Evening star. [volume], April 27, 1948, Image 18

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

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V
SOCIETY AND GENERAL NEWS Ttllrt WASHINGTON NEWS D
WASHINGTON, D. C. ^'IJv ^t-UvIUTl^J ^0MU TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 194S ^
Trial of Trumbo
On Charge of
Confempf Opens
Continuance Plea
For Film Writer
Denied by Court
By Chris Mathisen
The contempt-of-Congress trial
of Dalton Trumbo, film writer, be
gan in District Court today after
Justice David A. Pine had denied
a defense motion for a continuance
because of the illness of Chairman
Thomas of the House Committee on
Un-American Activities.
Justice Pine also denied a de
fense motion that the trial be
transferred to another Federal juris
diction because Government em
ployes allegedly would fear to ac
quit Trumbo in view of present.
Government loyalty procedures.
The defense then called Col E.
Goring Bliss, secretary of the Dis
trict Jury Commission, in an effort
to support its motion to quash the
jury panel. Ben Margolis, one of
Trumbo s attorneys, sought to es
tablish the writer would be denied
a representative jury under the
selection system in use here.
Continuance Is Asked.
In seeking the continuance
Charles J. Katz, another member of
the defense legal staff, argued testi
mony of Mr. Thomas was "of crucial
Importance to this defense." He in
sisted the defendant would be de
prived of his right to summon wit
nesses in his behalf if the trial
were to proceed without the New
Jersey legislator present.
Assistant United States Attorney
William Hitz told the court he was
prepared to proceed without Mr.
Thomas, although he had used him
as a witness in the similar case of
John Howard Lawson, who was
convicted April 19. Mr. Hitz insisted
any pertinent questions which would
be asked of Mr. Thomas could be
answered as adequately by Repre
sentative Vail. Republican, of
Illinois, or Representative McDowell.
Republican, of Pennsylvania, also
members of the committee, who
were available to testify.
Thomas Is in Hospital.
Mr. Hitz said He had been in
formed Mr. Thomas was expected to
remain in Walter Reed Hospital for
a number of weeks for a checkup.
He said the committee had been told
he was not In a condition to permit
the taking of depositions at the
hospital.
Trumbo Is charged with refusing
to answer questions as to whether
he was a member of the Screen
Writers' Guild and the Communist
Party put to him during the com- i
mittee's hearing on communism in
Hollywood last October.
Lawson has a motion for a new
trial pending before Justice Edward
M Curran
Rush-Hour Parkway Jam [
Caused by K Street Work
Cars jammed tip along the Rock
Creek and Potomac Parkway for!
about a mile above the K street j
overpass during the rush hour this i
morning, as two traffic lanes were
closed in connection with the K
Street Skyway building project.
The two east lanes of the parkw'av
were closed for resurfacing of two
trenches in which W’ater pipes and
electric lines had been laid.
Work-bound motorists lined the
•treet four abreast as far north as
P street. Park Police, who directed
the traffic bv lanes throughout the
bottleneck, said the average delay
was not more than 10 minutes.
Capt. Mark Raspberry, chief of
park police, said the same tieup
had occurred on the other side of
the bridge during the evening rush
period yesterday.
Capt. Raspberry said he under
stood the situation under the K
Street Bridge would be back to
normal—for a while at least—by
Thursday.
When heavy construction begins
the parkway will be shut off be
tween K street and Virginia ave
nue N.W. and traffic will be re
routed via Twenty-seventh street
for about six weeks.
Takoma Restaurant Owner
Found Hanged in Kitchen
Walter Henry Allison. 33. was
found hanged last night in the
kitchen of a restaurant he owned
and operated at 1110 Flower avenue, I
Takoma Park, Md. A certificate of
suicide was issued by Dr. Frank J.
Broschart. Montgomery County dep
uty medical examiner.
Harold Day, 3534 Tenth street
. N.W., a friend, found Mr. Allison's
body hanging from a rafter above
the kitchen door about 6:45 pm.
Police said Mr. Allison left a
suicide note addressed *to his wife
which indicated he was despondent
because his business was bad. In
the note, according to police, he
said. “Sorry I have to do this. * * •
There is enough insurance to cover
... you and the children.”
Mr. Allison, a war veteran, leaves
his wife, a 13-month-old daughter
and an 8-year-old son. The Allison
home is in the 8500 block of Green
wood avenue. Takoma Park.
Trial Set for Holmes
In Attack on Girl, 9
Trial of Theodore M Holmes, ac
cused of attacking a 9-year-old girl
near the National Arboretum in
March, was scheduled for May 18.
in District Court today.
Holmes, 22. colored, of the 1700
block of Seventh street N.W.. is
charged with rape. Assistant United
States Attorney John Conliff in
formed Justice Edward M Curran,
today that Holmes had been ex
amined at the request of the Gov
ernment and found sane.
Attorneys Wesley S. Williams and
Maurice R. Weeks, appointed to de
fend Holmes, had filed a motion
asking that he be given such an ex
amination. but withdrew the motion
after Mr. Conliff's announcement.
< __ v _
Baptists to Hear Legislator
Representative Bishop. Republi
can. of Illinois w'ill speak at a
meeting of the Women's Missionary
Society of the Arlington Baptist
Church at 8 o'clock tonight in the
church auditorium. Seventh and
•p^onroe street, South.
MISS GRETCHEN VAN
ZANDT MERRILL.
—Star Staff Photo, j
Apple Blossom Queen,
Skating Champion, to
Visit White House
Winding up a two-day visit here.
Miss Gretchen Van Zandt Merrill,
national ice skating champion and
queen-elect of the Shenandoah Ap
ple Blossom Festival, will be received
bv Mrs. Truman at tho White
House at 4;45 p.m. today.
Miss Merrill will be accompanied
by Mrs. B. Edward W. Barr, chair
man of the committee in charge of
the Queen and her court: Mrs. John
M. Steck, jr.. and Mr. and Mrs
Joseph Schroth, all of Winchester.
Following the greeting by Mrs.
Truman. Miss Merrill will motor
to Rosemont, Berryville home of
Senator Byrd, Democrat, of Vir
ginia. where she will have dinner
and spend the night. On Wednes
day she will go to Winchester, where
I he apple fete will be held Thursday
and Friday.
Blond, brown-eyed Miss Merrill
arrived from Boston by plane yes
terday. She is national women's
figure skating champion.
To Be Crowned Thursday.
Miss Merrill will be crowned
Queen Shenandoah XXI by Gen
Hoyt Vandenberg, new chief of
staff of the Air Force in ceremonies
at 3 pm. Thursday in the Handley
High School Bowl. The coronation!
will be preceded by a morning of j
activity during which the queen and |
her court will visit the orchards f
around Winchester and will be en- I
terlained at a special luncheon. |
Events also will include the open-!
ing of Army, Navy and Marine!
Corps exhibits. At 12:30 there will
be a luncheon for guest notables at |
the York Inn. followed by a band
concert for every one at 1 p.m. at j
the city hall pavilion. Winchester
is on Eastern Standard Time.
At 3:30 p.m., immediately follow
ing the coronation, the “Pageant
of Springtime," with more than
1.000 students of Handley High
School participating, will be pre
sented in the school bowl.
Parade at 7 P.M.
From .5 through 7 p m. there will
be band concerts at the city hall
pavilion Beginning at the latter
hour will be a firemen's torchlight
and mummers’ parade. At 9 p.m.
there will be a fireworks display at:
Handley Bowl and a reception for
princesses at the armory.
High light of the second day of
the festival will be the grand fea
ture parade at 2 p.m., led by Bing j
Crosby, w ho will ride in an auto- j
mobile and not astride a thorough- !
bred from the nearby Warren
County stables of his hast. State!
Senator Raymond Guest, as re
ported earlier.
As marshal of the parade. Mr.
Crosbv will ride in a car imme
diately ahead of Queen Shenandoah
XXI.
The pageant will be repeated at
10:30 a m. Friday and band concerts
also will be presented. Concluding
event of the two-day celebration
will be the queen’s ball at the ar
tnory beginning at 9 p.m.
Rules Waived to Allow
McLean Estate Auction
The Commissioners today waived
District police regulations to per
mit the Meredith Galleries of New!
York to conduct an auction of the1
estate of the late Mrs. Evalyn Walsh
McLean May 8 through 15 at Friend
ship House. Wisconsin avenue and
R streets N.W.
The section of the regulations
waived provides that no persons
shall be licensed to conduct auction
sales here unless they have been
bona fide residents of the District
for about six months prior to the
sale. The petition was received by
the Commissioners from Thurman*
Arnold, executor of Mrs. McLean’s
nold. executor of Mrs. McLean's
estate.
Mr. Arnold contended that owing
to the "unusual quality and value”
of Mrs. McLean's personal property
it is essential that the sale be con
ducted “by an auctioneer possessing
greater specialized experience than
that enjoyed by any local auctioneer
firm.”
Fire Destroys Hay Barn
On Farm Near Clopper
A large hay barn on the farm of
Miss Marv Hutton at Clopper. Md„
near Gaithersburg, was destroyed
bv fire last night, according to the
Gaithersburg - Washington Grove
Volunteer Fire Department.1
About 60 tons of hay were de
stroyed. and a new hay fork ma
chine and other farm equipment
badly damaged, firemen said.
* The origin of the fire is unknown^
Antitrust Laws
Apply to Milk,
Court Is Told
Government Defends
Indictment Against
Area Producers
Congress had no intention of
nullifying the Sherman Antitrust
Act in authorizing marketing agree
ments by farmer co-operatives, the
Government argued in District
Court today.
This positfon was taken as the
Government urged the court to
deny a dismissal of charges against
the Maryland and Virginia Milk
Producers’ Association, its general
manager, Bruce B. Derrick, and
seven Washington area dairies.
Defense Counsel William E. Leahy
has argued that Federal statutes
over the years have "immunized" co
operatives from prosecution under
the Sherman Act.
Robert H. Winn, special assistant
to the Attorney General, told Justice
Richmond B. Keech that if co
operatives "can do what they please
then there is no Sherman Antitrust
Act, so far as co-operatives are con
cerned.”
Many Years of Joint Contracts.
Earlier. John A. Skiles, special
Justice Department attorney, as
serted there was no intent by Con
gress of legalizing "illegal transac
tions." The indictment charges that
the association entered into agree
ments with the defendant dairies to
deny milk to other distributors and
to fix prices.
Mr. Leahy, who argued four and
a half hours yesterday on his mo
tion to dismiss the indictment,
noted today that the defendants I
through the many years of joint
contracts had not "heard one
squawk from consumers.”
On the question of working out
milk supply contracts, Mr. Leahy
commented:
"Collective bargaining is the spirit'
of the times.”
The dairies charged in the anti
trust suit are Chestnut Farms
Chevy Chase. Thompson's, Wake
field. Harvey, Richfield, Lucerne and
Alexandria.
Third Day of Arguments.
This is the third* day of argu
ments on various motions filed by
tlie delense. An important motion
yet to be heard is one for a 30-day
postponement of trial, filed by
Chestnut Farms. With the tenta
tive trial date only eight days away,'1
there was a strong likelihood some
delay will be ordered.
Mr. Leahy launched a strong at-1
tack on the indictment and the Jus- j
tice Department in his lengthy ar
gument to the court. He criticized
each of the 17 counts.
The association cannot possibly
exist unless it makes contracts with
distributors, Mr. Leahy argued
" Such contracts." he added, "cannot
be denounced as conspiratorial
acts."
Hits at Price-Cutters.
Citing the final count, which
alleges the defendants sought to
prevent price competition, Mr.
Leahy declared: "I hope we can
run every price cutter into bank
ruptcy. so there won t be a repeti-!
tion of the ruinous" period of the
early 1930s."
Mr. Leahy maintained that Fed
eral laws had been passed since that;
time to avoid price-depressing sur
pluses for farmers. "It is our right,”!
he asserted, "to become a mo
nopoly."
The attorney also Insisted that the
co-operative has "a perfect right'”
to terminate its long-standing Fed
eral milk marketing order in March
of last year. The indictment
charges this was done to avert af
scheduled price reduction in whole
sale milk prices.
Mr. Leahy cited the statute of
limitations in noting that the Gov
ernment charges the conspiracy be
gan as far back as 1930.
North Capitol Citizens
Approve 2% Sales Tax
The North Capitol Citizens’ Asso
ciation last night approved a 2 per
cent sales tax for the District, after
a heated discussion.
Baxter Smith, 210 Rhode Island
avenue N.E., who introduced the
resolution, said the sales tax would
reduce the inequalities caused by an
"inequitable income tax which
omits Congressmen and Governmenti
workers, who merely have to signify
their intention of returning to their
home State.”
Opposed to the sales tax in any
form was William M. Ziegler. 2421
North Capitol street. He called
Washington "a monumental city
founded by the States of the Union
and maintained for them.
"It is their pob.” he continued, ‘‘to
make appropriations for us. as we
have to submit to the deplorable sit
uation of not voting.”
The meeting, conducted by John
P. Hardie, president, was held at i
Atonement Lutheran Church, North
Capitol and U streets.
CRITICS AT WORK—You
needn't worry about being
lonesome almost any noon
hour you drop by Dupont
Circle to see how work is com
ing along on the underpass.
Chances are you will meet
some friends there, like the
“sidewalk superintendents” to
the right, who are contribut
ing their time and talent to
seeing that everything is
going well with the steam
shovel and other intriguing
devices pictured below.
—Star Staff Photo.
* f " • tvt.'
Board of Trade Maps
Drive lor Funds lor
Capital Committee
The Greater National Capital
Committee of the Washington Board
of Trade today made plans for a
campaign to raise operating funds
for the next fiscal year.
Campaign Chairman Dan Holland
outlined campaign plans to chair- j
men of tlfe 28 divisions at a lunch- 1
;on meeting in the Raleigh Hotel.
The campaign is to be held next’
month. The goal is $85,000, Mr. Hol
land said.
"During the past year, the visitor!
jusiness in Washington has reached j
.unprecedented peaks, and these vis- j
tors come here largely through the i
•fforts of the Greater National Cap- j
tal Committee,” the chairman said.'
He pointed out that the commit-!
tee's work is an "advertising pro-\
gram in which all firms co-operate
in one large effort to add new in
come for the city.”
There are 28 divisions in the cam-!
paign—banks, drug stores, utilities,
etc.—with a Washington business
leader in charge of each.
John A. Reilly, president of the
Board of Trade, welcomed the di
vision chairman.
Mr. Reilly said that although he
wtll be going out of office within the
next week, he will maintain inter- j
est in the committee, calling it "one
of the fity's most vital economic
forces.”
Although the campaign doesn’t
get under way until Saturday, the
division heads today were told of
the amounts of their individual
quotas.
Boy, 15, Held in Theft
Of $400 From Church
A 15-year-old .boy. alleged by po
lice to have taken more than *400
from a church and to have banked
*200 of It was charged yesterday
with unlawful entry and taking
property without right..
Police said the Paul Junior High
School student had *89 on his per
son when arrested. They added he
had been under surveillance in the
sixth precinct for some time be-!
cause he seemed to have large
amounts of cash available to enter
tain school chums.
More than *400 In change was
taken from the strong room of the
Church of the Nativity, 6001 Thir
teenth street N.W, April 18 or 19,
by a thief who cut a hole through
a wall.
Police said the boy arrested made
a *200 deposit last, Tuesday -and
spent a substantial amount on a
Baltimore spree. He was taken to
the Receiving Home to await action
of Juvenile Court.
C. L. Post, Cereal Man, Dies
PASADENA. Calif, April 27 —
Carroll L. Post. 88, former president
of the Postum Cereal Co, died in
a sanitarium Sunday. He was a
brother of the late C. W. Post, foun
der of the Battle Creek health food
firm.
Boy, 14, Takes Lead in Fight !
For Trinidad Avenue Playground
Ernest Postonno. Jr., 14, has taken
the lead in an effort to improve play
facilities in his neighborhood.
| Ernest, who is in the eighth grade
at Stuart Junior High School, lives
at 1607 Trinidad avenue N.E. The
• playground" for that vicinity is an
undeveloped lot on Trinidad avenue,
between Meigs and Childress streets.
The tract is owned by the District
and has been designated as the site
of a future recreation center. The
Recreation Department has no
funds with which to develop it.
‘‘We used to have a baseball dia
; mond." Ernest recalled yesterday,
'■‘but the District tore that up to do
some grading. Then the work stop
ped, and its just clay and stone and
some grass now.
“We thought we were done wrong
when they ruined our diamond, but
I we found out the Districts money
; ran out. and they couldn’t put a
good surface on the lot."
j Ernest said his campaign hadn’t
gone beyond talk, but he is hopeful
1 business and civic groups will join
I in providing aid.
’’Kids have been hurt playing in
i i
the streets around here,” he de
clared. ‘‘We need a real recreation
center. The nearest one is Rose
dale. and that's a long way. We'd
like some equipment, but it would
be a help if we could get a good
surface on that lot.”
The Stuart pupil said he had
talked about the situation at school
and Mrs. Bessie Wood Cramer, su
pervising principal of the division
covering the area, had made inquiry
of Recreation Supt. Milo F. Chris
tiansen. This developed only that
the District could do nothing to im
prove the tract at present, he added.
Mr. Christiansen confirmed this
"We have a number of tracts we
can't develop because Congress has
not seen fit to appropriate the nec
essary funds,” he explained. In
several cases, the citizens have
banded together to raise funds or
to do some of the work themselves.,
Naturally, we encourage this and
are happv to co-operate with such
neighborhood efforts.”
Ernest says he’s going to con
tinue his agitation until he sees a
satisfactory baseball diamond on
the lot, at least.
»t
• V
Confusion on Street Markings
Indicated in Trade Board Poll
Additional results of a traffic poll
being conducted by the T | nc Com
mittee of the Board of Trade indi
cate at least one member of the
committee is confused about the
marking of Washingtons through
streets.
In answer to the question. Does
your city have a system of carefully
marked through streets?" one mem
ber responded:
"The lack of marking leaves one
in doubt as to whether such a sys
tem exists."
This was one of five questions
analyzed yesterday by the commit
tee. There are 33 traffic questions
involved in the survey.
The vote of the entire committee!
on the through street question, how- ]
ever, was close, with 42 per cent
voting ‘'yes," 45 per cent voting “no”
and 13 per cent in the "partially"
bracket.
Members of the committee are
analyzing the questions as a pre-;
view to the survey to begin next1
Monday under the direction of Capt.
H. C Whitehurst, director of the
District Highway Department.
“Improvement (in the marking of
through streets* may be expected
since the District Commissioners
recently approved a revised system
of through streets,” observed the
traffic committee.
Another question considered was:
“Are left turns prohibited at inter
sections of high vehicular move
ment?” The vole was 75 per cent!
“yes," 8 per cent “no,’’ and 17 per
cent “partially.”
The other three questions wfere:
“Are special truck routes pro-1
vided to keep these vehicles from j
already congested downtown areas?" j
The vote was 72 per cent "yes," 8
per cent “no," 20 per cent “par
tially.”
“Are by-pass routes provided to
carry traffic from one area of your
city to another without cluttering
up the business district?" The vote
was 24 per cent “yes,” 55 per cent
“no.” 21 per cent “partially.”
“Are alternate routes provided to
carry through traffic around the
city?” The vote was 27 per cent
"yes,” 54 per cent “no,” 19 per cent
"partially.”
Sharp Dispute Flares
Over Bill to License
Existing Contractors
Sharp disagreement was heard to
day by a House District subcommit
tee over a bill to license without
examinations electrical and other
contractors who have been in busi
ness here for five years but failed to
pass District tests.
District officials and some con
tractor spokesmen contended the
passing of examinations for master
electrician licenses, or those for
other craftsmen, was necessary for
the protection of public safety. They
insisted the examinations were
simple and “'easy’’ for any one who
understood his craft.
A number of electrical contractors
who have been in business here for
years, but failed to pass District
license tests for master electricians,
insisted the examinations were un
fair and that unless the "grand
father‘clause’’ bill—to exempt them
from the new regulations — were
passed they would be put out of
business or suffer losses.
Representative Allen, Republican
of California, who conducted the
hearing, said a decision would not
be reached until other members of
the Judiciary Subcommittee had
studied the issues.
Defending the new regulations,
adopted under a 1940 law w-hich
brdadened the powers of the Com
missioners. were Lt. Col. Kenneth
Madsen, assistant engineer com
missioner; June E. Zebley. secretary
of the Electrical Examining Board;
J. I. Creager, president of Local 26.
International Brotherhood of Elec
trical Workers. AFL. and L. T. Soud
er, of the Washington Chapter,
National Electrical Contractors As
sociation.
Urging passage of the bill for
exemption were James Biscoe, at
torney representing 15 electrical
contractors; F. P. Gilliam, 425
Quincy street N.W.. who has been
in the electrical business here for
40 years. Edward D. Hackett. 408
Forty-ninth street N.E., and others.
Bethesda Judge Sentences
Bookmaker to Six Months
Judge Warren Browning of
Bethesda Police Court yesterday
imposed a six-month jail sentence
and a $1,000 fine on Millard L.
Broadhurst, 51. of the 4700 block
of West Virginia avenue, Bethesda,
for accepting horse-racing bets.
Broadhurst, formerly a temporary
Montgomery County policeman, was
described by police as head of a
bookmaking group. They testified
he had racing scratch sheets and
$819.25 in cash when arrested
February 21 at a Bethesda parking
lot. He appealed the sentence and
was released in $1,500 bond.
Broadhurst was tried last week
but sentence was deferred until
after attorneys' arguments yester
day. Judge Browning last week
also convicted William J. Tillman.
20. for violating the gaming laws
and sentenced him to 90 days in
jail and a fine of $200. The police
said Tillman worked for Broadhurst.
t $
A. B.&W. Plows Back
97% of Profits, Fare
Rise Hearing Is Told
Nearly 97 per cent of all profit
earned by the Alexandria. Barcroft
& Washington Bus Co. since 1935
has remained in the business, a
certified public accountant testified
today at the Interstate Commerce
Commission hearing on the com
pany's request for interstate fare
increases.
George Snyder, senior partner of
the Snyder & Farr accounting firm
in Washington, said the total profit
reinvested in the business was
$1,593.39&, which represented nearlyi
97 per cent of $1,648,415 in total
profit earned by the company since
1935. Mr. Snyder declared that in
the past 13 years only $55,000 has
been withdrawn by the company's
stockholders.
The accountant told ICC Hearing
Officer Henry Lawton that as of last
March 31 the company's liabilities
exceeded its net cash by $50,480. He
added that in 1947 the net cash
exceeded the liabilities by approx
imately $38,000. and in the year
previous the net cash was in excess
of liabilities by an even higher fig
ure.
Firm’s Last Witness.
Mr. Snyder was the last witness
A. B. & W. planned to present. He
took the stand today after cross ex
amination of R. T. Mitchell, vice
president ..and assistant general
manager, by Lester Conley of the
Arlington Public Utilities Commis
sion, and several other objectors to
the fare increases who appeared in
their own behalf.
Mr Mitchell testified yesterday
that the company plans to ask the I
Virginia State Corporation Com- J
mission for permission to increase
fares at least 2% cents on its intra
state routes in Virginia.
Mr. Mitchell said the bus company
would file the necessary request for
Intrastate fare Increases with the j
SCC as soon as the current hear-j
ings before the ICC are completed.
He said the company was proposing
higher fares on both interstate and
intrastate routes to distribute equi-;
tably higher costs among different
passenger categories.
Proposals Outlined.
The intrastate fare change pro
posal. he said, would provide for
abolition of the present nickel fare
zone and substitution of the use of
tokens to be sold two for 15 cents,
or 7>2 cents each. The straight
cash fare, he said, would become 10
cents on all present 5-cent rides.'
All present 10-cent intrastate zones
would become 15-cent cash-fare
zones in which passengers could
ride for 12*i cents by using one
7',2-cent token and a nickel.
If the increases in interstate and
intrastate transit fares both are
granted as requested by the com
pany, Mr. Mitchell said, the com
pany then planned to ask the ICC
to discontinue the sale of two tokens
for 25 cents and substitute the sale
of two tokens for 15 cents.
As the hearing recessed yesterday
Mr. Lawton announced that a re
quest of the A. B. & W. to put the
proposed new rates into effect im
mediately pending outcome of the
hearing had been dengj^.
a
Union Advisory Body
Used to 'Siphon Off'
Funds, Court Is Told
The Government introduced evi
dence today in the hod carriers' un
ion conspiracy case in District Court
to show the Building Committee of
Local 74, although merely an ad
visory body, was used illegally to
"siphon off” union funds.
Six men are on trial charged with
conspiracy. They are linked with
the International Hod Carriers’ Un
ion (AFL' and, through the con
spiracy, the Government contends
$100,000 W’as stolen from Washing
ton area locals
The prosecution showed $26,397
was spent directly by Local 74 for
improvements on its headquarters
at 525 New Jersey avenue N.W.,
without intervention of the Building
Committee. The local made several
payments directly for work and
services, the evidence showed.
In 1939. a missing defendant,
Larry Kelly, began to steal small
sums from union funds, but later
snow-balled these into sizeable
amounts during the war years, the
Government contended.
1939 Records Missing.
Leo A. Rover, special assistant to
the Attorney General, questioned
FBI Special Agent Milton Singman,
an accountant, during this morn
ing's session. Mr. Singman investi
gated various union financial trans
actions and testified that on one
occasion Kelly put $415 Into his per
sonal bank account from Build
ing Committee funds. On another,
*430 additional was placed in Kelly’s
own account. Mr. Singman said.
The FBI man said he found on
an examination of union financial
affairs no Building Committee
records for 1939. He said checks
were missing and Kelly used his
personal bank account to handle
Building Committee finances, until
It opened up its own account later.
The committee advanced funds to
the District Council of the union
rrom time to time. Mr. Singman
testified. This practice was illegal,
Mr. Rover contends.
Mr. Rover introduced in evidence
a resolution signed by defendant
George Morgan, former financial
treasurer of Local 74, which Mr.
Rover said was given the City Bank
although no regular meeting was
held to pass this resolution. The
opening of a Building Committee
bank account and the designation
of Kelly to withdraw funds on his
sole signature were authorized by
the resolution.
Mass of Exhibits Offered.
The Government has placed be
fore the jury more than 60 exhibits,
including a mass of financial rec
ords, checkbooks, stubs, deposit slips
and other material.
Another Government witness,
Clytle B. Stovall, also an accountant,
who examined the union's records,
was excused yesterday subject to
call. Mr. Stovall, employed by the
international, was called in by
Joseph V. Moreschi, ihternatkma!
president, to take over the financial
records of Local 74 and its affiliate
here February 19, 1943, he said.
Defense Counsel Austin F. Can
field contends the late Matthias M.
Kiesgan, former clerk of the District
Council of the union here, kept the
financial records of the Building
Committee, the council, and the
locals here. Mr. Canfield declared
none of the six men on trial had
anything to do with entries made
by him.
$65,000 River Showboat
To Be Ready on Schedule
Supt. Irving C. Root of National
Capital Parks said today the new
$65,000 Potomac River showboat will
be completed on schedule, regard
less of reported plans of the Na
tional Symphony Orchestra to can
cel its Water Gate concerts this
summer unless financial backing is
guaranteed.
“Cancellation of the symphony
concerts might make it difficult to
fill in those dates with other con
certs or light operas, but it certainly
won't affect our plans to finish work
on the new barge by May 23," Mr.
Root said.
A contract was let yesterday for
installation of sound equipment on
the barge and work is progressing
satisfactorily. Park officials are
holding open the six-week period in
June and July, which they have
been reserving for the symphony.
But they will not hold the dates
open indefinitely.
Adjusted Traffic Tickets
Total f26 in Week
Traffic tickets adjusted last week
totaled 126, police have announced—
11 more than in the previous week.
Totals, by precincts, of traffic
violators who were let off with
warnings and those who had their
tickets canceled are as follows:
No. 1 Precinct. 10 warnings and
1 cancellation: No. 2, 7 and 0: No.
3, 14 and 3: No. 4, 8 and 1: No. 5,j
3 and 0; No. 6. 8 and 0: No. 7, 3
and 0; No. 8, 9 and 1: No. 9. 3 and
0; No. 10. 9 and 0; No. 11. 9 and 0:,i
No. 12, 2 and 0; No. 13. 9 and 0. and
the Traffic Division, 25 and 1. 1
Senate Passage
Of D. C. Rent Bill
Due Tomorrow
Speedy Ratification
Of Conference Report
Believed Certain
. »
The Senate tomorrow is expected
to pass and send to the White House
a bill to extend District rent control,
with some modifications, to March
31 next year.
Quick Senate ratification of the
conference report on the bill,
adopted yesterday by the House,
seemed certain, since the present
law dies Friday night. Any delay
would leave the District with a gap
in rental price control, while the
rest of the country operated under
a new national bill.
The rent bill was one of 10 Dis
trict measures approved late yes
terday by the House, during a pause
in the oleomargine repeal tax fight.
Bills for treatment of sex offenders,
extension of child day-care centers
and regulation of optometrists were
among those passed.
Insurance Regulation.
Meanwhile, the Senate passed in
amended form a House bill for
regulation of casualty Insurance
here. It goes to conference with
House managers to iron out differ
ences. The bill flows from the
Supreme Court decision in the
Southeastern Underwriters Associa
tion case, holding that the business
of insurance is interstate com
merce and subject to antitrust
statutes. Under a moratorium bill
passed by Congress, the District and
the States were given to June 30
to establish local controls.
The city rent bill would extend
the District Rent Act of 1941 for
nearly a year, but would modify it
to exempt from control: Transient
hotel rooms, housing completed or
converted since March 31, and non
housekeeping, furnished rooms in
private homes where there are not
more than two paying tenants.
There were only minor differences
between the House and Senate ver
sions of the rent«bill. These were
settled easily in tl\e House ana Sen
ate conferences. Earlier, there had
been a proposal on the Senate side
to include a provision for a "vol
untary'1 Increase in rentals up to
15 per cent, but this was left out
of the Senate bill at the request
of Chairman Buck of the Senate
District Committee.
sex unrnse Hill Passed.
The bill dealing with sex offend
ers was passed without a dissent
ing voice, after it was outlined by
Chairman Dirksen and Representa
tive Miller, Republican, of Nebraska,
who heads the District Subcommit
tee on Health and Welfare.
Dr. Miller, a physician, told the
House the bill would protect the
rights of the individual, while
strengthening the law against crim
inal offenders.
He said it would not provide a
criminal penalty for the person who
is sick but would provide for his
treatment in St. Elizabeths Hospital.
The sex bill will be referred to
the Kem subcommittee of the Sen
ate District Committee.
The child day-care center bill,
as passed by the House, would ex
tend the restricted program for the
care of children of working mothers
to June 30, 1949.
This bill will be assigned to the
Cooper Subcommittee of the Senate
District Committee.
The optometry regulation will be
sent to the same subcommittee.
Inauguaration Measures.
Without any contest, the House
passed three resolutions dealing
with next January's inauguration of
the next President. These measures,
now awaiting action by the Senate
District Committee, call for a Dis
trict outlay of $37,100 for physical
arrangements, authorize issuance of
permits and provide for quartering
of troops in Government buildings.
Two other bills approved by the
House and sent to the Senate would
establish the new Roman Catholio
archbishop as a corporation to con
duct the business of the new arch
diocese here, and to increase from
15 to 30 the number of trustees of
the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral
Foundation pf the District.
The House passed and sent back
i to the Senate with an amendment a
| bill to amend the District Revenue
Act of 1947 so as to exempt from the
I & per cent franchise tax the District
! income of nonresident corporations
and unincorporated businesses
which, though selling tangible per
sonal property here, do not main
1 tain offices, official agents or ware
houses in the District.
There was general agreement be
tween the House and Senate on this
issue, but the bill goes back to the
Senate because the House found it
I necessary to exempt Navy and other
; Government purchases, consum
! mated here, but involving materials
i coming from outside the District and
destined to other points of the
Nation outside District boundaries.
Firefighter Injured in Fall
Off Engine as Brakes Grab
A District fireman was injured
yesterday when he tumbled from
the top of a fire engine when its
brakes grabbed, according to a po
lice report.
Pvt. Aubrey T Felton, 40, of 1125
Taylor street, Arlington, was in fair
condition today at Emergency Hos
pital. where he is being treated for
head injuries.
Pvt. Felton of Engine Company
No. 29. was preparing to jump to
the pavement with a hose when he
fell, fellow firemen reported. The
engine was answering what turned
out to be a false alarm in the 4500
block of MacArthur boulevard N.W.
The vehicle was driven, police said,
by Pvt. James M. Cox, 52, of 5914
Sherrier place N.W.
Jefferson Civic League
To Discuss Zonmg
The effects of the new county
master zoning plan on the com
munity will be discussed at a meet
ing of the Jefferson Civic League
at 8 o'clock tonight in the fire ball
auditorium. Twenty-third and South
Eads streets, Arlington.
The group also will hold its an
nual garden program at which J.
Morton Franklin, garden columnist
for the Times-Herald; will speak.