SOCIETY AND GENERAL NEWS p ' WASHINGTON NEWS
WASHINGTON, D. C. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1947
Traffic School
Awaifs Approval
Of D. C. Heads
Plan Indorsed by
Judges Expected to
Start October 10
Inauguration of the District
Traffic School about October 10
appeared virtually assured today, as
Chairman Arthur J. Sundlun of the
.Commissioners’ Traffic Advisory
Board prepared to offer the city
heads a formal recommendation for
approval of the plan.
Traffic Director George E. Keneipp 1
said he believes the classes for pros
pective drivers and violators of
traffic regulations will meet a favor- j
able reaction from the Commission
ers. He pointed out the school was
indorsed by the judges of Municipal i
Court yesterday.
Mr. Keneipp, Police Inspector
Arthur E. Miller, in charge of traffic
and other traffic officials met with
the judges to study details of the
plan, as drawn up by the Enforce
ment Committee of the Advisory
Board, headed by Washington I.
Cleveland.
Previously, the proposal had won
approval from the full Advisory
Board, Mr. Keneipp and Police
Supt. Robert J. Barrett.
Classes rnaay, aaiuraay.
Plans are for classes In the Mu
nicipal Center from 8 to 10 p.m.
Fridays and 10 a.m. to noon Satur
days.
The proposal calls for referral of
violators to the school by judges
hearing traffic cases in Municipal
Court and by the Board of Revoca
tion and Restoration of Operators’
Permits.
Attendance at the school also
would be recommended to applicants
for drivers’ permits, particularly
those 18 and younger, and to those
failing to pass examination for per
mits. The latter would be told to
attend the course and then try again.
The Advisory Board’s recom
mendation also suggests police be
authorized to accept promises to
attend the school in lieu of deposits
of collateral for minor violations.
Further, it suggests attendance be
recommended to students taking
driving instruction in public and
parochial schools, as well as to per
sons involved in traffic accidents in
which there is insufficient evidence
to prosecute. .
Graded in Examination.
A course of three two-hour sessions
is planned. Those attending would
be permitted to choose the Friday
night or Saturday morning period.
Students completing the course
would be given “graduation certifi
cates” in the form of a card, and
the agency referring them to the
school would be notified of their
grade on the final examination.
Completion of the course would be
noted on the students’ traffic rec
ords at police headquarters. -.
Instructors would include Mrs.
Mary Silver, chairman and secretary
of the Revocation Board; Assistant
Corporation Counsel Clark King,
*'Mr. Keneipp, Inspector Miller and
others concerned with control of
Capital traffic.
Motion pictures provided by the
American Automobile Association |
and other organizations would be
shown during the course.
The proposed curriculum includes
consideration of the purpose and in
tent of individual traffic regulations,
basic accident causes, sound driving
practices, pedestrian problems and
“the development of the proper atti
tude in traffic.”
Permanent Snow Signs.
Mr. Keneipp said the judges as
sured him yesterday they have no
objection to his plan to place the
winter snow parking ban regulation
on signs intended to remain posted
throughout the year. He explained
this would eliminate the necessity of
placing about 4,000 yellow snow ban
signs each fall and removing them
each spring, as had been done in
the past.
It also would fit into his master
plan for reduction of the overall
number of “no parking” signs, he
added.
Mr. Keneipp displayed samples of
a new sign which would tell the
motorist all he needs to know about
a given location.
The prohibitions are in red letter
ing and include the wording, “No
Parking 2 a.m. to 7 a.m. December
13-March 15.” The hours during
which parking is permitted are
shown in green.
“At present, we can’t get all the
required signs on one pole or tree
in some locations, and the driver
may miss the sign nearby which is
in effect at that moment,” Mr.
Keneipp said.
Dean Kayser to Address
Hospital School Graduates
Dean Elmer L. Kayser of George
Washington University will deliver
the principal address to graduates
of the Alexandria Hospital School
of Nursing at commencement exer
cises in Christ Church at 8 p.m.
September 26. Dr. H. A. Latane
will present diplomas and Mrs. Irene
Roszel will award hospital pins.
Others participating in the com
mencement program will be Miss
Grace Powell, Mrs. Elva Book, David
C. Book, Robert G. Whitton, Donald
C. Edmonds, Dr. C. E. Arnette, Dr.
John T. Ashton, Dr. Floyd Hobbs,
Dr. John A. Sims, the Rev. B. B.
Comer Lile and the Rev. Thomas A.
Fraser, jr.
Candidates for graduation are
Jean J. Baxter, Marjorie Bryant,
Roslyn J. Colyer, Joyce B. Dickison,
Ruth Van Doom, Dorothy L. Ed
wards, Elaine Etter, Marcheta Har
per, Joan I. Hyman. Anna E. Leigh,
Mary W. McClenahan and Elizabeth
A. Rogers.
Boy Seriously Wounded;
Second, 14, Being Held
A 13-year-old colored boy was re-j
ported to be in a serious condition
in Emergency Hospital after being
shot in the abdomen with a .32
caliber pistol last night.
» Police said that the boy, Thomas ■
Riley, 1721% Seaton street N.W., j
was playing cards with Arthur Per- i
sons, 14, colored, in the latter’s i
home, 1739 Seaton street N.W., when i
the shooting occurred. Arthur is i
being held at the Receiving Home '
pending outcome of the Riley boy’s I
Injuries, police said. I<
f
k •
Citizen Traffic Policeman Liked
By Children of Somerset School
Harry R. McCabe, retired Government employe, is shown
helping a group of Somerset school children safely across Dorset
avenue in Chevy Chase, Md. —Star Staff Photo.
Youngsters who cross Wisconsin
avenue on their way to and from
the Somerset School in Montgomery
County have a faithful “traffic
policeman” in grandfatherly Harry
R McCabe, 319 West Bradley lane.
Mr. McCabe was retired nearly
four years ago as an engraver for
the United States Geological Sur
vey after more than half a century’s
service.
Since then he has been standing
guard at the Dorset avenue cross
ing every morning from 8:30 to 9
o’clock and afternoons from 2:30 to
3:30 on school days. He is one of
some 15 citizens employed by the
County Board of Education for the
purpose.
Gets Thrill Out of Job.
There is a traffic light at the inter
section, but Mr. McCabe’s job is to
make doubly sure the children get
across safely.
"I get a thrill out of it,” he says.
“The children are very attentive and
obey me perfectly. We’ve never had
an accident since I’ve been here.
“We came near it once, though.
One little girl called another from
across the street. The child ran out
In the street and a car was coming.
I caught her up and threw her back
into the juniper.
“She was more frightened at that
than at the accident that might
have happened.”
Mr. McCabe is A gentle, kindly
man who takes his job very seri
ously. Last year he was absent
from his post only five times—twice
to go to weddings and three times
to attend funerals. In bitter weath
er, he wears a fur cap that comes
down over his ears.
Little Salary Helps Out.
"I’m retired,” he says. I don’t
really miss the time. And the little
salary helps out with taxes and
things.” '
Parents come to thank him or ask
him to look out for their youngsters
who are just starting school. Some
times motorists who become curious
at the sight of a well dressed, elder
ly man out directing traffic stop to
ask him about it.
"It’s a very great help to us,” re
ports Mrs. Kathryne Bricker, prin
cipal of the school. “The children
are very fond of him. That cross
ing is too busy for our patrol boys.”
Prompt Senate Action
On Retirement Bill
Promised by Taft
By Joseph Young
Senator Taft has promised
“prompt action” by the Senate on
the civil service retirement bill
when Congress convenes in January,
it was learned today.
The Senate Republican leader
made the promise in a form lettei
which he is sending this week to
hundreds of persons who have writ
ten to him to ask that he expedite
action on the measure.
The bill has passed the House,
but the Senate failed to take action
on it during the closing days of
Congress this year, owing to the
pressure of last-minute business.
Takes Slap at Colleague.
In his letter, Senator Taft states:
“I can assure you that prompt
action will be taken en the civil
service retirement bill after the
return of Congress to Washington.”
Senator Taft, who was criticized
along with the other Republican
leaders in the Senate by Chairman
Langer of the Senate Civil Service
Committee for failing to act on the
measure before Congress adjourned,
took occasion in the letter to take
an indirect slap at his colleague.
“A very substantial difference of
opinion developed regarding the dif
ferent provisions of this bill, and
particularly over a number of pro
posals contained in theVSenate bill
which were not contained in the
House bill,” the letter reads.
‘‘If the Senate bill had been care
fully considered in the committee
(the Senate Civil Service Com
mittee). and these features elimi
nated, there probably would have
been little difficulty in passing it.”
Coast Being Studied.
The main objection to the measure
in the Senate was the uncertainty
of its cost. To meet these objec
tions, Seantor Langer’s Committee
is making new cost estimates which
it will present to the Senate. Sena
tor Langer and the bill’s other sup
porters believe the measure will cost
little, if anything.
The bill provides for an average
$200 annual increase in annuities
to Government employes on retire
ment; an annuity increase to Fed
eral employes already retired of
$300 or 25 per cent to whichever
is smalled, and survivorship in
surance benefits to the families of
deceased Government workers.
In return, Government employes
would contribute 6 percent of their
salaries to the Federal retirement
fund, instead of the present 5 per
cent.
episcopal uuirch school
Announces Split Schedule
The church school of St. John’s
Episcopal Church, Wisconsin avenue
and Bradley lane, Chevy Chase,
which w’ill open Sunday, will be
administered this year in three dis
tinct departments, it was announced
yesterday. A split schedule has
been adopted because of crowded
conditions.
Nursery and kindergarten chil
dren. under the direction of Mrs.
Frank Lyman, w'ill meet at 11 a.m.
in the new parish house. The first
three grades, comprising the primary
group, will meet at 9:30 a.m. in the
new parish house, while intermedi
ate, junior and senior pupils will
meet at the same time in the church
and the old parish house. Logan
Wilton will be superintendent of
the" school and G. Beale Bloomer
of the primary group.
New Montgomery Pupils
Warned on Vaccinations
The Montgomery County Health
Department today warned that chil
dren entering school for the first
time must have been vaccinated
against diphtheria.
The department said that at some
county schools, parents are attempt
ing to enroll their children without
having them vaccinated first in ac
cordance with the law.
At the same time, department
officials asserted that even though
a child has had his diphtheria in
oculation while a baby and again
before entering school, a "booster”
dose should be given just before
enrollment.
“The department feels," officials
said, "that the booster dose is a
wise precaution because the degree
of immunity is not shown by the
Schick test and it may be that the
child will not oontinue to be immune
to diphtheria until he reaches the
age when he is less susceptible to
the disease.”
Gov. Lane to Speak Tonight
In Bethesda Trade Drive
Gov. Lane of Maryland will be the
principal speaker tonight when a
“Shop in Bethesda” program is
launched in that community.
Miss Peggy Wilson, “Miss Wash
ington” in the recent Atlantic City
beauty pageant, also will participate
in the program which will feature
Gordon Shaw, WMAL commentator,
as master of ceremonies.
Gov. Lane will be accompanied
to Bethesda by one of his daughters,
Miss Dorothy Lane, 23, a Vassar
graduate.
The program in the Bethesda
Shopping penter will launch a clos
ing hour schedule of 9 pjn. each
Monday and Friday for business
establishments of the community.
Gov. Lane is scheduled to speak at
about 10:30 p.m.
m
Election Board Urged
To Extend Time for
New Registrations
Members of the Montgomery
County Board of Election Super
visors have been urged to reconsider
their action in allowing only the
week beginning October 27 for
supplementary boards to register
new county residents and accept
their declarations of intention to
vote.
The telegrams were sent by Mrs.
J. Rene Hemingway, president of
the County League of Women Voters,
to Richard H. Lansdale, chairman,
and board members O. W. Robv and
Willard King.
Mrs. Hemingway asked Mr. Lans
dale to call a special meeting of the
board to expand the one-week period
to the entire month of October and
to appoint “roving” supplementary
boards.
Under the board’s original de
cision two weeks ago, two supple
mentary boards were appointed to
sit only at the Silver Spring and
Bethesda County Buildings.
“People don’t realize,” Mrs. Hem
ingway asserted, “that even though
they register, they won’t be able
to vote unless they declare their
intention to vote at least one year
prior to a general election.”
She pointed out that in previous
years, the Board of Election Super
visors has named “roving” boards
to meet at various places in the
county for at least one month to
accept declarations of intent from
new residents and to register them.
NoticesWeighed
In Personal Tax
Valuation Boost
District Assessor
Considers Change
In Billing Routine
-District tax officials are consider
ing a procedural change which would
end the present practice of increas
ing the personal property tax assess
ments of District residents without
notifying them, it was learned today.
Under the present setup, persons
liable to the personal property tax
estimate the value of their own be
longings and file a return. District
tax assessors then compare the re
turn with other tax data on the
individual and increase the assess
ment, if the person appears to have
underestimated his personal prop
erty value.
The first time a taxpayer becomes
aware of the increased assessment
under the present setup is when he
receives his bill.
Edward A. Dent, District tax as
sessor, said he is considering a plan
to send a form letter to persons
whose assessments are thus in
creased as soon as the adjustment
is made.
Typical Case.
Here is a typical case of what is
happening:
A man owning a $25,000 home
estimates his personal property
furniture, tools, bedsheets, rugs and
other furnishings—at a given figure,
say, $1,200. The assessor checks the
man’s real estate assessment and
discovers his home is taxed at the
$25,000 figure. A master schedule
used by the assessor’s office shows,
perhaps, that the average $25,000
home contains personal property
worth $3,000.
The man, therefore, is billed, with
out prior notification, on the $3,000
figure.
(The foregoing figures are
mythical since the table of aver
ages used was not made avail
able.)
Under the proposed system of
notification, the man would be
notified his assessment has been
increased, Mr. Dent said, and would
be given an opportunity to resurvey
his property and decide whether the
District’s figure was excessive. If,
after his resurvey, the taxpayer con
cluded the assessment was too high,
Mr. Dent said, he could then request
a personal appraisal by an assessor.
$800 “Gap” Possible.
Mr. Dent said, however, an on
the-spot appraisal might bring forth
a higher assessment than the fixed
schedule which, he said, is generally
lower than any personal appraisal.
In any event, Mr. Dent said, his
office never changes a person’s esti
mate of his property value unless
there is a difference of $800 be
tween the person’s own valuation
of what he owns and the schedule’s
assessment, based on his real estate
value.
Last year, only 3,400 rejections
were made by the assessor’s office
out of about 50,000 personal prop
erty returns.
“People are honest,” Mr. Dent
said, “but they just fill out their
personal property returns hap
hazardly.
“You would be surprised how
many people rate their property at
just a few dollars short of $1,000—
the first $1,000 being exempt.”
The system of checking real estate
tax returns, income tax returns and
other taxes netted the District 13,000
new personal property tax accounts
last year, Mr. Dent said.
U . T III
meai ituck upsets,
Burns at Bladensburg
A refrigerated trailer truck and
its cargo of choice cuts of beef and
pork was partially destroyed by fire
last night at the Peace Cross,
Bladensburg, after overturning to
avoid hitting an automobile which
had cut in front of it.
The truck jack-knifed and over-!
turned when the driver applied its
brakes, according to Prince Georges
County police. Gasoline escaping
from the truck’s gas tank caught
Are.
The driver of the automobile,
which turned off at Defense high
way, continued on. apparently un
aware of the damage left behind,
police said.
Bladensburg and Cotta, City
firemen said the truck contained
about 100 hind quarters of beef
and a number of cases of pork and
spareribs. The meat was destined
for markets in Baltimore.
Joseph Gauzza, 24, a member of
the Bladensburg Fire Department,
was treated at the Prince Georges
General Hospital, Cheverly, for
bruises suffered when he slipped
from the fire truck as it approached
the scene.
Marvin L. Lancaster, 27, of Salem, j
Va., the truck driver, was unhurt.
CLEARING THE WAY FOR CONVERSION—District workmen tear out partitions and generally
prepare the way for conversion of the old E. V. Brown School into a combined branch library
and recreation center. Bids may be advertised for the job within a week or ten days.
—Star Staff Photo.
Bids to Be Advertised
Shortly on Conversion
Of E. V. Brown School
District Director of Construction
Archie G. Hutson said today he
hopes to be able to ask the Com
missioners to advertise bids for
the conversion of the E. V. Brown
School in a combined branch library
and recreation center within a week
to 10 days.
Meanwhile, he said, District
workmen have been cleaning the old
school out, taking out old partitions
and equipment and generally pre
paring the premises so work can
start without delay when a contract
is awarded.
The conversion job, the result of
a campaign by Chevy Chase citi
zens and The Star, will result in
the south wing of the old school
building being used for a branch
library. The ground floor and part
of the basement in the center of
the school as well as in its north
wing will be equipped for indoor
recreation.
A "town hall” will be made of the
school auditorium, while elsewhere
there will be rooms for small chil
dren, a refreshment room and space
for lounging, reading and working
on hobbies.
The combination is the first of its
kind attempted here. The annual
report of the Board of Library
Trustees for the fiscal year 1946-7
predicted it would be watched
closely by other communities for
ideas.
Man Held in $2,000 Bond
In Forging of Prescription
Julian Rex Burnham, 33, de
scribed as a former employe of
Emergency Hospital, today was held
for the grand jury under $2,000
bond charged with forging a pre
scription for a narcotic.
The action was taken after a
hearing before United States Com
missioner Needham C. Tumage it
which Burnham pleaded not guilty.
Police testified they had traced
"several” prescription forgeries to
Burnham, who lives in the 5400
block of Mohican road, Glen Echo,
Md. The man, police said, learned
the signatures of several physicians
while employed at the hospital.
Seven American Warships
Leave Turkey for Crefe
By th® Associated Press
Seven United States warships, in
cluding the 27,000-ton carrier Leyte,
left Izmir, Turkey, yesterday for
3uda Bay, Crete.
The Navy announced the departure
md said the Turkish people had
‘extended an enthusiastic welcome
to the oflicers and men” of the ships
luring a six-day visit.
The Leyte is officially in the
Mediterranean on a training cruise.
Accompanying her is the light
cruiser Dayton, four destroyers, the
3tonnes, the Massey, the Owens and
the Henley, and a destroyer tender,
the Yellowstone.
Teen-Agers' Dance Tonight
The first of a series of Friday
night dances for teen-agers will be
held at 8:30 o’clock tonight at the
Christ Child Settlement, 608 Massa
chusetts avenue N.E.
Wiles of Mason's Grandchild
Save Father a Parking Ticket
Girl, 4, Persuades
Traffic Policeman
To Tear It Up
Never underestimate the power of
a woman, even when she's only 4.
The 4-year-old in this story Is
Commissioner Guy Mason's grand
daughter, Ann Hamsberger, and
there’s an unidentified traffic police
man who knows her wiles only too
well.
For, she talked him out of giving
her father a $5 parking ticket late
yesterday.
Mr. Mason told reporters about It
with a prideful chuckle today.
It seems Ann’s father, Humphrey
P. Harnsberger, 4 Newport avenue,
Westgate, Md., was parked where
he shouldn't have been near the
shopping center in the 4800 block of
Massachusetts avenue N.W.
Ann came out of a store and
found a traffic policeman writing a
ticket.
‘‘What are you doing?” she asked.
“Writing,” he said.
“You re a policeman, aren’t you?”
she asked.
“Yes,” he admitted.
a
ANN HARNSBERGER.
She “fixed” a ticket.
“Well, my mommy says that all
policemen are nice to little girls.”
When Mr. Hamsberger came out
of the store he found the policeman
tearing up the ticket.
"She warmed my heart,” he told
Ann’s father.
t
Greensfelder Wants Planning
Individuality for Capital
By Nelson M. Shepard
Albert P. Greensfelder, the city
planner who helped “lift” the face
of St. Louis and now is the newest
member of the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission,
believes Washington should develop
its own “individuality.”
No other city in the United States
occupies the coveted position of
Washington, he told reporters yes
terday.
“I would not want Washington to
imitate any other city in its plan
ning,” he protested. “Can’t we de
velop its individuality as its greatest
asset?”
Mr. Greensfelder attended his first
meeting of the Planning Commission
yesterday, but he came here a week
ahead of time to get an idea of what
the Federal planners are doing in
Washington and proposed to do in
the near future.
Praises Beautification Objective.
He praised the Planning Commis
sion for keeping the “beautification
of Washington” as its main objective
—realized by careful planning of
projects well in advance.
"I find it has instilled here a
spirit for better development,” he
emphasized. “That is the most im
portant thing the commission has
done to date. It tops the Wash
ington Monument in importance.”
Hr. Greensfelder laughed aside at
tempts to pin him down to the “most
important thing” Washington should
do in the next few years of plan
ning.
But one thing he did recommend
most strongly was the acquisition of
sufficient land to provide a “green
belt” around the entire city. A start
in that direction has been made by
the George Washington Memorial
Parkway and the Fort Drive. Lon
don is planning green belts at thi
cost of extra millions, he said, be
cause it had not acquired the lane
in earlier years.
Every large city should havi
fringe areas for “off-street” parkin*
as well as healthful recreation, hi
said, and these areas should bi
within reasonable distances. Thi
planning commission saw that year:
ago, he pointed out, and the valui
to the city is inestimable. The wort
should continue.
On the whole, the former St Loui:
city planning chairman thinki
Washington has had the advantagi
of excellent planning. People ari
beginning to realize, he stressed, thai
good planning and proper zoninf
“stabilize a neighborhood and maki
for all the elements of better living.’
Bring in More Taxes.
It was the very need for zoninf
in his own neighborhood when hi
married, Mr. Greensfelder said, tha
pointed his career along such line:
as city and regional planning ii
Missouri.
Furthermore, he pointed out, goo<
planning and zoning increase thi
value of property, maintain it ove:
the years and bring in more taxe:
to the city. Even more important
he suggested the “saving of chil
dren’s lives” by unstinted develop
ment of recreational areas for “off
street” playing.
He agreed with J. C. Nichols, notei
consultant member from Kansa
City, Mo., that Washington is “lack
ing” in a real boulevard systerr
Maj. Gen. U. S. Grant, III. chair
man of the commision, chimed ir
however, with the suggestion tha
the completion of the Fort Drivi
encircling Washington on the Mary
land side would partly remedy tha
lack.
Deaf Woman Vagrant
Offered Three Homes
Mrs. Elizabeth M. Hudlow, 51, who
was committed to jail Monday by
Judge Armand Scott after being ar
rested for sleeping on a streetcar
station bench, will be relased today
and given a choice of three places
to live, as well as receiving money
due her from the Board of Public
Welfare.
Judge Scott said yesterday after
noon she will be brought before him
so that he can set aside his judg
ment committing her to jail as the
offer of a citizen to donate $100 to
the institution to which she went.
He said the $100 donor wishes to
remain unidentified.
Mrs. Virginia Bear, of the Public
Assistance Division, Board of Public
Welfare, said Mrs. Hudlow would be
taken to the Blue Plains Home for
the Aged and the checks which are
due her will be turned over immedi
ately.
Judge Scott announced the Salva
tion Army through Brigadier Wes
ley L. Bouterse, and the Volunteers
of America, through Lt. Col. W. O.
Ulrey, also had offered Mrs. Hudlow
a home.
Mrs. Hudlow, who is almost totally
deaf, was arrested in the waiting
room at Georgia and Alaska avenues,
N.W. Monday by Pvt. W. A. Schu
bring. The officer said he did not
want to arrest the woman but that
she had been there for three weeks
and he thought she would be better
off in jail in view of approaching
cold weather.
In court Monday Mrs. Hudlow
told Judge Scott her sister-in-law
had put her out of her home and she
had no place to go. Judge Scott
scored Washington’s charitable agen
cies for not having representatives
in court to take care of such cases.
24,500 Pounds of Flour
In Warehouse Condemned
More than 24,500 pounds of flour
stored in the Terminal Warehouse,
1031 First street N.E., has been
condemned by the Health Depart
ment as unfit for human consump
tion and ordered destroyed. Dr. Reid
R. Ashworth, director of the Bureau
of Food Inspection announced
today.
Approximately 25,600 pounds of
flour was not infested enough to
warant condemnation but dusting
and cleaning of the bags was or
dered. After this is done it will be
reinspected.
According to Supervising Inspect
or Richard J. Carroll, and Inspector
Kenneth Roberts the flour had be
come infested with worms, weevils
and other contamination as a result
of improper storage.
The Health Department acted on
complaints from bakers. As some
of the flour was to be shipped out
of town, the Health Department ob
tained the asistance of Federal Food
and Drug officials.
*
Washington Major
Killed in Air Crash
Maj. Andrew D. Turner, 37, son o:
the Rev. Clarence W. Turner of 100<
Westford place N.E., was killed ir
a crash of two Air Force planes
near Lancaster, Ohio, his familj
has been notified.
Maj. Turner, who was colored
was a graduate of Howard Univer
sity and Dunbar High School. He
was born in Washington. For severa
years he was a telephone operatoi
here. He joined the Army Air Forces
in 1942 and saw considerable over
seas service as a fighter pilot.
His most recent station was the
Lockbourne Army Air Base neai
Columbus, Ohio. The crash occurrec
yesterday after the two planes hac
left that field. Maj. Turner anc
Lt. Milton T. Hall of Owensboro
Ky., pilot of the other plane, were
killed. Their parachutes were found
strapped to their backs, Air Force
officials reported.
Maj. Turner leaves a wife and s
son. Besides his parents, four
brothers and a sister also survive
They are John, Thomas F., Clarence
W., jr., and Herbert H. Turner, anc
Mrs. Alice Thomas, all of Washing
ton.
U. 5. Agrees to Exchange
Ambassadors With Burma
By ih* Associated Press
The United States and Burmt
have established formal diplomats
relations for the first time in the
history of the two countries.
Their governments announcec
simultaneously here and in Ran
goon late yesterday that they hav<
agreed to exchange Ambassadors.
Britain, which formerly rulec
Burma as a colony, has grantee
self-government.
The American Ambassador tc
Burma has not yet been chosen. He
must be named by President Tru
man and confirmed by the Senate
Until that is done, the State De
partment said, E. L. Packer, present
consul general at Rangoon, will
serve as Charge d’Affaires.
Burma has selected U. So Nyun as
its Ambassador to the United States
He will leave for Washington next
month.
Columbia Road Mabbing
Sends Sailor to Hospital
Paul C. Pinson, 31, Navy seaman
of 1741 Lanier place N.W., is in
Bethesda Naval Hospital today
after being stabbed in the back by
an unidentified assailant last night
in the 1700 block of Columbia road
N.W., police reported.
Seaman Pinson was picked up by
a motorist and taken to the Naval
Medical Center. He was transferred
to the Bethesda Naval Hospital,
where his condition was said to be
not serious. Seaman Pinson is as
signed at the Pentagon.
3-Way Study Set
On Parking tor
U. S. Employes
Commission Approves
New Laboratory at
Bureau of Standards
The National Capital Park and
Planning Commission today agreed
on a three-way study to be made of
off-street parking for Federal em
ployes and approved plans for a
new laboratory building on the Bu
reau of Standards grounds.
Maj. Gen. U. S. Grant, III, chair
man, said the time has not been
set for construction of the labora
tory, which will be a Public Build
ings Administration project. Part
of the building will be four stories.
Conferring with Public Building
Administration representatives, the
commission agreed to take part in
a study of the off-street parking
problem in connection with the for
mer agency and the District Motor
Vehicle Parking Agency.
Calls Solution "Not Easy”
Gen. Grant remarked that "solu
tions are not easy to find" and re
minded that any drastic provisions
for underground parking would
necessarily entail much added ex
pense to building costs.
The zoning law authorizes garage
or parking facilities for commercial
buildings, but the building regula
tions make no provisions. New
apartment houses and hotels, how
ever, are required under regulations
to provide certain amounts of space
for automobile parking. How far
such provisions can be extended to
commercial buildings will be one
phase of the study.
The Planning Commission is in
terested in what other cities are
doing to provide offstreet or fringe
parking as a solution for increasing
traffic. Gen. Grant pointed out,
' however, that it would be practically
prohibitive for Washington to build
a subterranean garage under any
of the downtown parks because of
1 water seepage.
Master Plan Publication Set.
The commission expects to enter
into a contract next week with
a famous consultant to prepare for
publication of a long awaited re
vision of the "comprehensive plan”
for the orderly development of
Washington and its environs.
An outline of the proposed master
plan, which has been neglected for
15 years, was approved by the com
1 mission yesterday. Gen. Grant was
1 authorized to retain professional
help next week.
Congress'appropriated funds last
! judy for the use of the planners in
' preparing groundwork for carrying
1 out the $20,000,000 authorization
• under the Urban Redevelopment Act
’ of 1946. It is expected $45,000 will
1 be used to ready the comprehensive
‘ plan for publication.
j Advisory Unit Authorized.
3 At the same time, Gen. Grant
. said the commission also expects to
announce next week a list of 100 to
‘ 150 public-spirited citizens to serve
as ar. advisory committee on future
? planning. Approval of the plan was
, given yesterday.
“Through these citizens, we hope
; to get the reaction to comprehensive
planning, step by step,” Gen. Grant
said. Business, professional, educa
tional and civic groups are to be
represented on the committee.
Making slow progress on Its'
agenda, the commission left many
items for today’s session.
It approved plans for the location
of the new Braddock light and
i power plant in Alexandria, north of
the circle on the Mount Vernon
Memorial parkway.
Compromise Effected.
The approved location, about 100
or 150 feet from the river bank, was
a compromise worked out between
the planning commission and the
power company, a subsidiary of
; Pepco. The planning commission is
maintaining a right-of-way along
[the river bank at that point in the
expectation the Mount Vernon road
some day will by-pass the heart of
Alexandria.
If Alexandria traffic becomes too
troublesome, the commission hopes
to obtain approval for the construc
tion of an elevated highway follow
ing the river bank and connecting
with the main Mount Vernon road
outside the city limits. Gen. Grant
referred to the compromise worked
out with the power company as an
“example of economy made possible
by planning in advance of actual
construction.”
In exchange for moving the plant
back from the river side, the plan
ning commission got the United
States Engineer’s Office to agree to
make Potomac River water easily
accessible to the plant.
Thief Grabs 6 Purses
In Less Than 4 Hours
Six purse snatchings In less than
four hours last night in the area
between Sixth and Eighth and F and
I streets N.E., apparently by tha
same man, netted less than $30,
police reported today.
Mrs. Helen Lawson, 1016 Sixth
street N.E., reported the first in
stance to police at 8:45 p.m. She
said a colored man 20 to 27 years
old, about five feet seven inches
tall, snatched her purse at Sixth
and I and fled. The purse con
| tained only 70 cents.
A few minutes later Mrs. Mamie
Bottomley, 646 I street N.E., reported
a similar incident in front of her
home by a man of the same de
scription. Her purse contained
$27 and a prayer book.
Miss Peggy Dougan, 16, of 317
Seventh street N.E., who was walk
ing in the 600 block of H street N.E.,
was the next victim. Her purse
contained only personal papers.
Walking near her was Miss Patricia
Jones, 18, of 409 B street N.E., whose
purse containing 50 cents was also
i taken by the same man.
i At 11:40 p.m. police said Mrs.
Reta McGuire of 1109 Holbrook
terrace was walking near Eighth
! and I streets N.E. when apparently
the same man snatched her purse
containing 45 cents. Half an hour
later the same man grabbed a purse
| from the arm of Miss Estelle Guy,
I colored, of 654 Sixth street N.E. as
i she was entering her home. Sha
| told police the total value pM
'including the purse.
M.