Evening star. [volume], September 05, 1941, Page B-1, Image 23

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

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Washington News ®ht Mtimitifi Stef Society and General β
j SUNDAY MORNING EDITION
WASHINGTON, D. C., FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1941. ** B
Rule May Force
Reckord From
Troop Command
Big Shake-up in Field
Officers Near as Age
Limits Are Reduced
By NELSON SHEPARD.
M»J. Gen. Milton A. Reckord, com
manding officer of Fort George G
Meade, Md., and the 29th Division,
1* one of four "overage" National
Guard division commanders slated
ior early replacement by younger
men, it was learned today, if the
War Department hew to the line
of a new policy setting up the first
schedule of maximum age limits for
United States Army officers on
"service with troop units."
The new age limits, ranging from
62 years for major generals in com
mand of divisions to 30 years for
second lieutenants, visualize the
la.gest "shakeup" of field officers the
Army has experienced since the start
of mobilization.
Undersecretary Patterson, who
*aid late yesterday the order was
designed to "revitalize" the field'
foices. estimated that approximately
500 Regular Army officers will be
affected, with some 4 500 Guard of
ficers and a few reservists making
up the balance. Strict adherence to
the policy, it was said, would take
β toll of at least 20 per cent of the
22.300 Guard officers now on active
duty.
would lift umer uuties.
The officers severed from service
with troop units ere still to be re
tained in the Army but their serv
ices will be transferred to admin
istrative or staff duty away from
troops. In other words, many of
them will be given "swivel chair"
jobs. No regular officers of the
rank of major general will be im
mediately affected by the new
policy, because of the recent weed
ing out of "overage" commanders
and their replacement by younger
officers.
The commander of the 29th Di
vision. which is composed of Guards
men from the District of Columbia,
Maryland, Virginia and Pennsyl
vania, will not be officially eligible
for transfer until December 28, his
62nd birthday anniversary. Gen.
Reckord was inducted into the Fed
eral service on February 3, 1941.
There is a degree of elasticity in
the new policy, it was pointed out,
that may make an exception in the
case of Gen. Reckord, who has a
distinguished record in the National
Guard and Is generally credited as
ore of the best field commanders in
the Army.
Maj. William W. Haskell, com
mander of the 27th New York Guard
Division, at Port McClellan. Ala.,
and M»J. Gen. Claude V. Birkhead,
36th Texas Guard Division, at Camp
Bowie, Tex,, are each 63 years of
Age. They would be immediately
eligible for transfers.
The other National Guard officer,
MaJ. Gen. Edward Martin, in com
mand of the 28th Pennsylvania
Division at Indlantown Gap, Pa.,
will be 62 on September 28,
Age Limit Schedule.
The following schedule of maxi
mum age limits for the various
rank· was set up: Major general;
who are division commanders, 62;
brigadier generals, 60; colonels, 55;
lieutenant colonels, 52; majors, 47;
captains. 42; first lieutenants, 35;
second lieutenants. 30.
Specifically exempted from the
• ge limits are officers serving with
the Air Force. Mr. Patterson said
that was because of the need foi
the maximum number of Air Corps
officers and the fact that there l.«
a "heavy demand" for non-flying
officers for service with the All
Forces. For that reason they are
not classed as "troops'' under the
sge-in-grade policy. Also exempted
Is Gen. George C. Marshall, chief ol
staff, who is 61; Army corps com
manders who are major generals
end field army commanders who are
lieutenant generals.
The 30-year age limit applied tc
second lieutenants, Mr. Pattersor
emphasized, will not apply to en
listed men who have successfullj
passed the officer candidate schools
A great many of these men, he said
s re 30 years of age or older.
Repercussions Possible.
With approximately 20 per cem
«f National Guard officers, it wa:
feared in War Department circle:
that repercussions will be heard or
Capitol Hill when some of thi
Guard officers are slated for re
moval from the field. There wa:
comparatively little criticism, how
ever, and a good deal of praise iron
members of Congress when Gen
Marshall first began a process ο
weeding out over-age general offl
cers In strategically important flel<
commands.
Congress also empowered the Wa
Department recently to set up ai
Army "plucking board" with a vie^
to bringing about the discharge ο
retirement of officers deemed unfi
or physically unable to stand th
rigors of modern campaigning. Tha
board has yet to pass on Its firs
sIsÉe of retirements
It, ii not the intention to accom
plish the removal of all "overage
offleere from troop units immedi
nteiy under the newly announce<
poHey, the War Department said
It is more likely the transfers wil
be spread over a sufficient periot
tp avoid interference with uni
«eieiency, especially during the ex
tensive maneuvers now in progress
Mr. Patterson emphasized tha
no stigma Is attached to the offl
cere' records in such cases.
Promotions May Save Some.
The reason why comparatively
few of the Reservists will be af·
feeted is because an age-in-gradi
restriction has been in effect ii
the Reserve Corps since last Feb
ruary.
There are other "loopholes'
whereby many of the average offl
cers among the Regulars and Na
tional Guild may escape replace
ment in the field. A number ο
them, it was pointed out, are eligi
ble for promotions to higher grade:
In which they can still meet thi
age itandards ior service with trooj
imita.
Α'λο, «vcrseaa officer* above th<
*
TRIBUTE TO GEN COX—Brig. Gen. Albert L. Cox is shown last
night at the meeting in his honor at the Bureau of Engraving
and Printing with two of the 200 who came to commend his work
I for the District selective service organization. Left to right are
District Commissioner Guy Mason, Gen. Cox and William E.
Leahy, who succeeded the general as District director of selective
service. —Star Staff Photo.
I φ
Chinquapin Residents
Accept New Rental
Scale, Ending Dispute
Torpedo Plant Employes
Given Reduction, but
Must Pay for Utilities
By & Staff Correspondent of The 8Ur.
ALEXANDRIA. Va., Sept. δ —
Residents of Chinquapin Village, the
j Navy's low-cost housing project for
torpedo plant employes, agreed to
a new rental scale last night and
brought to an end a controversy
that has continued for about a
month.
Ballots were counted last night
j which were cast at a special meeting
; Wednesday night. They showed a
! majority of the residents are willing
j to accept a reduction in the rent
I and make an additional payment for
public utility services under a plan
worked out by the Bureau of Yards
and Docks which became effective
j Monday.
The new schedule provides for
j the rental of one-bedroom units for
$25 plus $6 50 monthly for utilities,
i two-room units for $30 plus $8.20
; monthly for utilities, and three
room units for $35 plus $9.80 monthly
for utilities.
The utilities include light, heat,
j gas and water. A previous plan
under which charges ranged from
$9.90 to $12 monthly for utilities
was rejected.
ι
Make September
Safer
Every blot is a District traf
fic death. The toll thus far
exceeds that reported here dur
ing the same period in 1940.
Keep the September calendar
clear.
September, 1941
• ·"·"! ·
Sept.! Sept. 4 Sept. 5 1
September, 1940
Sept. 7 Sept. 13 Sept. 22
Toll in Previous Months.
1940. 1941.
January 5 13
February 5 3
March 6 5
April 1 7
May 8 6
June 11 6
July 4 Τ
August 8 5
Totals to date 48 56
In September. Beware Of:
1. The hours between 10 and
11 p.m. Two persons met death
within this one-hour period in
September last year. The third
fatality occurred between 4 and
5 p.m.
2. Crossing at an intersec
tion against the proper signal.
One of the three traffic vic
tims in September. 1940, was
killed while doing this.
XII V- - 1
IIlttAUIlUUI HfcC Hliuto TT1A* fcrx.
1 lowed to complete their normal tour
[ of foreign service. But wherever
. practicable, they will be assigned
■ to duties away from troops.
As a greater number of experi
' enced younger officers are avail
able for higher field commands, it
' is possible that the War Depart
1 ment will take a further step in
' reducing the age of officers serv
ing with troops.
t There has been no definite com
' j mitment to such a policy but a
broad hint was contained in the
k War Department announcement.
It said:
; "During the early phases of the
expansion of the Army in the ex
isting emergency, it was necessary
Work of Gen. Cox
In Launching Draft
In D. C. Is Praised
200 Friends Gather
To Honor Former
Chief of Local System
Heads of Washington's 25 draft
boards. Selective Service System
personnel, Army officers and well
wishers last night honored Brig.
Gen. Albert L. Cox. former head of
the District draft set-up and com
mander of the Washington Pro
visional Brigade, at a testimonial
meeting.
Among those who attended the
gathering for Gen. Cox, who
resigned his post as head of the Dis
trict Selective Service system in July,
was Commissioner Guy Mason.
Commissioner Mason told 200
friends of Gen. Cox:
"I am happy to pay tribute to
such a distinguished resident of
the District of Columbia. I served
under and with him when the Se
lective Service Act began operating
here. Due to his able administra
tion. we bridged all obstacles and
now have one of the best draft
setups in the United States. I think
we owe it all to Gen. Cox."
Volunteer worners f-raisra.
Col. Carlton H. Dargusch. 'dep
uty director of the national se
lective service, in praising Gen.
Cox's labors, paid particular trib
ute to the volunteer workers who
administer the operation of local
draft boards.
John C. O'Laughlin, head of the
Draft Board of Appeals here,
warned of the Nation's "perUous
situation." He said the selective
service system was founded to form
a victorious Army, adding that Gen.
Cox. as first administrator of the
system in Washington, had done
his utmost to realize this objective.
Gen. Cox's successor as head of
the local system, William E.
Leahy, former head of the Board of
Draft Appeals, declared the effi
ciency of the draft system depends
on those willing to serve without
monetary return and whose only
hope is to "help a little in this
I time of national emergency."
Gen. Cox Replies.
He termed the meeting, held in
the auditorium of the Bureau of
I Engraving and Printing, a "fine
i tribute to a fine man."
The former head of the Wash
ington Selective Service said:
"You have made me most happy
tonight. In my heart and mind,
I am satisfied there has been gath
ered together no group more de
voted to the cause they serve than
the members of the selective-serv
ice system here."
The program, which was in
! charge of Michael Kapneck. chair
man of Local Board No. fi, was
featured by musical selections by
the 121 Engineers' Band. Col. John
J W. Oehmann, commanding officer
; of the engineer regiment, spoke
briefly.
John H. Houston, a member of
Board No. 6, was chairman of the
program.
ι
to utilize all experienced officers,
: regardless of age. However, the
War Department was well aware of
the fact that as soon as the new
Army got on its feet, the older of
ficers with field force units would
have to be replaced. The age-in
grade announcement is an ac
knowledgment that the time has
arrived to release the older offi
cers, and the age limits contained
in the announcement constitute a
beginning in that direction."
The statutory retirement age for
officers is 64 years and in the past
they served with troop units until
they reached the age limit. Un
; der the recent "plucking board"
i authorization, that statutory age
I limit can be waived.
2 Traffic Deaths
Bring Toll.to
56 for Year
Pedestrian, 65, and
Youth Roller Skating
Are Latest Victims
Death of a 65-year-old man early
today and of an 11-year-old boy
shortly belore midnight last night,
the third and fourth traffic fatalities
to be recorded
brought the
District toll for
the year to 56,
eight above the
total for the g
same date of |
1940.
John Ragan of
4903 Fifth street
N.W. died in
Emergency Hos- |
pital of injuries D
received at noon |
yesterday when «.
struck by an au
tomobile while Mr- *»«»"·
crossing Constitution avenue just
west of Twenty-first street N.W.
Police listed the driver of the
car as Edward M. Brown, 41, of 4008
Chesapeake street N.W., a police
man attached to the eighth pre
cinct.
The boy, John Butler, colored, of
50 Pierce street N.W., according to
police, was struck by an automobile
driven by Seymour Schulman, 308
Upshur street N.W., while roller
skating at First and Pierce streets
N.W. He was taken to Sibley Hos
pital, where he was pronounced \
dead.
Inquest m îaxi irasn.
An inquest was to be held at the
District morgue today In the death
of Mrs. Myrtle" Jordan. 53. of Hunt
ington. W. Va., who succumbed here
Monday to injuries received when a
taxicab in which she was riding {
collided with another at Fourth
street and Washington drive N.W.
August 20.
Russell J. Frev, 26-year-old motor
cycle policeman attached to the
Traffic Bureau, received serious leg
injuries in a collision with a pedes
trian while escorting a convoy of 57
Army trucks through the District
this morning.
Mr. Prey s motor cycle, accord
ing to police, struck Carl Miller, 34.
of Riverdale, Md„ when he ran
through a gap in the convoy in the
1300 block of New York avenue N.E.
The policeman was thrown to the
pavement. He was admitted to
Casualty Hospital and treated for
severe brush burns to the foot, ankle
and leg and for possible fracture of
the knee while Mr. Miller was re
leased after treatment for hip in
juries.
In one of the less serious acci
dents of the last 24 hours. William
E. Jones, 5, Hyattsville. Md.. struck
by an automobile in the 600 block
of Sixth street N.E., was treated at
Casualty Hospital for compound
fracture of the left leg, cuts on the
face and shock. Another pedestrian,
Helen Good, 59. of 650 H street
N.E., hit by a taxicab at Fifteenth
and Κ streets N.W., received treat
ment at Sibley Hospital for injuries
to the back, head and left leg.
c<n./.b
Wilbur Hedges. 17. of 3201 Τ
street S.E., was struck by a truck
while riding a bicycle on Marlboro
pike 2 miles from the District line.
He was treated at Providence Hos
pital for arm injuries.
Francis Brooks, 16, of 522 Rhode
Island avenue N.E., was treated at
Sibley Hospital ior leg injuries re
ceived when a bicycle he was riding
collided with an automobile at New
York avenue and North Capitol
street early last night.
As a result of an automobile acci
dent near Bethesda, Pete Ricketts,
18, of Bethesda, was brought to
Georgetown Hospital and treated
for serious nead injuries.
Army Seeks Billion
For More Equipment
B> the Arrceintpd Press.
The Army, intent on developing
its fighting punch, put another bil
lion dollars worth of combat equip
ment on its buying list today.
The extra money. Undersecretary
of War Patterson said, is needed for
: taiiivo, aiiui-vuii» dm**u ———
aircraft weapons. The request will
go soon to Congress, which recently
trimmed about $550,000.000 off a $1.
j 300,000,000 request for additional
j weapons which Army men said
! would be needed for a force of
I 3,000,000 men.
Mr. Patterson made it plain that
I neither then nor now did the de
partment contemplate immediate
creation of a 3.000,000 man force.
But the tanks and artillery pieces
will require a long time to manu
facture, should be ready when need
j ed and new plans call for a denser
; assignment of such weapons among
I the present forces.
1 The Undersecretary told newsmen
that the trend was "clearly in favor
; of an increased density of these
I weapons in any troop units."
"IT DOESN'T HURT A BIT"—This was the comment of Coach Ε. E. Larsen of the Navy grid
team as he donated a pint of his blood for the American Red Cross blood plasma bank at Red
Cross headquarters yesterday. Watching the demonstration as Lt. Comdr. Lloyd New houser
(right) extracts the blood, are (left to right) Chief Pharmacist's Mate H. R. Evans, Navy Nurse
Marcella Heinke, Rear Admiral Ross T. Mclntire. surgeon general of the Navy, and Chairman
Norman H. Davis of the American Red Cross. —A. P. Photo.
Navy's Grid Coach
Says Donating Blood
Is 'Just Like Resting'
Maj. Ε. E. Larsen Laughs
Off Idea of Pain in
Adding to Plasma Store
A steady trickle of blood was
flowing from the arm of Maj. E. E
Larsen. coach of the Naval Academy
football team.
"WVint rira»s it fpe! like?" he was
asked.
"I don't even feel it." he replied, j
"The only thing I feel if this rub
ber cuff around my upper arm."
"There's no fluttering of the heart
or anything? No pounding in your
ears?"
Maj. Larsen laughed. "Nope, not I
even a thrill. It's just like I might
lie down to rest a few moments.",
He was on a table in the base- 1
ment of the American Red Cross
Building, where doctors were ex- i
trading a pint of his blood for the
collection being gathered for the
armed forces. Coach Larsen is a
major in the Marine Corps.
Novacaine Injected.
The first step, after Maj. Larsen ;
removed his coat and lay on the :
table, was for Dr. Lloyd Newhouser j
to put the rubber blood pressure cuff
around the upper part of the donor's
right arm. This cuff is a long
rubber balloon affair that is pumped
full of air so that it acts as a
tourniquet. A person's blood près- ;
sure gives the physician an idea on
how fast the blood can be ex
tracted.
Then Dr. New'houser rubbed a
little alcohol over a small surface
of the skin at the inner crook of ;
Coach Larsen s elbow and inserted
a drop of novacaine with a fine
needle.
A moment later, with a quick, I
sure movement, the physician in
serted in a vein a larger, needle
through which the blood immedi
ately began to flow.
"Did that hurt?" the coach was
asked.
"Not even as much as a pin prick,"
was the reply.
The blood flowed through the
needle and into a rubber tube about
18 inches long that led to the pint
bottle.
Donor Sees No Blood.
The only thing Maj, Larsen could
I see was the ceiling of the basement
! and the faces of the doctors and
nurse at his side. The receptacle
i that was rapidly filling with the
j dark red liquid was held below his
; eyes.
"We never show them their blood,"
said Dr. Newhouser. "Of course,
there's nothing to be afraid of, but
it gives some people a funny feeling
to see it."
All Maj. Larsen could smell was
a little alcohol or possibly iodine
that was on a nearby table.
"If you spill a single drop of
; blood, which might be smelled,
; you've done a bad job," said Dr.
Newhouser, adding the mistake is
rarely made.
A few moments later, the physi
cian straightened up. The bottle
; was brimful. It was all over, ex
cept Coach Larsen had to continue
, lying down for about 10 minutes.
! The doctors didn't even put a ban
dage on his arm, only a drop of
I iodine.
Maj. Larsen's body will replace
the liquid portion of the blood he
gave within 12 hours, and the red
: cells within 10 days. For the first
j few hours, the doctors advise the
Entertainment.
Dance, sponsored by Women's
Battalion, Bureau of Engraving and
Printing, tonight, 8:30 o'cloA.
Dance, Soldiers, Sailors and Ma
rines Club. 1015 L street N.W.. to
morrow night. 8 o'clock; hostesses.
Street dance. Ε street between
Fourteenth and Fifteenth N.W., to
morrow night. 8 o'clock.
Dance, Y. W. C. Α., Seventeenth
and Κ street N.W.. tomorrow night.
9 o'clock: small charge to cover
refreshments and music.
Dance, Y. M. C. A . 1736 G Street
N.W.. tomorrow night, 9 o'clock;
hostesses.
Dance. Jewish Community Center,
Sixteenth and Q streets N.W.. to
morrow night. 8 o'clock; hostesses.
Dance, National Catholic Com
munity Service Club. 918 Tenth
street N.W, tomorrow night, 9
o'clock.
Γ\οηΛΪηιτ rlocc VetiAnol Γ* α Ι \λ i η
Community Service Club, tomorrow
afternoon, 3 o'clock; Jack Rollins,
instructor.
Dinner and dance, sponsored by
Covenant-First Presbyterian League
for men in the service. Fellowship
House, 3563 Massachusetts avenue
N.W., tomorrow night, 6 o'clock:
transportation to Fellowship House
provided from Church. Connecticut
avenue and Ν street N.W.
Open house. Soldiers, Sailors and
Marines Club. Sunday afternoon,
4 o'clock.
Open house. National Capital
Service Men's Club. 605 Ε street N.W.,
tomorrow night, 7 o'clock; music,
hostesses, game facilities.
Open house, St. John's Episcopal
Church Parish Hall, Sixteenth and
Η street N.W., tomorrow after 6
p.m.: hostesses.
Open house. Y. M. C. A, Sunday
afternoon, 4 to 6 o'clock.
Sight-seeing tour, sponsored by
St. John's Episcopal Church, tomor
row afternoon. 2:30 o'clock; host
esses. guide service, transportation,
picnic supper.
Swimming, Y. M. C. Α., small
charge, Sunday, 9 ajn. to 1 p.m.
Sunday dinner. Covenant-First
Presbyterian Church, open to men
in uniform attending morning serv
ice.
Special program, with motion pic
tures, sponsored by Mount Vernon
Place Methodist Church, 900 Massa
chusetts avenue N.W.,. tomorrow, 8
o'clock.
Music night. St.. John's Episcopal
Church, tonight. 6 o'clock; hostesses.
Spectator sport, swimming meet,
sponsored by President's Cup Re
gatta Association, East Potomac
Pool, tomorrow afternoon: genoeing ■
and rowing regatta, Sunday after- ι
noon, 1 o'clock.
Photographic laboratory, Service j
Club, opened to service men for their
use, tomorrow, 4 o'clock.
Lodging. *
Lodging facilities for service men
in Washington over the week end
may be found at the Y. M. C. Α.,
George Washington University gym
nasium, 2010 Η street N.W.. and at
the Soldiers. Sailors and Marines'
Club. The Recreation Leave Area
on the Virginia side of the Memo
rial Bridge has accommodations for
QQfi men
Religious Service*.
Washington churches of all de- !
nominations welcome men in uni
form to week-end services. Work
of Protestant churches in the city
centers at the Washington Federa
tion of Churches, 1749 Ν street N.W.
Service men are invited to visit this
headquarters. Location of near
downtown churches representing
various denominations, a.s listed in
this wlek's bulletin of the District
Defense Council, follow: St. Pat
rick's (Catholic). Tenth street be
tween Ρ and G N.W.: Mount Ver
non (Methodist*, 900 Massachusetts
avenue N.W.: St. Sophia (Greek Or
thodox). Eighth and L street N.W.;
Washington Hebrew Congregation.
822 Eighth street N.W. ; Church of I
the Ascension (Episcopalian), 1201
Massachusetts avenue N.W.; Cal
vary (Baptist;, Eighth and H streets
N.W.: Third Church of Christian
Science, Thirteenth and L streets
N.W.. and New York Avenue Pres
bvterian, 1301 New York avenue
N.W.
Activities for Colored Service Men.
Dance, Banneker Fieldhouse,
Georgia avenue and Howard place
N.W., tomorrow. 8 o'clock.
Dancing and games, Phvllis
Wheatley Y. W. C. Α.. 901 Rhode
I Island avenue N.W., tomorrow, 8
I n'rlnrk
I Boxing matches. Y. M. C. Α.. 1812
Twelfth street N.W., tomorrow, 8
o'clock.
Swimming. Banneker pool and
Y. M. C. Α.; all other facilities of
Y. M. C. A. also open to service
men.
Lodging facilities. Banneker
Fieldhouse and Y. M. C. A.
Religious services. First Baptist
Church. Twenty-seventh street and
Dumbarton avenue N.W.: Asburv
Methodist. Eleventh and Κ streets
N.W.; Holy Redeemer Catholic. 210
New York avenue Ν W.; Fifteenth
Street (Presbvterian), Fifteenth and
R streets N.W.
drinking of considerable liquids—
water, milk or orange juice.
Strong exercise for the first few
hours is advised against but Coach
Larsen immediately returned to An
napolis, Md„ with the intention of
putting his team through a work
out.
The blood given by the coach was
rushed to a laboratory for reduction
to plasma form for storing at Army
and Navy centers or on board ships.
The Red Cross has been asked to
provide 200.000 pints. Washington
already has provided about 1,000 of
its quota of 5.000 pints.
Rear Admiral Ross T. Mclntyre,
surgeon general of the Navy and
President Roosevelt's personal phy
sician, supervised the procedure yes
terday. He and Chairman Norman
H. Davis of the Red Cross spoke
over a hookup of the Mutual Broad
casting System during the taking of
the blood.
Beauty Contest Added
To U. S. 0. Benefit
B» the Associated Press.
ANNAPOLIS, Md., Sept. 5— A
bathing beauty contest has been
added to the program for the all
day outing to be held September 21
at Beverly Beach for the benefit of
the United Service Organizations.
Entrants in the contest must be
between 16 and 25 years old. Other
events on the program include a
baseball game between city and
county teams composed of players
over 40 years old and speeches.
Gov. O'Conor, United States Sen
ators Tydings and RadclifTe, Repre
sentative Sasscer, Mayor Howard W.
Jackson of Baltimore. State Con
troller J. Millard Tawes and James
A. Young, Court of Appeals chief
clerk, are scheduled to speak.
Il Nails and Brass Doorknobs Getting Scarce, and Soon There Won't Be. Any Gadgets
No cards have been issued,
but there is rationing in Wash
ington. The restricted commodity
is nails—common building nails.
The nail business would be a
fine business in which to be en
gaged at this time, if one had
plenty of nails, local hardware
! merchants agreed today. But
ι nails are at a premium here and
in most other cities of the United
States.
Capital builders are managing
to struggle along, although they
are working the good word and
glad hand overtime in their
'■ efforts to achieve preferential de
■ [ livery status from wholesale
! I hardware firms.
! "We are averaging a carload a
ι . week," one dealer said. "W·
could nrll three a week If we
! I could get them. The worst »hort- i
1
age is in the 8-penny common
nail, which is the most used."
He explained a sincere effort
was being made by his firm to
spread the consignments about
where they would do the most
good, a keg here, another there.
An executive of another whole
sale establishment said his or
ganization had been helping sup
ply competitors for six weeks,
since it had obtained delivery of
a large reserve stock before man
ufacturers were obliged to re
strict their shipments.
Many builders in Southern
States have sent trucks to the
warehouse here, hoping to get
nails, he revealed. The suppli
cants have come from as far
away as Jacksonville. Fla.
"They offer u* ridiculous fig
ure· and sajr they'll earry th·
f
I nails away themselves," this
dealer declared. "But we feel we
have some obligation to the local
builders who have been doing
business with us."
The nail shortage is not the
only material situation worrying
builders here. Deficiencies already
exist in some other items. De
liveries are slow in many others,
and dealers would not be sur
prised to learn dozens of orders
had become undeliverable be
cause of manufacturers' troubles
with the defense priority raw
materials maze.
Galvanized steel products prac
tically have disappeared from the
non-defense market here, for ex
ample. This is making the men
who install heating and air-con
ditioning equipment reach for
the uplrta.
»
The chances of getting sheet
copper also are slim. Where cop
per flashing is specified in pri
vate home construction, it's often
wishful thinking on the part of
the architect these days, the
building suppliers say.
The brass doorknob is another
vanishing item.
"Indications are brass knobs
will be out in 30 or 40 days," a
hardware man said.
Structural steel, of course, can
not be ordered with a guaran
tee of delivery. The particular
scarcity of bar steel for "T" an
chors has prompted a prominent
local structural steel dealer to
send urgent queries all over the
East with negligible results. "T"
anchors are necessary to hold
steel frame buildings together.
Building and loan aeeoeUttooe
here are inquiring into the loan
applicant's prospects of getting
materials for the home he hopes
to build. They are not approving
loans until satisfied the would-be
home owner has learned his con
tractor's ability to go ahead with
the job.
An official of one association
said today that few applications
have been turned down for lack
of this assurance. The priorities
situation has received such news
prominence that virtually all ap
plicants now are checking on
their materials before approach
ing the loan organizations, he
explained.
Washington hardware men
have not been obliged to cut their
lines. of fixtures drastically to
date, but they ire resigned to
doing this within a few weeks or,
at the most, months.
Department store hardware
buyers are facing the same
prospect. Stocks of many kitch
en appliances ordered weeks ago
will be the last to enter the Cap
ital for a long time—ii they
finally show up.
The gadgets are due to disap
pear because the manufacturers
of these patented items, often
small firms, are finding it im
possible to obtain new supplies
of raw metal. Tricky can open
ers and graters are among the
things which soon will be found
no more on the counters.
Buyers feel certain housewives
will have to do without those
shiny shredded copper pot scour
ers, among other things.
Λ
U. S. Weighs
First Case for
Catoe Trial
Abramowitz Slaying
May Be Selected
For October 15 Jury
Two investigations went forward
today in the indictments against
Jarvis R. Catoe—one by police to
send the 36-year-old colored la
borer and mechanic to the electric
chair in his October 15 trial for
one of the murder-criminal assault
cases of which he is accused—the
other by the defense for evidence to
save him from death.
The District grand jury yesterday
indicted Catoe on five charges of
criminal assault and murder in the
first degree, ' five cases of criminal
assault and four of robbery upon
his women victims. Catoe pleaded
innocent to all of them as all 10 in
nictmenis were reaa smgiy 10 nun.
Police say that they have confes
sions from Catoe. that some of his
victims have identified him and
that in some cases Catoe himself
has gone to the scene and re-en
icted the crime.
Following the grand jury in
dictments and the arraignment of
Catoe on the charges, Justice Dan
iel W. O'Donoghue yesterday aft
ernoon adopted the defense sugges
tion that October 15 be set as the
trial date. The Government,
through United States Attorney Ed
ward M. Curran and Assistant
United States Attorney John W.
Fihelly. who will try the cases, had
urged an early date for the first
trial.
Case Not Yet Selected.
Mr. Fihelly .said that he is await
ing a police report on certain de
tails in all the cases before deciding
just which one will be tried first.
He indicated to Justice O'Donoghue
the accused will be tried first on
one of the murder-criminal as
sault cases. These include the Jesse
Elizabeth Strieff and Mrs. Rose
Simons Abramowitz cases. Some
observers believe the Abramowitz
case is the Government's strongest.
The grand jury yesterday indicted
Catoe of the murder-criminal as
saults of Mrs. Abramowitz. found
dead in her apartment. 1901 Six
teenth street N. W., on March 8; of
Miss Strieff, whose nude body was
discovered on June 16 in the rear
of 1717 Q street, N.W. in a garage:
of Mattie Steward, colored. 48. on
November 28 in the 1400 block, of
Swann street, N.W., of Lucy Kid
well, colored, 56, on September 27
in a house in the 300 block of
Virginia avenue. S.E. and of Ada
Gladys Puller, colored, 21. in the
Î400 block of Corcoran street N.W,
on January τι.
Catoe also was indicted on charges
of criminally assaulting and robbing
Nannie C. Carter, colored. 56. 1000
block of Fairmont street N.W. on
December 17, the alleged crime oc
curring on a lot in the 2400 block
of Ontario road N.W., the woman
being robbed of $1.11: of a similar
charge concerning Cora E. Doy,
colored. 65, in the 2100 block of
Ward place N.W., on September 9,
1940, robbing her of $20; of a sim
ilar charge regarding Allie Pippin,
colored. 62, «η November 26 at 59 R
street N.W. and taking a $10 pair
of glasses, and a like accusation
against him concerning Josephine
Greenlease, colored, 50, on August
30. 1940. in the 2600 block of Elev
enth street. N.W., from whom he
took $24. In the case of Elizabeth
Berry, colored. 64. the grand jury
charged Catoe with criminally as
saulting her on February 14. 1940,
in the 1700 block of Τ street N.W.
in her home, knocking her uncon
scious. No robbery is alleged in
this case. a
Justice O'Donoghue granted De
fense Counsel Walter M. Shea,
George J. Boden and J. Robert Esh
er five days in which to make any
legal moves attacking the legality
of the indictments. They had asked
for 10 days, but the jurist said that
there is nothing complicated about
the indictments and allowed the
customary five days. Mr. Shea told
the court that it will take much
investigation and hard work to pre
pare the defense and Mr. Fihelly
promised to let the defense know in
the next two or three days which
case the government will select first
A reading of Catoe's alleged
crimes, as recorded in the indict
ments, consumed more than half an
hour. Clerk Paul Dawson read each
to Catoe, the Strieff case coming
first. In response to the clerk's
question as to whether he pled in
nocent or guilty, Catoe answered:
"Not guilty—not of any white
women."
Police are convinced that Catoe
is the perpetrator of the Abramo
I witz crime, for he knew about a
$20 bill and the exact position of
the furniture in the apartment.
They allege he re-enacted the crime
in the presence of th· authorities,
following his arrest.
Fifteen deputy United States
I marshals/were grouped strategically
around Catoe as he was arraigned
shortly after 2:15 o'clock yesterday
afternoon. Catoe kept his hands on
the table before him as the lengthy
arraignment—probably the longest
I in the recent history of District
Court—proceeded.
► Told to Speak Up.
Standing beside Catoe during the
arraignment was Defense Counsel
Shea.
At one point, Justice O'Donoghue
told Catoe to speak up so the court
could hear him. The accused began
his recital of innocence in a firm,
loud voice, but as the arraignment
proceeded, he allowed it to drop.
The arraignment ended. Justice
O'Donoghue addressed Catoe, asking
him if he had not pleaded innocent
to all 10 Indictments and that he
had selected his defense counsel
voluntarily. Catoe replied that he
had.
Police say that Catoe's method
in approaching many of his victims,
whom he knocked unconscious, was
to ask to rent a room and say that
he had valuable tools he wanted
deposited In the basement.
A