streicher was in perfect health on
his farm, Bleikertshof, near Nurn
berg.
They made their statement in
comment on a London report that
Streicher governor of Franconiad
was dead.
The report was published by
Reuters, British news agency, in a
dispatch dated "The German Fron
tier.” Reuters attributed its infor
mation to “a well-informed source
in Germany.”
Streicher, it became known, was
relieved some time ago of his duties
as Gauleiter (Nazi party district
leader) for Franconia, but his name
still appears in the masthead of
Der Stuermer, Jew-baiting weekly.
The reasons for his suspension
from the position of Gauleiter were
not disclosed.
1
Little Opposition
To Guard Training
Measure Expected
Wheeler Won't Fight It;
Approval Without
Delay Held Likely
BULLETIN.
The House Military Affairs
Committee voted, 11 to 10, this
afternoon against continuing
further public hearings on the
Burke - Wadsworth conscription
bill. The committee postponed
consideration of the measure,
pending action on giving Presi
dent Roosevelt authorization to
call out the National Guard and
Reserve units.
By ROBERT BRUSKIN.
Opposition for authorizing Presi
dent Roosevelt to order out the Na
tional Guard and Reserve com
ponents appeared negligible in the
Senate today although conscription
opponents repeatedly directed their
ire at the Burke-Wadsworth com
pulsory training bill.
The conscription measure, ap
proved yesterday by the Senate
Military Affairs Committee by a
vote of 13 to 3, was brought con
stantly to the forefront in debate
on the Guard measure.
Meanwhile, the House Military Af
fairs Committee began closed de
liberations on the conscription bill,
but it was expected more than a
week would be required before its
report would be made. Numerous
amendments which would curtail
compulsory training as contem
plated in the Senate committee-ap
proved bill have been offered.
Number Affected.
The Guard authorization would
give a year's intensive field training
to about 242,000 National Guards
men, 116,000 Reserve officers and
about 50,000 Reserve enlisted men.
Only 55,000 Guardsmen would be
summoned immediately, probably by
September 1. About 10,000 Reserve
officers have already volunteered for
a year of duty and are commanding
85 per cent of the Regular Army’s
platoons
Senator Wheeler, Democrat, of
Montana, unofficial opposition
leader to peacetime conscription,
said he saw no objection to the
Guard authorization.
Quick Approval Expected.
The measure is expected to be ap
proved with little delay. Gen.
George C. Marshall, Army chief of
staff, declared last jiight in a broad
cast that Congress' “loss of time” in
providing legislation to increase
man power "is a constantly growing
embarrassment to the War Depart
ment.”
"We must train men immediately
against the possibilities of the next
few months, which may be the most
critical in the history of this coun
try,” Gen. Marshall Earned.
“Ordering the National Guard to
active duty and the passage of some
~(Se«rCONSCRIPTION, Page A-3.)
Hull Urges U. S.
To Arm to Meet
t
Any Threat
Calls on People for
Sacrifice and "Hard
Personal Service"
(Text of Mr. Hull's statement
on Page A-4.)
By the Associated Press.
Secretary of State Hull called on
the American people today for in
dividual sacrifice and ‘‘hard per
sonal service-’ to help keep the Na
tio* at peace.
Without mentioning specifically
the controversial question of con
scription he counselled against com
placency “in the face of terrific
problems and conditions’’ and de
clared :
“The one and only sure way for
our Nation to avoid being drawn
into serious trouble or actual war
* * * is four our people to be
come thoroughly conscious of the
possibilities of danger, to make up
their minds that we must continue
to arm to such an extent that the
forces of conquest and ruin will not
dare make an attack on us or on
any part of this hemisphere.
"To this end each citizen must be
ready and willing for real sacri
fice of time and of substance and
for hard personal service.
Serious Threats and Dangers.
“In the face of terrific problems
and conditions and until the present
serious threats and dangers have
disappeared we cannot pursue com
placently the course of our custom
ary normal life."
Secretary Hull’s views were ex
pressed in a statement prepared
before he left for a West Virginia
Mountain resort to rest from his
work at the Havana Conference of
American Foreign Ministers, which
ended last week.
At Havana, Mr. Hull said, it was
"agreed that full and adequate
preparations for continental defence
could not be taken too soon if the
threatened danger from abroad was
to be checked and terminated.”
There was general agreement also,
he said, that “if the peaceful na
tions of Europe had thus promptly
organized themselves for self-de
fense on the most effective co-opera
tive basis, the chances are that their
situation and that of Europe would
be vastly different today.”
The vast forces of lawlessness,
conquest and destruction are still
moving across the earth like a sav
age and dangerous animal at
large." Mr. Hull'a statement con
tinued. “By their very nature,
those forces will not stop unless
and until they recognize that there
exists unbreakable resistance.
“At Havana we forged new in
strumentalities of continental de
fense. These will be of vast im
portance to our Nation and to
every American nation.”
The conference adopted a reso
lution providing that an act of ag
gression by a non-American state
against an American state would
be considered an act against all the
countries signing the declaration.
While the resolution came from
Venezuela, it was regarded here as
a possibly useful instrument for
negotiations for United States naval
and air bases in strategic Latin
American areas.
Mr. Hull’s statement indicated all
possible speed here in carrying out
other measures adopted at Havana,
including those to relieve and
strengthen the economy of Latin
American countries and to check
“fifth column” activities.
Agreement to Go to Senate.
The agreement creating the ma
chinery for provisional control and
administration of European colo
nies in this hemisphere which might
become sources of danger is ex
pected to be submitted shortly to
the Senate for ratification.
Meanwhile, the United States,
acting alone or with other Ameri
can republics, could occupy any of
the colonies at any time under the
“act of Havana.”
While officials would not specu
late on the specific circumstances
under which the United States
might take such action, it was in
dicated that the Government would
await further developments in the
European war.
Parliament to Recess
LONDON, Aug. 6 (^.—Tentative
plans were reported today for
Parliament to recess August 22 for
two or three weeks.
Summary of Today's Star
Page.
Amusements,
B-16
Comics B-14-15
Editorials ...A-8
Finance_A-15
Lost, Found.B-10
Obituary ...A-10
Page.
Radio _B-14
ferial Story __B-7
Society.B-3
Sports,
A-12-13-14
Woman's Page,
B-8
Foreign
Belgium faces famine prospect, Cud
ahy warns. Page A-l
Army marching into Egypt, Italians
report. Page A-l
Montreal Major interned for urging
defiance of draft. Page A-5
Texan ?iven credit by R. A. F. for
victory in dogfight. Page A-5
Rumanians united in opposition to
Tirther cessions. Page A-5
Nazis claim sinking of 657,674 tons of
’ ships in 3 weeks. Page A-7
National.
U. S. mdst arm to avoid attack, Hull
warns. Page A-l
Willkie flies back to Colorado after
Iowa speechmaking. Page A-l
Missouri votes today in hot pri
mary. Page A-Z
Rescuers, take injured woman from
mountain ledge. Page A-5
Broadcasters near showdown on con
trol of popular music. Page A-10
Navy standardizes designs to speed
warship production. Page A-17
Oulf storm heads toward Louisiana
and Texas coasts. Page A-II
*
A .
Washington and Vicinity.
Virginia Governor asks gasoline tax
increase here. Page A-l
Teamster pickets halt work on Social
Security Building. Page A-l
Hearings begin on bill to raise D. C.
gas tax to 3 cents. Page A-l
Judge Pay Bentley confirmed with
out Senate debate. Page B-l
Virginia utilities announce $6,000,000
improvement program. Page B-l
Editorial and Comment
Answers to Questions. Page A-8
Letters to The Star. Page A-8
David Lawrence. Page A-9
Alsop and Kintner. Page A-9
G. Gould Lincoln. Page A-9
Jay Franklin. Page A-9
Maj. George P. Eliot. Page A-9
Sports <
Whitehead’s short no-hitter tops
vets’ fine hurling. PageA-12
Barney Welsh appears cinch to win
District net title. Page A-13
Boy, 9; girl, 14, seek horseshoe
hurling spotlight. Page A-14
Miscellany
Service Orders. Page B-2
Vital Statistics. Page B-2
Nature's Children. PageB-19
Bedtime Story. Page B-14
Letter-Out. Page B-14
Cross-word Puzzle. Page B-18
Winning Contract. Page B-1S
Uncle Ray’s Comer. Page B-18
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SENATE '
MILITARY
AFFAIRS
Committee
I' SHEPPARD.
|l, CHAIRMAN
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ft
Dr. Mann, III With Malaria,
Docks Zoo Cargo at Norfolk
Director in Marine
Hospital on Arrival
From Liberia
By WILLIAM H. SHIPPEN, Jr.,
8t»r Staff Correspondent.
NORFOLK, Va., Aug. 6.—Zoo Di
rector William M. Mann's collecting
expedition from Liberia landed at
the Army base here this morning
from the freighter West Irmo with
a small menagerie of unusual birds,
beasts and reptiles from the West
African bush.
Dr. Mann was landed from quar
antine last night with a malarial
illness for which he was under treat
ment today at Marine Hospital. The
heat and excitement of the long
voyage apparently aggravated an
old ailment contracted years ago
in the jungles of South America.
The expedition leader was taken
ashore in a Coast Guard boat. He
was not believed to be dangerously
ill.
Mrs. Mann, however, sun-tanned
from months in equatorial Africa,
apparently was in the best of health
when the freighter pulled in here
this morning, as was the third mem
ber of the expedition, Ralph Norris,
Zoo keeper, whose wife and 11
year-old son, Ralph, jr., were wait
ing to greet him on the dock.
The freighter brought in a deck
cargo of huge mahogany logs from
West Africa and at least one hold
full of howling, squawking birds
and beasts for the Washington Zoo.
DR. WILLIAM M. MANN.
_—Star Staff Photo.
The sea-battered freighter, on
whose sides was painted a hug#
American flag for protection in'the
war zone, left Monrovia, Liberia, on
July 15 and stopped at Dakar.
Africa, en route. Mrs. Mann told
of the shell-damaged ships at Dakar
in a harbor protected by mines and
a steel harbor net for protection
against submarines.
The war atmosphere at Dakar was
• See EXPEDITION, Page A-6.)
Senate Group to Act;
May Report Labor Law
Changes This Session
Formal Consideration
To Begin Next Tuesday;
Witnesses to Be Heard
Bt the Associated Press.
The Senate Labor Committee
agreed today on a procedure for
handling Wagner Act amendments
which members said would place
them before the Senate this session
“if possible.”
Chairman Thomas, announcing
after today's meeting that formal
consideration would start next
Tuesday, said some committee
members had urged that amend
ments already approved by the
House should be passed on to the
Senate immediately. But the ma
jority believed, he said, that inter
ested factions should be consulted
before the legislation was cleared.
This, members said, meant the leg
islation would be before the com
mittee for an indefinite time.
In line with its decision. Senator
Thomas said, the committee will
hold a series of closed sessions to
go over the legislation with William
Green, American Federation of
Labor chief; John L. Lewis, presi
dent of the Congress of Industrial
Organizations; some one represent
ing the National Association of
Manufacturers, and others.
Taft Sees Time for Action Now.
Prior to today's session Senator
Taft, Republican, of Ohio had fore
cast a strong effort for immediate
committee action, saying “I don't
see why we shouldn’t go ahead.
We’re going to be here until Septem
ber anyway.”
The N. A. M. asked for early
action on the amendments in view of
increased powers which the Labor
Board would get under the pending
National Guard and conscription
bills.
H. W. Prentis, jr., president of the
N. A. M., telegraphed committeemen
that a proposal to make it an unfair
labor practice not tJ re-employ men
called for military service, made
immediate amendment of the Wag
ner Act "even more necessary.”
House Amendments.
The House amendments would
abolish the present Labor Board
and set up a new three-member
agency to exercise only judicial func
tions. Administrative duties would
be turned over to an administrator
appointed by the President.
Senator Taft forecast controversy
over a provision which would let a
craft union obtain recognition as a
bargaining unit within any plant.
This provision was objectionable to
the C. I. O., he said, which in most
cases represents workers without re
gard to craft lines.
I
Teamsters'Pickets
Halt All Work on Two
Federal Buildings
Conciliator Seeks Quick
Truce; Structures Needed
For Defense Agencies
All work on the Social Security
and Railroad Retirement build
ings—being rushed to completion
for occupation by national defense
agencies—was stopped today by
another strike, officials of the Pub
lic Buildings Administration an
nounced.
The Government immediately
stepped in to attempt a settlement
of the controversy. A meeting was
called at 1 pm. in the office of
Dr. John R. Steelman, chief con
ciliator of the Labor Department.
Joseph Keenan, labor trouble
shooter for the National Defense
Commission; representatives of Fed
eral Works Administrator Carmody
and of the unions involved were
scheduled to attend.
As soon as this meeting was over
Dr. Steelman was prepared to con
fer with American Federation of
Labor officials who are familiar with
the facts surrounding the week-old
jurisdictional strike of the Plaster
ers’ Union on the same project.
Dr. Steelman said he was hopeful
(See STRIKE, Page A-5.)
Virginia Governor
Asks 2-Cent Boost
In D. C. Gas Tax
State Motor Chief Cites
'Hardships' to Dealers
In Nearby Areas
Gov. Price of Virginia today ap
pealed to Congress to increase the
gasoline tax in the District from 2
to 4 cents a gallon.
The plea was made directly to
a special subcommittee of the House
District Committee which began
public hearings on a bill to raise
the, local tax to 3 cents a gallon
by Marion S. Battle, director of the
Division of Motor Vehicles of Vir
ginia, who acted as spokesman for
the Governor.
Mr. Battle pointed out the pres
ent gasoline tax in Virginia Is 5
cents a gallon and that the tax dif
ferential between the State and the
District has been ‘‘a source of hard
ship and Inequities” for gasoline
dealers doing business in nearby
sections of Virginia. He said it also
has been the cause of a "serious
loss” of revenue for the State.
• Representative Poage, Democrat,
of Texas, the subcommittee chair
man. drew from Mr. Battle a prom
ise that some of the highways
leading into the District from Vir
ginia, particularly Columbia pike
and Arlington Ridge road, would be
improved if the District raised its
gasoline tax to 4 cents a gallon.
These roads, he admitted, are badly
in need of improvement to accom
modate the increased traffic flow
resulting from the growth of nearby
Virginia sections.
Randolph Raps Editorial.
"I often wonder,” he declared,
“how some of the people who use
these roads get into Washington to
go to work during the rush hours
because of the congestion.”
Chairman Randolph of the House
District Committee, who sponsored
the bill to increase the local gas
tax to 3 cents a gallon, preceded
Mr. Battle on the witness stand and
denounced editorial writers on "cer
tain Washington papers” who sug
gested that oil companies might
have proposed the legislation to
bring the local tax more into line
with the tax in Maryland and Vir
ginia.
He explained he introduced the
bill at the request of Mrs. Virginia
Jenckes, a former member of the
House from Indiana, who served
on the District Committee while in
Congress and became interested in
the gasoline tax subject.
But before making the explanation
Mr. Randolph declared:
“I am a little surprised at the
vehemence with which the editorial
(See GAS, Page A-3.)
Trial of French Accused
Of War Errors Delayed
By the Associated Press.
VICHY, France, Aug. 6.—Actual
trial of leaders accused of responsi
bility for France’s lack of prepara
tion and entry into the war with
Germany will be delayed by a long
preliminary judicial investigation, it
1 was stated last night.
Jackson Requests Penalty
On 'Campaign Book' Sponsors
An amendment to the Hatch Act
that would outlaw such publications
as the "Campaign Book” issued by
the Democratic National Commit
tee by punishing the sponsors was
urged today by Attorney Genera#
Jackson in a letter to Senator
Hatch, Democrat, of New Mexico,
author of the act.
The Attorney General’s proposal
was included in recommendations
for further tightening of the act,
which he said vas shown to be
necessary by the recent opinion of
Henry P. Fletcher, counsel for the
Republican National Committee,
that the $5,000 limit on individual
contributions provided by the act
actually operated only in a cir
cumscribed area.
“I do not need to point out to you
that if the Fletcher plan is to stand,
the hope of checking the power of
money over American elections by
means of the Hatch Act limitations
is gone,” Mr. Jackson said.
Earlier, he had taken public ex
ception to the opinion of Mr.
Fletcher, who said the limitation on
individual gifts applied only to
a
those made to a national committee
and did not cover gifts to State and
local groups. In reply, Mr. Fletcher
said the Republican National Com
mittee is “leaning backward to ob
serve strictly” the spirit and letter
of the Hatch Act.”
Mr. Fletcher also asked why Mr.
Jackson remained silent “regarding
wilful violation of the spirit, if
not also the letter, of the Federal
Corrupt Practices Act by the Demo
cratic National Committee in ac
cepting contributions from corpora
tions under the guise of selling them
advertising in.a convention book.”
In taking up the subject of “Cam
paign Book” which the Democratic
National Committee is proposing to
re-issue for 1940, the Attorney Gen
eral said:
“Another difficulty exists in con
nection with the provisions forbid
ding the sale of campaign books,
advertising space, etc. While the
act provides penalties for those who
buy books or advertising, we find no
penalty for those who sell them. It
is the sellers who systematically plan
(See HATCH, Page A-7.)
*N
Wagner Backs
D. C. Suffrage;
Sees Passage
Senator Pledges
Full Co-operation
To Speed Approval
BACKGROUND—
Plank adopted in Democratic
platform favoring District suf
frage was followed by House Ju
diciary Committee approval of
Sumners resolution for a consti
tutional amendment empowering
Congress to grant District na
tional representation and to dele
gate legislative power to a local
government. Committee limited
proposed congressional power by
amending resolution to make
permissive representation in
House, instead of Congress, thus
preventing representation in Sen
ate. Original Sumners resolution
introduced in Senate by Chair
man King of Senate District
Committee.
With a special Senate Judiciary
subcommittee session called today
to consider national representation
for the District, Senator Wagner
of New York, chairman of the Dem
ocratic Platform Committee, which
accepted the District suffrage plank,
announced he would co-operate fully
for its passage.
Senator Wagner joined other Sen
ate and House leaders of both par
ties in expressing confidence the
representation resolution will be
passed promptly so it may be sub
mitted to the State Legislatures
which will be in session during the
coming year. Ratification by 36
States is necessary.
“Of course, I will vote for legisla
tion to carry out this platform pledge
which we made at the Chicago con
vention,” said Senator Wagner.
Passage Predicted.
"Whatever I can properly do to
expedite action in Congress I will
do gladly. I have every reason to
believe that the necessary two-thirds
vote will be had on this resolution
in the Senate after it has been
passed by the House. The outlook
seems very favorable, concluded the
New York Senator.
Senator King's subcommittee
meeting is being called to map gut
procedure for handling the national
representation issue on the Senate
side of the Capitol. His bill is
identical with the Sumners resolu
tion as originally introduced.
House leaders continued, mean
while to anticipate action next week
on the Sumners resolution despite
a delay of tire Rules Committee to
schedule a meeting to consider
granting a special rule giving the
resolution a privileged status.
The Rules Committee, according
to Chairman Sabath, who, inciden
tally, is a strong supporter of the
national representation resolution,
probably will not meet until the
early part of next week. It had
been planned to have a special
meeting sometime this week to en
able Chairman Sumners of the Ju
diciary Committee to make a plea
for a rule that would assure ex
peditious consideration of his reso
lution in the House. Representative
Sabath, however, said the absence
t from Washington of four members
of the committee and the illness
of another made a delay necessary.
"I don’t think we can get around
to a rule for the Sumners resolution
until early next week,” he declared.
Should a rule be granted either
next Monday, Tuesday or Wednes
day. House leaders said, it would
be possible to call up the resolution
before the end of the week.
See No Delay in House.
House leaders who predicted ac
tion within 10 days on the Sumners’
resolution as favorably reported last
Thursday by the Judiciary Commit
tee, do not believe failure of the
Rules Committee to act until next
week would materially change their
forecast. If the House is not too
engrossed with national defense
legislation next week, it was said, the
Sumners' resolution can be given a
right-of-way a day after the Rules
Committee grants a special rule for
its consideration.
Full Representation Objective.
The original Sumners resolution
provided a constitutional amend
ment, subject to ratification by 36
States, which would empower Con
gress to grant District residents the
privilege of voting for President and
Vice President and electing their
own representations in Congress. A
change made by the House Judiciary
Committee, in approving the plan,
would make the legislation limit the
power of Congress to the extent of
allowing the District representation
in the House only. An effort is to
be made in the House, however,
when the resolution comes up for
consideration, to restore the provi
sion that would allow Congress to
grant representation in both houses
of Congress.
Limited Representation.
Support of the Sumners resolu
tion and opposition to the committee
amendment that would limit repre
sentation to the House was ex
pressed in a letter mailed to every
member of the House last night by
six representatives of an estimated
1,000,000 women.
The letter was signed by Alma J.
(See REPRESENTATION, Pg. A-7.)
Probe of Vote Aid Plea
To Kresge Employes Asked
Senator Byrnes, Democrat, of
South Carolina, asked the Senate
Campaign Committee today to in
vestigate the circumstances of aa
appeal to employes of the S. S.
Kresge Corp. in Detroit for contri
butions to aid the Republican presi
dential campaign of Wendell L.
Wlllkie.
Senator Byrnes had read to the
Senate a letter which he said was
addressed to Kresge employes by
G. B. Tuttle, who signed the appeal
as trustee but whom Senator Byrnes
identified as vice president and
treasurer of the corporation.
r