Evening star. [volume], May 15, 1946, Image 24

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

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SOCIETY AND GENERAL NEWS WASHINGTON NEWS D
WASHINGTON, D. C. WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 1946. ^
wkif
Quick Approval
Of 14%U.S. Pay
Increase Seen
Randolph to Seek
House Approval
Of Plan Friday
By Joseph Young
Sponsors of the Federal pay
bill today predicted speedy ap
proval by Congress of legislation
giving Government workers a
flat 14 per cent wage increase
and calling for drastic reductions
in Federal personnel during the
next year.
Chairman Randolph of the House
Civil Service Committee said he
would bring up the bill for House
action on Friday. The Senate will
act after the House takes action.
Conferees on the measure finally
reached agreement late yesterday at
their 13th session. The bill would
become effective July 1.
Langer Flans Minority Report.
Both Mr. Randolph and Chairman
Downey of the Senate Civil Service
Committee said today they thought,,
the conferees’ bill will be quickly
approved by Congress. The vote of
the conferees was not unanimous,
Senator Langer, Republican, of
North Dakota, holding out for the
flat $400 increase voted by the
House.
Senator Langer said today he
would file a minority report on the
conferees’ bill. The conferees’ meas
ure provides a $250 annual minimum
wage raise guaranteed for Federal
employes in the lowest brackets.
The $250 guarantee, however, doesn't
apply to janitors and other custodial
employes making less than $1,000
a year.
Representative Rees, Republican,
of Kansas said he was far from
satisfied with the agreement, al
though he was on the committee.
“While it had to be accepted as
a compromise,” Mr. Rees, ranking
minority member of the House
Civil Service Committee, said, “I
am not entirely agreeable. I fa
vored and still do, a sliding scale
of increases wrhich would give the
lower salaried Government em
ployes more of an increase than
those who are higher paid.”
“To give the $8,000-a-year man
another $1,300 is overdoing things,”
Mr. Rees declared.
More Generous Than Senate.
The bulk of Federal employes do
not fare as well under the con
ferees’ measure as they would have
under the $400 House bill. However,
the conferees’ bill is more generous
than the 11 per cent Senate bill.
Here is how classified Federal
workers in the executive, legislative
and judicial branches of the Gov
ernment, including the District gov
ernment, will fare under the con
ferees’ bill:
Present Conferees’
Rate. Bill.
$1,506 . $1,756
1,704 . 1,954
1,902 . 2,168
2,100. 2,394
2,320 . 2,644
2,650 .1 3,021
2,980 . 3,397
3,310 .. 3,773
3,640 ..4,139
3,970 .. 4,525
4,300 . 4,902
5,180 . 5,905
6,230 . 7,102
7,175. 8,179
8,750 . 9,975
9,800 ..10,000
$10,000 Limit Remains.
The present $10,000 Federal wage
ceiling was not lifted, explaining
why $9,800-a-year officials get only
a $200 raise under the bill. Legis
lative employes, in addition to the
raise, will be permitted to retain
their present compensation of 10
per cent of their salary in lieu of
overtime, This is because most of
them have to work six days, instead
of the five-day week performed by
Government workers. The 10 per
cent overtime payment also applies
to Supreme Court employes, but not
to other judicial workers.
As can be seen by the table, em
ployes in the middle and most of the
top brackets get a far better break
under th^ conferees’ measure than
under the $400 House bill. Sponsors
of the legislation had pleaded for
substantially better wages in these
brackets to secure and retain top
calibre employes.
The conferees also adopted a per
sonnel ceiling amendment which
seeks to bring Federal employment
down to lj|612,670 persons by July 1,
1947. At present there are approxi
mately 2,400,000 Government work
ers.
Personnel Ceilings Established.
Personnel ceilings were set up for
two groups—so-called old-line agen
cies and the War and Navy Depart
ments. Employes whose salaries are
fixed by wage boards are not includ
ed in the personnel ceiling require
ments. but the conferees emphasized
that they expect that many of these
workers also will be dismissed by
July 1,1947.
Quarterly ceilings were set up for
Federal agencies other than War
and Navy Departments. At present
these agencies have about 560,000
employes. By October 1, they will
be required to have only 528,975
workers. A lurther reduction to
501,771 workers is to take effect by
January. 1947. April 1. 1947, will see
the personnel reduced to 474,567 em
ployes apd the conferees set the July
1,1947 figure at 447,363 employes.
No quarterly ceilings were set for
the War and Navy Departments.
The conferees instructed the War
Department to reduce its present
classified staff of 370,000 employes to
176.000 by July 1,1947, and the Navy
Department to cut its present classi
fied force of 327,000 employes to
100.000 by the same date.
“Psychological Effect."
Senator Downey acknowledged
that the ceiling did not preclude
the possibility that the employ
ment figures would not be met.
Congress cannot bind itself to future
commitments and its appropria
tions committee can still expend
sums for greater Federal personnel
should the occasion warrant it.
Senator Downey declared that the
conferees hoped the amendment
would have;“a psychological effect”
on agencies and bureaus to make
them reduce excessive pay rolls and
eliminate unnecessary waste of
manpower.
It was pointed out that the
amendment did have some teeth to
it because deliberate violation of its
provisions by agency heads would
Judge Leaves
Bench, Grapples
With Defendant
By th» Auociatad Prmi
GARY, Ind., May 15.—Superior
Judge Homer E. Sackett, 69, left
his bench yesterday and grappled
with and twice threw to the floor
Virgil Underwood, 35-year-old, 6
foot 3-inch, 175-pound tavern owner
of Black Oak, Ind.
Bailiff Joseph Melzer said that
Underwood, who was in court as a
defendant in a divorce case, during
a conference with his wife, her at
torney, Richard S. Kaplan, and wit
nesses, had struck a woman witness,
blacking her eye.
Judge Sackett grabbed Under
wood, pulled him over a 3-foot rail
ing and threw him to the floor, after
which, Mr. Melzer said, Mr. Kaplan
came to his aid.
Underwood got up and swung at
the jurist, but Judge Sackett, who
is 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs
165 pounds, seized him around the
neck again and threw him to the
floor. Deputy sheriffs ran in from
the hallway and took charge of Un
derwood.
Judge • Sackett returned to the
bench and fined Underwood $200
and sentenced him to 90 days in jail
for contempt of court.
Decision Is Due Today
On Virginia Brownout
After Report on Coal
BULLETIN
RICHMOND, Va., W.—Pow
er rationing in 68 counties
and a dozen cities was lifted
by the State Corporation
Commission today, effective
immediately, with the excep
tion of the brownout on win- j
dow, display and other deco
rative lighting.
Possibility of an easing electricity
rationing in Virginia was seen today
as the State Corporation Commis
sion studied a report on the fuel
situation by Chairman L. McCarthy
Downs.
Mr. Downs was in Washington
yesterday to learn from Solid Fuels
Administration what apportionment
of coal Virginia might expect now
that the miners are working again.
If the report was favorable, he is
expected to recommend more elec
trical power for 68 counties, includ
ing Arlington and Fairfax and the
city of Alexandria.
Hard hit by the coal strike, more
than 1,000,000 Virginians have been
limited to 24 hours of electricity a
week for non-essential uses, with the
alternative of consuming half the
current used before rationing was
ordered.
Virginia was assured an ample
flow of gas when a number of com
panies reported to the SCC that
adequate coal supplies w'ere on hand
The Washington Gas Light Co.
which supplies the Rosslyn Gas Co
in addition to District consumers,
reported more than three weeks’
supply of coal.
There was no change in the Dis
trict dimout which requires eco
nomical use of electricity by busi
ness and domestic consumers. Po
tomac Electric Power Co. reported
the “brownout” cut power consump
tion 17 per cent yesterday, a poor
showing against the 30 per cent
desired by the company, but due
probably to gloomy weather calling
for more lights.
Continuation of the brownout at
the present level, added to 85 car
loads of coal received yesterday and
89 yet to come from Solid Fuels Ad
ministration allotment, will permit
Pepco to operate 26 days longer, of
ficials said.
This estimate does not include
any further shipments the com
pany may be allowed from coal pro
duced during the two-week mining
“truce.”
Bill Might Bar
Television Here,
West Warns
•
Corporation Counsel
Opposes Ban on
Home Area Towers
Congressional approval .of the
pending bill to outlaw television
towers in residential areas of the
District might result in denial of
television to Washington entirely,
Corporation Counsel Vernon E. West
warned a House District subcom
mittee today.
Mr. West said the bill was too
sweeping in denying the Commis
sioners any discretion in the erection
t>f these facilities.
“If television towers should be
prohibited in the District,” he added,
“it is quite possible that Maryland
and Virginia would retaliate by re
fusing to allow them in their areas,
with the result that there would be
no television for the District.”
Tower Approved Despite Protest.
. The legislation followed approval
by the Commissioners and the Zon
ing Board of an application by the
Bamberger Broadcasting System to
put up a 300-foot tower at Fortieth
and Brandywine streets N.W. Prop
erty owners in the area and repre
sentatives of citizens’ associations
contended the tower would be a
menace to safety and would lower
property values.
James E. Schwab, a real estate
man of 5522 Connecticut avenue
N.W., who said he was thoroughly
familiar with the Chevy Chase
area, told the subcommittee he did
not feel that the tower would affect
adversely property values in the
neighborhood.
“On the contra**.’’ he said, “I
think it would tend to stabilize
values. It would settle the uncer
tainty surrounding vacant lots at
present.” •
Mr. Schwab said he investigated
the question when he acted as
broker for the Bamberger Corp. in
purchasing property.
sleep Angle Argued.
“Do you think if you lived in one
of the houses nearby?” asked Rep
resentative O’Hara, Republican, of
Minnesota, "you would sleep better
for the tower?”
Mr. Schwab said he did not think
he would sleep any worse.
Eric Greenleaf. plant extension
manager for the Chesapeake & Po
tomac Telephone Co., objected to
any legislation removing all discre
tion from the Commissioners in al
lowing radio towers.
Several property owners, appear
ing in rebuttal to arguments rrtade
by opponents of the legislation,
urged the subcommittee to report
the bill favorably. They contended
the tower would hurt their property
and would be a menace to their
homes.
G. E. McLaughlin, representing
the Connecticut Avenue Citizens’
Association, said the tower would be
dangerous and was flot appropriate
for a residential area. He con
tended that it should be located
outside the city.
Hears Three Towers Fell.
Mrs. Ida Rossi, who said her prop
erty was 98 feet from the proposed
site of the tower, said she did not
think property owners should be
subjected to such a hazard. She
added that she had learned from
official sources that two television
towers in Florida and one in South
Carolina fell.
John H. Connaughton, a delegate
from the Petworth Citizens’ Asso
ciation to the Federation of Citi
zens’ Associations, protested the
tower on grounds that it was dan
gerous. unsightly and a departure
Ifrom the District building code re
stricting the height of all structures.
Other towers might follow, giv
ing the section the appearance of an
oil development. Charles A. Saun
ders of 4414 Davenport street N.W.
warned.
Commissioners Study Changes
In District Building Code
How small should builders be per
mitted to make the kitchen in your
apartment?
Should recirculated air be per
mitted from one living unit to
another in air-conditioning systems?
These were major points of dis
cussion today as the Commissioners
held a public hearing on 20 pro
posed changes in the District build
ing code designed to speed housing
construction without weakening the
code.
Nine Proposals Accepted.
The 20 modifications were studied
by a special committee of District
officials, architects and builders
which recommended 9 but turned
down 11 of the suggestions.
Architects and builders want to
lower the 60-square-foot limit on
the size of apartment kitchens, not,
they told the Commissioners, to
build all such kitchens smaller, but
to have the flexibility of design to
do so when necessary.
An arbitrary kitchen size, they
testified, forces allotment of leas
space to other living features in
small accommodations.
Both electric and gas kitchen
units are now being manufac
tured, the hearing was told, to re
quire as little as 28 square feet and
for families without children,
kitchen size is relatively unimpor
tant.
Louis Justement and Alvin Aub
inoe. architects, championed a re
duction of the size limitation, as did
Builder Harry Poretsky.
Small Kitchen Rejected.
The Health Department and a
private citizen disagreed, as did the
Commissioner’s Committee, which
refused to recommend the proposed
change.
The kitchen Is the “workroom of
the home,” Lt. Col. W. H. Cary, chief
of the Health Department’s sanita
tion bureau, told the group. Size of
the kitchen, he said, in the interest
of cleanliness, should not be re
subject them to dismiAal, fines or
imprisonment under provisions of
the Anti-deficiency Act.
The wage increase provision of
the bill affects approximately 1,000,
000 Government employes, of whom
nearly 200,000 are in the District.
The bill would increase the annual
Government pay roll by approxi
mately $350,000,000 and would set
the annual cost of the Federal pay
roll at $2,689,000,000. {
duced. They should be big enough
to permit mothers with babies to
have their babies with them in the
kitchen for supervision, while the
mothers are cooking.
The citizen, Mrs. Helen Duey Hoff
man, formerly executive director of
the Washington Housing Associa
tion, joined Col. Cary in opposition
to smaller kitchens. She said that
she was herself working out of a
small modern kitchen in which
there is not room for two persons
at the same time.
Until the housing shortage here
is over, Mrs. Hoffman said she did
not think kitchens should be built
for a specific type family. Com
missioner Guy Mason observed that
bepause a couple was childless, at a
Wrtain time did not necessarily
mean that the condition was perma
nent.
Called Health Protection.
In the matter of air condition
ing, recirculation is now permitted
back to the same unit but prohibited
from one living unit to another to
prevent communication of germs.
Although the Commissioners’ com
mittee, headed by Assistant Engin
eer Commissioner Kenneth E. Mad
sen, also refused to recommend un
limited recirculation, spokesmen for
the ventilation and refrigeration in
dustry contended there was recircu
lation of air between living units in
apartment houses through corridors
and doorways even without any me
chanical ventilation. They also
asked for a ruling on when mechan
ical air circulation was classed as
ventilation and when it became air
conditioning .
“This is too weighty a subject for
a swift conclusion,’’ observed J. M.
Lambert of the JTork Corp.
Martin Beline of the Washington
Refrigeration Co. urged a restudy of
the code rules governing mechanical
ventilation.
Architect Julian E. Berle told the
Commissioners there are now “grave
defects’’ in the administrative con
trol Imposed by the building code
which places too big a burden on the
District’s inspection service. He
urged that the building inspectors
be free to work only on the technical
aspects of construction here.
The testimony taken at today’s
session, together with the nine pro
posals recommended by Col. Mad
sen’s committee and the II rejected
by the committee, will now go to the
Commissioners for final approval or
disapproval.
BORN 60 DAYS TOO SOON—Not everybody was lucky under
the amended selective service regulation which became law
yesterday. Bernard C. Brilmyer, who was 20 last month, grins
ruefully when told by Capt. Alexander Nuta that he must report
for induction Friday.
———————————— ■■ " ■ —1 —.—-— ■ A
Parent-Teacher Congress Splits\
On Sex Education Responsibility
The District Congress of Parents
and Teachers split today on whether
sex education belonged in the home
or in the school.
During a discussion of resolutions
at a convention in the depart
mental auditorium the parents and
teachers refused to reaffirm the
stand of three previous conventions
that sex education belongs entirely
in the home and that outside groups
should only help—not replace—pa
rental instruction.
The resolution was sent back to
the Resolutions Committee after
Mrs. Carey Winston of the John
Eaton School said teachers should
supplement home education “at
lease in junior high school.”
Amends Suggestion.
Mrs. Mildred Riemer of the
Janney School amended Mrs. Win
ston’s suggestion to read that “spe
cially trained personnel” should
teach sex education at all levels, in
cluding elementary schools.
The Resolutions Committee prob
ably will report a new version of the
sex education policy to an execu
tive committee June 11, Mrs. P. c.
Ellett, a spokesman said.
Also referred back to the Resolu
tions Committee was another long
j standing tenet that children belong
jin the home and that day care cen
ters be set up to relieve parents of
this responsibility only in emergency.
So many mothers leaped up to say
I that day care centers have become
; an actual necessity for many homps.
that Mrs. Arthur C. Watkins, re
tiring president, announced the
Parent-Teacher Associations will
hold meetings soon to discuss pos
sible ^approval of permanent day
care 'centers.
Seek Adequate Teacher Pay.
The House has passed and sent
to the Senate a bill proposing the
wartime day care centers of the
District become a permanent part
of the educational system.
Resolutions approved by the con
vention include a recommendation
of “adequate salaries” for school
personnel; a special teacher for
safety education for the whole
school system and a full time li
brarian for junior as well as senior
high schools.
The two-day convention will con
tinue discussions this afternoon and
will conclude with an address by Dr.
Hobart M. Corning, superintendent
of schools, at a dinner at 7 o’clock
tonight at the Mayflower Hotel. New
officers will be installed.
Last night the convention was
told that higher salaries and an
occasional "I love you" notes from
parents would keep District teach
ers from leaving the schools.
The advice on keeping good teach
ers here came from Dr. Ralph
McDonald of the National Educa
tion Association, and Dr. Benjamin
W. Frazier of the United States
Office of Education.
$600 Raise “Not Enough.**
Even the $600 raise now proposed
for teachers by the District Board of
Education is not "anywhere near
adequate,” for people who carry both
a class schedule and many civic
duties, Dr. McDonald said. He
pointed out that the Washington
teacher now starts at $1,900 a year
and that the highest salary is $3 700.
Professional Government employes
start at. $4,300 and may get as high
as $9,800, he said.
Dr. Frazier said parents should
Invite the teachers to dinner once
in a while or "tell her that you love
her.” Many good teachers would
stay ill the profession despite the
low salaries if they thought their
contribution to the community was
appreciated, Dr. Frazier said.
Nominated officers, for whom the
convention will vote today, are:
For three vice presidential vacancies,
Mrs. J. D. Phenix, 4903 Brandywine
street N.W.; Mrs. Burdell Read,
president of the Edmonds-Maury
School Parent-Teacher Association,
and Mrs. John Bittner, treasurer of
the Powell PTA: recording secretary’,
Mrs. Andrew G. Weaver, president
of Petworth PTA; assistant secre
tary, Mrs. Margaret Cox, president
of Park View PTA; treasurer, Mrs.
A. L. Smith, now filling out an un
expired term in that office; assistant
treasurer, Mrs. Crawford Shanks,
editor of the PTA Sunday column
in The Star, and historian, Mrs.
Mackall F. Fetzer, a past president
of the congress.
Montgomery Starts
Traffic Campaign
Montgomery Couftty will co-oper
ate in the national traffic safety
check campaign beginning today
and ending July 1. —
County Police Chief H. Leslie Car
lin said all cars stopped for'viola
tions of traffic regulations will be
checked for mechanical defects in
the program to prevent accidents.
At the same time, he warned that
police have been ordered to "crack
down” on .speeders and motorists
who pass stop signs.
Posters urging motorists to "check
your driving, your car and check
accidents” will be placed in garages,
filling stations and business estab
lishments throughout the county.
Business Rent Control
Foes to Get Hearing
Opponents of commercial rent
control in the District are to be
given a hearing at 10 a.m. tomorrow
before the Healy Subcommittee of
the House District Committee.
The hearing will be held in the
Claims Committee room 327, Old
House Office Building, because the
District Committee hearing room
will be taken by another group.
Spokesmen for the Washington
Board of Trade, the Washington
Real Estate Board and the Building
Owners and Managers Association
are to testify against the Barry bill
for control of commercial rents.
i Play to Aid Theater Fund
The Alexandria Little Theater
; group will present "Angel Street” at
18:30 p.m. tomorrow and Friday at
the George Washington High School,
Alexandria. Proceeds will go to the
building fund of the Little Theater.
3 District Policemen
Promoted by Callahan
Maj. Harvey G. Callahan, superin
tendent of police, has announced
promotion of three men, six trans
fers, return from military service of
three policemen and one retire
ment. An order directing the
changes was issued late yesterday
Promotions were Precinct Detec
tive Herman W. Xander to detec
tive sergeant, and Policemen Ran
dolph L. Dunn and John G. Wil
liams to precinct detectives. All
assume their new status tomorrow
Formerly a start athlete at East
ern High School, Sel-gt. Xander was
appointed to the force in 1939. Maj.
Callahan said he probably would be
transferred from the special inves
tigation squad to the narcotic squad.
Detective Williams will continue on
the auto squad and Detective Dunn
will remain on the vice squad.
Policemen returning from military
duty are Howard L. Pilling, former
Coast Guard lieutenant: Joseph
Thornton, who served with the
Marines, and Walter J. Connolly,
who was with the Infantry.
Sergt. Richard A. Burton, No. 6
precinct, is slated for retirement. He
is leaving the force as a result of
disability, at the end of the month,
after 23 years of service. At one
time he was a bicycle patrolman
downtown.
These transfers were announced:
Sergt. Louis H. Petersen, No. 6 pre
cinct to Traffic Division: Sergt. Sam
uel J. Prophet, No. 13 precinct to No.
6 precinct: Detective T. P. Denton.
No. 1 precinct to No. 9 precinct: De
tective Schuyler Cox, No. 6 precinct
to No. 9 precinct; Detective S. B.
Tillet, No. 9 precinct to No. 1 pre
cinct, and Policeman R. A. Eldridge,
jr., No. 4 precinct to Traffic.Division.
Weatherman's Average Drops
me weatherman may object
when he reads that he has been
scored with a loss on yesterday’s
prediction, but if that all-day rain
yesterday was “occasional showers,”
a genuine cloudburst probably would
wash Washington into the Potomac.
a. v n n
WW*!\
wy jt.
It was felt by the official scorer
that the Weatherman launched his
prediction with full knowledge that
the dictionary defines the word “oc
casional” as meaning "at irregular
intervals” and "infrequent.”
The District’s dampened citizens
can testify that yesterday’s coliec
tion or showers came ail at once,
and lasted all day. On behalf of the
forecaster, it must be owned he
wasn’t entirely wrong, but he was
more wrong than right.
The loss, the Weatherman’s fifth
since the official score started 23
days ago, drops him below the .800
per cent line for the first time in
more than a week. The Weather
man and his helpers are judged each
day by their predictions for the 24
hour period starting at 7 a.m. the
day before.
The Standings.
Won Lost Pet.
Weatherman.18 5 .783
The Forecast.
From 7 a.m. today until 7 a.m.
Thursday—cloudy and cool this
morning, warmer this afternoon
with occasional showers this after
noon and tonight. Cloudy and warm
Thursday with afternoon showers
or thunderstorms.
|P»*Tt •gcSSffi
- SYSTI ,
I l WCNSB?A
These youths, all 18 or 19 years old, are shown leaving
district selective service headquarters today after being told
they were exempt from the draft. They had come to report
for induction or for preinduction physical examinations.
—Star Staff Photos.
Youth Is Going to Have Its Fling
When USO Selects Hostesses
The postwar teen-age Army re
quires special treatment to keep the
boys happy, such as dancing part
ners and hostesses as young as 16,
the USO said today.
Influx of 18-year-olds into the
Army makes it necessary to lower
the minimum age of these girl com-1
pr.nions from 18 to 16. the USO
added. So great is the demand for
youfiger girls that the organiza
tion which provides recreation for
servicemen has issued a directive to
its field forces calling attention to
the need.
With more than 1,000 installations
throughout the country, USO be
lieves the need for younger girls will
i continue for some time despite Con
; gressional action discontinuing
drafting of 18 and 19 year olds.
USO said invitation of younger
girls would be a matter for local
decision. In Washington, for in
stance, the organization prefers that
hostesses have finished high school.
"Not only will there be regular
sessions in junior and senior hostess
training courses to consider the
needs of the younger inductees, but
older junior hostesses, familiar with
USO standards calling for dignity,
poise and adherence to regulations
of conduct, will themselves give spe
cial training to the 16-year-old
girls." USO said.
USO headquarters urged special
programs, with co-operation and
permission of parents, wherever
younger girls participate.
The directive said “care should be
taken that the younger girls do not
ml* in the general activities with
the older men.”
Penciled Words
Add $65,000 to
Cost of Terminal
ly the Associated Press
BALTIMORE, May 15.—The new
ferry terminal at Matapeake will
cost the State $65,000 more than
it might have—all because of a few
words in pencil.
The words should have been in
ink. Because they were in pencil
one bid submitted to the State
Roads Commission had to be dis
qualified. The bid, by the Tide
water Construction Co., Norfolk,
was for $1,028,000, and would have
been the lowest, and therefore, the
winning bid but for the technical
error.
The lowest bid in proper form!
was $65,000 more than the Tide
water proposal.
Elks Outline Program
For Flag Day Parade
Plans for a Flag Day parade,
ceremonies and a fireworks display
on June 14 were outlined last night
by Washington Lodge, No. 15, of
the Elks.
The parade will be composed of
units from all American Legion
posts and their auxiliaries here,
Veterans of Foreign Wars, State
socieites, other orgaiyzations and
probably school cadets. It is sched
uled to start at Sixth street and
Constitution avenue N.W. at 7:30
p.m. and proceed to the Sylvan
Theater on the Washington Monu
ment Grounds, where the cere
monies will be held. Prominent
speakers are expected and President
Truman has been asked to attend.
The .fireworks display will follow
the ceremonies.
Brig. Gen. John W. Oehmann.
veteran national guardsman and
retired District building inspector,
is chairman of the Flag Day Com
mittee, and Arthur E. Daley, RFC
accountant, is secretary.
Persons prominent in American
Legion and fraternal affairs here
and officials of State societies were
guests of the Elks at last night’s
dinner, held in the organization’s
quarters, 919 H street N.W.
C. I. Hansen to Head
Purchasing Agents
C. Irving Hansen, director of pro
curement of the United States
Maritime Commission, was elected
president of the Purchasing Agents’
Association of Washington at the
group’s annual meeting last night
at the Mayflower Hotel.
Other officers included A. V. Haw
kins, purchasing agent of the Po
tomac Electric Power Co., vice pres
ident, and A. W. Alexander, assist
ant purchasing agent of the Engi
neering and Research Corp., secre
tary-treasurer.
Directors are Clifton E. Mack, di
rector of procurement of the Treas
ury Department; E. P. Scully, gen
eral purchasing agent of the Engi
neering and Research Corp., and
Roland M. Brennan, purchasing
agent of the District government
Baby Broker Check
Justified, Huff Says
Illegitimate children are on the
increase in Washington, the Board
of Public Welfare disclosed, and
function of the "baby broker" bill,
of April. 1944, is throwing an addi
tional load on the public funds for
support of such children.
The measure designed to prevent
baby brokers from profiting through
transfer of babies of illegitimate
parentage to foster hoihes is becom
ing more effective as time goes by,
an official of the board said today.
During 1945 more than 29 per cent
of the 2,175 children under public
foster care in District institutions
had illegitimate status, Ray L. Huff,
director of the board, said. The
rate of illegitimacy in the colored
population is “about eight or nine
times the rate of the white popula
tion,” he said, but during the war,
there was a small rise among the
whites in this, contrasted to a slight
decline among the Negroes.
. Total births in the District reached
a peak of 23,352 h\ 1943, of which
1,618 were illegitimate, records of
the Bureau of Vital Statistics show,
but in 1945, total live births declined
to 22,954,' while illegitimate births
rose to 1,954.
During the first four months of
this year, figures show 754 illegit
imate births. If this rate continues,
it is estimated by the Board of Pub
lic Welfare that there will be 2,262
in 1946.
Two Youths Get Five Years
On Housebreaking Charges
Two Washington youths today
faced five-year penitentiary terms
following convictions in Arlington
County Circuit Court for house
breaking.
Harry’ K. Caton. 19, of 1004
Twenty-fifth street N.W. was found
guilty of housebreaking and sen
tenced to serve five years on each
of two counts, to run concurrently.
John N. Kelly, 19, of 819 Fifth
street N.W. was found guilty of
the same charge and sentenced to
serve five years on each of three
counts, the terms also to run con
currently.
A third Washington youth, Gil
bert Lee Follin, 20, of 26041/2 L
street N.W. was given a five-year
suspended sentence on the same
charge and placed on probation.
Quarter of Maryland
Abbatoirs Unlicensed
By th« Associated Pros
BALTIMORE, May 15 (JP).—About
a fourth of the slaughterhouses in
spected in Maryland have been op
erating without licenses, James S.
Morrow, jr„ food enforcement at
torney of the Office of Price Admin
istration has reported.
Mr. Morrow said an intensive
check designed to break up black
market operations showed that 80
per cent of Maryland's class two
slaughterers were violating one or
more OPA regulations. Most, he
added, involved failure to keep
records.
Induction Faces
Only 'Handful'
Here Until July 1
Three Teen-Agers
Reporting Today
Are Sent Home
Four District youths reported tor
induction into the Army today, and
three of them, teen-agers, were
sent back to their jobs ana homes.
The youths, along with 17 who
reported for preinduction physicals,
began to arrive at the Selective
Service station at Weightman
School, Twenty-third and M streets
N.W., at about 7:30, and all were
on their way home within half an
hour.
A District draft spokesman said
that “only a handful” of men will be
drafted from here for the rest of
May and June instead of the 300 a
month the District was ordered to
furnish.
"Between 90 and 95 p>er cent of
our eligibles are under 20,” he said.
"The supply of men we can take now
has been pretty well combed.”
Of today’s group, the only one
still eligible for induction is Ber
nard C. Brilmyer, 20, 5132 New
Hampshire avenue, who became
eligible with an April 2 birthday.
He will report back to the station
Friday for the trip to the Baltimore
induction center.
A member of the Maritime Serv
ice stationed at Richmond for the
past 18 months, Brilmyer said he
has been “sweating out the draft
for the past two years.”
“I was rejected two years ago for
physical reasons, so I joined the
maritime outfit,” he said. "I had
my last physical when I was re
jected, but I’ve been feeling sure I’d
go.” A graduate of Gonzaga High
School, he said he is technically
still on leave from the Maritime
Service.
The three teen-agers made ineli
gible by the bill passed by the Sen
ate last night viewed the situation
with mixed emotions. They are:
Frank B. Tosh, 18, of 812 Critten
don street N.W., a pressman in the
lithographic section of the Coast
and Geodetic Survey. “I really didn't
know where I was all day yester
day,” he laughed. "But I’d rather get
in now than when I'm 20, and more
settled. It would really be tough
then.”
Frederick W. Tripp. 18. of 619
Gallatin street N.W., who is attend
ing Coolidge High School. "I'm glad
to have the chance to continue my
studies, and if I'm still a civilian by
fall I am going to try to get into
Maryland University,” he said.
Joseph A. Sciacca, jr.. 18 of 922
Hamilton street N.W., said he “cer
tainly is glad that bill was passed
yesterday. I plan to go to work as
soon as I find a job.” After attend
ing Paul Junior High School
Sciacca was employed with the cir
culation department of The Star.
A fifth youth whose induction
date came up today, William
Christian, 18, of 247 Concord ave
nue N.W., jumped the gun by en
listing in the Navy on May X
A Selective Service spokesman
said 33 men were slated for induc
tion today, tomorrow and Friday,
but that the “teen-age amendment’’
has cut to four the number actually
to go.
The other three eligible inductees
for this week are Samuel Bass. 25
of 717 Kennedy street N.W.; Harry
C. Lynch, jr., 23. colored. 605 Florida
avenue N.W., and Clarence R. Clark
ston. jr., 21, colored, of Oakland,
Calif.
County Boards Depleted
Under New Draft Bill
Few, if any, men will be available
for induction in nearby Maryland
and Virginia under the revised draft
law extension, according to reports
today from county Selective Service
Boards.
The Fairfax County Board, one of
the largest in Virginia with a total
of 16,000 registrants, reports the sup
ply of eligible men between the ages
of 20 and 25, is exhausted.
In Prince Georges Countv, where
three boards have a total of more
than 31,000 registered, only one man
is available and he probably will
be inducted on the next call on
May 28, according to Mrs. Virginia
C. Kirtley, -chief clerk of County
Board No. 2 at Upper Marlboro.
Of the approximately 30,000 men
registered with the three Montgom
ery County draft boards, none is
! available for induction under the
snew draft regulations, board clerks
said.
in Arlington, Mrs. Pearl Pavne
chief clerk of Board No. 1, said
they have approximately 150 reg
istered who are eligible for induc
tion. The majority, she explained,
are students Who have alreadv been
called for induction, but have been
deferred until June 14, to allow them
to graduate.
At Board No. 2. in Arlington,
Mrs. Eleanor C. Ford, chief clerk,
said she didn’t believe her board
had any one eligible.
Miss Virginia Jefferson, chief clerk
of Alexandria Selective Service
Board, said the board is awaiting
instructions from State headquar
ters in Richmond.
Selection of Jury Begun
In Summers Death Trial
A jury was being picked in Dis
trict Court today for the trial of
Mrs. Maude O. Summers, 52, of the
2500 block Alabama avenue S.E. on
a charge of second-degree murder
in the fatal shooting February 12 of
her daughter Annie, 17.
Mrs. Summers is represented by
Attorneys Charles E. Ford and H
Clifford Allder. She is being prose
cuted by Assistant United Attorney
John P. Burke. Justice Alexander
Holtzoff is presiding.
Mrs. Summers was quoted by po
lice as saying she knelt by her
daughter’s bed and shot her while
she was asleep. The mother, it was
claimed, had been worried about her
daughter’s threat to leave home.
Church Drive for Food
Headed by Mrs. Baker
Mrs. Paul Hamilton Baker has
been named chairman of a drive to
obtain food for Europeans being
[Conducted by the Grace Episcopal
Church, Silver Spring.