'Slot Machine' Trial
Of 22 Resumes After
Ruling on Grand Jury
■-* Special Diipatch to Th« Stor
LEONARDTOWN, Md.. Sept. 18
—Trial of 22 persons for illegal slot
machine operations was resumed in
■'Circuit Court today after a ruling
that the grand jury that indicted
them had been legally appointed.
The case of Harry Weiner, Holly
wood, first defendant to be tried, will
be coritinued to the next term of
'court because the jury disagreed on
' two of the six counts against him.
. The Jury deliberated four hours last
night and acquitted Mr. Weiner on
' four counts. Whether he will be re
tried depends on the State's at
torney.
Called for trial today was the
ease of Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Wallace,
also of Hollywood.
The trial was halted temporarily
yesterday when defense counsel
filed pleas in abatement challeng
. ing the legality of the selection of
_ the grand jury by Chief Judge
William M. Loker.
Chief Judge Takes Stand.
Judge Loker disqualified himself
from ruling on the issue and Asso
ciate Judges Charles C. Marbury
^and John G. Gray, jr. overruled the
objections.
-- The chief judge high lighted yes
terday’s testimony by taking the
; witness stand and explaining in de
* tail his method of selecting the
— March grand jury. When this group
* of men failed to return indictments
: Judge Loker recalled them in June
and after an hour-and-a-half lec
ture they brought in indictments
' against the 23 defendants.
State Senator Paul J. Bailey, one
-of the defense attorneys, asked
- Judge Loker whether any names
had been selected with a view of
securing certain indictments.
Judge Loker angrily shouted.
, “No,” and told the attorney he
bitterly resented any such insinua
tion.
OfTers to Fight With Fists.
Judge Loker also told Senator
Bailey he would be glad to fight
that question outside the courthouse
with his fists with the attorney or
any other man who would imply
such a thing.
Richard H. Pembroke, vice chair
man of the St. Marys County Civic
Association, which has been active
* in the drive against slot machines,
* followed Judge Loker to the stand.
“ Philip H. Dorsey, another member
* of the defense battery, asked the
“ witness whether his association had
" suggested the names of prospective
* iurors to Judge Loker. Mr. Pem
. broke said some names had been
' suggested. He added he did not
l know who they were.
i Crucial Chinese Battle
Reported Shaping Up
By th* A$sociat«d Pr*ss
j PEIPING, Sept. 18.—Quick thrusts
; by both Nationalists and Chinese
Communists were reported from
■ tense Manchuria today as opposing
t forces gathered strength for a cru
cial battle.
’ Government dispatches said more
i than 10,000 Communists had lunged
into the southwestern corner of
Manchuria from the Inner Mongol
ian Province of Jehol, striking in
the direction of Suichung and Hing
chen on the Peiping-Mukden rail
way northfewffc of itfaer Great Wall city
of Shanhaikwan. Fighting was re
! ported in progress 10 miles west of
{ the rail line.
Nationalists based in Kirin, 60
, miles east of Changchun, Manchu
: ria's capital, were reported, mean
while, to have pushed eastward and
j captured several points along the
railway to Tunghwa.
The Nationalist drive obviously
was a testing of Chinese Communist
strength. The opening of the sixth
Red offensive has been awaited un
easily for weeks.
1 The consensus among military nb
I servers here is that the coming bat
\ tie will be a do-or-die struggle,
• from the standpoint of the Natior.
‘ alists. They say loss of the terri
; tory, besides endangering the secur
; ity of North China, might bring
• the establishment of a puppet buffer
1 state between China and Russia.
, Man Trapped in Well
Freed After 20 Hours
By the Associated Press
WARNER. N. H.. Sept. 18 —
Trapped more than 21 hours at the
bottom of a 20-foot well that caved
in on him. Norman Woods, 23-year
old Army combat veteran, was freed
at 8:30 a.m. today after 100 volun
teers and State police worked all
• night to dig him out.
; His condition was not determined
• Immediately as he was rushed 20
! miles in an ambulance to a hosiptal
J in Concord.
• -1
; Weather Report
District of Columbia—Mostly
sunny with highest temperature
v; around 82 this afternoon. Clear to
night but the lowest near 64. To
ri- morrow partly cloudy, rather warm
C and more humid. Gentle north -
| easterly winds this afternoon and
tonight.
Virginia—Fair in the north por
tion. Partly cloudy in the south
portion. Not quite so cool tonight
Tomorrow increasing cloudiness
with showers over the south portion
Maryland—Clear and not quite sc
cool tonight. Tomorrow partly
|i cloudy; rather warm and humid.
| Wind velocity, 12 miles per hour;
* direction, east.
r River Report.
(Prom United States Engineers.)
- Potomac River clear at Haroere Ferry
«•- and at Great Falls; Shenandoah clear at
»* Harpers Perry.
. Hsmiaity.
- Per Per
- Yesterday— Cent. Today— Cent.
Noon _46 Midnight_78
4 p.m. _ 46 8 a.m, _ 9i
£ 8 p.m.__ 58 1:30 P.m. _ 62
High and Low for I.mat 21 Boors.
High, 78. at 1:08 pm.
»" Lon. 56. at 6:52 a m
Record Temperatures This Year.
.... Highest. 96. on August 14.
at Lowest. 7. on February 5.
5 Tide Tables.
„ (Furnished by United States Coast and
at Geodetic Survey.)
«i Today. Tomorrow.
at High_11:29 a m. 12:12 a m
•I Low _ 6:00 a.m, 6:48 a.m
»> High _11:54 p.m. 12:37 pm
J Low _ - 6:11p.m. 6:55 p.m
The 8«n and Moon.
J, Rises. Sets.
, Sun. today . 6:52 7:12
■ Sun tomorrow 6:53 7:10
! Moon, today.. . 10:57 s m. 8:29 p m
Automobile lights must be turned or
one-half hour after eunset.
Precipitation.
* Monthly precipitation in Inches In thi
* Capital (current month to date):
1 Month. 1947 Average. Record.
1 January _ 3.18 3.55 7.83 37
i February _ 1.2< 3 3. 6.84 84
March _ 10* 3.75 8.84 91
April _— 2.48 3.27 9 13 8a
ffii. _ 4.44 3.70 19.69 •«{
jSfa _ «86 4.13 10.94 0(
Jdj __ 8.47 4 71 10.63 '}<
August _ 181 4.01 1441 2)
i September —- 3.28 3 24 17.45 ;34
■ Wish '}}}}. :::: II !:$ I
SANDY HOOK Bf/CGE
NSAP/NG COMPLIT/ON
HARPERS FERRY BY-PASS—Map shows a proposed link for Route 340 that will cross the
Potomac River on the Sandy Hook Bridge, now nearing completion below Harpers Ferry, and
will cross the Shenandoah River on a proposed bridge thus by-passing the town and joining
the present highway at Bolivar.
Rent Board Head Says
Controls Should Stay
In Maryland Counties
Continuation of rent control in
Montgomery and Prince Georges
Counties, at least until Federal con
trols expire February 29. 1948, ap
peared assured today in the light of
a statement by Harry A. L. Barker
chairman of the Rent Advisory
Board for that Maryland area.
At a meeting of the group yester
day, in the area rent control office
in Silver Spring, Mr. Barker, who
also is Mayor of Riverdale, told the
board he believes:
1. Rent controls should not be
lifted. He said he had "gone all
over" Montgomery and Prince
Georges Counties and found "no
place that to my satisfaction should
be decontrolled.”
Says Board Is Representative.
2. Present rent levels should be
maintained “unless justification is
presented to the board to'show in
all fairness to landlords and tenants
that they should be increased or
decreased.”
He also declared he thought the
board was “very representative,” but
that he felt it would be "better bal
anced” if one of the members was
a "renter.”
At the same time, however, he
emphasized that the board would be
"absolutely neutral” and would be
fair to both landlords and tenants.
"No matter how we act,” he
asserted, “we are going to be criti
cized. But if we conscientiously do
our duty in equity and justice to
all. we should pay no attention to
those criticisms.”
Urges Publicity for Meetings.
Reporters, he said, should be per
mitted to attend all board meetings
and inform the public of the group
discussions "except when some per
sonal issue comes up. not of general
public interest.”
But in such cases, he empha
sised, reporters should be informed
o£. the hoard's decision.
Expressing regret at the recent
resignation of Rhees Burket from
the board, Mr. Barker said he ex
pected Gov. Lane to recommend the
appointment of additional members
soon.
He also asked the board to con
sider requesting Housing Expediter
[Flank R^ Greedon^Ui Assign an at
torney to Maryland to handle rent
case settlements. At present, accord
ing to Mr. Barker, such settlements
for this area are handled in Phila
delphia.
Three Functions Outlined.
Earlier, Thomas E. Barrett, area
attorney, told the board it had
'three principal functions—to rec
ommend decontrol of the area or
any portion of it, to study the ade
quacy of the general rent level in
the area, and to check general
operations of the rent office with
particular reference to "hardship’
cases.
Mr. Barrett said the board will be
called on soon by Mr. Creedon tc
recommend whether rent control
should be continued in the two coun
ties. He added that any recommen
dation of the board “appropriately
substantiated and in accordance with
; the law” must be approved by the
housing expediter.
The board voted to meet at 2 p.m
j on the first Wednesday of eact
[ month and to hold special meeting;
1 at the call of the chairman. Beside;
Mr. Barker, board members are
Emanuel Zalesak, Kent R. Mullikin
! Frank L. Hewitt, jr., and S. Waltei
1 Bogley.
4-H Club Teams Chosen
For Chicago Congress
Four-H Club teams from Loudour
County, Va., and Montgomerj
County, Md.. and will represeni
j those two States at the Nations'
4-H Club Congress in Chicago ir
December, it was announced yes
; terday.
Tommy Fleming and Jackit
1 Arnold, winners of the Loudour
4-H livestock judging and dairj
demonstration contests respectively
will act as judges at the Atlantii
Rural Exposition in Richmond be
fore going to Chicago.
Ted Noffsinger and Peter Beall o
Montgomery County won their frei
I trip to Chicago for their demon
stration of the construction of ai
electric pig brooder at the Timoniun
State Fair.
Ten-Year-Old Hyattsville Girl
Saves Invalid Father From Fire
A 10-year-old schoolgirl was cred
ited with saving her bedridden
father when fire broke out in their
Hvattsville home this morning.
Before smoke had reached the
second floor where Lee Shapiro, a
semi-invalid with high blood pres
sure, had been sleeping, his daughter
Celia and firemen helped him down
stairs and out onto the lawn.
Celia, whose mother is dead, said
; she is the only one at the home. 4023
Hamilton street, to take care of her
father since a maid left last week.
She was excused from her fifth grade
classes this week to care for Mr.
Shapiro.
Celia said she had finished w’ith
I breakfast this morning and her fa
| ther was going back to sleep when
around without assistance.
'he smelled smoke. She ran down
into the basement and found that
| one of the beaverboard walls was
smouldering as well as some boxes
and stored material next to the wall.
She ran upstairs, telephoned the
IHyattsville Fire Department, then
roused her father and sat by his
bed until the firemen arrived. She
said she shut the door and opened
the windows so smoke would not
get into the bedroom.
Firemen were able to control the
blaze before it had spread from the
basement. They said it probably was
caused by a short circuit and that
they thought damage was slight.
Celia said her father has re
1 cently returned from seven weeks
in the hospital. He cannot move
GAS-‘OIL
HEATING
Immediate Installation
leatinq
100 EIGHTH ST. N.E.
MHiTRinidod 1912hmI
I
Harpers Ferry Residents Fear
New Bridge Will Isolate Town
By James Birchfield
Star Staff Cerrtspondtnt
HARPERS FERRY, W. Va„ Sept,
18.—Residents of this historic town
are watching, with some misgivings,
| the progress on the new highway
j bridge that will span the Potomac
River about a mile below here.
The new bridge is expected to be
completed between October 15 and
j November 1. It is, Harpers Ferry
residents fear, the first link in a new
highway system that will isolate this
community from its remunerative
tourist trade.
, It would be wrong to think of
Harpers Ferry as not progressive.
The residents are all for the new
bridge and the better highway it
j will bring. What they want, how
' ever, is to be sure of a highway
through the town.
"Tourists don’t turn back,’’ said
Mayor L. D. Nichols. "People are
in a hurry these days. Even if
they’ve heard of Harpers Ferry all
of their lives—how John Brown was
captured here by Col. Robert E. Lee
—they simply won’t come to see the
town if it’s off their main route.”
What Harpers Ferry residents'
want is for the State Roads Com-:
mission to continue, Route 340, the
highway that connects with Routes
11 and 50 at Winchester, Va., and
with Route 40 at Frederick, Md..
through the town. The new by-pass,
j then, could serve heavy traffic and
through vehicles not desiring to
visit the town.
Mayor Nichols said the Town
Council has requested the roads
commission to reconstruct the
bridge across the Shenandoah River
near where it flows into the Po
tomac. Tills bridge was washed out
by the 1936 flood. The piers, still
standing, have been pronounced
sound by highway engineers.
By rebuilding a light bridge here,
Mayor Nichols said, Harpers Ferry
still would remain on the through
route. The combination highway
railway bridge that now' serves all
traffic through the town, could then
be abandoned.
Even alter the new' span is com
pleted, Harpers Ferry residents will
have about two years to iron out
their difficulties w'ith the State
Roads Commission. It is estimated
that it will take that long to com
plete the road along the far bank
of the Potomac and Shenandoah'
Rivers and build a bridge across the!
Shenandoah. The abutments for|
this bridge, located about a mile up!
the Shenandoah from Harpers
Ferry, already have been com-1
pleted. |
The new roadway, when com-!
pleted, will join Route 340 on the!
West Virginia side at Bolivar, a few!
miles west of Harpers Ferry, and
on the Maryland side at Sandv
Hook, between Harpers Ferry and
Brunswick.
Greek Plan Reported
To Double Army's Size
By th» Associated Press
ATHENS, Sept. 18.—An Informed
source said today the Greek govern
ment would ask the United States
for permission to double the size of
the Greek Army—to about 270,000
men.
j This informant said a plan ap
proved by the Supreme Defense
Council last night called for adding
70,000 men to the present army
strength of 130,000 and for creation
of a 70,000-man national guard,
which would be under strict mili
tary control and which would absorb
[the present armed peasant organ
ization.
. Any expansion of the Greek armed
I forces would be financed from the
i $300,000,000 American aid program
and hence is subject to American
i approval. Chiefs of both the Amer
ican and British military missions
[attended the Defense Council meet
ing last night.
Greek government sources have
been advocating an increase in the
size of the army ever since last April,
when it became clear that Greek
\ forces would be unable to cope with
[the guerrillas in the north.
The forces were scattered so thinly
[ that it was conceded to be almost
i futile to try and maneuver the re
j treating guerrilla bands into position
for an all-out frontal fight.
Large numbers of troops are being
used in small defense units for hun
dreds of individual villages, thus re
ducing the effective fighting strength)
| of the army.
1 The new plan apparently envisages
use of the proposed national guard I
as a force for protecting the villages,:
thus freeing the army men for duty
against the guerrillas.
Referee Acfs Today on Sale
Of Williams' Timber Rights
Bankruptcy Referee John A. Bres
nahan today will rule on a petition
by Samuel M, Greenbaum, trustee
in the bankruptcy of George H.
Williams, for authority to sell tim
ber rights in St. Marys County, Md„
that belonged to the former real
estate man.
The timber rights, on a 614-acre
tract near Leonardtown, were
turned over as an asset when Wil
liams went into bankruptcy.
Mr. Greenbaum said an offer of
$1,000 for the rights have been
offered by Samuel P. Beach of Arl
I ington who operates a lumber plant
I near the tract. He will get the rights
if Mr. Bresnahan approves and no
1 other bids are submitted today, the
i! trustee seid.
A hearing on the sale was set for
2 o'clock this afternoon at Mr.
i Bresnahan’s office in the Tower
Building.
Handyman Confesses
Killing Woman, 21
By the Associated Press
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Sept, 18.
—The strangling of Mrs. Betty Ann
Roberts was admitted orally last
night, police reported, by an unem
ployed handyman who told them he
had known the comely 21-year-old
victim only a few hours.
Detective Inspector Frank J. Sul
livan and Assistant Prosecutor
Roger C. McMahon indicated they
would place charges against Dale
Beauchamp, 26, after he had fin
ished giving them a written state
ment.
Mrs. Roberts’ body, a worn cotton
dress wound tightly about her neck,
was found yesterday afternoon
stretched across the bed of her
downtown Grand Rapids apartment.
She was fully clothed.
Beauchamp, who is married, first
told police he had found the woman
dead when he came to her apart
ment to meet her after making her
acquaintance three hours earlier in
a bar.
Under questioning later, In
spector Sullivan and Mr. McMahon
reported, the slightly-built handy
man admitted in his oral statement
that he killed Mrs. Roberts in her
home “because she called me bad
names.”
The victim's husband. Forrest,
told police he had been at work all
day at a bakery and had no knowl
edge of his wife's slaying until
called by officers.
Lawyer Faces Sanity
Recheck in 2 Killings
Preliminary steps were taken to
day at District Court by the Gov
ernment for a lynacy hearing for
Dan Williams, jr., disbarred Missis
sippi attorney, under indictment for
killing two persons and wounding
two others last May in shootings
which began in the Municipal Court
Building.
Justice Matthew F. McGuire
ordered members of the psychiatric
staff of Gallinger Hospital to
examine Williams, who is colored,
and if they decide he is of unsound
mind, order a lunacy hearing. Two
psychiatrists at St. Elizabeths Hos
pital already have submitted affi
davits expressing belief that Wil
liams is of unsound mind.
Williams, 40. was indicted on first
degree murder charges in the fata!
shootings of Police Pvt. Hubert W.
Estes. 52, of the first precinct and
of Ray E. Devendorf, 68, a clerk for
the Committee on Admissions and
Grievances of District Court.
The indictment also charged Wil
liams with shooting and wounding
George W. Dalzell, 70, secretary of
the committee, and wounding Cecil
E. Claig, 43, guard in the civil divi
sion building of Municipal Court.
Williams was said to have been
embittered at being denied return of
money he had deposited in connec
tion with his application for ad
mission to the bar here.
Yugoslavia Charges
U. S. Troops Looted
Istrian Territory
By tht Associated Press
TRIESTE, Sept. 18.—The press
department of the Yugoslav
Ministry of Foreign Affairs has
accused American troops of
committing crimes and rob
beries during their withdrawal
from Istrian territory take over
by Yugoslavia under the Italian
peace treaty.
The head of the press depart
ment told a news conference at
Abbazia yesterday that "a series of
crude attacks on property and citi
zens” was committed. He added
that the Yugoslav Ministry of For
eign Affairs had asked its repre
sentative in Washington to "lodge
a sharp protest and ask for .com
pensation.”
He also charged that in areas re
turned to Italian administration by
the troop movements which fol
lowed activation of the Italian
peace treaty “terrorizing of the
Slovene population” had increased.
Clash Is Averted.
Italians and Yugoslavs pointed
tanks at each other at one contested
point on the new frontier at Gorizia
yesterday, but a possible clash was
averted when it was agreed to refer
the matter to a joint Italo-Yugoslav
commission.
aisimcdiiiaii iur ixie uxiiieu i>a
tions Boundary Commission declared
Yugoslavs had asked for changes in
their favor of from 20 to 300 yards
at every outpost except one on the
boundary between the free territory
of Trieste and Yugoslavia guarded
by British-American troops.
Tuesday an American outpost
succeeded in preventing Yugoslav
troops from crossing the northern
border of the free state and march
ing into Trieste itself. Yesterday
the Yugoslavs were moving south,
skirting the British-American oc
cupation zone to reach their own
sector in the free territory.
Italian Asks Treaty Revision.
At Udine Maj. Gen. Giulio Ernesto
Cappa, commander of Italian forces
in Northeastern Italy, called for re
vision of the Italian peace treaty
to increase his country’s armed
strength as Allied withdrawals left
his men fa'cing the Yugoslavs alone
along the new provisional boundary.
Tlie 59-year-old general said in an
interview that the Yugoslav forces
were ‘‘greatly superior" in number
to his own. The peace treaty lim
ited the Italian Army to 185,000 men.
Tanks were brought up at Gorizia
when a Yugoslav colonel demanded
that the boundary be changed to
include three houses at present in
Italy. The Italian carabinieri moved
up six tanks when the colonel made
his demand, and the Yugoslavs
countered by drawing up three.
Finally, police said, the Yugoslavs
agreed to refer the point to an Italo
Yugoslav commission.
At another Gorizia outpost Yugo
slavs set up six machineguns, but
removed them an hour later. The
Italians manned their outposts
with carabinieri police and customs
guards, and kept the regulars out of
sight of the provisional frontier.
Demonstrations added to the ten
sion in Gorizia. About 1,000 Slovenes
on the Yugoslav side of the line
marched to an outpost shouting
"Fascists’’ and ‘‘Gorizia is ours.”
Both Yugoslav and Italian civilians
demonstrated last night at the
Gorizia railroad station, which is in
Yugoslav territory. The Yugoslavs
yelled "Fascists” and the Italians
countered with “Titoites.”
Another instance of a Yugoslav
demand for a change in the border
along the free state .occurred at
outpost No. 8 on the main road from
Ljubljana to Trieste. The American
commander refused the request and
the Yugoslav did not Insist.
Film Theater Owners
To Meet Tomorrow
Approximately 500 theater oper
ators are expected to be present to
morrow for opening of a twa-day
joint convention of the Motion
Picture Theater Owners of America
and the American Theater Associa
tion in the Shoreham Hotel.
All sections of the United States,
as well as a number of foreign coun
tries, will be represented.
The effects on the motion picture
industry in this country of new
controls imposed recently by Great
Britain on earnings of foreign pro
ductions are to be considered.
Spyros Skouras, president of
Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp.,
will speak on the problem tomorrow.
A dinner-dance tomorrow night
will include appearances by Edward
Arnold, film star; Lew Lehr, come
dian, and Morton Downey, singer.
Vaughan Monroe's Orchestra will
play.
Attorney General Clark will speak
Saturday on the role of motion
pictures in preserving “Our Amer
ican Heritage.”
Halsey Will Speak
At Plaque Ceremony
Admiral William F. Halsey will
speak at the presentation of a
bronze plaque by the District Chap
ter of the Red Cross to the Acacia
Mutual Life Insurance Co. at 4 p.m.
Monday on the steps of the Acacia
Building, 51 Louisiana avenue N.W.
The plaque will be awarded the
company for providing an entire
floor of its building to the District
Red Cross Blood Donor Center dur
ing the var. Admiral Halsey will
tell of the importance of plasma
and whole blood to the wounded
fiehting men in the Pacific.
Maj. Gen. Luther D. Miller, chief
of Army chaplains, will give the in
vocation. The Navy Band will play
and 80 women Red Cross volunteers
will form an inverted “V” on the
steps.
Lag in Production Defers Threat
Of Red Arms, U. S. Expert Says
By Stef fan Andrews
North American N«wspop«r AUianct
Russia's heavy industry is lagging
so far behind American industrial
might that the United States has
nothing to fear from the Russian
military machine for the next 25
years.
This is the view of Ernest C.
Ropes, retiring chief of the Com
merce Department's Russian Trade
Division. He believes Russia is
j "bluffing” in her current diplomatic
maneuvering against the United
States.
“They have been coming to us for
production 'know-how' for the last
30 years or more, and still they are
not up to our industrial standards,”
Mr. Ropes declared in an interview.
Mr. Ropes said his most recent six
week trip through the U. S. S. R. last
summer convinced him that any
Russian threats are empty because
industrially she does not have the
stuff to back up her military
strength.
The white-haired. 70-year-old ex
pert, who has spent a total of 10
years in Russia on various Govern
ment economic missions, said the
Soviets lost six years industrially as
a result of the war and their output
is still far below prewar levels.
In such basic industries as steel
production, the bellwether of eco
nomic strength, the Russians are 25
years behind. At least three more
consecutive five-year plans will be
needed before Soviet steel output
reaches two-thirds of America’s pro
duction, Mr. Ropes asserted.
The same is true of light metal
fabrication, such as aluminum, and i
the production of nonferrous metals,:
he said.
Soviet mining has depended al
most exclusively on the United
States to supply it with machinery.
The United States mining industry ;
is now “way ahead" of the old ma
chinery still in use in Russian mines,
Mr. Ropes noted.
Similarly, Russian oil refining Is
now at the stage where American
refining was 20 years ago. American
technicians taught the Russians all
they know. But American refineries
are making strides every day, while
the Russians are still trying to catch >
up, he said.
In transportation, the Russians
copy everything from the United
States. Although they say they
have gone farther. Commerce De- 11
partment files show that they would :
like to buy hundreds of thousands of ’
our railroad cars right now.
Mr. Ropes said the Russians defi
nitely surpass Americans in only ’
three fields. He summed these up
as meteorology, forestry and soil •
culture, where the Russians are do- :
ing important work. i
He said the Russians particularly i
excel in forestry. Some of their :
government-controlled lumber proj
ects actually are generations ahead -
of the United States, he asserted. 1
Mr. Ropes will retire from the
Commerce Department at the end of
this month after 24 years as a Rus
sian trade expert.
District Area Council
Of AVC Asks Congress
To Probe City Police
Recent investigations of alleged
beatings and misconduct by District
police today prompted the Washing
ton Area Council of the American
Veterans’ Committee to urge investi
gations of police activities by the
House and Senate District Commit
tees at “the earliest possible mo
ment.”
A spokesman for the group said
the police trial of Pvt. James A.
Stewart, jr., and accusations made
by Julius W. Clegg, colored, 26-year
old veteran, prompted the action.
The council also strongly criticized
the Commissioners for reversing a
decision of the Police Trial Board
two weeks ago by restoring Pvt.
Stewart to duty. The board had
ordered Pvt. Stewart dismissed after
investigating charges that he beat
a Georgetown student last June.
Public Confidence Seen Destroyed.
The Commissioners’ action "des
troys public confidence in the Police
Department,” the council declared
in a statement.
Charges made by Clegg that po
lice beat him and held him without
charges after he was arrested on
complaint of a waitress, the coun
cil said, are examples "of complete
violation of citizens’ civil rights.”
The criticism and appeal for a
Congressional investigation was
made in a statement based on a
resolution drawn up earlier this
week and approved unanimously by
the 23 AVC chapters in the Wash
ington area, according to Joseph A.
Clorety, council chairman.
iuuuicu '-'ii KJj ifiic base,
a spokesman said, “the resolution
accused police specifically of hold
ing citizens without charges, brutal
treatment and denial of opportunity
to communicate with counsel or
families.”
A grand jury investigating the
Clegg case failed to indict two po
licemen accused of beating by the
veteran.
The council resolution declared
that "in a community where the
citizenry has no voice in election of
their local government * * * persons
exercising police powers have a
greater moral responsibility for the
protection of civil rights.
“These actions of the Police De
partment unfairly reflect on those
individual members of the police
force who have conducted them
selves fairly.”
The request for a House District
Committee investigation was refer
red today to the Subcommittee on
Public Service, Streets and Traffic—
which handles police matters.
Representative Beall, Republican,
of Maryland, chairman of the sub
committee, is out of the city, but is
! expected to study the request when
‘he returns to Washington.
I_
Registration Starts Today
For Adult Reading Groups
Registration for the adult reading
groups conducted by the Public Li
brary will begin today, Harry N.
Petersen, librarian, announced.
Twenty groups will hold meetings
at the Central Library, its eight
branches and at other community!
facilities w'ith membership limited
to 20 persons in each group.
Director of the program again will
be Dr. John W. Powell. Assisting him
will be John Cheney.
Registration will continue until
September 29 and the groups will j
hold their first discussion session
the week beginning September 29.
Persons who were in the groups last
year may register by telephone but
i those applying for the first time
must apply in person at one of the
libraries.
The local program, financed in
part by a grant from Education
Fund, Inc., is similar to the great
books reading program at the Uni
versity of Chicago. Each group reads
selections from a list of- books and
discusses them under the guidance
of a trained leader.
r1.~""" —■ —n
Low-Flying Planes
Blamed for Raps
By Doorknocker
A resident of Northern Alexandria
who has to tie down his doorknocker
on hts house to kep It from rapping
every time a plane passes over today
joined some 60 other Alexandrians
in furnishing information on low
flying aircraft to a special citizens
committee.
Other complaints received by
Rutcher Skagerberg, chairman of
the committee formed by the North
Ridge Citizens’ Association, blame ]
the vibrations of low-flying aircraft
fot cracked walls, loosened windows i
and weakened house foundations.
Mr. Skagerberg, who said the ■
neighborhood got some relief last
year when he complained to Civil
Aeronautics Administration authori
ties, said the situation has grown
progressively worse and citizens feel
it is time to speak up again.
He said he plans to ask the CAA
to station a professional spotter in
the neighborhood to identify low
flying planes.
French Attache May Ask
Warrant in Fist Fight
The District attorney’s office to
day was awaiting the next move by
Lt. Comdr. Pierre Rouliot, French
Embassy Assistant Naval Attache,!
who in a closed meeting in the office
of Assistant District Attorney J.j
Warren Wilson yesterday indicated
he might ask a warrant against a '
Falls Church man as a result of%
fist fight July 27.
No charges were filed at yester
day’s meeting and no arrest was j
made at the time of the reported
fight following a minor traffic acci
dent in the 1700 block of Benning
road N.E., officials said. Comdr.!
Rouliot made no complaint until a
week later. At a preliminary hear-1
ing two weeks ago it was explained*
he was not protected by the statute 1
by which a person who strikes a j
foreign minister could be charged
with a felony.
The hearing yesterday, it was
learned, boiled down to a question j
whether Comdr. Douliot would drop
possible misdemeanor charges if the
other man, a Navy veteran, apolo
gized. The veteran reportedly re
fused to apologize if it meant an
admission he was in the wrong in
the fight.
The matter rested there and the
District attorney's office said today j
it did not know whether Comdr.
Rouliot rvould return with a formal
request for a warrant.
FTC Reviews Purchases
By Makers of Old Golds
By 1h« Associated Press
The Federal Trade Commission;
yesterday reviewed tobacco pur
chases by P. Lorillard Co., Inc., in an
inquiry into the firm’s claims as to
the use of “prize crops’’ in Old Gold
cigarettes.
Records of the company’s tobacco
buying oveT a seven-year period
were read at a hearing on the com
mission’s complaint that the com
pany misrepresented that Old Golds
are made from "the finest money
can buy’’ in tobaccos.
The complaint was filed March
2, 1943, and hearings have been in
progress intermittenly since then.
Following yesterday's session, the
hearing was recessed until October
3, when it will be resumed in New
York City.
Hospital Nun Honored
Sister Marie Daly, administrator
of Providence Hospital, will be giver
a' fellowship in the American Col
lege of Hospital Administrators at
the organization's annual convention
Sunday in St. Louis. She is one of
18 hospital administrators to be so;
honored.
Lamps and records are classed as
luxuries under the new Dutch tax1
rate.
Palm Beach Section
Counts Damage, Seen
As Fairly Heavy
By th« Associated Press
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.. Sept.
18.—The 15,000 to 20.000 persons u> o
were in Red Cross shelters here
during the hurricane had dispersed
to their homes today, the relief
igency said, and a disaster comn|it
tee of businessmen was ready to in
spect and estimate the property
iamage, which was expected to be
'airly heavy.
An education official said there
was little possibility schools would
•eopen before next week, since
learly all in Palm Beach County
rad suffered heavy damage.
Meanwhile, there was still no word
rom Clewiston in the Everglades
row that city fared. The last word
rom there was a terse message re
vived by the Coast Guard which
aid conditions were “deplorable.”
rhere was no further amplification.
Roads and communications to
hat town 72 miles west of here
vere still out.
Manner Kafliy rut.
Two patrolmen at nearby Palra
Beach told today of a five-hour res
ue trek across that Island to take
in Injured Ohio banker to a hos
pital. He was Joe Reeves of the
3ank and Trust Co. of Dayton, who
tad cut himself badly trying to
ight a kerosene lamp and was weak
rom loss of blood. His rescuers
vere Patrolmen Vern La Forge and
Sddie Williams and two Army med
cal corpsmen.
Mr. Reeves’ injury was the
fourth reported in this area since
he hurricane struck between 8 a m.
tnd 2:30 p.m. yesterday. Two West
Palm Beach policemen were in
ired. one suffering a broken arm
vhen the wind lifted him bodily
tnd hurled him against a doorway,
rhe second policeman suffered a
jashed forehead.
The fourth man was injured at
Lake Worth when he came in con
act with an electric wire.
Elsewhere in this area the Red
3ross reported they were feeding
tnd sheltering 5,000 refugees at Sea
pring, including a shelterful of
Seminole Indians.
Guardsmen on Patrol.
During the night two companies
pf the Florida State Guard took over
patrol duties from local police who
vere sent home after some 36
itraight hours on the job.
Police Chief Jack A. Thompgpn
laid 45 store fronts were out and
hat troops were needed to prevent
noting.
There was little indication, how
ever, of any inclination toward the
latter. Most citizens were off the
streets about 8 p.m.
Housewives Plan Boycotts
Of Key Food Commodities
By A»tociat«d Pr««t
ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N. Y.,
5ept. 18.—A plan for a rotating sys
tem of three-week boycotts against
tey food commodities, beginning
with beef, was announced today by
the Housewives’ League of Rock
ville Centre, which said it would
promote the idea throughout Nas
;0u County.
Seventy-five league members voted
the action last night In protest
jgainst high food prices. They said
hey would not buy beef (rom Sep
tember 22 to October 13. Similar
hree-week buyer strikes are planned
igainst butter, eggs, corn and soaps.
The women also agreed to a con
inuous program of short purchases
luring the beef strike, Imposing
such limitations as one-quarter
sound of butter a week and one egg
i day.
Mrs. Allan S. Ayars, league presi
ient, said she would appear before
women’s groups throughout the
:ounty to urge support.
League members said they did not
want a return of Government price
control because they believed it
would promote a black market.
First Navy Squadron
Of Jet Planes Formed
By ths Atiociattd Pr#i»
The Navy's first squadron of jet
airplanes has been formed at the
Naval Air Station at Quonset Point,
R. I., it was announced today.
The jets are twin-engined Phan
toms built by the McDonnell Air
craft Corp., St. Louis.
Several months of training In op
erations and practice landings will
be required before the jets are as
signed to an aircraft carrier, of
ficers said.
The Quonset Point squadron will
be commanded by Comdr. Ralph A.
Fuoss, Altoona, Pa.
Protect Floors With ParaTex
Sfes. protect and
areserve your floors
— paint them with
3araTex, a rubber
) a s e. chlorinated
loor covering—that
stays put under
[oot. ParaTex is
iurable alkali proof ;
sun and weather re
listing Ideal for
ill floors that must
withstand hard
sear. Black, white
ind ft attractive colors. Inquirt about
•’aratex at these stores.
Chevy Chase Paint St Hardware Co.
Silver Spring Paint * Hardware Co.
Bethesda Paint & Hardware Co.
Takoffla Paint St Hardware Co.
Becker Paint * Glass Co.. Georgetown
Loeal Paint St Hardware Co., Hvattsvills
922 New York Ave. (1) NA. 8610
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