Evening Star Newspaper, December 20, 1930, Page 1

WEAT w. Fair tonight; HER. S. Weather Bureau Forecast.) minimum temperature about 28 degrees; tomorrow increasing cloudiness; winds 1:45 am. am. today. gentle terday, Full rep Closing N.Y.Markets, to moderate Temperatures—Highest, west 41, at lowest, 30, at 6:15 ort page 7 ,Pages 5,6and 7B he No. 21 6 Entevel wn ancond class mutter 31.644. Sl Wamnington. "D G ING EDITION Toening Star, service. The only evening paper in Washington with the Associated Press news I! Yesterday’s Circulation, 113,582 (#) Means Associated Press. TWO CENTS. ~ B.0.P.HEADADIITS HE OPPOSED NO™RIS INNEBRASKA VOTE i Lucas Brands Hcover and Coolidge Opponent as “Democrat.” CAMPAIGN LITERATURE SENT TO HIT REPUBLICAN ! Probers Informed Cartoons and Other Matter Cost $4,237.27. Fess' Statement Recalled. BY G. GOULD LINCOLN. Robert H. Lucas, of the Republican Nation: told the Senatorial Car gating Committee today t “Senator George W. Norris of Ne- braska is a Democrat. He opposed Rresident Coolidge in the 1924 election He opposed | Mr. Hoover in the election and | made speeches in behalf of his oppon- ent. If that doesn’t make him a Demo- crat, nothing can.” Mr. Lucas was called before the Sen-; atorial -Committee today to be ques-| tioned regarding the sending of litera- ture-into Nebraska to defeat Senator | Norris n the general election in No- | vember. In his appearance before the com- ttee_today Mr. Lucas admitted that had ordered cartoons and two pieces of literature to be printed, which were sent into Nebraska during the campaign to be used against the Norris candidacy. He said the printing of this material cost $4,237.27. The cartoons, he said, ‘were not all used in Nebraska, but were sent into other States where the wet and dry question was an issue, inciuding North Carolina and West Virginia. Mr. Lucas attmpted to read Senator Norris out of the Republican party. He said in reply to questions by the Sen- ate committee that he hoped Norris would join with the Democrats in a vote on organization of the next Senate, for Norris bclonged, he said, in the Democratic party. ‘The executive director of the Repub- Hcan National Committee told the com- mittee that the more than $4,000 which he had used to pay for literature to send to Nebraska to help defeat Norris he had borrowed from a bank and that it was his own contribution. Senator Nye, chairman of the inves- | tigal committee, himself a member | of the blican progressive group, at- show it President Hoover as a Democrat when e late President Wood- ilson in the election of a Democratic Congress in 1918 while the ‘World War was on. “President Hoover has done a lot since to show himself a Republican,” declared Mr. Lucas in reply. Did Not Intend Secret. “I never had any intention or desire that this should be kept secret from this committee,” said Mr. Lucas. “I did want to keep it secret from the Democrats in Nebraska during the campaign. If it had been known there, it would have given Norris additional ‘Democratic support. Norris was oppesed in Nebraska by the regular Republic- ans in that State.” Mr. Lucas was asked why he was op- Senator Norris in Nebroska, ‘when Senator Fess of Ohio, chairman of the Republican National Committee, was saying that all Republican candi- dates, including Senator Norris, should be_supported. Mr. Lucas said that he did not re- | call that Senator Fess had specifically said Norris should b: support:=d. Mr. Lucas told the committee that he had received information from Mr. Mc- Kelvie, a member of the Federal Farm Board and former Governor of Ne- braska, and from other Republicans in Nebraska to the eflect that Senator Norris had been renominated by Demo- crats who had gone into the Republi- can primary. He said he was further (Continued , Column 1.) executive director Committee, | SESSION ON PROTOCOL | Special Sitting of Congress to Come Only in Event Important Fund Bills Are Not Passed. It was said in behalf of President Hoover today that he has not the slight- est intention of calling an extra session of Congress for ratification of the World Court protocol. It was explained that the President is perfectly content to have this matter await the convening of the next regular session of Congress. It was explained also that, despite extra-session rumors 80 prevalent now, that the only possible reason for him calling one would be in the event Congress failed to pass one or more of the appropriation bills, thus creating a situation that might resemble &an emergency. The indications at the White House that the P cnt is satisfied With the drought-relie! bill enacted by Congress, though it is in excess of the amount asked for. He will sign the measure when it comes to him. and in the meantime the various agencies of the Government which will carry out the provisions of this relief measure are making ready to function and other- wise distribute the money under the provisions of the bill. SERIES OF RdBBERIES are | eitner |JUSTICE HITZ TO BE NAMED TO COURT OF APPEALS POST President Is Expected to Send Nemination to Sen- ate at Once. Seccnd Vacancy on Higher Banch May Be Fiiled at Same Time. William Hitz, who has been an asso- ciate justice of the Suprcme Court of the District of Columbia since 1916, | will be ncminated by President Hoover this afternocn or Monday for appointment to one of the two existing vacancies on the Court of Appeals of the District. The remaining vacancy on the higher court will probably be filled at the same time. although President Hoover at noon had not yet reached a decision, although he had a recommendation from the Attorney General before him at the time. Justice Ts Democrat. The elevation of Justice Hitz to the higher court will come as no surprise as his nomination was ready to send to the Senate last Spring, but was with- held pending the Senate’s enactment of the District appropriation bill. Jus- tice Hitz is a Democrat and his promo- tion is understood to have been made JUSTICE WILLIAM HITZ. entirely upon the recommendation of the Department of Justice. Justice Hitz presided the trial of the former Sm:lbth Co. officials which ended last gl It is felt fairly certain that the sec- ond vacancy on the Court of Appeals will be filled by a Republican. It is thought doubtful, however, that it will be a local attorney. The impression is that the President has d>cided to ap- point some one from outside the Dis- trict of Columbia. By elevr ting Justice Hitz to the higher court, the President will be called upon to appoint a successor to him on the (Continued on Page 2, Column 7.) PAY INCREASE FATE MAY BE DECIDED IN SENATE ACT TODAY Conferees Cut Out Additional Funds as Well as Wood Amendment. ‘The fate of pay increases for Govern- ment employes in underaverage grades may be finally determined today, if the Senate has time to act.on the confer- ence report on the Treasury-Post Office appropriation bill, from which conferees yesterday cut out the money the Senate had allowed to take care of 30 per cent of the underaverage salaries next year. Supporters of the increases are ex- pected to make another plea in behalf of the low-paid Government workers when the conference report is submit- ted for ratification, but they are not ‘hepeful of changing the decision reached by the conferees. Senator Brookhart, Republican, of Towa, & leading advocate of adjusting inequalities in Government salaries, was studying the subject late yesterday and gathering data. Allows Some Increases. The conferces eliminated the Wood limitation as well as the additional sal- ary money, and.while the dropping of the Wood clause will make possible some increases by enabling officials to use lapsed balances for promotions, it will not permit nearly as many es as the Senate voted for when it added $1,190,000 to the salary allotments in this bill. The Senate conferees gained little by the elimination of the Wood amend- ment, since the House had already rejected this same clause on the Interior appropriation bill, which came up after the Treasury-Post Office bill a week ago. Still later the agricultural appro- priation bill was reported from the House committee without the Wood amendment. In the Interior appropriation bill, which is awaiting action in the Senate, the Senate Appropriations Committee has inserted 30 per cent of the amount needed to lift up all under-average grades, just as it did when it passed the Treasury-Post Office measure. Action to Be Precedent. ‘Whatever action is finally taken, how- ever, on the Treasury-Post Office con- ference report is expected to be follow- ed on all the other supply bills, since the same principles are involved, and it is not likely Congress will grant un- der-average increases in other depart- l1;::](:‘“!.5 if “they are omitted from one The budget message transmitted at the opening of the session recommended that Congress begin during the com- ing year a program of adjusting un- der-average salaries by allowing 30 per cent of the total of $14,400,000 needed for this purpose. For all of the appro- priation bills, the 30 per cent recom- mendation would have called for some- thing over $4,000,000 for the next fiscal year. Elimination of the Senate in- creases will mean that the beginning of this program of increases will be postpored for another fiscal year. Actually Carries $2,273,480. The Treasury-Post Offite bill as agreed to in conference actually carries $2,273,480 for salary increases for Gov- ernment employes and all of the ap- SENATE TARES SO0 BlL TOHEL OBLESS Jones Urges That Three Amendments House Reject- ed Be Dropped. By the Associated Press. The Senate today passed the emer- gency $116,000,000 employment ap- propriation. This completes congressional action on the appropriation, which becomes available immediately upon signature of the bill by President Hoover. The Senate began consideration of the emergency ~$116,000,000 employ- ment appropriation at the start of today's session. + Chairman Jones of the Appropria- tions Committee urged the Senate to recede from three amendments which the House has refused to accept and bwmch are delaying enactment of the JiN ‘Two of the amendments on the $116,~ 000,000 appropriation in controversy were those sponsored by Senators George of Georgia and Black of Ala- bama, making avallable the unex- pended balance of more than $2,000,- 000 for road conmstruction in their | States without necessity of the States matching the funds as required by law. Senator Jones urged that the Senate abandon these amendments. La Follette, Republica; Wisconsin, called President Hoover relief program “inadequate” as the Sen- ate neared a vote on the first of the amendments. Hope to Adjourn Today. Congress came to work early, hope- ful of finishing a tremendous npile of essential tasks, so by nightfall the members might turn homeward for the Christmas holidays. ‘The Senate had the greater job. It had to decide first off whether to let the House have its way on remaining disputes on the public works appropri- ations. It had to do something about the $150,000,000 Farm Board appropri- {ation, whose passage was held up yes- terday. It had to consider a conference report on the Treasury-Post Office ap- propriation bill, first of the annual sup- filymumnswbepuudbybm.h ouses. On top of all this it expected to ap- prove at least one more of the pr:spl- %Lmflnfi. :n the new Power , 80 group could be or- ganized before the first orp the year. G House Less Loaded. The House was less loaded, but had to stand by to effect final agreements with the Senate on the pending meas- ures which the leaders have resolved to pass before recessing until 1931. One step in the congressional pro- gram was up to the President. the legislative branch expected to send down for his signature the drought relief $45,000,000 bill. It does not ap- propriate the money. To make ge funds available immediately after aj proving the authorization the Presi- dent must retommend an amount, an propriation bills will contain approxi- mately $4,000,000 for carrying out the Brookhart_act, Chairman Wood of the appropriation bill must be drawn, de- bated, passed by both Houses and signed by the Chief Executive. If Mr. Hoover approves the measure (Continued on Page 2, Column 3.) (Continued on Page 2, Column 2.) POLICE TO PROVIDE FUNERAL FOR SAFE-CRACKER KILLED HERE AT JUDGE’S HOME BARED;Oflicers Rescue Body of Slain Gunman From Grave in Mattingly Blames Thefts of Gems, Vases and Phonograph Records on Revenge for Penalties. ‘The home of Judge Robert E. Mat- James Powers, veteran safe cracker , 1224 Massachusetts l:nll!. has Potter’s Field. SHTH GO OFFERS N CELL AVATIG MOVES FORAPPEAL Sentences of Pitts, Anadale and Edwards Held Up Pend- ing Defense Motions. THREE FOUND GUILTY ON ALL FOUR COUNTS Convicted Men Surprised by Ver- dict Returned by Jury After Few Hours. Convicted of a conspiracy to embezzle $5,000,000 from the F. H. Smith Co. and to destroy incriminating records, three former officers of the corporation occu- pled a cell in District jail today while their attorneys planned to appeal the case, The guilty verdict was returned in District Supreme Court last n'ght against G. Bryan Pitts, former chair- man of the Smith Co. poard of direc- tors, and C. Elbert Anadale and John H. Edwards, jr., former vice presidents. ‘Their lawyers were the only visitors at the District Jail today, and it was said that they would be denied to all other visitors until next Friday, the regular visiting day. Immediately after announcement of the verdict, which was returned after a little more than four hours’ delibera- tion, Justice William Hitz ordered the defendants remanded to jail. This was done over the protests of Defense Coun- sel Wilton J. Lambert, who asked that they be released under bond. Sentence Held in Abeyance. Justice Hitz will not impose sentence until after the question of an appeal has been settled. The defendants, how- ever, face possible prison terms of 23 years each and a $10,000 fine. The conviction came as a distinct surprise to the three accused men, who had confidently predicted an acquittal while the jurors were determining their verdict. Pitts, described by the prosecution as the “master mind"” of the conspirators, stood with open mouth as LeRoy Yowell, jury foreman, announced, “We find all of the defendants guilty on all four counts of the indictment.” Re- moving his glasses, he began polishing the lenses as he scrutinized the face of each juror. Edwards and Anadale appeared over- whelmed by the verdict. Neither moved & muscle as the clerk of the court polled the jury in compliance with a request A Lambert. “Attorney After each of the jurors had affirmed the verdict of the foreman, however, the three convicted men walked back to the place in the room where their wives were seated, and embraced them. A few minutes later they were taken ;.:z a cell on the lower floor of the court- ouse. Spent Night in Jail. ‘They were joined there by their wives and other relatives. Farewells were said in a few minutes and the prisoners then were removed in private cars, ac- cal;:plmed by deputy marshals, to the They spent last night in a double cell, equipped with canvas bunks. This morning they ate breakfast with the other prisoners. On his way to the jail, Edwards told reporters: “I know my wife will stand up, but I am afraid this will be a terrible shock for my mother. I will take it the best I can” Pitts and ladale would make no comment. During the trial attorneys for the defendants secured approximately 170 exceptions to rulings by Justice Hitz. It 1s on these exceptions that their try for an appeal will be based. One attorney sakl habeas corpus proceed- ings might be instituted to secure the release of the men from jail. The céhviction last night marked the culmination of a long investigation of the affairs of the Smith Co. by the Department of Justice and United States attorney's office. Rise Was Meteoric. It also at least temporarily halted the meteoric rise of Pitts in the finan- cial world. Son of a railroad conduc- tor, he began life as a clerk, but in 15 'years he had climbed to the high- (Continued on Page 2, Column 8.) _— McLEAN IS SUBPOENAED IN MAINTENANCE ACTION Publisher Served While in Bed at Home to Answer Wife's Suit for $10,000 Monthly. Service of a subpoena in his wife's suit for $10,000 a month for mainte- nance of herself and her three children upon Edward Beale McLean, millionaire ublisher of the Washington Post, to- y indicated that efforts to patch up the differences of the McLeans out of ported last week, have been abandoned. Service in the sult was effected upon Mr. McLean while he was in bed at his home, Pflmdlhl? on Wisconsin avenue, this morning. It requires a return m three days. A week ago it was stated that all ef- forts to effect service of a subpoena on Mr. McLean, who was believed to be out of the city, had been abandoned. DROUGHT SURVEY RUSHED The Red Cross reported today it ex- pected to complete by Christmas a survey of every county of the drought area in which there is a possibility of a food shortage. To date, a statement by De Witt C. Smith, assistant domestic relief director said, the society has been more con- cerned with supplying food to those in want than with compiling statistics on e thered by ts and State offi- 'h show . Wl X families in 472 counties must be sup- wdflthloodntmflmedunu ‘Winter, I there is any actual danger of Smith said, it is in isolated is not even starvation, cases where the condition known to persons in the community. Eudoxia Betrothal Denied. | TONING RULE AIDS IN BILLBOARD WAR ‘Arlington County Officials, | However, Are Powerless to Remove Old Signs. While the recently enacted zoning regulation for Arlington County has done much to curb the indiseriminate | erection of additionaladvertising bill- boards, the non-retroactive feature of the law, as elsewhere, renders officials | powerless to remove those established before the law went into effect. ‘This situation is emphasized by Frank G. Campbell, civic worker and veteran biliboard opponent, who, with leaders of other civic organizations in the county has fought long for the abolition of unsightly ro~dside boards. Referring to the present status of the billboards, Mr. Campbell said: Situation Improved. “The signboard situation has ma- terially improved in Arlington County in the past two years. e recently enacted zoning law prohibits the erec- tion of advertising signboards in resi- dential districts and, since probably 85 per cent of the county has been zoned ‘residential,’ this should, in a large measure, prevent the erection of addi- tional signboards. “Unfortunately, it does not take care of the many signboards that were erected before the zoning law went into effect and it is not possible to enact retroactive laws that will force the im- mediate removdl of these signs. How- ever, the United States Supreme Court has pointed out a way to discourage the long-continued maintenance of such signs. “In St. Louis Poster Advertising Co. vs. City of St. Louis, the Supreme Court, said: ‘Billboards properly may be put in a class by themselves and pro- hibited in residence districts of a city in the interest of the safety. morality, health and decency of the community.” High Tax Seen as Aid. “Later in the same decision the court, said: ‘If the city desired to dis- courage billboards by a high tax we know of nothing to hinder, even apart from the right to prohibi them alto- gether.' " Continuing, Mr. Campbell pointed with encouragement to a recent action of the Board of County Supervisors in which that body refused to grant a per- mit fr the erection of a signboard at the Washington Airport. which is at the Virginia end of the Arlington Mem- orial Bridge, one of the principal en- trances to Washington. { " The refusal to issue this permit is taken by Mr. Campbell to indicate a desire of the county governing board to come to the rellef of the community in this matter. He suggests the enact- ment by that body of the necessary legislation “not only to prevent addi- tional signboards, but to get rid of those that have been foisted upon the community in recent years.” “This can be done,” he said, “by the imposition of a high tax, and since every local industry is taxed to meet the mounting cost of local government, there appears to be no good reason why various corporations, utilizing our scenic highways revenue producing pur- poses, should not likewise be locally taxed. A recent tax on advertising signboards could be made to yield at least $50,000 a year for the support of our local government.” WINS PARDON AT 80 Convict, in Plea, Says He Didn’t ‘Want to Die in Prison. I, December 20 (#). —John Poe, 80, one of Illinois’ oldest convicts, didn’t want to die in prison, he wrote Curt C. Lindauer, assistant State’s attorney of St. Clair County. Lindauer. impressed by the old man’s plea, recommended a ‘pardon, and it was granted yesterday. Poe was serv- ing a sentence of one to eleven years from East St. Louis m 3 for the theft of barber supplies. WILL ATTEND CATHEDRAL President and Mrs. Hoover Accept Invitation of Bishop. President and Mrs. Hoover tomorrow morning will rel Cad ices, in whose of the Washington work in the e Hoover are in- Cathedral Mr. and terested. Poincare Out of Danger. care, ail- said the continued. deanges WASHINGTON, D. C, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1930—TWENTY-SIX PAGES. =* 47 NOTHING MUCH, ONLY A SUGGESTION To SANTA! = i GEN. PERSHING'S BOYS EAGER FOR HIS WORLD WAR MEMOIRS Receives Messages From All Over World and Answers Them Himself—France, England and Germany Await Story. BY REX COLLIER. The world has evidenced its pleasur- | able anticipation of Gen. Pershing's industry and from remote farming sec- tions has come & chorus of approbation. America’s general of the armies, re- | flecting reminiscently upon the inter- forthcoming memoirs on the Werld War, | esting response of those whom he com- but no group of the general's admirers | TN has manifested keener curlosity than | spons | with the Armistice. the scattered remnants of the valorous army which was the A. E. F. Announcement of arrangements for | publication of Gen. Pershing’s story of | the war in The Star and the associated newspapers of the North American Newspaper Alliance and in a few other selected newspapers prompted a flood of congratulatory messages, among them a fund of characteristic comment from former doughboys. From hospital cots, from business offices, from varied flelds of trade aud ded in France more than a decade has come to realize that his re- ibliity to “the boys” did not end Feels Responsibility. “These fellows have made me feel my responsibility in a big way,” Gen. Pershing said in an interview. “It seems they are depending on me to corrcborate everything they have told their wives or children or sweethearts and friends concerning their part in the war." It was plain from the general's atti- tude that he is far more deeply con- cerned with this responsibility to the rank and file of “his boys” than he is (Continued on Page 2, Column 5.) 15 REPORTE LT AFTERSHPS CRASH Finnish Steamer Sinks in lcy Waters—Brothers Com- manded Vessels in Fog. By the Assoctated Press. COPENHAGEN, December 20.—Forty- five .persons aboard the PFinnish liner Oberon, including 17 passengers, are believed to have perished in the icy waters of the Cattegat off Laso Island last night when the Oberon collided with the PFinnish liner Arcturus and sank. The Arcturus, standing by after the collision, saved 36 persons—-4 passengers and 32 crew members—many of whom are seriously injured. The fog was so thick at the time that it was impossible to see two yards ahead. The Arcturus had a bad hole in her hull and is pro- ceeding to port. Brothers in Command. ‘The tragedy was heightened by the fact that the captains of the two steam- ers were brothers, Eris Hjelt command- ing the Oberon and Ossi Hijelt the Arcturus. The captain of the Arcturus requested & doctor and medical supplies be sent out to meet him. ‘The fog remained so thick about the scene of the collision this morning that those aboard rescue ships were unable to see far enough ahead to locate life boats or survivors who might possibly be_floating around. Five Danish seaplanes were ready for a flight to Laso Island to aid in search- ing for survivors as soon as the fog listed. Today the steamer Svenskund, which brought Andree’s remains out of the Arc‘t‘f, broke through the fog, seeking additional survivors. U. S. Employe Saved. famous British cricketer, J. W. H:rh; Douglas, and his father were believed to have been among those who lost their lives. Among the passengers rescued was the English girl, Phyllis Tipping, a secretary at the American consulate at Helsin, ors. The Danish steamer Garm picked up several bodies in the vicinity of the crash and was glthem here. The ich rescued four of that the had with his first and second mates. SCIENTIST FEARED VICTIM OF VOLCANO's DONOVAN OPPOSES D. . COST DIVISION ON SERVICE BASIS Would Be Unfair to Citizens and Hard to Work Out, Hearing Is Told. DECLARES U. S. HOLDINGS MUST BE CONSIDERED Auditor Insists Enormous Tax Ex- emptions Cause Federal Govern- ment's Burden to Rise. A plan for deiermimng tae Saancial liability of the United Biaims to the District on the basis of strvice provided by the municipality to tne Federal Gove ernment was vigorousiy oppised today by Maj. Daniel J. Donovan, District auditor and budget officer, when he resumed his testimony befofe the Spee cial Committee on Fiscal Relations of the Hcuse. Maj. Donovan declared that any ate tempt to allocate the expenses to the District of services provided for the Federal Government would lead to une ending controversies. He insisted that the cnly equitable plan for reaching & solution of the fiscal relations problem would have to take into consideration the proposal laid down by the Bureau of Efficiency to consider as a major element the vast tax-exempt property holdings of the United States in the Nation's Capital. Injustice Seen in System. The proposal for dividing the expenses on the basis of service was developed through a series of questions propounded by Representative Frear of Wisconsin, Maj. Donovan declared repeatedly that it not only would be difficult to arrive at a fair divisior, but that such a plan, excluding as it did the Federal property holdings, would work an injustice on the District. “We are dependent,” he said, “on the justice and equity of Con= gress for equitable fiscal treatment.” In developing the theory for detere mining the fiscal liability of the United States on the basis of service, Mr. Frear first questioned Maj. Donovan regard- ing the proportion of the $6,000,000 an- nual expense of lmllnmg the Police re Department it should borne by the United States. e “T don't think you can determine the answer,” replied Maj. Donovan. “I don’t know what yardstick can be used in arriving at that amount.” "Wgne!g you say 25 per cent?” asked . 0 Mr. 3 “I couldn’t say,” answered Maj. Don« ovan. “The burden i8 to expect the people of Washington to maintain the National Capital without any assistance from the United States.” Taxation Basis Discussed. “What is a fair basis of taxation for the District?” asked Mr. Frear. “If the people of the District do not pay a fair are, do you expect the Federal Gov: than “I don't claim that the |Missing in Sumatra After Planning to Lower Self in Crater for Test. By the Assoclated Precs. | BATAVIA, Java, December 20.—Prof. Werner Borchardt, a sclentist connected with the Hamburg Tropical Institute, was believed today to have lost his life |in a small eruption of the Volcano Merapi in Sumatra. Ten days ago Borchardt and two native assistants, against advice of local officials, started for the volcano. He intended to lower himself into the crater and observe emanations of heat from the lava. Saw Scientist Disappear. One of the natives fled early in the expedition, fearing, an eruption. The other remained with the professor until an eruption did occur, when they both ran to a small valley, where, the native said upon returning here, he saw Borchardt disappear over a cliff while he hims=If hurried cn. The native him- self was injured in his escape. Troops sent to search for the missing scientist returned without finding any trace of him. Borchardt was about 30 years old and had been loaned by the Hamburg Institute to the Medan, Sumatra, Institute for a year to do research work on the influence of tem- perature on the blood and kindred sub- Jects. Ninety Natives Believed Killed. Ninety natives are believed to have been killed in an eruption of the Javan Voleano Merapi, which continues in an active stage after 80 years’ quiet. The voleano presents a terrifying scene with huge columns of smoke issuing from the crater and occasional darts of flame from crevices on its sides. Villages and forests in the neighborhoods are burn- ing, while severe thunderstorms are continuing over a wide area. A rain of mud has fallen on the vil- lages, some of which are covered with a coating of gray slime. There is a pall of darkness over everything. Vil- lagers are fleeing, panic stricken, from the area, and the small mountain streams have been changed into raging torrents, hurling along masses of rocks and mud. Communications have been interrupted and many places are isolated. EIFTS ARE ASSEMBLED FOR NEEDY BUT NONE FOUND IN COMMUNITY Ladies’ Aid Society of West Falls, N. Y., Discover No Families There in Wlt\lt- : By the Associated Press. BUFFALO, N. Y, December 20— Members of the Ladies’ Ald' Society of West Falls, near here, decided to do their bit for unemployment and the asked all residents of the com- munity who were for the for distributjon to those ‘Truck I ~soon po ook edtu * B less fortunate. ed in and b’: trouble set in. Investigation in West finally thfoughout adjacent Golden ley district r‘;vuledtm'. not a 1 5 emily was fln?l‘;hndlo ‘welfare organization b ple society on s ernment to pay more share?” e of ‘Washington are not paying a Klrflm share, nor do tX 1:’“" that the Federal Gove ernment not paying its fair share,” said Maj. Donovan. . you weraeio go into any comparable city and take millions of dollars of property off of the tax rolls you would soon have a squeal for help from the taxpayers. “I believe any attempt to allocate the expenses of the District on the basis of service to the Federal Government would always lead to a controversy. I don’t believe you can establish an ace curate basis for determining the amount. It would simply be a matter of opinion and you would have many opinions.” Mr. Frear again asked Maj. Donovan what proportion of the annual six-mil~ lion-dollar expense of the Police and Fire departments should be charged against the Federal Government for police and fire protection. *As I said before,” replied Maj. Dono= van, “I cannot answer that question.” Other Burdens Enumerated. Mr. Frear then asked Maj. Donovan what other burden the Federal Gov= ernment places on the District besides that of police and fire protection. He enumerated a number of other activie tles, which included the cost of pave ing the streets and sidewalks, the cone struction of sewers, street lighting, edu= cation, public health, public welfare and Judicial serviee. Mr. Frear emphasized, however, that the cost of these activities is shared in by the United States to the extent that It“he ::Lnounc of its annual contribution st Maj. Donovan again insisted that the burden of the Federal Government on the District rises as a result of the enormous tax exemptions. “We all know,” he declared, “that the City of ‘Washington is the Nation’s capital. We know that it has been the consensus of Congress for years that the people of Washington could not be expected (Continued on Page 2, Column 4.) ITALY WILL LAUNCH TWO NEW CRUISERS 10,000-Ton Treaty Vessel and Con- dottiere-Type Ship to Join Fleet This Month. By Radio to The Star. ROME, Italy, December 20.—Italy’s cruiser fleet will be augmented during the next few weeks by two ships. One, the 10,000-ton Washington treaty ves~ sel, Gorizia, will be launched December 28. The other is a 5,000-ton cruiser of the Condottiere type, to be launched Sunday. This brings the number of Italian post-war 10,000-ton _cruisers to five ;nd the number of 5,000-ton ships to