Evening star. [volume], March 02, 1953, Image 1

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

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Weather Forecast
Sleet or rain tonight, low in upper 20s.
Tomorrow, occasional rain and somewhat
warmer. (Full report on Page A-2.)
Temperatures Today.
Midnight 33 6 a.m. ..24 11 a.m. __24
2 a.m. ..32 8a m. ..24 1 p.m. __26
4 a.m. -.28 10 a.m. _.24 Noon 25
An Associoted Press Newspaper
101st Year. No. 61.
Iranian Mobs
Throw Stones
At Americans
Mossadegh Appears
To Be Getting Control*
In Feud With Shah
By tha Associated Press ,
TEHERAN, Iran, Mar. 2.
Mobs shouting anti-American
slogans stoned United States
cars and homes today as riots
continued in Iran’s capital. Pre
mier Mohammed Mossadegh’s
supporters appeared to be gain
ing the upper hand in the dem
onstrations which have alter
nately assailed and defended
the aged Nationalist leader.
Crowds hurled rocks at Ameri
can homes on Roosevelt avenue,
Pictures on Page A-6
at the United States Embassy’s
administrative counselor, Lau
rence C. Prank, and at cars
driven by Embassy Attache War
ren Silver and by a secretary,
Betty White. None of them was
hurt.
One Iranian student was
stabbed to death in a fight be
tween Mossadegh supporters and
members of the outlawed Com
munist Tudeh Party trying to
join a demonstration backing the
Premier.
The enraged mob carried the
body of the student—a Mossa
degh follower—to the Parlia
ment square and paraded it
above the crowd, which swelled
to an estimated 8,000 persons.
Police Fire in Air.
The crowd finally became so
threatening that police dispersed
it by shooting into the air and
firing tear gas bursts.
At the anti-American out
break, Point Pour and consular
offices in the city were closed and
embassy personnel was ordered
to keep off the streets.
Mr. Mossadegh, meanwhile,
moved to re-establish his hold
on the government’s reins after
the mob attack on his home Sat
urday which sent him dashing in
pajamas for the traditional sanc
tuary of the parliament building.
The government arrested 70
army officers—6s retired and five
on the active list—and accused
them of inciting the demon
strators against the government.
Chief of Staff Fired.
Mr. Mossadegh also fired his
army chief of staff, Gen. Mah
mud Baharmast, accusing him of
not acting promptly to check the
anti-government riots.
These continued today —an
anti-Mossadegh mob raided the
headquarters of the pro-Mossa
degh Iran Party and smashed
furniture and windows—but gen
erally today’s demonstrations
were in support of the premier.
Replacing the week end cry
of “death or the Shah,” the mass
outpouring of pro-Mossadegh
demonstrators around the Par
liament building today screamed
“death or Mossadegh”—the same
battle 'Cry which has helped
avert previous threats to the
premier’s hold on the govern
ment reins.
The attack on Mr. Mossa
degh’s home and the subsequent
demonstrations erupted after an
announcement that Shah Mo
hammed Reza Pahlevi, with
whom the Premier has been on
the outs lately, was about to
leave the country. At the dem
onstration, the ruler said he had
planned to go only for his health
but was canceling the trip.
Those crowds included many
supporters of Mr. Mossadegh’s
political foe, the high Moslem
priest and Parliament speaker,
Ayatullah Seyed Abolghassem
Kashani, but by today the Pre
mier’s supporters had taken over
most of the continuing demon
strations. A general swing in
sentiment to Mr. Mossadegh was
noted throughout the capital,
though some demonstrations in
favor of the Shah continued in
various parts of the city.'
Most schools were closed today
ana an estimated 4,000 or 5,000
students marched * through the
city, carrying huge pictures of
the Premier and screaming slo
gans supporting him.
Security forces in jeeps and
trucks patroled the city to main
tain order
The pro-Mossadegh demon
strators for the second day re
plilsed attempts of the Com
munist Tudeh Party to join their
ranks.
Parliament to Meet.
Parliament’s lower house,
tightly guarded against the mobs,
held a closed session yesterday
and scheduled another meeting
tomorrow.
A group of 28 pro-Mossadegh
deputies who boycotted yester
day’s session was holed up in
the parliament building, vowing
they would remain there.
The premier Saturday night
had angrily demanded that
parliament give him a' vote of
confidence within 48 hours. Such
a vote may be taken at the ses
sion tomorrow.
Envoy to Take Leave
MOSCOW, Mar. 2 (IP).— A re
liable source said today that
Britain’s Ambassador to the So
viet Union, Sir Alvary Gascoigne,
will leave Moscow soon for Lon
don. The source described the
trip as the envoy’s “regular
leave.”
Phone ST 3-5000 S ** WASHINGTON, D. C„ MONDAY, MARCH 2, 1953—THIRTY-EIGHT PAGES.
Burmese Army Sentry Fires
On 2 Soviet Embassy Officials
Pair Severely Wounded on Ignoring
Order to Halt in Restricted Area
By Ih* Associated Press
RANGOON, Burma, Mar. 2.
A Burmese army sentry shot and
severely wounded two members
of the Russian Embassy staff
early today when they ignored
his halt order at an army pro
tected area.
The Russians were Constantin
M. Anikine, 36, Embassy First
Secretary, and a Dr. Barbizo,
33, also a member of the Em
bassy staff.
Police authorities said they
drove in an embassy automo
bile into the military area on
the eastern side of the capital
well after midnight. The sentry
ordered them to stop three times.
Senator Humphrey
Attacks Secrecy on
Bohlen Hearing
Moscow Envoy Choice
Questioned on Yalta
Agreement With Reds
Senator Humphrey, Democrat,
of Minnesota started a revolt to
day against secret hearings of
the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee, which he said are
giving the country garbled his
tory.
His protest came after a two
hour closed committee meeting
which heard Charles E. Bohlen,
Ambassador-designate to Rus
sia, answer questions about what
happened at the Yalta Confer
ence in 1945. Mr. Bohlen at
tended the conference as inter
preter for President Roosevelt.
Announcing that he did not
feel bound by these closed meet
ings, Senator Humphrey told re
porters the agreements Franklin
D. Roosevelt made at Yalta
“were not definitive, but were
intended to be implemented
wherever they related to the dis
position of territory.”
To Seek Open Hearing*.
The Yalta agreement has been
criticized by Republicans since
the end of the war on grounds
that it disposed of the territory
of countries that were not rep
resented, such as China and
Poland.
Senator Humphrey said Mr.
Roosevelt presumably had in
mind that the Yalta agreements
relating to territory would be
implemented by the Senate as
peace treaties.
Senator Humphrey told re
porters he intends to make a
motion to open up any further
hearings.
“I km disgusted with these
secret hearings,” he said. “I
think the press and radio ought
to be admitted to observe and
report. We are merely garbling
the history of America and of
the world.”
Committee Made Decision.
“What did we miss this morn
ing,” a reporter asked.
“I think you are missing a
fine revelation of history as of
the time of the Yalta conference
and the period immediately
thereafter.’
Chairman Wiley said the de
cision for closed hearings was
made by the committee, not
himself. He said his own feeling,
is that certain parts relating to
the qualifications of Mr. Bohlen
could have been in public, but
the committee had no way of
knowing in advance what else
might be discussed.
“If the committee wants open
hearings, it’s O.K. with me,”
the chairman added.
Senator Humphrey said he
would also move to release to
day’s testimony after it is tran
scribed, but Chairman Wiley
said he would not decide on that
until he heard the remaining
testimony.
Regarded as Military Matter.
In a written statement later.
Chairman Wiley said:
“The committee questioned
Mr. Bohlen at some length about
the Yalta conference at which
he served as interpreter. Mr.
Bohlen said the late President
Roosevelt regarded the Far East
ern agreements reached at Yalta
as a military matter.
“These agreements were based
on preliminary conversations
(See BOHLEN, Page A-6.)
Irish Are World's v ,
Heaviest Eaters;
U. S. in 7th Place
By tho Associated Press
UNITED NATIONS, N. Y., Mar.
2.—A new United Nations report
says the Irish—those that live in
the Republic of Ireland, that is
—are the world’s heaviest eaters.
The U. N. statistical yearbook
for 1952, published today, said
that each Irishman averaged
3,500 calories a day in 1951.
India had the lowest per
capita intake —1,570 calories,
with Burma next lowest at 1,990.
The- United States was in 7th
place among the better-fed coun
tries.
Countries whose inhabitants
averaged over 3,000 calories daily
were:
New Zealand, 4,450; Australia,
3,280; Switzerland. 3,250: Can
ada, 3,240; Sweden, 3.240; Ice
land. 3,230; Finland. 3,219;
United States, 3,210; Argentina,
3,190; Norway, 3,180; Denmark,
3,130; Britain, 3,100, Bind the
Netherlands, 3,090.
Wm ffoenitm ftfatf
V J V V WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION
Then he fired a burst from an
automatic gun.
Mr. Anikine was shot in the
abdomen. Dr. Barbizo suffered
multiple wounds on his face,
neck and right arm and was re
ported in the more serious con
dition.
Both were rushed to a general
hospital. A stocky Russian Em
bassy official stood guard in the
corridor. He refused to let re
porters speak to the injured men
and declined to answer questions
himself. The embassy also re
fused to answer all questions.
Burmese Foreign Office offi
cials said no official word had
been received from the Russians.
Budget Bureau Chief
Tells Staff to Expose
Irregular Practices
Dodge Order Directs
Action From Within;
Presidential Edict Likely
In an apparent move to head
off congressional investigators
before they can get started,
Budget Director Dodge has told
Budget Bureau employes to re
port conduct by any fellow em
ploye which would be “inimical
to the effective operation, secu
rity and standing” of the bureau
The directive states that the
orders are in accord with "the
stated policy of the President.”
It adds: y
“Knowledge of anything of
this kind should come from
within the group and not from
without. Any investigation of
such a situation should originate
with the organization and
should not be brought on it
from outside sources.”
Order Anticipated.
The directive was issued after
a cabinet meeting was reported
to have studied the best way to
carry out President Eisenhower’s
promise to purge “the disloyal
and the dangerous.” An execu
tive order applying new security
regulations to the entire Govern
ment is being prepared. Many
budget employes believe the
Dodge memorandum is a move
to carry out the principles which
will be laid down in the order.
Mr. Dodge directed any em
ploye “who has well-founded in
formation indicating that a con
tinuation of an existing course
of action is illegal, improper or
detrimental to the interests of
the organization is expected and
instructed” to report to Sam
Adams, bureau personnel direc
tor. Mr. Adams in turn will re
port to Mr. Dodge.
“Snooping” Is Feared.
The order emphasizes that its
purpose is not to issue “an invi
tation for snooping or gossip
ing,” but budget staff members
have indicated privately they
fear it will have that effect.
Those having * information to
report may arrange for a confi
dential interview with Mr.
Adams. Information will not be
used unless it can be verified
from other sources and “in no
case will the individual giving the
information be embarrassed by
disclosure of the source.”
Employes are warned that if
a situation comes to light later
“and it is evident that indi
viduals with knowledge of it
failed to report it, in view of
these instructions they will not
be easily excused.”
Mr. Dodge defended the order
as “merely a notice to the staff
that if they know anything ma
terially wrong I want to know
about it and expect it to be re
ported. It does not assume any
thing wrong. But If there should
be, I would be more concerned
about it than any one in or out
of the Government, and will ex
pect to take action through
proper authorities and as war
ranted by the facts.”
It is expected that the forth
coming Executive Order on se
curity will prohibit public dis
closure of the names of any of
those discharged or the reasons
for their removal—a secrecy pro
vision' similar to some practices
of the Truman Administration
which drew sharp criticism from
Republicans.
White House Open to Beauties
In Company of Legislators
By Hw Associated Brass
The White House has bowed to
protests and now will welcome
beauty queens within its doors—
If they are accompanied by their
Senator or Representative.
Since he assumed office, Presi
dent Eisenhower has handed out
some plaques and medals, has
received some gadgets as gifts
and has met with some Boy
Scout and school groups. But
suggestions that he receive Miss
so-and-so. queen of such-and
such, generally have been met
with a discouraging shake of the
head.
The President, It was ex
plained, was too busy.
With spring just around the
corner, the situation was becom
ing critical. Spring always brings
to Washington a crop of queens.
Including the fair ones picked by
Senator Urges
25 Pet. Federal
Share for City
Johnston Asks Fixed
Ratio to District's
Operating Costs
By Don S. Warren
Senator Johnston, Democrat,
of South- Carolina took the Sen
ate floor today to call for the
adoption of a fixed ratio for the
Federal share of National Cap
ital costs, recommending that it
be not less than 25 per cent of
general fund costs.
On the basis of the pending
1954 budget, this would mean a
Federal share of $29,790,870. For
the present fiscal year the Fed
eral payment was sll million—
or $1 million less than the sum
authorized in the District Reve
nue Act.
The South Carolinian, who
served eight years on the Senate
District Committee, severely
chided Congress for failing to
meet its fair share.
In a well-documented outline
of District financial history, he
showed that while District costs
mounted from sl6 million in 1917
to S7O million in 1945 and to
$l2O million last year, the size
of the Federal payment has
dwindled to less than 9 per cent.
Exercising “Squatters Rights.”
"In my opinion,” Senator
Johnston declared, “it means that
the Federal Government is exer
cising little better than ’squat
ters rights’ in the city of Wash
ington.”
On the other hand, he said
he had found residents of Wash
ington “always ready and willing
to pay their full share for the
upkeep and operation of the Na
tional Capital.”
'He said this record speaks for
itself. In support of this he
said:
“In 1951, District residents
paid an average of $128.61 in
city taxes. This was the highest
per capita rate recorded in any
big American city.
“The census bureau reports
that the average person in Amer
ica’s largest cities paid only s6l
in municipal taxes last year. But
the residents of Washington—
our Capital city—paid twice that
amount and have paid it for
several years.” v
Last Tax Source Tapped.
He continued:
“District tax collections have
jumped more than 210 per cent
in the last 10 years. We know
now that the District has tapped
itS'last major reservoir of rev
enue. I am speaking of the sales
tax.
“We know now that any fur
ther increases in taxes, especially
in real estate rates, would cause
more people and more businesses
to move beyond District borders.
We know now that the taxpay
ers of Washington have all the
burdens they can carry.”
Discussing mounting operat
ing costs and higher taxes, com
pared with the low Federal pay
ment, Senator Johnston said
there could be one conclusion:
"The failure of the Federal
Government to make its fair
payment has shifted the burden
directly to the taxpayers of the
District.
“To the extent that the resi
dents of Washington foot the bill
for services to the Federal Gov
ernment, they are subsidizing
the Federal Government.”
Fixed Ratio Needed.
Senator Johnston stressed that
the District government cannot
properly handle its own financial
affairs unless it knows what its
revenues will be. And it cannot
know what its revenues will be
unless it has some assurance of
what Congress will appropriate
as the Federal Payment. The
best way to gain that assurance,
he said, would be to establish a
certain fixed ratio.
He added, “I am convinced
that Congress must take action
if it is to maintain the financial
stability of the municipal gov
ernment.”
“Washington is the jewel of
American cities—the symbol of
freedbm for the people of all
the world, he said. “I hope that
this year Congress will begin a
new era in our Federal and Dis
trict relations.”
Senator Johnston declared the
Federal payment was neither a
subsidy nor a grant in aid.
(See LUMP SUM, Page A-6.)
the States to be Cherry Blossom
Queen. This quite often in the
past meant a handshake with
the President although President
Truman shied away from the
chore.
But recently the White House
hasn’t been co-operative at all.
Lawmakers said they were em
barrassed becaused It looked'as
if they weren’t on very good
terms With the President.
Nobody said anything about it
publicly, but pressure built up.
Now the White House
to have capitulated.
The latest word to Capitol Hill
is that Senators and House mem
bers can see the President any
time an appointment can be
fitted in.
And they can bring along any
body they like—including beauty
queens.
Police Racket Probe Finds
No Evidence to Back Charges
Department's 11-Month Inquiry Uncovers
Only Vague Testimony of Wrongdoing
By J. Theodore Crown
An exhaustive 11-month in
quiry into sensational charges
leveled at police and the Police
Department during the Senate
probe of District rackets last
year has produced nothing to
support formal charges. It was
disclosed today on reliable au
thority.
A report of the Police depart
ment’s investigation of the ac
cusations, together with volumi
nous files of testimony, will be
submitted to the Commissioners
within 10 days.
The Senate Crime Committee
sent a report of its inquiry to
the Commissioners last spring,
and the Commissioners ordered
the Police Department to make
its own independent investiga
tion and report back.
It was indicated the accusa
tions of witnesses were so vague
when they appeared before the
department’s investigating board
that instances of reported wrong
doing could not be pinned down.
Brass Bail Case Reviewed.
The infamous Brass Rail case,
which involved a shooting in 1948
between a reputed gambler.
James* (Piggy) Leake, and the
case’s bartender, Charles H. Nel
son, took much of the Investigat
ing board’s time. But rumors
surrounding the case—and their
sources—remained as wraithlike
as before.
During the Senate District
Crime Committee’s hearings into
the shooting, there were reports
of police pay-offs and of a gang
land war climaxed by the gun
play in Roger (Whitetop) Sim
kins’ Brass Rail case.
But when the witnesses in
volved appeared before the Spe
cial Board of Police Inspectors
to tell their stories, mysterious
figures identified only by first
names or nicknames entered
their testimony. These others
could not be further identified
by the inspectors, who wanted
to question them.
The board of inspectors, named
last April to look into the
charges, was hampered. Ironical
ly, by action growing out of the
crime committee hearings.
Two Under Suspension.
The force of inspectors was
short by two—lnspectors Albert
I. Bullock and Beverly C. Beach,
under suspension while the
United States District Attorney
for the District of Columbia in
vestigates the mystery of their
financial dealings. This slowed
down the Investigation by the
inspectors, because the others
had to fill in on regular police
duty for them.
One formal action grew from
the board’s efforts. Charges con
cerning an auto gray market
were placed against Lt. Jacob
Wolf, former head of the police
auto squad. But he was cleared
by a police trial board.
Another phase of the Investi
gation which consumed much
time was the case of Capt. Wil
liam T. Murphy. Two policemen
had told the Senate investiga
tors that their transfer to school
crossing duty came suspiciously
soon after they had made gam
bling arrests In the Fourteenth
Precinct, which Capt. Murphy
headed.
Capt. Murphy has been trans
ferred to police headquarters,
and is currehtly assigned to the
Communications and Records
Division.
Beard Headed by Coveil.
Deputy Police Chief Howard
V. Coveil was chairman of the
Police Investigating Board for
all of its inquiries except the
one into his acceptance of gifts
from Abe (Jewboy Diets) Plisco,
reputed gambler. When he ap
peared before the Senate Crime
Committee. Inspector Coveil
frankly admitted that Plisco had
brought flowers and whiskey at
Christmas time.
The Police Investigating Board
did not take testimony in the
cases of Inspectors Bullock and
Beach, presumably because these
cases were in the hands of the
District attorney.
Police Chief Robert V. Mur
ray said that as soon as the Dis
trict attorney’s office reports on
these cases—a report is expected
in a few days—he will make an
announcement concerning In
spector Bullock.
Vishinsky to Reply
To Lodge's Charges
Before U. N. Today
Will Answer Declaration
Russia Is Responsible
For Continuing War
By th* Associated Brass
UNITED NATIONS, N. Y..
Mar. 2.—Soviet Foreign Minis
ter Andrei Y. Vishinsky will take
the floor in the United Nations
Political Committee this after
noon to answer United States
charges that Russia is responsi
ble for continuation of the
Korean war.
The U. N. announced that the
Soviet delegate would be the first
speaker at the afternoon session.
The committee has been in re
cess since last Thursday, await
ing Russia’s response to the
American accusations.
At the committee’s morning
session today delegates from
Cuba, Belgium, Ecuador and New
Zealand spoke up in support of
the Indian resolution on Korea
which the Communists rejected
last year. The speakers sup
ported the United States charges
and urged the Communists to
reconsider their rejection of the
Indian truce plan.
Satellite Speakers Cancel
Czechoslovakia’s new Foreign
Minister, Vaclav David, had been
slated to open the debate today,
but when he heard Mr. Vishinsky
was ready, he canceled. Polish
Foreign Minister Stanislaw
Skrzesezewski, down to speak at
the afternoon session, also with
drew from the lists.
Mr. Vishinsky disappeared
from committee meetings imme
diately after Henry Cabot Lodge,
jr., chief United States delegate,
ticked off his 10-point indict
ment of the Russians last
"Wednesday. Mr. Lodge charged
the Russians instigated the
North Korean aggression and
has since kept the North Ko
reans and Communist Chinese
going with land, sea and air
equipment.
Before he left the committee,
however, Mr. Vishinsky prom
ised he “would answer the chal
lenge” by Mr. Lodge.
Dulles and Eden Expected.
Last Wednesday, the day be
fore the 'committee recessed,
President Eisenhower said that
he would agree to a meeting with
Premier Stalin under certain
conditions, and the United States
Senate has condemned Russian
i persecution of Jews and other
; minority groups.
Secretary ‘of State John Foster
Dulles is expected to come here
late in the week, after talks with
British Foreign Secretary An
thony Eden, now en route to
Washington. Mr. Dulles and Mr.
Eden may appear at committee
meetings as the principal spokes
men for their countries.
Gen. Shepherd in Holland
AMSTERDAM, The Nether
lands. Mar. 2 (JP).—Gen. Lemuel
C. Shepherd, jr., commandant at
the United States Marine Corps,
arrived here from Washington
yesterday tar a three-day visit.
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Late New York Markets, Page A-19
First Report Session
In Red Cross Drive
Slated Tomorrow
Luncheon at C. of C.;
Mme. Bonnet to Be
Honored for Activity
The first campaign report
luncheon of the 1953 Metropoli
tan Area Red Cross fund drive
will be held at 12:30 p.m. to
morrow in the United States
Chamber of Commerce, mark
ing “Special Gifts and Volun
teer Services Day.”
Guests will include Mme.
Henri Bonnet, wife of the French
20,000 Volunteers Begin Red Cress
Campaign Hart. Page A-2
Text of President Eisenhower's Rad
- Cross Appeal. Page A-2
Ambassador; leaders of the Spe
cial Gifts Division; Mrs. David
E. Finley, chairman of Volun
teer Services for the District
chapter and her group chair
men, and Mrs. Robert W. Wilson,
national director of the coun
try’s Red Cross women’s volun
teer service groups.
R. Roy Dunn, area campaign
chairman, will preside. Dr. L.
R. Elson, pastor of the National
Presbyterian Church, will offer
the invocation. Music will be
furnished by the Army Air Force
Band. Gene Archer, baritone,
will sing.
Mme. Bonnet Honored.
Mme. Bonnet will receive a
distinguished service citation for
her “many outstanding contribu
tions to the cause of the Red
Cross” from J. Clifford Folger,
District Chapter chairman.
Edward Burling, jr., is special
gifts chairman for 1953, with Ad
miral Neill Phillips, U. 8. N., re
tired, and Hopewell Darneille as
vice chairmen. There is a men’s
committee of 50, and five wom
en’s teams headed |jy Mrs. Mor
ris Cafritz, Mrs. Charles S.
Dewey, Mrs. J. Craig Peacock,
Miss Elizabeth Houghton,. Mrs.
Frank Wisner and Mrs. G. Tin
sley Garnett.
A brief pageant during the
luncheon will dramatize the
year-round services of uniformed
Red Cross women volunteers In
the area. Elinor Lee, public
service director of Station
WTOP-TV, will be guest nar
rator.
Group Chairmen.
Group chairmen under Mrs.
Finley’s services will share hon
ors at the luncheon. They are:
Mrs. Bruce Roberts, arts and
skills; Mrs. H. P. Giddings and
Mrs. Hugh Harstin, canteen
service; Mrs. Francis Hildebrand,
Gray Ladies; Mrs. Bernard Mills,
motor service; Mrs. Ernest Mark
waiter, nurses’ aides; Mrs.
Thomas J. Zwierlein, staff aides;
Mrs. Lester Cohen, social wel
fare aides; Mrs. Curt Schiffeler,
entertainment and instruction
service, and Mrs. Mendinhall
Ryon, production and supply
service.
Other divisions besides Special
Gifts to present first campaign
reports will be Government, Gen
eral Business, and Residential.
Tydings Tells
Os ' lrregular '
Loan Request
By th* Auocioted Bros*
Donald S. Tydings, Revenue
Bureau official under fire in
Congress, testified today he once
tried to borrow $2,500 from a
night club operator whose alco
hol tax case had been under his
jurisdiction.
"It is irregular, yes,” said the
cousin of former Senator Tyd
ings.
But he told a House Ways and
Means subcommittee that, “No,
I was not” disciplined.
Mr. Tydings was assistant
supervisor of the Atlanta, Gp n
office of the Alcohol Tax Division
until last December. Since then
he has been on leave from his
$8,700-a-year job.
5 CENTS
Snow Tangles
Traffic, Chain
Order Delayed
3 to 4 Inches Due
Before Turning Into
Rain Late Today
The heaviest snow since De
cember, 1951, fell on Washington
today with a strong prospect of
snarled rush-hour traffic this
afternoon.
The snow is due to turn to sleet
Storm from Rockies to Coost of Virginia
Goes into Third Doy. Page A-3
Cherry Blossoms Appear Safe Despite
Snow; Other Sidelights. Page B-l
or rain tonight with tempera
tures dropping as low as 24 de
grees.
Yesterday’s weather predic
tions forecast snow for late today
but were changed at 10 p.m. last
night simply to “snow Monday.”
Two inches of snow had fallen
by 1 p.m. and the Weath
er Bureau forecast a total fall
of between three and four
inches.
It closed schools in Prince
Georges, Fairfax and Arlington
Counties and Falls Church. In
Montgomery County, all schools
were open except Bethesda Ele
mentary, which was closed be
cause of lack of heat. Schools
also closed in St. Mary’s and
Charles Countied, Md.
Races at Charles Town were
cancelled today because of haz
ardous roads.
The American Automobile
Association, which had 400
trouble calls by 10:30 a.m., and
535 queries about road condi
tions elsewhere, was discourag
ing auto travel unless in emer
gencies and those journeys
should be undertaken only with
chains and extreme caution.
U. S. Route 1 was ice-covered
in both directions.
The snowfall slowed commu
ter buses as much as 45 minutes
during the morning rush and
late office workers were the rule.
Despite the knotted traffic,
Washington’s unused skid chain
regulation stayed snugly on the
shelf.
Keneipp Defers Action.
The emergency measure, read
ied for use In December, 1951,
provides a penalty for motorists
who, for lack of skid chains or
snow tires, stall and tie up
traffic on 56 specified streets.
It has never been invoked and
as morning rush-hour traffic at
tempted fish-tailing up slippery
hills, Traffic Director George E.
Keneipp said at mid-morning
that it would not be invoked
unless “conditions become
worse.”
Many of the streets specified
in the regulation were among
the worst spots this morning.
The Department of Sanitation
—charged with snow removal
and sanding—was ready with
equipment at midnight, when
the Weather Bureau reported the
snow was arriving prematurely.
All the department’s available
snow equipment and that of
Capital Transit moved out long
before the morning rush. Wil
liam Xanten, department direc
tor, said “it would still take
four hours to cover the city, no
matter how much equipment we
have.”
Hills in Rock Creek Park were
closed even before the rush hour
flow began, but some were
opened later after being sanded.
The Massachusetts avenue hill
to the northwest—named in the
snow rule—was chocked with
stalled autos for a time.
Commuter roads, including
heavily-travelled highways No. 1
througn Alexandria to the south
and No 50 to the west, also
clogged up as cars were unable
to pull up some of the hills after
stopping for Highway 50s num
erous stop lights in Arlington
County
Traffic at one time was backed
up from Seven Comers on High
way 50 to Fairfax circle—almost
four miles.
Traffic Snarled Badly.
State police and county police
at Groveton reported traffic
badly snarled on Route 1. One
State policeman said the high
way department was caught
hands down and sanding crews
were called for. By 9 a.m., Alex
andria and Arlington had main
thoroughfares sanded and traf
fic had started moving at a Slow
rate.
In Prince Georges county,
Landover road between Kent
Village and Cheverly, and the
River road between Bladensburg
(See WEATHER, Page B-l.)
S2O Million Increase
In D. C. Construction
CONSTRUCTION JUMPS HERE—
The Govammant baa onnoancad al
lotment of controlled building ma
terial* in tba District area that will
allow tame S2O million in now con
traction projects. See story on
Page B-l.
NEW LEASE ON LIFE—On bar
way to complete invalidism a year
ago, Mrs. Roderick Watson, jr., is
wall and happy today. Star Staff
Writer Batty Milas tails a boat tba
rasnlts of liar operation far mitral
stenosis an Pago B-5.
Guide for Readers
Amosamants. A-14 Lost nnd Found A-S
Classified- B-9-14 Obituary ... A-12
Camks - B-16-17 Radio-TV B-15
Editorial ... A»10 Sports „„A-15-17
Edit. Article* A-11 Wemau'f
Financial A-19 Section,,, ..B-l-I