Evening star. [volume], May 08, 1941, Image 2

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

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Weather Forecast
Partly cloudy, cooler; lowest tonight
about 52: tomorrow mostly cloudy; cool
er in afternoon and night. Tempera
tures today-Highest, 76. at 2 p.m.;
lowest, 64, at o a m.
Prom the United States Weather Bureau report.
Full Details on Page A-2.
Closing N. Y. Morkets—Soles, Page 22.
An Evening Newspaper
With the Full Day's News
LOCAL—NATIONAL—FOREIGN
Associated Press and iA*t Wirephotos. North
American Newspaper Alliance. Chicago
Dally News Foreign Service and The Star a
Staff Writers. Rr|x>rters and Photographers
iip, Means Associated Press.
89th YEAR. No. 35.436.
WASHINGTON, D. C., THURSDAY, MAY 8, 1941
THREE CENTS.
R. A. F. Smashes
22 Bombers for
Night Record
New Mark Is Claimed
After Heavy Attack
By 300 Nazi Craft
By the Associated Press.
LONDON. May 8 —The Luft- !
waffe clashed with R. A. F. pa
trols In numerous daylight air
battles over the English Channel
coasts today as R. A. F. night
fighters claimed a new record in
shooting down 22 German planes
during smashing nocturnal raids
on British port areas.
In addition to the 22 planes
claimed downed by fighters and
one by anti-aircraft fire, a Brit
ish source estimated 10 or more
of the raiders were damaged and
possibly brought down.
Another source estimated 300 Nazi
bombers flew over Britain last i
night. This is not a record number, I
so the new toll of plahes shot
down could not be explained purely
es merely the result of a greater
number of potential targets.
About 15 planes engaged in one
of today’s dog-fights. 5 miles up
In a clear sky. The diving, swoop
ing planes were silver specks against
the heavens when the sun glinted
on their metal wings.
'The toll of 22 planes claimed
for Britain's night fighters
against German raiders over
night ‘'makes one believe that
there really is some new tech
nique which can produce such
grand results,” a British broad
cast said today. The broadcast,
heard in New York by C. B. C.,
expressed optimism over the rec
ord bag and, emphasizing that
there is not yet a full moon,
predicted that ' we may do bet
ter still.")
Streets Machine-Gunned.
The sky over the Channel was
filled with the roaring of motors ;
and the chatter of machine guns ■
and was criss-crossed with vapor !
trails, recalling the vast daylight j
fighting of last fall.
A Messerschmitt swooped down
on a southeast coast town and ma- j
chine-gunned the streets but then j
was said to have been chased back
across the Channel by R. A. F. j
fighters. Other raiders were op- !
orating in pairs 4 miles in the air
over several south coast districts.
Others Damaged.
The Air Ministry news service
Mid that in addition to the planes
reported downed last night a num
ber of others were damaged.
Three of the German planes I
claimed by fighters were destroyed
over air fields in Northern France
by R. A. F pilots who awaited re- j
turning raiders, the news service j
said.
Pilots just initiated to night j
fighting scored their first successes
last night, the service continued, j
adding that “one pilot, who has |
made a habit of getting two a night,
repeated again by shooting down
two Heinkel Ills within a few
minutes."
One fighter squadron reported
four German planes "definitely de
stroyed. ” another squadron claimed
three and two other groups each |
Were credited with two.
Shot Flyer Gets His Man.
An R. A. F. pilot, shot in the hand
and forearm by the gunner of the ,
German machine he was attacking,
brought down his opponent and j
then flew safely back to his base, I
it was said.
Another pilot, describing a long
thase, said:
“I went after him for all I was
worth and got him after about 40
miles, giving him a long burst with
my guns. Although he tried firing
at me. the erratic behavior of his
machine spoiled the gunner's aim.
He was well on fire after my sec
ond burst and I circled around and
Watched him crash.”
Informed quarters said the re- I
cent successes against German
night raiders might be attributed
largely to these factors:
1. The R. A. F. is getting more
adequate numbers of various types
Of planes.
2. Defending fighters are always
more successful in moonlit nights.
Full moon is due Sunday.
3. Raiders are more easily inter
cepted when they are forced to fly
all the way across Engalnd to at
tack western port areas such as
Clydeside (Glasgow) and Mersey -
aide (Liverpool),
4. Night pilots are gaining in ex
perience.
Ratio 6 to 1 for Britain.
It was noted that Britain ac
knowledges only 12 R. A. F planes
have been shot down over Ger
many or German-occupied territory
at night-time this month, com
pared. with 73 Germans claimed, a
ratio 6 to 1 in favor of Britain.
Apart from the night raiders, the
r
(See RAIDS, Page A-4.)
i
10,000 Americans
Estimated Fighting
With Allied Forces
By the Associated Pres*.
LONDON, May 8.—Robert
Hutchinson, chairman of the
American Eagle Club, estimated
today that 10.000 Americans are
fighting in the British and Al
lied forces.
Mr. Hutchinson said most of
these United States citizens en
listed in Canadian forces, but
others also were in the Free
French and even Free Ru
manian units.
As chairman of the Amer
ican Eagle Club, Mr. Hutchin
son said he was in a position
to give an accurate estimate of
Americans in Britain. The club,
which provides low-cost meals
and entertainment, is a ren
dezvous for many of them.
Mr. Hutchinson and his wife
are leaving shortly for the
United States.
550,000 Troops to Take Part
In Biggest Army Maneuvers
War Games to Be Largest Ever Staged
By Any Nation, Gen. Richardson Says
By NELSON M. SHEPARD.
More than 550.000 American
soldiers—the greatest mass of mili
tary manpower ever put into the
field at one time for tactical combat,
training—will be assembled for the
climax of the Army's summer and
fall maneuvers, the War Depart
ment announced today.
While these men. representing the
four United States Armies, are
maneuvering in the field for seven
weeks more than 800.000 other
soldiers will be taking part in the
regular scheduled mobilized train
ing.
Maj. Gen. Robert C. Richardson
said the war games, which will reach
a climax in September when two
field armies oppose each other in
Louisiana, would be "'the largest I
ever heard of.”
Gen. Richardson. War Depart
ment spokesman, said the European
peace-time military maneuvers
usually involved only from 100.000
to 200.000 men in any one exercise.
Beginning May 24 with corps
maneuvers in California, the war
games will gradually build up until
September 1-30. when element-s of
the 2d and 3d Field Armies oppose
each other in simulated battles in
Louisiana, under direction of Gen.
George C. Marshall, chief of staff.
A secondary climax is scheduled
for November 3-30 in the area be
tween Fort Jackson, S. C., and Fort
Braggs, N. C. This will involve ele
ments of the 1st and 3d Armies.
Armored divisions, the General
Headquarters Air Force and para
chute units will take part in the
three main war games, in Louisiana, j
the Carolinas and Washington. An
area around Fort Lewis, Wash., will
be the scene of maneuvers of the
4th Army.
Gen. Richardson said the maneu
vers will give the Army an opportu
nity to employ as many of its new
weapons as have been produced and
delivered.
_Hundreds of civilian air corps
• See ARMY, Page A-4.)
Two-Hour Night Raid
On Suez Canal Zone
Reported by British
'Some Damage' to Railway
Property Announced,
With No Casualties
By thf Associated Press.
CAIRO, Egypt, May 8 —The Suez
Canal zone was raided for two hours
last night, the British announced to
day.
Official sources reported "some
damage" to Egyptian state railway
property, but said there were no
casualties. Anti-aircraft guns op
posed the raiders.
Positions Near Tobruk
Taken, Italians Say
ROME. May 8 uPi.—The Italian
high command announced today j
that Axis forces had captured impor- ;
tant positions before the Besieged
British stronghold of Tobruk in
Libya.
It said Italian troops also had in
flicted heavy losses on the British 1
in a fierce three-day battle in the
Galla Sidamo area of Western
Ethiopia.
Axis air offensives in the Mediter
ranean war zone again were under
scored by the war bulletin, including
raids Tuesday night and last night
by German formations on the Brit
ish island base of Malta and con
tinued bombardment of Tobruk.
"Important enemy positions before
Tobruk have been occupied." the
high command said, without details.
t»rnisn sources at Cairo reported
Tuesday that a series of Axis drives
against Tobruk had resulted in only
a slight penetration along a 2.000
yard front of the outer defense line
and that new British works had been
thrown up there.
'Heavy, Successful Raids'
Are Reported by British
CAIRO, Egypt, May 8 OP).—
‘‘Heavy and successful raids” against
Bengasi and the axis-held airdromes
at Berka. Benina and Derna, re
peated targets for the R. A. P.
since German and Italian forces
launched their counter-offensive
eastward into Egypt, were reported
today in a British communique.
At Bengasi bombs were said to
have hit the central breakwater
and to have struck near ships.
Direct hits on two merchant
ships were claimed in an attack on
an Axis Mediterranean convoy.
In Ethiopia, the communique said.
British forces were drawing closer to
Amba Alaji, the last Italian strong
hold on the Addis Ababa-Asmara
road, and had captured additional
prisoners.
President Works on Mail
While Convalescing
President Roosevelt remained In
his White House bedroom-study to
day, continuing his convalescence
from a stomach disorder while
working at his mail.
Harry L. Hopkins, director of the
lease-lend program, was to confer
with him and White House spokes
men said the President would be in
touch with other aides by telephone.
Stricken with his ailment on Tues
day, the Chief Executive was said to
still be running a fraction of a de
gree of temperature although defi
nitely improving. Stephen T. Early,
press relations secretary, said that
Dr. Ross T. Mclntire, the President’s
physician, had ordered his patient to
stay in his room “'despite the usual
complaining by one who has re
covered from an illness.”
Mr. Early said the President has
not yet started work on a speech
scheduled for next Wednesday night
before a Pan-American meeting.
The address has been heralded as
likely to be a major administration
pronouncement.
Dies Says Peace Group
Helps Men Evade Draft
Bj the Associated Press.
GAINESVILLE, Tex., May 8 —
Representative Dies, Democrat, of
Texas last night charged in a speech
that an organization to help young
men evade the draft was operating
in New York, Chicago and other
large American cities.
Representative Dies, who is cam
paigning for the Senate seat left
vacant by the death of Morris
Sheppard, said the American Peace
Mobilization was gaining thousand!
of recruits in the East.
It is advising young men how to
escape the draft, he said, and “is
seeking jobs in aircraft and ot.hw
defense industries for its member*
and spreading Nazi propaganda de
signed to Impede the defense pro
gram and undermine the morale of
conscriptees.”
Army Reported Ready
To Register Million
For Draft July 1
Men Who Have Become 21
Since First Registration
Will Be Sought
B.» the Associated Press.
Army and selective service offi
cials were reported today to have
decided on July 1 as the date for
registration of approximately 1.000 -
000 men who have become 21 years
old since the first selective service
enrollment last October.
The registration will take place at
headquarters of the 6.500 local Draft
Boards now functioning, and au
thorities said it would be a "fairly
simple job” compared to last fail
when 16.500.000 men. 21 to 35, were
enrolled for possible military train
ing.
The date for the new registration
will be formally fixed in a proc
lamation by President Roosevelt. Au
thorities indicated that the day now
tentatively agreed on was chosen to
give the new group of prospective
selectees time to learn whether thev
are likely to be called for service this
fall so they can arrange school or
employment plans accordingly.
Early Call Expected.
in omciai quarters nere it was
expected that a large proportion of
them would be called for training
within a few months after they are
registered and classified as to avail
ability for immediate service.
A decision apparently has yet to
be reached on how the order num
bers of the July registrants will be
incorporated in the existing list of
numbers assigned after the selective
service lottery last October. What
ever the method, the belief was that
it would not hinder plans for draw
ing on the newly-registered pool of
additional man powder almost imme
diately.
Now that the initial group of
selectees have been inducted to pro
vide cadres of more mature men
around which to build up the new
Army, it wTas learned that War De
partment officials are considering
shifting the emphasis to younger
men.
One plan reported under consider
ation would be for the War Depart
ment to advise selective service
headquarters officially that here
after it would take no men above
a certain age. Some authorities
were understood to favor 30 as the
top age limit, while others prefer it
as low as 26 years.
No Amendment Needed.
At selective service headquarters
it was said that it would not be
necessary to amend the law because
It already permits this kind of selec
tion by age groups, provided it is
officially requested by the War De
partment or the President.
The advantage of using younger
men. according to the view' of some
officials, is that it would give the
Army selectees with longer futures
of military usefulness and at the
same time interfere less with the
man power supplies of essential de
fense industries.
In this connection it was learned
that selective service officials have
been in conference with officials of
the Office of Production Manage
ment over means of avoiding Army
Induction for men w'hose skills are
needed in the manufacture of guns,
tanks, planes and other defense
equipment.
Ensign Dies in Air Crash
SAN DIEGO. Calif., May 8 <£>).—
Lawrence M. Rampe. a seaman, of
Bellflower. Calif., was killed and
Ensign Claude Gerald Haney of
Wurtsboro. N. Y., seriously injured
yesterday in the crash of a Navy
scout bomber while on routine
bombing exercises.
Summary of Today's Star
Page.
Amuse
ments .C-4-5
Comics. -C-10-11
Editorial ...A-12
Finance ...A-21
Legal Notices.
C-8
Lost, Found, C-6
Page.
Obituary --.A-14
Radio
Programs C-10
Serial Story, C-6
Society _B-3
Sports_C-l-3
Woman’s
Page _B-18
Foreign
Sir James Frazer and wife die only
12 hours apart. Page A-7
National.
Tobacco growers protest proposed
increase in taxes Page A-3
Louis B. Mayer, with #697,048, tops
salary list. Page A-7
House subcommittee reports out po
lice-flre raise bill. PageA-19
Washington and Vicinity.
Four detectives added to probers of
Simon death. Page A-4
/
Budget Bureau interested in pay roll
date staggering. Page B-l
D. C. had 25 strikes last year. Labor
Bureau reports. PageB-10
Editorial and Comment.
Editorials.
This and That.
Answers to Questions.
David Lawrence.
Gould Lincoln.
George Fielding Eliot.
Constantine Brown.
The Conning Tower.
Miscellany.
Supper Clubs.
Vital Statistics.
Nature’s Children.
Bedtime Story.
Winning Contract.
Letter-Out.
Uncle Ray's Corner.
Crossword Puzzle.
Service Orders.
Page A-12
Page A-12
Page A-12
Page A-13
Page A-13
Page A-13
Page A-13
Page A-13
Page B-12
Page B-12
Page B-19
Page C-10
Page C-ll
Page C-ll
Page C-ll
Page C-ll
Page C-12
1
Only 'Reported'
Sinkings Listed,
Land Stresses
Senators Told Loss
Of Ships From U. S.
Probably Greater
By J. A. O’LEARY.
Rear Admiral Emory S. Land
chairman of the Maritime Commis
sion. emphasized before the Senate
Commerce Committee today that he
based his statement on ’’reported’
j sinkings and not on official informa
tion from belligerents when he wrote
Senator Vandenberg. Republican, of
Michigan that only eight ships had
been sunk out of a total of 205 which
left United States ports for England
in the first three months of this
' year.
After the committee had heard
him in executive session. Chairman
Bailey said:
“The admiral stated his letter had
been misinterpreted. He was not
complaining of the press, but wished
! emphasis placed on the fact that his
letter dealt with ships reported sunk
He suspected there were more, not
reported.”
According to Chairman Bailey
and Senator Pepper, Democrat, of
Florida the admiral also concurred
in the estimate that recently the
overall shipping losses on the seven
seas has been at a rate of 100 000
tons a week, or about 5.000,000 tons
i a year.
Ship Seizure Bill Delayed.
It was emphasized that the over
all sinkings present an entirely dif
ferent picture from that suggested
yesterday by Senator Vandenberg,
when he disclosed figures in a letter
from Admiral Land on sinkings of
| ships carrying lease-lend aid from
j the United States to England.
Meanwhile, the committee put off
action until Monday on the alien
i -ship purchase bill, which passed the
! House by a substantial majority yes
l terdav.
A move began to take shape in
the Senate today in isolationist
sources, to amend the measure to
prohibit this Government from
; transferring to England any of the
; foreign ships that may be acquired.
Even if such an amendment should
be adopted, the foreign ships now
| in American ports could be taken
1 over for use in American trade, and
existing American ships made avail
able for use by Great Britain in
keeping the lease-lend aid flowing.
Not From Official Sources.
Senator Bailey quoted Admiral
Land as explaining the figures he
gave Senator Vandenberg were not
from the official sources of other
countries, but from newspapers and
other available sources.
"He was not going back on his re
| port." senator Bailey added, “but
] said he would stand on it.”
It was indicated that one of the
factors to be considered in estimat
ing the world-wide rate of shipping
losses recently is the probability
i that there were a great many sink
! ings in the Mediterranean during
the Balkan campaign.
As he left the meeting Senator
Pepper insisted that the overall rate
of sinkings since March 1 would
amount to 5.000 000 tons for a year
if the rate continues, and that'the
I present rate of ship construction of
the United States and England com
j bined is 2.500.000 tons a year.
“Hard to Reconcile Figures.
Senator Clark. Democrat, of Mis
souri. an opponent of the adminis
tration's foreign policy, asserted
that Admiral Land stood by his fig
ures of yesterday with regard to the
| low rate of sinkings of ships crossing
the Atlantic from this country to
Great Britain in recent months.
Senator Vandenberg said the ad
miral had fewer doubts about the
figures on ships clearing from the
United States for Britain than about
other figures entering into the en
tire picture and repeated that his
questions to the admiral related
only to possible loss of lease-lend
goods going from this country.
“I am convinced." said Senator
Vandenberg. "there has been no
substantial loss beyond the figures
reported in the letter."
Chairman Bailey said “you can
hardly reconcile these low figures
with what you have been reading
and when you seek the reconcilia
tion you find the Germans claim
ing more” than is shown from other
sources.
After Admiral Land's letter had
been made public yesterday, a Mari
| time Coihmission official emphasized
that the figures applid only to out
bound ships, and asserted that
“sinkings have been much heavier
on westbound trips.”
Nevertheless. Senator Taft. Re
publican. of Ohio declared that the
information in the letter “hits at
what has been the most popular
appeal for convoys and war.” and
Senator Tobev. Republican, of New
Hampshire announced he would
offer an anti-convov amendment
to the foreign ship acquisition bill.
Administration leaders. while
manifesting surprise at the low per
'See LAND, Page A-5.)
(TuseTfoF^
SEASONING
IT'S HOT STUFF, '
, BUT TaSTV. y
__.. iMEULJ 11 t
Jackson Requests
j Uniform Sentences
In Sabotage Cases
Attorney General Favors
Seven Years for Officers,
Five for Guilty Seamen
Bv J. A. FOX.
In an unusual move Attorney Gen
; eral Jackson today recommended
j that Federal courts assess uniform
! prison sentences on foreign seamen
j found guilty of sabotaging their ves
! sels, recommending seven years for
I ' responsible officers” and five years
for seamen.
“We do not consider fines to be
appropriate,” Attorney General
Jackson said in a telegram to i
Charles Rouse, assistant United
States attorney at Wilson, N. C, \
where 10 of the officers and crew
of the damaged Italian steamer Vil
larperosa were convicted yesterday.
Similar telegrams are to be sent to
] other Federal jurisdictions where
German and Italian seamen are
under charges as soon as cases have
| reached the sentence stage, it was
| said at the department. Officials j
j believed the proposal for uniform
sentences over such a wide area was
probably without precedent in Fed
eral criminal law enforcement.
Seeks to Avoid Discrimination.
In the telegram to Mr. Rouse. Mr.
Jackson gave this explanation for
the unusual steps the department is
taking:
“'While these offenses are individ- j
ual. the group of cases pending in
different districts are substantially j
uniform. If the effect of sentences
should be to discriminate between
Italian nationals and the German j
nationals or between nationals of
any one government in similar sta- ;
tions of authority, it would be pretty i
certain to be misunderstood in
. countries not familar with our sep- 1
1 aration of executive from judicial
powers.
"It Is probably impracticable for
the several judges before whom
these cases are pending to confer,
and hence, in an effort to avoid any |
unintended discriminations result
ing from different actions in the
, several districts, this department
respectfully desires to make recom
i mendations as to sentences in these
I cases. It is our recommendation
i that the responsible officers in each
group be sentenced to imprison
I ment for a period of seven years and
! that the seamen be sentenced for a
period of five years. We do not con
; sider fines to be appropriate.”
The maximum sentence is 20 years,
j and $10,000 fine.
Reassures Trial Judges.
Mr. Jackson asked that the trial
Judge be assured that the depart
ment has “no thought of encroach
ing on the discretion permitted by
law to his own judgment, but we
are confident that he would desire
to be informed of all the considera
tions involved in these cases and to
have before him the recommenda
tions of the Government in a diffi
cult international situation.”
Immediately after dispatching the
telegram to North Carolina the de
partment prepared to send similar
instructions to Jacksonville. Fla.,
where 60 convictions were returned
today.
The Attorney General told Mr.
Rouse the department is seeking to
prosecute only individuals actually
participating in Axis sabotage and
officers in responsible positions.
“Our action against German or
Italian seamen has not proceeded
upon any theory of constructive
guilt because of mere membership
in the crews or presence upon the
ships.” he continued. “Hence, each
convicted defendant is found per
sonally guilty of a serious violation
of a law enacted many years ago
and which is well known to the
shipping world.”
Cites “Larger Offense.”
The Attorney General added in
this connection that it is recog
nized, “of course, that the guilt of
these individuals is included in a
larger offense against American
sovereignty by the foreign govern
ments involved. We must also
recognize that such larger offense is
not justifiable in our courts. In
the absence of amends, or offers
through diplomatic channels to
amends, the vindication of our laws
must rest upon the penalties ex
acted of those who did act within
our jurisdiction.”
Something more than 200 seamen
are believed to be involved in the
sabotage charges throughout the
country.
Italian Sentenced;
Took Notes From
'Enemy Radio'
Bj the Associated Press.
ROME. May 8.—A special tri
bunal today sentenced Luigi
Ciollaro. convicted of political
defeatism in writing a letter
signed by ‘ a high military au
thority.” to nine years’ im
prisonment with a year of de
tention in an asylum. The court
found Ciollaro was mentally de
ficient.
A codefendant. Umberto
Nencioni. was convicted of com
posing the letter from notes
taken from "the enemy radio.”
and he was sentenced to six
years and six months’ im
prisonment.
An announcement said 12
others "more or less active in
distributing false documents"
were sentenced to terms vary
ing from 40 months to 5 years.
House Unit Approves
Bill to Construct
58 Ships for Navy
Auxiliary Authorizations
More Than Doubled on
Request of Admiral Stark
By thf Aj.jociated Pres*.
The House Naval Affairs Com
mittee today recommended legisla
tion to authorize the Navy to ac
quire 58 additional fleet auxiliary
vessels at a cost of approximately
$350,000,000.
The bill represented an increase
of 33 ships beyond what the Navy
requested when the legislation was
Introduced early in March.
Rear Admiral Samuel M. Robin
son. chief of the Bureau of Ships,
testified he had been instructed by
Admiral Harold R. Stark, chief of
naval operations, to ask that the
measure be amended to authorize
acquitition of 550.000 tons of addi
tional auxiliaries instead of the
200 000 tons originally requested.
Admiral Robinson said rapid de
velopments which could not be fore
seen necessitated the increase.
Needed for IT. S. Navy's l's«.
In response to questions. Admiral
Robinson said the vessels had noth
ing to do with the British aid pro
gram and all were needed for the
Navy's own use. The Navy wants
the ships by August 1.
Representative Maas. Republican,
of Minnesota, senior minority mem
ber, wanted to know whether any of
the idle foreign vessels, seizure of
which the House authorized yes
terday. would be included in the 58
ships sought by the Navy, but Ad
miral Robinson said he did not know
whether the Navy would get any of
the foreign ships.
The total cost of acquisition or
construction of the additional auxil
iaries. Admiral Robinson said, would
include funds to arm the ships and
to install gear to protect them from
magnetic mines.
Steel Rationing- Foreseen.
Before acting finally on the bill,
the committee struck out a pro
vision which would have authorized
the Navy to replace overage warships
with combat vessels of any type
deemed most necessary by the Pres
ident, Current law requires that
overage ships be replaced by ves
sels of the same type—that is. bat
tleships for battleships.
During his appearance. Admiral
Robinson told the committee that
some sort of rationing of steel sup
plies probably would be necessary
soon because “there isn't enough
steel for everything that's going on
in this country.”
In that connection, he told Repre
sentative Izac, Democrat, of Cali
fornia that construction of wooden
ships would not solve the problem.
Plainclothes Guards Sought.
After a brief private session with
Secretary Knox, the committee
unanimously recommended legisla
tion to authorize creation of a small,
plainclothes police force to protect
navy yards and shore establish
ments from sabotage.
Mr. Knox said there were approxi
mately 7.000 marines now doing po
lice duty for the Navy and, as a
result of the tremendous expansion
of naval shore facilities, he expected
demands for an additional 7.000 ma
rines, but told reporters he hoped
the new police force would largely
offset that need.
4
Burko Tells Court
He Refused to'Talk'
Against Newman
Was Asked to Put Right
Word to Escape Being
Indicted, He Testifies
Emphasizing his loyalty to Police
Court Judge Hobart Newman. Joseph
R. Burko. dismissed Police Court
clerk, today testified in District
Court, where he is charged with
conspiracy to commit embezzlement, :
larceny and forgery of court records,
that he had repeatedly refused sug- .
gestions that he "put the right word '
in the right place" in order to escape
indictment.
The suggestions had been put to
him several times by Detective Sergt.
Joseph W. Shimon, attached to the
United States attorney's office, the
defendant said.
Mr. Burko testified he had told
the detective sergeant he would not!
say anything against Judge New
man. nor would he plead guilty to
the charges against him, “because I
am not guilty."
Curran, Casey Called.
Ulincu oiairs niwiac,' tuncmi
M. Curran, former Police Court
judge: Police Court Judges Walter
j. Casey, who. the defendant said, j
sought to embarrass Judge New
man: John P. McMahon and George
D. Neilson were subpoenaed by the
defense to appear this afternoon to
testify.
Telling a jury of 11 men and one
woman that he had talked to Sergt.
Shimon 10 or 15 times, the defend
ant said “I was told that charges
would be made unless I did certain
things. After I was dismissed. I
was warned that if I told the district
attorney everything to be said, if
j there was anything to be said about
Judge Newman, no presentation
would be made to the grand jury."
j "How many times were you told
i that?" asked Defense Counsel
James J. Laughlin.
“About six times,” Mr. Burko re
( plied.
Defense counsel told the court
that prosecution was not in good
faith.
“Mr. Burko,” explained his coun
sel. "had incurred the ill will of
Judge Casey, who was continually
after him to embarrass Judge New
man.”
Sullivan Says He Split Fines.
Attempts, however, by defense
counsel to elicit from Mr. Burko
testimony to substantiate this al
leged "ill will" was ruled out upon
objection of Assistant United States
Attorney Allen J. Krouse.
James E. Sullivan, former Police
Court bailiff, indicted with Mr.
Burko. who ha.s pleaded guilty,
testified yesterday that he and Mr.
Burko split fines in traffic cases,
the court records showing "sen
tence suspended" and personal bonds
taken. On cross examination by
Mr. Laughlin. Mr. Sullivan denied
that he was promised anything by
anybody.
Randolph Pleads in House
For Overton District Bill
A special appeal was made to
House members today by Chairman
Randolph of the House District !
Committee to be on the floor Mon
day when the Overton bill contain
ing a formula for fixing the amount
of the annual Federal payment to
ward municipal expenses here is to
be called up for consideration.
“This is a matter of extreme im
portance.-’ he declared, “and I trust
the members will attend.’’
Mr. Randolph made his plea in a
1-minute speech. He pointed out
that usually on District day in the
House, the attendance is not very
large because members regard some
of the local legislation as relatively
unimportant.
The Overton bill, he declared, is
“extremely important.”
Mr. Randolph also told the House
that the Overton bill was passed by
the Senate a month ago without a
dissenting vote and that it had been
approved by the House District
Committee after serious considera
tion.
Vichy Ousts Mahieu
By the AssocUted Press.
VICHY, France. May 8—Sentor
Albert Mahieu, former Minister of
the Interior, was expelled from Vichy
today. He was in the Tardieu cabi
net in 1932 at the same time that
Pierre Laval, who was ousted last
December 13 as Vice Premier and
Foreign Minister of the Petain gov
ernment, was Foreign Minister.
D. C. Revenues
Up $2,000,000
Over Year Ago
Most of Increase,
However, Needed for
Deficiency Items
BACK GROUS’D—•
Commissioners’ plans of last
fall to hold 1942 budget below
$52.000.000. to avoid tax increase,
were disrupted by urgent de
mands for new services and fa
cilities created by extraordinary
population growth due to na
tional defense effort. Sudden in
flux of more than 50.000 persons
created urgent need for schools,
roads, sewers, police, fire and
other municipal activities. Civic
and business groups have insisted
on a pay-as-you-go basis for tht
District.
By DON S. WARREN.
Tabulations of the most recent
income, real estate and other tax
payments to the District today re
vealed that the city's general fund
revenues for the first 10 months of
the current fiscal year exceed those
for the same period of the last fiscal
vear bv 5.8 per cent, or nearly
$2 000.000.
The revenue calculations, which
were released by the Commissioners
after they were completed by Act
ing Budget Officer William Wild*
ing and other finance officials,
showed that tax payments of all
kinds for the first 10 months of
this fiscal year going into the gen
eral fund «not including highway
and water revenues' totaled $35.
878.993. as compared with $33,914 -
472 for the first 10 months of the
1940 fiscal year, an increase og $1,
964.521.
Most of the increase in receipts—
largely attributed to Washington's
rapid growth, due to the national
defense program—will be needed to
cover urgent deficiency and supple
mentary budget proposals now being
considered by the Budget Bureau
or Congress, it was explained.
District officials said they had sub
mitted or planned deficiency or sup
plemental estimates, to be charged
against this fiscal year, which
totaled $1,200,000 and that there
were other new needs still demand
ing attention.
Since an increase in the 1942
revenues likewise is anticipated on
the basis of present expectancy for
this fiscal year, which will end June
30. some easing of the 1942 budget
problem is expected. The Commis
sioners plan to review their 1942
budget proposals and are expected
to consult with the Budget Bureau.
It appeared likely additional esti
mates will be proposed for the next
fiscal year.
‘‘Free Hand" for 1). C. Official*.
Under the new policy of the
Budget Bureau in dealing with the
municipal budget the Commissioners
arp given a "free hand" in planning
their estimates, except that the Fed
eral agency has reserved the right
to estimate revenue expectancy and
to determine what should be recom
mended as the total proposed out
lay.
Last fall when the Commissioners
formulated their original 1942 bud
get proposals, the total outlay sug
gested was $51,700,000. Their de
partment heads had requested a
total of some $65,000,000. but figures
were slashed deeply as the Commis
sioners sought to avoid any necessity
for a tax increase. Since a good
portion of District revenues are
received in the last three or four
months of a fiscal year, they were
estimating revenue about one year
and a half in advance of the end of
the next fiscal year.
In recent weeks the Commissioners
planned the urgent deficiency and
supplemental requests, totaling about
$1,200,000, and of this sum. the Bud
get Bureau has sent to Congress and
the House has considered and ap
proved items totaling $466,000 These
items will be charged to this years
1941 revenues.
When Washington's abnormal
growth created urgent problems as
to schools and many other services,
the city heads recently asked the
municipal agencies to submit extra
budget proposals specifically needed
because of the emergency situation.
The resulting requests totaled about
$5,600,000. The most urgent of these
items have been sent to the Budget
Bureau or Congress, but a large por
tion still is being considered at the
District Building. In addition, the
Commissioners will receive in a day
or two a $5,500,000 recreation pro
gram indorsed yesterday by the
Board of Education.
Income Taxes I'p.
In some instances the long-ranga
estimates of revenues made by Dis
trict officials last fall were consid
ered ‘ fairly close” to the results of
the 10-month experience for this
year, but there were some surpris
ingly large increases, the most
notable being payments on the Dis
trict corporation and personal in
come taxes. On the basis of the 10
month receipts through April of
this year, these payments were $780.
135 above receipts for the first 10
months of the 1940 fiscal year.
Corporation income tax payments
through April of this year totaled
$1,377,341. as against only $861,328
received in the first 10 months of
(See REVENUE." Page” AT5l
Four Dead, 12 Injured
In Seattle Hotel Fire
B> the Associated Press.
SEATTLE. May 8.—Four persons
died early today in a fire at the
Hotel Stewart.
At least 12 others were injured,
several seriously. Many of these
jumped from second-floor windows
before arrival of fire apparatus.
The four-story brick structure is
located near the downtown district,
[t is a moderately-priced, semi
residential hotel. The fire heavily
damaged the center floors.
John Seller. 76, was the only rte.
;im immediately identified.