Evening Star Newspaper, August 19, 1930, Page 17

MOVIE MUSICIANS' ROWMARKING TIME PENDING MEETING 30 Organists Included in List| of Those to Be Dropped if Agreement Fails. WASHINGTON, UNION WHL CONSIDER | WAGE PLAN TOMORROW} e | Theater Owners Explain at Least | B Two Houses Want to Retain Their Orchestras. Although it was made clear on the part of the employers that they were willing to negotiate, the Musicians’ Pro- tective Union and the Motion Picture ‘Theater Owners’ Association of the Dis- trict had made no move today in the matter of the expiration of contracts for | orchestras in local downtown theaters August 31. i Julian Brylawski, president of the owners’ association, reiterated the posi- tion taken by that body in refusing to renew contracts for the more than 100 musicians involved, but at the same time declared that “the way still re- mains open for negotiations.” Organists in all of Washington's thea- ters who have been employed under the blanket contract will also be included in the lay-off August 31, if negotiations are not satisfactorily completed. Mr. Bry- lawski said today that the organists in downtown playhouses have received the same salary as other musicians, but in outlying sections salaries paid are as low as $40 per week. Approximately 80 organists will be affected, it was said. ‘The chief objection on the part of the employers is the demand of the union that a certain quota of musi- cians be kept in constant employment. Under the contract entered into in 1927, the theaters were bound to keep an orchestra of 35 at the Fox Theater, 20 at the Palace, 15 at the Columbia, 15 at the Metropolitan, 18 at the Earle and 12 at Keith’s. A slight change that was mutually agreed to was made some time ago when the Metropolitan dispensed with its or- chestra, but the 15 men were added to the Earle ehsemble. Want to Keep Orchestras, Xt was explained on the part of the theaters’ nrl';nlg!ment that at least two Z:ll.hg lle‘nd:ng playhouses desired retain orchestras. hA special board mum of the Mu- sicians’ Union, which been called for 10 o'clock this morning, was post- poned at the last minute until tomor- row morning. It is understood that a letter addressed the union by the Motion Picture Thter Owners’ Asso- ciation, in which posttion of that body was set forth and the proposal made for strictly wage basis piece work, will be taken up at this meeting. X Meanwhile, the prospect of “canned music exclusively in all of the leading theaters remained inevitable in the event that no agreement can be reached between' the opposing factions. Two weeks’ notice wos given Saturday to he stage hands of the two theaters thnz have featured vaudeville attrac- tions, it being explained that in the event that no agreement is reached ;ith the mulk:hnfi. stage shows would dro) entirely. Nuflc:p:ldll served late last week on the members of the leading orchestras, which have been under a group con- tract through the Motion Picture The- ater Owners’ Association and the Musi- clans’ Protective Union, Local No. 161, which is a branch of the American FPederation of Musicians, that no new contracts would be made. “Sugar” Is Contention. “Sugar,” or the additional pay or- ichestra members receive under the union contract for work done outside af routine renditions, constitutes an out- standing bone of contention in the con- troversy. It was explained that al- though a basic salary of $75 per week is paid for work that never exceeds six hours per day, union men have de- manded and received speclal fees of $2 to $20 for deviating work, such as playing on the stage, donning costumes, 'doubling” on various instruments and soloing. ’rhe‘ ition of the emg;ycn is that they no reason Wi musicians should not be employed under the same terms as other union employes. Stage hands, motion-picture operator, etc., all are hired on a strictly wage basis. Heretofore two and three year con- tracts have been made between the Motion Picture Theater Owners’' Asso- ciation and the local unlon, under which the association agreed to use a certain number of musicians in "the theaters. Two-year contracts had pre- vailed up to 1927, when a three-year contract was made out. The last three years have seen so much revolutionary development in the theatrical industry, 1t is explained, that the same terms of this last contract could not be ad- hered to. RADIO STATI(.)N SEEKING OWNERS OF $14 IN MAIL Writers Who Sent Money to Prof. Gayle Norman Wanted to Reclaim Letters. Fourteen letters, each containing a crisp $1 bill, are ianguishing today at the studio of Station WOL awaiting the claim of their authors who sought men- tal relief from Prof. Gayle Norman, the radio “psychologist and mentalist,” who Jeft Washington last week for an en- ement in the South, as the police g:gtn an investigation of his activities 4n_the District. ‘The letters arrived just as Prof. Nor- man completed his engagement at WOL, and he left them with the station, un- answered, With instructions that the $1 bills be returned to their owners be- cause he would be unable to remain in Washington to answer the questions. ‘WOL has been having difficulty in lo- cating the authors because the letters bore only the initials of the writers. Periodically, it is broadcasting an ap- peal to the writers to identify the letters ‘and receive their money. HELD TO GRAND JURY G@rant Lumpkin, 18, Pleads Not ‘ Guilty to Housebreaking Charge. Pleading not guilty to a charge of ‘housebreaking, Frant Lumpkin, col- ored, 18 years old, was held under $2,000 bond for action of the grand jury by Judge Robert E. Mattingly in Police Court today. - " Police said that during the recent ‘heat wave Dumpkin took idvantage of ‘open apartment doors at the Ventosa + Apartments, 130 First street, and rans Above: Mrs. Charity Langdon of Norfolk, photographed at Washington, Airport today with the plane which she will fly in the Dixie Derby, which starts here Friday morning, Below: Miss Nancy Hopkins of Wash- ington, who has entered in the race. —Star Staff Photos. NEW RULE APPLIED 10 TAXI SERVICGE Order Requires Each Vehicle to Display Its Number and Owner’s Name. ‘The Public Utllitles Commission. at its meeting yesterday issued an order to all District taxicab owners to com- pel them to have printed or painted on some permanent part of the cab the name of the owner or trade name of the cab, together with its number. This was issued in an effort to get some idea of just how many taricabs are operating :?1 Washington and who is running em. ‘The commission is encountering diffi- culty in securing financial information from all taxicab operations, as many of those who have taken out tags allow- ing them to operate taxicabs did so under false addresses. Vice Chairman Harleigh H. Hartman of the commission explained today that many persons use private cars for taxi purposes part time by displaying a card glving the price of a ride. At other times this card is withdrawn and the operator substitutes private vehicle in- signia for his hacker’s tags. He said it was the duty of the com- mission to regulate the taxicab busi- ness and that every effort would be made to do sq, in spite of the difficulties the commission has encountered of late. The commission’s effort to compel taxi owners to show evidence of financial re- sponsibility before given licenses to operate is now in litigation before the Court of Appeals, but other sections of the taxicab code, including the order }sal:'ed yesterday, are still legally in ef- ec FACES GAMING CHARGE H. C. Manning Arrested in Raid on Tenth Street Cigar Store. H. C. Manning, 39 years old, of the 900 block of Longfellow stréet was charged with permitting gaming after being arrested by headquarters detec- tives during a rald on a cigar store in the 400 block of Tenth street yesterday afternoon. Police said 10 men were in the store at the time of the raid. LEGALITY OF POLIGE PAYMENTS QUERIED Conference Held Regarding Allotments Recently Made Under the New Law. Maj. Daniel J, Donovan, District au- ditor, was in conference with officials of the controller general’s office today in an effort to discover whether any error was made in paying to privates in the Police Department the salaries called for in the act increasing the pay of po- licemen and firemen. It was learned at the District Build- ing that Lieut. Col. U. 8. Grant, 3d, in an informal conference, was told by the controller general's office that it would not be proper to pay these higher sal- arles in some cases until pne year after the passage of the act. 'The cases in- volve privates, who, under the terms of the act, get an increase of $100 a year, and the doubt arises as to whether all of their service before the. passage of the act should count in determining their pay or not. The privates have all been paid the rates by counting their years of service before the passage of the act. If this should prove to have been based on an_erroneous interpretation of the act it will become necessary to take out the extra payment from succeeding pay en- velopes. i In the meantime the higher rates are being paid. It is expected that a de- cision will be reached before the next pay day, August 30. . BREACH OF PROMISE SUIT ASKS $10,000 Chetham Files Action Against Edward E. Brown, Beeking Damages. Norma Breach of promise to marry s charged in a suit for $10,000 damages filed today the District Supreme Court by Norma Chetham, 519 Third street, against Edward E. Brown, 1134 Twelfth street. The court is told that the parties agreed July 31 to be mar- ried and the wedding day was set for Al 2. A license been obtained and the services of a minister a; 3 but the plaintiff says when the e came for the wedding she received a note from the defendant announcing that he had changed his mind. Miss Chetham says she is #till will- ing to carry out her part of the agree- ment, but the defendant has neglected to keep his promise. She is repre- sented by Attorney Robert Hardison. The marriage license record shows that Brown returned the license for cancellation August 4, 25 MEN WILL BE ADDED SOON TO POLICE FORCE Candidates for Appointment De- clared Eligible—80 Vacancies in Ranks Await Applicants. Twenty-five new policemen, declared eligible for the service by the Civil Service Commission, will be added to the rolls within the next few days, accord- ing to Lieut. Joseph Morgan, the Police Department’s Jliaison ofticer with the ‘commission. There are 60 vacancies at present, and every effort is being made to fill them, Morgan said, The new appointees will be sent to the Police School for 30 days’ training before being sent to patrol beats and do other police work. BRINGS Ernie Lee, colored, was not only gen- erous to & fault, but, strangers still, to & policeman. For some time Einie had been a silent partner to Charles H. Neal of 1322 Fifteenth street. The source of their income was always stored in a cellar locker. Charles had admonished his partner, that locker.” This morning the partners were vis- sacked the ces. Lumpkin was ar- ~ rested at lhephlplnmem house yester- mub&;w have explained that * quick snacks here. I'm 8 sociable way—for my “Never leave my presence, Ernle," who regularly descended to the cellar cache, “without giving me the key to ited by Sergt. John R. Leach and his vice squad. With only a few uarts of gin and aicohol and several hottle la- bels in the room, Neal is reported to 1 keep only a few in only in hearing for both was set 7o |Ga7 moraing 8 Belice. Gorrt. OBEDIENCE AT WRONG MOMENT SECOND RUM CHARGE “Silent Partner” Yields Cellar Key Just as Vice Squad Is Leaving With “Boss.” However, when the police and Neal were leaving the apartment, the oft- repeated admonition of Neal returned to Lee's mind. “Well, boss, I guess you and me | parts company right here,” he sald. | “So here’s dat key you want” Sergt. | Leach intervened. Twelve gallons of ! raw alcohol, a gallon of gin and a | batch of stamps and bottle labels were found in the cellar locker. ‘police said. Neal, charged with sale and pos- | session’ of liquor and possession of la- bels and stamps, was held on $2,500 D O, TUESDAY, & AUGUST 19, 1930. PAGE B-—1 PRESTIGE AND CASH DRAWING 3 WOMEN T0 DIXIE AIR DERBY! SAYS Nancy Hopkins, Washingto- nian, Enters Race Which Starts Here Friday. MORE ENTRANTS SOUGHT BY OFFICIALS IN CHARGE Daughter of Dr. Alfred Hopkins, K Street, Received Pilot's License After Hoover Field Training. For prizes totaling more than $4,000 and the prestige for pilot and plane that victory would mean, at least three women, one a Washingtonian, will take off at 11 o'clock Friday morning from Washington _Airport in the Woman's Dixie Air Derby, one of the major cross-country races of the National Air Races program. ‘The three women who today had of- ficially signified their intention of starting on the cross-country flight Friday are Miss Nancy Hopkins, Wash- ington woman flyer; Miss Phoebe Fair- graves Omlie of New York and Mrs. Charity Langdon of Norfolk, Va. ‘The women will fly from the Capital to Richmond on the first leg of their trip, which will end at Curtiss-Wright- Reynolds Airport, scene of the 10-day program for the National Air Races, | conducted under auspices of the Na- tional Aeronautic Association. Other Entrants Sought. Several other women are being sought by race officials to enter the event and provide more competition than will re- sult from a race between the present three starters. Entries will be received up to & few hours before starting time. ‘The Dixie derby route will cover 1,575 miles and take the woman racers through Richmond, Raleigh, N. C. Columbia, 8. C.; Atlanta, Birmingha: Memphis, St. Louis, Springfield, IIl.; Elgin, 111, and on to Chicago. aborate plans have been made for the departure of the derby fiyers at ‘Washington Airport. There will be bal- loon bursting, and other aeronautical acrobatics for the spectators, it was an- nounced by airport officials. ‘Thursday evening the derby fiyers will be the guests of honor at a dinner to be given by the Women's City Club at the Willard Hotel, at which time Miss Omlig, one of the contestants, will award diplomas to ground school grad- uates of the Eagle Wings Flying Club, affiliated with the Women’s City Club. Jack Wynne, manager of Hoover Pield, will be official timer of the start of the derby. A. K. Barta, president of the Aero Club of Washington, division of the N. A. A., is in charge of general arrangements for the derby, and has working with him Capt. Thomas Carroll, vice president of the Washington Air- port, in charge of airport activities; Mrs. Lyle B. Steever of the Women's City Club, in charge of ewtertainment, and W. B. Brombacher, chief of the aircraft instruments section of the Bu- reau of Standards, in charge of timing devices. Miss Hopkins Trained Here. Miss Hopkins, the only Washington entrant, is the daughter of Dr. Alfred F."Hopkins, 1910 K street. She is con- nected with a flying boat concern in New Haven, Conn., in a sales capacity. She received her instruction and pri- vate pllot’s license at Hoover Field and then went on to New York to continue her work in aviation. le is one of the foremost woman flyers of the country. 1+ Langdon, wife of John hnf- g:llot, formerly lived in entered her plane, which she flew here direct from a fac- tory in Bridgeport, Conn., as from Norfolk. Va., her present home. Mrs. Langdon was the first of the woman pilots to bring her ship, a small biplane, to the Capital for tun- ing-up before the race. She sald this morning that her ship, having a cruis- ing speed of but 95 miles an hour and A top speed of but 105 miles an hour, probably will not compare with other ships entered in.he race. Counts On “Short Cnta: “But, after all,” she said, is not the actual speed that counts. In a race of this sort 1t is largely the short cuts of navigation the pilot can take that will bring home the bacon.” ‘The Dixie Derby is confined to light planes. The planes entered by Miss l-%)klns and Miss Omlie have not arrived here yet. TWO SUITS ARE FILED * FOR $30,000 DAMAGES Richard Whittle Asks $25,000 and Travers A. Trueblood $5,000 as Crash Result. The Shell Eastern Petroleum Prod- ucts, Inc., was sued for a total of $30,000 damages today in the District Supreme Court as the result of a collision of one of its tank trucks, with an auto- mobile May 30 at E street and Massa- chusetts avenue mnortheast. Richard Whittle, 201 F street, asks $25,000 dam- ages for injuries alleged to have been stained by him in the collision, and avers A. Trueblood, same address, wants $5,000 for his personal injuries and for the damage to his machine. The plaintiffs are represented by At- torneys Wilton J. Lambert, Austin F. Canfield and Robert 1. Miller. FOUR HOMES ROBBED Silverware and Indian ‘Worth $340 Taken. Prank J. Martin, 1320 Emerson street, has reported-the theft of silver- ware and an Indian shawl, valued at $340, and $62 in cash from his home between August 11 and 15. Several other minor thefts also were reported to the police today. A $20 watch was taken from a trunk in the home of Louise Bumbry, 1630 Third street, she told police. A pistol and $20 in cash also were reported mis- sing. nA‘. E."Lichtman, apartment 507, 1613 Harvard street, reported the loss of a child’s gold wrist watch valued at $9.50, snd an intruder removed & glass mei from the front door of 628 ird street, where Mrs. Emma Nicholson resides, and stole $40 belonging to Mary Smith, a roomer. Shawl Taxi Driver Takes Poison. Prank R Hopkins, 43 yeays old, of the 600 block of Ninth streét, was in a serious condition in Emergency Hos- ital today after having swallowed two inds of poison, according to police. bond. Bond for Lee, charged with pos- session of liquor and possession of la- hhunmnu'uulntllil-w. A Hopkins, & taxicab driver, was taken to the hosptial early today after he had told another taxi driver that he ‘swallowed ‘while in the T 0 ol e B HIGHER BUS FARE IS NOT PLANNED, | W.R T.HEAD Merrill Announces Company Will Not Seek Raise Ce- spite Heavy Losses. CHEAP CABS AND TRADE CONDITIONS CUT INCOME Losses Shown Every Month Since March, but Officials Expect Deficit Less Than 1929, Despite large revenue losses since March, the Washington Rapid Transit Co,, 1t was indicated today by E. D. Merrill, president and general manager, does not plan at this time to ask the Public Utilities Commission for author- ity to increase motor bus fares. In the face of declining revenurs, Mr. Merrill said the thought of a higher fare had not entered the minds of the bus company officials, who are looking optimistically to the Fall and early ‘Winter months for an increase in busi- ness, which will give the company “an even break” on the year's operations. # Hurt by Cheap Cabs. ‘The bus company was getting along nicely untll the low-rate taxicabs made their debut in Washington, but. since then the receipts have dropped off. Mr. Merrill, however, does not at- tribute all of the loss to the i35-cent cab operations, although, he said, they have been responsible for a large por- tion of it. Some of the blame he places on general business conditions, which, he explained, have reduced travel. Figures producel by the bus ccmpany show successive losses in reveaue in comparison with last year in every month, beginning with March. “he re- celpts In January were $29,443 greater than in the same month of 1929. In February the gain was cut down to $3,- 438. Then the losses began. In March they amounted to $41,558, in April $81,005, in May $19,283 and in June $28,703 and in July $35,590. In an effort to determine to what extent the cheap taxicab service is having on the bus operations Mr. Mer- rill had a oheck made on the streets downtown over which the busses oper- ate, Loss Heavy in Evening. ‘This survey showed that on Twelfth street between F and G streets between 8 and 11 per cent of persons who, it is believed, would have taken a bus used the taxicabs. This count was made at night when the theaters turned out their crowds. At other periods during the day, however, Mr. Merrill said, the loss ranged between 2 and 5 per cent. Aside from the passengers lost to the cheap taxicabs, the bus company has felt very little, Mr. Merrill said, the ef- fect of the 10-cent fare on the car lines. Utility experts had predicted that a 10- cent cash fare on the street cars would result in increased business for the bus concern, since the bus fare is 10 cents cash., ‘The bus company showed a deficit for the 12 months in 1929 of $7,300 after the deduction of all charges. Even with the business taken away by the taxi- cabs, Mr. Merrill said he expected the company to end 1930 with a deficit less than that amount. 2 COLORED MEN HELD IN ROBBERY PROBE Arrested in Connection With Loot- ing of Seventh Street Jewelry - Store Early Today. Two,_ colored men were arrested early today for investigation in connection with the robbery of a jewelry store at 1140 Seventh street early today, in which watches and jewelry valued at $96 were taken. The men are Henry Willlam Brown, 23 years old, of the 900 block of P street southwest, and Robert Walker, 22, of the 900 block of L street southwest. The stolen property was recovered b; police of the first dence of one of ported. The men were picked up by E. C. Helms of No. 2 precinct, near Ninth and M streets, after a lookout had been sent out for them. Police Officer R. B. Chenault dis- covered the store had been broken into while on his beat. The list of stolen articles includes dozen watches, valued at $2 each; a dozen rings, valued at _$3.50 each, and a dozen earrings, valued at $2.50 each. recinct at the resi- e men, it was re- Delay of Floor Covering Again Forces Postponement of Transfer. ‘The long-postponed move of the Po- lice Department from the District Bullding to the Walker Building, 462 Louisiana avenue, has been postponed again. It had been expected that the move could be made tomorrow, but now the date fixed is next Saturday. Workers are still busy painting and repairing the building. The main hitch at present is a delay in the delivery of material for floor covering in the Police Department’s suite, This has been or- dered from a Philadelphia firm and is being shipped here by truck. It is not expected to arrive before tomorrow at the earliest. When this is lald the renovating and remodeling work on the old building will be practically com- plete and the Police Department will be abl: to move into it. ESCAPES CRASH INJURY Small Auto Truck, Driven by Mar- ket Employe, Turns Over. Richard Alston, colored, 26 years old, of 1625 Corcoran street, an employe of a local market, escaped serious injury when a small automobile truck he was driving overturned at Ninth and Q streets afternoon after the truck and an automobile operated by R. E. Gamble of La Plata, Md., collided at the street intersection. Alston was driving east on Q street and Gamble going south on Ninth street at the time of the collision. Dry Officer Transferred. Pvt. J. E. Burke, dry law enforcement officer of the seventh police precinct since December 2, last year, has been relieved from the detail and ordered re- turned to duty in uniform. Capt. Maurice Collins of the seventh precinct m“rm&mmudod t:;u W. C. C. oo g a1 1o 1o enforcement @ tod: ‘Wrenn | ba: of for Trimmers today were forced to shave off the limbs of this gigantic oak, said to be 250 years old, located in the yard of D. J. Donally, 1806 Monroe street, to prevent them from entering a nearby house. —=Star Staff Photo. D.. WILL CONTINUE WATER 10 SUBURBS Reservoir on Patuxent Riverl May Assure Maryland of Future Supply. The District will continue to supply | water to Maryland as long as Maryland wants it, Assistant Engineer Commis- sioner Hugh P. Oram, in charge of the District’s water system, said today. The District is not disposed to inquire what the need for the water is or whether it could be supplied from Maryland sources. Capt. Oram said that he had been informed by members of the Washing- ton Suburban Sanitary Commission that the latter body is considering a reservoir on the banks of the Patuxent River within a year so as to have adequate water service without calling upon the District for aid in times of drought. By building the reservoir and piping the water to the commission’s district the commission could get its water con- siderably cheaper than at the rate of $65 per million gallons it now rys to the District, Capt. Oram said he was informed. - There is no obstacle, so far as the supply of water ,is concerned, accord- ing to Maj. Joseph D, Arthur, jr., acting District engineer of the War Depart- ment in charge of the Washington era. “The supply of water,” said Maj. Arthur this morning, “is ample both for the District and the adjacent sub- urbs. This is a question, however, with which the District engineers of the War Department have no direct concern. Our duties extend to the collection, stor- age and purificatipn of the water, The distribution of the water after it Teaves our hands is under the control of the District government authorities.” ‘The question of & permanent connec- Y | tion between the District of Columbia and the. Maryland suburban water mains has been discussed informally by persons connected with the District engineers’ office, as well as the public generally, since the extreme drought this Summer made a temporary con- nection necessary. It has gone no further than a discussion, however, since the Federal authorities—neither the Army engineers nor Lieut. Col 8. Grant, 3d, executive officer of the National Capital Park and Planning Commission—have any authority over the distribution of the water. COMPLAINTS OVER DOGS PROVE CONTRADICTORY Owners Object Because Animals May Not Exercise in Parks; Others Grieve Because They Do So. Two kinds of opposite complaints are being received by the park police about dogs in public parks, it was announced by Capt. R. C. Montgomery, superin- tendent of park police, today. Some persons are complaining be- cause their dogs are not allowed to run free in the parks and exercise, even though they have muzzles as required in the District regulations, while other persons are complaining that the regu- lations of the park police that dogs must be kept on leash are not being strictly complied with at all times, The latter say that dogs not on leash often jump up on small children and old peo- ple and either frighten them or, if they are large animals, knock them down. Capt. Montgomery said that the regu- lations for dogs in the public parks require that they be held on leash in addition to being muzzled. ‘THe regulations covering dogs also go on to say that any quarrelsome dogs thet rush at pedestrians, persons on bicycles or horses shall be excluded entirely from the parks. Capt. Montgomery sald it was some- times difficult to reconcile the views of the various dog owners and users of the rks. p'mm of these complaints are coming from Rock Creek Park and Potomac CIRCUS TO SHOW HERE The Sellis-Floto Circus will arrive in Washington for a two-day stay Mon- day, September 1, it was announced a; 'he 80-foot advertising car of the circus, which brings with it posters, 1 advertising material throughout the eity, YOUTH, 18, FAGES 10 Joy-Riding and Larceny Are Charged—Two Other Boys Are Being Held. Six charges of joy-riding, three | charges of grand larceny and one of petty larceny in connection with auto- mobile thefts were placed last night against Harry V. Hazel, 18-year-old youth of the 1900 block of Sixteenth street, whose mother, Mrs. Leitha Elizabeth Lowe, was arrested several days ago on a charge of receiving prop- erty stolen from automobiles. Mrs. Lowe was released on $1,000 bond, pending her appearance in court. Hazel was arrested last February for shooting his stepfather, Harvey Spen- cer Lowe, after the latter is alleged to have beaten Hazel's mother, Mrs. Lowe. The stepfather later refused to prosecute the case. ‘Two other boys, George Johnson, 15 years old, who resided at the residence with Hazel and ‘his mother, and Joseph Calahan, 16 years old, of the 1400 block of Harvard street, who were ar- rested with Hazel several days ago, were taken to the receiving home, where they were held. The boys were ar- rested by Detective F. O. Brass and Officer H. 8. Montgomery. Through the arrest and charging of Hazel police believe they have taken an im- portant step towards solving numerous automobile thefts and the stealing of nlrnclas from machines throughout the city. Complaints were received by police several weeks ago that a gang of boys were going through the city steal- glg cars and taking articles out of hem. BIDDING SEEN AS PLAN FOR BOAT DISPOSITION Policy Believed Cause for Ending Negotiations to Sell U. §.- Owned Line. The action of the United States Shipping Board in halting negotiations for the private sale of the American Gulf Orient Line, over which vessels are run between the Gulf of Mexico and the Orient via Los Angeles, indi- cates the board is contemplating aband- onment of its plan of selling govern- ment-owned steamship lines without competitive bidding. No government steamship line has been sold without. competitive bidding, but the Shipping Board had authorized negotiations for the sale of the Gulf Orient to its present operator, the Tampa Interocean Steamship Co. Before the sale could be consumated the Isthmian Steamship Co., a United Btates Steel subsidiary, offered $12 a ton for 11 vessels, $1 more than the ‘Tampa offer. The Tampa company raised its bid to $12 for the same vessels, or a total of about $1,300,000. After the Tampa bid had been raised, the Merchant Fleet Corporation, the board’s operating agency, again recom- mended that the Gulf Orient be sold to_the Tampa. ‘The Shipping Board demurred, how- ever, and officials are contemplating advertising for bids. ‘The Mobile Oceanic Line, also operating in the Gulf, recently was sold to the Waterman Steamship Co. after private competitive bids had been ac- | cepted. |APPLICATIONS FOR JOBS AS POLICE ACCEPTABLE Civil Service Commission to Receive Petitions for Membership Un- til September 9. Applications for membership on the Washington police force wllr be ac- cepted by the Uuited States Civil gcrv;ce Commissior, up until Septem- er 9. Eligibles ?fiust be between the ages of 22 and years and subjected to | rigid physical requirements. Appoint- | ments are to the grade of private, class 1, at $1.900 a year. Higher-paid | grades are filled through promotion, Full information and details may be obtained from the United States Civil Service Commission or from the sec- m g the board of the United dapvice Tasrainecs CAR THEFT COUNTS INQUIRY REVEALS FACTORIES AID IN RIVER POLLUTION Health and Sanitary Men Find Plants Discharge Chemicals Into Potomac. JEOPARDIZE FISH LIFE AND MENACE BATHERS Need of Co-operation From States Held Necessary to Remedy Con- ditions Outside of District. Sewage discharged into the Potomac at Washington and numerous other points beyond the city, almost as far as its very source in the Blue Ridge Mountains, does not constitute the only form of pollution found in the river, health authorities and sanitary engi- neers have found in their studies of the Potomac pollution problem, Manufacturing plants bordering the river, it has been discovered, have dis- charged into the water chemicals, gaso- line, oil and other foreign substances, all of which constitute contamination, dangerous to bathers and harmful to all forms of water life. Chemical dis- charges from industry are known to be toxic to fish and kill them or ruin their food supply. Excessive pollution may S0 deplete the oxygen content as to inflke the water unhabitable by fish ife. Several instances of chemical pollu- tion were brought to the attention of the District Health Department in re- cent years. In 1928 a mill in George- town was found to be discharging for- eign matter into the river which was jeopardizing fish life and deteriorating the hulls of river craft. This source of contamination was subsequently eliminated on the order of the Health Department. No Control Beyond District. Within the last few weeks the Po- lice Department discovered ofl, tar and other substances in the Anacostia River and traced its source to the Southeast plant of the Washington Gas Light . In a spirit of co-operation the gas company took immediate steps to correct the condition, In the limits of the District the Health Department has the power to control the pollution of the river by manufacturing plants, but without the co-operation of the States in the Po- tomac watershed, the officials see little hope of removing the contamination of the water before it reaches the Dis. ?yct. In various hle.gu:en: of the :lcun- some progress n made within the last few years in the reduction of the amount of wastes going into streams used as sources for public water. This is particularly &rue in the case of States bordering on the Ohio River which made & determined effort to bring about the exclusion of certain industrial wastes which had been passing through the water purification plants of ‘:fie cities on that watershed and produced a disagreeable carbolic acid taste. The co-operation of these States and the co-ordinated effort by them as a group, coupled with the action of the industrial plants, has effected a re- markable improvement in the water. ‘The question of bringing about a re- duction of municipal wastes so as to reduce the filterable load is compli- cated, however, often by the fact the source of trouble is in a State dif- ferent from that of the city having the filtration difficulties. Believe Government Should Aid. In a case lke this Public Health Service officials believe the = Federal Government should assist in the con- trol of pollution. However, no laws au- thorize the Federal authorities to reg- ulate such a condition unless it is dele- terious to navigation. ‘The Public Health Service is author- ized to conduct researches into stream pollution and determine its effect on drinking water supplies, but these are for the determination of fundamental principles which may have practical application. ‘The solution, therefore, rests upon the ability of the interested States to co-operate with one another to bring about such a reduction in sewage or waste as will permit the ef- fective purification' of the water re- ceiving those wastes. Aside from the effect of pollution on water life, it affords a constant danger to bathers. Arthur P. Miller, associate sanitary engineer of the Public Health Service, declares that “the ingestion of germs in contaminated water will produce sickness which sometimes re- sults in death.” Few Nearby Places Suitable. “In the determination of the suita- bility of a body of water for swim- ming,” he said, “the location of the sources of pollution, the currents, the distance of the polluting source from the bathing beach, tides and wind di- rection all have a bearing. In this age, when large groups of people live in small areas, there are usually not avail- able many bathing places on the water adjacent to any built-up section which are suitable for bathing. “In some areas where population density is high and the flow of water in the adjacent stream relatively small, the amount of sewage and wastes dis- charged into that streamr has been such as actually to produce a nuisance. Highly polluted bodies of water are not only displeasing to sight, but, due to biological changes, may be offensive to other senses. Such a polluted body of water has an indirect effect on the welfare of the people, because it acts as a deterrent to recreation. “Much pleasure and healthful exer- cise can be gained by canoeing on or fishing in one of the streams which still retains & part of its pristine pu- rity. But who of us would go to the trouble of seeking a point for such rec- reation if we knew beforehand that the water we were going to boat on was highly polluted with human wastes which might be disgusting to both sight and smell?” POLICE LOOKOUT ASKED FOR 4 ESCAPED GIRLS Quartet Gets Away From National Training School at Muirkirk, Md.—Descriptions Given. ‘Washington police today were asked to look out for four young girls who escaped from the National Training School for Girls at Muirkirk, Md., this morning. The girls are Elizabeth Humphries, 16 years old, described as being 5 feet tall, weighing 118 pounds and having blond hair; Evelyn Pepper, 17 years old, 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighing 135 pounds, having dark hair and fair com- plexion; Beatrice Kline, 17 years old, 5 feet 5 inches tall, with dark hair and Agnes Ferrill, 17 old, inches fall, M0