Evening star. [volume], September 16, 1946, Image 18

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

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
SOCIETY AND GENERAL NEWS WASHINGTON NEWS
WASHINGTON, D. C. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1946.
Brothers Held
In Widespread
Auto Thefts
Four Chapel Hill
Arrests Climax Drive
By FBI and Police
Federal Bureau of Investiga
tion agents and Maryland police
yesterday climaxed a two-month
Investigation with the arrest of
four Chapel Hill <Md.) brothers
In connection with a “big busi
ness” automobile theft ring,
whose operations in the Wash
ington area were first revealed
by The Star three weeks ago.
A raiding party of agents. Mary
land State police of the Waldorf
Barracks and Prince Georges County
police seized the quartet at 8710 Liv
ingston road. Chapel Hill, not far
from the scene of most of the car
ring’s depredations in the southeast
section of Washington. The FBI
said no resistance was encountered
but two guns were confiscated. *
Three Have Records.
' The brothers, all charged with
conspiracy to violate the National
Automobile Theft Act, are:
Maxwell David Swann, 29, former
, mail carrier, with a record of liquor
law violations and several arrests for
investigation of assaults, hit-and
run driving, larceny and burglary.
Joseph Griffin Swann, 33. with a
record of three sentences for liquor
violations and disorderly conduct.
Pennal Peter Swann. 26, former
truck driver, arrested in 1942 for
assault with intent to kill.
James Linkins Swan, 21, former
farmer, with no police record.
The four pleaded not guilty be
fore United States Commissioner
Needham Turnage here this morn
ing and a preliminary hearing was
set for September 30 to permit the'
accused to retain counsel. Commis
sioner Tumage set bond at $7,500
each.
All were held overnight in Wash
ington police precincts, the FBI said.
Washington police took no part in
the raid but their investigation of
thefts in the Livingston road area
may have played an important part
in the arrests.
Director J. Edgar Hoover of the
FBI said the men were suspected
when articles found in or near
stripped automobiles were traced to
them. As revealed in The Star,
August 25, the ring's method was to
steal automobiles, drive them to
lonely spots in Southern Maryland
and then strip the cars of all sale
able accessories such as tires, heaters
and radios..
Remnants of Cars Burned.
In some instances, Washington
police said, the thieves burned what
was left of the stripped automobiles
to erase evidence. Detectives of
the Washington Automobile Squad
estimated the ring’s operations
mounted into the tens of thousands
of dollars.
Police had definitely traced a
number of stolen cars to certain1
areas in Southern Maryland and the
similarity in mode of operation led
to the arrests.
The FBI said that out-of-State
automobile license tags found in the
Swann brothers’ residence indicated I
the gang's operations may extend
even further afield. Some tags were
in the original mailing containers.
Mr. Hoover said the gang used a
method common to automobile
thieves for entering the cars they
intended to steal—breaking through
the “no draft” ventilator, by-passing
the ignition system with a “coil
jumper” and then driving away to
atrip the car.
The articles which led to the ar
rests were oil cans, a paper cup, a
popcorn box and several newspapers.
The FBI credited Trooper Melvin
Gent of the State police and Police
men Wilson J. Purdy and John
Siddall of Prince Georges County
for the part they played in the in
vestigation.
"Fences” Under Suspicion.
The FBI did not mention the
channels used by the ring to dispose
of the loot, but District police earlier
had said it was plain the thieves
were working on an organized basis
with “fences” to get rid of the ac
cessories. Detective Sergt. Jake
Wolf, head of the automobile squad,
believed the ring was organized so
that it would even accept orders for
accessories and guarantee delivery of
specified brands. The gang ap
peared to specialize in Chevrolets
and Fords, he declared.
For several weeks, Washington
and Maryland police set up "plants”
in the Southeast section, hoping to
lure the thieves into stealing a
police-watched automobile. Cars
were placed in the area where the
thieves had operated and detectives
kept night-and-day vigilance over
the cars. Members of the gang ap
parently were too wily to fall for the
ruse.
Investigators spent weeks scouring
the woods ol Southern Maryland,
studying burned and stripped hulks
of automobiles for evidence, before
the break came which resulted in
the; arrest. Areas where cars were
foifnd stripped and burned were
near Cedar Point, Morganza, Gales
vilie, Forestville and other Southern
Maryland points.
The FBI did not reveal the num
ber of stolen cars because the in
vestigation is continuing.
Conviction carries a maximum
penalty of a $10,000 fine and two
years’ imprisonment on each count.
Woman Lawyers Extend
Scholarship Offer
The Women’s Bar Association
announced today it is extending
the date for receiving applications
for the four-year legal scholarship
at the National University School
of Law until next Saturday. The
scholarship is available to any wom
an who has completed 60 semester
hours of liberal arts work at an
accredited college with an average
of at least C, and who is in need
of financial assistance.
Requests for application blanks
should be addressed to Mrs. Ford
E. Young, Jr., 4405 Leland street,
Chevy Chase 15, Md.
Investigator Named
Francis Thomas Kelly of Millers
Falls, Mass., was appointed an in
vestigator today for the Senate
Campaign Investigating Committee
He was recommended by Senator
Bridges, Republican, of New Hamp
shire.
* *
SPEAK AT PUBLIC TAX HEARING—Former Engineer Commissioner David McCoach, jr., (cen
ter with papers) as he appeared at the District Building today speaking for a greater District rev
enue from taxes and Federal payment. He represented the Board of Trade. (Story on Page A-l.)
Appearing for the Federation of Citizens’ Associations, Kenneth P. Armstrong (left) agreed
with Mrs. Gertrude Park, president of the Federation of Women’s Clubs (right), that the Fed
eral Government should contribute more funds to the District. —Star Staff Photos.
5 Killed in Maryland
Accidents Involving
2 District Motorists
Three persons were killed In week
end traffic accidents involving two
District drivers and an alleged hit
run motorist in Maryland. No acci
dents causing injury in the District
were reported to police.
Walton Davis, 14. Elkridge, Md.J
was killed yesterday afternoon on!
the Baltimore boulevard at Dorsey!
when the bicycle he was riding was,
struck by a car operated, according!
to police, by Louis Guglielmo, 48,
of the 2800 block of Branch avenue!
S.E.
Collides With Another Vehicle.
Earl'Nathaniel Ward, 21, Dean-j
wood, Md„ was killed when the car
in which he w'as a passenger col-!
lided with another vehicle on the!
Indian Head road near Oxon Hill, j
early yesterday.
The drivers involved were listed;
as Sylvester Boston. 30, Port To-;
bacco, with whom Mr. Ward was|
riding, and Frederick G. Jordan,!
2500 block on Ontario road N.W. j
The hit-run victim was listed byl
Maryland State Police at Waterloo
as Edward Lanier, colored, Phila-|
delphia. who was believed to have
been struck while walking on Guil-j
ford road at Savage early yesterday.!
There were no witnesses to the!
accident, police said, and Mr. Lanier:
was dead when found by a passing
motorist.
Trying to Cross Boulevard.
The Davis boy, according to po
lice. vma attempting to cross the
Baltimore boulevard on his bicycle
when a northbound car struck liim.
He was taken to St. Agnes Hos
pital, Baltimore, where he was pro
nounced dead. A charge of man
slaughter was placed against Mr.
Guglielmo, who was released under
$200 bond, police said.
Mr. Jordan also was charged with
manslaughter, in addition to reckless
driving, lack of a driving permit |
and unauthorized use of an automo
bile. Mr. Boston was charged with
reckless driving, pending a hearing.
Sidney Louis Russell, 21, Chaptico.:
Ma.. was admitted to La Plata Hos
pital early today with lacerations on
the face received according to hos
pital .authorities, in a traffic acci
dent. The hospital said he was
brought in by a State trooper. Mary
land State Police at Waldorf, how
ever, said they had no report of the
accident.
Maj. Callahan to Attend
Mexico City Conference
Ma.1. Harvey G. Callahan, super
intendent of police, said today he
would leave by plane Thursday for
Mexico City to attend the 53d!
annual conference of the Interna
tional Association of Chiefs of
Police.
Postwar problems of crime, traffic,
and juvenile deliquency will be dis-'
cussed at the conference by leading
law enforcement officers, govern- j
ment officials and traffic control au
thorities. Approximately 1.000 dele- j
gates from the United States, Mex- j
ico, Canada and Central and South'
America are expected to attend.
Among the speakers will be Maj.
Gen. Philip B. Fleming, Federal I
Works administrator and general
chairman of President Truman’s
Highway Safety Conference; Frank
J. Wilson, chief of the Secret Serv
ice, and Hugh H. Clegg, assistant
director of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation.
Maj. Callahan said he expected
to leave Mexico City on Septem
ber 29.
Man Is Shot in Arm
By Mystery Assailant
James York, 29, colored, 1600
block Thirteenth street N.W., was
recovering today from a bullet
wound in the arm which he received
early yesterday, but he told police
he did not see or hear his assailant.
He was treated and released at
Freedmen's Hospital. He was
wounded, he said, at Fourteenth and
Corcoran streets N.W.
I---:
D. C. Polio Fund Drive
Averaged 32 Cents Per
Person to Lead U. S.
District contributions to the 1946
March of Dimes averaged nearly 32
cents per person—most generous
figure in the Nation—to help swell
the fund for combatting infantile
paralysis to $15,982,150, it was an
nounced today.
A statement by Basil O’Connor,
president of the National Founda
tion for Infantile Paralysis, said an
audit fixed the District's contribu
tion at $211,060.05.
Of the nearly $16,000,000 realized,
$8,184,595 was earmarked for re
search, education and emergency
epidemic aid and $7,797,554 went to
chapters for care and treatment of
patients, Mr. O’Connor said.
He explained the funds will make
possible greatly increased efforts in
research, curtailed during the war.
The medical profession will be given
‘additional scientific information
necessary for the ultimate control j
of poliomyelitis,” the foundation'
president added.
Pointing out that by mid-August, ■
United States Public Health Service
reports showed new polio cases oc
curring at a rate far higher than
any year other than 1916, Mr.
O'Connor said expenditures for care
and treatment are running higher
than ever before.
Mr. O’Connor said the American
people "may well take satisfaction in
the knowledge that their generosity
will help save lives, alleviate pain
and bring hope to thousands * *
He paid special tribute to the mo
tion picture industry for its co
operation and praised other groups
tor supporting the campaign.
The highest State contribution
was New York’s $2,506,653. Cali-:
Eornia was next with $1,382,270.
Second Death Results
From Flaming Movie Film
Booker T. Jay. 35. colored, 2000
block of Fourth street N.W.. died at
Freetimen's Hospital yesterday from
burns suffered August 26 when a
movie film he was showing at his
home burst into flames. His was
the second death caused by the lire.
William K. Phillips, 28. colored,
same address, died September 5, as
a result of burns.
Deputy Coroner Richard M. Ros
enberg said he would delay issuing
a certificate of death until the
Metropolitan PoUce homicide squad
completed investigation of the death.
After the fire in August, police ar
rested Ben Lust, proprietor of the
Ben Lust Theater Supply Co., 1001
New York avenue N.W.. on charges
of selling the film without a proper
license. He also was charged with
selling the film to an unlicensed
party.
Booked at the Second Precinct
Station, he forfeited collateral total
ing $325 on the charges, according
to police.
Friendship Directors
Will Meet Tomorrow
The board of directors of Friend
ship House will hold their first fall
meeting at 5 p.m. tomorrow in
Room 801. Colorado Building, Four
teenth and G streets N.W.. Henry
P. Blair, president, announced to
day.
Friendship House, a Community
Chest agency, provides a year-round
nursery school and day-care home
for children whose parents are
employed and offers a recreational
and educational program for chil
dren and adults. It is located at
619 D street S.E.
Mrs. Milton King, treasurer, will
give the financial report and Miss
Lydia Burklin, executive director,
will review the summer activities.
Gallaudet Head to Speak
Leonard M. Elstad, president of
Gallaudet College, will speak at the
season’s first meeting of the Wash
ington chapter of the National Office
Management Association, at 6:30
p.m. tomorrow in the Empire Res
taurant, 1412 New York avenue
N.W. He will discuss successful
training of the deaf for employment.
Store Window Broken, Suspect
Says He Eats Water Glasses
By Harriet Griffiths
It looked for awhile today as
though spectators in Municipal
Court would be treated to a glass
eating demonstration from the wit
ness stand, but Judge George D.
Neilson refused to assume respon
sibility for a possible "'casualty in
the courtroom.”
Charles Williams Bullock, 31, col
ored, 900 block of Hughes court
n.w., who said he eats not only
glass but razor blades and bullets,
too, offered to demonstrate by way
of defending himself on a charge
of destroying private property.
Policeman Charles B. Kadel of
No. 7 precinct testified he answered
a burglar alarm Saturday at a
jewelry store in the 3000 block of
M street N.W., arriving within two
minutes.
He found the show window bro
ken, he said, and Bullock in the
vicinity with fragments of glass in
the top and rim of his hat.
Bullock explained the glass on
his hat by saying he had just eaten;
a water glass for guests at a wed- j
ding. He said his hat lay on a table
over which he ate the glass and \
“It's just like when you eat a!
cracker, some of the crumbs drop:
down.” He denied he hdd broken
the show window.
“How do you eat the glase?”
asked the judge.
“Oh, just break it up and eat It,”
said Bullock. “Then I drink water
for a chaser. I don’t exactly like
glass, but I do eat it.”
Bullock's wife Maria testified she
had seen her husband eat glass on
several occasions.
Attorney Lewis E. Barnes and
Bullock offered to demonstrate the
glass-eating in court to substantiate
the theory of how the glass got on
Bullock’s hat.
Asked whether he would assume
full responsibility In case of a cas
ualty. however, Mr. Barnes was re
luctant.
“I’ll leave that to your honor,” he!
said.
“This is the most phenomenalj
offer I've ever heard in court,” com
mented Judge Neilson. “It’s a very^
close case. I’ll have the probation!
officer look into it.”
Prosecutor William S. McKinley!
interpreted Bullock's glass-eating
alibi differently.
"The man may have gotten hungry
and wanted to eat some glass when
he saw the window, for all I know,”
he told the court. He thought he!
had a good circumstantial case.
VFW-Legion Boycott
Called 'Unfortunate' !
By AVC Spokesman
Chat Paterson, legislative repre
sentative of the American Veterans’
Committee, today described as “un
fortunate” the refusal of the Amer
ican Legion and the Veterans of
Foreign Wars to participate in a
veterans’ program because AVC also
was participating.
Mr. Paterson referred to today’s
luncheon meeting of the Women’s
National Press Club to which* the
Legion and VFW refused to send
representatives because the AVC
accepted the invitation.
"It is unfortunate,” said Mr. Pat
erson, “that because of differences
the Legion and VFW should decline
to participate in a constructive dis
cussion of two important problems
of the veterans—jobs and housing.”
He said Charles Bolte, National
AVC chairman, would reply to the
“misrepresentations” of the two
older veterans’ organizations during
his speech at 9:30 p.m. launching
the AVC’s million-member cam
paign. The speech, a statement of
AVC policy, will be broadcast over
the Mutual Network from the Wil
lard Hotel.
The Women's National Press Club
had invited five veterans’ organi
zations to send representatives to
act as interrogators on a panel dis
cussion of “What Are We Doing
for the Veteran?” The AVC. Amer
ican Veterans of World War II
and Disabled American Veterans
agreed to send representatives.
Two Girls Who Left Home
For Belvoir Dance Hunted
Police of the District, Virginia
and Maryland today were looking
for two teen-age girls missing since
Wednesday from their homes In
Riverdale, when they were last seen
leaving for a dance at Fort Belvoir.
Missing are Juanita Randolph, 14,
of the 4500 block of Woodbury road
and Marian Bryant, 12, of the 6600
block of Calvert court.
Capt. F. F. Mikelonis, commanding
officer of Company D, 1st Battalion,
Fort Belvoir, said today the girls
arrived at the company’s dance by
private conveyance and were not
escorted by military personnel. No
men have since been reported
AWOL, he added.
Bernard Randolph, Juanita’s fa
ther, said he had received a letter
purportedly from his daughter say
ing she was going to visit her mother
in Corpus Christi, Tex., but the fa
ther said part of the letter did not
look as if it were written by Juanita.
The mother said her daughter had
not arrived in Corpus Christi, Mr.
Randolph said.
JOSEPH SWANN.
PENNAL SWANN.
MAXWELL SWANN.
JAMES SWANN.
Four brothers arrested in their Chapel Hill < Md.) home yesterday by FBI agents and Maryland
police in connection with widespread automobile thefts. —FBI Photos.
* \ •
Funeral for Flyers Downed
By Slavs to Be Held Sepf. 25
Military funeral services for the
five American airmen whose plane
was shot down by Yugoslav gunners
have been postponed to 1:30 pm.
September 25, in Arlington Ceme
tery, the Washington Military Dis
trict announced today.
The services previously had been
set for September 23. The bodies,
were returned Friday by plane from!
Europe and are now in the burial
crypt at Arlington, where they were :
transferred from the amphitheater
chapel.
A constant honor guard is main-!
tained before the crypt.
The reason for the delay, it was
said, it to enable the parents of one
of the airmen, Capt. Blen H. Free
stone, to motor here from their
home in Burley, Idaho. The other
dead airmen were Capt. Richard H.
Claeys, St. Charles, 111.; Capt. Harold
F. Schreiber, New Albany, Ind.;
Corpl. Matthew W. Comko, Mones
sen, Pa., and Carpi. Chester J. Lower
Enfield, N. H.
Lt. Col. Harold Schulz, chief of '
Army chaplains, will officiate at the
greveside services. The military
District of Washington will have
charge of the funeral.
Capt. John P. Murray;
Of Coast Guard Dies :
Capt. John P. Murray, u. S. C. G., ]
retired, formerly of Washington’ i
died yesterday at the Marine Hos-;;
pital in San Francisco, according j
to word received here by members
of the family.
Capt. Murray, who was 46. had:
been ill for eight months and was
retired in January for physical
disability. He was graduated from
Catholic University in 1922 and was
commissioned into the service in
1923, after attending the Coast
Guard Academy in New London
Conn.
He was the first commandant of
the Coast Guard base at Curtis
Bay, Baltimore. Before retirement
he was transferred to the command
of several vessels in South Pacific
and Alaskan waters.
Born in Cambridge, Mass., Capt.
Murray moved to the District with
his late parents, Mr. and Mrs. John
P. Murray, when a child.
He leaves his wife, Mrs. Elgiva
Murray; a daughter Patricia, 18:
two sons, John Preston, 17. and
Alan, 15, all of Santa Rosa, Calif •
two brothers, Patrick J. and George
E. Murray, and three sisters. Miss
Margaret P. Murray, Mrs. Joseph
Kochka and Mrs. Charles O'Neill
all of Washington.
Gen. Spaatz Visiting
Mexican Air Chief
Gen. Carl Spaatz, commander of
the Army Air Forces, is in Mexico
City, where he is visiting Gen. de
Brigada Gustavo a Salinas Camina.
Mexican Air Force chief, the War
Department announced today.
Gen. Spaatz left Washington Sat
urday to return the courtesy call
made recently to Washington by the
Mexican air commander. He will
return to Washington about Thurs
day.
Hyattsville Dinner
To Mark YMCA Drive |
A dinner will be held at 6:30 p.m
tomorrow in the First Methodis;
Church, Hyattsville to mark the of
ficial start of the second annua?
membership campaign of the Su
burban YMCA.
C. Merle Duckett, University Park
is chairman of the Drive Commit
tee.
Walking Six Blocks,
Truman Hears Sermon
At First Baptist Church
Walking six blocks through the
crisp fall weather yesterday morn
ing, President Truman surprised
the congregation of the First Bap
tist Church by attending the service.
The visit also was a surprise to
the pastor. Dr. Edward Hughes
Pruden, who said the Secret Service
gave him only brief advance notice
by reporting the Chief Executive
had left the White House for the
church.
Mr. Truman was accompanied
only by Secret Service men in his
stroll from the White House to the
edifice at Sixteenth and O streets
N.W. He arrived a few minutes be
fore the service started at 9:45 a m.
Many members of the congregation
were unaware of his presence until
he arose to leave.
The pastor took as the title of his
sermon "The Silver Lining,” and
used as his text Romans vii.28: "And
ve know that all things work to
other for good to them that love
3od.”
The sermon emphasized that en
louragement is to be found in the
Scriptures for those who face the
'confusion” of the modern world.
Blame for the present tragic con
iition of the world, Dr. Pruden de
:lared, should be laid at the door of
unregenerate humanity."
“We have no right to expect our
lational leaders to devise a perfect
Dlan for peace,” he asserted, “be
:ause even if such a plan were of
fered us, we would be neither spirit
rally prepared to appreciate it nor
morally capable of supporting it.
"Only those who have been spirit
rally changed themselves are ca
pable of changing the world.”
President Truman, who belongs to
the Baptist church, at his home,
independence. Mo., has attended the
local church often.
Enrollment Increase Seen
For New English Classes
Arrival here of families detained
abroad during the war is expected to
result in a substantial increase in
attendance this year in citizenship
classes and in classes for non
English speaking children, it was
stated today at the office of James
r. Gallahorn, jr., in charge of the
Americanization courses at the Web
iter School, Tenth and N streets
f.W.
Preparations are being made for
he classes to open next Monday
md registrations now are being
aken.
Last year 2,548 adults and chil-1
Iren attended and this >%ar there
s a definite trend toward increased
mrollment frfim both adults and
hildren, particularly from those who1
vish to study English, it was said.
The citizenship classes are ap
>roved by the Immigration and Na
uralization Service of the Justice
Department.
While students may register at
rny time, Mr. Gallahorn's office
jointed out that its regular hours
ire from 9 a.m. until noon each week
lay excepting Saturdays and Sun
iays, but that this week the office
will open at 8 a.m. on Thursday and
ilso will be open from 4 until 6 p.m.
Friday.
Man Shot in Argument
After Minor Collision
George Bush, about 30, colored.
1800 block of California street N.W.,
was in critical condition today at
Providenc* Hospital with a gunshot
wound in the chest and severe lac
erations about the scalp.
The Charles County sheriff's of
fice said it was holding Wesley
Plater and his son Royal, colored, of
Wicomoco, for investigation. An
iltere&tion developed after a minor
automobile accident, the sheriff's
jffice said, and Bush was found on
:he road near Waldorf by a motorist.
Randolph Will Speak
At Leadership Dinner
Representative Randolph, Dem
ocrat, of West Virginia, will be the
principal speaker at the annual
dinner of the Dale Carnegie Leader
ship Training Institute at 7 p.m.
Wednesday at the Hotel Statler.
The maintenance of world peace
will be his subject.
Do You Know That
The administration building
at Children’s Hospital was
condemned for patient occu
pancy 20 years ago? The
building fund campaign
through Saturday:
Amount needed .... $1,300,000.00
Contributed through
Friday - 1,031,561.06
Received Saturday... 174.00
Still to be raised 268,264.94
Please send contributions to
Children’s Hospital Building
Fund, Thirteenth and V
streets N.W. 1
%
Officials Await Order
For West Executive
Avenue's Opening
Officials concerned with opening
! West Executive avenue are still
! awaiting formal notice from the
I White House that the street west
of the Exectuive Mansion is to be
thrown open to public traffic.
President Truman, acting on the
recommendation of Secretary of the
Treasury Snyder, told a press con
ference last week the street would
| be reopened as soon as local officials
' can complete arrangements.
Irving C. Root, superintendent of
National Capital Parks, which had
jurisdiction over the street before
| the war. said he assumed his office
I would be given jurisdiction over the
i street again, but he can’t make
plans until he receives official noti
fication.
Mr. Root said he had asked the
White House informally what action
it wanted his office to take, but so
far has received no answer.
The parks superintendent said he
wanted to know White House wishes
on parking, the flow of traffic and
the disposition of the stone piers at
the Pennsylvania entrance ■ to the
street.
He indicated that if the White
House believes the piers should go,
he will prepare legislation to have
them removed as a traffic hazard.
District Traffic Director George E.
Keneipp has criticized the piers as
dangerous and antiquated and has
made it clear that any conferences
between District and park officials
will involve a discussion of them.
Officials are agreed that removal
of the piers will take an act of Con
gress. since a 20-year-old law speci
' ties that the piers should not be
disturbed.
Journalism Group
To Honor Pyle, Gorrell
Bronze plaques for "distinguished
service" in journalism will be award
ed to Henry T. Gorrell, who was
chief of the United Press combat
correspondents in Europe, and post
humously to Ernie Pyle at a meet
ing of the Washington chapter of
Sigma Delta Chi at 12:30 pun. to
morrow at the Washington Hotel.
The national journalistic frater
nity's award has been “split” for the
«flrst time, with the citation for hu
man interest reporting going to Mr.
Pyle and an award for spot news re
porting to Mr. Gorrell, now editor
and publisher of Veterans Report, a
national veterans' weekly published
here.
Others to be cited include Fred
erick Kuh of the Chicago Sun. for
foreign correspondence; Marquis W.
Childs, United Features, for Wash
ington correspondence; Edward J. i
Doherty, Chicago Sun. for general
reporting: Felix R. McKnight, Dal-;
las News, for editorial writing;
Henry Barrow, Associated Press, for
editorial cartoons, and Earl F. Eng
lish of the University of Iowa, for
journalism research.
The 1944 award was decided by a
panel of seven judges headed bv
John S. Knight, president of Knight
Newspapers and of the American So
ciety of Newspaper Editors. The
plaques will be presented by Wil
liam Huston, head of the New York
Times' Washington Bureau, and
president of the chapter.
Men's Clothing Stores
Report Shipments Slow
By th» Associated Press
The National Association of Retail
Clothiers and Furnishers reported
yesterday that most men s clothing
and furnishings stores have received
few shipments from manufacturers
for 60 days.
But the majority of the merT
chants expect supplies to increase
within 12 months, an association
statement said.
The report was based on letters
sent to 55 merchants located in all
parts of the Nation.
All reported their sales volume
equals or surpasses that of a year
ago. They attributed this to higher
priced goods despite fewer unit sales,
new lines and luxury items and1
sales from inventories.
Snyder Will Meet Today
With Life Insurance Unit
By the Associated Press
Secretary of the Treasury Snyder
arranged to discuss monetary affairs
today with an 11-man joint commit
tee of the Life Insurance Associa
tion of America and the American
Life Convention.
The meeting, a follow-up to a
similar session held earlier by Mr.
Snyder with commercial bankers, is
to include discussion of possibility
of a long-term issue of Government
securities.
Tradesmen Meet Tonight
The Independent Trfde Associa
tion of PTince Georges County will
meet at 8:30 o'clock tonight in the
fire house at Laurel.
Fund to Prepare
District Center
Plans Granted
$135,000 'Advance'
By FWA to Be Repaid
Without Interest
By Harold B. Rogers
The Federal Works Administration
today approved an "advance ' of
(135,000 to finance plans and specifi
cations for the West Administration
Building of the Municipal Center, to
be erected on District-owned land
west of the present East Adminis
tration Building on Indiana ave
nue N.w.
The advance must be repaid, with
out interest, by the District, but not
until construction begins. Entire
cost of construction, estimated at
$6,400,000, will be borne by the
District.
The new structure will face Indi
ana avenue on a site also bounded
by C street and Sixth street N.W.
The project is included in the six
year master plan of postwar con
struction prepared by Brig. Gen.
Gordon R. ,Young, Engineer Com
missioner, but, according to Assist,
ant Engineer Commissioner V A
Schurm, no priority has been set.
District to Prepare Plans.
The question as to when the Dis
trict will ask for funds to build the
new structure is being studied In the
over-all examination of all projects
in Gen. Young s program for 1948
1952, it was explained.
In his application to the Federal
Works Agency for planning money.
Gen. Young indicated the inten
tion of the District to prepare its
own specifications. Whether this
can be done by the Office of the
Municipal Architect remains to be
decided, Col. Schurm explained,
when further study works out the
priority of projects, and how much
the new Municipal Architect Merle
iCoe can handle in his office. Some
[planning might have to be sent to
(private architectural firms, it was
indicated, if the architect's office be
! comes overloaded.
i The general architecture of both
the East and West Administrative
Buildings was designed by former
(Municipal Architect Nathan Wyeth,
j who retired July 31. The plans were
approved by the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission and
[the Fine Arts Commission.
To Demolish Old Buildings.
The project for the west admin
istration building will include demo
lition of all old buildings on the
site. These include several historic
structures, including an old brick
building formerly used as the Dis
trict Building and later as police
headquarters. Occupants of present
buildings include the Health De
partment tuberculosis clinic, a nurs
ing bureau and many others. Much
of the space is used by the District
government for storage.
The new construction job also will
i include completion of a large cafe
| teria for both administration build
! ings. Space for this already has
been provided in a basement under
the plaza, which was built when the
east building was erected. This
underground cafeteria space, lo
cated between the sites for the east
and west buildings, now is used for
storage and is unfinished.
The east administration building
was completed in 1939. It has been
occupied by parts of the District
government, but also by several
Federal agencies. The presence of
these, including Veterans’ Admin
istration units, has crowded facilities
of the District government which
has been trying for many months to
recover its space.
Clark Indorses Campaign
For More Camp Fire Girls
Indorsing the current nation-wide
membership drive of The Camp Fire
Girls, Attorney General Clark today
declared “the solution to the tragic
American problem of juvenile de
linquency rests precisely with or
ganizations like the Camp Fire
Girls.”
The attorney general commended
the organization on its leisure-time
program for girls between the ages
of seven and eighteen.
"Those of us who have daugh
ters of our own. and are interested
in the welfare of American youth,”
he asserted, “will do .all we can to
support this drive,” he said.
Miss Martha F. Allen, national
director of the organization who
is a member of the Panel on Youth
Participation in Community and
Youth Service programs, will take
part in the Justice Departments
National Conference for the Pre
vention and Control of Juvenile De
linquency here October 21-23.
| Only One Try |
Another in a series of jogs for
lagging memories regarding Dis
trict traffic laws.
In this situation, a motorist has
come upon a hitch-hiker standing
on the street after dark, soliciting a
ride with the customary thumb ges
ture. Should hitch-hiker:
1. Seek rides only during daylight?
2. Swing red lantern in an arc?
3. Remain off roadway?
4. Wear white clothing for maxi
mum visibility?
Answer 3 is correct. Article III,
Section 9, of the traffic and motor
vehicle regulations states:
"No person shall stand in a pub
ic highway for the purpose of so
liciting a ride from fhe driver of any
private vehicla."