Evening Star Newspaper, July 25, 1930, Page 5

CTINP. 0 LEAS BL TOBESOUGHT Brown, in Forum, Bares Plan to Buy or Build 309 Sta- tions Now Rented. Discussing the question of postal leases, “concerning which there has recently been much uninformed publi comment,” Walter F. Brown, the Post- master General, announced in a radio address last night that the Post Office Department will make “definite recom- mendations to the mext session of Congress for authority to undertake the purchase or construction of 309 branch stations and garages which the Govern- ment now leases in the larger cities. ‘The annual rent bill for these build- ings s almost $8,000.000, he said, an average of about $26,000 for each build- ing. Speaking in the National Radio Forum, arranged by The Washingion Star and broadcast over the coast-to- coast network of the Columbia Brozfi- casting System, the Postmaster General said it is in connection with these buildings that “we encounter our great- est difficulties and incur the greatest expense.” Pointing out that it has been neces- sary to use the leasing system since the Government suspended building operations during the World War period and did not resume until 1926, Mr. Brown said “we are quite aware of the disadvantages of the leasing system.” The general building program in effect since 1926 and the supplemental pro- ram instituted by President Hoover helped, he said. Partial Remedy Is Seen. *“As a practical matter, however,” he added, “the public building program will remedy the situation only as far as main post offices are conce: i we now lease but 17 buildings' to house main post offices where the annual rental is in excess of $8,000, while there are 272 branch offices and 37 garages for which the rental exceeds that fig- ure. As a matter of economy and good business, the Government should own the most, if not all, of these buildings.” The fair vaiue of these buildings is approximately $75,000,000, according to the appraisals of the Department. “We are annually paying the lessers about 10'; per cent of the capital vaue of their property,” he pointed out, adding that the Government was in position to borrow 'the money to acquire these properties or similar ones at an interest rate of less than 4 per cent per annum, and as a real estate owner be immune from taxation. Mr. Brown pointed out that when the Government leases the buildings the taxes are figured as part of the “While I am not prepared to say that this is an exorbitant rental rate from the viewpoint of the lessors, tak- ing into consideration their risks and their costs and difficulties of financing, beyond any question it is poor pusiness from the standpoint of the Govern- ment.” 6,500 Buildings Leased. ‘There are about 50,000 post offices in the United States, Mr. Brown said, 15~ 000 of this number being rated first, second or third class. The total num- ber of buildings leased he estimated at 6,500 with the rental ranging froma few dollars a year to $360,000, which is the amount paid for the Van Buren street postal station in Chicago. *‘We are hopeful that the most per- plexing of our leasing protlems will rtly be at an end,” he said, “that Government will adopt a policy of oecupying any important or extensive quarters which it may require for postal purposes, not as tenant but as owner.” 'The address of Postmaster General ABrown follows, in full: “‘Fellow citizens of the radio audience.” »All of you are well acquainted with ter of policy the Government owns, or expects ultimately to own, the main post office building; and, at the other extreme, the smaller towns where it is economical and satisfactory to rent the space required for post office purposes on a month-to-month basis. Between these two extremes there is a third group of cases—cases where the Gov- ernment does not own the necessary buildings and where it is not economi- cal or practicable to rent suitable quar- ters on a month-to-month or year-to- year basis. The department now oc- cupies about 6,500 buildings under lease for terms running from 5 to 20 years. In about 5,000 towns the main post office is located in a leased building. In the larger cities we are leasing more than 1,300 bulldings for branch offices | and stations, about 100 for garage pur- poses and 53 for railway mail stations. Our rent on these 6,500 leased build- ings ranges from a few hundred dollars a year to $360,000, which is the annual rental for the Van Buren street postal station in Chicago. Our total annual rent bill for the 6,500 leased buildings is approximately $17,000,000, or an av- erage of about $2,600 for each building. “The establishment of the parcel post in 1913 resulted in an enormous in- crease in the volume of the mails, and made necessary a substantial expansion of the physical plant of the postal service. In normal times the need for larger quarters would undoubtedly have been met by the enlargement of the post office buildings already occupied by the Government and the construction of additional buildings in the larger cities. But while the new condition caused by the development of the par- cel post was crystalizing the United States entered the World War, and the Government suspended all building op- erations as a matter of public molicy, not to resume them until 1926. This forced the Post Office Department to secure the buildings which it neeued to accommodate the growing postal business, and particularly the parcel post, by leasing them from private own- ers. In the larger cities, like New York, Chicago and San Francisco, the quar- ters in Federal buildings were no longer adequate even for the normal postal needs, exclusive of the parcel post, and the only means of relief was to procure additional stations and annexes. Where satisfactory privately owned buildings were available in convenient locations - | these were leased as they stood, with such alterations as were necessary to adapt them to the business of handling the mails. But in many instances suit- able buildings could not be found, in which cases the department was forced to contract with private persons to construct and equip the necessary buildings to be leased to the Govern- ment upon completion. “While the peculiar conditions ob- taining immediately following the war seemed to compel this course of action, beyond question the Government was frequently placed at a disadvantage by this policy. A company erecting and equipping & post office building for the Government on a contract for lease for 10, 15 or 20 years is obliged to figure on recovering virtually the whole cost of the building in rental during the term of the lease, because of the likelihood that at the end of the term it will have on its hands a vacant building ill adapt- ed for anything but the special uses of the Postal Service. The result is that during the term of a lease the Govern- ment is required to pay in rental not merely a reasonable return on the build- er’s investment, but virtually the full cost of the building as well. Yet at the termination of the lease the building is still the property of the lessor and the Government has absolutely nothing to show for its expenditure. Nor doés this tell the whole story. The Government can borrow money for 4 per cent or less, but when it contracts for the construc- tion of a building to be leased for post office quarters it is the owner who must borrow the money to finance the proj- ect, and his interest rate, including all expenses of financing, will range from 8 to 10 per cent per annum. Moreover, he must, of course, pay taxes on the property, notwithstanding the fact that it is occupied by the Government, and interest, financing costs and taxes are passed on to the Government in rental charge. Under these conditions there is no doubt but that in the.period from about 1918 up to the present time the Post Office Department has in many cases been compelled to pay excessive rentals for the buildings which it has leased fyr post office uses. the United States Postal Service. You not only know its facilities for the teansmission of letters, newspapers, articles of merchandise and monsey, but know something, I am sure, of its- istory and the detalls of its organiza- tion. It is the only service maintained by the Federal Government with which practically every one comes into daily contact. In a peculiarly personal sense, it is your service. There is every rea- son, therefore, for you to follow its activities, closely, just as you would if the department were a business enter- prise in which you were a stockholder. “In the hope of contributing some accurate Mormation with respect to the policy and practices of the Post Office Department in leasing quarters for postal operations—a subject con- cerning which there has recently been much uninformed public comment—I #ball occupy the time allotted to me tonight in discussing post office leases. 15,600 are Presidential. “There are about 50,000 post offices in the United States. Of this num- ber about 15,600, rated by their postal Teceipts and designated as post offices of the first, second and third classes, are known as presidential post offices, 80 called because the postmaster is ap. pointed by the President for a definite term of four years from an eligible register furnished by the Civil Service Commission. These include the offices in all the cities and the larger towns and villages. The remaining post of- fices—ahout 34,000 in number.—having postal receipts of less than $1,500 a year, are designated as post offices ‘of the fourth class. Located in the smaller communities, they are administered by postmasters who are appointed by the Postmaster General from the civil | service lists and hold their offices for indefinite periods, in accordance with the laws and regulations relating 4o | €ivil service appointees. “Quarters for the fourth class of- fices are provided by the postmaster. are necessarily primitive, usually being a portion of a general store con- ducted by the postmaster as his prin- cipal means of livelihood. On the other hand, quarters. for all presidential post offices—main offices, branches and | garages—must be provided by the Post Office Department. Space must also be provided at large railway centers for the separation and distribution of th “through” railway malil. At the present time, in.addition to the 15600 presi- gential main post offices, there are about 1,500 branch offices, 900 garages and 64 railway mail stations, for which the Government must furnish quarters, This requires a total of about 18,000 buildings. “In 1300 of the larger cities and towns, the Government owns the post office buildings, and buildings are be- ing constructed in additional cities in Bccordance with the President’s build- Ang program, as rapidly as suitable sites [Lcan be grx:urrd and building plans drawn. Eventually, it is the purpose of the Government to own & main post foffice building in every community ’:1.;:". p}o:t:.l rcrlo‘.m]s of $20.000 or year—a total of abo em__:u:.r‘.f Jowns in all i not always economical for #he Government to own its own p{m ‘office buildings. In the smaller towns, Jor instance, the limited space required for postal purposes can readily be pro- ®ided in an ordinary store building to e found in almost an convenient ®Dusiness block. More than 9,300 post offices are housed in quarters rented on a month-to-month basis, for which the Government pays rental at an average rate of about $40 a month, in- cluding the cost of light and heat. About 1,000 of our branch post offices and garages in the larger cities are Policy Forced on Department. “It is proper, however, to keep certain things in mind: In the first place, the Jeasing policy was forced on the Post Office Department by the Government's suspension” of ordinary building opera- tions during the war and for a consid- erable period thereafter. In the second place, the department had to provide the facilities necessary to keep the mails moving, whatever the cost might be. any cost. There were repeated in- stances in which the postal authorities were unable either to find a suitable building to rent or to induce any indi- vidual or company to construct and equip a building for lease wgler terms advantageous to the Governinent. In such cases the department did the best it could. It gave publicity to its needs. It invited competitive proposals. It sent its representatives to interview public- spirited citizens, bankers and contrac- tors. It exhausted its resources to find a builder who would undertake to finance. erect and equip the necessary structure and lease it to the Govern- ment on reasonable terms. You will re- call that this was during or soon after the war. Land values were high. There was a shortage of building materials as well as labor. All these things added to the department’s difficulties, and they contributed measurably toward the high rentals which in many instances the Government was obliged to pay. “The “urgent need for post office quarters soon attracted a class of in- dividuals who came to be known as professional bidders, who specialized in erecting, equipping and leasing build- ings for post offices and postal sta- tions. These men made it their busi- ness to study the department's require- ments for space and postal equipment, in some nstances going s0 far as to se- cure options on available sites in an- ticipation of advertisements for build- ings to be furnished under lease. It not infrequently happened that offers more advantageous to the Government would come from these so-cailed pro- fessionals than from any°casual local bidder with his more limited resources and_experience. “There has, however, been no little criticism of the department’s dealings with professional bidders, resulting largely, I think, from their methods and practices of financing, The pro- fersional bidders depend upon bor- rowed capital. Generally aspeaking, their practice has been, after securing a contract for a building to be leased to the Government for a term of years, to organize a corporation to take over the contract, the necessary funds being raised by the sale of mortgage bonds. the aecurity for which is not merely the physical property involved but the lease contract with the Government, running for a stipulated terms of years and guaranteeing a definite income. I know of no case of such financing in which the rentals were not sufficient to provide for interest and sinking fund requirements during the life of the lease, but there have undoubtedly been cases where the bond issue has exceed- ed a falr valuation of the physical property exclusive of the value of the lease. It is proper to state that the present administration of the Post Of- fice Department has made no contracts with professional bidders of the char- u’u:rdw which criticism has been di- rected. Aware of Disadvantages. “We are quite aware of the disad- vantages of the leasing system. While we are compelled by the necessities of the service to enter into lease con- tracts, we are doing what we can 1o bring about more economical and busi- nesslike methods for securing postal quarters, In fact, substantial changes 8o located in bulldings rented on the mignth-to-month basis, * Third Group Between Extremes. “So when we are considering the que:tion of post office bulldings we find tm ea defined classes of cases—the ‘and towns where as & have been made in the policy of leas- ing postal buildings and in the form of our leases, which changes, we be- lleve, safeguard the public interest in ® rticular. To some extent W By e Tess since A28 and she It was frequently difficult to do this at ‘suited THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, POSTMASTER GENERAL BROWN. building program instituted by Presi- dent Hoover. Main post office build- ings will be provided under this pro- gram in all sizable towns where the Government does not already own a building, and hundreds of the present buildings will be remodeled and en- larged. As a practical matter, how- ever, th: public building program will remedy the situation only so far as main post offices are concerned. The program does not apply to buildings for post office branches and garages in the large cities, in connection with which we encounter our greatest difficulties and incur the greatest expense. “We now lease but 17 buildings to house main post offices where the an- nual rental is in excess of $6,000, while there are 272 branch offices and 37 ga- rages for which the rental exceeds that figure. As a matter of economy and good business, the Government should own most, if not all, of these buildings. “Our rent bill for these 309 stations and garages is almost $8,000,000 a year —an average of approximately $26,000 for each building. ~According to ap- praisals made by the department, the fair value of these buildings is approx- imately $75,000,000, so that we are an- nually paying the lessors about 10l per cent of the capital value of their property. While I am not prepared to say that this is an exorbitant rental rate from the viewpoint of the lessors, taking into consideration their risks and their costs and difficulties of financ- ing, beyond any question it is poor bus- iness from the standpoint of the Gov- ernment, which is in a position to bor- row the money to acquire these prop- erties or similar ones at an interest rate of less than 4 per cent per annum and as a real estate owner is immune from | taxation. Purchase Move Planned. “Buildings which it "has been the pol- icy of the Government to lease can only be acquired by congressional action whether recourse is had to increased appropriations or to using the Govern- ment’s credit. The Postoffice Department will make definite recommendations to the next session of \Congress for authority to undertake the purchase or construction of the branch post offices and garages under lease in the larger cities. In the meantime we are making no new leases on large station or. garage projects un- less the same are located, constructed and equipped 50 as to be suitable for permanent acquisition by the Govern- ment and unless the Tease contains an option to purchase the property upon reasonable terms. “We are hopeful that the most per- plexing of our leasing problems will shortly be at an ¢nd; that the Gov- ernment will adopt a policy of occupy- ing any important or extensive quar- ters which it may require for postal pur- poses, not as a tenant but as owner. This would seem a substantial saving in | money—a_saving_which in 15 er 20 years would be sufficient to pay the full purchase cost of the necessary proper- ties. It would mean buildings better to the special needs of the postal service. It would mean greates operat- ing efficiency, bettr working conditions for postal employes and it would free the department from the embarassment and) criticism_which has naturally re- sult§d from the practice of negotiating with} individuals and corporations for the Jease of extensive and valuable proplrties for Government use. “In} conclusion may I say that it is a satisfaction to be able to take our postal problems directly to you who use and support the postal service. I thank you for your interest and your atten- tion.” BISHOP WARNS CLERGY AGAINST REPORTED “SON” Young Man, Posing as Relative of Dakota Churchman, Said to Have “Borrowed” Money. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, July 25.—A young man posing as the son of the Right Rev. John Pyntz Tyler, Episcopal Bishop of North Dakota, has been swindling clergymen in various parts of the coun- try by “borrowing” money, the bishop said yesterday. Bishop Tyler, who is preaching this Summer in St. Thomas' Protestant Episcopal Church here, sent a letter to the Churchman, warning clergymen that the youth is an impostor. He acted after he had received letters from clergymen in South Dakota, Oklahoma and Kansas, saying they had been glad to befriend his “son.” MAN SHOT AFTER PRAYER Taunt by Four Youths in Church| Ends in Fatal Argument. SHAFTER, Calif, July 25 (P).— Felix Lopez, 24, was taunted by four | youths while at prayer in church here Wednesday night. He ran outside and ldunnl a fight was shot and killed. { Alphonso Beltren, 20, accused of the shooting, was at Jarge yesterday. Train ravel Cost Reduced Nearly 50% From Washington to all points South. Limited 15 days and 30 days. Tickets Sold each Friday. Saturday and Sunday July and August Atlantic Coast Line Railroad F. E. Masi, D. P. A. Phone Natl. 7835 1418 H St. N.W, PINCHOT CHARGES OTE THEFT PLOT Atterbury Heads Attempt to Take Governorship, He Says in Dinner Speech. By the Associated Press. ‘WILKES-BARRE, Pa, July 25.—Gif- ford Pinchot, Republican nominee for Governor in the face of the official re- turns of the May primary, in a “victory dinner” speech here last night declared ‘W. W. Atterbury, president of the Penn- sylvania Railroad and Republican na- | to tional committeeman, is at the head of a “conspiracy” to “steal the election of a Governor. Mr. Pinchot spoke under auspices of the Luzerne County Republican Com- mittee. He carried Luzerne County in the primary by a plurality of 26,000 oven| Francis Shunk Brown, which gave Pinchot a plurality in the entire State of 20,000 Brown challenged the legality of the ballots used in the county, charging that they were “mutj- lated” when perforated. Under the State law mutilated ballots cannot be counted. ‘The case has been carried to the State Supreme Court and a decision in favor of Brown would throw out the 60,000 votes cast in Luzerne County at the Republican primacy and place Brown in the lead for the nomination. In that event, Pinchot said, he would run as an independent candidate. Pinchot said “the feal reason behind the effort to steal the election of a Gov- ernor is the determination of certain public utilities in Pennsylvania to put their own man in office and through him to control the State government as they have long controlled the Public Se'vAI‘ce' }?or}r‘)mlssmn. A e d of this conspiracy,” Mr, Pinchot said, “is W. W. Atterbury, presi- defft of the Pennsylvania Railroad, member “of the Rgpublican National Committee, whose present excursion into politics 16 doing him no good and the stockholders of the Pennsylvania much harm.’ CONGRATULATE SWANSON ON NAVAL PACT SPEECH American Ambassadors in London and Paris Praise Virginian for Support of Pact. The American Ambassadors in Lon- don and Paris have both commyinicated with Senator Swanson of Virginia, con- gratulating him upon the address which he delivered in support of the London naval treaty at the opening of the de- bate on the pact two weeks ago. Gen. Charles G. Dawes, Ambassador to Great Britain and a member of*the American delegation to the London Naval Conference, has cabled to Senator Swanson the following message: “I have just finished reading your great speech and congratulate you upon it and its effect. Your constructive views and suggestions before and during the conference were a decisive element in the negotiations. I send you my con- gratulations.” Ambassador Edge, in Paris, wrote to the Virginia Senator, who is the ranking Democratic member of the Foreign Re- lations Committee, complimenting him on the fact that he always takes “a broad, helpful position on international controversies,” and sending him favor- able comment, in Paris newspapers on his address in the Senate. Debt Parley Held Success. MEXICO CITY, July 25 (#).—The newspaper -Excelsior states that it had information that complete suc- cess had attended conferences of the International Bankers’ Committee in New York for financing Mexico's foreign and railroad debts. The news- paper sald the terms of the agreement will be made known in a few days. Exterior Paint Complete lu’E&:;.“;“Slh Paint UTLER-FLYN B P-A-I-N-T-S 607-609 C St. Wholesale and Retail Youll ik Mamma ike Schlitz flavey NAVAL TREATY BILL PASSES COMMONS House of Lords Expected to Approve—Pact Itself Unaffected. By the Associated Press, LONDON, July 25.—The naval treaty | bill was ready for the House of Lords today with final passage expected soon. The House of Commons approved the measure last night on third and final reading. Beatty and Jellicoe Oppose Bill. Earl Beatty and Lord Jellicce,. who recently charged the treaty weakened Great Britain'’s naval power, will lead the debate in the upper house. No one believes the measure will be rejected. ‘The House ot Commons acted on the bill without division except for a single clause, No. 2, which supersedes arti- cle 4 of the treaty of Washington act of 1922. This article enforced treaty provisions against the building of cer- tain types of ships and in the debate last night Comdr. A. R. J. Southby and Conservatives argued that article 4 should be retained as a guard against unrestricted submarine warfare. A. V. Alexander, first lord of the admiralty, answered that article 22 of the London naval treaty dealt with this point. e saild clause 2 of the present bill, dealing with the same mat- ter, had been inserted on advice of the admiralty. Government Wins 190-58. In the division of this clause the government won by 190 to 58. The naval treaty measure does not affect the treaty itself, which was bind- ing upon the government with the sig- nature in April. It merely embodies legislation which will make the provi- sions enforceable against individuals as well as the government. AUSTRALIAN FEARS FOR SAFETY. General Staff Chief Decries British Sea Power Decline. SYDNEY, Australia, July 25 (#).— Sir Henry Chauvel, chief of general staff for the Australian forces, in his annual report yesterday sald that recent events have tended to reduce British sea power below the minimum of safety. ‘While drawing attention to Australia’s dangerous position in war time, Sir Henry suggested that her contribution imperial naval defense should be revised in accordance with what she can afford. Replying to inquiries at Canberra, W. M. Greene, federal minister of defense, said no statement had been placed be- fore the government with reference to the suggested transfer of two Australian cruisers of 10,000 tons, the Australia and the Canberra, and the 6,000-ton seaplane carrier Albatross, to imperial control. THREE ORDERED HOME TO AWAIT RETIREMENT Col. A. W. Williams, Col. William M. Morrow and Master Sergt. Miller to Leave Army. Col. Allie W. Williams, Medical Corps, stationed in Hawaii, will be placed on the retired list September 30 on his own application, after more thap 30 ears’ service. Col. Willlam M. Morrow, Infantry, at Brooklyn, N. Y., has been ordered to his home to await retirement. Master Sergt. John W. Miller, Medi- cal Corps, at Fort Humphreys, having completed more than 30 years’ active service, has been retired on his own application. Col. Conrad 8. Babcock, Cavalry, Mo., to Ljeut. Col. Hartman L. Altillery, from Fort Barrancas, Fla., to the Washington University at Omaha, Lieut. Col. Henry B. Clagett, rps, has been designated com- mandant of the Air Corps Primary Flying School, San Antonio, Tex.; Maj. Frederick W. Herman, eers, from Hawail, to Huntington, W. Va.; First Lieut. John. A. Isherwood, Corps, from Walter Reed Geheral Hos- ital to Fort Banks, Mass.; First Lieut. HE D. Mcuodil c‘lx‘:m:zu ‘Warfare rvice, from Haw: Edgewood, Md.; and PFirst Lieut. Hans Kramer, Engineers, from Fort du Pont, Del, to Hamburg, Germany, to make a study of European hydraulie methods under a traveling scholarship awarded him by the American Soclety of Civil En- gineers, * EMPLOYES INCREASED R. C. A. Victor and American Chicle Companies Add to Forces. NEW YORK, July 25 (#).—The R. C. A. Victor Co. has increased its force in Camden, N. J,, by 7,000 employes. ‘The American Chicle Co. announces that a night mrf&hn been placed on the pay roll to kf®p one of its largest factorles in Queensborough working night and day. D. C, FRIDAY, JULY 25, 1930. COL. GEORGE E. IJAMS, ‘Who has been appointed acting director Mof the Veterans' Bureau to succeed Gen. Hines, who has been appointed admin- istrator of veterans’ affairs. —P. & A. Photo. STINSON URGES DPLOMAT FUND Secretary Hopes to Expand State Department as Rap- idly as Possible. By the Associated Press. i s Intent upon expanding the Stal - t's internal organization and the foreign service abroad as rapidly as possible, Secretary Stimson again has asked the Budget Bureau for an if- creased appropriation covering virtually all phases of America's diplomatic activities. Pending approval by the bureau and President Hoover, the figures will not be made public, but it is known the Secretary has asked for the full au- thorized fund of $2,000,000 for the con- struction of buildings to house Ameri- can missions abroad. 1In line with President Hoover’s policy of reinforcing the American foreign service in Latin America, the Secre- tary’s estimates include a provision for 18 new foreign service officers at va- rious points in South and Central This would represent an increase of 10 per cent in the personnel in the Latin American field. A request also has been made for a considerable in- crease in non-officer personnel, such as clerks and stenographers. ‘The estimates also include an addi- tional $13,000 to be added to the $147,- 000 now_contributed annually by the United States to the support of the Pan-American Union. Allowances now include funds to cover expenditures for official receptions and social or official entertainment in missions abroad. For this purpose $92,000 was appropriated for the pres- ent year. This was the first time such an appropriation was made, but has been found far less than necessary to cover the costs of functions, particu- larly in the larger posts. Tentative estimates for such impor- tant posts as the embassy in Paris for this purpose are $5,000 annually, but it has been pointed out that the single reception on July 4 at that embassy costs $2,500 alone. At present all deficits for entertain- be paid by the chief of the {n fludeull instances, by on. ‘his testimony to urge increase in next year’s budget when the bureau holds hearings beginning August 5. Michigan Journalist Dies. JACKSON, Mich,, July 25 (P).— George W. Scotford, 69, managing, edi- tor of the Jackson Citizen Patriot, died today. He had been connected with the paper for 53 years. TRAVEL BY WATER TO PHILADELPHIA and tho: this Pleturesaue Srer Nivers Samad and ey Datiy pastecess unday. The s S amer JOHN CADWALADER imore Tuesday and M., Saturday 4 P. M. Saving Time ROUND TRIP, $4 Yeork Ci nd N Folier on’ rembes EHICSSON LINE LIGHT ST. Through_ tickets to New Jersey Seashore points. EISEMAN’S Seventh and F Sts. 3 Open Until 6 P.M. Saturday 312.38 $16.50 Linen Suits sl 2.38 sl 8.75 No exceptions. Any Summer !:hlnmck“melly % oft $25 Tropical Worsteds SUITS $16.50 Palm Beach Suits DEMOCRAT CHIEFS WILL LAUNCH DRIVE Hope to Wrest Control of House From G. 0. P. in November. By the Associated Press. Democratic chieftains are laying plans for an intensive congressional cam- | paign to begin late in August by which they hope to obtain enough seats in the House to give them control in the Seventy-second Congress. . Formulated at secret conferences be- tween the party leaders here and in New York, the plans entail the raising of funds for drives in the seventy-two districts in border and Northern States the Democrats hope to win. Money Not for National Debt. ‘The money to be raised is to be used exclusively for the congressional cam- paign. None of it is to be applied to the $500,0000 deficit of the Democratic National Committee. Not only do the Democratic leaders expect to recapture the 30 seats lost in the 1928 elections, which are normally Democratic, but they hope to take over nearly all of the 54 seats that have gone Democratic in off-year congres- sional elections during the past decade. With 23 additoinal seats to the 30 nor- mally Democratic, they would have & bare majority of 218. Representative Byrns of Tennessee, chairman of the Democratic Congres- sfonal Campaign Committee, 15 to re- turn to Washington late in August and direct the campaign until the Novem- ber elections. He has been assured by Jouett Shouse, chairman of the Demo- cratic Executive Committee, and John J .Raskob, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, of close co-opera- tion, both in the campaign and in the raising of funds. Byrns Consults With Leaders. Byrns spent several days quietly in Washington with the other chieftains arranging theprogram. Before depart- ing early today for his home in Nash- ville, he said the party was in the “best shape for a congressional fight that we have been in since 1910.” With the present outlook, he said, the Democrats would undoubtedly control the house in the new Congress. ‘The seals the Democrats expect to regain are one each in New Jersey, New York, Maryland, West Vi ia, Indiana, Illinois, New Mexico and Pennsylvania; two each in North Carolina, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Ohio; three in Virginia, five in Kentucky and six in Missouri. In addition, they hope to take other seats in those States and in Massa- chusetts, Utah, Kansas, Minnesota, the Dakotas and in Montana. R-100 TO MAKE FLIGHT British Dirigible to Undergo Final Inspection on Test Tonight. CARDINGTON, England, July 25 (#).—The British dirigible R-100 left its hangar this forenoon and was attached to its mooring mast preparatory to a 24-hour trial flight starting tonight. If the test is satisfactory the R-100 prob- ably will start for Canada in three or four days. ‘The huge lighter-than-air craft will undergo a final thorough inspection during tonight's flight. If found air- worthy by experts who will be aboard the ship will be returned to its mast, refueled and provisioned. Present plans would permit the airship to arrive in Canada about August 1. g A—S ATTACKS HOOVER FINANGIAL RECORD Representative Byrns Says Statement Covers Eco- nomic Conditions. L Representative Byrns of Tennessee, ranking Democrat on the House Ap- propriations Committee, made another attack today on the administration’s financial record. He cl that President Hoover's recent statement relative to -gprngrlnlom and expendi- tures made by Congress was “another exhibition of juggling with figures, such as has been repeatedly done with ref- ernce to unemployment and economic conditions existing over the country, in an attempt ‘0 cover up the real facts.” Previously the Tennessean, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Com- mittee, said the present Con had appropriated more than_ $5,000,000,000. “The administration has chosen to ore the figures given the Re- publican chairman of the Appropria- tions ttees of the House and Senate,” he sald. showed appropriations of the last session of Congress by $459.- 000,000, which was $23,000,000 less than gs amount recommended by President 00 ver. “In his effort to explain this enormous increase in the cost of Government," Byrns continued, “the spokesman for the administration has, unintentionally of course, misled the public by say- ing that some of these lprmmuom will extend over a peris of years. That is no more true with reference to the present year than of the last or any other prior year.” FLYERS REACH ENGLAND Germans Are Attempting to Reach U. 8. by Way of Orkneys. CROYDON AIRDROME, England, July 25 (#)—Wolf Hirth and Oscar Weller, the German aviators who started from Berlin yesterday in a small monoplane on an atf flight to the United States by way of cn:florknm arrived here at noon I Africa will spend nearly $5,~ highwa; R T YT I's Worth Something —to know that a responsible organi- zation will handle the Packing, Mov- ing and Shipping of your household ‘ef- fects. fOur reputation is reared on thirty years of satisfactory service. 7 Glad to estimate— phome Natl. 6900. Merchants Transfer Small merchants in Ceylon have in- troduced brightly colored phonographs in their stores with the hope that the music will attract customers. CHAS. Calling - Wrist Special—to Scouts. A sturdy strap watch, made to stand hard use for boys—or a stylish wrist watch for girls. 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