Evening star. [volume], January 16, 1942, Page B-1, Image 25

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

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Washington News
Society and General
WASHINGTON, D. C., FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 1942. XX
B—1
Wage-Hour Unit
To Be Shifted to
New York Soon
Date Not Yet Set;
Times Square Offices
To Free 2 Floors Here
New York City has been se
lected as the new home of the
Wage and Hour Division. Labor
Department officials revealed to
day. The division employs ap
proximately 500 persons in Wash
ington.
The decentralization program
made public by the Budget Bureau
late last month originally called for
the transfer of the division to Pitts
burgh. Secretary Perkins, at a spe
cial meeting of Wage and Hour em
ployes January 2. announced the
Pittsburgh plans had been aban
doned and that the choice had been
narrowed to two cities. She did not
identify them.
Pittsburgh was given up as a site
because suitable quarters could not
be found there and because it was
not sufficiently accessible to Wash
ington, it was explained.
The Wage and Hour Division, it is
understood, will occupy space in a
building at 1560 Broadway, in Times
Square. Though the exact date of
transfer has not yet been disclosed,
it is expected to be in the near fu
ture.
The transfer will release approxi
mately two floors to other Federal
agencies in the Labor Department
Building.
The move will not affect the activi
tives of the regional office in New
York, it was explained.
After the earlier announcement
of the transfer to Pittsburgh many
Wage and Hour employes applied for
transfer to other Federal agencies.
Secretary Perkins, in addressing
Wage and Hour personnel January
2. indicated that- department officials
would be •'reasonable” in passing on
requests for transfers where the
move from Washington would im
pose a real hardship on the indi
vidual employe. She warned, how
ever. that the Government was plan
ning to move other agencies from
the District.
It is understood that in addition
to New York. Atlantic City also was
under consideration as headquarters
of the Wage and Hour Division.
The final decision In favor of New
York was reached last night.
House Probe of Activities
Of Lt. Gov. Murphy Asked
Mr the Atscciited Presg.
Representative Engel. Republican,
of Michigan said today he had re
quested the House Military Affairs
Committee to investigate "the ac
tivities of Lt. Gov. Frank Murphy
of Michigan in connection with the
negotiation of War Department de
fense contracts.”
Mr. Engel put in the House rec
ord a statement saying that J. J.
Hoffman, vice president and general
counsel of the Brunswick-Balke
Collender Co., Muskegon, Mich., re
ported that Lt. Gov. Murphy "sought
employment by this company in its
negotiations with the Federal Gov
ernment concerning defense busi
ness.”
Mr. Engel said the company was
among bidders on a $24,000,000 flare
bomb contract for the Army. Three
months after the original requisi
tion for the bombs. Mr. Engel said,
no contract had been let. He de
clared that Muskegon was a “dis
tress area” which would benefit
greatly by the contract.
"I am not informed what fee or
commission Lt. Gov. Murphy de
manded for his services in obtain
ing a defense contract for the
Brunswick - Balke - Collender Co.,"
Mr. Engel said, adding, "this is a
detail which might be clarified
speedily by the committees in
vestigation.”
Northeast Businessmen
Elect Bowdler President
Louis L. Bowdler. past president
of the Federation of Businessmens
Associations, was elected president
of the Northeast Businessmen's As
sociation last night, succeeding Art
Hartung. Mr. Bowdler had served
as president of the group four years
ago.
Other officers elected were: First
vice president. John Slocombe: sec
ond vice president, Andrew Gemeny;
secretary, George Geiger; treasurer,
Julius Cardin; general counsel,
Joseph Bailey; assistant to the gen
eral counsel, Raymond Dunne; board
of directors. Mr. Dunne. Mr. Har
tung. James Rogers, Mr. Cardin.
Edwin Geisel.
The annual banquet of the asso
fiation was set for February 16.
Mr. Hartung, retiring president,
announced that the group yesterday
bought a $1,000 defense bond.
Hyattsville High School
Damaged by Blaze
A fire of undetermined origin
broke out in the Hyattsville High
School an hour before classes start
ed today and did about $50 damage
to floors, textbooks and pupils' be
longings before being extinguished
by the Hyattsville Fire Department.
’The blaze was confined to locker
rooms on the first and second floors,
according to J. A. Miller, principal.
Few persons were in the building
at the time.
Buy $200,000 in Bonds
District government workers have
contracted for purchase of Defense
bonds or stamps amounting to more
than $200,000, the Commissioners
were advised today by Walter L.
Fowler, District budget officer, who
Is chairman of the Municipal De
fense Savings Committee. He said
more than 5,500 District employes
fcave signed pledges.
* t ?; H ; !: *
I M.S * S' I
i BEARS MESSAGE FRO I SECRETARY OF STATE—Assistant
! Secretary of State Brecknridge Long as he made his contribu
tion to the Mile O' Dinars campaign yesterday, after reading a
| message from Secretary of State Cordell Hull.—Star Staff Photo.
-----4 -
ks
Collected in D. C.
For Service Men
Nation-Wide Campdgn
With Goal of 10 Million
Volumes Ends Feb. *
Collecting an average of about
1.000 books a day, the "victcy book
campaign" in the Distrirr, had
amassed a total of nearly 4.00 books
ind 544 phonograph records jxlay.
Collection has been simplified by
offer of Brentano's Book Sto es and
the District Grocery Stores to de
liver to the District Public library
any books for service men left at
the stores. The Nationwide drive
for 10,000,000 books for Army camps,
naval bases and other military cen
ters started last Monday aid will
close February 4.
Records Were Not Fxpeted.
The main system of co lection,
however, is to take or to mat books
to the George Washington Univer
sity Library, the main publit library
at Eighth and K streets, or o:e of its
12 branch libraries. The piblic li
brary has collected 3.473 bodes and
the George Washington Libnry 506.
About 50 of the university contri
butions have been pamphlet, which
were unsolicited but whict Capt.
Ray L. Trautman. supervisor of
Army camp libraries, said ire con
venient for hospital reading
Contribution of phonograih rec
ords has not been expected 3\ Mrs.
Philip Sidney Smith, chairman of
the District book drive, mt are
being gratefully accepted. Tie Star
contributed 50 records and ItO books
to the drive the opening day Since
then about 500 more recoris have
come in.
Miniature barracks with <penings
through which books can be iropped
will be set up next week in ill local
Masonic temples and meetin; places
bv the International Order )f Job’s
Daughters, according to Mr. Laura
S. Wallace, supreme librariai of the
District.
Ball Will Be Held.
In addition, the daughttrs are
planning a “victory book >all.” to
which admission will be b.oks for
service men. Each dancer wll dress
as a character in the book, ne pre
sents to the drive. The per.so. guess
ing correctly the largest nunber of
characters will receive a b<ok and
Defense savings stamps. T te date
and place of the dance wil be an
nounced later.
The Junior League has s:t up a
book collection center in Iti head
quarters at 2001 Massachuse.ts ave
nue N.W., it was announcec yester
dav bv Mrs. Montgomery Eair, jr.,j
local president. The league will de
liver the books to the libraries.
The drive is progressing ir nearby
Maryland and Virginia. Carl W.
Hintz. Maryland University librar
ian and chairman of the committee
for Prince Georges Cour.y, has
chosen as his assistants D. R. C.
Wiley, Jacob Walker, Mrs. Junes B.
Bentley. Mrs. Catherine Red, Miss
Adele Stamp, Mrs. Florence C.
Steele. Miss Reba S. Harrs, Miss
Ethel Regan. Mrs. William ?. Starr
and George W. Fogg.
Drive director for Virginia is Miss
Mary Louise Dinwiddie. .ssistant
librarian for the University of Vir
ginia.
L. Welch Pogue Named
Chairman of C. A. B.
By thr Associated Press.
L. Welch Pogue was a (pointed
chairman of the Civil Aennautics
Board yesterday by Presiden Roose
velt.
Mr. Pogue succeeds Harlles Branch,
who will continue as a member of
the board. The appointirant was
made immediately after M . Pogue
had been sworn in as a boa d mem
ber to fill the vacancy lef by ex
piration of the term of C. Grant
Mason, jr. He has been ae-ving as
general counsel of the Ci-tl Aero
nautics Authority since 193*.
I
Symphony Rehearsal
Proceeds to Go to
Mile o' Dimes
Pan-American Union
| Donates Hall for
Musical Event
The National Symphony Orches
tra and the Pan-American Union
joined forces in the Washington
j Mile o' Dimes campaign today with
Announcement that the entire pro
ceeds of a full dress rehearsal of
! the orchestra to be held In the
< Union Tuesday afternoon will go
to the fund for the fight on infan
tile paralysis.
| It marks the first time the gen
j eral public has been admitted to a
i rehearsal of the symphony. The
orchestra will perform in the Hall
of the Americas beginning at 1:30
p.m. under the direction of Dr. Hans
I Kindler. Miss Guiomar Novaes,
I Brazilian pianist, also will be heard.
T'ne orchestra and the guest ar
tist will give the regular concert in
Constitution Hall Wednesday night,
i Tickets for the Pan-American con
j cert go on sale today at the Mile o'
Dimes stand. Fourteenth street
and New York avenue N.W., and
j Homer L. Kitt, 1330 G street N.W.
Capacity Limited.
The Pan-American Union has
donated the hall for the dress re
hearsal and officials pointed out
that early purchase of seats is
essential as the seating capacity is
! limited. There will be no reserved
i seats.
Brig. Gen. Lewis B. Hershey, di
rector of selectiev service, was to
issue an appeal this afternoon for
support of the campaign as it
moved into its fifth day today.
Appearing with the selective serv
ice chief in a broadcast over Station
WMAL at 4:45 p.m. will be Under
secretary of the Interior John J.
i Dempsey: Maj. Ernest M. Culligan,
public relations officer for selective
service, and Julian G. Zier, chief
of the division of statistics for the
! Pan-American Union.
The officials will be heard from
the Mile o' Dimes stand where late
yesterday Breckenridge Long, Assis
tant Secretary of State, urged sup
port of the drive.
‘‘We are In the midst of an inter
national war, but we can stop for a
moment to contribute our mite to
the total defeat of this other enemy
which also strikes without warning,”
he declared.
A "Cruel Scourge.”
‘‘Infantile paralysis is truly a ter
rible scourge, widespread in its scope
i and cruel to its victims. Science and
nursing have whipped it in many
cases and wrill whip It In thousands
of more cases because of the sums,
large and small, which are con
tributed by millions of people.”
Through the Mile o’ Dimes, he
concluded, everybody can contribute
and have a share in the fight.
Earlier in the day campaign offi
cials announced that “wishing wells”
—small glass banks—would be set up
throughout the city in drug stores,
restaurants and grocery stores where
contributors to the paralysis fund
may drop their dimes.
In a noon time broadcast over
WMAL yesterday, contributions
from the 50 employes of the Charles
! Schwartz & Son. jewelers, and the
i 19 employes of the Bond Clothing
| store were received. Receipts from
these concerns amounted to $24.80.
Don Fischer, N. B. C. announcer,
pointed out to listeners that 76 cases
of infantile paralysis had been re
ported in the District between Jan
uary and November of last year.
This compared with 149 cases for
Virginia and 234 cases for Maryland
during the same period.
The I. O. U. of the Red, White
and Blue! United States savings
bonds and stamps. Buy them every
i payday.
Board Weighs
Shooting Case
Against Police
Four Officers Deny
Gup Was Fired
Into Prison Cell
Cases against four police officers
involved in the alleged firing of a
pistol shot Into an occupied cell at
No. 1 precinct station were taken
under advisement by the Police Trial
Board this afternoon following a
three-day hearing.
Defense counsel for the officers,
Pvts. Arnold Jackson, George Brom
ley and Prank Knapp and Lt.
Loraine Johnson, contended no evi
dence was offered to show that a
shot actually was fired into the cell
on the night of July 23. except that
of the prisoner, Ronald Lindsay, col
ored, under death sentence for crim
inal assault on a white girl here last
summer.
Lindsay claimed Pvt. Jackson fired
the shot, encouraged by Pvt. Brom
ley. and that he later gave a frag
ment of the spent bullet to Pvt.
Knapp, who was in charge of the
cell block. The three privates were
suspended in September.
Didn't Believe Prisoner.
Lt. Johnson was accused of neg
lect of duty because he did not make
a report to his superiors. The lieu
tenant told the board he made an
Immediate inv&stigation of Lindsay's
charges, could find no evidence to
substantiate them and did not re
port the matter because he believed
it based on a falsehood. He testi
fied he still believes some one shot
off a firecracker instead of a re
volver on the night in question.
Both Pvts. Bromley and Knapp
took the stand today and denied
Lindsay's charges. Pvt. Knapp ex
; plained he had the only key to the
! outer door of the cell block except
a duplicate kept in a safe, and he
was sure Pvts. Bromley and Jackson
could not have been inside the cell
block at the time in question.
Pvt. Knapp is charged with neg
lect of duty in that he was absent
from the cell block. He explained
he had merely gone to the front desk
to attend to his official duties.
He heard a report like a fire
cracker and went to the cell block to
investigate, he said.
Believed Fire Cracker.
Pvt. Kanpp testified he found no
officers in the cell block and that no
prisoners complained that a revolver
had been fired inside. It was brought
out further that pranksters had been
setting off firecrackers near the pre
j cinct and Lt. Johnson believed this
i had happened again when he heard
; the explosion.
Expert testimony, however, in
dicated that a revolver bullet had
struck a cell bar near the top. glanc
ing off to nick the cell wall and j
lodge in a window frame. Frag- 1
ments of the supposed bullet were
i recovered. The defense contended
: the bullet was fired some other
time.
Inspector Ira Keck of the Trial
Board said a decision probably will
be returned in a few days.
Maryland U. Bans Events
Hampering War Efforts
By the Associated Press.
Any part of the University of
Maryland program v hich interferes
with training men and women for .
defense roles and which hampers '
co-operation with the Government
in the war crisis will "be temporarily !
dropped or curtailed." Dr. H. C.
Byrd, president, announced yester- ,
day.
In line with this policy, several
extra-curricula activities already
have been canceled. Dr. Bryd said.
The school was forced by the crisis
to economize on time as well as
money, he added. •
Among the events canceled, he
announced, are the annual Charter
Day celebration scheduled for to
morrow in Baltimore: the annual
all-university night program at Col
lege Park, scheduled for February
14, and the annual winter concert.
•
Parley on Rescue Mission
Representatives of 20 churches
here will gather in conference at
6 p.m. today in Metropolitan Bap
tist Church. Sixth and A streets
N.E.. to discuss plans for the
liquidation of the indebtedness of
the Northeast Rescue Mission. E.
Hilton Jackson, attorney, will pre
sent a plan through which it is
hoped to clear the property in 60
days. He also will present sugges
tions for enlargement of the mission
work.
Resignation Held
No Bar to Hatch
Act Prosecution
Resignation Is no bar to the prose
cution of Government employes
charged with improper political ac
tivities under the Hatch Act, ac
cording to a decision of the United
States District Court of the South
ern District of New York, the Civil
Service Commission announced to
day.
On January 7, Judge John C.
Knox dismissed the petition4 of
Irving D. Neustein, who claimed that
since he had resigned his position
as a member of the Board of Ap
peals of the Unemployment Insur
ance Department of the State of
New York, the Civil Service Com
mission could no longer continue
its prosecution for alleged violations
of the Hatch Act. The commission
has just received the decision of
Judge Knox.
From May 17. 1938, to October 31,
1941, Mr. Neustein was employed
by the New York State Unemploy
ment Insurance Department. He
was therefore subject to the pro
visions of the Hatch Act, which
prohibits political activity by em
ployes of agencies financed in whole
or In part by Federal funds.
AVIATRIX PLEADS NOT GUILTY—Laura Ingalls, aviatrix, is shown leaving District Court today
after pleading innocent to a charge of not having registered as a paid agent of the Nazi gov
ernment. With her is her attorney, James F. Reilly. —A. P. Photo.
-*---* _ *
Registered Nurses
Increase Charges to
Meet Cost of Living
8-Hour Day Rate Boosted
To $6 and 12-Hour Fee
From $7.50 to $9
Registered nurses of Washington
have raised their charges for pri
vate nursing service “to meet the
increased cost of living ”
The advances are from $5 to $6 for
an 8-hour day and from *7.50 to
*9 for a 12-hour day.
i The 20 per cent increase in
nurses' compensation compares with
an approximate increase of 10 per
cent in cost of living from Decem
ber. 1939, to November. 1941—the
most recent statistics of the Depart
ment of Labor.)
In explaining the reason for the
increase. Miss Edith M. Beattie, sec
retary of the Graduate Nurses' As
sociation of the District, pointed out
that the daily rate is not an ac
curate gauge of a nurse's income,
since few of those doing private
nursing can hope to work every day.
Twenty days’ employment is con
sidered a good monthly average, she
said.
Miss Beattie said rules of supply
and demand did not prompt the in
crease. despite the current general
shortage of trained nurses because
of increasing Army and Navy de
mands. The rising cost of living was
discussed at the November meeting
of the association, and it was voted
the new rates should take effect
January 1. she said.
Shortage Causes Concern.
The shortage of competent nurs
ing personnel is a cause of increas
ing concern among hospitals here
and throughout the country, how
ever. Because of the requirements
of the armed services, it has been
estimated that about 50.000 addi
tional nurses are needed urgently in
the United States.
Miss Mary Hawthorne, whose
committee of the District Red Cross
Chapter has been handling nurses'
applications for Army and Navy
services, reported that 105 local
nurses have entered the armed
lorces through her group in the
past year.
She pointed out this number did
not represent all Capital nurses
leaving civilian work. For example,
some on reserve lists have been
called into active service directly.
Many Entering the Service.
“Many hospitals operating with
reduced staffs are faced with the
possibility of losing still more nurses
to the Army and Navy," Miss Eliza
beth D. Coleman, chairman of the
G. N. A. Nursing Information Com
mittee, declared. “Cold weather is
bringing its extra burden of colds
and pneumonia to the already over
taxed hospital personnel."
A " refresher" course for graduate
registered nurses who have not been
active in their profession recently
began yesterday at Georgetown
Hospital with about 1C enrolled. A
similar class will begin February 1
at Garfield Hospital.
Miss Coleman said young women
interested in entering the nursing
field should investigate couises
beginning February 1 at George
town and Sibley Hospitals. These
are for the full three-year training
program.
Women interested in any of these
courses can obtain full information
from the superintendents of nurses
at the hospitals concerned.
A number of prospective nurses
taking college work will receive
practical training during the sum
mer months at Providence Hospital,
it has been announced.
Sibley Guild Discusses
Linen Shower Plans
The Women's Guild of Sibley Me
morial Hospital discussed plans for
its annual linen shower, scheduled
for April 10, at its meeting yesterday
in Rust Hall at the hospital. The
guild is planning to give some 3,000
linen articles to the hospital.
Miss Elizabeth Deeble. writer, who
traveled extensively in Spain during
the civil war, told of her experi
ences and impressions during the
conflict.
The guild also heard a talk by
Dr. John M. Orem, superintendent
of the hospital, who discussed the
institution’s civilian defense prepa
rations. Mrs. Samuel A. Mooers,
president of the guild, presided.
More than 100 members attended.
Pepco Employe Burned
By Electric System Blast
John Francis Cunningham, 36,
Arlington, Va., an employe of the
Potomac Electric Power Co., was
burned on the face, right hand and
arm yesterday as the result of an
explosion in an electric system
while testing a meter in a building
at Seventh and D streets N.W.,
police reported. He was taken in a
motorcyclp sidecar to Casualty Hos
pital for treatment.
Laura Ingalls Pleads
Innocent to Agent Charge
BS the Associated Preaa.
Miss Laura Ingalls, the flyer,
pleaded innocent today in Federal
District Court to an Indictment
charging her with failing to register
as a paid agent of the German
Reich.
Judge James W. Morris set Feb
ruary 9 for the trial. Miss Ingalls
was granted continued liberty un
der *7,500 bond, which had been
posted a few days after she was ar
rested December 17 on a complaint
signed by an F. B. I. agent.
Appearing before Justice T. Alan
Goldsborough with her attorney.
Miss Ingalls said "Not guilty" in a
clear, loud voice. The arraignment
took only a minute or so.
The indictment charged that from
March to December Miss Ingalls had
received money from the German
government through Baron Ulrich
von Gienanth. Second Secretary of
the Embassy, for serving as public
relations counsel, publicity agent and
representative.
She was paid, the indictment al
leged to attempt to influence Amer
j ican public opinion through speeches
delivered in various cities under the
sponsorshp of various organizatons
and commttees.
Miss Ingalls won the Harmon
Trophy for woman flyers in 1935 and
holds the women's transcontinental
speed record in both directions.
Delivery of Parcels
To Federal Workers
Ordered Stopped
Request Being Made
To Avert Sabotage
And Avoid Confusion
All Government workers have been
asked to cease the practice of hav
ing packages from stores delivered
to their offices.
A circular letter from the Federal
Works Agency, which supervises
Government buildings, to the chief
clerks of all departments and agen
cies requested that the matter be
| brought to the attention of all
workers.
The letter pointed out that "in
view of the national emergency” the
request was being made ‘ to prevent
sabotage” and "avoid confusion.”
It was pointed out that many
Government workers, who are away
from home during the hours when
stores usually make deliveries, made
a habit of having such packages de
livered to their offices.
The letter indicated the possibility
that saboteurs might take advantage
of the arrangement by which such
packages are admitted to public
buildings. In some agencies, such
as the War and Navy Departments,
all incoming and outgoing packages
must be inspected by guards. This
requires time and creates confusion
when large numbers of workers are
carrying their shopping out of the
buildings.
Wardman Maifre d'Hotel
Enlists to Fight Native Reich
Ralph Paul Balke, captain of the
dining room at the Wardman Park
Hotel for more than a year, whose
mother and brother now live in his
native city of Berlin, left by bus for
Fort Meade, Md„ this morning, after
joining the Army yesterday.
“I have my beliefs.” he said. “I
want to fight for them.”
Although he is 40 years old, his
enlistment was allowed because of
three years’ previous service in the
Army. He was told he probably
would be enrolled in the Air Corps.
Mr. Balke's brother is exempt from
service in Germany because of a
hearing ailment, but he believes he
may have a cousin in that Army. He
heard from his mother only a month
ago. He was in Berlin during the
first World War.
He came to this country at 22.
enlisting in the Army shortly after
his arrival. He said yesterday he
hoped to be sent to Hawaii, having
served his three years in the Ha
waiian Department.
He was previously maitre d’hotel
at La Guardia Airport Restaurant
and at New York’s Luchow’s. His |
wife Is an auditor for a private com
pany.
6-Day War Department
Week Begins Tomorrow
The 25,000 employes of the War
Department will go on a 6-day 48
hour work week, beginning tomor
row, under an order issued late
yesterday by Secretary Stimson.
The longer hours will apply to all
field and departmental employes.
The order was issued under pro
visions of an executive order giving
department heads authority to fix
working hours for employes.
A 44-hour week will begin Mon
day for Commerce Department em
ployes and similar houra will be
worked by those in the Interior De
partment after January 26.
Means to Tighten Up
Welfare Procedure
Urged by Van Hyning
Tells Trade Board Unit
Specialists Needed to
Set Efficiency Standards
Welfare Director Conrad Van
Hyning told a Board of Trade com
mittee yesterday his office at present
is not equipped to evaluate the
worth of Washington's public wel
fare program accurately or to gauge
the efficiency of institutional pur
chasing officers.
“We are spending a lot of money
which Is unsupervised. and there are
a lot of holes in that procedure.” Mr
Van Hyning declared in an informal
talk to the Charities and Corrections
Committee in the Olmstead Grill,
1336 G street N.W.
Seeks to Establish Standards.
The welfare director emphasized
he had not been given reason to be
lieve funds were being mismanaged
but explained the existing setup did
not permit of a reliable check on
relative competence of purchasing
officers in buying supplies. He s?-id
he had requested the Commissioners
to provide a cost accountant and an
engineer for the office in order that
standards of efficiency could be
established through study.
The fact institutions for juvenile
delinquents are staffed by personnel
that is “largely custodial" makes it
difficult to determine whether con
tinued institutionalization is the
best solution of -a particular case.
Mr. Van Hyning told the committee.
He said local taxpayers could be
surer their money was being ex
pended wisely for this purpose if
specialized personnel were provided
to check on progress or lack of it In
children being cared for by agencies
of the Board of Public Welfare.
Stefan Bill Recommended.
He said he hoped appropriate com
mittees of the Board of Trade would
assist with suggestions for bringing
“good business" into administration
of public welfare funds.
The committee voted 13 to 7 to
approve a subcommittee's report
recommending the Stefan bill pro
viding registration procedure for or
ganizations wishing to solicit funds
for charitable purposes. The matter
thereby was sent to the trade group's
Board of Directors for consideration.
Several clergymen on the commit
tee cautioned against hasty approval
of the measure in its present form
and suggested that a more specific ,
protection for the churches should
be incorporated in order to prevent
investigation of church affairs by a
governmental agency.
It was indicated churchmen would
seek to appear at a public hearing
on the bill before a Senate commit
tee. The legislation has been ap
proved by the House.
D. C. Drivers Buy 9r200
Aufo Stamps First Day
More than 9.200 Federal automo
bile-use tax stamps—the latest driv
ing necessity—were sold in Washing
ton postoffices during the first day's
sale yesterday, Postmaster Vincent
C. Burke reported today.
Mr. Burke said sales are brisk, but
added the pace will have to be
stepped up if all of the estimated
180.000 District car-owners are to
have their stickers by February 1.
The stamps are on sale at all win
dows transacting financial business
in the 31 classified branch stations. I
the main post office and contract
branches in the Capitol building and
at Army and Navy establishments in
the District.
The stickers cost $2.09 and will be
good from February 1 to July 1. when
a $5 stamp will be required for the
following year.
The Treasury Department said
shipping delays would prevent post
offices and Federal revenue offices in
some communities from getting their
supplies immediately.
By mistake, the first batch of
stickers had the glue on the wrong
side, but that didn’t seem to deter
motorists from rushing to get them.
Boston Gallery Closed
To Save Japanese Art
B7 the Associated Press.
BOSTON, Jan. 16.—The Museum
of Fine Arts has closed its galleries
devoted to Japanese art to protect
the objects from fanatics.
"Thoughtful people know that
there is no connection between the
behavidr of the Japanese today and
a Japanese Buddhist or Tosa paint
ing of the 13th century," said Direc
tor G. H. EdgeU in his annual report
today to the trustees.
‘‘Nevertheless, feeling will run
high, fanatics will be abroad, and
the type of mentality that would
cut down a Japanese cherry tree
in Washington might well slash a
Japanese kakemono in Boston.”
Tenants Routed
By Fires in Two
Rooming Houses
Several Are Burned
In Early-Morning
Blazes Here
Two rooming house fires here
early today routed tenants from
beds, burned two of them and sev
eral firemen and caused a traffic
accident in which three men were
hurt.
Dense smoke arose from a three
alarm basement fire at 1700 U street
N.W., forcing firemen to rescue all
except one occupant by ladders. One
man manged to get down the stairs
before flames and smoke shut off
'his sole means of exit.
Firemen estimated more than a
dozen colored people in night
clothes, including a 14-month-old
baby and an 8-year-old girl, were
rescued from the second and third
floors of the brick building which
houses a grocery store on the first
floor.
One woman, awaking in suffocat
ing smoke, started to jump from a
second-floor window but was halted
by a passerby and told to wait until
the firemen arrived. They brought
her to safety.
Fire Engine Hits Auto.
Twenty-two pieces of apparatus
were called to the fire. Its origin
1 was not determined at once. The
! first alarm was turned in by a resi
dent of an apartment across the
street who noticed flames shooting
up from the rear of the store.
A fire engine from No. 12 Engine
Co . answering the alarm, smashed
into a passenger car, which, accord
ing to police, failed to give the right
of way at Rhode Island and Florida
avenues N.W. The driver of the
auto. Charles W. Roberts. 50, of the
Miramar Apartments, was taken to
Emergency Hospital and treated for
cuts on the scalp and nose. The
fire truck stove in the side of his
car and hurtled it more than 25
feet across the highway.
Also Injured in the crash were
Capt. R. A. Galpin of No. 12 Engine
Company, whose hand was cut. and
Pvt. E. W. Auld. who was thrown
from the engine in the collision and
received bftises.
In an earlier fire at 1422 Massa
chusetts avenue N.W., 20 occupants
were routed by the blaze in the
third-floor front of the four-story
brick building. Rescued from their
third-floor rooms. Henry A. Maulsby,
54. was in a serious condition at
Emergency Hospital with third-de
gree burns on his face and Harris
Katsinbardis. 46. was treated at
Emergency for first-degree bums on
his face and neck.
Sergt. C. E. McGhee of No. 1 En
gine Company was taken to Emer
gency for burns of the hands and
Fireman William K. Bental of No.
3 Truck Company was treated for a
cut right hand. Several other fire
men were treated for slight burns
at the scene. The cause of the fire
was being investigated.
Two Washingtonians Killed
In Maryland Truck Crash
Two Washington men were killed
yesterday when the truck in which
they were riding crashed head-on
into another truck on Central ave
nue near Halls Comer, Md.
George N. Jackson. 34. of the
400 block of Franklin street N.E.,
said by police to have been the
driver of one of the vehicles, was
killed instantly. His companion.
Gerald E. Costley, 34. 1235 Hamlin
street N.E.. died last night in
Casualty Hospital of injuries
suffered in the accident.
According to Maryland State Po
lice, the truck driven by Mr. Jack
son crashed into one driven by
Stanley S. Weiner. 33, of Annapolis.
Police charged the latter, who
suffered slight injuries, with man
slaughter.
Polish Club Will Invest
$500 in Defense Bonds
The Polish Club. Polish National
Alliance, Group 848. of Washington
has voted to invest $500 in Defense
bonds. New officers were installed
with S. J. Jarwin as president at
the club's first meeting of 1942.
One of the first acts of the new
officers. It was said, will be to pre
sent the usual $5 in dimes to thp
Mile o’ Dimes campaign. Other of
ficers installed are: Sophie Rutkoski.
first vice president; Francis Adam
ski, jr„ second vice president; An
tonette Grodecki. financial secre
tary; Irene Doda, treasurer: Stanley
Golden, educational director: Egno
Leneski, sports director: Vina K.
Staron, secretary: Martin Terry,
sergeant at arms: Marcel Pelc. mar
shal; John Golab. trustee: Mrs. A.
Pelc, membership director, and
Henry Rakoski, publicity and social
director.
Landlord Who Cut
Rent Is Assured
He Broke No Law
The unusual case of a land
lord who feared he had broken
the law because he had reduced
rent in the last year came
up before Rent Administrator
Robert F. Cogswell today.
This landlord was renting a
house for $100 to a tenant on
January 1. 1941. freezing date
for the District control law
which went into effect two
weeks ago. The following month
he reduced the rent to $75. He
realized, he said, the tenant
could not pay more than the
latter figure. He asked Mr.
Cogswell if the law compels him
to raise it to $100 again.
Mr. Cogswell assured the man
he was within his rights to re
duce the rent to any figure he
wished, in fact, he added it is
a very unusual and commend
able thing to do. The adminis
trator explained that by freezing
rents the law establishes a
maximum rent ceiling. There is
no minimum.