Evening Star Newspaper, December 10, 1930, Page 2

A—2Z »33 FISCAL RELATIONS | REPORT ATTACKED Mapes ‘i’hinks Efficiency Bu-: reau Tried to Work Out De- fense for Lump Sum Plan. —(Continy 4ng at the amount the Federal Gov- . ernment should contribute, was the principal eritic. | “Tt seems to me.” said Mr. Mapes, “that you're trying to work out a de- fense of the Federal contribution o £9,000,000. In order to justify that. ou have to work out a tax on in gibles for the United States.” “We're not making any attempt to Justify the $9,000,000 contribution,” Murphy replied. “In order to determine l what the Federal contribution should be in the light of Washington's tax burden in comparison with 14 othe , comparable cities we took into consid- | eration the loss of revenue to the Dis- trict from two principal sources—the | tax on real property and the tax on personal property—due to the fact that Washington is the Nation's Capital.” Questions Two References. “I am not criticizing your report,” continued Chairman Mapes, “but it ap- | pears to put the bureau in the light of advocating a particular way of adjust- ing this matter. “Why do you say on page 15 of your report that ‘the Federal property hold- ings ‘should be' included in adjusting ‘Washington's tax burden in comparison with the 14 comparable cities? “And why do you say on page 10 of your report that, ‘It is manifestly un- fair to compare tax rates and tax Tevenues in Washington with those in other cities, without taking into con- sideration the large property holdings of the Federal Government, which are exempt. from taxation?’ “Now why is it manifestly unfair to eompare tax rates and tax revenues if the actual tax burden is higher or lower in the District than in the 14 other citles, excluding the Federal holdings?" Believe It Unfair. “We believe it manifestly unfair, Murphy responded, “to make compar- isons if the holdings of the Federal Government are excluded. Why? Be- cause corporations in the other 14 cities pay taxes and it would not be fair to the District if its largest business—the Federal Government—is excluded.” “As I understand you, Mr. Murphy,” Mr. Mapes said, “you think there isn't any way of determining what the citi- sens of the District should pay without including the property of the Federal ‘Government, even though the citizens of the District pay much less in taxes than those in other cities.” “If the facts show that the per cap- ita tax burden in Washington is less,” replied Mr. Murphy, “I believe the tax burden should be raised to make it comparable with the other cities. I don't see that the Efficiency Bureau has handicaped the committee in any way in determining what the per capita tax burden should be.” “I don't see that you have handi- the committee in any way,” Representative Frear of “The committee wanted to your ideas.” Holds Government Not Industry. “You are constantly imposing & new proposition on the committee which does not prevail anywhere in the world,” continued Mr. Prear, “with this idea of treating the Federal Gov- ernment as an industry. If it is an industry it is not a profit-making in- dustry, and if this principle is true| here, 1 can’t understand why it doesn't 78pply throughout the country. “The theory on which you propose to tax the Federal Government is that ~the area of the District is so small that every time the United States acquires additioral property it removes that much more from taxation.” “That is one of the factors,” answer- - ed Mr. Murphy. * Murphy, who has been-on the wit- mess stand for three consecutive days, completed his testimony and tomorrow the committee plans to call representa- = tives of some of the civic and business ;organizations of the District. At the | < very outset of his testimony this morn- | ing, Murphy explained the formula pro- posed by the bureau by which it ar- Tived at the $10,183,391 as the amount the Federal Government should con- tribute in the 1932 fiscal year toward the expensgs of the District. Explains Bureau System. Murphy explained that the bureau ; took into consideration the tax labflity iof the Federal Government as a “ municipal taxpayer, including all Federal property dedicated to the use of the District and all park property, as well as the liability which should be sssumed by the United States to re- imburse the District due to the loss in | Tevenue because of the fact that Wash- | ington is the Nation's Capital | He pointed out that the Efficiency | Bureau is not suggesting that the | Federal Government subject itself to taxation, but that the proposal was merely & factor used in determining the basis of the amount the United States | should contribute to the expenses of | the District. | Murphy brought out that the bureau | did not take into consideration the spe- | cial police and fire protection provided | by the Federal Government for fits| buildings in Washington in arriving at any of its conclusions. This led Repre- tative Holaday of Illinois to ask him if the value of the Capitol and the White House were considered and the | Government makes a contribution based on the taxable value of its holdings, | it would be entitled to the! ‘Wisconsin. et whether same police and fire protection provided | for all the agencies of the District. Ceonsidered Entirely As Industry. “Absolute! replied Mr. Murphy. | “The Federal Government would be | entitled to all the protection and bene- | fits of any private tax payer. lieve, however, that the Federal partments would continue to carry a! force of guards and special police just like the large department stores in Washington do, even though they have the benefit of the District Police De- partment.” report, concerning Washington's loss in | revenue occasioned by the fact that it | is the National's Capital Mapes asked Mr. Murphy if consid- eration was given to any gain in reve- nue, due to the fact that the seat of | the Pederal Government is located in | " answered Murphy. in our whole treatment=of this property that we should consider the Federal ! Government as an industry.” Would Equalize Burden. “Isn't it true that the Federal Gov- ernment is not engaged in business for mflt as are the industries?” asked Mr. ‘P‘I!:l," replied Murphy. “But the bureau came to the conclusion that a §8in in revenue due to the Federal Government would amount to about the same as in any industry in the other comparable cities.” “Suppose it should develop,” -asked Chairman Mapes, “that the residents of the District paid much less in taxes than those in other cities, would you still think the Federal property should be considered on the same basis?” “T think the {ax burden in Washing- ton should be raised to make it com- parable with that in the 14 cities,” was Murphy's reply. “Must Not Eliminate Part.” “In fixing the rate,” continued Mr. ‘Mapes, aven't you got to eliminate the smount of the Federal property holdings and determine whether W of the District are taxed about the District puditor and budget officer. | indust THE EVENING .STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C. WKUNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1930 Wing Comdr. Charles Kingsford-Smith Parnell of KINGSFORD-SMITH WEDS IN AUSTRALIA Transocean Flyer and Bride Greeted by 10,000 Per- sons at Church. By the Associated Press. | MELBOURNE, Australia, December 10.—Wing Comdr. Charles Kingsford- Smith, transatlantic and transpacific aviator, was married today to Miss Mary Powell, pretty Irish Australian girl, in the Scots’ Church here. Only immediate friends of the happy | couple witnessed the ceremony, but | outside the church 10,000 people waited to catch a glimpse of the bride and groom. A number of air force officers were present and formed an arch of honor at the doorway under which the | couple passed as they left the church. | ‘The bride was attired in white and silver with a long tulle veil. She was attended by four bridesmaids. Her hus- band wore his Air Force uniform and was accompanied by his friend and companion of his tr fight, | The wedding climaxed a romance | which had its beginning in 1927 after the aviator's transpacific flight when, | traveling to Australia by liner from | Vancouver, he met the golden haired | llnmh girl aboard and fell in love with | er. Shortly before his take-off this year for New York from Ireland in the Southern Cross he announced their en- gagement and ssid that for her sake when he had completed his transat- lantic flight he would give up all long- distance flying and settle down to the comparative obscurity and safety of a mail and passenger airline promoter and pilot. Kingsforth-Smith has flown both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, is the only | pilot to have accomplished both feats, | is one of two pilots to have completed | a westward flight across the Atlantic to | New York, and holds the record for a ! flight between England and Australia. SAUL'S ROMANCE ENDS. | Navigator for Kingsford-Smith Will Not | Wed Dublin Girl. DUBLIN, Irish Free State, December 10 (#).—Almost simultaneously with re- ceipt here of the news of the marriage of Charles Kingsford Smith, the fiyer and Mary Powell in Melbourne today, it was learned that another romance of the Southern Cross flight was not to end so happily. The marriage arranged between Capt. J. P. Saul, navigator on the epochal world flight. and Miss Zenu Marchant, a Dublin girl, is not to take place, it was announced. Their engagement fol- lowed their meeting on the eve of the flight when Miss Marchant went to Baldon airdrome to kiss Capt. Saul good-by. They were to have been mar- ried when the captain came home. 'SMITH CASE WITNESS FIGHTS PITTS’ AIDE Former Employe of Company and Secretary Clash During Lunch Period. The progress of the F. H. Smith Co. conspiracy trial in the District Supreme Court was marked today by a personal clash when Edward H. Childers, a gov- ernment witness, became involved in a fist fight with a private secretary of G. Bryan Pitts, one of the defendants. After the nocn recess, Pitts and the secretary, L. Manning Shaw, were going to lunch. At the corner of Fifth ard D streets they passed Childers, former superintendent of construction for the Smith Co. % Childers sald he heard some one call him & name, whereupon he turncd |around and said something to Pitts. | Pitts remained silent, but Shaw walked back to where Childers was standing. | After a brief struggle, the two men were | CO-0Peration of a united tem Discussing an item in the bureau’s |separated and the incident was declared | MOYement. closed by all partles. Chairman | ———————————————————— ' statement of purpose and policy." the same as those in other cities where taxes are reasonabie?” “If you eliminate any part of the holdings of the Federal Government,” “we felt | responded Mr. Murphy, “the comparison = sistance eases to be comparable because you've in the other citles.” “IM you believe the tax burden in Washington should be approximately the same as that in the 14 cities, what difference does it make about the Fed- eral property inquired Chatrman Mapes. “You're an advocate of the policy of treating the Federal Govern- ment the same as the private property owner.” Many Are Present. “Yes, as far as real and personal property 1s concerned,” replied Mr. Murphy. “I am in favor of incl | the Federal holdings for the p arriving at the tax burden for cos parable purposes.” The attendance at the hearing today was the largest since it actly a_week ago. The spectators in- cluded Evan H. Tucker, president of the Northeast Washington Citizens’ Associa- tion; Edwin H. Hege of the Federation of Citizens Associations, and Grover Washington Ayres of the Ten Mile Square Club. The three District Com- missioners, Dr. Luther Reichelderfer, Gen. Crosby and Maj. Gotwals, also attended, as did Maj. Daniel J. Donovarn, | | of m- NOTED FLYER AND HIS BRIDE 0B CRISIS BEFORE CATHOLIC SESSION Colpoys Says Labor Resents Charity and Wants Oppor- tunity to Work. Labor conditions and problems con- fronting Federal employes in Washing- {ton are occlpying the major attention of delegates to the Catholic Conference on Industrial Problems at this after- noon’s session in the Hamilton Hotel. Among_the speakers listed are Frank A_ Birgfeld, chief clerk and classffication | officer of 'the Treasury Department; 4 | Gertrude McNally, secretary-treasurer, and his wife, Australia. HOWELL CARRIES MEASURE T0 DRYS | Temperance Conference Asked to Approve D. C. Enforcement Bill. A recommendation that the rigid Howell bill for prohibition enforcement in the District of Columbia be approved was under d:bate in the National Con- ference of Organizations Supporting the Eighteenth Amendment this afternoon. Senator Howell conferred with mem- and his bill was added to the agenda of the conference. from all the larger dry organizations, adopted the Legislative Committee's re- items of $10,000 each for education work in connection with alcohol and narcotics control. The two items were struck from the bill last Friday in the House on motion of Representative Blanton, Democra of Texas. Blanton made a point of order on the ftems. Receive Law Proposals, approve six pending bills for the ex- pedition of trial procedure, including four administration measures. These bills were: To give United States commissioners jurisdiction over petty offendess; to define petty offenses in the criminal code; to define petty offenses under the national prohibitten act; to permit the defendant to waive a jury trial in certain offenses; the ad- ministration bill to accomplish a uni- fied border patrol, and the Howell bill. Mrs. Ella Boole, president of the Women's Christian Temperance Union and president of the conference, pre- sided. Thirty-two dry organizations were represented. These leaders also were to consider a | resolution proposing that the conference | oppose any resolution for referenda on prohibition “unauthorized, unconstitu- | tional, and unprecedented.” | Opposed to Modification. | 'The agenda of the conference agreed upon this morning also included the general proposal to record the confer- ence as opposed to all bills which would | modity or weaken the prohibition act. | "Two groups were admitted to the con- | ference, the World League Against Al- coholism, of which Dr. Ernest Cher- rington of Washington is president, and Prohibition Fact, Inc., headed by Wil- lam C. Caldérwood of Indianapolis. | Four of the bills, which it was rec- | ommended the conference approve for | expedition of trial procedure, were rec- | ommended in the first two reports of ‘lhc Wickersham Commission Debate | on these proposals continued this after- noon. i Oppose Referendum. The Methodist Board of Temperance, Prohibition and Public Morals late yes- terday formally declared against a ref- erendum. After a lengthy discussion, the board adopted resolutions stating | that it “joins with the allied dry forces |of the Natton in accordance with the | action taken by them in opposing a ref- |erendum on or submission of the | eighteenth amendment. We favor the co-ordination of all the dry forces of the country.” | This action was taken after the board [-adopted the report of the general sec- | | retary, Dr. Clarence True Wilson, in | ! which he expressed the opinion that ' | “the time has come to call the bluff of the wet propagandiets by saying, “If | You want a real referendum, we will meet you half way. | Board members said later that the | referendum proposal appealed to them | as “an excellent plece of strategy,” but that as a board they were not willing | to presume to dictate a policy that | could not be carried out without the | perance The board challenged the anti-prohi- | | bitlon forces to present “definite | | “The wets have attempted to de- stroy prohibition by obstructing its ad- | ministration, by defiance of it, by in- | direct use of criminals, by the inci- dental causation of murder, by re- o government,” the. board members said | longer in the dark. On what do they agree?” | | Demand Assurance of Obedience. | “We commend and reinforce the de- mand of the general secretary,” they asserted, “that the wets state to the American people what they propose as a substitute for the eighteenth amend- ment, and in demanding that they first give assurance guarantees of obedience t the law before entertaining any other proposition.” Wilson proposed the resolution, | from any effort to bring about a refer- | endum. From the outset, he said; the | referendum idea appealed to him as too |€0od to let pass unnoticed. His chief he sald, was to make sure that it was seriously considered by the leaders. | The Board of Temperance adopted | tresolutions commending Attorney Gen- | eral Mitchell for declaring that “the ad- ministration of the prohibition law | should be wholly in the hands of those | convinced of the principle and the policy,” and expressed “entire confidence in his purpose and ability to the heavy duties laid upon him. the former Miss Mary | ' bers of the Executive Committee today | The conference, composed of delegates | port urging retention in the Treasury | Department appropriation bill of two | The dry leaders received from the | Legislative Committee proposals that it | Nationa) Federatio nof Federal Em- ployes, and Lewis E. Meriam of the In- | stitute of Government Research. Jobn B. Colpoys, local labor editor ind Jeader, who presided at this morn- ing's session, declared it was a sad commentary on this country if re- | sponsible leaders say there is no cure ! for unemployment. He declared he was | firmly convinced that organized labor | “resents charity” and only wants the | opportunity to work. Col. Arthur | Woods, chairman of the President's Emergency Committee for Unemploy- ment, one of the principal speakers, said the most important thing to be con- | those who are out of employment. Relations to Industry. Rev. Edwin L. Leonard, director of Catholic Charities in Baltimore: Oscar Leonard, executive director of the Jew- ish Welfare Pederation: Rev. R. A. Mc- Gowan, assistant director, social action department, National Catholic Welfare Conference. and otiers discussed the relations of labor and industry to the general unemployment situation this morning. The conference will close tonight at a dinner meeting, at which Edward Keating, editor of Labor. will preside. Archbishop Michael J. Curley of Bal- timore will make the principal address. Dr. James E. Hagerty, director, School of Social Administration of Ohio_State University, and Rey, John J. Burke, general secretary, Naticnal Welfare Conference, also will speak. , Worse Conditions Expected. At last night's meeting Dr. John F. Ryan of Catholic University, director of the department of social action of the National Catholic Welfare Confer- ence, in the principal address, envision- ed an unemployment situation “that is going to be worse before it is over.” During a discussion of “Wages and Unemployment,” Dr. Ryan took issue with President Hoover for which he expressed the opinion that the Chief Executive “was hopelessly wrong in his economic stand on expenditures for un- empioyment relief.” Dr. Ryan took exception to Mr. Hoo- ver's ‘statement in which the latter de- cried pending measures in Congress relief figure. 'HOOVER JOBLESS PROGRAM TAKEN UP AT ONCE BY SENATE _ (Continued From First Page) the United States that the relief of human suffering in this emergency should take precedence over the con- sideration of the interests of wealthy income tax payers” was still pending, it being Senator La Follette's purpose to call it up as soon as possible. . The La Follette resolution seeks to tion and its critics in the Senate one of tanation vs. relief of the unemployed. sidered this Winter is to secure jobs for | seeking expenditures greatly in excess | of the administration’s unemployment | — | sid | make the 1ssue between the administra- | 1 | | ! 1 Mrs. Eerbert Hoover is holding christened the steamship President Hoov Ruth Fessler, secretary WASHINGTON WARS ON BILLBOARDS Civic Groups to Seek Re-; moval of Unsightly Signs Near D. C. (Continued From Pirst Page.) | roadside stands on the landscaping of | the greatly used Maryland and Virginia | roads leading directly into Washington. These views she had obtained from a | survey of all approaches which she has just completed for the American Civic Association. Ways and means of eliminating the | roadside nuisances and bars to safe driving were consideied at the ting, | under the auspices of. the exedutive | board and officers of the Committee ol‘ One Hundred on the Federal OCity, of which Frederic A., Delano is chairman. Representatives of many | citizens’ associations and civic bodies, | including railroad officials of Mary- | Jand, and Virginia, attended the session, which was held in the Cosmos Club, Mr. Delano, who also is chairman of the National Capital Park and Planning Commission, pre- and Lieut. Col. U. 8. Grant, 3d, | exectitive officer of that Federal body, which is co-operating with the Mary- land Park and Planning Commission to | beautify the approaches to the National Capital, also was present. Work Has Been Success. Mr. Delano explained that the Park and Planning Commission, the District Commissioners and others Werl'“lmn(m or " the | to put our house in order” MRS. HOOVER LAUNCHES VESSEL of the Land are, left to right: Mrs. Herbert Hoover, jr.; Herbert Hoover, Some of the Republican leaders in | Washington Bicentennial opening on the Senate, exercised over the threat; February 22, 1932. One of the things | which has arisen to co-operation in (that had to be done, he said, was to that body, conferred together today as | make a survey of actual conditions. | to the course which will be followed to | Having heard ‘of Mr. and Mrs. Law- | ““The opponents of pro- | ‘aken away what would come from an | hibition should keep the country no | carry out meet the Democratic attack and those of insurgent Republicans. Republicans hitherto have been slow to rise and respond to thé criticism of | the President and his relief program, ;due to the fact that they have been |anxious to get action rather than de- bate on these measures. When Senator Jones called up the | emergency appropriation bill in the | Senate today he was immediately ques- regarding the position of the bill. Sen- ator Copeland of New York and Sena- tor Harrison of Mississippi both wanted to know whether it was the purpose |later to appropriate another $40,000,000 to meet the request of the President | | for $150,000,000, shaved down to $110,- {000,000 'in ‘the pending bill. Senator | Jones replied that it was expected that 340,000,000 would be provided after there had been more opportunity to consider various items requested by the | Government departments. “We accepted the House proposal for $110,000,000,” said Senator Jones, “feeling that this measure could be put_through quickly, Scnator McKellar interrupted, saying that in his opinion the unemployed would wait a long time before they re- ceived any benefit under the provisions | of the pending bill. Senator La Follette of Wisconsin de- clared that he considered this bill a smali measure of relief for unemploy- | ment. Senator Jones would not agree to this, but insisted that the bill really would aid in the present situation, Senator Bingham of Connecticut quoted officials | of the Government to show that the money proposed to be appropriated could be spent immediately on many of the projects. Senator Smoot of Utah read to the Senate a long list of river and harbor projects upon which he said immediate and added employment could be given. Senator Robinson of Arkansas, Democratic leader, objected to a pro- vision of the bill which specified th: the money must be expended during th\ remainder of the fiscal year, 1931, end- ing next June. He pointed out that §t might not be possible to spend a good deal of this money by that time. “I know that the purpose of this language & to indicate that the emergency situation will be over at the end of six months,” said Senator Rob- inson . Senator Jones said that if the money the made for reappropriating it, but Sen- ator Robinson said that unless President Hoover should call the Congress in spe- cial session, it would not be here at the close of the present fiscal year: “Why force a call of a special ses- sion?” demanded Senator Robinson, Sportsman Treated for Dog Bite. LOS ANGELES, December 10 (#).— Clitford W. Smith, millionaire New York ! sportsman and husband of Claire Luce, former “Follies” girl and now a screen | actress, was given the Pasteur treatment | yesterday for a bite inflicted by a | rabies-infecteq dog. I BAND CONCERT. | By the United States Marine Band, this evening, at the Marine Barracks son, leader; leader: Overture, “Migno “Old Folks at Home, Transcription by Busch | Sextette from “Luci . Grand scenes from Gretel” old ‘Canzonetta” Arthur Witcomb, second rel Negro meiod D River,” Burleigh .Godard -Massenet Marines’ hymn— “The Halls of Montezum “The Star Spangled Banne tioned by a number of the Senators | was not expended, provision could be | Auditorium, at 8 o'clock. Taylor Bran- | . Humperdinck | ton's excellent work in beautifying the | | roadsides in Oregon and North Caro- | lina, Mr. Delano explained, the com- | mittee of the American Civic Associa- | ning | Commission, he stated. | A communication from Dr. J. Horace | McFarland, chairman of the Roadside Imporvement Committee of the Ameri- can Civic Association, indorsing the | movement to rid the roads of unneces- | sary and indiscriminate advertising signs was read at the meeting. The survey of highway approaches now is being printed by the American Civic Associa- tion and ‘will be made available to all interested individuals and organizations in the hope that the deplorable con- ditions that beset the roads leading into the Nation's Capital will be recognized and remedied. Signs Line Main Roads. Tllustrations shown by Mrs. Lawton, of | | Views seen daily by thousands of motor- | ists, show that the billboards rre so | thickly placed along the Baltimore, | Marlboro, Alexandria and other pikes | that almost a continuous corridor of signs is formed. On the Lee Highway a count shows 78 to a mile, Mrs. Lawton said. Other roads are just as badly littered with billboards, stands plastered with signs, unsightly ofl stations and automobile dumps, according to her survey. Mrs. Lawton found that along High- way No. 1, entering Washington from Richmond, Va. from the southern boundary of Fairfax to the District line, there were 28 billboards to the mile. This means that an automobile would pass a billboard every three seconds, she said. From the north on the same highway there is almost a -continuous row of signs. In a distance of 27.7 miles there are 1,099 signs, an average of 39 to the mile. A-car at an average rate of speed would pass a sign every two seconds on this road. The adver- | tisements announce gas and ofl, auto- mobiles and accessories, hotels, tadios, rands of tobacco and miscellaneous foods and drinks. Religious advertise- ments such as “Prepare to meet thy | Maker” and others of like nature, she explained, are popular at curves which even undertakers utilize Monuments Draw Clutter., She cited the Peace Cross on the Bladensburg road, around which 18 billboards are assembled, as an example of how historic markers are being util- | ized by advertisers to make known theis | various brands in the great “outdoors” | campaign. On the popular Baltimore | pike, she counted 39 signs to the mile | and similar conditions exist on the De- fense Highway, Conduit Highway and | particularly the beautiful Langley road, | which, she claimed, is being ruined scenically by many new billboards re- cently erected. What some other States are’ doing to | eliminate the ugliness along their road- sides, Mrs. Lawton and others at the! meeting declared, can be done through co-operation of the public with the | Maryland and Virginia authorities. Though the State of Virginia at the last meeting of its Legislature passed a law to prohibit billboards within 200 feet of highway and rail crossing or curves, the Virginia entrances to the Capital still are far from creditable, she said. Since zoning has been au- thorized for the City of Alexandria and the Counties of Arlingtdn and | Fairfax, she said, billboards are being erected in great numbers to become established before the proposed zoning laws become effective. In that way they cannot be removed. | Virginia Takes Action. | H. J. Neale, landscape engineer of the Virginia Highway Commission, sounded an encouraging note when he told that he has a force of men re- moving hundreds *of illegal billboards er at Newport News, Va., yesterda: the bottle of water collected from the seven seas and two canals, with which she | ce -A. P. Photo. | | Methods of Fight On Billboard Set Forth by Civic Body ‘The American Civic Associa- tion, in its campaign to beautify the roadsides of Washington be- fore the opening of the George Washington Bicentennial Cele- bration in 1932, has prepared a suggested resolution for action of civic and business organiza- tions in the Washington region. The resolution follo Resolved that the association record its approval of: (1) The plans of the National Capital Park and Planning Commission for adequate highway entrances to Washington, the Federal City. (2) The policy of the District of Columbia Commissioners, under which no new billboard permits have been issued in recent years | and no old billboards permitted to be repaired. (3) The zoning regulations in Montgomery and Prince Georges Counties, which eliminate billboards from all resi- dential arid commercial districts and conflne them to industrial areas. (4) The employment by the Virginia Department of High- ways of a trained landscape en- gineer in charge of roadside im- provement. Resolved further that this as- sociation pledge its assistance to: (1) Persuade advertisers to cease using the rural landseape in the ‘Washington region for outdoor advertising. (2) Persuade public officials and owners of private property to take down all illegal signs along the highway entrances to Washington. (3) Persuade owners and lessees of private commercial property to eliminate eyesores from their premises and join in a concerted campaign to improve the appearance of com- mercial districts lying along the highway entrances to Washing- ton. and advertising signs along the roads. This is being done under a general order, he explained, and the ¢ommission intends to co-operate fully in ridding the roads of all unauthorized signs. Capt. Chester Wells, president of the hesda Chamber of Commerce, sald organization had petitioned the ryland Legislature to put more “teeth” in regulations governing out- door advertising, and believed there would be very little opposition. The zoning ordinances of Montgomery and Prince Georges Countles recently have been revised and ordinary bill- boards are to be restricted to industrial 2ones, it was pointed out. The restric- tion is further emphasized by the reg- ulation that no signboard may be placed in an industrial zone without a permit. Danger Element Realized. Emphasis was placed by various | speakers on . the fact that the bill- board is prchbably the least effective means of advertising, as it is getting itself recognized as a danger to the traveling public through its attempt to divert attention from traffic and traf- fic signs. This was particularly pointed out in the letter of Dr. McFarland, by Mr. Delano and Mrs. Lawton. A driver cannot read a billboard and also operate his machine with regard for road dangers, they pointed out. And if he does not read the posters, their ad- vertising value ceases. How to persuade manufacturers and hotel owners against this medium of advertising, and how to build up public opinion against it were subjects which came in for major consideration. Mr. Delano suggested that an appeal be made “to the decency and pride” of ad- vertising agencies,-and cautioned against any move that might be construed as a boycott directed against billboard ad- vertised products. “We must try other methods as far as they go and call the attention of advertisers to efforts being made to beautify the roads so'that we can get help from them,” he advised. Individual Aid Solicited. While he and others suggested that the advertising agencies would fight back, it was peinted out that one way to reach the situation was to organize group action to bring pressure to bear on the manufacturers. The hotels of Washington, it was pointed out, would profit more by helping to beautify the approaches to th. Capital, thus inviting more motorists, than by littering the highways with unsightly signs. Miss Harlean James, executive secre- tary for the American Civic Association, has prepared written suggestions for ways in which organizations and indi- viduals may help to clear ugliness from the highway entrances and suggested resolutions to be adopted by organiza- tions in and outside of Washington. One of the most effective of the sug- gestions is a “stamp campaign,” the stamps being sold at cost ($1 per 1,000) and bearing the legend, “I favor prod- ucts not advertised on the landscape. These stamps are to be used, she ex- plained, as envelope stickers. Improvements Are Spoiled. Perhaps the worst grievance, it was stressed, is against the “illegal” and un~ authorized advertising signs that are being plastered on barns, trees, fences and second-rate oil and filling stations. Civic committees co-operating with the authorities, Mrs. Lawton explained, could help in removing many of these signs and also in a campaign to limit places, of business to one sign. The Garden Club of America, she said, has gone to much trouble to place markers -af various points on the District line. These are popular places for billboard and illegal advertising, she explained, as her lantern slides proved. Thirty-two hotels, she said, are using the roadway entrances to Washington | for billboard advertising. Several of the best hotels here, however, have re- fused to go in for this mutilation of the landscaping, she explained. The husetts Hotel” Association, she | sald recently vetoed all such outdoor BRADY GASE VENUE CHANGE APPROVE | Brothers Accused of Bomb Deaths Will Be Tried at Annapolis. | Special Dispatch to The Star. ROCKVILLE, Md, December 10.— Acting on a petition of State's Attorney J. Frank Parran of Prince Georges County, who offered an affidavit that | he did not believe fair and impartial | trlals could be had in this county, | Chief Judge Hammond Urner and As- sociate Judge Robert B. Peter passed | an order in the Circuit Court here this morning directing that the murder trials of the Brady brothers, Lawrence | Leroy and Herman of Prince Georges | County, be removed to Anne Arundel | County for trial. | Early Trial Date Expected. ‘The records will, accordingly, be pre- pared at once and forwarded to the clerk of the Circuit Court at Annapolis, | who will docket the cases at the term of court now in session there. While the selection of the date is entirely | within the discretion of the Annapolis judges, it is believed, in view of the fact that court is now in session there, that the defendants will be placed on trial at a very early date, probably within the next few weeks. Parran explained to Judges Urner and Peter that the cases had been so thoroughly discussed in all parts of the county that it would be difficult to ob- tain an impartial jury in Montgomery Ccunty. Both Attorney Frank Hall of counsel for the defense and State's Attorney Parran informed the court that as An- napolis would be more convenient to & major'ty of the large number of wit- nesses, lLney would prefer that they be sent to that jurisdiction. Charged With Triple Murder. The defendants, who are charged with triple murder as a result of the deaths of Herman's wife and her Mttle brother.and sister when a bomb ex- ploded in their home at Seat Pleasant, Md., last New Year day as a supposed Christmas package was being opened, were in court when the order was pass. ed, having been brought from the Marl- boro Jall by prder of Judge Peter, Upon o:der of Judges Urner and Peter they were returned to the Marl- boro Jail immediately after the hearing this morning. Transfer of the trials to Annapolis was the second change of venue granted in the cases. The brothers were in- dicted in Piince Georges County, but made affidavit that they did not believe they could have impartial trials there and the cases were removed here for trial. Leroy was tried here last Spring, but the jury failed to agree. Herman has never been placed on trial. —e [FISH PROTECTION PROGRAM ADOPTED Prevention of River Pollution Also Urged Upon States and Nation. A constructive program for the pro- tection of black bass as game fish, for the better survival of shad in the in- land spawning areas, for enactment of uniform legislation dealing with these two fish and for a concerted effort to rid the rivers and tributaries in the vicinity of the Capital from pollution was adopted at a conference between Henry O'Malley, commissioner of the Bureau of Pisheries, and conservation authorities from Maryland, Virginia, :‘en Virginia and Pennsylvania yester- y. 4 Most of the time of yesterday's all- day conference was devoted to discus- sion of ways and means to protect the large and small mouth black bass, to conserve them for anglers and sports- men and to forbid their being offered in the neighboring States’ markets as food fish, Report Is Adopted. The conference adopted the report of the Black Bass Committee, wrnrosed of Dr. M. D'Arcy Magee of the Izaak Walton League of America, chairman; Swepson Earle, conservation commis- sioner of Maryland; John E. Gable of the Izaak Walton League of Pennsyl- vania. and Lewis Radcliff of the United States Bureau of Fisheries. Beetle Damages Pecan Trees. RALEIGH, N. C. (#).—Heavy dam- age to pecan groves and to hickory, persimmon and related trees by the B;un twig girdler has been reported m all parts of North Carolina. advertis! along the higl The Wlahl.nm‘n Hotel Men's hways. Association, she believed, readily would respond to such an appeal. Planting_alone, is not sufficient to beautify a highway, Mrs. Lawton stress- ed, if signs are permitted to be placed indiscriminately and dumps tted along the .u-ty of the roads. '{I e )l:nt- gomery Coun regulations have the right idea, :h‘ehe‘i’hlned. in per- mittifig only one sign om a place of business. Mrs. Lawton will speak tonight at 6:30 o'clock before the dinner of usiness and Professional Women's Clul§ at the in ts of anti-billboard Women's y- Club in the furthering \ NAMED FOR PRESIDENT SAYS Plns BANKED ; ONLY OWN MONEY Smith Co. Counsel Promises “to Annihilate” Charges t of Embezzlement. (Continued From First Page) was proceeded with and subsequently Mr, Coblentz transferred his holdings to Mr. Pitts. Then, when the bullding was completed, there was found to be & surplus of funds left over. If Mr. Cob- lentz had beld his stock this money would have been rightfully due him and he would have been entitied to it with- out question. “How can it then be said that be- cause he transferred his stock ‘the man to whom it was conveyed was not equally entitled to the money? Mr. Pitts had an absolute right to have that surplus from the Smith company either before or after final settlement and deposit it in cash as he saw fit in the Southern Maryland Trust Co. or any other bank. ‘The attorney for the defense then confirmed previous annougcements with regard to the manner In which the defendants would attempt to show that the Government had been mistaken in its charge that essential and incrimi- nating records were destroyed. . Denies Valuable Records Destroyed. “With regard to testimony here that rtain records were burned,” Mr. Lam- y. On the launching stand with the First Lady | bert said, “we will show that in the 3d; Mrs. Hoover, Mrs. Robert S. Dollar, Miss to Mrs. Hoover, and members of the staff of the Governor of Virginia. regular course of any business it is common practice to destroy records when they have outlived their useful- ness We will prove that with regard to the records, which it is claimed were variously hidden in Maryland and Vir- ginia, they were as a matter of fact all brought back to the offices of the Smith Co. before this indictment was returned. We will also show that a complete audit of the Smith Co.'s books was made in July and August of 10 subsequent to the time'when it is charg- ed the records were taken away, and that this could not have been done if any essential records had been miss- ing at that time.” Prior to the presentation of the de- fense’s case by Mr. Lambert, Frank G. Raichle, of defense counsel, had moved to strike out of the record certain por- tions of the prosecution’s testimony. Justice William Hitz agreed to strike out statements by Samuel J. Henry, former Smith Co. president, who testi- fled yesterday to the effect that Pitts stole $200,000 in money from the Smith Co. and walked off with $85,000 in bonds. This was done without objec- tlon from the prosecutors, Nugent Dodds, special assistant to the attorney general, and Neil Burkinshaw, assist- ant United Siates attorney. The case proceeded this morning after Justice Hitz had overruled a de- fense motion for an instructed verdict. Maryland Bank Employe Called,' The first witness called by the de- fense was Mrs. Verona Rouse, employe of the Southern Maryland Trust Co. She denied having told Henry that she had given Pitts the ledger sheets cov- | ering his account in the bank. She said the fact was that she had taken these sheets from the files and given them to Joe Howard, janitor. The records moved from the Pif- teenth street offices of the Smith com- pany in 1928 were identified by Charles {F. Marvin, formerly assistant treasurer | and bookkeeper of the Smith company, as nothing more than antiquated rec- ords of old subsidiary corporations . Marvin said he supervised the packs ing of 40 trunks with records, which were subsequently moved into Maryland and Virginia. They were for the most ar& he said, books of the W. H. West ., _the old insurance department of the Smith company. He stated emphatically that there were no current record or check of the present Smith company in the lot. Cross-examined by Mr. Dodds, Marvin sald he did not remember telling the April grand jury that Anadale told him on one occasion to pull a large number of cash checks from the Smith files. He had said on his direct examination that no such request was made. — e il SENATE COMMITTEE CLEARS WAY FOR SALARY INCREASZS (Continued From Pirst Page) _ President or the administration to say that they favor his'amendment. “We are going to have a showdown on that. I dare and defy him to get any such statement from the administration. He has no right to say that he has the backing of the administration. I am talking for the administration.” A letter urging them to strike out the House limitation and grant the Govern- ment salary increas>s recommended the Budget Bureau has been sent to ail members of the Senate by Willlam Green, president of the American Fed- eration of Labor. Mr. Green answered arguments that were advanced on the floor of the House by Representative Wood, and contended that step-ups within grades for under- pald Government workers is not in con- flict with the licy outlined at the President’s conference with employers and labor leaders in 1929, “The American Federation of Labor contends that Congress is honor-bound to see that laws enacted shall be hon- estly carried out,” Green said. GREEN LAUDS WALSH. Willlam _ Green, president of the American Federation of Labor, issued a statement yesterday praising the Walsh bill for a five-day week for Federal em- ployes. Green also took occasion to protest against & clause in the Post Of- fice-Treasury bili, ?w pending in the Senate, which would prevent salary in- creases in those departments. The clause was written into the meas- ure by the House Appropriations Com- mittee and defended before the House by Chairman Wood on the ground that President Hoover, in his business con- ferences early this year, had asked that no wage increases or decreases be de- manded during the depression, President Green criticized Wood's statement, asserting that salary in- creases for the Government employes had been made mandatory by Congress in previous legislation and that ap- proval of the clause by the House “Is a repudiation of the understanding reach- ed in the President’s conferences.” Contending that “Congress is honor bound to see that laws enacted shall be honestly carried out,” he urged the Senate to replace the clause with one that would provide for the salary in- creases already authorized. i T ——— Shopping days 2 till Christmas