lILNDERSON
GATEWAY TO
CENTRAL
CAROLINA
\\ KNTY-SECOND YEAR
COMING CONGRESS
MAY PASS OLD AGE
PENSION MEASURE
At Least There is Fair
Chance House Will, as all
Members Face Polls
In 1936.
RELY UPON SENATE
TO KILL THE BILL
But Senate Has Way Some
times of Calling House’s
Bluff; If it Did It in This
Case and Roosevelt Re
turned Veto, Cards Would
Be Gummed Sharply.
11, (IIARLKS I*. STKWAKT
(rnlrjil I'rows Staff Writer
Pro. 19. —Some good
of congressional trends are.
j >rli l ' l inif that the House of Ropre
i\ <- - will pass a Townsend old
... |,(«!idon bill this winter.
It i n time-honored trick of the
Ir.vrr H' ttsr to indorse plans that it
-n'l I'elieve in. depending' on the
f.» kill them.
r pjently the Townsend fore
, hotildn't be taken too lightly.
That a majority of the lawmakers
.joiiM Hr* praetinability of the scheme
.., ais a fair eonehision from the fact
tint they didn't vote it at their last
inn. They have been home since
ilmi, ltowever, and reports from out
in Hte "provinces" indicate that many
nf ttnm realize the necessity of he
mming converts in order to be re
elected.
sI.N VI K ItIOSKNTS THICK
The Senate latterly resents the
House's habit of voting what it coll
iders popular l:ut injudicious, expect
in'.- the upper chamber to vote con
t nowise.
Hut the representatives don’t care
;> picayune for the senators’ indigna
tion. Besides, members of the lowei
house really believe that, in an emer
gency a senator, on an average can
better afford to take political chances
(Continued on Page Three.)
Senator Predicts
Bill For Bonus In
1938 Will Get By
Washington. Dee. 19. —(AIM
senator Byrnes. Democrat. South
(sroliim. predicted today that the
bill ho and Senator Steiwer, Rc-
IMibliean. Oregon, have, introduced
f«;r cash payment of the bonus in
i!*:;x would pass at the coming
session of Congress, even if veto- j
«•<) by President Roosevelt.
His prediction was made shortly
.if;,or Speaker Byrns, of the House,
told reporters he believed both House
and Senate would dispose of the
l oans issue by February 1.
Byrnes made his statement at the
‘While House after explaining the
provisions of his hill to the President.
Mr would not say whether he thought
the measure might meet a presiden
tial veto.
Explaining his bill to newspaper
men, the senator said it would pro
vide a 97 percent cash payment im
mediately. but that veterans holding
their bonus certificates for two more
years would get the full face value.
"I am satisfied that the bill I have
•bombed can secure a two-thirds
vote in the 'Senate,” Byrnes said. "Wo
hepe a,n agreement in the steering
•mumitlce that the finance committee
will be requested to report a bill with
in two weeks after Congress meets.
Byrnes said he had discussed the
Measure with many veterans, who
were satisfied witli it.
"Death .Stirring”
All About, Accused
Slayer Is Quoted
Smithficld, Dec. 19 (AIM-. Marvin
Batten, charged with the killing last
Friday of Mrs. Lyda Daughtry, told
a friend that morning “death is stif
ling around me,” and he didn’t "like
the idea 4»f Mrs. Daughtry living
while 1 am dead.” it was testified in
Johnston County Superior eourt today.
Jasper Pittman, a filling station
operator at Micro, told the story. A
jury of 13 men was completed this
morning.
Pattern, Pittman testified, came to
his filling station at 5 o’clock last Fri
day morning. The man was quoted
us saying "death is stirring” around
him, and Pittman testified Batten
said he felt like he was going "like
Dewey Stancill did.’’
Stancill was killed in a fight two
weeks ago with his brother, Odell
Stancill, after Odell had accused his
brother of aiding his wife in running
atvapnd with other men.
Dalmon Edwards, a neighbor of
Batten, testified that he had heard
Batten tell Odclj, Stancill, who is free
un<!*- bond pending trial on charges
in connection with his brother’s
death, that Batten was expecting to
be sent to the roads during the cur
rent term of court on charges of
driving an automobile while under
Jbf, influence of whisky.
Hrniirrsmt Qatht Dispatch
L TH ! il<: skhvick of
JIIE ASSOCIATED PRESS.
How Thelma Todd Was Found In Death
*''* n»M 1.1.. .1 1 » tj—g—
I low Thelma was found
Slumped at the wheel of her car in a garage near her
apartment and case at Santa Monica, Cal., the body of i
Thelma. Todd, vivacious film comedienne, is shown as j
it was found by authorities now investigating her .
Speaker Byrns Predicts
Bonus Will Be Acted On
INot Later Than Feb’y l
Says It Is Very Clear Both Senate and House Will
Pass It; Whether It Can Override Veto He Does
Not Say; Thinks Session Should End by May 1
Washington, Dee. 19 (AP) Speak
oi Byrns said today that tie believed
both Senate and House would dis
pose of the cash bonus iksuc by Feb
ruary 1.
"1 think it is very clear both hous
es will pass it.” Byrns told reporters
upon returning to his desk after a
trip tq the Philippine Islands.
He was unwilling, however, to de
signate the type of bonus legislation.
Nor would Byrns predict passage over
a veto. He did say that should the in
flation element be removed, the
hqnus legislation would stand a bet
ter chance of overriding a veto in
both Senate and House.
Byrns said he personally believed
it desirable to act on the bonus as
LUKE LEA LIKELY
TO BE FREE SOON
Feeling Around Raleigh Is
Noted Tennesseean Is Due
For Parole.
I >2i il > l>iM»nf<'li lliirenii.
In Tin* Sir \V sitter Hotel,
IE i .1. « . II ASIvIOK Y IM.
Raleigh, Dee. 19 Thong'll action is
not expected during this veer there
is a growing belief ;ihout Raleigh
that Colonel laike Lea is going to gel
a parole soon.
Judge M. V. Barnhill, who comes
to the Raleigh district, the first of
the year is said to he in humor to
help Colonel Lea whom tin* judge sen
tenced to the Slate’s prison for a term
of six to eight years for alleged con
spiracy to wreck the Central Bank
and Trust Company of Asheville.
Judge Barnhill opposed the pardon in
July. Clemency was then sought on
the basis of newly discovered evidence
and that alone, but. Parole Commis
sioner Edwin M. Gill and Governor
Ehringhaus were not. impressed with
that evidence, nor was Judge Barn-
Hill. But licit her the judge nor the
governor went so far as to close the
doors on the Colonel.
There has been no new move, cer
tainly none of the character first un
dertaken with a campaign for cle
mency, but the Barnhill letter of last
summer would be much modified by
him now, it is said. The judge is re
puted to he ready to recommend, at
least not to oppose, a parole. And
Colonel Lea on account of his abund
ant crop of enemies in Tennessee is
not particularly anxious to go out that
way.
But when Judge Barnhill comes to
this circuit he will he in easy reach
of petitioners for Colonel Lea. Mean
while, the most illustrious prisoner
who ever has served in this states
prison, shows unmistakable signs of
prison wear. He has lost about 50
pounds and is trained more to the
lean proportions of Jim Corbett than
of Primo Camera and Jess Willard
who held heavyweight championships
also. Colonel Lea was a gallant sol
dier, a United States Senator, a big
(Continued on Three, 2,
ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED IN THIS SECTION OF NORTH CAROLINA AND VIRGINIA
quickly as possible, one way or an
other, and then get busy on other
things, and adjourn at an early date.
He said he saw “no reason on
earth” why Congress should be in
session beyond May 1, but he remark
ed with a grin:
“But. of course, nobody knows what
is going to happen after Christmas.”
Efforts to bring veterans’ organiza
tions into agreement on a bonus bill
have been started by Senator Steiwdn,
Republican, of Oregon. The Patman
bill, vetoed by President Roosevelt
last session, would have mtuie the
$2,009,000,000 outlay thtough expan
sion of the currency.
The American Region plan favored
orthodox financing methods.
MINDFUL FOR 1936
Alphabetical Groups Meet
Wednesday Told to Drive
For Success.
Unity l>is|iu(i*li Itiiri-jin.
In The Sir Walter llote..
ll y v. IIASIvEKVILI.
Raleigh. Dec. 19 Whether tile Vir
ginia. Dare room of the Sir Walter
hotel, in which the various Federal
agencies met yesterday was really en
tertaining a coordination or simply
a convocation, attendants were not
certain, but the meeting was held
and it was told that it must show re
sults.
R. M. Gantt, State director of the
National Emergency Council program
called the meeting and the entire al
phcbetical outfit was here. Gov. J.
C. B. Ehringhaus, United States
Senator J. W. Bailey, Congressman
John H. Kerr, and other members of
the delegation in Washington spoke.
Mr. Gantt presided and Governor
Ehringhaus welcomed these agencies
to whom he gave his pledge of coope
ration .
Senator Bailey found them confus
ing in multiplication, but one in pur
pose to attack the greatest disaster
the nation has known. "These agen
cies mean that this attack, led by a
great governor and by a magnificent
president, of a great people,” he said.
He asked can the government risk it
self in this fight. That answer de
pends upon the administratives of this
program, he said and 75 per cent of
the success of all legislation depends
upon administration. He made the
people laugh when he said evidently
the work done has been fundamental
ly and lastingly successful since Her
bert Hoover is beginning to claim
credit for it. Mr. Bailey reminded
the visitors that there is great hosti
lity to this program and everything
is being to defeat it.
Congressman Kerr thought the gov
ernment ought to make it not for the
parader of isms, communism, atheism
infidelism, things that aim at the very
essence and foundation of govern
ment. He would have no place in this
country for them.
After the entire lot of agencies had
(f H T >of»o HPtl,
HENDERSON, N. C., THURSDAY AFTERNOON, DECEMBER 19, 1935.
Roland West
death. Roland West, close friend of Miss Todd’s and
partner in the Case that bore her name, is pictured
grief-stricken near the death scene.
dims ivi s
Record for November Shows
92 Deaths, as Against 131
During Month of
October.
DRIVE UPON DRUNKS
HAVING ITS EFFECT
Better Record for Safety Is
Made With More Cars On;
Highways; Lowest Recent
Death Total Was When
State Was in Depths of the
Depression.
Daily 1 MtqwP’H Iturenn,
In The Sir Walter Hotel,
lly J. C, BA9KERVIU
Raleigh, Dec. 19. —Reduction of
highway deaths in November, with
the fastest, newest and greatest num
ber of machines ever registered in the
State, brought to North Carolina its
best Christmas present, some of the
State officials were observing today.
October. 1930, was banner month
of all time for slaughter. The 131 fa
talities made a profound impression
here. The new highway patrol had
gone to work, a force doubled. And
the first month produced the record
breaker. When the highway patrol
gave out its figures yesterday and
found that there were 92 deaths in.
November, which normally would
have added to the October total, every
man on this hill was happy. Governor
Ehringhaus and Revenue Commis
sioner A. J. Maxwell joined in the
general joy.
Slaughter generally has followed
prosperity. The department has lost
some of its records, but November,
3928. showed 77 deaths. There is no
1929 statement available, but in No
vember, 1930, there were 102 killings
and in the same month the next year
71. The hard times took more ma
chines off the roads in 1932 and 03
deaths were recorded. There was a
vast upward swing in 1933 and No
vember of that year brought back a
new high —105. Times got better, au
tomobiles speedier and more plentiful
and a year ago these deaths rose to
115. With many more cars now, the
last figures given out for December
10 were 511,891 for 1935 aiul 408,855
for 1934, there arc 23 fewer deaths.
It is therefore the most hopeful
augury of the entire year. It may be
just a freak condition, but in the
highway department there is a belief
(Continued on Page Three.)
Kidnapers Return Milne
Without Ransom Payment
Doyleslown, Penn., Dec. 19 (AP) —
Caleb Milne IV, held four days by
kidnapers was abandoned by his ab
ductors without the payment of cent
of the $50,000 ransom they demanded
the Department of Justice announced
today.
The 24-year-old grandson of a
wealthy retired textile manufacturer
of Philadelphia, lured from his New
York City apartment Saturday by a
nots that jaid his grandfather w as
Peace Plan Motivated From
Fear Os League’s Collapse,
Hoare Tells Commons Meet
Baldwin Accepts Blame
For Franco-British Plan
For Ending African War
Premier Tells House Os
Commons Much Harm
Has Been Done, Only
Time Can Heal.
SAYS NO ONE LIKED
PROPOSALS OFFERED
j Sir Samuel Hoare, Retired
Foreign Secretary, Says
Situation is Now Even
More Acute Than Before;
Baldwin Stresses Need Os
Anglo-French Unity.
London, Dec. 1.9 (AP) —Prime Min
ister Baldwin told the House of Com
mons today “the chief responsibility
is mine” for the Franco-British peace
plan for Italy and Ethiopia, and that
the British government would make
no attempt to resurrect it.
His statement followed an address
by Sir Samuel Hoare, who resigned
as foreign secretary because of the
public protest against the peace plan.
In defense of Hoare, Baldwin said
the peace plan represented the min
imum to which it was possible to ob
tain the agreement of the French gov
ernment, "and I attach vital import
ance to Anglo-French solidarity.’’
TUr prime minister continued:
"None of us liked the proposals. We
thought they went too far. We would
have liked to modify them. The chief
responsibility is mine. I admit much
harm has been done. It will take time
to rectify it.”
Sir Samuel told the crowded cham
ber that he did not entirely approve
of the plan himself, but that it seem
ed the best aid to Franco-British re
lations.
The resigned foreign secretary as
sured his audience that in any case
Great Britain had not advocated the
plan from fear of Italy, stating:
"We had no fear as a nation what
ever of any Italian threat. If the
Italians attacked us. we would retal
iate, and, judging from past history
we should retaliate with full success.”
Sir Samuel warned:
"The situation has become more
acute. I believe we now are enter
ing a much more dangerous phase.”
He told his colleagues that the
British alone were taking military
precautions on behalf of the League
of Nations, and that no other mem
ber had taken such steps.
Delay in affecting peace in East
Africa, he declared, might mean an
irresistible drift to a European war.
Japan’s Stubborn
Denjand For Great
Navy Emphasized
London, Dec. 19 (Al*)—Japan’s
stubborn, unswerving determina
tion to have a navy equal to any,
regardles of world opposition,
emerged clearer today as sea
power delegates debated the me
rits of British compromise propo
sals.
While American. French and Ital
ian conferees, after a recess for study
and consideration, voiced approval of
the principle of the British proposal,
that each nation set a limit on new \
construction, based on naval needs in
stead of rights,” the Japanese made
no secret of strong objections.
The preamble of the tentative plan
recognizes the right of each power to
possess naval strength necessary to
assure security, but specifies each
base construction on the minimum
adequate to obtain security.
ill, was found shortly before mid
night—(lazed, doped, bruised and
trussed beside a roadside ditch near
here.
Today he was recovering in a Doy
lestowu hospital. Doctors said his
condition was not serious. Federal
agents, who had the actor and my
stery story writer in technical custody
made no effort during the night to
question him in detail. Physicians
said he should be allowed to rest.
PUBLISHED EVERY AFTERNOON
EXCEPT SUNDAY.
Calles Causes Fear
iHUfega.
if
General Plutarco Calles glares at
camera in Mexico City as he returns
from self-imposed exile in U, S. to
reenter Mexican politics, which he
formerly dominated. Fears are
expressed his return means new
political turmoil.
f Central Press)
SAYS STAR SEEN
LATE IN EVENING
Estranged Wife Os Miss
Todd’s Partner Adds to
Mystery of Case
Los Angeles, Cal., Dec. 19 (AP)
The eerie mystery of Thelma Todd
driving with a “foreign looking man”
in Hollywood hours after she was
supposed to have died, claimed at
| tention of a grand jury today.
This angle of the strange case was
given to police by Mrs. Carmen West,
estranged wife of the screen star’s
business partner and owner of the
garage where she was found dead
Monday.
“I saw Thelma Todd with a man
of dark complexion whom I did not
recognize, about 11 p. m., Sunday,”
Mrs. West related.
This was about 16 or 17 hours after
the actress was supposed to have died
in her garage near Santa Monica.
Mrs. West said she was positive of
her identification.
District Attorney Fitts, declaring
the chief question is "when did
Thelma Todd die?” said he would
question Mrs. West today concern
ing her story.
Fitts announced “there are circum
stances that do not satisfy us. We in
tend to clear them up. County Che
mist R. J. Abernathy began a com
plete chemical analysis of the actress’
vital organs, presumably to determine
whether she was possibly drugged be
fore the fumes of the carbon monox
ide caused her death. analysis
will require several days.”
WIATHIR
I’OK NORTH CAROLINA.
Partly cloudy in extreme west
portion tonight; Friday partly
cloudy and colder.
4' shopping
days until
8 PAGES
TODAY
FIVE CENTS COPY
SfSls
OF STEPS BY ITALY
Foreign Secretary Who Re
signed Last Night Makes
Explanation in Long
Speech.
BALDWIN RECEIVED
QUIETLY BY HOUSE
Applause Customary For
Appearance of Heads of
Governments is Withheld;
Public Opinion in France
Nervous Over Events ;
League Studies Peace
Moves,
London, Dec. 19 (AF) —Sir Samuel
Hoare, •who resigned last night as for
eign secretary, told the House of
Commons today that fear of a break
up in the League of Nations, rather
than fear of any Italian threat, mo
tivated the British government's re
cent foreign policy.
Prime Minister Baldwin had come
before them without any of the ap
plause which usually greets the ap
pearance of the head of the govern
ments.
The resigned foreign secretary, who
spoke as a private member of the
House, told his colleagues that the war
raised very difficult questions be
tween Great Britain and France.
“It must be obvious to every mem
ber,’’ lie said. “that, the great body of
public opinion in France is intensely
nervous concerning a breach with
Italy ;*«yd nervous concerning any
thing likely to weaken the French
defense. In view of these facts, I
did everything in my power to make
a settlement possible.
“The proposals which we merged
from the discussions in Paris were
not French or British, in the sotise
that we like them. Neither Laval nor
I liked many features of llicm.’’
1, LAG UK ENTRUSTS PLANS
IN HANDS OF COMMITTEE
Geneva, Dec. 19 (AP) —The League
(Continued on Page Two.)
DOCTOR MUST SERVE
PENITENTIARY TERM
YVhitely of Mecklenburg Convicted of
Receiving Goods* Stolen from
Cannon Mills
Ilaily Dlsiiatvh flurenu,
fn The Sir Walter Hotel,
Hy J. C. HASKF.RVIDI,
Raleigh, Dec. 19.—Dr. Whitley, of
Mecklenburg county, has lost his fight
for freedom and must serve his thret»-
to five years’ sentence for recaitnig
stolen goods, knowing them to
been stolen.
Parole Commissioner Edwin
Gill, after bearing neyrly f
evidence in the strong
enough to outW9flßfo,,tiw presumption
of guilt, after tbtfjOT^bad found th«
physician gu 11 tyi’TJiirdoctor will come
to Raleigh übdtii'thd first of the year
to begin sentence. Judge Hoyle Sink
veheuymtly opposed the exercise of
clemency and declared that he would
be against, any modification of the
judgment which he imposed. Many
citizens of his community joined in:
the offort to get pardon. The phy
sician was convicted in Cabarrus of
receiving goods which had been stolen
from tiie Cannon Mills at KanapoHs.
CONSTITUTIONALITY
OF TVA IS ARGUED
Alabama Power Stockholders Battle In
Supreme Court; Vermont Joins
In Attack
Washington, Dec. 19. —(AP)
Validity of the Tennessee Valley Au
thority act was challenged today be
fore the Supreme Court by Forney
Johnston, Birmingham attorney, on
the ground that It put the Federal
government into the power business,
in violation of the Constitution.
He was the first speaker for a
group of 14 minority stockholders of
the Alabama Power Company, who
are seeking to prevent the Tennessee
Valley Authority from proceeding
witli its project to establish a “yard
stick’’ to measure the proper cost of
electricity.
The stockholders won in the Fed
eral district court for northern Alar
bama, but lost in the circuit court
of appeals at New Orleans. The lat
ter court held the TVA act constitu
tional. ,
Vermont attacked the Federal pow
er program as an invasion of state's
rights.