Evening Star Newspaper, March 1, 1930, Page 5

THE EVENING STAR. WASHINGTON. D. C, SATURDAY, MARCH 1, SPEAKER REVEALS NEW GUINEA HABITS Dr. E. W. Brandes Tells of Primitive Natives of Dor- mant Island. A land where “widow’s weeds” consist of thigh bones of their late husbands hanging about their waist, where na- tives prefer the meat of snakes, lizards and worms unless they can get human flesh and where sorcery and dominates the lives of all the peo- ple from the cradle to the grave—such is New Guinea, according to Dr. E. W. Brandes, who addressed members of the National Geographic Society last night | at the Washington Auditorium. Dr. Brandes, a representative of the United States Department of Agricul- ture, went to the Island of New Guinea, or Papua, as it is more properly known, in search of new varieties of sugar cane. It was hoped that these varieties might | be used in developing plants capable of resisting the mosaic disease that caused great losses among American sugar pr ducers a few years ago. A large num- ber of cuttings were obtained and are beirg grown at the cane-breeding sta- tion of the Department of Agriculture in the Everglades of Florida. New Guinea, Dr. Brandes pointed out embraces the greatest tropical region in the world that has been practically unaffected by white civilization. The island has an area of 330,000 square | miles and is thus one and one-fifth times as large as the State of Texas or more than six_times the size of New York State. In the interior, he de- clared, are regions which in the aggre- gate are greater than the British Isles peopled by neolithic men whose devel- opment has been delayed so that they are now at a stage of culfure similar to that of the Cromagnons who in- habited Southern Europe more than 25,000 years ago. Tgnored 400 Years. Although discovered in 1511, Guinea was almost ers for more than 400 years and its sea coast was not completely charted until the latter part of the nineteenth century. Most of the island still re- mains untouched by white invasion, the few white settlers being confined to sections of the coast country. There are now probably less than 3,000 whites in the entire island. Much fertile land lies in the interior, Dr. Brandes said. He considers the island in reality a rich empire which is lying dormant until the rest of the world needs its poten- tial products. Dr. Brandes and his companions de- | cided to use a seaplane in penetrating | New dogs the steps | ignored by explor- | CITY NEWS IN BRIEF. i TODAY. “The Divine Lady,” featuring Cor- inne Griffith, will be shown at the First Congregational Church, Tenth and G | streets, tonight, 8 o'clock. A" free-will offering will be taken to benefit the fund for the needy. A dance and card party will be given !by the Scotland Social Club at the Kenwood Golf Club, 9:30 o'clock to- night. D. C. national defense committee will | meet_with the chairman, Mrs. R. Wins- | ton Holt, at the Washington Club to- | night at 8 o'clock. A card party will be given tonight for the benefit of Nativity Church, by |the One Thousand Dollar Club, 8:30 oclock, in the Nativity Auditorium, 6000 Georgia avenue. | Monthly meeting of the D. C. Chiro- practic Society will be held tonight, 8 o'clock, at the Thomas Circle Club, | 1326 Massachusetts avenue. Banquet of the Bards will be held | tonight in the ball room of the Winston | Goyel, 7:30 o'clock. Talks, readings | and recitations will be given. E. J. Irvine, master of ceremonies. The annual banquet of th: Welsh So- ciety will be held tonight at the Roose- velt. Hotel, 6:30 o'clock. B Yannaganette Social Club will hold a card party tonight, 8:30 o'clock, at 1750 | Massachusetts avenue. | Phi Delta Epsilon Medical Fraternity will hold a dinner and dance at the Carlton this evening. Dr. Samuel M Becker is in charge of arrangements. The National University Law School | will hold a dance at the Carlton this evening, under the direction of Mr. Wellington Nichols. “Life and Health” will be the subject of an address by Frank Hayes tonight, 8:15 o'clock, at the Hay Adams House, 800 Sixteenth street, given under the auspices of the League for the Larger Life. Ladies’ Auxiliary of Orient Com- | mandery will hold a card party tonight, | 8:30_oclock, at Eighth and F streets northeast. | Dr. George Otis Smith, director of the United States Geological Survey, will |lecture on Japan, with special films | showing the pearl fisheries, tonight, 8:30 | o'clock, in the auditorium of the In- terior Department. Lecture is presented by the District of Columbia section, | Woman’s Auxiliary, American Institute of Mining Engineers. | _ Federal Post, No. 824, Veterans of Foreign Wars, will give 'a dance and card party at the Meridian Mansions, | 2400 Sixteenth street, tonight at 9 | o'clock. Arkansas Society will meet tonight at 'Lonsdale Charges Federal FARM BODY WHEAT METHOD CRITICIZED Price-Fixing Injured Grain Market. T (Y By the Associated Press. KANSAS CITY, March l—Chnflfs: ‘W. Lonsdale, vice president of the| Chamber of Commerce of the United | States, charged in a statement here | Iast night that the Federal Farm Board | has used “heavy-handed” methods and price-fixing in its “efforts to maintain | wheat prices by force of law and money.” Lonsdale, Kansas City grain dealer who rejected an offer to become gen- eral manager of the Farmers' National Grain Corporation last December, de- | clared the “heavy-handed” efforts had | been made by the board “in the face| of known conditions of an enormous North American wheat surplus for | which there is no immediate demand.” | “When a merchant or manufacturer | finds himself overstocked, with his | normal markets glutted,” the statement continued, “he meets the situation with courage by recognizing price conditions, | clearing his shelves and warehouses, | and beginning anew with a clean slate. | Time-Proved Course Denied. “Congress, through ! its administra- tive agency, denied the necessity for this wise and time-proved course, and | set out to establish the wheat price at a predetermined figure. It sought to do this first by establishing a fixed- price basis for loans to co-operatives. Next, it resorted to the more danger- | ous expedient of announcing a price at | which it would buy ‘country-run’ wheat, | limited as to grade and origin. | “Supply and demand,” Lonsdale said, “paused just long enough, however, to see the futility of the gesture, and pro- pelled by the force of burdensome sup- plies swept on to new price levels, low- er probably than prices would have de- scended in a free market and under normal conditions. “Bull” Activity Charged. “Finally, the board entered the fu- tures market and undertook to ‘bull’ wheat. The Government has, however, the advantage in being able to charge | its speculative losses to the public| Treasury. “Official and unofficial statements from the Farm Board deny that there has been any attempt actually to fix prices. 1t is difficult t6 call by any other name a plan which provides for purchase with | Government money of all offerings of wheat which have not yet moved into commercial channels, the holder hav- | ing merely to tender the grain to the | authorized _Government buyer and secure the fixed price without question. ! “Now." Lonsdale continues, “having | failed through three separate measures | of expediency to defeat the influence of supply and demand upon the price | of wheat, Chairman Legge appeals to | the grain trade for co-operation. 1 “The grain trade can no more in- fluence the course of grain prices than | it can control the tides of the ocean.! When a surplus exists prices descend. When demand exceeds supply prices must advance.” Denies Board Opposed. Lonsdale denied charges that the | grain trade had opposed the Farm | Board, “other than by expression of its | views based on actual marketing ex- perience.” He also charged that no vast farmers’ co-operative organization | exists, “save as it is spoken for, de- cided for, and acted for by the Farm | Board itself.” “It has caused the maximum dis-| turbance of markets with the minimum of actual accomplishment in creation gg effective co-operative marketing,” said, ANTI-FACISTS RAIDED. German Police Seize 80 in Dis- solving Protest Meeting. STETTIN, Germany, March 1 (#).— Police today dissolved a meeting of lo- cal communistic “anti-Fascist young guards” and took 80 members to the Ppolice station for identification. Search of their headquarters pro- duced a mass of coded writing and one pistol. The meeting today was to pro- test against police raids in Berlin and elsewhere. MUSIC BENTAMINO GIGLI'S RECITAL. Gigli, leading tenor of the Metr_apoll- tan Opera Company, sang at Poli’s| Theater yesterday afternoon. To any | one who has ever heard Signor Gigli this statement should be sufficient to| indicate that an execeedingly pleasant time was had by all present. There are many who acclaim Gigli as suc- cessor to Caruso. As a matter of fact| there is no need whatsoever of such comparison. Signor Gigll deserves | highest admiration in his own right as a musicianly artist. He was in glorious | voice yesterday with his usual command | of finely spun tone no matter how | soft or loud and dramatic sense of in-| terpretation combined with excellent | enunciation in both his native Italian and French. His English of the air from Balfe's “Bohemian Girl” was a little precisely contrived, perhaps, but what was more important was the dis- creet taste with which the song was interpreted. The high light of the afternoon was undoubtedly the tenor's superb rendi- tion of “Vesti la Giubba,” from “I Pa- gliacel.” However, he sang airs from “Don Glovanni,” “Luisa Miller,” “L'Eli sir d'Amore,” Lohengrin’s “Narrative’ (very amusing in Italian), “Le Reve,” m “Manon”; “O Paradiso,” from L’Africana,” and, of course, “La Donna e Mobile,” from “Rigoletto,” as encores Even so the audience would not let him go without the inevitable “O Sole Mio™ at the very end. One of the most unusual features of the program was the singer's own ar- rangement of words in Italian, that most singable of all languages, to in- terpret vocally the ‘“Liebestraum” of Liszt. It was highly effective and should become one of Signor Gigli's most called for numbers. He has canght cnmg]cwl_v the subtle spiritual quality of his composition that is so often badly hackneyed by pianists who 1930. command Ed\ but nothing el “To ito," by Curtis, and “Notte Vens a,” by Curcl, were other num- bers new to his programs here. Beauti- ful songs by Donaudy and Grieg also were sung. Miguel Sandoval, who has become familiar as accompanist to Signor Gigll, deserves a paragraph all to him self for the perfection of his command of this often slightly regarded art. He made the cool rippling purely PI istic phrases of the “Liebstraum” ad- mirable contrast to the human warmth of Gigli's vocal reading. Always he either shadowed or gave fine contrast to_the singer's tones. Margaret Shotwell, a very pretty young lady, added considerably to the scenic beauty of the afternoon's pro- gram, but she might have safely left the pianistic work entirely in the hands of Signor Sandoval. She presented a Liszt rhapsody and the familiar con- cert arrangement of “The Blue Danube Waltz.” She was at her best in the more simple if modern “Little White | Donkey,” which was her encome. H. F. A BENEFIT CONCERT PROGRAM. Jimmy Melton, popular young Ameri- can tenor, who has endeared himself to many as a radio star and also became a favorite here when Roxy's Gang was playing at the Fox Theater, was the featured artist of a program given last night by the Women’s Guild of Central Union Mission and the Children’s Emergency Home, at Constitution Hall, for the benefit of these two organiza- tions. Assisting Mr. Melton was the well known A Capella Chorus of the First Congregational Church of this city, Ruby Smith Stahl, director. Young, good-looking and vivaclous, Mr. Melton won his audience com- pletely. He was very classical in his first selections, giving “Je Crois En- tendre Encor,” from Bizet's ‘“Pearl Fishers,” and “Vainement, Ma Bien Aime,” by Lalo. In these the tenor showed development in his command of the art of singing and clear enuncia- tion in his French. The same was true of his second group, songs by Handel quite obviously liked him best in the simpler songs of his last group by Leh- mann, Fox, Kreisler and Moya, and most of all in that encore that only a Southerner sings completely—"“Ma Lit- tle Lindy Lou.” Charles Baker was Mr. Melton's thoroughly adequate ac- companist. The work of the A Capella Chorus is recognized as among the finest ef- forts in musical production locally. Last night's audience added to its lau- rels with enthusiastic appreciation of the fine singing of beautiful music. Among the loveliest numbers were “Glory Now to Thee be Given," by Bach! “Rock of Ages” by Andrews, with humming prelude, and a charming “Italian Carol of St. Michael.” by Gaul. The group of junior choristers added an unusual and appealing quality with the freshness of their youthful voices blended with those of the adult choir ‘members. The whole program was admirably done and deserved the hearty indorse- ment that every number received from the audience. A NEW ADULT CHORUS, ‘The Adult Department Mixed Chorus of Calvary Baptist Church presented a program of religious and secular mu- | sic_in Woodward Hall last night. ‘The chorus was assisted by the jun- jor church choir. Both chorus and junior choir are under the direction of | Andrew Clifford Wilkins. The soloist of the evening was Doro- thy Seamans, violinist. Opening the program the chorus, four part, sang “He Leadeth Me,'’ from “Traumerei” (Schumann- Moore). The two numbers following this first selection, and completing the initial group presented, were “Take My Hand,” three part (Dvorak-Parks), by the women of the chorus, and “The Lost Chord,” four part (Sullivan-Brewer), by the men. The delivery of this num- ber was excellent, the pianissimo effects entire | e ® A-S Ise. | and Schubert. However, his audience """“"""“h';"i“’" An. encore was “Invictus,’ runo Huhn, The second song by the entire chos introduced Miss Seamans io the au- dience. She accompanied the chorus with a violin obbligato, in the sicgicg of “One Sweetly Solemn Thought” (Refl- Moore). ‘The Junior Choir, composed of chil- dren between the ages of 6 and 12, scored a distinct success. These chil- dren quite definitely showed in their anner and by their singing that they ere well trained. Their enunciation was unusual for small chiidren, in that it was clear and distinct, adding to the presentation. They sang “Little Chocolate Baby” “I Hear Kentucky Calling” and “Amer~ ica for Me,” the first two by Holden and the last by Parks. 1diss Seamans, in her {wo violin solos, showed conclusively that she was m tress of her art, displaying perfect }mllln vith the selections rendered. | She se, seemingly ob- | livious of her surroundings, her sole interest centered on her playing, She gave “Somewhere 2 Voice Is Caliing” a3 an _encore. | One of the outstanding renditions of | the evening was that of the “Bells of St. Mary's,” by the men of the chorus, with chime accompeniment by Richard Keifer, Closing the program, the chorus sang “One Fleeting Hour,” by Dorothy Lee. B W. General Strike Threatens Spain. VALENCIA, Spain, March 1 (#).— Labor leaders here were reported last night to be contemplating a strike in all industries because labor disputes in cer- tain trades have not been settled. The strike. may be called Sunday, but the government, though keeping the civil guards on the alert, is confident it can handle any situation developing. Britain may increase its subsidy to sugar beet growers by 31,500,000, mak- ing the total for this year $6,250,000, the interior of the island because of the ' 8:30 o'clock at the La Fayette Hotel. special travel problems that were pre- | sented by the terrain. Overland travel was_impracticable because there are no roads and very few trails in the interior. Use of a land plane was out of the question because no landing places were available. It was believed that a sea- plane would be practicable because of the many rivers and lakes, and this roved to be true. Travel by seaplane ad its difficulties, however, especially on the rivers where there were many’| floating logs and trees washed down by | the torrential streams. Motion pictures showed the extremely imitive black natives of the more lated region and their crude imple- ments and shelters. To these people, Dr. Brandes said, the valley in which they live is their universe. They do not know what the world is like beyond | their mountains and apparently have not speculated about it. When Dr. Brandes landed in the territory of such a tribe he was hailed as a god as a matter of course. Cannibalism Common. In other sections somewhat more ad- vanced people were found who build large communal structures. amazingly savage customs. They in- dulge in raids and massacres and the collection of such gruesome objects as human heads and jawbones. Cannibal- istic orgies are common and for ever: day fare the natives show a fondness for toasted grubs, snakes and lizards. A successful warrior has the privileg of biting off the nose of his captured enemy. Sorcery is practiced through- out the island and the natives seem in constant fear of invisible forces. New Guinea has great rivers, fed by extremely heavy rainfall as well as melting snow from the lofty mountains. ‘Three rivers are reputed to have a greater discharge than the Mississippi. ‘The Fly River has a funnel-shaped estuary 40 miles wide at its mouth. Up the river rushes a great white- crested wall of water like the bore of the Yangtze and the Bay of Fundy. ‘The bore extends inland 180 miles. FLEMING ELECTED AS 6. W. U. TRUSTEE President of Riggs Bank Is Named to Membership on Board of Alma Mater. Robert V. Fleming, president of Riggs Bank, has been elected to membership on the board of trustees of the George Washington University, it was an- nounced today. Mr. Fleming, a native of Washington, was educated in the public schools here and at George Washington. In addition to his financial activities, Mr. Fleming is prominently identified with civic and social welfare work. PAROLE ACTI.ON DELAYED. | Indiana Prison Board Fails to Pass on Stephenson Petition. MICHIGAN CITY, Ind, March 1 () —Trustees of the Indiana State Prison, meeting as a pardon board, yes- terday deferred for 30 days action on the petition of D. C. Stephenson for a 90-day parole to obtain evidence for his appeal from a murder conviction. Action was deferred because & quorum ‘was not present. The former grand dragon of the Ku Klux Klan was convicted, November | 16, 1925, of the murder of Miss Madge | Oberholtzer, Indianapolis girl. Stephen- son has appealed the conviction to the | Indiana Supreme Court. A written recommendation on the Petition for parole will be made to Gov. Harry G. Leslie at the next meeting of the pardon board, March 28. BEAVER The Original Fiber Wall Board J. FRANK KELLY, Inc. Telephone 2101 Georg Even these | people, however, were found to have | Annual_card party and dance of | Bethany Chapter, No. 24, O. E. S., will be held at the Raleigh Hotel tonight, | 8:30 o'clock. FUTURE. Wanderlusters' hike tomorrow will | start from Twelfth street and Pennsyl- vania avenue at 2:30 o'clock. Group will take a bus to the R. E. Lee School and walk from there to the club house, | Pranklin Park, V. Red Triangle Outing Club meets to- | | morrow at 2:15 o'clock at the Y. M. C. A, 1736°G street, preparatory to a seven-mile hike celebrating the twelfth anniversary of the club. Those wishing | to take only the last five miles of the hike should meet at the Bureau of Standards at 3:15 o'clock. Waldburg Hewitt, leader. RHODE ISLAND SENATE PASSES DRY REFERENDUM ' Action Virtually Assures Voters of | Chance to Vote on Retention i of Eighteenth Amendment. ] By the Associated Press. PROVIDENCE, R. I, March 1. ‘With passage by the State Senate ye: terday of the Republican administra- lon’s referendum measure, Rhode Island voters were virtually assured of an opportunity to vote on retention of the eighteenth amendment at the No- vember elections. The measure goes for concurrent action to the House, where wet sentiment is much stronger than in the upper branch. “The 24-to-11 vote by which the measure passed the Senate showed a sharp break in party lines, the votes of eight Democrats forcing passage when 10 rural Republican drys bolted and opposed the bill. Sixteen Repub- licans and 8 Democrats voted for passage, 10 Republicans and 1 Demo- crat were against it and 3 Republicans and 1 Democrat were absent.” The bill provides for submission to the electorate, upon a separate ballot, of the following question: “The eighteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United States— shall it be retained?” “Sail planing,” as gliding is called in England, is to be promoted there by the British Gliding Association. | Two Bed Rooms, Living Room, Din- | ing Room, Kitchen | and Reception Room. Electric Refrigeration Reasonable Rental THE ARGONNE 16th & Columbia Rd. Four Rooms, Kitchen, Bath and Reception Hall | Electric Refrigeration 2001 16th St. N.W. BOARD A Government Representative ion of the United States be here, beginning Monday, from the Income Tax Di Treasury Department wi to help you with Your Income Tax Return He will be stationed on the west end of our G Street Balcony and will be glad to assist you. There is no charge for this service. Keep Your Watches and Clocks Up-to-the-Minute Watches and Clocks are as necessary in this busy age as a good disposition. Certainly an efficient timepiece is an important factor in keeping a disposi- tion . . . that is why exacting people depend on Woodward & Lothrop to keep their watches and clocks like new. In our repair shop on the premises, fine modern-day craftsmen condition your watches “to-the-minute.” WATCH AND CLOCK REPAIR, FIRST FLOOR. The Tea Room Luncheons and Teas arranged to your individual order . . . efficient, little-in-between-shopping luncheons— bridge luncheons for a gay party remaining to play cards—“Tea for Two”—and Tea for as many as you like. Plan to use this convenient Tea Room service that Woodward & Lothrop graciously extends you and your guests. Phone. Main 5300 THE Tra RooM, SEVENTH FLOOR. Next Week Learn the Pleasure of Using Ciro Perfumes Miss Ruth Parker will be here all next week to help you select the Ciro Perfumes that best suit your person- ality. Ciro Perfumes come from France you know . , . light and youthful fra- North 1343 ia Ave. NW. grances that are as typical of chic and good taste as your smartest 1930 Frock. Ciro Perfumes, $1 to $13.50 TOILETRIES, AISLE 16, F1rsT FLOOR. Sketched—Misses’ swag- ger Shagmoor . . . en route to play golf. (Smart raglan sleeves and wide belt are Spring fashion notes) . $39.50 Misses’ Coats, THIRD FLOOR. Sketched—Woman's gray Shagmoor . , . ready to leave for vacation (withe out a fear of dusty, wrinkling travel)..$59.50 WomEN's Coats, THIRD FLOOR, Next Week is Fashion’s National Shagmoor Coat Week English in tailoring and fashioned of tweed . . . ever practical, with their specially constructed dust and wrinkle proof fabrics . . . Shagmoor Topcoats are a tradition with discriminating women. Because Shagmoors are doing smarter things 'lhan ever this new Spring Season, Fashion plans a national Shag- moor Week. Here you may see their new silhouettes, their lighter-weight tweeds—tailored to travel, wear and always look smart. Woodward & Lothrop Exclusively Offer Their Unusual Fashion and Value Qualities to Washington Women Women’s Shagmoors Plain, belted topcoats with rag- lan and set-in sleeves. Fur-trim- med Sports Coats. 535 10 38950 WOMEN'S AND Misses’ Coats, THmD FLOOR. Misses’ Shagmoors Misses’ Plain and Fur-trimmed Shagmoor Coats . . . youthfully custom-tailored for sports. 535 1o $98.50 Special-Size Shagmoors These coats are really specialists in fashions for larger and small women, Plain and fur trimmed. $39.50 1o $89.50